Winter 2002

Seattle Lighthouse Bids Emil Dupuy a Fond Farewell

"He came and he conquered," says Seattle Lighthouse President George Jacobson. After eleven years of dedicated service to the Lighthouse, Vice President of Administration and Finance Emil Dupuy retires December 31.
Before joining our staff in 1991, Emil spent twenty-nine years as controller for National Industries for the Blind (NIB) on the East Coast. NIB is the central nonprofit agency that coordinates sales of blind-made products to the federal government. "An opportunity came up here, and to Emil's credit, he wanted to see what it was like in the trenches where the products are made," George continues. "We had become personal friends over the years, and he was just a fantastic candidate for the position here in Seattle. Knowing him, I knew of his optimism and positive attitude. It was a no-brainer decision."

Emil and Sheila, his bride of forty-one years, have six children and ten grandchildren. Although they left most of their family behind, Emil has no regrets about their move west. "I thought about it and decided it would be a good move," Emil explains. "I looked at it as a great educational opportunity. It is a totally different environment than NIB, which is technical and administrative. Here at the Seattle Lighthouse I got to see firsthand the capabilities of blind and Deaf-Blind people. I learned more about blindness in my first year here than I did in twenty-nine years at NIB."

Emil speaks proudly of many positive developments during his tenure in Seattle. The organization consistently offers wages and benefits at the top of the scale for comparable nonprofits. "We've had clean audits without audit adjustments for years," he reports.

Emil also cites advancements in training, technology and access to communication. "Computers have been a big key," he says. "Technology has opened up a whole new world for people, especially people who are Deaf-Blind. We'll continue seeing more of that in the future. I've been pleased with the training we've been able to provide. Certainly we can provide a lot more."

American Sign Language (ASL) classes stand out in Emil's mind as an example of the Seattle Lighthouse's commitment to training. "We made ASL classes available to anyone who wanted it, at no cost and on company time, so people could learn to communicate with their Deaf-Blind co-workers," he explains. Emil also points to the formation of two important employee committees as milestones of particular note. "Our EPAC [Employee Positive Action Committee] started out as a facilities committee. Their function was to recommend to management some positive changes that would make the Lighthouse a better place to work. Since the committee formed we've enlarged the main lunchroom, added air-conditioning, and put up awnings between the buildings for inclement weather. We've made some changes to benefits too, increasing vacation time for long-term employees." At the same time, the Employee Awards Ceremony Committee made the Seattle Lighthouse a better place in a different way. "The annual ceremony used to be run by management," Emil recalls. "It wasn't the most exciting event in the world. When an employee committee formed and started putting it on, it became a much better event. It became fun!"

In 1994, Emil volunteered to take on human resources functions for a few months. "I told George I'd assess the situation so we could hire the right people to come in and take it over," Emil remembers. "And I'm still doing it." The most difficult aspect of Emil's management of human resources centers on the occasional economic downturn. "When we have had to go into layoff mode, it tears the heart out of you," he says. "It's very difficult because you know the reality is that it's very unlikely blind and Deaf-Blind people will find another position. But we have to do what is necessary to maintain the health of the organization over the long haul, or everyone would be out of a job."

George lauds Emil for his role in managing our human resources. "It was a natural for him because of his personality," he explains. "Emil has a great understanding of our mission and is able to relate it to the employees here. He has been very effective in helping the organization carry out its mission. Bottom line, blind people have benefited from Emil's contributions."

Moving to a new home near the ocean in southern New Jersey, Emil plans to stay busy. "We will be living near Bestwork Industries for the Blind," Emil reports. "I've already contacted them about volunteering. Maybe I'll do some consulting for some other NIB agencies. We'll be living near most of our family, so I'll be spending lots of time with them." Emil also plans to resume his life-long tradition of attending baseball games in New York City. "I'm looking forward to walking in to Yankee Stadium wearing my Mariners hat," he concludes.

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