Nancy Galvin elected Chair of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Trustees

(October 28, 2025, St. Louis, MO) – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) Board of Trustees has elected Nancy Galvin, a committed community volunteer and philanthropist, as Chair.

A member of the SLSO Board of Trustees since 2010 and Chair-elect since 2024, Galvin has dedicated more than three decades of service to a wide array of organizations in the St. Louis region. She chaired the SLSO’s 2011 Gala, which featured a performance by acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman, and in 2013 co-chaired the Realizing Greatness Campaign, an ambitious fundraising initiative, alongside her husband Walter. Galvin’s leadership extends to her robust committee involvement. She co-chaired the Governance and Nominating Committee for many years and was Chair of the Philanthropy Committee since 2019.

In addition to her work with the SLSO, Galvin has served on several other prestigious boards, including the St. Louis Chapter of the American Red Cross, Dance St. Louis, Arts and Education Council, and the St. Louis Internship Board. She was recognized as a St. Louis Woman of Achievement in 2006.

Galvin succeeds Steve Finerty, who served with distinction as Board Chair for five years, guiding the SLSO through a period of transformation through the Covid pandemic, and leading the Board to support the expansion and renovation of Powell Hall and the Music for All Campaign, the largest fundraising effort in the institution’s history. He continues his term on the Board of Trustees.

Nancy Galvin, Chair of the SLSO Board of Trustees, said, “With the opening of the new Jack C. Taylor Music Center, the SLSO is poised for an exciting new chapter, focused on making music accessible to all. The SLSO’s artistry and social impact are deeply inspiring to me, and I am honored to lead the Board and to partner with President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard, Music Director Stéphane Denève, and our teams as we launch a new era.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, SLSO President and CEO, said, “The SLSO’s transformative social impact and its continued commitment to sharing the life-affirming power of music are unique in this country. My boundless gratitude goes to outgoing Chair Steve Finerty, who has tirelessly pursued this vision with great clarity as leader of our Board of Trustees since 2020. He has been instrumental to the realization of our community’s dream for a home that matches the artistry of the SLSO. I am inspired by the institution’s positive trajectory and look forward to shaping the orchestra of the future alongside our new Board Chair Nancy Galvin, an unflagging advocate for the SLSO and all the arts in St. Louis.”

At its October 27 Annual Meeting, the members also elected to the Board for a first, three-year term David Lemkemeier (Shareholder, Capes Sokol); Gwen Mizell (Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Ameren); and Dr. Ute Rajathurai (Global Head of Procurement, Bayer Crop Science); for a second three-year term: Dr. David W. Piston (Washington University), Bella Sanevich (NISA Investment Advisors), Rachel Seward (MiTek), and Janet Williams (Estel Foods Inc.); and for a third three-year term: Spencer Burke (ArchBridge Family Office) and Kate Warne Riggs (Retired, Edward Jones). The Board also re-relected Noémi K. Neidorff and Kathleen T. Osborn as Vice Chairs.

#  # #