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Grand Rapids Symphony President and CEO retires

  

Peter M. Perez served as Grand Rapids Symphony President and CEO the past two years. At the age of 78 he says it’s time to retire. He tells me he’ll always cherish the symphony’s triumphant return in April to New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

“We also took the chorus with us and the world-renowned pianist Nelson Freire a great friend of our Music Director, Marcelo Lehninger, was the featured artist and pianist at that event.”

Perez was also chair of the symphony from 2013 to 2015 and during that time it performed the “Live Arts” show at Van Andel Arena.

“The biggest show for the biggest audience ever presented by the Grand Rapids Symphony with 1,500 performers, over 7,000 attendees, one night only, a spectacular show of our diverse music and choral talents.”

Incoming President and CEO Mary Tuuk is one of those talents.

“Well, Mary is an accomplished musician. She sings in our chorus. She plays the piano. So she has a musical background.”

And the necessary business background to lead the organization.

“She’s an accomplished business woman having had senior positions at Fifth Third and now recently at the Meijer Corporation. So, her business acumen is going to fit well with the needs of the symphony. We are the second largest performing arts organization in the state of Michigan so we’re over $10 million and that requires an astute business person to lead the organization not only operationally but financially.”

Mary Tuuk will officially take office in mid-January.

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