New Trustees Join the Jewish Museum's Board

New York, NY - Robert Pruzan, the Jewish Museum's Chairman, announced the appointment of René-Pierre Azria to the Board of Trustees at the June 9 annual meeting of the Board. "We are delighted to welcome René-Pierre Azria as a Trustee," said Mr. Pruzan. "He brings a wide range of talents and global experience to the Museum, and we look forward to working with him." Mr. Azria is founder, president, and chief executive of Tegris LLC, a boutique investment banking firm based in New York.

In addition to Mr. Azria, five leaders from the cultural and Jewish communities have joined the Board since Claudia Gould became the Jewish Museum's Helen Goldsmith Menschel Director in November 2011. They include: Margaret "Meg" Goodman, Audrey Wilf, Jane Wilf, Wendy Fisher, and David L. Resnick.

"One of our priorities has been to continue a process of strengthening and diversifying the Museum's Board," said the Jewish Museum's Director, Claudia Gould. "Our Trustees are critical to the Museum's success in exploring art and Jewish culture, historical and contemporary," she added.

Prior to founding Tegris LLC in 2008, René-Pierre Azria was a Global Partner with Rothschild worldwide and headed the Telecom practice of Rothschild in the United States. He sits on the board of governors of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). He is also a member of the AJC's executive council, board of trustees, and Africa Institute. Mr. Azria received the AJC's Herbert H. Lehman Human Relations Award in June 2010. In 2013, he was awarded the French Legion of Honour.

Margaret "Meg" Goodman sat on the Board of Trustees of Lehigh University as well as the Fundraising Committee of Planned Parenthood. She is a docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a mentor at The Harlem Village Academies. She was a banker for 15 years with Bankers Trust Company and Citicorp.

Audrey Wilf is a New York and New Jersey-based philanthropist and producer of independent films. Audrey currently serves on the board of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and The Public Theater in New York City, among others. Ms. Wilf is an active Trustee of The Wilf Family Foundations, which have been a major presence in New York and New Jersey philanthropy for fifty years.

Jane Wilf was Associate Producer of MTV's HA TV Comedy Network. She is on the Board of Governors of Hillel International, a Trustee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest, Executive Board Member of Newark Academy, and Trustee of Taste of the NFL.

Wendy Fisher is a clinical psychologist, CEO of the Kirsh Charitable Foundation, Chairman of British Friends of the Art Museums of Israel, and a sculptor. She is also a resource and facilitator for the Young Presidents Organization. In 2012, she was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of the Arts and Education community and was also bestowed the Honorary Fellowship of the Israel Museum. She sits on the boards of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation; the Public Art Fund; the Tate International Council; MoMA P.S. 1; Performa; the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia; Artis; the UJA Federation of New York; and American Friends of the Israel Museum.

David L. Resnick is President, Chief Investment Officer of Third Avenue Management. He joined Third Avenue in 2012 after serving as Chairman of Global Financing Advisory of Rothschild Inc., a leading international investment banking firm. At Rothschild, Mr. Resnick headed the firm's global restructuring practice and previously was Co-Head of Investment Banking for North America. Mr. Resnick is a member of the Board of Directors of Wesleyan University and Rodeph Sholom Day School.