Greencastle Chamber leader steps down

August 27, 2009|By JENNIFER FITCH

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- The executive director of the Greencastle-Antrim Chamber of Commerce resigned suddenly this week.

The Chamber's board of directors received a resignation letter Wednesday from Bill Gour and talked with him Thursday, board chairman David Rajtik said.

A search committee has been formed to find a replacement for Gour.

"He said for personal reasons it was time to resign," Rajtik said.

Gour, who became the Chamber director in August 2005, made his resignation effective immediately.

"Bill has done a fantastic job for us. ... We were very pleased with his passion for Greencastle," Rajtik said.

Gour, 41, said he'll miss promoting the community and interacting with people who live and work in the Greencastle area.

"We worked hard to add real value to the membership in the Chamber," Gour said, saying new community events helped to increase membership to record levels.

He's searching for a new job that will afford him more time with his wife, Amy, and their three children. The family lives in Greencastle.

The Chamber board's six-person search committee will advertise the position and meet soon to list qualities they want in a new director, according to Rajtik.

Other Chamber staff will take on daily duties until a successor is found, he said.

The next director will be faced with sustaining and increasing downtown business as Antrim Township, Pa., land around Exit 3 of Interstate 81 is developed. Norfolk Southern plans to build a $95 million rail-truck facility there.

Gour took over for Dana Given when she moved to Tennessee.

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