William Sammis to be new Crystal Run director

MIDDLETOWN — William J. Sammis will be the new executive director of Crystal Run Village in Middletown, an independent, non-profit provider of services to more than 700 people with developmental, physical and psychiatric disabilities.

He will start in his new position on April 27. He will replace Jim Lawler, who is retiring after serving 14 years as executive director and 43 years with the agency. Lawler will serve as senior advisor through June 22.

“I am leaving as I had always hoped — healthy and with the organization thriving and fiscally sound, Lawler said. "I believe strongly in succession planning as a major responsibility of a good leader and I truly believe that with that plan in place, the board has identified the best person to carry on the values on which this organization is built.”

Sammis has been with Crystal Run Village since 2004 as deputy executive director of administrative services. For the past 21 months he has been the leader of the agency’s internal improvement team, dedicated to giving disabled people greater control of their own lives. He is also on the faculty of the Leadership Institute at the University of Delaware, where he instructs twice annually to the leadership of human service agencies from across the country on how to initiate organizational change and strategic planning aimed at improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Crystal Run Village has been serving children and adults with developmental disabilities, spectrum disorders and those dually diagnosed with a mental illness since 1959, first as a summer camp and then as a residential school. Today, the agency offers supervised group, individual and supportive residential opportunities in the community, educational and vocational services, and job placement, among other services.