ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has hired Robert Driver, a former Mizzou development executive, as vice president and chief philanthropy officer.
The SLSO hasn’t had an executive in that post since John Easley left the organization in March 2017 for a job as chief advancement officer for the Cleveland Museum of Art. Amy Drummond, who Easley had recruited to the symphony as part of his overall succession plan, left her post in June this year as SLSO’s vice president of philanthropy.
Driver has had a 30-year career in nonprofit management and advancement posts in health care, education and the arts.
Since 2017, Driver most recently was assistant vice chancellor for health systems advancement for the University of Missouri-Columbia, which he joined after five years with advancement consulting firm Gonser Gerber, most recently as executive director of Gonser Gerber Search.
Driver holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Mizzou and a master’s in arts administration from Indiana University Bloomington, according to a LinkedIn profile.
He began his career in 1989 as assistant artistic administrator for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He previously was a member of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus.
“Robert brings exceptional expertise in fundraising, relationship building, and strategic development and will be an important partner to our executive team and me and as we continue the SLSO’s strong and successful trajectory,” Marie-Hélène Bernard, SLSO’s president and CEO, said Monday in a statement. “In addition to his proven track record with fundraising, his lifelong passion for music and commitment to the mission of the SLSO make him a perfect fit for our team.”
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