After 31 years as CEO of the Peterborough-area branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Mark Graham will be stepping down in January 2024.
The CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) board of directors announced Monday that Graham has stated his intention to retire on Jan. 31.
Graham began with the CMHA HKPR in 1992 with a staff of 28 and an operating budget of $1.2 million. The board says since then, the branch now has 188 employees and an operating budget of over $17.6 million.
He also led the voluntary integration and amalgamation of the CMHA Peterborough and CMHA Kawartha Lakes in April 2013 to create the new CMHA KPR branch.
The board credits Graham’s “strong and professional work ethic, commitment to the organization and his established relationships with community stakeholders” as a big reason for the growth.
READ MORE: Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario branches seek ‘substantial’ base funding increase
“Mark Graham is truly remarkable and impressive,” said board president John Lyons. “He is counted on by many other partner agencies within the counties of the HKPR region. He has sat on many advisory tables and committees supporting CMHA HKPR and community-based mental health and addictions services. His multi-dimensional view on many different challenges will be sorely missed.”
The branch currently offers more than 20 programs and services across four counties in the region. The board says Graham and his team worked hard to reap the rewards through the challenges.
- N.S. mom calls for better ultrasound access after private clinic reveals twins
- 3 women diagnosed with HIV after ‘vampire facials’ at unlicensed U.S. spa
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
“It is a true testament to what can be accomplished with a dedicated leader and a group of highly skilled and engaged personnel that embrace the challenges and forge ahead,” the board stated.
Lyons said the board and senior management team will begin the “arduous” search for Graham’s successor.
” I, along with all the board members wish nothing but the best for Mark and his family as he ventures into the next much deserved phase of his life,” said Lyons.
“I would also like to thank him for his selfless commitment, dedication, and contribution to the mental health field.”
More to come…
Comments