The Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society (CMHS) is honored to announce the election of Bill Baumann as Chair Emeritus of the Longworth-Anderson Series (LAS), recognizing his extraordinary legacy of leadership as he transitions from his role as chair of the series.
As chair of CMHS (the presenting organization of the LAS) from 2012-24, Bill was instrumental in leading the development of the concept of the LAS, securing significant financial support, and championing the series as a potential new vibrant part of Cincinnati’s arts and entertainment calendar. The LAS, featuring Grammy-winning and other nationally recognized performers and bands across a wide range of contemporary music genres, was designed to fill an unserved niche as the region’s only contemporary music series.
In addition to Bill's service on behalf of the LAS, he has been a steadfast advocate for the preservation of Memorial Hall as one of the region's most important civic, arts, and architectural buildings. Under his leadership, CMHS was instrumental in the reopening of Memorial Hall in 2013 and its early revitalization efforts, as well as securing $2.5 million in private contributions for the 2016 comprehensive renovation of Memorial Hall and $1.1 million for the 2024 preservation capital campaign.
“The opportunity to work alongside the dedicated and skilled trustees of the Memorial Hall Society and Cori Wolff, the outstanding executive director of the CHMS and LAS, has been a distinct honor and rewarding,” said Bill. “The success and high utilization and patronage that Memorial Hall and the LAS enjoy today are far beyond our early hopes and expectations.”
As chair emeritus, Bill will continue to be a vital part of the LAS community—serving as an ambassador of the CMHS and LAS’s mission and providing tours of Memorial Hall.
“It's been an honor to work with Bill over the past eight years to shape and grow the LAS. Thanks to his passion and advocacy, we continue to meet and surpass all of the original goals for the series—it's a perennial and popular addition to Cincinnati's entertainment calendar, demonstrating the value of Memorial Hall as an integral part of the arts and theater district around Washington Park. We couldn’t have done it without Bill’s vision and support,” said Cori.
Looking ahead, CMHS is entering an exciting new season of partnerships and creative programming led by a collaborative team of staff and board members working to expand our impact in the community. Maggie Brennan, CMHS's recently elected board chair, will assume the additional role of chair of the LAS, working alongside Cori and our LAS Advisory Committee to continue bringing top-notch talent to the region.