Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission (NKCAC) Executive Director, Florence Tandy, has announced plans to retire at June 1st. Tandy has served as Executive Director of NKCAC since 2005.
Under her leadership, the organization has grown in size, complexity, and capacity. The Board of Directors has initiated the process of selecting Tandy’s successor. It is anticipated that a national search will be conducted.
“Florence has done so much for NKCAC in her time with the Agency. She’s grown its services to include affordable housing and established great relationships with companies like Duke Energy and PNC Bank. We’re so very proud of the Lincoln Grant Scholar House, which was recognized by the Kentucky Nonprofit Network recently for its impact on our community. Florence has been the powerhouse behind all of that momentum. It’s been a pleasure working with her. I know that the entire Board will agree that we watch her go with very mixed feelings but know that she’s done so much to put this organization in the right place to transition to new leadership,” said NKCAC Board Chair JC Morgan.
Tandy’s retirement will close the chapter on a remarkable career which included 30-plus years in nonprofit leadership in human services, health care and technical assistance organizations. During her time at NKCAC, several new initiatives were launched to end the cycle of poverty, including nationally acclaimed work around supporting victims of childhood trauma, the rehab of Lincoln Grant School into the Lincoln Grant Scholar House, and Early Head Start. Lincoln Grant Scholar House and Early Head start are two initiatives Tandy holds close to her heart.
“From the moment I started working at NKCAC I wanted Early Head Start in Northern Kentucky. Our kids need quality instruction during those early formative years. Lincoln Grant Scholar House is another initiative I knew the community needed. It is an innovative model of a two-generational approach to ending poverty and establishing a pathway for single parent households to get a college degree and be successful,” Tandy said.
Morgan credits Tandy with building a culture of excellence at NKCAC saying “she is known for her mission- minded leadership that is both motivating and bar setting.”
During her tenure the Agency received many honors and distinguished awards including:
• being the first childcare center in Northern Kentucky to receive a 5 STAR rating (7 of the Agency’s 11 Centers now have a 5 STAR rating)
• a Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce “Emerging 30” Award Winner
• an Impact 100 Award Winner
• and most recently receiving the Innovation Award from the Kentucky Nonprofit Network.
In 2013, Tandy was recognized by the Kentucky Nonprofit Leadership Network with the Distinguished Nonprofit Leadership Award. Tandy was a member of Leadership Northern Kentucky Class of 2007 and is an active Rotarian.
“One of my proudest accomplishments was expanding the professional development and continuing education support NKCAC provides to staff including providing scholarships for staff to help them return to college,” Tandy stated.
NKCAC provides holistic, strength-based programs and services to serve Northern Kentucky’s low-income individuals and families designed to eliminate the barriers which can prevent economic independence and self- reliance.
Tandy oversees the Agency’s $13million budget, staff of approximately 140, 24 locations across eight counties serving over 10,235 families last year and providing workforce training programs for200 trainees. From 2016 to 2017, NKCAC enrolled 2,334 individuals in healthcare, and provided $1,910,853 in direct payment to utility vendors as part of energy assistance programs. During the same time period, NKCAC had 576 participants across its three senior citizen centers, received 36,348 volunteer hours generously provided by 1,128 volunteers, secured safe, affordable housing for 84 families and provided weatherization repair services for 28 families.
From NKCAC