By James Wright
AFRO Staff Writer
Outgoing Africare President Julius E. Coles. (Courtesy Photo)
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(June 20, 2009) - The leader of one of the nation’s leading organizations supporting Africa will step down on Dec. 31.
Julius E. Coles, president of Africare, announced his retirement this week.
“The best time to leave an organization is at the pinnacle of its success, and I believe that is where Africare is today,” Coles said in a statement.
Coles came to Africare in 2002 after the tenure of C. Payne Lucas, who helped put the organization in the international spotlight.
“It has been a privilege on the legacy of Lucas, one of the founders and the second president of Africare, who took Africare in 1971 from its modest beginnings in the basement of his home and a budget of $39,500 to becoming a well-known, highly-respected and successful organization,” said Coles.
Since its founding in 1970, Africare has delivered more than $760 million in assistance and support, including more than 2,500 projects and millions in beneficiaries, to 36 countries in Africa. Africare has its international headquarters in D.C. and field offices in 23 African countries.
The organization’s annual fall fundraising dinner, the Africare Bishop John T. Walker Memorial Dinner, is considered a signature event in Washington with such honorees as presidents, former presidents, members of Congress and leaders of African nations.
Coles has been credited to bringing in more than $400 million in new financial commitments to the organization, recruiting professional and tech-savvy staff and updating management practices and systems.
Africare Chairman of the Board W. Frank Fountain said Coles has performed well as the organization’s chief executive officer.
“When Julius Coles took over the reins of Africare, he had very big shoes to fill,” said Fountain. “Lucas had led Africare for over 30 years and was a legend in his time. Julius has taken the organization to new heights in terms of management efficiency and expansion of resources devoted to Africa that few other private organizations have achieved in the U.S. and around the world.”
The organization’s board of directors has retained the international search firm Heidrick & Struggles to fill the upcoming vacancy. A new Africare president is expected to be named in the fall.