Tibbits Annual Meeting Wrap-Up
COLDWATER –Tibbits Opera Foundation & Arts Council, Inc. held its annual meeting at the historic opera house on Thursday, January 23, immediately followed by the board’s organizational meeting.
The theme that resonated through the evening was strength and adaptability. The Tibbits staff has grown, some roles have shifted, and it has worked to adapt to a changing landscape. The outlook remains strong for the venerable theatre, and the team is looking forward to 2025. Despite reduced income from the previous fiscal year, Tibbits has shown a capacity to generate revenue from diverse sources, and the theatre has met challenges—such as lower than anticipated attendance—with proactive measures, demonstrated in the choices made for upcoming Summer Theatre Series productions. Tibbits remains committed to balancing fiscal sustainability with artistic excellence.
As a building approaches its sesquicentennial, restoration and repair become necessities, and in 2024, Tibbits continued with repairs on the façade, along with restoring the wood and sills around the theatre’s grand windows, as well as a fresh coat of paint on the windows and doors. In addition, Tibbits was able to add an automatic door opener for the ADA entrance, which was funded in part by the Coldwater Noon Club. Tibbits wishes to thank the Noon Club members for their contribution.
During the annual meeting, Doug Bloom was elected to the board and Jose Albarran and Joe Hughes were each elected to their second three-year terms. During the organizational meeting, John Bolton was re-elected as Board President, while Terry Ann Whelan was elected as Vice President. Dylan Foster as Treasurer and Erin Jansen as Secretary were both re-elected to their roles, and Jennifer Poe was elected as member at large, alongside Ken Norton who remains on the executive committee. The rest of the board includes Seth Berry, Diane Harmon, Diane Pridgeon, John Ranshaw and Chris Donbrock as past president.
Copies of the annual report are available at Tibbits’ business office at 93 W. Chicago St. and may be viewed online at Tibbits.org.