World Services for the Blind Announces New CEO

Today the World Services for the Blind Board of Directors announced the appointment of Penny Forward treasurer Eric Yarberry as their new CEO
effective November 1st, 2022.

Eric has served the past four and a half years as Director of Education and Training and a total of 7 years involved with program development and implementation. He has been recognized as the next generation of leaders by his colleagues in the blindness field. 

Eric has excelled at bringing a new level of industry standard certifications and partnerships to the offerings at WSB’s vocational programming.  

An Arkansas native, Eric actively serves on various boards for organizations within the blindness community, and he brings to the table real world knowledge of living with a visual impairment. He enjoys volunteering his time to the Arkansas Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Penny Forward,, the Arkansas School for the Blind Alumni Association and is the President of the Little Rock Founders Lions club, which is the oldest club in continuous service since February 17, 1916. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Professional and Technical Writing. He lives in Little Rock with his lovely wife, Emily, and his Leader Dog, Hank.

Board Chair Kenneth Reed of California stated:  “I have had the pleasure of serving on the WSB Operations Board for eleven years and we have gone through some very tough times but with the leadership of Sharon Giovinazzo and her excellent team, WSB is running on all eight cylinders and headed down the road to success. Part of that team is Eric Yarberry and what an outstanding job he has done and will continue to do in his newly appointed position of CEO replacing Sharon. He has some very large shoes to fill but I have no doubt in my mind he will fill those shoes and hit the road running to make WSB even better than what it is presently. I believe he will improve the lives of the clients and make the workplace even more positive than it is already.”

The current CEO Sharon Giovinazzo and her team have worked tirelessly over the last eight years to lead WSB to be a center of excellence that is looked to as an example in the field. With diversification of revenue streams, campus improvements and the group home nearing completion, this is a perfect time to transition which will continue to bring WSB to unimaginable heights. 

After eight years of service at WSB, Sharon will be joining the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco as their CEO in October. We’d like to congratulate Sharon, and Eric, for their new positions and thank them for their enthusiastic support of Penny Forward.

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