By the time the job posting closed Thursday, more than 40 people had applied to become the next executive director of the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust.

The applications are currently being reviewed by the state’s executive recruiter, and those that meet the job requirements will be shared with a screening panel made up of Cultural Trust board members Bob Speltz and Carole Morse; Arts Commissioners Julie Vigeland and Libby Tower; and Shannon Planchon, interim executive director. They will meet to identify an initial pool of five to eight candidates by the end of March.

The first round of interviews should be completed by mid-April, when two or three finalists will be identified and announced. The final interview process will include both internal and external stakeholder forums, as well as interviews with the Governor (or his representative), Business Oregon Director Tim McCabe, and executive session interviews with both the Cultural Trust board and the Arts Commission.

The screening panel will then consult with McCabe, who should make the appointment decision and offer by early to mid-May.