Gagneron most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at United Way of Northern New Jersey where she led financial planning and managed human resources and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Prior to that, she spent nearly a decade at the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity serving as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer where she oversaw financial operations and IT functions and managed risks and compliance.

She began her career in finance, serving as a senior auditor. She then took on the role of a senior lead at the real estate management firm Pinnacle Group. From there, she served as Interim CFO/Assistant Vice President of Finance at Palladia Inc., a social services agency in New York City with a $50 million operating budget.

Gagneron earned an MBA in technology from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Binghamton University. She serves on the board of the Baltimore start-up nonprofit organization Transforming Youth Into Adults (TYIA).

New Community Board of Directors Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba expressed the Board’s confidence in the selection of Gagneron because of her background, experience and demonstrated commitment to the urban environment.

“The Board is confident that Simone will continue New Community’s legacy of service and empowerment,” Yamba said.

Another Board Member, Edgar Nemorin, who chaired the CEO Search Committee for the selection of Gagneron, noted her proven leadership with strong financial and business acumen, as well as her wealth of experience in finance, housing and project management.

“She has the skills, knowledge and experience from her work at the YMCA and United Way that will lead New Community Corporation to achieve its goals,” Nemorin said.

In accepting the position, Gagneron has committed to New Community’s mission and looks forward to leading the nonprofit to continued success.

“I am excited to join an organization that continues to be influential in its commitment to changing the life trajectory for inner city families,” Gagneron said. “It is essential that nonprofits and businesses work together to make sure that the next generation has the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding economic crisis are devastating underserved communities and we wanted to ensure we were positioned to increase our impact and highlight the core services that will increase in demand as we begin life post pandemic,” stated Richard Rohrman, New Community CEO. “People are looking to trusted brands to provide them with safety and security in these testing times. We are excited to do right by our community and employees with bold messaging and an inspiring new logo that takes us into the future and makes it clear how we can help those in need.”

“New Community has had over 60,000 service interactions since the start of the pandemic year and the need for services continues every day. We understand the current environment and the competitive nature of grants and funding in this economy and want to make sure we are positioned internally and externally to continue our work well into the future,” stated Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, New Community Board Chairman. “Our last logo brought us tremendous success and we believe this one will do the same.”

As a part of the brand refresh, New Community has also launched a new tagline (“Vision, Dignity, Achievement”), new logo, new colorway and bold key messaging. The new logo features the words “New Community” in the beloved “New Community Green” partnered with four icons that represent the organization’s core service areas in vibrant shades of blue and yellow, that inspire and bring positive energy. The assets will roll out over New Community’s website, social media pages, merchandise, building signage, vehicles, Clarion newsletter and pole banners in the coming months.

The original NCC logo features the outline of a house and a deep shade of green that has become synonymous with New Community. The new brand assets and key messaging were developed during a nine-month process involving research, focus groups, board input and work with a consulting firm.

Since 1968, New Community has boldly fought to battle racial discrimination and stood on the front lines for justice to ensure ALL are afforded God-given dignity. In the wake of increased racial discrimination and the deadly shooting in Georgia, we offer our solidarity and sincere support to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the 50-plus years since our inception, some things have changed but senseless hate crimes, brutality and systematic racism remains. These moments serve as a painful reminder of the importance of our mission and how the solidarity of like-minded people and organizations is needed to drive impact and lasting change.

In solidarity,

A. Zachary Yamba
Chairperson, New Community Corporation Board of Directors

Richard Rohrman
CEO, New Community Corporation

“NCC is in a strong position to explode into its next 50 years. There will be new buildings and facilities, much greater emphasis on health and its relationship to housing, training for well-paying in-demand jobs, health care, early childhood development and future innovations,” said Richard Rohrman, New Community CEO. “When you look at our current organizational structure and financial standing, what you are seeing are the long-run cumulative results of innovative strategies and strategic partnerships that allow us to create tremendous impact. Right now, I see New Community as ready for whatever arises, making it an optimal time for this transition.”

Rohrman’s history with New Community started long before he was appointed the CEO. In the 1980s, he served as the Assistant Director of Maintenance and Business Development Manager. Since then, he has held the positions of Director of Real Estate Operations and Director of Real Estate Development. In 2013, Richard was appointed as the CEO when Monsignor William J. Linder, the Founder of NCC, retired from that position.

“Throughout Richard Rohrman’s career at New Community Corporation, here in the City of Newark, he has demonstrated commitment, compassion and creativity. Richard’s efforts and determination was of tremendous benefit to not just the New Community family but the Newark family as well. New Community Corporation’s loss is Newark’s loss,” stated Mildred Crump, Newark City Council President.

A hybrid celebration will be held in Rohrman’s honor on May 20, 2021, which will be live streamed via Facebook and YouTube for employees, partners and friends. In the coming weeks, additional information about the search and celebration will be released via the New Community website, social media channels and Clarion, New Community’s monthly newsletter.

“Richard has been a wonderful partner with the Board and an outstanding leader for New Community Corporation for over 25 years. The New Community network, and those we serve, have greatly benefited from his vision, business acumen, dedication and leadership,” stated Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, New Community Board of Directors Chairman. “In his role of CEO, Rohrman has used his expertise to strengthen the operational structure and the financial standing of the organization, positioning NCC to grow and be acclaimed as one of the largest community development organizations in the country. We will miss him greatly.”

In preparation for new leadership, the Board of Directors has constituted a search committee of its members in partnership with The Support Center, a nonprofit leadership and consulting organization specializing in executive search and transition.  For more information about the CEO position and search, visit www.supportcenteronline.org.

Financially stable; self-sufficient; and strategically positioned to enter its next phase of growth. These are uncommon phrases to hear as the U.S. economy continues to endure COVID-19. However, New Community in Newark – one of the largest and most comprehensive community development corporations in the country – fits the bill, with a best in class model for financial sustainability and a workforce of almost 500 employees.

“We’ve been able to leverage over $80 million to strengthen and revitalize our affordable housing units for seniors, families and the disabled for the next 20 years, and in doing so, we were able to enhance our financial position and generate revenue to continue our mission,” said Richard Rohrman, CEO of New Community.

New Community has 1,812 housing units spread over 12 properties in Newark, Jersey City and Orange. The organization offers 360-degree human services and 60 percent of its employees are local residents.

“Being place-based in Newark allows us to blanket the area we live and work in with a wide variety of comprehensive services that rise to meet people where they are,” Rohrman said. “In addition, our Board of Directors is curated from thought leaders in education, finance, public safety, government, affordable housing and law. This combination of our community connections and boots on the ground expertise allows us to help residents increase their quality of life and drive social impact for generations to come.”

NCC was founded in response to the 1967 violent civil unrest in Newark, N.J., by the late Monsignor William J. Linder (who marched in the famed Selma to Montgomery March with Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Rep. John Lewis) and a core group of Black community leaders and white allies, including Tim Still, Willie Wright, Bob Curvin, Joe Chaneyfield and Ken Gibson. New Community has since provided affordable housing, critical social services and continuous economic opportunities throughout each stage of community members’ lives.

Now, faced again with similar challenges in 2020, the organization can serve once more as a national model for those seeking best practices in community development as we move through the double pandemics of COVID-19 and social justice.

“Newark is on the rise and a model for peaceful protests. However, the incidents of police brutality, senseless hate crimes and the impact of COVID-19 throughout the Black community are reminders of systemic racism in our society,” said Rohrman and A. Zachary Yamba, chairman of New Community’s Board of Directors. “To that end, New Community has pledged to double down on our existing initiatives to close the asset gap and reduce inequality in health and social services, financial literacy, education, affordable housing and workforce development.”

Its “Walk the Walk” pledge includes working closer with social justice advocacy groups such as New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and Newark Communities for Accountable Policing as well as the development of a think tank that will host topical discussions with thought leaders to address innovations for success, best practices and ways to work together for an equitable future for all.

“When community development corporations work to empower their residents to participate in such neighborhood growth from the ground up, a sort of self-sustaining synergy arises,” said Fred Hunter, chief operating officer of New Community. “New Community is committed to going deeper and connecting with partners and funders to increase our social impact in the Greater Newark Area.”

New Community plans to invest more heavily in three areas in the near future: workforce development, home ownership and improved community health, explains Rohrman.

“We’d like to increase our enrollment at New Community Career & Technical Institute to enhance employability and provide skills for future generations to build a career,” Rohrman said. “And, for the residents of Newark to continue to live here and keep this community intact, we’ll need to increase home ownership opportunities, so that absentee landlords who sell for the right price don’t leave it up to the market to determine whether a current resident can afford to stay.”

Since its founding, New Community has listened to the needs of the people to fulfill its mission of helping inner city residents improve the quality of their lives. Therefore, it offers a wide range of services for individuals of all ages, including housing, health care, education and financial services.

“We’ve made incredible progress over the last 52 years, and our programs, services and expertise are needed now more than ever,” Rohrman said.

FSB is a neighbor helping neighbor team with staff on-call to provide the following free services: online support for stress management techniques, development of new coping skills, compassion fatigue, communication techniques and resource linkage.

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in services should call 973-272-7488 or email FSBNJHH@newcommunity.org.

Virtual support groups are available weekdays via Zoom. The morning group is for Spanish speaking individuals from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday to Friday with meeting code 970 8765 7941. The afternoon group runs from 3 to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday with meeting code 943 0132 5496. The password for both groups is 12345.

This program is brought to you by/through NJ Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). Family Service Bureau of Newark in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Disaster and Terrorism Branch, is offering a Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

Two flyers are available for the services:

• Flyer for crisis counseling services
• Flyer for virtual support groups

About Family Service Bureau
Serving the needs of the community since 1882, Family Service Bureau (FSB) is a Licensed Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Center. FSB’s mission is to preserve, educate, support, strengthen and enrich family life through prevention, intervention and community education programs that assist families, children and individuals. Our staff includes clinicians and interns under direct supervision of licensed clinical supervisors. By adopting an integrated behavioral health model to treat the whole body, FSB aims to provide each consumer with the resources needed to improve their quality of life.

About New Community Corporation (NCC)
New Community Corporation was founded in 1968 in Newark, N.J., by Monsignor William J. Linder and a small group of community residents during a time of civil unrest that was spreading throughout urban communities across the United States. NCC has grown to become one of the largest and most comprehensive community development organizations in the country, providing services ranging from housing and health care to education and banking services. New Community Corporation’s mission is to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

In addition to receiving classroom and hands-on instruction at the NCCTI Training Center, students will have the opportunity to receive industry specific training at area dealerships while being paid at least $15 per hour for their work.

To highlight the opportunities, NCCTI is hosting an Information Session Wednesday, July 31 at 10 a.m. at its Training Center, located at 210 West Bigelow St., Newark, NJ 07108. In addition to NCCTI staff, representatives from NJ CAR, the city and the Newark Alliance will be on hand and employers will be present to discuss job opportunities.

“NCCTI is on the cutting edge of establishing apprenticeship opportunities in the automotive and diesel sectors,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “We are proud to partner with NJ CAR, the city of Newark and the Newark Alliance for this initiative.”

“NJ CAR looks forward to the opportunity to work with NCC to help develop and connect NCC talent to the dealerships throughout the region offering good paying jobs and rewarding careers as automotive technicians,” said NJ CAR President Jim Appleton. “Car dealerships are uniquely local businesses and the jobs they offer come with great pay, benefits and, most importantly, can’t be outsourced to the Sun Belt or shipped overseas.”

NJ CAR received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor to provide paid apprenticeships. The organization identified NCCTI as a feeder program for Essex County.

The funding is part of an expansion of apprenticeship opportunities in the state of New Jersey. These types of programs lead to life-sustaining wages, clearly defined career pathways and lifelong self-sufficiency. Gov. Phil Murphy held a press conference in February announcing $2.8 million in grant money for apprenticeship programs statewide.

About New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI)
New Community Career & Technical Institute (www.newcommunitytech.edu) is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school in Newark, N.J., that provides training that prepares students to receive nationally recognized credentials in several industries. NCCTI’s mission is to improve the quality of life of all students through education and occupational training in a community that fosters life-long learning.

About New Community Corporation (NCC)
New Community Corporation (www.www.newcommunity.org) was founded in 1968 in Newark, N.J., by Monsignor William J. Linder and a small group of community residents during a time of civil unrest that was spreading throughout urban communities across the United States. NCC has grown to become one of the largest and most comprehensive community development organizations in the country, providing services ranging from housing and health care to education and banking services. New Community Corporation’s mission is to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

About New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR)
The New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (www.njcar.org), founded in 1918, is a nonprofit organization serving franchised new car and truck retailers throughout New Jersey. NJ CAR’s purpose is to promote the principles of commercial honor and integrity in the sale and service of motor vehicles. The primary objectives of NJ CAR are to further any legitimate interests of its members, to keep its members informed on a variety of business matters, practices, trends and legislation, and to provide special products and services to its members.

About Newark Alliance
The Newark Alliance (www.newark-alliance.org) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the ongoing economic revitalization of Newark, striving to transform the city into a better and safer place to work, live, learn, play and do business. Supported by corporate and community partners, the Alliance has successfully leveraged Newark’s competitive assets to generate economic growth for the city, state, region and beyond. Through innovative partnerships with key stakeholders, the Alliance has developed creative solutions and supported major citywide initiatives that are delivering transformational change for residents and visitors alike, further advancing Newark’s renaissance into one of America’s great cities.

Dr. A. Zachary Yamba, who joined the New Community Corporation Board of Directors in September 2012, was unanimously voted into the position of Board President.

The vote occurred June 26, 2018, with all Board Members present, shortly after the passing of New Community Founder Monsignor William J. Linder who had served as the Board Chairman. Monsignor Linder passed away June 8, 2018.

“This board meeting is historic in the sense that June 26, 2018 will be remembered as the starting date of New Community Corporation’s second 50-year journey into providing services and empowering our inner city residents,” Yamba said as he accepted the role of Board President.

Yamba was very close to Monsignor Linder. The pair met 55 years ago and became good friends. Yamba said the Board of Directors would remain true to Monsignor’s vision for New Community going forward.

“Monsignor Linder left a grand legacy for those of us remaining to cherish, protect and most of all continue to grow. Dr. Yamba has a long and distinguished presence in the community and we are fortunate to have a leader who is so committed to our city and its residents,” said New Community CEO Richard Rohrman.

Yamba is President Emeritus of Essex County College. He served as President from 1980 to 2010, which is the longest anyone has held that position at the school. He was also involved with the institution well before leading it. Yamba joined the humanities faculty when the college opened in 1968 and served as Dean of Faculty prior to his appointment as President in May 1980.

He served as a commissioner of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools for more than a decade and is a founding member of the Presidents’ Round Table, an affiliate of the National Council on Black American Affairs of the American Association of Community Colleges. His other past affiliations include serving on the boards of the Essex County WIB, Newark Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, American Conference on Diversity, Christ the King Prep Academy, Council of Higher Education in Newark (CHEN) and Newark Boys Chorus School.

Dr. Yamba is currently also a board member of the Victoria Foundation, Regent Emeritus of Seton Hall University, ASA College in New York and the Two Hundred Club of Essex County.

A graduate of Seton Hall University, Yamba was awarded honorary degrees from his alma mater, Rutgers University and the University of Development Studies in Ghana. In 1980, Yamba, an All-America soccer player, was inducted into Seton Hall’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Board of Directors for New Community Corporation is made up of the following members: Barry Baker, Fernando Colon, Migdalia Martinez, Edgar Nemorin, Newton Richards, Madge Wilson and Yamba.

New Community is a nonprofit organization that transformed a blighted area of Newark following the 1967 riots by building new housing and providing critical services like job training.

Under Monsignor’s leadership, New Community grew from a single housing development to an entire network of facilities and services, today encompassing close to 2,000 units of housing for seniors and families in three New Jersey cities, in addition to providing child care, education, health care and a host of other services that make it one of the most holistic in its approach in the community development arena. Monsignor’s goal from the very beginning was ambitious, radical and unlike anything ever attempted in an inner-city environment at the time: creating a planned community within an old, existing city that would provide residents with all the services they need from birth to death.

“The people of the city of Newark have lost their greatest and most persistent champion,” said New Community CEO Richard Rohrman. “There is physical evidence of Monsignor Linder’s legacy throughout the city, but his most important legacy is the difference he’s made in many people’s lives through the New Community mission. He always worked to preserve people’s God-given dignity and helped them pursue personal achievement. We at New Community will continue to serve residents with Monsignor Linder’s vision in mind.”

The model of community development Monsignor created attracted visitors from around the world, including places like Ireland and Africa. His work also drew the attention of leaders like Bill and Hillary Clinton — she visited New Community back in the 1980s. Former South African Bishop Desmond Tutu and Former U.S. Housing Secretary Jack Kemp also visited.

Today, New Community owns and operates its own nursing home; a 102-apartment transitional housing facility for homeless families called Harmony House and New Community Workforce Development Center, an accredited post-secondary career and technical school offering programs in automotive technician, building trades, culinary arts and health care. Monsignor was also the catalyst behind the opening of the Adult Learning Center and a charter school in the city’s West Ward in 2011.

Against the will of the city’s political leadership, Monsignor, back in the late 1980s, is credited with opening one of the first child care centers in the nation and the first in New Jersey for infants and toddlers suffering with HIV/AIDS, one of his proudest accomplishments. He was never one to back away from a confrontation if it meant that in the end a mother, grandmother or child would receive the benefit.

Through Monsignor’s vision and leadership, New Community recently finished construction on A Better Life, a supportive housing facility for the chronically homeless. The building offers studio apartments each with a private bathroom and kitchen area.

Born in Jersey City on June 5, 1936, Monsignor grew up in West New York and enrolled in Manhattan College to study engineering in 1954. However, halfway through his freshman year, Monsignor’s father suddenly died at age 53. Monsignor finished the semester at Manhattan College and then spent the next two years at Seton Hall University studying classical language and philosophy. In the fall of 1958, he entered the Immaculate Conception Seminary, where he spent his next six years. Monsignor was ordained as a priest on May 25, 1963. At age 27, Monsignor received his pastoral assignment for the all-black parish called Queen of Angels in Newark, and founded New Community with a small group of community-minded residents in 1968. In 1973, Monsignor was abruptly removed from Queen of Angels and exiled to the dormant St. Joseph Parish in Newark. In 1974, he was reassigned to St. Rose of Lima Parish in the Roseville section of Newark, where he became its pastor in 1977. Monsignor retired as pastor of St. Rose of Lima in 2012 at age 76.

Monsignor previously served as the CEO of New Community Corporation. He was serving as the president of the New Community Corporation Board of Directors and remained active within the organization until his death.

Services to honor and celebrate Monsignor’s life have been scheduled as follows:

Viewing
Thursday, June 14 from 4 to 7 p.m.
St. Rose of Lima Church
11 Gray St.
Newark, NJ 07107

Vigil Mass
Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m.
St. Rose of Lima Church
11 Gray St.
Newark, NJ 07107

Funeral Mass
Saturday, June 16 at 11 a.m.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
89 Ridge St.
Newark, NJ 07104

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Monsignor William J. Linder Scholarship Fund. Donations can be sent to 233 West Market St., Newark, NJ 07103.

New Community Workforce Development Center has been awarded accreditation by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE), a nonprofit organization that grants institutional accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

“This validates our career and technical programs, it ensures our connections to employers and it enables interested applicants to apply for Title IV financial aid assistance,” said New Community Workforce Development Center Director Rodney Brutton. “It really means that students who are interested in our programs should feel confident that New Community Workforce Development Center offers programs that are relevant, have been vetted and have been proven to be useful and successful. It adds value to our work and credibility by an independent evaluator.”

“Receiving accreditation is a great accomplishment. It shows that New Community Workforce Development Center offers robust programs and is recognized as a professional organization and gives our graduates credibility when seeking a job,” said New Community Corporation CEO Richard Rohrman. “This designation also ensures that students have access to federal financial aid, allowing us to serve even more individuals.”

The accreditation process is extensive. New Community Workforce Development Center began its required institutional self-study in March 2016 and submitted it to COE in September 2017. It underwent a COE team visit in December 2017 and commission members voted to grant accreditation Feb. 19, 2018. The school received notice of the decision March 14.

“It was an entire team effort to produce an institutional self-study report, which consisted of a 1,400-page document with exhibits,” Brutton said. “We were able to demonstrate and document the institution’s compliance.”

The self-study addressed 10 COE standards, which each had specific criteria to meet.

For the team visit in December, New Community Workforce Development Center hosted two COE representatives: Paul Fair and Gregory Garrett. Those evaluators met with New Community Corporation senior administration, Workforce Development Center instructional staff and students and toured the main building and two training centers.

COE has granted accreditation to New Community Workforce Development Center for six years, the maximum length of time. The school is scheduled to go through the reaffirmation process, including a team visit, in 2023.

“Receiving accreditation denotes that an institution has undergone an extensive self-study and team review process and has been judged by the Commission as meeting its Standards and Conditions for accreditation,” according to COE.

COE currently has more than 500 institutional members, which include post-secondary public technical institutes, specialized military and national defense schools, Job Corps Centers, private career schools, nonprofit technical education providers, corporate and industry education units and federal agency institutions.

Brutton believes cost and the location of training centers sets New Community Workforce Development Center apart from other schools. “It’s affordably priced as opposed to our competitors and easily accessible with mass transit,” he said.

There are plans to grow New Community Workforce Development Center program offerings. Brutton said the school plans to offer a Microsoft Office Computer Specialist program and Diesel Technician program in the latter part of 2018.

New Community Workforce Development Center is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Culinary Arts Specialist and Patient Care Technician. There are no residency requirements for enrollment. Those interested in attending classes should click here to fill out an online application, call 973-824-6484 or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.