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Mr. Thomas A. Kershaw
| The Hampshire House is a turn of the century mansion on Beacon Hill which houses several restaurant operations. In the basement is the Bull & Finch Pub, which was the inspiration for the setting of the popular television program, "Cheers". This friendly neighborhood pub has been cited as best in its category by Boston Magazine and Nation's Restaurant News. Restaurant Hospitality magazine recently recognized the Hampshire House Corporation as number 42 in sales volume among the nation's "Top 500" restaurants. Recognizing the popularity of the TV series "Cheers" and its "mecca" - the Bull & Finch Pub in Boston - Mr. Kershaw established a new company to provide visitors souvenirs from Cheers. This enterprise grew rapidly and in 1990 was listed in Inc. Magazine's fastest growing private companies in America. For many years, Mr. Kershaw has held leadership positions in the restaurant and tourism industries in Massachusetts and the nation. From 1986 to present, he has been the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau. He founded and was Chairman of the Board of the Massachusetts Tourism Coalition, which was largely responsible for creating the Massachusetts Tourism Fund, providing funding annually for promoting tourism in the Commonwealth. He is a Founder and Co-Chairman of the Massachusetts Visitor Industry Council (MVIC), 1993 to the present. This private sector organization of business owners and CEOs is a watchdog on issues important to the tourism industry in Massachusetts. He served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association from 1981-1983, Vice President from 1983-1992, and served as its President in 1992-1993. Since 1986, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the National Restaurant Association, was elected Treasurer in 1995, Vice Chairman in 1996, and is presently serving as Chairman of the Board since May of 1997. From 1990 to 1996 he served as a member of the Advisory Board of the United States Travel & Tourism Administration. He is presently serving as a director and member of the Executive Committee of the newly established US National Tourism Organization. This organization's mission is to develop a marketing program to brand the USA as the destination of choice around the globe. Mr. Kershaw serves on the board of the Travel Industry Association of American (TIA) and is a member of its Executive Committee. He was recently inducted into its Hall of Leaders for continued service to the tourism industry. A CEO member of the Travel Business Roundtable, Mr. Kershaw also serves on its Policy Committee. In 1984, Mr. Kershaw received the Restaurateur of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. In 1987, he was a finalist for New England in the Venture Magazine Arthur Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 1991, he was a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year, sponsored by Ernst & Young, Inc., and Merrill Lynch. He was recognized as the Humanitarian of the Year in 1991 by Project Triangle, which trains handicapped individuals for employment. In 1990, he received the Massachusetts Tourism Leadership Award for promoting tourism awareness and the Massachusetts "Unity" Award for founding the Massachusetts Tourism Coalition which strengthened the ties among all sectors of the visitor industry in Massachusetts. In 1993, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Hospitality Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed by peers in the restaurant business upon those who have made outstanding contributions to the industry. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College, Class of 1960, and Harvard Business School, Class of 1962. Mr. Kershaw was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Johnson & Wales University in 1996. |
