After ten years as Executive Director of the Bethesda Foundation, John Peters has announced he is stepping down.

Peters joined the Foundation in September of 2007 after his retirement as Superintendent of Hanover School Division.

"It has been a tremendous experience and real honour to work with this talented, dynamic and hard-working board," says Peters. "These people, with great support from the community, have been remarkably successful in improving health care in the region."

Peters says over the course of the last decade, a lot of great projects have been completed in Steinbach. This includes the Emergency Room redevelopment, CancerCare and the birthing centre. But the project he is most pleased about was the opening of the Crisis Stablization Unit (CSU) on Main Street.

"For people that need that Crisis Stabilization Unit, that has been a life saver really," he says. "I think our board is so proud of that, that we were able to get that off the ground and functioning well and doing great things behind the scenes."

Peters explains the CSU is a place for people going through an emotional or psychological crisis to get help.

He says if not for the Bethesda Foundation and generous donors in the region, there are probably projects in this city that would not have happened. For example, he says the CancerCare facility would probably still be in the planning stages if not for the Foundation.

The resignation is not immediate. In fact, Peters plans to remain with the Foundation until a replacement is found, though no later than April 30th. He says the timing is probably never perfect for stepping down, but feels this is probably as good a time as any. Peters notes they are just wrapping up the Bethesda Primary Care Centre and Stonebridge Wellness Centre projects and are getting set to embark on their next project which will be to fundraise for the new beds at Rest Haven nursing home.

"I think this is a good transition time when a new person can step in and help the board get those things off the ground," he says. "Now would be a good time to step aside and let another person with fresh new ideas and enthusiasm have the opportunity to contribute to these worthwhile causes."

Prior to his time with the Bethesda Foundation, Peters worked in Hanover School Division. He started as a teacher in 1972 and retired as Superintendent in 2007.

Once he leaves the Foundation, Peters says he plans to continue travelling with his wife and spending time with family and on his hobby farm.