Middletown's John P. Feld Selected to Manage Seamen’s Church Institute

John P. Feld of Middletown has been named as the new superintendent of Seamen’s Church Institute of Newport effective February 14, 2011, according to the Board of Directors President David C. Brown.

“John has extensive experience in not-for-profit management, particularly in the human services area,” said Brown. “He is extremely well connected in Newport County and has a real understanding of the needs of the underserved members of our community. We very much look forward to working with John in strengthening and building upon our 91-year history and mission of serving as a “safe haven” for men and women of the sea, as well as others in our community in need of assistance.”

Feld has served as a senior substance abuse clinician at CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. in Newport. He has served two terms as president of the Newport Substance Abuse Task Force, as sub-committee chairperson of Families First, chairperson of the Social Service Broadway Improvement Committee, and is the current president of the Newport Children’s Theatre Company. In addition, he is a past member of the Middletown Substance Abuse and Prevention Task Force, the Newport Partnership for Families, and the Newport Initiative for Non-Profit Leadership.

“I am certainly looking forward to my new role at Seamen’s Church Institute,” said Feld. “I have been most impressed with the commitment of its board, the dedication of the staff, and its long history of hands-on involvement in the community. It’s obvious that with all that’s going on at Seamen’s, I will have to hit the ground running on day one.”

Feld lives with his wife, Barbara Ann, and their four children in Middletown.

On behalf of the board of directors, Brown also recognized Tom Bair who has served as interim superintendent since July 1, 2010. “Tom has helped keep Seamen’s operational during the past seven months,” said Brown. “With the re-opening of the Aloha Café and the final work needed to complete major renovations and render our historic building accessible to all, we are grateful for Tom’s help in ensuring that we continued to fulfill our mission during this period of transition.”

Founded in 1919 as a care giving institution, Seamen’s Church Institute provides rapid response human services to those who live, work and travel on the sea, as well as residents from Newport and surrounding communities. In addition to meeting the immediate needs of mariners and members of the community, the Institute’s building and facilities are open to the public, including the Aloha Café, the Henry H. Anderson Jr. Library for Mariners, and the Chapel of the Sea.

For information on Seamen’s and upcoming events, please visit www.seamensnewport.org.