NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact for the Chamber:
Erin Murphy
, 617.557.7324
January 16, 2008
Gloria Larson,
Bentley
College
President, to Serve as Chair of Greater
Boston
Chamber
GLORIA LARSON, BENTLY COLLEGE PRESIDENT, TO SERVE AS CHAIR OF GREATER
BOSTON
CHAMBER
Chamber’s Executive Committee Elects Higher Education Leader & Former Secretary of Economic Affairs
Boston (January 16, 2008) – The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce announced today that Gloria Cordes Larson, president of Bentley College, has been chosen to serve as the new chair of the Chamber. Her two-year term will begin on May 14, when she is inaugurated at the Chamber’s 99th Annual Meeting & Dinner. Larson was the unanimous choice of the Chamber’s Executive and Nominating Committees.
“Gloria Larson has demonstrated outstanding leadership in
Massachusetts
, in both the public and private sectors,” said Ralph Martin, who is partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP and has served as the chair of the Chamber since 2006. “Her unique experience as a business, public policy, and academic leader will be instrumental in advancing Greater Boston’s preeminence as one of the world’s great metropolitan regions.”
In accepting her new responsibilities, Larson stated: “The Chamber’s mission to promote a strong, growing economy is critically important. I look forward to serving as chair of the Chamber and advancing its work to encourage industry innovation, economic growth, and job creation here in
Massachusetts
.”
“Gloria’s outstanding track record as an effective bridge-builder coupled with her vision for the future make her one of Greater Boston’s most respected leaders,” said Paul Guzzi, president and CEO of the Chamber. “As we work to strengthen collaboration among business, government, and academia, Gloria’s leadership will be an enormous asset.”
Larson was elected to the presidency of
Bentley
College
in July of 2007. Bentley is a leader in business education, enrolling approximately 5,600 graduate and undergraduate students. Formerly the co-chair of the Government Strategies Group at Foley Hoag, Larson managed a practice that covered federal, state, and local regulatory and business development issues. She was Secretary of Economic Affairs from 1993 to 1996, responsible for developing and promoting economic growth policies and fostering employment opportunities in
Massachusetts
. She served as Secretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation from 1991 to 1993, under Governor William Weld. Prior to her state service, she managed business and regulatory issues at the federal level as a senior official with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
An advocate for economic growth and job creation, Larson has chaired or served on the boards of the New England Council, MassINC, the Massachusetts Women’s Forum, and the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. She has been a member of the Chamber’s board of directors since 2001. A noted bi-partisan civic leader, Larson served as co-chair of Governor Deval Patrick’s Transition Team and as chair of Governor Mitt Romney’s Transportation and Housing Transition
Team. She was also appointed by Governor Romney to the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy Board and appointed to the Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention by Mayor Thomas Menino. The recipient of several honors and awards, Larson received her bachelor of arts from
Vassar
College
and her juris doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law.
THE GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER is a broad-based association representing more than 1,700 businesses of all sizes from virtually every industry and profession in our region. At the crossroads of business and government, Chamber members work together to ensure the long-term advancement of Greater Boston as one of the world’s great metropolitan regions.
BENTLEY is centered on education and research in business and related professions, blending the breadth and technological strength of a university with the values and student focus of a small college. The undergraduate curriculum combines business study with a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. A broad array of offerings at the McCallum Graduate School emphasize the impact of technology on business practice, including MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs
in accountancy and in business, and selected executive programs. Enrolling approximately 4,000 full-time undergraduate, 250 adult part-time undergraduate, 1,400 graduate, and 20 doctoral students, Bentley is located in
Waltham
,
Mass.
, minutes west of
Boston
.