Museum appoints new board leader

ST. PETERSBURG — The Dalí Museum named Karen Lang Johnston chairwoman of its board of trustees.

The position is effective as of March 31, according to a statement. She succeeds Tom James, Chairman Emeritus of Raymond James Financial.

Johnston joined The Dalí Board of Trustees in 2003, serving as its vice president since 2011, the release adds. She has chaired the Museum's Collections Committee, the Committee on Trustees and its Anniversary Dinner Committee. She is a founding member of The Guild at The Dalí, a supporting arm of the Museum.

A St. Petersburg native, Johnston worked for local U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young , R-Indian Shores, in Washington, D.C. and subsequently held several other posts in the nation's capital, including appointments by Presidents Carter, Reagan and Bush., the release states.

“I am elated to become the new Chair of The Dalí Museum board,” says Johnston in the statement. “In his many years of service, Tom James left a lasting impression on the board, the museum, and the art scene in our region. I seek to continue this legacy and sustain The Dalí's position as a world-class destination for art, education and community connections.”

James joined the Museum's board in 1987, just five years after The Dalí first opened in St. Petersburg and became chairman of the board in 1994.