Rita Lawler retiring from her ‘life’s work’ after 20 years as executive director of Mercy Care Rome.

 

By Natalie Simms
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For 35 years, Mercy Care has provided leadership, advocacy and care for older adults and their families in Rome. And for 20 of those years, Rita Lawler has been at the helm as executive director. But her tenure will come to an end June 30 as Lawler retires from her “life’s work.”

“I was with Network (Day Service Center) for 15 years before that,” says Lawler. “But you have to ask yourself if you want to work forever? My answer was no. So when would be appropriate? I personally felt we (Mercy Care Rome) are at a good place with the adoption of our strategic plan, in our new building and in the strength of our board of directors and staff … I felt secure in leaving.”

With support our its Board of Directors, the Mercy Care Foundation, local businesses and churches, individuals, regional foundations and civic partnerships, Mercy Care completed a $2 million capital campaign and relocated all programs to a beautifully renovated historic property at 300 Chatillon Road in recent years.

“It’s very meaningful to be a part of an organization that is important to the life of the community … providing for families, caregivers, adult day health and senior employment programs. It’s been rewarding to be a part of each of those programs,” says Lawler.

“But one of the distinctive milestones was completing the capital campaign for our new building and raising $2 million to complete the renovation to the former Riverside School. The building is well-designed to accommodate our clients and gives us room to grow for our current and future programs.”

Mercy’s board recently created a strategic plan for the organization that gives “a broader vision” for Mercy’s role in the community. Click here to read the plan.

“We want to have a leadership role in advocacy … to be a leader in the health of the community, with a special focus on older and vulnerable adults and their families,” says Lawler.

The search for Lawler’s replacement is under way, says Sister Angela Ebberwein, longtime liaison with Mercy Atlanta/Sisters of Mercy, the parent organization of the Rome facility.

“We are hopeful that our partners, along with professional and educational organizations, will generate a pool of interested and qualified candidates. Thanks to Rita, the Mercy Care staff and board, as well as the wonderful people Mercy Care serves, the organization offers an appealing work opportunity for servant leaders,” says Ebberwein.

According to comments below from some of the Mercy Care board members, it is clear that Lawler will be missed and her successor will have some big shoes to fill:

Dr. Bill Conner, Board Chairman: “She has been a great inspiration to me over the last 15 years that I have been associated with Mercy Care Rome, first as a golf committee member then board member and now board chair. Her dedication to and compassion for the needs of the less fortunate elderly in our community are a model for us all. Mercy Care has persevered through difficult financial times for non-profits under her leadership and optimism about the future. Her people skills are one primary reason. The organization has grown over 30 years, most of the time under her leadership, and gradually progressed through four or five locations to what we see as a permanent spot on Chatillon Road with room for future expansion. She will be leaving Mercy Care Rome in a good situation as a result of her efforts and the future for the organization indeed looks bright. We will miss her!”

Bruce Watterson, board member: “Rita Lawler’s strength as a leader is based in her vision for Mercy Care and her administrative expertise. She is simply a ‘connectionalist,’ a person who puts the best possible people together for the benefit of a common cause. Advocates of Mercy Care Rome have come together to symbolize the perfection of ordinary actions. Throughout her career, she has sought out and enjoined board members, staffers, clients and community citizens doing whatever to the best of their abilities. No organization could ask for more in a leader. She will be missed.”

Rhonda Padgett, board member: “Rita amazes me due to her commitment, loyalty, and honesty. She leads by example. She is a great visionary and she has a tireless can-do attitude. Working with her allows you to see leadership at its very best. She is a great listener, a great communicator, and has great networking and marketing skills. She does not allow ‘no’ to ever stop her and always floored us with her budgeting skills. I truly believe that Mercy Care of Rome would not be where it is today without her extraordinary leadership. She is so personable and approachable and I think that is the reason people gravitate to her. I cannot imagine Mercy without her, but I know she would expect us to carry on the groundwork that she has so successfully placed before us. She is simply amazing and I am honored to serve as a Board Member on a team with such a fearless and strong director.”

Sister Angela Ebberwein: “Rita Lawler: words like exceptional, superior, dedicated and determined come to mind, but the richness of Rita’s years and accomplishments is discovered by those who saw these descriptors in combination with Rita’s qualities of warmth, compassion, justice, generosity and humor. First and foremost, Rita cared about the people who needed Mercy Care’s services. So quality mattered. Strategic planning mattered. Advocacy mattered, and advocate she did: for grants, for property, for funding, for legislation that would improve lives. Rita worked tirelessly to lead Mercy’s search for the beautiful facility we now enjoy. She puts the same intense energy into preparing for a Board meeting or staying abreast with the changing healthcare landscape or listening to a colleague. Mercy’s new tagline is ‘Connecting generations with community.’ This too is an apt description of Rita. She’s a people-connector, a person who doesn’t bow to barriers. Mercy Care has been truly blessed to have Rita Lawler as a leader … She’ll be sorely missed and not easily replaced.”

Executive Director Rita Lawler and board chair Dr. Bill Conner from Mercy Care Rome will join us at 8:40 this morning on Hometown Headlines Radio Edition on WRGA 98.7 FM, 1470 AM and streaming at wrga.streamon.fm.