Boston and the entire commonwealth of Massachusetts are fortunate to have leaders in both the business community and in government that are dedicated, thoughtful and who understand the importance of transportation, land development and the environment and the role of each in propelling us forward and keeping the region competitive.
The founder of A Better City, Norman B. Leventhal, is one such leader. During his distinguished career at the helm of The Beacon Cos., Leventhal helped ensure that the Central Artery/Tunnel Project did not hamstring Boston’s economy, and he also led the transformation of Post Office Square and many other parts of the city.
This year, A Better City is pleased to recognize several city builders who have followed in Norman’s footsteps as civic leaders who have set Massachusetts on a better path, both for today’s businesses and residents as well as for future generations. These individuals will all be receiving awards at our annual Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Awards, on Oct. 7. I want to take this opportunity to thank them publicly, on behalf of Boston’s business leaders.
Great Leaders Honored
First, we are pleased to be presenting Gov. Deval Patrick with an award for distinguished leadership. During his eight years in office, the commonwealth of Massachusetts has been a leader on issues related to economic development, energy, climate, transportation, and the environment. The Global Warming Solutions Act created a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the commonwealth and helped establish nation leading goals for investing in energy efficiency. The Accelerated Bridge program is providing $3 billion to great reduce the number of structurally deficient bridges across the commonwealth, while creating thousands of jobs.
Collectively, Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Therese Murray, Rep. Brian Dempsey, Sen. Steven Brewer, Rep. William Straus and Sen. Thomas McGee will receive an award for their legislative accomplishments in transportation. The Transportation Finance Act of 2013 raised over $600 million in new revenue for transportation each year. The funds that were raised stabilized the MBTA’s operating budget, put us on a path to eliminating the use of capital funds for MassDOT employees and will allow us to fund several key projects in the metro Boston area. Passing this legislation was not easy and required real leadership, which in turn will help keep Greater Boston and the entire state competitive.
Steven B. Samuels, the founder and chairman of Samuels & Associates, will receive an award recognizing his achievements in land development. He and his team of professionals are committed to the core principles of place making, community engagement and positive street-level experiences. Samuels and his firm’s focus on creating developments that enhance local neighborhoods and communities has led to a reputation as a fair partner with residents, community groups and businesses in the communities that they invest in. Samuels and his team have helped realize significant and positive development up and down the east coast with major projects in the New England area, including the Hingham Shipyard, the South Bay Center and Roxbury’s The Mecca at Grove Hall. Most recently, he has led the redevelopment of Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
Frederick Laskey, executive director of Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, will receive an award for his work on behalf of our environment. Laskey has shown his dedication to bettering our region’s environment through his steadfast leadership of the agency that is responsible for providing clean drinking water to communities throughout Eastern Massachusetts. During his 13-year tenure at the MWRA, he has overseen over $2 billion of capital construction projects to finish the cleanup of Boston Harbor, along with the Charles, Mystic and Neponset rivers, as well as the complete modernization of the regional drinking water system. MWRA has been recognized nationally for its sustainability and renewable energy initiatives.
We thank all of these great leaders for their hard work and dedication to Greater Boston and Massachusetts. A Better City and the business community look forward to continued collaboration with them in the months and years ahead.
Rick Dimino is the president and CEO of A Better City.
