Fingers pointed, but few details in Cherry Blossom ouster

The morning after the Cherry Blossom Festival executive committee yanked the pink carpet from underneath the feet of its CEO, Jake Ferro was considering his options.

“We were shocked,” Ferro said. “We worked real hard.”

The festival’s board chairwoman, Stacy Ingram, said Ferro was asked to resign effective Tuesday, and that an interim president and CEO would soon be named.

Ferro said events unfolded late in the day Monday, but he had not decided how to proceed.

Pressed about what had happened, Ferro said: “Things happen. I really can’t comment further right now.”

The executive board of eight members voted to ask for the resignation, a move that surprised at least one regular board member, who told The Telegraph the prospect did not come up during the regular meeting about two weeks ago.

“I did not see any signs of this coming,” said the board member, who praised Ferro’s business acumen, as well as his efforts to reach out to south Macon and recruit minorities to the board.

“Finally, the board was starting to look a little more like Macon,” said the board member, who asked not to be identified.

“I knew drums were beating, but I didn’t know it was about Jake,” another board member said. “I knew that something was needing to get corrected, but I didn’t know who it involved. But I didn’t think it involved Jake.”

Ingram said the board’s decision was not related to a recent rift between Ferro and the Macon-Bibb County Commission, although one board member said that matter did come up at the recent CBF board meeting.

In August, Ferro asked that the commission postpone $3.6 million in upgrades planned for Central City Park for several weeks leading up to the festival in March.

County leaders said delaying the project would cost an extra $60,000.

At an Aug. 23 meeting, Mayor Robert Reichert told the commission that there was a perceived threat from Ferro to relocate events due to the construction.

Ferro, a retired president and CEO of Bonsal American Inc. — a construction materials company based in Charlotte, North Carolina — first took over in October 2012 as interim president and CEO after the departure of Richard Brewer. Brewer was only on the job four months before heading back to Charleston, South Carolina

Ferro was named permanent CEO in February 2013.

Bill Fickling III, whose grandfather propagated and popularized the Yoshino cherry trees throughout the community, said Ferro came on board when the festival was in financial trouble after repeated weather cancellations drained the “rainy day” fund.

“We really appreciate the service he did for the festival,” Fickling said Wednesday. “He really got us back on track financially and under trying circumstances. We wish him well in the future.”

Fickling did not expect an immediate announcement on an interim president, although the board reportedly has identified a candidate.

As the announcement hit social media, commenters voiced displeasure about the festival’s operations in recent years.

Folks griped about not having enough low-cost or free events and the lack of the popular street party, which was canceled after multiple rainouts.

In the spring, performers complained to The Telegraph that the festival was asking acts to take reduced fees to perform at Central City Park.

Las Vegas entertainer and Macon native Michelle Marshall said she is through with the festival until “they have someone who knows how to treat people.”

Marshall, who impersonates Tina Turner, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé and others, was recruited by former park executive director Linda Maddox to perform on the main stage.

Ferro abruptly fired Maddox in November 2015, and Marshall was not happy with the way others acted in the spring once her show was rained out and staffers balked at paying her.

“They treated me very ugly,” Marshall said from Las Vegas. “I flew in. It wasn’t my fault it rained and they didn’t have a backup.”

Marshall said the board needs to recruit people who know about event planning.

Artist Mark Ballard, who began designing festival art in the mid-1980s, also stopped participating after a run-in with Ferro over the fashion show a few years ago.

Ferro initially told Ballard and his wife, Debra, that the festival wanted to go in a “different direction” for the annual luncheon, which the Ballards had produced for several years.

Ferro suggested the Ballards could take over the event, find sponsors and agree to give the festival a percentage.

Ballard, a former board member who is interested in the success of the festival, said he was told it was “none of my business” when he asked about what else Ferro was considering if they turned down the offer.

“I just didn’t like the whole way it happened,” said Ballard, who has not volunteered or worked with the festival since.

He applauded the decision to remove Ferro.

“Had he stayed, I don’t think the festival could have survived another year,” said Ballard, who said he had heard complaints about the festival and ticket prices this year while selling his artwork and T-shirts at the Mulberry Street Arts & Crafts Festival.

Ballard thought admission prices to the park, which used to be free, hurt attendance.

“If you’ve got a family, you can’t afford $25 to get in and then pay for all that high-priced food,” he said.

Wednesday morning, about six and a half months from the next festival, Ferro mentioned that he had yet to clear out his office or tender a resignation.

The festival’s website no longer lists Ferro as a member of the staff.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Fingers pointed, but few details in Cherry Blossom ouster."