Past Presidents
Bradford Wyatt
2023-2024
Bradford Wyatt, a Computer Engineering graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, boasts a rich tapestry of achievements. Formerly at the helm of N-E-D (New England Diamond), a prominent Worcester-based manufacturer of Diamond Blades based in the Osgood Bradley Building with six locations and a workforce exceeding 100 employees, he orchestrated the company’s prosperous acquisition. Brad now leverages his expertise in digital and data targeting through consultancy endeavors. Notably, in April 2024, he won a tightly contested election for the role of Massachusetts Republican National Committeeman and now serves on the Republican National Committee.
2022-2023 Peter Balesano
Peter Balesano is a Private Client Advisor serving the Central MA and Boston Markets.
Previously, Peter was the Market Leader for the Upper New England which includes the Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine markets. Peter worked with Advisors to help improve the client experience by fully understanding a client’s financial landscape and utilizing the broad suite of solutions available through Bank of Americas Private Bank.
Peter was previously a Senior Director at BNY Mellon Wealth Management. Prior to that, Peter held leadership positions with Peoples United Bank and at Bank of America.
2021-2022 John Peculis
John Peculis is Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer of Clinton Savings Bank. Formerly the President & CEO of the Exchange Authority, Allied Appraisal Associates of New England, and the Worcester Young Businessmen’s Association, John also serves on the Nichols College Board of Advisors (his alma mater), and is a recipient of the Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award.
2020-2021 Dana Levenson
Dana Levenson is the former President and CEO of Southgate at Shrewsbury, the premier retirement community and skilled nursing facility in central Massachusetts. He is also a former investment banker as well as the former CFO of the City of Chicago and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. He holds an M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree with honors in European History from Brown.
Select a decade to learn more about past presidents of the Worcester Economic Club:
2010s
2018-2019 John P. McMorrow
John P. McMorrow is a tax attorney specializing in executive compensation and workforce benefits attorney at Mirick O’Connell in Worcester, MA. He received his JD from Suffolk University Law School, LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law, and his AB from Princeton University. John is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Illinois. He received a National Performance Award from Al Gore Vice President of the United States for his work on the PBGC Negotiated Rulemaking Group.
2017-2018 Steven Rothschild
Steven Rothschild is a commercial real estate developer and CEO of Access Fixtures. Previously he was CEO and a founder at Furniture.com, Bulbs.com, a founder of Merchant Internet Group, and the Professor of Innovations and Entrepreneurship at Clark University. He earned a B.S. in Economics and a B.S. in Business Administration at Norwich University.
2016-2017 Tim Gray
Tim Gray is Partner of The Gray Group at UBS, a wealth-management practice serving individual and institutional clients across the U.S. He earned his MBA from Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley; his M.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara; and his B.A. from Pomona College in Claremont, CA.
2015–2016 Richard A. Cella
Richard A. Cella is an Attorney at Law with offices in Leominster, MA and Gardner, MA. He earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School and his B.A. from Clark University.
2014–2015 James J. Paugh III
James J. Paugh III is the President & CEO of WorkersComp Analytics LLC. a data analytics firm. He has over 40 years’ experience in the insurance casualty marketplace working with area employers the National Safety Council, Wyman Gordon and NYPRO (Jabril) before founding his own business, Lynch Ryan(&Paugh). Later at Deloitte, he moved into Information Technology working in predictive modeling and data analytics before founding startups in the underwriting and claim analytics market. He was a Founder of the former Commonwealth National Bank and is a Trustee Emeritus of Assumption University. He earned a B.A in Economics from Assumption University and an M.B.A. from Northeastern University.
2013–2014 Gayle Flanders Weiss
Gayle Flanders Weiss is Vice President and Chief Litigation Counsel at Unum US Law Department. She earned her J.D. at Suffolk University Law School in 1985.
2012–2013 Thomas E. Ryan
Thomas E. Ryan is Chief Advancement Officer at St. John’s High School. He has more than 30 years of experience in the advancement field, including vice president of Institutional Advancement at Assumption College from 1999 to 2012.
2011–2012 Thomas McNamara
Thomas McNamara is vice president of Institutional Advancement at Worcester State University.
2010–2011 Jack P. Calareso
Jack P. Calareso serves as president of Anna Maria College (AMC). Prior to AMC, he was president of Ohio Dominican University in Columbus and Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa. He has extensive experience in Catholic education.
2000s
2009–2010 Richard J. Burke
Richard Burke is division president of Senior Care Services and Government Programs for the Fallon Community Health Plan. Before joining FCHP, he served as Vice President of Public Affairs at Assumption College.
2008–2009 John J. Spillane
John J. Spillane is a partner in the Worcester and Hyannis law firm of Spillane & Spillane LLP. He serves as general counsel for various nonprofit organizations in Central Massachusetts.
2007–2008 Daniel F. Shimkus, Jr.
Daniel F. Shimkus, Jr. serves as Sr. Vice President and director of nonprofit, healthcare and higher education lending of TD Banknorth. His career with TD Bank spans more than two decades.
2006–2007 J. Michael Grenon
J. Michael Grenon is a Certified Investment Management Analyst, vice president and principal of Grimes & Company. Previously, he worked at UBS Financial Services for 12 years.
2005–2006 Kimberly Rozak
Kimberly Rozak is a partner at Mirick O’Connel law firm. She was a winner of the 2011 Worcester Business Journal’s 3rd Annual Outstanding Women in Business Award.
2004–2005 Jeffrey Hillis
2003–2004 Charlene L. Nemeth
Charlene Nemeth serves as Director of Foundation Relations at UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc.
2002–2003 Gerald M. Gates
Gerald M. Gates serves as president of American Stop Loss Insurance Brokerage Services, Inc. Previously, he held senior strategy and marketing management positions at UMassMemorial Health Care, the Provident Insurance Companies and the Paul Revere Corporation.
2000–2001 Christopher W. Bramley
Christopher W. Bramley served as President and CEO of TD Banknorth Massachusetts. Previously, he served as Director of Worcester Community Foundation and Director of various professional and community associations. He holds is MBA and B.A. from Providence College.
2001–2002 Kevin O’Sullivan
Kevin O’Sullivan is President and CEO of the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives in Worcester.
1990s
1999–2000 David W. Hillis
David W. Hillis is President and CEO of AdCare Hospital of Worcester. Mr. Hillis has more than 40 years of hospital administrative experience. He serves on the boards of several community organizations.
1998–1999 Mary Jane McKenna
Mary Jane McKenna became the first woman elected to the Board of Selectmen in the Town of Holden. She spent many years working in politics at the local, state and federal level, including working with Governor Dukakis and Governor Bill Weld.
1997–1998 Michael J. Toomey
Michael J. Toomey was president and CEO of Flagship and Trust Compan.
1996–1997 Rev. Paul D. Kennedy
Rev. Paul D. Kennedy served the Massachusetts Lutheran and Episcopalian community. Rev. Kennedy sat on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross, served as President of the Worcester Chapter of the American Cancer Society and was a member of several other community associations.
1995–1996 Alexander E. Drapos
Alex practiced law in Worcester for 45 years, specializing in immigration and entertainment law. He was a director with the law firm of Fletcher, Tilton and Whipple, for nearly 20 years. He served on several boards and as a trustee in many community organizations, including the Worcester Business Development Corporation and the Worcester Regional Research Bureau.
1994–1995 Robert Fischer
Robert Fischer was the Vice President of Fidelity Investments for more than 15 years.
1992–1993 Thomas P. Lavigne
1991–1992
1990–1991
1980s
1989-1990 Jon C. Strauss
Jon C. Strauss is the President of Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. He also served as the thirteenth president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 1985 to 1994.
1988–1989 F. William Marshall, Jr.
F. William Marshall, Jr. was elected as the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s eighteenth chairman. He has more than 35 years of experience in commercial banking, and is retired as president and CEO of SIS Bancorp Inc.
1987–1988 James B. Kenary
1986–1987 Dr. Abraham W. Haddad
Dr. Abraham W. Haddad was on the board of the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives and several other medical and community associations. Dr. Haddad was awarded the highest honor from the American Board of Special Care Dentistry.
1985–1986 Dr. Attiat F. Ott
Dr. Attiat F. Ott is a Research Professor at Clark University and President of the Institute for Economic Policy Studies.
1984–1985
1983–1984 William J. O’Brien
William J. O’Brien graduated from Sacred Heart Academy and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He had worked for 35 years with the meter reading and credit departments of Commonwealth Gas Company in Worcester.
1982–1983 Vincent A. Moulton
1981–1982 William F. Sullivan
William F. Sullivan was President and CEO of the William F. Sullivan Insurance Agency of Worcester. He was active in the Worcester region’s economic affairs, and was a member of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority.
1980–1981 Dr. Mortimer H. Appley
Dr. Mortimer H. Appley was President of Clark University from 1974 to 1984. He also served as dean of the graduate school and coordinator of research at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
1970s
1979–1980 Aubrey K. Reid
Aubrey K. Reid became the seventh president of Paul Revere. He was a chairman of the United Way of Central Mass. Campaign, director for the downtown Worcester Development Corp. and served as a member on several other local associations.
1978–1979 Stewart F. Oakes
1977–1978 Rev. John E. Brooks, S.J.
Rev. John E. Brooks served as the twenty-eighth president of the College of Holy Cross in Worcester from 1970 to 1994. He graduated from the Boston Latin School in 1942. He was a member of the Faculty of the Theology Department at Holy Cross and served as Vice President and Dean.
1976–1977 John Adam Jr.
John Adam, Jr. attended Clark University and received his A.B. from Oberlin College. He received an honorary degree from Clark University. He served as President of Hanover Insurance Company and Worcester Mutual.
1975–1976 Robert Cushman
Robert Cushman was an Honorary Trustee for the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research for the UMass Medical School.
1974–1975 Robert C. Achorn
1973–1974 Dr. Wilfred T. Small
1972–1973 W. Douglas Bell
1971–1972 Dr. George W. Hazzard
1970–1971 George L. Hogeman
1960s
1969–1970 Philip H. Breen
1968–1969 Elden L. Auker
1966–1967 William T. Buckley
1965–1966 Richard C. Steele, Wallace W. Robbins
1964–1965 Robert J. Whipple
1963–1964 Raymond J. Swords
1962–1963 Rev. Gordon M. Torgersen
1961–1962 Hon. Joseph Goldberg
1960–1961 Arthur Branwell, Ralph F. Gow
1950s
1959–1960
1958–1959 Dr. Samuel Van Valkenburg
1957–1958 Dr. James S. Maxwell
1956–1957 Andrew B. Holmstrom
1955–1956 Roland A. Erickson
1954–1955 Carter F. Maynard
1953–1954 Joseph F. Talamo
1952–1953 Joseph F. Talamo
1951–1952 Reverend Richard G. Preston
1950–1951 Paul Swan, Howard B. Jefferson
1940s
1949–1950 Henry Tilton
1948–1949 Joseph O’Connor
1947–1948 Linwood Erskine
1946–1947 Robert Whipple
1945–1946 Myron Converse
Myron Converse was president of the Worcester Savings Bank.
1944–1945 Raymond Harold
1943–1944 Thomas Sherrard Roy
1942–1943 Judge Carl Wahlstrom
1941–1942 Charles Tatman
1940–1941 Clifford Anderson
1930s
1939–1940 George Avery White
George Avery White was president of the State Mutual Life Assurance Co.
1938–1939 Frank Smith Jr.
Frank C. Smith, Jr. was a Harvard graduate, counsel to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Inc., and a director of Mechanics Bank. Along with two other Harvard Law School graduates, he formed the Thayer, Smith & Gaskill law firm.
1937–1938 Chandler Bullock
1936–1937 John F. Tinsley
John F. Tinsley was president of the Crompton & Knowles Loom Works.
1935–1936 John Higgins
John Higgins was the president and treasurer of the Worcester Pressed Steel Company from 1912 to 1949. After acquiring a significant acquisition for his collection of armor, he opened the Higgins Armory Museum in 1931. It is the largest museum in the United States solely devoted to armor.
1934–1935 Maurice Reidy
Maurice Reidy founded Maurice F. Reidy & Co.. He was also an early member in the National Association of Realtors, president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, and founder of the Worcester Board of realtors.
1933–1934 Walter Young
1932–1933 George Stobbs
After serving as special justice for the Central District Court of Worcester and Captain in the State Guard of Massachusetts, George R. Stobbs was elected to Congress from 1925 to 1931.
1931–1932 Admiral Ralph Earle
Admiral Ralph Earle served as president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 1927 until his death in 1939. Prior to becoming president of WPI, he was an American naval officer and responsible for the North Sea mine barrage.
1930–1931 Rev. Dr.Maxwell Savage
Rev. Dr.Maxwell Savage was a pastor in California and Kentucky before becoming pastor of the First Unitarian Church in Worcester.
1920s
1929–1930 William B. Aspinwall
Dr. William B. Aspinwall was the principal of Worcester Normal School from 1912 to 1940. He guided the school (now Worcester State University) from a normal school to a state teachers college. He was especially interested in improving rural education.
1928–1929 Chester T. Porter
Chester T. Porter was principal of the Worcester Classical High School from 1917 to 1928.
1927–1928 Charles B. Rugg
Charles B. Rugg was an attorney in Worcester. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War I.
1926–1927 Stephen Ireland
Stephen Ireland was superintendent of agencies of the State Mutual Life Assurance Company. In addition to the Worcester Economic Club, Ireland was a member of the Worcester Country Club and the Chamber of Commerce.
1925–1926 Charles E. Hildreth
Charles E. Hildreth was president of the Whitcomb-Blaisdell Machine Tool Co. He also served on the Worcester Board of Trade (now the Worcester Chamber of Commerce.)
1924–1925 Wallace W. Atwood (2nd term)
1923–1924 Wallace W. Atwood
Wallace W. Atwood was a geographer, geologist and President of Clark University from 1920 to 1946. His main contribution was his idea of Global Species Consolidation.
1922–1923 Reginald Washburn
1921–1922 Rev. Dr. Henry S. Bradley(resigned); Arthur C. Comins
1920–1921 Frederick B. Washburn(resigned); Harry C. Smith
1910s
1919-1920 Paul B. Morgan
1918-1919 Charles M. Thayer
1917-1918 Harry G. Stoddard
1916-1917 Hon. James Logan
1915-1916 Judge Edward T. Esty
1914-1915 George F. Booth
1913-1914 Dr. George H. Blakeslee
1912-1913 Dr. Daniel W. Abercrombie
1911-1912 Hon. William T. Forbes
1910-1911 Rev. Vincent E. Tomlinson
1900s
1909-1910 Pres. Thomas E. Murphy
1908-1909 Dr. John C. Berry
1907-1908 J. Russell Marble
1906-1907 Homer P. Lewis
1905-1906 Hon. Charles G. Washburn
1904-1905 Hon. Joseph H. Walker
