Q&A with Tim Firment, Fruitlands Museum
Photo/Christina H. Davis
Tim Firment, CEO, Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Tim Firment may not be your typical nonprofit executive, but that hardly seems to matter. With years of experience in the retail and food industries — including a career with Dunkin’ Brands — he joined the Fruitlands Museum as a board member. But he stepped in to lead the Harvard organization — which is located in the rolling hills of Central Massachusetts on the site of a former utopian community — after it was discovered in 2008 that a finance employee had been embezzling money. Of course, the news of the embezzlement was devastating for supporters and members of the Fruitlands community, but Firment and the Fruitlands team didn’t let the shock last for too long. They took the crisis as an opportunity to remake the museum and its many assets into a thriving spot for not only history, but also nature and the arts. Here, Firment discusses that transformation.
How did you come to be the executive director at Fruitlands?
Part of it was the need of Fruitlands at the time. The museum was in a crisis that could have been crippling and I had developed a passion and love for the institution. I was spending 20 to 25 hours per week assisting the organization as a board member and it was hard to give it up. In short, the organization needed leadership and I had 30 years of experience in the corporate world. This was my time to contribute back to the community in a different way.
What’s the status of the embezzlement case? Are all the issues resolved?
Ninety-nine percent of the issues were resolved quickly and professionally. We worked through the issues and basically rebuilt the organization from the bottom up with new bylaws, new trustees, new manuals. We made changes to every corner of the organization, including staff and the financial base. Today, we are back on a strong footing.
What did you learn from that experience?
I think it was the importance of board involvement. A board cannot just step in and step out and rely on staff to always do the right thing. A lot of people look at a board appointment as a complimentary thing. But to be a good board member, it really takes more than just an understanding of the organization on the surface level. You really need to understand the details and challenge assumptions. The other thing I learned is that nonprofits need leadership with business acumen. Today, nonprofits are very complex and they need leaders who understand that.
Fruitlands hit hard times right as the economy hit the skids. Did that make recovery that much more difficult?
What really righted the ship was energy and drive. I think we reinvented this organization from being just a historic district to much more. What helped us get there was developing a new vision and mission.
How did you put a new mission in place so quickly? That’s often a really difficult process for businesses.
I think for us it was thanks to using the right outside consultant to help us. We also held a lot of discussion about it ahead of time to identify how people involved in the organization wanted to redefine it. Our formal sessions included a very diverse room, which helped. Also, the circumstances really gave it a sense of urgency.
What was the hardest part for you in making the transition from the for-profit to the nonprofit world?
Truthfully, it was my temperament. By nature, I’m an activator. But when you are working with a board and the community, you share some decision-making. And you have to take a different approach in that environment.
Web Only
What's the breakdown of Fruitlands' revenues?
Most of our funding comes from foundations and sponsors. We also have a trust left by the preservationist and Fruitlands' founder, Clara Endicott Sears, which covers the salaries of the staff. We are also aggressive about going after grants and we get revenue from our event and wedding business.
What do you think for-profit businesses could learn from nonprofits?
I think it's that relationship with the community. I spend a lot of my time with the community, trying to build relationships. Sometimes in the corporate world, the community gets ignored. Corporations can definitely do better in that department.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments