KEVIN TRACY is the newly elected chairman of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. Tracy, who is a graduate of Brown University and La Salle Academy, is senior vice president and market executive for the Business Banking Group in Rhode Island at Bank of America Corp. Among his other titles are treasurer and board member of the Brown University Alumni Club of Rhode Island; co-chair of the Pawtucket Foundation, which helps further economic development in the city; and past chair of the Junior Achievement of Rhode Island board of directors.
What was your motivation for getting involved with the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce? I have worked in the financial services industry throughout the Blackstone Valley since the mid-1990s, largely with commercial businesses in the area. I realize the importance of what local chambers of commerce can provide as forums for businesses whose goal is to build a strong economy. I also have personal ties to the area, as my father was a longtime employee of a Woonsocket-based company and my wife grew up in northern Rhode Island, so it is a great way to stay connected to my roots.
What drives your interest in community work? At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to make our communities stronger and more vital. An important part of that work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, and contributing to the important work that’s being done. We want to have a positive impact in helping local economies thrive.
You serve on several boards; what is it about boards that attracted you to serve on them? Getting involved and taking on responsibility to lead are very important to the success of improving the places where we live and work. I was fortunate in 2004 to be part of the Leadership Rhode Island program, a nationally recognized community leadership-development organization. I learned a great deal about being a servant-leader in the state, and I am pleased that I can put my skills and life experience to work in support of positive change in the community.
What part of your banking/business background is beneficial to serving as chairman of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce? Much of my career has been involved in helping small and large businesses around the state, many of them located in northern Rhode Island. That experience has helped me appreciate what it takes to manage a successful business and how the Chamber contributes to that success by supporting policies in Rhode Island that will grow jobs and attract more business to the region.
What is your main goal, and what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure as chairman? In addition to maintaining the organization’s financial stability, the main goal of the Chamber will be to continue advocating for legislation that will support businesses in northern Rhode Island, as well as to provide educational programming that allows our members to grow and develop while they network with their peers and partners in the region.
