Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors is made up of dedicated community leaders who use their diverse talents to help define the YMCA’s long-range 2008-2011 Strategic Plan. Each board member actively serves on the committees that implement the plan throughout our programs. Our board firmly believes that the YMCA plays a vital role in shaping children, supporting families, and providing people of all ages and abilities in our community with programs that can help them realize their full potentials.

Officers

Chris Siegler

YMCA Chief Volunteer Officer | Financial Planner - Merrill Lynch

For those of you who enjoy the current YMCA facilities, Chris Siegler is one (of many) to thank. He was part of the YMCA board that in the mid-1980s committed to build the new YMCA—moving it out of the little yellow building that’s now next door. “The Y had a staff of four, and was providing kids with opportunities to play organized sports as well as offering summer camps,” Chris says. “The board was very hands on at that time, from painting buildings to getting local businesses to donate items of need.”

Chris came to Montana via Pennsylvania, the University of Notre Dame, South Dakota and Sierra Leone, West Africa. But it took a graduate school fellowship to get Chris to Missoula and The University of Montana. He raised two sons with his wife, Jeannie, while his professional skill set took him into the Peace Corps, telecommunications, healthcare and financial planning.

“My favorite aspect of the Y is the feeling of camaraderie from the staff and members,” says Chris. “It’s like a family.” The group Chris swims with at noon has organized several fundraisers for people in need, both at the Y and in the community. Everybody takes care of one another. Chris has taken that concept global, and in 2004 he helped develop a partnership between the Missoula YMCA and Sierra Leone YMCA. The Missoula YMCA helps support Sierra Leone by sending both money and supplies and Chris has visited Sierra Leone to see the progress.

“The Missoula YMCA is really on the cusp of doing some fantastic work which will really benefit kids, families and the community,” Chris says. “The Y understands its mission and works really hard to carry it out in everything it does. The staff is very dedicated and ready to do much more if we give them the support they need.”

Chris is always looking for ways to make the YMCA better. He’s constantly talking to community members about what the Y is doing and how they can help. “The community believes the work we do is for the betterment of the community, not our own self enhancement,” he says. People always want to use the Y more and he’s happy to have them.

YMCA Committees:

Captial Development and International.

Fun fact:

Chris spent two years in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone, West Africa. That’s where he met his wife, Jeannie, another Peace Corps volunteer.

Favorite thing(s) to do:

Golf, read, triathlons and woodworking.

Favorite YMCA event:

The Riverbank Run. “It is the only time I see a lot of people I have known for a long time but don’t get together with any other time. It’s a community tradition.”
Paul Tiede

YMCA

Board Vice President | Business Manager - Missoula Pediatric Dentistry, P.C.

Paul may have only lived in Missoula since 2004, but he feels like he’s been a member of the Missoula YMCA all his life. “The Y provides a sense of connectedness, both to other people and to something larger than ourselves,” Paul says. “It is a positive place with positive staff and activities and people will always be attracted to that kind of locale. The Y provides a much needed sense of belonging.”

Paul sees the positive impact the Y has on Missoula-area children every day at his wife’s pediatric dental practice that he, with his background in business and finance, runs as the Business Manager. In daily conversation with patients and parents, the YMCA has long been a common topic and he views his active board participation as one way he can help grow that positive community presence. He adds: “I want to maintain the high standards that are in place, positively affect the Missoula community and pass along the baton in 20 years when I am ready to retire.”

With the board since the spring of 2006, he’s been floored by the abundance of hours that volunteers from the Missoula community dedicate to the YMCA. “I never had any idea of the amount of hours and work that goes into the various events and daily activities the YMCA puts on for the community,” Paul says. Currently, Paul serves on the Finance Committee and the Partners with Youth Campaign and was named the 2008 Volunteer of the Year.

Paul found his way to Montana via Virginia and the Marines. He knew he always wanted to live out West, and after spending five years in the Glacier Park region, he and his family (wife, Susan, and two daughters) settled in Missoula. They love spending time outside as a family with their pets—and his two daughters are involved in several of the Y’s youth sports programs.

YMCA Committees:

Finance and Partners with Youth Campaign.

Fun fact:

When Paul was a child, he wanted to grow up to be a professional artist—specifically a painter. (He still does.)

Favorite thing to do:

Painting. Feel very special if you get a personalized envelope in the mail from him.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Partners with Youth campaign because it shows that people care about the Y and the programs/philosophy it represents. “Many people give back for a variety of reasons, and I sense the feeling of community that binds us together as humans who are pushing our town forward in a healthy direction for all the right reasons.”
Jacquie Duhame

YMCA Board Vice President | Director of Claims Management – Montana Rail Link

Jacquie Duhame didn’t know accepting a 2007 lunch invitation from YMCA CEO David Ports would come with a year-round obligation attached. But she’s glad it did. She was honored she received an invitation to join such a vital Missoula organization, she says.

Originally from Butte, Jacquie remembers taking swimming lessons at the Old YMCA on Park Street. That family tradition continues today as Jacquie’s son, Ben, now loves taking swimming lessons here at the Missoula Family YMCA. Jacquie, Dave (husband and also a Butte native), Ben and Cooper the Labrador retriever all live out near the Wye.

“The YMCA is a great place to remind yourself about the quality of life and how you can help others learn new skills and make new friends,” Jacquie says. “The YMCA spirit is alive in the organization from the top to bottom.”

Jacquie proudly shares her professional skills as chair of the Y Board’s HR/Risk Management Committee and recently filled the role of board secretary.

“I want to make sure everyone knows about the wonderful things that happen at the YMCA every day!” Jacquie says.

Fun fact

Jacquie is the great combination of her parents—Jac(k) + Lin(da) = Jacqueline. She’s also notorious in her family: she’s the only child, only grandchild and only niece in her extended family. “That can be good or bad.”

Favorite thing to do

Jacquie loves the “early out” school days—she’s been known to early-out herself, grab up Ben and together head for a movie or to Southgate Mall for pretzels. Also, golf and shopping—“not necessarily in that order.”

Favorite YMCA community event

The Special Olympics. “The YMCA’s commitment to the Special Olympics truly sets it apart in our community,” she says. “I always hear from the volunteers that they have so much fun and the Y makes it happen with a great staff, organization and inspiration.”
Pat McHugh

YMCA Board Treasurer | Executive Director of Business Operations | Missoula County Public Schools

Pat McHugh does it for the kids.

His day job? Senior management in the business of local public schools—kids. His main volunteer gig? YMCA board member—again, for the kids. His favorite things to do? Play basketball, ski and be outdoors—with his kids.

“The most compelling thing about the YMCA is that its focus is the positive development of children and families,” Pat McHugh says. “A healthy and vibrant community depends upon healthy children and families. The YMCA plays a significant role in promoting a healthy community through the programs it offers, and offers to all families.”

“Opportunity” is the key concept behind pulling that off, he says. “The YMCA provides an opportunity for all kids—and families—to participate in camps, youth sports, social events and exercise. That no child or family is turned away because of financial circumstance is incredible and critical in advancing the YMCA mission.” Pat, who brought his financial and operations expertise to the board table in 2008, says he quickly learned of the serious strength of the “can-do attitude” among the staff and fellow board members.

Born and raised in Butte, Pat and his family are long-time Y members. From swimming lessons and little-kid soccer, the kids have grown into serious basketball players with Dad as their Y coach. Other than the main gym’s court, Pat calls the workout space his favorite part of the building. And outside the building, he’d rather be skiing, hiking or otherwise visiting with his extended family, who are spread around the state and gather often.

YMCA Committee:

Finance

Fun fact

While the ball is smaller and bounces higher than a standard basketball, Pat enjoys a good game of racquetball.

Favorite YMCA community event

The Riverbank Run. Why? You know. Because of the kids and families running together.

Wolf Ametsbichler

YMCA Board Secretary | Manager | Missoula Job Service

YMCA Board Member Wolfgang Ametsbichler is here because of the Hellgate High School foreign student exchange program. After a teenage year in Missoula, Wolf returned to his home in Munich, Germany. “It took me several attempts and over 20 years to finally make this place my home,” he says, “and I’m not leaving ever again.”

Wolf only became involved with the YMCA as a member back in 2008, but he’s quickly realized the significant role the Y plays in people’s lives. “The Y is a place where families can come together to pursue games, sports, fun and laughter. It’s a safe environment for everyone that builds a sense of community,” he says.

Wolf first joined the Human Resources committee, which was a perfect fit because his full-time job is helping Missoulians find jobs via Missoula Job Service. His time on the HR committee led him to accept the YMCA board nomination in July 2009.

“I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the Y’s commitment to its members’ health and well-being, as well as the YMCA directors' energetic leadership and desire to take the Y to the next level,” Wolf says. “Being part of the YMCA board gives me the privilege of working with some of the finest people in Missoula, to learn from them and grow.”

Though he says he isn’t going to leave Missoula again, Wolf makes exception to head back to Europe to visit his family. “While in Germany, I get to totally indulge in all of the goodies that southern Germany and Austria offer—after all, you can’t offend your mom by not eating five times a day as she requests and as is the custom,” Wolf says. And then it’s back home to a workout at the Y.

“There is an air of gentleness and kindness I sense when I walk through the doors at the YMCA,” he says. “There is respect for others and an abundance of goodwill and exuberance, and I enjoy being around that. I have been inspired to give something in return for what I have received from the YMCA.”

YMCA Committee:

Human Resources

Fun fact:

Though he thinks and dreams in English, he does math in his head in German.

Favorite thing to do:

Be outdoors—in Montana, British Columbia or elsewhere in his travels around the world.

More favorite things to do:

Cook, read, listen to music.

Favorite thing about the YMCA:

The diversity of people that the YMCA brings together.

Directors

Susan Ash

President | PartnersCreative

Susan brought her energy, business experience and professional marketing skills to the YMCA Board in 2008. Her son was starting high school then and she thought it was time to “do a little more community service.”

Although her teen, Zach, as a toddler learned to swim at the Y and her husband, Steve, is a lap swimmer, Susan admits that she did not realize all that the YMCA is and does. “I was amazed,” she says. “I had no idea they served so many people and provided so much financial assistance. The YMCA makes a tangible difference for thousands of people in Missoula each year through its diverse programs—I want to be a part of keeping that going.”

In addition to learning the breadth and depth of the YMCA Missoula, Susan learned that she loves kickboxing. “Talk about a stress reliever!”

Coming from a background in advertising and marketing, she values the Y’s “commitment to the community and the passion that goes into the fundraising that ensures everyone can participate,” she says. “I also like the emphasis that the programs place on teaching basic values as well as maintaining one’s health without becoming a spandex-wearing body builder.”

Originally from St. Louis, the co-founder of a major Montana full-service marketing company spent most of her young adult life in Missouri’s other big city, Kansas City. “A sane family life drew us to the mountains though,” she says. “No way are we ever leaving!”

“My work with the board has me thinking long term about how to help make Missoula a better place through volunteering personally,” Susan continues, “and through having our staff at PartnersCreative help the YMCA and other area nonprofits with their brand and marketing efforts.” Another long-term goal is to learn more about the Missoula Y’s relationship with the Sierra Leone YMCA and to visit it one day.

If you’ve met Susan you know that she doesn’t “just sit and do nothing” for long, she’d rather be out on bike, moving dirt and plants, or working with her staff on a project. Whatever, music is usually in the background either keeping her working or helping her relax. It might be blues on an iPod, Steve flat picking bluegrass on his guitar, Zach “getting pretty darn good at trumpet” or herself as a beginning mandolin player.

YMCA Committees:

Membership and Marketing

Fun fact:

High-flying skills. Susan learned how to fly helicopter combat moves from a Vietnam veteran in the mean skies over St. Louis. Apparently it looked a lot like doing the rush-hour radio traffic report.

Favorite thing to do:

Hard to narrow down, but to name a few: skiing, fly-fishing, hiking, mountain biking, reading, laughing and landscaping. In fact, Susan moved 10 cubic yards of soil compost in the summer of ’09.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Riverbank Run—You gotta love a community parade of past-event T-shirts.
Ned Becker

Vice President | Nutritional Laboratories International

Ned Becker is a self-proclaimed “lifetime member of the YMCA.” Though that’s not an actual type of membership, everywhere Ned has lived, from childhood on, he has been an active member of the YMCA. Considering that the Y has always been a part of his life, Ned wanted to offer his experience and support to the Missoula YMCA.

Born and raised in Atlantic, Iowa, Ned made his way to Missoula for college. And like so many others, he fell in love with the lifestyle, outdoor activities and people. He decided to stay. Ned and his wife, Kim, have two daughters and a son, as well as two dogs. They are a typical Montana family in that they love to spend time in Western Montana’s great outdoors. (He’s a businessman who’d rather be sitting behind a bicycle’s front tire, perhaps on a road around the Pioneer Mountains.) They also love spending time at the Y—Ned and Kim are regulars at the Health & Wellness Center, he’s a master’s swimmer and the kids all swim for the Y swim team (MYST).

But Ned’s most favorite thing about the Y is the relationship building that happens here. “A great organization takes great people to make it happen and the employees of the YMCA are committed to the cause,” Ned says. “The Y members are also instrumental in making it a great place. They’re not your typical gym members, but people who care about the youth and families of Missoula. Also, the facilities and activities create a great atmosphere for improving health and well-being.”

Although he was in the building all the time as a member, Ned says that when he joined the board in 2007 he was surprised to learn about the sheer number of families that the YMCA assists each year. “The Y has an incredible amount of depth through its vast array of services and programs that can make such a positive impact in a person’s life. … As a volunteer, you want to get involved in an organization that is committed to its mission and the people it serves,” he says. “The Y is all of that and more.”

What has Ned learned from his time with the YMCA? He wants to spend as much time as possible with his children as they grow and develop. “This is something the YMCA instills in everyone.”

YMCA Committees:

Capital Development and Board Development.

Fun fact:

Rock out—Ned loves to sing Jimmy Buffett songs really loud in his car.

Favorite thing to do:

Spend time with his family doing just about anything—biking, swimming, golfing or skiing.

Favorite YMCA community event:

Father-Daughter Sweetheart Dance. “My daughters loved it! And, it was great to see the Blue Gym packed with dads and their little girls spending time together.”
Mike Caldwell

Physician | Western Montana Clinic

Mike Caldwell started with the YMCA board in 2005, though he’s been an active member for a long time. “I wanted to be a board member because I’ve always felt strongly about the role the Y plays in the community,” Mike says. “My experience with the Y now drives me to promote the YMCA to others.”

Mike, his wife, Christine, and his three daughters have been members for years and are often at the Y for all kinds of activities including the weights and cardio equipment (the parents), and swim team practice and summer camps (the girls). Mike keeps in shape at the Y not only to help his golf and skiing, but also to make sure he can keep up with his active young family and with his professional work.

“The most important thing the YMCA provides to the community is a form of recreation for all types of people and opportunities for the less fortunate,” he says.

YMCA Committee:

Board Development

Favorite thing(s) to do:

Anything with his family; golf, ski, run … Notre Dame football.

Favorite thing about the YMCA:

The fitness center, because it provides multiple choices for regular exercise.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Riverbank Run, because it provides “a real sense of community.”
Anne Carlson

Registered Nurse

Anne Carlson is not only new in 2009 to the YMCA board but she’s relatively new to Missoula as well. Her husband, Steve, became the CEO at Community Medical Center in 2007 and that’s what brought Anne, Steve and their two teenagers to the Garden City.

Having moved many times in her adult life, Anne quickly sought out the YMCA after unpacking in Missoula. “I love the workout facility, and especially all the many friends I have met and the warm staff throughout the whole facility,” says Anne, who thinks that running marathons is fun. “It is a very welcoming place and you feel like family! I also love the diversity of people and all the energy I get from watching youth at play.”

“The YMCA does a great job of promoting happy and healthy lifestyles for families,” Anne continues. “The Y teaches values and skills to the young and helps them become responsible, caring and productive adults.” That’s why Anne wanted to be involved with the YMCA, she believes in the mission and values and wants to ensure that the Y continues to grow and prosper. A registered nurse, Anne keeps balance in her life with running (loves the forest trails!), volunteer work and some serious gourmet cooking and baking.

“The Y has a diverse population of members from all walks of life,” she says. “Every one of us is fighting some kind of battle, some obvious, some not. We need to support one another in this journey of life.”

While she works to help the YMCA grow, she says the reverse is true too—inspiring her to “continue to strive to be a better person each day, to live life to its fullest, to support and encourage others along the way.”

Fun fact:

Ask her about Oinker, her 850-pound childhood pet.

Favorite thing to do:

Anything fitness related: running really far, biking, hiking and golf.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Riverbank Run—the community crowds, the community energy downtown, and, of course, the running.
Heidi Diggs

Dental Hygienist & Administrative Assistant | Diggs Orthodontics

Heidi Diggs joined the board back in 1987, when her children were young and involved with several YMCA programs. “At the time, there were very few women on the YMCA Board,” she says. “And I felt it was important to have female representation and someone who had kids in the YMCA programs.” Even though her kids are now grown, Heidi still considers it important to be involved with the Y. “No other organization in Missoula reaches such a broad cross section of people in such a meaningful way. It is truly a rewarding experience.”

When she’s not hard at work volunteering at the Y, she works at her husband’s orthodontic practice. Originally from Minnesota, she met her future husband, Briar, while he was a dental student in Minnesota. Looking for a way to escape the mosquitoes, this full-blooded Norwegian came with him to Missoula when he came home to take over his dad’s practice. They have three grown sons (you might know Levi, the Y’s Youth Sports Director) and have lived in Missoula since 1982.

“The YMCA provides a safe and enjoyable environment where people, from young to old, and from all walks of life can nurture a healthy lifestyle,” Heidi says. “I am constantly amazed at just how many individuals have been touched by some program at the YMCA. Most surprising to most of us would probably be that the YMCA is not just a youth sports or fitness center but has a wide variety of programs that reach all individuals.”

YMCA Committee:

Board Development

Fun fact:

Heidi lived in Bumbuli, Tanzania, Africa, for a summer as a child when her dad was setting up a dental clinic. She returned to Bumbuli winter of 2008 with her siblings and family to see that the clinic was the still there—with the same dental chair they had brought with them 43 years ago!

Favorite thing(s) to do:

Read, cook, knit, horseback ride, ski, hike, bike and spend time with family and friends.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The soccer program. “I watched my own three boys grow up in the Y soccer program. They developed skills, friendships and were taught the core values of the YMCA along the way. It is pretty impressive to see how many kids the Y soccer program has touched over the years. It was great to experience the excitement and energy every Sunday at the fields.”
Lynne Himes

Owner | LA Design

This long-time owner and operator of Missoula’s LA Design is new in 2009 to the Missoula Family YMCA; although she has lived here for years, Lynne Himes gets her exercise hiking the M, skiing and boating. Even so, Lynne says it only took a “great cup of coffee at Break Espresso” with CEO David Ports and board member Shelley Boutelle to sign her up. “I just couldn’t say ‘no’ to Shelley and David.”

And she’s already learned that saying “yes” to volunteering at the Y means “you will receive much more than you give.”

“I love how multi-generational the Y is,” Lynne continues. “I love seeing people from all walks of life come together.”

Along with running a piece of Missoula’s fine art scene, this business major and her husband, Tom, own several other small businesses, including Hunter Investments and Stonehorse. Son Brandon is a member of Hellgate High School’s class of 2010. In addition to her general board duties, Lynne serves on the Y’s financial development committee.

Lynne—whose personal and professional resumes are littered with timeframes of more than 20 years—is looking to the YMCA’s long term. “The enthusiasm and commitment of the staff and volunteers surprised me,” she says. “There’s no stopping the power of passionate, positive people.”

Fun fact

Lynne loves kids and cows. In that order … How calves rank, we can’t say.

Favorite thing to do

Hike to the M; it is beautiful up there.
Bob Homer

Controller | Bitterroot Motors

A runner by avocation, Bob Homer has long been involved with the Missoula YMCA both as a member keeping in shape and an interested volunteer. In 2008 he officially brought his financial expertise, passion for community work and general sensibility to the YMCA Board of Directors.

“Because of the wide variety of facilities and programs, I feel that the benefit of the Y is a very individual thing,” Bob says. “The Y provides a family friendly environment, whether it is to do activities together as a family—or to let each and every member of a family participate in what they want.” Through his recent work on the board Bob says he has learned that the Y’s programs are even more diverse than he had thought, offering more opportunities and choices to be an individual or member of a group.

He adds: “I really like the YMCA’s outreach into the community with youth sports. I think that is vital to the Missoula area.”

After a childhood in Washington, D.C., high school in Colorado, a business degree from The University of Montana and career beginnings elsewhere, Bob took the job transfer that moved his family to Missoula in the 1970s. Bob balances out his life with friends and family, running, travel and evenings at the theatre.

YMCA Committee

Finance

Fun fact

With four sisters and three brothers, family is particularly important to him. (And having seven siblings might explain why he so appreciates how the Y in one facility allows a person to be part of a group and/or an individual.)

Favorite YMCA community event

The Riverbank Run, no big surprise for a runner who values community.
Bob Kelly

President & Owner | Intertec

Bob Kelly first became involved with the YMCA board because he liked what the YMCA did for kids and families. But he had no idea how far the YMCA’s reach extended. “I learned that we assisted many more families that I realized,” Bob says. “My experience with the YMCA has inspired me to look for more opportunities to reach out into the community.”

Bob’s full-time job is running his own consulting business, InterTec, but he is also very busy serving on four YMCA committees: executive, facility, board recruitment and legislative. “If you want to help make a positive difference in other people’s lives, the YMCA will definitely give you that opportunity,” he says.

Born and raised in Anaconda, Bob lives in Missoula and has two teenage children, a son and daughter. Everyone loves to use the Y for open gym, aerobics, weight training and the Youth Center.

YMCA Committees:

Executive, Facility, Board Recruitment and Legislative.

Fun fact:

Watch out—Bob is a self-proclaimed prankster.

Favorite thing to do:

Bike, ski, fish and coach children in sports.

Favorite thing about the YMCA:

“Youth programs because they give children opportunities to participate and make new friends that they would not have otherwise had a chance to meet.”
Terry King

Senior Vice President of Real Estate | First Security Bank

Terry King brought his expertise, professionalism and deep care for children to the YMCA Board in 2007. And we all benefit.

“As over-simplified as it may sound,” Terry says, “my wife and I are driven to help our community in any way that benefits children. We all owe something back to our community.”

Working with and for the Y, Terry helps ensure that the organization’s raft of youth programs are available to any and every child in the Missoula area. From early childcare to After School Club to sports leagues, if it involves children it is important to this father and grandfather. “The most important thing the Y does is make its programs available to all families regardless of financial status,” he says.

In his weekday life, this long-time local wears the pressed suit and tie of a senior vice president at First Security Bank. But he prefers the uniforms of fly-fishing and long walks with his dog in the woods near his home.

YMCA committee:

Human Resources

Favorite YMCA community event

Riverbank Run. Country before country was cool, Terry was involved with the YMCA Riverbank Run before it was the YMCA Riverbank Run.

Fun fact

He really does prefer the woods to the fancy office.
Clarisse Landry

Managing Partner & Physical Therapist | Valley Physical Therapy

Clarisse Landry promised her parents she was only going to Montana for two years and then she’d get back home to Louisiana. Well, that was in 1975 and she’s still here. It only took one summer working in Yellowstone National Park for her to fall in love with Big Sky Country and know that she would make it her home.

“Being a part of the YMCA Board of Directors is totally different from running a physical therapy practice,” Clarisse says. “I wanted to learn more about the YMCA organization and to help out if I could.” Her mission has been more than accomplished. “The commitment of the staff and volunteers has shown me there are so many good people in this community who care and love children and want to help families.”

“The YMCA is a venue for kids and families to gather, be encouraged, be supported and to learn Y values,” Clarisse continues. “The YMCA is the glue that holds families together.” Clarisse’s own family, three generations now, has long taken advantage of all the Y programs that they could. In addition to the Health & Wellness Center and group exercise classes, someone is always enrolled in swimming lessons, summer programs and soccer or swim teams. For her personally, Clarisse looks forward to the camaraderie and laughs she shares with the other folks who workout at the Y in the early, dawn hours.

Working with the YMCA has been worth every minute. “To see the joy in the kids’ faces and their enthusiasm is a hoot, and so very rewarding,” says Clarisse, who in addition to the board has volunteered on events and coached youth soccer. Her years of official board work (starting in 1995!), she says have inspired her to be healthy, to volunteer more throughout the general community and to stay committed to this organization that does so much for children and families.

YMCA Committees:

Programs and Membership.

Fun fact:

Clarisse is 100 percent Cajun.

Favorite thing to do:

Hiking, cross-country skiing, canoeing, gardening, mountain biking—basically anything outdoors. And hanging out with her husband, daughter and three grandchildren.

Favorite YMCA event:

The Riverbank Run. “There is something about this event that really touches my heart and makes me feel like part of the community. I always get choked up.”
Gene Leonard

Director of Client Services | ALPS

“I came to the University of Montana from rural Michigan on a football scholarship almost 50 years ago, fell in love with the people and the state, and never wanted to leave,” says Gene Leonard, member of the Board of Directors. It’s a familiar tale, and who can blame him? He did have to leave, though, either for military officer duty or for career doors that were opened because of his three UM degrees. But Gene always came back home.

Gene also keeps coming back to the YMCA board, and we are happy to have him. His service to the Missoula YMCA spans more than four decades. He joined the board in the 1970s, helped with fundraising in the ‘80s and returned to us as a board member in 2007. Even when he wasn’t officially serving on the board, Gene has been an active member of the YMCA, along with his children and grandchildren.

“I consider serving on the YMCA board an opportunity to give back to the community that has given so much to my family.

Gene’s abilities as a life-long student currently are put to use on the Financial Development and the Partners with Youth Campaign committees. “I take great pleasure in telling the YMCA’s story because I’ve seen it develop from the beginning when it was very small to today—it’s a successful community partner,” he says. “I have learned to appreciate the effort of those who came before us and helping to grow those results.

“There’s no downside to helping people attain their goals,” Gene continues. “There is absolutely no downside to helping people. Relationship building lasts a lifetime.” As his life’s path kept circling back to Montana, his circle of friends and associates keeps widening. He knows the value of long term. The value of long-term relationships and of loyalty—and the powerful feeling he gets in return. The YMCA and Missoula both benefit.

When he’s not busy otherwise, Gene takes off to golf, hike, sail, fish and golf some more.

YMCA Committees:

Financial Development and Partners with Youth.

Favorite thing to do

Golf.

Fun fact

Gene’s goal is to read 100 books (minimum) a year.

Favorite things about the YMCA

Building and maintaining relationships in the community he’s been a part of for almost 50 years.

Favorite YMCA community event

The Riverbank Run “because it brings a lot of people together every year.”
Dennis E. Lind

Partner | Datsopoulos, MacDonald & Lind

Dennis Lind is a family man and that’s how he likes to spend his non-work time. That fact also colors his favorite part of being attached to the Missoula YMCA: meeting new people and friendship building.

Beyond the people—the friendships—his favorite part of the Missoula YMCA is that “it offers diversified and broad-ranging services to youth and adults of all ages,” he says. “I just believe this is a good organization providing a broad range of services to the community.” This father of seven has been involved with YMCA volunteer leadership on and off through the years and finally joined the board officially in 2001. “Serving makes you feel good.”

“The Partners with Youth Campaign is my favorite,” he continues, “because it provides assistance to individuals and families in need.” And as a member-to-member based campaign, PWY reinforces the Y in front of the general public.

And beyond that, Dennis and his wife, Angela, over the years have spent many—many—an hour watching one child or another in Y swim lessons, sports camps, dances and more.

Asked what he’s taken from his years of service to the YMCA, Dennis without hesitation answers: “It makes me try harder to be the kind of person I ought to be.”

YMCA Committees:

Financial Development and Roundtable (chairman); former board chairman.

Fun fact:

He was the leader of his class. Well, for six years he was the only kid in his class … it was a “small county school.” Growing up on a farm outside of Hardin, Mont., Dennis was known to ride his horse to school now and again.

Favorite thing to do:

Golfing, boating and hiking.
Kara McCarthy

Community Relations Coordinator | Community Medical Center

Though Kara is originally from the Yakima Valley of Washington, on her first day at The University of Montana, her grandfather said, “Kara is more a Montanan than most native Montanans.” She was always drawn to Montana (and her parents grew up just blocks from each other in Helena), but she really fell in love with Missoula when she started college. So it makes sense that she would make Missoula her home.

Kara is new to the board, but not to the Y in general. As a senior in college, she interned on the Riverbank Run. “I helped put commercials together and went to schools to encourage kids to participate,” Kara says. “It was one of the greatest college experiences and that’s when my eyes opened to what the YMCA does to promote health in Missoula.” Since college she’s been an active member who in addition to fitness classes and lap swims, hits a Y treadmill when it’s too dark and yucky to run outside at 5:30 a.m. “I’ve made a lot of great friendships through the years of working with the YMCA,” Kara adds.

She’s now looking forward to being able to give back to the Missoula community through her work on the board.

“My favorite part of the YMCA is the commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for families to gather,” she says. “The fact that they open the doors to everyone and turn no one away for an inability to pay is something you don’t hear about too often in today’s world. It’s refreshing.” She calls the YMCA—with its adult fitness facilities and classes, childcare programs, kid sports programs and family events—a one-stop shop for young families.

Currently Kara works for Community Medical Center as the Community Relations Coordinator. In 2009, big pieces of her life—outdoor exercise, healthcare, communications and now the Y Board—are connecting together to further benefit Missoula-area youth. Says Kara: “My work with the YMCA has inspired me to work on the development of a sixth-grade child obesity project with Community Medical Center, the YMCA and other partners in the community.”

YMCA Commitee:

Program

Fun fact:

Kara spent a college summer working in Glacier National Park. At the end of the summer she netted $45 for all her hard work, but she made a ton of lifelong friends.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Riverbank Run. It goes back to that college internship Kara had.
John Melvin

Mechanical Engineer & Owner | JM Engineering

John Melvin is at the YMCA at least five days a week, swimming with the master’s group three lunch hours and lifting weights the other two. He’s here to drop off his daughter for before-school swim practice and here for weekend swim meets. As life goes, one thing leads to another. And after two years serving on the Property and Facility Committee, this mechanical engineer and business owner officially joined the board summer of 2009.

“I really like that the Y is a place for children to be that is both healthy and safe,” John says, “and that it provides financial assistance to individuals who otherwise would not have the opportunity to join.”

In many senses John is a classic Missoula YMCA member. He and his family each use the Y facilities and programs to meet their individual needs. [Wife, Wendy, teaches fourth grade and works out in the Health & Wellness Center; daughter, Addie, is a young runner and swim team competitor; infant son, Porter, watches sister swim and hangs out in the Child Watch Center.] They play and workout together skiing and biking, in the Y and at Y events such as Riverbank Run. John’s found a need to give back to his community as an active volunteer, sharing his professional expertise and energy at the board level. And, John’s masters swim group has become so tightknit and expansive-thinking that each year they swim across cold and windy Flathead Lake to raise money for specific individuals with needs—and summer 2010 they’re swimming the English Channel.

Those 25-yard swim laps are adding up.

“I’ve learned over the years how fun it is to volunteer at the Y,” John says. “And I’ve learned that so many places need volunteer help to function properly. This experience has inspired me to get more involved with the community.”

YMCA Committee:

Property and Facility.

Fun fact:

John’s a triathlete at the national level, two years running. And, born and raised Great Falls, he’s a Denver Broncos fan.

Favorite YMCA community event:

Riverbank Run. John runs and his daughter is a serious young-teen runner so it’s extra fun running with the whole town. (That would be Porter in the jogging stroller.)
Kevin Mytty

President | Quality Construction
Shawn Paul

Claims Representative | Farmers Union Mutual Insurance

“Working with the YMCA has encouraged me to reach out further into the community and help those who need financial assistance, personal assistance or just a shoulder to lean on,” says Shawn Paul, member of the Board of Directors since January 2009. Those are strong words from a man who spends a good part of his time serving and protecting the community as a Lieutenant with the Missoula Police Department.

“As a police officer, I have had many negative contacts with the public and youth,” Shawn continues. “I saw the opportunity to join the YMCA board as a chance to have a positive contact with the public and youth. Now I see a larger picture … Once you realize all the people the Y helps, you understand how important the Y is and what an impact it has on the community.” In addition to his board work, Shawn serves on the International Committee and the Membership/Program Committee.

Born in Philadelphia, raised in Massachusetts, Shawn came here for The University of Montana’s business program and essentially didn’t leave. Now a Missoula police officer with a wife, Alice, and two daughters, Shawn leaves Montana to hit the beach and surf. Yes, the land-locked guy loves to surf.

Family is a concept near and dear to this father’s heart and he appreciates the fact the YMCA values families too. Since long before he joined the board, Shawn and family worked out and played at the Y. “It’s a place for families to be together and build on the core values of family,” he says. It’s that old line, the family that plays (and sweats) together stays together. Key, he adds, is that the YMCA’s programs are available to every family, no matter their financial circumstance.

After just a few months on the board, his perspective of the Y already has changed. “My eyes have opened to all of the wonderful programs we have and the financial assistance we offer that leaves no one behind,” he says.

YMCA Committees:

International Committee and Membership/Program Committee.

Little-known fact:

After college, Shawn spent close to two years in South Korea as an Army Lieutenant and platoon leader.

Favorite thing to do:

Sit on an ocean beach with his wife and kids, enjoy the sunshine … and surf.

Favorite things about the YMCA:

The workout facilities and the chance to assist the community.

Favorite YMCA community event:

The Riverbank Run.
Dean Stensland

Attorney - Boone Karlberg P.C.

Dean Stensland has served on several other boards but finds particular joy in serving the YMCA, where he’s been a board member since 1998. “There are several worthwhile nonprofit organizations in Missoula, but the YMCA offers more services to more recipients than any other,” he says. “The Y is socially conscious and fiscally responsible, and it’s an admirable organization that makes you proud to be a part of.” The YMCA, he adds, interacts with people at the most basic level.

Dean (a Montana native from Fort Benton) and his wife, Kim, and their three children spend a lot of time at the YMCA, generally working out in the Health & Wellness Center. When the kids were younger they kept busy and active with youth sports and summer camps. Generally speaking, the family is active, health conscious and outdoor oriented. Dean adds that as parents many of the values they worked to instill in their children are also the core values of the YMCA.

“From volunteering at the Y I’ve learned just how many individuals are in need of a positive and rewarding influence on their lives,” Dean says. “And, there are so many individuals who are willing to extend themselves to help those in need. I now view my life in the Missoula community in a less selfish way and focus on what I can do to help others have positive experiences and appreciate a healthy lifestyle.”

YMCA Committees:

Program and Executive.

Fun fact:

Dean says it takes a lot of hair coloring to keep his that particular hue of silver.

Favorite thing to do:

While his downtown office digs are quite handsome, Dean much prefers to be sitting with friends and family in front of a campfire next to a snow melt lake in a high mountain basin, fly rod and hiking boots both waiting for the dawn.

Favorite thing about the YMCA:

The wholesome down-to-earth attitude of the members and staff—“who are all there for the right reasons.”
Mark Thane

Executive Regional Director | Missoula County Public Schools

With the mindset of an adult who wants to stay put, hunkered down with his family in Missoula, Mark Thane has been learning over the years about what it takes to make a vibrant, engaged community.

Mark joined the YMCA Board in 2007 because “as a school district employee, I have seen the need for youth programming as a critical element to making/keeping Missoula a high-quality community,” he says. “The variety of options available to kids and families and the financial assistance necessary to make it available to virtually all make the YMCA a tremendous community asset … The Y’s youth programming is hugely important to this town.”

“I like the Riverbank Run and the 3v3 Classic basketball tournament best simply because of the visuals they provide” of the active, involved community he wants to stay a part of. Just to be there and watch the action makes for a pretty great day.

From this base, Mark says, his work on the board has inspired him to “examine my place in and responsibility to the Missoula community.”

Healthy living is another big factor for life with Mark, and the Y plays a role there too. His two teenage daughters have for years participated on Y soccer, basketball and swim teams, while Mark and his wife, Mary, regularly workout in the Health & Wellness Center. And, over the years, they’ve each coached a youth team or two.

YMCA committee:

Human resources.

Fun fact:

No matter how loud it gets, Mark doesn’t move a muscle until the sidelines ref gives him the direct look and signal. A member of the chain gang crew for every home Grizzly football game, the players, coaches and thousands of fans might never know it’s him, but they all pay strict attention to where his stick is placed in the turf.

Favorite things to do:

For this Missoula native: hike and bike anywhere when outside, read when inside.
Lynn Thee

Equine Manager | Grant Creek Ranch

Lynn Thee is waiting patiently for her children to grow up; well, probably not all grown up, just so they are old enough to take part in more YMCA programs. “I can’t wait until the YMCA summer camps can be a part of their summers!” she says.

After years of travel and moving with her husband’s military career, Lynn and her husband relocated to Missoula from Dallas when they were looking for a place to raise their children. “We already had family here, and we love the mountains and sense of community in Missoula,” she says. “It was a natural fit for us.”

“I’ve spent 13 years in the elementary education field and I’m passionate about the well-being of our children,” Lynn says. “I believe the YMCA is an invaluable resource for our community in support of our children and families.” This important work the YMCA does is why Lynn accepted her position on the board in March 2008. “The caliber of people working here at the YMCA amazes me. They have assembled quality people and provide the leadership that allows them to be creative, responsible and innovative.”

Lynn and her husband have two daughters, two dogs, three horses and one cat—so they definitely have a full house. No longer in the formal classroom, the Iowa-raised educator today works with horses and still loves rodeo.

“The YMCA provides so many great things to the community—health education, physical fitness and opportunities,” Lynn says. “But the most important thing is relationship building. All of those depend on, and are fueled by, the relationships between people. If we can all work together, we can build a place for everyone—right here in our own backyard. It’s a great sense of accomplishment when you see people enjoying what you’ve helped create.”

YMCA Committees:

Program and Membership, International and Capital Development.

Fun fact:

Lynn sailed with 32 horses across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki, Finland, for a month of rodeo performances. “We started the trip in Denver, drove to Chicago, flew to Stockholm and sailed to Helsinki. It was a great adventure!”

Favorite thing to do:

Have fun with her children (though barrel racing is a close second).
Rick Wishcamper

Founding Partner & President | Rocky Mountain Development Group

Rick Wishcamper was raised in New England by parents who believed in being out in the natural environment, community service and hard work. He has a poet’s sensibilities and the published ability to compose large thoughts into efficient spare lines. He has a brain for business and the numbers beyond a spreadsheet.

He sees his personal world as directly larger because it is connected to a local community and simultaneously to the global community.

He loves to run and feel fit. And he loves his wife, Kim, and their three dogs.

So that he joined the YMCA board in 2009 just makes perfect sense.

“What I do at work and what I’m most passionate about is the idea of building community,” says Rick, who in 2003 became a founding partner of Missoula-based Rocky Mountain Development Group. “In my work we deal mostly with the built environment, and the services that are then part of that. My volunteer work with the Community Foundation, Garden City Harvest, the YMCA and others also goes to the idea of building community. What intrigues me about these groups and how they use my skills is the idea, the concept of building community and an identity within the community. And Missoula has more of that identity than anywhere else I’ve ever been. The Y is just another way of building community.”

After a childhood in Portland, Maine, hunting and fishing with Dad and being around the work of two parents seriously involved with The Nature Conservancy, Rick took off for three months in Kenya with the National Outdoor Leadership School. His college plans took a detour of sorts when, while in Africa, he met up with folks from San Francisco-based Global Roots, a community service organization that places high school and gap-year students in three-month internships. The 18-year-old Rick joined and stayed in Kenya, living with a family in a rural western village and teaching. Including periodic trips home for family visits, Rick lived and taught in Kenya for about two years.

Back in the States, Rick earned a bachelor’s degree in human ecology from the College of the Atlantic. Based in Bar Harbor, Maine, COA states it “is for idealists with elbow grease, for people who see the world as a complex, interconnected place. It’s for people who want to make the world a better place.”

His business interests became engaged and he recalled fishing with his father in Montana. So, a master’s degree in business from The University of Montana followed, along with some university-level teaching. And then his own business in 2003; and pretty much simultaneously, 2004, a master’s degree in poetry from New England College.

Providing one obvious example of his past experience informing his present work, Rick today is actively involved in the Missoula YMCA’s partnership with the YMCA of Sierra Leone and he traveled this summer to the western Africa nation to promote that work. The poet’s mind is employed, whether he’s writing at that moment or not.

Favorite YMCA community event

Riverbank Run—for the runner who loves community.