LACLT's Founding Executive Director to Retire

1993 - Linda with LACLT's first tenant Board member Bob, after closing on one of the earliest properties.

Linda Harvey of Laconia Area Community Land Trust has announced her upcoming retirement in May.  Harvey, the founding Executive Director of LACLT, has been with the organization over 23 years and moved it from a fledgling start-up to an organization of tremendous success and impact.
 
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this wonderful organization, and I’m so happy with all the great things we’ve accomplished.  I’m excited for the next leader to take this terrific organization to even higher levels of achievement.”
 

LACLT Board Chair Jason Hicks notes, “On behalf of the LACLT Board, we are extremely grateful to Linda for her remarkable service. As a sole employee starting with a borrowed folding chair, she grew the organization into a nationally recognized success story. Linda engaged local communities to recognize a need for affordable housing for its citizens and helped them provide it. She developed a vast network of committed stakeholders to create permanently affordable community assets. She assembled a team of highly skilled staff to provide programs of excellence and impact to thousands of Lakes Region residents. Under her leadership, LACLT has invested 87 million dollars into the community to build neighborhoods and change lives. We will be forever mindful and proud of her achievements and stewardship. It is with mixed emotions that wish her well in her future endeavors, and we transition to new leadership.”
 
Hicks and Harvey explain, “We’ve long had sound Succession Plans in place to cover planned and unplanned absences. So it is easy for the organization to draw from these plans in moving ahead.”  The Board’s Transition Team is in place and has been working with a consultant to provide an effective transition process.
 
Since Harvey began, the organization has developed 277 units of permanently affordable housing. Another 89 units in three towns are in the immediate pipeline. 1000s of Lakes Region residents have participated in LACLT’s free financial literacy and homebuyer education services.
 
Last month LACLT celebrated the completion of the River’s Edge project in Laconia, converting a site comprised formerly of contaminated soil and blight into 32 units of permanently affordable housing.  Linda and LACLT have won dozens of awards over the years, including the Lakes Region Chamber’s Irwin Award, Business NH Magazine’s Business of the Decade, Citizen’s Bank Community Champion, Lakes Region Visionary Award, Lakes Region Community Leadership Award, and many awards for excellence in nonprofit management.  Linda was named one of NH Magazine’s Remarkable Women, Zonta’s Woman of Achievement, and one of the Lakes Region’s 100 Legendary Locals in Ray Carbone’s book of the same name, among many honors.
 
“I’m looking forward to focusing on my health, having more time with family and friends, and supporting the Land Trust in new ways.  It’s an exciting time for me and for the Land Trust.”

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