Hirshhorn Elects Two New Trustees, Expanding Local and Global Impact
July 18, 2018
Hirshhorn Elects Two New Trustees, Expanding Local and Global Impact
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden announced today the recent election of two new trustees.
The addition of Disaphol Chansiri of Bangkok and Steven M. Sumberg of Washington, D.C., brings the total membership of the board to 33. Under Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu, the board has seen its fastest growth in the museum’s history, with 27 new additions in the past four years alone.
“Disaphol and Steve bring unique and rich perspectives, which will help us to grow our international engagement,” said Board Chair Daniel H. Sallick. “Their collective contributions both nationally and internationally are inspiring, and we look forward to working together to advance the Hirshhorn’s mission.”
“The Hirshhorn is delighted to welcome Disaphol and Steve to the museum,” said Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu. “Both trustees, with their incredibly diverse backgrounds, bring a knowledge of development, community engagement and sustainability, which will be an integral asset as we continue to grow and expand in the coming years.”
Disaphol Chansiri is based in Bangkok and is the Chief Executive Officer of DCA Group, encompassing real estate firms in Thailand. Disaphol also serves as a Chairperson in Master of Taxation Law on the Faculty of Law at Assumption University, President of the Chansiri Group of Companies, and Legal Advisor to the Chairman of the Thai Union Group Public Company Limited.
Disaphol is also a board member of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and President of the Sheffield Wednesday Football Club in the United Kingdom. Disaphol holds a Ph.D. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He published a book titled The Chinese Émigrés of Thailand in the Twentieth Century. Disaphol has collected art for over twenty years and has private collection spaces in both Bangkok and Chiangmai, which he makes available for public viewing.
Steven M. Sumberg received his MBA and JD at Washington University (St. Louis), a Master’s in English Literature at Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s in Political Science at Brown University. Sumberg is currently the Chairman and co-owner of Rapid Funding LLC and has previously worked as the President and sole owner of the Mann Corporation (1987-1991). Sumberg has dedicated his career as a real estate developer specializing in renovating and developing commercial properties, throughout the metropolitan Washington D.C. area. An active member of the community, Sumberg has owned and managed numerous apartment buildings, shopping centers, warehouses, and development sites for over thirty years. An avid art collector, Sumberg has supported major institutions such as LACMA, the Corcoran Gallery, and most notably our own programs at the Hirshhorn. He is currently a member of the District of Columbia and Illinois Bar Associations, and the Hirshhorn Collectors’ Council.
About the Hirshhorn
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the national museum of modern and contemporary art and a leading voice for 21st-century art and culture. Part of the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn is located prominently on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. With nearly 12,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media installations, works on paper and new media works, its holdings encompass one of the most important collections of postwar American and European art in the world. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs on the art of our time––free to all, 364 days a year. For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu.
Images (left–right): Disaphol Chansiri; Steven M. Sumberg
