If there’s one thing Chuck Henson wants to make clear it’s this: he’s not taking his support away from the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. He just won’t be employed by the organization come Jan. 1 2010.
The three-year executive director of TIGLFF announced he would leave his position after he begins a full time job with Bay News 9 as its traffic reporter. Henson has been a stringer for the Bright House Network cable news channel for nearly a year.
“In college I was a telecommunications/journalism major and my career for the most part up to the Film Festival was in radio and TV,” Henson said. “When I thought about accepting this new position I thought a lot about how leaving my post at TIGLFF would be a disservice to the community. But then I realized I can’t think that way. The organization has always been and that should be the focus, not on the person in a specific chair. If someone slows support of the organization because I’m not there, then they’re not in it for the right reasons.”
Henson says the move to working full time at Bay News 9 is an opportunity he and his partner of four years, Tom Young, couldn’t pass up. He says he talked in depth with Young before accepting the job.
“This affects him more than anybody,” Henson said. “It’s crazy hours but he’s building a private [mental health] practice and he plans to work in the afternoons. So we’ll actually have more time together.”
After the first of the year, Henson will work the morning traffic shift from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. each weekday morning. He’ll return to broadcast live each afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We’ll definitely be the lunch couple,” he said. “That will be our time together.”
After three successful years at TIGLFF, Henson has become the face of the organization. He has appeared on the Tampa Theater stage every year since taking the position and is consistently promoting TIGLFF at community functions. Despite that, he said he believes the community will accept whoever follows in his footsteps as the spokesperson for the film festival.
“We’ll find the right person; we’re not just going to hire anyone who walks through the door,” Henson said. “I told [board president] John Thomas that we have plenty of time to make a decision and I can help out until a replacement is found.”
Thomas said the board was sad to see Henson leaving the organization, but understood that the new position with Bay News 9 was an opportunity.
“He has spent three amazing years on staff and in that time his boundless energy and talent have helped elevate the film series and film festival to new heights,” Thomas said. “He has a great deal to be proud of and we know he will be successful with whatever he takes on.”
Both Henson and Thomas are confident that the festival’s momentum from a banner 20th anniversary year will continue to help the organization grow, despite Henson’s departure.
“This is definitely something I’ll miss but who knows if I’ll fully be gone,” Henson said. “I’ve had an amazing experience and have had the opportunity to meet people both nationally and locally who have just been outstanding. I want to continue to help organize the event and will continue to support it in anyway I can.”
For more information on the film festival, visit TIGLFF.com.
