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Tim Benson is the CEO of the Fremont Family YMCA in Fremont, Nebraska. Prior to joining the YMCA, Tim spent nearly seven years at the Omaha Children’s Museum, where he worked in operations and helped lead the organization through COVID while achieving record attendance. Earlier in his career, he spent 13 years with Target in big-box retail management. Across each of these roles, customer service and understanding what drives people have been central to his work. At the Fremont Family YMCA, Tim leads a 240,000-square-foot facility that serves as a fitness center, recreation provider, childcare provider, community gathering place, and increasingly, a source of family entertainment for the Fremont community. In this interview, Tim talks about consumer behavior, an attractions mindset at the YMCA, and Tim’s accountability process.
Consumer behavior“Sometimes we don't even know what we want.”
Tim’s fascination with consumer behavior began long before his professional career. As a child, he would straighten shelves at Target before shopping so he could see everything available and make the best decision. That interest continued through college, where consumer behavior became his favorite course, and into his careers in retail, attractions, and the YMCA.
Regardless of whether an organization is selling products, experiences, or lifestyles, Tim believes the fundamentals are similar. Leaders need to understand what people want, what problems they are trying to solve, and even what they may want but do not yet know to ask for. That requires listening to consumers while also testing new ideas and finding ways to present choices that help people make decisions.
Attractions mindset at the YMCA“The attractions is a deliberate use of the word and deliberately bringing some of that to this community.”
The Fremont Family YMCA is far larger and more diverse than the traditional “gym and swim” model associated with many YMCAs. Tim sees an opportunity to rethink how its spaces serve a changing community, particularly as families increasingly seek activities they can experience together. Rather than maintaining facilities built for one specific purpose, the YMCA is working toward more flexible, multi-use environments that can appeal to different ages and interests.
That approach has led to additions including a three-story climbing structure, ninja floor course, and an all-ages gathering space with food service, games, puzzles, video games, and comfortable seating. The strategy grew from community surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, and stakeholder research identifying a need for more indoor family activities. For Tim, adopting an attractions mindset is both mission-driven and operationally important, helping the YMCA reach residents who may have little interest in a traditional fitness membership.
Tim’s accountability process“They have to know exactly what is expected of them.”
Tim’s approach to accountability starts with clarity. He believes employees should know their goals, responsibilities, and expectations, not simply so leaders can hold them accountable when something goes wrong, but so they know what success looks like and what accomplishments should be celebrated.
To put that philosophy into practice, Tim uses a customized one-page document for each direct report. It tracks personal and staff check-ins, projects, responsibilities, metrics, and recurring discussion points. Employees know exactly what is on the document before their one-on-one meetings, and Tim updates it after each conversation. Over time, those pages create a straightforward record of accomplishments, unfinished work, coaching conversations, and performance. The process reduces emotion from accountability while providing structure for reviews, corrective action, and recognition.
Tim can be reached by email at timb@fremontfamilyymca.org and is happy to connect with people interested in conversation or mentorship. To learn more about the Fremont Family YMCA, visit www.fremontfamilyymca.org.
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