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Steinmetz retiring from Bootheel Counseling Services after 30 years
SIKESTON -- After 30 years with Bootheel Counseling Services, Ron Steinmetz is retiring from the agency.
Steinmetz has been with Bootheel Counseling Services since it was established.
"I opened our doors for clients on Jan. 2, 1976," Steinmetz recalled. "I was one of the first three staff members and served as the executive director but obviously my role back then was to be a clinical therapist."
Administrative duties at that time were "kind of on the side," he said. "The clients were always the first mission we had for the agency."
Steinmetz said his educational background includes a master's degree in psychiatric social work.
"Right after getting that degree I was in the Army Medical Service Corps from 1968-1971, and then after I got out of the active duty in the Army I stayed in the Army Reserves for 30 years, retired as a lieutenant colonel and continued working in the Army Medical Service Corps in the Army Reserves."
Following active duty, "I came here to work for then what was the diagnostic clinic. It's now called the Regional Center for the MRDD," he said.
Steinmetz said he and his wife are both originally from Louisville, Ky., but at that time this area did not have a mental health center, only an outreach office.
"We tried to start a private, not-for-profit mental health center with the help of the Department of Mental Health in the local community," Steinmetz said.
Bootheel Counseling began serving Southeast Missouri in 1976 as Tri County Counseling Center, according to Laura Stone, director of fund development and public relations for the agency.
In 1982, the center added a fourth county to its service area and was renamed Bootheel Mental Health. In 1991, it became Bootheel Counseling Services.
"Having a community mental health center in the community has been very beneficial to the residents over the last 30 years," Stone said. "Without having Ron as the executive director for so long, I don't think our organization could have been as successful as it has been."
"I'll take some credit for that because I've been here for some time," Steinmetz said, "but it really has been a team-oriented thing."
Steinmetz said the board of directors and the staff are integral parts of that team.
"We have grown from a staff of three to a staff of 83 and provide a lot more comprehensive services," Steinmetz said. "Each staff member became a reason for our next level of growth."
Asked about his decision to retire at this time, Steinmetz said: "It seems to be maybe the right time -- I am 62. My wife, Helen, will also be retiring from the Sikeston Area Higher Education Center near the end of the year and we have a grandchild who is too far away from us. ... We'd like to have some more time to spend with her before we miss too many more milestones in her life."
Cheryl Jones, the community psychiatric outreach program director for Bootheel Counseling Services, will replace Steinmetz as executive director following his retirement.
Steinmetz said he is confident Jones, who has been with the agency for almost 22 years, "is going to be able to take the agency to a higher level."
A decision on when his last day will be has not yet been made by Steinmetz but he said it will probably be around the end of October or the beginning of November.
"We're transitioning Cheryl into my position and her replacement into her position," Steinmetz said.
A retirement party for Steinmetz is scheduled for Oct. 12 at the Sikeston Elks Lodge, according to Stone. The party will begin at 5 p.m. with a social hour followed by a program at 6 p.m.
"If anybody would like to come and share a story about working with Ron or about Ron from outside of work that would be good," Stone said, although she declined to reveal what else is planned for the party. "Some of it we want to keep as a surprise for Ron."
Friends, colleagues and members of the public are all welcome to attend, "but they will need to R.S.V.P. to me," Stone said.
R.S.V.P.s may be called in to Stone at 471-0800, ext. 314.
"I'm grateful for the partnership that we've had with the community and I'm grateful for the clients who entrusted their services to us to help us to help them," Steinmetz said.