Wednesday Kudos: Crystal Bridges Promotes Don Bacigalupi To President

Crystal Bridges, Southern Bancorp, the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and Hendricks & Partners are all making moves.

CRYSTAL BRIDGES PROMOTES BACIGALUPI TO PRESIDENT
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Board of Directors and board chair Alice Walton have promoted Crystal Bridges Executive Director Don Bacigalupi to the newly created position of president and appointed him to Crystal Bridges Board of Directors. The board has also promoted Crystal Bridges Deputy Director for Operations and Administration Rod Bigelow to executive director. Both promotions are immediately effective.

In his newly expanded role, Bacigalupi will serve as a member of the board of directors and will advance the Museum’s national and global special initiatives and work closely with the board and staff leadership. Bigelow will assume oversight for day-to-day operations of the Museum.

“Don was the right director at the right time,” said Alice Walton. “The success we have enjoyed during the course of the past three years has been directly attributable to his leadership—in getting the building open and creating a successful inaugural year, surpassing all expectations. As important, he has created a first-rate and highly effective leadership team, prepared to advance Crystal Bridges’ strategic plan and keep the momentum going into our second year of operation and beyond. In his new role, he is poised to take us to even greater accomplishments.”

Bacigalupi, who joined Crystal Bridges’ staff in 2009, was previously president, director and CEO of the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio for six years.

Bigelow has served as the deputy director of operations and administration at Crystal Bridges since 2010, overseeing the areas of finance, facilities, grounds and trails, IT, security, human resources, culinary, and retail activities. He formerly served as chief operating officer and interim executive director at the Toledo Museum of Art, and as chief financial officer and interim executive director at the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington as well.

Sandy Edwards remains on the executive team as deputy director, supporting and advancing all areas of the Museum. Tracy Cude will continue to serve as chief financial officer, reporting to the executive director in addition to serving as project manager for the national and global special initiatives, reporting to the president.

SOUTHERN BANCORP ADDS KOEHLER TO BOARD
Daniel Koehler, president of Koehler Software, Inc., and former chief financial officer of Union National Bank of Little Rock, has joined the board of Southern Bancorp Inc.

Along with serving on the board, Koehler will chair Southern’s audit committee.

“The dual mission of Southern is unique in banking, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with my fellow directors and officers in making a worthwhile contribution to communities in Arkansas and Mississippi,” said Koehler.

Prior to his banking career, Koehler was a certified public accountant with Arthur Young & Company in New York, where he divided his time between the firm’s audit and tax practices.

A graduate of Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys, Koehler graduated from the University of Notre Dame and earned an MBA in finance from Harvard Business School.

“Southern’s unique combination of philanthropy and banking requires a depth and breadth of talent capable of balancing often competing needs in order to optimize social impact,” said Walter Smiley, chairman of Southern Bancorp Inc. “Our directors – including Daniel Koehler – have managed to strike this balance to ensure our mission thrives in times that are difficult for both community development and banking.”

HENDRICKS & PARTNERS JOINS BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INVESTMENT VENTURE
Hendricks & Partners, one of the nation’s largest and most active multi-family investment banking and research companies, has been acquired by Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, LLC, a joint venture of investment giant Berkshire Hathaway and Leucadia National Corporation.

Aaron Hargrove, partner who heads Hendricks & Partners in the Central South region, which includes Arkansas, said the new firm is now called Hendricks-Berkadia.

“The acquisition brings substantial new resources to our work negotiating the acquisition and sale of investment-grade multi-family properties,” Hargrove said.

Since joining Hendricks five years ago, Hargrove and Associate Partner Hunter Buwick have sold 10,942 units and negotiated five land transactions.

“Berkadia Commercial Mortgage unites two of the great financial powerhouses and Hendricks-Berkadia is now able to provide sound access to financing for major acquisitions,” Buwick said.

O’MELL JOINS LR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Buckley O’Mell has been named vice president, advocacy at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Most recently O’Mell was a commercial real estate broker at Flake & Kelley Commercial of Little Rock. He has been active serving many non-profits and boards including the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department (current commissioner), the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Create Little Rock, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Consortium Board, the Committee for Little Rock’s Future and the MacArthur Park Group. A native of Marianna, Arkansas, O’Mell holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law and an undergraduate degree in business from the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business.

“Buckley has spent his career building business and social relationships throughout the region and the state,” said Jay Chesshir, President and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. “As the primary voice of business in the region, it’s crucial for our Chamber to have an experienced communicator sharing our message, and Buckley is perfectly suited for the challenge.”