Mary Adair Trumbly, the Executive Director of the Performing Arts Center (PAC) for the past 13 years, has announced plans to retire at the end of 2024. The PAC board of directors has begun the process of finding a highly qualified successor.
Over her 13 years of distinguished PAC leadership, Trumbly has brought to the plateau leading artists who have entertained audiences across the country and beyond. During the first 12 years as Executive Director, Trumbly utilized the excellent acoustics of the Martin Lipscomb Theater to deliver PAC performances.
After seven years of diligent planning, fund raising and construction, the state-of-the-art new theater held its opening performance on September 22, 2022. In its first full year of operation, the new PAC theater showcased a concert series of top caliber talent and multiple sold-out performances.
Jane Webb, a long-time board member and major benefactor of the PAC, has known Trumbly since her early days as executive director.
Webb has had a front row seat in watching Trumbly “create a vibrant home for the performing arts in Highlands through unbelievably hard work.” She added “it’s up to the community to move forward with her creation.”
Another long-standing PAC board member, Rick Trevathan, thinks back on Trumbly’s tenure and firmly believes “the PAC would not have flourished the way it has without her leadership. She has been the cornerstone of its success.”
A life-long passion for the performing arts started in college for Trumbly when she studied ballet at the University of Oklahoma. Her arts journey eventually led to Highlands 23 years ago, where she found a community with enough arts to “feed her soul.”
After founding and managing Summit One Art Gallery for nearly ten years, Trumbly was approached by PAC board chairman Stewart Manning in July 2010 to become the new Executive Director of the Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center.
When asked what she plans to do in retirement, Trumbly quickly mentions spending more time with her seven grandchildren. She also will help guide the performing arts talent of her granddaughter Clara who, at age 13, has already appeared in several TV series and starred in the full-length movie, “The Naughty Nine” now airing on The Disney+ Channel.
One of Trumbly’s core beliefs is that “a community is only as good as you make it.”
For 23 years, Trumbly has worked passionately to make the Highlands-Cashiers community an extraordinary place to enjoy the performing arts.
Pictured at the top of the article is PAC Executive Director Mary Adair Trumbly. Photo by Marty Boone.
Mary Adair has worked tirelessly at and for the PAC. She has set a high bar for the next Executive Director.