Meet David Peterson, New President of the Apple Valley Arts Foundation

Last spring, David Peterson happened to meet Apple Valley Mayor Mary Hamann-Roland at the coffee shop in town. He volunteered his marketing expertise for the Apple Valley Arts Foundation, and has been involved ever since.

Now, Peterson’s role will expand as he takes on the duties of foundation president, a position to which he was elected this fall.

“It was just really a natural fit,” said Hamann-Roland, who is vice president and co-founder of the nonprofit foundation.

Peterson is replacing former president Brian Bessler, who was unable to continue in the position due to work-related commitments. Bessler is now serving as a director for the foundation.

When not serving on the board of the Apple Valley Arts Foundation, Peterson is vice president of business development for 3KeyLogic. Peterson’s background provided him the skills to create the posters and Facebook page for the Music in Kelley Park summer concert series.

The goal of the foundation, which has existed since the summer of 1999, is to bring arts to the Apple Valley community and to improve fine arts education in public schools.

The organization hopes to provide local schools with close to $20,000 in grants to help support their performing arts programs in 2012. 

In the coming months, the foundation will sponsor a new, free winter concert series called "The Frozen Apple." The concerts —so far Jan. 21, Feb. 4 and March 3—at the . 

The board is also hoping to generate growth within the organization by increasing community engagement and business involvement in 2012. 

“We’re all pretty passionate about our love of the arts,” said Peterson, in reference to the foundation board. “We think it really enhances the quality of life in a community.”