A Time for Change

By Bob Cooper 

I would like for you to know I have initiated some change for myself and Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home.  After 19 years as CEO of Tennyson Center I have worked with our board of directors to begin implementing a plan of succession of leadership here at the agency.  This plan began to come together for me this past spring and has been approved by our board of directors and we are underway with implementation that will lead to my full retirement in early 2015. 

My number one priority is for this to be a smooth and seamless transition to the next generation of leadership here at Tennyson, maintaining and transferring the many individual and collective relationships that support our mission for children.  To that end, you, our readers, volunteers and donors, are the most critical of relationships.  I have often said we are in business serving children after 108 years because of one simple fact, a wonderful community of support for our mission.

There is an opportunity of timing that is presenting itself which has helped to set this plan in motion.  Kathy Parker, our Chief Development Officer plans to retire in early 2013.  I plan to step down from the position of Chief Executive Officer sometime during the course of the next several months.  A search committee of board leadership has begun the process to find my successor.  We have not set a firm deadline for the search and my transition, except that it is our expectation this will be completed during the course of the next six months.

When the new person is hired, I will step down from the CEO position and step back from the day to day operations in the office for a period of time to allow the new person to become established as CEO.  I will then return as Chief Development Officer as Kathy Parker transitions to her retirement.  During this interim I will be a resource to the new CEO and will be actively supporting Tennyson’s development activities.

During my final approximately two years of full time service, we believe this plan will enable the new CEO and me to continue focusing on the future of our services to children and families without losing momentum and connecting the new CEO with the many relationships that sustain Tennyson.  
 
I continue to believe you are the life blood of Tennyson and our service together for the children is a wonderful partnership.  I look forward to this transition to new leadership and planning for a bright future for this agency and mission. 

---Bob

  ©2012 Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home.