AR 2001 Layout_Final - Royal Ontario Museum

Message from the Chairman of the ROM Foundation Board of Directors
Just days after the 10th anniversary of the ROM Foundation’s incorporation, we
entered a new phase in our development with the approval of the Renaissance
ROM Campaign. This momentous event signals a new order of ambition and a
remarkable opportunity for the Foundation as we embark on the largest cultural
campaign in Canadian history.
Fuelling the momentum of Renaissance ROM is a tremendous groundswell
of support from the public and our patrons—a product of inspired leadership
and a captivating vision for Toronto’s cultural renewal. It is also the product of
considerable volunteer and staff efforts, which have broadened the Museum’s
reach and profile, fostered belief and engagement
in our mission and vision, and created an
environment greatly conducive to philanthropy.
We are deeply grateful to our volunteers and
donors who work so hard to place the ROM at
the centre of Toronto’s cultural landscape.
As the Foundation enters its second decade,
it has much to look forward to. We are excited
by the appointment of Jim Temerty as incoming
Chairman—a widely respected executive,
entrepreneur and community leader whose
enthusiasm and energy have captivated us all. A
solid core of professional staff in the Foundation
is prepared to meet the demands of the
Renaissance ROM Campaign, as is the Board,
strengthened with outstanding new appointees.
The past ten years have seen tremendous
growth in the Foundation’s funding programs.
The impact is seen throughout the Museum in
Frank Potter (L) and Jim Temerty (R) beside the original 1914 ROM building.
research expeditions, publications, education
programs, collections care, acquisitions, and new galleries and exhibitions, such
as Great Asian Dinosaurs—our most successful family exhibit in a decade. This
year, for the first time, the Foundation’s giving programs raised more than
$10 million—a fitting milestone for a 10th anniversary celebration.
It has been a great privilege to serve the Foundation as Chairman these past
six years. The Museum is an easy place to love—for its people, collections, its sense
Frank Potter
of vitality and dynamism. It has also been a pleasure to serve alongside so many Chairman of the ROM Foundation
talented and generous individuals—my fellow Directors, Trustees and Governors,
Board of Directors
the donors and sponsors, and the staff, curators, and management. I thank each
of you for your support, and look forward to another decade of achievement as
we build an even stronger foundation for the finest Museum in Canada.
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