Jack F. Becker, Ph.D. is the Executive Director and CEO of Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska. The largest museum in the state, Joslyn features diverse collections from antiquity to the present, with strengths in European painting, American art, art of the American West, and contemporary art.
Since Becker’s arrival in 2010, the Museum has defined and achieved several new projects and goals that have had a significant impact on its audiences and positioned the institution for the future. These include securing funding for a return to free general admission for the public year-round and growing the Museum’s annual attendance by over fifty percent. Becker established a new Contemporary Artists Project gallery and exhibition series to bring new perspectives on contemporary art to Nebraska and opened a 1,500 square foot hands-on discover gallery – ART WORKS: A Place for Curiosity – that welcomes over 45,000 visitors annually. Under Becker’s tenure, Joslyn has secured significant gifts of art, most notably to its contemporary collection.
In October 2018, Joslyn announced a major physical and programmatic expansion of the Museum, led by architectural firm Snøhetta. Introducing a new Joslyn for the twenty-first century, the transformative project will include a new building and an increase in areas devoted to educational offerings and public engagement.
Becker earned his B.A. in art history at Carleton College; his M.A. in art history and Ph.D. at the University of Deleware; and his M.B.A. at the University of Michigan.
