BIGLER – At just 31 years old, Dr. Gene Kephart founded CenClear in 1980, starting from the trunk of his car and utilizing some of his own savings.
With a quiet yet powerful leadership style and a knack for outside-the-box thinking, Gene embarked on a mission to support young children through Head Start.
However, he quickly recognized the need for more comprehensive services that would benefit entire families such as mental health and substance use services.
Under Gene’s guidance, CenClear expanded to offer mental health services for individuals of all ages. Today, CenClear employs over 680 staff members and serves more than 4,700 individuals and families across a 10-county radius.
“CenClear was his baby, and he was totally dedicated to making it successful,” said Joan Kephart, Gene’s wife. “He would be very pleased to see how far CenClear has come.”
Gene was inspired by the quote from Lao Tzu: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
This philosophy shaped his vision for CenClear and continues to guide the organization today.
“As we reflect on Gene’s remarkable legacy, we are grateful for the foundation he built 44 years ago, which enables us to celebrate our ongoing success in supporting families in our community,” stated by Mark Wendel, chief executive officer of CenClear.
“Gene’s innovative spirit and unwavering dedication will always be remembered.”
A memorial plaque can be found at the entrance of CenClear’s administrative office in honor of Kephart.
Headquartered in Bigler, CenClear is dedicated to providing early childhood, pre-school, mental health and substance use disorder services to prenatal, infants, children, teens, adults and families from locations in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Centre, Elk, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, Mifflin, Potter and Somerset counties as well as some select programs in adjoining counties.
CenClear continues to serve more than 14,000 adults, adolescents and children annually in a variety of programs and services.