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Attorney takes reins of Seaford Chamber

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It was a decade ago when Mary Lucere brought her law practice to Seaford. The Massapequa native settled into office space above Dunkin Donuts on Merrick Road, and has been working there ever since.

Lucere is the new president of the Seaford Chamber of Commerce, a title that was made official during an installation ceremony last week. She has been an member of the chamber for the past three years, and said it has been a rewarding experience.

“I enjoyed meeting all the local businessmen and women,” she said, “and having that sense of community that you don’t really get when you’re sitting in an office by yourself.”

Lucere, after graduating from NYIT with a degree in humanities, began her career as a secretary in a law office. She then became a paralegal and decided to go back to school to get her law degree. Although it took 10 years as she balanced college and a job, she finished her studies at St. John’s University and was admitted to the Bar in 1988.

For years, she worked for small firms, before opening up her own practice in Lindenhurst in 2004. The following year, she came to Seaford. Lucere specializes in real estate law, landlord/tenant disputes, wills and estates, and business transactions.

“The thing I enjoy most about being an attorney is solving problems and assisting people with their problems,” she said. Lucere also gives her time to represent indigent tenants through the Volunteer Lawyers Project, and she mentors students at Clarke Middle School in Westbury through the Nassau County Bar Association.

Lucere explained that networking is one of the biggest advantages to being a member of a Chamber of Commerce. The opportunity to interact with other local business owners is valuable, she said, which is why she wants to have more networking events.

In an age where people spend a lot of time on their phones and computers, Lucere wants to establish more personal connections among business owners. “There’s nothing like face-to-face contact,” she said. “Business people need to socialize.”

Lucere is a member of Business Networking International, and she also is part of an informal group of professionals that meet every Friday morning.

As president, she hopes to grow membership in the organization. During the October membership drive, she walked to almost every business with a Seaford address, and would like to do that again when the weather gets a little warmer.

Lucere said she is looking forward to representing the Chamber at functions in Seaford and throughout Nassau County.

Ken Jacobson, a past president of the Chamber, will serve as first vice president this year and said he will be available to help out Lucere in any way. He said he is excited that she decided to accept the presidency.

“She cares about the community,” he said. “She doesn’t just care about her own success. She wants to see businesses throughout the community succeed. She wants to see business members supporting each other, which is the way it should work.”

Jacobson added that Lucere “has what it takes” to lead to organization and knows how to delegate. On top of that, he said Lucere will represent the Chamber well.

Lucere said she is lucky to have a supportive group of officers and directors behind her. She noted that the Chamber’s leadership is good mix of long-time members, as well as some newcomers.

A graduate of Berner High School, Lucere still lives in Massapequa. She has two daughters — Kathleen, a recent graduate of SUNY Albany who plans to attend medical school, and Sarah, who is studying chemical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In her spare time, Lucere enjoys line dancing, listening to bands and going to the movies. She can often be found at the Seaford Cinemas.

In the coming months, she is looking forward to the many of the Chamber’s staple events including the Easter egg hunt, craft fairs and awarding a scholarship to a graduating Seaford High School senior.

Lucere’s ultimate goal is to put Seaford on the map, and she said she is ready to do the work expected of a president. “I know it’s big commitment,” she said, “and I’m up to the challenge.”