ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
GEORGE A. BAYARD III
Executive director Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, Grand Rapids
George Bayard’s dream of owning an art gallery started at age 15 and his love for art carried him to this point, owning West Michigan’s oldest gallery devoted to artists of color for 30 years. He is spearheading a group to create the largest museum in West Michigan devoted to African American history, culture, learning and family. The group plans to open a new facility in 2021 focusing on local African American history and culture. GRAAMA was the winner of the Albert Baxter Local History Award and was featured on the cover of the national magazine History News for its Grandma’s Voices Oral Histories series.
PETER D’ARIENZO
CEO John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids
EDUCATION: University of Delaware (B) INSPIRATION: A TV ad would rant about “starving artists’ sale.” I was inspired not to be a starving artist so I expanded my artistic vision. FUNNIEST WORK EXPERIENCE: I waited on a customer and didn’t recognize him as the most famous local artist of the time, Andrew Wyeth. LESSON LEARNED: Persistence pays off in time. Life is a marathon not a sprint. GRAND RAPIDS ATTRACTION: ArtPrize DOWNTIME: Binge-watching TV and grilling ADVICE TO 18-YEAR-OLD: Pick your friends and don’t be afraid to seek new ones. BUCKET LIST: Visit Africa PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE: Giancarlo Esposito
GLENN DEL VECCHIO Executive director Grand Rapids Ballet, Grand Rapids
Glenn Del Vecchio joined the Grand Rapids Ballet in 2009. Prior to his appointment, Del Vecchio moved to Michigan to serve as director of marketing for Universal Forest Products’ restaurant division, a group of 29 company-owned and franchised casual, quick-service and specialty-themed restaurants in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Michigan. For 11 years, Del Vecchio worked for Clear Channel Communications. He joined the ballet as a consultant while with his own marketing firm, Captus Creative. He serves as vice chair of the Michigan Dance Council and operations committee member of the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention Arena/Authority. In 2014, he received the Business Journal’s Newsmaker of the Year award in the arts and entertainment category for the world premiere of Grand Rapids Ballet’s “Nutcracker” production. The premiere capped the Grand Rapids Ballet’s multiyear, multimillion-dollar campaign to build out production, stabilize its financial picture and raise the organization’s profile.
Peter D’Arienzo took over the reins of John Ball Zoo four years ago. Since then, the Zoo has created an annual economic impact of $40 million a year. There are nearly 2,000 animals that represent over 230 species at the zoo. With a passion for sustainability and community, his team led the design and construction of John Ball Zoo’s new front entry that features an inclusively designed pathway with the goal of achieving the Living Building Challenge commercial certification. His team also led the design and construction of a meerkat habitat that is SITES centered with a goal of achieving SITES’ Gold Certification in 2020. This certification will make John Ball Zoo the first zoo in the country to receive this and the first 2.0 v SITES in Michigan. Prior to joining John Ball Zoo, he was the director of operations for the Kansas City Zoo. He led a team of directors with responsibilities ranging from general operations to guest satisfaction. He also worked at Donaldson Company International, an air filter company, as a human resources manager and an environmental health and safety manager where he wrote and implemented an Environmental Management System (ISO 14001). D’Arienzo also spent 20 years at American Multi-Cinema, eventually becoming corporate director. EDUCATION: Rockhurst University (B), Aquinas College (M) FIRST JOB: Theater staff member at American Multi-Cinema
RICK DEVOS
Founder ArtPrize/Start Garden/ Wakestream Ventures, Grand Rapids
EDUCATION: Millersville University (B) FIRST JOB: A farmers market stand selling specialty meats and cheeses BEST ADVICE: Do what you love, and the money will follow. LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: I followed the Grateful Dead around the East Coast and a couple of choice Midwest cities.
14 THE GRAND RAPIDS 200
Rick DeVos is an entrepreneur and investor. In 2009, he created ArtPrize, a simple social experiment designed to see if artists and the public could engage each other in new ways. In 2012, he founded Start Garden, a unique venture seed fund that invests in early-stage companies and strives to build Michigan’s startup ecosystem. In 2016, Start Garden evolved to birth the for-profit Wakestream Ventures, an early-stage fund with investments ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million. DeVos currently serves on the board of directors for ArtPrize, the Acton Institute and the West Michigan Aviation Academy Foundation. EDUCATION: Calvin University (B) TOUGHEST CHALLENGE: I was terrified when we announced ArtPrize 10 years ago. We had no real idea of what to expect and neither did anyone else. All we had built was a registration form. But we took a leap, ran fast and the incredible West Michigan community stepped up and supported us from the very first day. FAVORITE HOBBIES: Aviation, photography, music and reading FAVORITE CHARITY: As the founder of ArtPrize and a member of its board, I continue to believe in its catalytic impact on the West Michigan community. I am also honored to serve on the boards of the Acton Institute and the West Michigan Aviation Academy Foundation.
