Indy Partnership Executive Director Scott Fulford is leaving the local economic development organization after less than a year at the helm.

In a letter to members dated Friday, Fulford said he is retiring and handing over leadership to Troy Whittington, who serves as director of business development.

Fulford, who became executive director in March, joined Indy Partnership in 2006. He previously spent more than 30 years working for Cinergy (now Duke Energy), where he was a marketing manager in its economic development department.

Whittington has spent 25 years leading various sales, marketing and economic development organizations on a regional and local level.

He takes over as interim director effective Jan. 1.

Indy Partnership, which represents the nine-county metropolitan area, announced in February that it and Develop Indy, the city’s economic development initiative, had merged operations. The combined entity is seeking a merger with the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce.

In October, Develop Indy’s former president and CEO, Scott Miller, was named chamber president and said discussions about a potential merger would continue.

Melissa Todd, Develop Indy’s vice president of operations, succeeded Miller as interim leader of the organization on Dec. 1. She said there’s no timetable for a decision to be made.