St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s President and CEO Position Endowed, Named the Jack and Mary Jane Bodine President and CEO Chair

(November 2, 2026, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) announced that a legacy gift from the late Jack and Mary Jane Bodine has endowed its President and CEO position.

The naming of the President and CEO chair in their honor recognizes more than 35 years of devoted support, service, and leadership by the Bodines. The Jack and Mary Jane Bodine President and CEO Chair, currently held by Marie-Hélène Bernard, leads the 147-year-old institution.

Nancy Galvin, Chair of the SLSO Board of Trustees, said, “Jack and Mary Jane Bodine’s belief in the SLSO’s impact on our community is an inspiration to us all. Establishing this chair in their name is our way of thanking them for their decades of steadfast support and honors their extraordinary commitment to the SLSO and St. Louis region. Their generosity leaves a remarkable legacy that keeps St. Louis thriving for generations to come.”

Marie-Hélène Bernard, The Jack and Mary Jane Bodine President and CEO of the SLSO, said, “I am incredibly honored to hold this chair, which recognizes Jack and Mary Jane—a couple that for years demonstrated deep engagement with the SLSO and extraordinary philanthropy. Naming this chair after them honors their shared entrepreneurial spirit and remarkable zest for life.”

John Gury, son of Mary Jane Bodine and stepson of Jack Bodine, said, “This endowment ensures that my mother and Jack’s legacy will continue to be felt for years to come at the SLSO, an organization they cherished dearly and supported enthusiastically. They would be honored to support the top leadership position at the SLSO. They would also love the wonderful new enhancements to the SLSO’s home that their many decades of giving helped make possible.”

Jack and Mary Jane Bodines’ affiliation with the SLSO dates to the 1980s, first as concert attendees. Devoted concertgoers for more than 30 years, they made financial contributions both as a couple and through the Jack and Mary Jane Bodine Charitable Trust. Firm believers that a thriving symphony orchestra greatly enhances the vitality of the St. Louis area, the Bodines supported the SLSO’s endowment. Endowment funds, managed by the St. Louis Symphony Trust, provide a permanent base of operating funding that sustains artistic excellence and a sound business plan.

Jack and Mary Jane Bodine embodied the spirit of generosity, giving to many organizations that enriched life in St. Louis and beyond. Embracing adventure and the joys of life, the Bodines regularly traveled to Europe, and Mary Jane was a devoted athlete. Their philanthropic giving reflected a shared commitment to strengthening their community, informed in part by the business acumen Jack developed as co-owner of Bodine Aluminum, Inc., a St. Louis–based manufacturer of sand and permanent mold aluminum castings. Jack Bodine passed away in August 2024 at age 97; Mary Jane Bodine passed away in December 2025 at age 95.

Bernard’s tenure, begun in 2015, has welcomed an era of artistic vitality for the SLSO. She has led the appointment and contract extension of the orchestra’s visionary music director, Stéphane Denève; two critically acclaimed European tours since 2017; multiple recordings; and the growth of community partnerships across the St. Louis region. With music education at the forefront of her priorities, the SLSO’s programs have grown to engage hundreds of thousands of students and teachers worldwide each year. She guided the design and development of a $140 million renovation and expansion of the orchestra’s historic home, Powell Hall, and of a campaign to support the project and growth of the SLSO’s endowment that surpassed its goal by close to $20 million. As the orchestra’s artistic portfolio and impact continues to evolve and grow, Bernard has shepherded the institution through the implementation of long-term strategic planning centered on inclusion, access, engagement, and innovation, ensuring financial stability of the organization through growth of contributed and earned revenues.

#  #  #