Mayor Walsh meets with One Waterfront CEO Roundtable, thanks The Trustees for climate resilience work

Realizing the full potential of his Resilient Boston Harbor vision will require active participation from, and partnerships with, residents, nonprofits, and businesses, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said to a group of Boston business leaders convened to support The Trustees’ One Waterfront plan to build resilient and accessible harborfront parks.

ABOVE (From left to right): Ocean Spray CEO Bobby Chacko, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts President & CEO Andrew Dreyfus, and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, at a meeting of the One Waterfront CEO Roundtable, hosted at Blue Cross Blue Shield on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.

Mayor Walsh was joined by Chris Cook, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston, in speaking to the One Waterfront Initiative's CEO Roundtable, chaired by State Street Corporation President & CEO Ronald P. O’Hanley, and including leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Ocean Spray, MassMutual, PwC, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Reebok, National Grid, Converse, TD Bank, and Putnam Investments. 

The CEO Roundtable was established earlier this year to further advance The Trustees’ One Waterfront Initiative as it continues to progress, gathering state and local support and serving as a visible leadership voice for a waterfront that is resilient, accessible to the public, and green. Strong community, government, nonprofit, and business support is established and growing, and progress is being made on priority park sites around the harbor.

Mayor Walsh opened his remarks by thanking The Trustees for their work, and the CEO Roundtable for pushing such an important climate resilience issue forward. When asked what more can be done to increase the pace of building of resilient infrastructure, the Mayor cited developments happening along Fort Point Channel that will be key to protecting not only the Seaport, but the neighborhoods beyond them. Throughout his remarks, he emphasized the importance of involving the community in the “why” behind each project—whether a community center or ball field or other—and explaining how each relates back to the City’s resilience strategy and goals. 

“The business community’s presence is integral to this effort, and we are grateful for the support and involvement of our CEO Roundtable,” said Nick Black, Managing Director of the Boston Waterfront Initiative. “The City’s vision for a more resilient waterfront is incredibly important as we adapt to our changing climate, and we look forward to continued partnership with the City as our parks progress. The Mayor was encouraged by the progress made, and the active involvement of these Boston business leaders, who are setting an example for others to follow." 

The One Waterfront CEO Roundtable convenes regularly to examine the progress being made on each priority site, and to help support the important work being done to create a more resilient, accessible, and welcoming Boston Waterfront.

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To learn more about the CEO Roundtable, visit: https://onewaterfront.thetrustees.org/ceo-roundtable