Rufus Crosby Kemper III is the current director of the U.S. National

Institute of Museum and Library Services The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent agency of the United States federal government established in 1996. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States, having the ...

(IMLS). Previously director of the

Kansas City Public Library The Kansas City Public Library is a public system headquartered in the Central Library in Kansas City, Missouri. The system operates its Central Library and neighborhood branches located in Kansas City, Independence, and Sugar Creek. Founde ...

from 2005 until 2020, Kemper's other experience includes CEO/Chairman of

UMB Financial Corporation UMB Financial Corporation is an American financial services holding company founded in 1913 as City Center Bank and based in Kansas City, Missouri. It offers a number of financial services from checking and savings accounts, credit services inclu ...

. In 2005, Kemper co-founded the Show-Me Institute with

Rex Sinquefield Rex Andrew Sinquefield (; born September 7, 1944) is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist who has been called an "index-fund pioneer" for creating the first passively managed index fund open to the general public Sinquefield wa ...

. He chaired the Missouri Commission on the Future of Higher Education and additionally served on various boards, including the

Thomas Jefferson Foundation The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, originally known as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1923 to purchase and maintain Monticello, the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third ...

, the

Kansas City Symphony The Kansas City Symphony (KCS) is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The Symphony performs at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1601 Br ...

, the

Black Archives of Mid-America The Black Archives of Mid-America also known as BAMA is a learning and research center located in Kansas City, Missouri, focused on the African American experience in the central Midwest. History The Black Archives of Mid-America is an archive th ...

, and acted as founding chairman of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. Under his leadership the Kansas City Public Library received the 2008

National Medal for Museum and Library Service The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is an award given annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to American libraries and museums with outstanding service to their communities. The IMLS refers to the medal as "t ...

, awarded to American libraries and museums with outstanding service to their communities.

Biography

The son of

R. Crosby Kemper Jr. Rufus Crosby Kemper Jr. (February 22, 1927 – January 2, 2014) was an American banker and philanthropist. Career Kemper was born into an influential banking and railroading family in Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or ...

and Cynthia Warrick Kemper, he was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, then attended

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andove ...

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

, and

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

. His wife was the renowned historian and Yale University professor

María Rosa Menocal María Rosa Menocal (April 9, 1953 - October 15, 2012) was a Cuban-born scholar of medieval culture and history and Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. Menocal earned a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Bef ...

. He is married to Deborah Sandler, General Director and CEO of Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Director of the IMLS

In November 2019, Kemper was nominated by

President Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

to serve as the director of the

(IMLS), the primary source of federal support for US libraries and museums. The nomination was supported by the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members ...

, followed by a January 9, 2020, confirmation in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

for a term of four years.

Selected publications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kemper, Crosby, III Yale University alumni Kemper family People from the Kansas City metropolitan area Year of birth missing (living people) Living people