Praises for Interim Executive Director Bob Muller

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bob Muller for serving as our Interim Executive Director this year. We are all very, very grateful to have had his help and leadership, during some extraordinary times.

For more than a dozen years, Bob Muller has helped our Community Foundation be more thoughtful, more inclusive, more creative, and more focused. He first came to us in 2008, looking for Duke University Nonprofit Management program scholarships for local nonprofit leaders. He was asked, a few years later, to join the board, and did; he was asked to serve as board Treasurer, and then as board Chair; he always answered in the affirmative, and consistently applied his positive, can-do, team approach to our board and staff’s best efforts. When Dorian made landfall, Bob volunteered at the office, calling to thank donors, answering phones, and helping wherever needed.

When Lorelei Costa decided to make a career transition in early 2021, Bob was her first choice to lead as interim executive director, knowing that staff and board would get a knowledgeable and pragmatic leader while a search was conducted. Fortunately for us, Bob decided to make the sacrifice and come out of retirement to help staff and board through the next several months. What’s more–in addition to serving as interim E.D., Bob has been the Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Coordinator; as such, he’s been instrumental in crafting policy and creating new tools to help us work more effectively with nonprofit disaster partners up and down our Outer Banks.

Bob knew the ropes, and his smarts and corporate knowledge, coupled with his generous encouragement, spot-on support, and sage advice on many issues, made all the difference for board and staff during the transition of Executive Director to President and CEO. 2021 is turning out to be a banner year, and one in which all the plates were kept spinning, thanks to Bob’s steadfast leadership. He worked persistently to help see us through, and we made it–thanks to Bob–with flying colors.

As Bob moves on to his next adventures, board and staff offer their sincere “thanks” and “job well done,” and wish him clear skies, fair winds, and safe and happy travels. And we’re hoping he won’t be a stranger.