A wave of change is sweeping the organizations that promote economic development and charitable giving in Mesa as new leaders are taking the helm.
Four of the largest groups are getting new executives in what is an unusually large amount of turnover at a single time. The exiting leaders departed for a variety of reasons.
The degree of change with this new batch of leaders promises to be larger than in normal times given the rocky financial situation, said Dan Wollam, the new president of the Mesa United Way.
“I think you’re going to find with probably any of those organizations that because of the general economic conditions that the whole country is facing, every agency is having to reexamine what it does, why it’s doing it and whether it’s doing it in the best way that it can,” Wollam said.
Wollam’s been on the job since June. By early next year, new leaders will also be in place at the Downtown Mesa Association, West Mesa Community Development Corporation and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
The leadership change at the Downtown Mesa Association is part of the biggest overhaul to the organization in its 25 year history. The downtown property owners who make up its board of directors have already promised to get merchants more involved and do a better job promoting downtown amid growing complaints of the DMA’s performance.
The only president in the organization’s history, Tom Verploegen, left earlier this year along with the vice president.
The DMA wants to do a better job letting people know about downtown events, while improving its relationship with merchants and the community, board chairman Freddy Curry said.
“One of the biggest things we want people to see is that Mesa is trying to build a better downtown and change the perception that we’re a sleeping city in the downtown,” Curry said.
A nationwide search for a president yielded 160 applications, which have been narrowed to seven. The board of directors should choose a new president by the month’s end.
Shortly after Verploegen resigned in April, former Downtown Tempe Community executive Kate Hastings was installed as an interim leader. She’s not in the running for the permanent job, Curry said.
The West Mesa Community Development Corporation also has an interim director, former Gilbert Mayor Cynthia Dunham. She replaces Jo Ellen McNamara, who departed her post of two years for a job in Phoenix.
Dunham was chosen because of her many roles, including being executive director of the Leadership Centre, which teaches classes on homeowners associations and conflict resolution. She also lived in west Mesa 18 years, said Robin Harris, board president of the West Mesa CDC.
“Based upon her resume and past experience, we selected her,” Harris said. “She’s been heavily involved in west Mesa and the East Valley for years.”
A new leader should be in place by January, Harris said, and that could include Dunham.
The organization promotes business expansion and relocation — and a major change could be in store. Two organizations have approached it to consider a merger because they could benefit from being aligned with a community development corporation, Harris said. He declined to name the groups but said the organization will take up the matter in October.
A search is also under way for a president for the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, as Charlie Deaton will retire by year’s end after 18 years in the same role. The chamber has put out a second call for applicants after the first search didn’t produce enough candidates, Mesa City Manager Chris Brady said. This time, the city has used its experience doing nationwide searches to help cast a wider net by advertising more broadly, he said.
No broader changes have been discussed at this point for the chamber.
At the United Way, Wollam replaces Carol McCormack, who left after 11 years to join her husband at his new job in Virginia.
Wollam said he’s changed how the United Way raises funds, following a year in which donations fell short of a $4 million goal. That was too high in this economy, he said, but also was inadvertently misleading because it didn’t represent how much money the United Way had to distribute. Donations include in-kind contributions, cash for the United Way to disperse at its discretion and donations that are earmarked for specific causes in Mesa and outside the city. The United Way now divides the donations into three categories, with a goal for each one.
“We’re trying to be more transparent and I’m not suggesting that previously we were trying to cloud anything,” Wollam said. “But we have found some ways to be more clear to people so there’s a deeper and a more clear way of what were doing.”
Wollam had been the Mesa United Way’s vice president for two years. That post is now held by Claudia Walters, a former Mesa City Council member who sought the mayor’s office in 2008.
n2mark posted at 11:58 am on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
I agree changes must be made in Mesa but the one group that I do not trust is the Chamber of Commerce.
They are not for the middle class but for the very rich to take money away from the middle class. Sorry Chamber of Commerce or any Chamber of Commerce. You all would sell out your own mother for money in YOUR pockets. You would need to prove you are for the people not for yourselves before I can support you.
next up posted at 2:30 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
This is a great opportunity for real change, better leadership to finally come to this city and these organizations. DMA has been a mess and I don’t understand why city has allowed them to be so dysfunctional for so long. Hopefully the new ED can finally help move Downtown in the right direction, unlike Tom who did nothing by cashing in huge checks. The board is a joke too. So there is a glimmer.
The whole CDC thing is a head scratcher. They decide to bring in a HOA nut? For community development? Really? And she is keeping her job at the leadership center and is a candidate for ED at the CDC? This does not seem efficient at all. Looks like the former mayor is power hungry.
Another great opportunity can be missed due to the board’s love affair with the former mayor. Just when you think all these organizations can get new, young faces, be more efficient, collaborate and push Mesa in the right direction for once it can all be thrown away and mesa keeps moving in the same direction. WAKE UP PEOPLE!
AZMesan posted at 1:07 pm on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
Commenter #2 hit it right on the mark. We need new young blood to guide these organizations not people increnched in their ways.
These organizations need people who can work on the fringes of the box, not in the center of the box.
I would like to believe Freddy from the DMA but his actions speak lounder than his words when it comes to the downtown and the "Down Town Property Owners Association".
Freddy, if you mean what you say then left you actions follow your words. Until they do they have very little weight with the merchants.
renew21 posted at 2:36 pm on Tue, Sep 14, 2010.
Im going to harp on all of these organizations. Honestly, what are these organizations doing? What is the benefit because I really have not seen it as a long time resident. They are getting paid by tax dollars and do not have much to show for it besides lining their pockets. This info is public, and the cdc by far is paid the lowest. Tom was overpaid and was stealing from us and no one, no one said anything.
The chamber has not done much as pertaining to commerce at all. They rely on the cubs once a year to do something and that is pathetic. DMA has not done a dang thing for downtown. They have only hurt it with their style or lack of management. They are a failure. The cdc, well, they did have a good future until Mr. Richins wanted to be a politician and left it in bad hands. Now they want the former mayor of Gilbert to run this???? I want someone who wants to live, breath, and improve Mesa. I am sick of these imposters who are stuck in their small box as #3 says. Shame on you Board members to falling into the trap of Cynthia Dunham.
When is someone in this city going to dream? Going to go out on a limb and challenge to do something new? Why has that not happened? The mayor has kind of to a point during his campaign, but has not done much as mayor. I want leaders, young leaders that can lead this city in a new direction and keep its values. Lets start by making Mesa aesthetically pleasing. Mesa is so ugly!
The future is not bright for this city because it’s their friends/political favors that get the jobs. It could have been a great opportunity for the city, but it wont happen because of poor decisions and leadership.
Make Places posted at 10:26 pm on Tue, Sep 14, 2010.
Its good to see people passionate about Mesa and what is going on. I would be cautious with the negativity because we do not know who is going to lead these organizations. I have a lot of hope that someone good will come in and hit the ground running for both Downtown and West Mesa. Both have a lot of potential to do good. But leadership is very important, but without leadership from the community and being active in our community, these organizations are only as good as we the people make it out to be. A person and organization can only do so much, and that is why we as citizens have to step up to the plate and get the job done with them. I do agree with a lot has been said, especially making our city look better astatically. I hope we do some different things that make Mesa an attractive place to live, work, play and attract new business.