HUTCHINSON, Kan.— He has held the position of President since the chapter of the NAACP stared in Hutchinson 52 years ago. Now Darrell Pope has retired. The NAACP held their election as scheduled and Pope is handing the reins to Calvin Wright.
Pope stepped into the role of chapter president the year after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, and has served Hutchinson since. With 52 years of service, he remains the longest-serving chapter president in the history of the national organization.
Pope will serve as second vice-president, and intends to remain active in several committees within the branch.
Wright is retired from the United States Air Force, where he held a number of telecommunications positions including service as a Global Telecommunications Manager, Telecommunications Quality Control Supervisor, Recruiter, and concluded his military service in as the Senior Liaison, Procurement Management Information System Supervisor.
Since July of 2015 Wright has worked as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS). He is enthusiastic with his family’s move to Hutch and says they are looking forward to many years of service to the Hutchinson community.
The newly elected executive committee is as follows:
Calvin Wright, president
Derek Pope, vice-president
Darrell Pope, second vice-president
Rebecca Yoder-Shetler, secretary
Glinda Theus, treasurer
Installation of officers will take place at the upcoming meeting on January 7.
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