Jim Yehle: Merging professional expertise and personal passion to support Overture Center
Shari Gasper
More than 20 years ago, during the construction of Overture Center for the Arts, Jim Yehle, now President and CEO of J.H. Findorff and Son Inc., recalls stretching out on his back in the Overture Hall Main Lobby to help finalize the ceiling design three stories above him.
Yehle, who joined Findorff in 1999 as project engineer and later became project manager, was involved in every step of Overture Center’s first construction phase, completed in 2004. He knows the building’s intricacies and what it took to create the community asset it is today.
“The entire lobby was scaffolded to the top with a platform for workers to work on the wood ceiling. The wood has different color variations, so we worked with the design team to figure out what colors would look best next to each other,” said Yehle. “Once we put all the pieces in place, we removed the false decking, then we could look up through the sea of scaffolding to see the colors and make adjustments.”
In other parts of the building, transitioning the old space into a new one presented challenges, like whether to remove the historic Yost façade on State Street. Developers decided to preserve it, requiring special structural engineering to maintain the façade while building around it.
Overture Center under construction
Another unique feature is Overture Hall’s “box within a box” construction, with 80-foot-tall, two-feet-thick concrete walls that acoustically separate the hall from outside noise.
“When you’re inside, you don’t hear outside noises, like a fire truck passing by,” Yehle explained.
Yehle’s knowledge remains vital today as he serves as Overture Center Foundation board chair and a member of the Building Committee, supporting ongoing renovations and capital improvements.
“We’re in constant communication with the facilities team,” he said, pointing to projects like recent renovations in the box office and replacing the Capitol Theater stage floor.
He encourages support for the $30 million Overture Forever Campaign, noting that mechanical equipment is aging, carpets need replacing and constant updates are necessary.
“The City of Madison has benefited from the great donations of Jerry Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland to have this facility. Now it’s our duty to keep it going,” said Yehle.
Yehle’s primary role on the board is to support Overture staff. He also serves as chair of the Building Committee and helps by talking through potential projects, providing history of the facility, answering questions, connecting staff with architects, exploring potential vendors and getting project pricing.
Findorff’s long-standing connection with Overture is more than transactional.
In Madison for 135 years, Findorff is an essential commercial construction company, and Overture Center’s offerings and impact are important to the community. According to Yehle, Findorff and Overture bring the community together in similar ways, so the partnership makes great sense.
Jim Yehle at Overture and in the community
Yehle and his wife, Jess, enjoy spending time at Overture Center. As subscribers to Broadway and Madison Symphony Orchestra and fans of comedy and youth arts programming, they are at Overture often.
“What I love most is seeing so many people here,” he said. “Overture Center is a place for everyone.”
It is important to Yehle and his wife to give back to their community through time, talent and treasure. Both serve on numerous boards of directors, including those in the arts, such as Overture, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Yehle has fond memories of bringing his kids to Kids in the Rotunda years ago after visiting the Saturday Farmers’ Market on Capitol Square, and he has attended numerous performances of all types over the past two decades.
As Overture celebrates its 20th anniversary, Yehle hopes it continues to be a “a community jewel,” where all people are welcome.
“There’s an event for you, a performance for you,” he said. “Overture is a place to come to forget what’s happening in the world for a moment and just come together to enjoy the arts. We need to support it to ensure it will be here as a community resource in the future.”