McCourt leaves RIMA, Chenevert serving as acting executive director

BILL MCCOURT has left his position as executive director of the Rhode Island Manufacturers’ Association.
BILL MCCOURT has left his position as executive director of the Rhode Island Manufacturers’ Association.

PROVIDENCE – Bill McCourt, who has served as executive director of the Rhode Island Manufacturers’ Association for the past five years, left the organization to “pursue other opportunities,” according to a letter from Bob Nangle, RIMA chairman, released Wednesday.

McCourt, who spoke with PBN Wednesday, said he had been one of the original founders of RIMA and chose to lead the organization five years ago “because it was floundering.”

Now, he said, “the organization is on the right foot and it’s time to move on.”

McCourt said he is looking forward to returning to his roots, serving as a chief operating officer, chief financial officer or consultant in a small- to mid-size manufacturing firm.

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“I’m not a large company guy,” said McCourt, who was not upset by the move, adding, “It’s part of a natural evolution of any organization, there’s always change that will take place.”

In the letter, Nangle called McCourt a “respected and influential representative” of the industry saying the organization was “grateful” for his accomplishments.

Dave Chenevert, a RIMA board member and acting executive director, told PBN the reason for McCourt’s departure was that RIMA was “restructuring.”

He added that the projects McCourt was involved in, mostly workforce development opportunities, were dissected from the organization and will be managed by Make R.I., under the R.I. Manufacturers’ Institute, a sister organization of RIMA. The institute will be led by a new executive director who will manage all grant processing, said Chenevert, and will be named after the new year.

Chenevert confirmed the organization had begun the executive search process to replace McCourt and has narrowed down 40 prospective applicants to six. He said the successful applicant will be chosen during the January strategic plan meeting.

Also during this meeting, he said, the organization’s mission statement will be reviewed, adding: “This will be the year of the manufacturer and we want to ensure we’re providing the services required by our membership … to be able to do business in the state of Rhode Island.”

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