Pegues, Kern raised the bar

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Jim Kern and Hazel Pegues understand well that a community's strength and attractiveness are enhanced by celebrating its cultural heritage and expanding the diversity of people who create cultural variety.

Recent news that both are leaving their leadership posts - Pegues as executive director of Diversity Focus and Kern from a similar position with Brucemore - is disappointing but they leave after making significant contributions to Cedar Rapids and the Corridor.

Diversity Focus is a non-profit created by local employers in 2005 to build on our population's diversity and assist companies that need to draw more highly skilled employees to their operations. Pegues became its second executive director in 2008, arriving just after the disastrous flood, which heavily damaged the organization's office.

Since her arrival, Diversity Focus has completed a diversity climate study, established a speaker series and leadership conferences, restored its office and, perhaps most important, put together diversity/inclusion training for local employers.

Pegues told us she gave herself three years to meet those and other goals when she accepted the position. Now, after weighing other opportunities, she has decided to return to Cincinnati, where she had served in leadership roles with non-profits and worked as a consultant before taking the Diversity Focus job.

She expects an interim director to be named by Friday so she can mentor that person until leaving July 31.

We've been impressed with her candid, thoughtful and consistent message about embracing and understanding diversity and its value to the entire community. She will be missed.

Since taking the Brucemore reigns in 2007, Kern has led the museum and treasured culture center - Iowa's only National Historic Trust site - to a “new level,” Brucemore board President Tom Amosson told The Gazette. Kern also kept Brucemore operating at full strength through the recession and post-flood challenges, even raising $18,000 for flood relief with an original theatrical event. His association with Brucemore runs three decades deep.

Fortunately for the community, Kern plans to continue serving on the city's Visual Arts Commission.

We thank both of these talented people for their service. They have set high benchmarks for their successors.

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