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Front Page Art Beat Art Briefs Entertainment Calendar Keys Galleries Movies Keys TV Listings Submit a Comment or Information Return to The Keynoter Lattitudes GlowFur: must have for Fantasy Fest Meeting the Friendly family's hell dog Plant yourself at Gardenfest Robert Ortiz: Middle Keys' unofficial ambassador ‘Waters of Wonder' debuts Helmerich to head the Tropic Cinema Rosburg: taking flight ‘the Times' debuts at waterfront Symphony's outdoor ‘pops' show nears Art Beat Art lovers take a walk in balmy breeze	Helmerich to head the Tropic Cinema Posted-Thursday, March 29, 2007 9:18 AM EDT Email this story Print this story Cooper stepping down, two new members added The Key West Film Society has announced it's made a number of changes to its Board of Directors. At his request, longtime chairman George Cooper will be stepping down from that position and turning the gavel over to Matthew Helmerich, who joined the board as a new member in January. Helmerich is a full-time resident of Key West and has been a visible supporter of art and charitable activities for a number of years, is former chairman of Hospice & Visiting Nurses Association of the Florida Keys, and serves on the boards of the Community Foundation and the Performing Arts Centers of Key West. He works as public information officer for State Attorney Mark Kohl and has a lot of experience working in communications, both with the press and the public. “I am excited about bringing Matthew into the leadership of the Film Society,” Cooper said. “I told the board last year that I wanted to step down before my 70th birthday, which is coming up in May. This is my wish come true. During the past five years, a core group of our board has built and established the Tropic Cinema as a glorious addition to the local cultural scene. It's now time for the stewardship of this institution to be turned over to fresh faces. It's been our baby, but now it's grown up.” In addition to Helmerich, the board has also voted in two other new members, Judith Daykin and Evan Corns. Daykin is seasonal resident of Key West and a retired arts administrator, having served the cultural community in New York for more than 30 years as Executive Director of New York's City Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. As one of her first tasks on the board she is undertaking a study of the staffing and operational steps needed to firmly establish the Tropic as a mature institution and to enable the Film Society to develop and sponsor a Key West International Film Festival. Corns is also a seasonal resident and a committed patron of the arts in Key West, including the Tropic and the Tennessee Williams Theater. He has extensive management, financial and fundraising experience as a trustee of Ohio Wesleyan University and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. He will assume a major role in fundraising for the film society. Cooper will continue as an active member of the board, serving as treasurer and undertaking special projects. He is also a member of the Theater Operations Committee. “It's hard to imagine our town without the Tropic Cinema - it has so enhanced the cultural life of Key West,” Helmerich said of his new position. “We have George and the founding Key West Film Society Board to thank for that. I look forward to my new duties and to a ceremony celebrating George's contributions in the near future.” The leadership change at the Tropic Cinema is one among a few changes underway in the Key West arts scene: In the past few weeks, Executive Director of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts Monica Haskell announced she's making a career change after 10 years, and former Executive Director of the Key West Symphony Orchestra Neil Birnbaum was relieved of his duties when that board found itself faced with possible bankruptcy.
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