n Jan. 29, just one week after being sworn in as the Chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts, Michael Hammond, 69, passed away of natural causes.

Michael Hammond

“It is a tragic loss for our nation that [Michael Hammond’s] tenure has been cut so short,” said Mark Weinberg, NEA director of communications, in a statement released by the agency. “All of us at the NEA had looked forward to his leadership, and we join our colleagues in the arts community in mourning his passing.”

In a statement released by the White House, President Bush said, “Michael Hammond was an accomplished conductor, composer, and advocate of the arts.

His commitment to excellence and his extraordinary talents will be greatly missed.”

Eileen B. Mason will serve as Acting Chairman of the agency until a new presidential appointee is in place. Mason, 58, began her tenure at the NEA as Senior Deputy Chairman in November 2001. Previously, Mason served on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Arts and Humanities Council in Maryland and as a manager and policy maker at two federal energy
agencies.