I will never forget the first special event I attended only a few weeks after I had first started at the Y, which happened to be for the Strong Kids Campaign (known as the Y.E.S Campaign today). I did not know what I was walking into that evening at the Sheraton in downtown Tacoma – which, I’m certain, was by design. Somehow, I was convinced to wear a toga and olive branch halo, which supported the theme for the year. I concluded this must be what they meant by, “other duties as assigned.” While a bit timid at first, just getting the lay of the land, seeking to understand who was whom, and listening to a variety of staff share stories of mission impact, I quickly found myself so wildly inspired by the energy in the room that I nearly gave the shirt off my back in an annual gift, but also ended up standing on a chair shouting across the room like a Tyrannosaurus rex in a staff spirit competition, raising money for our cause. Some (who will go unnamed 😉) continue to remind me of that evening, insisting that it’s when the Y infiltrated my soul. They’re right - I became one of “them.”
It has been among the greatest blessings in my life to serve our Y over the course of the last 15-plus years. To see our mission in action through the work of highly-skilled, dedicated, and passionate staff has brought me tremendous joy and inspiration every day. There is nothing short of transformation happening inside and outside of our four walls in support of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, and it has been my privilege to be a small part of this Y’s story over the last 15 years. Especially in the last 15 months, I have seen heroic efforts demonstrated by a team of professionals so deeply committed and passionate to our cause, I am forever changed and inspired.
Similarly, I will forever remain involved. Because of my passion for health, I visit every Y throughout Pierce and Kitsap counties in my free time on the regular. I will continue to admire your service to others through youth sports, mission, swim lessons, arts, group exercise, small group activities, and more. I will support our cause in providing safe and quality care to youth through before and after school programming, youth outreach services, and outdoor experiences. I will also be championing the Association Office team, who supports our Y behind the scenes, particularly those with whom I’ve served most closely over the years – Ally, Alyssa, Christina, Dorita, Ganetta, MoMo and Cheyenne, Chris, and Shiori. I will remain your very biggest fan.
I will cherish the many colleagues who have become friends, even like family. Having experienced a lot of “life” at the Y, these friends, far too many to name, have carried me in ways they may never know. To serve alongside of genuine people who care so deeply about one another and in strengthening its community has been an inspiration.
I look forward to seeing our Y reimagine itself once again through this next season and I am confident it will be stronger and better than ever before.
Blessings to you all, now and always. ❤
A MESSAGE FROM CHARLIE DAVIS, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
A week ago, I received the news of one of our team members making the decision to leave our Y. This was difficult to receive because I have worked alongside her since 2007. When Shannon informed me that she was taking a position outside our Y, I flashed on the many things Shannon has done within our organization, and the tremendous impact she has had on all of us. What struck me immediately was the realization of the void that will exist without her. Shannon performed what seemed like an endless number of important tasks for our Y. What you may know about her, and how she approaches her work, is that being the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer was not a job for Shannon, it was a calling.
Shannon invested her entire being into ensuring that our Y was the best it could possibly be. This statement is not meant to be a cliché, but to best capture the level of commitment Shannon made daily to ensure that our Y was successful, which she defined as having our Y being the greatest in the country. She took very seriously our commitment to being the employer of choice and worked alongside the leadership team, as well as our human resources team, to deliver on that promise. Shannon worked to improve the performance and evaluation process, something that was extremely challenging, trying to include accountability to an objective, measurable and fair set of metrics. I do believe the progress we made this year was in large part due to her contribution. In addition, Shannon played a significant part in introducing our Y to online training, making it flexible and adaptable to our work environment. Maybe her biggest contribution, though, was her commitment to ensuring an equitable and fair compensation package to all our staff. Shannon worked with a consultant that conducted an extensive market study that guided us in grade and salary adjustments. It was a significant body of work, but she was driven to complete it so that staff are fairly compensated for their work.
I could go on with the list of contributions Shannon made to our organization, and to all of us, but her greatest contributions may have been in the most challenging circumstances for our organization. Shannon gravitated to assume leadership in many of the most pressing situations our Y found itself. Shannon thrived under pressure and our Y is better off because of her expertise and strength as a leader.
Throughout my career, I have seen many quality people leave the ranks of our Y. I have been forced to adopt a philosophy that understands that change, though difficult, will bring on new opportunities for growth and development. Losing a person of the caliber of Shannon is very difficult to deal with, she is someone you can always count on to make the right decision, particularly under duress. We will be hard-pressed to find someone with Shannon’s commitment to serving those around her. We will all feel her absence because she impacted every one of us. It is rare to have been around someone who had her drive and determination to make us a better Y through her personal touch and energy. We will certainly miss that every day, but it certainly will stay with us.