Valley United Way has announced Bill Purcell, President of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, as Vice Chair for the annual Community Fund Raising Campaign for 2007-2008. Some of Bill’s responsibilities will include assisting Campaign Chair Mike Marcinek and providing leadership to Campaign volunteers.

Campaign Chair Mike Marcinek said, "We are pleased to have Bill join the Campaign Cabinet as he has a strong grasp of what it takes to build a strong community and an equally strong commitment to making the Valley a great place to live and work."

Bill came to the “All America City” Naugatuck River Valley of Connecticut from his native Massachusetts in April of 2000 to take over the reigns of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Over the past seven years, he has brought his unique brand of enthusiasm, integrity and professionalism in helping to make the Valley Chamber the “premiere” voluntary business association serving the communities of Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Seymour and Oxford.

Prior to his arrival in Connecticut, Bill served as the Executive Vice President of the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce, located in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts where he cultivated his skills in association management, economic and community development and business advocacy.  A firm believer in life-long education and continued professional development, Bill earned the highest professional designation in the Chamber profession in the year 2000 when he was designated a “Certified Chamber Executive”, or CCE, by the Alexandra, Virginia based American Chamber of Commerce Executives. In 2002, Bill was named a “Certified Association Executive”, or CAE by the Washington based American Society of Association Executives and was re-certified in April of 2006.  

Bill earned his Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Public Administration from Worcester State College and his MBA from Babson College in Wellesley, MA. 

Bill is a past Director of the New England Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and was recently named to the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Association of Chamber Executives.  Here in the Valley, Bill has developed a strong record of community service by taking on leadership positions in a variety of worthy organizations and causes, including: 

·               Junior Achievement – Co-chair of the Valley Advisory Committee.

·               Boys and Girls Club – Director and Program Committee Chair.

·               Valley United Way  - Board of Directors and Campaign Cabinet

·               Special Olympics of Connecticut – Honorary Board Member.

·               The Workplace Inc. – Chair of the “People to Jobs” committee. 

Bill resides with his wife, Mary Jane and their son, Brendan in Woodbridge, CT.

Campaign Underwriters 2007-2008:
Basement Systems, Inc. * Birmingham Utilities * Curtiss-Ryan Honda * Dworken Hillman LaMorte & Sterczala, P.C. * Fletcher-Thompson, Inc. * Fred Ortoli Photography * F.W. Serra, Inc. * Gexpro * Griffin Hospital/Griffin Health Services Corp. * Hasler, Inc * Housatonic Lumber Company * Inform Printing * Iroquois Gas Transmission System, LLC * The Kerite Company * Quality Environmental, LLC * Riverview & Adzima Funeral Homes * Thule, Inc. * The United Illuminating  Company * Venman & Co. LLC * The W. E. Bassett Company * Webster Bank

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