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Wingfield to retire after 20 years at helm of Partnership
October 24, 2014
President/CEO recently honored by International Council
(Oct. 24, 2014) RICHMOND, Va. – Gregory H. Wingfield, President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership, announced his retirement at the organization’s 20th Anniversary Celebration last night at the Jefferson Hotel.
“It has been both an honor and a pleasure to serve as the President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership since its inception in 1994,” said Wingfield. “The region has seen a great deal of success over the last 20 years with new Fortune headquarters arriving, stronger insurance/finance, health/life science and logistics industry clusters emerging and a vibrancy that touches all four corners of the region.”
Wingfield, the founding president of the regional economic development organization, has spent two decades recruiting businesses to Greater Richmond, resulting in the group’s stellar success of attracting $10.7 billion in new capital investment to the area.
“I hope in some small way my leadership with the Partnership helped contribute to the resurgence of the region with new jobs and capital investment from the over 450 firms we assisted to the region,” he said. “I am leaving the Partnership more than fully funded, with an exceptional Board to guide its direction and a three year strategy that is laser focused on job creation and attracting new capital investment with the right staff in place to implement it. I know the GRP will continue to thrive for another 20 years because of the region’s commitment to quality economic development growth.”
Earlier in the week, Wingfield was honored with the Jeffrey A. Finkle Leadership award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), an honor reserved for executives who have led the same organization with integrity, tenacity and philanthropic spirit for at least 15 years.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as the fifth nominee for the Jeffery A. Finkle Leadership Award,” Wingfield said on Tuesday night. “I want to thank all of my current and former staff and Board members for their support that helped me be nominated for this award, but most importantly I want to thank my wife, Pat, for putting up with my travel schedule, late nights, early mornings, weekends gone, and for being a single mother more than she would have liked.”
A nationwide search for his replacement will begin today with candidates interviewing in December. The Board expects the new president to begin 60 days after accepting the position. There will be sufficient overlap between the two leaders until June 30, when Wingfield officially retires.
“Greg has meant so much to this community and 20 years in his position has provided stability in times of economic instability,” said Patricia S. O’Bannon, chair of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors and 2014-2015 chair of the Partnership’s Board of Directors. “He has been an institution in the business community and we hope that he continues to be active in retirement.”
The Greater Richmond Partnership, Inc. was launched in 1994 as a pioneering regional public-private initiative to serve as the regional economic development group for the City of Richmond and counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico. The mission is to help grow the regional economy through the attraction of high quality jobs and new capital investment, the retention of existing businesses, and the continued improvement of the region's business climate. Please visit www.grpva.com.
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