Simon Community moves quickly to replace chief executive

DUBLIN Simon Community has moved quickly to replace high-profile Greg Maxwell, sacked from his top position last week.

Yesterday, the board of directors announced the appointment of Sam McGuinness as interim chief executive officer, with immediate effect.

Mr Maxwell, a former trade union official and member of ICTU’s executive committee, joined Dublin Simon in 1995.

Announcing his employment was being terminated, the Dublin Simon board said it felt “a different skill set is required of the chief executive for the organisation to progress effectively over the coming years”. Mr Maxwell is threatening legal action unless he is reinstated. He said he wanted to get “the job that is rightfully mine back”.

Yesterday’s statement announcing Mr McGuinness as interim chief executive - also issued through a Dublin communications company on behalf of the organisation - did not identify who Mr McGuinness was, beyond describing his previous experience in general terms.

It said: “Mr McGuinness comes to Dublin Simon Community with extensive experience in managing organisations in the private sector both in Ireland and abroad. He has also had some involvement at a personal level within the voluntary sector.

“His professional management skills will facilitate the further development of the quality of care and the sense of community our professional staff and volunteers already provide to the homeless of Dublin,” the statement added.

When asked to clarify Mr McGuinness’s identity and track record, a spokesperson for the communications company said she could give no more information. The statement said the organisation looked forward to Mr McGuinness’s “counsel and assistance in the management of the organisation and in the recruitment of a full-time permanent CEO”.

Tensions surfaced in the organisation arising from problems in recruiting unpaid volunteers as well as other factors which have seen paid staff numbers rise. Dublin Simon has 116 paid staff, 214 volunteers and an annual turnover of €8 million. Its first project was an inner-city soup run in 1969. Later that year the first Dublin Simon emergency shelter was opened.