Ravinia Festival announces new CEO
The Ravinia Festival has a new leader.
Jeffrey P. Haydon has been named the next president and CEO of the venerable Highland Park summer festival. Haydon is currently CEO of the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, New York.
“I am honored to be asked to lead the Ravinia Festival,” said Haydon in a statement released by the festival. “Ravinia’s international artistic reputation, legendary live-music experience, beautiful park, training of the next generation of artists, and local community impact with children provide an ideal opportunity to further inspire the world through music. I look forward to returning to Chicago to join the Ravinia family.”
“Ravinia’s reputation for presenting outstanding performances by the world’s greatest artists means that we can attract top talent not just to our stages but also to our staff and leadership,” said Ravinia chairman Don Civgin. “Jeff’s successful career in the arts reflects Ravinia’s values and shows he can lead an organization through growth and change.”
Haydon has led Caramoor for the past 12 years. Like Ravinia, the Caramoor Festival offers an array of musical events in its summer weeks, though with a more focused emphasis on classical music than has been the case at Ravinia in recent decades.
Both festivals are closed this summer due to Covid-19.
Prior to taking his position at Caramoor, Haydon was executive director of the Ojai Music Festival for nine years. He also logged a stint at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 2000-03 as individual gifts manager and served as development director of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.
The California native holds a bachelor of arts in business administration and a minor in music from the University of Puget Sound. He completed the Stanford Business School’s executive non-profit leaders in the arts program.
Haydon will take up his position this fall. He succeeds Welz Kauffman who leaves Ravinia in September after two decades as CEO.
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