Boston Man Joins Lever's Board of Trustees
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Travis McCready, a senior consultant and thought leader with 20-plus years economic development expertise in private, public and large scale not-for-profit institutions, has joined Lever's board of trustees, effective April 2020.
"I am thrilled that Travis has joined Lever's board of trustees," said Jeffrey Thomas, Lever's founder and executive director. "He has a remarkable resume, a wealth of experience, and a longstanding interest in Lever's work and our mission of supporting Berkshire entrepreneurs, companies and the economic ecosystem as a whole. I'm confident that his contributions as a board member will be invaluable."
"Travis has a depth of experience both at the policy level for economic development, and at regional application of policy across the commonwealth," said Donald Dubendorf, chairman of Lever's board of directors. "We couldn’t be happier to tap into that experience and expertise. He is a wonderful addition to our board."
From 2015 through 2019, McCready served as the president and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, a $1 billion public-private partnership with the mission of advancing the life sciences ecosystem in Massachusetts. Previously, he served as the vice president for programs at The Boston Foundation, directing the foundation's grants and community investment strategy. He was the first executive director of the Kendall Square Association and has held the COO and CFO positions at the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. He is a frequently invited speaker on leadership development, innovation clusters and economic growth, and the creative economy.
McCready received a bachelor's degree from Yale University and J.D. from the University of Iowa. He and his wife Tanya reside in the Boston area and hold a deep affection for the Berkshires.
"The Berkshires are a gem — not just for the commonwealth, but for the entire New England region," McCready said. "I have a deep belief in the economic capabilities of the Berkshires, and the power of entrepreneurship there. I feel very fortunate to have joined the board of Lever, and have been spending a significant amount of time over the past few years to advance the overall health, vitality, and growth of the region."
McCready said he chose to join Lever’s board because of its track record as an organization ready and willing to work toward advancing the regional economy.
"I find the organization's leadership compelling – it has not been waiting on the sidelines for other people to figure out how to jumpstart innovation and entrepreneurship in the region," he said. "It's taken on this cause itself, as a real, dynamic leader. I look forward to being part of that – and to meeting more people in the Berkshires. There are such kind, creative people in the region, and Lever is a lightning rod for that creativity."
Founded in 2014, Lever's mission is to develop a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Berkshire region. It supports entrepreneurs with expertise, work space, an investment fund, research, mentors, and access to talent. Lever has helped launch dozens of companies that have attracted more than $7M in equity investment. To date, Lever-supported companies have created more than 150 jobs. Lever's intern program has placed more than 115 college students in paid internships at Berkshire County companies, many of whom have gone on to enter the permanent workforce here.
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