The leader of Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities recently announced she will retire after 18 years with the organization.
Executive Director Kristi Crafton has said she will retire in January.
Thomas Fisher-King, Quad City Bank & Trust first vice president of Real Estate Operations and Facilities Management, will be Habitat’s next executive director. He will begin his new role on Sept. 17, allowing for a three-month transition.
Mr. Fisher-King’s passion for Habitat began in 2006 when he spent a week rebuilding houses in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He has been volunteering with Habitat Quad Cities since 2008, including service as a board member, board president and Family Selection Committee chair.
“I am extremely honored to be following the legacy of Kristi Crafton and I am equally passionate about the mission this valuable organization embodies,” he said. “I look forward to continuing the successful programs that Habitat for Humanity QC has built and I am anxious to continue fostering the valuable relationships of Habitat, not only within the organization but also in the community.”
Ms. Crafton started with Habitat Quad Cities in 2005, after 27 years with two other local non-profits. When she began, the Habitat affiliate had just over a $500,000 budget, which has much more than quadrupled under her leadership, a Habitat news release stated.
When she retires, Ms. Crafton will have overseen 102 of Habitat’s 134 home builds. She has also expanded Habitat QC’s programs to include Neighborhood Revitalization, Home Repair, Wheelchair Ramp Building, and Disaster Recovery.
“This has been much more than a job for me, it has been a calling,” Ms. Crafton said. “In my many years as a social worker, I witnessed first-hand how lack of affordable and safe housing impacted families. It hindered health, education and stability and prevented families from escaping poverty. I wanted to play a role in creating real opportunity for positive change.”
