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Raise the Region 2026 Brings Community Together to Honor Mark Eagan and Mona Golub as 2026 Beacons of Light

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region (CFGCR) hosted its annual Raise the Region event at the Marriott Albany, bringing together more than 400 business leaders, philanthropists, and community members to celebrate the individuals whose leadership has shaped the Capital Region. The luncheon, hosted by the CFGCR staff and Board, honored two 2026 Beacon of Light recipients for their decades of service to the region.

This year’s Beacon of Light honorees were Mark Eagan, CCE, President and CEO of the Capital Region Chamber and the Center for Economic Growth, and Mona Golub, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at Northeast Grocery, Inc. Both were recognized for decades of leadership that has strengthened economic development, workforce growth, and community engagement across the region.

For more than 30 years, Eagan has been a driving force in advancing economic development across the Capital Region. As President and CEO of the Capital Region Chamber, he was selected to lead the Center for Economic Growth when the two organizations affiliated in 2021, uniting them under a shared vision for regional prosperity. Today, his steady, collaborative leadership aligns 2,400 member businesses and an eight-county economic development organization around catalytic leadership, workforce development, and high-impact member services.

Golub has built meaningful connections between business and community across the Capital Region. Beginning with Price Chopper/Market 32, which later merged with Tops Markets to form Northeast Grocery, Inc., Mona spent more than three decades shaping the partnerships and public engagement that earned the nearly 300-store chain national recognition for community involvement. Among her most enduring gifts is founding Schenectady’s Music Haven, a beloved concert series. In addition to free concerts Music Haven has expanded to offer film and theatre

“Each year, we are in awe of our community when they come together for Raise the Region,” said John Eberle, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. “It is a true testament of the positivity that is around us and showcases the good we share.”