by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
Change is in the air for one of Northeast Florida’s largest charity organizations.
Catholic Charities Bureau Inc. of the Diocese of St. Augustine has made two new leadership changes recently.
Bill Beitz, the former executive director of the Jacksonville regional office, has been promoted to the non-profit’s position of Diocesan Director. Beitz will now oversee all three of Catholic Charities’ regional offices in Jacksonville, Gainesville and St. Augustine.
Beitz is replacing Bill Tierney, who has retired after 25 years.
“I am humbled and honored by the trust that (Bishop Victor Galeone) and the diocesan board have placed in me,” said Beitz in a recent Catholic Charities newsletter article regarding his new position.
“I look forward to the challenge that lies ahead, knowing the solid foundation that has been laid (by Tierney) these past 25 years. I will try not to foul it up.”
Replacing Beitz as the executive director of the Jacksonville regional office is Laura Hickey, who comes to Catholic Charities with more than 20 years of social work education and experience.
A Chicago native, she received her bachelors and masters degrees in social work from Loyola University Chicago before embarking on a career path that would land her in Jacksonville twice.
After working in a Chicago area hospital right out of college, Hickey moved to Jacksonville in 1977 to become director of social work and discharge planning at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. She worked at St. Vincent’s until 1989 when she moved with her husband to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where she worked as an administrative staff member at Trinity Regional Medical Center until her husband’s retirement from an internet company in 2003.
Now back in Jacksonville, Hickey said she is very happy to be back in town and in her new position at Catholic Charities.
“I am thoroughly enjoying my work here,” she said. “We are fortunate to have the staff that we have here. I have been very impressed not only with their skills but their commitment to our agency and to the clients that we serve.”
Though she is still getting acclimated to her new office, Hickey said taking over Beitz’s position has gone as smooth as possible. Having Beitz as her immediate supervisor has helped with that, she said.
“One of the nice things about this position is that Bill is still available,” Hickey said. “When I have a question, I can pick up the phone and call him. So often when somebody leaves you have no access to them. I have the benefit of not only his experience but his understanding and his knowledge and wisdom also.”
As far as the future of the Jacksonville office is concerned, Hickey said her plan is to continue with the organizations’ current programs and remain responsive to the needs of the community.
“If there are opportunities for improvement then we will look at those opportunities,” she said. “I think we have some very good programs in place and initially my goal is to look at those and see where there might be some opportunities for improvement.”
Beitz has been active in numerous civic associations including a lengthy service on the board of the Chamber’s Downtown Council. Despite the move to a St. Augustine office, he leaves behind a close downtown connection: wife Lynette is the Chamber’s vice president of finance.