A Farewell Message from James Seath

It has been a great privilege and distinct honor to have been entrusted with the leadership of this organization for the last twenty-two years; I will always reflect upon and cherish the memory of this experience.

The challenges we have faced as an organization have been numerous and while we have not always been successful in overcoming them, for the most part we have been effective in providing the highest quality services and supports to the individuals and families of our community. Our outstanding volunteer board of trustees, dedicated staff, and supportive membership have enabled this to be so. And we must never forget the inspiration we receive daily from all the consumers in the programs; they give us the constant reminder that our mission has great value.

In preparing to write these comments I turned to the words found in the farewell address of our first and greatest president, George Washington. Interestingly, there was not a single quote that could be borrowed and appropriately applied here. However, the overwhelming message in that address was one thanking ( in that case) the nation for their trust in him, a reiteration that the cause was great and just, and admonitions to preserve the spirit of the social experiment we call democracy. Perhaps there are some parallels to be found between 1796 and 2008 good-bys.

The good news is that change is healthy when properly planned and executed. I am pleased that our board of trustees has done its due diligence and assured the continued viability and growth of The Arc through its succession planning and the appointment of Kathy Walsh as our new President and CEO. Kathy has a long experience as a "hands-on" administrator and as a leader in our field. I hope you will all join me in congratulating Kathy and at the same time pledging your support to help her grow our Arc.

Again, thank you for the confidence you have shown in me and for validating the work of The Arc team; it’s been a great collaboration.