Eric VanVlymen, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter, has been promoted to Regional Director Region 10 for the Alzheimer’s Association. Region 10 includes nine chapters across Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia, and it is one of 16 regions comprised of local chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association nationwide.
The Miami Valley Chapter serves nine counties including Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Montgomery, Mercer, Preble and Shelby. Approximately 30,000 people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia throughout the area of approximately one million people. The chapter offers counseling and education sessions, support groups, volunteer, fundraising, and science/research information for people living with dementia and their caregivers. The Chapter was formed in 1982, and currently has a staff of 16.
Region 10 has a population of approximately 23.3 million with an estimated 421,000 living with dementia and about 1.2 million caregivers. Approximately 220 Alzheimer’s employees serve clients across the three-state region.
VanVlymen’s duties across the region involve strategic planning, board development, public policy advocacy, fundraising, and overall administration including human resources, finance and staff development. Each chapter has an Executive Director who leads the daily operations, and reports to VanVlymen, who joined the Alzheimer’s Association in 2001 as program director. He later served as associate director from 2004 until 2011 when he became Executive Director of the Miami Valley Chapter. VanVlymen earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Taylor University in Indiana, and University of Southern Indiana respectively.
Local reaction to VanVlymen’s promotion has been positive. “This is great news for Dayton and a win for our region to see the Alzheimer’s Association, as a respected voluntary health organization, recognize the talent we have here locally,” says Michael Parks, president of The Dayton Foundation.
Alzheimer’s Miami Valley Chapter Board President Michael Emoff says the promotion is well-deserved. “Eric has done a phenomenal job of raising awareness, concern and engagement with our cause and with efficiently operating our chapter to maximize use of donors’ contributions to directly benefit clients. He’s a great thought-leader who is passionate about ending Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”
VanVlymen says he feels honored and humbled by the promotion. “To be asked to take the experience and success we’ve achieved in the Miami Valley Chapter and translate that across the three-state region is very humbling but also exciting,” he says. “Across the region we have a tremendous team of highly talented people who are fully committed to helping make life easier and better for people with dementia and their caregivers.
“We all recognize the growing challenge of this disease,” he adds. “Of the top 10 most deadly diseases, Alzheimer’s dementia is the only one without any effective treatment or a cure, and we take that challenge very seriously because we know the need will grow by about 100,000 people with dementia and 800,000 caregivers across the three states in the coming years. We’ll be there to meet the challenge.”
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement or research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is carried out in Ohio by seven local chapters coordinating care and support, awareness, fundraising and advocacy initiatives. For more information on the Alzheimer’s Association call 1.800.272.3900, or visit alz.org.
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