Sparta-White County Family YMCA CEO Kyle Goff has named business administrator David Smith as the organization’s interim CEO following Goff’s election as the next White County Executive.
CEO Kyle Goff said the appointment of Smith allows the organization to maintain its daily operations while beginning a formal search for a permanent leader. Goff said Smith previously worked for the YMCA in 2019 and 2020 before returning to the staff in 2024 to oversee finance and logistics.
“He has handled finance, he’s handled daily operations,” Goff said. “He’s in charge of a lot of logistics of the organization. So, he knows the business model inside and out. So, it was kind of a very natural fit as a lot of that operational footprint is already part of his job description already.”
Goff said Smith received the autonomy to begin facilitating all daily operational decisions effective Friday, August 2. Goff said the YMCA will officially post the permanent CEO position on Monday, August 10, using social media and local media outlets to reach potential candidates.
“Well, just… I mean, we’re managing the growth,” Goff said. “I mean, we’re growing at a rapid pace. We’re seeing 11% membership growth this year. We’re in the midst of building a childcare facility that will be the largest childcare in the Upper Cumberland. We’re going to be able to have 99 kids within our care when that’s done.”
Goff said the organization currently serves approximately 4,400 members, which has created challenges regarding available square footage and parking. Goff said the board has established November 25 as the latest possible date to have a permanent CEO in place.
“Our latest target date to have a CEO named is November the 25th,” Goff said. “So, we and… and that is kind of a worst-case scenario timeline. But we will have a CEO in place by November the 25th. So, that would be the longest… that would be the longest possible timeline. We would love it to be a little more truncated than that, but that’s a worst-case scenario.”
Goff said the search for a permanent successor will be overseen by the executive committee of the board, which includes the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Goff said he will participate in the process in an advisory and consulting capacity while the full Board of Directors makes the final hiring decision.
“We have a very responsible, engaged, and involved board that has taken this process very seriously,” Goff said. “There has been a lot of time and thought and consideration put into David being named interim. And I know that we’ll take that same thought and consideration and put it into every application that comes through.”
Goff said the YMCA has experienced a 500 percent budget increase and grew from 400 members to more than 4,000 during his eight-year tenure. Goff said the staff has also expanded from zero full-time employees to a team of seven.
“The lives that have been touched, the impact we’ve left, the backpacks that we’ve put on kids’ backs, the shoes we put on kids’ feet, the kids that we have fed, the special needs athletes that have got to come through and find a place of inclusion and find an avenue of self-expression,” Goff said. “Hopefully, all those things speak for themselves and maybe there’s some legacy that I leave behind. Some of these programs that have started hopefully will continue on way past me.”
Goff said the YMCA remains a special place to him and leaving the organization was the most difficult part of his decision to run for public office.
“I will always be there for the Y in whatever capacity they need me in,” Goff said.
