McEnery named WTC executive director

Kathryn McEnery has been named executive director of the Whitefish Theatre Co., taking over the position held by founding member Carolyn Pitman. McEnery will be just the second executive director of the 34 year old performing arts organization.

Originally from Oak Park, Ill., McEnery moved from Seattle to the Flathead in 1997 with her former husband John Zoltek, music director of the Glacier Orchestra and Chorale. In 2007 she went to law school at Valparaiso University in Indiana near her family. She came back to the Flathead so that her daughter, Geneva Zoltek, could be near her father and finish high school here.

“My intention was always to come back to western Montana,” says McEnery.

She went to law school with the goal of using her degree in the nonprofit area. While there she had an internship with the university administration and worked with the music faculty and the director of the Brauer Museum of Art regarding licensing and trademark issues.  

“I have always gravitated to work in the arts from working at several museums in Seattle to the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell.”  

She also has a master's degree in public administration from the University of Montana, which she knows will be useful in her new position.

“My goal is to learn as much as I can from Carolyn in the next few months, McEnery said.

 “The Board of Directors, the staff and a host of volunteers love to be here. Right now there are volunteers coming in each day working on costumes for Charlotte's Web. It is great to be a part of this.”

 Outgoing executive director Pitman was one of the founding members of the Whitefish Theatre Co., serving as managing director for years before becoming executive director when the organization took on the operation of the O'Shaughnessy Center.  

“It has been very satisfying to watch WTC develop credibility, stability and value to the community,” Pitman said. “At first no one believes you will survive. It took time to become a valued entity.”

Pitman said the biggest challenge and accomplishment in her 34 years was the construction of the O'Shaughnessy Center.

“As an organization we had 20 years under our belt, but once it was built, could we pay the bills, expand our programming to include music, hire more staff and still make it as a viable organization. It worked. In March 2013 we will have been in this building 15 years.”

McEnery acknowledges that being the beneficiary of a stable, very established organization will make it possible for her to be forward-looking.  

“I am thrilled to become part of this very collaborative organization,” she said. “I can't wait to see where we go and what we can offer this growing, changing community.”