Josiah White's CEO Opportunity Profile

OVERVIEW
Josiah White’s Residential and Family Services in Wabash, Indiana, stands out among its peers as an
exceptionally caring, effective, and stable organization serving families in the name of Christ for 173
years. While smaller residential care facilities closed their doors during the challenges of COVID, Josiah
White’s not only survived but innovated and expanded to find new ways to bring hope and healing to
families. Founded and supported by the Friends (Quaker) Church, White’s is a key contractor for the
State of Indiana, while also providing private placement care and education for families through its
growing Compass Rose Academy.
Following a period of significant accomplishments, President and CEO Ron Evans has announced his
intention to retire. In the previous years under Evans’ leadership, White’s has expanded and upgraded
its physical campus significantly. Achieving programmatic standards of excellence, White’s is now
accredited by the Teaching Family Model, Council for Accreditation of Residential Facilities (CARF),
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and Cognia. 50 East, a newly added garden center
and café, provides meaningful work for White’s students through the Growing Teens for Life Program.
White’s is a significant employer in the Wabash community and, for the past two years, has been
recognized as one of the Best Christian Workplaces in America by BCWI®.
The resilience and dedication of the team at Josiah White’s, a well-developed and maintained campus,
a healthy endowment, and committed supporters have enabled Josiah White’s to weather recent
economic challenges. Children and families greatly need the care White’s offers, but one barrier is
simply staffing the positions to welcome more families. A leadership challenge for the next CEO will be
to oversee new and creative ways to attract and retain team members for positions across the organization.
Josiah White’s seeks the next leader to build the teams to continue providing excellent care to this
vulnerable population. While the board sets general strategic vision, the President/CEO is given the
latitude to shape the specific tactics and set direction to achieve the vision. In light of this, the Board’s
strategic goals for their CEO over the next five years include the following:
• Leading the organization in a Christ-centered way while restoring financial strength and developing
people to meet the mission’s needs.
• Introduction of new programs and the expansion of current programs to meet the need of youth in
care and families while fully utilizing existing resources at the Wabash campus and satellite offices.
• Maintenance and support of staff spiritually, mentally, physically, and professionally.