When Steve Giordano became President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County in 2019, he walked into an organization at a crossroads. Two long-standing Clubs had merged but were struggling to find stability. Finances were fragile, participation was wavering, facilities were aging, and both Club and work culture needed direction.
Steve brought a new vision with him, one anchored in quality, growth, sustainability, and a deep belief that Polk County’s kids deserved more. Within months of taking the helm, he guided the organization through a merger, a pandemic, and an operational overhaul that demanded courage and innovation.
He transformed crisis into opportunity, stabilized finances, rebuilt trust, and expanded the Club’s reach from fewer than 1,500 youth annually to more than 5,000 children last year. He deepened programming, grew average daily attendance to 1,000, and led a $10 million capital campaign finished with zero debt, resulting in multiple brand-new and fully renovated Club spaces across the county.
For this extraordinary leadership, The Professional Association honored Steve with the 2025 Mission Impact Award, a recognition reserved for leaders whose vision and innovation create measurable, lasting change for kids and communities.
Steve’s leadership reshaped the entire culture of Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County, including the heart of its governance.
From the moment he stepped into his role, he invited the Board of Directors into the same ambitious vision: one centered on excellence, accountability, and an unwavering focus on Great Futures. What began as two separate governing bodies became a unified, mission-driven team committed not only to growth, but to doing the hard work required to earn it.
The Board embraced that challenge. They asked hard questions. They championed bold goals. They showed up consistently, thoughtfully, and with a deep sense of responsibility to the kids and families of Polk County. Their commitment created the conditions that allowed Steve’s vision to take root and flourish.
At the Southeast Leadership Conference, current Executive Chair Stephanie Hoskins accepted the Bronze League of EAGLES Award on behalf of her fellow board members. A recognition of their incredible dedication this is a distinction earned by fewer than 15% of Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. While the criteria measure engagement, governance, and strategic leadership, the meaning for Polk County runs deeper.
This award reflects years of intentional alignment; Steve and the Board setting course and rising to meet the needs of Polk County. It honors a culture of showing up, leaning in, and believing wholeheartedly in what’s possible for our youth.
Yes, the distinction is Bronze, but for us and for the kids we serve, it feels like Gold.