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          This virtual event gives small business owners the chance to hear directly from procurement officers about opportunities to work with them.

          05/29/2025

          12:00pm - 1:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          City Awake
          Art of Connection: An Evening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

          Join us for an exclusive networking event at the Museum of Fine Arts and enjoy self-guided tours of John Wilson and Van Gogh, showcasing the deep bond of family, friendship, and community.

          06/05/2025

          5:30pm - 8:30pm

          Museum of Fine Arts

          arrow-go
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        • ...
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          Transportation First | State of the Airport

          The Transportation First Series offers a platform to discuss the challenges faced by our region, with the input of experts and changemakers.

          06/12/2025

          2:45pm - 4:30pm

          Hybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

          arrow-go
          Read More
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          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
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        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          Join us on June 12 for a highly interactive virtual workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney.

          Read More
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          arrow-go
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          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

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          Read More
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2019 Annual Meeting

May 15, 2019 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Event Details

  • Our Annual Meeting is the top business event of the year. This year’s theme is Women in Business: All In.

Our Annual Meeting is the top business event of the year. This year’s theme is Women in Business: All In.

Our Annual Meeting held at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is the top Boston business event of the year, bringing together more than 1,800 of our region’s leaders for a celebration of the Greater Boston business community and our thriving economy.

This year women are taking center stage in celebration of the 25th anniversary of our Women’s Network. Join us to celebrate the impact of women and the Women’s Network on our economy and region. When it comes to women in business, we’re all in!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Attire: Semi-formal/ Business. Check out photos from the 2018 Annual Meeting here!

Attendance list: download with this link, and check back for weekly updates. Need to be introduced to someone in particular? Purchase your ticket and contact us as soon as possible.

4:30pm – Annual Meeting Reception Begins! Grab a cocktail and network with Boston’s best and brightest members of the business community. 

6:00pm – Program Begins. We have many surprises up our sleeves, but prepare to be inspired! We will induct Sandi Fenwick, Deborah Jackson, and Sheila Marcelo to the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

6:30pm – Dinner

7:30pm – Keynote fireside chat with Karen Kaplan and Carol Meyrowitz.

7:55pm – Honoree Stage Awards.

8:00pm – Event concludes.

To see our Distinguished Bostonians from our 2018 Annual Meeting, check out our YouTube playlist, or watch one of the videos below: 

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BE SEEN, BE HEARD! BECOME AN ANNUAL MEETING SPONSOR

PRESENTING SPONSOR $50,000

Presenting Sponsorship is industry exclusive within category.

  • Member of Host Committee
  • Visibility as a lead sponsor with name and logo on all marketing materials (e-vite, invitation, calendar, website, program, on-site promotion)
  • Opportunity to be part of the program via video
  • Custom event video (approx. 15 seconds) with sponsor’s name, logo, and other information to be displayed on BCEC’s digital marquee and video wall
  • 2 tables of 10 with front row placement and,
  • 2 seats at a President’s Table.

PLATINUM SPONSOR $25,000

  • Member of Host Committee
  • Presence of company name on all marketing materials (e-vite, invitation, calendar, website, program, on-site promotion)
  • Sponsor’s name and logo included in an event video to be shown on the BCEC’s digital marquee and video wall
  • Table of 10 with prominent placement and,
  • A dedicated seat at a President’s Table.

GOLD SPONSOR $10,000 

  • Member of Host Committee
  • Table of 10 with superior placement
  • Corporate table sign, program and website listing
  • On-site presence with signage.

SILVER SPONSOR $5,000 

  • Table of 10
  • Corporate table sign 
  • Program listing.

INDIVIDUAL RESERVATION $500

For more information on sponsorship, please contact: Celia Richa, Vice President of Programs, (617) 557-7346.

Our Annual Meeting is the top Boston business event of the year, with the induction of 3 new nominees to the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians. With only a few weeks away tickets sell out! Buy today!2019 Annual Meeting

Celia Richa

Senior Vice President of Programs

[email protected]
617-557-7346

FEATURING

Carol Meyrowitz

Executive Chairman, The TJX Companies, Inc. Featured Speaker

Carol Meyrowitz is Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of The TJX Companies, Inc., the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S….Read more
Carol Meyrowitz is Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of The TJX Companies, Inc., the leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide, with $39 billion in revenue and approximately 249,000 Associates worldwide at the end of 2018. As Executive Chairman, Ms. Meyrowitz is an integral part of TJX’s executive management team and advises on strategy and long-term growth for the Company and its retail chains: T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Winners, T.K. Maxx, HomeSense and Sierra. TJX has one of the widest demographics in retail, and as of February 2019, operated over 4,300 stores in nine countries located on three continents, as well as three e-commerce sites.  She also provides guidance on the Company’s global store growth and online strategies as well as innovation initiatives.  Ms. Meyrowitz assumed the role of TJX Executive Chairman of the Board in January 2016, having served as TJX Chairman of the Board since June 2015 and Chief Executive Officer of TJX since January 2007. During her tenure as CEO, Ms. Meyrowitz saw total sales grow by more than $13 billion, income from continuing operations increase more than three-fold to $2.7 billion in 2015, and the dividend increase every year. Further, market capitalization more than tripled to over $48 billion (as of January 2016.) Over the same period of time, TJX added more than 1,100 total stores and tens of thousands of Associates worldwide, as well as entered five new countries.  Under Ms. Meyrowitz’s leadership, TJX has received ongoing recognition for its excellent performance. TJX’s Fortune 500 ranking improved to #85 in 2018 from #133 in 2007, and it ranked #2 among Specialty Retailers in Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies listing in 2018.  Ms. Meyrowitz has personally been recognized as #11 among Fortune’s Most Powerful Women listing in 2015, and in that same year, was featured among Barron’s “World’s Best CEOs” for the third consecutive year.  Institutional Investor also ranked Ms. Meyrowitz as the number one overall Best CEO in the Retailing/Department Stores and Specialty Softlines category.

Karen Kaplan

Chairman & CEO, Hill Holliday Moderator

Karen Kaplan joined Hill Holliday as a receptionist, hoping to save enough money for law school. Three decades later, she’s had just about every job there is to…Read more
Karen Kaplan joined Hill Holliday as a receptionist, hoping to save enough money for law school. Three decades later, she’s had just about every job there is to have at an agency, gaining valuable insight into how to approach each business challenge with a fresh perspective. A key player in Hill Holliday’s significant growth as a national powerhouse, Karen is now Chairman & CEO overseeing the network of three agency brands: Hill Holliday, EP+Co, and Trilia Media. With an executive team composed of over half women, Karen is also one of the few female agency chairmen in the country. Honored by both Business Insider and AdAge as one of the most influential women in advertising, she’s helped the agency develop a proven ability to help brands fight a daily share battle in the noisiest categories. The proof lies in the successes of such key clients as Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Optum, and Party City. She has been a contributor to and featured in numerous publications including Ad Age, AdWeek, Forbes, Fortune, Huffington Post, and Inc., and is a sought-after speaker appearing on stages, television, and radio outlets around the country.  She serves on the Boards of Directors for the Ad Council and several other civic and professional organizations, and is a Trustee of Fidelity Investments’ Strategic Advisers Funds and a Director of Michaels Stores.

Sandra L. Fenwick

CEO, Boston Children’s Hospital 2019 Distinguished Bostonian

Sandra Fenwick is the Chief Executive Officer of Boston Children’s Hospital. As the leader of the nation’s #1 pediatric hospital and the world’s leading center…Read more
Sandra Fenwick is the Chief Executive Officer of Boston Children’s Hospital. As the leader of the nation’s #1 pediatric hospital and the world’s leading center of pediatric medical and health research, Ms. Fenwick has been instrumental in developing strategies that have elevated the hospital’s standing in its field. As a tireless advocate for children’s health, she is committed to investing in and creating high quality pediatric care while reducing the costs of care. Prior to her arrival at Boston Children’s, Ms. Fenwick served as senior vice president of System Development for CareGroup, Inc. From 1976 to 1996, she served in a number of senior executive roles at the Beth Israel Hospital in operations, strategy and business development. In addition to her leadership at Boston Children’s, Ms. Fenwick serves on several Boards including CIRCO, LTD., Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically-inspired Engineering, the Children’s Hospital Association, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, to name just a few. 

Deborah C. Jackson

President, Cambridge College 2019 Distinguished Bostonian

Deborah Jackson is the fourth president of Cambridge College. Since she joined the institution in 2011, the college has been named one of “America’s Top…Read more
Deborah Jackson is the fourth president of Cambridge College. Since she joined the institution in 2011, the college has been named one of “America’s Top 100 Graduate Degree Producers” by Higher Education magazine and the School of Management ranked third in awarding master’s in business/commerce degrees to African-American students, higher than any other private, non-profit college in the nation. Prior to joining Cambridge College, President Jackson served for nearly a decade as CEO of the American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts, and, before that, as vice president of the Boston Foundation. She has also held the position of Senior Vice President at Boston Children’s Hospital and CEO of Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, Inc. She is currently the Lead Director of the Board of Directors of Eastern Bank and serves on the boards of the Eastern Bank Foundation and the Massachusetts Women’s Forum. She is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Massachusetts. 

Sheila Lirio Marcelo

Founder, Chairwoman, & CEO, Care.com 2019 Distinguished Bostonian

Sheila Lirio Marcelo founded Care.com in 2006 after her firsthand experience as a working mother seeking care for her two small children and ailing parents….Read more
Sheila Lirio Marcelo founded Care.com in 2006 after her firsthand experience as a working mother seeking care for her two small children and ailing parents. Today, her company is now the world’s largest online destination for finding and managing family care, serving more than 26 million people across 20 countries. Prior to founding Care.com, Ms. Lirio Marcelo was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Matrix Partners and held executive positions at Upromise, helping families save for college and at executive search engine TheLadders.com. She sits on the Boards of Northwestern Mutual, Boston Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees, the U.S. Library of Congress Trust Fund, and the Philippine Development Foundation.

Linda Dorcena Forry

Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion & Community, Suffolk Host Committee Co-chair

Linda Dorcena Forry is Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Community at Suffolk. She leads the design and implementation of Suffolk’s national strategy…Read more
Linda Dorcena Forry is Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Community at Suffolk. She leads the design and implementation of Suffolk’s national strategy to strengthen diversity,inclusion and employee engagement. Prior to joining Suffolk, Linda worked for over two decades in the public sector and served for 13years as a member of the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives. A nativeBostonian and first-generation American of Haitian descent, Senator Forry made history bybecoming the first women and person of color elected to the Senate’s First Suffolk district.Linda has been a leading voice on numerous public policy issues focused on economic equality,affordable housing and business development. She played a key leadership role in drafting andadvocating for legislation to increase access and opportunity for small businesses owned byunderrepresented groups. Linda serves on numerous boards and civic organizations in the greater Boston area, includingBoston Public Library Trustee, Eversource Energy Trustee, Greater Boston Chamber ofCommerce, Edward M. Kennedy Institute Trustee, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester. Sheholds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government;and a Bachelor of Science from Boston College Carroll School of Management. Linda and herhusband, Bill, are proud parents of four children and live in Dorchester.

Marianne Harrison

President & CEO, John Hancock Host Committee Co-chair

Marianne Harrison is President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock, the U.S. division of Toronto-based Manulife Financial Corporation. She also is a member…Read more
Marianne Harrison is President and Chief Executive Officer of John Hancock, the U.S. division of Toronto-based Manulife Financial Corporation. She also is a member of Manulife’s Executive Leadership Team. Ms. Harrison, who is based in Boston, directs all aspects of John Hancock’s operations. One of the largest life insurers and fastest growing asset managers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and college savings plans. The company also offers advice through both digital platforms and a network of independent financial advisors, Signator Investors Inc. As of December 31, 2017, John Hancock’s assets under management and administration were $480.1 billion. Before taking on her current role in 2017, Ms. Harrison served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Canada, Manulife’s Canadian Division. Prior to assuming this role in 2013, she held several leadership positions across the company, including President and General Manager for John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance, and Executive Vice President and Controller for Manulife. Before joining Manulife, Marianne had been Chief Financial Officer of Wealth Management at TD Bank Group after holding various positions there; before that she worked for PwC. Ms. Harrison serves as President and Chairman of the boards for John Hancock’s insurance companies, including John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, a public policy group comprised of chief executive officers of some of the commonwealth’s largest businesses. The Partnership’s goals are to promote job growth and competitiveness throughout the Commonwealth. She also serves on the boards of directors for the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) and for Communitech, an industry-led innovation center that fosters technology companies in Canada.  Ms. Harrison graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. in English and earned a Diploma in Accounting from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is a Chartered Accountant and in 2016 was elected a Fellow of the Profession, the highest designation for professional achievement conferred by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. 

Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

415 Summer St , Boston , MA , 02210

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Cancellation Policy: All individual ticket cancellations and refund requests must be received by Wednesday, May 1, 2019 to avoid being charged or to receive a refund. There are no cancellations permitted for any table sponsorships. There are no exceptions. 

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Boston, MA 02110
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