Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 5 Il Travatore

40 | November 17 - December 9, 2018 P A T R O N S A L U T E | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O How does one go about leading the community efforts of one of the largest financial institutions in Chicago? Marsha Cruzan wondered the same thing when she became the Market President of U.S. Bank in Chicago in 2012. “I knew I could run the commercial bank, but I was a little concerned about the community involvement because I had never done it before. Now that I am involved, I love it! It’s been a good way to connect, and I really enjoy the members of Lyric’s Board, especially the other women.” After completing an undergraduate degree in political science and economics, and an MBA, Marsha got her first job as a consultant with Arthur Anderson. After a few years she made the transition to investment banking, starting at The First National Bank, which eventually became JP Morgan. She was Managing Director there when she got the call about the position at U.S. Bank. “Part of what I do in my role is to be involved in the community and give back, and when I looked at the list of things that were possible, Lyric was my top choice. It was the first board I joined when I came to U.S. Bank.” Raised in Champaign, Marsha took piano lessons through high school, and there was always music playing in the family home. Well before joining the Board of Directors in 2013, Marsha experienced Lyric’s excellence first hand. “The first opera I ever saw was Aida at Lyric many years ago. The majesty, the pageantry, the experience; it was breathtaking.” As her involvement at Lyric deepened, so did her appreciation for and understanding of the art form. “When you know the complexity of opera - which is the most complex art form in terms of entertainment - and everything that has to happen to plan an opera season, it’s fascinating. And, it’s really fun to bring someone who’s never been before and see their excitement. I always tell people it’s an art form they can grow to appreciate if they’re exposed to it.” Exposure to the arts is something that U.S. Bank feels strongly about, as is evidenced by the company’s support of bus scholarships for Chicago Public Schools to attend student performances at Lyric. “Our support of the Lyric Unlimited school bus scholarship program is a way for us to take students, some of whom may have never even come downtown, to the opera,” says JeNyce Boolton, Community Relations Manager of U.S. Bank in Chicago. “I had an opportunity to see an opera with a group of middle school students, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the opera was right-sized for these students, it wasn’t over the top and it was very relatable. There were likely kids in that auditorium who thought, this is opera, this is cool. Because of that one experience they may have a desire to go see another performance, or continue to explore the arts. In supporting youth education programming, we aren’t expecting these initiatives to produce the next generation of classical musicians, but we’re looking for that exposure, thinking outside the box, and outside of your neighborhood to see what’s possible. “As we look to invest in organizations here in Chicago,” JeNyce continues, “one of the things that is very important for us is community engagement. It’s one thing to have world-class performances where people can attend if they can afford the ticket, but what are you doing to take that art to the people who don’t have the exposure or money to attend that performance? That leadership level is so important, and Lyric gets it, and they do a phenomenal job of bringing opera to the community.” U.S. Bank’s corporate giving platform is called Community Possible, which is supported by three pillars: home, work, and play. “These three pillars create the vibrancy that communities need to be sustainable,” JeNyce says, “such as healthy families, affordable healthcare, employment, and arts and culture. Lyric fits well into our ‘play’ pillar by exposing un-served and underserved communities to the arts.” Marsha adds, “I love the way our three pillars work together. There are so many companies that are just supporting STEM. Arts and music are supportive of STEM. I always encourage other corporations to look past the traditional STEM programs and consider the impact of art and music in support of STEM.” As chair of Lyric’s Civic Engagement Committee, this obstacle is at the forefront for Marsha and her fellow committee members as they try to bring new corporate supporters into Lyric’s donor family. “We talk about some of the things Lyric is doing in the community and in arts education. Business people really understand that the arts are important to a child’s development, and are more likely to support the arts in that context.” “Gone are the days when corporations only focus on revenue,” JeNyce says. “Being an engaged corporate citizen is now just as important to our customers as it is for our employees and shareholders. Some companies may view it as an obligation; we at U.S. Bank absolutely view it as an honor.” Lyric in turn is honored to count U.S. Bank among its leading corporate partners, and to have Marsha championing the arts in Chicago. — Meaghan Stainback Marsha Cruzan and U.S. Bank: Making Community Possible ROBERT KUSEL Tom McGinnis and Marsha Cruzan at Lyric on the red carpet for the Opening Night Opera Ball.