Back to news

Greater Dayton Y welcomes new CEO

28 September 2014

Greater Dayton Y welcomes new CEO
Dayton Daily News
September 28, 2014
by Thomas Gnau

The YMCA of Greater Dayton will soon have a new president and chief executive, one who has spent his career with local YMCA branches.

Dale Brunner has accepted the job after a unanimous board of directors vote Sept. 23, the organization said.

He steps into the position that will soon be left by Tim Helm, who has accepted the president/CEO job at the YMCA of Greater St. Louis. Helm has led the Dayton Y since 2002.

Brunner is no stranger to Dayton. He began his career with the Fairborn YMCA in 1992 as youth sports director, before going to the downtown Y in 1996.

Brunner also was instrumental in the 2000 opening of the Coffman YMCA in Springboro, then the first YMCA branch opening in the Dayton area in 22 years.

“I’m just extremely excited to get started,” Brunner said Saturday.

Brunner took the lead in fundraising, planning and opening the Coffman Y in 2000 and worked as executive director there for six years. He then served as president of operations at the YMCA Association Services Office in 2006 and has held that role for the last eight years.

“The Y makes a tremendous impact in the lives of our neighbors every day, and it is an honor for me to be a part of that. I plan to continue to help make a difference promoting the YMCA mission,” Brunner said in a statement.

The YMCA of Greater Dayton is the umbrella organization for 10 local Y branches and a residential camp. Today, Dayton-area YMCA branches include about 19,200 families or about 60,000 people, Brunner said.

“The Y is doing great,” he said.

Brunner grew up in Huber Heights. He volunteers with the Miracle Field in Springboro, Cook Family Fun Day fundraiser, the Pink Ribbon Girls and other local causes.

“My family and I have been blessed by our time in the Miami Valley, and I am extremely proud of the things that our YMCA has accomplished during my time here,” Helm said in a statement.

Helm will start at the YMCA of Greater St. Louis in November.