Photo by Deb Gau Cindy Rosa, at far right, chatted with area community members Friday afternoon as part of her first day as the new CEO at the Marshall Area YMCA.

MARSHALL — She might be taking on a new role, but the new CEO of the Marshall Area YMCA is a familiar face for some community members. For Cindy Rosa, the new position means a return to the Marshall Y, where she previously served a total of 10 years as program director and associate executive director.

“It is so exciting to be back, and to see familiar faces,” Rosa said Friday.

On her first day as CEO, Rosa was getting to know local community members, during a “Coffee and Conversation” event at the Y.

Rosa is a Marshall native, and has years of YMCA leadership experience. Rosa said having a career with the YMCA wasn’t something she had planned, but it has been rewarding.

“I think it all comes down to the mission, of being a melting pot for everyone,” Rosa said. Rosa said she enjoyed getting to interact with different community members, and people of different age groups.

Rosa most recently served as the CEO of the YMCA in Forest City, Iowa.

“It is exciting to come back to a larger facility and a larger community,” she said.

She is also coming back to a YMCA where she’s served in different leadership roles. Rosa was program director at the Marshall Y from 2002 to 2005, and the associate executive director from 2008 to 2015.

“A lot has happened since that time,” she said. Rosa said it’s been interesting to see how Marshal has grown and changed in 10 years.

Rosa is also starting her work as CEO at a time when there are a lot of updates going on at the Marshall Area YMCA facilities. On Friday, the Y announced that its fitness center is now open again after a remodel.

Besides updates like new flooring, the remodeled fitness center has new weight and cardio equipment, as well as a new area for functional training, said Ron Halgerson, who has been working with the Marshall Y’s capital campaign.

Another big project, a new indoor playground, is also poised to get underway in the next couple of weeks. Halgerson said the equipment for two new play areas was delivered to the Marshall Y this week. On Friday afternoon, workers were busy installing colorful signs that will point the way to the playground.

The indoor playground will take the place of the Marshall YMCA’s two racquetball courts, and will include play areas for toddlers and for school-aged children.

Rosa said it was exciting to see the facility updates, and she was grateful to all the people who helped make them possible, including donors, the fundraising committee, YMCA board members, and interim CEO Jamie Nauman.