Heights Arts Hopes to Fill Executive Director Spot by April

Heights Arts could have its new executive director by April. 

Sharon Grosman, president of the Board of Trustees, said Friday that they have "had a good number of applicants" and they are conducting initial phone interviews.

Then they will advance the process into personal interviews with the Board of Trustees members.

Grosman said they are still accepting applications.

"We still want people to apply because we want to very best person to apply," she said.

The current executive director, Peggy Spaeth, announced on Jan. 17 that she would be stepping down after 13 years to explore other projects.

"Retiring has a connotation that you're ending something," Spaeth told Cleveland Heights Patch. "I'm making a transition in my life. I haven't really made any firm plans right now. I want to help get heights arts organized so the next person can it forward."

Spaeth has agreed to stay around long enough to train her replacement. Grosman didn't have an "absolute timeline" for the hire, but said she hopes to decide by mid-spring.

"We're going to miss Peggy terribly," Grosman said. "Peggy is an incredible leader. She's going to be very hard to replace."