Although I now live 75 miles away, I was a homeowner in Wellesley for 17 years. During that time I often wished for the existence of something like TCAN, so I was grateful to see it appear. I had the privilege of patronizing it regularly and watching it grow. I'm amazed at what Michael Moran has accomplished in just a few years.
TCAN is a unique treasure, apparently one of the most successful and fastest-growing art organizations in the region, if not in the country, during an era when government support for the arts is pitifully scant. I think TCAN is what it is because of Michael Moran.
Aside from being someone who enjoys and supports art, I'm a Harvard MBA with twenty-five years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience. I've also spent considerable time working inside cultural organizations. I feel like I've witnessed every flavor of leadership, ranging from terrible to excellent. From the perspective of my experience, it's clear that Michael Moran is an outstanding leader.
As a TCAN patron, and also as a parent, citizen, voter and taxpayer, I'm deeply dismayed to contemplate that TCAN would be deprived of Michael's extraordinary abilities. I hope the board has the courage and wisdom to admit that it made what appears to be a very serious mistake.
Yours truly,
Alan Schlingenbaum