Firm waives fee in search for Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority leader

CANTON ‒ The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority will get a buy-one, get-one-free deal from the headhunter it hired to find an executive director for the agency.

That wasn't the ideal plan.

Stanley Quy's The Organizational Leadership Edge consulting firm in Nebraska had already delivered Joshua Crites to the Housing Authority to fill its open executive director post.

He started the job in February. Problem is, Crites won't stay long. He leaves at the end of the month, due to a family medical issue, which will occupy a lot of his time.

So, Stark needs a replacement.

Due to Crites' quick exit, Quy will waive his fee this time.

That fee could have been as much as $28,800. By contract, Quy stood to earn 16% of a new director's first-year salary — estimated at between $160,000 and $180,000, according to a posting for the job on an industry website.

A consultant's assistance is crucial, Quy said, due to a glut of open jobs in the public housing field.

"There are a lot more great jobs out there than there are candidates to fill them," said Quy, who has worked in the public housing field for 52 years.

He said, generally, he likes to get positions filled within three months, though there are many variables.

"I know potential candidates across the country," Quy explained. "And I also know candidates we don't want ... the ones who have checkered pasts."

Interim director already identified

Most of the Housing Authority's $35 million budget comes from federal funding to operate about 2,300 public housing units and voucher programs for another 1,800 families.

During his seven months, Crites said the agency improved its public housing occupancy rate from 89% to more than 95%. He also noted nearly 200 more vouchers were placed on the streets, which may improve occupancy in those programs.

In addition, the Housing Authority recently was awarded a $500,000 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods planning grant. It could lead to multimillion dollar public-private partnerships to re-develop the Jackson Sherrick public housing complex and surrounding southeast Canton area.

With apparent momentum on its side, Crites said the board will bring in an interim director with a wealth of experience.

Kris Warren, a consultant, previously worked for the U.S. Senate and HUD, and in executive roles for housing agencies in Tampa and Miami, Florida and Chicago. More recently, she was interim chief operating officer at Oakland's housing authority, according to her online biography.

In Canton, she'll be paid $16,800 per month.

Chief financial officer exits, too

But Crites' post isn't the only vacancy.

Jeff Patterson, the agency's chief financial officer, turned in his retirement notice this month.

Patterson was named interim executive director when Herman Hill resigned in March 2022 to take the top position in Akron. Patterson, who'd applied for the permanent Stark executive director slot in the past, remained interim until Crites arrived.

The executive director's slot is posted on the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association website, where it's noted the Stark agency is "governed by a highly supportive five-member board and staffed with 126 employees."

Candidates, it stated, should have at least 10 years of work experience in administration, management and operation of a public housing authority with additional experience in planning, funding and implementation of public sector programs.

"Any combination of experience and education that would be likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities may still be considered by SMHA," the listing stated.

Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stanley Quy searching again for SMHA executive director