Robert Wankel, president of The Shubert Organization, will take over as head of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, as Paul Libin retired after 24 years in the role.
Libin, who was also recently retired from his role as executive vice president of Jujamcyn Theaters, has worked on Broadway for about six decades. In honor of his tenure at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, the board awarded a $100,000 to The Actors Fund for the creation of the Paul Libin Center.
The center will house Looking Ahead, an Actors Fund program that helps professional young performers transition to adulthood.
Libin will remain involved with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids as the president emeritus of the board, which is a first for the organization. In 1994, when he joined the organization, it was awarding grants of $2.4 million and his since grown to $12.9 million as of last year.
“When I came on board with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the toll of the this horrific disease was visibly present and taking a terrible human toll every day in our community,” Libin said. “We couldn’t not do something.”
Before working at Jujamcyn, Libin was the producing director of Circle in the Square Theatre for 30 years.
Wankel takes on the role after most recently serving as the president of The Broadway League.
