Mary Beth Martin

The Earl Scruggs Center, 103 S. Lafayette St., Shelby, NC announced its new executive director recently: Mary Beth Martin, currently Assistant Vice-president for Athletics and University Advancement at Gardner Webb University.
In the last five years, she's been a Major Gift Officer, managed relationships with donors and foundations, driven the strategy and supervised the execution of the Bulldog Club, worked collaboratively and creatively with University partners to be innovative and current in its fundraising efforts as well as overseeing a staff of four full-time employees.
Prior to that, Mary Beth served for five years as the Compliance Coordinator for the University's NCAA regulations.
Mary Beth, a native of Lancaster, SC, majored in political science at N.C. State with a minor in parks, recreation and tourism management. She holds an MBA from GWU. When asked why she was interested in the position of executive director of the Earl Scruggs Center, she replied, "The Earl Scruggs Center is an exceptional place that enriches life in Cleveland County. I appreciate the previous Executive Director's strong record of forging connections with the larger bluegrass world and building a solid reputation for the Center. I am excited about using my skills and passion to expand upon the great work that has already been done for the benefit of Cleveland County."
J.T. Scruggs, chairman of the board of the Center and head of the search committee stated, "The Center is in a good place, with a sound reputation locally, nationally and internationally. Thanks to our founding executive director Emily Epley, who submitted her resignation on May 17th effective September 1st, we have good policies and procedures in place with a capable staff which includes a curator with a masters in museum studies as well as seasoned volunteers. We felt that Mary Beth was the candidate that would take us to the next level of excellence helping to broaden our impact in the local community while undergirding the Center with sound financial strategies."
Mary Beth lives in Lattimore with her husband Jackson and baby daughter Charlotte. She will begin on Monday, September 17, 2018.
The Earl Scruggs Center and the Don Gibson Theatre are projects of Destination Cleveland County, Inc., a citizen-driven award winning unique public/private partnership, a non-profit 501©3.
Submitted by Emily Epley