LENOX, Mass.— Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum announces the appointment of four new members to its board of directors.

 

Appointed to the board were James P. Galli, Kim Jakobowicz, Louis D, Schroeter III, and Jeremy Winchester.

 

James P. Galli, also known as JP, is a seasoned professional in the hospitality field with over 25 years of experience. From working with large branded properties to his current position as General Manager at Hotel on North, JP has consistently demonstrated his expertise and dedication to the industry.  JP is actively involved in his community and currently serves on the boards of the YMCA of the Berkshires and Downtown Pittsfield Inc.

 

Kim Jakobowicz retired from NYS employment in 2014 after 35 years as a COBOL programmer and project leader. Most of her state career was spent at the Division of Criminal Justice designing computer systems for local police agencies, and later at the Office of Cyber Security as a project manager overseeing firewall log monitoring for 64 NYS agencies. She began volunteering as a docent at Ventfort Hall in 2021 and for the last three years has helped out with the flower urns and pots around the property.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Louis D. Schroeter III, now semi retired from the metals industry, started metal fabricating in the carriage house of Sunnyridge in Lenox, MA and named the business Atlantis Iron and Design. He also opened a welding shop in West Stockbridge the same year. The business moved to Richmond in 1973 and incorporated as Atlantis Equipment Corp. In 1986 a plant was built in Stephentown, NY. In 1994 the company expanded into Adams and occupied 90,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in New York and Massachusetts. His semiretirement now allows him to spend time engaging in philanthropy, focused on education for future generations and preserving the icons of the past.

 

Jeremy Winchester is an educator, executive, and multi-modal artist in the performing arts. He is a Professor of Theatre at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where he also serves as the Director of MOSAIC, the college's public program for open arts and intersectional culture. Prior to joining the faculty at MCLA in 2016, he was the Executive Artistic Director of the nationally renowned Flint Youth Theatre. He is an affiliated artist with Cape Cod-based Pacific Performance Project/east, maintains an active freelance career with a focus on theatre for equity and social justice, and served for six years on the Board of Directors of Theatre for Young Audiences USA.