WHAT: Entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Cummings ‘13H will address students, faculty, staff and community members at Salem State University’s Agganis Forum, organized by the university’s Bertolon School of Business. Moderated by Salem State alumnus, trustee and entrepreneur Elliot Katzman ‘78, Cummings will discuss his road to success, what motivates him and his recent book, Starting Small and Making It Big: An Entrepreneur’s Journey to Billion-Dollar Philanthropist. The event is free and open to the public and media.
WHEN: Monday, April 22; 6 pm
WHERE: 71 Loring Ave.
Recital Hall, Central Campus
Salem State University
WHO: Bill Cummings ‘13H is the founder of Cummings Properties, Inc., responsible for buying, building and managing over 10 million square feet of commercial real estate in eastern Massachusetts. He and his wife, Joyce, are the founders of New Horizons not-for-profit assisted and independent living communities, and the Cummings Foundation, Inc., which has distributed over $200 million to Massachusetts charities since 1986. Mr. Cummings was born in Somerville, grew up in Medford and is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves. He is a graduate of Tufts University and has honorary doctorates from Tufts University, Salem State University and Endicott College. Learn more about Mr. Cummings here.
Elliot Katzman is a Salem State alumnus (’78), Salem State University Board of Trustees member and general partner at Commonwealth Capital Ventures, a private venture capital firm based in Woburn, Massachusetts that invests in early and growth stage technology companies. Mr. Katzman focuses his investment activity on software and new media companies. He sits on various corporate boards on behalf of Commonwealth Capital Ventures, including Acadia Communications, Inc., Onshape, Inc. and Seniorlink. Prior to joining Commonwealth in 2007, Mr. Katzman was a general partner at Kodiak Venture Partners from 2002 until 2006. Read more about Mr. Katzman here.
About the Agganis Forum
The Agganis Forum is a presentation for the Bertolon School of Business. The Agganis Forum is made possible with funding from the Michael Agganis Entrepreneurship Fund, established by Madeline A. ’79 and Michael J. Agganis ’66 for the benefit of the Bertolon School of Business at Salem State University. Immediate past speakers were Julie Palen ’89; Jim Koch, of Sam Adams Beer; Trustee Roger Berkowitz, of Legal Seafoods; Henry Bertolon Jr.; Karen Kaplan, of Hill Holiday; glass sculptor Sidney Hutter; entrepreneur Eliot Tatelman; and journalist Alberto Vassallo.