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The Arc Jacksonville, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, announced Tuesday that Executive Director Jim Whittaker was awarded Executive Director of the Year for his superior quality performance at the statewide Arc Florida Conference on July 10.
Dedicated to providing all clients with developmental disabilities the highest possible quality of life since his tenure began in 2000, Whittaker was nominated by his fellow workers and board members at The Arc Jacksonville. Whittaker also serves as executive director of The Arc of Putnam County.
“Jim is one of the most exceptional leaders we have ever encountered,” said Debbie Johnson, board member of The Arc Jacksonville. “He demonstrates outstanding quality performance in all areas necessary of a great executive director: advocacy; management and administration; innovation; staff, parent and consumer relations; community involvement; and program success. He’s made huge advancements for both The Arc Jacksonville and The Arc of Putnam County, the individuals they serve and the communities in which they operate.”
Whittaker has expanded several of the agency’s important programs that provide vital services to its consumers. Through a partnership that offers low-cost legal services through Legal Aid, Whittaker’s vision has allowed the Guardianships and Dental Services program to provide guardianships for 42 individuals in 2006. His efforts to expand the agency’s dental services program have resulted in the number of agency-contracted dentists accepting Medicaid to increase from one to six, significantly adding to the quality of life of many individuals with disabilities.
In addition, Whittaker embraced the concept of applying to be a McKay Scholarship School, a scholarship program for students with disabilities, creating The Arc Jacksonville Academy. Enabling the program to flourish, the scholarship funding helped create a partnership between Arc Jacksonville and the University of North Florida, allowing the On Campus Transition Program to enroll more than 15 students with disabilities for the upcoming academic year.
Whittaker has also been contacted by other agencies throughout the state, including the Arc Nassau, to assist with difficult administrative situations, such as the loss of staff, consumers and funding. He has also served as an advisor for St. Nicholas Place, a local group home for people with disabilities that was in danger of closing, earning The Arc Jacksonville the ‘Agency for Persons with Disabilities’s Gold Award’ for keeping the home open, and refurbishing the house and grounds, thereby making the home self-sufficient. St Nicholas Place is now under the management of The Arc Jacksonville.
His tremendous insight of the needs of the disabled community and his ability to impact the amount and quality of services provided has earned him the respect of his peers, Arc consumers and the community. Some of Whittaker’s other accomplishments include:
• Creation of The Arc’s Wellness Program through partnership with the city and YMCA
• Creation of The Arc Jacksonville Pooled Trust
• Implemented quarterly performance financial rewards program for Arc staff
• Created contractual relationship with private enterprise to increase revenues to support the agency’s mission
• Created and/or improved major annual fundraisers by raising record amounts of private funding, including Dinner With Bill and the Fall Ball.