Writers & Books announced today that Founder and Executive
Director Joe Flaherty will retire in June 2016.
Flaherty saw the organization grow from its beginnings as a one-room
storefront on South Clinton Avenue in 1981, through its move to its current
residence at 740 University Avenue in 1985, and into a thriving literary center that now serves an annual audience of
more than 25,000.
“By announcing my retirement a year in advance,” Flaherty
says, “it provides the opportunity to guarantee the long-term future of the
organization by selecting a strong leader to succeed me and putting in place a
secure financial foundation.”
With the news of Flaherty’s retirement came another announcement
of the “Writing the Next Chapter Campaign,” which has a goal of retiring the
organization’s debt and creating a permanent fund that will allow for new and
expanded programs. Plans include increasing educational scholarships, bringing
top writers to Rochester, expanding facilities, and strengthening existing
programming.
“It’s time for Writers & Books to write its next
chapter. I want to make sure the story continues for generations to come,” Flaherty
says.
For more information, call 473-2590, or visit wab.org.
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2015.
