Arts | Entertainment | Sports 2023: ALEX NYERGES

While Nyerges has been director of four museums — including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for the past 17 years — he’s also a photographer. When the VMFA received more than 2,000 books focusing on American and European photography last fall, Nyerges called the gift from Barry and Gretchen Singer “a transformative donation” that will support the photography galleries planned for the museum’s current expansion. The $190 million project, adding 173,000 square feet of space and renovating 45,000 square feet, will begin construction in 2024. The new wing will be named for longtime donors Jim and Frances McGlothlin of Bristol.

In October 2022, the museum established the Joan P. Brock Education Endowment to support educational programs, named for the Norfolk philanthropist.

A native of Rochester, New York, Nyerges received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from George Washington University, which presented him with its Monumental Alumni Award in 2021. He also serves on the board for the French American Museum Exchange.

HOW I CHOSE MY CAREER: I first chose archaeology but realized I didn’t like dirt. So, I chose to work inside museums.

NEW LIFE EXPERIENCE: Becoming a grandfather