News release from Turnstone:
Turnstone Announces New CEO
(November 20, 2014) – The Turnstone Board of Directors is pleased to announce Mike Mushett as Turnstone’s CEO, effective January 5th, 2015.
The current CEO, Nancy Louraine, will be retiring effective January 30, 2015.
Turnstone has seen great growth under Nancy which will continue under Mike’s leadership. Mike comes to Fort Wayne from Castle Rock, Colorado. He has an extensive knowledge of and experience in the disability and Paralympic Sport world and is positioned to lead the “Turnstone of Tomorrow” initiative, while maintaining focus on Turnstone’s current comprehensive continuum of services that enhance the quality of life of people living with disabilities.
“I am proud and excited to have the opportunity to lead Turnstone’s growth to the next level. I recognize that Nancy is leaving behind a solid foundation and big shoes to fill. However, with the vision and passion of the Board of Directors, and the energy and professionalism of staff, the citizens with disabilities of greater Fort Wayne and their families will continue to be well served” said Mike Mushett.
Mike earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Xavier University and a master’s degree in recreation and leisure services from Central Michigan University. Mike is originally from NW Ohio which is part of the reason he is interested in the Turnstone opportunity. Mike started out wanting to go in to teaching and coaching. While student teaching, he worked with a class of disabled students. This experience propelled him in to a career that has prepared him extremely well for our CEO position.
After earning his master’s degree, he joined the Atlanta Paralympic Organizing Committee as Senior Vice President/Chief Games Operating Officer. Here he trained and managed 150 employees and thousands of volunteers as he managed 19 sporting competitions as part of the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta. Following these Paralympic games, he worked for a short time as a sport and events consultant. He then took a position as Associate Director of Disabled Sports with Georgia State University. In addition to developing programs and conferences related to sports and physical activity for individuals with physical disabilities, he was also involved in generating funding for the program. Mike then joined BlazeSports America in Atlanta as their Vice President of Programs. This experience along with his next position as Director of Paralympic Sport Outreach and Development for the United States Olympic Committee had him leading Paralympic sport program development in communities across the country. He was the driving force behind the annual Paralympic Leadership Conference which provided education and training for adaptive sport and Paralympic program leaders from across the country. Additionally, he created the Paralympic Sport Club program which is now active in over 200 communities in all 50 states.
For the past year, Mike has served as the Executive Director for Wheelchair and Ambulatory Sports USA while also providing periodic consulting. One of Mike’s recent consulting engagements was to be part of the Michael Kinder and Sons construction and design team for the Turnstone for Tomorrow project.
Barney Neizer, board chairperson said, “we feel fortunate to have found a person with experience and knowledge in the adaptive sports & recreation world and are pleased that he will be with us through the next phase of growth for Turnstone.”
He and his wife, Becky, are in the process of finding the right place in Fort Wayne to call home. And they are looking forward to getting to know the Fort Wayne community, our dedicated Turnstone supporters and those we serve.
About Turnstone
Founded in 1943, Turnstone empowers people with disabilities by maximizing their independence. The agency’s mission is to provide therapeutic, educational, wellness and recreational programs to empower people with disabilities, and it is the only not-for-profit in the region that offers a full range of programs and facilities designed to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities.
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