The Greater Boston Chamber today announced the 2008 inductees into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.  These outstanding leaders were selected for their significant contributions to the Greater Boston community and will be honored at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on May 14 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.  The 2008 inductees are:

  • Micho Spring, Chair, U.S. Corporate Practice & Weber Shandwick New England, Weber Shandwick Worldwide
  • Ted Cutler, Philanthropist and Vice President, The Interface Group – MA
  • Lawrence K. Fish, Chairman, Citizens Financial Group
  • Peter Meade, former Executive Vice President, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.

Attracting more than 1,000 business and government leaders, the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Dinner is a signature event for the region and one of the single largest gatherings of the Greater Boston business community.  The inductees will join a renowned group of current members of the Academy, including business leaders, philanthropists, governors, congressmen, cultural dignitaries, and sports greats.  More information on the Annual Meeting and a list of past inductees are available on bostonchamber.com. 

Micho Spring is chairperson of the U.S. Corporate practice and leads the New England office for Weber Shandwick Worldwide.  She is the former CEO of Boston Telecommunications Company, worked as Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Kevin White, and served for four years as Deputy Mayor of the City of Boston.  As a government, civic, and business leader, Spring has helped shape public debate on numerous issues in Boston and beyond.  She has managed numerous political and advocacy campaigns, and is consistently ranked as one of Boston’s most powerful women.

Ted Cutler is an internationally recognized innovator in the travel industry and a leader in Boston’s civic and philanthropic communities, most notably in the fields of education, the arts, and health care. Over the course of several decades, Cutler has become a vital figure in the charitable and non-profit worlds of Greater Boston.  His current endeavors include creating a collaborative arts initiative with many recognized local institutions, serving as co-chair of the campaign for the Greater Boston Food Bank, and chair of the board of the Hebrew College.

Lawrence K. Fish is chairman of Citizens Financial Group (CFG).  Over the past fifteen years under Fish’s leadership, CFG has grown more than 30 fold, now ranking as one of the ten largest banking companies in the United States.  He holds leadership positions in numerous business and community organizations, serving as a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Textron, Inc., and a member of the MIT Corporation. Fish also serves as an overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and on the boards of Boston’s Dimock Community Foundation and Rosie’s Place.

Peter Meade is former executive vice president at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, where his leadership and experience were instrumental in strengthening ties with government and in the community.  A longtime leader in Boston’s business and civic life, Meade previously headed the New England Council, spent a decade as a talk show host on WBZ Newsradio 1030, and served as Boston public safety coordinator during federally mandated school desegregation.  He is the chair of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, chair of the board of trustees at Emerson College, and co-chair of MassInc.

Click here to register for the Chamber's 99th Annual Meeting on May 14.


In today's edition of the Metro, Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi talked to AIG's Ron Willett about his company, Boston, and pond hockey.

Ron began his career as a sales representative in the Accident & Health Division of

 
AIG, and has held positions of increasing responsibility in several different divisions over the past 15 years.  He was named vice president in April of 2006, and is now responsible for all of AIG’s Fortune 500 business (across all product lines) in the Northeast.  Ron lives in Marblehead with his wife Jacquie and their 5 year old son Brendan.

PG: If you were recruiting someone to work for you, what would be your number one selling point about the company you work for?

RW: AIG is a powerhouse Financial Services company with $1 Trillion in Assets and the most professional and talented people in the business.  We are the largest insurance company in the World.

PG: What is your favorite thing about working in Boston?

RW:  I grew up here (Hyannis), so my favorite thing about working in Boston is being home.  The connections that I have established throughout my life are all still in play.  Boston is more of a big town than a city. 

PG: Favorite place to take a client for lunch?

RW: Mr. Dooley's.
 
PG:  Tell us something we should know about you.
 
RW: Every January my Brother (John), some good friends, and I travel out to Minneapolis to play in the US Pond Hockey Championships.

Read the full interview here.

 


This morning the Chamber hosted an Economic Outlook Breakfast with Sovereign Bank. 


This annual event featured the presentation of results from Sovereign's survey of Chamber members on the economy, as well as a panel discussion featuring Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill, John Fish, president & CEO of Suffolk Construction, and Ellen Zane, president & CEO of Tufts-New England Medical Center.


View photos of the event here.

 



Brooke Botello is the featured member of our Boston's Future Leaders alumni in today's edition of the Metro.

Brooke has worked at McDermott Ventures, a Boutique Strategic Communication, Public Affairs and Public Relations firm since her arrival in Boston over 4 years ago. She is also a contributing writer for Colors Magazine.

For today's column, Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi asked Brooke about working in Boston, advice for young grads, and other topics.

PG: What is your favorite thing about working in Boston?

BB: Boston is a world-class city with a small-town feel. I noticed immediately after moving here that everyone knows each other and there’s no 6 degrees of separation here. Most people want to really invest in making Boston great. It’s inspiring.

PG: If you could have a dinner with anyone, who would it be & why?

BB: Al Franken. I’ve read everything he’s written. He’s intelligent, unafraid to take on the opposition and laugh out loud funny.

PG: What piece of advice would you give a young college graduate starting out on his/her career?

BB: Meet with as many people in as many industries as possible. Even if you think you have no interest in the field. When you have all the information, then you can make informed decisions about your career.

Read the full interview here.

 

 


Rob Nagi is this week's featured Boston Future Leader in yesterday's Metro column.