Arts Leader Gary Good Retires From Pacific Symphony

After an illustrious 48-year arts management career with a wide range of orchestras and opera companies, Gary Good will be transitioning from his present work with Pacific Symphony as senior executive for endowment and legacy giving.

With so many achievements in a long and prestigious career, highlights of Gary Good’s work in the performing arts field range from his beginnings with the Boston Symphony to achieving notable “firsts” for a number of orchestras: Under Good’s leadership, Baltimore Symphony toured Europe for the first time and became the first America orchestra to tour East Germany; and the following year the orchestra played the inaugural concert in their new venue, Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Gary Good was the longest serving CEO for the Buffalo Philharmonic. He led the orchestra to its first Carnegie Hall appearance and its first international tour with Semyon Bychkov. While at the helm of the Milwaukee Symphony, he led the orchestra on two international tours and built a 400 station syndication radio network, along with production of more than two dozen recordings for Koss Recordings. He also initiated major fundraising efforts for the Omaha Performing Arts Center and the opening of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Florida.

At John Forsyte’s invitation in the fall of 2008, Gary Good came to Pacific Symphony where he worked in a variety of fundraising and project roles over the past 14 years. His many achievements with the orchestra include the following:

• Endowments for three new principal chairs;
• Building of the Opera-Vocal Initiative and growth of Opera Focus;
• Special campaigns, including “Music for Generations,” Carl St.Clair’s 25th and 30th anniversaries, Pacific Symphony’s 40th anniversary and the expansion of the “Heartstrings” program; and
• Stewardship of the “Ellis Island Medal of Honor Pacific Symphony project and subsequent national PBS Great Performances broadcast.

Gary Good and his wife Jackie have been generous contributors to Pacific Symphony’s Annual Fund and special events. They will be relocating to Kansas City this summer, where Jackie will be sustaining her longtime financial consulting business, and they will be closer to children and grandchildren. Good will continue his relationship with Pacific Symphony in a consulting role and as an author of guest blog posts. Pacific Symphony expresses its appreciation to Gary Good for his many contributions to Pacific Symphony during his distinguished 14-year tenure with the organization. 

L-R. Photo 1: Gary Good with Music Director Carl St.Clair. Photo 2: Gary with his wife, Jackie. Photo 3: President & CEO John Forsyte presents a gift basket to Gary.