United Way of York County Announces New President

man standing with his arms cross in black live united shirtUnited Way of York County is pleased to announce it has named Brian Grimm as the next President. Brian joins the organization after a long career leading non-profits in York County.

“United Way of York County reached this decision after a thorough, nationwide search led by Koya. The process included engaging internal and external stakeholders for feedback and a diverse panel of community leaders,” said Natalee Gunderson of the York Water Company and the Chair of United Way of York County’s search committee.

Brian graduated from Kutztown University with a Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice/Police Science and a Master of Science, in Information Science from Clarion University. He is also a graduate of Leadership York’s Leadership Training Program, Mentorship York Program, and Non-Profit Leadership Academy.

“We are pleased to welcome a local York County resident that has spent his career making our community a better place. He joins a team dedicated to assisting households on their pathway to financial stability,” said Amy Wannemacher, Interim-President, and former Board Chair. Earlier this year, United Way of York County announced the decision to develop a multi-year plan to transform its community impact to an issue-focused model.  Following months of due diligence including donor and community surveying, meetings with partner agencies, and discussions with key stakeholders, funders, and campaign donors, the United Way of York County has decided to concentrate future efforts and allocations towards the issue of working households that struggle to cover basic living expenses. This was the overwhelming first choice of our surveyed donors, community leaders, and the UWYC board and staff.

Brian expressed that, “Leading United Way of York County would be the honor of a lifetime under any circumstance, but at this particular time in United Way’s history, it is a true call to action that I am excited to take on.”

Jules Tolbert, Board Chair shared, “United Way of York County plays a unique role as a backbone organization convening cross-sector partnerships among government agencies, businesses, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to support efforts to meet the needs of the communities we serve. Brian’s extensive experience and knowledge make him the perfect person to move UWYC forward to even stronger success as a trusted partner.”

Mr. Grimm will formally assume his role as President of United Way of York County in mid-July.

About United Way of York County

For 100 years, United Way of York County has worked in the York County community to improve people’s lives. It began as The York Welfare Federation, an organization that raised funds on behalf of 17 member agencies.  Today, as United Way of York County, the mission remains the same, but the strategies have evolved in order to meet the growing and changing needs of people living in our One York Community.

Recently United Way of York County announced a three-year plan to transform its community impact to an issue-focused model, concentrating future efforts on the issue of working households that struggle to cover basic living expenses.  Approximately one in three York County households earn more than the federal poverty level but do not earn enough to pay for basic needs. United Way of York County’s goal is to help bridge the gap for thousands of financially struggling, working families through short-term support while also building pathways to self-sufficiency. United Way of York County has set a bold goal to assist 8,000 working households to achieve financial stability by 2033.