The Community Food Bank of San Benito County has a new chief executive officer with Maria Lynn Thomas at the helm of the organization.
Thomas replaces Mary Anne Hughes, who is retiring from the CEO position to focus on fund development and completing the group’s new state-of-the-art facility.
As part of raising her son, Thomas had reached out to her longtime friend and colleague, Hughes, and asked about volunteer opportunities at the food bank. But once she arrived, it was Thomas that was hooked.
“I was overwhelmed with the level of need here in San Benito County. I quickly discovered how real the problem is when I listened to the stories of the people receiving food distributions,” Thomas said. “And I was immediately impressed with the dedication of the food bank’s staff and volunteers. I had to be a part of that.”
Thomas had been partnering with the Food Bank for the last three years as a consultant to its board of directors and executive director.
“We are so lucky to be able to make this transition with two such dedicated and compatible leaders,” said Susan Thompson, a board member.
In her new role, Thomas wants to fill “bags with food,” “minds with possibilities,” and “spirits with hope.”
The food bank fights hunger and malnutrition in San Benito County by serving supplemental food to the working poor, low-income seniors, families, children, the homeless and the disabled.
Thomas has lived in San Benito County since 1994 and has had a 25-year career in human resources management. She earned a masters degree in business administration from Indiana University, one of the nation’s top 20 MBA programs.
