Chairman of the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda (NDFB), Donald Kramer has been named chairman of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).The well-known Bermuda insurance executive has been a member of ABT’s board of governing trustees since 2005.He succeeds Edward A. Fox, who served as chairman from 2005. Mr. Fox is now chairman emeritus, and will remain a member of the board and its executive committee.“Over the past five years it has been unfailing. I am confident his leadership will bode well for our future,” ABT executive director Rachel Moore said.Mr Kramer said he looked forward to contributing to ABT’s future success.“The American Ballet Theatre is a unique institution, designated by an act of the US Congress as America’s National Ballet Company. I am truly honoured to have been chosen by my fellow board members to help guide this stellar organisation through the next period of growth and development. I look forward to continuing the superb work that Ed Fox has dedicated so much time towards. I have watched American Ballet Theatre perform brilliantly on stage, and equally well off-stage, as a well-run organisation that has weathered the economic downturn.”Mr Kramer will continue to serve as the local dance organisation’s chairman, a post he has held since its inception in 2003.“My dedication to the National Dance Foundation, and to the Bermuda dance community, remains steadfast,” he said. “In the seven years since we established the foundation we have provided world-class training opportunities to hundreds of talented dancers in Bermuda.“We have given half a million dollars in scholarships, bursaries and financial aid. We have established relationships with some of the world’s most highly regarded dance schools and companies, including ABT, the Ailey School and Juilliard.“Working with the ABT, we have also established DanceBermuda, a three-week international summer intensive which enables Bermuda dancers to study and perform with students from the US, Canada, the UK and Europe.”DanceBermuda is the only dance-study programme ABT offers outside the US.Former president and CEO of XL Capital Brian O’Hara has been appointed to the NDFB board. He will serve as vice-chairman and chairman of the development committee.“With Brian’s energetic support, and his firm belief in the Foundation’s mission, I know we will go from strength to strength as we enter our seventh year of providing Bermuda’s dance community with world-class training opportunities,” Mr Kramer said.Mr Kramer is the founder and former chairman and CEO of Ariel Holdings Ltd of Bermuda, and former vice chairman of ACE Ltd. The Bermuda Insurance Institute honoured him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.He is a member of the board of trustees of Brooklyn College Foundation, from which he earned his bachelor of arts degree, and has an honorary doctorate in humane letters. He also has a master of business administration (MBA) degree from New York University.The American Ballet Theatre is one of the world’s leading ballet companies. Based in New York, it was founded as the Mordkin Ballet in 1937, and renamed in 1956.The National Dance Foundation of Bermuda is a non-profit registered charity whose mission is to provide world-class training to the Bermuda dance community.