Column: Missy Dugan named interim CEO of Atlanta’s Boys & Girls Clubs
By Maria Saporta
Friday, January 28,2011
Leadership at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta is in transition.
William Lampley, who became CEO and president of the organization about two years ago, has decided to return to the real estate industry because of some entrepreneurial opportunities.
His last official day was Jan. 27. But Lampley will continue to be involved with the organization, according to Brent Wilson, a partner with employment law firm Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP, who chairs the board of Atlanta’s Boys & Girls Clubs.
“We are asking him to join the board,” Wilson said, adding that Lampley helped streamline and restructure B&GCMA.
Wilson, however, said the organization was fortunate to have someone who could step into the CEO role, at least on an interim basis.
Missy Dugan, who became the organization’s chief operating officer during Lampley’s tenure, has been named interim president and CEO.
Wilson said the board has decided not to conduct a search at this time to give Dugan an opportunity to demonstrate her ability to run the organization.
“We wanted to ensure that all the positive steps that were implemented under William’s leadership with Missy’s involvement continued,” Wilson said. “We felt very strongly that Missy was the right person to continue that trajectory. It also gave the board an opportunity to breathe.”
Dugan, an Atlanta native, has been with the Boys & Girls movement for 12 years in positions around the country. Four years ago, she was lured back to become vice president of marketing and development of the Atlanta organization, a job she held for two years before becoming its COO.
“My whole goal is to continue to run this organization and continue with its great progress,” Dugan said. Specifically, she said she would continue emphasizing academic success for its members and being able to have measurable outcomes.
The Atlanta Boys & Girls Clubs has 26 clubs in 11 metro counties serving annually an average of 17,000 kids between the ages of 6 and 18 years old. It has about 325 full- and part-time employees and an annual budget of about $15 million.
The naming of Dugan as the organization’s interim CEO was welcomed by one of its top funders. The Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation has granted the organization a three-year, $4.4 million grant for a pilot program to improve the academic success for the kids at the clubs.
“Missy has been the architect and leader of the initiative,” said Russ Hardin, president of the Whitehead Foundation. “We have utmost confidence in Missy and look forward to continuing our work together.”
A Deal for United Way
Gov. Nathan Deal seemed right at home at the United Way of Georgia’s annual legislative reception Jan. 24 at the Georgia Freight Depot.
Longtime United Way backer Guy Millner, who once ran unsuccessfully for governor, introduced Deal.
“This is about as close as I’m going to get to the governor’s office,” Millner joked.
Deal pledged to partner with all the United Way organizations. “What you do is so important to the communities that you represent,” Deal said. “We are at a time when government is going to be doing less. The revenue is not there.”
Milton Little, president of metro Atlanta’s United Way, welcomed the outreach. “We thank you for the invitation to be your partner,” Little said. “Here tonight, we pledge to continue to work together for the things we value most.”
Deal said United Way is already supplementing government programs. “That takes pressure off the state system,” Deal said. “There’s going to be a need for more private partnerships with the state government.”
United Way promotes Cole
Speaking of United Ways, the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Inc. has promoted Bonnie Cole to chief development officer.
Cole joined the organization in 1989. More recently, she has coordinated the annual United Way fundraising campaigns — helping raise nearly $80 million a year to help local nonprofit agencies provide services. She will continue to oversee the campaigns, but she also will help reinvent the model of how United Way raises funds for community engagement work.
CEO Battle
The battle is back on. The Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy is waging the second annual CEO Battle between now and Feb. 7.
CEOs participating this year include: Paul Wood, CEO of Georgia EMC; William Griffin, CEO of Rosser International; Michael Russell, CEO of H.J. Russell & Co.; Ruth Knox, president of Wesleyan College; Cathy Cox, president of Young Harris College; Raymond King, CEO of Zoo Atlanta; and William Kimble, managing partner of KPMG-Atlanta.
The CEOs have recorded videos reading to preschool children, and those are posted on the foundation’s website — www.ferstfoundation.org — and people can vote for their favorite reader.
The winner will receive the Favorite Reader award on Feb. 14, to mark a love of reading. Last year’s winner was Mark Becker, president of Georgia State University.
