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| A Farewell Message from Jo Ann Simons |
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 July 28, 2008 -- When I arrived at The Arc of East Middlesex, Inc., in 1993 as your Executive Director, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Our offices were in a small, second floor walk up on Main Street in Melrose. There were no fax machines or computers and the push button phones had arrived just before I did. We took out our own trash and cleaned the only toilet on Fridays. There were five group homes (none of which we owned), a workshop in Stoneham and a job placement center in Wakefield. With a budget around $2 million and a $500,000 deficit, we were a year from extinction.
Chet Putney, Norma Howland, Cary Simpson and Lucie Cripps told me we would get through it. They were right.
I was faced with some difficult decisions. Staff positions were cut or left unfilled, the workshop and employment sites were consolidated into a new location in Reading and we moved our offices from Melrose to Wakefield, into a site we owned. We made three moves in one day. Working together with DMR, we identified some additional resources.
In spite of our financial woes, I hired a part-time recreation director (Cindy DiVincenzo) to begin to attract young families. I seized the opportunity to obtain a family support contract and with help from our friends at the North Shore Arc, we submitted a winning proposal. Kerry Mahoney was hired to lead this initiative. Michael Berardo began working part time in our workshop and then he led, part-time, all our day programs while keeping his full-time position at Fernald. Soon he left Fernald entirely to head up residential and day services.
I insisted that we have an awards breakfast that first year. Veteran staff told me I was crazy and that nobody would show up as EMARC only could get 20 people to membership meetings. One hundred and fifty people overflowed our space at a former hospital. So, our successful awards events were born.
With the looming financial crisis still needing attention, the late Dick Tucker arrived in my office and offered his help. He introduced to me a new bank where we would get better rates and assistance. He also offered to put together a fundraising event. Up until this point, selling fruitcakes at Christmas was our major fundraiser. I learned that people don't love fruitcakes because when I arrived that April, there were still frozen fruitcakes in the freezer-waiting to be sold!!! He brought in his good friend, John Mitchell and the Celebrity Breakfast was born. We were delighted with our first year success of $9,000. This event, now known as our "Tucker Event," regularly exceeds its $100,000 goal under the continued volunteer leadership of John Mitchell and his committee and the staff leadership of Susan Ring Brown. Arnold Rubin of Atlantic Food Mart and Dennis Drinkwater would join our efforts as loyal and dedicated donors.
We applied for and received the first of two HUD 811 grants to purchase and renovate two homes we were renting. In the years ahead, we would come to own or operate eight group homes, purchase an apartment building and own or operate several condominiums. We would move our day programs, administrative and family support offices a couple of times.
Most importantly, we developed some of the finest and most innovative programs in the country. Tina Claydon, our first of dozens of international recruits, heads up our residential programs. Annie Tetrault is our able health care coordinator. Our recreation programs provide comprehensive year round services and Chenine Johnson has built upon the legacy she inherited. Nancy Desmond Nastasi breathed life into our Real World House and Journey to Independence. Shawn Nault gave birth to our highly acclaimed Life Choices program; shepherded our renowned Center for Emerging Artists and supported Paula Westmacott to develop our popular School to Work Program. From two individuals in supported living, we now support over 40 people.
We are now an almost $8 million agency and have a balanced budget. We recently welcomed Blaine Stone as our CFO to complete our strong management team.
Five individuals merit special attention. They are our unsung heroes. They work behind the scenes. They are not in publicity photos. They are Mark Mahoney, our Facilities Director, who has made sure that all our sites are well managed and well maintained. Together with Bill Doyle, our Transportation Director, who keeps our fleet of vehicles operating and staffed. Mark and Bill weather blizzards and hurricanes and whatever people or nature throw their way and do everything that is ever needed. Mike Green has held our Administrative Department together, sometimes all by himself. He has steered us through some rough waters, only to ask what more can he do. Our bills got paid and our revenue came in. Susan Roche, who handles our payroll and human resources does two jobs in 30 hours, soothes nervous employees and as Stephanie's mother, shows us all the value and joy of children with complex challenges. Then there is Paula Vrattos, my everything. I think her real title is Executive Assistant, but that doesn't begin to scratch the surface of how important she is to me and to our organization. She has been our IT administrator, our web designer, our ad copy editor, our development assistant and has filled in for almost every administrative role there is. All the time, she has taken care of me-no small feat. She has power pointed me to great presentations and assisted me with my writing. She can not be replaced.
These people make me look great each day and while I receive many of the accolades, we are a TEAM. There is no "I" in TEAM.
Teams are dynamic. They change. People move on, they move up. I am now about to be one of those people who move on. I have been asked and I have accepted the honor of becoming the CEO/President of St. Coletta and Cardinal Cushing Schools of Massachusetts in Hanover and Braintree. I leave with mixed feelings. I have enjoyed almost each and every day here (Michael and I even made shoveling snow off the flat roof on Albion Street fun). There have been many challenges, but we have met them together.
I want you all to now that I am leaving a fiscally sound and programmatically healthy organization that has the finest and most dedicated staff I have ever had the privilege of calling colleagues. I am leaving a committed and supportive Board of Directors who have asked Michael Berardo to serve as Interim Executive Director. They are committed to our vision. I know I leave you in good hands. Farewell until we meet again. |
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