John Winnett Named New Chief Development & External Affairs Officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee

Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee, the premier youth development empowerment organization, announced the new addition of John D. Winnett as Chief Development & External Affairs Officer effective immediately.  

Winnett comes to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee from Nashville CARES where he served as Chief Development & External Affairs Officer. He brings more than 10 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, public relations, media affairs, and government relations. Prior to Nashville CARES, he served in various other nonprofit leadership roles including: Vice President of Development Marketing & PR for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City; Director of Development & External Relations for St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School in Kansas City, Missouri; Marketing, PR and Fundraising Consultant for Pennington & Company in Lawrence, Kansas; and Executive Director of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s Endowment Fund (Foundation) in Charlottesville, VA. Winnett also brings a wealth of knowledge regarding philanthropic return on investment as a consultant to companies and nonprofits on maximizing funding relationships. 

In his role at Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee he will bring his extensive nonprofit experience to help bring Boys & Girls Clubs to the forefront and remove its tag as the best kept youth development secret around. “John brings a wealth of nonprofit and consulting experience to the Clubs, and we are thrilled to have him join our team,” says President/CEO Dan Jernigan. “John is a talented, nonprofit executive with the ability to understand the true return on investment relationship need between companies and nonprofits so that it is a win-win partnership for everyone involved. As Chief Development & External Affairs Officer, John will work to greatly increase the brand identity of Boys & Girls Clubs in Middle Tennessee while increasing revenue to ensure the Clubs can serve the kids that need us most. With the addition of John to our talented management team, we are eager to take Boys & Girls Clubs to the next level in Middle Tennessee.”

Over the last decade, Winnett has continually transformed the way nonprofits have viewed their brand value and their correlation to donors, both individuals and companies. Winnett states, “At the end of the day, both the nonprofit and donor should both win from the investment. And, the ultimate end result will be that Middle Tennessee youth benefit from the partnerships and achieve their highest potential.”

As the product of a low income childhood in rural Hartsville, Tennessee, John truly understands the profound influence youth development programs have on the success of youth in education and their careers. He said “The TN 4-H program is the reason I am as successful as I am today. It taught me public speaking, interviewing and relationship building skills while teaching me how to be a good citizen. The Boys & Girls Clubs do this and more for the youth that need us the most by also adding educational value through tutoring, homework help, and smart decision making skill development. Without 4-H I would not be who I am today and without Boys & Girls Clubs these youth may not have a chance to ever know what success looks like much less actually realize their highest potential.”

Winnett will be located at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee’s administrative office at 1704 Charlotte Avenue, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee rely on support from the local community to provide services to the over 2,000 youth whom need us the most. For more information about how you can help impact the lives of Middle Tennessee youth, visit www.bgcmt.org or call (615) 983-6842.

For more than 109 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee (BGCMT) has enabled all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. Annually, more than 2,000 youth walk through the doors of the five Middle Tennessee Boys & Girls Clubs.  Clubs are located in Davidson & Williamson counties. Clubs provide a safe place, professional caring staff, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles.  Learn more at www.bgcmt.org or follow us at www.twitter.com/bgcmt or www.facebook.com/GreatFuturesStartHere.