O’Brien may use tortured syntax when he speaks in public. But his recent announcement that he will leave his post next month to become vice president of The Winn Cos., a real estate developer, was crystal clear, sending tsunami-like political waves throughout City Hall and the rest of Worcester. He is the city’s most powerful and influential city manager since the late Francis McGrath, and his absence will be felt.
As the city’s “CEO” since 2004, O’Brien has been quite adept at holding on to his job by keeping at least six of the 11 city councilors — his bosses — happy. And like McGrath, who ran City Hall for more than three decades until the mid-1980s, O’Brien has managed to keep far more than a simple majority on his side by his tireless, professional, disciplined and charismatic leadership. His power and influence have stemmed from competence rather than corruption. In Worcester, that goes a long way.
As even O’Brien’s harshest critics would begrudgingly agree, Winn’s gain is Worcester’s loss. Yet, as a major executive at Winn, we can only expect to see more development projects from the firm in New England’s second-largest city in the years to come.
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Tim Murray: President and CEO, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
William Manley: Founder and CEO, Calare Properties, Hudson
Warner Fletcher: Partner, Fletcher Tilton, Worcester
P. Kevin Condron: Chairman and CEO, The Granite Group LLC, Concord, N.H.
Ralph Crowley Jr.: CEO, Polar Beverages, Worcester
Clifford J. Schorer III: Board of Directors, Worcester Art Museum
Joseph Salois: CEO, Atlas Distributing Inc., Auburn
John Prosser: Chairman, Seven Hills Foundation, Worcester
James Paulhus: President and CEO, UniBank for Savings, Whitinsville
Jim McGovern: U.S. Rep., Worcester
Charles Monahan: President, MCPHS University, Worcester
David ‘Duddie’ Massad: Chairman, Commerce Bank & Trust, Worcester
Gordon Lankton: Founder, Museum of Russian Icons and Gallery of African Art, Clinton
Gerald Fels: Trustee Emeritus, Nichols College, Dudley
Fred Eppinger: President and CEO, The Hanover Insurance Group
Christopher Egan: President, Carruth Capital, Westborough
Mary DeFeudis: Philanthropist and Volunteer, Northborough
Dr. Eric Dickson: CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care Inc., Worcester
Anthony Consigli: President, Consigli Construction Inc., Milford
Dr. Michael Collins: Chancellor, UMass Medical School, Worcester
J. Christopher Collins: Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Unum Group, Worcester
Gail Carberry: President, Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester