EarRelevant Staff | 27 JUN 2025
ATLANTA, Georgia— John M. Haupert, president and CEO of Grady Health System, has been appointed chair of the board of directors for The Atlanta Opera. He succeeds Rhys Wilson, who held the position for the past six years and will remain on the board in a leadership role.
Haupert has been a member of the opera’s board since 2021 and previously served on its Health and Safety Advisory Board during the COVID-19 pandemic. He played a key role in developing the safety protocols that allowed the company to launch its “Big Tent Series,” an outdoor, socially distanced performance initiative that helped keep artists employed and productions running during the shutdown.
As CEO of Grady since 2011, Haupert has led major expansions, including the opening of the Correll Pavilion and plans for additional outpatient centers. He currently serves as chair of the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees. He is active on multiple civic boards, including the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Committee for Progress.
“I’m honored to help lead the opera into this exciting new chapter of growth and impact,” Haupert said in a statement. “The forthcoming Molly Blank Center for Opera—a visionary arts hub on the Atlanta Beltline—embodies this company’s spirit of artistic innovation and community service.”
His appointment comes as The Atlanta Opera advances its Crescendo Campaign, a fundraising effort to build the Molly Blank Center for Opera, which will serve as both a performance venue and headquarters. The company is also in the midst of producing Wagner’s Ring Cycle, with the final opera in the tetralogy, Twilight of the Gods, scheduled for 2026.
“John has been a transformational leader for numerous organizations, and I feel personally privileged to work alongside him,” said Tomer Zvulun, the company’s general and artistic director. Zvulun also praised Wilson for his leadership, calling his tenure one of “extraordinary advances.”
Haupert was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “2023 Most Admired CEOs” and is a recipient of the American College of Healthcare Executives’ Gold Medal Award, the organization’s highest honor.
The Atlanta Opera, founded in 1979, is one of the top 10 opera companies in the U.S. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- The Atlanta Opera: atlantaopera.org
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