Farewell to John Cooley, Second ERD Chair

John took up the Chairmanship of the ERD at a very challenging time for the organisation. He worked tirelessly to strengthen the organisation. The legacy of those years is the ERD of today, which values close partnerships, better and more transparent systems and consistency of approach in the complex world of International Development and Funding. John was a collaborative leader, seeking advice and opinion widely before guiding the Board in its duties and decisions. The Board especially, but also the ERD staff and our partner bodies, join in thanking him for the generosity of his spirit, time and energy in his wonderful service of Leadership to ERD and in wishing him well for the future. We know, even in John’s retirement, his passion for working to make a better world for the most marginalised and poorest will be undimmed; and so he will always remain connected to the vision of ERD, the inspiration of Edmund Rice and the Gospel message to reach out in love and compassion.