NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) announced today that its president and chief executive officer of 16 years, Jesse J. Ergott, will depart the organization to become the chief advancement officer at AllOne Foundation and Charities. Ergott is committed to a seamless transition and will continue to lead NeighborWorks through April 26, 2024.
Ergott’s tenure includes a period of significant organizational growth. He oversaw the expansion of NeighborWorks’ geographic footprint from one county to six in 2013, leading to a strategic rebranding from Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County to NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. A staff of four employees when he began, the organization has grown to a team of twenty-one competent, enthusiastic and resolute professionals serving communities throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.
"Ergott understands people are the lifeblood of a community,” said Michele Bannon, board member and mayor of Carbondale. “His leadership and impact on our community has proved to be impressive and lasting."
Wayne Evans, board member and former mayor of Scranton stated, "During my time in Scranton City Hall, we noticed our Homebuyers Program was underperforming and needed to be energized if it was ever going to reach its full potential. We needed to find a way to help create more homeowners in the city. The answer was simple. The answer was Jesse Ergott and the amazing team at NeighborWorks."
Early in Ergott’s tenure, NeighborWorks helped lead the response to the region’s mortgage foreclosure crisis, assisting approximately 700 homeowners with remaining in their homes. At the same time, he helped launch a comprehensive volunteer program that provided small home repairs and other services to neighbors who needed a helping hand. Since the program began in 2010, NeighborWorks has mobilized over 6,700 volunteers who have contributed approximately 90,000 hours, valued at over $2.2 million.
Moreover, Ergott helped lead the development of NeighborWorks’ Aging in Place program, a unique and innovative approach to helping older adults remain in their homes safely and with dignity as they age. To date, this program has assisted over 360 seniors living in our region and has invested over $3 million into home renovations and accessibility improvements across Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties.
Ergott also operationalized NeighborWorks’ comprehensive community development work in 2018, leading to significant investments in the cities of Scranton, Carbondale and the organization’s home neighborhood of West Scranton. NeighborWorks’ community development work includes the Beautiful Blocks and City of Scranton’s Façade Grant Programs, blight reduction efforts and a mobile toolkit for community cleanups.
A committed advocate for Northeastern Pennsylvania communities, Ergott has been active on multiple local, state and national boards, serving as both the vice chair and then chairperson of the National NeighborWorks Association during his 10-year board tenure and serving as co-founder of the NeighborWorks Association of Pennsylvania.
Ergott and NeighborWorks staff have received multiple awards, including the Nonprofit Organization of the Year award and multiple Pride and Progress awards from the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Community Partnership Award from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
"On behalf of NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Board of Directors, I’d like to thank Jesse for his outstanding vision, service and commitment to NeighborWorks," said Teddy Michel, chairperson of the board. "Throughout Jesse’s distinguished career, NeighborWorks has consistently provided award-winning services to individuals and families in Northeastern Pennsylvania. At all times, he has been someone who has served with passion and integrity in putting the best interests of our NeighborWorks’ team, clients, partners and neighbors first. We wish him the best on his next career chapter."
"Serving this organization and the community as a whole for the past 16-plus years has been a true honor," said Ergott. "It has been an amazing privilege to help guide NeighborWorks through an exciting chapter of its history with an incredible group of co-workers, board members and partners, and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity I was given to be a part of it."
In line with NeighborWorks' established succession and transition planning process, the board’s Executive Transition Committee will conduct an internal and external search to identify a successor.
