Former Nordstrom Exec Now CEO Of Boys & Girls Club

From the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County: Boys & Girls Clubs of King County is pleased to announce the selection of Laurie Black as their next President & CEO. Laurie brings 40 years of experience in the for profit and nonprofit sectors.

“I am excited to officially join the Boys and Girls Club family as the next CEO. I’ve been involved with the Clubs for nearly 20 years and I am thrilled support an organization that does so much for young people in greater Seattle.”

For the past eight months, Black has served as Boys & Girls Clubs Interim CEO, taking the reigns from Dr. Lisa Chin in November 2019.

Boys & Girls Clubs of King County serves more than 25,000 kids and teens at their 34 regional Clubs, creating safe places for kids to go before and after school, breaks and non-school days, and offers a variety of youth sports opportunities.

“We are thrilled to have found someone with such relevant leadership, community involvement, and connection to our mission,” says Boys & Girls Club Board Chair Richard Harris. “Laurie has accomplished a great deal in her eight months as in her eight months as Interim CEO, while connecting very well with our kids, families, and supporters.”

Black enjoyed a long and successful career with Nordstrom, the leading $12 billion fashion specialty retailer known for exemplary customer service and consistently strong financial results. Laurie held a variety of senior roles at Nordstrom, including Executive Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of the company’s multi-channel Beauty business, President of Nordstrom Rack, and other senior roles in merchandising, product development, and store management.

Over the past 20 years, Laurie has been an avid supporter, volunteer, and Club parent. Her two sons, Taylor and Parker Mays, are Boys & Girls Club alumni of our Rotary Boys & Girls Club. They were long time participants in our Rotary Style Basketball program. Laurie has also volunteered as a member of the Rotary Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board and has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Northwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She is currently serves on the O’Dea high School Board, the UW Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, and is the Corporation Board President of Gamma Phi Beta at UW. Laurie is a graduate of the 2001 Seattle Leadership Tomorrow program and has been a college advisor and mentor for over 20 years. Her philanthropy also includes volunteering for various community and education organizations like CASA, Big Sisters, as well as within several Seattle public and private schools.

Boys & Girls Clubs of King County’s mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe, affordable, and fun place for more than 25,000 kids and teens during critical out-of-school time. They offer life-changing programs and services to youth throughout the greater Seattle area. Learn more at positiveplace.org.

This press release was produced by the Boys & Girls Clubs of King County. The views expressed here are the author's own.