Salisbury, MD – The Board of Directors of SHORE UP!, Inc. has announced that effective October 2, 2023, Dr. Tyrone Chase has assumed the role of Executive Director, following the retirement of Freddy L. Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell has been in a leadership role at the Agency since he began employment there in December of 1969. He was hired as the Program Director for Head Start and after about five years in that position, he took on the role of Executive Director. He has led the agency for approximately 50 years. “Mr. Mitchell has led this agency through good times and through challenging times. Despite the challenges, SHORE UP has expanded its programs and services many times under his leadership, and we are grateful for his dedication and service,” said Board Chair Rev. Dr. Craig Mathies.
Dr. Chase was selected by the Board to be Mr. Mitchell’s successor because of his wealth of experience. Chase worked at SHORE UP for over thirty years and has served on its Board. Dr. Chase is a firm believer in the important role of education in achieving success, and he has served on the Wicomico County Board of Education. After leaving his employment at SHORE UP, Dr. Chase took a position at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where he was an Associate Professor in the Organizational Leadership Doctoral Program. His civic involvement also includes positions on the Shore Housing Resource Board, which sought to expand housing options for lower income households.
“Dr. Chase knows SHORE UP, knows the communities we serve, and he has a heart for helping others,” Mr. Mitchell said of his successor. “He is exactly the right person to take SHORE UP forward into the future.”
Mr. Mitchell is assisting Dr. Chase with the transition of leadership thru the end of 2023. An open house style reception for Mitchell will be held at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Thursday, January 11, 2024. Well-wishers are invited to stop by between the hours of 2:00 and 5:00 PM to congratulate Mr. Mitchell and meet Dr. Chase.
