YMCAs in Sudbury and Sault looking to share CEO

The YMCAs in Greater Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie are looking to make a 10-month-old arrangement, in which both organizations shared a CEO, a permanent one.

Between March and December 2010, John Schmitt was CEO at the Sudbury YMCA while also looking after the Sault Ste. Marie location. He split his time between the two locations. He resigned at the end of 2010.

Anne Markkula, manager of finance and acting CEO for the Sault Ste. Marie YMCA, said having one CEO for two locations is beneficial.

“It increased communication between the two YMCAs,” she said. “We could share ideas — not that we didn’t do that before, but it’s easier when you have one CEO.”

The YMCA is in the process of searching for a new CEO for both locations. Ian Sinclair, chair of board of directors for the Sudbury YMCA, said once a permanent CEO is found, it will be up to them how staff is set up between the two locations.

“It’s anticipated there will be a general manager in the Sault that will handle day-to-day operations,” he said. “But until the new CEO is hired I don’t know how he or she will want to run Sudbury.”

Sinclair said having one CEO in charge of two locations could help streamline different departments, including human resources.

“The YMCA Canada have a vision that it wants to implement and if we have one person who’s co-ordinating it between both associations we might be able to develop more synergies,” he said. “Initially, since last March, both staffs have been working together and sharing information. I think it’s been positive for both staffs in Sudbury and the Sault.”

Sinclair said having one CEO for more than one location is a successful practice in southern Ontario. He said with modern technology, including e-mail and video-conferencing, communication is not a major concern to staff in Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie. He said the benefits of sharing information outweighs the distance between the two locations.

“There’s certain things that Sudbury is really good at that we can review with the Sault,” he said. “And the Sault, historically, has been a really strong association, and there’s some expertise that they can share with the Sudbury association.”
It is expected a new YMCA CEO will be hired by April 1.