Santa Fe College has announced Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Central Florida (RMHCNCF) CEO Sherry Houston will become its next vice president for advancement and chief philanthropy officer.
Houston will replace long-time Santa Fe development chief Chuck Clemons.
“I am incredibly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to join Santa Fe College as the new Vice President for Advancement and Chief Philanthropy Officer,” said Houston in a press release. “I am impressed by the exceptional quality of the college’s leadership, faculty, staff, and students. Their passion for education and commitment to excellence is truly inspiring. I am thrilled to begin this exciting new chapter as part of the Santa Fe family and help transform the lives of our students.”
Houston served over 16 years in executive positions, including the past decade at the Ronald McDonald House.
“This is just the right time to spread my wings,” Houston said in a Monday phone interview. “Having been here 10 years, I’ve done everything in the life cycle of an organization.”
She said she was not looking for a job when the opportunity came along.
“There are times in your life when you know you would always regret something if you don’t try. This is one of those opportunities,” she said. “I’m very happy at the Ronald McDonald House, but I knew this was the right time to take that leap of faith.”
Houston, who’s already a Santa Fe donor, said she has a prior relationship with Clemons and is confident of a smooth transition.
The RMHCNCF board will start a search for Houston’s replacement on strong footing: Houston reversed the Ronald McDonald House’s financial challenges and doubled the charity’s donations during her tenure. She also oversaw the purchase of a new, larger 50-bedroom facility to meet growing needs throughout the region.
“During her tenure at Ronald McDonald House, she always displayed an incredible level of leadership and professionalism,” said Bryan Nazworth, founder and CEO of Quality Plumbing, who was the board chair who led the organization through its relocation. “Her unparalleled energy and enthusiasm, coupled with her longstanding relationship with our local community will be a tremendous addition to Santa Fe College.”
Houston starts her new position on Sept. 16 and said the Ronald McDonald House board will meet this week to chart the path forward.
“They will probably appoint an interim so things continue to operate smoothly as I leave and as they look for a new CEO,” she told Mainstreet. “The house is running exceedingly well. Financially, we’ve never been stronger. Our events are all planned out for the year, so we’re at a point where the board can be very thoughtful about finding the right person to lead the Ronald McDonald House into the future.”
The national search for Clemons’ replacement started in May after he announced he would retire. Clemons will complete his 17-year tenure at SF in January.
The SF search committee, comprised of the SF Foundation Board and college employees, conducted semifinalist and finalist interviews from a pool of candidates and made their recommendations to Broadie in early August. She accepted the position last week.
“Ms. Houston embodies everything I asked our search committee to find,” said Santa Fe President Paul Broadie II in the press release. “She has a proven track record of fundraising and donor relations success across multiple platforms, has a stellar record garnering mission-focused philanthropic and community-wide support, and the leadership experience and fiscal acumen to lead the Office of Advancement.”
Houston’s background in advancement includes stints with St. Francis High School and Meridian Behavioral Healthcare. She also serves in the community with the Sunrise Rotary Club, Junior League of Gainesville and the Gainesville Women’s Forum.
— With reporting from J.C. Derrick