He will oversee building completion on the Wichita State campus and lead staffing and programming before running the building's operations.
GREATER WICHITA YMCA HIRES EXPERIENCED DIRECTOR FOR NEWEST BRANCH
(WICHITA, KANSAS - AUGUST 14, 2019) -- It will be several more months before it sees community use but the newest Greater Wichita YMCA branch location has started staffing starting with a Branch Director with experience in YMCA-, employee wellness-, university-, and facility opening-environments.
“We knew we needed a very specific person to fill this role,” said Ronn McMahon, President and CEO of the Greater Wichita YMCA. “To finish construction, and staff and open a building while working with the University and surrounding communities to get this right for them is not something just anyone can do – George Sorensen can and has.”
Prior to joining the Greater Wichita YMCA, Sorensen completed construction of, opened, and managed Wichita’s Opti-Life. Before moving to Wichita, Sorensen ran employee wellness initiatives at Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel now part of AdventHealth. He has 17 total years of YMCA experience in several roles, including Executive Director for the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA in the underserved North Brandon community of Seffner, Florida and a Branch Director within the First Coast YMCA in Jacksonville, Florida. Sorensen has also worked in sports information and media relations for Jacksonville University.
“I’ve worked with students on campus, with corporate partners, and with neighbors in areas similar to the nearby Fairmount, Macdonald, and Northeast Heights sections of Wichita,” said George Sorensen, Branch Director of the Steve Clark YMCA. “There is so much excitement around this building. My job is to sustain that energy and put it into action.”
The Steve Clark YMCA will serve the entire community but programs, activities, and equipment offered will prioritize students and those in the immediate area. The facility will put a greater focus on technology-enhanced workouts, social and meeting spaces, wellness education, and classes for seniors.
Sorensen won’t have an office on campus until later in the fall but he is already spending the majority of his time on-and-around campus meeting with University faculty, staff, and students and neighborhood leaders and groups to promote dialogue and partnership with a goal of ensuring everyone feels welcome at and duly served by the new facility.
Named for long-time volunteer, board leader, and supporter Steve Clark of Clark Investment Group, the Steve Clark YMCA and Student Wellness Center on the Campus of Wichita State University is entering its final phases of construction. Scheduled to open ahead of the Spring 2020 Wichita State University semester, the 77,000 square foot facility will house a Student Wellness Center operated by Wichita State University, a Wesley Medical Urgent Care facility to serve the community, and 55,000 square feet of YMCA fitness and program space.
ABOUT THE GREATER WICHITA YMCA
Since 1885, The Greater Wichita YMCA has promoted healthy lifestyles, strong families, and positive youth development and encouraged healthy spirit, mind, and body for all in Southcentral Kansas. Today, we employ 1,000+ and serve 300,000+ of our neighbors in Butler, Harvey, Kingman, Reno, and Sedgwick Counties through community development, education and wellness initiatives, and licensed child care and camp. We offer 190,000 members and all community participants nine branch locations, four seasonal, outdoor water parks, and three, indoor sports complexes in Andover, El Dorado, Newton, and Wichita. Our courts, fields, fitness centers, indoor tracks, pools, social spaces, studios, and turf host organized sports for all ages, hundreds of fitness programs and community, educational, social, and support activities. Our 2019 Strong Community Campaign collected $3MM that ensures income-based pricing and access for all - regardless of ability to pay.