Atlantic Ave Magazine November 2019

egulars | city people
by diane feen | Photo by Melissa korman
A Gentleman For All Causes
Kevin McNally has Florida roots that go as far
back as some of the trees in Delray Beach.
His grandparents moved to Miami in 1941 and started their family
on US soil after an unfortunate incident. “My grandfather
was a senator in Puerto Rico and one day he was standing next
to the governor and a sniper aimed at the governor but shot my grandfather,”
said McNally, who moved to Delray Beach 27 years ago.
The shooting incident pushed the Serrallés family firmly and
squarely into the Miami terrain. It also changed the trajectory of
their lives. Kevin’s father Gene met his mom June and they moved
to Miami. It also enabled Kevin to go fishing with his grandparents
(on their boat) and imbibe their philosophy that life should be joyful
and positive.
But young Kevin took this mantra a little too literally. “My parents
were concerned about me in high school because I used to get
together with my friends and pull pranks. We had fun.”
To make sure their son got a proper education – and upbringing,
they sent him to a Catholic Benedictine Boarding School in Rhode
Island. There he had to wear a sport jacket and tie to classes and
meals, attend school Saturday mornings and was only allowed a
half hour of TV a night.
To some this might have seemed draconian, but McNally grew to
love it so much that after going home, one year later he returned. “I
missed my friends at boarding school – it matures you to live like that.”
The coat and tie - and structured upbringing - may be precisely
why everyone says that McNally is a perfect gentleman. And, in a
world that’s as expandable and retractable as silly putty, it’s nice to
meet someone who is steady, sturdy and loyal.
When you ask around about McNally you will hear he has a big
heart and rolls up his sleeves and gets things done. That is precisely
why the Achievement Centers for Children & Families chose
him to be their board president.
McNally joined the board of ACCF in 2013 and in 2017 he was
elected board president.
It has been a spiritual and philanthropic match made in heaven.
“Kevin is a leader who offers authenticity, vision and a collaborative
spirit. I thoroughly enjoy working alongside him and if it were
up to me, he would have a lifelong tenure on our board. He truly
cares about the community and the people in it,” said CEO of ACCF
Stephanie Seibel.
Seibel is correct. McNally is dutifully connected to ACCF and is
concerned about the longevity and strength of its leadership and
board. One of his concerns is that “a lot of people drive by and see we
are here, but they don’t understand our impact on the community.”
McNally has a point. It is easy to spot the red and white sign
that stands on Lake Ida near Congress. But what people may not
know is that they provide education, childcare, meals and snacks,
early learning, after-school programs, summer camps and family
strengthening programs.
Children as young as one (and teens) are welcome, while parents
gain access to financial and health counseling, mental health and
crisis specialists.
McNally didn’t understand the need for organizations such as
these before he was firmly ensconced in the working world. “I’m a
firm believer in personal responsibility. I grew up thinking everyone
had loving parents and a good education. But when I owned
my own business, some people I hired really wanted to do the job
but were unable to because they lacked a high school education
and family support.”
It was then that McNally realized the importance of teaching
children basic social and academic skills. “Our early learning programs
set the foundation for lifelong learning. This funnels into our
after-school programs where children get homework help, play,
music, art, dance team, horseback riding and much more!”
McNally wants everyone to know that in addition to helping over
900 children and families a year, ACCF is also one of the cities large
employers with a $4.9 million annual budget and 100 employees.
But to this mild-mannered gentleman shouting to the rafters
is not in the cards. Instead he is steady and thoughtful, kind and
supportive of friends and fellow board members. He is also on the
ACCF Foundation board to ensure the organization is in good financial
stead with longevity.
To make sure his own life runs smoothly McNally finds peace
and solace doing yoga (in the wee hours before work) and doing
underwater freediving. His goal is to go down 200 feet without taking
a breath. So far, he has reached 132 Feet. It may sound a little
risky, but then so does not having a TV (like McNally).
His career started out in sales but blossomed into something as
steady as McNally himself - counting cars for municipalities and
private engineering firms. He started Traffic Survey Specialists 25
years ago despite the fact that his major at University of Florida
was Soil Science.
McNally is the kind of guy who lives in the present but often contemplates
the future. That’s why he is genuinely concerned about
the future of the Achievement Centers. “We need to start thinking
about young board members that recognize the challenges of the
future and can grow with the organization. We have an amazing
board now, but we won’t be here forever.”
But for now McNally is here – happily residing in downtown Delray.
He supports local charities and enjoys fishing, but his heart
belongs to ACCF.
“Kevin is passionate about making Delray a better place, and it
shows through his commitment to the Achievement Centers. He’s
generous with his time and resources; is dedicated to planning the
organization’s future, helping the kids and their families, working
on operational matters, raising funds, building the board and
more,” said friend Elizabeth Kelley Grace.
For information about ACCF https://achievementcentersfl.org
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