(New York, January 10, 2005)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art today announced that three of its senior executives would assume new and expanded administrative responsibilities this month. The announcements were made by Philippe de Montebello, Director of the Museum, and Senior Vice President Emily K. Rafferty, who takes office as the Museum's new President on January 18.
On that day, Deborah M. Winshel, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will become Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer; Sharon H. Cott, now Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, will become Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel; and Harold Holzer, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, will become Senior Vice President for External Affairs. The promotions were approved by the Executive Committee of the Museum's Board of Trustees last month.
Commented Mr. de Montebello: "The Metropolitan is blessed with an accomplished management team fully equal to the task of administering, representing, and marketing the museum, working successfully in tandem with its faculty of curators and educators. The institution is proud to recognize these three executives, and to invest in them new and expanded responsibilities under its new President, Emily Rafferty. I expect that her team will play a crucial role in advancing the Museum's preeminence in the 21st century."
Added Emily K. Rafferty: "As I assume the challenge of the office of President of the Museum, I am both personally gratified and professionally strengthened to have Deborah Winshel, Sharon Cott, and Harold Holzer serving with me in their important new executive roles. Their expertise in financial, legal, and marketing areas is widely recognized at the Met as well as in the broader museum community. And they will be working closely with a team of administrative managers, department heads, and vice presidents who serve with great ability in
their ongoing roles. The Museum faces extremely challenging times, but all of us look forward to working together to fulfill both the Metropolitan's mission and the Director's vision."
Deborah M. Winshel
Deborah M. Winshel joined the Metropolitan Museum in 1998 as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer. As Chief Financial Officer, she oversees the financial management and strategic planning for the Museum. Prior to joining the Metropolitan, she was a Managing Director in Investment Banking at JP Morgan and Company, advising corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and other financial matters.
A graduate of the University of Puget Sound, Ms. Winshel earned her M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.
During her tenure at the Museum, Ms. Winshel has taken on additional responsibilities including the management of the Office Services Department, Purchasing Department, and all of the Museum's restaurant operations. As the Metropolitan's Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, she will also assume responsibility for the Museum's Construction Department and Facilities Management Department, in addition to her existing responsibilities.
Ms. Winshel lives in Manhattan with her husband and three children.
Sharon H. Cott
Sharon H. Cott joined The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1988 as Assistant Secretary and Associate Counsel. She became Secretary and General Counsel in 1992, and was elected Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel in 1999. As the Museum's chief legal officer, she manages a staff of attorneys and advises the board, its committees, and the Met's curatorial departments on a wide range of issues. She is a member of the New York Bar Association's Committee on Art Law.
A graduate of the University of Virginia, Ms. Cott received her law degree from Yale Law School . She began her professional career at the firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler, specializing in tax and trusts and estates.
Ms. Cott assumes the new post of Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel in acknowledgment of her growing responsibilities in strategic planning and policy counseling, as well as her increasing work on behalf of the institution on a wide range of policy issues involving many museums nationwide.
Ms. Cott lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan.
Harold Holzer
Harold Holzer joined the Metropolitan Museum as Chief Communications Officer in 1992. He became Vice President for Communications in 1996, and Vice President for Communications and Marketing in 2001.
Earlier he served for eight years as Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at the New York State Urban Development Corporation in the administration of Governor Mario M. Cuomo, and earlier, as Director of Creative Services and Public Information at WNET/Channel 13. He began his career as a newspaper editor, and a campaign press secretary in various citywide and statewide political campaigns in New York. He is also an award-winning historian of the Civil War era, author of 23 books (most recently Lincoln at Cooper Union), and co-chairman of the U. S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, appointed by the President of the United States.
As Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Mr. Holzer will assume responsibilities for the Museum's Visitor Services, Tourism, and Multicultural Audience Development departments, in addition to management of the Met's communications, marketing, and government relations areas.
Mr. Holzer lives with his wife in Rye, New York. The couple have two adult daughters.
Press resources