A younger slant on LACMA board

Rejuvenation has been on leaders’ minds at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as the institution celebrates its 40th anniversary, and one result is a youth infusion on the museum’s board of trustees -- a body that Director Andrea L. Rich said was previously an over-50 club.

Of four new trustees elected Wednesday, three are in their 40s; they join six others recruited during the last year who range in age from 30 to 42, for a total of nine trustees younger than 50 on the 42-member board.

“Technology has changed everything we are and do so quickly,” Rich said. “To keep up with our audience and what they expect, we figure we need to plug into leaders of tomorrow today.”

The young trustees announced Thursday are Andrew M. “Andy” Gordon, 40, managing director of Goldman, Sachs & Co.’s Los Angeles office; Tony Ressler, 44, a founding partner of the Ares Management investment firm; and William J. Bell Jr., 42, a contemporary art collector and president of business affairs for Bell-Phillip TV Productions Inc.

Also chosen Wednesday was Ed Roski Jr., 66, a real estate developer who helped spearhead the drive to build Staples Center and owns minority shares in the Lakers and Kings pro basketball and ice hockey franchises.

Other board members in LACMA’s recent youth movement include Casey Wasserman, 30, owner of the Avengers arena football team; video game entrepreneur Robert “Bobby” Kotick, 41; film producer Robert Simonds, 42; and business executives Donald Tang, 41, Andrew Hauptman, 37, and William Howard Ahmanson, 42.

They contribute to the “diversity of interests” needed for a well-functioning museum, Rich said. For example, she expects to look to Kotick for advice on putting video technology to use in the galleries.

There’s still room for grayer heads. Also joining the board in 2004 was developer James A. Thomas, 68, who Rich says was sought for his construction expertise as LACMA pursues a multiphase renovation and expansion project to unify a jumbled campus.

The cost has been loosely projected at $250 million, with $60 million pledged by billionaire arts donor Eli Broad for a new contemporary art building and artwork.

In 2003, museum insiders pegged the average trustee’s donation to annual operations at $60,000.

Rich wouldn’t confirm the figure, but she said board members are expected to ante up “several millions” toward this year’s $40-million budget, as well as put the arm on other potential donors for the operating budget and the capital campaign.