Brooklyn's Progress
June/July 2006

BY KHADIJA BATUTA

After four years at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Randolph Peers, the former Vice-President of Economic Development, left the organization on May 10 to head up Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT), a Sunset Park-based job training and placement organization.

The $3 million nonprofit was founded in 1983 by Sister Mary Franciscus, who passed away last summer.  As OBT’s new Executive Director, Randy will lead a team of about 30 employees at two locations (Sunset Park and Williamsburg) and focus his energies on fundraising and increasing the services provided to the organization’s at-risk youth clients in Brooklyn.

“While Randy’s departure is certainly a major loss for the Chamber, it is really terrific news for Randy and his career,” said Brooklyn Chamber President Kenneth Adams.  “He will have the opportunity to run his own nonprofit organization, and Randy is certainly ready for that challenge. He will be greatly missed, but the Chamber looks forward to working with Randy in his new role at OBT.”

“This appointment at OBT helps me to realize my longtime dream of leading an organization,” says Randy.  “I am extremely gratified to be working at an organization within my own community, and with my appointment as chairperson of my local community board, I have the opportunity to leverage both my volunteer experience and professional work, serving my fellow residents and their families.”

Brooklyn Roots
A lifelong Brooklynite, Randy has lived in the neighborhoods of East Flatbush, Canarsie and now in Windsor Terrace.  He attended Brooklyn College where he graduated with a Bachelors in Political Science, and he also holds a Masters in Publication Administration from New York University.  He currently serves as Chair of Community Board 7 (Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace) and is also the Chair of the Board’s Land Use and Landmarks Committee.

Randy undoubtedly honed his skills for the good work he would later bring to the Chamber’s workforce development and economic development initiatives in the senior management positions he held at several Brooklyn-based organizations, including South Shore High School’s Adult Education Center, the Church Avenue Merchants Block Association and the Osborne Association.

Good Help and Workforce Development
Randy joined the Chamber in 2002 as Director of Workforce Development, managing Good Help, the organization’s business-driven staffing and employment assistance program.  During the fall of 2005, Good Help reached the milestone of the program’s 1,000th placement, as reported in the October/November 2005 issue of Brooklyn’s Progress.

As Vice-President of Economic Development, Randy also oversaw Brooklyn Goes Global, the Chamber’s marketing and technical assistance program for Brooklyn-based manufacturers and distributors, the Real Estate & Development program and the Chamber’s research on Brooklyn’s economy and labor markets.

Randy’s “swan song” project – helping to produce the inaugural “Brooklyn’s College to Career Expo” on May 3 with Martha Bear Dallis, Bear Dallis Associates, in cooperation with the NYC Department of Small Business Services, was a great success (see cover story).

“My tenure at the Chamber has been extremely rewarding, and I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve the borough and its business community,” said Randy.  “I am proud of the work that I was able to accomplish at the Chamber, especially helping to develop a model of integrating workforce and economic development for small business.”

Randy Peers may be reached at Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow at 718-369-0412, or at rpeers@obtjobs.org.  The organization’s Web site is at http://www.obtjobs.org/.