More “Help Wanted” for the Future
John Hodge, PHADA President
In late 2015, the PHADA Board of Trustees held a strategic planning retreat in Charleston, SC. Of those who attended, it is generally agreed this was the most productive of such meetings the association’s leadership has conducted. Among other important things we did in Charleston was to plan for the day that many members would be coming to the end of their professional careers and transitioning to retirement.
We have seen the growing trend all around us. Many Executive Directors, HA staff, HUD professionals and others have left the public and assisted housing arena in the last few years. This trend will continue with the natural progression of the calendar.
As we expected, a number of long-tenured Board members opted not to run for election this year because they are either winding down their careers or will soon retire. We honored some of them in person at our January meeting in Phoenix. Those individuals exiting the Board include: Jon Gutzmann, Paula Ledford, Lou Riccio, Greg Russ, Hershel Thrasher, Nancy Walker, Dawn West, and Len Williams. Since our Phoenix meeting, a few other Trustees have moved on for different reasons (Tory Gunsolley, Richard Murray, and Bernadine Spears). We greatly appreciate their many years of service and are comforted to know that most will stay in touch with PHADA in the future.
Fortunately, a number of highly qualified individuals stepped up and asked that they be considered for the Board. Most of them were elected in the recent membership balloting while I have appointed a few others to fill vacancies prompted by the departure of others. It is notable that most of the new Trustees have participated in our committees, while some have gone through the PHADA-Rutgers University Executive Director Education Program (EDEP).
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