Wayne Stenberg has accepted the position as Semcac’s new executive director, according to Patty Miller, the agency’s board president.

“Stenberg will be the sixth director in the agency’s 43-year history. The organization, which has its corporate office in Rushford, provides a broad range of human service programs that support low-income individuals and families in southeastern Minnesota,” Miller said.

Semcac operates more than 20 prorgams with the mission of assisting people to achieve or maintain independence and self-reliance through their own and community resources. Stenberg is Semcac’s current community development director.

Stenberg has made Winona his home since 1991 and is a graduate of Winona State University. Prior to coming to Semcac, Stenberg was the housing development specialist of the Winona HRA.

“My work experience and education have prepared me to take on the challenge of guiding the agency over the coming years. I look forward to getting out to introduce myself to the community at large,” Stenberg said.

“I am committed to maintaining the high standards of quality set by the current executive director, Terry Erickson. It is important that we continue to tell our story and let the public know that many of our neighbors do struggle to make ends meet,” Stenberg said.

He said he hopes to strenghten the agency by working closely with the board of directors and staff to maintain the safety net of services available to the people they serve.

Erickson, who is leaving after almost six years as executive director, said, “Advocating for rural communities and bringing federal and state funds to the area has been second nature to Stenberg. Over the past years, he has established many contacts with agencies that have made grant awards to cities served Semcac. These contacts will be valuable as Semcac competes with scarce funding to operate its programs in the coming years.”

Stenberg will assume his new duties on May 4.