Bucci Named New Executive Director for Mahopac Chamber
The Board of Directors has hired Michael Bucci as the new executive director for the Greater Mahopac-Carmel Chamber of Commerce. He was hired unanimously and will start on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 24.
“This was the perfect way to cap off a productive year for the chamber board,” said chairwoman Laurie Lee Ford. “The board has spent the past year systemizing the back end of the organization, making the members the focus of everything we do and ensuring the chamber is on financially solid ground.”
Bucci’s role will be to be the spokesperson of the chamber out in the community, encourage member participation and enrollment, oversee the implementation of the marketing campaigns efforts developed and be a steward over the organization’s finances.
When the board discussed the possibility of bringing on a part-time executive director to fill the previous full-time position of chamber CEO, which was vacated over a year ago, a list of skills and qualifications needed for the job was created.
“We wanted someone who was already active in the community, who already understood the workings of the chamber and who worked great with people,” said Ford. “The person also had to be both marketing savvy and fiscally responsible. Mike had all the qualifications we were looking for.”
Bucci, who has been a chamber since 2008, served on the board of directors from 2009-2012. Additionally he has served on various committees and was the chairman of the newly created marketing committee over the past year, which has worked to streamline the chamber’s marketing efforts in an efficient, effective manner, which generated additional benefits to its members.
“As a business owner, I benefited as being a member simply by just going to the dinner meetings; however many members don’t benefit as much by just going to a dinner meeting and needed help with other strategies,” said Bucci. “So the marketing committee members improved the chamber website, created an email marketing system, started a new membership committee, and improved the visibility of our sponsors. We created an online database for members to be found…we’ve done a lot.”
Bucci has a financial background. He graduated Pace University with a BBA in finance and law and worked for Citicorp Investment Services, where he served as a financial executive, before deciding to follow his entrepreneurial instincts.
Bucci was a partner in Bucci Brothers Deli & Catering in Mahopac for five years. He was responsible for implementing local grassroots marketing such as hosting events, ad campaigns for a vareity of media and creating a fan base of over 2,500 fans on Facebook, establishing Bucci Brothers Deli as a social media giant in Putnam County.
In addition to his efforts at Bucci Brothers, Bucci has started two local marketing companies, GetURecruited.com and Traffic Champion.
In 2012, Bucci joined MetLife as a financial advisor and he will continue with the company as he takes on this new role in the chamber.
“When I was asked to consider the position of part-time CEO, I thought about it for long time, talked about it with my wife and my business partners,” said Bucci. “I realized that leading an organization such as this is a true honor, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help my community my family and local businesses achieve their goals.”
Bucci is excited to be taking on the new position, but is looking at the opportunity as more of the next step than an new role.
“I look forward to continuing the very things I’ve been doing for the last few years, except now with this fancy title,” said Bucci.
Members are encouraged to stop by in the afternoon over the next few days to congratulate Bucci. He will be in the chamber office from 1 to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays. His additional hours will be flexible based on the chamber’s needs.
Bucci will formally be introduced to the chamber members at the dinner meeting on Tuesday, April 30 at Four Brothers Restaurant.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.