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New YMCA CEO wants to expand role in community 5 · Thursday, January 7, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Continued from page 1 His role as CEO and president carries many responsibilities. "My responsibility is to provide overall leadership to the organization in consultation with the board of directors," he responded when asked to give a job description. "It is also to make sure people outside of the building understand our charitable mission, there's a financial management component, and representing the management externally." One of his first tasks is drawing up a 100-day plan. The YMCA has a strategic plan that runs to 2011, so the 100-day plan will be formed in conjunction with those objectives. Another focus is expanding YMCA programming in the community. "We're really working on taking our programs outside of this location (410 Rebecca St.)," said McKenzie. "As Oakville continues to grow and spread out, we want to make sure we have a strong presence in the communities. We'll be focusing on how we can connect with everyone, not just the people in this immediate area." McKenzie grew up in Etobicoke. He said he always had a passion for sports, particularly competitive cross-country running, and coincidentally, the YMCA. "I was very involved in sports, as well as any opportunity to get engaged in my community or my school," he said. "In terms of the Y, I started my connection when I was eight. There wasn't a Y in my home community, but there was a resident camp called YMCA Camp Kitchikewana located on Georgian Bay, so I started going there when I was eight." McKenzie has an extensive background in outdoor education. He returned to his beloved Camp Kitchikewana as an adult, serving as director of camping and outdoor education for three and a half years. "I was the kid with the dream of coming back and running the place, and it was nice to be somewhere I had such a strong con- "As Oakville continues to grow and spread out, we want to make sure we have a strong presence in the communities. We'll be focusing on how we can connect with everyone, not just the people in this immediate area." Darryl McKenzie, YMCA CEO and president members to other agencies in the community to the board of directors," he said. The new CEO has called Barrie home for the past five years, but is now looking to relocate permanently to Oakville, He is also busy scouting out trails in the area for mountain biking and looks forward to more snow so he can pursue his other passion, snowboarding. He said he is excited to get settled in, knowing he is here to stay at the YMCA of Oakville. He added that he plans on sticking around for a long time. "I think any time you come into a role like this you are making a commitment to the community and to the organization to provide significant value-added and that takes time," he said. For information on the YMCA of Oakville, visit www.ymcaofoakville.com. nection to," he said. In addition, he has worked with the Canadian Coast Guard (Search and Rescue), Outward Bound Zimbabwe, the Costa Rica Rainforest Outward Bound School, Youth Challenge International (Costa Rica and Guyana) and the National Outdoor Leadership School. McKenzie earned an honours bachelor of business administration from Wilfrid Laurier University, graduating in 1996. This spring, he completed a master of business administration from Queen's University. "My passion is the outdoors, education and youth development, so I looked at university as an opportunity to develop a new skill set and I thought business seemed like a good route to go," he said. McKenzie was previously general manager of support services with YMCA Ontario, where he provided management support to the province's 24 YMCA associations and coordinated provincial initiatives. Prior to that he served YMCA Ontario as manager of training and programs. He said he has truly enjoyed the past few months at the YMCA of Oakville. "It has been an incredible experience and the thing that has really struck me is how welcoming people have been in the Oakville community, from the staff to the NEW!