Nonprofit agency replaces director of Wick Neighbors

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The new director for a local neighborhood revitalization nonprofit organization isn’t a single individual, but rather another nonprofit.

Wick Neighbors announced Wednesday that Neighborhood Development Services will lead the organization as executive director, bringing its entire team to the project. Margaret Murphy retired as Wick Neighbors executive director in January. Her annual salary in 2008 was $69,000, according to the nonprofit’s tax records.

The new leaders include Dave Vaughan, executive director; Mike Bogo, deputy director; Ryan Landi, development director; Mort Webb, director of construction and rehab; Erica Sadaj, director of marketing; Liz Atkinson, director of foreclosure prevention; and Karen Bryce, director of home-buyer education.

Neighborhood Development Services is based in Ravenna and will be paid $2,100 per month to manage Wick Neighbors.

“We’re looking to move Wick Neighbors more from organizing to development,” Vaughan said. “...We’re cautiously optimistic that we’ll be able to open up a small business economic lending line as well.”

Wick Neighbors first hired Neighborhood Development Services as project manager to administer federal grants. This partnership helped bring about the recent Harrison Commons ground-breaking on June 2, which was funded in part by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

In July, Wick Neighbors will have a foreclosure- prevention campaign and provide rescue money up to $5,000 for people who are not able to pay their mortgage because of a life altering event, such as sudden job loss, Vaughan said.