Red Cross boss Larry Casey resigns
Tags: Haiti, Jose Lambiet's Paage2Live, Larry Casey, Palm Beach County, Red Cross
| Friday 12 March 2010 11:50 am
Casey
For the second time since 2007, the Palm Beach area chapter of the Red Cross is losing its CEO after a brief tenure.
Larry Casey, the visible frontman of the disaster-responding charity, told Page2Live he’ll step down on April 9. He has been leading the non-profit’s branch, which reaches into the Treasure Coast and cuts across Florida to the west coast, for just 20 months.
Casey took the reins from J.B. Hunt, who was fired in 2008 because she made it a habit to take decisions without discussing them with the board.
About his departure, Casey said he is looking for a change in his career. And he’s taking in a teenage family member, with whom he plans to spend more time.
Privately, according to an insider, Casey had expressed frustration with the American Red Cross’ current drive to take more control of local chapters.
And then, Casey always seemed more at ease in one of his previous jobs, as longtime aide to former Republican U.S. Rep. E. Clay Shaw.
“It’s just the right time to go,” Casey said. “Hurricane season is still a few months away and the chapter will have time to find someone else.
For more, look below or click
Among his proudest achievements, Casey cited the more than $1 million — mostly through small checks — raised for earthquake relief in Haiti over just two months.
While Casey managed to stabilize the finances of the chapter, meanwhile, its reserves have been dwindling steadily over the past years — from $5 million when former CEO Dean Dimke left in 2006 to about $700,000 now.
“We flat out need money,” said chapter Chair Michael Lampert, a tax lawyer. “But that has nothing to do with Larry leaving. We are sorry to see him go.”
As for Casey’s replacement, Lampert said the chapter would “welcome a CEO who’ll stay for four or five years.”
What was your Blood chapter’s salary? Our central Florida’s head was taking in over a half million dollars with bonuses. The public outrage caused her resignation. I have no idea why non-profit CEO’s have such a large salary. What are your thoughts?
Most charitable organizations are ripping off the public with their bloated executive salaries. Two for me, one for you. Three for me, one for you. And so it goes.
You keep having these Corporate thieves involved in key positions.
All they want is their big salaries.
REMOVE THEM ALL.
There are very talented people out here that can and will do the job for half the money and will not quit.
These corporate greedy BLUEHAIRS are worthless.
RUN THEM OUT
Comments by Kathy, Crock, and american are biased and untrue.
Kathy, if you are from Orlando, you know South Florida Red Cross Chapters do not take blood donations. Mr. Casey was in charge of a Chapter that was responsible for an area stretching from the Palm Beaches to Okeechobee and on to Martin and St. Lucie Counties. His CEO compensation was in keeping with his experience and regional management.
For Crock, all you have to do is check out a reputable organization like Charity Register and you will find that MOST charitable organizations are not bloated. In fact, many, like the American Red Cross, have only a small percentage of their funds going to management operations. This fact is undisputable.
And american, let’s get the pitchforks and find the nearest hangin’ tree…they’re not one of us…they’re one of them…that seems to be your way of operating. Forget about the hot meals the Red Cross served YOU american after hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, Wilma, and Tropical Storm Fay. You certainly did not object to the lifesaving courses your children received. And you did not object to the valuable CPR/AED, Swimming, First Aid classes your neighbors received. Plus your donations helped the Red Cross provide assistance to victims of house fires and flood…not to mention Haiti and Chile earthquake relief. But, oh well, gall darn, them thar Red Cross zecutives!
Larry and his staff, and that of ALL American Red Cross managers and volunteers do a wonderful job. If you doubt their value…and challenge the veracity of their management team, I guess we will see YOU lining up to be a real American and becoming a Red Cross Volunteer. If you can’t put up…shut up, it’s that simple. No more of your dribble here.
Cheers Larry! You did a great job and will be missed.
Larry was an outstanding CEO and will be hard to replace. There are few charities that serve more people and is more efficient than The American Red Cross. Instead of picking on a wonderful organization, why don’t you volunteer and make a difference. The Red Cross Truth Squad is absolutely correct!
I agree with american patriot, entirely. Charities don’t need greedy business school grads at their helms…there are many, many qualified, smart, competent, able folks who will work for reasonable salaries because they have a drop of altruism in their hearts. Dump the greedy bastards!
If Larry’s best self-proclaimed accomplishment is the Haiti fundraising ——- which only took a small jump on the moving locomotive ——– he deserves to go. And bringing down the reserves from $5 million to $500,000 in less than 2 years is obscene. They should have fired him after his first year. The real story is probably what was that $4.5 million spent on!?
Larry Casey is amazing! We all owe him a huge thank you. I have seen more positive articles about the Palm Beach Red Cross in the past year than I have seen in the last decade! Larry has been working non-stop for victims all over the world: disaster victims and needy people all over our globe owe him a debt of gratitude!
It has been a tough time, economically, for many non-profits. I just hope the Red Cross can find someone to fill Larry’s shoes.
Thank you Larry Casey!
WOW ! The ignorance of some of these community members is plentyful! The Graeter Palm Beach Area Red Cross is in NO WAY wasting money. They operate on a shoestring every day but are always there to help you, the American Public NO MATTER WHAT ! I know it’s human nature to read or hear something, form your own opinion and accept that opinion as reality, but please people, ignorance is just oozing out of every pore in your body. What do you really know about the Red Cross? The day to day operations? What do really know about The 5 million dollar reserve situation, about Larry Casey and his heart felt dedication to this community ? I will tell you what you know …NOTHING,just your uneducated perception. If I am wrong, proove it with hard facts, answers and evidence. The lack of knowledge is amazing….Thinking this is a blood region, reserves dwindled by Mr. Casey during his tenure, bloated salaries,corporate thieves….what a joke! If any of you have the talent or band width in your cranium to be CEO or manage the chapter, please apply. Better yet vounteer first to get a sence of what they are all about. Go on a fire call, work at a cold shelter. You will probably run home to your un-burned, warm cozy house with your tail between your legs….Kathy S,What a Croc, and American Patriot, YOU ARE A JOKE ! Get the facts and then do the right thing…..and then do the right thing right…if you can !!
Reality Check, get off that high horse. Your patronizing and not very well thought out reactionary comments aren’t contributing anything…when somebody criticizes the right of one of your gazillionaire buddies to get a hefty salary on the back of a charity, you resort to name calling?
JustMee,
Thanks you for proving my point again…..very humorous !