Board of Directors – 91��Ƭ

91��Ƭ Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba Retires

Michelle Lang — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 20:02:07 +0000

Click here to read the Special Edition Clarion highlighting Dr. Yamba’s retirement.

91��Ƭ Board of Directors Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba has retired from his position with the organization, effective Dec. 31, 2023. Yamba joined the Board in September 2012 and became Chairman in June 2018 following the passing of NCC founder and Board Chairman Monsignor William J. Linder.

Yamba was involved with 91��Ƭ long before his official capacity as a member of the Board of Directors. He was a parishioner of Queen of Angels Church where Monsignor Linder served as priest during the founding of 91��Ƭ. He had been asked to join the Board prior to 2012 but declined because of his employment responsibilities. After he retired, he joined 91��Ƭ’s Board of Directors.

He has enjoyed being able to give back to the community through his work on NCC’s Board.

“The myriad of services that 91��Ƭ offers are critical to the total well-being of the community. And that has been my passion all along,” Yamba said.

During his service with the Board of Directors, Yamba oversaw the re-syndication of NCC housing, helped lead the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, established Board committees to have closer working relationships with NCC leadership staff, assisted in the re-accreditation process for , led NCC through times of leadership transition and helped relaunch the organization’s Golfing for a Cause fundraiser following the pandemic.

NCC Interim Board Chairman Edgar Nemorin said Yamba has been an ambassador, advocate and steward to 91��Ƭ.

“As Board Chairman, he successfully ensured that 91��Ƭ continued its mission of providing services to the residents of Newark,” Nemorin said. “Although he has resigned as a Board Member and Board Chairman of NCC, we know that he is only a phone call away to assist us in fulfilling our mission.”

Under Yamba’s direction, the Board worked with senior leadership after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the health and safety of NCC employees, residents and clients while maintaining the necessary services to the community. He also led the organization through two leadership transitions: the passing of Monsignor Linder and the retirement of CEO Richard Rohrman. He was instrumental in the search process for NCC’s current CEO Simone Gagneron.

“Dr. Yamba defines what it means to be in public service. The dedication and support he has provided to 91��Ƭ and the people of Newark is extraordinary,” Gagneron said. “He has clearly set the stage for others to follow. I would like to thank him personally and professionally for his guidance.”

Yamba said 91��Ƭ’s mission is just as relevant today as it was in 1968 when the organization was founded and that its offerings continue to be vital.

“It’s my hope and prayer and certainly part of Monsignor’s vision that these services will continue to be provided as long as we have people who need them,” Yamba said.

In addition to his work with 91��Ƭ, Yamba has served the community in a variety of roles in the areas of education and community development.

Yamba is President Emeritus of . He served as President from 1980 to 2010, which is the longest tenure for that position at the school. He was also involved with the institution well before leading it. Yamba joined the humanities faculty when the college opened in 1968 and served as Dean of Faculty before he was appointed President in May 1980.

Current Essex County College President Dr. Augustine Boakye said Yamba strengthened the community through his work.

“Our Essex County College family and the Essex Community owe Dr. Yamba a debt of gratitude for enriching our lives and making education the cornerstone of community engagement and development,” he said.

Yamba served as a commissioner of the for more than a decade and is a founding member of the , an affiliate of the of the . His other past affiliations include serving on the boards of the Essex County WIB, Newark Downtown Redevelopment Corporation, American Conference on Diversity, Christ the King Prep Academy, Council of Higher Education in Newark (CHEN) and . He is also an Emeritus Board Member of .

“For decades, Dr. A. Zachary Yamba has been one of Newark’s great educators and activists. Whether as President of Essex County College, Chairman of the 91��Ƭ Board or Commissioner of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, he has mentored and inspired his colleagues, students and residents of our city. His legacy is firm in the hearts and minds of the generations he empowered in his many endeavors,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “As Dr. Yamba enters this new phase of his life, we thank him for his leadership and service to Newark, and wish him joy and success for the future.”

Victoria Foundation Executive Officer Craig Drinkard said the City of Newark, Essex County and the State of New Jersey are all better places because of Yamba’s leadership.

“His tireless and regal service to Newark and all of humanity spans decades and has helped to transform the lives of countless individuals and families,” Drinkard said.

President and CEO Vivian Cox Fraser said Yamba has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing opportunities for families.

“As President of Essex County College and his leadership on the Board of 91��Ƭ, Zack never lost sight of the people he was there to serve and help.”

A graduate of , Yamba was awarded honorary degrees from his alma mater, and the in Ghana. In 1980, Yamba, an All-America soccer player, was inducted into Seton Hall’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Come To A Memorial Tribute To Monsignor Linder Oct. 23

Michelle Lang — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 20:16:50 +0000

Dr. A. Zachary Yamba and the Board of Directors of 91��Ƭ invite the community to remember NCC Founder Monsignor William J. Linder at NCC headquarters. A Memorial Tribute to Monsignor Linder: Visionary, Founder and Leader will be held Tuesday, Oct. 23 at St. Joseph Plaza, 233 West Market St., Newark, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m.

Monsignor Linder founded 91��Ƭ in 1968 after the Summer Disorders in Newark and played a pivotal role in the organization for 50 years. At the time of his death June 8, 2018, Monsignor Linder was president of the NCC Board of Directors.

“Monsignor Linder was the greatest and most persistent advocate there was for the people of Newark and beyond. The number of lives that have been and will be changed as time moves on is incalculable. He will be missed as a guide, mentor, example and man of action,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “Come help us celebrate and remember him.”

The evening will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. with the program to follow. Those who knew Monsignor and his work will speak about his life, his accomplishments and the legacy he leaves behind.

“This will be an occasion for us to come together to remember the work of Monsignor Linder and pay tribute to him and also to re-engage the community in carrying out his vision,” Yamba said.

Space is limited. If you’re interested in attending, please call 973-623-2800 to RSVP and pick up tickets at 233 West Market St., Newark, NJ, 07103, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. There is a limit of two tickets per person.

A Life Of Activism And The Arts: Elma T. Bateman

Michelle Lang — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 18:13:42 +0000

Elma T. Bateman was an original member of the Board of Directors for 91��Ƭ. Photo courtesy of Celeste Bateman.

Elma T. Bateman was a lifelong Newark resident who loved the arts and was very involved in her community. She was one of the original members of the Board of Directors for 91��Ƭ and served the organization for 35 years. She died Feb. 12 at the age of 91.

Daughter Celeste Bateman said her mother served as a voice for the people during her time with 91��Ƭ.

“She was a parent with children who had to live in these apartments that 91��Ƭ was designing,” Celeste Bateman said. “She knew that families needed, for example, storage space. They needed a livable space.”

Celeste Bateman explained that her mother would argue on behalf of “the little people” and sometimes got frustrated that change wasn’t happening quickly enough. In the end, Elma T. Bateman did bring about positive change in the city.

“She was just such a shining example of how one person can make a difference. It’s a cliche but it’s true,” Celeste Bateman said.

Elma T. Bateman spent much of her childhood trying to find decent housing. She moved with her mother and siblings from one tenement to the next. That experience greatly influenced her work with 91��Ƭ. She didn’t want others to endure the same struggles.

“She was seriously committed not only to the vision of NCC but more importantly to the delivery of all our services in a generous and dignified manner. She wanted 91��Ƭ to be a cut above the rest of other nonprofit groups,” said 91��Ƭ Board of Directors Secretary Newton Richards. “She was really a voice. And she showed a lot of admiration to staff members who strive to achieve excellence.”

Cecilia Faulks, 91��Ƭ’s first full-time employee who is now retired, knew Bateman from Queen of Angels Church, where they were both parishioners before its closing. She said Bateman’s family was one of the first to move into 91��Ƭ housing.

“In the early years, she was very involved in 91��Ƭ and living in 91��Ƭ homes and the beautification of those homes. Making sure it was kept up, planting shrubbery,” Faulks said. “She was always a very active member with the organization.”

The arts was another very important part of Bateman’s life. She was involved in productions at Queen of Angels Church and held poetry readings at her home.

“Elma and the late Arthur Wilson formed their own club and named it ‘Almart.’ They would rent buses to take parishioners to see Broadway shows,” recalled 91��Ƭ Board Member and Outreach Coordinator Madge Wilson.

Celeste Bateman said her mother also loved to host card parties, carrying on the tradition of playing bridge from her own mother.

She described her mother as very generous.

“Anybody that needed money, she was always there with a check or cash to help them out,” Celeste Bateman said. “She felt like, ‘I can’t take money with me to the grave. Might as well share it with people now.’”

Celeste Bateman says she is following in her mother’s footsteps by getting involved in the city. She currently serves on the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation.

“We have all these fabulous developers, construction workers, architects, designers, engineers that have fabulous, wonderful ideas. But do they live and work in Newark? See the perspective of people in Newark? I’m that voice,” said Celeste Bateman. “And I learned that from Elma T. Bateman.”

Faulks described the funeral for Bateman as a real celebration of life.

“It was very uplifting with a band and people getting up to sing. It was just refreshing and left a smile on your face,” Faulks said.

Elma T. Bateman was married to the late William Allen Bateman and had three children: William F., who preceded her in death in l983; Celeste; and Felicia. She also leaves behind sister Bennie O. Fields; son-in-law Carter Mangan, Sr.; and two grandsons: Jamil A.C. Mangan and Carter Mangan, Jr.