By BECKY HAND
Community editor

    John Black is not new to the United Way, he’s been volunteering for years, serving as chairman of the industry campaign committee and, in 2007, receiving the Whitley County Volunteer of the Year award.
     So he’s not really new to the Whitley County United Way, just new at the helm.
     John Black has gradually been stepping into the leadership role as Director of the Whitley County United Way, officially taking over the role in January 2010.  
     “It’s big, a lot bigger than I realized,” Black said of the job he is taking on for the United Way.
     The United Way assists funding in 15 local agencies: American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts, B.A.B.E., C.A.S.A., Churubusco Child Care Center, Interfaith Mission (Lighthouse), Imagination Library, Junior Achievement, Passages, Salvation Army, Whitley County Council on Aging, Whitley County Energy Assistance, Whitley County Literacy Council and YWCA Domestic Violence Services.
     Dave Smith, president of the board of directors, said of Black, “He’s been volunteering for a long time.”
     Black has been employed with the Dana Corporation for 35 years working in Tennessee and Utah, as well as Indiana. He has been the plant manager in Churubusco since 2002.
     He has been involved with Junior Achievement, teaching at the Smith Green Community Schools.
     He and his wife, Jennifer have been married 33 years and are the parents of one daughter, Laura, a student at I.U. Medical Center who will be getting married next summer.
     As the United Way campaign is finishing up, Black wanted to say, “Thank you to everybody that’s been so gracious in their help with time, money and resources, to help our folks in need in the community.”
     Anyone wishing to support the United Way, in time, money, or volunteering should call 244-6454 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it