The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee has named Jeff Snell its next president and chief executive officer, the nonprofit announced on Tuesday.
Snell has served as interim president and CEO since April, when the BGCGM announced that Kathy Thornton-Bias was stepping down. After conducting a national search, the BGCGM’s board of trustees unanimously recommended Snell for the role, according to a news release. Snell previously served as president and CEO of the organization from 1997 to 2004.
Snell said he feels honored and fortunate to lead the BGCGM twice. Snell said after beginning to serve as interim president and CEO, he “quickly fell in love all over again with the work, the mission, relationships with board members and colleagues, and of course the kids at the Clubs.”
“There are wonderful advancements to celebrate across the spectrum of youth development,” Snell said. “But as Greater Milwaukee residents know well, there remains a basic, critical need to provide a safe, positive, nurturing space where kids feel they belong, have a healthy snack provided by a caring adult, receive a hug and encouragement, get help with homework, and aspire to realize their dreams as productive members of the Milwaukee community. It’s joyous work. I’m blessed to be part of it and learn from others with a shared commitment to keep Milwaukee’s future looking bright.”
Snell has served as entrepreneurial mentor for the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program, as well as co-created a partnership with the New York Times for social innovation education. He also co-founded a statewide coalition working to improve life outcomes of youth aging out of the Wisconsin foster system, according to the news release.
“We were really fortunate to have had so many qualified candidates, but our national search process validated that Jeff is the right person to lead the Clubs at this time,” said David Gay, BGCGM board chair and Milwaukee office managing partner at Ernst & Young LLP. “In all of our conversations, Jeff showed a comprehensive understanding of the Boys and Girls Clubs, a devotion to all of our stakeholders and a clear vision for our future direction.”
Find opportunities for giving and profiles of southeastern Wisconsin nonprofits in the 2025 Giving Guide from BizTimes Media.
