United Way gets new leader in Carl Tims

Carl Tims, the current chief operating officer of United Way of Central Georgia, has been announced as the new president and CEO of the charitable organization.

He takes office on Jan. 1 and replaces George McCanless, who served for more than a decade as head of the nonprofit, which coordinates community resources while also directly addressing issues ranging from affordable housing to literacy and child care.

Tims said his first act will be embarking on a 30-day “listening tour.” He said he wants to build up the nonprofit’s existing infrastructure and continue expanding internal program offerings instead of just facilitating aid through the organization’s partner agencies.

Tims said he plans to examine community needs to determine the need for other United Way program offerings. He mentioned potentially launching programming for child care and transportation in the future. 

The organization’s future programs will be determined by Macon’s needs, he noted — and “not by folks sitting in this office.”

One of United Way’s largest local programs is Read United, which aims to increase reading literacy. As part of the initiative, Tims and his team recruit and coordinate volunteers who tutor area students.

Tims said the organization also recently tested a child care initiative in partnership with Atrium Health Navicent. That program was promising but needs some tweaks, he noted.

The CEO-in-waiting said he looks forward to building the nonprofit’s relationship with business and community leaders. United Way grants and programs are funded through a mix of local donors and grants, and Tims said he wants to explore pulling in more grant funding.

Tims joined United Way about two years ago. Before that, he worked for insurance provider GEICO for three decades. He said his corporate background helps him bring a strong focus on results to the nonprofit space.

“We have to be more flexible and adaptive than ever before … the way people want to contribute is changing,” he said.

Younger generations are passionate about causes, and their giving is tied to trust in the organizations to which they donate. Those donors also want to see where the money goes and its direct impact, Tims noted.

He said his organization will continue to build trust with local donors — and will aim to build up the local United Way brand with younger generations by offering more volunteer opportunities.