General Manager Transition Updates

General Manager Transition Committee Resolution

Board Outlines GM Transition Process

On Dec. 9th, 2020, the SVCA Board of Directors voted to terminate the services of our General Manager, Joe Acla. This matter was deliberated upon at length in closed session to protect the legally guaranteed rights to privacy of all those involved, and official action was taken in open session. Currently Brian Kruhlak is serving in the Interim GM role.

The Board understands members may have questions about the Board’s decision and the process to find a new GM. In this article, I would like to outline the management transition process, and encourage you all to visit the Sudden Valley website for additional information and regular updates.

On Dec. 17th, 2020, the Board voted to establish a GM Transition Committee to support the Board’s search for new management of the Association. The committee is not responsible for making any decisions. Instead, it is charged with doing the work needed to present the required information and qualified candidates to the Board allowing them to make an informed decision when hiring Sudden Valley’s next GM.

The GM Transition Committee is also seeking an Interim GM who has the experience and expertise to aid the Board during this transition period. This Interim GM will be hired temporarily to create a plan to allow for a smooth transition to the permanent GM and aid the Board in searching for our new GM. They would also be tasked with running the day-to-day operations of the community as would normally be expected from this position.

Hiring an Interim GM will allow Brian Kruhlak to go back to performing his regular duties as the Director of Golf. It will also allow the Board to take the time necessary to do a thorough and extensive search for a highly qualified candidate who has the skills and experience to manage and lead our community under a transparent and sustainable model. A consultant will be utilized to aid the Board in this process of searching for a new GM.

The Board will also seek proposals from community management companies to see what sort of services they may be able to provide our community and how that would compare to the self-managed model we have been operating under. The committee is directed to put together a report for the Board comparing the two management models.

The Board has created this page on our SV website to keep the membership informed and to provide an opportunity for the community members to be heard during this transition process. We anticipate the whole process will likely take several months to complete, and the Board will continue to inform the membership as we have more information.

If you have any questions about the process or would like to provide input as to what you would like to see in our community’s next GM, please email BOD@suddenvalley.com

The SVCA Board of Directors

Please check this page on occasion for future updates or sign up for our e-blast to receive notifications from the Association. The Board will also provide updates in the Views

Update 09/28/21:

GM RECRUITMENT BEGINS

The Board of Directors, with the support of the GM Transition Committee and Novak Consulting Group, has begun recruiting for the General Manager position at the Sudden Valley Community Association. The first review of applicants will be on October 11, 2021, with interviews of qualified candidates to begin shortly thereafter. The Board appreciates the feedback we received from the survey that was done in coordination with Novak, and we will consider that feedback in our selection of a candidate. The recruitment brochure for the General Manager position is located HERE.

The Board is excited at the opportunity to bring in a highly skilled, qualified, and motivated individual to lead our Association. The GM Transition Committee has spent the last several months working with our Management Team to ensure we have created a collaborative organizational structure to bring in this key leadership role. We recognize that our department managers are the backbone of our organization, and they provide the stability needed to deliver consistent services to our community.  We expect the new General Manager to come in and support our existing Management Team and work to ensure a smooth transition into their new role.

We will provide additional information to the community as we move through the interview process as it becomes available.

SVCA Board of Directors

For more information:

Final Update:

SVCA Board of Directors is Excited to Announce Dan Pike as our new General Manager

The SVCA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Pike as the community’s new General Manager. Dan brings significant credentials to SVCA’s General Manager position, with an impressive resume of community and regional leadership experience. Dan is well versed in the aspects of organizational management, transportation and community planning, project management, and effective community communications.

Dan has owned his own consulting business specializing in strategic management, communications, and organizational sustainability, assisting organizations identify best management practices and build interagency partnerships. Dan was elected by the residents of the city of Bellingham to serve as the Mayor. He has served as the Executive Director of Planning and Community Development for Pierce Transit as well as the Strategic Planning Program Manager for the Port of Seattle. Additionally, Dan has served as the Transportation Director for the Skagit Council of Governments and was also the Freight Action Strategies Corridor Project Manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation.

We are excited that Dan has agreed to serve as the General Manager. Dan’s knowledge of the local region will provide our Association with the ability to develop and build solid partnerships with outside entities and agencies that will support the sustainability of our Community. He is committed to a community culture of honesty, respect, and inclusion, as well as our strategic goal of implementing proper planning procedures to ensure the membership has a voice in the future of our Community.

Dan’s first day will be Monday, Jan. 3rd. The Board and Executives would like to thank our Management Team for all of their hard work in continuing to ensure the smooth day-to-day operations of the community continued in the absence of a General Manager. The Board would also like to thank the Management Team for all their efforts assisting the Board in interviewing and providing valuable feedback on the candidates for the General Manager position. The Board and Management Team feel confident that the collaborative process utilized in selecting a new General Manager has ensured we have identified the most qualified candidate for this position.

I would also like to thank the community for their patience during this period of transition. Change is not always easy and does not always go as planned, but the Board put a plan in place and continued to follow through on that plan until it reached a successful conclusion. We are confident that the membership will admire and appreciate the leadership and experience that Dan brings to our Community.

The SVCA Board of Directors