Board Appoints 2nd Vice President
The Board of Directors of the Museum Store Association (MSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Steiner, Retail Operations Manager at The Barnes Foundation, as Second Vice President for the 2015/16 term. The second vice president serves a three-year term, serving as board president in the final term.
“Julie’s appointment as incoming second vice president says a lot about the future of MSA,” said Barbara Lenhardt, President of the MSA Board of Directors and director of retail operations, John F. Kennedy Center of Performing Arts. “The board of directors is planning for the future of MSA by bringing on the most experienced and successful museum store professionals to lead the association.”
Steiner’s background and expertise comes from a blend of fine art and store management. With an art history degree from Smith College, Steiner’s career has included both the curatorial and educational aspects of museum work, as well as the business of independent retail; she owned and operated her own boutique stores. Her position at The Barnes Foundation combines retail management with the interpretation of fine art into product development. Steiner’s prior experience includes research assistant, 19th century European paintings, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“I am strongly committed to the work of museums as public institutions,” said Steiner. “I believe that the business of retail provides non-profit institutions with an invaluable tool for financial stability, growth, and outreach to our communities.”
Philadelphia-based Barnes Foundation promotes the advancement of education and the appreciation of fine arts and horticulture. It holds one of the finest collections of Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings. The Barnes Shop features a blend of products, combining fine art reproductions and products and publications based on the Barnes collection along with contemporary handcrafted work from regional and national artisans with an emphasis on fine craftsmanship that reflects the objects and artworks in the collections.
