The Springfield Family YMCA announced a new CEO this week, the fifth leader in three years.

Vince Chase, former Catholic Social Services director, came on as the Y director in November 2011 and resigned last week, Feb. 26. Lowell Nees, former CEO of the Miami County YMCA for 28 years, assumed Chase’s position Feb. 28 on an interim basis.

Chase told the Springfield News-Sun he was not allowed to talk about why he left. The board of directors is also barred from discussing personnel issues, said board president Jack Spencer.

“I can’t comment on that,” Spencer said. “We appreciate the service to the board, and we wish (Chase) well.”

In 15 months, Chase oversaw much-needed repairs on the building. Previously, he said the building had not been properly renovated in 20 years.

Under Chase, the Y repaired the swimming pool, installed security cameras, fixed the air conditioning, roof and leaking ceilings and repainted much of the building. Chase also had plans to replace or repair exercise equipment and start focus groups to help target key areas in need of fixing.

Nees said he did not know much about the ongoing projects as he had been there for only a few days.

“I’m only an interim until they fill the position,” Nees said. “I’m going to recruit and hire a new CEO.”

Nees will serve for about three or four months, Spencer said.

“We’re looking for a director with some Y experience and to move the Y forward,” Spencer said. “The Y is such an important asset for this community and we want to continue to strengthen the role in our community.”

Spencer said in the meantime, Nees will continue Chase’s progress. Already membership is up this year over last, with 4,270 members. In 2011, membership was 4,000 people.

Nees is the fifth director at the local Y in the past few years.

Woodrow Cornette served as CEO 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 she had left.

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. Spencer said the Y currently is giving out scholarships.