Adrian E. Bracy has been named the new chief executive officer for YWCA Metro St. Louis. Bracy previously worked in St. Louis for more than a decade as an executive for the St. Louis Rams. She returns to the St. Louis community to begin her new role as YWCA chief executive on Mon., Aug. 17.
Bracy, 49, has served as chief financial officer for the Arizona Cardinals Football Club since 2007. She was previously vice president of finance for the St. Louis Rams football franchise for 12 years, and prior to that, vice president of finance and administration for the Joe Robbie Stadium/Miami Dolphins. She brings more than 20 years of senior financial and administrative management experience along with a long history of serving on a number of non-profit boards, including YWCA Metro St. Louis.
Sara Foster, chairwoman of the YWCA board of directors, said that among the selection and executive committees of the board, Bracy’s selection was unanimous. “We received a tremendous response from highly qualified candidates for this position and Adrian stood out as our hands down choice to lead the YWCA. She obviously has a strong background in financial management, but has also had responsibility for overseeing long-term business objectives, human resources, purchasing, risk management and building strong relationships with local communities. She possesses both the excellent executive experience and personal qualities we were seeking in the person to lead this organization in to the future.”
Bracy said, “Moving from the sports sector to lead a non-profit may on the surface seem unusual. However, I look forward to utilizing my experiences to help build a stronger community that value, as I do, the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women.”
Bracy has received numerous recognitions, such as the Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Black Women in Business (2006); the St. Louis Business Journal Most Influential Business Women Award (2006) and the YWCA Metro St. Louis Leader of Distinction Award in Corporate Management (2006).
Some of the boards she has served on are Girls, Incorporated, the UNCF Advisory Council of St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital-St. Peters Community Advisory Board. She is a life-time member of the National Association of Black Accountants and the National Black MBA Association.