Sam Franklin chosen to lead YMCA of Greenville as its new president and chief executive officer
September 10, 2024
Sam Franklin, who has served the YMCA of Greenville as its executive vice president and chief operating officer, will begin leading the $24 million mission-driven, health and human services nonprofit as its new president and chief executive officer starting on September 23, 2024. Franklin, who has spent his entire professional career as a leader in YMCAs across the Southeast, has served the Greenville community since January 2017.
As the incoming president and CEO of the largest YMCA in South Carolina, Franklin will oversee the 11 site YMCA association, which includes multiple family and express branch facilities, YMCA Camp Greenville, a year-round residential camp, a community outreach center, and the South Carolina Youth in Government program. The YMCA of Greenville serves more than 80,000 members and program participants association wide who make the YMCA a part of their lives through its programs and services that, following the example of Christ, build healthier spirit, mind and body for all.
In his previous role as executive vice president and chief operating officer, Franklin supervised the association’s five membership branches, YMCA Camp Greenville, YMCA Judson Community Center, SC YMCA Youth in Government and Teen Services branch, as well as the Y’s central hub, the Business Services Center. He had responsibilities for developing, updating and tracking the association’s strategic plan, organizational structure, culture and business operations, community engagement and partnerships, quality of programs, facility design, renovation and maintenance, as well as marketing and public relations.
Brad Hughes, the chair of the YMCA of Greenville’s Metro board of directors, says, “Sam was unanimously selected by the board due to his consistent, solid track record in achieving operational excellence, his vision for the association’s trajectory for continued growth, his mission-minded leadership style, and his ability to connect with people at all levels to achieve a common goal. We are excited to see Sam bring the Y into its next chapter and beyond.”
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be chosen to lead the YMCA of Greenville as we continue to expand the way our Y serves the people of Greenville County,” said Sam Franklin. “I am thankful to the Metro board of directors and the Y’s retiring president and CEO, Scot Baddley, for their vision and leadership which created the solid foundation to position our association and our dedicated staff to serve Greenville’s ever-growing community.”
Franklin began his YMCA career after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University in 1991 as a public relations and communications intern for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee in Nashville. Within six months, he was promoted to program director for youth sports and wellness and assisted with two successful fundraising campaigns at the Harding Place YMCA in Nashville. He then moved to the YMCA of Greater Louisville in Kentucky, where he was the associate executive at the Southeast Family YMCA branch where he helped to complete a $1.7 million capital campaign and oversaw the branch’s expansion, while also exceeding Annual Campaign goals while serving as its chair.
Franklin then moved to the YMCA of the Triangle (Raleigh), where he served as the executive director of the Lee County YMCA in Sanford, NC, increased the number of full- and part-time staff he supervised while managing a board of 20 people and 50 volunteers for its Annual Campaign. His next move was to the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina where he was the vice president of operations for the William G. White, Jr. Family Branch, and managed seven branches totaling $12.5 million in revenue and $675,000 in annual giving, supervised more than 500 full- and part-time employees and was a member of the association’s senior leadership team.
About the YMCA of Greenville, SC
The YMCA of Greenville is a cause-driven non-profit organization. Our mission is, following the example of Christ, to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. With a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y nurtures the potential of every youth and teen, improves the health and well-being of our community and provides opportunities to give back and help support our neighbors. Founded in 1876, the Y serves more than 70,000 people annually through programs that include after-school care, resident and day camps, aquatics, youth and adult sports, and health and wellness. Programs are offered through four family branches, as well as the Verdae YMCA, Life Center YMCA, YMCA Camp Greenville, and YMCA Judson Community Center. The Y is also home to Y Teen Services and the SC Youth in Government programs. For more information about the YMCA of Greenville, visit ymcagreenville.org, or call (864) 412-0288.
