The Northwest Community Action Partnership board ended up moving more quickly than expected and has hired Antonio “Hank” Martin as the agency’s new executive director. In fact, board chairman and Sheridan County Commission Jim Krotz says Martin’s first day on the job was Monday.

Martin succeeds Lorye McLeod, who left the agency this summer after nearly 6 years as executive director. He’s no stranger to northwest Nebraska. He’s a Criminal Justice and Psychology graduate of Chadron State College, and served in the local National Guard unit.

Krotz says Community Action had an excellent pool of candidates, but the board liked Martin’s experience. He’s worked in Colorado with grant-funded programs, state agencies and private industry to provide a variety of client services.

They also liked his energy and warmth. Krotz calls him “an extremely engaging and warm personality with excellent community relations skills,” the “kind of guy who can help build partnerships with other community agencies and organizations.”

Northwest Community Action Partnership is a private, non-profit grant-funded umbrella organization for a variety of state and federal programs serving low-income clients in Dawes, Sioux, Sheridan, Box Butte, and Cherry counties. Its mission is to help low-income families and individuals improve the quality of their lives and attain self-sufficiency.