Chief Executive Officer, Organ Society

The Organ Historical Society welcomes nominations and applications for the position of Chief Executive Officer, available in September 2026.

www.organhistoricalsociety.org

Now celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its founding, the Organ Historical Society (OHS) enriches public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the pipe organ and its place in history and culture.

OHS began in 1956 with an impromptu meeting of young organ enthusiasts who shared an interest in locating historic pipe organs in New York City. Membership has since grown to include an international roster of musicians, organ builders, historians, scholars, and music lovers. The founders of OHS aspired to visit extant American "tracker" organs, create a comprehensive list with specifications, and share information with interested organ scholars.

OHS has far exceeded this aspiration in the decades since and has created an online database of pipe organs with more than 60,000 entries; an historic organ citation program that has recognized more than 400 instruments; the world’s largest collection of pipe organ-related archives, books, journals, pamphlets, and other ephemera; publications including a quarterly journal and award-winning scholarly books on the pipe organ;

and an online store with organ-related books, CDs, videos, and sheet music. Members and organ enthusiasts gather annually for conventions in cities across North America where they explore, study, and listen to the community’s most interesting historic instruments. OHS nurtures the next generation of organ performers, researchers, and builders through its annual

E. Power Biggs Fellowship.

In 2017, with generous support from Wyncote Foundation, OHS moved its headquarters to Stoneleigh, a historic mansion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, located on a 40-acre property managed by the Natural Lands Trust. The OHS Library and Archives, a world-renowned research collection, is housed in state-of-the-art facilities  historic Aeolian-Skinner organ, Opus 878, the centerpiece of the OHS headquarters building, allows OHS to present public performances as well.

OHS is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The Chief Executive Officer oversees a staff of eight full- and part-time employees. The OHS manages endowed funds of $4 million; the FY 26 operating budget is $700,000.

The next Chief Executive Officer will take the helm of a healthy organization that is well-positioned for growth both organizationally and financially. The CEO will have the opportunity to build on the strength and success of existing OHS programs and lead the organization toward demonstrable strategic growth, institutional strengthening, and renewed membership engagement. The next CEO will expand OHS’s reach, deepen its impact, and ensure its long-term sustainability.

The Chief Executive Officer ensures that OHS realizes its vision, fulfills its mission, and achieves its goals for financial, organizational, and programmatic success. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO is responsible and accountable for all aspects of OHS’s operations, including strategic planning; program development and management; fundraising; membership development; member satisfaction; financial management; communications and marketing; publications; public relations;

educational programs and activities; human resource management; community and local government relations; and advocacy.

Working closely with the Board of Directors, the CEO leads OHS’s strategic planning process to clarify priorities, align programs with member values, and ensure that resources are used wisely and effectively. The CEO works with the Board to refine governance practices to ensure that OHS’s structure supports its mission, strategic goals, and future growth. The CEO ensures effective communication across all channels, especially with OHS’s membership, to maintain a strong public relations and media presence across multiple platforms.

The CEO recruits, motivates, mentors, and evaluates an effective professional staff within a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and collaboration.

The CEO serves…