AMHERST — A marketing and fundraising expert will lead the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce starting in July, bringing an end to a temporary experiment of running chamber operations with a volunteer staff.
Claudia Pazmany, who has nearly two decades of marketing and fundraising experience, will be the new executive director of the chamber starting July 9.
Pazmany, director of development and marketing for Providence Ministries in Holyoke, said she is excited about assuming the role, understanding the need to re-energize the organization, which has seen a decline in membership. The chamber’s board of directors chose Pazmany following interviews with several candidates.
“I look forward to connecting business and engaging community,” Pazmany said.
Pazmany has been a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County and served as president of the Friends of Amherst Area Recreation, where she was also a founding member of the annual WinterFest event.
Chamber President Peter Vickery said Pazmany earned a master of business administration at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts and has lived in Amherst for 24 years.
“Claudia has strong, deep roots in this town, understands businesses, the nature of the community and loves living here,” Vickery said.
Pazmany will be the first full-time executive director since Tim O’Brien was laid off last August after a year at the helm.
“We’re absolutely thrilled and really looking forward to Claudia’s first day of work,” Vickery said.
Jerry Guidera served as the interim executive director until March 30, when Vickery announced that the organization, founded in 1956, would temporarily be run by volunteers, with only a paid bookkeeper left on staff.
“It’s worked pretty well, thanks to the very committed and energetic board members,” Vickery said.
But chamber members, he said, expect a professional in charge of the organization.
Pazmany said she hopes to work with local and state officials to understand what challenges exist for businesses and to see what avenues exist for giving them support.
“I want to be an advocate for issues related to parking and zoning,” Pazmany said, adding that her outreach will go beyond Amherst’s borders.
“I would like to see us grow our Hadley, Belchertown and area partners,” Pazmany said.
Guidera, who twice served as interim executive director, the first time after Don Courtemanche left in 2016, said he is pleased to see a return to professional staffing, especially as Amherst moves to a town council form of government.
“Now more than ever, with a change in government, there’s an opportunity to focus on business development in town and to help diversify our tax base,” Guidera said. “We need strong advocacy.”
Pazmany said the chamber plans to advertise for a part-time office manager, but will continue to share space with what she terms “an amazing partner” in the Amherst Business Improvement District at the Visitors Information Center.
“We want to be a visible presence downtown,” Pazmany said.
She thanked Vickery for his ongoing leadership and making sure events such as Margarita Madness and the Taste of Amherst have been able to continue.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
