Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN) host of the 2011 National Trust Conference announces that current executive director, Henry McCartney, will be stepping down effective March 1st. Tom Yots will become the new Executive Director effective March 1st. Henry will continue his service to PBN with select projects.
Helping PBN with the initial stages of organizational development, McCartney began as executive director in October, 2008, immediately hiring staff, securing grants, managing day-to-day details, building an organization and thinking ahead for the National Preservation Conference, which took place in October of 2011 and was an enormous success for the Western New York community.
Yots is a current PBN board member and serves on the executive committee, and is an owner of Preservation Studios, a local historic preservation consulting firm. Tom has two decades of preservation experience and is well known and well respected in the preservation community.
In addition to the new executive director, PBN will appoint Jason Wilson as director of operations. Jason is the co-founder of the groups Buffalo Young Preservationists and ULI Young Leaders Group of WNY.
Steven Weiss, PBN Board Chair said "Although Henry's decision to scale back his involvement at PBN is bittersweet, we are excited to introduce our new leadership and about maintaining PBN as a full-service preservation organization in Western New York."
"I am very proud of the accomplishments of PBN over these last few years, advancing our goal to give Buffalo and the region a strong, vibrant preservation movement. I thank all those who have worked so hard to make PBN a success. I am now looking forward to helping PBN however I can and providing support to its new leadership. Over the coming years, I am confident that PBN and the region's historic preservation efforts will continue to grow and thrive" said Henry McCartney.
Tom Yots said "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be working in this new level of historic preservation as the Executive Director of Preservation Buffalo Niagara. I was active in the founding of the organization and have participated in its growth under Henry McCartney's valued leadership. I am gratified that the Board has put the direction of the organization into my hands and I pledge to the community that I will be actively involved in the preservation and appreciation of our rich historic environment."
Preservation Buffalo Niagara (PBN) is dedicated to fostering historic preservation in the Buffalo Niagara region, serving seven counties in Western New York.
This is huge news!!! Congrats to Tom and Jason!