The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) reorganized its leadership following the March resignation of president-elect John Gordon.
Coming just two weeks before he was set to become NARI president, Gordon resigned so he could focus completely on his job as director of pro business operations for The Home Depot.
Gordon expressed disappointment in his decision. “I was anxious to get in there and do some things,” he said, “but [resigning] was the best thing for me to do.”
In a press release, NARI also announced that the organization's executive committee “supports a succession plan whereby current officers progress and are elected by the board to the next highest office.” That's precisely what happened at the NARI board meeting on March 24, with Thomas Hagner stepping into the role of president one year earlier than anticipated.
Outgoing president and current NARI chairman of the board Everett Collier expressed “shock, disappointment, and sadness” at Gordon's resignation. “We were all looking forward to having a wonderful year under his leadership,” Collier said, citing Gordon's unique corporate experience and a skill set different from most remodelers'.
Both Collier and Gordon expressed confidence that the organization remains in good hands. “When you're at the helm, you're not changing the direction of the ship — just giving it guidance,” Gordon said, referring to the fact that the organization's strategy will remain the same under what he called “an exceptionally strong” group of officers.
