Garden Theatre names COO

The Garden Theatre has named a Chief Organizational Officer.

The venue has announced Keith Davenport as its COO. He will step into the role immediately.

“When a unique creative opportunity such as this comes along, it’s just hard not to pursue it,” Davenport said in a press release. “That’s how I feel about Garden Theatre, which is an important local institution that I have loved and supported for years. The theater has come such a long way in recent months and I’m looking forward to playing an active role in continuing to ensure that Central Florida has a theater where performers and audiences want to be.”

According to the theater, Davenport will provide the leadership, inspiration and strategic direction to enable the establishment to achieve its annual and long-term goals for artistic excellence, financial sustainability and community engagement. 

"The decision to create this leadership position is the result of a multi-focused, eight-month long organizational and board assessment performed by subject matter consultants and the board of directors, which examined best practices and operational efficiencies in non-profit arts organizations," the Garden Theatre said in a press release.

Board President Rich Taylor said the theatre is "extremely fortunate" Davenport has taken the role.

“He brings a remarkable and extensive level of global experience and expertise in entertainment and production with the added bonus that he is a well-known member of the community and understands the Garden Theatre," Taylor said. "The value the theater gains from his knowledge, experience and professionalism is unprecedented.”

BUSINESS BACKGROUND

Davenport has been actively involved with the Garden Theatre for 11 years as a patron and donor. He also recently served as a member of the board as chair of the programming and partnerships committee. 

In order to transition to his new role, Davenport has resigned from the board.

Davenport said he has been actively involved in community theatre since his childhood. 

His professional background includes entertainment marketing, event production and overseeing entertainment spectaculars and programming around the world. 

"He is well- known for his ability to execute large-scale productions from budget planning and management to performance while also managing multi-level relationships during the process, ensuring forward-movement and successful outcomes," the press release stated. 

With the new fiscal year kicking off this month, the Garden Theatre has also elected six new board members to its leadership selection.

Leading the Board are: Rich Taylor, chair; David Baldree, vice-chair; Todd Wheeler, treasurer; and David Romano, secretary.

Taylor brings more than 50 years of entertainment experience to his role on the board. 

“We couldn’t be more enthusiastic about Garden Theatre’s future; it’s certainly not been an easy year, but we have worked to grow in a smart way that helps heal but also brings some joy and happiness to our community," Taylor said.

For more information on the Garden Theatre, click here. 

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.