Editorial - September 2003

Good leaders, coming and going, at YMCA

Published September 17, 2003

Farewell to the Lincoln County Family YMCA’s first executive director, Kevin Dean, and welcome to the helm, Ron Johnston. Both are dedicated leaders who have helped make the county’s young YMCA the successful operation it is today. Dean was here before the first brick was laid, helping  put a funding package together and mapping out the Y’s future. In the early stages no one expected Lincoln County would be able to support the size of the facility that was finally built. Dean was an important player on the team that wrote the blueprint for this wonderful facility. He is leaving because he got a promotion as executive director of the Y’s much larger Siskey Branch in Matthews.

  Johnston served as membership director and was known as Dean’s “right hand man.” He is also known by friends and co-workers for an infectious enthusiasm that inspires staff as well as YMCA members. Here in Lincolnton his name naturally came to mind as the person who could step into Dean’s shoes and be an effective director.

The YMCA was a dream come true for many determined residents in Lincoln County.  It took some 200 volunteers, 600 donors and hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate and public donations to raise the $3.2 million needed to break ground in 1999. It was with a great deal of pride Lincoln County residents availed themselves of the resources in this 33,000-square-foot facility a year later.

Partners in this venue were the Lincoln Medical Center and the YMCA of Greater Charlotte. The Charlotte Y provided us with Dean, and also approved Johnston as his successor. Both were excellent choices.

Good luck to Kevin Dean. We know Matthews will appreciate him. A warm welcome to Ron Johnston, who already has a strong base of support in this community.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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