Vasseur to retire from Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County

GRAYSLAKE - Ernest Vasseur, founding executive director of the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, said he will retire effective May 31.

Vasseur joined the foundation in 2007. His 15 years at the helm of HFNLC caps a career spanning more than three decades of providing service to humanitarian and philanthropic organizations, working to improve health and increase access to health care.

"Ernest is a great consensus builder, and he's been instrumental in guiding the board through the process of finding and supporting effective organizations and programs," says Luis A. Berrones, board chair and Associate Judge, 19th Judicial Circuit Court. "His institutional knowledge and connections in the community are invaluable. I know that I speak for the entire board when I say he is going to be greatly missed."

Among the most significant initiatives of Vasseur's tenure are expanded mental health services, the establishment of Round Lake Area Student Health and Wellness Center, the launch of Antioch Area Healthcare Accessibility Alliance, and the introduction of community health workers to Lake County. The foundation also played a key role in bringing Erie Family Health Centers to the county.

"This is an amazing community, rich in resources - human, financial, natural and institutional," Vasseur said. "It's been an honor and a gift to do this work, and I'm grateful to have had such wonderful colleagues and partners on the board, on staff and among our grantees.

"Together, we've made a foundation that is more than an ivory tower. We've engaged with the community we serve. By staying engaged and continuing to adapt, I'm confident HFNLC will continue to play an important role in improving our community's health in the years to come."

The foundation has launched a national search for a new executive director. Kittleman & Associates will assist with the search.