Key Executives (formerly C-Suite Spotlight) is pleased to announce The Top 25 CEOs of Massachusetts for 2023. From the American Revolution to the drafting of the US Constitution, Massachusetts has played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's early development and identity. Today, the state stands as a vibrant technology hub with executive leaders at the forefront of innovation, benefiting from the proximity to esteemed academic institutions like Harvard University and MIT. Often referred to as 'Silicon Valley East,' the collaborative spirit between industry and academia has given rise to groundbreaking advancements, fostering an abundance of startups and successful businesses. At the heart of this dynamic ecosystem are the Chief Executive Officers guiding their companies through the ever-changing landscape, contributing not only to the success of individual enterprises but also to the continued vibrancy and resilience of the state’s economy.
This year's list of elite Chief Executive Officers features notable individuals such as Chris Vanderzyden of Legacy Partners, a global speaker, a guest lecturer, a bestselling author, and an overall expert contributor for media outlets. Another distinguished leader is Andrew Rees, Chief Executive Officer of Crocs, with over 25 years of experience in footwear and retail, having worked with renowned brands like LEK, Reebok, and Laura Ashley. Additionally, Niraj Shah co-founded Wayfair in 2002, leading the company to become the largest online retailer of home furnishings, housewares, and home improvement goods in the US.
We commend these individuals for their commitment to the organizations they serve. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 CEOs of Massachusetts for 2023.
1. Kevin Holt
Chief Executive Officer, Ahold Delhaize USA
Kevin Holt has served as Chief Executive Officer of Ahold Delhaize USA and a member of the Ahold Delhaize Management Board since 2018. Before that, he was COO of Ahold USA since 2016 after serving as COO of Delhaize America. Earlier, he served as EVP of Delhaize Group and CEO of Delhaize America, starting in 2014. Ahold USA is one of the world's largest food retail groups, a leader in supermarkets and e-commerce, and a company at the forefront of sustainable retailing.
As a 30-year veteran in the industry, Holt served as President of Retail Operations for SuperValu before joining Delhaize Group. During his tenure, the company owned the Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, and Save-A-Lot chains and was the third-largest food retailing company in the US. Before SuperValu, Holt worked in executive leadership positions for three years with Sears Holding Company and 14 years with Meijer, serving in various leadership roles including EVP of Information Technology and Strategic Planning. Before joining the retail industry, Holt spent nine years at NCR, delivering technology solutions to large and complex organizations. He graduated from Ferris State University with an undergraduate degree in business economics.
2. Gregory J. Hayes
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, RTX Corporation
Gregory J. Hayes is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of RTX Corporation, the world's largest aerospace and defense company. RTX Corporation is responsible for leading an aerospace and defense company of 180,000 employees and $64 billion in annual sales. With more than 180,000 global employees, they push the limits of technology and science to redefine how they connect and protect their world.
Elected Chairman of the Board in 2021, Hayes had a nearly 21-year career at United Technologies Corporation, holding several senior leadership roles across finance, corporate strategy, and business development, culminating with his appointment to CEO in 2014 and Chairman in 2016. As CEO, Hayes led the reshaping of UTC from an industrial conglomerate to a focused aerospace company. Beginning with the divestiture of Sikorsky Aircraft in 2015 and the acquisition of Rockwell Collins in 2018, Hayes continued to focus the business with the spinoffs of Otis Elevator Company and Carrier Corporation in 2020. He then led the merger of UTC’s remaining aerospace businesses, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace Systems, with Raytheon Company to form RTX in April 2020. Hayes, who joined UTC in 1999 through its merger with the Sundstrand Corporation, also served as UTC’s CFO from 2008 to 2014. Hayes holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Purdue University and is a CPA.
3. Abby Johnson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Investments
Abby Johnson began her professional career 35 years ago. Today, she is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Investments. At Fidelity, their goal is to make financial expertise broadly accessible and effective in helping people live the lives they want. They do this by focusing on a diverse set of customers–from 23 million people investing their life savings to 20,000 businesses managing their employee benefits to 10,000 advisors needing innovative technology to invest their clients’ money. They offer investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, and many other financial products.
Johnson graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA and from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with an undergraduate degree in art history.
4. Jon Rennert
Chief Executive Officer, ZOLL Medical Corporation
Jon Rennert was named Chief Executive Officer of ZOLL Medical Corporation in 2016. Since joining ZOLL Medical in 2008 as President, he has led the company to become the global leader in external defibrillation, diversified the product portfolio through the addition of transport ventilators and intrathoracic pressure regulation therapy, and overseen the establishment of Asahi Kasei ZOLL Medical, its Japanese subsidiary. ZOLL Medical, an Asahi Kasei Group Company, develops and markets medical devices and software solutions that help advance emergency care and save lives while increasing clinical and operational efficiencies. With products for defibrillation and monitoring, circulation and CPR feedback, data management, therapeutic temperature management, and ventilation, the company provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians, EMS, fire professionals, and lay rescuers treat victims needing resuscitation and acute critical care.
Before joining ZOLL Medical, Rennert led the analytical instruments business at PerkinElmer, and earlier in his career, held manufacturing and engineering leadership positions with United Technologies and General Electric. Rennert holds master’s degrees in management and mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University.
5. Timothy Sweeney
President and Chief Executive Officer, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Timothy Sweeney is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Mutual Insurance. Since joining the company in 1993 as a director in its Corporate Strategy group, Sweeney has held leadership roles of increasing responsibility in strategy, distribution, product management, marketing, and global operations and has overseen numerous successful insurance company acquisition and integration efforts. In 2018, Sweeney was named President of Global Retail Markets, Liberty Mutual’s global consumer and small commercial unit. He then became President of Liberty Mutual in 2021 overseeing all three of the company’s business units — Global Retail Markets, Global Risk Solutions, and Liberty Mutual Investments. He was appointed to his current role on January 1, 2023.
Sweeney serves on the BoD of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, and the Massachusetts General Hospital annual gala to benefit children and young adults on the autism spectrum. He is also proud to serve on the executive committee of the board of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable. In 2019, Sweeney was recognized on the Insurance Business Hot 100 list of the year. Sweeney holds a BA in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. A native of Lowell, Massachusetts, he currently resides in the Boston area.
6. Deon Stander
President and Chief Executive Officer, Avery Dennison Corporation
Deon Stander is President and Chief Executive Officer for Avery Dennison Corporation. He was appointed to this position in 2023 after serving as COO since 2022. Avery Dennison is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company that provides branding and information labeling solutions, including pressure-sensitive materials, radio-frequency identification inlays and tags, and a variety of converted products and solutions. The company designs and manufactures a wide range of labeling and functional materials that enhance branded packaging, carry or display information that connects the physical and the digital, and improve customers’ product performance. In his role, Stander is responsible for the company’s global operations, with the leaders of the company’s businesses and global functions reporting to him.
Before becoming COO, Stander served as VP and GM for Solutions Group (formerly RBIS) from 2015 to 2022. Stander also served as VP and GM for Global Commercial and Innovation, RBIS from 2013 to 2014. Before 2013, he held several senior leadership roles across Avery Dennison RBIS, dating back to 2005. Stander joined Avery Dennison from Paxar in 2007 as GM in the UK, Nordic, and South Africa. Stander earned an MBA from Lancaster University, UK, and a BCom in Business from the University of Port Elizabeth.
7. Scott Glosserman
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Gathr Companies
Scott Glosserman is the founder and CEO of The Gathr Companies (Gathr®), which brings together the best aspects of In Real Life (IRL), Virtual, and Hybrid event creation/management, while providing online the benefits of a talent and booking agency. Gathr pioneered Theatrical on Demand®, Events On Demand™, and Virtual Event Cinema™ among other innovations in the Event Tech space. Glosserman has directed, written, and produced films and documentaries under his banner, Glen Echo Entertainment. In 2015, he was a finalist for the IVY Innovator Award. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, The Writers Guild of America, and the Directors Guild of America. His film "Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" was nominated for an Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films award in 2008. He also directed and produced “The Truth Below” for MTV films, and co-directed the feature documentary, “Truth in Numbers: Everything, According to Wikipedia.”
Glosserman founded the Gathr Foundation, a grant-giving organization, and Gathr Work in Ipswich, MA, a collaborative co-working and events space. He also founded Docutegrity, an organization that rates accuracy in documentaries and historical fiction for TV and feature films. His career started at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as an assistant to the head of the Motion Picture Talent department. Glosserman earned a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania and has guest lectured in the Film Studies Department at Yale University. He is a member (on sabbatical) of the Board of Trustees at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA, a council member and former co-chair of the University of Pennsylvania Libraries' Orrery Society, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Ipswich Local News.
Scott Glosserman Insight
"Distinguishing talent booking from film licensing revolutionizes the independent and documentary film exhibition sector. While filmmakers have long depended on subject matter experts to bring authenticity to their documentaries and impact and PR campaigns, our platform offers these experts a rewarding avenue to both honor and capitalize on their invaluable contributions. The prestige of being part of such impactful films is undoubtedly significant, but providing an avenue for their continuous monetization ensures a symbiotic relationship where all stakeholders share in the film's success”.
8. Stephen Kramer
Chief Executive Officer, Bright Horizons
Stephen Kramer has devoted his career to supporting the educational promise of all, from the youngest children to high school students and adult learners working to realize his vision and belief that everyone at every age deserves a great education. Kramer was named Chief Executive Officer of Bright Horizons in 2018 and over the last decade, he has held leadership positions throughout the organization including President, Chief Development Officer, and Managing Director, Europe, based in London.
Kramer joined Bright Horizons in 2006 through the acquisition of College Coach®, a company he co-founded and led. In addition to the Bright Horizons BoD, he serves on the boards of the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children in both the US and the UK and co-chairs the Bright Horizons Diversity and Inclusion Council. Previously, he held roles at Fidelity Ventures and Arthur D. Little. A Massachusetts native, Kramer is a graduate of Babson College and Harvard Business School.
9. Peter Lancette
Chief Executive Officer, Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital
Peter Lancette is the Chief Executive Officer of Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital, an affiliate of Encompass Health. The hospital is a joint-venture partnership between Encompass Health, the largest owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals in the US, and University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care, the largest healthcare system in Central Massachusetts. The hospital provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Lancette earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degrees in business and nursing, all from Grand Canyon University. He also has an associate’s degree in nursing from Quinsigamond Community College. He is Nurse Executive Board Certified.
In 2021, Lancette came to Encompass Health from Fairlawn’s joint venture partner, University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He has served in many leadership roles over his 25 years within the UMass system, most recently serving as Associate VP as well as Interim Associate Chief Nursing Officer for their Field Hospital Operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also served as the Director of Cardiovascular Diagnostic and Interventional Services. Before UMass, he served as a Chief Nurse and Commander in the US Army Reserve while rising to the rank of Major. His expertise includes patient flow management, strategic planning, progressive leadership, operations management, and effective communication.
10. Niraj Shah
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Wayfair
Niraj Shah Co-Founded Wayfair with Steve Conine in 2002 and the pair rapidly grew the business to become the largest online retailer of home furnishings, housewares, and home improvement goods in the US, generating $6.8 billion in net revenue for the full year of 2018. Wayfair has extensive operations in the US and Europe and employs more than 12,100 people.
Before founding Wayfair, Shah served as CEO and Co-Founder of Simplify Mobile, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Greylock Partners, COO and a member of the board of iXL, and the CEO and Co-Founder of Spinners, which was sold to iXL in 1998. Shah is on the board of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Shah holds a BS in engineering from Cornell University.
11. Jeffrey Cote
Director, Chief Executive Officer, and President, Sensata Technologies
Jeffrey Cote has served as Director, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Sensata Technologies since 2020. He was appointed President in 2019 and previously served as COO from 2012 until 2019. Sensata is a global industrial technology company striving to create a cleaner, more efficient, electrified, and connected world. Through its broad portfolio of sensors, electrical protection components, and sensor-rich solutions which create valuable business insights, Sensata helps its customers address increasingly complex engineering and operating performance requirements. With more than 21,000 employees and global operations in 16 countries, the company serves customers in the automotive, heavy vehicle and off-road, industrial, and aerospace markets.
In addition to his role as COO, Cote served as EVP for Sensing Solutions from 2015 to 2019. He served as EVP and CAO from 2011 through 2012. He assumed the role of Interim CFO from 2013 to 2014. Cote served as SVP and CFO of Sensata in 2007, and EVP and CFO from 2007 through our IPO. From 2005 to 2006, Cote was COO of the law firm, Ropes & Gray. From 2000 to 2005, Cote was COO and CFO of Digitas. Previously, he worked for Ernst & Young. Cote has been a director of Trinse, a global materials solutions provider since 2014, where he serves as a member of the Audit Committee and the Environmental, Health, Safety, Sustainability, and Public Policy Committee.
12. Camelle Kent
Chief Executive Officer, Thirty-One Gifts
Camelle Kent is the Chief Executive Officer of Thirty-One Gifts, one of America's fastest-growing direct-selling companies that is committed to helping women celebrate, encourage, and reward themselves through running their own business as Thirty-One consultants and offering unique gift products to their customers. She joined the company in 2021.
Previously, Kent was a CEO at WellPet and a Senior Director Global Brand Marketing at
Timberland, a VF Company. She was also a Global Marketing Director of Skincare & Personal Care at Avon Cosmetics and a Marketing Director at Procter & Gamble. Kent started her career in 1995 as a Business Manager at Gillette, New Zealand. Kent earned a master's degree in commerce from The University of Aucklan.
13. Prahlad Singh
President and Chief Executive Officer, Revvity
Prahlad Singh is the President and Chief Executive Officer for Revvity. Under his leadership, Revvity’s 11,000 employees deliver best-in-class solutions and services to a diverse range of organizations - advancing science that expands human health and improves lives worldwide. Before his current role, Singh served as President and CEO of PerkinElmer, a position he was appointed to in 2019. During his time in this role, Singh led the company through a period of significant transformation stewarding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing its dramatic portfolio evolution. He was also at the helm when the company completed the divestiture of its Applied, Food, and Enterprise Services businesses to New Mountain Capital, which resulted in the creation of Revvity. Before joining PerkinElmer in 2014, Singh was GM of GE Healthcare’s Women’s Health business. He has also held senior executive-level roles in strategy, BD, and M&As at both GE Healthcare and Philips Healthcare.
With over 25 years of leadership experience working for global healthcare companies, Singh is professionally and personally motivated by the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world. Born and raised in India, Singh holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Bombay. He moved to the US to continue his academic career at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he earned a PhD in chemistry. Singh also holds an MBA from Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business. He currently serves on the BoD of Amphenol Corporation and the Analytical, Life Science & Diagnostics Association. Additionally, he is a member of the Massachusetts General Hospital President's Council.
14. Steven Sintros
President and Chief Executive Officer, UniFirst Corporation
Steven Sintros, President and Chief Executive Officer of UniFirst Corporation, joined the company in 2004. UniFist is a North American leader in the supply and servicing of managed uniform and workwear programs, as well as in the delivery of ancillary facility services. Together with its subsidiaries, the company also provides first aid and safety products and manages specialized workwear programs for the cleanroom and nuclear industries.
Sintros first served as Finance Manager and Corporate Controller, then SVP and CFO before being promoted to his current position in 2017. Before joining UniFirst, he worked as an Audit Manager at Ernst & Young and at Arthur Andersen before that. Sintros graduated from Northeastern University with an MBA in accounting and from the College of the Holy Cross with an undergraduate degree in economics.
15. Jonathan Ram
Chief Executive Officer, Clarks
Jonathan Ram, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Clarks, guides a company with a rich history dating back almost two centuries. The roots of Clarks trace back to Cyrus and James Clark, who pioneered the creation of a sheepskin slipper, embodying principles of innovation, conscientiousness, and craftsmanship that continue to define the company. As the leading shoe brand in the UK, Clarks has expanded its influence across the globe, experiencing growth in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, India, and China. Positioned as the world's largest casual and smart shoe company and the fourth largest footwear company globally, Clarks remains at the forefront of the industry, driven by a commitment to excellence, advanced technology, and state-of-the-art facilities.
Ram's extensive career began in 1992 as the Director of Canadian Operations at Major League Baseball. He subsequently held key positions at Richmont Apparel and Roots Canada, followed by an influential role as the EVP of North America at New Balance. Ram graduated with an MBA from Babson FW Olin Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in marketing from Concordia University.
16. Bertrand Loy
President and Chief Executive Officer, Entegris
Bertrand Loy is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Entegris and a member of its BoD. Loy joined the company in 2005 as part of the merger with Mykrolis, where he had served as the CFO since 2001. Since the merger with Mykrolis, Loy has held a series of leadership roles including SVP, Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing, and more recently as COO from 2008 to 2012.
From 1995 to 2000, Loy was the Controller and head of manufacturing for Millipore’s Laboratory Water division before becoming Millipore’s CIO. He began his career with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (now Novartis) where he held numerous roles in strategic planning, finance, and internal auditing while based in Europe, Japan, and Latin America. Loy serves as Chairman on the board of SEMI, a global association providing industry stewardship and promoting the interests of the global electronics supply chain. He is also Lead Director on the Board of Harvard Bioscience, a global manufacturer of a broad range of life science solutions. Loy holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School in France.
17. Dr. Mark Keroack
President and Chief Executive Officer, Baystate Health
Dr. Mark Keroack is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baystate Health. Dr. Keroack provides strategic, financial, and operational oversight for all services at Baystate Health and its subsidiary health plan, Health New England. Under his leadership, Baystate Health has expanded the reach and variety of its clinical services, incorporating two new community hospitals and growing its outpatient practices across the region. During this time, Baystate Health also enhanced its role as the sole academic medical center of western Massachusetts, growing the scope, sophistication, and reach of its tertiary services, elevating its research programs, and opening UMMS-Baystate, a regional medical campus focused on the training of primary care physicians. The system has continued its long tradition of receiving national and regional awards for outstanding performance in safety, quality, and innovation during his tenure. Dr. Keroack also provides strategic oversight for philanthropic and community benefits activities in support of the health system. He served as Baystate Health’s system COO from 2013 to 2014 and as its Chief Physician Executive and President of Baystate Medical Practices from 2011 to 2013.
Dr. Keroack came to Baystate Health from University HealthSystem Consortium, where he served as SVP and CMO. At UHC, a national alliance of over 100 academic medical centers, he oversaw programs for clinical and operational performance improvement, faculty group practice management, and patient safety. He also led UHC’s research to define the leadership and management practices associated with top organizational performance in quality care. Before his national work, he served on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts for 12 years, where he focused on HIV and AIDS care and won five annual teaching awards. Beginning in 1995, Dr. Keroack served as the first President of the 700-physician UMass Memorial Medical Group and the VP of Medical Management for UMass Memorial Health Care. He has authored over 50 publications. Dr. Keroack is a graduate of Amherst College and Harvard Medical School and received his MPH from Boston University. He trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He serves on several local boards focused on improving the quality of life in his native Springfield and across western Massachusetts, as well as several state and national boards.
18. Greg Smith
President and Chief Executive Officer, Teradyne
Greg Smith is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Teradyne. In 2023, he became the company’s CEO and joined the BoD. Since 2020, he has been the President of Teradyne’s Industrial Automation Group (now Robotics), growing the revenue by 44%. Smith joined Teradyne’s Semiconductor Test Division in 2006 as the Marketing Manager for digital tests and held several roles, ultimately leading the group as Division President from 2017 to 2020, when revenue grew over 50%.
Teradyne’s test technology helps bring high-quality innovations such as smart devices, life-saving medical equipment, and data storage systems to market, faster. Its advanced test solutions for semiconductors, electronic systems, wireless devices and more ensure that products perform as they were designed. Its robotics offerings include collaborative and mobile robots that help manufacturers of all sizes increase productivity, improve safety, and lower costs. Before Teradyne, Smith held engineering, marketing, and leadership positions in groups developing test equipment at Raytheon and LTX. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
19. Andrew Rees
Chief Executive Officer, Crocs
Andrew Rees is the Chief Executive Officer of Crocs, overseeing the brand’s global strategy and operations. He joined the company as President in 2014, then became CEO, and joined the BoD in 2017. A world leader in innovative, casual footwear, Crocs, is a brand of the people, for the people. From the beginning, Crocs has believed that everyone should be comfortable in their own shoes. They believe that Come As You Are™ is more than a tagline, it is a way of living. And these beliefs inform everything they do, inside and out. Their inclusive culture thrives on the diversity of people and perspectives.
Rees has more than 25 years of experience in the footwear and retail industry. Before joining Crocs, Rees served as Managing Director of LEK Consulting in Boston where he founded and led the firm’s Retail and Consumer Products Practice for 13 years. While at LEK, Rees served as a Consultant for Crocs from 2013 to 2014, supporting the development and execution of the company’s strategic growth plan. Previously, Rees served as VP of both Strategic Planning and Retail Operations for Reebok International. He also held a variety of positions at Laura Ashley. Rees received a BS (First Class Honors) majoring in chemistry from Imperial College, University of London.
20. Jason Robins
Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, and Co-Founder, DraftKings
Jason Robins has been the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of DraftKings since 2020. He co-founded the company in 2011. Robins oversees the DraftKings’ strategy and operations, while also driving financings and strategic initiatives. He has built a reputation for expanding its reach across numerous platforms through wide-ranging, forward-thinking strategic relationships. Robins has led efforts at DraftKings to work with policymakers and regulators to pass fantasy sports, sports betting, and iGaming legislation. He also serves on the BoD of Extend, which is currently engaged in the business of providing extended warranty service contracts for consumer products, as well as Horizon Acquisition Corporation II, which is a special-purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger or similar business combination with one or more businesses primarily within technology industries located in the US.
Robins also served on the BoD of FirstMark Horizon Acquisition, which was a special-purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger or similar business combination with one or more businesses primarily within technology industries located in the US from 2020 until the completion of its initial business combination with Starry in 2022. Robins attended Duke University, where he received his BS in Economics and Computer Science and a minor in math.
21. Robert Willett
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cognex Corporation
As President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert Willett oversees all aspects of strategy and operations for Cognex Corporation. Cognex invents and commercializes technologies that address some of the most critical manufacturing and distribution challenges. We are a leading global provider of machine vision products and solutions that improve efficiency and quality in high-growth potential businesses across attractive industrial end markets.
Willett came to Cognex in 2008 from Danaher Corporation, a diversified manufacturer of industrial controls and technologies, where he served as VP of Business Development and Innovation for the company's Product Identification business group. Before that, Willett was President of Videojet Technologies, a leader in coding and marking products, which is a subsidiary of Danaher. Willett also served as CEO of Willett International, a $125 million privately owned coding company with 30 wholly owned sales companies around the world, which he sold to Danaher in 2003 and which was merged with Videojet. He holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from Yale University. Willett currently serves on the Board of Clean Harbors, a publicly held company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
22. Chris Conkey
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Global Chief Investment Officer, Manulife Asset Management
Chris Conkey is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Global Chief Investment Officer of Manulife Asset Management, the asset management arm of Manulife Financial Corporation, a global financial institution that has protected investor assets since 1887. They’re passionate about providing solutions. With leading capabilities in public and private markets, they partner with institutions to understand their needs and create tailored solutions to help meet them. Conkey is responsible for all aspects of Manulife Investment Management’s public markets investment processes and the investment performance of its equity, fixed-income, and solutions-oriented strategies. In addition, he helps oversee the development and implementation of the firm’s investment philosophy, risk management approach, and environmental, social, and governance integration.
Before joining the firm, he was CIO of Evergreen Investment Management, leading several distinct teams in the US and Europe managing fixed-income, equity, and liquid alternative strategies. Earlier, Conkey spent three years as Evergreen's equity CIO, following a merger between Keystone Investments and Evergreen. He spent 13 years at Keystone, where he held several portfolio management positions, culminating in the role of President and CIO. Conkey holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He graduated from Questrom School of Business, Boston University with an MBA and from Clark University with an undergraduate degree in economics.
23. Mike Florczyk
Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealthcare, Rhode Island Community Plan
Mike Florczyk is the Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare at Rhode Island Community Plan. He first joined the company in 2015 as Director of Medicaid Operations. At UnitedHealthcare, they serve nearly 270,000 Rhode Islanders, including 100,000 Medicaid and Dual Complete Plan® members, many of whom contend with complex medical conditions on top of a daily struggle to make ends meet. UnitedHealth Group is a healthcare and well-being company with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone.
Previously, Florczyk was Director of Consumer Segment Quality and Operations at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and before that, a VP at Citizens Bank. Earlier in his career, he worked with Texas Instruments as a manager. Florczyk earned an MBA from Babson FW Olin Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in systems engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
24. Steve Pimpis
President and Chief Executive Officer, Murata Power Solutions
Steve Pimpis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Murata Power Solutions. The company is powering the future with sustainable energy solutions. They are the leading provider of power conversion products focused on two transformative technology, macro market segments: Server, Storage, Networking (SSN), and E-Mobility, including electric vehicles, robotics, and energy storage.
Pimpis began his career in 1985. Before joining Murata Power Solutions, he was Director of Product Marketing Management at Power-One and before that, a VP of Marketing and Sales at I-Systems. Earlier in his career, he worked with Lucent Technologies as a Process and Product Engineer. Pimpis graduated from Texas Tech University with a master’s in engineering and from the University of Massachusetts Lowell with an undergraduate degree in engineering.
25. Chris Vanderzyden
Chief Executive Officer and President, Legacy Partners
Chris Vanderzyden is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Legacy Partners. She first joined the company in 2014. Legacy Partners is an exit planning advisory firm dedicated to serving privately held, middle-market businesses in a comprehensive and unbiased manner. They understand the confusion that business owners experience as they grow and ultimately plan to exit their business. They make exit planning easy by providing clarity, insight, and guidance in creating a strategic exit plan that maximizes business value and aligns the owner's business, financial, and personal goals. This results in a comprehensive master plan that transitions the owner from equity to liquidity, preserving wealth.
Vanderzyden began her career as a CPA for Coopers & Lybrand, which later became PricewaterhouseCoopers following a merger, and subsequently served as an asset manager with Northwest Asset Management. Following her positions in the corporate world, Vanderzyden became an entrepreneur and has successfully built and sold multiple businesses. She has over 20 years of experience consulting for M&A firms and privately held businesses as they grow and ultimately execute their exit plans. Vanderzyden speaks internationally on exit planning and M&As, is an expert contributor for media outlets, and is a guest lecturer for Harvard University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation class. She is also the bestselling author of “7 Steps to Entrepreneurial Victory”. Vanderzyden graduated from the State University of New York College at Oswego with a BS in Accounting/Economics. She is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Certified Value Growth Advisor, and CPA (inactive).