Executive Director Mary Roberts to Retire at Year’s End

The Board of Directors of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House announced today that Executive Director Mary Roberts plans to retire at year’s end. Ms. Roberts has led the organization since 2006.

“On behalf of the entire board of directors, we want to recognize and thank Mary for her extraordinary personal commitment and passion for the Martin House,” said Donna L. DeCarolis, president of the Martin House board and the president of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation. “Mary has made a permanent imprint on our museum and raised it to international prominence through creativity, inclusion, community, and telling an inspiring story that resonates with generations of visitors from all walks of life and from locations far and wide.”

Roberts has been at the Martin House since 1998, where she served as Director of Finance before elevating into the Executive Director role. During her time at the Martin House, Ms. Roberts led fundraising, restoration, and operation of the six-structure Martin House estate, a New York Site Historic Site and National Historic Landmark. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1903-05), the Martin House ranks as one of the architect’s finest residential works. A graduate of Canisius College, Roberts currently sits on a number of boards including Visit Buffalo Niagara, Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy.

“I have enjoyed the work immensely and found it interesting, exciting, challenging, and rewarding,” said Roberts. “To have served as the Executive Director of the Martin House has been a privilege and an honor to work side-by-side with such a talented staff, caring volunteers, and dedicated board members. Bringing this significant community asset to life over the past twenty-five years has been a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Former board president John N. Walsh, III said, “A leader of matchless integrity, tireless energy, and consummate ability, Mary Roberts has led the restoration of Wright’s Martin House to its proper recognition as ‘the finest restored Wright site in the U.S.’ Such was the praise of Richard Moe, former President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Our board will be forever grateful for Mary’s leadership.”

Firm Hired to Identify Mary’s Successor

The Martin House Board has engaged Koya Partners, a nationally prominent executive search firm with significant knowledge and experience in WNY that specializes in mission-driven searches at the senior level, to identify Roberts’ successor. If you are interested in the opportunity, or would like to recommend a potential candidate, you can reach the Koya search team at MartinHouse@koyapartners.com.