Gregory Goode, a 20-year veteran of nonprofit, higher education and public policy fields, has been hired as the new president and CEO of The Historic Trust. That’s the agency that works to preserve and manage historic properties in the Fort Vancouver National Site and beyond.
Goode is taking over as the agency works harder on that “beyond” part — expanding its mission to pursue more historic preservation projects and a higher statewide and national profile overall.
Goode will begin his new job on Dec. 10. He’ll be leaving his current position as the executive director of government relations for Indiana State University. According to The Tribune-Star newspaper of Terre Haute, Ind., in that position Goode has helped procure more than $132 million in construction funding for the school over the last six years.
Before that, from 2009 to 2012, Goode was chief of staff and director of the Center for Health Policy and Leadership at Bastyr University. That’s an alternative medicine university with campuses near Seattle, and San Diego. Goode led a major campus expansion at the California location.
In 2008, Goode ran for Congress in Indiana as a Republican, but lost the race and didn’t try electoral politics again. “My aim is to become a champion of the values that define this community and this district – common sense conservatism,” The Tribune-Star quoted him as saying when he announced his run.
Before that, Goode served on the congressional staffs of Indiana Republican Reps. Ed Pease, Brian Kerns and Steven Buyer.
In addition to his career as a fundraiser and legislative aide and liaison, Goode is an ongoing student of history and public affairs. He earned two degrees from Indiana State, a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in history, and he’s currently a doctoral candidate in public administration and policy at Virginia Tech — working on a dissertation about the history of naturopathy.
A national search was held for this position, and three candidates came to Vancouver for interviews, according to The Historic Trust. “Greg Goode brought to us a vision of opportunity and outreach for the trust that was aspirational,” said Stacey Graham, board chair. “With his experience of successfully raising millions of dollars for the construction of buildings and the support of educational and leadership programs, we believe he is poised to broaden our outreach and footprint across the region.”
The Historic Trust is currently in the middle of a multimillion dollar campaign to preserve and redevelop the historic Providence Academy property west of Officers Row.
Goode will move to this area with his wife, Leslie, and their 13-year-old son, Jackson. “I am deeply honored,” he said in a statement. “This next great adventure, to help lead The Historic Trust, an amazing nonprofit organization, in building statewide and national leadership platform — this energizes me. It’s an amazing organization fulfilling an important mission that speaks directly to my heart.”
