Incoming CEO Tim Grigsby, CEO Emeritus Marsha Williamson and operations director Joseph Sapienza of Dallas 24 Hour Club. Photo courtesy of Dallas 24 Hour Club.

Marsha Williamson, who served as the CEO and CEO emeritus of Old East Dallas’ recovery organization for homeless people with alcoholism and drug addiction Dallas 24 Hour Club, has fully retired.

Sign up for our newsletter

* indicates required

Williamson, who stepped into leadership in 2013, spearheaded the construction of a new building, most of which was completed pro bono by Dallas’ construction community, and stabilized the organization’s finances, according to a press release. The 75-bed facility opened in 2018 and has served almost 4,000 people to date, including over 600 residents in its first year. 

“Marsha’s leadership and heart have left a mark on this organization and the thousands of lives it has helped transform,” Dallas 24 Hour Club Board Chairperson Michael Young said in the press release. “She built a foundation rooted in compassion, vision and perseverance, and (current CEO) Tim (Grigsby) has carried that vision forward with strength, innovation and lived experience. Together, they have expanded our campus and mission, and we are grateful to Marsha for all she’s done to position us for continued success.”

To make way for the organization’s current chief leader, Williamson retired as CEO in 2023 and became CEO emeritus in an advisory capacity. 

“As I look back on what all has been accomplished with a new facility and an expanded campus and more robust services in the last 11 years, I am very proud of how beautifully our succession plan has worked,” Williamson said in the press release. “With Tim at the helm and the leadership team we have put into place, I am more than confident that The 24’s residents will have every opportunity to become self-supporting and contributing members of their community. Personally, I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends and family, being a more involved grandmother, and learning how to take the drive that I have thrived on for so many years and dial that back! That’s a big goal! Though I won’t be at The 24 on a daily basis, my heart will always be with The 24. I already have plans to volunteer in at least one key role!”

Grigsby used to be a resident of The 24 and came back to be the chief operating officer in 2018. New initiatives and services are planned under his leadership, including opening an expanded campus, Trevor’s Place, in September to offer wrap-around services that are available but limited because of space constraints at the main campus on Ross Avenue. 

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside Marsha and learn from her example,” Grigsby said in the press release. “Her legacy lives in every person who walks through our doors, seeking recovery and a second chance. As we look to the future, I’m committed to honoring that legacy by continuing to grow our programs, strengthen our community and provide hope to all who come here.”