MIDDLETOWN – The Community YMCA Board of Directors welcomed new President and CEO Rhonda M. Anderson and appointed four new directors at its 138th annual meeting last month at the Raven and the Peach in Fair Haven.
Tim Watters, the Y’s chief volunteer officer and chairman of the board, introduced Anderson, appointed by the board of directors in May following an extensive national search.
“We had many great applicants for this job, people with solid track records of success managing large and diverse organizations,” Watters said. “We chose Rhonda because, not only does she have all this, but she also possesses a unique inner strength and commitment to our mission that will enable her to take this organization to great places. I believe that she is uniquely qualified to assess the needs of our community, and guide us so we can continue to increase our impact.”
Anderson, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience in both the nonprofit sector and at Fortune 500 companies, currently serves as chief operating officer of Cathedral International, a church based in Perth Amboy.
She will begin her new position at the Y on Aug. 20.
“I look forward to connecting with our board, volunteers, community leaders and members to learn more about our programs, the changing community needs and how we can build on the 138-year legacy of The Community Y,” Anderson said. “I know that with our collective efforts, our Y is poised to build on the great foundation that has been established.”
Before her nine-year tenure at Cathedral International, Anderson, of Somerset, held several management positions at Johnson & Johnson, Simon & Schuster and GTE (now Verizon). She earned a master’s degree in business administration from Penn State University and a bchelor of science degree from Cornell University, where she had a distinguished career on the basketball team. She set 17 individual records, earned a spot on the First Team All-Ivy League for two years and was named Athlete of the Year by The Cornell Sun, the first woman to achieve this honor. She was also inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame.
The board also elected four local professionals to serve on the board of directors:
Dr. Joseph T. Buzzanco, Middletown, a general dentist with a practice in Red Bank; Mark Degenhart, Shrewsbury, who most recently served as a managing director for Rothschild Asset Management; Jennifer Lakefield, Colts Neck, a managing director at ZAIS; and Robert C. Werner, Phoenixville, Pa., executive vice president and chief operating officer of Two River Community Bank.
Watters also acknowledged outgoing board members for their dedicated service to the Y and their positive impact on the community: Wayne Boatwright, two years; Tim Horn, five years; Tim Kerner, three years; James Kiernan, five years; Jim Staveley, five years; and, Marie Tormey, nine years.
The Board of Directors is responsible for establishing policies for the organization and providing leadership for financial development, strategic planning, operations and community collaborations.
