Karin McCarthy Named New Executive Director of the Lynn Chamber of Commerce

Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman Rick Wood has announced that Karin McCarthy has been selected as the new executive director of the organization.

Karin McCarthy.

“We’re excited to have a new executive director,” Wood told the Lynn Journal. “Karin has a great background, and we’re looking forward to her beginning in her leadership position in the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce.”

Wood said that close to 40 candidates submitted applications for the job.

“We had several outstanding candidates, and Karin was the one who rose to the top of the list,” said Wood.

Wood was joined on the selection committee by former LACC Chair Teresa Evangelista, former Chair John Olson, Vice Chair Tom Dill, Treasurer Joseph Sciantico, human resources professional Eve Gonzalez, and LACC Interim Director Peter Colarusso.

McCarthy will start as LACC executive director following the Labor Day holiday. She succeeds Leslie Gould, who left to become the executive director of the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce.

Following is the letter sent to LACC members announcing the selection of Karin McCarthy as executive director:

Dear Valued Members:

I am pleased to announce the LACC has selected Karin McCarthy as the new Executive Director of the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce.

Karin joins the Chamber after working as the Vice President of Administration and Finance for Solutions Review and LeadSpark, Inc., a marketing services tech company, located in Marblehead and Woburn. In her role, Karin played a critical role in launching the business during the tech start-up heyday. She developed operational and administrative systems and policies that encouraged growth and creativity.

Karin has a strong background in economic development and workforce issues having also worked as the Director of Corporate Relations in the UMass President’s Office, the Deputy Director of the Massachusetts One Stop Career Center’s when they were initially launched as the next iteration of “employment” offices, as Program Director for Jobs for the Future and as the Director of the Employment and Training Choices Program at DET.

Community service is very important to Karin and she has and continues to serve on a number of Boards and volunteers with many local organizations. She is currently the Senior Warden at St. Michael’s Church in Marblehead and a member of the Vestry and the St. Michael’s Historic Church Foundation Board. She just completed a five-year tenure on the Headmaster’s Council at St. John’s Prep in Danvers. She is a current member of the Marblehead Garden Club Board of Directors and is past treasurer of Marblehead Youth Hockey. Karin volunteers at LifeBridge and has assisted with the Kids in Community Program at St. Stephen’s in Lynn and the Lynn Mobil Food Bank.

Karin has an MBA from Boston College and a BA from Colby College. She also has a certificate in Horticultural Maintenance from North Shore Community College. She is proficient in Dutch. In her free time, she loves to garden, read, walk or hike and spend time with her family.

Karin will begin leading the LACC after Labor Day.

Please join me in welcoming Karin to the chamber family!

Peter Colorusso

Interim Director

Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce

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