Holland’s Tenure Set to Begin Oct. 1
Tampa, FL – The Straz Center Board of Trustees today has announced the appointment of Greg Holland as president and CEO of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts.
“After a comprehensive national search led by immediate past chair Gary Sasso, the board is thrilled that Greg Holland has accepted our offer to lead the Straz Center,” said Chairman of the Straz Center’s Board of Trustees Bill West. “Greg’s depth of knowledge coupled with his innate passion for the performing arts makes him the ideal choice to guide the organization into what will undoubtedly be an exceedingly brilliant future.”
Current President and CEO Judy Lisi concurred saying, “Greg is the ultimate seasoned professional and I am delighted to leave Tampa’s performing arts center in his capable and inspired hands.”
An arts executive, theater administrator, revenue builder and dealmaker with more than 25 years of experience, Holland is currently the president of Brown-Holland Entertainment which provides business development services for Nederlander Worldwide. Additionally, Holland is the chief operating officer for Lighthouse Immersive which aims to cultivate community and creativity through large-scale events and exhibitions of all art forms.
Previously, he was the CEO of Broadway San Francisco that owns San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Orpheum Theatres and operates the Curran Theatre. Holland led the company and its theaters’ productions of pre-Broadway world premieres, original Broadway cast productions and major arts and entertainment events in the San Francisco Bay area. He simultaneously served as CEO of the Dallas-based SHN Presents that curated and presented the inaugural Broadway series at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Other notable professional experience includes positions with Clear Channel Entertainment, Pace Theatrical Group and Houston Grand Opera.
On Broadway, Holland served as co-executive producer for Julius Caesar starring Denzel Washington, John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer andTony Award®-winning play Doubt starring Cherry Jones (also on tour), Richard Greenberg’s2003Tony Award-winning play Take Me Out and Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog. He also was a producer of the original Broadway production of Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori’s Caroline or Change.
“I am honored to join the stellar team at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts. Judy Lisi’s exemplary leadership and the organizations’s visionary board of trustees have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to artistic excellence. Their insight has made it possible to develop programs that serve diverse audiences,” said Holland. “This already strong foundation will allow us to grow and expand the Patel Conservatory, Opera Tampa and Broadway at The Straz and explore exciting new artistic and entertainment events.”
“I am particularly eager to join the effort to realize the Straz Center’s Master Plan for facility and programming expansion,” Holland continued. “Tampa is a dynamic city and we are thrilled to be moving to the area and becoming an integral part of the community.”
Holland is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
The David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts is one of the largest performing arts complexes in the country. The 335,000 square-foot Straz Center provides an environment for a wide variety of world-class events. It boasts one of the nation’s leading Broadway series and is nationally respected for producing grand opera, as well as presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances, and events. In a typical season, more than 600,000 patrons attend 1,500+ events at the Straz Center. The Straz is also home to the Patel Conservatory which annually serves nearly 65,000 students with a variety of educational activities and classes, Opera Tampa and its resident theater company, Jobsite Theater.