The Columbia Association is searching for its next president and CEO, as this spring the organization will bid farewell to its interim leader, who stepped into the role last year after a power struggle within the association led to the departure of its last permanent executive.
Dennis Mattey, who filled the interim role in February 2023, is scheduled to end his tenure on April 30, 2024. He has been involved with the Columbia Association for 50 years, most recently as the organization’s vice president of community operations.
While members of the Board of Directors are elected by residents of Columbia’s 10 villages, the president and CEO for the Columbia Association is hired by the board.
The association said in a news release Friday that it is conducting a nationwide search, aided by recruitment firm TransPro Executive Placement, to “[curate] a highly skilled and experienced pool of candidates” for the president and CEO position.
The president and CEO will oversee the Columbia Association’s annual budget of approximately $75 million to provide recreational and community amenities, such as for Columbia’s pools, sports facilities, parks, trails, community events, before- and after-school programs, summer camps, and more, according to a job description advertising the position.
In addition to managing the Columbia Association’s operations, the president and CEO is also in charge of “[developing] a strategic plan to advance CA’s mission and objectives and to promote growth and profitability while maintaining a wide and diverse range of community services.”
Among the responsibilities outlined in the job description, the association is looking for an executive with the “ability to work cooperatively with the Board of Directors,” “sound management of all fiscal resources,” and “consistent presentation of CA and its mission, program, facilities, and services in a strong positive image to relevant stakeholders,” as well as other duties.
The Board is looking for candidates with at least 15 years of “progressively responsible management experience” for a nonprofit or public benefit or community services corporation, including at least 10 years of senior-level experience in administrative and financial management of an organizations of similar “type, size and complexity” as the Columbia Association.
They are also requiring candidates to have experience as an executive, deputy director, president, or senior vice-president, as well as have a four-year degree (preferably in business administration, finance, nonprofit management, or another relevant discipline).
The Columbia Association’s Board of Directors and senior leadership will work with the recruitment firm to select finalists for interviews.
The Board will ultimately select the candidate to whom they will offer the job. They hope to select that candidate by March 2024, and for the new president and CEO to start in the role by May 2024.
Mattey’s ascension to interim leader followed the resignation of former president and CEO Lakey Boyd, who left her role after the elected Board of Directors issued a list of demands that Boyd said “renders me ineffective in being able to carry out my duties as President/CEO as they are detailed in my contract.”
Boyd confronted the board at a public meeting in October 2022, after she caught wind of a potential coup against her.
Community members and Howard County leaders voiced their support of Boyd’s leadership.
But in November 2022, the Board ruled Boyd could not appeal an annual evaluation of her performance, which she said contained inaccuracies and no action items for her improvement. Months later, in January 2023, Boyd announced she would be leaving her position.
“I have concluded that I have no other choice but to ask the CA Board to transition me out of the Columbia Association,” she said.
Boyd was less than two years into a four-year contract when she resigned.
