Page 33 - BusinessWest October 28, 2024

Doherty Fuller Doherty calls herself a cheerleader for the region, but throughout her career, she has rarely been on the sidelines.
Photo by Focus Ashely Photos
gathering at Tech Foundry to the ribbon cutting for the new Kevin S. Delbridge Welcome Center at Western New England University.
This crowded schedule speaks volumes about how Fuller Doherty likes to keep busy, but not just busy; she wants to get involved and use her experience and insight to help others and assist institutions as they carry out their various missions.
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they care,” she said. “The other half was economic development for the
Fuller Doherty >> Continued on page W32
It’s been this way since she settled in Western Mass. with her late husband, Paul, a lawyer who already had roots here. She quickly put down some of her own, getting involved with institutions including the Springfield Regional Chamber, YMCA, Glenmeadow, the World Affairs Council, Bay Path University, and the National Conference for Community and Justice.
Seeking to be a role model for her daughters, she returned to school to earn an MBA at Western New England, then went looking for a career. After working briefly as a volunteer with the grants manager for the city of Springfield, she took a job with a marketing agency in Hartford and then became part of an initiative called Downtown Marketing to promote Springfield’s Central Business District.
“It was sponsored by MassMutual, Steiger’s, and SIS,” she recalled, “and it was focused on promoting the city and bringing people downtown because, then, as now, we have a lot invested in bricks and mortar downtown, but not a lot invested in changing attitudes about downtown, and it was necessary.”
Later, with partner Marsha Tzoumas, she started a marketing firm that would find a home in Springfield’s downtown and thrive for several years before it failed to survive the recession of the early ’90s.
Looking for a different career turn, she eventually won the job leading the regional office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, where she specialized in providing the honest feedback and tough love that entrepreneurs need as they strive to take concepts off the drawing board or to the next level.
Her initial plan was to be in that job for just a few years, but she stayed for more than 20, helping countless individuals across Western Mass. — and, while doing that, gaining an even deeper appreciation for this region and its many different assets.
“I loved it because I spent half my time working one-on-one with small businesses and helping mostly early-stage startup companies, which is great, because they’re energetic, they’re hardworking, they’re idealistic, and
“
I totally
believe in the region; we are a regio”nal economy.
Founder. Advisor. Friend.
Thank you, Dianne Fuller Doherty, for your many contributions to our region! We appreciate your vision and bold action to co-found the Women’s Fund. Congratulations to all the 2024 Women of Impact!
Women of
The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts fuels progress toward gender equity by
Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts
Women of IMPACT elevating the collective power of local women to take charAgPeROaGnRAdM lOeFaBUdSIwNEiStShWEpSTurpose.
funding the most promising solutions, collaborating with results-oriented partners, and
IMPACT
www.mywomensfund.org
A PROGRAM OF BUSINESSWEST
Women of Women of IMPACT
2024 W11
IMPACT A PROGRAM OF BUSINESSWEST A PROGRAM OF BUSINESSWEST
WOMEN
Impact