James Nowell Wood (March 20, 1941 – June 11, 2010) was an American museum director who spent 25 years as head of the Art Institute of Chicago and later served as head of the J. Paul Getty Trust, starting in 2006.
As "one of the most respected museum leaders in the country", as described by The New York Times, Wood created major exhibitions of works by Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh that set records for attendance at the museum.
[1] In 2006, Wood was named to head the J. Paul Getty Trust, succeeding Barry Munitz.
The New York Times credited Wood with having restored the museum's reputation by reorganizing the trust and restructuring its staff.
[2] Wood died of natural causes at age 69 on June 11, 2010, at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.