The Detroit Institute of Arts has renamed the director’s role to the Mary Anne and Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. Director, President, and CEO, in recognition of nearly $15 million in gifts made to the museum’s unrestricted operating endowment.
The contributions help ensure continued excellence in museum leadership. The endowment recognizes Gene Gargaro’s decades of service and dedication to the DIA as chairman, a position he held until 2024.
The recognition, the DIA states, underscores the profound impact he and his wife, Mary Anne, have had on the museum’s growth and stability.
His leadership was instrumental in key milestones, including spearheading fundraising for the museum’s $158 million renovation, expansion, and grand reopening in 2007; maintaining the museum’s fiscal health during the 2008-09 global financial crisis; and guiding the strategic initiative in 2013-14 to navigate the museum through Detroit’s bankruptcy,
Gargaro was a key leader in the “Grand Bargain;” achieving the DIA’s $100 million commitment to preserve the museum’s collection and secure the City of Detroit’s pension investments.
He also co-chaired the museum’s original millage in 2012 and its renewal in 2020; and oversaw nearly $800 million in total fundraising over 20 years.
Mary Anne Gargaro has been Gene’s strategic partner and advisor, acting in many capacities at the DIA herself, including serving as Gala chair, serving on the Associates of the American Wing Auxiliary Board, and, with Gene, receiving the 2015 Lifetime Service Award.
Gene and Mary Anne Gargaro personally contributed $1 million to the endowment, which has received nearly 100 gifts from donors, including seven-figure gifts from numerous families, including Bonnie Ann Larson; Mary Kay and Keith E. Crain; Jennifer and David T. Fischer; the Jennifer and Terence Adderley Foundation; Ann and James B. Nicholson; Anne and John H. Roberts; Anthony L. Soave; Molly and Mark Valade; and the Wayne and Joan Webber Foundation.
The support reflects the widespread appreciation for Gargaro’s steadfast leadership and the enduring legacy he has shaped at the DIA.
“Gene Gargaro’s leadership has been nothing short of transformative,” says Salvador Salort-Pons, now titled the Mary Anne and Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. Director, President, and CEO of the DIA.
“His vision and dedication have ensured the DIA’s long-term success, and this endowment is a fitting tribute to his legacy. We are deeply grateful to Gene and Mary Anne Gargaro, as well as the many donors who have made this possible.”
Gargaro expressed his gratitude for the honor, stating, “Mary Anne and I are very proud to share this special director naming recognition with all those who have joined us in supporting the DIA. This museum is a treasure for Detroit and our region, and we are privileged to have played a role in its continued success.”
The DIA, considered one of the premier art museums in the United States, houses more than 65,000 works of art that offer a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times to the 21st century.
With a collection that features everything from the first Van Gogh painting to ever enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887) to Diego Rivera’s famous Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA is known for its quality, range, and depth.
The DIA is open Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. General admission is always free for Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County residents.
To read Salort-Pons’ blog post reflecting on Gene and Mary Anne Gargaro’s legacy on the museum, visit here.
For more information, visit DIA.org.
