As Ted DeDee looks ahead toward retirement, he recalls a rocky beginning to his career with the Overture Center in Madison. At the Jan. 25 Waunakee Rotary Club meeting, he told of the Overture’s path from clouds to sunshine.
Ted took over as president and CEO in 2012, a time when the Overture was a awash in negativity despite the generous gift from Jerry Frautschi.
Since the Overture opened in place of the Civic Center in 2004, so much has evolved on State Street, Ted said, and today, the presence of cranes and new building is everywhere downtown.
Still, the public debate about the city’s funding for the center continued early on, and in 2008, the endowment vanished because of the investment strategy at work.
In 2010, a new Overture Center Foundation path was forged. It would take over the management responsibility for the center from the City of Madison, and a new board of directors was put into place. That board would be able to fundraise, a task the city could not take on. It would evolve into a nonprofit, entrepreneurial entity.
The city employees had a chance to stay with the city in another capacity or to come on board with the new foundation. Despite knowing they may not make the grade, 80 percent decided to take a risk as Overture employees.
Ted began when the brand new organization had zero cash reserves. It had nothing to fall back on and a $9 million budget. It had to create its own policies, as well.
Ten arts organizations such as Madison Opera and Kanopy Dance called the center home, and Ted said he was impressed and inspired by what they died. The center has 500 volunteers, many who began as ushers when the Civic Center opened in 1980, he said.
Ted said his job was to stay positive, to expand the programming and sell more tickets, develop relationships and raise funds.
The center then continued to achieve positive financial results year after year. Next, the center would begin to tell its own story.
“One of the things I said early on was, ‘OK, folks, no more negative stories. We’re going to tell our own story, and it’s going to be positive,” Ted said. That led to a State Journal editorial titled, “Overture strong and improving.”
The center then expanded its educational programs and Broadway shows, which are the No. 1 source of revenues.
Meanwhile, the foundation worked on engaging with the community and building relationships, using more social media, and creating a racial equity initiative.
It’s also taken on more functions, such as the Frostiball, previously hosted by Madison Downtown, Inc.
“I saw that in a huge way, we would connect with the broader community. It’s one our largest fundraiser events,” Ted said, adding it attracts 1,600 people
Usage overall has increased by 25 percent, and ticket sales have increased. Now Madison is the No. 1 arts and entertainment market in Wisconsin. It’s also had an impact on regional growth.
Ted will retire on June 1, and soon the center will launch a new endowment campaign.
“The Overture will be enjoyed by generations to come as Jerry Frautschi intended,” Ted said.

Other news:

-Gary Epping said the club has 100 Super Raffle tickets to sell and will have the drawing at a March 7 dinner. He could use an assistant for that project.
-The Whitetails Dinner is Feb. 7.

 

Guests: Harold, Rotary Exchange student, guest of the club; Jim Fitzpatrick, guest of Shelley Moffatt; Troy Salisbury, guest of Mark McFarland.

 

Visiting Rotarians: Ted DeDee, speaker.

 

Birthdays: Feb. 1, George Ohlendorf

 

Anniversaries: None.

 

Greeters: Feb. 1, Peggy Acker-Farber and Leonard Allen; Bob Arntz and Joe Baer; Feb. 15, Ken Ballweg and Roberta Baumann.