VerBrugghen to leave Orcas Center

Saying “it’s a good time to leave, and reassess” her future, Orcas Center Executive Director Candace VerBrugghen announced that she will be stepping down, effective next April.

VerBrugghen, who has been with the Center since 1999, informed the Board of Directors of her decision on Wednesday, Dec. 8. Her announcement caught board President Kathy Youngren by surprise.

“She has done such a good job, and she has accomplished the things the board hired her to do,” Kathy Youngren said. “She’s going out on a real high.” Both she and VerBrugghen agreed that the Center is in good shape in terms of its finances and programs for the community.

Even though she will only remain executive director for the next three and one-half months, VerBrugghen will be anything but a lame duck. She has begun searching for a marketing-publicist to replace Judith Struthers, who recently resigned.

Beginning in January VerBrugghen will start advertising for a box office manager.

Meanwhile, the directors have begun developing a process they will use to hire a new director. On Monday, Dec. 13 they looked at examples of advertisements, reviewed VerBrugghen’s job description, and talked about setting up a search committee.

Board members intend to begin placing ads for an executive director in trade magazines in January, and they hope to have VerBrugghen’s successor selected and at work on April 1. Under this scenario, VerBrugghen would stay on until April 15, spending her last two weeks introducing her successor to the many aspects of the job.

VerBrugghen and her husband Dennis Bonner intend to remain on Orcas Island after she retires, although they would like to do more traveling. Both also intend to stay involved at Orcas Center, with Bonner remaining at the helm of the Orcas A Capella Singers, and VerBrugghen volunteering in a variety of ways.

The Orcas Center resignation represents what will be the latest in a series of recent changes, all unrelated, in high profile chief executive officer positions on the island. Victoria Parker left the library and Gary Bennett resigned from the fire department, both at the end of June. John Evans lost his bid in November for a fourth term as county commissioner. School Superintendent Barry Acker announced last month that he will be stepping down at the end of the academic year.

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