YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – After 44 years, Louis A. Zona’s time as the executive director of The Butler Institute of American Art has ended.
The museum’s board of trustees Thursday announced that it has appointed Larry W. Jones as interim director of the museum.
Zona will continue his service to The Butler as director emeritus to support a smooth transition for Jones and offer guidance to the board’s search committee as it seeks the museum’s next permanent leader.
Jones, an Austintown native, is a former national television executive with an impressive career. He had been the president of Nick at Nite and TV Land for 25 years. A Butler board member for several years, he is also an art expert with an impressive collection.
Jones will oversee day-to-day operations of The Butler, with all department heads and staff reporting directly to his office. He will also work with the board in searching for a new director.
Zona’s Career
Zona, 81, led The Butler through many changes during his career and elevated it to global levels of recognition.
His name is a familiar and respected one in the national – and international – art world.
The New Castle, Pa., native was named executive director of The Butler 1981, when he was an art professor at Youngstown State University. He continued to teach classes at the university throughout his career.
Under his leadership, the museum built or acquired five physical expansions for its historic structure on Wick Avenue.
He also vastly increased its collection, steadily acquiring pieces to represent the nation’s greatest artists.
Zona also became noted for hosting exhibitions by film and music stars who were also painters. Tony Bennett, Kim Novak, Ronnie Wood, John Mellencamp, Peter Falk and Paul Stanley have all shown their works at the museum and visited it.
Under Zona’s leadership, The Butler secured millions of dollars in funding from government and private sources.
Major improvements made during his era that are not obvious to visitors include a new gallery lighting system; the museum’s first humidity and temperature control system; a conservation and restoration program for the permanent collection; and new storage vaults.
He established an acquisition fund that has grown The Butler’s collection to over 22,000 works of art.
In an interview Thursday, Zona said closing his career hasn’t been easy for him. He and the board have had ongoing talks about who would replace him and how to do it, but Thursday’s announcement put the plan in motion.
“The Butler has been home for me,” he said. “It’s been a long haul. The people in this community have been wonderful to me, and I’ve tried to be responsive to their needs as well.”
He said he will stay on until a replacement is hired. “I’m hoping they’ll ask me to stay on [in some capacity]” after a replacement is hired, he said. “The board is very sensitive to my needs and the fact that I’ve been part of this museum for so long. They’ve shown me nothing but respect. They’re hoping to hire a younger person who will continue what we’ve been doing these many years.”
Zona said he knows Jones and has great confidence in him. “He’s a smart guy and a worker, and people will be impressed with him,” he said.
The search for a new next executive director will take four to six months, said Ryan Martino, the board president.
He added that Zona can continue to come in and assist the museum and share his knowledge for as long as he wants.
“He’s not going anywhere,” he said. “He’s going to be moved to emeritus status at the beginning of the year and still be actively involved. I expect he’ll be there daily as he always is and actively involved in maintaining the art collection and sharing knowledge.”
Martino described Zona as “a brilliant man,” noting that he draws a crowd any time he walks through the museum.
“He has a unique story about every piece of art in that museum,” Martino said. “It’s a shame he can’t find a fountain of youth and be with us forever. He is an all around great guy for the community and that institution, carrying out The Butler mission. He has gone above and beyond what anyone could ever do and will forever be part of the museum.”
Larry Jones
After graduating from Austintown Fitch High School, Jones attended Ohio State University and then embarked on his career.
He is no longer involved with television, instead operating a fine art print publishing company. “I do augmented reality,” he said. “The complete opposite of television.”
Jones lives in New York but will split his time between there and Youngstown, flying in every other week.
“When I am not [in Youngstown], I will take meetings by Zoom,” he said.
To find the museum’s next director, the board has engaged with a search firm, Jones said.
In his announcement to the media, Martino praised Jones.
“Recognized for his creativity, strategic leadership, and collaborative approach, [Jones] brings extensive experience in corporate management, marketing and branding, and business finance,” he wrote.
As part of his TV career, Jones executive produced more than 500 half-hour sitcom episodes, including the hit series “Hot in Cleveland.”
He is also an avid collector of fine American art, which he has loved all of his life, Martino said. Works from Jones’ collection are often loaned to acclaimed museums.