Photo caption: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is saddened to announce the death of its Chairman of the Board and longtime Board Member, Julius Young, Jr.
Photo credit: Henrich Perez
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is saddened to announce the death of its Chairman of the Board and longtime Board Member, Julius Young, Jr. Mr. Young passed away Wednesday, Sept. 22.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of our good friend and our Chairman of the Board, Julius Young, Jr.,” says Kevin Hattery, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. “He had been an invaluable member of our Board of Directors leadership team since 2010 and will be greatly missed. Each of us not only grieves the passing of a tremendous individual but also for the loss his family suffers.”
Young was our organization’s first Black Board Chair and the first to be a “Club Kid,” having been a club member in California during his youth. His extraordinary leadership in guiding the board was on display amidst unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston had to drastically reimagine and adapt its programming in the interest of safety for all club members and staff. He also provided strategic guidance in revenue growth, financial management and fundraising during the pandemic.
Under Young’s chairmanship, BGCGH’s workforce readiness programs, one of our core pillars, were expanded. An array of learning opportunities is now available to club members through programs and partnerships with community businesses to build a foundation for success.
Recruitment of new board members of diverse ethnic and professional backgrounds was important to Young. At the club level, his efforts in promoting racial equity were evident in the #bethechangeyouwant2see initiative for teens. He participated in both local and national town hall forums to be a voice for change.
In recognition of his leadership in social and racial justice, Julius Young was invited to join the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, a national initiative, where he served alongside BGCA’s Board of Governors.
In August, in appreciation of the immense contributions of Young to the organization, the Youth of the Year award was renamed “The Julius Young Youth of the Year Award.” It is also fitting that shortly before his passing, Young was notified that he would receive the “2021 Beacon of Hope and Opportunity Award” from BGCA for the Southwest Region.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston shares a tribute to Julius Young, Jr. online at www.bgcgh.org.
Will Leven
Photo courtesy of Will Leven.
Will Leven, Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors, will step in to carry out the remainder of Young’s term, which expires at the end of 2021. He will then continue a two-year term as Chairman of the Board of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. Leven, a Certified Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, who serves the firm as Managing Director, Private Wealth Manager and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a valued member of our board since 2007.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and its mission, please visit www.bgcgh.org.