ASPCA, PetSmart Charities, and IFAW change chief executives

American SPCA president Ed Sayres, 63, on July 25, 2012, announced his retirement, pending selection of a successor.  “I am going to take a breath and assimilate the lessons of the past 10 years,” Sayres told ANIMAL PEOPLE.  “The A has been a great fit for me. I realized I could implement the no kill vision more effectively through the ASPCA than San Francisco SPCA,” where Sayres was president 1999-2003, “and [Mayor’s Alliance executive director] Jane Hoffman has been an outstanding partner in transforming New York City.  Now with Community Partners,” the ASPCA national outreach program, “we have created many different and transparent examples of how to sustain life saving efforts.   We have been fortunate to recruit some of the best in the field, and I am leaving a very strong organization for the next leader.

“I may want to go back to a leadership position,” Sayres said, “but for the near term I want to take a fresh look at the issues and think about where I can add value.  Of course I will be available to help Willie Mays organize his memorabilia the moment he calls!”

ASPCA board chair Tim F. Wray noted that, “Under Ed’s leadership,” “the ASPCA membership base has tripled to more than 1.2 million and our revenues have quadrupled to $148 million in 2011.

With total 2010 compensation of $555,8244, according to IRS Form 990, Sayres had become the highest paid executive in the humane field.

Sayres debuted in humane work as a teenaged assistant and eventually successor to his father, Edwin Sayres Sr., the founding director of the St. Hubert’s Giralda shelter begun by Geraldine Dodge Rockefeller on her estate in New Jersey.  Sayres headed the American Humane Association animal protection division 1995-1997, and then headed PetSmart Charities for a year before succeeding Richard Avanzino at the SF/SPCA.  Avanzino had retired after 24 years to lead Maddie’s Fund.

Susana Della Maddelena,  PetSmart Charities executive director since 2004, on July 31, 2012  announced her resignation “to pursue other opportunities.”  Under Della Maddelena, PetSmart Charities grew from distributing about $10 million per year to animal charities to distributing more than $37 million, including $17.4 million in dog and cat sterilization funding.  “Because it’s critically important to me that the transition be smooth and successful,”  Della Maddelena said, “I’ve committed to staying on through the hiring and on-boarding of my successor, which may take several months.”

Both American SPCA president Ed Sayres, who announced his retirement five days earlier, and Sayres’ predecessor at the ASPCA, Larry Hawk, were former executive directors of PetSmart Charities.

Asked if she might be following Hawk and Sayres to the ASPCA, Della Maddelena told ANIMAL PEOPLE,   “I’m going to be evaluating a number of opportunities over the next several months to see which is the best fit for me.  I love animal welfare and will consider it as an option, either at the local or national level.  I’m ready to move on to a new adventure and bring my skills to a new organization but haven’t yet nailed down exactly what that looks like.”

Said Sayres, “I did not know Sue Della Maddelena was leaving PetSmart Charities until I saw her announcement.”

International Fund for Animal Welfare president Fred O’Regan in July 2012 took a six-month leave of absence.”Fred just celebrated 15 years of service with IFAW, and is on sabbatical, during which time he will focus on writing,”  IFAW publicist Doug Ruchefsky told ANIMAL PEOPLE.  “Azzedine Downes, executive vice president for international operations and programs, and Fred’s second in command for many years, will be acting chief executive,” Ruchefsky said.  O’Regan was paid $387,119 in 2011; Downes was paid $369,489.