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Jon Costello
freely admits his original motive in
joining Habitat for Humanity was
self-serving.
He’d just bought a home of his own
and thought it would be a cheap way
to learn home repairs.
“It was for selfish reasons; I
wanted to learn how to build things
in my own house,” the new executive
director of Habitat for Humanity of
Sarpy County said Friday.
But then, something happened the
first time he helped turn around a
newly built house.
“We gave the homeowner keys and a
Bible,” he said. “It was awesome. I
realized how rewarding it was to do
something to help others.”
Costello, 38, a graduate of Bellevue
West High School and Bellevue
University, said he made a serious
career shift soon after that,
wanting to work for a nonprofit
instead of in the private sector.
And so, it seemed a natural fit to
apply for the vacancy at Habitat for
Humanity of Sarpy County, where he
had already been volunteering for
eight years.
It was a no-brainer for Habitat’s
search committee too, said John
“Mac” McLean, president of the board
of directors.
For anyone who’s ever been on either
side of a job interview – hiring
versus looking to get hired – the
former is far more difficult, McLean
said.
After all, many people can ace a job
interview only to fall short of the
actual job qualifications. Employers
hate to discover that after the
fact, which is why hiring Costello
was surprisingly easy, McLean said
Friday as he introduced the new
executive director to a crowd of
about 35 people at a welcome
reception at Habitat’s offices on
West Mission Avenue.
Costello filled a vacancy left by
Judith Bumgardner, who resigned in
January after about 18 months on the
job, McLean said. McLean had been
serving as acting executive director
until Costello started April 26.
Habitat for Humanity is an
international Christian-value
organization that builds homes for
the working poor, or for those who
have lost their homes in natural
disasters. Volunteers construct the
houses, which are sold at no profit
and with no interest-bearing loans.
Costello’s post is the only paid one
in the local affiliate of Habitat
for Humanity. There are about 130
active volunteers who do everything
from drywall to deskwork, McLean
said.
He said Costello’s chief duties are
fundraising, running all of the
committees, overseeing finances,
formulating the budget, looking for
grant opportunities and making sure
the committees are running smoothly
and achieving their goals.
Costello said he shares the
affiliate’s goal of expanding its
territory westward to Gretna.
Because of its physical location in
Bellevue, and because most
volunteers live in the city, McLean
said all of the houses that have
been built are in Bellevue, for now.
Costello has a bachelor’s degree in
marketing management. He originally
went to college on a baseball
scholarship 20 years ago, to Fort
Scott Junior College in Kansas and
then the University of Central
Oklahoma.
He took a sales job that led to
sales management for eight years,
but started feeling like he wanted
something more, he said.
He also worked for three years for
nonprofit Mosaic of Omaha, helping
disabled persons streamline into
society; and most recently he
completed a four-month internship
with the Nebraska Sports Council,
where he was able to hone his
fundraising skills, he said.
After the reception Friday, McLean
said six other people applied for
the position but that Costello stood
out. “He just exudes enthusiasm.”
Treasurer Bill Ernst was also
impressed. “He’s very energetic and
very promising.”
Said Costello: “If you love what you
do, it’s not work.”
He and his wife, Julie, live in
Papillion. She is also a graduate of
Bellevue West and Bellevue
University, where she works as
program director for the Adult
Education Program.
Those wishing to volunteer, donate
money or help raise funds for
Habitat for Humanity of Sarpy County
can call the main office at (402)
292-6560 for more information. |
