Rock Hill historic preservation group picks new director, chief fundraiser

The board for Historic Rock Hill, a local private preservation organization, has hired a new executive director to start Jan. 5.

From a pool of 95 interested applicants, the group’s board of directors chose Cathy Floyd, officials announced Friday. Floyd will serve full time overseeing the White Home in downtown Rock Hill and leading the organization’s fundraising needs.

“We are very pleased to announce this appointment,” said Jeannie Marion, chair of the Historic Rock Hill board.

Floyd has more than 20 years experience in economic and community development, public relations, event planning, project management and marketing and sales, Marion said. She’s worked with both public agencies and private organizations in Tennessee and Georgia.

She and her husband moved with their two sons to York County in March. Her husband, Charlie Floyd, works as vice president of manufacturing optimization in Domtar’s corporate office in Fort Mill.

Marion noted Cathy Floyd’s previous management experience at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, The Greene County Partnership and Dahlonega Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, Floyd served as program administrator for CoStarters, a Tennessee-based organization that offers in-depth training to seasoned entrepreneurs.

In a statement last week, Floyd said she places a “strong emphasis” on building community partnerships.

“I am beyond excited about joining this amazing organization and look forward to working closely with the board of directors, community leadership and Rock Hill’s top corporate partners to improve and increase awareness of the historic significance of Rock Hill,” she said.

Floyd’s appointment follows former executive director Annemarie Beebe, who held the job as a part-time employee for nearly four years.

In hiring a replacement, Marion said, the board also wanted to change the job to full time and combine the role with a previous part-time fundraising position, which was also left vacant earlier this year.

Now, she said, Historic Rock Hill’s greatest challenge will be marketing itself, which could also increase donations for programming and historic preservation.

“I think we need to nail down our brand,” she said.

Next month, the board will hear from a Winthrop University senior marketing class that’s been working on a project to improve the organization’s marketing potential. Marion hopes the result will be a better understanding of how Historic Rock Hill can engage with a younger audience locally.

Historic Rock Hill was first incorporated as a nonprofit preservation group nearly 30 years ago. The group firmly established itself in downtown Rock Hill with renovations and housing of offices in the historic White Home in 2010.

Since then, the group has had two executive directors. Floyd will be the third to oversee the White Home.

The White Home, located on East White Street, is open to the public and school groups for tours, and offers a gift shop and exhibits about Rock Hill history.

This story was originally published November 22, 2015 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Rock Hill historic preservation group picks new director, chief fundraiser."