The longtime leader at the Island Institute is moving on from his 18-year tenure with the Rockland nonprofit, eight of those as president.
Rob Snyder will leave at the end of April for a job in the private sector. Effective March 15, Rob Beams, chief operating officer at the Island Institute, will serve as interim president.
Snyder’s next role will be with ACME Smoked Fish Corp., a privately-owned company in Brooklyn, N.Y., with manufacturing facilities across the eastern U.S., Chile and Denmark. Snyder will be the company’s first culture and sustainability officer,
During his tenure, Snyder has been a driving force behind the growth and success of the Rockland-based nonprofit and its support for Maine’s island and coastal communities.
“Rob’s vision and leadership will be greatly missed by the Island Institute’s staff, board, and nonprofit partners,” Island Institute Board Chair Emily Lane said in a news release. “His unique approach to exploration, innovation, and culture has been integral to the success of the organization. We are grateful for his dedication to Maine’s islands and coastal communities, and we wish him the best of luck in his next chapter.”
The Island Institute was founded in 1983 and works with 120 island and coastal communities to strengthen economies, enhance education and share information and resources.
With a history rooted in Maine’s fisheries and working waterfronts, the Island Institute has extensive experience in project management, network-building and economic development, assuming a tis leadership role in managing myriad processes and partners to cultivate the coastline and islands that have long been a mainstay of the state’s economy.
