KEMPER CENTER The recently installed executive director of the Kemper Center has resigned. Daniel Gaschke, who took on the leadership role at the historic lakefront property in the spring, resigned Tuesday afternoon. In his resignation letter, Gaschke said he was asked to become the executive director of the Kemper & Anderson Arts Center, 6501 Third Ave.
, in fall 2023 and replace Ed Kubicki, who led the organization for six years and retired earlier this year. Gaschke interviewed with and was approved by the nonprofit's Board of Directors' Executive Committee in February. He was approved by the full Kemper Board of Directors in April.
In his letter to Kemper Center, Inc., Gaschke said "it would be an understatement to say that a lot has changed." "Over the past couple of months, three members of the Kemper Center Board of Directors voluntarily resigned from the board," his letter reads.
"Some of their replacements, along with the remaining board members, then held a special emergency meeting and voted the president of the Kemper Board of Directors off the board." Gaschke, a County Board supervisor, said over the last few months five board members either voluntarily or involuntarily left the Board of Directors, including the board president. "The new Kemper Board of Directors is now taking new actions, implementing new bylaws, and moving in a new direction," Gaschke's letter reads.
"In short, the Kemper Center of today is no longer the same organization that hired me to be its.