After four years as President/CEO of the YMCA, John Alexander is retiring on September 30.
Alexander said he hopes to prepare the way for his successor over the last two months. He said that whenever you leave a job, the saying is there is always unfinished business — and he regrets that he is not an exception to that. Nonetheless, he said he knows it is time to step away.
“There is a time for everything, and the time to move on and let a new face, voice, and insight come in is now. We’ve come through a lot of challenges, and it’s a good time for a change to take place for this Y,” Alexander said.
Namely, the biggest challenge he experienced was the pandemic and the toll it took on nonprofits like the YCMA. He said as they overcame those unexpected challenges, it helped bring the community together and foster progress for the organization.
Alexander said he was able to tackle several projects on his list for improving various aspects of the YMCA thanks to collaboration with his staff and board, but knows there’s always something to work on.
“There’s always more that can be done, and in my estimation, we’ve set the table and done a good job of laying a good foundation for the next level. I hope that the new administration will be able to take it to the next level with that continued support,” he said.
Alexander said over his last 2 months, he plans to continue working toward handing off “the best possible YMCA” to his successor and wants to ensure a smooth transition.
He added that the one quality he’s hopes the new director possesses is a focus on the mission of the YMCA: to put Christian principles into practice in programs that build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.
Alexander said he feels his team has embraced that mission over the years.
“I think that our staff has embraced the mission so well,” he said. “I feel that our board and trustees have embraced that mission as well.”
