Peter Meade Explained

Peter Meade
Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority
1Blankname:Mayor
1Namedata:Thomas Menino
Term Start:2011
Term End:2014
Predecessor:John Palmieri
Successor:Brian P. Golden
Title1:President and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
Term Start1:2009
Term End1:2012
Predecessor1:position created
Successor1:Andrew Tarsy
Title2:President and CEO of the New England Council
Term Start2:1992
Term End2:1996
Predecessor2:Nicholas Koskores
Successor2:James T. Brett
Title3:Boston Parks Commissioner
1Blankname3:Mayor
1Namedata3:Kevin White
Term Start3:1976
Term End3:1977
Title4:Head of the Boston Office of Public Service
1Blankname4:Mayor
1Namedata4:Kevin White
Term Start4:1974
Term End4:1976

Peter G. Meade is an American business executive, government official, and radio host who held various roles in the administration of Boston Mayor Kevin White, hosted a talk show on WBZ radio, and served as president of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the New England Council.

Early life

Meade was raised in Dorchester. His father was a guard at the Charles Street Jail and his mother was a homemaker. He graduated from Cathedral High School and Emerson College.[1]

Kevin White administration

Meade served various roles in the administration of Boston Mayor Kevin White. After starting as director of community schools he was selected to lead the office of public service in 1974.[2] In this role he oversaw the Little City Hall program and was the mayor's chief public safety liaison during the court-mandated desegregation of schools. In 1976 he was named the city's parks commissioner.[3] He resigned in 1977 to run for Massachusetts State Auditor.[4] He lost in the Democratic primary to incumbent auditor Thaddeus M. Buczko 60% to 40%.[5] Following his defeat, Meade was named senior management officer for intergovernmental affairs in the Boston Public Schools.[6] During the 1983 Boston mayoral election, Meade was an advisor to David Finnegan.[7]

WBZ

In 1981, Meade was hired by Warner Amex Cable Communications during a bidding war for Boston's cable television contract.[8] He served as Warner Amex's assistant vice president for New England until 1983, when he began hosting a talk show on WBZ radio. When the station switched to an all-news format in 1992, he and Gary LaPierre became the station's morning anchors.[9]

Private and non-profit sector

In 1992, Meade was named president and chief executive officer of the New England Council, a regional business lobbying group.[10] He remained there until 1996, when became the executive vice president for corporate affairs at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.[11] In 2008 he left Blue Cross to become the managing director of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, a Boston-based public relations and lobbying firm.[12] The following year he became the first-ever president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.[13]

Meade has also served as chairman of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and as a director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League of New England, and AAA of Southern New England.

Boston Redevelopment Authority

In 2011, Meade was appointed head of the Boston Redevelopment Authority by mayor Thomas Menino.[14] He retired at the end of Menino's term.[15]

Notes and References

  1. News: Aucoin . Don . The Go -To Guy . The Boston Globe . May 10, 2005.
  2. News: Jordan . Robert . Mayor White orders staff changes . The Boston Globe . September 26, 1974.
  3. News: Surkin . Carol . White shifting his personnel . The Boston Globe . February 10, 1976.
  4. News: Mayor's action irks Meade friends . The Boston Globe . January 1, 1978.
  5. Book: Massachusetts Election Statistics 1978 .
  6. News: Cohen . Muriel . Meade reportedly to get schools job . The Boston Globe . December 15, 1978.
  7. News: The Issue of Race and the Boston Mayoralty Campaign . The Boston Globe . September 30, 1983.
  8. News: Klibanoff . Hank . Behind the Boston Bidding . The Boston Globe . July 21, 1981.
  9. News: Johnson . Dean . Boston Radio WBZ morning team comfortable in news format . Boston Herald . January 16, 1992.
  10. News: Epstein . Gady A. . N.E. Council picks Meade president . The Boston Globe . June 30, 1992.
  11. News: Pham . Alex . N.E. Council's Meade to join Blue Cross . The Boston Globe . June 28, 1996.
  12. News: Krasner . Jeffery . Meade joins top Boston PR agency . The Boston Globe . June 3, 2008.
  13. News: New post for Meade . The Boston Globe . July 15, 2009.
  14. News: Kronenberg . Jerry . Menino formally taps 'proven leader' Meade to head BRA . McClatchy - Tribune Business News . April 5, 2011.
  15. News: Ebbert . Stephanie . Walsh appoints acting director of BRA . The Boston Globe . January 9, 2014.