But as The Dayton Foundation's third full-time president, Michael M. Parks, CFRE, is an unassuming and down-to-earth individual with a playful sense of humor, who believes in the power of listening, hard work, inclusiveness and good values. Parks has practiced his beliefs throughout the 22 years he worked for the YMCA, most recently the YMCA of Metropolitan Dayton, where he served as president/CEO for seven years.

At the YMCA, Parks devoted himself to kids and families, which are central to his life both personally and professionally. Married for 26 years and the father of four children, ages 13-22, he has a strong belief in the importance of families and the responsibility we have for all children. When he's not working, he's an active volunteer, which includes coaching youth sports – all ages, all kinds of kids. "It's extremely important to me," he said, "to line up my personal values with those of the institutions where I'm going to spend a significant part of my life." He sees The Dayton Foundation as a good fit.

"This community has such a strong, positive feeling for The Dayton Foundation, its rich heritage and history," Parks said. "It's exciting to be able to work off such a wonderful platform and have the opportunity to make an even broader difference in the Greater Dayton Region. Dayton is such a great place – so many people care deeply about the region's future and exhibit a strong sense of stewardship. This is truly encouraging to me and speaks to a very exciting future."

As the Foundation's president, Parks is placing an emphasis on vision, strategic planning and collaboration. "So often, in the not-for-profit sector, our caring missions cause us to want to try to be everything to everyone," Parks said. "In reality, that's just not possible. Through community input and the planning process, we are focusing our limited resources, defining the Foundation's role in the region over the next five years and mapping out how we can most effectively serve the community."

What challenges does he see ahead? "My challenge is how to take this historical foundation to the next level of service. Over the last year I have done a lot of listening and learning about the Foundation and its operations. Out of this, the Governing Board, my staff and I have developed a strategic plan that will guide the Foundation into the next phase of development."

Collaboration, he thinks, may be the key. "We're also exploring more of a partnership model with donors, advisors and not-for-profits. The question is: together, how can we be the best possible vehicle, an active force to stretch limited resources for the community good and deliver well-placed charitable dollars to those who are best positioned to meet community needs?"