NEW HANOVER — After the community endowment cut ties with its CEO in February, it’s announced a North Carolina-based firm will help find a new leader.
READ MORE: New Hanover Community Endowment announces resignation of president and CEO
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The New Hanover Community Endowment has selected moss+ross consulting firm to assist in the search.
The endowment and its inaugural CEO, William Buster, parted ways after two years working together and overseeing $61 million in grant funds administered to almost 150 nonprofits.
The endowment manages $1.25 billion in proceeds from the $1.5 billion sale of the county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2020. The endowment aims to address root challenges in county issues, including education, safety, equity, and development through distribution of grants.
According to a Monday press release from the endowment, moss+ross has worked with more than 265 North Carolina nonprofits and educational organizations in various areas: education and independent schools, social services, environment, healthcare, museums, arts organizations, and faith communities.
“moss+ross will manage the search process to help us attract outstanding candidates and choose the best person to lead us toward transformational change in our community, now and into the future,” according to board vice chair Shannon Winslow.
Winslow led the endowment’s CEO search committee, along with chair Bill Cameron and members Woody White, Cedric Dickerson, and David Sprunt. The committee narrowed down five firms to three before selecting moss+ross, according to endowment spokesperson Kevin Maurer.
“Due to a non-disclosure agreement with moss+ross, we’re not able to disclose the terms of the contract,” Maurer wrote in an email upon PCD’s request for the expense.
The committee will work in step with moss+ross to create the description of the position and recruit and interview candidates, before the board votes on final approval.
There is no timeline set on when the endowment will finalize its CEO search. Lakesha McDay has stepped in as a search for the endowment’s next CEO continues.
Community advisory council
Also on Monday, the endowment put out a call to fill open positions on its community advisory council.
The CAC was launched in spring 2022, consisting of people from nonprofits and community organizations that have varied expertise in areas the endowment focuses on: education, health and social equity, public safety and community development.
Eighteen members liaise between the board and staff, though they don’t have voting privileges when it comes to the grants. The council guides and brings in differing perspectives on needs within the community to the 13-member endowment board, who essentially signs off on awarded grants.
The council meets quarterly and members serve one-, two- or three-year terms.
There are six openings on the CAC, according to Maurer. The following members served a two-year term, which is expiring: Brandon Cagle, CastleBranch; LeShonda Wallace, Novant; Natalie English, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce; Yasmin Tomkinson, Cape Fear Literacy Council; Dawn Ferrer, A Safe Place; and Peter Nemmers, National Association of Safety Professionals.
To be eligible, applicants must live in New Hanover County.
The endowment notes elected officials and members of the Novant Health Coastal board are not eligible. As well, organizations represented on the council are still eligible for grants. The endowment states that “membership on the CAC will not influence NHCE funding in any way.”
Interested parties can apply here by the May 6 deadline. The endowment board will choose the new members and announce them by June.
New members will serve with current council: Jamie Stokely, Helping Hands of the Cape Fear; Maurice Locklear, Cape Fear Clinic; Joe Finley, CastleBranch; Gustavo Rodea, Rodea’s Enterprise Inc.; Susie Sewell, Camp Schreiber Foundation; Frankie Roberts, LINC; and Raul Zamora-Duprey, MedNorth Health Center; Sara Hobgood, Novant Health NHRMC; Quanesha Mullins, Wilmington Housing Authority; Marrio Jeter, Communities in Schools; Jane Morrow, Smart Start ; and Chaz Springer, former marketing specialist for TRU Colors Brewing.
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