FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura O’Neill
Director of Development
617-426-1812, ext. 112
Mr. Thomas A. Kershaw Honored by the USS Constitution Museum
for his Public Service
October 28, 2014 - On October 23, 2014, Thomas A. Kershaw, Chairman and CEO of the Hampshire House Corporation, was presented with the USS Constitution Museum’s Charles Francis Adams Award during a festive celebration of service held at the Westin Copley.
The award, named in honor of Adams, one of the Museum’s founders and the man behind Raytheon, is presented annually to a person or persons who give of themselves for the betterment of the community and whose good work creates profound, positive change. Kershaw has established a long legacy of community service, locally and nationally. Kershaw has served as Chairman of the Board for the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, the National Restaurant Association, and the Freedom Trail Association, and is past President of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.
Beyond his commitment to bettering the restaurant and hospitality industries, Kershaw is known for his love of Boston, and particularly his constant focus on building a strong community in which our children can grow and thrive. Kershaw was fundamental in the establishment of the beloved Frog Pond Skating Rink, and established the now traditional holiday lighting in the Beacon Hill area. In addition, the Kershaw Foundation Charitable Trust, Cheers for Children, has raised more than $1 million dollars over the years for Boston charities that serve our community’s youth.
Emmy Award-winning arts and entertainment critic, Joyce Kulhawik, served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, attended by more than 400 guests. The award was presented by Museum Trustee and event committee co-chair, S. Steven “Spike” Karalekas, who likewise has a distinguished record of service, having been awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal by the department of defense as well as the Navy’s highest civilian recognition, the Secretary of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Medal. Karalekas’ co-chairs for the evening included Chairman of the Board, Paul George of Wellesley; Board Vice Chairman, Dr. Gary Kearney of Beacon Hill; and Museum Trustee and current President and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pat Moscaritolo.
The Chairman’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony is an annual event, and the largest fundraiser of the year for the USS Constitution Museum which serves more than 350,000 visitors each year. The Museum, a private non-profit located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, serves as the memory and educational voice of Old Ironsides. The Museum is open seven days a week and has a policy of admission by donation. Kershaw is a current member of the Museum’s Board of Trustees.
PHOTO CREDIT: Greg M. Cooper Photography
Pictured from left to right: Anne Grimes Rand, President of the USS Constitution Museum; Thomas A. Kershaw; S. Steven “Spike” Karalekas