County Foundation seeks new leader

Van Wert independent/VWCF information

The Van Wert County Foundation is celebrating the contributions and leadership of its long time executive secretary, Larry Wendel, while also looking for a fitting replacement to lead the Foundation in the coming years.

With more than 30 years of service to the Foundation, Wendel has become the face of the organization and has helped it enjoy a prolonged period of growth and success.  With Wendel retiring on December 31,with the Foundation board’s best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement, he will vacate a very important and visible position in the community.  With that in mind, the Foundation is announcing its search for a new executive secretary.

According to a news release sent out on Friday by the Foundation, the new executive secretary must be a county resident “who is vested in (the county’s) future.”

According to the Foundation, Wendel’s replacement should have “a history of community service and be committed to the enrichment of the lives of the county’s citizens.”

The new executive secretary should possess the highest character and natural leadership, be college educated (bachelor’s degree or higher) and devoted to continued learning, as scholarship is one of the focal points of the Foundation.

The new executive secretary must also have a personality that is “genuine, likeable, and engenders trust”, but must also have the ability to be firm and make sound decisions.

The successful candidate needs to have excellent communication skills, because they will frequently interact with numerous groups and members of the community, as well as have regular dialogues with the Board of Trustees. Public speaking will not be an everyday occurrence but the job will require it occasionally, so an ease and proficiency of presentation skills will be necessary.

The new executive secretary must also have an extensive management history and a keen understanding of business and finance. Working with financial advisors to manage the Foundation’s investment portfolio, which disburses more than $1 million annually; budgeting and allocation of endowed monies; and providing oversight to the Foundation farm properties are just a few of the numerous responsibilities that mandate these qualities. Wendel’s replacement will also direct the operations and supervise the staff of the Foundation office.

In addition to education and business skills, the new executive secretary must have an appreciation of art and music, because of the Foundation’s close associations with, and financial support for, Wassenberg Art Center and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio.

“We would require no expertise, just a respect for the benefits and impact the fine arts can bring to our community,” the news release said.

In short, the Van Wert County Foundation is a looking for a very well respected and mature individual who can act as its ambassador — someone who will convey the mission of the Foundation to the community.  “To do this successfully, we require an extraordinary individual with vision, leadership, energy, and organization,” the Foundation news release concluded.

County residents who feel they have the desire and the abilities to serve in this position, should submit a resume by September 30 to: The Van Wert County Foundation, ATTN: Search Committee, 138 E. Main St., Van Wert, OH 45891.