Greensburg-based Mutual Aid Ambulance removes CEO, 2 others

The longtime executive of Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, the Greensburg-based organization serving about two-thirds of Westmoreland County, was removed from his job this week, an ambulance service official said.

Mutual Aid board member Dale Hassinger confirmed that chief executive Joseph Yenchawas removed from his post Thursday, along with operations director William Groftand business office manager Theresa Straka.

Hassinger declined to comment on the reasons for the changes. Thomas Freeman of Ligonier, president of the Mutual Aid Ambulance board of directors, could not be reached for comment. Yencha, Groft and Straka could not be reached for comment Thursday or Friday.

Yencha, 64, of Hempfield, hired at Mutual Aid in July 1982 as its executive director, was paid $183,585 in 2018, and received an additional $12,466 in other compensation, according to tax forms the nonprofit filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

Groft, 62, of Mt. Pleasant Township, received $123,863 in salary in 2018, plus another $19,670 in other compensation.

Straka, 59, of Hempfield, was not listed on tax form 990 as one of the highest compensated employees.

The ambulance service board decided to remove the employees earlier this week, Hassinger said. He declined to say who is in charge of the day-to-day operations.

Greensburg police were dispatched to the ambulance service office on West Otterman Street to provide security when the employees were dismissed.

Mutual Aid generated $16.3 million in 2018 from subscriptions and insurance reimbursements, an increase from $15.2 million in 2017. It had $1.8 million in revenue after deducting expenses, according to tax forms.

The ambulance service had $51.8 million in assets in 2018, of which $34.2 million was in publicly traded securities, according to documents filed with the IRS.