O'Sullivan to resign as CEO of MBI

Photo/File Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives President and CEO Kevin O'Sullivan will retire at the end of the year, leaving the agency to Jon Weaver.

Photo/Courtesy Jon Weaver, MBI's chief operating officer, will take over for O'Sullivan as president and CEO.

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By Grant Welker

Kevin O'Sullivan will step down at the end of the year as president and CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives after two decades at the Worcester agency.

O'Sullivan, who lives in Worcester, said he won't be leaving the city and intends to remain active.

"Retirement is not in my vocabulary," the 64-year-old said.

News of O'Sullivan's retirement comes as MBI and officials from the city and development agencies celebrate the pending arrival of WuXi Biologics, a Chinese biomanufacturing company. The company has set its eyes on a new building next to AbbVie and the former Bryan Building, which part of the former Worcester State Hospital.

Officials gathered Thursday morning to celebrate a $15-million state grant to demolish the building and prepare the site for development. Negotiations with WuXi are continuing, O'Sullivan said.

Taking O'Sullivan's position leading MBI will be Jon Weaver, the agency's chief operating officer and a three-year member of the leadership team. Weaver has previously worked for MassDevelopment and the Worcester Business Development Corp.

O'Sullivan said he will be available through the start of next year to help with the transition.

"It's time, and change is good," said O'Sullivan, a Connecticut native who moved to Worcester after attending Springfield College. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made the and team we've built."

O'Sullivan spoke about strides the city has made during his several decades in the industry in Worcester, including development of Gateway Park with Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the UMass Medicine Science Park adjacent to the former Worcester State Hospital grounds, which itself is envisioned for much denser development.

"To see what's happened from then to today blows my mind," he said.