The Carson Center Names New Executive Director

Brian Wilson, 46, a western Kentucky native, has been named the executive director of The Carson Center.

Wilson succeeds Mary Katz, who is retiring after 20 years’ service, including eight years at the helm.

Like Katz, Wilson has ties to the area and extensive experience in the arts.

“Paducah is home,” he said. “I was born and raised on the rivers that run through it. Though my career has taken me across the country to lead major venues and cultural institutions, the roots of who I am were formed in western Kentucky. Returning now feels like more than a professional step, it feels like giving back to the community that shaped me.”

His family still lives in Marshall and McCracken counties, and his family’s history connected to the rivers has shaped his affection for the local marine industry.

Since graduating from Illinois State University in 2003 with a degree in business administration, Wilson has spent 20 years on the West Coast, most recently managing Portland5 Centers for the Arts in Portland, Ore., one of the nation’s top five performing arts centers. He also served as a manager for the Anaheim Convention Center and March Field Air Museum in Riverside, both in California.

Carson Center board chair David Culbertson said Wilson was the unanimous top pick from 70 applicants.

“Brian brings a special energy and expertise,” Culbertson said, “as well as a love for the arts and for this area. He is committed to the Carson Center’s mission of enhancing the quality of life for people of all ages in our region through the arts, and we are confident he will lead the Carson Center successfully into its third decade.”

Culbertson served on a seven-person search committee, led by fellow board member John Williams Jr., and assisted by the national Arts Consulting Group.

Wilson and his wife, Carly, will relocate immediately from California to Paducah to begin his duties Dec. 29.  He will work with Katz through January to ensure a smooth transition.