Long-Time Northeast Arc CEO To Retire

The board of directors at the Northeast Arc, a not-for-profit organization that helps children and adults with disabilities become full participants in the community, announced today that its long-time Chief Executive Officer, Jerry McCarthy, will be stepping down at the end of 2015.

“It is unheard of these days that someone serves as CEO of an organization for thirty-six years,” said Don Fournier, president of the Northeast Arc’s board of directors. “Jerry McCarthy has guided the Northeast Arc from a very small organization to one that has grown to become the largest Arc in Massachusetts and the fourth largest in the country. It is a testament to Jerry’s leadership that for more than three decades he has been able to identify unmet needs and find solutions that provide full inclusion and independence for people with disabilities.”

Throughout Jerry McCarthy’s tenure, the Northeast Arc has had many significant achievements. Some highlights include:

· Actively working to close the institutions that people with developmental disabilities were sent to in the past

· Creating and developing a highly respected residential program

· Opening the Autism Support Center and developing an array of services for people on the spectrum

· Creating Northeast Clinical Services to provide home nursing care for children with complex medical needs

· Being the first Arc to provide Personal Care (PCA) services

· Advocating for legislative changes, especially to increase funding for direct support employees’ salaries

“Having made the Northeast Arc my life’s work for the last 36 years I have decided that it is time for a change, said Jerry McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, Northeast Arc. “While I’m stepping down as CEO, I plan to continue being involved on a part time basis working with some of the Arc’s subsidiary companies. With so many years invested in the Arc and the work we do it is hard to walk away completely so I’m looking at this as semi-retirement.”

“I’m very proud of the culture of caring and commitment that everyone at the Northeast Arc has created to serve the individuals with disabilities and their families that depend on us every day,” McCarthy added. “Every Division Director at the Arc has decades of dedicated service to the organization and will be actively involved to ensure the transition to a new CEO at the end of the year is as seamless as possible.”

“Replacing Jerry McCarthy will not be an easy task and we appreciate that he has given us many months to find the right candidate,” said Fournier. “We will spend much of the remainder of 2015 searching for a new leader, continue to develop innovative programs and services for people with disabilities, and take opportunities to acknowledge Jerry’s significant contributions to the Northeast Arc.”