CLEVELAND — The Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio has named its first president and CEO. Parma native Jeff Scott was officially hired on Monday.
Scott, who now resides in Brecksville, has held roles in industries ranging from construction to technology, and most recently worked as the General Manager for the Austin, Texas based Q2 MarketPlace.
“I am confident that Jeff is the right leader to help our organization not only weather this current storm but help us reach our lofty goals,” said BGCNEO Board Chair Rich Desich in a statement released Monday, “As a combined organization and team, we will be singularly focused on having the greatest and most positive impact to the children we serve.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio was officially formed in July 2019 by the merger of clubs in Cleveland, Akron, Lorain County and Sandusky.
Scott, who was a Boys & Girls Club mentor for nearly four years while attending Huntington (Ind.) University, takes over a nonprofit with 39 locations and about 8,600 members in five counties. The sites have been closed since March 13 because of the pandemic; with no certain date for reopening the Clubs, the organization is now offering virtual programming for kids.
“Given the current state of the world and the difficult circumstances many of our communities and families are facing, it is humbling and an honor to join a great team committed to helping our youth succeed,” Scott said in a statement. “Our mission remains the same, but the stakes are even higher now. There is no more important work to be doing than this, and I’m confident in our collective ability to help our communities navigate this complex situation. Our newly combined entity only strengthens our ability to serve and make a difference.”
Ron Soeder, who has been serving as BGCNEO’s interim president and CEO while the organization conducted a nationwide search that led to Scott’s hiring, will stay on to help with the transition.