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BOB BAUSMITH NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors named Bob Bausmith of West Hartford, as the next Chairman of the Board. Bausmith replaces current Chair Jeff Verney and started a two-year term at the HSO’s Annual Meeting on September 27, 2022. Verney served as Board Chair from 2015-2022 and will remain an integral part of the Board during the transition.
In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Bausmith has extensive board leadership experience with a variety of arts organizations and has been a professional musician, both as an organist and member of the roster of Connecticut Choral Artists for 10 years. He has been a member of the HSO Board since 2017 and is looking forward to this new role within the organization.
Bausmith said, “I’m thrilled to serve the world-class musicians, dedicated staff, generous donors and devoted patrons of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Gratitude abounds for Jeff Verney’s seven years of service as Board Chair, rebuilding our balance sheet while delivering six consecutive years of balanced budgets and navigating through the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to his dedication and hard work, we are well-positioned to fulfill our mission to enrich lives and community through great music for many years to come, while continuing the work already in progress to transform the HSO culture into one that is more egalitarian, more connected, and even more devoted to placing the highest importance on equity and inclusion, and to ensure that all members of our community are not merely welcomed, but fully embraced.”
Steve Collins, HSO President and CEO said, “The HSO is looking forward to having Bob assume the role of Chairman of the Board. He brings a wealth of experience and his commitment to our core priorities is evident.”
About Bob Bausmith
Bob Bausmith recently retired as Founder & CEO of Accelerate Innovation LLC, where he served as an advisor to tech startups and companies implementing transformational change to create competitive advantage. In addition to his love of the performing arts, Bob has a passion for leadership development and company building and a diverse background as a systems engineer at IBM and CSC, chief systems architect at UnitedHealth Group and Aetna, managing partner at Netsoft (acquired by EPAM), founding CTO at Carevive Systems, and interim CIO at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.
In addition to serving as Chair of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors, Bob serves as Board Chair of SpokenLayer, and Board President of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival Hartford. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Lehigh University, an MS in Materials Science from The University of Vermont, and three US patents. Bob lives in West Hartford with his wife, Jill Peters-Gee MD. They have four children and three grandchildren.
About the Hartford Symphony Orchestra
The mission of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra is to enrich lives and community through great music. Now in its 79th season, the HSO is Connecticut’s premier musical organization, the second largest orchestra in New England, and widely recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras. The Hartford Symphony Orchestra named Carolyn Kuan as its tenth music director in January 2011; she is the first woman and youngest person to hold this title. The HSO captivates and inspires audiences of all ages by presenting more than 100 concerts annually, including the Masterworks Series, POPS! concerts, Sunday Serenades, Discovery Concerts, Symphony in Schools, the Talcott Mountain Music Festival, and more. The HSO aims to deliver uniquely powerful and emotional experiences that lift and transform the spirit, and to give back and help create vibrant communities in the Greater Hartford area.
