Historic Old Westbury Gardens picks a new leader
Nancy Costopulos, a Chicago-based marketing executive, has been hired as the new CEO of Old Westbury Gardens. Credit: Handout
Old Westbury Gardens has a new leader for the first time in nine years.
The nonprofit historic property's board of directors has hired Nancy Costopulos, a marketing executive from Chicago, to become its president and chief executive. The 200-acre estate is home to Westbury House, the historic Charles II-style mansion completed in 1906. The property was the original home of John S. Phipps, the heir to a steel shipping fortune.
Costopulos said she wants to develop a master plan for the property, which has been open to the public since 1959, and analyze the best practices used at cultural institutions across the country.
"We are going to look at other institutions to see how these properties are being managed," said Costopulos, 58, a chief marketing officer of the Chicago-based American Marketing Association.
"Some of these places are being rescued; the preservation aspect -- particularly on Long Island -- is absolutely critical," Costopulos said.
Costopulos replaces John Norbeck, who retired in July after serving nine years as president of Old Westbury Gardens.
Costopulos, who has 24 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, had served in leadership roles at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and Chicago Botanic Garden.
Carol Large, chairwoman of the nonprofit's board of trustees, said the organization is set to embark on a multimillion-dollar capital campaign. Large said she did not know the ultimate fundraising goal, but she said it would be more than $5 million.
The most pressing task is replacing the mansion's original roof, made of Collyweston stone slate. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and restoring the roof using its original materials could cost several million dollars, Large said. The Collyweston slate is mined in the Cotswolds, a valley of rolling hills in England.
Costopulos said she wants to attract more people to the grounds -- including those from outside of Long Island. "More people could be made aware of the Old Westbury Gardens around the tri-state area," she said.
Many are likely familiar with the visuals. Old Westbury Gardens has served as the location for television and film shoots. Those films include 1970's "Love Story," starring Ryan O'Neal, and the 1959 film "North by Northwest," directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant.
Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.
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