Executive Compensation at the YMCA (2019)

The YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) is a worldwide (119 countries) organization based in Geneva, Switzerland (World Alliance of the YMCA). Within the United States, there are approximately 2,700 YMCA’s serving 10,000 communities that rely on the YMCA of the USA (that is also known as the National Council of YMCA’s of the USA) that in turn relies on The World Alliance of the YMCA).  In the most simplistic terms, the YMCA is organized as follows:

World Alliance of the YMCA

125 National Associations (including The YMCA of the USA/National Council of YMCA’s of the USA)

Alliances (typically geographic) and Local Chapters (including 2,700 YMCA’s in the USA)

In the USA, each local chapter is a separate 501 (c) (3) that files its own IRS Form 990, as is the YMCA of the USA, a national resource organizaition based in Chicago, Illinois  that seeks to strengthen local YMCA’s through grants and program services.

The YMCA of the USA is overseen by a board of 25 independent voting members. The Form 990 lists 32 board members (because of timing differences), 19 (59%) of whom are male while 13 (41%) are female.

The most recent IRS Form 990 (2019) for the YMCA of the USA reports the following key pieces of information with regards to compensation:

Annual revenue is about $140 million, most of which is derived from programs offered followed by contributions, gifts, and grants. Expenses also total nearly $140 million with the two largest expenses being compensation followed by grants. The YMCA of the USA has $132 million in net assets (as of the end of 2019).

407 employees received $46 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $113,000. 144   individuals received more than $100,000 in compensation.

The 8 mostly highly compensated employees received $4 million (an average of $500,000):

• $786,138:  Kevin Washington, President and CEO
• $635,455:  Paul McEntire, EVP, Chief Operations Officer
• $514,495:  Kevin Lutz, SVP, CIO
• $491,476:  Jaqueline E Gordon, SVP, Chief HR Officer
• $423,683:  Nancy L Owens, SVP and CFO
• $418,621:  Rebecca Bowen, EVP, Chief Development Officer
• $401,354:  Karyn Boston, EVP and General Counsel
• $375,164:  Shawn Borzelleri, SVP, Service Delivery Program Development Officer

Of the 8 most highly compensated employees, 3 are male while 5 are female.  The YMCA of the USA pays for first class or charter travel (but didn’t in 2019) and travel for companions. The travel for companions was for Mr. Washington’s spouse to attend key events and meetings and was treated as reportable compensation on Mr. Washington’s W-2.

Nearly $1 million was paid in organizational dues (appears to be to the World Alliance of the YMCA).

75 independent contractors received more than $100,000 each with the five most highly compensated reported to be:

• $1,520,528:  Kelly, Scott and Madison, of Chicago, IL for media planning and buying
• $1,115,950:  Praesidium, of Arlington, TX for child safety initiative
• $1,028,612:  Catalyist Public Relations, of Cleveland, OH for public relations strategy and activation
• $  785,000:  The Bridgespan Group, of Boston, MA for strategic plan consulting and implementation
• $  730,905:  BAV Group, of New York, NY for brand health research

To find out the executive compensation of an alliance or local YMCA, the specific IRS Form 990 must be consulted.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2019) for the YMCA of the USA, click here.