The home to a handful of local non-profit organizations now has a new leader. Vicki Dull became the new executive director of the Jo Ann Carter Harrelson Center on Jan. 1.

As executive director, she will manage the facility and work with the current non-profit partners that occupy the building. They include organizations such as, Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Habitat for Humanity and Communities in Schools of Cape Fear.

About six months ago, founding executive director Joe Capell retired. This year, Dull plans to focus on creating an overall plan for the center with the board of directors, she said.

The brick building at Market and Fourth streets previously housed the New Hanover County Detention Center. But in 2005, the First Baptist Church bought the building using funds from a donation of $1 million from Bobby Harrelson in memory of his wife Jo Ann Carter Harrelson. The center currently houses 10 non-profit organizations at a negotiated rental price and has upper floor space that could house more after renovations, Dull said.

“What we really want to do is focus on the folks who really need help with a step up in life,” she said. Many clients receive services from multiple organizations within the Harrelson Center. This type of coordinated service delivery is something the center would like to build upon.

Prior to joining the Harrelson Center, Dull was co-owner of a software consulting business for non-profit organizations. She has also worked in UNCW’s fundraising division as director of advancement services.

She has been involved with several non-profit organization boards. She was president of the Junior League during the start-up of The Carousel Center with New Hanover Regional Medical Center. She served as president of the PTA at Alderman Elementary School, co-chairwoman of the first membership campaign for the Cameron Art Museum and as a board member for the United Way and the Cape Fear Community College Foundation.

“I think we all really do see the center serving the non-profits in this building. And, at a larger level, we’d like to see us meeting the needs of other non-profits in the area in terms of coordinating events, trainings, etc.,” she said.