BCA's Stacy dies unexpectedly

Ralph Stacy, an executive with the Business Council of Alabama, died unexpectedly on Tuesday.
"We are profoundly saddened by Ralph's death," BCA President William Canary said in a statement released by the council. "He was an important part of our senior leadership team, and everyone in the BCA, both staff and membership, as well as his extended network of personal and professional friends in The Partnership, will miss him. Our prayers are with Ralph's family as they suffer this loss."
Stacy has served as the senior vice-president for strategic communications at BCA since January. He also served as executive director of The Partnership, an organization that links more than 120 local chambers of commerce statewide and their nearly 50,000 business members with BCA.
Stacy was also the founding president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama.
The Georgiana native recently received "America's Champion of Small Business Award" from the National Coalition of Capital and received the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama's Jamie Wallace Award for lifetime achievement in 2009.
"Ralph's contribution to the BCA, The Partnership, and their respective memberships went far beyond his daily professional work there," said BCA Chairman Sandy Stimpson. "He was our spiritual and temporal cheerleader, a constant, enthusiastic presence who urged us to do and believe the best of ourselves and our efforts. He will be missed."
He is survived by his wife, Angel Stacy, and his daughter, Savannah, both of Montgomery.
Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen