Vermont Business MagazineToday, RuralEdge, a rural regional housing non-profit organization, announced the appointment of Frances Pheeny as Executive Director. Pheeny comes to RuralEdgefrom Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Agency, in rural western MA, where she most recently served as the Executive Director.As head of RuralEdge(RE), Pheeny will oversee600 housing units scattered across the 2,000 square miles of three counties comprising the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, a Home Ownership Center (HOC) providing Homebuyer Education, Financial Empowerment classes and Home Repair and Rehabilitation, and a Support and Services at Home (SASH) program.
“The work of reinforcing housing that is affordable for people of all ages, their families and communities, from our mountains to our rivers, while ensuring the continued health and vitality of our communities has never been more important,” said Pheeny. “I am excited to join the talented RuralEdge team and honored to be part of the network of organizations committed to this mission.”
“Fran brings seasoned executive experience working with the complexity of providing housing that is affordable as well as genuine dedication to strengthening rural communities,” said Louise Bonvechio, chair of the RuralEdge board of directors. “Her track record of implementing innovative solutions to address challenges and her experience leading and managing organizations will allow RuralEdge to grow and thrive.”
At Franklin County Regional Housing & Redevelopment Agency (FCRHDA), Pheeny oversaw multiple housing services supported by state and federal agencies, housing counseling and affordable housing management. Pheeny is widely recognized for successfully restructuring agency operations to streamline operations and maximize cost savings, and identifying additional revenue sources and cost management.
Prior directing FCRHDA, Pheeny served as the Senior Business Manager for Fannie Mae, where she led major initiatives designing and delivering national counseling for housing borrowers, decreased defaults due to increased borrower income and increase in repayment plans. These successful efforts were recognized with the All-In Award, in December 2013. And while working for the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, she grew the annual Single Homes Ownership program from $50million to $700million by devising innovative outreach initiatives to lenders, realtors and homeowners.
Pheeny holds a Masters of Public Administration from Suffolk (MA) University, and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
RuralEdge (RE) strengthens Northeast Kingdom Communities one home at a time. As a Community Development Corporation primarily serving the Caledonia, Essex and Orleans counties in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont (NEK), RuralEdge develops affordable housing for low and moderate‐‑income seniors, families and those with disabilities. RE not only provides access to quality affordable housing it has also helped transform communities by rehabbing underutilized or vacant, deteriorated and sometimes fire damaged properties in key locations, turning them into community assets.