SAM hires successor for retiring director Mimi Gates

The Seattle Art Museum has chosen as its next director Derrick R. Cartwright, current executive director of the San Diego Museum of Art.

Cartwright, who plans to take his position at SAM in the fall, will succeed Mimi Gates, who is retiring on June 30 after 15 years as the museum's director.

Cartwright was "clearly the right leader to leverage and build upon the remarkable foundation SAM has built under Mimi Gates' leadership," Charlie Wright, head of the search committee, said in a statement. "He has the perfect combination of an accomplished track record and a bold vision for the future."

The statement, issued by SAM, said Cartwright has helped make the San Diego Museum of Art "a nexus for deep scholarship, thoughtful exhibitions and a dynamic permanent collection, while developing close ties to the community it serves."

The San Diego museum, like others nationwide, has been buffeted by the economy. It recently laid off more than 20 employees and made other budget cuts after its endowment was hard hit.

Cartwright will face major financial challenges at SAM as well.

The museum grew quickly during Gates' tenure, and now encompasses three venues: an expanded downtown Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park, and the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Sustainability is a major challenge, especially since JPMorgan Chase announced earlier this year it won't be taking over Washington Mutual's lease for several hundred thousand square feet of office space owned by the museum.

That leaves the museum with a shortfall of about $3.8 million a year, unless it finds a tenant for the space, which it hasn't yet.

The current economy has also hit SAM's endowment, which is down about 27 percent. In the past year, it has cut about 8 percent of its staff through layoffs and restructuring.

Its yearly budget is about $25.1 million.

Cartwright has been head of the San Diego museum since 2004. He has also served as director of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and directed the Musee d'Art Americain Giverny in France.

He earned a Ph.D in art history at the University of Michigan, where he specialized in North American art and architecture and 19th century French art and the history of photography.

He is married to Lauren Cartwright, an attorney. They have three children.