Matthew Mandell
Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Announces Executive Director and President Matthew Mandell Will Retire After 12+ Years of Leadership
WESTPORT, Conn. September 9, 2026 — The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce (WWCC) Board of Directors announced today that Matthew Mandell will be retiring from his role as Executive Director and President at the end of the year, after more than 12 years leading the organization; the longest tenure in the Chamber's 95-year history.
Mandell was named Executive Director and President of the Chamber in 2014. Under his leadership, he nearly tripled its membership, expanded the organization's focus beyond traditional business to business programming to include a unique brand of highly regarded business to community initiatives. He is directly responsible for many of the Chamber's and town's signature events and programs, including 14 Slice of Saugatuck festivals, 10 Westport Dog Festivals, dozens of Supper and Soul concert series shows including 10 sold out drive-in concerts hosted during COVID, the Great Westport annual food competitions, Restaurant Week, monthly Business After Hours networking, the Halloween Window Painting contest, and this year's new Your State, Your Business speaker series, which he hosted and interviewed Connecticut's governor and other constitutional statewide officials. Under his direction the Chamber raised and donated well over $100,000 to local non-profit organizations including Homes with Hope and TAILS among many others.
Mandell will remain an active Westport resident and community leader. He will continue to serve on the town's Representative Town Meeting and on the Board of Trustees of Earthplace. He plans to stay involved with the Chamber ensuring a seamless transition and will continue to advise on its many events.
"It has been an exceptional experience, one that has been an honor for me to be a part of. When you love the subject matter, Westport, it's easy to put your heart and soul into something like this. But it's time to find a new path with different opportunities and go from there," said Mandell. "Of all the things I'll look back on, it will be the work during COVID that will stand out most for me. The concerts for an entertainment starved community and all the efforts to ensure our businesses survived during that very difficult time will leave a lasting impression."
Paul Lebowitz, Chair of the WWCC Board of Directors, said “Matthew’s greatest contribution to the Chamber may be the events he created that brought our business community and the people of Westport together. His spirited efforts made these events successful, but more importantly, he made them fun and memorable for thousands of people. Matthew was our chief cheerleader, tireless promoter, and advocate. His enthusiasm was contagious. His commitment to the organization, the businesses we represent, and the town has been remarkable, and we are grateful for everything he has given.”
"It has been a pleasure working with Matt, whose imagination and leadership guided the Chamber in innovative ways and steadily through the challenges of COVID. While chambers in other towns contracted, ours continued to grow and thrive. I look forward to seeing where Matt’s creativity leads him next," said Barbara Reynolds past chair of the WWCC board.
The Board of Directors will conduct an open search for Mandell's successor and is now accepting resumes from interested candidates. Applicants may contact the Chamber through its website, WestportWestonChamber.com. Click to see information on the position.
About the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce - The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization serving businesses and the community in Westport and Weston, Connecticut. WWCC supports local economic development and connects businesses to the community through networking events, advocacy, educational programming, and myriad events. WWCC is governed by a Board of Directors including Chair Paul Lebowitz, past Chair Barbara Reynolds, and board members Cara Mocarski, Leigh Overland, Bill Rizzuto, and Sam Disraelly. More information is available at westportwestonchamber.com.