MANCHESTER, NH – William Rider, President and CEO of The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester (MHCGM), announced he will retire from the position at the end of 2021. Rider has been with The Center since 1985 when he was hired as a clinical case manager and moved into many different roles throughout the years. He was appointed as President and CEO in 2015 after 15 years serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer.

The Board of Directors has formed a search committee to immediately start the process of identifying a new President & CEO for the largest mental health center in the state of NH. “While the executive search unfolds, Bill will continue to lead the agency with the same level of dedication he has demonstrated throughout his career,” said MHCGH Chairman of the Board Kevin Sheppard. “We are extremely thankful to Bill for his long-term commitment to community mental health services and the people we serve. Our Board of Directors will work hard to find the next great leader who can continue the positive impact our services offer each and every day, for both children and adults.”

Rider had originally planned to retire in 2020, but changed his plans due to the pandemic. “All hands were needed to get us through the COVID storm.  But, at this point we made it through the worst of it, and in the process, we kept full employment, and in fact, we managed to increase the number of positions at the Center to maintain our expanding suite of programs and services” said Rider. In announcing his retirement plans to MHCGM staff, Rider wrote, “Because of all of you, I have been ever so inspired by the patients who put their trust in us, the families who put their faith in us, and the countless opportunities we created together so that others could simply have a better life.”

Under Rider’s leadership, The Mental Health Center added programs such as ProHealth Integrated Care, Medication Assisted Recovery, and will soon launch Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to name a few.  During his term as CEO, Rider prioritized work that forged tighter collaborations with our city and state health departments, as well as our schools and hospitals, to ensure timely access to evidence-based prevention and treatment.

In 2017, Rider received the Business Excellence Award Winner for the Large Nonprofit Category by New Hampshire Business Review. Additionally, the organization has grown to serve more than 11,000 annually, of all ages, with a staff of 450.