The Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center board of directors named Morgan Drinkard executive director of its organization on Monday.

Drinkard had been serving as interim director of the TPCAC since February 2012. She came to the group as media and program coordinator in August 2011.

Mack Gibson, board chair, said the board was “elated” over Drinkard’s acceptance of the executive directorship.

“The board gave Morgan unanimous consent,” Gibson said. “As interim director, she has demonstrated remarkable abilities. She picked up the gauntlet and ran with it. She has great ideas and she has captured our vision. She is smart and she understands the importance of the center and the role that it plays in the arts community. There was no doubt in the minds of the board members that Morgan could run the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center now and in the future.”

Drinkard is married to a “hometown boy,” Rob Drinkard, so she has a personal interest and investment in the Troy community, Gibson said.

“Morgan is who we needed and who we wanted,” he said. “She loves what she does. She is outstanding at what she does. We are extremely proud to have her as executive director of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center.”

Wiley White, TPCAC programs coordinator, has worked with Drinkard during her tenure as interim director and said, too, that Drinkard is the ideal choice to lead the TPCAC forward.

“Morgan is an absolute pleasure to work with,” White said. “She has such an easy and relaxed manner and a way of getting so much done. She’s smart. She’s a hard worker and she is dedicated to the arts. I love working with her and look forward being a part of the exciting future of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center and of all that it has to offer.”

Drinkard said that she is honored that the TPCAC board of directors had enough confidence in her abilities to name her as its executive director.

“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity to serve in this position,” Drinkard said. “This is an exciting time for the TPCAC. We have a great exhibition schedule for the Johnson Center, wonderful events planned and a very active art education curriculum.

“The TPCAC has a mission of furthering cultural enrichment to all citizens through exposure to and education in the arts. It will be my personal mission to ensure that this goal is met.”

The TPCAC is the umbrella organization for the Johnson Center for the Arts, The Studio and the Annex.

“The Johnson Center is a great hub of cultural arts in our community – a place where you take your children, your grandchildren to expose them to nationally and internationally acclaimed artists – free of charge,” Drinkard said. “This organization and these facilities are true gems to our community.”

Drinkard, who is originally from Demopolis, received a bachelor’s degree from Troy University in broadcast journalism with a contract in public relations and a minor in leadership studies. She received a graduate degree from the University of Alabama in advertising and public relations.

Drinkard serves on the TroyFest Arts and Craft Festival committee, the downtown committee for the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, the hospitality committee for the Chamber and is a member of Rotary.

Drinkard and her husband are members of the First Baptist Church of Troy.