Staff reports • Argus Leader • March 4, 2008
The Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science has chosen a Minnesota native as its new president and CEO.
Gary Alan Wood will start his duties in May, replacing Steve Hoffman who left in October for a job in California.
Wood, who is originally from Anoka, Minn., was most recently the President and Chief Executive Officer of The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts/Riverfront. He has worked in arts education, symphony orchestras and arts administration for nearly 25 years, according to the Pavilion.
He was involved in leadership of symphony orchestra education and community programs in Minneapolis and Philadelphia and was executive director of Da Camera of Houston, a chamber music and jazz organization.
The Pavilion will introduce Wood to the public at a 5 p.m. reception.
 Wood’s wife, Sakiko Ohashi, a native of Japan, is a concert pianist. She has been on the faculty for piano at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts since 2002, where she is the assistant chair of music.
Hmmm, nothing in the article about his salary or the fact that he has already hired his daughter to work in the Visual Arts Center. But of course, that is really none of the Public’s business, just put on the blinders, pay your taxes and drink your Budweiser and let us take care of the details.