in
B A LT I M O R E S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A
NEWS OF NOTE
WELCOME TO THE MEYERHOFF
Honoring Tiffany Bryan with a newly
endowed position in her name
U
pon entering the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony
Hall for a performance, each patron is first
greeted by our patron services staff with a
“good evening, and welcome to the Meyerhoff.”
That’s because for the BSO’s Director of Patron
Services, Tiffany Bryan, the top priority is to provide
a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all patrons.
2020 marks Tiffany’s 20 th year with the BSO. During this
time, Tiffany has held several positions — first as a part-time
usher, a position balanced with a further part-time position as
a day care provider with the Downtown Baltimore Childcare
Center, with promotions to Head Captain (2003), Front of
House Manager (2005) and most recently, Director of Patron
Services (2016). Consistent throughout her tenure has been
Tiffany’s kind spirit, her leadership amongst her colleagues, her
dedication to delivering the highest quality of customer service
and her advocacy on behalf of the 275,000 patrons that walk
through our doors each year.
Today, Tiffany is responsible for the direct supervision of over
50 part-time staff members including ushers and housekeeping,
as well as up to 30 volunteers. Before every performance she
creates a detailed schedule, including pre- and post-concert
events, for all staff. Tiffany is also present at every performance
at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, which means her
day can start as early as 8 am for Music Box, our series for
young families, and go late into the night after an evening
performance. She is often the last person to leave the building.
4
“Everyone knows Tiffany’s
smiling face as you enter the
lobby, but few know the many
tasks that she does behind the
scenes.” says VP and General
Manager Tonya McBride
Robles. “Exchanging tickets,
moving vehicle traffic and
handling medical emergencies
with kindness, Tiffany
takes care of us all: patrons,
musicians, board and staff
Tiffany Bryan (right)
every day. They say that no one
and usher staff.
is irreplaceable at work, but I
cannot imagine what we would do without Tiffany.”
In the midst of her busy day, Tiffany also works to inspire
camaraderie amongst the ushers, who she calls her second family.
“The patron experience isn’t just about showing a person
to his or her seat,” says Tiffany. “It’s welcoming them as they
come in, getting to know them and making them feel like
part of our family. People have the misconception that the
only thing that the ushers do is seat people, but they’re also
acting as doctors, lawyers, nurses and psychiatrists! They are
all truly wonderful people.”
Many patrons even look for certain ushers as they come into
the building, excited to reconnect with them before the concert.
“Ms. Stella has been here as long as I have,” says Tiffany, “and
I get in trouble with patrons when she’s not on the front door!”
Simply put, Tiffany has set the precedent for how the BSO
should serve our patrons and our community. “A conversation
with a patron may have just started out with a simple ‘Good
evening, welcome to the Meyerhoff,’” says Tiffany, “but now
they’re inviting us to Christmas dinner!”
Thanks to the inspirational vision and philanthropy of a
loyal BSO subscriber, and in recognition of her 20 years of
commitment to the BSO, Tiffany’s position was recently
endowed in perpetuity in her name: The Tiffany Bryan
Director of Patron Services. This investment marks the
BSO’s first-ever endowed administrative position.
The presentation of
Tiffany Bryan’s position.