IB Woman
Issue No. 25 - October/November 2005
Business on the Fringe
Gail Carnes
by Penelope Herbert
The first question usually asked of Gail Carnes when it’s realised her background is risk assessment and environmental compliance for nuclear weapons facilities is, “How does that translate to overseeing an arts festival?”
The Adelaide Fringe could not be farther removed from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Gail’s previous career as President and CEO of Benchmark Environmental Corporation, one of the top 10 fastest growing companies in New Mexico.
For Gail, the answer is very clear.
“I didn’t feel it was a huge transition,” she says in a laid-back Southwestern drawl, “because both involve creative problem solving. Whether it’s research scientists and academics or artists there are similarities in assessing the situation and the result required. People may think that the arts are the antithesis of science but in terms of organisational change management, strategic direction and priorities, and stakeholder relations, there is little real difference.”
And Gail’s abilities to deal with these organisational similarities have placed her at the helm of the Adelaide Fringe. Benchmark was a start-up company that Gail steered to winning the US Small Business Administration’s National Award for Excellence, the New Mexico Governor's Award and the New Mexico Quality Award. She also won the Small Business Person of the Year award and the Los Alamos National Laboratory Small Business of the Year award. After serving as executive director of the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque, Gail was appointed Arts Commissioner for the State of New Mexico.
“I would work during the day and then be an Arts Commissioner at night,” she only semi-jokes. “I saw an opportunity in the arts then, and the Fringe now, to increase earned income, to produce other events, to move into areas such as ticketing services, and to develop sales and marketing support for artists.”
Gail says there are inherent inefficiencies i...
