Business Briefs: Feigenbaum Foundation pledges $2.5m to Berkshire Museum; magazine for nonprofits; WAM Theatre announces fall production; new admissions director for Miss Hall’s; new hire, promotion at Berkshire South

Feigenbaum Foundation pledges $2.5 million to Berkshire Museum

Pittsfield — The Feigenbaum Foundation is providing $2.5 million in support of the Berkshire Museum’s New Vision campaign, the largest single gift to the museum since its founding in 1903. The announcement came as part of the museum’s July 12 special event celebrating the culmination of a two-year master planning process that will lead to the creation of a new interdisciplinary museum. At the July 12 event, on behalf of the Berkshire Museum’s board of trustees, executive director Van Shields offered a detailed presentation of the concepts and designs for the new museum as well as information on the New Vision campaign, part of the funding strategy for the reinvented museum.

The Feigenbaum Foundation has long been a significant supporter of the Berkshire Museum. The Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation first opened in March 2008, as a 3,000-square foot exhibition space exploring innovations in science, technology, business, politics, culture and the arts. As part of its commitment to ensuring that visitors to the museum enjoy experiences on the leading edge of exploring innovation, the Feigenbaum Foundation made it possible for the Berkshire Museum to create the Curiosity Incubator, which opened in February and is a test laboratory for many of the new ideas that will be incorporated into the museum’s New Vision. Filling an entire second-floor gallery, the Curiosity Incubator utilizes vivid full-wall graphics, touchscreens, virtual-reality headsets, video monitors, a photo booth, and fresh ways to view objects from the museum’s collection. A series of Feigenbaum Innovative Experiences will be part of the museum’s New Vision, deployed throughout the building as part of many of the exhibits being designed for the transformed institution.

The goal for the campaign is $10 million. The Feigenbum Foundation’s gift makes a total to date of $5.4 million, more than halfway to the goal.

–E.E.

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Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires launches magazine

Great Barrington — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires recently launched Connections, a new magazine for the nonprofit sector. Published semi-annually, Connections features nonprofit profiles, columns representing different voices in the community, and articles on topics of interest to nonprofits such as fundraising and marketing.

Connections is edited by writer and Edge contributor Hannah Van Sickle and designed by artist Tina Sotis. The inaugural issue is free to the public thanks to the 40 advertisers who underwrote the production of the magazine. Readers can pick up a copy of the glossy, 48-page magazine at NPC’s office and at various coffee shops and gathering spots throughout the county.

–E.E.

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WAM Theatre announces cast, beneficiary for fall production

Soldier On women’s program executive director Sara Scoco and veteran Louann Hazelwood at WAM Theatre’s 2017 Stars in the Orchard gala. Photo courtesy WAM Theatre

Richmond — On Wednesday, July 12, WAM Theatre supporters packed the grounds of Hilltop Orchards at WAM’s Stars in the Orchards gala to celebrate and support the company’s eighth season. The celebration featured WAM’s 2017 Girls Ensemble cohort performing excerpts from its new work “What’s That Sound?”, live and silent auctions, and the 2017 WAMily Award for volunteer Karen Richards and Amy Lindner-Lesser of the Rookwood Inn in Lenox. The event raised more than $25,000 for WAM’s education programs and the company’s upcoming fall play “The Last Wife” by Kate Hennig, directed by Kelly Galvin.

The highlight of the evening was a sneak peek at scenes from “The Last Wife” performed by members of the cast, which will include Nehassaiu deGannes, John Hadden, David Joseph, Lily Linke, Alicia Piemme Nelson and Raoul Silver. Gala participants were also the first to learn the identity of the charity that will benefit from the production. In keeping with its double philanthropic mission, WAM will donate 25 percent of the box office proceeds from “The Last Wife” to its 13th beneficiary, the Soldier On women’s program, which offers a transitional housing program for up to 16 homeless female veterans in a trauma-informed care setting.

–E.E.

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Miss Hall’s gains new admissions director

David Hopkins. Photo courtesy Miss Hall’s School

Pittsfield — Miss Hall’s School has announced that David Hopkins is its new director of admissions and enrollment management.

Hopkins joins Miss Hall’s from Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Rabun Gap, Georgia, where he was director of international programming, overseeing international admissions. A native of central New York, Hopkins joined Rabun Gap in 2008, serving as a classroom teacher and world languages department chair until 2014. He began his teaching career at St. Paul’s School in Covington, Louisiana. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish language and literature from Binghamton University in New York.

–E.E.

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Berkshire South announces new hire, promotion

Rebecca Wolin. Photo courtesy Berkshire South Regional Community Center

Great Barrington — Berkshire South Regional Community Center has announced that Rebecca Wolin joined its team on July 6 as director of finance and administration. Wolin brings to her role over 25 years of experience in accounting and financial management, most recently as staff accountant at Country Curtains.

Jaclyn Sinay. Photo courtesy Berkshire South Regional Community Center

Berkshire South has also announced the promotion of Jaclyn Sinay from director of membership to director of employee and community engagement where she will continue to oversee membership while providing added support to all employee relations issues. Specific functions of this position will include oversight of employee communications, staff development and general employee guidance.

–E.E.