Mountain Credit Union hires new branch manager

Elise Lewis of Candler Joins the MCU Team

Mountain Credit Union (MCU) announced the recent hiring of Elise N. Lewis as the Branch Manager of its Candler location at 1453 Sand Hill Road.  Lewis brings her years of financial industry experience and comes to Mountain Credit Union from First Bank where she served as a Credit Analyst and most recently as a Cash Management Officer.  Lewis will lead her team by expanding the effort to establish and maintain growing relationships with the Credit Union’s members.  Lewis shared her passion for her new role by stating, “I look forward to working for an organization that cares so much about our local community and doing whatever it takes to help our members achieve their financial goals.”

A Candler native, Lewis graduated from Enka High School in 2008 and studied at Montreat College.  She resides in Candler with her husband and two dogs.  Mrs. Lewis has maintained an active role in the community including volunteering with several local organizations. Her hiring carries on MCU’s commitment to having local branches with local people making local decisions. 

Homeward Bound of WNC sees leadership changes

Brian Alexander, who has served as Homeward Bound’s Executive Director for the last 6 years and worked in a myriad of staff roles during his 13 year tenure, is leaving the organization to work as a Project Specialist with the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness, based in Raleigh. In his new role, he will be working alongside state wide experts who are assisting communities to actualize the goal of ending homelessness in North Carolina. He will continue to live in the Asheville area and carry forth his work as a champion of the needs of people and families experiencing homelessness across the state.

Mr. Alexander leaves the organization in good standing, having grown Homeward Bound to over 50 staff that collectively has moved nearly 1,400 people out of homelessness and into permanent housing. He expanded the organization’s work into Henderson County in 2013. In 2014, he added programming specifically targeting the ending of veteran homelessness in Buncombe County. Homeward Bound continues to have an 89% retention rate of clients remaining in housing.

Beth Trigg, President of the Board of Directors says, “We are so grateful for the 13 years of service that Brian has given to Homeward Bound. His vision to end homelessness and his leadership in making that happen has benefitted our entire community. We are naming Jim Lowder, currently Director of Advancement as Acting Director and have total faith in his leadership during this transition. We are anticipating a six to nine month process for a national search for an Executive Director and will use this opportunity to engage our community around the next phase of growth for the organization.”

Homeward Bound of WNC is a nonprofit ending homelessness for its neighbors in Buncombe and Henderson counties. You can learn more about their work at www.homewardboundwnc.org.

For more information, please contact Director of Communication Beth Russo at 828.258.1695 ext. 111 or at beth@homewardboundwnc.org

Jim Stokely named RiverLink Interim Co-Director

The RiverLink Board of Directors has named Jim Stokely, President of the non-profit Wilma Dykeman Legacy, as RiverLink's Interim co-director. Stokely will hold the

	Jim Stokely

post while Karen Cragnolin, who has served as executive director with the organization for 30 years, recovers from complications from surgery.

"I'm delighted that Jim Stokely has agreed to be our interim co-director," said Cragnolin. "His background in Human Resources and as President of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy makes him an ideal choice to lead our organization through this period. His mother, Wilma Dykeman, was a champion of the French Broad River and an important part of RiverLink's history. I bet Wilma would approve and agree that Jim is perfect for this assignment."

As president of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy, Stokely has overseen numerous events, including seminars on water, discussions of local literature, and even a debate on race relations. He has a long relationship with RiverLink, including monthly information sessions entitled, "Who is Wilma Dykeman?"

RiverLink's programs - environmental education, special events, river cleanups, water quality projects, etc. - have gone on and will go on as usual. RiverLink is a regional non-profit spearheading the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River and its tributaries as a destination for everyone to live, learn, work and play.