Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra President Amy Adkins is stepping down.
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Association (FWSOA) announced Thursday that Adkins has accepted a position as president of the All Saints Health Foundation in Fort Worth. Adkins served six years with the FWSOA and will end her tenure mid-July. The Board of Directors' search for her successor will begin immediately.
“While it is difficult to say goodbye, it is my great fortune to take with me an abundance of experiences and friendships,” Adkins said in a statement. “The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to be its champion.”
The announcement comes about five months after the Fort Worth Symphony strike came to an end. The organization had faced a financial deficit and considered cutting musician salaries, prompting orchestra musicians to go on strike last September. In December, an anonymous donor agreed to grant $700,000 to the organization, ending the strike and helping the organization and musicians agree on a four-year contract that allows musicians to keep their current salaries in the first two years, then receive a weekly 2 percent pay increase in the third year, followed by a 2.5 percent increase in the fourth year. The Amon G. Carter Foundation also provided a $1.5 million challenge grant to help grow annual contributions to the orchestra over the next three years. According to a news release, the FWSOA expects a balanced budget by the end of the year.
"With a four-year contract in place with the musicians and the recent growth we are achieving in donor support, the orchestra is well-positioned for continued success,” Adkins said.
FWSO Music Director Miguel Harth-Bedoya congratulated Adkins on her new position.
“For her entire tenure at the FWSO, Amy and I have walked together through many highs and lows, excellent times and very difficult times," he said in a statement. "I deeply appreciate the work she has done for the organization and the support she has given me in my artistic endeavors, and I look forward to continuing our friendship and civic partnership as leaders in our beloved Fort Worth.”