President and CEO Of United Way of Central Minnesota To Retire

ST. CLOUD -- The President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Central Minnesota is retiring.

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Larry Olness has spent over 17 years serving the United Way, including the last four years with the United Way of Central Minnesota.

I am incredibly grateful for the dedicated staff, 3,000+ volunteers, and 8,000+ donors who put their trust in me to live out the mission of the United Way during my time in central Minnesota. It has been a true honor leading the organization and serving the community for nearly four years.

During his time with the United Way, Olness assisted in closing the achievement gap and leading the creation of the 211 texting service to provide no-cost information on health and human services.

His last day with the organization is Friday.

The United Way of Central Minnesota will begin the process of identifying a new, full-time leader immediately.

In the interim, the organization's Board Chair Steve Windfeldt will work with the Senior Leadership to ensure a smooth transition until a new leader is selected.