Andrew Gully, senior vice president for communications and external affairs, resigned his post at Brandeis June 15 to become senior vice president, worldwide director of communications for Sotheby's, an international art auction house, on July 16.

"Sotheby's is such a leader in the art business and such an esteemed company that it's a great opportunity and hard to pass up," explained Gully in an interview with the Justice.

??"We wish him well and this is a great adventure for him and a great next step for him, but he will be terribly missed. He's done a wonderful job for us since he came on board," said University President Frederick Lawrence in an interview with the Justice.

Brandeis' Office of Communications will be run by its current staff, led by Associate Vice President for Communications Bill Burger, and in coordination with the Office of the President, according to Lawrence and Gully.

In an email to the Brandeis community, Lawrence announced that a search committee had been formed to help identify a replacement for Gully. The committee has 13 members and is co-chaired by Senior Advisor to the Provost Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) and Chief of Staff David Bunis '83. The committee includes faculty members, administrators, trustees, staff, and one student, Alex Thomson '15.

"The successful candidate [for senior vice president for communication and external affairs] will be someone who is a strategic thinker and a team player who is very comfortable in the world of digital media," wrote Bunis in an email to the Justice.

The executive search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates has also been retained to help with the search process. According to Lawrence's email, the firm has "worked with Brandeis in the past and is very familiar with the University's needs."
Gully became familiar with Sotheby's through Brandeis' connection with the institution in the wake of the Board of Trustee's 2009 decision to sell artwork from the Rose Art Museum.

Sotheby's asked Gully earlier this year if he would apply for the communications director position, he said. He applied and went through a series of interviews before he was selected to fill the role.

"I'm really excited about the opportunity at Sotheby's, but I will always have a great affection for Brandeis," said Gully. "It's been an amazing two-and-a-half years here and it really was a pleasure to work at Brandeis."

Gully began working at the University in November 2009 under then-University President Jehuda Reinharz. He dealt with the aftermath of the Board's decision to sell artwork from the Rose and remained when Lawrence replaced Reinharz in 2011.

"He did a terrific job in his first major project-which predates me-dealing with the aftermath of the Rose Art Museum, and then throughout his time he has been terrific in all capacities, especially as a good judgment person," said Lawrence.
The University has also made arrangements with Boston firm Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, Inc, "if circumstances require the services of an outside communications consultant," according to an email announcement from Lawrence.

Gully graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Northeastern University and worked as a reporter and editor at the Boston Herald for 21 years before beginning work at Boston branding firm Kelley Habib John. He came to Brandeis in 2009 from Sovereign Bank, part of the Santander Group, where he headed corporate affairs.

-Sam Mintz contributed reporting 

This article has been updated to include information about the search committee formed to replace Andrew Gully.