The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s board promoted President Brandom Gengelbach to chief executive, succeeding Bill Thornton, who retired earlier this summer.
Gengelbach, who joined the Chamber in November 2016 as executive vice president of economic development, was promoted to president and expected to succeed Thornton as CEO, after Thornton announced last year he would retire July 7. Thornton had been CEO and president since 2000.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the Chamber and work alongside Fort Worth business leaders and the Fort Worth community at this pivotal time in our region,” Gengelbach said. “I am equally humbled and energized to lead the Chamber into a new phase of transformation and growth.”
Before coming to Fort Worth, Gengelbach served as president of the public-private Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance in Columbia, Tennessee. He doubled membership while leading a three-year campaign that brought 2,300 jobs and $158 million in capital investment. Unemployment fell to less than 8% from 14%.
Gengelbach previously worked in organizational development and corporate partnerships for the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and economic development for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. He also worked for Brisbane Marketing, official marketing authority for the Greater Brisbane, Australia, region.
Gengelbach grew up in Houston and the Plano-Addison area. He holds an MBA from the University of Southampton, near London. He received a bachelor of arts in journalism from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Brandom’s 18 years of experience with numerous chambers and the strong community relationships he has built with the Fort Worth community have prepared him to take on this role,” said Martin Noto, the Chamber’s chairman and executive vice president and chief lending officer of Inwood National Bank. “His leadership has been invaluable to our members during the pandemic; he and staff have worked hard in providing resources and guidance along with reassurance that Fort Worth will persevere.”