AMHERST - A year from now the lessons learned by one Amherst Y's Men will become the foundation for guiding the service group on the international stage.
Springhill resident Kevin Cummings, past Y's Men's national president, has been chosen as the international president-elect for the Y's Men's 2008-2009 year. After that Cummings will become the world's voice for Y's Men International.
"The interesting thing is with the Y's Men the rule is the candidate does not seek office," Cummings says. "Y's Men seek out the candidate."
In a 'three times a charm' experience, Cummings received his third consecutive nod for the international chair, receiving votes from Canada, the United States, Denmark, Norway, Korea, Brazil, Russia and Uruguay. In Korea alone five Y's Men regions elected Cummings name to the ballot that saw representatives from Japan and Australia become Cummings' competition.
With the elections behind him he now begins a three-year routine.
"I start as president-elect in July of this year then president in July of 2009," Cummings said. "In July 2010, I become immediate past international president elect."
The series of titles is indicative of the Y's Men's organizational structure. No one person has to shoulder the burden of leadership and direction alone, Cummings explains.
Instead, the Y's Men pool their resources to create governing bodies that work in co-operation towards the regional, national and international goals.
"My planning year for 2009 will included three executive officers; myself, the international treasurer and the international secretary general," Cummings said. "The power of the organization sits with the international council which is made up of 21 persons world-wide."
It's a formula that works, Cummings says. In conjunction with their strategy against HIV/AIDS the Y's Men have achieved consultative status with the United Nations, making way for the goals of the Y's Men to become those of the U.N. With the bar set, Cummings - whose own travels with Y's Men International leading up to his nomination include, but not limited to, Africa, Geneva, Hawaii and Switzerland - has a pretty good idea what the next three years holds in store for him.
Cummings named international Y's Men head
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Published on
May 20, 2008
- Published on January 4, 2010
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Christopher Gooding
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