Randy Peers

President and CEO at Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce

Randy Peers joined the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce as  President and CEO on September 9, 2019.  He brings  decades of workforce and economic development expertise, and several years of executive leadership experience growing  not-for-profit organizations that serve the business community.

During his tenure thus far at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce,  which has been heavily influenced by the COVID pandemic response, Randy has overseen the launch of five significant new initiatives focused on supporting Brooklyn small businesses while advancing the overall theme of equity —  the Small Business Resource Network, which was adopted city-wide; the Brooklyn EXCELerate social justice lending program; the neighborhood development concentrations in Canarsie, Homecrest and Bushwick; the Brooklyn Entrepreneur Academy;  and the launch of the Brooklyn Made Store, which have all led to meaningful investments and support for small businesses throughout the borough.  In addition, Randy significantly expanded the Brooklyn Chamber’s international work, hosting over forty foreign delegations visiting Brooklyn,  developing partnerships with Seoul, Korea, Ghana, Pakistan, and Dubai, and launching an international affiliate membership program.

Randy  previously served as the inaugural President & CEO of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) in Berks County, PA. For over a decade  he was CEO of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow (OBT), a Brooklyn-headquartered workforce development organization that was the leading provider of disconnected youth job training services in NYC.  From 2002-2006, Randy served as Vice President of Economic Development at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.   Randy also serves as a Mayoral appointee to the NYC Industrial Development Authority and the NYC Workforce Investment Board.  He also serves as a Borough President appointee to the Brooklyn Public Library.

Randy holds a Bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College and an MPA from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service. Randy was born, raised, and spent most of his professional career in Brooklyn, having lived in five different neighborhoods across the borough.