Director Jack McCarthy of the Massachusetts School Building Authority has from the very beginning lead an unparalleled path of leadership and service. Born and raised in West Roxbury with 5 other siblings, Jack McCarthy attended Boston Latin School and graduated in 1976. From there, he went on to Boston College for a double major in political science and economics.

From school, he went straight to work at Raytheon. While working, he took night classes at Suffolk University. He graduated from there in 1988, and passed the Bar Exam on his first try too. After working with private practice briefly, he jumped into the public sector, working for the Massachusetts Secretary of State. He was the chief of staff there until 2000, where he broke off into public relations. Afterwards, he returned back into the public sector, working at the Inspector General’s office up till 2011.

From there, he was appointed he Executive Director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority at the beginning of 2012. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is a quasi-independent government authority created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools. The MSBA helps streamline the process for funding of the creation of new school buildings that serve so many young students across the state. Jack McCarthy already had plenty of experience working with the MSBA, as he was the town moderator in his community during the planned renovation of their high school. Through his experience there, he is able to understand many concerns brought up by community members as well as understand what the state needs are.

Through Jack McCarthy’s leadership, many schools each year have been built and renovated, helping create 21st century learning environments for communities that need them. With careful leadership, the MSBA continues to serve Massachusetts to help provide functional educational institutions for all.