Karen Holmes Ward, David Long, Frederica Williams (Photo credit: Chris Aduama)
Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, honored David Long, executive chairman of Liberty Mutual Insurance, at its Annual Roast Gala held on April 6 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.
This signature fundraising event shines a light on city standout business leaders and philanthropists, blending sincere gratitude with lighthearted jests. Long was celebrated by Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center, for “his legacy of good.” Over $1 million was raised during the evening, which serves as critical financial support for Whittier to provide equitable access to high-quality healthcare and social services to patients regardless of their ability to pay.
The evening, embracing a sports theme in recognition of Long’s love of soccer, was “refereed” by Karen Holmes Ward, director of public affairs and community services at WCVB as well as host and executive producer of “CityLine.” Roasters of Long included Liberty Mutual President and CEO Timothy Sweeney, last year’s honoree Joseph R. Nolan of Eversource Energy, Frank Doyle of Cornell Limited Partnership, and the honoree’s brother, Steve Long. John Kim, founder and managing partner of Brewer Lane Ventures, served as video presenter.
As executive chairman of Liberty Mutual Insurance, the sixth-largest global property and casualty insurer, Long leads the company’s board of directors, overseeing corporate activities and evaluating performance on behalf of Liberty Mutual stakeholders. Long began his career with the company in 1985, holding positions of increasing responsibility in Liberty Mutual’s international, commercial markets, underwriting, financial, and mergers and acquisitions groups. He was elected chief executive officer in 2011 and served in this role until December 2022.
As the company’s leader, Long shaped Liberty Mutual into the sixth-largest property and casualty insurer in the world, growing it into a $49 billion organization ranked number 78 on the Fortune 100. Throughout his time, Long also shepherded his company’s philanthropy, workplace culture, and efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. He quadrupled Liberty Mutual’s charitable giving, supported the creation of Liberty Torchbearers, provided support for those on the autism spectrum achieve success, and partnered with nonprofit leaders.
“David Long is a very special man,” added Williams. “Over his four-decade career, he has fought for health equity, workplace equity, equal opportunity, and inclusion in every setting. He truly believes in these ideals and, more importantly, he has used his position and his power to make them happen.
“We are so grateful to all who came out to recognize David and support our organization during the gala, and to everyone who made the event possible through their hard work and commitment,” Williams continued.
About Whittier Street Health Center
Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 36% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.
