April 22nd, 2009 10:00 AM - (Crain’s) – Stephen Cole, CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, told the board of directors Wednesday that he plans to retire after eight years.

Mr. Cole, 59, who was named CEO in 2001, also notified his staff about his retirement plans in a letter, saying he will stay until a ...

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Cole's resignation is great news for the YMCA of Metro Chicago, its staff, and the board of managers. Cole's public drunkeness is as legendary as his poor management and inability to raise donations.His inability to ask large donors for money has become the joke of the financial development world here in Chicago. How many development people did he burn through ? It seems each time the reality came to light that he needed to participate in fund raising along his development executive, they were terminated and their reputation trashed. He blamed is predecessor Tino for every challenge the Y faced for the first 5 years, and accused the former CFO of financial wrong doing. Cole would turn the guns on his own mother if need be, to cover-up his own short comings from the board. What is amazing is the board didn't see his drunken, irrational behavior and didn't choose to release him prior to now. I agree with the poster that suggested the YMCA of Metro Chicago would be a great place for some serious investigative work not only from the press but from the attorney general's office as well. Perhaps one should take a closer look at the I 80 fund and the contributions made to his sons school from that fund....just a place to start....