After 6 months, Jim Ayres out as CEO of Greater Worcester Community Foundation

WORCESTER — The agency that helped raise millions to support the community during the pandemic is looking for new leadership six months after hiring a new president and CEO.

Jim Ayres resigned as the head of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, effective last Friday.

In an interview, J. Christopher Collins, chairman of the foundation's board of directors, said the foundation will not be discussing details of the resignation.

Nothing criminal is involved, he said.

Ayres, a former vice president with the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and executive director and CEO for the United Way of Hampshire County, was announced as the new president and CEO in November and began his role in January.

According to a news release from the nonprofit, Collins and Vice Chair Michael P. Angelini are leading the staff and board through a transition phase following the resignation.

"We want to really think this through and we do obviously have a unique challenge because we've had several leadership changes over the past couple of years," Collins said. "We think doing something quick doesn't make sense. So we're even trying to figure out whether interim leadership makes sense or whether we should move right to trying to find a permanent solution."

Ayres took over from interim CEO Carolyn Stempler, who oversaw the agency when the former president and CEO, Barbara G. Fields, resigned in March of 2021. Fields also had a brief tenure with the foundation, leaving after 20 months.

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation was part of a group effort that raised more than $10 million to help the region's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Worcester Together fund was a partnership of the foundation and United Way of Central Massachusetts.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: After six months, Jim Ayres out as CEO of Greater Worcester Community Foundation