Genesis Fund names Bill Floyd as Executive Director

April 2007

A two month search comes to a close this week with the April 10 announcement that Bill Floyd, Director of Housing at Shalom House, Inc., will succeed Beth McPherson as executive director of the Genesis Community Loan Fund.

Bill, who will join the staff at the Damariscotta office on June 11, has worked to develop and manage housing and facilities at Portland-based Shalom House since 1999.   His departure from Shalom House will coincide with the final stages of the Gilman Street Project, a $7,000,000 multifaceted redevelopment of a downtown Portland neighborhood that Bill conceived and developed over the past two and a half years. The project included refurbishing a book publishing warehouse into new corporate headquarters and other office and treatment space. Also on-site are 24 newly completed workforce housing apartments and the Shalom House community art center. The final phase, a six-bed residential program for individuals living with mental illness, is now under construction.

Prior to his work with Shalom House, Bill worked for the State of Maine in developing housing and services in the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. As a consultant he has also provided technical assistance to many nonprofit organizations across Maine seeking to develop supported employment for those with disabilities.

Throughout his long and varied career, Bill has brought enormous amounts of energy, enthusiasm, and creativity to every project he has worked on. From 1999 to 2005 he volunteered as a member of the Genesis Fund's board of directors, serving as president for the last two years.

Genesis Board president and chair of the Executive Search Committee Joanne Campbell, senior vice-president of Camden National Bank, said of the appointment, "We are so pleased to have Bill Floyd join the Genesis Fund. Bill's long history in the housing and community development arena along with his strong relationships throughout Maine 's housing, economic development and non-profit community made him an outstanding candidate."

Upon his acceptance of the new position, Bill said, "I have been associated with the Genesis Fund as a board member, as a borrower, and as a donor, and in all those roles I have always loved the mission and grassroots work at the heart of the Genesis Fund. I consider it a great privilege to be chosen as the next Executive Director. Beth McPherson and the staff have done such a fine job of growing this organization. The tradition of working on behalf of the people of Maine who are most in need will continue to grow."

Outgoing Executive Director Beth McPherson, who has guided the Genesis Fund since 1993, said of the appointment, "Bill is an exceptionally able person, and I am delighted he's been chosen to lead the Genesis Fund."

Joanne Campbell talked about the search, "The Genesis Fund has earned such esteem and recognition through the work of Beth McPherson that finding a candidate to fill the executive director role was a daunting task. Beth's energy, honesty, dedication and hard work have helped the Genesis Fund flourish into the gem that it is today. Bill knows the Genesis way, and we are confident that his skill and experience will help to carry the organization through its next bright stage of life."

Bill lives with his wife Kathy and their four children in Windham.

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