Mercer Co. Children's Center gets new executive director

HERMITAGE, Pa. -- James A. Myhra has been named executive director of the Children's Center of Mercer County.
Myhra, a former community development director for the city of Hermitage, is the fourth executive director in the past 50 years of the agency formerly known as the Crippled Children's Center. He succeeds Stephanie Strecanski who resigned to return to teaching.
Myhra's appointment, which is effective immediately, was announced Monday by Jessie Hull, president of the agency's board of directors. Myhra had been serving as president of his own firm, JAM Group Inc., which aided municipalities' community development efforts by doing things such as applying for grants.
He had served as a member of the agency's board for 15 years, including two terms as president. Besides his understanding of agency operations, he has an extensive background in management, program development and grantsmanship, Hull said. He has a bachelor's degree in zoology and a master's degree in political science, both from North Dakota State University.
The Children's Center provides programs for physically or mentally handicapped children from birth to the age of 5. It also operates a day-care center at 900 N. Hermitage Road.