Commencement

2004 Graduate Commencement Speaker - Marian Heard

Marian L. Heard
President & Chief Executive Officer
First Recipient: Ansin Executive Leadership Chair

Called the most honored United Way Chief Executive in America, and a champion for youth, Marian Heard was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Chief Executive Officer of the United Way’s of New England in February of 1992. Over a span of 17 years, she served in various leadership capacities at the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County in Bridgeport, Connecticut, spending the last three years there as President and Chief Executive Officer.

She is on the boards of FleetBoston Financial, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Liberty Mutual Group and CVS. She is a Trustee at Berea College and the New England Aquarium. She is also a past member and secretary of entertainer Michael Jackson's Heal the World Foundation and a Trustee of Dana Farber Cancer Institute. As a Director of the National Mentoring Partnership, Mrs. Heard served as a mentor for over six years and currently serves as the organization's National Spokesperson.

In addition, Mrs. Heard is the Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of the Points of Light Foundation, organized to perpetuate President George Bush's call for volunteers to address serious social problems in our nation. She continues as a board member and served two terms as National Board Chairman. President Bush serves as the Honorary Chairperson.

In 1997, she accepted an appointment to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Steering Committee of the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, an event with participation by all living Presidents. The effort was led by former Presidents Clinton and Bush and chaired by retired General Colin Powell and was the largest gathering for a domestic issue in the country's history.

She was recently chosen to speak on the topic of "Leadership" for a national tour called "God's Leading Ladies," a series of development and educational conferences for Bishop T. D. Jakes, the man Time Magazine has called, "America's greatest preacher."

She earned an associate's degree from the University of Bridgeport, a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a master's degree from Springfield College and has completed the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Michigan.

Called a tireless advocate for children and youth, Mrs. Heard is the recipient of 12 honorary doctorate degrees and numerous local, regional and national awards including being named the National Public Citizen of the Year for 1998 by the National Association of Social Workers. In 2000, she also received the Others Award, the highest civilian award given by the Salvation Army. In 2002, she was named the First Recipient of an "endowed chair" for a President and CEO's position of any United Way in the country - the Ansin Executive Leadership Chair.

A nationally recognized speaker, Mrs. Heard has received the coveted Buckley Orator Award and was recently named an Aspen Institute Scholar.

She is married to Winlow M. Heard and is the mother of two grown sons.