Chief Executive, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
THE LATEST: Govan is in the midst of overseeing a tear down and rebuild of LACMA’s Mid-Wilshire campus. A plan approved in April by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors carries a $650 million budget and is scheduled to be completed by 2023. Critics of the plan note that the new building will have 10,000 fewer square feet than the current museum layout. Govan says 85% of funding has already been raised, including a $150 million contribution from philanthropist David Geffen.
BACKGROUND: Govan has been chief executive and Wallis Annenberg director at LACMA since 2006. During that time, the museum has added nearly 30,000 pieces to its permanent collection, which includes 140,000 works of art. LACMA draws more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Govan previously served as president and director of the Dia Art Foundation and deputy director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.
WORTH NOTING: In April, Govan presided over LACMA’s Collectors Committee Weekend, where museum patrons raised $2.4 million and selected eight pieces for LACMA’s permanent collection.
YEARS ON THE LA500: 4
