January 22, 2024

CIM names Charlie and Grosvie Cooley honorees of 2024 Luminaries benefit


A portrait of Charlie and Grosvey Cooley seated at a window.

The guest artists have long been in place. Now, CIM’s 2024 Luminaries event also has honorees.  

On Tuesday, CIM was pleased to announce that longtime supporters Charlie and Grosvie Cooley have been selected as the honorees of Luminaries, the school’s fourth annual benefit for scholarships, on the eve of Commencement.  

The couple, generous patrons of CIM and Charlie a member of its Board of Trustees, were selected as a way to shine a light on their many years of service and dedication to the school.  

“Recognition as honorees at Luminaries is the most notable expression of gratitude we have,” said Mark Litzler, CIM’s Chief Development Officer. “We ask Trustees for their time, talent and treasure, and Charlie and Grosvie Cooley have committed all of that, and more.”  

This year’s Luminaries will take place on Friday, May 17. In addition to honoring Charlie and Grosvie Cooley, the concert and dinner will also celebrate timpanist Paul Yancich (BM ’75, Duff/Weiner) and pianist Mahani Teave (MM ’06, PS ’08, Babayan), the 2024 recipients of CIM’s two Alumni Awards.  

Details about the 2024 Luminaries event, including ticket information, will be shared in the coming weeks and months.  

Few members of the CIM community are more deserving of honor at Luminaries than the Cooleys.  

Charlie Cooley has been a CIM Trustee since 2014 and currently serves on the Academic Affairs, Finance, and Governance Committees, and on the Second Century Campaign and Kulas Hall Renovation task forces. In 2015, he was a key member of the task force that addressed concerns in CIM’s accreditation assessment. 

Charlie has served on the board of Hawken School since 2001 and chaired the board from 2010 through 2023. He also serves on the board of University Circle, Inc. Charlie was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Lubrizol Corporation from 1998 to 2011.   

Grosvie is active on the boards of the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and the Cleveland Institute of Art. She is an editor with Solar Today magazine. 

“Although we never seek the limelight for our community work, Grosvie and I are deeply moved by this gesture from CIM,” said Charlie Cooley. “We look forward to Luminaries and hope to deepen the impact CIM has on the future of classical music.”  

Photo by Timothy Bate