The Greenbrier Valley Aquatic Center has found its new leadership.
On July 23, the nonprofit announced the hiring of Darcie McCraw as the general manager and Brett Falls as the director of operations. According to the center, over 30 applicants were considered before the board of directors made its selection.
The aquatic center is currently under construction in Fairlea, with three different pools, classrooms, party rooms, terraces, and more. In total, the community raised over $4 million to make the project happen, including announcements of support from several municipalities during the initial fundraising. After an additional $2 million was supplied by the state just before COVID-19 lockdowns, the project was ready to take off.
Now that construction is much further along, hiring for management roles became the essential next step. Jamie Hamilton, director of community and donor engagement and the person originally expected to step into the role, explained who the nonprofit was looking for.
“It’s our hope that we’ve got a great local candidate that can take this one,” said Hamilton. “It’s such a community-driven project and, in a perfect world, we would love for a local person to be the operator, coming from that community and being invested in it.”
According to a press release from Aquatic Center Founder and President TAG Galyean, both McCraw and Falls “stood out as the perfect combination to lead the GVAC towards a successful opening” and “are excited and proud to take on these new roles, and can’t wait to welcome each of you to the GVAC when we open this fall.”
McCraw and Falls at the under-construction Aquatic Center site. |
“Originally from the Greenbrier Valley, [McCraw] was raised in Charlotte, NC where she spent more than 20 years working in the hospitality industry specializing in customer service training, opening new facilities, and team development,” reads the release. “[McCraw] and her husband returned to West Virginia in 2019 and most recently she served as the Managing Director of the Greenbrier Humane Society.”
“[Falls] was born in Alderson, WV and attended Marshall University. For 10 years he worked at The Greenbrier, holding leadership positions in the Spa, Front Desk, and Operations departments. [Falls] later moved to Charleston, SC where he has held senior leadership roles at numerous hotel and resort properties, most recently as the Director of Housekeeping at the Hotel Bennett,” explains the press release.
Hamilton will stay on in his current role until the end of the year, helping McCraw and Falls get acclimated to their new roles, and will then move onto the board of directors.
Since meeting the original fundraising goal, the project has also opened the ENHANCER Program, hoping to raise an additional $800,000 to combat increased materials costs due to the pandemic. In order to learn more or donate to the project, visit their social media or website at https://www.gvaquaticcenter.com.
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