Long Beach Opera (LBO) this week announced the appointment of Bill Eisentraut as its new director of Development. His selection follows an extensive national search conducted by Los Angeles-based Arts Consulting Group, North America’s leading provider of executive search and other consulting services for the arts and culture sector. Since 2004, LBO has expanded its budget from $430,000 to 1.2 million, more than doubled its audience, and has quadrupled its subscriber base.
“Bill’s depth of experience in all aspects of development and fundraising, along with his strong love of music, make him the ideal person to help LBO’s continued growth as a leading arts company and to further its goal of providing more daring and innovative operas to increasing audiences,” said Andreas Mitisek, artistic and general director. “All of us at LBO are thrilled to have Bill as part of our team.”
Eisentraut brings 15 years of senior development experience to LBO, most recently as director of Resource Development and Public Affairs at Neighborhood Housing Services— Chicago, Illinois’s leading community development organization. While in Chicago, Bill was also director of Development at Vital Bridges, the Howard Brown Health Center, and the Gay & Lesbian Center.
“Bill’s experience will strengthen the team that continues our tradition as one of the nation’s most innovative opera companies,“ said Board President Sue Bienkowski. “Under the leadership of Andreas Mitisek, the company has shown impressive development, and we look forward to working with Bill to bring LBO to the next level by expanding our audiences in Southern California and beyond.
“I am very pleased to be selected as director of Development for LBO,” said Eisentraut. “I have loved opera and classical music all my life, and I very much look forward to returning to Southern California and to working with Andreas and the Board of Directors to help LBO realize its exciting goals.”
Eisentraut studied applied voice at Drake University. He is a member of the Chicago chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and will join the Los Angeles chapter upon relocation to Southern California.
