YMCA picks new director

Springfield group on its sixth leader in three years.

A new CEO has been hired to manage the Springfield Family YMCA, the sixth hire in three years as the organization has worked to strengthen membership and make long-needed repairs to facilities.

Paul Weber will begin his new job Aug. 12. He’s coming to Springfield after working as district vice president of the Central Ohio YMCA. In that job, he oversees four YMCA branches, a membership of 22,000 and an $8 million budget, said attorney Jack Spencer, chief volunteer officer. The hire followed a nationwide search, he added.

“He has broad experience, including community development, finance and operations,” Spencer said.

Springfield’s organization includes a $1.4 million budget, 4,200 members and a single building downtown. There are ongoing projects there, including updating fitness equipment and roof repairs.

“The responsibilities here will include strategic planning and establishing what needs to be done, and what directions the YMCA wants to take,” said Lowell Nees, the interim CEO who in February interrupted his retirement to fill in. “The new CEO is well-suited to meet those challenges and is enthusiastic to get going.”

Spencer said that Weber brings almost 30 years of YMCA experience and has served on the staff of the Youngstown, and Wooster YMCAs early in his professional career, and for the Austin, Texas, and Des Moines, Iowa, YMCAs before arriving in Columbus in 1999.

Weber did not return a call for comment left with the Central Ohio YMCA.

In February, CEO Vince Chase, former Catholic Social Services director, resigned. He became CEO in November 2011, oversaw repairs on the building, swimming pool, air conditioning, and installed security cameras.

Previous CEOs include Woodrow Cornette, who served in 2009. He left in 2010, and board member Joseph Moorman served as interim until Angela Kalkbrenner was hired in October of that year. She left abruptly a year later, and the board would not say why. In the year Kalkbrenner was CEO, the Y lost $29,000 in United Way Funding because of how the forms were filed and also had to postpone its scholarship program — which awards membership dollars to families who qualify.

About the Author