As he looks back on his tenure, Manupella reflects on the sense of accomplishment that comes with leading an organization that has made a real difference in the ⁘⁘⁘s of its young members. “This isn’t a job where you get rich, but there’s just so many rewards,” he said. “And when you see what happens here, these kids here from single parents and if they’re not here they’re on the streets.
And we give them dinner three times a week and give them snacks every day… homework club… Just things that they’re not getting at home.” Manupella is handing over the reins to Jimmy Bulmer, “a local native who has grown up in the program and has a strong background in leadership.” Bulmer, who has served as the Chief Operations Officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Capital Area and has experience with Kiwanis International, “is seen as the right fit to take the organization forward.” As Manupella says his goodbyes and prepares to pass the torch… he is proud of the progress the club has made and is confident that Bulmer will continue to build on that momentum.
“He grew up here. He was a Latchkey. He ran one of the Albany Boys Clubs for eight years. He wanted this job since he was 9. And we knew it,” Manupella said. “This is going to be a smooth transition.
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Sitting in a now nearly empty office in the hardscrabble neighborhood, with dozens of pictures, plaques, and citations in boxes strewn around his office and car, Mike Manupella is reflecting on the nine years he spent leading the club. Manupella took over as Executive Director when his father, Joe, retired in 2015.
“It was tough,” Manupella said. “I’ve had friends of his for a long time that said I did a good job. But I will say it was tough. It was really emotional. You know, because I know what he did for 49 years. And I didn’t have the connections he had, I had some.”
Jimmy Bulmer was tapped by the club’s board of directors as the next leader. Manupella says Bulmer, who grew up in the program, is the right choice. Bulmer, a Siena and University at Albany graduate, has served as the Chief Operations Officer of the Boys ⁘ Girls Clubs of the Capital Area for several years and has leadership experience with Kiwanis International.
“He grew up here. He was aLatchkey. He ran one of the Albany Boys Clubs for eight years. He wanted this job since he was 9. And we knew it,” Manupella said. “And we brought him in. We did a big search, maybe 22 candidates, and he was our number one. We picked him from the choir five years ago. And he’s going to do fantastic; young and energetic. That’s what we need what.”
“This isn’t a job where you get rich, but there’s just so many rewards. And when you see what happens here, these kids here from single parents and if they’re not here they’re on the streets. And we give them dinner three times a week and give them snacks every day, homework club. Just things that they’re not getting at home. And a lot of them are home alone at 10-11 years old and that’s a scary thought.”
As kids stream in and parents stop by the office to bid him farewell, Manupella ponders the kids who have cycled through over the decades.
