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The board of directors at Greater Kingsport (Tennessee) Family YMCA have announced the retirement of CEO Kimberly “KC” Bittle effective Sept. 26.
Bittle’s journey with the YMCA began at the age of 10 as a member of the Stanly County YMCA in Albemarle. At 15, she mastered every level of swim lessons and became a certified lifeguard.
It was there that she began her career with the YMCA and found a great mentor in CEO John Sturgeon. Later, Sturgeon brought Bittle to a North Carolina Y conference where he would endorse her as a potential candidate for a long career in YMCA work.
As a result of that conference endorsement, in early 1993, Bittle started working full-time at the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina at Winston-Salem as the health and wellness director. Over the span of more than 30 years, Bittle has worked in or consulted for more than 50 YMCAs across six states, including YMCA of the USA, and has held three successful CEO roles in different states.
Bittle was appointed as the CEO at Greater Kingsport Family YMCA in 2019. Under her leadership, the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA has experienced a significant culture shift towards servant leadership and community-focused programming. She has been instrumental in expanding childcare services to 30 sites in three school districts, Y on Wheels, the Brighter Horizons Youth Center in Rogersville and opening two commercial kitchens that feed more than 650 children dinner daily.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped navigate these unprecedented times to stabilize the Kingsport Y and grow community services significantly.
In retirement, she looks forward to spending more time with her husband in Hendersonville, learning new skills and enjoying travel.
“It has truly been my pleasure to serve such a wonderful organization for over 30 years and to have been welcomed into dozens of communities. I am grateful for every person along the way that chose to join me in service to others,” Bittle said.
The Greater Kingsport Family YMCA Board of Directors is assembling a transition team to launch a national search for the next CEO. During the transitional period, Tianna Storey, vice president of operations/ COO will act as interim CEO effective Sept. 27, until a new permanent CEO begins.
“For the last five years we have been incredibly blessed to have KC as our CEO,” said Rebecca Ketchie, chief volunteer officer, GKFY Board. “No one knew in 2019 what challenges the next few years would bring through a global pandemic, but KC was exactly the leader we needed. She has risen to every challenge, and the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA is stronger now than ever before. It is bittersweet to have her move on, but we wish her the very best in her well-earned retirement. We look forward to the next chapter in the Y’s life with gratitude for how far she has brought the organization and set it up for long-term success.”