The Woodlawn Cemetery board of trustees announced on July 19 that it has selected Christopher “Chris” Jeannopoulos to be its 11th president and CEO. Jeannopoulos will also serve as president of Woodlawn Conservancy.

Described by the board as an ardent supporter of historic preservation and a dynamic leader with especially strong financial management experience, Jeannopoulos will assume his new responsibilities in September, when acting president, Edward F. Markiewicz, will retire. The board said that they are grateful to Markiewicz for his many years of service at Woodlawn, which date back to 1989.

According to the board, the appointment of Jeannopoulos as Woodlawn’s CEO and president is the culmination of a comprehensive national search, assisted by PBR executive search. The trustees said he has over 18 years of leadership experience, most recently serving as the chief financial and administrative officer for the World Monuments Fund (WMF).

Headquartered in New York City, the WMF is a leading international nonprofit that works “to safeguard the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities.” During his tenure as CFO, Woodlawn officials said Jeannopoulos provided financial, administrative, and operational oversight in support of heritage conservation in 50 countries.

Prior to joining WMF, Jeannopoulos was the chief financial officer of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to historical and contemporary design, according to Woodlawn officials. There, Jeannopoulos oversaw the museum’s financial activities, working closely with senior management and the board of directors on strategic planning initiatives. Earlier in his career, Jeannopoulos spent seven years in the private financial sector. A native New Yorker, he is a licensed CPA, and an alumnus of the University of Buffalo and The State University of New York.

Woodlawn board of trustees chair, Michael Reynolds, said Woodlawn executives were excited about the next chapter under Jeannopoulos’ leadership. “His rare mixture of experience in finance, personnel management, strategic planning, and historic preservation is perfectly suited to guide Woodlawn toward a dynamic and sustainable future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jeannopoulos said he was honored to serve as the cemetery’s next president and CEO. “This is a culturally and historically rich institution that holds a special place in the hearts of many New Yorkers and its visitors,” he said. “It holds a special place in my heart, too, given the collaboration with the World Monuments Fund and Woodlawn on the Bridge to Crafts Careers program, of which I am a staunch supporter.” He added, “I’m eager to bring what I have learned from my time in the nonprofit world to further enrich both the Cemetery and Conservancy.”

Established in 1863, and spanning 400 acres, Woodlawn Cemetery, located at 4199 Webster Avenue in Woodlawn Heights, is one of the nation’s most distinguished historic cemeteries, according to the trustees. In 2011, it was designated a national historic landmark for its singular importance in the history of the nation and New York City. Woodlawn is also an active cemetery with ongoing burials and funeral services, and more than 310,000 individuals are memorialized on its grounds.

Woodlawn officials say it is one of the nation’s finest examples of a 19th-century garden cemetery and its monuments represent some of the best memorial art and architecture in the nation, including nearly 1,300 private mausoleums designed by some of the most prominent architects of the 20th century.

According to conservancy officials, it provides educational programs for students and the public, “engaging a strong volunteer corps and working to present the extraordinary collection of monument and plantings found on the 400-acre site of The Woodlawn Cemetery.” They say this mission is accomplished through the support of individuals and organizations who desire to preserve Woodlawn’s beauty and history for the enjoyment of future generations, investing in the future by preserving the past.

The cemetery is open to the public free of charge 365 days a year, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is the last stop on the #4 subway, and is also accessible from the Metro North Railroad Harlem line (Woodlawn station). For those traveling by car, it can be reached from the East 233rd Street exit off the Major Deegan (#13) and the Bronx Parkway (#10). For more information, visit www.woodlawn,org.