While he was born in Newark and raised in Red Bank, N.J., Bill Chiego’s career path came to life in Cleveland. He arrived on the Case Western Reserve campus intending to study for a doctorate in Latin American history after receiving a bachelor’s in history at the University of Virginia, thinking a job in the Foreign Service was in the offing. However, a pivotal semester led him to change direction.
Inspired by the Cleveland Museum of Art and great mentors within the university’s joint art history program, Chiego wound up completing both his master’s and doctorate in the discipline. He credits Case Western Reserve for “providing the intellectual and professional foundation that would anchor the rest of my career.”
After a series of prestigious fellowships, Chiego’s museum journey began in earnest, with curatorial roles at leading institutions, including the Toledo Museum of Art, Portland Art Museum and North Carolina Museum of Art.
He gained national recognition as director of the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College from 1986–1991. In 1991, Chiego became director of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, leading the institution for 25 years. At McNay, he spearheaded a $50 million capital campaign that allowed the museum to greatly expand its physical space, while more than doubling its collection—and thus transforming the organization’s role in American art.
“I say this without reservation: all of my professional success would not have been possible without my Case Western Reserve education,” Chiego said. “Being able to take advantage of both the outstanding faculty and the world-class Cleveland Museum of Art allowed me to have interactions and develop expertise I don’t think I could have obtained anywhere else.”