Landmark Sarasota museum leader announces retirement

Florida State University has announced that Steven High will retire as executive director of The Ringling, which operates as Florida's State Art Museum, as soon as his successor can be found. 

High joined The Ringling in 2011. The cultural institution that grew out of John and Mable Ringling's gift to the people of Florida in 1936 has been administered by FSU for 25 years. 

The Ringling is a sprawling 66-acre campus composed of an art museum filled with European baroque masterpieces and a substantial Cypriot art collection, a circus museum and the affiliated Tibbals Learning Center, the Ca' d'Zan (House of John) Venetian-style mansion and the Historic Asolo Theater, a jewelbox theater rescued from a palace in Italy. 

The Ringling hosts more than 400,000 visitors annually. 

In a statement, High calls serving as executive director of The Ringling the "highlight of his career" and credited the museum's growth to the work of its staff, foundation board, university leadership and community supporters. 

“Together, we strengthened The Ringling’s financial foundation, expanded its reach and preserved its remarkable collections and historic campus for future generations,” High says in the statement. “I am deeply grateful to Florida State University, our supporters and the Sarasota community for their partnership and trust.” 

Under High's leadership, The Ringling's annual operating budget grew from $12 million to $28 million and its endowment increased from $27 million to $67 million. The museum completed a $100 million comprehensive campaign in 2019 and expanded its campus through a series of major projects and initiatives.

Image courtesy of The Ringling

“Steven High strengthened The Ringling’s role as both a world-class museum and an important part of Florida State University’s academic mission,” FSU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Clark says in the statement.

In addition to serving as a cultural destination, The Ringling is an academic resource that supports teaching, research and museum studies opportunities for FSU students and faculty.

FSU and the Ringling Museum of Art Foundation have hired Isaacson, Miller, a national search firm, to assist in identifying High’s successor. The search committee will be led by Meg Hausberg, chair of the Foundation board, and Michael Bush, incoming chair.

A version of this article originally appeared on sister site YourObserver.com.