Tuesday, September 17, 2024
After three-and-a-half years serving the community as the Granbury Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, Brian Bondy has officially announced his resignation effective Friday, Sept. 13.
Bondy told the Hood County News July 30 he will transition to his new role as the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce president Monday, Sept. 16, where he will continue his commitment to community engagement while also moving closer to family.
“Those who know my wife, (Jean) and I well know that family is very, very important to us,” Bondy said.
He explained that his decision to resign largely stemmed from his desire to prioritize family, especially with the arrival of his granddaughter in 2021 and his grandson earlier this year.
“Part of the reason why I wanted to work here was to be closer to our daughter and son-in-law who live in Grand Prairie," Bondy said. “When our kids were growing up, my parents lived in the Houston area. We were living in St. Louis at the time, and Jean's parents lived out in California, so they didn't have the grandparent interaction. It was the occasional visit, but it wasn't the same thing.”
Bondy explained that the couple recently made a conscious decision to be closer to their grandchildren and play a more active role in their lives — an experience that his own children were lacking when they were growing up.
“Any chance we could get to be closer to (our kids), to be a resource for them, and to allow us to be part of not only their lives, but their kids' lives was very, very important to us,” he said. “This opportunity allows me to literally put family first, but also be in the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce."
Bondy began his journey with the Granbury Chamber of Commerce April 1, 2021, succeeding Mike Scott, who had served as president for 15 years before his retirement in 2020.
With nearly 30 years of chamber experience under his belt, Bondy said he appreciates what he has learned from each community, as they have all provided different perspectives and priorities.
For Granbury, Bondy said community involvement was the main focus, noting the success of the rebranding initiative, which included a new logo, brand colors and a revamped website that launched in December 2021.
Notably, a membership event in 2022 also attracted 114 volunteers and resulted in 269 new and upgraded members.
Reflecting on his accomplishments, Bondy expressed pride in the strong volunteer spirit that has flourished during his leadership, with the number of active ambassadors growing to 45. He was also instrumental in fostering initiatives such as the Women in Business Committee, which successfully hosted two summits, and the transition of the Granbury Young Professionals group into the Rising Leaders of Granbury to better serve newcomers to the area.
"(We wanted to) focus on not just the younger population, but those that are new to the community, or that are new in their positions with their company, so that they have a way to build a network, grow and get better,” he said. “And, you know, that's really the whole heart of what the chamber is — it's about building relationships, and helping companies and businesses grow and get stronger.”
Overall, Bondy said he is proud of the work the chamber has accomplished, adding that its success is a collaborative effort involving the board of directors, staff, members and volunteers.
"The bus is driven by all of those entities," he said. “My role is to kind of be the orchestra leader, or the conductor, if you will, and to make sure that the business is solid, and can move forward — whether it’s in the day-to-day operations or planning for the future. I'd say that this chamber is in excellent shape.”
Bondy said the most important lesson he has learned since joining the Granbury Chamber can be summed up in one sentence: “Never underestimate the power of community.”
"It's not just me sitting behind a desk,” he said. “It's all of us being involved in organizations around town to not only advance our mission, but to show that we care about the community that we live in, and that there's power in community and there's power in involvement.”
As Bondy prepares to leave a community that has quickly become like home, he remains dedicated to the relationships he has built during his time here. He added that he will miss “the people” more than anything.
"There are so many great people in this town that we've been able to build relationships with over the past three-and-a-half years,” he said. "Just being able to celebrate that Granbury is the Celebration Capital of Texas, building partnerships with the city, with the county, with Visit Granbury, and the school district. I mean, we have a real passion for kids.”
Bondy said he has enjoyed getting the chance to implement Lemonade Day in Granbury and being able to watch it grow in two short years.
Lemonade Day is a free, fun, experiential learning program that teaches fifth grade students how to start, own and operate their own business — a lemonade stand. Following a successful inaugural event last year, Lemonade Day returned to Granbury for a second time May 18, with almost 100 stands participating in the second annual event.
"We thought we really hit it out of the park our first year, but then we had our second one this year, and we really did knock it out of the park — or I should say they knocked it out of the park because it's the kids and the families that participated that make Lemonade Day so special," he said. “That's one of the better takeaways from my time is being able to not only bring Lemonade Day to Granbury, but see it grow.”
Reflecting on his journey as president and CEO, Bondy emphasized the importance of the relationship between a chamber of commerce and its members, adding that the relationship “can’t be understated.”
"It's one thing to be a chamber of commerce. It's another one to practice what you preach," he said. "I think Mike did a phenomenal job in the years leading up to his retirement, and I think that in the three-and-a-half years that I've been here, we've done some really cool and exciting things. I'm thankful for having been involved with the Rotary Club and various organizations and leaders in Granbury. It (gave me the) opportunity to be more than just sitting behind a desk — I got to become involved in the community.”
In light of Bondy's resignation, the Granbury Chamber of Commerce board has initiated a search for his successor, with plans for current general manager Holly Martin to step in as interim president until a new leader is appointed.
"The position will be advertised and I think the intent is that Holly will step in as an interim president and just kind of oversee the day-to-day operations, much like she does now only as an interim, until the board gets that up and running,” he said. “It's usually like a four-to-six-month process from recruiting to starting. It can be accelerated and it can also be drawn out if the candidates aren't of the quality that the board is looking for, but I don't think it's going to be a problem for this chamber to find somebody.”
As Bondy embarks on his new journey, his achievements in fostering community involvement and strong connections will forever leave their mark on Granbury — leaving big shoes for his successor to fill.
“It still hasn’t completely sunk in yet,” Bondy said, with a chuckle. “But I think it will, as we get closer to my end date. This was just an opportunity that was tough to turn down.”
