Roy M. Nascimento, CCE, IOM has served as President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce since January 2015, leading the organization and its affiliates in their mission to build businesses and strengthen communities across the region.

Roy comes from a family of small business owners and learned early about both the challenges of entrepreneurship and the vital role small businesses play in their communities. That background drives his commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering economic opportunity throughout North Central Massachusetts.

Under his leadership, the region has experienced significant economic growth. The Chamber’s promotion of regional tourism assets has driven direct visitor spending to increase more than fourfold since 2014, while the Chamber’s economic development arm has dramatically accelerated its microloan program, providing more than $10 million across more than 300 loans to local small businesses since 2015 – representing nearly two-thirds of all microloans made by the organization since 1996 – and leveraging millions more through partnerships with local banks and credit unions. Beyond creating and retaining thousands of jobs, these investments have filled storefronts, attracted new businesses, and made communities more vibrant places for both residents and visitors.

Roy has spearheaded transformative regional initiatives including the One North Central economic development plan, which provides a comprehensive blueprint for regional growth. He has established innovative economic development tools including the North Central Massachusetts Land Bank to facilitate real estate development, the Regional Business Investment Fund to support local projects, the North Central Massachusetts Rides Transportation Management Association to address workforce mobility challenges, and a Tourism Destination Marketing District to amplify regional tourism promotion and drive visitor spending. His advocacy efforts have secured critical policy victories, including reductions in local taxes for businesses and millions in funding for small business recovery and infrastructure investment.

The Chamber’s excellence has earned national recognition, including Chamber of the Year honors in 2023 and 5-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber – achieved by only 150 of the nation’s 7,000+ chambers.

Beyond his Chamber leadership, Roy serves on several regional boards including the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster, the MassHire North Central Workforce Investment Board, and the Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation Board. Nationally, he serves on the board of Fringe Benefits, Inc. and the ACCE Foundation, and is a member of the U.S. Chamber’s prestigious Committee of 100. He was named New England Chamber Executive of the Year in 2012.

A 25-year chamber industry veteran, Roy previously served as president & CEO of Massachusetts chambers in New Bedford and Attleboro, and as vice president at the Metro South Chamber of Commerce in Brockton.

Roy holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UMass Dartmouth and a master’s in public administration from Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School. He is a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management (IOM) at Villanova University and the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. He earned his Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation from ACCE.

He and his wife Maura are proud parents to daughters Caitlin and Madelyn.