After joining the chamber in 2016 and becoming CEO in 2020, Gengelbach’s main functions were to oversee business attraction and retention efforts, manage talent development, and spearhead small business initiatives and advocacy, according to a press release.
“We are incredibly grateful for Brandom’s passion for Fort Worth,” Board Chair Rosa Navejar said. “He’s been a tireless cheerleader and advocate for our city’s business community. We all wish him and his family success in his next endeavor.”
Gengelbach’s departure gives the chamber an opportunity to step back and reflect on how it is fulfilling its mission, Navejar said.
“This transition creates a unique opportunity for the executive board to evaluate how our chamber can best serve the business community,” she said. “We are studying how other cities support development of local business while also driving business attraction and retention. As a board, it’s our responsibility to focus our efforts on the areas where we can maximize the FWC’s positive impact.”
Navejar said the transition also provides a chance to look at what other cities are doing in when it comes to incorporating economic development into more traditional chamber functions of supporting local businesses, workforce development, government advocacy, infrastructure and transportation.
“As a business community, it’s essential we do two things well. We must support our local businesses, and ensure they have the talent and resources needed to thrive.
And secondly, it’s essential we retain our hometown businesses and attract the right new companies to create new jobs for our residents here in Fort Worth and Tarrant
County,” Navejar said.
According to a press release, the Fort Worth Chamber, with 1,300 member businesses, is one of the largest chambers in the North Texas region. Mike Berry, President of Hillwood, will step in to lead it on an interim basis during the national search for a new president.
