Boston 2024 Partnership Broadens Leadership Support

Boston 2024 Partnership Broadens Leadership Support

Board of Directors Approves Steve Pagliuca as Chair Next Phase of Games Concept On Track for Review in Late June

BOSTON, May 21, 2015 – The Boston 2024 Partnership today broadened its senior leadership support with the addition of members from professional sports, business, education and community engagement, complementing a growing lineup of advocates whose expertise significantly strengthens Boston’s bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Board also formalized committees that provide oversight in the organization’s operations, finances and governance.

As the bid process moves from proof of concept to preliminary plans that will be shared with a broad community of stakeholders beginning later next month, the Boston 2024 Partnership is shifting its leadership to focus more on sports management, the athlete and spectator experience, and venue and infrastructure planning.

Steve Pagliuca, Managing Director of Bain Capital, Co-Owner and Managing Partner of the Boston Celtics, has been vice chair of the Boston 2024 Partnership since February and now assumes the Bid chairman role. He brings his deep expertise in sports management and business operations to the Boston 2024 Partnership and is focusing on strengthening the business model of delivering privately-funded Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As chair of the Bid, Pagliuca succeeds John Fish, CEO, Suffolk Construction Company, who successfully positioned Boston to win the right to be the U.S. bid for the 2024 Games in the first phase of the three-year process.

"My goal is the same as it has been from the beginning of this journey: to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Boston and back to the United States. I recruited Steve Pagliuca because of the sports expertise and leadership he brings to the bid," said Fish. "I will continue to serve as a vice chairman and do everything I can on behalf of the bid. I believe that under Steve’s leadership, supported by a strong group of vice chairs and board members, we have the best shot to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Boston in 2024. I look forward to working with them to make that dream a reality."

"The Boston 2024 Partnership has significantly benefitted from John’s vision and tireless efforts to bring us to this important point in the bid process, and we’re fortunate that he remains dedicated to going the distance as we aim to bring the Games back to the U.S.," said Pagliuca. "As a leadership team with complementary skills and experiences, we’re focused on collaborating with community partners, elected officials, Olympians and Paralympians, our Board and the dedicated Boston 2024 staff and volunteers to develop by June 30 a fiscally responsible, privately-funded Games Concept that will leave long-term benefits for the city of Boston and for the Olympic and Paralympic movements."

Peter Roby Joins as Board Vice Chair

Peter Roby, Director of Athletics and Recreation, Northeastern University, joins the Boston 2024 Partnership team as vice chair of the Bid and as a director of the Board. As a former men's basketball head coach at Harvard University, marketing vice president at Reebok and director of Northeastern's Center for Sport in Society, Roby’s informed insights will help integrate the region’s world-class educational institutions and focus on scholar athletes with the broader Bid planning, strengthening Boston’s differentiated advantages on the international stage.

"Boston has an unparalleled reputation for its many first-class institutions of higher education, which are filled with students from around the country and around the world. We are uniquely poised to leverage and harness the incredible energy and innovation coming out of our colleges and universities to build a strong bid and host the Games in 2024," said Roby. "As a former coach, I have witnessed first-hand the transformative power of sport and believe we have before us an incredible opportunity to inspire the next generation of athletes and leave a lasting imprint for generations to come. This is within reach for Boston, and I’m honored and excited to be part of the effort."

Jack Connors and Larry Lucchino Named Senior Advisors

Connors is a founding partner of Boston-based advertising agency Hill Holliday and serves as an influential leader in numerous philanthropic and community efforts. Connors was also instrumental in creating Camp Harbor View, a summer day camp that serves more than 900 urban children each summer. He will advise Boston 2024 leadership on strategies to effectively position the strong attributes of Boston’s education, innovation, culture and sports communities to key stakeholders around the world.

"The political and civic leadership involved with Boston 2024 asked for my help. I rarely say ‘no,’ and this is no exception," Connors said. "I look forward to working with my colleagues as we make the best decisions moving forward."

Lucchino, now in his 14th year as President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, has led the organization during an era of unprecedented success. Together with principal owner John W. Henry, chairman Tom Werner, and their partners, the ownership group has created an organization that saved Boston’s renowned Fenway Park, established the Major League Baseball record for consecutive sold-out games, and most importantly, ended an 86-year wait with a dramatic World Championship in 2004, followed by additional World Series victories in 2007 and 2013. Lucchino will remain in his role with the Red Sox while volunteering his services to advise and guide the Boston 2024 team.

"I am honored to join this civic effort," Lucchino said. "I believe in the importance of the Olympic movement and the dreams it fosters for young people. And, I believe we can welcome Olympians and Paralympians to the Games in a new, highly engaging, cost-effective way that creates remarkable and memorable experiences for everyone involved. We lead the league in colleges and universities, and I’m confident we have outstanding resources throughout our region that will make the Olympic and Paralympic Games a victory for the people of Boston, of Massachusetts, and of New England. I’m grateful to John Fish and Mayor Walsh for inviting me to be a member of this impressive team."

"Today’s announcement adds to an already impressive team at Boston 2024 and showcases the incredible support the bid enjoys from Boston’s business, civic, educational and political leadership," said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. "John Fish deserves a great deal of credit for his tireless effort to take Boston’s Olympic dream to this stage of the race, and I look forward to working closely with Mayor Walsh, Steve Pagliuca and everyone committed to this bid to successfully finish what we’ve started, and bring the Games to the U.S."

Committees of the Board of Directors

Following last month’s appointment of new Board members, Boston 2024 is forming committees of its Board, which serve oversight roles in the operational, financial and governance matters of the organization.

The Executive Committee of the Board meets quarterly, and will provide leadership direction on the bid’s operational progress, especially related to venue planning, financing, and the athlete experience. The Executive Committee is led by Board Chair Steve Pagliuca, and includes the following Board directors:

• Scott Blackmun, CEO, United States Olympic Committee

• Cheri Blauwet, Boston Marathon winner, Paralympian, and M.D. at Boston’s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital

• Christopher Collins, Co-founder and managing partner at First Atlantic Capital, LLC

• William "Mo" Cowan, retired U.S. Senator, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ML Strategies LLC, Of counsel, Mintz Levin

• Roger Crandall, Vice Chair, Boston 2024, Chairman, President and CEO, MassMutual Financial Group

• Anita DeFrantz, Olympian, USOC Board Director, and member of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board

• Brian Doherty, Secretary Treasurer, Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District

• John Fish, Vice Chair, Boston 2024, CEO, Suffolk Construction

• Carol Fulp, President and CEO, The Partnership, Inc

• Thomas J. Keady, Vice President for Government and Community Relations, Boston College

• Meb Keflezighi, 2014 Boston Marathon winner and Olympian

• Michelle Kwan, Olympian and member, U.S. President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

• Gloria Larson, President, Bentley University

• Robert Popeo, Chairman, Mintz Levin

• Larry Probst, Chairman, USOC Board of Directors and member of the International Olympic Committee

• Robert Reynolds, President and CEO, Putnam Investments

• Peter Roby, Vice Chair, Boston 2024, Director of Athletics and Recreation, Northeastern University

• Angela Ruggiero, Olympian, USOC Board Director, and member of the International Olympic Committee

The nominating and governance committee of the Board will be chaired by Carol Fulp. With support from the nominating committee, the Boston 2024 Partnership will continue expanding its roster of Board members. Additional directors are expected to join who represent a cross-section of interests in our community and in the Olympic and Paralympic family. The full list of current Boston 2024 Partnership Board directors is available at http://www.2024boston.org​

About Boston 2024

Boston 2024 is in the early stages of a competitive bid process to bring the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Boston, and we welcome a robust and productive conversation about this with residents of Boston and the Commonwealth. With our world-class colleges and universities, our investments in world-renowned innovation and our love of sports, we believe Boston can deliver the most sustainable, innovative, inspiring Games in Olympic history. Boston’s vision for the 2024 Games not only aligns with the IOC’s agenda for more manageable, cost-efficient Games, but it is also tightly integrated with the City’s long-term planning and priorities, especially related to improved transportation and affordable housing. Learn more at www.2024boston.org.

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