PORT ANGELES — First Federal Community Foundation will see a changing of the guard this month.
Jan Simon will succeed Karen McCormick, who is retiring from the leadership role.
She will remain on the foundation’s board of directors.
Simon, who has more than 20 years of experience leading nonprofit organizations, will join the foundation in late April.
McCormick retired as the First Federal CEO in 2009 after rising from teller to president of the largest locally owned bank on the North Olympic Peninsula.
In 2015, she became the first executive director of the First Federal Community Foundation, which was created when First Federal was converted to a public company.
Simon served for more than 15 years as president and CEO of the Washington Lodging Association.
Most recently, she was the executive director of Seattle’s Center for Spiritual Living.
She has been involved in civic and community organizations such as Seattle Rotary and the Ballard Ecumenical Homeless Ministry.
“We are delighted to welcome Jan Simon to First Federal Community Foundation,” said Norman Tonina, foundation board chairman.
“She brings a wealth of experience, energy, and awareness of the challenges facing our communities and how we can create meaningful and lasting impacts through our foundation. “
He said the board feels that the foundation will benefit from Simon’s experience in managing financial sustainability, marketing and communications, community leadership and her experience in fundraising from a grantee perspective.
“The board would also like to thank Karen McCormick for her leadership as founding executive director of the foundation,” Tonina said.
“Karen’s tenacious leadership not only launched the organization but led to $2.9 million in grants over the last four years, making a serious impact in the communities we serve.”
Simon said she was delighted to join the First Federal Community Foundation as its executive director.
“In its first four years alone, the foundation has already made a significant difference in improving the quality of life in Whatcom, Kitsap, Jefferson and Clallam counties,” she said.
“I look forward to working with the board and other community leaders to continue build on and grow the foundation’s impact in delivering benefits to the community, facilitating economic development, and enhancing the availability of affordable housing.”
First Federal Community Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) charitable corporation funded with a gift of cash and stock from First Northwest Bancorp, the parent company of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Port Angeles.
It provides funding for community support, affordable housing, economic development and community development in communities where First Federal operates a full-service branch.
First Federal, a subsidiary of First Northwest Bancorp, is a Washington-chartered, community-based savings bank headquartered in Port Angeles.
It serves Western Washington through 13 banking centers located within Clallam, Jefferson, King, Kitsap and Whatcom counties.