Barry Feingold Named President of Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce
HOLYOKE — The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce board of directors announced that Barry Feingold has been named chamber president. He will also serve as president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation Inc.
Feingold is a veteran chamber executive who previously served as the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce’s (MACC) president for 10 years, increasing its membership by 50% and revenue over 35%. Prior to arriving at the MACC, he served the American Chamber of Commerce in Lima, Peru, starting as the administrative and marketing manager and working his way up to executive director. After spending the last four years once again in Peru, where he successfully ran his own hospitality-management business, he decided to move back with his family to his native Massachusetts.
Feingold, who replaces Kathleen Anderson, is the Greater Holyoke Chamber’s first bilingual president.
“The leaders of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce are impressed by Barry’s experience as a business professional and as a proven leader of chambers both in Massachusetts and in Peru,” said Kevin McCaffrey, Mount Holyoke College’s director of Government and Community Relations and chairman of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce board of directors. “We are looking forward to working with him as the chamber continues its long history of serving our members and working with other civic leaders to support this great city. Barry’s energetic leadership will be a key ingredient in the next chapter of the chamber’s success.”
The board’s unanimous decision to hire Feingold resulted from a rigorous review of numerous qualified candidates interested in the position. He takes the helm effective Sept. 11. Among his first tasks will be meetings with civic leaders and chamber members to assess the challenges and opportunities facing Holyoke and the chamber. Among the many focuses of his presidency will be bringing new members to the chamber, including tapping into Holyoke’s Latino business community.
“A chamber is all about bringing together people to do business, and by promoting our membership’s diversity with its many cultures and languages, we can overcome all obstacles to help folks connect,” he said.
Anderson, who served as chamber president for six years, recently joined the leadership at Holyoke Medical Center as director of Community Benefits.
“I am honored and excited to be the next president for the Greater Holyoke Chamber,” Feingold said. “I’m looking forward to meeting our members and hearing from them how the chamber can best continue to support the business community in the Greater Holyoke area. Holyoke has made so much economic progress in recent years. My main focus will be on continuing to support that momentum, by bringing new members to the chamber and increasing the involvement of — and benefits for — everyone.”
As one step in introducing the new president, the chamber will hold an After Hours networking event on Wednesday, Sept. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Gateway City Arts, 92 Race St., Holyoke, where members and others can meet Feingold at his first official event as chamber president.
