By midmorning, phones around Fountain Square Park were buzzing: Ron Bunch has resigned as President & CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce after 14 years at the helm. For an organization that brokers incentives, recruits employers and convenes the business community, the change lands squarely in the heart of the local economy.
Here’s the key takeaway for readers: a Chamber leadership transition can influence which industries are prioritized, how incentives are offered, and the pace of new project announcements. That matters for WKU graduates weighing local job offers, for small firms eyeing expansion, and for investors tracking site development in the Kentucky Transpark. As of publication, the Chamber had not publicly announced an interim leader or search timeline. Bowling Green Local has requested details and will update when available.
A legacy that helped shape growth
Bunch’s tenure coincided with a decade-plus expansion across Warren County and the broader Bowling Green metro. The area added roughly 18% to its population between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, driven in part by manufacturing, logistics and health care gains U.S. Census QuickFacts. Economic development awards and frequent national recognition for mid-sized metros helped keep Bowling Green on site selectors’ radar, with annual rankings from Site Selection magazine highlighting the region’s project flow and competitiveness Site Selection.
Under the Chamber’s umbrella, efforts ranged from recruiting advanced manufacturers to expanding small-business programming and workforce pipelines in partnership with Western Kentucky University and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. Those collaborations were a staple of Bunch’s approach: align employer needs with training capacity, accelerate permitting and infrastructure at the Transpark, and keep downtown entrepreneurship in the mix alongside large industrial wins. The strategy helped diversify the jobs base while reinforcing Bowling Green’s reputation as a pro-growth community.
Why this moment matters: leadership sets the dial on priorities—whether to chase another marquee project, double down on supplier networks, or swing resources toward homegrown startups. A new president could recalibrate that mix, affecting who hires, who builds, and where public-private dollars go next.
How stakeholders are sizing up the change
Local business owners we spoke with said they’re watching for clarity on the Chamber’s interim leadership and search process before making any big decisions tied to expansion timelines or hiring. Several emphasized continuity: permitting schedules, workforce partnerships and incentive applications typically move forward even as boards recruit a new chief executive. For firms counting on Chamber support—site tours, grant applications, or supplier matchmaking—process matters as much as personality.
City and county agencies that coordinate closely with the Chamber—such as the City of Bowling Green’s economic development staff and Warren County partners—generally maintain project pipelines during transitions, with boards and senior staff covering day-to-day requests. That reduces the risk of delays in active deals, though large strategic shifts often wait until a new leader is seated.
Academic observers often note that executive transitions can briefly slow deal flow as organizations tighten approvals and re-validate priorities. In practice, the speed of a search and the degree of board consensus on strategy will determine how quickly the Chamber moves from steady-state to new initiatives.
What could shift in local business strategy
A different playbook doesn’t mean a wholesale reset, but there are clear levers the next CEO could adjust:
Industry focus: Tilt toward EV supply chains and advanced materials, or balance with logistics, agritech and healthcare services.
Incentive posture: Emphasize performance-based, smaller but broader incentives for homegrown firms—or concentrate on larger, headline-grabbing projects.
Downtown and entrepreneurship: Add capacity for startup and small-business services that feed the city core, building on partnerships with WKU’s innovation ecosystem.
Talent pipelines: Expand work-based learning with WKU and SKYCTC to retain more graduates and upskill incumbent workers.
Action steps for businesses now:
Stay plugged in: Subscribe to Chamber updates and event calendars at the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
Keep projects moving: For permitting and development timelines, use the City of Bowling Green’s economic development resources at bgky.org.
Explore support: Small firms can connect with the Kentucky Small Business Development Center in Bowling Green at kentuckysbdc.com/bowling-green and WKU’s Center for Research & Development at wku.edu/crd.
Track incentives: For program rules and recent awards, consult the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development at ced.ky.gov.
The bottom line for Bowling Green
Leadership transitions at a major economic-development hub are more than a personnel move; they’re a reset on strategy, messaging and momentum. Bunch’s 14-year run leaves a well-developed pipeline and a strong brand for Bowling Green, but the next leader will decide how aggressively to court new sectors, how to engage small businesses, and how to align public and private capital.
For residents, that translates to job mix, wage potential and the shape of growth from the Transpark to downtown. For employers, it’s about predictability. Keep your plans moving, document what you need, and be ready to brief a new CEO on how the Chamber can help you compete.
What to Watch
The Chamber’s timeline for naming an interim leader and launching a national search.
Any early signals from the board about sector priorities or adjustments to incentive strategy, plus how the City of Bowling Green and Warren County coordinate during the transition.
Upcoming Chamber events or briefings where members can ask questions and hear the transition plan first-hand.
