 For more than 30 years, Jim Ventress has been mentoring children, dedicating his time and energy to improving the lives of his community and those who reside, and saying “goodbye” to someone who has made a tremendous impact on the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita has been no easy task. Jim will bid adieu to the organization on June 30, and start a new chapter in his life…retirement. But before we say our goodbyes and wish him well, let’s take a look back at the abundant life of Jim Ventress.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jim and his family made their way west to Los Angeles in search of a better life. A graduate of Salesian High School in East Los Angeles, Jim enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged after his service. He spent the next five and a half years working for the United Parcel Service (UPS) before deciding he wanted to leave his steady paying job with good benefits to go back to school and pursue a career dedicated to helping others.
In 1977, just a year before graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Recreational Administration, Jim began his career with the Boys & Girls Club. Starting out as the Arts & Crafts Director of the Salesian Boys Club of Los Angeles, Jim later became Athletic Director and then promoted to Program Director. In May of 1980, he was appointed Executive Director of the Salesian Boys Club.
Jim made his way to the SCV for an interview for a position at the SCV Boys & Girls Club. While he initially had no intentions of staying, in March of 1985, Jim accepted the position and began his 29-year career as Executive Director of the Santa Clarita Valley Boys & Girls Club.
And the rest…is history.
In the last three decades, Jim has been instrumental in the success of the club that once served 600 boys and girls in 1985, and now serves over 2,400 youth. Throughout the years, he has received many awards for his work as Executive Director. Jim received the 1999 Boys & Girls Clubs of America Regional Prescott Award for Diversity, the 2000 Boys & Girls Club of America National Keystone Teen Advisor of the Year Award. In 2012, Jim received the Regional Boys & Girls Club “Horizon Award” and in 2007, was recipient of the Boy Scouts Leaders of Character award. In 2008 he was one of Bank of America’s “Local Hero” award winners.
While Jim’s tenure with the Boys & Girls Club of SCV will end on June 30, as a community, we can help his legacy of improving the lives of others live on. “The community can continue to support the Club through individual contributions which make up the largest portion of the funds for the club and business contributions as well as special events, all of which Jim worked hard on and put years and years to put into place,” states Ronda Chobanian, Development Director. “Without those dollars, the Club can not exist.”
Jim has dedicated his life to thousands of children and families, and he will certainly be missed. We wish you the best in your retirement.
For more information about the Boys & Girls Club, visit www.scvbgc.org.
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