el ong ▁resident ▁of ▁Low ell . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁long - time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Ste . ▁Jean ne ▁d ' Ar c ▁Church ▁in ▁the ▁P awt uck et ville ▁Section , ▁and ▁also ▁founded ▁Mer cier ▁Real ty ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁His ▁public ▁service ▁career ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁as ▁the ▁labor ▁app o inte e ▁to ▁the ▁Low ell ▁Public ▁H ous ing ▁Board ▁of ▁Commission ers ▁as ▁the ▁Governor ’ s ▁Represent ative ▁for ▁the ▁Low ell ▁Public ▁H ous ing . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Chair man , ▁Vice - Ch air man , ▁Commission er ▁and ▁Executive ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Low ell ▁H ous ing ▁Author ity , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Development ▁Director ▁and ▁Executive ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Low ell ▁Historical ▁Pres ervation ▁Commission . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁Low ell ▁Plan ▁of ▁Direct ors ; ▁Community ▁Team work ▁In cor por ated ▁( CT I ); ▁Center ▁C ities ▁Committee , ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Chapter ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁R ede velop ment ▁( NA H RO ); ▁Board ▁of ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁Jean ne ▁D ’ Ar c ▁Cred it ▁Union , ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Low ell ▁March ▁of ▁D imes ▁and ▁De legate ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁Labor ▁Council . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁final ist ▁for ▁the ▁position ▁Low ell ▁City ▁Manager . ▁The ▁city ▁council ▁chose ▁Holy oke ▁Mayor ▁William