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Another member of the Newfields Board of Trustees resigned Friday, The Indianapolis Recorder reported Sunday.
Adrienne Sims, IU Health’s chief human resources officer since 2022, exited the Newfields art museum and gardens board one week after the announcement of the departure of Newfields CEO Colette Pierce Burnette. She also served on the board’s human resources committee
IBJ previously reported the resignations of board of trustees members Otto Frenzel IV and Gary Hirschberg, who stepped down on Oct. 9 and Nov. 10, respectively. The resignations of Frenzel and Hirschberg preceded the announcement of Burnette’s departure.
Newfields offered no explanation for Burnette’s exit, with a spokesperson telling the IBJ the organization adheres to a policy of not discussing the details of internal employment matters. Newfields leadership also declined to comment on the departures of Frenzel and Hirschberg.
When reporting Sims’ resignation from the board, The Indianapolis Recorder published what the newspaper described as a resignation email sent by Sims.
“As a seasoned HR executive, I believe in the importance of strong HR practices, collaborative decision-making and adherence to proper governance procedures for the well-being of the organization,” Sims wrote. “Recent leadership decisions were not made in an inclusive and consultative manner, which has been disheartening.”
Sims, who also served as a human resources executive at OneAmerica Financial Partners Inc. from 2018 to 2022, was elected in 2022 to serve on the Newfields board for a term scheduled to last until 2025.
IBJ’s attempts to reach Sims and Newfields regarding her resignation have been unsuccessful.
An email Hirschberg sent to fellow board members to announce his resignation was obtained by the IBJ.
“It is with great disappointment that recent events have forced my decision to tender my resignation from the board and as the chair of the finance committee,” Hirschberg wrote. “I do not believe I am able to serve any further in a fiduciary capacity that is up to the standards held by me personally and required by the state of Indiana in either role given the direction forced on us [Nov. 9].”
The mention of “direction forced on” the board joins a list of unknowns hovering above recent changes at Newfields.
Circumstances surrounding Burnette’s departure have not been publicly revealed. It’s unknown if the resignations of Sims, Frenzel and Hirschberg are directly related to Burnette’s exit.
The CEO of Newfields reports to the board of trustees, which presently includes 27 members after the departure of Sims. Darrianne Christian has served as board chair since May 2021.
IBJ’s attempts to reach Burnette have been unsuccessful.
Indiana Black Expo Inc., the Indianapolis Urban League and the Indy Arts Council publicly asked Newfields for more information related to Burnette’s departure. Sims is a member of the Indy Arts Council board.
Social media posts, including a Facebook post by photographer and activist Keith “Wildstyle” Paschall, indicate the circumstances surrounding the departure of Burnette will be the subject of a protest Sunday afternoon at Newfields, 4000 Michigan Road.
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