'IT'S A HIDDEN GEM'
New Corpening Y director looks forward to meeting the needs of community
Chris Fox is the new executive director of the Maxwell M. Corpening Jr. Memorial YMCA in Marion.
As the new executive director, Chris Fox wants to build on the work of his predecessors and make sure the Maxwell M. Corpening Jr. Memorial YMCA in Marion continues to meet the needs of the community.
Fox, 43, was recently named as the new executive director of the Corpening Memorial Y. He replaced the previous director, Toby Bramblett, who recently left the position to accept a new job with a YMCA in his native Georgia.
Fox has more than 12 years of experience with the YMCA of Western North Carolina, and he's served in a variety of leadership roles throughout the association. He worked at the Corpening Memorial Y as interim director before Bramblett was hired. Fox said he bought his first house in Marion when he held that interim job.
Most recently, he worked as the executive director of the Woodfin YMCA, where he led center operations, membership, staff development, community partnerships, fundraising and financial management, according to a previous story by The McDowell News.
"His experience and knowledge of the YMCA's mission make him a strong fit to lead Corpening Memorial YMCA and build on its impact in McDowell County," read the announcement about his hiring.
Originally from upstate New York, Fox said he grew up with a YMCA there and considered himself a Y kid.
He's lived in North Carolina for more than 20 years and worked as the director of the Woodfin YMCA for three years before becoming the director of Marion's YMCA.
Fox said the Woodfin YMCA is smaller than the Marion one. He said he's worked at five of the seven YMCAs in western North Carolina, and Marion is his favorite. It has six full-time employees, about 75 parttime employees and numerous volunteers who help operate the programs.
The local YMCA has about 5,000 members, according to Fox.
"This is the nicest one," he said. "It's a hidden gem, an amazing asset for McDowell County."
When the YMCA of Western North Carolina looked for a new director of the Corpening Y, it became a national search before Fox was chosen.
"I'm just excited to be back here as I have lived here previously," Fox said. "I love the area. I love the people, and we have a strong YMCA staff team here that I'm excited to lead."
As he looks to the future, Fox said the Corpening Y has a wide variety of programs for youth to senior citizens.
"I'd like to find out from the key community partners what the needs are and listen and understand more of what the community needs are and try to come up with a strategic plan for the YMCA to use our programs to meet those needs," Fox said.
He said the YMCA's leadership has a handle on what those needs are, but those needs can change.
"We definitely want to expand our thriving teens initiative, definitely focus on teen leadership programs," he said.
These programs for teenagers include the Leaders Club, an afterschool club where teens can develop leadership skills; the youth and government program where teens can learn how to make an impact on their community; and mental health resources for teens.
"We really want to expand our community partners," Fox said. "As a nonprofit, we can't do anything without community partnerships."
"I pride myself on building community relationships and partnerships and envision us expanding our reach in McDowell and surrounding communities, supporting youth development and a wide variety of wellness programs," he said. "When local organizations and community leaders support each other, we build a stronger foundation for future generations to thrive and expand growth for McDowell and western North Carolina. That excites me."
When he is not working, Fox and his wife Toni keep themselves busy. He said they like hiking and enjoying western North Carolina's mountains, and traveling. His wife works as the head women's volleyball coach at Belmont Abbey College.
About the Corpening YMCA
The Corpening Memorial YMCA is part of the nonprofit YMCA of Western North Carolina. The Corpening Memorial Y was founded in 2003.
The Corpening YMCA was established through the life and legacy of Maxwell M. Corpening Sr. A native of McDowell, Corpening was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and eventually attained the rank of lieutenant colonel. Corpening later worked as a foreign correspondent for The Chicago Tribune and reported on World War II from London. After the war, he became the director of Lake Shore National Bank in Chicago. He died in 1967 and left an estate of about $2 million. In his will, Corpening set aside a portion of his estate for a trust fund in Marion.
His will led to the formation of the Maxwell M. Corpening Jr. Memorial Foundation, which helps people in need in McDowell County, and later the YMCA in Marion. Both are named after Corpening Sr.'s son, who was killed in an air accident while training pilots during World War II, according to previous stories by The McDowell News.
