After an exhaustive local and national search, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra has selected Patrick O'Herron, a New York native, to take the helm of its marketing department.
O'Herron grew up in the Southern Tier, where he was actively involved in the arts including the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, Elmira Little Theatre and the Horseheads High School Marching Blue Raiders. He holds a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from James Madison University and a master's degree in arts management from the University at Buffalo. He started his arts management career at the BPO in the box office, then served as BPO education coordinator for two seasons. O'Herron also performed in the BPO's concert productions of "Funny Girl" and "Kiss Me Kate."
O'Herron left in 2012 to pursue opportunities with the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, and with the national advocacy organization Americans for the Arts. He then served as marketing and communications director for Arts Brookfield, where he oversaw the national strategy for one of the largest privately funded public arts programs in the world. He most recently served as public programming and events manager for CBRE, where he was responsible for producing and marketing public events in the Wall Street area, including the recent launch of the annual "Sing for Hope Pianos Project," in which 50 artist-designed pianos were put on display for the public to play and enjoy, and later refurbished and donated to underserved New York City public schools.
"I'm particularly pleased to bring back someone who started his career at the BPO," said Buffalo Philharmonic Executive Director Daniel Hart. "I'm happy to see how much he has grown professionally since his time here. I'm confident that he will lead the marketing department in an exciting new direction."
"It's an honor to return to the organization that first gave me my backbone in arts management. I am looking forward to diving head-first into the BPO's marketing efforts and re-joining the Buffalo arts community, sharing what I have gained from working in the New York City and national arts scenes for the past several years," O'Herron said.
As BPO marketing director, O'Herron will be responsible for generating $3.5 million worth of annual ticket sales, managing a department of seven full-time and eight part-time staff members, and developing the overall marketing strategy and implementation, aimed at growing the BPO audience, branding and general communications.
He begins Aug. 1.
The search that brought O'Herron to the BPO was conducted by Robert Sweibel Arts & Culture Consulting, a New York City-based consulting firm specializing in strategic marketing, communications and leadership in the arts and culture.
