Many organizations and businesses assemble their management and governing boards to discuss current issues and outline directions for the future. The District’s last effort to host a planning meeting was in September 2021, when we assessed our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, commonly referred to in business as a S.W.O.T. analysis. With great discussion from both our managers and board members, we covered these topics in good detail providing us the insight of where we are and where our future may lead us.
This month, our department managers and assistant managers will meet to follow up on those topics and discuss what has changed. An important item for discussion will be the pending succession moves in our senior staff.
Our senior management is nearing retirement. A total of six of the seven members of The District’s senior leadership are planning to retire in the next 2-3 years. With 75 employees, this amount of change will be significant. All senior managers have 25-35 years of experience here or in a similar field. This means a lot of “corporate knowledge” will need to be transferred or lost.
The discussion amongst me, our HR director, and these affected employees has been underway for several years. You might have dealt with similar situations as an employee or as our customer.
For each person, retirement is a personal decision. This decision is composed of factors like eligibility, financial situation, and health, in addition to the life situations of other family members. For all of us facing this next big step, it’s a question of when we should retire, not only for personal reasons but for this organization. And that weighs heavy on us who have been here for decades.
Our team will be involved in the planning process and preparing for the turnover (however swift or slow it may occur.) For our customers, let me reassure you we are in good hands with our rising managers who are prepared for the new challenge, and our Board with experiences in how institutions make this a seamless move in everyone’s best interests.
Jerry Greiner, President
August 1, 2023