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As of last Monday, the Rockbridge Area YMCA has a new executive director.
The YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge announced last week that Lexington resident Chad Whitmer had been hired as the new branch executive director.
Whitmer previously worked as the associate director of the Boy’s Home of Virginia and most recently was head of school for the Buffalo Creek Boys School.
In addition to his previous experience, Whitmer told The News-Gazette last Wednesday that he is bringing “a passion and conviction to help the community I live in” to the job.
Whitmer is also a military veteran with numerous overseas deployments and has earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Divinity from Liberty University in Lynchburg.
Whitmer succeeds Bobbie Wagner as the executive director of the Rockbridge Area YMCA. Wagner, who was hired in 2016, shortly after Rockbridge joined the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, was fired by the regional Y board in January. Subsequent efforts by the local Y’s advisory board to sever ties with YVBR came to an abrupt end in April when the board of YVBR ended the negotiations and suspended the local board.
Whitmer told The News-Gazette that he will work toward repairing the relationship between the Rockbridge Area YMCA and the YMCA of Virginia’s Blue Ridge in a “slow and steady” process. He added that he planned to speak with members of the YMCA and the community to better understand their concerns before working out a solution to address them.
“I like to define problems before I start talking about solutions,” he said.
Whitmer said his first days on the job felt “optimistic” and “positive.”
“Everyone has been nothing but gracious,” he said. “I’ve loved engaging with the members.”
Whitmer lives in Lexington with his wife Laura and their three children. He adds that he is looking forward to supporting the team at the Rockbridge Area YMCA as they continue working with the community.
“The YMCA has been a driving force in supporting youth, families, and seniors in Rockbridge and surrounding areas for many years,” he said. “As the community grows, I look forward to being involved as the YMCA continues to provide quality childcare, programming, and wellness initiatives for all ages. I am also eager to meet and collaborate with neighboring organizations and businesses.”
