Catholic Family Center‘s board of directors announced Dec. 9 that Marlene Bessette has been appointed president and CEO effective Jan. 1, 2014. Bessette has served as the Rochester agency’s chief operating officer since Jan. 1, 2013.
“Having had the opportunity to work day to day with Marlene over the last three months, I am impressed with her extraordinary capabilities and am confident she will carry on the tradition of excellent leadership at CFC,” Jack Balinsky, diocesan director of Catholic Charities who has been serving as CFC’s interim president and CEO, said in a press release.
Bessette worked for Xerox Corp. for 28 years in a variety of senior management roles and began working with CFC in April 2012 during a nine-month social-service leave from the company. She resigned from Xerox to accept the position as CFC’s chief operating officer.
While serving at Xerox, Bessette received the Xerox President’s Award in 1995, the Rochester Business Journal “40 under 40 Award” in 1998, and the Positive Difference Award from the Xerox Women’s Alliance in 2009. She also has actively volunteered for various organizations, including Pathway Houses of Rochester, the Women’s Alliance at Xerox and Church of the Transfiguration in Pittsford.
“We are blessed by Marlene’s decision to utilize her considerable skills and significant management expertise gained at Xerox to lead CFC into the future,” P.J. Guisto, chair of CFC’s board of directors, said in a press release.
Bessette resides in Pittsford with her husband, Eric. They have two children, André (AJ), 25, and Danielle, 21.
Tags: Diocesan Appointments
