• Andrew Dreyfus, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
• Linda Henry, Chief Executive Officer,
Boston Globe Media
• David Long, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
Liberty Mutual Insurance
• The Honorable Katherine Tai,
United States Trade Representative
In addition to these four New Englanders of the Year, the Council will also present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Willie O'Ree, who made history in 1958 as the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Boston Bruins.
More about the honorees
.
The Council presents the New Englander of the Year Awards each fall at its Annual Celebration in Boston, an event that has drawn over 1,700 guests from throughout the region in recent years. Because of the COVID-19 global public health crisis, the Council transitioned to a virtual program in 2020 and 2021. This year's in-person program will be held at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport with a reception at 4:30 p.m., followed by the dinner program from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The 2022 Annual Celebration co-chairs are Becca Gould, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at American Tower Corporation, and Dennis Leonard, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Massachusetts.
"The five remarkable individuals who we will honor at our Annual Celebration this fall represent everything that is great about New England. They are each strong leaders who care deeply about their communities and their country, and who have used their skills and talents to make incredible contributions to the New England region, and indeed, the entire nation," said New England Council President & CEO James T. Brett. "We are beyond thrilled that we are finally able to again hold our Annual Celebration in person this year, and look forward to celebrating our honorees with hundreds of members and friends from throughout New England in November."
The New England Council's Board of Directors selected this year's honorees based on their commitment to the community, distinguished careers and countless contributions to the region and the nation. The "
New Englander of the Year
" awards are presented each year by The New England Council and honor residents or natives of the New England states for their commitment and contributions in their fields of work, as well as their leadership and impact on the New England region's quality of life and economy. First presented in 1964, over the years the award has been presented to members of Congress, Cabinet Secretaries, CEOs of some of the region's most well-known and respected organizations, and a variety of other cultural and philanthropic leaders. View a list of past honorees
here
.
The New England Council, the country's oldest regional business organization, is an alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the region. The Council is dedicated to identifying and supporting federal public policies and articulating the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England. The NEC is also committed to working with public and private sector leaders across the region and in Washington through educational programs and forums for information exchange. For more information, please visit:
www.newenglandcouncil.com
.
