A retired business executive with extensive fundraising experience will serve as interim director for the Bartholomew County Historical Society.
Tom Brosey is expected to hold the position on a part-time basis for about six months, said Tamara Iorio, historical society board president.
He assumes a leadership position held by Julie Hughes for seven years on a full-time basis until she resigned last fall to pursue a master’s degree.
As a businessman, Brosey first worked as an account executive at Cummins Inc. and later served as president of LHP Technologies.
But a nine-year association with Mission Management Services of Columbus may best serve the historical society’s needs at this time, Iorio said.
Mission Management, a 10-year-old organization that Brosey helped create with David Westenberger, assists nonprofits with organizational assessments, financial management, human resources support, marketing strategy and business planning.
Brosey, a native of Dayton, Ohio, took over leadership of Mission Management after Westenberger — best known for his 15 years directing the Foundation for Youth — was appointed executive director of the Indiana Youth Services Association in 2012.
“(Brosey) can provide financial and management leadership that we think is important as we create our long-term strategic plan related to our new building on Washington Street,” Iorio said.
The 95-year-old historical society announced plans in December 2014 to move its museum and headquarters to the former Brad’s Furniture Gallery at 538 Washington St.
But such a move — designed to improve visibility and patronage — will require raising more than $2 million over the next three to five years, Iorio said.
She said Brosey’s skills and business experience should enable the society to make improvements in three key areas before embarking on a major capital campaign:
Improving communication with the community
Expanding the historical society board in a productive manner
Strengthening relationships with other community organizations
In addition, Brosey will assist the board in assessing its staffing needs in an effort to balance it with finances, mission and programming, Iorio said.
The historical society has been awarded a $13,000 grant from the Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, foundation director Tracy Souza said.
That funding will be used as short-term financial support to grow the organization’s capacity, Iorio said.
While serving as 2013 campaign chairman for the United Way of Bartholomew County, Brosey helped the nonprofit umbrella organization raise a record $4.1 million.
Brosey will continue in his current part-time capacity as director of business operations at Foundation for Youth while working with the historical society, Iorio said.
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Tom Brosey
Job title: Interim director of the Bartholomew County Historical Society.
Age: 66
Place of birth: Dayton, Ohio.
Education: Master’s degree in agricultural engineering from Ohio State University, masters in business administration from the University of Detroit.
Business experience: Retired executive who formerly worked for Cummins Inc. and LHP Technologies.
Nonprofit experience: Serves as director of business operations at Foundation for Youth; co-founder of Mission Management Services of Columbus; 2013 campaign chairman for the United Way of Bartholomew County.
Family: Wife, Cheryl; three adult children, five grandchildren.
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