Presidents Report April 2023

What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, given the challenges and uncertainty of the previous three years, none of us was at all sure of what the future foretold. We were hopeful but cautious in our optimism. I’m happy to report that hope springs eternal and the state of our beloved Harvard Club of Boston is solid. The feel of our Club community is one of renewed excitement as we fulfill our mission to be the social, intellectual and athletic hub of Harvard alumni and affiliated communities in the Greater Boston area.

As my first year as President of the Harvard Club of Boston concludes, I am humbled and honored to be your President. It’s been a good year for us as we welcomed new members and reconnected with those who returned after the pandemic. I appreciate the conversations with you, our members. You care about our club and your willingness to engage on many levels is fundamental to our success.

The Harvard Club of Boston exists because of Harvard University Over the past year, we strategically embraced Harvard and strengthened our partnership with the University on many levels We will continue prioritize connecting to the Harvard Alumni Association in everything we do This will make us relevant in the lives of our current members and attract future ones.

The details of our accomplishments over the past year are outlined in the committee reports of the Annual Report. Below are some highlights.

Our financial position is strong, and we have been fortunate to recover from the pandemic.We have our HCB management team along with members that continued to support our club during the pandemic, returning members and new members to thank for our fiscal recovery. We must keep our focus on retaining and attracting members for continued financial stability. Our member experience significantly improved over the past year. The variety and depth of our member events allowed all to enjoy the intergenerational and multi-disciplinary quality of our HCB community. As we moved forward, the Member Experience Committee will focus on the member journey, member interaction, member events and our Harvard connection as key factors to enhance the value proposition of membership.

We continue follow the lead of the University regarding making our clubhouse and representations more inviting and welcoming to all in the Harvard community One way to do this through artwork Thanks to your contributions, the Higginson Foundation, has supported adding pieces to our collection that embodies the rich diversity and inclusion of today’s Harvard.

Whether through Veritas, our member events and signature holiday celebrations, cooking classes or mixology and tastings, our culinary team continues to shine.

We are blessed to have a dedicated facilities team that takes much pride maintaining our 110 year old clubhouse That said, our roof system will require major work over the next year or so The good news is that the bathrooms on the second floor of the clubhouse are now ADA compliant The Facilities Renewal Assessment helps pay for the cost of those of repairs and upgrades, along with other similar projects that keep our building operating and maintained in good order.

This year we worked with a branding, design and production company to a create a comprehensive marketing strategy for the HCB. This work has provided a foundation for how our club portrays itself in all aspects of communication and design. Essential to our success as an alumni club is our ability to honor traditions, acknowledge the present and embrace the future.

The Harvard Club of Boston has again named a Platinum Club of America. We were awarded the distinction as the 9th ranked City Club in the United States. We congratulate Steve Cummings, our General Manager and his team for this achievement.

The 415 Newbury Street Project continues to move through the City of Boston permitting process. There have been some preliminary approvals, however there are many more required. At this point given the number of agencies, new regulations and delays in scheduling, we do not anticipate that construction will begin before the 2nd half of 2024. Please note that even when the project receives all the required governmental approvals and permits, the Board of Governors (BOG) intends to review the terms of the development deal and make a final decision whether to move forward with project after receiving a recommendation from the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee, which is closely monitoring the project, consists of our four recent past presidents, the Executive Committee of the BOG, our General Manager and a real estate consultant.

The HCB staff continue to be an important component in the life of our club.Steve Cummings, our General Manager and recognized leader in the private club industry, is now in his 11th year of award winning management of the HCB team. We have been fortunate to have the expertise of seasoned staff along with an influx of new hires with the fresh perspectives over the past year. This combination has proven to be a wonderful model for providing a quality service for our members. Thank you to our staff for your dedicated service. We appreciate everything they do on our behalf.

Devoted, measured, earnest, thoughtful – those are some of the words I use to describe my fellow members of the Board of Governors. They engage with purpose, provide forthright oversight and supportive guidance to management. They are committed stewards of our Club and I am grateful for their time, talents and service The board service of Bernard Ho and Philip Lovejoy ends after this year’s annual meeting Bernard has been a stalwart regarding working to incorporate data in our work at the club

Philip has been a leader in articulating some hard truths about our relationship with Harvard. Because of his advocacy, our club is now committed to embracing and connecting in new ways with the University, and the HCB will be better for it Thank you, Bernard and Philip, your contributions have served us well and we are greatly appreciative

Committee service is one the best ways to be involved in our club community.Thank you to our members who serve on our committees. Your input has helped to influence the experiences for all of our members and guests.Thanks also to our Special Interest Groups which provide an avenue for members to enjoy the fellowship of the those with similar interests. Collectively your involvement makes our club better.

In closing, I would like to thank the members who stepped forward to make suggestions or offer encouragement to us in the past year. When members ask what they can to assist the club, one thing always come to mind. Spread the word, talk to fellow alumni and friends about becoming members and invite them to do so. The most important asset of the HCB are its members. We are strengthened by the richness shared individually and collectively through inclusion, connectivity and engagement throughout Harvard, affiliated schools and neighboring communities. Many thanks to all of you for choosing to be members of our beloved Club. Your loyalty and support make us thrive as a community, onward together.

Respectfully submitted,

Marcus O. P. DeFlorimonte, gb’95 pmd President