Two prominent Manatee nonprofits to get new leaders

Two organizations in Manatee County will have new leaders next month.

Manatee Community Foundation CEO Veronica Thames will step down Oct. 9 to become the CEO of Dogs Inc., according to a statement from the foundation. MCF Vice President of Philanthropy Yolanda Mancha will serve as interim CEO.

Thames had led MCF for three years, through its transition to becoming an independent foundation. She also built a team and strengthened relationships with donors and community partners, the statement says.

"She has positioned MCF for its next chapter," MCF Board of Directors Chair Dannie Sherrill says in the statement. "The board is focused on ensuring a smooth and thoughtful transition while continuing to serve our community with the same care, integrity and commitment that have guided MCF for nearly three decades."

Courtesy image

MCF, which connects donors with community partners, was founded in 1998. It has invested more than $65 million in the communities it serves.

Mancha brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience to her new role. "Yolanda knows MCF, our donors and our community well, and we have great confidence in her leadership during this transition," Amanda Horne, vice-chair of the MCF board of directors, says in a statement.

In the coming days, the MCF board will form a search committee to identify MCF’s next CEO.

Thames will assume her role as CEO of Dogs Inc. effective Oct. 15. In addition to being CEO of MCF, she has more than two decades of leadership experience, including previously serving as COO and senior vice president of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

Dogs Inc. selected Thames to lead the organization following a national search, according to a statement. The national nonprofit provides trained guide dogs and service dogs to those with vision loss, veterans with PTSD, Gold Star families and others with disabilities. The dogs are provided free of charge, including food, medicine, instruction and support for the life of the partnership, according to a statement.

Courtesy image

“What drew me to this organization is the power of the partnership we create, beginning with the independence, confidence and connection that becomes possible when a person and a highly trained dog find one another,” Thames says in a statement. 

Dogs Inc. is based in Palmetto and was formerly known as Southeastern Guide Dogs. The organization is also opening an outreach facility in Lakewood Ranch in October. It supports more than 700 active guide and service dog teams nationwide.

Dogs Inc. had $26.7 million in revenue in most recent fiscal year, according to public tax filings, and $103.5 million in assets.

“We were looking for a leader with strategic vision, a deep commitment to people and mission and the ability to build on an already exceptional organization,” Bob Meade, chair of the board of directors for Dogs Inc., says in a statement. “Most importantly, Veronica understands that the heart of Dogs Inc. is the extraordinary partnership between a person and a dog.”

Thames says she plans to spend her first several months at Dogs Inc. meeting with employees and stakeholders across the organization before establishing longer-term priorities.

“I want to understand what makes this organization special from the people who live the mission every day: our employees, volunteers, puppy raisers, graduates, donors, and partners,” Thames says in the statement. “Then, together, we can build on that strength and create even greater opportunities for the people we serve.”