May 14, 2010
Gayle Uebelhor
Interim director of Catholic Charities
Gayle Uebelhor smiles during an interview discussing his new role as interim director of Catholic Charities. Jim Collins, the long-time director, is retiring at the end of May. Uebelhor will manage the day-to-day operations of the agency and evaluate its direction. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
As he prepares to assume the role of interim director of Catholic Charities, Gayle Uebelhor says he likes what he sees.
Because of the important work they are doing and the innovative programs they have developed, he is comfortable calling the Catholic Charities staff “a hidden gem.”
Jim Collins is the long-time director of Catholic Charities; he is retiring at the end of May.
In his role as interim director, Uebelhor will have dual responsibilities; he will manage the day-to-day operations and he will evaluate the strategic direction of the agency.
In naming Uebelhor to this position, Tim McGuire, the diocesan chief operating officer, said he was recommended by a search committee and then approved by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger. McGuire said Uebelhor comes to the position “with a wealth of professional experience.”
He is a native of Huntingburg, who served as an active priest until the mid 1970s. McGuire said of him, “he has a unique understanding of the Church and the diocese. The combination of his secular and Church experience will serve Catholic Charities and its clients well.”
“I spent five years at Mater Dei teaching while I was a priest,” Uebelhor said. He then worked at the Newman Center at the University of Evansville before leaving the priesthood, and going through the dispensation process.
He also worked at Southwestern Indiana Mental Health Center and at St. Mary’s Medical Center. He was then hired by a for-profit health care group in Florida where he spent the next 12 years.
In 1997, he returned to southwestern Indiana with his family, living in Evansville and working in Huntingburg as president of Organizational Associates. After traveling “all over the place” with his business for 10 years, he “semi-retired” a few years ago.
He was “bored to death” by retirement when he received the phone call from McGuire offering him the job of interim director.
“Tim said they needed someone responsible for the day to day operations, and someone to look at the organization and assess it.”
He laughed as he said, “It’s short term, and I’m quite willing to do short term. Jim has it in good shape, and I’ll be taking a close look at its ‘present state/future state.’”
As he assesses “present state,” he is planning to meet individually with each staff member. “I think I’m going to be really impressed.”
He wants to “assess where they are as a group, and look at all their programs and see if they are appropriate for 2010 and the ‘future state.’”
As part of the assessment process, he is planning to take a look at Catholic Charities organizations in other parts of the country, and learn about their “best practices.”
“I predict we may find out that 99.9 percent of what we are doing meets the needs of the diocese. But, we may find other ways that will enhance our services.”
He believes that “we are starting with a really good organization, that has had great leadership. I’m saying, ‘Do we need to tweak it?’”