Listen to this article 5 min
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee said last week that Kathy Thornton-Bias has resigned from her position as president and CEO of the organization.
Jeff Snell, the former president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, has been named interim president and CEO, effective immediately, said Greg Wesley, BGCGM board chairman and senior vice president of strategic alliances and business development for Medical College of Wisconsin, in a statement.
Wesley said Snell will remain in the role until a permanent replacement is found. Wesley and first board vice chair David Gay, who is chair of the development committee, are leading a national search for the new presdient and CEO.
"Clubs’ programming and operations will not be impacted by this change in leadership," Wesley said in the statement. "As board chair, I will make sure my colleagues and I work diligently to assure the transition to come is as smooth as possible and make the best use of the donations from generous supporters like you."
In a press release, Boys & Girls Clubs said Thornton-Bias, who will continue to work in an advisory capacity until May 31, is "stepping back from the work world to recharge and consider new opportunities." She had been president and CEO for the past five years.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead the largest youth-serving agency in the city and one of the largest Boys & Girls Clubs in the country,” said Thornton-Bias in announcing her resignation. “My time here has been transformative for me both professionally and personally. As I reflect on our successes as an organization, now is an ideal time for me to take a deliberate step back to consider my next professional steps."
Snell recently completed service as a senior teaching faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he designed and taught courses in social innovation for the Department of Civil Society and Community Studies. He served as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee from May 1997 to May 2004, during which the organization grew membership to become one of the largest of 2,500 chapters across the country.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee is the largest youth-serving agency in the city providing educational and recreational programming for thousands of boys and girls in the area. Its annual budget was over $25 million, according to its fiscal 2021 Form 990 tax filing, the most recent available.