Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties names McElveen as CEO

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has named Everett McElveen as its next chief executive officer. McElveen will join the organization on June 1, succeeding outgoing CEO Becky Lucas, following 25 years of service to the organization and its mission.

McElveen brings more than three decades of experience in affordable housing and human services to the role. He comes to Habitat from his previous position as CEO of Community Alternatives for Supportive Abodes (CASA) in Raleigh, North Carolina. There, he expanded the organization’s affordable housing portfolio to more than 700 units and led their $27 million King’s Ridge development, the region’s first supportive housing community of its kind. A Cornell University graduate, McElveen has also completed executive programs at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Harvard Business School.

The selection followed a competitive search led by a dedicated search committee of current and former board members, assisted by a consulting firm recommended by fellow Habitat affiliates. The committee conducted an extensive review of 75 candidates from the local community and across the country before arriving at a decision.

“The process to replace our current and exceptional CEO, Becky Lucas, began last summer and was one of the most thorough and professional searches I have ever been involved in,” said John Hill, board member and one of seven search committee members. “As a result, we have found an excellent leader in Everett. His decades of service to housing and his passion for our mission provide the perfect foundation for Habitat’s next chapter.”

McElveen’s career in housing and human services began as a case manager at a men’s shelter in South Carolina, where he worked alongside disabled, elderly and homeless individuals. This early experience has shaped a career that has spanned multiple states and a wide range of mission-driven organizations.

“I was thrilled when our search committee reached a unanimous decision to appoint Everett McElveen as the new CEO,” said Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, a fellow board member and search committee member. “His impressive resume demonstrated the exact qualifications and experience we were seeking, but it was our personal conversations that truly set him apart. Everett is not only highly qualified, but also exceptionally articulate, warm and personable, qualities that will resonate beautifully with our dedicated staff and the communities we serve.”

“Serving Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Lucas said. “I am incredibly proud of what we have built together, and I am confident that Everett’s leadership, experience and heart for this work will carry Habitat into a strong and meaningful next chapter.”

To ensure a smooth transition, McElveen and Lucas will share a meaningful overlap period, with opportunities for the broader community to connect with McElveen in the months ahead.