THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2000
United Way director to work full time at Tiffin University
By Vicki Hunker
Staff Writer
Suzanne Dick-Trubee is to step down as director of Tiffin-Seneca United Way in August.
"I'm going to teach full time at Tiffin University," Dick-Trubee said. She will be a professor of economics and finance.
"This is my dream," she said. "I worked on my master's even before I met my husband. I always knew I wanted to teach there full time."
Dick-Trubee said she's been teaching a class or two every term since 1992. When an instructor's job opened up, TU administrators called her.
She grew up in Seneca County and graduated from Bellevue High School.
"I left for 15 years and came back to Bellevue to be marketing director for the Bellevue Area Tourism and Visitors Bureau," she said.
She earned bachelor's degrees in marketing and finance from the University of Dayton and a master's degree in finance and economics from Wright State University.
Her last day as United Way director is Aug. 18. She's served as director for five years since July 1, 1995.
She hopes the board will hire her replacement before she leaves so she can help the new person adjust to the job.
"I'm hoping we have somebody in place before we leave, but I'll always be accessible," she said.
"I really treasure the United Way," she said. "The United Way is a wonderful organization.
"It's a lot of work, but it's neat, it's really neat," she said. "It gets inside you. It gets inside your heart. I don't like to call it a job."
Dick-Trubee said there's a growing number of agencies in need of help from United Way.
"By the nature of its design, it meets the changing needs of the community," she said. "When government services change, when families and the makeup of families change, then the environment that we live in changes, too.
"We don't try to develop new programs for the United Way. We try to help member organizations make the changes they think are needed," she said.
Dick-Trubee said there's been several changes to the agency during the past five years.
"What we have done and the board has allowed to happen has been changes to the internal structure (of the organization)," she said.
She noted the formation of an endowment fund and the establishment of associate agencies.
"We have stopped the donor choice program because some agencies weren't providing the services they said they were going to," she said.
In addition to Dick-Trubee's resignation, First Call for Help within the United Way office has a new acting director.
Sue Hampshire of Tiffin has replaced Teresa Copp, who left to pursue other activities, according to Dick-Trubee.
Hampshire said he isn't sure yet if she'll pursue the permanent job.
"It's a bit too early to know if I want the job or if (the board) wants me," she said.
Although Dick-Trubee said she regrets that both positions will be open at the same time, she said, "I can't say no to my dream."
"The community's been very wonderful to me personally. Very giving," she said. "Thank you is such a small word compared to how I feel.
"I believe in my heart that that will be extended the next person to the same degree. That's what makes it the United Way."