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Gorman to resign as executive director of United Way of Northern New York

Posted 1/18/19

The United Way of NNY will soon launch a search for a new executive director. Robert D. Gorman, the CEO of the United Way since 2013, has announced he is resigning July 1. Walter Hammond, chair of …

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Gorman to resign as executive director of United Way of Northern New York

Posted

The United Way of NNY will soon launch a search for a new executive director.

Robert D. Gorman, the CEO of the United Way since 2013, has announced he is resigning July 1.

Walter Hammond, chair of the United Way board, said a search committee is being formed and will accept applicants’ resumes soon.

“At small nonprofits, succession planning is difficult to accomplish,” said Gorman. “This will give our board time to find the appropriate person to lead our great organization.”

Gorman spent 39 years in journalism before joining the United Way in June 2013, including several years as the editor of the Watertown Times. In an email to the United Way’s 44 partner agencies Wednesday, he wrote that he leaving only because “I am a baby boomer who is aging out.”

Gorman, however, will continue to assist the United Way in overseeing the ongoing Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative, its annual “Over the Edge” fundraiser and two new initiatives yet to be announced. Gorman is also a board member of the New York State United Way and will serve out the remaining two years of his term.

In the last five and a half years, the United Way has:

• Changed its grant cycle to better reflect fundraising results.

• Revamped the IT system to ensure information redundancy and protection of donor information.

• Created the Boys & Girls Club-United Way Endowment to generate money for the clubs in Ogdensburg and Massena.

• Added six nonprofits to expand the membership to more than 42 nonprofits in the north country.

• Brought several nationally known speakers to the region, including former NFL All-Pro Joe Ehrmann, Olympic track and field champion Carl Lewis, Natural Resources Defense Council spokesperson Bob Deans and Roger Breisch, who has been a counselor on the national suicide hotline.

• Brought the 2-1-1 information and referral phone number to the North Country.

• Partnered with the Wladis Law Firm to annually provide three adult education scholarships in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.