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Another Haven Humane exec resigns
Rich Steele, Haven Humane Society’s director of operations for about three months, resigned May 2. (Not to be confused with Norm Ryan, Haven’s CEO, who resigned last month after 1 year on the job.)
Steele had no comment when I telephoned him at his home yesterday.
However, Yvonne Preston, Haven’s interim chief executive officer (Ryan’s stand-in), confirmed Steele’s resignation when I reached her on her cell phone. She refused to answer more questions.
“He resigned last week,” Preston said about Steele in a seconds-long cell phone conversation.
“That’s all I’m going to comment on now.”
As Kelly Brewer, our friendly Pink Hollyhock news sleuther and blogger pointed out last month, secrecy and silence seem typical at Haven lately.
Add to the dog pile: A current Redding police investigation that involves Haven. Resignations of key Haven executives and board members. Low morale. A revolving door of staff turnovers. A shrinking board that’s so tiny it’s a wonder it can function (legally).
What a stinky mess. Somebody get a shovel. It could take some digging to uncover the truth.
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Thank you, thank you Doni! It appears that Ms. Preston (as Board president) created the job for Mr. Steele, her personal friend. He had absolutely no shelter or animal experience. We wonder how an organization that asks for donations from the public and receives a substantial amount of money from the City of Redding (our tax dollars?) can continue to withhold information. Does anyone have any suggestions on who to contact regarding a 501(c)3 charity that refuses to answer ANY questions?
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Keep digging Doni…this situation should never have happened at a humane society but I’ve seen similar things that have happened at non profits like Women’s Refuge and Help Inc.
Certain people get greedy and throw them off track and are asked to resign.
It’s a shame that a group of people with a good cause can’t work for the will of doners but it sometimes get corrupt.
God help the animals that are in their care.
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As a long time supporter of Haven Humane I would like more “facts”. I knowTimmons was there for years and did an excellent job. I’m also familar with three of the people who were listed as Board of Directors in 2007, and all have been active for many years as volunteers in a number of good causes.
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Doni…looks to me like this place needs to have some kind of a “house-cleaning”, and not because of the animals. For some reason, something just does not seem right here. I mean, what is it about an animal facility that could bring about this kind of action? Are they using, or misusing, City or County funds?
Well, keep asking the questions, and maybe we will get some answers. You, though, are probably the only one that can get to the bottom of this…the paper wont.
Thanks,
Ron
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Just to set some of the record straight. First I did not talk to Doni as I would not talk to anyone calling me at home at 8:00 pm. Particularly the news media or in Doni case no official status at all. None of them has a right to know.
Also for those that seem to know it all I was hired on as a contract employee and my contract time was up. Simple as that. We shall see if the processes and procedures that I was hired to put in place are used. That is the Board of Directors decision. As to having no animal experience. A basic premise of all management is you do not try and over shadow your workers with your knowledge when you have highly skilled proffesional people working for you. Particularly when they are of the caliber of Hollis Worley, Lee Ann Smith and Dr. Bruening. I was not brought in to try and teach these people anything about animals or micro managen them.
Also for those that have never worked in the senior management level. You always get these positions on who you know and your particular area of expertise. There is nothing sinister or conspiratal in the manner that I was hired.
Once again I will echo the Board of Directors response to the “I have to know bunch”. Haven Humane is a non-profit private corporation. Information about how it operates can and is limited to the Board of Directors. When things settle down and there is no worry about breaching any contractural obligations I am sure that the Board will let the membership know what has transpired. I did not agree with the method the issues were being handled and I still believe that some type of news release should have been done. Once again as a contract employee that was not my decision. If you want to become part of the membership you will find out the truth.
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Mr. Steele, thank you for taking the time to give your insight.
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Hi Rich, Hope you are enjoying semi-retirement as much as I am. I have to ask a couple of questions. Your comment about “…highly skilled professional people working for you” seems odd since Haven Humane has fired or laid off most of their long term very experienced staff, except for Hollis and Lee Anne. There must be close to 20 +/- people who have left in the past 3-4 months.
Don’t you think it is odd that they would lay someone off because their “job has been eliminated” and then immediately replace them?
I have asked Yvonne Preston for financial status of the organization and, specifically, the Misty Lee Fund. She told me it was not available and did not know when it would be.
How does one “…..become part of the membership you will find out the truth?”
Morally and ethically, a 501(c)3 non-profit charity is obligated to let the public know what is happening with the money they donate. Also, Haven does get a
substantial amount of money from the City of Redding.
Does the public not have right to know where their donations and tax money
has gone and is going?
Why all the secrecy?
Oops, that was 4 questions.
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You can contact the Registry of Charitable Trusts, Office of the Attorney General (916) 445-2021 with any concerns regarding a non-profit organization.
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According to the R-S, Doni, it appears you are justified in your digging, as Norm Ryan was arrested this morning for using a Haven credit card for personal use.
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