William “Bill” Massey took the helm at the Peninsula Agency on Aging half his life ago.

Massey, a servant leader who aged gracefully as CEO, is now part of the older adult group he has worked so diligently to help for the past 41 years. He retires on Wednesday at age 83.

“I understand a lot of the aging challenges a lot better than I did 41 years ago,” he said. “I’ve always believed in the mission, and I believe it more firmly today than I ever have.”

While he won’t miss the one-hour trek from his home in Urbanna, he will miss the camaraderie of the staff, the broader community and those whose lives he has helped to enrich.

“The biggest reward has been knowing that we have helped a lot of folks, made their life a bit easier and helped them acquire a better quality of life as the years go by,” he said.

The organization’s mission is to support the independence and quality of life for Peninsula residents, primarily those 60 years of age and older, by advocating for, arranging and providing vital human services.

“The over 60 population has grown dramatically,” Massey said. “And the largest and fastest-growing segment of the older population is individuals 85 and older.”

Not only that, but in the next year or so, there will be more individuals living in Virginia over the age of 60 than there are individuals under the age of 18, he said.

“To me — and to a lot of folks — that’s a real eye-opener,” he said.

Throughout his time with the nonprofit organization, Massey didn’t just work hard to ensure that it was operationally solid, he was also involved in efforts to influence policymakers to do more to help meet the needs of older adults and family caregivers. Massey is the recipient of multiple congressional proclamations, has served on regional, statewide and national organizations and has been to the White House to provide guidance on the local impact of federal programs.

Sandy Markwood, CEO of USAging, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, described Massey as a committed champion who has really paved the pathway for aging — not only in the Hampton Roads area, but in the state and as a major contributor on the national level, too. She said he has built one of the model area agencies on aging in the country.

She said she also saw, while at a staff meeting, the reverence his staff has for him. He received USAging’s 2013 Excellence in Leadership Award.

“He is an incredible role model for his colleagues across the country,” she said. “He has a quiet way of innovating and really making the necessary changes to be able to meet his mission.”

Jeanne Zeidler, former mayor of Williamsburg who is now Peninsula Agency on Aging’s board chair, likewise praised Massey’s leadership and highlighted his masterful growth of central programs and his efforts to eliminate waiting lists for services.

“It’s hard to summarize 41 years of exceptional service,” said Zeidler, who is also the former CEO of the Williamsburg Health Foundation, a major benefactor of PAA. “He’s created an agency with a strong foundation that will go forward without him because of him.”

Massey’s early career years included teaching, time as an assistant principal and work as a rehabilitation counselor and supervisor with the Virginia Department for Rehabilitative Services.

Then followed a three-year stint working for Bay Aging, an Urbanna-based nonprofit offering community-based support for older adults and people with disabilities, before Massey applied for and took on his leadership role at the Peninsula Agency on Aging, based in Newport News.

Massey’s successor, Tiffany Speas, takes the reins on Thursday. The Air Force veteran has been the organization’s chief financial officer for more than a decade and will lead it — and the more than 80 employees in her charge — into the agency’s next chapter.

Massey encouraged Speas to never lose sight of the vision: “connecting people with the services and support they need to have a better quality of life.”

The biggest challenge has been leveraging resources to expand the financial support available to provide services to meet the obvious need in the community, he said.

“We’ve focused over the years on meeting nutritional needs, in-home care needs and transportation to connect and provide access to other support services,” Massey said. “Everyone who works here understands the mission; it’s straightforward and simple, but it’s powerful.”

As for his plans, Massey said he looks forward to spending more time with his large extended family, including three daughters, a son, five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. His vegetable garden also needs tending, as does a genealogy project he started with his brother.

“I can’t run as fast and jump as high as I used to, but I am not planning to go home and sit,” he said.

His wife, Kathy Vesley-Massey, CEO of Bay Aging, also has a to-do list ready and waiting for him.

“I’ve been so fortunate to serve in this capacity for all these years,” he said, “and I’m going to make every effort to stay engaged as an advocate.”

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@pilotonline.com

https://www.dailypress.com/2025/12/30/peninsula-agency-on-aging-ceo-retires-after-41-years/