Region XII Council of Governments Executive Director Rick Hunsaker recently concluded his term as president of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), which he called a rewarding experience in learning how different parts of the country respond to common challenges. Hunsaker, who has been with the Carroll-based organization for 35 years, previously served as NADO’s vice president before he was chosen to lead the organization a year ago. He says NADO represents regional development organizations (RDO) of all types, and much of their work goes on behind the scenes.
Each RDO shifts to meet the needs of its service area. As president, Hunsaker led NADO as it pursued its two primary missions: improving training accessibility for these development professionals and advocating in the halls of Congress. Much of Hunsaker’s career has focused on rural challenges, such as housing, small-community development, and so on. He was able to work with a diverse team of RDO experts during his term, which Hunsaker says was an invaluable experience to bring back to the seven-county area Region XII serves here.
While that situation would not apply to housing development in the Region XII area, Hunsaker says it is an example of innovative thinking that can be tailored to local needs. Looking back at his time as NADO president, he believes his advocacy in D.C. was the most meaningful.
Hunsaker’s work with NADO is not yet over, even though his term has ended. He’ll spend the next year as NADO’s immediate past president. Once his one-year term as past president is up, Hunsaker will then remain on the NADO Board of Directors indefinitely, at least until his retirement as an RDO director. This past week, Hunsaker celebrated his 30th anniversary as Region XII’s executive director.
