PBLN Board of Directors

PBLN Honorary Co-Chairs

James Roosevelt Jr.
President & CEO, Tufts Health Plan

Steve Grossman
President & CEO, Grossman Marketing Group

PBLN Co-Chairs

Dr. Joshua Boger
Founder & CEO (retired), Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Jeffrey J. Bussgang
General Partner, Flybridge Capital Partners

Chris Gabrieli
Chairman, Massachusetts 2020



Board of Directors

David Belluck

Managing Partner, Riverside Partners LLC

James F. Boyle
President & CEO, Sustainability Roundtable, Inc.

Robert Crowe

Co-Managing Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP

Thomas D. Dretler

President & CEO, Eduventures, Inc.

Philip J. Edmundson

Chairman & CEO, William Gallagher Associates, Inc.

Mark Shirman

President & CEO, Glasshouse Technologies

Paul Egerman

Co-founder and former CEO, eScription, Inc.

Norman W. Gorin

Managing Principal & CFO, Analysis Group, Inc.

Diane Hessan

President & CEO, Communispace Corporation

Janet Kraus

CEO, Spire Company Associates, Inc.

Sandy Lish

Founder & Principal, The Castle Group, Inc.

Jack Manning

President & CEO, Boston Capital Corporation

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor, Harvard Business School

Paul Sagan

President & CEO, Akamai Technologies

Andrea C. Silbert

President, Eos Foundation

Kirk A. Sykes

Senior Vice President, New Boston Fund, Inc., & President, Urban Strategy America Fund, L.P.

Mitchell G. Tyson

CEO & Director, Advanced Electron Beams

Gerardo Villacres

Managing Partner, Ultra-Linx Marketing Group, LLC

PBLN Executive Officers

President:

Thomas D. Dretler

President & CEO,
Eduventures, Inc.

Vice President:

Beverly A. Armstrong

General Counsel & CCO,
Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Executive Director:

Andrew H. Tarsy

General Counsel:

Thomas R. Burton, III

Member
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC

Treasurer:

David S. Gasson

Vice President & Director of Corporate Communications,
Boston Capital Corporation

Secretary:

Tim Kirk

Senior Director - Financial Services,
Vertica Systems

Policy Advisor:

Chris Pinney

Director of Research and Policy, The Center for Corporate Citizenship
Carroll School of Management, Boston College

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the Progressive Business Leaders Network (PBLN)?
PBLN is a non-profit, peer-to-peer, educational organization of top executives of for-profit corporations. PBLN, Inc. is incorporated in Massachusetts as a non-profit and has filed for tax exempt status pursuant to section 501(c)3 of the federal tax code.

2) What does PBLN do?
We educate and empower progressive business leaders to engage with one another and with policy-makers at annual conferences in Boston and Washington, DC as well as through a year-round program of events and activities. Our aim is to have an impact on the individuals who participate and on the world around us.

3) Does PBLN have a special focus or expertise?
The PBLN expertise is on bringing top business leaders and policy-shapers together to work on developing and articulating creative solutions to our society’s toughest challenges. Those who participate bring a wide range of perspectives and a wide range of expertise; but they generally have a shared vision of economic growth and social and economic justice.

4) Does PBLN engage in partisan politics?
No. We are a non-partisan organization.

5) Does PBLN take positions on public policy issues?
Yes. For the purpose of educating our members, the business community, public policy makers and the public we will do so on select issues by a vote of our Board.

6) Does PBLN engage in lobbying?
No. PBLN engages in activities around public issues in a manner that is consistent with our 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit status.

7) Does the PBLN endorse candidates for office or engage in fundraising for candidates for political office?
No.

8) Do I have to be a CEO or top officer to participate in PBLN activities?
No. Our conferences, working group programs and other activities are not restricted to CEOs and top officers though some programs and sessions might be.

Member Spotlight

Diane Hessan, President & CEO - Communispace
According to Advertising Age Communispace is one of the fastest growing marketing and technology companies in the country, with a Blue Chip client list that would make a Madison Avenue giant jealous. A pioneer in creating online communities to help marketers deeply engage customers, Diane helped found Communispace in 1999 and hasn't looked back.