FIRST in Texas Family,
I am incredibly proud of the progress and success that FIRST in Texas has achieved over the past several years under the leadership of Jason Arms. As a result of his passion, we have grown the number of students served by our programs, improved student engagement and volunteer satisfaction, and significantly increased the transparency and accuracy of our financial reporting. I am also very grateful to Jason for the many sacrifices he has made on behalf of the organization and know that his tenure as Executive Director has made us a better team.
I regret to inform you, however, that Jason will be leaving our organization to pursue opportunities outside of FIRST in Texas. I hope you will join me in thanking him for his remarkable service and wishing him the best wherever his path may lead him.
Effective immediately, I will be stepping in as interim Executive Director of FIRST in Texas while we conduct an internal and external search for a permanent replacement.
To help guide us through this transition, I am also pleased to announce the creation of a formal Advisory Board, made up of 12 to 15 members of our volunteer community (coaches, mentors and event volunteers). This Advisory Board will serve on a temporary basis to provide objective, actionable feedback on our current operations as well as provide advice and guidance on practical, cost-effective solutions to our near- and long-term challenges. This Advisory Board will be chaired by me and meet virtually on a regular cadence that fits member availability. The Advisory Board will also meet with the Board of Directors twice a year to ensure unbiased, unfettered feedback and input. Members of the Advisory Board will be selected from interested volunteers such that this Board collectively represents the complete range of perspectives across programs, regions and target audiences. After 12 months, based on the success of this approach, the Board of Directors will evaluate whether we should make this Advisory Board permanent or modify the approach for the future. More details to follow.
As always, our priority remains empowering and equipping students, and we will continue to stay focused on that mission. We understand the challenges that come with leadership transitions, but please do not stress—we are all in this together. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your program manager or to me directly. We are here to support you.
Thank you for all that you do to advance the mission of FIRST in Texas. More details will follow soon, and we appreciate your continued commitment and dedication.
Eric van Gemeren, Chairman of the Board and Interim Executive Director
FIRST in Texas