Laurie Leshin landed on the Worcester business and higher education scene in 2014 when she became the first female president in the 150-year history of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
This geochemist and space scientist is a perfect match for the school, which is increasingly gaining national grants and attention. Aside from her role at the school, Leshin also is a key influencer in the city as a result of the power she wields in directing WPI.
The school has stepped up its efforts to reinvigorate the area surrounding its Worcester campus in recent years, with new buildings like the Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center being placed outside its traditional campus.
This has allowed the school to anchor the northern end of the Main Street corridor, creating a sense of place in Worcester and using its higher education culture to reinvigorate the city’s atmosphere.
Read about other Central Massachusetts Power Players
Change Agents: Executives bringing their organizations to new heights
- Eric Dickson, President & CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester
- Barbara Doyle, President & CEO of MetroWest Medical Center, Framingham
- Susan Hertzberg, President & CEO of Boston Heart Diagnostics, Framingham
- Douglas Petersen, President & CEO of Workers’ Credit Union, Fitchburg
Visionaries: Forward thinkers pushing to realize the promises of the future
- Robert E. Johnson, President of Becker College, Worcester
- Charles Faris, President & CEO of Spectrum Health Systems, Worcester
- Barbara Finer, CEO of TechSandBox, Hopkinton & Kevin O’Sullivan, President & CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiative, Worcester
- Edward Moore, President & CEO of Harrington HealthCare, Southbridge
- David Jordan, President & CEO of Seven Hills Foundation, Worcester
- Ralph Crowley Jr., President & CEO of Polar Beverages, Worcester
Politicos: Public officials leveraging their positions to further business development
- Dean J. Mazzarella, Mayor of Leominster
- Economic Development Coordinating Council, Worcester
- Michael F. Collins, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
- Arthur Vigeant, Mayor of Marlborough & Susanne Morreale Leeber, President & CEO of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce
Fresh Faces: Newcomers to Central Massachusetts with refreshing perspectives and ideas
- Amy Lynn Chase, Owner of Crompton Collective, Worcester
- Nick Capasso, Museum Director at the Fitchburg Art Museum
- Charles “Chip” Norton, President of Franklin Realty Advisors, Worcester
- Venkat Kolluri, CEO of Cidewalk and Chitika, Southborough/Westborough
Inner Circle: Long-time players who continue to have a significant role in new developments
- Christina Andreoli, Vice President of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Kevin Meehan, Owner of Imperial Cars, Mendon
- Michael P. Angelini, Chairman of Bowditch & Dewey, Worcester
- Brian W. Thompson, President & CEO of Commerce Bank, Worcester
- Susan Mailman, President of Coghlin Electrical Contractors & Coghlin Network Services, Worcester
- Dr. Charles and Janet Birbara, Owners of the Beechwood Hotel, Worcester
- Frederick H. Eppinger, President, CEO & Director of Hanover Insurance, Worcester
