Member News

Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity has named Andrew Szalay (pronounced Sul-lay) to the role of executive director, effective immediately. In addition to overseeing Habitat’s efforts to provide affordable homes for first-time homebuyers in Lebanon and Lancaster Counties, Szalay will expand newer initiatives, such as home repairs and renovations, neighborhood revitalization and community-wide educational efforts on housing-related issues.

“While new construction has been, and will continue to be, an essential program of ours, I’m excited about the additional avenues we can take to support homeownership on a broader scale,” Szalay said. “With the help of our volunteers and through local partnerships, we can provide more services that benefit not just homeowners, but entire communities.”

Szalay previously served as Habitat’s director of operations, a position he assumed in Fall 2017 after managing housing policy issues across the country as the director of state and local relations for Habitat for Humanity International. Prior to that, he represented the Mortgage Bankers Association, starting at the beginning of the foreclosure and credit crisis in 2007, where he worked with public policy. Andrew has accumulated over 135 contact hours of education in project management, earned the Accredited Mortgage Professional (AMP) designation in 2010, and has a B.A. in political science from Canisius College of Buffalo, New York.  “As we searched for a new executive director, we were struck by the leadership that Andrew had shown in both his role as our director of operations and interim executive director,” said Charles Yohe, Habitat board president. “His experience with housing policy and issues at both the local and national level will be helpful to our organization as it addresses the diverse challenges that our communities face when it comes to affordable homeownership.

In addition to Szalay’s appointment, the organization welcomes five new members to its board of directors: Dee Cook, Lebanon County Career and Technology Center; Jim Radick, Fulton Financial Corporation; Christian Recknagel, Benchmark Construction; Mark Leiden, Thrivent Financial; and Vicar Angela Hammer, St Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Currently, Habitat is rehabilitating six homes in Lebanon and Lancaster Cities and additionally is turning over the keys to two Habitat homebuyer families this spring. The organization celebrated a home dedication in Lebanon on May 5 as the Marai family moved in to a rehabilitated home on Worden Street in the City of Lebanon.

About Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity

Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity builds homes, communities and hope for families in need of safe, affordable housing in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties. Since 1986, the organization has built and repaired homes across the region, as well as strengthened communities through neighborhood revitalization efforts. Working in partnership with volunteers, Habitat programs empower families to build brighter futures through homeownership.  www.lancasterlebanonhabitat.org.