THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER’S PRESIDENT AND CEO TO DEPART ORGANIZATION FOR PEACE CORPS ASSIGNMENT
INDIANAPOLIS – July 28, 2016 . . . Diane Thomas, President and CEO of The International Center since 2006, has accepted an opportunity to serve with the Peace Corps in Ukraine. She will leave The Center at the end of the year to prepare for her 27-month assignment which she will assume in March, 2017.
“Leading the International Center has been an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Thomas. “It has been a fabulous experience to watch the growing internationalization of our city and state, and to lead an organization designed specifically to inform, convene and connect public, private and civic global objectives.”
Under Thomas’ leadership The International Center has doubled its budget, through increased philanthropic support and fees for service. Last year, The Center was recipient of a $5 Million sustainability grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
“The organization is stable financially, and has an outstanding team of professionals who are incredibly dedicated to the work of The Center. Whether in cultural training, protocol, delegation services, and international relocation support, each and every one believes in The International Center’s mission and vision,” said Thomas.
“It goes without saying that everyone connected with The Center is indebted to Diane for her service to the organization, and we value highly all she has done over the past decade to advance our City, our State, and our own Center’s mission,” said Robert Postlethwait, chair of The International Center’s Board of Directors. “Her legacy is secure and extraordinary.”
Thomas’ continuing presence over the next five months will insure a smooth transition, according to Postlethwait. Joerg Schreiber, Ph.D., long-time International Center board member and a current member of the Executive Committee, will lead the search committee with the goal of having Thomas’ successor in place by December. Questions and inquiries about the search process should be directed to joerg@whitearrowconsulting.com.
In her new role with the Peace Corps, Thomas will take her knowledge about and her considerable experience within the not-for-profit sector to Ukraine where civil society is emerging. She looks forward to learning how a new democracy leverages its not-for-profit sector to advance the country’s goals.
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About The International Center
For more than 40 years, The International Center has served as a guide to the world’s cultural landscape, and a catalyst for the state’s international growth. Working in collaboration with businesses, organizations, government agencies, educational institutions and individual citizens, The Center expands Indiana’s global interest through a variety of programs and services and through convening diverse interests who share common international goals. The International Center is a member of Global Ties U.S.
