Jori Finkel’s LA Times profile throws Thomas Gaehtgens hat into the ring over his own professed desire to remain a scholar at the Getty Research Institute:

“If you could imagine an ideal director for the GRI, Thomas would be it,” says Louis Marchesano, the institute’s curator of prints and drawings. “You would want someone with a wide range of scholarly interests and intellectual curiosity to deal with a collection of this scope and size.”

“He’s also a people person and a great administrator,” adds Marchesano. “The Getty is a big, complicated place and we have our own politics, so his ability to make allies and not enemies has been essential.”

These skills have been put to the test as Gaehtgens has implemented a number of changes over the last three years. Most date back to early 2009, when he had to define priorities and slash his budget by 25%. (His annual budget is now $20 million, with a yearly acquisition budget around $2 million.)

Getty Research Institute’s Thomas Gaehtgens makes his mark (Los Angeles Times)