Personally and professionally, William (Bill) Creech teaches how to live   graciously and in harmony by leading with his own example. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland choose to honor him in 2012 establishing an award “marking” Outstanding Board Leadership, Life Coach, and Mentor of Youth for future Board Leaders. Creech has played an active leadership role in the community since he and his family moved here more than 40 years ago. As an agent with Allstate Insurance for nearly four decades, he was a “Top Producer” almost every year and earned many awards and accolades.

Bill’s passion now, and for almost 30 years, is the Boys and Girls Club of   Cleveland. Col. Jim Tucker, former Executive Director of the club, recalls that Creech just “showed up asking to get involved.” His first volunteer assignment was as a temporary coach for the peewee football team. Ten years later, he still coached the peewees. Many of young men over the years looked to Coach Bill Creech as a role model and mentor causing them to strive to be successful leaders in our community.    

Board members and staff would tell you that Bill’s strength was very much in the area of building relationships and getting to know our kids as well as their parents. If you want to know anything about the Boys & Girls Club, just ask Bill because he has made it very clear that he is interested in the lives of people.  George Gray, now owner of Allstate Insurance, was one of the kids Creech mentored at the Boys and Girls Club. He took Gray into the agency when Gray was only 25 and put him to work. When Jim Brown and Creech decided to sell the business in 2001, they made the deal with Gary on a handshake.    

Allstate usually insists that someone with years of experience in the industry purchase a business, Gray explained. He credits Creech with vouching for him with the company. "Knowing Bill is one of the best things that has ever happened to me,” Gray said. “I never saw him cut a corner, sell a customer a policy he or she did not need, lie to a customer or take advantage in any way. He is an inspiration to me.”

Creech has served on the Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland Board of Directors since 1983. Bill served as Board Development Chair for much of his tenure and a member of the Executive Committee. Bill, in 2006, along with the help of the Board Development Committee, brought on 18 new board members many of whom can be called people of Influence and Affluence or just “The right people to have on the bus” to grow the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland from three site locations to seven.     

“With Bill, what you see is what you get—an honest guy you can trust in a pinch,” said Jim Brown, an agent who shared offices with Creech for 35 years.   “Having served 16 years with Bill on the County Commission, I came to know him as a man who not only talked the talk, he walked the walk,” H. Bernard Dixon said. “Bill Creech has been a conscientious business leader from my earliest memories of civic participation,” Rep. Kevin Brooks said. “His willingness to give of himself, give to others and give back to our community is evident in the many organizations that are fortunate to have his involvement. I am grateful for the servant leadership example that he has given to me and to countless others.”  Creech and his wife, Carol, have three children and several grandchildren.