Protects | Preserves | Informs | Engages | Unites
December 12, 2021
Dear Blowing Rock Homeowners,
Our board of trustees is pleased to announce that one of our board members, Tom Ross, has agreed to assume the role of Executive Director for our Civic Association.
Last summer, the board authorized an initiative to begin a transition from an all-volunteer organization to professionally staffed organization. Our main goal was to identify and recruit a resident of Blowing Rock with business or professional experience, someone who lives and experiences living in our unique village.
After interviewing candidates, Tom graciously stepped up to assume the role of Executive Director for no compensation. His commitment allows our organization to implement improvements and raise funding to successfully make this important transition. So far, we have raised $30K from the Broyhill Foundation and board members to seed the transition funding.
Tom is from Concord. He graduated from UNC and earned a MBA from Wake Forrest. He business careers included banking, controller for a public company in the mining industry and other business interests that he managed and sold. He has had a home in Blowing Rock for over 20 years and recently retired to live here full-time in the Gideon Ridge neighborhood.
In addition to adding the Executive Director role, we have implemented additional governance changes towards our goal by
- Increasing the number of our board of trustees
- Establishing an Executive Committee
- the role of president and executive director
These changes have allowed for us to broaden community representation and skill sets on the board of trustees, focus operational decisions with the Executive Committee, leverage our founders experience and time commitment, plan for future leadership succession, engage board members to lead initiatives to raise additional membership support, engage members, improve communications and monitor short-term rental challenges, and allow the president focus on communication for the organization.
Adding an Executive Director role will allow our organization to improve membership communications, recruit new members, add business supporters, and improve our software capabilities that underpin our communication processes.
Please join us in welcoming and thanking Tom for his service.
Regards,
Tim Gupton
President