Newly appointed YMCA CEO Rob Wilkinson with his wife Melissa and their sons at the White Rock Overlook during their visit last week to Los Alamos. Courtesy photo

Newly hired YMCA CEO Rob Wilkinson met with local community leaders Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Local community leaders gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

YMCA News:

After conducting a comprehensive national search, The Family YMCA has announced that Rob Wilkinson will serve as its new Chief Executive Officer beginning in early November. He will succeed Linda Daly, who has served as CEO since 1999.

“We are very excited to welcome Rob Wilkinson to the YMCA,” said Lou Santoro, chair of the CEO search committee and Y Board president. “This role requires many skills and experiences, our committee placed the highest priority on finding a visionary leader to expand upon our already strong foundation, inspire new organizational growth, and address the most critical issues facing our communities. We wholeheartedly believe that Rob is the right leader to build upon our successful history and take our Y to even greater levels of impact. His energy, passion and vision for our Y are exactly what we were looking for in a leader.”

Wilkinson comes to The Family YMCA with 19 years of experience in leadership, strategic planning, philanthropy and program development with the Y. A tenured Y executive, he has developed multiple Y programs and led his previous Y through complex transformations resulting in successful revenue gains, enhanced program services to membership and community, as well as staff, board and volunteer development. Using these past experiences, he plans to bring a new era of growth to the Y and service to the communities.

“I’ve seen and have experienced the positive impact that Ys have on families and I’m looking forward to continuing to make a difference in the Los Alamos and Española communities and surrounding areas,” Wilkinson said. “I’m eager to get to work with the Board, staff and others to meet the needs of our communities and carry out the Y’s mission. I’m excited about taking on the challenge as the next CEO and plan to build on the solid foundation that the previous CEO Linda Daly, the Board of Directors and the staff have established.”

Wilkinson started out as the youth sports director of the YMCA of the Greater Tri-Cities in Richland, Wash., in 2000. After three years, he was promoted to Senior Program Director and was responsible for youth sports, child care, day camps, an early learning center, aquatics, family and community programs. In 2008, Wilkinson and his family relocated to Plainview, Texas where he was hired as the CEO of the YMCA of Plainview. Under his leadership, Plainview experienced tremendous growth in programs, facilities and membership resulting in budget growth from $700,000 to over $1,600,000 with service to over 18,000 individuals. Highlights include the opening of two health and wellness centers in neighboring communities along with a variety of classes, programs, and special events. Through partnership agreements, the Plainview YMCA assumed administration of nearly all the competitive sports programs, as well as the city pools in Tulia and Plainview.

Wilkinson and his wife Melissa have been married for 21 years, and they have five children. Melissa is a teacher by trade and has over 15 years experience as an educator. Currently, she teaches writing to 7th graders in Plainview. He enjoys all sports and has coached his kids in just about everything for 19 years.

Wilkinson holds a degree in recreation management from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash. He enjoys spending time with his family, being in the outdoors, giving back to the community, and following his Seahawks and Mariners. 

Previous to his YMCA positions Wilkinson served as an assistant golf professional at the Columbia Point Golf Course in Richland from 1997 to 2000.

“I might even find the golf clubs and dust them off next spring, as I understand our Y runs a great golf tournament,” Wilkinson said.

About The Family YMCA

The Y was founded in Los Alamos by volunteers in 1955 who recognized a need for family recreational programs in the isolated community. Its mission is to focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, and to ensure access to all through financial assistance. A leading non-profit, the Y served over 8,000 individuals, of which 3,700 were youth and teens in 2017. Through donations to the Y’s Annual Campaign, and with assistance from United Way of Northern New Mexico, the Y supported 300 people with financial assistance totaling $126,000. Additionally, donor-directed funds of $46,000 support our teen centers and teen programming, providing resources and mentorship to 2500 teens. The Family YMCA has an operating budget of over $2.6M and employees over 200 individuals in meaningful part-time and full-time work.  Visit www.laymca.org for more information.

The Family YMCA Board Chair Lou Santoro chats with Deb Huling during the local community leaders gathering Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman where they met the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Los Alamos County Council Chair David Izraelevitz and his wife Terry, at left, are among the local community leaders who gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

United Way of Northern New Mexico Executive Director Mary Beth Maassen, left, with Bert Ruiz from the YUSA new CEO search team, is among the local community leaders gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Attorney Shay Kendricks and her husband Realtor Sam Kendricks are among the local community leaders who gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Chris Ortega, left, and his wife Helen Ortega are among the local community leaders who gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Larry Maassen, left, and LAPS Superintendent Kurt Steinhaus, center, are among the local community leaders who gathered Wednesday evening at the home of Emily McGay and Roger Waterman to meet the finalists for The Family YMCA CEO position. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com