The surprising Texas Rangers are going all-in with Max Scherzer just when they need a big boost the most.

The AL West leaders acquired the three-time Cy Young Award winner from the New York Mets in a blockbuster trade announced Sunday, right about the time Texas placed ace Nathan Eovaldi on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm.

News of the agreement broke Saturday night while the Rangers were losing for the sixth time in eight games, trimming their lead over second-place Houston to one game.

Texas didn’t stop there, either. The team also landed left-handed starter Jordan Montgomery, right-handed reliever Chris Stratton and international bonus pool money from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday for left-hander John King, minor league infielder Tommy Saggese and minor league right-hander T.K. Roby.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Scherzer will make his Rangers debut Thursday when he starts at home against the Chicago White Sox.

“It’s great. We’re pumped about it. We’re getting an experienced guy with a tremendous resume,” Bochy said before the Rangers tried to avoid a sweep in San Diego.

Bochy said the message to his players before Tuesday’s trade deadline is: “Hey, we mean business. We’re here to win. And it’s always a great message when a team does something like this.”

Rangers general manager Chris Young, a former big league pitcher, was excited as well.

“Obviously, Max’s pedigree is a future Hall of Fame pitcher and the winner that he is is a perfect fit for what we need right now,” Young said. “You can never have enough starting pitching and to add someone of Max’s caliber is a great addition to our club. We landed the player we feel like is going to help us get where we want to go this year.”

Texas has emerged from six consecutive losing seasons to lead the AL West all but one day in Bochy’s first season in charge. Bochy won three World Series championships from 2010-14 as manager of the San Francisco Giants.

While hoping his absence won’t go beyond 15 days, Eovaldi, an All-Star this season who won a World Series title with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, was happy to hear of the acquisition of Scherzer.

“Adding him not only to this rotation for this year but also for next year, is a huge pickup,” Eovaldi said. “He brings that experience. He’s accomplished everything. What he’s going to be able to do for the guys, the energy, and you see how he goes out there and competes on the mound, and then just that extra experience for the postseason as well.

“We’ve got more guys that have experienced it and been through it, and the more guys you have with everything that he’s been able to accomplish, the better it is for the whole rotation and the team itself,” Eovaldi added.

Eovaldi joins two other Rangers All-Stars on the IL, catcher Jonah Heim and shortstop Corey Seager.

The trade netted the Mets one of Texas’ top prospects in infielder Luisangel Acuña, the younger brother of Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr. New York said he will be optioned to Double-A Binghamton.

Scherzer waived his no-trade clause to complete the deal, and the Mets will send cash to Texas. The pitcher also agreed to opt in on the final year of his contract in 2024 at $43.3 million, according to reports that said the Mets were paying about $35 million of the remaining $58 million on the right-hander’s contract.

The 39-year-old Scherzer joins another former Mets ace in Texas: injured right-hander Jacob deGrom. However, the two-time Cy Young Award winner had Tommy John surgery last month that could sideline him through the end of next season.

Scherzer (9-4) was leading the Mets in wins but had his highest ERA (4.01) since 2011 with Detroit. The eight-time All-Star started Friday at home against Washington, allowing one run over seven innings in a 5-1 New York victory.

With 210 career wins, Scherzer is third among active pitchers behind Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke.

The Mets, one of baseball’s biggest disappointments, unloaded Scherzer just days after sending closer David Robertson to Miami for two minor leaguers Thursday night.

New York began the season with the highest payroll in baseball at a record $355 million but started Sunday 18 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East and seven games back in the wild-card race with a string of teams to catch.

“We just couldn’t get the consistency clicking,” general manager Billy Eppler said.

The next question is what the Mets will do with Verlander, another three-time Cy Young Award winner signed through next season. There should be plenty of suitors for the 40-year-old right-hander, who earned his 250th career win Sunday against Washington.

The Rangers made the first notable move of this trading season by getting once-dominant closer Aroldis Chapman from Kansas City in June. Chapman has stayed in a setup role with Will Smith handling most of the closing duties.

Now, Texas has bolstered its rotation.

The 21-year-old Acuña was batting .315 with seven homers, 51 RBIs and an .830 OPS in 84 games with Double-A Frisco this season. He also had 25 doubles and was leading the Texas League in stolen bases (42) and runs (68).

Acuña was the third-ranked prospect in Texas’ farm system and No. 44 overall in the majors, according to MLB Pipeline.

___

Dixon reported from Texas.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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SAN FRANCISCO – President Biden’s welcome reception brought all the leaders for the APEC Summit to San Francisco’s Exploratorium on the waterfront on Wednesday night.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed greeted the delegations, and other VIPs, including city, state, and local politicians, community leaders, CEO’s and celebrities such as singer Gwen Stefani who was a featured performer.

“A state, like the city of San Francisco, that prides itself on being on the leading and cutting edge of new ideas,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

“Together, through APEC we can grow our economies, unlock industries of the future and ensure that all people prosper,” said Vice-President Kamala Harris.

A welcome video included Bay Area sports stars, Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Steph Curry, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Brandy Chastain.

“Welcome to San Francisco APEC,” they said on the video.

Kerr then appeared in person on stage to introduce President Biden, who gave brief remarks noting that APEC leaders face big challenges with artificial intelligence concerns and climate change.

“Connection, cooperation, collective action, and common purpose. That’s why we’re all here. I’m looking forward to seeing all the progress we’re going to make,” said Biden.

“Ceasefire now, Ceasefire now,” protestors chanted outside the entrance gate on the Embarcadero.

As rain poured down, police brought in reinforcements, maintaining a line outside high security barriers. Earlier, several protesters were arrested.

Protesters criticized President Biden for not doing more to stop civilian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war. Overall, the protest was peaceful and dispersed without major clashes with police.

Some who attended the APEC welcome reception said they are glad San Francisco is getting a chance to show the world the diversity and beauty of the city by the Bay.

“This is one of our greatest moments as a city and just as an entire community coming together,” said Anna Marie Presutti, Vice-President of Hotel Nikko and Board Chair of SF Travel.

“I’m also glad that she also included non-profits, community leaders and people who work in the community,” said Anni Chung, President and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, a community group that helps seniors.

“To be a part of this, it says a lot to young leaders that we can be in certain spaces as well,” said Hoang Dao of Hayward who took video and photos to remember the evening of meeting top leaders from around the world.

The reception ended with a big fireworks display over the bay, wrapping up after 8:30 p.m.

The APEC leaders are scheduled to hold a series of meetings Thursday and Friday, with additional receptions scheduled at various locations including the Palace of the Legion of Honor.

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China’s President Xi Jinping speaks at a dinner with business leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference Wednesday, Nov. 15, in San Francisco.

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President Joe Biden speaks during the APEC CEO Summit Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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President Joe Biden speaks to a group of CEOs Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco, at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

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President Joe Biden speaks to a group of CEOs Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco, at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

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President Joe Biden speaks to a group of CEOs Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco, at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

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Leaders arrive for a family photo at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pose for a family photo at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Peru’s President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra pose for a family photo at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Leaders including Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Peru’s President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, President Joe Biden and Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pose for a family photo at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Leaders pose for a group photo during the APEC Summit Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Leaders pose for a family photo at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco. Front row from left are, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. China’s President Xi Jinping, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Peru’s President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra, President Joe Biden, Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol.

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Leaders meet at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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President Joe Biden, left, speaks as Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese listens during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam speaks during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, takes part in a discussion entitled “Innovation That Empowers” during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, right, talks to moderator Emily Chang, of Bloomberg, during a discussion entitled “Innovation That Empowers” during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greets White House Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry at a informal dialogue and working lunch at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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White House Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry talks with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a informal dialogue and working lunch at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Thursday, Nov. 16, in San Francisco.

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WASHINGTON –

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to travel to San Francisco next week for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and International Trade Minister Mary Ng are also to take part in the visit Nov. 15-17.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office suggests Trudeau will be focused on ways to fuel climate-friendly economic growth with Canada’s allies and partners.

The Canadian delegation will also be looking at how to facilitate trade, identify opportunities in the digital space and build economic empowerment for women.

Trudeau is vowing to foster open economic co-operation and the removal of trade barriers to benefit people on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Like previous APEC meetings, this year’s summit — which runs Nov. 11-17 — is expected to generate large public protests around themes like climate change and income inequality.

“When we open up new markets for Canadian goods and innovation, and make sure the world can invest in Canada, we deliver real results for the middle class,” Trudeau said in a statement.

“By working together, we will create new opportunities for our workers and businesses, make progress in the fight against climate change and drive economic growth that works for everyone.”

As leader of the host country, U.S. President Joe Biden will preside over the week’s main event, the meeting of APEC economic leaders, to establish what one State Department official called a “strategic vision” for regional collaboration.

Ambassador Matt Murray, the Biden administration’s senior official for APEC, said the theme for this year’s meeting is “creating a resilient and sustainable future for all.”

The Asia-Pacific region represents 40 per cent of the world’s population, half of all global trade and 60 per cent of the world economy, Murray told a briefing call earlier this week.

One look at the numbers makes it clear why stronger economic ties in the area are so important to the U.S.: exports to APEC countries were worth $1.3 trillion in 2021, supporting almost seven million U.S. jobs, Murray said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2023.

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San Francisco’s public school staff just started their third school year with a faulty payroll system, and the district is still slogging through a backlog of 3,000 issues. 

Last month, almost 1,000 public school employees received their paychecks days late.

For employees of the San Francisco Unified School District, a mundane-sounding glitch in a payroll system that went live in January 2022 brought real-world consequences, including  canceled insurance benefits during health emergencies, tax-filing nightmares and delayed retirement contributions. Some school district staff even had to borrow money to pay their rent. 

The district has spent more than $40 million on the system—called EMPowerSF, configured using software by SAP America—and says progress has been made. But the leader of the United Educators of San Francisco union wants the district to pull the plug.

“This system’s gotta go,” said the union’s president, Cassondra Curiel. “There’s only so long you can squeeze a round peg in a square hole.”

The district adopted EMPowerSF with high hopes for replacing an antiquated, 17-year-old system that was paper-heavy and tracked its $1 billion budget on Google Sheets. It contracted with SAP America in 2018 and, later, its subsidiary, SAP Public Services.

A U.S. subsidiary of SAP SE, one of Germany’s largest companies, has been linked to numerous payroll snafus in California. | Source: Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images

The school district selected SAP, even though problems linked to the company’s payroll software had made headlines in other jurisdictions. The best-known instance came in 2016 when the software company settled with the California State Controller’s Office for $59 million after an exchange of lawsuits.

So why did San Francisco school officials still choose SAP? And will they pull the plug, too? 

‘I Don’t See It Getting Better’

Although it’s the namesake behind the SAP Center, home to the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, German-founded SAP—originally called System Analysis Program Development—is hardly an instantly recognizable corporation like, say, Oracle or AT&T. In the world of California government, SAP is rather infamous.

The company’s connections to payroll snafus are extensive. In 2005, Los Angeles Community College District officials called a troubled transition to a SAP-powered system “horrific” after reports of missing pay. Two years later, a new $95 million payroll system held up by SAP software left thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District employees without checks. That episode took about a year to stabilize, and SAP remains in use there today. 

In 2010, Marin County stopped a $30 million SAP project, leading to a legal battle with the implementation contractor, Deloitte. The same year, the State Controller’s Office hired SAP for what was then billed as the largest payroll modernization project in the country. In 2013, it ended its $90 million contract with the software company after the project’s pilot stage became overwhelmed with errors. 

The ordeal was so colossal that it was the subject of a 2013 California Legislature report, which highlighted lapses in due diligence and disagreements about contractual responsibilities. The settlement stemming from another legal battle, which granted $59 million to the state with no admission of fault for either party, came one year before San Francisco school officials sought contractors for a new payroll system in 2017. 

“Every time SAP is implemented, it seems to fail,” said Bilal Mahmood, an entrepreneur and 2022 Assembly District 17 candidate who analyzed San Francisco’s implementation errors. “The legacy companies—the SAPs, the Oracles—they know how to navigate the government procurement process.” 

United Educators of San Francisco Executive Vice President Frank Lara has fielded teachers’ payroll complaints for nearly two years. | Source: Jeremy Chen/The Standard

As the 2013 state report shows, the Controller’s Office ordeal led to questions about how well software like SAP’s can work for public entities with numerous departments and labor agreements. But a payroll transition’s success also comes down to preparation and management.

“SAP has a long and successful track record of partnering with thousands of public sector organizations including the San Francisco Unified School District,” the company said in a statement. “We are fully committed to ensuring our customers realize the value of their digital investments, and in this case more specifically, the long term sustainability and success of the SFUSD.”

The decision-making process is somewhat opaque. A public records request conducted by The Standard did not yield any documentation indicating how the district came to pick SAP out of a pile of software companies from the 2017 public contract proposal process. It is unclear how many bids were made, which was the cheapest or whether SAP had addressed recent issues with transitions.

A district spokesperson did not respond to questions regarding EMPowerSF’s origins and future. 

The district’s Service Employees International Union chapter, whose president has called the new system “the worst thing to come to the district,” is similarly in the dark, despite repeated questions about why the school district chose this particular system. And though union leaders acknowledge that the decision to bring in expensive consultants—now costing over $15 million—has greatly improved the situation, they don’t see a great future for workers when it comes to EMPowerSF.

“I don’t have any faith this program is going to get any better,” said Antonae Robertson, the chapter’s vice president. “I don’t see it getting worse, but I don’t see it getting better.”

Many technical aspects of the contracts were written to the district’s disadvantage, according to a Standard analysis. For example, Infosys, the information technology firm that was hired to put the software into action, did not have a contractual responsibility to remedy issues with the system. The district was also responsible for migrating data between the old system and the new.

Mahmood stressed that he has great empathy for government entities changing payroll systems, as software must be customized to account for all their intricacies. The problem compounds for districts like San Francisco that reported gaps in documentation needed to plug into the payroll system, he added. 

After combing through the district’s contracts, Omid Ghamami, a procurement consulting expert who reviewed the paperwork at the request of The Standard, highlighted another red flag: that the district switched from one major payroll provider to another rather than modernizing the preexisting PeopleSoft system by Oracle. 

“I would suspect they blamed these issues on the system rather than their own procedures,” Ghamami said. “When they switched to another system, they got a rude awakening. The worst thing they could do is let history repeat itself.”

SAP has opened an office on Townsend Street in San Francisco. Its subsidiary SAP SuccessFactors has a campus in South San Francisco. | Source: Sundry Photography/Getty Images

Keep or Ditch? 

Under Superintendent Matt Wayne, who began his post in July 2022, the district has simplified and addressed many issues with district operations identified as the major causes of its payroll misery. Several key vacancies in business services, technology and human resources departments continue to be filled as the caseload is increasingly tamed. 

“We’re in a very different place than we were a year ago,” Wayne said at the Aug. 8 board meeting. “[There’s] a lot of work to do, but there has been progress. You have my continued commitment to make this work for us because we need to focus, as I said, on our [academic] goals—which is what we’re really here for.” 

Since 2018, the district has spent at least $43 million across seven contractors to launch the system and clean up the mess, according to a Standard analysis of related records. Of that, SAP accounted for $5.9 million. 

In addition, the district hired another consultant for $2.6 million to stabilize its business operations, including payroll, through July 2024.

How much longer until EMPowerSF works for the district remains to be seen. The smart move in 2017 would have been to upgrade PeopleSoft, Ghamami said. The smart move now, he added, would probably be to stick with SAP, due to the district’s sunk costs.

Curiel, the educators’ union president, however, has seen enough. The union staged a takeover of district offices in March 2022 to secure agreements for timely replacement checks and interest for delayed payments, but it’s unclear when the district will be in a place to tally all that up. 

Meanwhile, workers still have a tough time understanding their paychecks and what may have gone wrong. An official union complaint is working its way through a state system. 

Frank Lara, the union’s vice president, has fielded complaint after complaint from members. This year, he watched his own help ticket move painfully slowly through the system while he was charged an extra $850 a month for health care his family did not receive. 

“It just gets lost,” Lara told The Standard. “There’s some key system issues that may not be solvable.”

Questions, comments or concerns about this article may be sent to [email protected]

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• Representatives for the California force are currently on a recruitment drive, visiting four Texas colleges 
• It comes after the police department had funding cut, causing them to pay out high amounts of overtime 
• San Francisco is currently experiencing high numbers of homelessness and open drug use 

San Francisco is trying to recruit cops from Texas as it faces a shortage of officers, after businessman Marc Benioff slammed the city’s homeless and drug problems.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is visiting four Texas university campuses throughout the month as part of a new recruitment drive. 

Candidates from outside of the state of California will take a written test, a physical ability test and an interview to see if they make they cut.

A police spokesperson told the San Francisco Standard that the number of estimated applications this year is 2,104, nearly a 20 percent increase from 1,756 last year.  

The recruitment push comes as the department faces staffing issues, causing them to pay out high amounts of overtime. 

Representatives for the California force are currently on a recruitment drive, visiting four Universities in Texas As part of the move, the SFPD are visiting four Universities, with the poster for Sam Houston State seen here The four Texan universities are Texas Southern University, Sam Houston State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

The Standard reported that between 2017 and 2022, cops spent $88.9 million more on its employees, despite working fewer hours. 

The four Texan universities are Texas Southern University, Sam Houston State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. 

Following widespread calls for reforms that swept the national following the murder of George Floyd, the department in the California city had their funding cut. 

Mayor London Breed was one of the first to openly speak out in support of defunding the police.

During a July 2020 press conference, Breed said: ‘We chose to change how this city and how this country treats our young Black men.’

Breed announced $120 million would be cut from the police and sheriff’s departments to reinvest in programs that help black and brown communities.

The following year, Breed u-turned on the decision and increased the police budget as the city faced a rampant rise in property crime and looting. 

At the time, she said: ‘More aggressive with the changes in our policies and less tolerant with all the bulls*** that has destroyed our city.’

Mayor London Breed speaks during the celebration of the 9th Annual Chinatown Night Out in San Francisco, California, United States on September 6, 2023 Latest figures up until Sunday show that there have been more homicides so far this year, than the whole of last year

Last year the San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a $50 million increase in SFPD’s budget.

Latest figures up until Sunday show that there have been more homicides so far this year than the whole of last year. 

So far, there have been 40 murders in the city in 2023, while there was just 36 last year. 

Likewise, the number of robberies in the city is also higher now than for the whole of last year, with 1,989 reported incidents this year, compared to just 1,704 last year.  

The number of total crimes this year is also closely catching up with last years full total, with 36,573 crimes committed this year, compared to 37,674 in 2022.

It comes after Salesforce Inc. CEO Marc Benioff said that he had pushed officials in the city to clean the place up before the company’s annual conference. 

AI convention Dreamforce, which draws 40,000 people from around the world according to the company, was held in the city last week. 

During a press event on Wednesday, Benioff said: ‘We put a lot of pressure on the city this year. It looks great. It’s very safe right now. We’re moving in the right direction.’

Benioff, 58, held the event at the Moscone Center, which is in an area that is currently facing issues including homelessness, crime and open air drug markets, according to Kron4.

Benioff also posted on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: ‘San Francisco has been incredibly clean, beautiful, and safe for the last 3 days of Dreamforce.

‘It is great that the city is able to put its best foot forward for this major event that brings in 40K people from around the world, and $80M to the economy.

‘It is important to ask why the city cannot be this clean and safe every single day?’

Salesforce Inc. CEO Marc Benioff, pictured here, said he had pushed officials in the beleaguered California city to clean the place up The AI convention, which draws 40,000 people from around the world according to the company, was held in the city over the past few days

Benioff had previously warned that the company could pull the large scale convention from the city due to the ongoing problems it is facing.

He told The San Francisco Chronicle: ‘If this Dreamforce is impacted by the current situation with homelessness and drug use it may be the last Dreamforce.’

Mayor London Breed responded to Benioff’s claim that Dreamforce made the city’s transformation possible.

She told ABC7 News: ‘It’s not just because of Dreamforce. There are other conventions. This is what we do for every convention that comes to SF.

‘My pushback is San Francisco changing. Things are getting better.’

Despite this, Mayor Breed did concede that some areas of the city, particularly the Tenderloin and South of Market, did still present challenges. 

The city has struggled for years with rampant fentanyl use and fatal overdoses, and is on pace for its deadliest year yet.

More than 849 people are expected to die of drug overdoses in 2023, on pace to exceed the current record of 720 deaths in 2020

In the first five months of 2023, preliminary reports show there were 346 overdose deaths in the city – an increase of more than 40 percent from the same period in 2022.

Latest figures show that overdose deaths are continuing to rise, soaring in August with an additional 84 deaths, 66 involving fentanyl.  

Economists have warned the city is spiraling into an ‘urban doom loop’ – a vicious circle of interconnected trends and forces that send cities into economic and social ruin.

Over the past few months, dozens of retailers announced they would be vacating the downtown area of the city.

Drug addicts and the homeless congregate in the Tenderloin District of the California city Open drug use is now common in the city, something which the police are cracking down on San Francisco Police have attempted to shut down open-air drugs markets in the hard-hit Tenderloin and SoMa areas of the city. Pictured: 64-year-old Deliada Valdez who has been homeless for four years is seen in Tenderloin District of San Francisco, California, United States on August 28, 2023

Retail stalwart Old Navy announced they would be shuttering their flagship store in the area last month, becoming the latest chain to exit the city.

Nordstrom also announced they would be closing all of their locations in the city.

The company said that due to the ‘changing dynamics’ of San Francisco it would be shuttering all remaining stores in the next few months.

In April, Whole Foods announced it was closing all their locations, with Anthropologie and Office Depot having also made the same decisions.

High theft has proved a problem in the area recently, with a Walgreens in the city center resolving to chaining their freezers to stop shoplifters.

A map reveals the major businesses which have left, or plan to leave, San Francisco in recent months

A disturbing recent report showed 95 retailers in downtown San Francisco have closed since the start of the COVID pandemic, a decline of more than 50 percent.

Out of 203 retailers open in 2019 in the city’s Union Square area, just 107 are still operating, a drop of 47 percent in just a few pandemic-ravaged years.

One Target store in the city has been forced to lock up more of its products to stave off thieves.

An employee at the location previously said it was being robbed as often as ‘every ten minutes.’

Video footage of another Target has been shared on social media and shows large quantities of their stock now behind barriers.

The post San Francisco tries to recruit cops from TEXAS because it faces scarcity of a whole lot of officers and enterprise leaders like Salesforce’s Marc Benioff slam town’s widespread homelessness and drug use appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

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• Integrated facilities management firm NEST and leaders across the construction, retail and skilled trades industries launched the Skilled Trades Advisory Council Aug. 23 to combat the skilled labor crisis affecting the U.S and Canada, according to a NEST news release.
• The council’s leadership, which represents a wide range of in-need trades, will leverage its “resources, knowledge and network” to elevate the trades as a high-paying, honorable and “heroic” career path, NEST said in the release.
• The council will drive awareness of the trades through educational events, construction camps, fundraising and scholarships, providing additional strategies that align with its leadership’s skill sets, NEST CEO Rob Almond said.

Dive Insight:

The application rate for young people seeking technical jobs dropped 49% in 2022 compared with 2020, according to data from online recruiting platform Handshake. The impact of fewer applicants will be magnified by the ongoing retirement wave of older technicians and facility management staff and the growing demand for mixed skill sets that include technical skills, manual training and software-based application knowledge. About 4.8 million of the 12 million individuals in the skilled trades workforce are over the age of 45, with nearly half older than 55, according to staffing firm PeopleReady.

“Finding top talent has always been difficult. It’s even more difficult now,” Randy Fink, managing director of property management at JLL, said in an interview. “The availability of seasoned staff that we’ve had, we call it the gray tsunami. Especially in our engineering and maintenance fields, but including our property and facility management fields. A lot of folks have exited the industry in the last five years, and so we have a lot of new talent.”

NEST’s Almond said the Skilled Trades Advisory Council will not only address the need for technical skills in building services that include HVAC, refrigeration, electrical and plumbing, but will also focus on increasing awareness of less obviously in-demand labor. That includes the need for janitorial services, landscaping, snow removal contractors, locksmiths and painters.

NEST delivers day-to-day tactical management of facilities, financial consulting, project management and construction for multi-state brands in North America. Almond said the company began this endeavor because of concerns from many of NEST’s suppliers, contractors and owners it works with: “They were exhausted because there just wasn’t enough labor.”

The council will start small, Almond added, naming Austin, Texas, San Francisco; and Dallas — where some of NEST’s current suppliers and customers are located — as focus areas for driving awareness. As for the future, “What does that three-year plan look like? We have no idea. We just wanted to say, ‘Let’s drive awareness first and see how far we can take this,’” he said.

JLL’s Fink said that the industry, in addition to offering higher compensation, is being pushed to focus on training to alleviate labor concerns. “I think the second part is developing talent. It’s not easy to find technically capable engineers and maintenance folks in computer-savvy administrative and management folks,” he said, adding that the teams that are able to recruit and train well are capable of being efficient, saving money and finding value.

NEST sponsored a construction camp July 6 – Aug. 11 led by the National Association of Women in Construction in Philadelphia. The camp, run by Mary Gaffney, president of the NAWIC Philadelphia Foundation and of GEM Mechanical Services, taught more than 40 young women about plumbing, electrical handyman safety, engineering and Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.

“We want them in the trades. It’s just such a fulfilling job, in my view, and it’s to help them be very independent,” Gaffney told Construction Dive in an article about the camp. She now sits on STAC’s founding advisory council, highlighting the exact collaboration and programs that the council hopes to achieve.

“If we can just do this and build upon it, we can really get in front of something that needs a lot of attention. It needs it quick,” Almond added.

The post NEST, expert trades business leaders launch council to deal with labor scarcity appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

NEARLY THREE DOZEN Black curators and arts leaders accepted new appointments at an array of museums and arts institutions in the first half of 2023. Notably, Brooke A. Minto was appointed executive director and CEO of the Columbus Art Museum in Ohio. She joined the museum from the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, where she was the inaugural executive director, playing a critical role in the influential organization’s foundational work to diversify art museum boards. Michelle Commander became deputy director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and Jova Lynne returned to the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit as artistic director.

Culture Type began reporting annually on new appointments of Black curators and arts leaders in 2016, in order to get a sense of representation in museums, with an emphasis on art museums. Museum leaders, curators, conservators, and educators shape the management and intellectual direction of institutions, determine the art visitors see and the programming they experience and, by extension, whether audiences of color feel welcome.

RECENT APPOINTMENTS: Clockwise, from top left: Renée Mussai (The Walther Collection), Rasu Jilani (Brooklyn Arts Council), Lauren Cross (The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens), Brooke A. Minto (Columbus Museum of Art), Gamynne Guillotte (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), Tandazani Dhlakama (Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art), Jordana Moore Saggese (David C. Driskell Center), and Ryan N. Dennis (Contemporary Arts Museum Houston)

The Mellon Foundation and Ithaka S+R have been researching staff demographics in North American art museums since 2014. Their most recent report was published in November 2022. “Though progress remains slow and uneven, the demographics of museum employees across the country are becoming more reflective of the diverse communities their organizations serve,” Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander said in the foreword. The summary findings stated:

Museum leadership and conservation positions, while growing more diverse, have not exceeded one-fifth POC representation overall. Over 40 percent of younger staff and newer hires are POC. In the aggregate, the demographic changes in museum staff are primarily due to increases in staff from three backgrounds: Hispanic, Asian, and those who are Two or More Races. While there has not been a significant increase in Black staff in the aggregate, between 2015 and 2022, the number of Black staff in museum leadership has more than doubled, while tripling in information technology and quadrupling in curatorial positions.

Last year, Culture Type’s list of new appointments was biannual for the first time, divided into two parts. This approach continues in 2023. This first installment covers announcements made from January through June. In addition to museums, the roundup notes appointments at a selection of nonprofits and publicly funded organizations, including foundations and scholarly institutions that support and train artists and participate in the larger art ecosystem.

For instance, the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York named Colette Veasey-Cullors dean and deputy director of its school. ICP described Veasey-Cullors as the “first BIPOC leader of ICP’s school.” Renée Mussai is the first-ever artistic director and new chief curator at the Walther Collection, the photography-focused art foundation based in Germany and New York. Rasu Jilani joined the Brooklyn Arts Council as executive director. At the University of Maryland’s David C. Driskell Center, Jordana Moore Saggese was brought on as director.

The following Culture Type list of new curatorial and arts leadership appointments focuses on U.S. institutions and includes a handful of international organizations. This first installment of 2023 appointments features 34 new hires and promotions. The vast majority are women. (The appointments are arranged in chronological order according to announcement dates). The list is not comprehensive, but it is representative:

JANUARY

Taylor Jasper. | Photo by Natalie Zeta

Taylor Jasper, Assistant Curator of Visual Arts. | Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minn.

At the start of the New Year, the Walker Art Center announced Taylor Jasper was joining the museum as assistant curator of visual art. Previously, she was a curatorial associate at The Momentary. Located in downtown Bentonville, Ark., The Momentary is a contemporary satellite of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Prior to The Momentary, Jasper served as a curatorial research assistant at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond (2017-20). Her appointment at the Walker was announced on Jan. 10 and she officially started on Jan. 25.

Michelle Commander. | Photos Courtesy Smithsonian NMAAHC

Michelle Commander, Deputy Director. | Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture, Washington, D.C.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) announced a new deputy director on Jan. 10. Michelle Commander officially joined the Smithsonian museum in the No. 2 role on Jan. 30. She helps lead the overall management and strategic planning and development of NMAAHC. Previously, Commander spent four and a half years at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, serving most recently as deputy director of research and strategic initiatives. In an earlier role, she was a tenured associate professor of English and Africana studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Tawanda Appiah. | Photo by Lamia Karić

Tawanda Appiah, Curator 2023-2025. | Skånes konstförening, Malmö, Sweden

On Jan. 11, Skånes konstförening announced Tawanda Appiah would serve as curator 2023–2025. The curator position at the nonprofit art association is a time-limited opportunity, allowing the vision of each curator to shape the artistic direction and main exhibition program during their tenure. An independent curator, researcher and writer from Zimbabwe, Appiah is based in Malmö. He has previously worked on projects at Skånes konstförening, collaborating with curator Simona Dumitriu (2018-20) and organizing To Where Are We Beautifully Going, a series of performative talks, lectures, and film screenings in September and October 2022. Appiah’s first exhibition as curator at Skånes konstförening opens at the end of September.

“I am so honored to return to Skånes konstförening, the place that has in so many ways rooted me in Malmö. I am excited to create a dynamic and engaging programme that fosters collaboration and serves as a platform for artists and art practitioners to work and experiment. I believe that art has the power to rouse curiosity, interrogate, and reveal complexities, and I hope to actively support these processes. I am looking forward to opening doors to the audience and adding to the vibrant city of Malmö.”
— Tawanda Appiah

Sheree Carter-Galvan

Sheree Carter-Galvan, Chief Legal Officer. | Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New York, N.Y.

The Mellon Foundation hired Sheree Carter-Galvan as chief legal officer and secretary of the board of trustees. Her appointment was announced in early January. Carter-Galvan joined the foundation from the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where she served as senior vice president and general counsel. Previously, she was senior associate general counsel at Yale University. Mellon makes transformational investments in the arts on a variety of fronts, among them, providing grants for new public monuments, preservation of historic sites, Latinx artists, and artists impacted by incarceration. Mellon has also served as lead funder of initiatives to diversify art museum leadership, study demographic representation in art museum staffing, and acquire and digitize the Ebony and Jet Photography Archive.

Chantal Drake. | Courtesy Birmingham Museum of Art

Chantal Drake, Deputy Director. | Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Ala.

A native of Huntsville, Ala., Chantal Drake joined the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) as James Milton and Sallie R. Johnson Deputy Director on Jan. 17. Since 2019, Drake was director of development and communications at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tenn. Previously, she served as director of communications and communications associate at Dixon. At BMA, Drake oversees the Finance and Facilities, People and Culture, and Design and Technology departments. The news was announced on Jan. 13.

Douglas Gilmore. | Courtesy Museum of London Docklands

Douglas Gilmore, Managing Director. | Museum of London Docklands, London, UK

On Jan. 13, the Museum of London named Douglas Gilmore managing director of the Museum of London Docklands. He started in April. Gilmore leads daily management and strategy for the Docklands museum, which “tells the story of the port, river and city—focusing on trade, migration and commerce in London” and houses the London, Sugar and Slavery gallery, exploring the history of the transatlantic slave trade in the UK. In previous roles, Gilmore has worked at Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology and the National Gallery, where he was trading director (2009-2020).

FEBRUARY

Tifferney M. White. | Photo Courtesy Association of Children’s Museums

Tifferney M. White, CEO. | Louisiana Children’s Museum, New Orleans, La.

The Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) announced the appointment of its new CEO, Tifferney M. White, on Feb. 1. Previously, White was chief learning officer of Discovery Place, which includes four museums located in and around Charlotte, N.C., focused on science and the natural world. In an earlier role, she was president and CEO of Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas. White is a member of the executive committee of the Association of Children’s Museums, where she serves as governance and nominating chair. She started at LCM on March 1.

Lauren Cross. | Photo courtesy The Huntington

Lauren Cross, Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts. | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, Calif.

On Feb. 6, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens announced the appointment of Lauren Cross as the Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts. The museum’s decorative arts collection includes furniture, sculpture, ceramic, glass, metalwork and textiles from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Previously, Cross was an assistant professor and program coordinator of interdisciplinary art and design studies at University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. She started at The Huntington near Los Angeles, in January.

“I have always admired the range and quality of The Huntington’s decorative arts collection. At the same time, I am thrilled to join the team at this important moment to help build out areas of the collection and fill important gaps with respect to representation. I’m looking forward to creating new stories with the Gail-Oxford collection and working collaboratively with curators at The Huntington to help visitors—both on-site and online—better understand and appreciate the nuances of American decorative arts.” — Lauren Cross

Leah Van der Mei. | Courtesy California Academy of Sciences

Leah Van der Mei, COO and Head of Government Affairs. | California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Calif.

On Feb. 9, the California Academy of Sciences named Leah Van der Mei chief operating officer and head of government affairs. Van der Mei has worked at the Academy since 2008 and was serving as director of public operations and access when she was promoted to her current role. Based in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Academy is a research institute and natural history museum that houses a world-class aquarium and planetarium.

Renée Mussai, 2022. | Photo © Christa Holka

Renée Mussai, Artistic Director and Chief Curator. | The Walther Collection, Neu-Ulm, Germany and New York, N.Y.

London-based curator, writer, and art historian Renée Mussai joined The Walther Collection as its inaugural artistic director and new chief curator. The appointment was announced Feb. 17. Mussai has dedicated her career to African and Afro-diasporic Black feminist and queer visual arts. Over the past two decades, she was senior curator and head of curatorial and collection at Autograph, London, where major projects focused on Zanele Muholi, Phoebe Boswell, the Black presence in 19th and 20th century Britain, and the first-ever retrospective of James Barnor (2010). At the same time, Mussai developed a notable independent practice that spans international curating, publishing, writing, and teaching. She has also served as a curatorial adviser to The Walther Collection, which focuses on modern and contemporary African and European photography. Based in Neu-Ulm, Germany, the art foundation has a project space in New York City, and presents traveling exhibitions worldwide.

“I am thrilled to be joining The Walther Collection and feel both honored and privileged to lead the next chapter of this remarkable cultural resource, building on the foundation’s profound commitment to supporting a diverse constituency of artists working in lens-based media, and amplifying the collection’s exceptional dual scholarly and curatorial remit.”
— Renée Mussai

MARCH

Brooke A. Minto. | Photo courtesy Brooke A. Minto

Brooke A. Minto, Executive Director and CEO. | Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio

On March 13, the Columbus Museum of Art tapped Brooke A. Minto to lead the institution. She started as executive director and CEO on May 15. Minto is an arts administrator, art historian and educator with two decades of experience across museums and arts organizations. Most recently, she served as inaugural executive director of Black Trustees Alliance for Art Museums in New York.

“I am inspired and energized by the prospect of engaging a new cultural community rich with history and driven by excellence. I am honored to lead an institution that is deeply embedded in its community, committed to positive social change and dedicated to nurturing creativity and imagination. I look forward to partnering with the staff, board and community to ensure that CMA remains a relevant and meaningful institution for generations to come.” — Brooke A. Minto

Suhaly Bautista-Carolina. | Photo Courtesy American LGBTQ+ Museum

Suhaly Bautista‑Carolina, Director of Public Programs and Partnerships. | American LGBTQ+ Museum, New York, N.Y.

Suhaly Bautista‑Carolina joined the American LGBTQ+ Museum as inaugural director of public programs and partnerships. The appointment was announced on March 13. A community organizer and arts educator, Bautista‑Carolina was previously senior managing educator of audience development and engagement at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The LGBTQ+ Museum is in its early stages and currently incubating with the New-York Historical Society. The Ford Foundation and Swann Auction Galleries are among its institutional supporters.

“I am thrilled to join the incredible team at the American LGBTQ+ Museum, and to contribute to the vision and mission of what will undeniably be a space of learning, joy, liberation, transformation, and community. Together, we will co-create a Museum where public programs and partnerships are an authentic reflection of our core principles.” – Suhaly Bautista-Carolina

Rasu Jilani. | Photo by Stephanie Mei-Ling

Rasu Jilani, Executive Director. | Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Brooklyn Arts Council announced on March 13 that Rasu Jilani was the organization’s new executive director. An independent curator and producer, Jilani brings more than 15 years of experience working in Brooklyn’s cultural sector and creative community. Previously, he was a cultural network curator at the Lambent Foundation and director of recruitment and community engagement at NEW INC, the New Museum’s art and tech incubator. As the founder of Coup d’état Arts, he has also organized exhibitions and served as a producer for Afropunk.

Joey Quiñones. | Photo by Destini Ross

Joey Quiñones, Head of Fiber Department. | Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Cranbrook Academy of Art named Joey Quiñones head of the Fiber Department and artist-in-residence. The news was announced March 23. They start in September. An artist and educator, Quiñones works with variety of materials exploring African American and Caribbean history and complexity of Afro-Latinx identity. Quiñones is joining Cranbrook from Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y., where they served as assistant professor of sculpture and founded Fibers and Mixed Media Studio in Sculpture/Dimensional Studies Division. Previously, Quiñones taught English for 17 years at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.

Jade Packer. | Photo by J Caldwell, Courtesy Nasher Museum of Art

Jade Packer, Director of Community Initiatives. | Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, Durham, N.C.

Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art appointed Jade Packer director of community initiatives, effective March 1. She previously handled strategic engagement in PBS North Carolina’s education and innovation department. In a newly created role at the Nasher Museum, Packer is “building and sustaining meaningful relationships and partnerships, with a focus on leaders and organizations that serve diverse communities in Durham.” The news was announced on March 27.

Redell Hearn. | Courtesy New Orleans Museum of Art

Redell Hearn, Chief Educator. | New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, La.

On March 27, Redell Hearn was named chief educator at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), a newly created position leading the museum’s Learning and Engagement department. Previously, Hearn was founding director of the Department of Academic Affairs at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. Earlier, she was curator of history at the California African American Museum in Los Angeles. Her first day at NOMA was Feb. 6.

Jova Lynne. | Photo by Clare Gatto

Jova Lynne, Artistic Director. | Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Detroit, Mich.

Jova Lynne is the inaugural artistic director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). Announced on March 28, the appointment was effective April 3 and marked a return to the museum for Lynne. She first joined MOCAD as a Ford Foundation curatorial fellow in 2017 and became Susanne Feld Hilberry Senior Curator in 2019. Through the pandemic and against the backdrop of MOCAD coming to terms with a leadership problem and staff complaints about racism and “exploitative labor practices,” Lynne departed in spring 2020. After the museum’s board vowed to bring about change with a focus on equity, she returned to her position as senior curator in September 2020. In February 2022, Lynne joined Temple University in Philadelphia as director of exhibitions and public programs at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture. In her current role, she is co-leading MOCAD with Marie Madison-Patton, who has served as the museum’s COO since Jan. 1.

“Detroit is a city that is close to my heart and has played an integral role in my growth as a curator and artist. Returning to a city and institution that I love and that has shaped the trajectory of my practice is a great honor. I am thrilled to rejoin the museum and its hard working team as we present our Spring 2023 exhibition program. And I look forward to working with Marie as we steward MOCAD’s legacy of presenting the best in contemporary art.” — Jova Lynne

Shakia Gullette Warren. | Photo courtesy Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia

Shakia Gullette Warren, Executive Director. | Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Richmond, Va.

On March 29, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA) announced a new executive director. After a yearlong search, Shakia Gullette Warren joined the museum as it marked its 40th anniversary and faced critical decisions about what to do with 13 Confederate monuments removed from display throughout Richmond. In 2021, the city officially transferred ownership of the contentious public symbols to BHMVA. A graduate of Fisk University with more than a decade of experience as a public historian, Warren previously served as director at The Concord House Museum and Historic Site in Prince George’s County, Md. She started a BHMVA on May 1.

“I am truly honored to serve in this capacity and follow in the footsteps of the changemakers who came before me. BHMVA is a remarkable institution with an extremely talented team with deep roots in Richmond’s community, and I look forward to fully immersing myself into Virginia’s rich culture and leading the institution into its next transformational stage.” — Shakia Gullette Warren

Colette Veasey-Cullors. | Photo by Jay Gould

Colette Veasey-Cullors, Dean and Deputy Director. | International Center of Photography, New York, N.Y.

The International Center of Photography (ICP) announced on March 29 that Colette Veasey-Cullors had been named dean and deputy director of ICP’s school. She brings three decades of experience as an educator, artist, and photographer, joining ICP from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore, where she was interim vice provost for undergraduate studies. Previously, Veasey-Cullors was associate dean for the Division of Design and Media and chair of the Photography Department at MICA. Earlier, she was a tenured associate professor and Photography Area coordinator at Howard University. ICP described Veasey-Cullors as the “first BIPOC leader of ICP’s school.” She started June 15.

APRIL

Tandazani Dhlakama. | Courtesy Zeitz MOCAA

Tandazani Dhlakama, Curator. | Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA), Cape Town, South Africa

After more than three years as an assistant curator at Zeitz MOCAA, Tandazani Dhlakama was elevated to curator in February. She first joined the museum in 2017 as education manager. Her promotion was one of four appointments announced by the museum in April. At Zeitz MOCAA, Dhlakama curated “Five Bhobh: Painting at the End of an Era” (2018), assisted with the retrospective “Tracey Rose: Shooting Down Babylon” (2022), and co-curated “When We See Us: A Century of Black Figuration in Painting,” a sweeping exhibition currently on view through Sept. 3. Dhlakama co-curated the 13th edition of Bamako Encounters, the African Biennale of Photography (2022). Previously, she was curator of education and public programming at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe.

Lungi Morrison. | Courtesy Zeitz MOCAA

Lungi Morrison, Institutional Advancement Director. | Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA), Cape Town, South Africa

Zeitz MOCAA announced four new appointments in April, including Lungi Morrison the contemporary art museum’s new institutional advancement director. Over the past two decades, Morrison has held several senior roles in the international tourism and cultural sectors, among them country manager for South African Tourism in London and head of communications at Gauteng Tourism Authority in Johannesburg. Most recently, she was a project manager at the Goethe-Institut in Johannesburg. In the announcement, Zeitz said Morrison is “a Pan-African multi-linguist, passionate about contributing to thriving cultural creative economies and institutions throughout the Continent and Diaspora.” She joined the museum in March.

Nia Amadife. | Courtesy Dallas Museum of Art

Nia Amadife, Director of Human Resources. | Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas

Nia Amadife joined the Dallas Museum of Art as director of human resources in January. Most recently, she was global HR business partner & practice lead at Childfund International, a nonprofit with a mission to help children around the world grow up healthy, educated, and safe from hunger, violence, disease, and neglect. In the April appointment announcement, the Dallas museum noted that key aspects of Amadife’s new role include being an “internal champion for staff” and driving the institution’s DEI initiatives and goals “to be inclusive, equitable, fair and welcoming to the entire community.”

Jordana Moore Saggese. | Photo courtesy David C. Driskell Center

Jordana Moore Saggese, Director. | David C. Driskell Center for the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.

The David C. Driskell Center hired Jordana Moore Saggese as its next director, effective July 1. Saggese is a professor of American art at the University of Maryland, expert on artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, and former editor-in-chief of the College Art Association’s Art Journal. She succeeded artist, printmaker, and educator Curlee R. Holton, who had led the center since 2012. The new appointment was announced April 14. Established in 2001 to honor the legacy of Driskell, a professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, the center focuses on the collection, documentation and presentation of African American art. The Driskell Center’s archives include the papers of Driskell, Alonzo Davis, and Michael D. Harris, among others. Recently on view at the center, the exhibition “RINGGOLD | SAAR: Meeting on the Matrix” was developed and curated by Saggese’s graduate students.

“David was among the first to write the history of African American art; he is a legend in our field. For that reason and so many more, this is an incredibly rewarding opportunity for me.… My goal is to capitalize on the incredible international reputation the center has at a moment when there is increased attention on the importance of research in Black studies and Black culture, and on the contributions of African American artists,” she said. “It’s an extremely exciting time to come on board.” — Jordana Moore Saggese

Denise Ryner. | Photo by Marcus Maddox

Denise Ryner, Curator. | Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

On April 17, ICA Philly announced Denise Ryner had been appointed to the position of Andrea B. Laporte Curator, effective immediately. A Canadian curator and writer, Ryner was most recently director and curator at Or Gallery in Vancouver, Canada (2017-22). She also served concurrently as associate guest curator at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin, beginning in 2016.

Ryan N. Dennis. | Photo by Charles A. Smith

Ryan N. Dennis, Senior Curator and Director of Public Initiatives. | Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Houston, Texas

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) named Ryan N. Dennis senior curator and director of public initiatives on April 25. Previously, Dennis was chief curator and artistic director of the Center for Art & Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) in Jackson, where she co-curated the traveling exhibition “A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration.” In an earlier role, she served as curator and programs director at Project Row Houses in Houston. Dennis officially started at CAMH in June.

Gamynne Guillotte, 2019. | Photo by Christopher Myers, Courtesy SFMOMA

Gamynne Guillotte, Chief Education and Community Engagement Officer. | San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, Calif.

On April 26, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) announced the appointment of Gamynne Guillotte, who joined the museum’s leadership team as Leanne and George Roberts Chief Education and Community Engagement Officer. Previously, Guillotte held several positions at the Baltimore Museum of Art, where her tenure began in 2013 and her most recent role was chief education officer (2018-23). She officially started at SFMOMA on June 23.

MAY

Aaron Myers. | Courtesy DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

Aaron Myers, Executive Director. | DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, D.C.

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) named Aaron Myers executive director. A jazz vocalist, pianist, educator, and activist, Myers is the founding board chair of the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation. He had been serving as acting CAH commissioner since March 27 and was confirmed to a permanent appointment by the DC Council on May 2.

“I am excited to be given the opportunity to serve this community, in this capacity, at this moment… I look forward to working together, along with Mayor Muriel Bowser, to meet the moment for our creatives, and to truly reinforce to the world that DC is the District of Creatives, the Creative Capital of this Country.” — Aaron Myers

Keondra Bills Freemyn. | Courtesy Black Lunch Table

Keondra Bills Freemyn, Archives Director. | Black Lunch Table

On May 4, Black Lunch Table (BLT) announced a new archives director, welcoming Keondra Bills Freemyn. A Maryland-based archivist, published author and poet, and Wikipedian, she founded The Black Women Writers Project, a digital archive initiative. She is a Society of American Archivists Digital Archives Specialist, and has worked on oral history and archives projects with the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, New York Public Library, and DC Public Library. A U.S.-based, artist-founded nonprofit, BLT organizes artist roundtables and community roundtables, preserves the conversations in an online oral history archive, and hosts Wikipedia edit-a-thons focused on representation of significant Black figures in the visual art world.

Shadawn Smith. | Courtesy Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

Shadawn Smith, Executive VP for Arts and Culture and Executive Director. | Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and The Billie Holiday Theatre, Brooklyn, N.Y.

The Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (Restoration) named Shadawn Smith executive vice president for arts and culture and executive director of The Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn, effective June 1. The appointment was announced May 9. Established in 1967, Restoration is the nation’s first community development corporation. Smith is responsible for all arts and culture initiatives and programming on the campus of Restoration, across visual art, drama, music, and dance, including leadership of The Billie Holiday Theatre. In March, The Billie was awarded a National Medal of Arts by President Biden. Previously, Smith was a vice president at NYC & Company, the women’s clothing retailer, and served for five years as manager of government affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

JUNE

Katherine C.M. Adams. | Photo by Michael Valiquette/EMPAC

Katherine C.M. Adams, Assistant Curator. | Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.

The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) appointed Katherine C.M. Adams as assistant curator. She will work on a variety of curatorial projects and public programming across performance and time-based arts. The news was announced June 1. Adams officially started at EMPAC in May. A curator, writer, and researcher, Adams was exhibition manager of New York’s inaugural The Immigration Artist Biennial (TIAB) in 2020 and is a co-curator of the forthcoming TIAB (September 2023). She has also been a curatorial fellow at the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin, Germany, and a curatorial research assistant at Hessel Museum of Art in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Michelle Ebanks. | © Shahar Azran, Courtesy The Apollo

Michelle Ebanks, President and CEO. | The Apollo, New York, N.Y.

On June 6, the Apollo, the historic theater in Harlem, announced Michelle Ebanks would become its next president and CEO. Ebanks started in July. She succeeded Jonelle Procope, who over the past two decades transformed the landmarked Apollo theater into a contemporary cultural and civic nonprofit institution embarking on a full-scale renovation. Ebanks spent more than 22 years at Essence Communications, rising to CEO of the magazine and media and communications company under Time Inc. She began her career at Time Inc., as general manager and financial director of Money magazine. Earlier, Ebanks was corporate business manager for 13 titles under Condé Nast.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the iconic Apollo at such an important time in its trajectory. The Apollo continues to have such a profound impact on Black culture—and American culture—locally, nationally and internationally. It is such an exciting time as it expands its physical footprint, doubles down on supporting artists at every stage in their careers, collaborates with partners across Harlem and the world, and offers a platform for the voices of African American artists across the diaspora.” — Michelle Ebanks

Lindsay Catherine Harris. | Photo by Jessye Herrell

Lindsay Catherine Harris, Co-Director. | Recess, Brooklyn, N.Y.

On June 8, Recess announced a new co-director: Lindsay Catherine Harris. Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Recess provides community, resources, and an exhibition platform for underrepresented artists, including people of color, women, and those who identify as LGBTQ+ and non-gender conforming. Recess programs support the development of new work, critical writing commissions, and opportunities for young artists involved in the criminal justice system. Harris succeeds former co-director Allison Freedman Weisberg, who founded Recess in 2009, led the organization for 14 years, and stepped down in December 2022. An artist, social justice advocate, cultural worker, and educator, Harris spent nearly a decade at the Brooklyn Museum, first coordinating teen programming and then rising over the years to director of education. Harris’s tenure at Recess began in June, serving as co-director with artist Shaun Leonardo, who joined the organization in 2020.

Meg Onli. | Photo by Bryan Derballa, Courtesy Whitney Museum

Meg Onli, Curator-at-Large. | Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, N.Y.

The Whitney Museum of American Art announced the appointment of writer and curator Meg Onli as curator-at-large on June 20, the same day she officially started. Last fall, Onli was tapped as co-curator of the 2024 Whitney Biennial. Previously, she was director and curator of the Underground Museum, for a few months before the Los Angeles museum closed indefinitely in March 2022. In a prior position, Onli was an associate curator at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) at the University of Pennsylvania.

“This is truly a dream job. I have always admired the Whitney’s long-standing history of field-defining exhibitions and support for emergent artist practices. I am very excited to be part of the life of the Whitney, and to collaborate and explore with the incredible team here. I am also so appreciative of the flexibility of the role, which affords me the opportunity to focus on the creative and bring new ideas and perspectives to the Museum.” — Meg Onli

Jennifer Francis. | © Museum of London

Jennifer Francis, Director of External Affairs. | Museum of London, London, UK

On June 23, the Museum of London announced the appointment of Jennifer Francis as director of external affairs, overseeing the communications, digital innovation, and development teams. Francis has worked internationally at several museums. Most recently, she was director of brand and marketing at Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton, N.J. (2020-23). She also held positions at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Royal Academy of Arts in London, where she was head of press and marketing for eight years. CT

EXPLORE MORE Culture Type appointment highlights from the first half and second half of 2022

EXPLORE MORE Culture Type has previously reported on annual curatorial and arts leader appointments, dating from 2016

FIND MORE In May, The Alice L. Walton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and Pilot House Philanthropy committed $11 million over five years to fund a Leadership in Art Museums (LAM) initiative intended “to increase racial equity in leadership roles such as curators, conservators, collections managers, community engagement staff, educators and other senior leaders….” Nineteen museums received 2023 awards

FIND MORE In November 2022, the Mellon Foundation and Ithaka S+R released a third survey of North American art museum staff demographics. (Summary)

FIND MORE Also in November 2022, the Art Fund in the UK published “It’s about handing over power,” a report examining curatorial staff diversity in the UK arts and heritage sector, from 1998 to 2021 (Summary)

FIND MORE Another informative survey was conducted by The Art Newspaper in 2021, providing insights from more than a dozen museums about efforts to diversify staffs, exhibition programming, collections, and audiences

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The post Transferring On Up: 34 Museum Curators and Arts Leaders Who Took on New Appointments in First Half of 2023 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

As San Francisco parks officials plan to transform United Nations Plaza into a skateboarding and recreation haven, a longstanding farmers’ market will be relocating close by. Market leaders consider the move to be a “logistical nightmare.”

San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department first proposed a pilot project in July to make U.N. Plaza—currently considered the epicenter of the city’s open drug market and overdose crisis—safer and more inviting to residents.

READ MORE: Tiki Bars and Soul Food: Why You Should Visit San Francisco’s Most Infamous Neighborhood

If all goes to plan, the 150,000-square-foot plaza in the city’s Civic Center will begin construction in September to be transformed into a skate park and recreation space. Mirroring the work done in other major cities like Paris and Madrid, the space would include exercise equipment, chess and pingpong tables and daily programming, among other activities.

This means that the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market, which has operated at the plaza for 42 years, will also have to relocate Fulton Street between Larkin and Hyde streets starting Sept. 3.

“We are reluctantly moving because the city informs us it is necessary for the health of this community,” said Laura Brainin-Rodriguez, the farmers’ market’s board president. “We are doing everything in our power to make sure the services we provide to our low-income community aren’t negatively affected, so we can retain this essential community resource despite this enormous challenge.

The plaza transformation comes as part of the city Planning Department’s Civic Center Public Realm Plan, which aims to better unify the area around the Civic Center and City Hall with public spaces, cultural events and improved access to public transportation.

But on Tuesday, Heart of the City Farmers’ Market leaders said the construction has forced them to close earlier and have fewer vendors due to the space being “too small” for a safe load-out of vendor vehicles. They said the number of stall spaces available would prevent the market from returning to its pre-pandemic size.

“We lost 40% of our vendors due to conditions in the Civic Center as a result of the ongoing public health crisis, combined with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and devastating wildfires on small farming in California,” said Steve Pulliam, the farmers’ market’s executive director.

“Despite these enormous challenges, [Heart of the City] has begun to recover and continues to serve our community. But now, with this relocation, we are facing our biggest and most threatening challenge yet,” he added.

The market will now operate from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Sundays—it previously ran from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Leaders cited concerns about decreased food access for the communities they serve.

“This will reduce the amount of produce the market can move into the surrounding extremely low-income and food insecure neighborhoods,” reads a press release from the farmers’ market.

Market officials also said the location is farther from the Civic Center BART Station, which makes it more difficult for people with limited mobility to access the market. They are also concerned about the reduced size of the stalls, where vendors will be able to safely park their cars and the lack of shade on Fulton Street.

“The current conditions on Fulton Street, just two weeks before the relocation, are very concerning,” Pulliam said. “We have been assured that the city will address these issues prior to our relocation. But I was out there this week, and unhoused individuals were still camping in the area.”

SF Rec and Parks officials said they believe the farmers’ market is a healthy and “joyous” park activity and said they have asked market leaders “many times over the years” to increase its presence in the plaza.

“Each time, they were unable to commit to more than their current two days a week,” SF Rec and Parks said in a statement. 

Parks officials also reaffirmed that there will be enough space on Fulton Street to accommodate all vendors, and there will be a wide array of city support available for the market. New accommodations include dedicated vendor and staff parking, overflow space on the Civic Center Plaza, free parking for customers, monitored loading zones and security assistance.

SF Rec and Parks added that crews will repave, re-landscape and install new safety bollards and directional signs on Fulton Street.

The department also said the new move could draw people in from the Asian Art Museum, the San Francisco Public Library’s main branch, the new University of California College of the Law, San Francisco campus housing and families using playgrounds at Civic Center Plaza.

“Though we know not every farmers market vendor is happy about moving across the street, we have heard overwhelmingly positive feedback from many other vendors, as well as customers, neighboring residents, schools and cultural institutions,” reads the department’s statement. “At the height of the season, the Heart of the City Farmers Market has 70 stalls, and its new location across the street can accommodate all of them. As the farmers market grows, it can expand in every direction.”

The post San Francisco Plaza Makeover a ‘Nightmare,’ Farmers’ Market Leaders Say appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The impact of digitization on growth and innovation and where technology will take the business of the future

DUBLIN, California., February 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ —

WHAT: TriNet, a leading provider of comprehensive human resource resources for small and medium-sized businesses, will be there san francisco for PeopleForceX, an extension of the award-winning TriNet PeopleForce conference. The event brings together local thought leaders to discuss issues relevant to SMEs today and offers a thoughtful discussion centered around the importance of building critical networks in the face of near-constant market changes. san francisco Local business leaders will also be present. Registration link is here.

TriNet PeopleForceX SME Executive Event in San Francisco, Tuesday, February 28th

WHO: Jeff Hayward – Chief Technology Officer of TriNet
Jake Goldman – Owner, 10up
Eileen Mockus– General Manager, Coyuchi

IF: Tuesday February 28th
5:30pm – 8:30pm (PST)

WHERE: City view at Metreon
135 4th St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

PRESS ANSWERS: Renee Brotherton
408-646-5103
[email protected]
Josh Gross
347-423-8300
[email protected]

About TriNet
TriNet (NYSE: TNET) provides small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with full-service HR solutions tailored for the industry. To free SMBs from HR complexities, TriNet provides access to human capital expertise, benefits, risk mitigation and compliance, and payroll, all enabled through industry-leading technology capabilities. TriNet’s suite of products also includes services and software-based solutions to streamline workflows by connecting HR, benefits, employee engagement, payroll, and time and attendance. From Main Street to Wall Street, TriNet empowers SMBs to focus on what matters most to grow their business and empower their employees. TriNet, Incredible starts here. For more information, visit TriNet.com or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE TriNet Group, Inc.

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