Gordon Douglas MacKay

Gordon Douglas MacKay, 78, former Senior Vice President of The New England in Boston, MA, died peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, September 10, 2016 in Potomac Falls, Virginia.

Mr. MacKay’s career encompassed a mix of sales, finance and community service, which included a 34 year career at The New England (formerly New England Life) as Senior Vice President to Chairman of his own consulting firm with a variety of clients.

Mr. MacKay had years of experience in public affairs, public relations and community affairs. Mr. MacKay specialized in Washington representation serving clients in legislative, regulatory and education matters. His clients included companies in the Insurance field, Financial Services, Software Industries and International Companies.

After holding a number of local and national positions, Mr. MacKay served as the first President of the National Association of Partners in Education whose constituencies included four million school volunteers and over 150,000 educational partnership programs. His interest in education dates back to 1963 when he was a member of the founding committee and the first President of the Boston School Volunteer Program.

In conjunction with his political consulting work, Mr. MacKay was Executive Director for International Partners in Education (IPE), concentrating on developing international education partnerships and also a Senior Advisor for the National Council for Community & Educational Partnerships.

During the time he represented clients in Washington, DC, Mr. MacKay was very active in many industrial and trade associations. In particular, he was a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs Committee, Former Honorary Consul of Luxembourg for Boston and a member of the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC). In 1992 he was elected to the College of Fellows, Public Relations Society of America.

Mr. MacKay was a founding member and President of the State Governmental Affairs Council. He chaired a committee of the six New England governors to develop a Winter Olympics bid for the 1976 Olympics. He was Chairman of The New England Council and was Chairman of their Washington Operations Committee, coordinating New England business issues with members of the New England delegation. He was Chairman of the Councils International Trade Committee and served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (MSCPA) and a corporate member of both Bentley College and the New England Deaconess Hospital.

Early in his career, Mr. MacKay was active in the Junior Chamber of Commerce, serving as President of the Boston Chapter and also elected as National Director and then Chairman of the Metropolitan Operations. Mr. MacKay was a JCI Senator. He served as President of the Back Bay Association and was a founding member of the Back Bay Federation in Boston. The Federation was one of the first model community agencies in the United States.

Mr. MacKay received his BS from Ohio State University and Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College. He joined William Parkman Lodge in Woburn, Massachusetts on April 20, 1961 and affiliated with Winchester Hiram Lodge in February, 2009. He had also been a longtime member of Shriners International.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Susan; two daughters, Rebecca MacKay Birks (and husband, James Michael Birks) and Martha Frazier MacKay; and brother, Robert Bruce MacKay (and his wife, Joanne). He was the proud grandfather to five grandchildren: James Douglas Birks, Michael Roderick Birks, Victoria Way Birks, Erin Meadows Graham and Cameron Elizabeth Graham.

The MacKay family will receive friends and family at 9:30am on Thursday, September 15th with a Funeral Service to follow at 10:00am. Services will be held at the Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel, 1600 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA 22601.

In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation, they can be made to either the Sunrise Team Appreciation Fund: Sunrise of Countryside/Team Member Appreciation Fund, 45800 Jona Drive, Potomac Falls, VA 20165 or to Capital Caring Hospice: http://tinyurl.com/GDMDonation.

Please view obituary and tribute wall at www.ompsfuneralhome.com.