Bean, who has served as director of the Middletown branch for 38 years, announced Thursday he’s retiring. He will leave the library no sooner than March 1, 2011 and will remain until a successor is hired.
“It’s better now than too late,” the 64-year-old said when asked why he’s retiring. “There is no good time to retire.”
Bean believes he’s leaving the library in good shape. He named three major accomplishments: continuous improvement in services, collections and facilities; a vibrant organization; and surrounding himself with top people, employees, trustees, contractors and consultants.
Deborah Bogan, library specialist in the finance department, called Bean “a good steward” of the library and “a good boss.” She said his leadership was most evident during the recent financial struggles at the library.
Katherine Stengel, human resources manager, praised Bean for his vision and his knowledge of the industry from the business aspect.
“It’s seamless around here and that’s because of his work,” she said.
Jim VonderHaar, board president, said the library system, under Bean’s leadership developed “a culture of fiscal responsibility, customer service excellence and participative management.” His ability to continuously improve the library during good economic times and to sustain those improvements during economic downturns has provided the region with “one of the best performing” library systems in the state.
Still, Bean admits, leaving the library, his professional home since 1972, will “leave a hole in my life.”
When asked about his retirement plans, Bean said he’s “not an easily bored person,” and added: “There is a big world out there.”
But this doesn’t mean he’s leaving Middletown.
“There are positive developments and I’d like to be a part of that,” he said.
Bean said the search for his replacement will begin immediately, with a successor to be named by the library’s board of directors in early 2011.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2842 or rmccrabb@coxohio.com.
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