Memorial Art Gallery
Strategic Plan
Challenge
Founded over 100 years ago, the Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) is a well-respected museum with a permanent collection of over 12,000 works spanning 5,000 years of art history. After Jonathan Binstock became its new director, the Board of Managers hired Westover Strategy to work with the director, senior staff and board to develop a strategic plan. Like many museums, MAG faced financial, technical, customer engagement and cultural challenges. Recognizing the ongoing disruption in the museum world, a few years later, the board engaged Westover Strategy to update the strategic plan.
Approach
Westover was engaged to develop a deep dive 5-Year Strategic Plan, leveraging the new Strategy Map. Westover managed a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) with members from the board, senior staff and community. In addition, Westover worked with Director Binstock to plan three board workshops, each with an outside speaker with relevant expertise. The workshops educated the board on key topics and provided an opportunity for board members not on the SPC to engage in strategic planning.
In parallel, Westover conducted internal and external assessments of MAG and the museum industry, including market research and analysis of customer expectations. These components came together in a deep dive Strategic Plan with three high priority objectives and eight strategic initiatives. The strategic initiatives are carefully defined, and each has owner(s), measures and timeframe.
Results
The MAG Director and Chief Operating Officer led the execution of the 2016 - 2020 Strategic Plan, accomplishing all high priority objectives and reporting quarterly to the board on progress.
The MAG Board of Managers approved the 2020 - 25 Strategic Plan and were again impressed with its quality and depth. The museum is currently implementing the plan and making impressive progress towards meeting its targets. The Board of Managers is updated quarterly by Chief Operating Officer and Strategic Plan Champion Patti Giordano.
Working with Westover has been transformational for the museum. The Board of Managers and staff now understand clearly the challenges the museum faces and how to address them. The Strategy Map and Strategic Plan are valuable references for us as we follow the defined strategic direction. Susan Byrd was a thoughtful guide who made the strategic planning process not only effective but fun.
Westover Chief Executive Susan Byrd was the right person to guide the MAG through its first deep dive strategic plan. Her thoughtful approach produced a plan that reflects market research and analysis as well as input from our many constituencies – museum members, volunteers, donors, staff, board members, and the community. Execution of this plan delivered on new audiences, refocused operational strategies and more efficient use of resources. At the conclusion of our first plan, the initiatives still held critical relevance. We drew heavily on successes and lessons learned to work with Susan on our second Strategic Plan in 2019.