Setting a strong foundation: Habitat for Humanity director ready for retirement

After more than a decade of guiding the Habitat for Humanity to build houses and expanding its operations on critical rebuilds, Executive Director of local Habitat for Humanity Colleen Stone is retiring on June 28.

“It has been wonderful to watch our Habitat grow over time, and I’m excited for my successor and our mission.” Stone said.

The legacy Stone leaves will be in good hands after a decade of service to the community, giving life changing homes to first-time homeowners. Since 2013, Stone has had part in the building/renovation of 26 houses, 58 critical home repairs, installed 92 wheelchair ramps and impacted over 200 lives in the community directly.

To meet the requirements for owning a home with Habitat, applicants sit down for an information session about the process and qualifications: the need for safe housing, a low to moderate household income that does not exceed 80% of the median area income, be able to pay a zero interest mortgage and lastly, “sweat equity” which involves volunteering with the Habitat for Humanity either on the build site or in the store.

After meeting all qualifications, those still looking for a forever home tend to pass the final interview for their house.

For Stone, the inclusion of critical home rebuilding in 2019 was needed in Springfield to preserve the aging houses as well as the families inside of them.

“Our affiliates had the mindset of ‘we build houses, that’s what we do!’ and so the critical home repair framework was already in place policy-wise,” Stone said. “It really was just a matter of convincing our donors and our volunteers here that it’s something we should embrace as part of our mission. … putting ourselves beyond the box we put ourselves in.”

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Another lasting impact on Habitat for Humanity is Stone’s choice to move the store to 2744 S. Sixth St. from its original ReStore retail outlet on 1514 W. Jefferson St. in 2014.

The choice to move any large organization is a hard one, but Stone knew the change of space from 6,700 square feet to 25,000 would set up the Habitat ReStore for success. Stone says it’s worked too – the West Jefferson location made around $300,000 annually and the South Six street location with over double the space is on track to make $900,000 annually.

“Moving a large organization is always a challenge for sure but it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made ever,” Stone said. “More furniture, more stuff for people to buy means more profits for Habitat and our mission.”

A life of service even before Habitat, Stone previously spent a decade with the American Red Cross in the Illinois capital chapter as both chief operating officer and CEO of the organization where she handled facility fleets and emergency services.

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Originally moving to Springfield almost 30 years ago for a better work life balance with her children, Stone is following her children once more into her retirement and plans to move out to Seattle, Washington, where she has a grandchild to look after and spoil.

Stone isn’t leaving without a plan though – like each house, she’s setting the foundation for her successor Robert Fair, who will take the position as executive director on July 1.

Fair, who is currently the community outreach manager of Habitat for Humanity has been with the organization for a little over a year and is an adjunct instructor at the University of Illinois Springfield developing semester syllabus. Holding a masters degree in political science and government from UIS, before Habitat Fair worked as a legislative assistant in the Illinois State Senate Democratic Caucus for seven years.

The drive to work with an organization like Habitat for Humanity comes from his results driven mentality. Instead of waiting for policy to change, Fair can help his community right now – and intends to.

“Coming (to Habitat) I kind of wanted to see a good project from start to finish and be a part of that,” Fair said. “On the legislative side of things I would see good bills in my role and watch them be taken apart gradually. I kind of felt coming here was more of a chance for me to actually be involved and actually see that work be put to good use… actually seeing those results of labor.”

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for the State Journal-Register. She can be reached at CLGrant@gannett.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Habitat for Humanity director retiring, successor named in Springfield