James Percy Byrd III

Managing Principal, Acquisition and Divestment

Jim Byrd entered the art business in 1978 when he joined New York's Pace Gallery as Director of Professional Markets. At Pace, he developed their art consulting business in the corporate, architecture, and interior design markets. Two years later, he conceived and established the Corporate Sales Department for Sotheby's, North America, a business development announced on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.

In 1983, Jim established Westover Fine Arts, leveraging the expertise in art and consultative sales that he honed at Pace and Sotheby's, and the experience in executive sales which he gained earlier at Xerox. In addition to his expertise — which is particularly strong in Modern and Contemporary Art and Photography — Jim shares with corporate and private clients other benefits of his more than 30 years in the art market. In the course of buying, selling and commissioning over $150 million of artwork, Jim has cultivated exceptional and trusted relationships with all major art dealers, as well as key players at galleries, auction houses, museums and ancillary specialists. These relationships ensure that Jim can place his clients in a position to acquire the finest, and oftentimes rare or commonly inaccessible, works of art.

Jim has spoken on the subject of the art market to audiences in major cities within the US and Canada, most recently to the Palm Beach County Cultural Council. His opinions about the art market are solicited by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Art in America, Art Forum, Art News, and other publications.

Jim's lifelong passion for art inspired his formal education at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he earned a BFA in Photography as a Fine Art, and pursued graduate studies. That same passion, combined with Jim's expertise, integrity, substantial network of contacts and ability to intuit and meet client needs, has driven the long term growth and success of Westover Fine Arts.

Susan Powell Byrd

Managing Principal, Business Development and Management

Susan Powell Byrd has been an advisor to Westover Fine Arts since its inception in 1983. Prior to entering her formal role with Westover Fine Arts, Ms. Byrd contributed her management expertise to several corporations. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Strategy and Business Development for Second Avenue Software — a thought leader in digital learning media — and Vice President, Strategy and Business Development for Ultralife Corporation — a global provider of portable and standby power solutions for government, defense and commercial customers.

Earlier, Ms. Byrd had an eighteen-year career at Xerox, where she held senior positions in general management, strategy, customer research, marketing and alliances and was also Chief of Staff to the former President and current CEO. Prior to working at Xerox in both Stamford, CT, and Rochester, NY, Ms. Byrd was Vice President of Business Development for Mercator — a merchant bank specializing in foreign trade and corporate development.

Ms. Byrd earned a BA in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Wharton School. She is active in her community and serves on several non-profit and profit boards. She is the recipient of a Board Leadership Award from the United Way and The Rochester Business Journal for her work as Chair of the Visiting Nurse Service of Rochester.