“Growing relationships and connecting to others gives me a strong sense of accomplishment,” says the president and CEO of the Valley of the Sun YMCA.

Growing up, George Scobas, the recently named president and CEO of the Valley of the Sun YMCA, was able to relate to those—a staggering 56,000 Arizonans—that the YMCA helps day in and day out. “I lived next to the railroad tracks, and to get to school I had to walk through some tough neighborhoods, with each community speaking a different language,” Scobas says. “My parents were Greek immigrants, and through kindergarten and
grade school I only [spoke] broken English. I had to become street smart, and I made friends by sharing a respect for kids of all backgrounds. That is what the Y does; we build communities in communities with respect to all.”
For the past 36 years, Scobas has worked for the Y at several of the well-known nonprofit’s national sites, including in Kansas, California, Chicago and Phoenix in the late 90’s. Among his greatest professional accomplishments was significantly growing the budget of some of the aforementioned YMCA locations. “In Chicago, we grew from a $38 million dollar budget when I arrived to $110 million when I left,” he says. “In the 11 years I’ve been here at the Valley of the Sun Y, we have grown from $16 million to $40 million, all of which means we have a broader reach, more programs and a greater ability to positively impact our communities.”
Now as the new president and CEO of the Valley of the Sun YMCA, Scobas, who is also a father of two and an avid golfer, oversees 17 statewide branches—from Flagstaff to Yuma. Via his new post, he plans to add even more accomplishments to his already lengthy list. Among his goals are increasing awareness through community outreach and involvement; launching initiatives to create healthy lifestyles within the Valley; and building the Y’s financial development capacity, to name a few.
Scobas, though, cannot turn such ambitions into realities without the help of the community. “We have just kicked off our annual Strong Kids & Strong Families campaign,” Scobas says. “Our goal this year is $3.2 million.” The yearly campaign makes YMCA programs and memberships available to those in need, allowing the 160-year-old nonprofit to get its message of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility to even more locals. “I am determined to perpetuate the future of this great organization.”

TO LEARN MORE
Valley of the Sun YMCA
602.404.9622, www.valleyymca.org.