Princeton Symphony Names New Assistant Conductor
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra has appointed Kenneth Bean to the position of Georg and Joyce Albers-Schonberg Assistant Conductor. Bean will serve as cover conductor for music director Rossen Milanov and will begin rehearsals as conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey (YOCJ), PSO’s youth orchestra partner. A key component of his role will be connecting with audiences and young musicians.
“I am thrilled to have Kenneth Bean as my artistic partner, and am very excited to welcome him to our team,” Milanov said in a statement. “I believe that his talent, passion for education, and love for music will make a big difference for the Princeton Symphony Orchestra.”
Bean is an instructor and conductor in the Philadelphia area, as well as an active freelance trumpeter. He earned a bachelor of music from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music Education from Jackson State University.
He has taught at many festivals and schools, including the School District of Philadelphia, Settlement Music School, the Premier Orchestral Institute of the Mississippi Symphony, and Play On Philly. He has appeared as a guest conductor for the Marywood String Festival, Berks County Orchestra Festival, and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
His past music director/conductor appointments include the Junior String Philharmonic of the Lehigh Valley, the Young People’s Philharmonic of the Lehigh Valley, and Luzerne Music Center. Kenneth currently serves as assistant conductor of Symphony in C, conductor of the Symphony in C Youth Orchestra in Collingswood, New Jersey, and director/conductor of the Young Musicians Debut Orchestra, the newest full orchestra within the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute.
For more information on the PSO, visit www.princetonsymphony.org.
Autism Speaks Names New CEO
Autism Speaks, the nonprofit organization based on State Road in Princeton that serves people with autism and their families, has named Keith Wargo as president and CEO of the organization, effective October 15.
He succeeds Angela Timashenka Geiger, who is stepping down after serving in the position for five years. “There is still much to accomplish but I am confident that Keith is the right individual to get the job done and I am grateful to leave Autism Speaks in such capable hands,” she said in a statement.
Wargo joins Autism Speaks following a long career in finance including leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, BMO Capital Markets, and Mizuho Securities. He is also an owner of Monarch Cypress, a manufacturer and supplier of amenities with a mission to employ autistic individuals.
Wargo is the father of two adult children, one of whom has autism. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance at Boston College and received an MBA from Harvard.
Brian Harper, chairman of Autism Speaks’ board of directors, said in a statement, “Keith is an accomplished business leader and executive that has a proven track record of success in driving organizations forward. As a parent of an adult son on the spectrum, he also understands the diverse needs of the autism community and the importance of providing a variety of options and solutions to best support the people we serve.”
Wargo added, “It is an honor to join Autism Speaks during what I believe is a pivotal time in the organization’s history. My family and I have experienced first-hand the deep value of social connection and the dignity of work and purpose that all people, especially those who are autistic, need and deserve. I am looking forward to building on the phenomenal work that Angela Geiger and the team have already accomplished and to making a positive and profound impact.”
Autism Speaks, 1060 State Road, 2nd Floor, Princeton 08540. 609-228-7324. Keith Wargo, president and CEO. www.autismspeaks.org.
Deaths
Robert Alan Rosner, 85, on October 7. He worked for Princeton University Press for more than 20 years and served as a volunteer with the Slackwood Fire Department in Lawrenceville.
Sebastian Ortiz-Tirado, 90, on October 4. He was the head chef at the former Roman Hall Restaurant in Trenton for 48 years.
Joseph Michael Shaw, 87, on October 1. He was a semiconducter engineer at David Sarnoff Laboratories in West Windsor for 25 years.
Marie Commiso DeBronzo, 75, on October 5. She retired from the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development and also worked in the office at Barbero’s Bakery in Chambersburg.
Agnes P. Kerr, 98, on October 4. After working on her family’s dairy farm, she spent World War II working at the General Motors plant in Ewing making planes.
Richard J. Marolda, 60, on September 30. He was a member of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 9 for 38 years.
Grace (Betty) Sutterley, 101, on October 4. She retired from the New Jersey Division of Taxation.
Frank M. Van Reymersdal, 92, on October 4. He worked as an electronic technician at Princeton University’s Forrestal Research Center.
Philomena Deorocki, 96, on October 4. She was an artist for Cybis Porcelain Company in Trenton and also worked as a decorator at Hometown Bakery in Trenton.
Waltraud A. Greatti, 87, on October 3. She was an employee of EMR Photoelectric in Princeton for 38 years.
Dorothea Lynne Haley, 79, on October 5. She worked for Mercer County as a judicial secretary.
