Bob Workman, director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, has announced his retirement, effective June 30, 2018.

“Returning to the Ulrich as director has been immensely rewarding as we have a very impactful presence on campus and throughout our community,” said Workman. “I’m exceedingly proud of what my team achieves with every exhibition, program or community activity. The Ulrich continues to have a very bright future as new leadership brings fresh ideas and opportunities.”

Kimberly Engber, Dorothy & Bill Cohen Honors College dean, will chair the upcoming national search.

“I expect a strong pool of candidates for the position of museum director because of the strong art community at Wichita State and throughout the city,” said Tony Vizzini, provost and senior vice president. “There is much that can be done when the audience is already engaged.”

Workman began his current position at the Ulrich in January 2013. During his tenure Workman oversaw the completion of the conservation and reinstallation of Joan Miro’s mural “Personnages Oiseaux,” as well as the purchase of 125 photographs by Gordon Parks, making WSU the second largest holding of this artist’s work. He also brought Tom Otterness’s sculptural group “Makin’ Hay” to WSU and led the efforts to commission a related work by Otterness titled “Shockers” for permanent installation next year.

Workman secured funding and launched the multi-year project for the digitization of the nearly 7,000 works of art in the Ulrich collection, anticipated to go online in 2019. Future digital access to the collections of the Ulrich will be the cornerstone of expanded integration of the museum’s holdings with classroom teaching across campus and within the public schools. Workman has built a strong team of museum professionals at the Ulrich who work to bring important, challenging art – and the artists who create it – to campus and the Wichita area community.

“Bob Workman has taken the Ulrich to a new height,” said Vizzini. “He has given us cause to think, to reflect and to rejoice through his leadership and the efforts of his team to fill the galleries with art.”

Prior to his role at WSU, Workman oversaw the 90,000-square-foot expansion of the Amon Carter Museum. He oversaw the design for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Arkansas) with internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie and was founding director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas.