Tim Tegge.
TOLEDO – The Sight Center of Northwest Ohio, a nonprofit organization serving people who are blind or visually impaired since 1923, has announced the selection of Tim Tegge as the agency’s new executive director.
“Tim’s experience as a former client, two-term board member and seven-year member of The Sight Center staff allows a unique perspective for his next role,” said Diane Ohns, president of the Sight Center Board of Trustees,
Tegge, who is considered legally blind, has lived most of his life with a severe vision impairment called Stargardt disease, a rare genetic eye condition similar to macular degeneration in which central vision loss occurs.
Tegge’s connection to the Sight Center began in the 1990s as a client and later as a two-term member of the Board of Trustees. In 2015, he joined the Sight Center staff as development coordinator where he has been responsible for fundraising, marketing, community outreach and branding efforts.
During his 35-year professional career he has served in a variety of leadership positions in private sector, nonprofit, and community organizations. Prior to working at the Sight Center, Tegge served locally as the director for United Way in Wood County and nationally as director of member services for the National Association of Local Boards of Health. Earlier this year, Tegge was selected as a mentor in the National Blind Leaders Development Program, a year-long project of the American Foundation for the Blind.
“I look forward to leading this great team as we celebrate our 100th anniversary next year,” said Tegge, who lives in Bowling Green. “I can’t think of a better way to use my life experiences than to empower others who live with vision loss.”
“We need a person with brave ideas for our future, unwavering commitment to our mission, to people who are visually impaired and to the bigger community we are a part of,” said Interim Executive Director Dani Moran. “We definitely have that in Tim.”
Moran returns to her prior role as the program manager for the Sight Center. Moran served in both roles of interim director and program manager during the 10-month search process.
The Sight Center’s mission to empower independence and enrich the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired, guides it to offer a unique blend of programs and services that can help people of all ages work, learn, play, and live independently with permanent vision loss. With certified and credentialed staff, national accreditation, and nearly a century of blindness and low vision expertise, The Sight Center stands alone as the only comprehensive low vision resource center in the entire region. Founded in 1923 as the non-profit Toledo Society for the Blind, the agency serves an 18-county region in Northwest Ohio as well as parts of Southeast Michigan and Central Ohio. For more information visit www.sightcentertoledo.org or call 419-720-3937.
