press release from the Jacksonville Center

--...---

Jacksonville Center Names Executive Director

---...---

David St. Lawrence has been named the first Executive Director for The Jacksonville Center for the Arts, a non-profit organization based in Floyd. A native of Massachusetts, St. Lawrence is a retired high-tech executive with sixteen years experience in strategic marketing and business development and has held senior management positions in six successful start-ups. Most recently, he was a senior program manager for Sun Microsystems in Mountain View, California. He has a BSEE from the University of Massachusetts.

St. Lawrence relocated to Floyd in January with his wife, Gretchen, from Charlottesville, VA. He operates a custom woodworking business, “Box-Carts” and worked with thrown and slab-built pottery as a hobby. An avid writer with several weblogs, he is also the author of “Danger Quicksand Have a Nice Day”, a book about surviving corporate employment.

When asked how his corporate background helps the Center, David says, “Fifty years in the corporate trenches has convinced me that the make-break of any enterprise, including nonprofits, is whether the products and services are effectively marketed.” His small-town upbringing makes him aware of how valuable the remarkable culture of Floyd is.

“This is the same culture that built the Jacksonville Center and is one of its greatest strengths today. Any changes to the Center’s operation will be evolutionary -- not revolutionary,” he added.

“This appointment represents a major step forward in our efforts to continue providing high-quality programs in the arts,” says Wilmer Stratton, President of the Board of Directors. “We recognize the need for an executive director and have been working to achieve that goal.” The center now has 3 full time staff, 6 part time staff (including two Experience Works participants) and a large cadre of dedicated volunteers.

In a renovated dairy barn setting, The Jacksonville Center has undergone rapid growth since 2003. After opening Virginia’s first residential crafts school a year ago, the Center offers studio classes in blacksmithing, glassworking and pottery along with courses in many other mediums for the visiting public as well as local residents. Since 2003, the Center has served as Virginia’s first Cultural Arts Business Incubator and currently has ten tenants. The Hayloft Gallery at the Center offers an average of eight exhibits a year and a retail shop featuring work by local artisans. The Center is also home to the Sustainable Living Education Center, a partnership between Association of Energy Conservation Professionals, The Jacksonville Center, Architectural Alternatives and other organizations. Facility use rentals are also available for special events.

---...---