The United Way of East Mississippi will soon be seeking a new director.

Jim Wink, who was hired in September 2016 as UWEM executive director, is retiring to spend more time with his family.

“The decision was made by me and the wife,” Wink said Friday morning. “It was a great time to retire… “We have a lot of friends in a community that we love and we’re going to hang tight and enjoy retirement for a while.”

Wink first came to Meridian in 1988 to organize the first Boys and Girls Club. He returned to the city early last year after spending most of his career in Georgia as chief executive officer for the Boys and Girls Club.

Former executive director Thad Quarles has stepped in until a replacement can be found.

“This is a good thing. It’s not a bad thing,” said Quarles, who served as the agency’s executive director for 12 years. “They caught me at a good time. I had nothing really to do in retirement. I was glad to step in and help out… I certainly have a passion for this work.”

Quarles said the agency will put together a “search committee” to find a new executive director. Until then, he is looking forward to helping the organization during its busy season.

“I would imagine they would put that committee together at the end of this year or early next year,” Quarles said. “They hadn’t reached critical mass or anything, they just asked me to step in.”

Sara Odom, UWEM’s former vice president for resource development and communication, also left this year.

According to its website, UWEM serves Lauderdale, Clarke, Neshoba and Kemper counties, 17 partner agencies and a number of community-impact programs such as Stuff the Bus, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and Imagination Library.

UWEM launched its 2017/18 campaign kickoff event: “The Force is in You — Live United” in September to kick off the fundraising season, which will continue until the end of December.

Last year, the agency raised a little more than $1 million, and this year’s goal is to at least meet that amount.