Club Director Giving Back What He Received

When he was a child, Ruben Alvarez Jr. was a member of the Boys Club of Santa Ana. Two decades later, he has been appointed executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Placentia.

Alvarez, 37, replaces Albert P. Rizzo, who was ousted in January by the club’s directors after being arraigned on charges that he gave community-service credits to people on probation in exchange for donations to the club.

“It’s sad to take over like this, but you have to go where the opportunities are,” Alvarez said Tuesday. “I’ve known Al Rizzo and had respect for him. Unfortunately, things like this happen, and it’s time to write a new chapter.”

Adolfo Arce, president of the club’s board, said Alvarez was among six candidates for the position. “He was the best qualified, . . . and he had the integrity and honesty we look for in a director,” Arce said.

Alvarez, whose appointment is to be announced today, has held positions with the organization for several years, serving for the past two years as operations director for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana. He also has held posts with clubs in Buena Park and Las Vegas.

A highlight of Alvarez’s career was in 1995 when President Clinton visited the Santa Ana club on Highland Avenue. “I was responsible for the overall presentation of the program and making sure the president had a great visit,” he said.

His first goal at the Placentia club, which has 650 members and has been serving the city’s youth for 35 years, will be to determine its strengths and weaknesses, he said, and “build on the strengths.”

He and Arce said that fund-raising will be important too to complete a renovation that began last year.

Another goal is to increase its size of the board to 20 members from 15. Information: (714) 528-8140.