January 4, 2019 - ALBANY, NY: The Palace Performing Arts Center (PPAC) today announced changes to its Board of Directors. Stephen Baboulis has been named as the Chairman of the Board, succeeding Alan Goldberg who steps down after a long and successful tenure. Mr. Goldberg will remain on the board as Chairman Emeritus. Additionally, Dr. John Bennett has been named as Vice Chairman and Jeffrey Stone as Treasurer.
Stephen Baboulis is the Vice President and General Manager of WNYT and has served as a dedicated member of the Palace Board since 1994. “As a longtime board member, I have held a warm place in my heart for the Palace for many years,” said incoming Chairman Stephen Baboulis. “I am honored to be named the board chair as we move into a very exciting time of growth for our wonderful theatre!”
Dr. John Bennett was named president and CEO of CDPHP in July of 2008 after serving more than 10 years as chair, vice chair, and board member of the Capital Region’s leading not-for-profit health plan. During this time, CDPHP has been recognized as one of the top-rated plans in the nation and has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York for nine consecutive years. Dr. Bennett has served on the Board of the Palace Performing Arts Center for over 10 years.
Susan Rosko Fogarty, Executive Director of the Palace Theatre stated “We are extraordinarily grateful to Alan Goldberg for his 21 years of service to the Palace Board, with many of those as our Chairman. Alan has been a major force behind the most successful initiatives of the Palace over the last two decades and we could not have gotten to where we are now without his leadership. As we embark on the next phase of growth for the Palace Performing Arts Center, we are so glad to have Alan remain as Chairman Emeritus and look forward to enjoying many more years of his guidance and advocacy for the Arts. We are excited to welcome our new officers including our new Chairman of the Board Steve Baboulis. Steve’s commitment to our community, his management expertise and his passion for the Arts will serve the Palace extraordinarily well. We look forward to his leadership and the contributions of our newly elected Vice-Chair, Dr. John Bennett and Treasurer, Jeff Stone.”
About the Palace Performing Arts Center
The Palace has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for the past eight decades, bringing the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. The history and programming of the Palace is a unique and often untold story with roots dating back to the period of the Great Depression. The Palace Theatre, built in 1931, originally presented vaudeville acts, feature films and became a civic auditorium before closing its doors in 1969. The theatre maintains its original beauty and design and is a historical landmark in the City of Albany. The Palace Performing Arts Center was established in 1984 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1989, created to operate the Palace Theatre. The mission of the Palace is to bring world-class arts and entertainment to New York’s Capital Region, greatly enhancing the area's cultural and economic development. Our mission is carried out through core programming and community initiatives that include performing arts entertainment, free arts education, family-friendly performances, free summer movies and a classic movie program series. The Palace has a significant economic footprint with over $3.5 million in ticket sales and 180,000 patrons.