By SARAH CULTON

sarah.culton@leaderpub.com

CASSOPOLIS — Last week, South Bend resident Marty Heirty was still learning the layout of the Cass County Council on Aging.

“It’s my third day, so I’m still getting to know everything,” Heirty said as he navigated his way down an L-shaped hallway toward his new office. “It’s kind of like drinking water from a fire hose. There is so much new information at once, but everyone has been really welcoming.”

The COA recently announced that Heirty, 50, of South Bend, will serve as its new chief executive officer. Heirty will take over the position from Bob Cochrane, who has served in the position for nearly 15 years. Cochrane will officially retire at the end of July.

Previously, Heirty worked as an account strategist at Force 5 in South Bend, in addition to working in various capacities at area nonprofits, including South Bend Symphony Orchestra and Southold Dance Theater. After working in marketing for several years, Heirty said he was drawn to apply for the CEO position at the COA because he wanted to back into the nonprofit arena.

“I wanted to get back to nonprofits — that’s where I really feel at home,” he said. “This opportunity came up, and it seemed like a no brainer to try to be part of it.”

The COA particularly resonated with Heirty because he said he believes in its mission to provide programming, care and life enrichment for senior citizens. He said he the mission is personal to him because he has spent the last several years helping to care for his elderly mother, and before that, his late father.

He said he knows the way that isolation and lack of socialization and programming can affect senior citizens — he saw the adverse effects on his own mother, who became isolated and struggled to care for herself before she moved into a residential facility. Now, he said he is happy to be a part of an organization that is working to solve these problems for senior citizens.

“Nationally, our situation was not unique,” Heirty said of his family. “I want to find a way that no one else has to deal with that. I think having a program like this would have been tremendous for [my mother].”

Retiring CEO Bob Cochrane, 70, of Dowagiac, has been working with Heirty to help prepare him for the role of CEO. Though he was not involved in the hiring process, Cochrane said he is excited to see Heirty carry on the vision and mission of the COA.

“I’ve enjoyed my work here, and I will certainly miss it,” Cochrane said. “But I feel it is time for me to step aside and let in some new leadership to continue to move the organization forward.”

Though he is looking forward to retirement and visiting family members from across the country, Cochrane said he is proud of the work the COA has been able to accomplish under his leadership for the past 15 years. Most notably, Cochrane said he was proud to be a part of the opening of the COA’s Dowagiac Front Street Crossing location in 2012.

“Our primary goal here is to help people live the life that they want to live,” Cochrane said. “That’s what we do, whether it is through social programs to keep people engaged or support programs through Meals on Wheels or in-home care. I think that is the greatest thing that we do for the older adults in our community. … It’s been great to be a part of that.”

As Cochrane steps back from his position and Heirty takes over, the two said they share the same goal — to see the COA continue to grow and serve the senior population of Cass County.

“I’m excited to get the word out about what we have and to get people in the door,” Heirty said. “I think once people get a taste of what we offer, it will be great for them.”