FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 13, 2016 CONTACT Farrell Howe Marketing and Communication Manager Kalamazoo Public Library 269-553-7879 Meet the New ONEplace Director – Matthew Lechel Kalamazoo, MI – Monday, November 13, 2017. Kalamazoo Public Library is pleased to announce the new Director of ONEplace - Matthew Lechel. Matt Lechel has 15+ years of nonprofit experience including organizations such as the YMCA, Girl Scouts, and Volunteer Kalamazoo. He received his Masters of Public Administration-Nonprofit Leadership degree from Western Michigan University in 2008, and also taught as adjunct faculty at WMU for a number of years. Prior to joining ONEplace in 2016, Lechel served for six years as the Executive Director of Kalamazoo Collective Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing cooperative in Kalamazoo. Matt Lechel has also served on the boards of PFC Natural Grocery and Deli, and Kalamazoo County Parks Commission, where he currently serves as Secretary. "Matt's experience in the Kalamazoo nonprofit environment, his demonstrated abilities over the past year, and his passion for all that ONEplace embodies will, I'm sure, prove to be the right combination in leading ONEplace," said Kalamazoo Public Library Director Ryan Wieber. "I am excited for Matt and am confident he will do a great job." Matt Lechel will model the legacy of excellent leadership provided by previous ONEplace Directors Thom Andrews and Bobbe Luce. Under Matt's direction, ONEplace will continue to provide a variety of custom capacity building services to the nonprofits in Kalamazoo county. "I am humbled and honored to take on this position, particularly after the passing of my friend and mentor Thom Andrews, who left a tremendous legacy here at ONEplace," said Lechel. "Nonprofits are critical to the success of our community, and impact nearly all of us whether we're program participants, funders, staff, volunteers or board members. The fact that ONEplace even exists is a testament to the commitment of nonprofit excellency from Kalamazoo area funders like the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and Kalamazoo Community Foundations. I am excited to grow the great work of ONEplace." Congratulations Matt! ####