City Mission CEO Gartland to retire, Irey Vaughan named as successor
Courtesy of Washington City Mission
In this 2020 photo, Washington City Mission director of volunteers Sheila Coquet and City Mission president and CEO Dean Gartland, wait at the Washington Thrift Store for residents to arrive. Gartland recently announced his plans to retire next year.
Washington City Mission’s president and CEO Dean Gartland will retire next year. Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, who is not running for reelection this year, will succeed him.
Observer-Reporter
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, who is not running for reelection this year, will succeed Dean Gartland as president and CEO of the City Mission.
For the past 15 years, Dean Gartland has served as president and CEO of City Mission, guiding the faith-based homeless shelter through a devastating fire in 2015 and the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic while nearly doubling its capacity to house homeless men, women and children.
But now, the longtime leader says it’s time to hang up his hat.
“This has been a calling all of my life. This has been a passion I’ve had, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be able to work at something I love doing,” said Gartland, who spent 28 years at Light of Life Rescue Mission in Pittsburgh before coming to the mission in Washington. “One of the most satisfying things about this work is seeing the lives transformed through the programs and services we offer at City Mission. It’s been a privilege to see them get jobs, to reconnect with their families, to get engaged spiritually in a church, to become productive members of society. Those are the biggest blessings for me.”
Starting March 1, 2024, Gartland will serve as president emeritus, where he will assist the mission during the transition leading up to his retirement; he will fully retire from his role on Sept. 30, 2024.
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, who has worked closely with the City Mission on projects over the years, has been named as Gartland’s successor. She will begin her new role on March 1, 2024.
“Having her on board is exciting for City Mission. She’s served the county faithfully for decades and she’s demonstrated a heart for the poor in the community. She has shown that she really wants to see people’s lives bettered, and she’s the right person to hep the mission grow even more.”
Gartland started at the mission in 2008, where he served as director of programs and vice president before taking on the role of president/CEO in 2010.
Since Gartland arrived at City Mission, the organization has grown in size, scope and reach. The mission has increased its available beds from 96 to 175, and significantly increased its annual budget from $2.5 million to $8 million.
After the 2015 fire that nearly crippled the mission and displaced 58 people, Gartland supervised an $18 million capital campaign that culminated in the construction of the four main shelters the mission operates today, for men, women, women with children, and veterans.
For Gartland, the addition of the Crabtree-Kovacicek Veterans Shelter and the shelter for women with children was crucial to serve those fast-growing homeless populations.
The mission is preparing for construction of a 50-bed shelter for homeless women in 2024.
Gartland’s ability to secure large Pittsburgh-area grants, coupled with his relentless pursuit to spread the word about the works of the mission – including his “Hope for the Homeless” podcast – have played a role in the mission’s growth.
Gartland also established a 60,000-square-foot Vocational Training Center/Donation Center and expanded City Mission’s network of thrift stores from three to eight. All thrift store profits are given back to the mission.
Last year, the thrift stores provided $500,000 to programs and services for the homeless.
Betsie Trew, president and CEO of Washington County Community Foundation, said Gartland’s passion for helping the homeless “is infectious.”
“His enthusiasm and passion make you want to help out,” said Trew. “He has displayed strong leadership skills throughout his tenure. There were several key times that required strong leadership, including the recovery after the fire, which was a massive undertaking. He has had a significant impact on the growth of the City Mission. It comes down to leadership, and he has been exemplary.”
Gartland will work in an advisory capacity and will assist in the fundraiser for the new 50-bed shelter for homeless women the mission is building in 2024.
Gartland informed City Mission’s board of directors late last year he planned to retire.
In February, Irey Vaughan, who is completing her seventh term in office and is Washington County’s longest-serving commissioner, announced she did not plan to seek re-election. She is the only woman to have ever served in the position.
“When she announced she wasn’t running for re-election, I thought it seemed like a natural step, and we started a conversation,” said Gartland.
In Irey Vaughan – who has long supported humanitarian efforts, charities and nonprofits throughout the county, and has worked as a volunteer with incarcerated females at Washington County Jail – the city mission has found a champion.
She served on the City Mission Capital Campaign Steering Committee in 2017-18.
An avid runner, Irey Vaughan has participated in half a dozen races ranging from 5Ks to full marathons that have raised more than $100,000 for City Mission.
She currently is training for the January 2024 Dopey Challenge in Disney World (participants run a 5K, 10K, half-marathon and full marathon in the same weekend) and the Dumbo Challenge in Disneyland (a 10K and a half-marathon), with proceeds benefitting City Mission.
Irey Vaughan played a key role in the development of Southpointe I and II, having co-chaired the Western Center Land Reuse Task Force, and has been instrumental in the progress of California Technology Park. She was named one of the top “60 Pittsburghers of the Year” by Pittsburgh Magazine in 1999.
In 2010, Washington County ranked third in the nation in job growth by the U.S. Department of Labor.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity that Washington City Mission is giving me. I’m supportive of the City Mission and have been for a long time because of the great and essential work they’ve done,” said Irey Vaughan, noting the success rate of 67% for those seeking substance abuse treatment who remain at the mission for 90 days. “Dean Gartland’s shoes are big shoes to fill, but I hope to live up to the expectations of the City Mission board of directors.”
The nonprofit has served homeless men, women and children for more than 82 years. It provides food and shelter, and addresses long-term needs, including drug and alcohol counseling, mental health and medical treatment, legal aid, and employment training.
Reflecting on his years at City Mission, Gartland recalled an encounter after the 2015 fire.
“So many former homeless people who went through our program came back to help support us financially. One day, a guy came down and handed me a check for $1,000. I said, ‘I can’t take this, you keep it,'” said Gartland. “With tears in his eyes, he said he wanted me to have it. ‘This place saved my life,’ he said. I was overwhelmed with appreciation and gratitude. When you realize the impact City Mission has had on the lives of thousands of men and women who come through here, it’s overwhelming. It’s a privilege to be a part of it.”