Tangram CEO to Step Down
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA leader in Indiana's disability services sector has announced her retirement. Connie Dillman says she will step down in June as chief executive officer of Tangram Inc. She has also held leadership roles with Choices Inc. and Noble of Indiana in Indianapolis.
March 10, 2015
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — Connie Dillman, a pioneering female executive and one of Indiana's foremost advocates for individuals with disability, has announced her retirement from professional life after more than four decades working in the disability services sector. Dillman steps down as the President and CEO of Tangram, Inc. in June of this year.
Dillman has been a long-term advocate for community inclusion for people with disabilities. She helped create Indiana's first supported employment program in 1985 and the first inclusive early childhood program in 1986.
Dillman is a Past President of the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Executives of The Arc. As President, Dillman led the successful merger of the national membership organization with another sector leading group, The Arc of the United States.
In her 11 years leading Tangram, Dillman guided the organization to an unmatched position of financial strength that allowed it to extend programming to many Hoosiers. The organization also achieved the highest available levels of accreditation by both national and local governing bodies.
In a pioneering move, Dillman also championed Tangram's commitment to a business-first approach for disability inclusion, creating new service lines, like Tangram Business Resourcing and Tangram Workforce Accelerator, that engage directly with nationwide businesses, their executives and human resources professionals, to secure broad adoption of hiring practices that provide competitive employment opportunities to people with disabilities. Dillman also oversaw the development of Tangram Life Coaching, a service line that primarily provides support for high-school and college students with disabilities, ensuring better graduation and employment outcomes for this population.
“It has been an honor and an education to serve on the Board of Directors in support of Connie's leadership of Tangram, and her vision for the organization has helped Tangram to become a jewel within our community and a national leader in its field,” says David Jose, a Tangram Board of Directors member and Partner at the Indianapolis firm of Krieg Devault.
Prior to leading Tangram, Dillman served in executive and leadership roles with Choices, Inc. and Noble of Indiana. Her career in disability services began as a special education teacher with Indianapolis Public Schools 1971.
“At Tangram and in my roles with other Indianapolis agencies and national organizations, it has been my privilege to work with clients, families, staff, volunteers and Boards of Directors who so passionately pursue a more inclusive society for our loved ones and neighbors living with disability,” Dillman says.
A search committee has been formed to identify Dillman's successor at Tangram. The search will open in early March. Interested candidates can apply at www.charitableadvisors.com by going to the Nonprofit Job Board. Dillman will stay with Tangram until the new CEO is hired.
Source: Tangram