Special to the Informant By Teniqua Broughton
In the wake of Robin Reed’s passing, we find ourselves grasping for words to adequately convey the depth of our sorrow and the magnitude of our loss. Robin, as president of the Black Chamber of Arizona, embodied the very essence of exemplary leadership. His unwavering commitment to advancing economic empowerment, fostering entrepreneurship, and championing social justice initiatives left a lasting mark on our community.
Robin was not merely a colleague; he was a champion of the State of Black Arizona’s work and, more personally, of my own leadership. Together, we navigated the intricate landscape of the State of Black Business, his guidance proving invaluable at every turn. His willingness to lend a helping hand, to coach and mentor those seeking to make a difference, reflected his profound belief in the power of collective action and individual agency.
A fervent advocate for the utilization of data in driving meaningful change, Robin was, at his core, a “data guy” who understood the pivotal role of information in shaping informed decisions. Yet, beyond statistics and analytics, he possessed an innate desire to do good within our community, utilizing his influence as a silent force for positive transformation.
I witnessed firsthand Robin’s visionary approach and tireless advocacy. His efforts, though often unseen by many, touched countless lives and inspired others to join us in our shared mission for a more equitable and resilient future.
As we mourn his passing, let us also celebrate Robin’s remarkable legacy. Let us honor his memory by continuing the work he held dear, by lifting up our community in ways both seen and unseen. Robin Reed may have left us, but his spirit of compassion, dedication, and unwavering determination will forever guide our path forward.
Rest in peace, dear Robin. Your presence will be deeply missed, but your impact will endure for generations to come. (Teniqua Broughton is executive director of The State of Black Arizona.)
Robin S. Reed, served as president and CEO of Black Chamber of Arizona. He died at age 62 last week.
Reed had more than 40 years of experience as a business owner, serial entrepreneur, and business consultant. The entrepreneur at heart, Reed started, acquired, operated, and sold several companies over his 40-year career. He also was president of Occam Sustainability Partners (OSP) and principal/partner with EmFluent.
Working closely with an outstanding board of directors, Reed transformed the Chamber into an inclusive and forward thinking community organization that prides itself on collaboration and delivering quality tools and information to its member businesses to foster growth and development of their companies. OSP & EmFluent are privately held companies founded by Robin and address specific needs relative to their market segment. Prior to starting OSP & EmFluent, Robin was a financial advisor with two major wire houses. During his time in the financial services industry, ge specialized in restricted and estate stock transactions.
All these experiences have led to Robin finding his next passion, which is speaking to and coaching business owners by applying his ability to see what is possible and take it to the next level. He has presented several talks for an annual international business summit in Mexico, delivered keynotes and breakouts at several local events and has served as an authority for numerous panel discussions. He has also been interviewed and aired several times for topical news segments as well as written several business-related articles for the Business Journal.
In the community, Reed held multiple board seats as well as co-chair positions. His involvement included: Blue Business Council (Advisory Board To Phoenix Chief of Police); Phoenix College President’s Advisory Board; Paradise Valley Community College; SilentWitness; Phoenix P.D.Disciplinary Review Board; Phoenix P.D. Use of Force Board; 1Mission; Treasure House; Valley of the Sun United Way; Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Arizona State University, Knowledge Exchange for Resilience (KER), Council of Resilience Leaders; and ASU W.P. Carey School of Business, AZNext-Steering Committee.
Reed was originally from northern California. He leaves behind his wife, an adult son and twin daughters in college.
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