Adam Herman named Chief Operating Officer for state developmental disabilities association

The non-profit trade association representing Ohio’s 88 county boards of developmental disabilities (DD) announced Wednesday that Adam Herman has been appointed as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective January 13. Herman, who joined the association in 2011 after working on behalf of various state and local officials, most recently served as the organization’s communications director and chief spokesperson.

“It is a great honor to be entrusted with this leadership role during such a critical time for Ohio’s developmental disability system,” Herman said. “County boards of DD are relying on their association now more than ever as they work around the clock to keep people healthy and safe from the pandemic. OACB will continue to work tirelessly to ensure they have everything they need to achieve their important mission.”

The appointment, announced as part of a larger staff restructuring at the association, is the first of many steps designed to prepare the organization for staff transitions in the not-too-distant future.  Several of OACB’s most experienced staff members have recently announced their intention to retire after decades of service within Ohio’s county board of DD system, prompting a renewed focus on succession planning within the organization’s leadership team.

“This staff reorganization represents the first of many investments we will make in our organization’s long-term sustainability over the next few years,” said Bridget Gargan, the association’s CEO. “Associations must continuously evolve if they are to remain relevant to their members and competitive among their peers. Strategic decisions like this one will ensure that OACB can continue to anticipate and meet the ever-changing needs of Ohio’s county boards of DD, both now and in the future.”

In the position of COO, Herman will oversee many aspects of OACB’s day-to-day operations and manage all planning and logistics for the association’s two flagship professional development conferences. In addition, he will be responsible for implementing a wide variety of new special projects and initiatives in support of key association objectives, including:

• Spearheading the creation of programs designed to improve representation, equity, and inclusion within Ohio’s DD system;
• Developing first-of-their-kind customer experience data collection, analysis, and enhancement strategies for county boards of DD; and
• Guiding implementation of the association’s strategic plan; among others.

For more information about OACB’s recent staff reorganization, please click here. To contact Adam Herman, send an email to aherman@oacbdd.org.