Fish Food Banks' Executive Director to Retire After 11 Years

Beth Elliott, who oversaw the oldest and largest food bank network in Pierce County, is retiring after 11 years as Executive Director. She will step down at the end of 2014.

During Elliott’s tenure with FISH Food Banks, the organization has grown from serving 199,000 client visits in 2004, to more than 562,000 in 2013.

A decade ago, Elliott found the agency in a precarious financial position. Speedy and strategic changes were necessary in order to stay afloat. Though ever-dependent on the generosity of local donors, FISH now has months of financial reserves to sustain operations in a crisis, a benchmark of a healthy and solvent nonprofit organization.

“For the past 10 years, my vision has been, and continues to be, that everyone—clients, volunteers, paid staff and donors—must be treated with compassion, dignity and respect, and that we operate efficiently and effectively. During this time, I placed great emphasis on improving facilities, switching to a self-serve operational model, eliminating barriers for those needing assistance, hiring paid food bank managers, procuring truckloads of bulk food to reduce costs, purchasing vehicles for food bank pick-up and delivery, partnering with organizations to add vital client services, initiating the Mobile Food Bank, and streamlining operations,” Elliott recently stated.

Despite her strength and decisiveness, Elliott is known for tender-heartedness for those in need in our community. Not infrequently, recounting the powerful stories of clients served brings a tear to her eye, and she often encourages FISH Food Banks’ staff and volunteers to go beyond standard practices to meet emergency client needs.   

Upon announcement of her retirement, Elliott remarked: “It has been both an honor and a blessing to have worked for FISH Food Banks of Pierce County. I have had the opportunity to work with incredibly generous people, and my faith has been renewed by witnessing the outpouring of compassionate care demonstrated by so many communities of faith.”

“Beth Elliott is one of the most positive & productive people I know,” said Board President Debra Irwin. “She has transformed this organization and made it the strong and financially sound organization it is today. She is a great mentor to our staff and upholds our mission at all times. She inspires all that she touches and I am sure she will continue that in her future endeavors. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her these past few years, and I will miss her tremendously.”

Elliott holds a Master’s Degree in Public Recreation Administration from Indiana University and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Kentucky. She is the 2014 Chair of the Pierce County Human Services Coalition.

The search for her successor will commence shortly under the direction of the Board of Directors.