NASAA Honors Outstanding Arts Agency Leadership

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) will recognize the exemplary leadership of two individuals during its annual convening in Baltimore, Maryland, December 6-8. David Fraher, Executive Director of Arts Midwest, is the 2007 recipient of the Gary Young Award for outstanding individual leadership. David "White Thunder" Trottier, chair of the North Dakota Council on the Arts, is this year's Distinguished Public Service Award honoree. The Minnesota State Arts Board is the winner of the 2007 National Accessibility Leadership Award.

2007 Gary Young Award

DAVID FRAHER

For three decades, David Fraher has been building and leading arts organizations and programs throughout the United States. For nearly twenty-five years he has been the Executive Director of Arts Midwest, where his commitment to innovation, managed risk, and return on investment to the organization's member state arts agencies is a nationally recognized hallmark of his leadership.

Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Fraher has led the organization in aggressively building a diverse and successful array of partnerships with state arts agencies and exchange programs which directly link Americans--especially those living in more rural areas--to the many cultures of the world. Working in partnership with governments and arts organizations in 14 countries, Fraher has established a range of programs including large scale touring exhibitions, and exchanges and residencies for arts administrators.

Prior to his Arts Midwest tenure, Fraher served as Executive Director of the Wyoming Arts Council and as an independent consultant for the Western States Arts Federation. He has been honored to serve on numerous boards, including NASAA, the Western States Arts Federation and the Hennepin Center for the Arts. He has also been named to more than a dozen national funding and advisory panels.

This year's Gary Young Award recognizes David for his exceptional leadership at the state, regional, national and international levels; his innovative programming; his enduring commitment to public support for the arts; and his dedication to global artistic expression.

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2007 Distinguished Public Service Award

DAVID "WHITE THUNDER" TROTTIER

David "White Thunder" Trottier has served on the North Dakota Council on the Arts as a Governor appointee since 1991. In 1998, he was appointed board chair and continues to serve in this role. Throughout his tenure, Trottier has continued to work actively throughout the state, region and nation to advocate for the arts. He is especially regarded for giving voice to issues facing America's rural arts communities.

In addition to his public service in the arts, Trottier is known for his exemplary business career. From 1992 until 2006, he served as President and CEO of Chiptronics Inc., an electronics manufacturing distributorship. In his 14 years with Chiptronics, Trottier took the company from 5 million to 40 million in annual sales and turned it into a well recognized national and international company. His myriad other achievements include being named the ND Business Innovator of the Year (2002); selection as Mayville State Commencement Speaker (2002); selection as Distinguished Alumni of Mayville State University; runner-up for National Indian Business Owner of the year in 1997 and 2005; appointment to and chairing the ND Community Foundation; and serving a three year term on the NASAA Board of Directors.

Since retiring from Chiptronics in 2006, Trottier has been working as a private consultant, local radio host and sports broadcaster, and Director of Human Resources for the local Regional Medical Facility. He also continues to perform in local theater and with his band as a vocalist and guitarist. In his service to the NDCA, Trottier has displayed consistent integrity, enthusiasm and dedication that have solidified his reputation as a highly regarded state arts leader. With a deep passion for the arts since an early age, Trottier has come to advocate that, "The arts are for all of the people, all of the time." NASAA is pleased to grant this award to David "White Thunder" Trottier for his long-standing and ongoing commitment to public support for the arts in North Dakota and throughout the country.

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2007 National Accessibility Leadership Award

THE MINNESOTA STATE ARTS BOARD

The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies are proud to present the 2007 National Accessibility Leadership Award to the Minnesota State Arts Board. This award recognizes the Minnesota State Arts Board's exceptional leadership and highly effective work to make the arts fully inclusive throughout the organization, its programming and the state. Over the years, the Arts Board has built accessibility into every aspect of the agency's work, from its programming to its office space, its requirements for grantees, and its efforts to reach and serve artists with disabilities.

In March 2002, the Minnesota State Arts Board joined with VSA arts of Minnesota to present the first-ever statewide forum entitled "The Art of Employment: Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities." As a result, the Artists with Disabilities Alliance was formed in the Twin Cities, which brings artists with disabilities together to work on projects for advancing arts training and career opportunities. Based on its success, the Arts Board, in partnership with its regional arts councils, organized and created six regional artists' networks throughout Minnesota.

In August 2007, the Minnesota State Arts Board co-hosted the "Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability" conference with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts that brought together 180 artists, arts administrators, educators, and access consultants to advance their skills in making the arts fully accessible. Access to Minnesota's art and programming was highlighted at this highly successful, national gathering.

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