Richard Sipe, YMCA Board President announced today the decision by Mark F. Cartledge, YMCA CEO to pursue what he describes as his “calling”. “Mark Cartledge provided our Board with a letter of his intent to pursue other employment within the YMCA Movement. Mark Cartledge, in his letter of intent to the YMCA Board, wrote “I pray you will understand my life’s passion for the YMCA Movement and support me and my family with this important journey”.

“We understand Mark’s 35-year passion for the YMCA and fully support his desire to continue his journey within the YMCA Movement”, said Richard Sipe, Board President. The YMCA Board has a deep appreciation for the more than a decade of work that Mark has provided our YMCA and our community.

In 2004 when Mark Cartledge accepted the CEO position our YMCA had nearly a million dollars in loan debt, 13-years of annual deficits, a critical need for building infrastructure improvements, and hopes of a future campaign to build an additional YMCA Family Branch. Together as staff and volunteers, we have nurtured our YMCA back to health and with the generosity of our community we have a new Campus Family Branch in the new St. Joseph Community Campus”.

“Mark was asked a few years ago to make a commitment to seeing the “Building Dreams – Growing Lives” campaign through to the eventual building and opening of the new branch. Mark has honored that commitment and more,” said Richard Sipe, Board President.

Today our YMCA celebrates 8-years of balanced annual budgets, significant infrastructure investments in our Downtown Family Branch and Explorers Early Learning Center, has developed significant partnerships in our community that have resulted in a new Children’s Learning Campus at Oak Grove Elementary School, a new Campus Family Branch and soon a 10,000 sq foot fully accessible playground, located in the new St. Joseph Community Campus, to name a few.

“Any success our YMCA has achieved is the direct result of the strong partnership between YMCA staff and volunteers. Our Y is blessed to have such dedicated and committed volunteers and staff that roll up their sleeves and go to work for our YMCA and our community”. Our community is very generous and has demonstrated their support of the Y Mission through their many gifts”. My time here has truly been a blessing, said Mark Cartledge, YMCA CEO.

Richard Sipe said “Mark will continue to provide leadership to our YMCA Association, and provide a smooth and seamless transition in leadership. Our Board will begin the preparations needed to identify and recruit a new YMCA CEO. Until then, we look forward to Mark’s continued leadership of our Y, and want to wish Mark and his family the very best as they pursue their important journey.”