SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society executive director is stepping down from the organization after a year and a half to serve as CEO of the Sioux Falls Family YMCA.
James Oppenheimer, the YMCA’s new CEO, said he hopes to unify the different programs in the YMCA– like Camp Leif Ericson, the Y-Club, affordable housing and youth sports under one mission and goal.
“As Sioux Falls grows, the Y is gonna continue to grow and we want to be able to impact more families, impact more youth in a positive way, and keep things like youth sports and afterschool programs affordable and accessible to all,” he said. “… So just pulling the whole organization together. It’s got so many different prongs. It needs one leader and one vision to move forward.”
Oppenheimer will officially take over at the YMCA on October 14.
In June, former YMCA CEO Mike Murphy took a step back from the organization as a whole to focus on Camp Leif Ericson, the Y’s day camp. Murphy will serve as the camp director and work to restore the land after the June flooding.
Kadyn Wittman, the YMCA’s director of development, has been the interim CEO since then and was involved in the hiring process for Oppenheimer. She said they opened the CEO application both locally and nationwide and received 50 applications.
“I’m really excited to have a new leader come in, assess where we’re at as an organization and bring us back together into that team mentality so that we can set the way up for the next 100 years and beyond,” Wittman said.
Oppenheimer has been working in nonprofits since 2016. Before the Humane Society, he was a coach at Dakota Alliance and later became the tournament director and director of business operations.
“I really found my passion was in nonprofit leadership at Dakota Alliance,” he said. “We essentially turned it from a small club into a nonprofit, setting standards in place, leading the club through COVID without laying people off, making sure that everything is financially secured and processes were in place.”
During his time at the Humane Society, Oppenheimer said the organization increased the number of adoptions by over 1,000 from 2022 to 2023. They are currently on track to break their record again this year for adaptations again this year.
“There’s so much positive momentum here. My role over the next month is to make sure that everything is organized and ready and that that momentum can keep going,” Oppenheimer said about finishing his time at the shelter. “I’m gonna make absolutely sure that the Human Society is in a great position going forward.”
Filling in for Oppenheimer as executive director is Michelle Hentschel. Hentschel has been with the Humane Society for nine months and serves as the chief financial officer.
“What I plan to do is just continue the excellent culture and values that James (Oppenheimer) put in place here,” Hentschel said. “I’m excited about that opportunity, and I know that we have a great team here and we can make it happen.”
