LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Bill Kramer, director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, was named the new chief executive officer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Tuesday.
Kramer replaces the outgoing Dawn Hudson, who served in the position for 11 years and will remain as an adviser during the transition, according to the AMPAS.
Kramer, who was unanimously elected by the AMPAS board, will assume his new role on July 18.
“It is the great honor of my career to take on the role as CEO of the Academy,” Kramer said in a statement.
“I deeply believe in the power and artistry of cinema. I so look forward to galvanizing the unparalleled assets of the Academy — the Oscars, our global community of more than 10,000 Academy members, and our museum, library, and archive — to promote and elevate the arts and sciences of the movies and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”
In his new position, Kramer will lead the global membership, the Oscars, the institution’s education and emerging talent initiatives, the Academy’s extensive collections housed in the Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, and the Academy Museum and its ongoing calendar of exhibitions, screenings, educational and public programs, and retail operations.
In his current role, Kramer was responsible for opening the Academy Museum in September. The museum — which features five floors of exhibitions devoted to the arts and sciences of moviemaking — has sold more than 550,000 tickets in its first nine months in operation, the AMPAS said.
In addition, Kramer and his team developed the Academy’s first permanent retail store, both in the museum and online, generating sales of more than $5.5 million to date, the Academy said.
Under Kramer’s direction, the museum created the Academy’s first global publications imprint that launched with a Hayao Miyazaki catalog, and with a Spike Lee book to be issued this month.
Kramer and his associates developed the Academy’s first public screenings series with more than 40 programs presented each month, including Branch Selects, a screening series co-created with the Academy’s 17 member branches.
“Bill Kramer has been a transformational leader in establishing the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as a beacon for movie lovers and a manifestation of everything the Academy represents and celebrates,” Academy President David Rubin said in a statement.
“His vision for the Academy’s future is likewise bold and inspiring, and our governors have agreed he is the ideal choice to lead at this pivotal moment for the organization. We believe Bill has the ability to bring together all corners of the motion picture community, and we’re thrilled to have him in this role to elevate the organization and unite our global membership.”
