John B. Harwood Explained

John Harwood
Office1:220th Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
Term Start1:1993
Term End1:2002
Predecessor1:Joseph DeAngelis
Successor1:William J. Murphy
Office2:Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
Term Start2:1980
Term End2:2002
Birth Date:14 January 1952
Birth Place:Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Spouse:Patricia May Lynch
Party:Democratic
Children:2

John B. Harwood (born January 14, 1952) is an American politician and lawyer in the state of Rhode Island.

Biography

Harwood was born in Providence in 1952 and attended Mount Saint Charles Academy where he played ice hockey and baseball, earning multiple all-state team selections in both, and twice winning the Interscholastic League scoring title in ice hockey.[1] He earned degrees from University of Pennsylvania (BSc 1974), University of Miami (MBA 1976) and Boston College (J.D. 1978).[2] Harwood also played collegiate hockey at the University of Pennsylvania where he served as captain and was selected for the All-Ivy hockey team. He briefly worked as professor at Nathaniel Hawthorne College in New Hampshire in the 1970s before practicing law in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Harwood married Patricia May Lynch and has two sons.

A Democrat, Harwood was first elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1980, representing Pawtucket. He was chosen to serve as Speaker of the House from 1993, serving until 2002. He is a member of the Penn Baseball Hall of Fame,[3] Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame and Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Class of 2014 Hall of Fame Inductees. Mount Saint Charles Academy. December 22, 2023.
  2. Book: American Legislative Leaders in the Northeast, 1911-1994. Nancy Weatherly. Sharp. James Roger. Sharp. Bloomsbury Academic. August 30, 2000. 9780313032080. Google Books.
  3. https://pennathletics.com/news/2016/6/27/5771a3fde4b0028e7235ad68_131492815314808220.aspx
  4. Web site: Heritage Hall of Fame inductees include ProJo reporter, RI armories preservationist. Warwick Beacon. March 30, 2022. December 22, 2023.