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NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact for the Chamber:
Charles Rudnick, 617.875.9388
MASS. CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY HEAD JAMES E. ROONEY
TO BE NEXT CEO OF GREATER BOSTON CHAMBER
Boston, MA (March 31, 2015) – The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce today announced
that James E. Rooney, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority,
has been selected to be the Chamber’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. Rooney will
succeed current Chamber President and CEO Paul Guzzi and assume the post on July 1.
Rooney was selected by a Chamber search committee and unanimously approved by the
Chamber’s Board of Directors. The search committee was led by Karen Kaplan, Chairman and
CEO of Hill Holliday and former Chamber Chairman, and Dr. Navjot Singh, Managing Partner
of McKinsey & Co. in Boston and incoming Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. The
search was conducted by Korn Ferry, led by Bob Sullivan in Boston and Lorraine Lavet in
Washington, D.C. After considering a large pool of candidates, the search committee determined
that Rooney has the leadership experience and the vision to guide the Chamber into its next
phase.
“On behalf of the entire Greater Boston Chamber, we welcome Jim to the team with great
confidence in his ability to lead the Chamber as it begins a new chapter,” Dr. Singh said. “For
more than a decade, Jim has shown great skill in building award-winning facilities and attracting
world renowned events and thought leaders to the City of Boston. His breadth of experience and
great understanding of our city’s strengths and challenges make him the perfect choice to drive
our organization into the future.”
“Jim Rooney was the most strategic thinker of all the candidates and presented the clearest, most
ambitious, thoughtful, and sophisticated plan for the chamber,” said Karen Kaplan. “With a
proven track record and an openness to change, the selection committee unanimously agreed that
he is the best candidate to deliver that vision.”
“I am thrilled and honored to be selected to lead the Chamber,” Rooney said. “I can’t wait to get
started.” He added: “I applaud Paul Guzzi for his leadership in creating a runway for the
Chamber to take off on a new journey where we remain mindful of our core mission to drive
economic growth throughout the region while embracing Boston’s new economy and
demographic realities.”
Guzzi, who has led the organization for 19 years and will remain in his position until July 1, said:
“I am proud of the work of the Chamber and its role in this community, and I think Jim is an
outstanding choice to serve as the Chamber’s next President and CEO.”
Rooney will assume leadership of the Chamber during a time of transition and opportunity for
the organization. With 1,500 members from all corners of the region’s economy, the Chamber is
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one of the largest and most respected business organizations in Greater Boston. Both current
Chair John Fish and Dr. Singh, the incoming Chair, have made it a priority to leverage the
Chamber’s strong position to both strengthen the region’s innovation economy and help the
organization evolve into a “Chamber of the Future”.
Rooney’s selection was applauded by city and state leaders.
“With a dynamic background and strong business experience, Jim will excel in this new role and
enrich the partnerships at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce,” said Governor Charlie
Baker. “I look forward to working with him in the future to strengthen economic growth and
drive success in Boston and beyond.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Jim on many important issues, not just as the Mayor of
Boston, but when I was a State Representative as well,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh.
“Throughout his career, he has always balanced the objectives of his organization with the best
interests of the City of Boston. I look forward to working with Jim even more in his new role as
the leader of the Greater Boston Chamber and to tackling important issues such as increasing
housing, improving education and supporting local businesses for many years to come.”
“Our search committee had an important and challenging assignment—to fill the very large
shoes left by Chamber President and CEO Paul Guzzi and find a proven leader who could help
us define the ‘Chamber of the Future,’” said John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk
Construction and current Chamber Chairman. “With the hiring of Jim Rooney as the new
President and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber, we are confident we have accomplished
those ambitious objectives. We are absolutely thrilled to have Jim lead this important
organization at a critical time in our history, as we begin the next chapter of business
collaboration, partnership and influence to strengthen the competitiveness of Boston and our
entire region.”
Rooney brings deep ties to the area’s business and political community. He has served as
executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) since 2003,
overseeing the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), the John B. Hynes Veterans
Memorial Convention Center in Boston’s Back Bay, the Boston Common Garage, and the
MassMutual Center in Springfield. Today, conventions at Boston facilities generate more than
$500 million in annual economic impact for the Commonwealth and Greater Boston.
Rooney praised the MCCA board and his team, noting that “when we arrived at 415 Summer
Street in 2001, the BCEC was just a massive pile of dirt. Together, we have built not just a
spectacular facility, but a culture of excellence that is known throughout the world. We have
welcomed millions of people from around the globe and from every neighborhood. Time and
again, we have proven our critics wrong. Our work together is something I will always be proud
of. Thank you for 14 years, and an experience in my career that will be a part of me forever.”
Prior to joining the MCCA, Rooney served as chief of staff to Mayor Thomas M. Menino. He
also worked for 18 years at the MBTA, rising to deputy general manager, and served in senior
positions at the Mass. Turnpike Authority and Central Artery Project. He grew up in South
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Boston, and is a graduate of Harvard College and attended Boston University’s School of
Management. Rooney lives in Dorchester with his wife, Maryanne.
Members of the Search Committee
Members of the search committee included Dr. Navjot Singh, Managing Director of McKinsey
& Co. in Boston and incoming Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors; Karen Kaplan,
Chairman and CEO of Hill Holliday; John Fish, Chairman & CEO of Suffolk Construction
Company, Inc. and current Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors; Paul Ayoub, Partner
at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP; Dan Koh, Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh;
Ralph Martin, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Northeastern University; Barry
Nearhos, Managing Partner of PwC’s Northeast operations; Walter Prince, Partner at Prince
Lobel; and Kimberly Steimle-Vaughan, Chief People & Marketing Officer at Suffolk
Construction Company, Inc.
Reactions to the appointment from Committee members
“Jim emerged as our top candidate for several reasons He knows the city's history and has helped
lead its evolution; he understands the importance of creating a composite Chamber that is
representative of its constituents and inclusive of groups that are under-represented; and he has a
compelling vision for the Chamber's continued relevance and broader reach.” – Ralph Martin
“I’m really pleased that we formed a large committee, spent the time we did, and met with so
many candidates from varying backgrounds and locations. We learned a lot and it became clear
that Jim had the best vision, breadth of experience, and openness to lead the Chamber into the
future.” – Barry Nearhos
“Having been involved in various searches, I was impressed with the thoroughness and vigor of
the process. The Search Committee had broad and diverse representation which was reflected in
the candidates we reviewed and the robust discussions we had throughout the process. Jim
impressed the committee thoroughly with his knowledge of a broad range of industry sectors, as
well as the public sector, and his strategic insightfulness about the future of the Chamber.”
– Paul Ayoub
“The goal of our search committee was to find an individual who would help us define the
‘Chamber of the Future’ and immediately set us on a course toward innovation, creativity, and
renewal. While we met many worthy candidates from various backgrounds and industries over
the past several months, it was clear that Jim Rooney possessed special qualities that were best
suited to lead the Chamber into this new era.
“While Jim has a clear and forward-thinking vision for the Chamber, he also presented tangible
ideas for surrounding himself with the most creative team, leveraging his existing relationships
throughout the city, bringing together leaders from untapped knowledge-based business sectors,
and establishing an innovation mindset throughout the organization. With Jim at the helm, the
future of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and our business community is in very good
hands.” – Kimberly Steimle Vaughan
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“To me the search process was exhaustive and difficult because of the top quality of all of the
candidates. But Jim stood out because of his knowledge of the business community, his vision of
the future of the Chamber and the City, and his proven track record. Over the years he has deftly
navigated through the challenges presented across Government, the Legislature and the
Convention Authority. He brings solid leadership to the Chamber.” – Walter Prince
About the Greater Boston Chamber – The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce is the region’s
leading business association connecting 1,500 businesses of all sizes from virtually every
industry and profession. We help Greater Boston-area businesses grow and succeed through
strategic networking events, influential business advocacy, exclusive leadership development
programs, and initiatives fostering the region’s innovation economy. For more information, visit
www.bostonchamber.com.
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