http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20.../26/news/n2.txt
QUOTE
YMCA chief leaving for job in Golden State
By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch
‘...this is something i can't pass up.'
In the past, when Bruce Zahn has left a job or moved to another town, he's usually been indifferent about the move.
When he leaves Michigan City late next month for a new opportunity in a new part of the country, it won't be so easy.
“I've moved four other times in my life and each time I just said, ‘Great, let's go,'” Zahn said Thursday. “Here, it's a lot tougher. I've got a lot of loyalty here. Michigan City is a great town. It wasn't easy to make this decision. But this is something I can't pass up.”
Zahn will leave Michigan City and his eight-year position as the city's YMCA executive director Feb. 23 to move to a Los Angeles suburb where he'll be charged with starting a new YMCA in a town where one never has existed.
Highland, Calif., is near San Bernardino, east of L.A.
Zahn - whose father, Jack, was youth director of the Michigan City Family YMCA from 1949 to 1951 - said Thursday his new task won't be much different than what he's done at the YMCA here since he came in 1999. As he's done in Michigan City, Zahn will have to hire staff, market the new facility and stump in the community for members.
“I'm really going to need to get people involved, which is a lot like what we've done here,” he said. “Starting from scratch like this is really exciting.”
Zahn said the city of Highland - incorporated for less than 20 years - built the building that will house the YMCA, without an occupant secured.
The city determined it would like to start a YMCA in the building, and found Zahn through a “head hunter.” He said the city put up the building and will help a great deal with financial backing.
Tim Murphy, leader of Cross Current Teen Ministries, and a member of the YMCA board for two years, said Thursday he's built a friendship with Zahn recently and lauded Zahn's efforts at turning around a once-struggling YMCA.
“It's going to be hard to see him go,” Murphy said. “He really pulled a lot of things together when he came here. He began to rectify some of the problems that existed.”
Zahn said he took over a YMCA in the midst of major financial issues which had threatened the financial stability of the facility and the organization. When he started with the YMCA in 1999, he said, leaders told him not to get too comfortable.
“When I came in 1999, the board told me not to bring my family until they were sure I'd still have a job,” he said. “If we didn't get that stuff taken care of, they expected to close the ‘Y' in six months.”
He said the YMCA still has work to do, but he said the existing staff is strong enough to get that work done.
“Are there money struggles? Yes. The community needs to step up and realize they've got a ‘Y' here. It needs support. We have a good leadership staff. Somebody new will help simply because someone new will give everyone a boost.”
Murphy said the board doesn't yet have any candidates to replace Zahn.
“I don't even really think that's been thought about yet,” he said. “This was definitely a surprise.”
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com
By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch
‘...this is something i can't pass up.'
In the past, when Bruce Zahn has left a job or moved to another town, he's usually been indifferent about the move.
When he leaves Michigan City late next month for a new opportunity in a new part of the country, it won't be so easy.
“I've moved four other times in my life and each time I just said, ‘Great, let's go,'” Zahn said Thursday. “Here, it's a lot tougher. I've got a lot of loyalty here. Michigan City is a great town. It wasn't easy to make this decision. But this is something I can't pass up.”
Zahn will leave Michigan City and his eight-year position as the city's YMCA executive director Feb. 23 to move to a Los Angeles suburb where he'll be charged with starting a new YMCA in a town where one never has existed.
Highland, Calif., is near San Bernardino, east of L.A.
Zahn - whose father, Jack, was youth director of the Michigan City Family YMCA from 1949 to 1951 - said Thursday his new task won't be much different than what he's done at the YMCA here since he came in 1999. As he's done in Michigan City, Zahn will have to hire staff, market the new facility and stump in the community for members.
“I'm really going to need to get people involved, which is a lot like what we've done here,” he said. “Starting from scratch like this is really exciting.”
Zahn said the city of Highland - incorporated for less than 20 years - built the building that will house the YMCA, without an occupant secured.
The city determined it would like to start a YMCA in the building, and found Zahn through a “head hunter.” He said the city put up the building and will help a great deal with financial backing.
Tim Murphy, leader of Cross Current Teen Ministries, and a member of the YMCA board for two years, said Thursday he's built a friendship with Zahn recently and lauded Zahn's efforts at turning around a once-struggling YMCA.
“It's going to be hard to see him go,” Murphy said. “He really pulled a lot of things together when he came here. He began to rectify some of the problems that existed.”
Zahn said he took over a YMCA in the midst of major financial issues which had threatened the financial stability of the facility and the organization. When he started with the YMCA in 1999, he said, leaders told him not to get too comfortable.
“When I came in 1999, the board told me not to bring my family until they were sure I'd still have a job,” he said. “If we didn't get that stuff taken care of, they expected to close the ‘Y' in six months.”
He said the YMCA still has work to do, but he said the existing staff is strong enough to get that work done.
“Are there money struggles? Yes. The community needs to step up and realize they've got a ‘Y' here. It needs support. We have a good leadership staff. Somebody new will help simply because someone new will give everyone a boost.”
Murphy said the board doesn't yet have any candidates to replace Zahn.
“I don't even really think that's been thought about yet,” he said. “This was definitely a surprise.”
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com