Peter Gannon was appointed President & CEO of United Way of the Greater Capital Region by the Board of Directors in May 2018. In his role, he is responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations of the organization, as well as resource development and community impact. In 2021, he launched the Blake Annex - a social purpose real estate project in Downtown Albany where over 20 nonprofit organizations work together in a flexible office space setting.
Prior to joining United Way, he served for 9 years as President of the Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership, where he led several multi-million-dollar projects in collaboration with the U.S. Army. It was there that he also founded the McNulty Center for Veteran Entrepreneurial Activity to help veterans and active duty military start and expand their own business. In 2016, the McNulty Center was designated as the Veteran Business Outreach Center for New York and New Jersey by the US Small Business Administration.
Prior to joining the Partnership, he served as Director of Operations in the Town of Colonie and Director of Communications to Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari.
Peter earned his undergraduate degree in public communications from the College of Saint Rose and his MBA from the Lally School of Management at RPI. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Leadership Tech Valley and, in 2011, was named one of the Business Review’s Forty Under 40. A proud Shaker High School graduate, he was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2016.
He is active in various community organizations and was recognized for his successful leadership role in the 2015 and 2016 Friendship Walk for Best Buddies. He lives in Loudonville with his wife Lauren and their children Jude, Jack, & Joie.