Hiring the Internal Candidate
Some executive searches start with an internal candidate already entering the candidate pool. Sometimes that person is selected for the job, but not always.
“Regardless, it is always good business practice to conduct a complete search process in order to provide transparency and legitimacy to the process and to validate the ultimate candidate selection,” says Clare Jordan, CapDev Vice President.
Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County in Winston-Salem NC went through just such a process and after a truly exhaustive search, selected George Redd IV as its new CEO / Executive Director. George is a Winston-Salem native with 10 years of Habitat experience. He joined Habitat Forsyth as Director of Program Services in 2018 and has been responsible for homeownership and family services programs; life skills and home maintenance education classes and the critical home repair program, according to Habitat Forsyth.
Redd is the first African-American man to lead Habitat Forsyth, which helps qualified families build and purchase affordable housing in communities, including Dreamland Park, where he played with friends as a child. Habitat is the housing partner of the United Way Place Matters Initiative, which has targeted Dreamland Park and 12 adjacent neighborhoods near Smith Reynolds Airport for revitalization. Habitat has also built or repaired hundreds of houses in the Boston-Thurmond neighborhood and, in 2021, began building in the new 75-lot Stone Terrace subdivision.
Before joining Habitat Forsyth, Redd was director of family services and community outreach for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro. He holds a B.A. in sociology from George Mason University and earned his certification in nonprofit management from Duke University in 2019.
“I am passionate about Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, and I am thrilled to be heading an organization that is working every day to address the critical shortage of affordable housing here,” Redd said. “I look forward to continuing to work with our local government officials and the partner agencies who are addressing the many root causes and effects of poverty in our community.”
Bob Gfeller, chair of the Habitat board of directors and co-head of the search committee, said: “George brings a wealth of Habitat experience and readiness to the role. And George is a very well-known and well-respected leader in the community, uniquely as a native of Winston-Salem. He holds a high bar for performance and has a big heart for the development of his team. We know that our Habitat affiliate, those whom we serve, and the greater community of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County will grow and prosper with George at the helm.”
Outside of Habitat, Redd’s community involvement includes membership in the NAACP, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and Prince Hall Mason 30th District. He is also a member of the Piedmont Triad Workforce Development Committee and the Affordable Housing Coalition for the City of Winston-Salem.
Read full details from Habitat Forsyth.
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