SPRINGFIELD – Nancy Creed will succeed Jeffrey Ciuffreda as the president of the Springfield Regional Chamber.

Creed, who has served as the vice president of Marketing and Communications at the Chamber since 2012, told Reminder Publications the job was “something I wanted, but I was not sure what the board wanted to do.”

Board Chair Daniel Keenan said, “Nancy has been an unsung hero in our daily operations for the past four years. She has the talent, energy, commitment to the Chamber and its members and the expertise to not only build-on Jeff’s accomplishments but to lead the Chamber to the next level.”

Creed had previously worked at the Chamber from 1992 to 2001, had her own public relations consulting firms and had served as the manager of corporate communications for Western Massachusetts Electric Company (now Eversource).

Creed is the first woman chief executive in the Chamber’s more than 125-year history.

She said one of the challenges facing the Chamber at this time is showing the value membership has for area businesses. Creed added the recent restructuring of the organization attracted new members.

Seventy to 75 percent of local businesses have less than 10 employees and Creed believes the Chamber has the opportunity to grow that base. She believes the Chamber could play “a huge role” in helping those businesses to grow.

Ciuffreda has been with the Chamber since 1987 and has served as president that last five years. Creed said that he will leave Aug. 5 and the transition will take place in the next two weeks.

She expects the change will be “an easy one,” as she and Ciuffreda have worked well together the last four years.

Keenan said of Ciuffreda, “Jeff has been an invaluable asset to the Chamber throughout these many years, providing steady leadership over the years, including steering the organization through its most recent restructuring, positioning the Chamber as the ‘go to’ organization for legislative advocacy, and working hard on behalf of our more than 700 members and for the region at large. I know I speak for the entire board in expressing my thanks for Jeff’s leadership, his commitment and dedication to the organization, and his distinguished career with the Chamber.” ?