Joel Wernick

A native of Fort Smith, Arkansas, Joel spent more than 30 years in Southwest Georgia, serving as CEO of the award-winning Phoebe Putney Health System before retiring in 2019. He and his wife, Lyndy, divide their time between Highlands and Lake Oconee, Georgia. He is an active board member of the UGA State Botanical Garden of Georgia and Feature Health, an Atlanta-based private-duty nursing provider.

Joel has a lifelong connection to Boys Clubs, beginning with his formative years at his hometown club and continuing throughout his career through his support of BGCA. In 2019, he was inducted into the BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame. Seeking greater civic involvement on the Plateau, he first turned to the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau, which he described as “about as good as it gets.” He looks forward to helping make the new Highlands facility a reality.

In addition to being an avid hiker, hunter, and fisherman, Joel enjoys tending to a small pecan orchard and growing flowering plants.