Andy Souza is leaving his position at the Central California Food Bank to be the chief administrative officer of Immanuel Schools in Reedley.

Andy Souza, CEO of the Central California Food Bank for the past 10 years, announced he will be leaving the organization at the end of May.

Formerly a city manager for the City of Fresno, Souza will take a new position as chief administrative officer at Immanuel Schools in Reedley, where his oldest children attended in the late 1990s.

Under Souza’s leadership the food bank has more than tripled the number of people served and amount of food provided in its five-county service area. He also helmed the move in 2018 to the food bank’s current location — a 100,000 square-foot facility in Fresno that was formerly Valley Wide Beverage.

Souza also represented the food bank on a national level by serving as the chair of Feeding America’s National Policy Committee. In 2017, Souza received the Feeding America National Service Award.

Board Chair Julie Olson-Buchanan stated: “Andy Souza leaves an incredible legacy at the food bank. We simply would not be where we are today if not for Andy’s vision and leadership.”

“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to see Central California Food Bank grow over the past 10 years and reach more of our neighbors who are experiencing hunger,” said Souza. “It’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’m looking forward to the next challenge, and watching the food bank continue to carry its mission forward.”

Souza’s last day will be May 22. The board of directors will be announcing a leadership succession plan shortly. The board expects a smooth transition as Kym Dildine, chief administrative officer and Natalie Caples, chief operations officer, have been with the food bank for many years, serving in their respective roles since 2016. Dildine and Caples will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations and manage the transition, ensuring stability and continued commitment to the success of the food bank, according to a news release.