By Dioni L. Wise
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

El Centro Latino admits any new face who enters its doors. And on Sept. 2, the non-profit welcomed the new executive director, Victor Meléndez.

Meléndez, a 58-year-old native of Puerto Rico, is the fifth person to hold the post since El Centro Latino opened in July 2000. He replaced Ben Balderas who stepped down on July 11 after serving two years as executive director.

Victor Meléndez began his first day as El Centro Latino’s executive director on Sept. 2. He said he finds helping others rewarding. “If I see people doing well, I’m happy,” he said. “If I don’t see people doing well, I’m unhappy.”

Staff photo by Dioni L. Wise

“(Balderas) has his master’s [degree] in social work,” said Paula Gildner, chairwoman of the board of directors. “He was really interested in getting back into a more direct path of social service.”

Gildner, of Chapel Hill, said the board posted the job opening on Web sites and received an “overwhelming response” from dozens of applicants. The board vetted applicants in a string of interviews and surveys before Meléndez was hired mid-August.

“It was a pretty heavy process,” Gildner said. “It was not something that was taken upon lightly.”

Meléndez said he is getting used to the rhythm of El Centro Latino, likening its operations to a moving train.

“Because the train is in movement, you have to do certain things to keep it moving,” he said of his work behind the desk thus far. “I’m kind of making sure things keep on a roll until I get acquainted.”

Meléndez emigrated from Puerto Rico to the United States 36 years ago. He has worked with non-profits that benefit both the Anglo and Latino communities in New York, Connecticut and Raleigh for all but two of those years.

For the past two years, he was a utilization review specialist with Life Skills Counseling. The Raleigh-based company offers a variety of counseling services to address the emotional, educational and behavioral challenges of children and families.

Meléndez moved from Raleigh to Chapel Hill on Labor Day weekend, and was briefly introduced to Orange County’s Latino community at the Fiesta de la Familia on Aug. 31.

Sharon Mújica, vice chair of the board of directors, said Meléndez’s introduction was informal. He met a few of El Centro Latino’s members and told Mújica he was very impressed by the festival.

“He’s a very good choice, and the board will work with him pretty closely,” she said.

Gildner said Meléndez’s work in a managerial capacity previously in his career made him stand out. She said he can bring a different perspective to the position.

“He’s coming from a different point of view, which will be great,” she said. “It’s all to benefit the Latino community here.”

Meléndez said he has to learn more about Carrboro’s Latino community to assess its needs and then create programs to provide those needs. He has a few ideas for improving existing programs and possibly implementing new ones, but he won’t share them now.

“They have to be not only my ideas, but they have to become others’ ideas,” Meléndez said. “I believe in the participatory process.”

Gildner said he hasn’t discussed his ideas in detail with her yet.

“Call back in a month,” she said, with a slight laugh.