Greater Watertown Chamber’s recently named president not coming aboard

WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The Greater Watertown North Country Chamber of Commerce (GWNC) says the man it chose as its next president has decided to remain in his current job.

The GWNC announced Tuesday that Philip Reed, Sr. has decided to stay in his current role as executive director of the Northern New York Builders Exchange Inc. GWNC had announced Reed as its next president on July 2, replacing Lynn Pietroski who left to become the new COO of the Jefferson Rehabilitation Center.

Reed is now staying with the builders’ group “in order to continue the initiatives and special projects that are in progress,” the GWNC said in a news release.

“It has become evident that [Reed] personally needs to be in the director’s seat to see those initiatives through,” the GWNC said. GWNC officials added that they “respect and support” Reed’s decision to continue his work at the Builders Exchange.

“Phil’s direct knowledge of the construction industry is of very high value to the Builders Exchange and is very important for their continued success going forward,” Mark Gaines, president of the GWNC board of directors, said in the statement.

The GWNC will discuss its “direction” during the next board meeting later this month, said Gaines.

Kylie Peck, GWNC’s outreach and development director, is serving as the organization’s interim president.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com