Glendale Arts chief announces departure for job in Thousand Oaks

Barry McComb, chief executive of Glendale Arts — the organization that operates the Alex Theatre — will leave his position Jan. 31 to become cultural affairs director for Thousand Oaks, according to an announcement Wednesday.

Glendale Arts General Manager Elissa Glickman will serve as interim chief executive until the board of directors completes a search for a permanent replacement sometime in late spring, the organization announced.

McComb was hired in 2001 as executive director of what was then the Alex Regional Theatre Board, which eventually became the Glendale Arts Board.

During his time, McComb has guided a number of major renovations at the historic theater while trying to make the venue self-sufficient before a $415,000 subsidy, or management fee, from the city’s Redevelopment Agency ends in 2015.

McComb has sought to diversify programming while encouraging television and film shoots to keep revenue flowing after the venue’s income took a hit when the economy plunged.

He also worked to launch the Glendale Pops Orchestra. Those efforts paid for 18.2% of overhead expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30.

In announcing the departure, Glendale Arts Board Chairman James Wilke said McComb is one of the “finest professionals” he had worked with, and that his absence would be felt throughout the community.

“He took the helm of the Alex Theatre during a period of financial difficulty and not only strengthened the organization, but helped to create what is now Glendale Arts,” Wilke said in a statement. “Barry will be missed.”

McComb called the move “bittersweet,” but said in a statement that he was confident he was leaving the organization in competent hands.

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City rushes to improve Alex before redevelopment funds dry up

-- Jason Wells, Times Community News

Twitter: @JasonBretWells

Photo: The Alex Theatre. Credit: Times Community News