VOA groups in Ohio, Indiana join ranks

Volunteers of America affiliates in Ohio and Indiana are merging operations, the national nonprofit organization announced Wednesday.

The combined agency, known as Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana, will maintain administrative offices in Columbus and Indianapolis, with program offices in more than a dozen other cities across the two states.

“By merging our organizations, we will reduce administrative costs, and invest greater resources toward VOA’s mission,” Dennis Kresak, the former Volunteers of America Ohio president and CEO, said in a news release.

Kresak is now “CEO emeritus,” and is helping with the transition. He also has overseen four previous Volunteers of America mergers within Ohio.

Officials said some departments are expected to be reorganized, but no layoffs took place as a result of the merger. The new organization will continue its human-services mission, serving more than 23,000 people. It has an annual budget of about $74 million and 950 employees.

“As a stronger organization, we’ll be able to accelerate program growth quickly in Ohio and Indiana to help more people in need of housing, employment and addiction treatment,” said John R. von Arx III, the new president and CEO of the merged entity. Prior to joining Volunteers of Indiana as president and CEO in 2016, von Arx served as policy director for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Kyle Hanson, chairman of the board of directors for the merged organization, cited Indiana’s initiatives in addiction recovery and Ohio’s expertise in veterans’ services, retail and housing for the homeless as programs that can be replicated in more places.