The board of directors announced
Antony’s retirement on
Tuesday.“We are sorry to see her term of
service come to an end, but look
forward to building on the strong
United Way foundation that she
helped to establish,” Hutchins said.
“We’re certainly going to miss her,
and are deeply appreciative of her.
The community owes her a debt of
gratitude. She was a true champion
of the United Way.”
Campaign manager Zana Renfro
will serve as interim director
as a national search begins.
Hutchins said a search committee
will be formed in coming weeks,
and directors hope to have a new
director by February.
The current campaign kicked off
three weeks ago. “The campaign
will not miss a beat,” Hutchins said.
Board member Shawn Turner said tears were shed when the
board learned of Antony’s departure,
which she said was on“good terms.”
Antony served as executive
director for 20 years. “My time
here has proven itself,” she
said. “I’ve worked hard and
tirelessly for my community.
It’s still my community.”
Antony said she has left the
United Way better than how she
found it 20 years ago when she
moved here from Lake Charles,
La. “At least I can say that with
a great deal of love and pride,”
she said.
When she began, the United
Way campaigns raised $275,000
a year. In each of the past two
years, they’ve raised more than
$1 million. Board members also
were scarce in the early years,
and now she said there are
more volunteers than spots.“Those are the things that
give me pride,” she said.
Antony also said she was
proud of the establishment of
the H.C. “Ladd” Mathis Community
Spirit Award to recognize
outstanding volunteers.“Those are the things I’m
proud of, not the dollars,” she
said. “It’s all about the people
who are involved.”
Successful campaigns looked
iffy during the national United
Way CEO scandal in 1992 and
the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina in 2005. Both of those
years produced fundraising results
that exceeded her expectations.“That says a lot about our
community,” she said.
Board member Georgann
Lookofsky said Antony was a
mentor, helping to involve her
with the local United Way.“She was always graceful, always
a lady and always productive,”
Lookofsky said. “I am so
proud to have been able to work
with her.”
Hutchins said new projects
that Antony touted such as Success
by 6, an early childhood
education program, and an informational
referral center will
continue.
“We will build on all those
things and more,” he said. “We
are excited about that.”
By Leigh Landini Wright, llandini@paducahsun.com
As published in the Paducah Sun on September 19, 2007
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