NASHUA — Leaders of area businesses and non-profits gathered this week to hear the story of Paul Hebert, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Nashua.

“Growing up in a family business was an excellent, excellent way to learn about customer service and to learn about community service,” said Hebert, whose family owned the bygone Rice's Pharmacy in downtown Nashua.

“There aren't a lot of 7-year-olds who get a chance to earn a living and save up for college.”

Hebert spoke at the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce's Brain Food luncheon. He recounted his beginnings in the private sector, working as an IT consultant for California hospitals before returning to his home town to do the same.

He started his own business, Decision Management Associates, which lasted 10 years.

“It's been a terrific ride being my own boss,” Hebert said. “Growing up in a family business does that to you, it sort of ruins you for corporate America.”

Though he's been involved with the group for years, in January he was tapped by Nashua's United Way to head the operation. He said it was a perfect fit — during his years in Nashua he has been involved with as many as 20 non-profit organizations. And with all his connections in the private sector, Hebert is positioned to lead the United Way as it undergoes an overhaul.

The organization announced last month it would be liquidating some staff positions, revamping its website and cutting overhead by 25 percent.

With “my background in business transitions it was exactly what we'd been looking for to help us take United Way to the next level,” Hebert said.

But there were three things about the United Way's approach that really squared with Hebert's views on charitable giving. He boiled it down to three questions he had originally asked when looking at what organizations to support: How do I know where there greatest needs are? How do I know which are the most effective agencies? And how do I know they're actually doing something with the money to affect conditions they're targeting? The United Way of Greater Nashua met all these criteria.

“We fund specific sets of actions that have defined outcome measurements — and definite staff and definite operating procedures — that the agencies then agree to measure programs against this set of outcomes.”

Hebert stressed the impact of the recent hard economic times on charitable giving. “Something's going to break, and I think it's going to break soon.”

The United Way looked at 60 service organizations in the area, determining that donations were down $3.5 to $5 million annually.

The United Way itself invests more than $3 million in the community each year, though their post-recession income has dwindled by about $1 million.

He urged people to look at different ways of giving money, services or in-kind donations. And the benefit of giving to the United Way is clear. “When you pool your (money) with other people and you have an organization like the United Way who can enforce that accountability,” that's where the future is.

Asked what his biggest challenges have been over the years, Hebert said patience. “It's not something that I'm blessed with. Part of it is growing up in a family… and part of it is just my DNA.”

But the best way to deal with one's shortcomings is through self-awareness.

“Understanding that not everyone is wired (like you are) is important,” he said. “It's all about striking a balance.”

srios@newstote.com