DORCHESTER — More than 450 guests attended the reception and panel discussion at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate to mark the release of Bill Brett‘s sixth book, “Boston: Game Changers.”
The evening was emceed by veteran radio host Jordan Rich, who is in “Game Changers” for his work, particularly that of supporting many Boston area charities over his long career. The evening was kicked off by a welcome from the Institute’s Chief Operating Officer Gina Perille. The night included a discussion of the book and other topics that was held in the Institute’s replica Senate Chamber. Bill shared stories from this book and from his career as an award-winning photojournalist that includes more than 55 years of his photographs being published in The Boston Globe.
Bill also talked about the inspiration behind this latest photographic collection and engaged in conversation with a variety of individuals featured in the book, which celebrates Bostonians who are affecting positive change throughout the city.
Joining Bill and Jordan on the panel (and included in the book) were: Boston Police Department Commissioner William G. Gross; George Montilio, owner, Montilio’s Baking Company; Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s Dr. James J. O’Connell; and Grace Cotter Regan, president, Boston College High School. Carol Beggy, who wrote the text for all of Bill’s books, was also in attendance.
The event, “Getting to the Point with Bill Brett and the Boston Game Changers,” was hosted by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.
A book signing followed the program as the Institute sold out of copies of the book, which was published by the Massachusetts-based Three Bean Press and printed in the United States. (Three Bean also published Bill’s third book, done with daughter, renowned photographer Kerry Brett, “Boston: Inspirational Women,” and “Boston: Irish,” which marked Bill’s 50th year of being a professional photographer.)
“Boston: Game Changers” is available online and at local stores, including Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill;
Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge; Wellesley Books; Newtonville Books; Boston Harbor Hotel gift store;
Buttonwood Books in Duxbury; Book Ends in Winchester; and Market Street Bookshop in Mashpee on Cape Cod. (If you have any trouble finding the book, drop us a line at [email protected])
Among those attending the event were many people who are featured in “Boston: Game Changers”: Lynne and Gary Smith; Gail Fine, who attended with her husband, WCVB NewsCenter 5 President and General Manager Bill Fine; Frank Neer; John McGahan; members of the TIC Network, Wanda Geer and her mother, Mary Reed; Karen Bressler; Darren Donovan; Eric Engdahl; Jeffrey Gonyeau; Judith Johanson; Annie Lewis-O’Connor; Bob Rivers, who brought along his mother; Dr. Hanni M. Stoklosa; Dr. Ann Doggett; Karen Van Winkle; Steven M. Rothstein; Laura and James Creed; and Mary Kinsella, who attended with her husband, Bob Scannell of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester.
Other notables in attendance were: The Institute’s interim director Arthur Buckland, public relations and communications consultant Annemarie Lewis-Kerwin; Massachusetts State Police Lieutenant Colonel Richard Ball; former Boston Globe State House Bureau Chief Frank Phillips, who attended with Public Relations guru and Mass College of Art board chair Jan Saragoni; Boston journalist Michele McPhee, who is now in Los Angeles, where she writes for the Showtime series “City on a Hill”; Suffolk Construction’s John Khayali; real estate developer and philanthropist Joe Corcoran; MassArt Chief of Staff Susana Seget; radio personality and longtime classical music station host Ron Della Chiesa; limo company owner Kenny Young; former TV news reporter turned public relations specialist Kelly Tuthill; College Hype’s Jack Doherty; Boston Harbor Hotel General Manager Stephen Johnston; noted interior designer Heidi Pribell; spirit medium and holistic healer Maureen Hancock; and former Dorchester restaurant owner Gerard Adomunes and his wife, Ruth.
Globe friends (currently and formerly of the Globe) in attendance included Scot Lehigh, Kevin Cullen, M.E. Malone, Peter Mancusi, Stephanie Callahan, Linda Mann, Cynthia Stanton, and Jim Sullivan, who attended with his wife, Rosa. Fellow photographers: Bill’s daughter Kerry Brett, Teddy Gartland, Michael Blanchard, Don West, Jim Bulman, and Eric Antoniou.
A slew of family and friends on hand to support Bill and Carol, including Jim Brett, Tim Brett, Harry Brett, Patricia Beggy, Peggy Jeram, Brian Murphy, Michaelene Kumer, Jim Fagan, and Paul Doyle and his wife, Margo.
All photos by Eric Haynes
