I am announcing my candidacy for Select Board. A 14-year resident of Concord, my wife and I have raised our family here. Our sons are a product of Concord’s public schools and now benefit from that exceptional education in college. (They say their first two Calculus courses have been a “review” of CCHS — a nice endorsement).
I love our town — its history, town center, people. It feels like … home. The kind of town I always hoped I could settle in when growing up in Pittsfield, Mass., studying in Chicago, working in Colorado and Europe. I’ve seen local governments make good and bad decisions that have lasting impact on life in their communities. We can learn from others.
After working for companies like GE and Fidelity, I’m now CEO of a small data science company based in Massachusetts. I am responsible for leading through good and bad, and I’ve learned that a solid team can succeed in both.
I get involved in my community: as a Trustee of The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle, volunteering with Kicks for Cancer, supporting the Library and Museum. I’ve coached youth soccer and football here in town. Beyond Concord, I serve on the boards of Tenacity (supports Boston youth with literacy and fitness) and the Entrepreneur’s Forum (mentors women and underrepresented people to launch businesses), and have volunteered with Boston Partners in Education. I have more to give — which is why I’m running for Select Board.
Why support me? I care deeply about Concord and want to ensure its vibrancy and health. But this doesn’t just “happen.” It takes good management, fair weighing of options, thorough analysis to understand the impact of decisions. And, it means speaking truth, not avoiding bad news and sometimes making tough decisions to stay on course.
I look forward to talking and sharing ideas with you.
Joe Laurin
Address TK