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Kansas City, MO 64111

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Kemper Museum is a free art museum in Kansas City, Missouri that presents global contemporary art.

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

Click here to learn more about our land acknowledgment process.

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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Names Wendy Guillies Interim CEO.pdf

KANSAS CITY, MO—The Board of Trustees of Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (Kemper Museum) today announced the appointment of Wendy Guillies as the museum’s interim chief executive officer, effective March 13. Guillies retired last fall from a 22-year career with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she had served as president and CEO since 2015.

The Board of Trustees expects the interim assignment to span six to eight months, during which time a national search will be conducted to find a permanent CEO. Sean O’Harrow, the museum’s previous leader, stepped down in November of last year.

Having overseen operations of the $2.5 billion Kauffman Foundation, Guillies brings  C-suite leadership experience in addition to marketing and communications acumen.

“Wendy has in-depth experience leading a complex nonprofit organization, punctuated by exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, all of which make her a great fit for this interim position,” said Kemper Museum Board Chair Mary Kemper Wolf. “I know that she and the talented museum staff will continue to engage the community while positioning the museum for a visionary leader to join us later this year.”

“For years I have admired Wendy's leadership at the Kauffman Foundation, as she ascended to the top of the organization,” added Bill Gautreaux, vice chair of the Board of Trustees. “She served as an interim CEO, supported a national search, and was ultimately selected for the role by the board. We are thrilled that she can now take this opportunity on and apply her experience at the museum.”

Prior to becoming acting CEO, and then president and CEO, Guillies was the long-time vice president of communications at the Kauffman Foundation and a member of its senior leadership team. Before joining the Foundation in 2000, she held various marketing communication roles in the for-profit and non-profit sectors in Kansas City and Southern California.

“In this new chapter of my career, I can’t think of a more rewarding opportunity, at just the right time,” Guillies said. “Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is a Kansas City treasure, and I look forward to working with the board and team in the coming months to bring even more visibility to its meaningful exhibitions, programs and facilities.”

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is a leading presenter of global modern and contemporary art in the region. As the first contemporary art museum in the state, Kemper Museum has connected Midwest communities with the artists of our time since 1994. The museum cares for nearly 1,500 artworks by hundreds of artists in its growing Permanent Collection. A rotating selection of these works are on view in the museum’s Gunnar Birkerts-designed building, alongside rotating special exhibitions. Each year, the museum presents eight to ten exhibitions and major projects, with a special focus on emerging, mid-career artists, as well as artists from historically excluded groups. An active calendar of creative public programs provides meaningful engagement opportunities for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Kemper Museum is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Admission, parking, and public programs are always free, thanks to the generosity of members and other donors.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art Names Wendy Guillies Interim CEO