The Emporia Senior Center’s Board of Directors hopes to open a new chapter in operations with a transition phase currently underway.
Ian Boyd had offered his resignation from his roles as president and CEO on Thursday, citing health issues including a 2020 diagnosis of blood cancer. The board officially accepted Boyd’s resignation as part of its meeting Saturday morning, also accepting the resignation of former board member Marcie Godfrey for health reasons.
Board chair Jan Loux, the center’s interim president at this time, thanked Boyd for his five-plus years of work to lead the center through a better than $100,000 embezzlement, COVID-19, inconsistent charitable gaming and expensive roof repairs.
Loux also says Boyd served simultaneously as president, CEO and board member on a short basis while the board was searching for a full-time chair.
Loux says the short-term goal is to get another interim president and CEO in place before working to get a permanent president on board. Loux also has other administrative work in mind.
At the same time, there is a concerted push developing to bring on more board members, committee members and volunteers.
Another push getting started is on the event side. Bingo returns Tuesday evening after being offline for over a month, and Loux says there are some conversations about ways to use its commercial kitchen on a larger scale and schedule. The overall goal is to expand the center’s reach through generations, not just seniors.
Senior Center representatives Jeff and Sonia Hodges will join KVOE’s Newsmaker 3 segment at 8:40 am Monday to talk more about the resumption of bingo.
2:30 pm Saturday: Emporia Senior Center board accepts Boyd resignation, beginning search for interim president
Ian Boyd’s tenure leading the Emporia Senior Center has officially concluded.
The Senior Center Board of Directors officially accepted Boyd’s resignation as part of its meeting Saturday morning.
Boyd had offered his resignation Thursday, citing health issues including a 2020 diagnosis of blood cancer.
Board chair Jan Loux, the center’s interim president, thanked Boyd for his five-plus years of work to lead the center, saying Boyd took an organization that was “flat on its face” after over $100,000 was embezzled between 2016-2018 to an organization that functioned through the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, including the loss of charitable gaming and frequent, expensive roof repairs. Loux also says Boyd served simultaneously as president, CEO and board member on a short basis while the board was searching for a full-time chair.
Board members also accepted the resignation of former board member Marcie Godfrey, also for health concerns.
Saturday’s meeting served as the close of one chapter and the foundation for another. Loux says the board will start a search for an interim director soon before moving to a permanent director. Loux and other board members are also reviewing bylaws, including a number of proposed amendments, at the same time.
While that work begins, the Senior Center is also looking to re-establish community connections. Board members are searching for others to serve on the board. It is also looking for people to serve on various committees or as volunteers and it is looking to expand its event list. Bingo returns Tuesday evening after being offline for over a month, and Loux says there are some conversations about ways to use its commercial kitchen on a larger scale and schedule.
