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Executive Director Tony Cruz is resigning from the Museum on Main, leaving the downtown hub of Pleasanton history just after his second anniversary for a new job in real estate.Â
Museum leaders are actively recruiting for the next executive director – who will be the nonprofit’s fourth leader in four years – and the hope is to have somebody in place soon to overlap a bit with Cruz for a smoother transition.
“I’m very sad to go, but I was offered the Director of Growth and Team Leader role at Keller Williams Tri-Valley,” Cruz told the Pleasanton Weekly. “I originally got into real estate as a way to help fund my nonprofit career, and along the way I’ve really enjoyed helping people buy and sell their homes. This opportunity is exciting and was ultimately too good to pass up.”
“I left my resignation date open so I can help with the transition and, hopefully, help hire and onboard my replacement,” he said. “I’m also staying local, so I plan to continue supporting the museum and the programs we’ve built.”
Linda Garbarino, president of the Museum on Main Board of Directors, praised Cruz’s tenure for successes on both the fundraising and programming sides.
“To say we’re reluctant to see Tony move onto another position is an understatement,” she told the Weekly. “In his two years as the Museum’s Executive Director, Tony and our wonderful staff increased revenue through the build out of new and existing programs and generated the most revenue from our annual gala by adding to our donor base. He implemented creative programs that addressed large city budget cuts to the museum.”
“Tony will be missed but in his brief time with us he established a legacy that we will build on for continued success,” Garbarino added. “So grateful for Tony’s offer of help as interviews and seamless transition are so important.”
Cruz joined the museum Aug. 1, 2024 as an experienced nonprofit professional with Tri-Valley ties who’d most recently been director of development for Pacific Community Ventures. He succeeded Sarah Schaefer, who worked for two years as executive director after the retirement of longtime leader Jim DeMersman in the fall of 2022.
