History of BGCM
In 1958, a group of young men gathered at the home of John “Buddy” Thomason, determined to find a way to mentor young men in their community. Their dedication led to the founding of The Phoenix Club, an organization of up-and-coming community leaders committed to raising funds to support a club for young boys.
The group chose to invest in a nationally recognized organization, Boys Clubs of America (BGCA). They secured funding, selected the old Memphis Mounted Police Station on Barksdale as the club’s location, and hired Jim Carlile as the first Executive Director. In 1962, the Barksdale Boys Club opened its doors to 120 young Memphians—and the rest, as they say, is history.
As the need grew, new branches of the Boys Club were established, starting with the Goodwill Boys Club in 1967, followed by the Dixie Homes Club in 1969. The Phoenix Club remained the organization’s primary supporter and soon expanded its efforts to offer summer camp experiences. In 1969, the Boys Club secured a 153-acre lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a camp at Sardis Lake, Mississippi. Since welcoming its first campers in 1972, Camp Phoenix has served thousands of children.
The Boys Club continued to expand, opening the Vollintine Club (now the John Dustin Buckman Branch) in 1973 and replacing the Barksdale Branch with the Ira Samelson Jr. Branch in 1979. Growth continued into the 1990s, with the Southside Boys Club becoming the fifth Memphis branch in 1990.
A New Era: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis
In 1993, after more than 30 years of leadership, Jim Carlile stepped down as President and CEO. Brad Baumgardner was appointed as his successor. Three years later, in 1996, the organization underwent a major transformation, becoming the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis (BGCM). This change opened the doors for young women and strengthened the organization’s mission to provide a safe and positive space for youth in primarily low-income neighborhoods across Memphis.
In 2000, BGCM launched a major Capital and Endowment Campaign to renovate existing Clubs, build new ones, and establish a state-of-the-art technical training center. In 2006, the Technical Training Center (TTC) became the first facility of its kind in the country, helping train and place hundreds of young people in jobs and higher education. That same year, the Hickory Hill Boys & Girls Club—later renamed the Bernal E. Smith Sr. Boys & Girls Club—opened its doors and quickly grew to serve 500 members, becoming one of the most diverse Club locations in the city.
In 2009, Vinny Borello was named CEO. That year, BGCM established the Sycamore View Branch, its first “partner site,” inside an operational church. This rent-free agreement cut operational costs in half while allowing the Club to serve more than 500 youth.
Expanding Our Reach
The year 2012 marked BGCM’s 50th anniversary, a transformative milestone for the organization. The Downtown Porter and Goodwill branches merged to form the Downtown Porter Goodwill Branch. Meanwhile, construction on the new Oakhaven Branch was temporarily delayed due to vandalism, but despite setbacks, the branch successfully opened in December. That year, the BGCM Central Office on Rembert Avenue was renamed the Jim Carlile Administrative Building in honor of the organization’s first president. Most notably, in 2012, BGCM youth achieved a 100% graduation rate for the first time in the organization’s history.
In 2013, BGCM launched the “Be the Difference” Capital Campaign, and that same year, Larry Pennington was appointed as Interim CEO following Borello’s resignation. By 2014, the campaign had raised $9 million, allowing for major renovations, including upgrades to the Oakhaven Club.
Later in 2014, Keith Blanchard was appointed CEO. Under his leadership, BGCM implemented new levels of accountability, shifting the focus from overall membership numbers to average daily attendance to encourage consistent engagement. Keith also led the expansion into partnered school sites, starting with Promise Academy Spring Hill and Promise Academy Hollywood, followed by Craigmont High School. These additions brought the organization to six traditional Club sites, three school-based partner sites, a residential summer camp, and the Juice Plus+ Technical Training Center.
Responding to Crisis: The COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 16, 2020, for the first time in BGCM history, all 10 Club sites closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following guidance from Florence Jones, Central Board Member and President of Methodist North Hospital, BGCM prioritized the safety of staff, volunteers, and members.
Shortly after, BGCM reopened the Bernal E. Smith Club in partnership with TNDHS and the TN Alliance to serve the children of essential workers and first responders. As the crisis continued, more Clubs reopened to provide critical childcare support for frontline workers.
In August 2020, all Club sites reopened as Virtual School Learning Hubs, offering students a safe, supervised environment for remote learning during the Shelby County Schools closure.
A Bold Vision for the Future
In December 2021, through a joint effort by BGCM’s Central Board, Mayor Jim Strickland, and CEO Keith Blanchard, the organization secured a three-year, $9 million partnership with the Memphis City Council and Memphis-Shelby County Schools to establish 10 new Club sites inside schools:
• Booker T. Washington Middle School
• Hamilton High School
• Manassas High School
• Melrose High School
• Oakhaven High School
• Raleigh Egypt High School
• Sheffield High School
• Trezevant High School
• Westwood High School
• Wooddale High School
Now in their third year, these high school Club sites focus on workforce development and post-secondary preparation, serving a combined 8,000 students.
In 2024, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis appointed Gwendolyn Woods as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking the first time a woman has held this position in the organization’s history. A Memphis native, Woods has dedicated over 30 years to youth development. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Memphis on a track scholarship and later obtained a Master of Business Administration and a Certificate in Human Resource Management from the University of Phoenix. Before becoming CEO, Woods served as the organization’s Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer since 2021. Her leadership journey also includes roles such as center director at Girls Inc., assistant director for the City of Memphis community centers, and case manager and investigator for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services. Woods’s personal experiences, including overcoming adversity after losing her father at a young age and being raised by a single mother, have fueled her passion for empowering young people. As CEO, she aims to expand programs like career readiness and reach underserved communities in Memphis, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
While we have accomplished so much, there is still more to do. Join us in creating Great Futures for the youth of Memphis for years to come!
