Baker-Polito Administration Announces New UMass Trustees and UMBA
Appointments
BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today named Mary L. Burns,
Imari K. Paris Jeffries, Michael O’Brien, Elizabeth D. Scheibel, and Charles F.
Wu to the Board of Trustees for the University of Massachusetts (UMass), and
reappointed Robert J. Manning to the Board. Manning, who previously
chaired the Board from 2008-2010, will also assume the chairmanship of the
board that oversees the UMass system effective Monday, December 12, 2016.
Governor Baker also announced several
other appointments, including longtime UMass Trustee Victor Woolridge as well
as new Board member Michael O’Brien to seats on the UMass Building Authority
(UMBA), serving as representatives of the UMass Board. Governor Baker supports
Woolridge, a commercial real estate professional, for chairman of the Building
Authority, which oversees the planning, financing and construction of
university facilities. The Governor also supports Philip Johnston for vice
chair. In a separate announcement, the UMass Foundation announced that Johnston
will join its Board of Directors at the end of the year, where he is also
expected to be named vice chair.
"I congratulate the new members
of the boards on their appointments and thank them for stepping forward to
serve the Commonwealth and the University of Massachusetts,” said
Governor Baker. "UMass continues to be a global leader in
education and these leaders will help the University continue to think
creatively and boldly about the future of public education in order to grow our
economy, strengthen our communities, and create opportunity for future
generations of students.”
UMass President Marty Meehan praised the appointments. “Governor Baker has again
demonstrated his commitment to quality and achievement at UMass by appointing
civic leaders with track records of excellence whose experience and
perspectives will benefit students, the UMass community and the Commonwealth,”
President Meehan said. “Likewise, the reappointment of Rob Manning as chair
speaks to his achievements and his profound contributions to the University
while the appointment of Victor Woolridge and Michael O’Brien to the Building
Authority will benefit the Authority by leveraging their experience, expertise
and strategic management skills.”
“I was honored when the Governor
appointed me chair of the Board of Trustees and I am incredibly proud of the
accomplishments of UMass and the leadership position taken by the board during
my tenure,” said Woolridge. “After two years of dedicated
commitment to that role and in close coordination with the Governor regarding
the future of the university, it’s now time for me to step aside to focus on
the multibillion-dollar capital activities of UMBA. I’m absolutely thrilled
that Rob Manning will be stepping in as Chair and I’m confident that Rob will
provide very strong leadership as he builds upon the great work that we’ve done
over these past few years.”
“I'm thrilled and honored to assume
the chairmanship of the UMass Board of Trustees,” said Manning, who
has previously chaired the board. “I'm passionate about UMass and its mission
because, as a product of the university, I know firsthand how it transforms the
lives of students. There is nothing more important that happens in society.”
Johnston said, “I’m very excited to remain deeply involved with the University of
Massachusetts through the Board of Trustees, UMBA and now the UMass Foundation.
I congratulate Rob on his appointment as board chair and I am thrilled to
extend my relationship with UMass by assisting President Meehan and the
Chancellors of the campuses in providing the resources to maintain the high
quality and affordable education that our students expect, need and deserve.”
President Meehan expressed gratitude
for the UMass trustees whose terms expired in 2016: Richard P. Campbell,
Lawrence M. Carpman, Alyce J. Lee, Jeffrey B. Mullan and Margaret D. Xifaras.
“We sincerely thank our outgoing board members for their wisdom, their
diligence, their tenacity and above all, their love for UMass and its mission
of service to the Commonwealth and its citizens,” President Meehan
said.
About the UMass Board of Trustees
The University of Massachusetts is
governed by a 22-member Board of Trustees that represents various interests of
the public at large on a non-partisan basis. Seventeen members of the board are
appointed by the Governor and five members are UMass students elected by the
student body on each of the five campuses. The Board of Trustees functions as a
legislative body dealing mainly with general policies governing the University.
The Board is not an administrative or management board. The Massachusetts General
Laws allows it to act as an appeals body in certain rare instances. For more
information on how the Board is composed and its responsibilities, see Chapter 75: University of
Massachusetts of the Massachusetts Legislature's General Laws.
Mary L. Burns:
Mary L. Burns is a managing partner
of MLB Realty Trust, LLC; Chesapeake Outdoor, LLC; Splash Media Group Boston,
LLC; and Capital Advertising, LLC. She has extensive experience in highway
management as well as the procurement of highway advertising. Mary earned a
Bachelor of Science in Public Service: Administration of Criminal Justice from
the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, before beginning her career as a
paralegal and consultant. In total, seven of her siblings attended UMass Lowell
or the formerly named Lowell State College. She was then appointed to the
Outdoor Advertising Board and the Massachusetts Highway Commission. She has
acted as an overseer of countless road and bridge projects throughout the
Commonwealth and has amassed over ten years of public management experience,
focusing on contract review, planning, and development. She acts as an Advisory
Board Member for the United Teen Equality Center in her native Lowell.
Robert J. Manning:
Robert J. Manning acts as chairman of
MFS Investment Management. Robert’s primary focus is setting the strategy and
vision for MFS. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of
Massachusetts, Lowell, before joining MFS in 1984. He then went on to receive a
Master of Science degree in Finance from Boston College. He held several MFS
positions, including research analyst, chief strategist, and director of
research, before ascending to CEO in 2004 and chairman in 2010. He is a member
of the Investment Company Institute’s board of governors. He served as chairman
of the board of trustees of the University of Massachusetts system from
2007-2010, before he was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from the University
of Massachusetts, Lowell, where he endowed the Manning School of Business.
Elizabeth D. Scheibel:
Elizabeth D. Scheibel was the first
woman district attorney in Massachusetts, having served as Northwestern
District Attorney in Hampshire and Franklin counties. She was educated at Mount
Holyoke College and earned a bachelor's degree in psychobiology. She went on to
earn her J.D. from Western New England College School of Law.
Elizabeth was a two-time president of
the Massachusetts District Attorney's Association and a member of the board of
the National District Attorneys Association, as well as an appointed member of
the Massachusetts Victim Assistance Board and the Commission on MedicoLegal
Investigations. She is the immediate past chair of the Westfield State
University Board of Trustees. Elizabeth is trustee emeritus of the Community
Foundation of Western Massachusetts and vice chair of the Berkshire Hills Music
Academy Board of Trustees.
Imari K. Paris Jeffries:
Imari Kenya Paris Jeffries is an
independent consultant for the United South End Settlement Houses, where he
conducts economic analysis and reviews strategic plans. He has amassed
extensive experience in nonprofits, including serving as the CEO of Italian
Home for Children, the COO of Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc., and an
interim CEO/partner of Boston Rising. Imari earned a Bachelor of Arts in
Africana Studies and History from the University of Massachusetts, Boston,
before returning to earn his Masters of Education and Masters of Arts in
American Studies. He serves on the Massachusetts Board of Registration of
Social Workers and is a recipient of numerous awards. Imari resides in Boston.
Michael O’Brien:
Michael O’Brien is an Executive Vice
President at WinnCompanies, a national real estate firm based in Boston.
He is the former city manager of the city of Worcester, serving in that
capacity for a nearly a decade. In his current role, he is responsible
for overall corporate management, strategic planning, and maintaining financial
and client relationships. He is renown for implementing significant fiscal
controls, major economic development initiatives and neighborhood improvements
programs in Worcester. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He resides in Southborough, MA.
Charles Wu:
Charles F. Wu teaches real estate at
the Harvard Business School. He is a founding partner of Baynorth
Capital, LLC, which manages BayNorth Fund VII, a $475 million fund for 45
foundations, endowments, and pension funds. Previously, he was a managing
director of Harvard University’s endowment and a managing director and founding
partner of CharlesBank Capital Partners, LLC. He attended Harvard
College, where he graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with
a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He returned to earn a Master of
Business Administration degree, with distinction, from the Harvard Business
School. For several years, he has taught as an Adjunct Professor at the Tuck
School of Business at Dartmouth College and as a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard
Business School. He is a Trustee for Newton Wellesley Hospital.
Charles also served as Commissioner of the Asian American Commission and
the Chair of its Economics Advisory Committee for Governor Weld, as Chairman of
the Economics Advisory Board for Mayor Menino, and as a Founding Board member
of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. He lives in Newton.
About the UMass Building Authority
The UMass Building Authority (UMBA)
is a distinct, public organization established by the Massachusetts Legislature
in 1960. Its mission is to build facilities on the University of Massachusetts
campuses that could be financed from student fees and charges. Facilities
include student dormitories, dining facilities and parking garages. In recent
years the Authority has expanded its role and now builds academic buildings,
laboratories, athletic facilities, heating plants, and other facilities, as
well as providing funding for the repair and renovation of existing campus
facilities.
In order to construct facilities, the
Authority borrows funds by issuing tax-exempt bonds. The University has pledged
to pay the principal and interest on the bonds issued by the Authority over the
life of the bonds. The Authority is also responsible for the construction of
these facilities and hires architects, engineers and construction firms to
design and build them. After the facilities are completed, they are used and
maintained by the University while the Authority maintains ownership of the
buildings.
Victor Woolridge:
A longtime UMass trustee, Victor
Woolridge has served in several leadership roles, including Chairman of the
Board as well as Chairman of the Board’s Committee on Administration and
Finance. Woolridge is Vice President for Debt Placement & Syndications
at Barings Real Estate Advisers LLC, and previously served as vice
president of Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, a diversified global real estate
firm that is an affiliate of the MassMutual Financial Group. He is a 1980 graduate of
UMass-Amherst, where he earned a Bachelor's in legal studies. He is a past
chairman of the board of trustees at Baystate Health Inc., and a member of the
Mortgage Bankers Association. In September, he was announced as a recipient of
the 2016 National TRIO Achievers Award, given by the Council for Opportunity in
Education. He is a lifelong Springfield resident.
Michael O’Brien:
Michael O’Brien is an Executive Vice
President at WinnCompanies, a national real estate firm based in Boston.
He is the former city manager of the city of Worcester, serving in that
capacity for a nearly a decade. In his current role, he is responsible
for overall corporate management, strategic planning, and maintaining financial
and client relationships. He is renown for implementing significant fiscal
controls, major economic development initiatives and neighborhood improvements
programs in Worcester. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst,
where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He resides in Southborough, MA.
