Volunteers of America National President/CEO Charles W. Gould Announces Departure
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Kathleen McBride
Vice President, Communications and Online Strategy
703-341-7040 office or 703-859-5325 cell
kmcbride@voa.org
ALEXANDRIA, Va., October 29, 2009 – Charles W. (“Chuck”) Gould, national president and chief executive officer of Volunteers of America, announced today that he will leave his position at the end of his current five-year term in June 2010 after 15 years as president.
“After 15 years working with staff and volunteers to expand and strengthen Volunteers of America, I am proud of what we have collectively accomplished,” Gould said. “I am now ready to pursue a new calling.”
After recently earning a post-law degree from Oxford University in international human rights law, Gould has decided to pursue a path in international service. Before his tenure at Volunteers of America, he practiced law in Washington, DC with the firms of Arnold & Porter and Hogan & Hartson.
A national search process to fill Gould’s position will begin in the coming weeks. David Kikumoto, chairman of Volunteers of America’s national board, stated, “Under Chuck’s leadership, Volunteers of America has grown substantially. In 1995, the organization served just under one million people; today, the number served has increased to two million in over 400 communities. Chuck has been an inspiration and his leadership will be missed.”
Gould has been named among the most influential nonprofit leaders in the United States. In relocating the National Headquarters to Washington, DC in 1996 – the organization’s centennial year – Gould was able to position Volunteers of America at the center of national human service dialogue, policy influence and decision making. The organization has tripled in size to nearly $1 billion in revenue, and its assets grew as much during Gould’s 15 year-tenure as they did in its first 100 years. Among its wide range of human services, the organization is one of the largest nonprofit providers of affordable housing in the U.S.
During the past two years, Gould led the expansion of Volunteers of America toward a new strategic direction, “Aging with OptionsTM.” This direction, focused on the needs of seniors, expands upon the organization’s established network of senior housing, long-term assisted care and other services for older people. Volunteers of America also will continue to serve children, veterans, families and those with greatest need.
“Chuck leaves the organization well positioned to execute its new strategy, which leverages more than a century of experience and expertise to improve the lives of seniors, their families and caregivers,” Kikumoto said.
Volunteers of America holds the highest ranking from nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator, meets the Standards for Charity Accountability from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds the BBB Wise Giving Alliance National Charity Seal.
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About Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1896, our ministry of service has supported and empowered America’s most vulnerable groups, including seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, men and women returning from prison, homeless individuals and families, those recovering from addictions and many others. Through hundreds of human service programs, including housing and healthcare, Volunteers of America helps more than 2 million people in over 400 communities. We offer a variety of services for older Americans, in particular, that allow them to maintain their independence and quality of life – everything from an occasional helping hand to full-time care. Our work touches the mind, body, heart and ultimately the spirit of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services.