The nonprofit organization Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) has announced that its co-founder, Bob Ost, will step down from his role as executive director effective Jan. 1, 2027. Ost will transition into the newly created position of founder emeritus. Also beginning Jan. 1, TRU’s staff administrator, Jay Chacon, will serve as interim executive director. The organization has begun its search for a permanent executive director.
Ost, Gary Hughes and Cheryl L. Davis co-founded TRU in 1992 with the goal of “helping producers produce,” according to the organization’s slogan, by creating a professional network and resource for producers. The nonprofit still operates in that capacity today, providing educational opportunities to emerging producers, hosting public forums and producing readings of new work, among other programs and events of interest to its members.
As founder emeritus, Ost will remain active within the organization. He will continue to host TRU’s Friday Community Gatherings, a series of weekly virtual meetings for TRU members. Ost conceived and launched these gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic as a safe way for theater professionals to remain connected.
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“After years of persistence, love and labor I am stepping back but not away from TRU,” said Ost in a statement. “I will continue to be a visible part of the community and an advisor, entrusting the hard work to others who share my vision while hoping to fulfill other dreams of mine that have sat on the back burner for way too long.”
As a staff administrator with TRU, Chacon has worked alongside Ost for the past eight years. According to the organization, Chacon’s appointment as interim executive director reflects its board’s dedication to a thoughtful leadership transition, prioritizing the continuation of ongoing programs.
“Bob Ost has given this community something rare and lasting — a home,” said TRU’s board president Sandy Silverberg. “What he built at TRU has shaped careers, launched productions and sustained a creative community through some of the most challenging times our industry has ever faced. We are deeply grateful for his extraordinary contribution and genuinely excited that he will remain a vital part of TRU’s life going forward.”
