Koya Leadership Partners Recruits Merit School of Music Executive Director
September 10, 2015 – Executive search firm Koya Leadership Partners has placed Charles Grode as president and executive director of the Merit School of Music. He replaces Tom Bracy, who left the organization earlier this year.
Mr. Grode, who has spent 17 seasons with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), most recently served as vice president of the Negaunee Music Institute, the CSO’s education and community engagement division that works with some 200,000 young people each year. Along with his work at CSO, he is a musician and has studied bassoon and plays piano.
“Charlie’s skills and his obvious enthusiasm for Merit’s mission made him the perfect candidate,” said Barry Mitchell, retired president of ComEd and chair of Merit School of Music’s board of trustees.
Merit School of Music is a non-profit that provides music education to underserved communities. It has a $5.1 million annual budget and employs about 30 full-time staff members and a faculty of 120. Its mission is to provide music education to students in metropolitan Chicago.
Founded in 2004, Koya Leadership Partners is a national executive search firm dedicated to the non-profit sector. The firm has filled executive director roles for City On A Hill Charter Public Schools; EdFund/West Contra Costa County Public Education Fund; and Resources for Indispensable Schools and Educators. The firm is currently heading executive director searches for Corporate Angel Network and West Contra Costa Education Advocacy Organization.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
