Craig Lammers began as an intern with the Jefferson City Area YMCA while in college. Now, as CEO, Lammers focuses on the best ways to provide service to Jefferson City residents and YMCA members.
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Name: Craig Lammers
Organization: Jefferson City Area YMCA
Age: 48
Hometown: Jefferson City
Last book I read: "The Advantage" by Patrick Lencioni
Favorite movie: "Dances with Wolves" and "Hoosiers"
If I wasn't doing this, I'd be: "Coaching at a high school level."
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Q. How would you describe your job?
A. "Our mission at the YMCA is to help others and find a way to solve opportunities that present themselves. My key responsibility is working with our board of directors and management team to provide exceptional services to our members and community."
Q. What was the career path that brought you to this position?
A. "I had the opportunity to do an internship with the Jefferson City Area YMCA in my last semester of college. This led to a full-time opportunity as the sports director."
Q. Who influenced you to enter this profession? (Or who was your biggest influence?)
A. "My high school baseball coach/teacher, Denny Hughes, was currently serving as the YMCA's operations director and was instrumental in providing me the opportunity to work for the Y. Furthermore, he served as a mentor in my development as a young professional. Secondly, George Hartsfield, retired YMCA CEO, influenced my management skills until his retirement."
Q. What's the biggest professional achievement you've realized?
A. "Working in the area of funds development with a dedicated team of staff and volunteers to raise over $1.2 million to build the West Y and, through the years, raising over $1.7 million to support our financial assistance program to offer those in our community the opportunity to use the Y that otherwise could not afford to do so."
Q. What's the most common mistake people make when entering your profession, and how can it be avoided?
A. "Being in the service business, I think it is critically important to gather all sides to an issue. Being young and naive, I look back and think in some cases I was too quick to make a decision and not gather all facts."
Q. What's the biggest lesson you have learned?
A. "Continued self-development and accepting new challenges is critically important to being successful."
Q. What's the biggest challenge facing you in the next year?
A. "As a membership organization, we must continually look for opportunities to retain and grow our membership base."
Q. Why did you decide to locate in Jefferson City?
A. "I grew up in Jefferson City and realized this is a great community to raise a family."
Q. What can Jefferson City do to improve itself?
A. "Continued collaborative efforts between organizations/businesses must be strengthened to meet community needs. Continued positive messaging about what Jefferson City has to offer."
Q. Where do you see your profession in five years? Where do you see yourself in five years?
A. "Our profession will continue to focus on youth development, healthy living and increased work in the area of meeting societal needs. In five years, I see myself continuing to work to strengthen our YMCA team and provide needed services to our community."
Q. What are the best/worst parts of your job?
A. "The best part of my job is working with staff to meet our member needs. Success stories continue to motivate me to do more. The worst part of the job is when we fall short in our ability to help someone in need."
Q. What is something about yourself that nobody knows?
A. "Difficult question - enjoy dancing with my wife although I have no business on the dance floor!"