Boys and Girls Club of Evansville has a new executive director as Ryan moves to CEO role

After two decades, the Boys and Girls Club of Evansville has had a change in leadership.

Since 2003, Ron Ryan, BGCE’s executive director, has been in his role. Now he is becoming the club's chief executive officer, a position the club hasn't had since November 1968.

"It's been very tactical," said Ryan.

Firm believers in following their developed strategic plan, this was a step to take after handling more clubs opening and looking at where people are needed in the organization.

During his tenure, Ryan has grown the local community organization tremendously. He oversaw the move to the current headquarters at 700 Bellemeade Ave., helped expand to four more clubs at Rockport Elementary, Lodge Elementary, Fulton Square Club and the One Main Financial Club Headquarters, and assisted with finding communities looking to establish clubs, with the most recent being Crawford County, Illinois. He continues to help on this front.

However, after almost 40 years in education, he knew he wanted to slow down.

"I want this organization to grow and I want to keep serving the kids in our community," he said. "I want to serve more kids in our community and outside of the community."

This led to him and the board looking for the next person to take over and whom he could be a mentor. Ryan said the obvious choice was Andrew Backes.

Backes has been with the organization since 2017. Before taking a full-time role, he worked in the business world and volunteered at the club with the Passport to Manhood program. He also helped with the club's insurance. Much of that he credits to his wanting to work for a time in the non-profit world.

"(I) started volunteering here and got to know Ron. He's the reason and the inspiration for a path of how I can serve our community and serve kids," he said. "He made it seem like it was something I could do and I could see myself doing this role."

Backes started working with Leadership Everyone before transitioning to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Evansville for three years. There, he and Ryan connected more as they wanted to bridge the gap between the two organizations. Then in 2023, Backes joined as the director of major gifts and strategic planning.

It was during a development retreat when he was asked what his dream job was. His answer? To be the next Ron Ryan.

"I'm never going to try to be him because we're different people," said Backes. "But I want to learn as much as I can from the time we have together."

A firm believer in putting people in uncomfortable positions so they can learn, Ryan has thrown him into immediate work so that he could learn the role. Before the announcement, there was a time dedicated for Backes to learn every behind-the-scenes role so that he is knowledgeable about the whole club.

While Ryan might not be in this official role anymore, his new role will be dedicated to expanding their resources through funding partners and serving as a mentor to Backes.

"My hope is this organization just keeps on keeping on," Ryan said.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Boys and Girls Club of Evansville has a new executive director as Ryan moves to CEO role