Veteran arts administrator Joseph Patti has been named executive director of The Grand Opera House, a performing arts center of Mercer University, effective Aug. 20. He succeeds Gram Slaton, who was recently appointed executive director of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center in New York.

A native of Orange County, New York, Patti for the past five years has served as director of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio. Prior to that he was theater manager for the University of Hawaii system for nearly nine years. He also has experience managing arts organizations in Florida and New Jersey.

Patti earned his undergraduate degree from Siena College in New York and has a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater management from Florida State University.

 “Joe Patti brings outstanding financial management, programming, community relations and fund-raising skills to The Grand,” said George McCanless, chair of The Grand Opera House board of governors and president and CEO of the United Way of Central Georgia. “He has a reputation in arts management circles for creative and visionary leadership. Coupled with The Grand’s soon-to-be-completed major renovations Joe will help position the theater for a bright future.”

Patti has been a board member for the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Association and the Portsmouth Public Library System, is a grant panelist for the Ohio Arts Council, and has served on the professional development committees for Arts Midwest and Non Profit Technology conferences. He is active in Arts Midwest’s Creating Connection, a national movement with the long-term goal to make arts and culture a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life. For nearly 15 years he has been a regular contributor to a number of national arts management publications and websites. He holds memberships in the Ohio Arts Presenters Network, Americans for the Arts, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and Society of Arts Entrepreneurship in Education.

“I am energized by the possibilities afforded by the renovation of The Grand and the revitalization of downtown Macon,” Patti said. “There are burgeoning opportunities for the community to live, eat, express themselves and share experiences with family and friends. I feel fortunate to be joining The Grand at this exciting time.”