Peter W. Lyden Named ICAA President

The Board of Directors of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) – the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the classical tradition in architecture, urbanism, and the allied arts – is pleased to announce that Peter W. Lyden has been selected as the ICAA’s new President, effective March 18, 2014. Previously, Mr. Lyden was the Chief Philanthropy Officer of the American Museum of Natural History.

Mr. Lyden assumes the ICAA presidency with more than twenty-five years of leadership experience as a fundraising professional and nonprofit administrator. Over the course of his career, he has raised more than $2 billion in philanthropic support for major New York City cultural and medical institutions.

In his new role at the ICAA, Lyden will work to expand the ICAA’s regional reach, promoting nationally the organization’s core mission of advancing understanding and awareness of classical architecture and art, as well as its impact on humanity and the environment, among students, architects, artists, and philanthropists.

Mark Ferguson, Chairman of the ICAA Board of Directors, states that “Peter brings formidable leadership skills to his new position as well as a lifelong passion for the noble tradition we cherish. The National Board looks forward to working with him as he unites our members to pursue our most ambitious aspirations.”

As a volunteer trustee of the Blenheim Palace Foundation, Lyden has raised significant philanthropic support for the Palace’s preservation and was instrumental in establishing the future Winston Churchill Memorial Garden. Lyden’s involvement with the preservation of classical architecture also includes work to support the restoration of the John Russell Pope building on Central Park West and its halls at the American Museum of Natural History, as well as that of Irish Georgian buildings at the Dartfield Estate and Equine Museum.

Lyden is an active member of the Royal Oak Foundation and the National Trust of England. Prior to the American Museum of Natural History, Lyden’s professional leadership positions included a directorship of the American Ballet Theatre’s Development Department; he was also Senior Executive Director of Development of the Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“I am delighted to be joining the dedicated and enthusiastic team of staff, volunteers, and directors that have made the ICAA a renowned cultural and educational force,” says Mr. Lyden. “Now, with its expansive initiatives and growing network of chapters, the ICAA is poised to offer its diverse range of services to a much broader audience. I look forward to cultivating relationships between the ICAA and students and professionals working in the classical tradition, as well as the general public. I will be honored to help inspire and encourage the next generation of architects, artists, planners, and design professionals.”

Peter W. Lyden graduated from Yale University. Since 1991, Lyden has served as an adjunct faculty member of New York University where he lectures on nonprofit administration, fundraising, and marketing.

The ICAA resulted from the 2002 merger of Classical America and the Institute of Classical Architecture, founded in 1968 and 1991 respectively. Today, the ICAA is represented by 15 chapters nationwide and is a highly regarded resource for students of art, planning, architecture, design professionals, and the general public. The ICAA provides a broad array of resources that include continuing education classes, travel programs, lectures, salons, and conferences.