TransitionGuides had the privilege of assisting several executives and their executive teams with succession planning by developing Emergency Backup Plans identifying designated personnel to carry out daily responsibilities in the event of an unplanned absence and Succession Policies, adopted by the Board of Directors, to outline and obtain agreement on navigating through an executive transition. An example to share with you, among many, is Mary's Center. 

Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care (Mary's Center) is a critical part of the safety net for low-income children and families in the Washington, DC region. The current President/CEO, Maria Gomez, founded Mary's Center in 1988 to provide maternal and child care for immigrant women from Central America living in the predominantly Latino area of Washington, DC's Ward One.  

Today, Mary's Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary care, comprehensive social services and family literacy and job training to a diverse group of individuals in the region while keeping an emphasis on the immigrant populations from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.  It is unique in that all social and educational and training services are provided at no cost, and no one is turned away from medical services for lack of payment.

Like many founder-led organizations, the identity of Mary's Center is closely tied with CEO, Maria Gomez.  Given the role of the founder, the Center's unique and essential role in the community and the rapid growth, the Board and Maria decided to undertake succession planning. While Maria has no immediate plans to leave Mary's Center, she now has written emergency backup plans for herself and her nine senior managers, and the  Board-adopted Succession Policy. Succession planning has provided Mary's Center a solid foundation from which to work on bench strength; as well as leader and management development, which will reduce reliance on the founder and increase long-term sustainability.

Other Succession Planning clients we served:  

• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (Maryland) 
• Better Housing Coalition (Virginia) 
• Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (Florida) 
• Connectinc. (North Carolina) 
• DC Vote (DC)
• Downtown Housing Improvement Corporation (North Carolina) 
• International Primate Protection League (South Carolina) 
• Mountain States Group (Idaho) 
• North Carolina Community Development Initiative, Inc. (North Carolina)
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Orange County  (California)
• Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (Oklahoma) 
• SCO Family of Services (New York)   
• Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (Texas) 

In 2010, TransitionGuides expanded search services to include senior management positions in addition to executive positions. Many of these searches were a direct result of our Sustainability Planning services which include an organizational review and audit. One example, among many, is Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME). 

Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME) is the premier organization in Virginia working for equal access to decent housing for individuals and families of all economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld HOME in a fair housing case and set the national precedent in expanding fair housing enforcement nationwide. For Richmond and Virginia, HOME is a valued and critically important organization.  

Founded in 1971, HOME has been led by Connie Chamberlin and an active and involved Board. In 2010, the Board and Connie decided to focus on succession and sustainability planning. Through a six-month process, emergency backup plans for Connie and the managers, and a succession policy were developed. TransitionGuides assisted HOME in recruiting a new Chief Financial Officer. The results of the succession and sustainability planning were the focus for a Board retreat in January (2011) and resulted in a specific action plan to increase sustainability and prepare the organization for leadership transition whenever it occurs. HOME uses its strategic plan as an active reporting tool in every Board meeting. Adding the sustainability action plan to this regular report ensures ongoing attention to sustainability and success.   

Other Sustainability Planning and/or Expanded Search clients we served:   

• Chimes International, Ltd. - Chief Operating Officer (Maryland)  
• Columbus Symphony Orchestra - Development Director (Ohio) 
• Equal Justice Works - Director of Development (DC)  
• Global Rights - Director of Development & Communication (DC)
• Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Sr. Program Officer (New York)

TransitionGuides is known for the three-phase Executive Transition Management and Executive Search process. Although, TransitionGuides expanded its search services to include senior management positions,  executive transitions have been increasing by leaps and bounds as baby boomers leave the nonprofit sector. Two examples to share with you, among many, are as follows:

Conrad Egan is a long-serving, well-known and highly respected housing activist and policy leader. He served the National Housing Conference in various roles over 20 years, most recently as President/CEO. In 2009, TransitionGuides was selected to assist the Board in planning for and completing a transition in leadership when Conrad retired. The key steps in the process included: planning a positive ending and hand-off with Conrad; defining the key elements for NHC's future success, and therefore the key criteria for the new leader's skills and abilities; and recruiting and successfully launching a new executive. Board Chair Dan Nissenbaum and Allan Kingston, NHC Board member and California housing advocate, led the Board through this process. Maureen Friar, former executive of the Supportive Housing Network of New York, was selected and began as President/CEO in February 2010.

Maureen commented, "This has been an exciting first year. The board stepped up to ensure the success of the transition and we are moving forward in a very positive way. TransitionGuides brought a thoughtful and well-honed process, and transition and search expertise which served NHC well."

Faith & Politics Institute

Working to support members of Congress and their staff in being reflective and connecting with their spirituality and faith traditions is the mission of Faith & Politics.  Working for racial healing in America and increasing the possibility of compromise and civility in Congress is the current focus of the Institute. Founded in 1991 by a minister, Reverend Doug Tanner, and concerned leaders, Faith & Politics has just completed an executive transition. Founder Doug Tanner left the organization in 2005 to return to parish ministry. He was succeeded by Reverend Clete Kiley, a Catholic priest. In 2009, Father Kiley was invited to provide leadership around immigration reform and responded to that invitation. The board, under the eldership of Rob Liberatore, Amy Upton, and Reverend Larry Hayward decided this was a critical transition, and to seek outside assistance. TransitionGuides was retained in early 2010 to assist with transition planning, the executive search and new executive on-boarding. Discussions with the board and staff resulted in a commitment to a strategy of growing resources and impact and the search sought an executive to lead and manage that growth. In January 2011, Reverend Mark Farr, former executive of faith-based initiatives for the Points of Light Foundation, was selected. Reverend Farr will join the Faith& Politics Institute on February 28, 2011.

Other Executive Transition and Search clients we served:    

• Advocates for Children and Youth (Maryland) 
• American Association of Woodturners (Minnesota)
• ASPIRA of Florida, Inc. (Florida)
• Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (California) 
• Community Design Center of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)
• Experience Corps of Baltimore City (Maryland)
• Friends Committee on National Legislation (DC) 
• Georgia Options, Inc. (Georgia)   
• Michigan League for Human Services (Michigan)
• Mobile Medical Care, Inc. (Maryland) 
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (Illinois)
• Park Heights Development Corporation (Maryland)
• Shalem Institute (DC) 

TransitionGuides provides other services. These services include but are not limited to board retreat facilitation, strategic planning, candidate sourcing, interim placement, coaching, salary studies, executive evaluation and capacity building.  

Other services to clients we served:    

• Baltimore City Public Schools (Maryland)
• Charlotte Mecklenburg Housing Partnership, Inc. (North Carolina) 
• Free the Slaves (DC)
• Heartly House (Maryland) 
• Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (New Jersey)
• Housing Development Fund (Connecticut) 
• Intergenerational Center (Pennsylvania) 
• Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds (Maryland)

• Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth (Maryland)
• Maryland Disability Law Center (Maryland) 
• Nat'l Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations(DC) 
• Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City (New York)
• Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (Pennsylvania)
• Public Health Management Corporation (Pennsylvania) 
• United Methodist Health Ministry Fund (Kansas) 
• Voices for Children in Nebraska (Nebraska)