Five Questions: Steve Gimenez

Chosen among 74 candidates nationwide, Steve Gimenez took the reins of the Ozarks Regional YMCA on July 15. Succeeding former CEO Brad Toft, the career move from south Florida allows a return to Gimenez’s native Ozarks, where he grew up in Lead Hill, Ark. Gimenez worked five years as chief operating officer at the YMCA of Greater Miami, where he was responsible for a $12 million annual budget and two construction campaigns totaling $15 million. Gimenez brings 28 years of experience with YMCA to a post that manages nine entities and 20,000 members.

Coming Home
“We are in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and 120 countries, for that matter. We have a network that makes everyone aware of vacancies as they become open. I saw the position, and I wanted to apply for both personal and professional reasons. I am originally from the area. I was raised in Lead Hill, Ark., just outside of Harrison, Ark., so this is kind of full circle because it brings me back home. … It was just the next step. I’ve spent 28 years total in the YMCA movement. I’ve been blessed to serve under four great CEOs and have learned a lot. It was the right time for me to be able to sit in the chair, as we say.”

YMCA-bred
“My first job was as a referee for youth sports on Saturday mornings. From there, the YMCA has multiple part-time positions available, and so it was able to adjust job descriptions and job responsibilities according to my school schedule. I was able to stay on part time with the Y for nearly three years. Then, it just kind of became part of me. Upon graduation, I said, ‘I want to try this, and see what it is like full time.’ I applied in Houston, Texas, for a program director position in Pearland, a suburb of Houston. I was blessed to be chosen for that position. Houston is a large association. I spent 23 years there in various positions of increasing responsibilities – program director, executive director, district executive director – before I made the move to Miami.”

Springfield Starting Point
“My first day on the job here was July 15. … For the first 60 days, most of this has been an acclimation to the job. I have been listening to the staff teams, the volunteer teams, the community – I have been trying to get out there and meet as many community leaders as I can just to wrap my arms around where we are, what the community might be asking us to lead and what role we can play in helping to move Springfield forward. There has been a lot of listening and assessing. After 90 days or so, we will get together with our volunteer board of directors and begin to see what direction they want to go.”

Community Footprint
“My predecessor, Brad Toft, and the staff team here have done a wonderful job of expanding our footprint in the region all the way to Monett. Our Monett facility just opened up in February of this year. … In Springfield we have two facilities, our Ward YMCA, which is downtown, and our Jones YMCA on the south side. Then, we also have Bolivar, Lebanon, Cassville and Buffalo. … YMCAs don’t build YMCAs. Communities build YMCAs. My understanding is we have had preliminary discussions in the past with various communities, and wherever we are invited, we certainly want to take a chance to see how we can make a difference.”

Been There, Done That
“I think staff teams definitely want a leader who knows what it is like to be them and what is asked of them. There are not very many positions that I have not had at one time or another. From a part-time referee, to a swim instructor, to a day-camp counselor – I look back with fondness at all of those positions. As I walk around and see those being done here, I know what it’s like. … Also, as we begin to make sure all of those wheels are working together on the operations side, now that we’ve expanded the footprint, I think we’ll be able to bring some processes and expectations and best practices all into our association, so that we can give our members and our communities the best experience that we possibly can.”[[In-content Ad]]