Ringling Foundation Elects New Board Officers

The Ringling Museum of Art Foundation Board chose its executive officers and appointed four new trustees for the 2026-2029 term.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in People

Ringling Foundation Elects New Board Officers

The Ringling Museum of Art Foundation Board elected H. Michael Bush as Board Chair, E. Marie McKee as Vice Chair, Gregory Parris as Treasurer and David W. Benfer as Secretary. Priscila Bala, Jessica Blume, Austin L. Dickinson and Susan Wetzel Miller were also appointed to the Board.

Why it matters

The leadership slate and new trustees shape governance of the Sarasota institution as it moves through the 2026-2029 term. The Foundation said the new members' insights will support its long-term strategic vision.

Four new trustees were appointed to serve three-year terms extending through June 2029. Gregory Parris brings 40 years of finance leadership experience, though the full composition of the board was not detailed.

The players

Ringling Museum of Art Foundation

The Sarasota-based foundation that supports The Ringling museum and oversees its board governance.

H. Michael Bush

A Sarasota business leader and former senior executive who was elected Board Chair of the Ringling Foundation.

The details

H. Michael Bush, CEO and owner of Home Resource, Inc., was elected Board Chair after prior senior executive roles with Exxon Mobil, Domino's Pizza UK and Brinker International franchisees. E. Marie McKee, a retired Senior Vice President of Corning Incorporated, was elected Vice Chair.

2003 to 2017: Bush served as president of the Rosemary District Neighborhood Association.
Summer 2026: Several officers completed their Board terms.
October 2026: Bush attended the ribbon cutting for the reconstructed Rupp Pavilion.
2026-2029: New officers and trustees serve the Board term.
June 2029: New trustees' three-year terms conclude.

Leadership Pipeline

The election follows the Ringling Foundation's periodic three-year board renewal cycles, which bring in trustees with corporate and finance backgrounds. The new slate of officers continues that pattern of drawing executives from national corporations into local museum governance.

Local arts patrons and Sarasota residents may see new board priorities shape how the Ringling Museum is funded and programmed through June 2029. The governance changes affect the institution's direction rather than admissions or ticket pricing.

The takeaway

Leadership transitions at major cultural institutions often signal shifts in fundraising and long-range planning. Readers following Sarasota's arts organizations can track board appointments as an early indicator of strategic direction.