40 Under 40 The Class of 2010

Raymond Berry

Raymond Berry Jr.: 39

Vice President of Finance and Admistration,
United Way of Pioneer Valley

Raymond Berry says it’s rewarding to know he is making a difference. It’s a mission for him and something he strives to do as an active volunteer in the city of Springfield.

Berry was the recipient of a number of services as a child and took advantage of the after-school programs and athletic opportunities available to him. “I witnessed what it was like to know that I had a safe place to go where I could enjoy myself and where there were individuals who wanted me to succeed,” he said. “So, today, I get great joy from giving back to the community.”

Berry does that both on and off the job at United Way. He is president of the Brethren, a group of professional black men that provides a multitude of services to the community; vice president of the Springfield branch of NAACP, and the director of the American International Alumni Varsity Club. He is a past board member of the Carew Hill Boys & Girls Club, the Martin Luther King Community Center, and Springfield Partners for Community Action.

Berry was also a Springfield Schools consultant for Junior Achievement, a Massachusetts sports official for Little League baseball, and a youth mentor for Dunbar Community Center.

He was appointed as a Springfield Enterprise Community commissioner by former Mayor Michael Albano, and accepted other appointments to a variety of commissions for local and statewide housing groups, using his knowledge and certification as a public-housing manager.

“My activities center around education, health, and financial stability. I do this in my profession and also to assist people. I want to make sure they have a roof over their head and that there is proper funding for activities for young people,” said Berry.

He began volunteering in college, which set the tone for all of his future activity. Berry loves to fish and counts it among his passions, but is also dedicated to fishing for opportunities that can make a difference in the lives of young people.

—Kathleen Mitchell

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