The Oregon Cultural Trust welcomes its newest board member, Portland Trail Blazers’ Premium Service Manager John Goodwin.

Appointed to the Trust board by Gov. John Kitzhaber on November 1, Goodwin is the former marketing director for University Club of Portland and has had a lifelong involvement in the arts. He sits on the board of Disjecta and Business for Culture & the Arts, is a former art consultant and a passionate art collector. He has loaned art to Portland Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Additionally, Goodwin has a strong connection to the tourism industry, having spent 10 years in sales and customer service for the Benson Hotel. He grew up in North Carolina, lived in Brussels, New York and London, spent 10 years as associate director of a gallery in Hawaii, and moved to Portland in 1994.

The Cultural Trust, through its grant making and partnerships, fosters the critical economic impact of cultural tourism on Oregon’s economy, and Trust Board Chair Bob Speltz acknowledged that Goodwin’s work and service history made him an attractive candidate. “As we broaden the outreach of the Cultural Trust to more Oregonians, it will be great to have John Goodwin from the Trail Blazers be part of that work.”Having grown up in an underserved rural area, his later exposure to the world’s finest cities and major museums, “gave me great exposure to different aspects of the arts, galleries and museums,” said Goodwin. “I would like to help the Cultural Trust make similar opportunities available to people and organizations of diverse backgrounds.” He believes that his expertise in the hospitality industry will benefit the Cultural Trust. “Not only are we helping make funds available to cultural non-profits, we are also soliciting funds for the Cultural Trust. Being in business and hospitality, I am comfortable with every level and aspect of sales, customer service and asking Oregonians to help fund this vital trust.”

Welcome John Goodwin, to the Oregon Cultural Trust!