From CEO to Lifeguard: Mark Hennessy Still Finds Home at the Y

For Mark Hennessy, the YMCA has never just been a workplace—it’s been home.

“Everyone who knows me outside of the Y says, ‘You’re the Y guy,’” Mark shared. “There’s certainly that feeling of community. That’s so important in what we do.”

After more than four decades of Y leadership—from camp counselor to CEO to a statewide leadership role with YMCA of the USA—Mark could have easily stepped away in retirement. Instead, he found himself returning to the Y in a very different role: lifeguard.

Mark’s Y story began in 1980 at YMCA Camp Menogyn in northern Minnesota, where he worked as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The experience shaped his values and leadership philosophy, especially under the mentorship of YMCA legend Skip Wilkie. The summers spent guiding wilderness trips taught him respect—for self, others, the environment, and teamwork—lessons he carried throughout his 41-year career.

Over the years, Mark served Ys across Minnesota, including leadership roles at Camp Ihduhapi, the Red Wing YMCA, and YMCA of the USA, where he spent years supporting YMCA leaders throughout the state. But even while serving as a CEO and national leader, he never stopped teaching lifeguard instructor classes.

“I’ve been a lifeguard instructor for most of my career because I enjoy teaching,” Mark said. “Even when I worked at Y-USA, I still taught a class or two every year.”

A few years ago, while teaching Menogyn staff at the Cook County Community YMCA, the team noticed his passion and experience and asked if he would ever consider lifeguarding. Knowing the nationwide shortage of lifeguards and how important the role is, Mark said yes.

“I know how difficult it is to keep lifeguard positions filled,” he said. “It takes a village.”

Now, several years later, Mark still picks up a few shifts each month often volunteering for the less desirable Friday night shifts because he knows they’re hard to cover.

While his title may have changed, his purpose has not.

“The one common theme is how grateful everyone is when I show up to lifeguard,” Mark said. “I get thanked countless times, and it gives me joy.”

From the lifeguard chair, Mark sees the Y from a new perspective. He watches families laugh together in the pool, children gain confidence in the water, and community members connect with one another.

“Safety is number one,” he said. “People feel cared for, watched over, and kept safe.”

The role has also deepened his appreciation for frontline staff.

“Having taught instructors for 35 years, I now have a new appreciation for what frontline people go through,” he reflected.

Mark believes the Y remains one of the best places for both young people starting their first jobs and retirees looking to stay engaged.

“I can’t think of a better organization to work for,” he said. “The Y focuses on best practices, supports staff well, and is incredibly accommodating. And there’s no better place to get to know people in your community.”

As both a donor and staff member to the Cook County Y, Mark says what matters most is the Y’s ability to respond to community needs.

“When the pandemic hit and the Y had to shift its services, they still allowed people to shower at the Y because some people in Cook County didn’t have showers where they lived,” he said. “Whatever the need is, the Y steps up and fills that need.”

Whether it’s childcare, dance programs, afterschool care, or simply providing a welcoming place for connection, Mark believes the Y succeeds because it listens to what communities truly need.

And despite all the titles he has held throughout his career, it’s the feeling he gets when he walks through the doors today that matters most.

“When I walk into the Y, I feel like I’m coming home,” Mark said. “People are happy to see me and friendly, and I always run into people I know, even though I’m not a full-time resident in Cook County. One of the most important things the Y does is connect people together.”

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