Since it was founded in 1922 by George Eastman, the RPO has been viewed as one of the city's most important arts organizations. "Some Board members have expressed their opinion that the CEO does not possess the skills and leadership qualities required of the institution given its current challenges," the report said. * An $800,000 loan, taken out in June 2010 to close a "substantial" gap and secured in part by the RPO's endowment, is placing additional financial stress on the organization.