NEW: Worcester Chamber of Commerce President to Retire

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Richard. B Kennedy

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce is announcing today that President and CEO Richard B. Kennedy will retire at the end of 2013.

Kennedy cited a desire to slow down his hectic schedule in order to have more time with his family and other pursuits as reason for his retirement.

“I have been fortunate enough to have had essentially two careers, the last eight serving Worcester's business community," Kennedy said. "I remain committed to the Chamber and its mission, and believe that it will continue to play an important role in the local economy."

Kennedy was elected President by a unanimous vote of the Chamber board of directs in August 2004. The Chamber has repaid outstanding financial obligation, implemented a new strategic plan and moved into a new headquarters under Kennedy's leadership.

Prior to his time at the Chamber, Mr. Kennedy was already well known in the business community as a former top executive at Norton Company and Saint-Gobain, where he worked in various capacities for more than 23 years, retiring in 1999 as the Vice President of World Marketing/Abrasives Group.

“Announcing my retirement was a major decision for me as it marks another phase in my life," Kennedy said. "However, having done this once before, when I left Saint-Gobain, it doesn’t mean that I’ll be a regular on the golf course… Reducing the number of hours that I put in will give me more time to spend with my family.”

Kennedy is a graduate of WPI and lives in Worcester. Kennedy and his wife of 44 years, Mary Ann, have two grown children and three grandsons.