Bob Thomas, president of Lancaster-based nonprofit Tabor Community Services, is retiring at the end of September after more than a decade in the role.
Thomas, 68, had been mulling the move for the past four years.
“I’ve been of retirement age for a while, and I’ve put this off because I really enjoy what I do here,” Thomas said in an interview.
After he steps down from Tabor, he plans to remain active in the community through volunteer work and said he may do some part-time work as well.
What he’ll miss most is the people at Tabor.
“They’re wonderful. I’ll miss seeing them on a daily basis,” Thomas said.
Tabor is a nonprofit provider of housing and financial counseling and education services for Lancaster County residents.
Under Thomas’s leadership, Tabor went from 11 programs in 2006 to 18 as of this year and is serving more clients than ever.
In a statement, Jill Laskowitz, chair of Tabor’s board of directors, said that during Thomas’ time as president, Tabor saw an increase in contracts for client services with local, state and federal government agencies.
Laskowitz said Tabor also saw strong growth in private support from individual donors, businesses, foundations and churches, which made it possible to add seven new programs for its clients and to open the Ann B. Barshinger Financial Empowerment Center.
The board is just beginning the search for Thomas’s successor, who will take over in the beginning of October.
With an operating budget of $4.3 million in 2017-18, Tabor serves 4,600 clients annually.
