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Fundraiser leaves Ruth Eckerd Hall for Dali Museum

Kathy Short Rabon resigns from Ruth Eckerd after seven years to help the museum secure $30-million for construction of a new location.

By VANESSA DE LA TORRE
Published August 12, 2006

CLEARWATER - Kathy Short Rabon, the fundraiser who brought millions to Ruth Eckerd Hall as executive director of the Performing Arts Center Foundation, has left her post to join the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

Friday was her last day at the hall. Rabon will now become the Dali's director of development and deputy director for the museum, where she will raise construction funds for the new $30-million waterfront museum set to open in 2010.

As the Dali museum has prepared for a major capital fundraising drive, it looked for someone with a proven track record who knows the area, said Kathy White, the Dali museum's deputy director for marketing and administration.

With Rabon, the museum "got very lucky," she said.

With Rabon's departure from the foundation, Robert Freedman, president and chief executive officer of PACT Inc., which runs Ruth Eckerd Hall, will take over as the foundation's executive director.

When Rabon joined the hall in 1999, it had no education wing.

Among her challenges was to raise enough money to fund major renovations to the hall and construction of the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Institute, a center for youth programs that spans 17,872 square feet.

Rabon exceeded that by nearly $3-million.

Before taking the Ruth Eckerd job, Rabon was president and CEO of the Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce for three years. During her tenure it was named Florida Chamber of the Year. Rabon is a lifelong Clearwater resident.

[Last modified August 12, 2006, 07:17:10]