BOSTON
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce announced that James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), 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.
“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.”
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 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, including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh.
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.”
MCCA Board Chair Michelle A. Shell wished Rooney the best and lauded his efforts and accomplishments.
“The announcement of James E. Rooney’s appointment to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce is bittersweet for our Board of Directors, for the MCCA team and for the entire Massachusetts hospitality industry,” Shell remarked. “Jim’s visionary leadership for the last 14 years put Boston on the meetings and conventions map worldwide. Through his tenure at the MCCA, he has been an unrelenting champion of Boston’s ability to compete and perform at the highest level, and I am gratified to know that he will apply that same passion and boundless energy to his work at the Chamber of Commerce. He will certainly be missed.”
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 Boston, and is a graduate of Harvard College and attended Boston University’s School of Management. Rooney lives in Dorchester with his wife, Maryanne.
