John Connolly has stepped down as executive director of Actors Equity, the union announced Nov. 30. Carol Waaser has taken over as acting director.

"I came home to my parent union as Equity's executive director on a mission with two important elements—to help the union regroup after the terrible tragedy of my lifelong friend Patrick Quinn's untimely death, and to move forward the process of change and evolution crucial to Equity's ability to survive and thrive in the changing world of theater and live performance," Connolly said in a statement. "I believe that I've achieved substantial progress in addressing these challenges and I wish Equity well in the next phase of its growth and success." Connolly, a former president of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, took the Equity post in 2007, shortly after the death of Quinn, the former Equity president who had been slated for the executive-director position. Connolly said in his statement that he was leaving to focus on his marriage and acting career.

Waaser, who took the acting executive-director reins effective Nov. 23, has been an Equity staff member since 1983. Most recently, she served as Eastern regional director for 12 years. Waaser had been scheduled to retire in February, but will stay on until a new executive director is named. A search will begin some time after Jan. 1.