Report 008-2006 Sacramento area regional center director resigning

CDCAN
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
DISABILITY RIGHTS NEWS REPORT
#008-2006 January 13, 2006 Early Friday morning
Connecting people with disabilities & seniors to rights and unified action
1225 8th Street Suite 480 - Sacramento, CA 95814 916/446-0013 Fax: 916/446-0026
Marty Omoto - director email: martyomoto@rcip.com    website: www.cdcan.us

Regional Center In Sacramento
* New Alta California Regional Center Director Gary Blumenthal Resigning
* Returns To Kansas To Head Agency That Serves Brother With Disabilities

SACRAMENTO - In a surprise and unexpected development, the new head of a Sacramento based agency that funds community-based services for children and adults with developmental disabilities announced his resignation earlier this week, after just 8 months on the job. Gary Blumenthal, the executive director of Alta California Regional Center is leaving Sacramento to return to Kansas to head an agency that provides services to his adult brother, who has developmental disabilities.

Alta California Regional Center, with a $200 million budget, provides services to over 13,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their families throughout a ten county area and is one of the largest of the 21 non-profit regional centers in terms of service area and population served. Blumenthal was hired several months after longtime executive director Jim Huyck stepped down.

Gail Janke, president of the 25 member Alta California Regional Center Board and a parent of a child with developmental disabilities said that the "members of the Board of Directors are saddened to learn of Gary Blumenthal's decision to leave the position of Executive Director of Alta California Regional Center. However, we will support him as he continues in his commitment to his brother, Steve, and know he will continue in his pursuit of making opportunities for a better future for persons with developmental disabilities."

Janke added that "The Personnel Committee of the Board is giving immediate attention to this announcement and is addressing a plan to present recommendations to the full Board that will continue the leadership for this agency that will ensure the continued focus of providing high quality supports and services for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. In the meantime, Gary continues to be the Executive Director of ACRC and we fully support his leadership."
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Janke praised Blumenthal's short term as executive director, saying that he has placed the focus of the agency on its mission as we move forward with the Strategic Plan"

" Gary has brought together a management team that will continue to move the plan forward. Because of his dedication and hard work over the last eight months, we are on more solid ground. We do wish Gary the best and respect his need to follow his mission. He had hoped, at some future time, to serve as director of the agency serving his brother, when that director retired. But due to the unexpected death of that director he was offered the job now, " Janke said.

Janke said that the Alta California Regional Center Board of Directors welcomed input from the community and others for recommendations of persons who should be considered to replace Blumenthal.

To obtain copy of job announcement and more information, see Alta California Regional Center website at:
http://www.altaregional.org/   "Employment at Alta California Regional Center" for more info. The Board of Directors Personnel Committee is taking applications through the regional center's Human Resources Department.

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