ALFRED — The longtime director of York County Shelter Programs is retiring, and a new director has been named.
Don Gean is retiring after three decades with the organization. The board of directors has named the shelter’s chief operating officer, Bob Dawber, as the new director. Gean retires March 30. Dawber begins his new job April 1.
“The idea of leaving a job I have loved for nearly three decades has been scary, to say the least,” said Gean, in a prepared statement. “That fear has been replaced by a quiet sense of excitement knowing that all I’ve worked on and with will be under the care and guidance of Bob Dawber. I can hardly wait to see what comes next.”
Dawber came to York County Shelter Programs in 2012, with the merger of the shelter and Portland-based Serenity House, which he directed. The entities, both of which provide services to those with substance abuse and other issues, merged as a result of changes in how services were to be funded, Gean said at the time.
Roger Prince, president of the shelter board of directors, said Dawber “brings a wealth of non-profit experience to the position along with a proven track record of social service success.”
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