The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra board has appointed member Mark Niehaus as its new president and executive director. He replaces former office holder Maryellen Gleason.

Niehaus served as principal trumpet of the MSO since 1998, chairman of the Orchestra's Players' Council and member of the MSO board. Additionally, he has served on the faculty at The Julliard School, North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

MSO Board Chair Douglas Hagerman also announced the achievement of a balanced budget for fiscal year 2012. The balance was reached through a combination of grants and contributions, most notably through 18 percent new donor growth and a record-high amount of contributed revenue.