What began as a simple way to volunteer his time following his retirement from the insurance business has transformed into a full-blown mission for Cassopolis’ James Ward.

As director of the Cass County Court Appointed Special Advocates program — better known as CASA — Ward has spent the past eight years helping ensure the area’s most vulnerable children receive a voice during some of the most perilous times of their lives.

During his tenure, Ward has made the advocacy program larger and more successful than ever, more than doubling the amount of volunteers serving with the agency while almost tripling the amount of foster children it supports.

However, after nearly a decade at the helm, Ward will close the curtain on his second act later this year. The 67-year-old recently announced his plans to retire as CASA director in June.

“I think this is just a good time,” Ward said. “CASA is in excellent shape right now, and I think it is time for some new ideas.”

Established in 1995 by Cass County Probate Judge Susan Dobrich, the county CASA program provides advocacy and guidance for local children in foster care. Certified volunteers with the program serve as not only representatives for their assigned children in court proceedings, but often as mentors and friends outside the courtroom.

A resident of Diamond Lake, Ward initially joined the organization to serve as a volunteer advocate in 2008, shortly after his retirement as an executive with CNA Insurance, he said.

“I did not know much about CASA when I returned to southwest Michigan, but I wanted to do some volunteer work in the area, and the idea of working with children appealed to me,” he said.

Although he was not looking for a full-time job at the time, the retirement of the previous director left a vacancy at the top of the organization — one the retired executive was soon asked to fill due to his experience in management, Ward said.

Although his background was in marketing and management and not social work, Ward said the career transition was easy to make, thanks in large part to the passion and dedication of CASA’s volunteers.

“I am not a boss, nor am I a teacher,” he said. “I am a facilitator. I help the volunteers do a better job to serve kids by giving them the resources and community support they need.”

In his time as director, Ward helped build the reputation and standing of CASA in community, as well as oversaw substantial growth in its operations.

The director helped create the CASA Kids In Need program during his tenure, a program that supports foster children by providing them with recreation, entertainment and educational services they would otherwise not receive.

Ward has also increased the financial stability of the program over the past eight years by increasing the amount of donations it receives from the community. When Ward first took over, 70 percent of the agency’s funding came through local, state and federal funds; today, 60 percent of CASA’s funding comes through the private and commercial sector.

“Jim and his wife, Laurel, have been our best supporters and our best ambassadors throughout the county and the state of Michigan,” said Denise Wierman, president of the CASA Board of Directors, in a release. “We will miss his leadership.”

While he will step down as the agency’s leader, Ward will continue to stay on with CASA as a volunteer — fulfilling the goal he had when he first joined.

However, that will not make the transition any easier, he said.

“It is tougher to leave this job than it was to leave the corporate world after 25 years,” Ward said. “It has been much more fulfilling, much more gratifying. You sleep well at night knowing what you are doing is helping some troubled kids in the community.”

The Board of Directors of Cass County CASA is currently searching for a new director. Interested candidates are asked to submit their resume by March 1 to: CASA Director Search, 26887 Nubour Road, Dowagiac, MI 49047. They may also submit them online at casscocasa.org.