NCSC Announces Leadership Transition and CEO Search

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On January 5, 2010, Bill Garr announced his resignation as President and CEO of the Newton Community Service Center (NCSC) effective at the end of February. Garr was named to the position in 2005 after serving as interim executive director following the retirement of Tony Bibbo, who led the center for 43 years.


During Garr’s tenure, NCSC successfully completed an extensive strategic plan and created a strong operational infrastructure. The organization improved its offerings to the community by opening a second teen center (in collaboration with The Newton Partnership), increasing its child care program, and adding programs to provide assistance to families in financial crisis. The agency was also the first area early education program to start integrating the Children’s Hospital/Brazelton Touchpoints Approach into its work building strong family-child relationships.


“I’m very proud of all that we have accomplished during the past five years,” said Garr. “After Tony’s retirement we underwent a strategic planning initiative and the staff here responded wonderfully to the challenge. Rarely does a day go by that someone doesn’t tell me how NCSC has positively affected their lives.”


During the transition, William Morrison, the current Board Chair, will take a leave absence from the board to become Interim CEO, working closely with NCSC’s senior management team. Morrison, a non-profit business consultant, has been on the board of NCSC for 5 years. Hattie Kerwin Derrick, the current Board Vice-Chair, will assume the role of Interim Board Chair and lead a search committee to identify a strong nonprofit leader to take the organization into the future.


Since 1907 Newton Community Service Center (NCSC) has been a provider of family services that enable infants through teens to become thriving adults. Programs include early literacy, child-abuse prevention, early education and childcare, counseling, teen drop-in centers, parenting education, after-school and camp programs, service opportunities for adults over 55, and more. The agency serves a diverse population primarily in the Newton/Waltham area.