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TOLEDO – Ken Wetstein, 47, who has a 25-year background in higher education and non-profit management, is the new Vice President for Development for the Toledo Symphony, effective Dec. 1. Wetstein’s appointment was announced by Zak Vassar, TSO’s President and CEO. Wetstein’s most recent post was as Vice President of Advancement for Defiance College, where he improved fund raising, secured a rise in alumni donations, acquired new donors and recovered lapsed ones, and garnered more than $1 million in planned gift commitments. He was at the college for 10 years, including time as Vice President for Student Engagement. “During his interviews,” Vassar said, “we were very impressed at Ken’s passion for classical music, his analytic thinking, and the strategies he has employed to solidify and grow annual funds, endowments, and corporate giving. His fresh perspectives in fund raising will help the TSO continue to play an important role in our arts community.” Wetstein, a native of the St. Louis area, has a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s of education in counseling from Eastern Illinois University and a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. “I was attracted to the TSO position because it combines two great passions for me: development work in the non-profit sector and the performing arts and classical music,” he said. Wetstein lives in Defiance with his wife, Carrie, who is the Executive Director of the United Way of Defiance County, and daughters Caitlyn and Chloe. “I have been very active in civic and cultural organizations in Defiance,” he said, “and I am eager to get more involved in the civic and cultural life of Toledo and the surrounding region.” Music and the performing arts have been a lifelong interest of Wetstein. He took voice lessons as a teenager, performed with a music fraternity and collegiate marching band, and took part in plays, musicals, and concerts with community groups in St. Louis and Defiance. “I am humbled and honored to serve as the next leader of the Toledo Symphony’s dedicated and talented development team,” he said. “We will generate ever-increasing levels of support for this fantastic organization and its noble mission in the greater Toledo community.” About the Toledo Symphony Orchestra The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is proud to be the musical heart of northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. The TSO has built a strong reputation nationally for its artistic excellence and community programming. Collaborative projects with community partners are also a hallmark of the Symphony’s artistic work. Now celebrating 73 years in Toledo, the TSO brings world-class music to future generations through its education programs, including the Youth Orchestras Program, free lessons for low-income students, Young People’s Concerts, and the Toledo Symphony School of Music.