Brandom Gengelbach, the former president and CEO of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, has been named the new president and CEO of the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber Commerce.
Gengelbach’s appointment by the Bentonville group’s executive committee was announced Tuesday morning at the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit in Rogers. The Bentonville chamber has been without a permanent CEO since Graham Cobb stepped down near the end of 2021. Ashley Wardlow, who was recently named executive director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, has been interim president and CEO.
“The (GBACC) Executive Committee and Board of Directors are excited and confident that Brandom Gengelbach’s rich background in business and chamber leadership, economic development, and a commitment to fostering strategic economic growth makes Brandom the ideal President and CEO,” Chair Martine Downs Pollard said in a news release.
“Brandom brings a wealth of experience, along with a deep-rooted passion for the business community. Combining that with his down to earth and personable demeanor, we know he is poised to lead and steer the Chamber to new heights during this time of dynamic growth.”
According to a news release, Gengelbach accepted the position in early October.
“I am truly honored to join the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, an organization that plays a pivotal and convening role in promoting business and enhancing the overall quality of life in Greater Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with our members, community partners, and stakeholders to help build an even brighter economic future for our region.”
Gengelbach, a cyclist, said he couldn’t wait to explore all the trails the area has to offer.
Gengelbach joined the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce as executive vice president of economic development in 2016. He has 20 years of economic development and chamber of commerce experience, with positions held in Nashville, Tennessee; Indianapolis; and Brisbane, Australia.
Gengelbach was raised in Houston and the Plano-Addison area of Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University at Birmingham, Alabama, and an MBA from the University of Southampton, near London, where he also served as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar.
The chamber plans a welcome celebration for Gengelbach at the Rogers Convention Center from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday.
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