Festival Director Quits; Board Quickly Fills Post Ragsdale Replaces Wasson In Sandpoint Shake-Up

A week after the Festival at Sandpoint announced it was pushing on despite a $125,000 debt, organizers were hit with the surprise resignation of the festival’s executive director.

Ron Wasson worked for the festival less than a year. He was hired after another festival director, Connie Berghan, and three staffers resigned because of disagreements with the festival board.

“He (Wasson) may have felt he wasn’t getting full board support or maybe he was overwhelmed by the current problems,” said festival President Dave Slaughter. “I’m not sure, but he said he was unhappy in his job and resigned to pursue other interests.”

Wasson was unavailable for comment Tuesday. Slaughter said Wasson resigned last Friday.

The festival already has hired a full-time replacement, naming Diane Ragsdale as the executive director and the new marketing director. Ragsdale, 30, lives in Boise where she is marketing and public relations director for the Idaho Theater for Youth.

Change in staff is always difficult, but Slaughter said hiring Ragsdale will be a positive move for the festival. The organization lacked marketing expertise last season, which was partly to blame for dismal ticket sales and the deficit.

“We found someone quickly who has solid experience in marketing and fund raising and will bring some needed expertise to the festival,” Slaughter said. “Things already are operating and moving along. This will not set the festival back at all.”

When staff quit last year, the festival was caught off guard. No acts were booked for the upcoming season and organizers were left scrambling to raise money and put on three weeks of concerts.

Ragsdale officially takes over in February. Despite staffing problems, poor attendance at concerts and the deficit, Ragsdale said she believes the festival can regain its reputation as one of the premier summer events in the region.

“It’s going to be a challenge, no doubt. The board was very candid about the problems,” she said. “I know where the festival has come from and whatever ground we lost the last few years we will make up.”

Ragsdale has a master’s degree in acting and directing, has written and directed plays, is a freelance writer and since 1994 was the marketing director for the Idaho Theater for Youth. She will be the festival’s third executive director in two years.

“The board of directors and staff at the festival have some long hours ahead,” she said. “But I have every intention and faith that we will not only overcome the challenges we are facing, but thrive as we move in the (next) season.”

, DataTimes