Vaccaro, James “Jim”

Vaccaro, James “Jim”, Assistant Principal, Plympton School, Director, Title 1

James "Jim" Vaccaro of Mashpee passed away on March 15, 2020. He is survived by his loving wife and best friend Janice. He is also survived by his sons Michael and Peter Vaccaro of Virginia and John Vaccaro of East Longmeadow and Hyannis. He leaves two brothers, Joseph of Marshfield and John L. Vaccaro of Cambridge and a sister, Phyllis Jordan of Amherst. He is also survived by six grandchildren.

He held a number of administrative posts in the Waltham School System before founding The Survey Center, a market and political research firm which operated for many years from offices in the Popponesset Marketplace in Mashpee. When that firm was acquired he formed the Strategic Consulting Group which provided business consulting services from its office in Mashpee Commons and became the parent company of Cape Cod Business Brokers and SeaGrass Realty. As part of the development team of Mashpee Commons, he helped plan the mixed-use phase of the Commons currently being constructed. He served as a Director for several companies including being a Board member of The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod. At the time of his passing he was a Director of M3 Ventures operators of Triple M medical marijuana dispensaries in Mashpee and Plymouth. He was perhaps best known for his extensive involvement in civic, community and philanthropic affairs. He had a life-long passion for government and politics and served the Town of Mashpee in a variety of elected and appointed positions. He chaired the Board of Selectmen during the rapid growth period of the 1990's and prior to that Chaired the Finance Committee during the turbulent financial times of the late 1980's and early 90's. As Selectman he oversaw the building of several town buildings including Mashpee High School and was Chairman of the Building Committee for the renovation and reconstruction of the S.G. Davis School into Town Hall. After stepping down as Selectman he continued his involvement in several advisory roles and served for many years as Registrar of Voters.

His pride and joy was Mashpee Night at the Pops. Involved from its inception, he became its President and later its executive producer and help grow the event to become, for 20 years, the biggest night of the year in Mashpee. At the final Pops event in 2011, his colleagues honored him by being Guest Conductor of the Symphony which he described as being the longest two minutes of his life. He was also the Founding President of MashpeeTV. He served in numerous philanthropic and charitable capacities. He was President and Chairman of the Board of the Cape Cod Foundation, the assets of which grew by many millions during his tenure. At the time of his passing he was a Trustee and Officer of the Cape Cod Association (the Cape's largest provider of Scholarships) and the Joshua Nickerson Society. He was also on the Boards of Mashpee Pops and Mashpee TV. Jim was a founding parishioner of the Parish of Christ The King and headed the fundraising effort for its interior renewal and renovation and served on the Building Committee for that project.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Mashpee Scholarship Foundation Trust P.O. Box 1284 Mashpee, Ma 02649.