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Briefcase

Profile: Deborah Thielen

As the first CEO of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida, Deborah Thielen expects to be on the road much of the time.

By FRED W. WRIGHT JR.
Published October 9, 2006

As the first CEO of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida, Deborah Thielen expects to be on the road much of the time.

Her task is developing partnerships between 16 Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations in the state, from Pensacola to Miami, and community organizations and corporations.

"We want to network more with corporations to bring in more volunteers and more fundraising," Thielen said. "We also want to have more of a statewide presence."

Much of her community development will be through one-on-one meetings and speaking to community groups and organizations, Thielen said. She said she's hoping for invitations to appear and speak as a one-woman speakers' bureau.

"I'm the first CEO to be hired," she said. "There isn't a benchmark to go against."

Thielen will work out of her Palm Harbor home.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in the United States. The Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida encompasses more than 300 cities and 241 schools in 42 counties. Last year, more than 14,000 children benefited from Big Brothers Big Sisters services in Florida.

Thielen said she was attracted to the position because she has more than 20 years working with services for children. Also, there's "the excitement of creating something new," she said. "Building something. Creating something that's really good for kids.

"I think it's always been my calling," she said. "I think it's where I should be."

A native of Belmond, Iowa, Thielen earned her bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Iowa in Cedar Rapids in 1978. She earned a master's degree in public administration in 1995 from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. In 2004, Thielen and her husband, William McCarty, moved to Florida. They drove around the state, looking for the ideal community to settle in. They chose Palm Harbor, Thielen said, "because of the beauty of the area." And because of the local government.

"We were impressed with the county government," she added. "Having worked for a lot of government agencies, I felt like (Pinellas County) was really dedicated to helping citizens enjoy a quality of life."

Thielen, 50, said she and her husband are fond of antique cars, having owned at least 30 over the years. They're looking for a Studebaker from the 1940s or '50s.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1999-Present: Consultant, Solution Source, Palm Harbor.

1995-1999: CEO, Polk County Youth Services, Des Moines, Iowa.

1993-1995: Merit Behavioral Health Care, Des Moines.

1987-1993: Chief operating officer, Alternative Services, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

1979-1987: Probation officer, Probation Services, Cedar Rapids and Decorah, Iowa.

PREVIOUS POSITION: Consulting contractor, Solution Source, Palm Harbor

[Last modified October 9, 2006, 08:10:23]