FLORIDA’S State Art Museum has hired a Waterford man as associate director of development.
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota has appointed Declan J Sheehy who is originally from Lismore Park, Waterford.
Mr Sheehy attended Waterpark College and is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and the Marketing Institute of Ireland.
“The Ringling is excited to bring Declan aboard,” said Steven High, executive director of The Ringling.
“He is an accomplished professional with achievements in development who will strengthen an already excellent team.”
The Ringling was established in 1927 as the legacy of Mable and John Ringling for the people of Florida, with Florida State University assuming governance of the Museum in 2000.
Mr Sheehy will be responsible for gifts in support of The Ringling’s comprehensive capital campaign through planned giving, major gifts and annual campaigns.
“I am thrilled to join the Development team at The Ringling,” he said. “This position merges a passion for philanthropy with a keen interest in higher education and the arts. There is something for everyone at The Ringling, and I look forward to sharing this message with new audiences.”
Prior to joining The Ringling, Mr Sheehy served as the assistant director of special gifts for the Smith Fund at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he oversaw fundraising, outreach, special gifts and strategic prospecting.
Mr Sheehy also managed the creation of new programmes and revamped the Sophia Smith giving circle program.
Before that he served as the Director of Development and Outreach at the American Institute for Economic Research in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
Outside of work, he was a founding partner of the Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Women’s Financial Empowerment speaker series.
He has served on the board of Tanglewood Business Partners, Berkshares local currency initiate, and he was state president of the Massachusetts Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy where he planned numerous events to further the cause of financial literacy.
The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.
Mr Sheehy and his wife Laura visited the Sarasota, Florida area many times before re-locating.
He said he was looking forward “to calling Sarasota our forever home – we could not be happier to be here”.
Declan’s parents were Patrick and Agnes Sheehy, both from County Kilkenny. His brother Ronan lives in Watford, England and his sister Deirdre lives in Piltown.
Declan and his wife Laura are looking forward to visiting family and friends in Waterford next year.
