J. Brooks Joyner, the museum's Priscilla Payne Hurd president and chief executive officer, will leave his post on Feb. 28 to pursue other opportunities.

The museum's board of trustees hired Joyner in March 2010 to coordinate the museum's renovation project from summer 2010 through fall 2011. During his time at the museum, in addition to overseeing the expansion and renovation project, Joyner helped promote a string of successful exhibitions, including "Shared Treasure: The Legacy of Samuel H. Kress," the photography exhibit "Who Shot Rock & Roll," and "Franz Kline: Coal & Steel."

Joyner was instrumental in bringing in the fantasy-art exhibition "At the Edge" in summer 2012, and in attracting the annual fantasy-art symposium IlluXCon, scheduled for this fall at the museum.

Joyner arrived at the Allentown Art Museum from the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was director from 2001-09.

"I came out of retirement to take on the challenge of guiding the Allentown Art Museum through its renovation and refurbishment and into a period of renewed growth," said Joyner. "With the expansion completed on time and very close to budget, and with a strong exhibition schedule in place for the next few years, I can finally step back from the hectic pace."

The museum launched a search committee for a nationwide search to identify Joyner's successor. Elsbeth Haymon, the museum's director of development and marketing, and Don Gunn, director of administration, were named as interim co-directors of the museum.