United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region is excited to announce that Geoff Naunheim, of Hadley, will take on the role of Executive Director. The UWFH Board of Directors voted unanimously to offer him the position at their October meeting and he accepted. Naunheim, who has been in the Interim Executive Director role since the departure of former Executive Director John Bidwell in April of this year, brings 5 years of experience within the organization. "The board of directors is really pleased that Geoff will continue in the Executive Director role after his period as Interim ED,” says Andrea Sell, Board President. “He brings a great deal of experience from within the organization, knowledge of the region and our partner agencies, and strong leadership skills. We look forward to Geoff's role in shaping the future of our United Way."
Most of Naunheim’s tenure at United Way has been spent running their Community Investment program, a term used to describe the community-informed process of distributing community funds and creating partnerships with local nonprofits who are addressing the greatest needs of the region. Naunheim was also instrumental in developing and expanding United Way’s Diaper Bank, which distributes over 100,000 diapers a year across Franklin and Hampshire Counties. Before starting as a part of United Way’s development team in 2017, Naunheim worked in the development departments of two nonprofits focused on education and literacy. He is currently the board president of the Council of Social Agencies of Hampshire County. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this organization as it heads into its second century,” says Naunheim. “I feel incredibly lucky to be starting this role with such a strong staff and board. I couldn’t do this without them and look forward to continuing the hard work of serving our community together.”
Naunheim assumes the role of Executive Director as UWFH is in the middle of its 100th community campaign with the goal of raising 1.4 million dollars. In the past century, UWFH has distributed over 50 million dollars into the region to support neighbors in need. In 2021, the United Ways of Franklin and Hampshire Counties merged.