10/26/2026
From our CEO:
Tribute to those who make Owensboro Stronger
After more than 20 years of working in the nonprofit world, I have had the privilege of working in several communities, each of which has taught me valuable lessons about leadership. But I can sincerely say that living and working in Owensboro has made me a better leader.
Not because leadership is easier here, but because of the examples I see every single day.
Owensboro is a community filled with individuals who understand that leadership is about showing up, working together, and doing what is best for the people who call this community home. Leadership is not about recognition, personal agendas, or being the most important person in the room.
I have watched business leaders, nonprofit executives, educators, elected officials, volunteers, and everyday citizens put aside individual interests to address challenges facing our community. I have seen people give generously via time, resources, and talents without expecting anything in return. And I have witnessed leaders who are more interested in finding solutions than receiving credit for them.
There could not be a better example of this than the new childcare center being built here in Owensboro.
This project did not begin because someone wanted recognition or another accomplishment to add to their résumé. It began because community leaders recognized a serious need and decided to do something about it.
Candance Brake and the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, working alongside local business leaders, identified the growing shortage of affordable, quality childcare as a critical issue facing our workforce and families. They understood that childcare was not simply a family issue; it was an economic development issue affecting employers, employees, and the future of our community.
Mayor Tom Watson recognized the importance of this need and helped elevate the conversation to Senator Mitch McConnell. Senator McConnell and his staff then worked to secure the $6.6 million federal investment that is making this new childcare center possible.
What I find most remarkable about this entire process is not simply the size of the investment or the beautiful facility that will soon serve our community. It is the leadership that made it happen.
To this day, not one of these individuals has stepped forward and said, "Look what I did."
There has been a shared understanding of the real accomplishment: this investment will open doors for families of Owensboro and Daviess County.
These leaders may never fully realize the impact their efforts will have. Parents will have greater opportunities to work and support their families. Employers will have a stronger workforce. Children will have access to safe, high-quality early childhood education. And families who have struggled to find affordable childcare will have new opportunities that simply did not exist before.
The benefits of this project will extend far beyond the children who walk through the doors of the new center. Its impact will be felt throughout our community for generations.
These leaders worked to make a difference in the lives of Owensboro families.
As the President and CEO of the Owensboro Family YMCA, I am fortunate to be part of bringing this vision to life. But I also recognize that this project is bigger than the YMCA, bigger than any one organization, and certainly bigger than any one individual.
It is a testament to what happens when people put aside their egos, recognize a need, and work together to do what's right.
And to me, that is exactly what leadership should look like.
One of the things I appreciate most about Owensboro is the willingness of people to come together for a common purpose. We may not always agree on how to accomplish something, but there is a genuine desire among so many of our community leaders to make Owensboro a better place for the next generation.
That is something special, and it should never be taken for granted.
Those examples have challenged me to become a better listener, a better partner, and, most importantly, a better servant leader.
Owensboro has reminded me that you do not have to be the most important leader in the community to make an important difference in the community.
I am grateful for the examples that have been set for me here. Even after two decades in nonprofit leadership, I continue to learn from the people around me. That, perhaps, is one of the most important lessons of all: no matter how long we have been leading, we should never stop learning how to lead better.
Putting Mission First
I have always believed that the strongest nonprofit organizations are built by people who understand that our responsibility is to find better ways to serve those who need us.
Communities change. Needs grow. Resources become more limited. The challenges facing families today are not necessarily the same challenges they faced 10 or 20 years ago. If nonprofit leaders are unwilling to listen, adapt, and occasionally admit they were wrong, their organizations risk becoming more concerned with preserving tradition than creating impact.
The most effective leaders I have known are the ones willing to listen. They give credit to their teams, accept responsibility when things go wrong, and understand that their success should be measured by the lives their organizations improve, not the recognition they personally receive.
They also understand that doing what's right requires courage. It is easy to make decisions when everyone agrees with you. The true test of leadership comes when you must choose between what is comfortable and what is necessary.
In the nonprofit world, we often talk about mission, service, compassion, and community. But those words mean very little if they are not reflected in the decisions we make every day.
If we say we serve everyone, are we willing to remove barriers that prevent families from participating? If we say children are our priority, are we willing to invest in programs that may never generate a profit? If we say our employees are our greatest asset, are we willing to listen to their concerns and invest in their success?
These are the decisions that define leadership.
The Legacy We Leave
At the end of the day, nonprofit leadership should never be about personal victories, titles, or proving someone else wrong. It should be about leaving an organization stronger, a community better, and more people with opportunities they might not otherwise have had.
My time in Owensboro has reinforced something I have believed throughout my career: the greatest measure of leadership is what we make possible for others, not what we accomplish for ourselves.
Years from now, when families walk through the doors of our new childcare center, they may never know the names of the people who made it possible. They may never know the conversations that took place, the relationships that were built, or the work that happened behind the scenes.
But they will benefit from those decisions every single day.
That is the beauty of servant leadership. You can change someone's life without them ever knowing your name.
Great leaders need to have the courage, humility, and integrity to do what's right—even when it costs them something.
I am thankful to live in a community where I see that kind of leadership demonstrated every day. Owensboro has made me a better leader, not simply because of the opportunities I have been given, but because of the people who continue to show me what servant leadership truly looks like.
And if there is one lesson I hope to carry forward, it is this:
Leadership is about being remembered for having done what was right.
Thomas Bontrager
President & CEO
Owensboro Family YMCA
