The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has officially entered a new era of fiscal management with the appointment of Bright Afriyie as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Afriyie, a veteran of higher education finance and global banking, joined the institution this month to oversee the museum’s complex financial landscape during a pivotal period of growth.
Afriyie steps into the role with more than a decade of experience that bridges the gap between conventional banking and contemporary data analytics. Most recently, he served as the CFO at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically Black liberal arts institution in Louisville.
However, his ties to the Hoosier state are deep. He previously served as the vice chancellor of finance for the Anderson and Muncie campuses of Ivy Tech Community College, where he managed multimillion-dollar budgets and capital projects.
A modern approach to museum finance
In his new capacity at the Eiteljorg, Afriyie’s portfolio is extensive. He is responsible for managing the museum’s accounting, endowment and various earned revenue streams, including the Frank and Katrina Basile Museum Store, the museum café and the institution’s burgeoning event-venue rental business.
The appointment comes at a time when cultural institutions are increasingly looking toward data science to navigate the post-pandemic economy.
Afriyie’s background is uniquely suited for this transition. He holds a Master of Science in Statistics from Ball State University. He is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in data science, with a focus on predictive analytics and the integration of technology into financial strategy.
“With his experience in higher education and nonprofit finance and as an educator and data strategist, Bright Afriyie has extraordinary qualifications to serve as the Eiteljorg Museum’s next chief financial officer,” Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said in a statement. “His approach to finance emphasizes collaboration, transparency and data-informed decision-making, which are important qualities as the museum positions itself for the future.”
A philosophy of people and progress
Originally from the Bono Region of Ghana, Afriyie’s career began in international banking with Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited. He also served as the managing director and CFO of a family-owned foreign exchange trading firm. Despite his high-level corporate and academic background, Afriyie maintains that financial leadership is fundamentally about the individuals an institution serves.
“My leadership philosophy is simple: Finance is about people, purpose and progress,” Afriyie said. “I believe that institutions thrive when fiscal systems empower people — employees, donors, and communities — to contribute meaningfully toward shared goals.”
Afriyie expressed a clear vision for the Eiteljorg, noting that he looks forward to working with leadership to “sustain financial growth, strengthen operational infrastructure and expand philanthropic capacity to preserve and elevate Native and Western American arts and cultures for future generations.”
Commitment to the community
Beyond his professional accolades — which include being named an Outstanding Faculty Member at Ivy Tech and receiving the 2022 Difference Makers award in Muncie — Afriyie is deeply involved in local and international philanthropy.
A resident of Muncie, he and his wife, Lily Afriyie, an assistant professor of mathematics at Ivy Tech, co-founded the Help A Student Foundation (HELPAS). The organization offers essential financial and logistical support to international students.
The couple also operates Proton Tutoring Academy LLC, providing mentorship and academic support to K-12 and college students in the region.
Afriyie succeeds Sunny Reed, who served as the museum’s chief financial and administrative officer for four years. Reed departed the Eiteljorg in October to join the leadership team of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan in Detroit.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him everywhere @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
