Lynne Sugar celebrates 25 years at the Arc

 When Lynne (Mitchell) Sugar started at the Arc in 1985, there was only one computer in the building.  All budgeting and reporting was done with pencil, paper, adding machines and typewriters.  Having worked the previous three years for Arc’s auditors, Lynne was able to hit the ground running to upgrade business systems and practices. 

Lynne has seen many changes over the years.  Her desk has been moved six times so far and she is hoping that it will be finding its last place in the not too distant future with the successful completion of the Renovate-a-Square capital campaign.  She’s experienced the financial impact of fires, floods, ice storms, micro bursts and budget cuts of all kinds.  During her tenure, buildings have been bought, others sold and many renovated. 

The company has had three different names since Lynne began her career here: North Worcester County Association for Retarded Citizens, ARC of North Central and the current name Arc Community Services.  Lynne served on the committee that successfully negotiated the strategic alliance with Matson Community Services and the formation of Alliance for Resource Management, which was formed to do just that, manage the combined resources of Arc and Matson as efficiently as possible to enable both companies to maximize the resources that they are able to put into the delivery of services to the individuals that we serve. 

All of this was accomplished while hitting personal milestones such as becoming a CPA (1988), getting married (1993), having children (1996 and 1998), buying her first home (1997), selling that home and finally buying a small farm of her own in 2004.  “People always ask me why I stay here when I could make twice as much money in the public sector.  My response to them is I work to live, I don’t live to work.  I like the people I work with and believe in the mission of the Alliance.  In my time here I have seen hundreds of people learn job skills, be placed in jobs and become productive, tax paying members of society.  People don’t realize how the relatively small amount of resources that are used to support families in their homes saves society as a whole millions of dollars.  I intend to be around for many, many more years to support the work that Alliance does.”

In gratitude for Lynne’s long and dedicated years of service to individuals of all ages with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families, the Alliance for Resource presented her with a gift certificate to Dover Saddlery at the full staff meeting in January.  Thank you, Lynne, for 25 years of service!