The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) announced today the selection of Diane Bailey Morton as its new Executive Director.
When asked to comment on the WADA Board of Directors unanimous decision to hire Ms. Morton, WADA President Mark Aeling said, “Diane is a true community leader. She has had a stellar professional career and has been very supportive of the arts community in both service and philanthropy. We are fortunate to be able to hire and Executive Director now that we would hope to have been able to hire 5 years from now. Needless to say, we are thrilled to have her on board.”
Diane Morton has practiced law in the Tampa Bay Area for over thirty years. She began her career as an Assistant State Attorney where she handled high profile felony cases. She opened her own trial practice in St. Petersburg and handled labor and employment cases. She served as General Counsel of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association and the Tampa Firefighters. She was named General Counsel to C1 Bank and guided the bank through the successful merger with Bank of the Ozarks.
“I have known Diane for many years. Diane has a true love of the arts and is a consummate professional in all the tasks she undertakes. We are lucky to have her and are excited about her advancing the mission of the Warehouse Arts District,” says Rob Kapusta, WADA Vice President.
Morton is a fixture in the local arts community having served over twenty years on the Board of Trustees of American Stage. She and her family sponsored all ten years of the August Wilson Century Cycle at American Stage. She served on the International Relations Commission for the City of St. Petersburg which included being a homestay parent for exchange students from Takamatsu, Japan. Morton has sponsored numerous theatre productions for The Studio@620, Stageworks and FreeFall theatre. She served on the Boards of Great Explorations, USF Alumni Association and the Florida Bar Grievance Committee.
Ms. Morton commented, “This position combines my love of community with my love of the Arts. I am looking forward to putting my business experience to work for the whole district. What WADA has created is nothing short of remarkable and I am excited about helping the organization reach its ambitious goals.” Ms. Morton can be reached at diane@whereartismade.com.
# # #
The Warehouse Arts District Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization dedicated to building and sustaining a vibrant arts community in St. Petersburg that supports the success of all artists and the community at large through a broad spectrum of tools, including community revitalization, marketing, advocacy and educational programming within the Warehouse Arts District.