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 executive director just a few short months ago." Given such changes, Gaschke said in his letter that "I am no longer able to continue serving." "I love the Kemper & Anderson Arts Center, and I resonate with their mission of promoting art, culture, history, education, and opportunities for our community to gather and celebrate.
It saddens me that I am no longer able to align myself with this organization," his letter reads. Gaschke said that he is "proud of my accomplishments over the last few months" including helping to oversee and begin implementing a "refresh" of the Kemper & Anderson Arts Center's branding, website and social media and "recruiting and building a talented and hardworking team" of new employees. "Given a healthy and supportive Board of Directors, and operating under the original terms of my employment agreement, I believe that my team and I could have done great things here at Kemper.
That being said, I wish the Kemper & Anderson Arts Center nothing but the best in the future," his letter reads. Gaschke said he will continue serving as vice chair of the Kenosha County Board of Supervisors. Situated on a 17.
5-acre site overlooking Lake Michigan, Kemper Center is a complex home to the historic Durkee Mansion, Anderson Arts Center, and a variety of other facilities. The property is owned by Kenosha County and part of the Kenosha County Parks Department but operated by Kemper Center, Inc. Jason Rasch is serving as president, Kim Kupfer as treasurer and Supervisor Laura Belsky as secretary.
The other board members are Penny Enroth, Frank Sartor, Terry Rose, Patty Dickow, Gary Groenke and Mark Bourque. Longtime board member Rasch said he is "sad to see him go." "I think there was a lot going on at Kemper Center and a lot of moving parts," Rasch said.
"Maybe he didn't feel like he was getting support from the board. ..
. I wish he would have stayed on and worked with the new board to put things back on track." Rasch said he is not sure why some of the directors resigned but said "there are a lot of moving parts.
" "I guess we're kind of getting things organized a little bit better," he said. "We've had some turnover on the operational side as well." Rasch said the board is working to add additional events and start "utilizing some of the spaces.
" "The Kemper Center is a business and we have to run it as such," Rasch said, adding there's "plenty of things we can improve on." "We've been showing a loss the last year or two," he said. "We still want to show that the organization is solvent, as so we need to basically make money to support our operations.
...
It's been just a little challenging." Terry Rose, who joined the board in June, said Gashke was "a good director" and "had good promise and ideas." Rose said he learned of "substantial" turnover on the board after he joined it.
Rose said the property is "a beautiful institution" but it "requires more money to operate effectively." Longtime Kemper administrator and chair of the Christmas at Kemper annual effort Robin Ingrouille was hired as interim executive director on Wednesday. Get local news delivered to your inbox!.
