Editorial: Montgomery's transition

Jeffrey Montgomery has announced he is resigning after 16 years at the helm of The Triangle Foundation. We wish him well, and hope that he is able to relax and enjoy a much-deserved chunk of time off.
Running any non-profit agency is a struggle, with constant financial pressures, the challenge of managing a board of directors and staff, and the ever-present public role as its primary spokesperson. There is little or no real "down time." Montgomery has committed himself to the task for a long time and has built an organization that is recognized as one of the leaders of the LGBT community in Michigan and across the country. We commend him.
The next executive director of The Triangle Foundation will need to take the group to its next level of organizational maturity. With a staff of 11 and a daunting mission, the new executive director must be capable of thoughtful, disciplined and creative leadership to focus Triangle. Michigan needs Triangle to be a statewide organization that works well in collaboration with other groups (both LGBT and outside our community), that is fiscally sound and that can prioritize its activities to make the most of what will always be too-scarce resources.
The organization that Montgomery leaves is one that should be able to attract such a remarkable leader. The board, with Montgomery in a consulting role, has already taken the first steps toward a national search for a new executive director. We encourage the board to be picky – to seek out the best possible candidates. Michigan is uniquely situated to be a major player in national politics and in the struggle for LGBT equality. In the 2008 elections, Michigan will be a key state in the presidential election, and LGBT voters will cast critical votes for state representatives, judges and local leadership positions. Michigan remains at the epicenter of the national debate over affirmative action, and Michigan's horrendous anti-marriage constitutional amendment must be overturned eventually. Our community's best and the brightest leaders ought to consider Triangle if they truly want to make an important contribution to our movement.
Executive searches can be difficult and time consuming, but ultimately it is the most important function of the board of directors. Triangle Foundation's board has a real challenge in identifying and hiring Montgomery's successor. We wish them the best in this important job that will have such a profound impact on the future of Michigan's LGBT community and our struggle for equality.