Community Futures Chatham-Kent – Changing the Shape and Dynamics of an Amazing Team Turned Family!

Over this past year, Community Futures Chatham-Kent has been working through some staffing transitions that have started to change the shape and dynamics of our office.  Last spring, our Executive Director announced her upcoming retirement and began working with a recruitment firm to find a replacement.  I arrived in September to take the helm and could not be happier to work with the existing team of Business Development Coordinators.  Let me introduce you to the team, as this is where you will learn about the strength of our office.

When I speak of transition, I can honestly say it is made easier when you have quality people that you can rely on who have an immense amount of experience.   This leads me to our longest-tenured employee, Peter Maguire.   Peter is a very deeply rooted community-minded individual who really enjoys the excitement of helping new entrepreneurs see their ideas come to reality.  In 2007 when Peter had just retired from a long and successful career with the bank, his plan was to slow down and had taken a job to work casually with a local businessman to help him stabilize his business.  After seeing his books Peter realized that this business could use an infusion of funds and so Peter was asked to make a presentation to the board of directors at Community Futures for a $65K loan.   The next day Peter received a phone call from one of Community Futures Directors and the Executive Director at that time as they had a full time employee quit, They wanted Peter to come and bring his talents to CFCK.

Over the years Peter has been instrumental in not only helping hundreds of business owners in the community but also a strong mentor to many of the staff who have come and gone.  One time, in particular, Peter helped guide the office when we had two executive directors pass away suddenly within weeks of one another.  After 17 years Peter is still mentoring staff and entrepreneurs to help share his deep sense of community and business savvy for our thriving rural community.

Peters, influence as a leader at the bank led to a former colleague of his joining the team not long after her retirement as a manager from the bank.  Enter Brenda Richardson, she joined CFCK in the fall of 2019 less than a year after retiring as Peter called Brenda to see what she was up to and knowing their past relationship they both felt it was a great opportunity to collaborate and work together once again.   Brenda felt that she still had much more to offer the community and knew that this was a great way to support that.   Brenda also shares that this helps to keep her young with a great sense of community supporting a diverse group of entrepreneurs.

I am very grateful to be working closely with Peter and Brenda. For all three of us are tied very closely together from our time at Scotiabank.  At that time, I was working for Brenda and Peter would often stop in to visit us at the bank.   It is exciting to support the business community in Chatham-Kent daily with such a passionate and tenured team.   We are a genuine and compassionate team that is looking forward to great things in 2025 and beyond!

David Argenti, Executive Director, Community Futures Chatham-Kent