When Frank Ferrara retired in 2014, he described his 18 year tenure at the Chamber of Commerce as “a great, great ride.”

Ferrara’s ride came to a halt on Tuesday, Sept. 19, when he passed away at the age of 80 in MorningStar Care Facility.

The Chamber of Commerce opened its Sept. 21 breakfast meeting with a silent moment of tribute to the business organization’s past CEO and president. He retired in January 2015.

A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28, at Church of the Ascension after which a luncheon and celebration of life will follow in the church hall.

Past and current members consider Ferrara as a leader who financially rescued the Chamber when he came on board and pushed for construction of the Chamber office at the corner of N. Verde River Dr. and Palisades Blvd.

Ferrara first served two terms as Chamber president before being appointed executive director in 1998. Before accepting the position, he operated a mortgage loan business preceded by a 25-year management career with the federal Department of Defense/Department of the Army.

“Things were tough back then,” Ferrara said when looking back on his start at the Chamber. “The first thing I did was to take a look at the (financial) books and cried, and then decided that we had to pull this out and we did.”

He successfully convinced the former Meridian Bank to approve a 90-day loan to carry the Chamber. He later returned to Meridian for a 15-year mortgage to build the Chamber building.

The Chamber put down a $50,000 deposit and borrowed $514,939.23 for 15 years at 8 percent. Ferrara told the board that he would accelerate payments to pay off the mortgage early. The mortgage was paid within seven years.

Ferrara considered burning the mortgage one of the highlights of his Chamber career.

Former school superintendent Dr. Bill Myhr remembers Ferrara as “one of the town’s greatest leaders” for bringing together businesses in the early years, when it was needed the most.

Membership was only around 100 when Ferrara became executive director. Under his leadership, membership rose to 620 at its high point.

Under his watch, Ferrara represented the Chamber in advocating construction of the Target plaza at a time when many town residents opposed the concept.

Mark McDermott, former Chamber chair and executive director of the former Visitors Bureau, said Ferrara “totally got it that visitors are so important to enhancing the economy of a community. I loved working with him, and in the process he became one of my very dearest friends.”

The Chamber handled tourism initiatives and marketing under a contract with the town before the town took over the function in 2013.

“Frank was, simply put, a remarkable, special person,” said McDermott. “He spent his entire career in service to his country and his community and he was tirelessly passionate about what he was doing…to the point of never really wishing to retire.

“He made the Fountain Hills Chamber one of the most successful chambers anywhere for a town of our size.”

Colleague and long-time friend Sharon Morgan said she cherishes Ferrara’s smile, massive hugs and philosophy that family should supersede work.

“He was the first person I ever worked for who felt that when it came to making a choice between work or family, family should come first,” said Morgan.

When it came to the art festivals that she managed, Morgan said “he let me have free reign. He never stepped on my toes. He was a teddy bear.”