Earl Prolman was recently recognized by the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce as the 2025 Citizen of the Year. Telegraph photo by CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON

NASHUA – For the past 60 years, Earl Prolman has set the gold standard for philanthropy.

In honor of his many fundraising efforts and unconditional support for numerous nonprofit organizations, Prolman was crowned Citizen of the Year by the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 12.

“This is overwhelming, it’s been my honor,” Prolman said during the chamber’s 97th annual gala. “I wanted to give back and I didn’t know how it was going to happen until it began to happen.”

One of his greatest accomplishments was raising money for a new YMCA in Nashua. In addition to the typical fundraising challenges, it was also 2008 and the nation had plunged into the Great Recession.

“The economy had gone to hell,” said Prolman. “They said we couldn’t do it and that’s just what I needed to hear.”

He went on to raise $1.9 million and the new YMCA of Greater Nashua was opened in May 2011.

Prolman was also instrumental in establishing the New Hampshire chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 1984. Since then, the chapter has granted more than 2,000 wishes.

“I knew it was better to give than to get,” he said.

After graduating from the Tilton School, Prolman received his Associate degree from Nichols College and later established a scholarship for the college’s business school. After graduating from Nichols, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and played football throughout Europe.

Upon returning to the U.S., Prolman enrolled at Suffolk University and graduated in 1958. He began working at New York Life four years later. Prolman went on to receive the Top of the Table award, recognizing him as one of the premier life insurance professionals in the world. He has also been a member of the company’s Million Dollar Roundtable for more than 50 years.

Betty Tamposi, the mother of Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), said Prolman has truly become “Mr. Nashua” despite being from Laconia.

She remembered the parties that Prolman and his wife, Marilyn, would host during the games between Nashua High School South and Bishop Guertin High School.

“That was Earl building community,” said Tamposi. “That was the party of the year.”

Brian Law, the 2024 Citizen of the Year, said Prolman would wake up at 6 a.m. to go workout at the Y. He would arrive at work at 8 a.m. and be home for dinner by 5:30. However, his day was not over yet as Prolman would return to the office until 9 p.m.

“He’s one who leads by example,” said Law. “Earl never missed a hockey game or a family event.”

Although he could have retired decades ago, Law said Prolman, 92, continues to “live with a purpose:” He still gets up and goes to work every day — never missing an opportunity to sell life insurance.