News & Press

Paul Sullivan's Legacy Center Stage

New foundation honors Sullivan

Boston Herald - Talk host's leadership legacy alive and well at college

The Lowell Sun -- A night of humor to
celebrate the legacy of the late Lowell Sun columnist
and WBZ radio host Paul Sullivan

The Lowell Sun - Sullivan Institute fellows prepare to shape the future.

The Lowell Sun - Sullivan's wife to direct MCC institute named for husband.

Paul Sullivan's legacy center stage
By Catherine Boucher, Sun Correspondent
Article Last Updated: 03/29/2008 06:35:58 AM EDT

LOWELL -- Good friends, a good cause, and lots of laughs are sure to be found at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on April 9. That's because those are the legacies of the late Paul Sullivan, a Sun columnist and WBZ radio host, who will be remembered that special evening. The event, hosted by WBZ radio personality Jordan Rich and featuring comedian Jimmy Tingle, will raise money to benefit the newly created Paul Sullivan Foundation to fund education and health-care causes. Cocktails and "Sully's Dream Cuisine" hors d'oeuvres will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 and "A Special Glimpse into Sully's World," a multi-media presentation showing at 7:30. Sullivan died Sept. 9 at the age of 50 following a lengthy battle with cancer. "He hosted one of the most-listened to radio shows in the country, which aired in 37 states, and with his folksy, comedian style he attracted a very large audience," said Sun Chairman Kendall Wallace, a close friend of Sullivan's. "Many of us who knew Paul also knew him for his random acts of kindness, which only began to trickle out after his death. We'll be talking about many of those on April 9." The goal the foundation is to establish an endowed fund that would be available to meet the needs of people for whom a little help might make a major difference in their life. "That's always what excited him the most," said his widow, Mary Jo Griffin. "It wasn't interviewing the president or the governor, it's when he did something nice for the little guy. He just loved talking to the average person." Corporate and community response to the event has encouraged organizers, Wallace said. Sponsorships, which range in price from $1,500 to $25,000 are available. The night will feature both video and audio clips that epitomize his personal and professional life, with four close friends, political leaders, and media associates, talking about their fondest and funniest memories of Sullivan. Through his dual careers at The Sun and WBZ, Sullivan left an irreversible mark on the lives of thousands of readers and listeners. "Paul Sullivan was a terrific radio talk-show host and was respected by everyone who knew him," said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. "I miss his charisma and tough questions. He was a gentleman from the old school, and very knowledgeable and gave so much of himself to the city of Boston. His last show will be forever remembered as the end of an era of news radio." Menino will be one of the political leaders to speak at the event. Money raised from the event will benefit the foundation, which funds the Paul H. Sullivan Leadership Institute at Middlesex Community College and Paul H. Sullivan Suite at Saints Medical Center, where Paul had spent the remaining days of his life. The suite, which is now under construction, will feature a specially furnished room with other accommodations for friends and family members of a patient. The institute, inspired through Sullivan's long-held belief that leaders of tomorrow need to be groomed early, was set in stone when MCC President Carole Cowan asked Sullivan during his final days for permission to name the institute in his honor. The institute's goal is to reach above and beyond Greater Lowell for an array of workplaces that will offer practical experience for students, with advice, internships and jobs. Under Griffin's leadership, a "pilot group" of 12 students that make up the institute will be in attendance at the event. The event has been organized by a group of Sullivan's friends and family members, including Griffin. Dinner and show tickets are $125 per person. Tickets for the show can be purchased through the auditorium box office at $20. For more information please visit paulsullivanfoundation.org, or call Kendall Wallace at (978) 970-4801, Christopher Scott at (978) 970-4648, or John Chemaly at (978) 815-2577.

New foundation honors Sullivan
The Boston Globe - Boston, Mass.
Author: By Clea Simon Globe Correspondent / April 4, 2008


When the late Paul Sullivan was on the air, holding down the weeknight 8 to midnight shift on WBZ-AM (1030), his listeners were well aware of his humor. The Lowell native, who died of cancer at 50 this past September, didn't suffer fools gladly, and listeners who tuned into "The Paul Sullivan Show" enjoyed his common-sense-driven jibes at bad drivers and selfish politicians.

more stories like thisBut when it came to giving, Sully, as he was called, was a little quieter, and fans of the show, which first went on air in January 2005, might not have been as aware of his sense of community. That will change next week, at Wednesday's kickoff party for the new Paul Sullivan Foundation, to be held at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

"Since Paul has died, everybody has learned a little bit about him that we didn't know," says Peter Casey, WBZ's news and program director and one of the event organizers. At the talk host's memorial service, for example, Casey learned that "every Christmas, [Sullivan] would pick a family that needed something - presents, tickets to a circus, whatever - and he would go help that family. It was his quiet thing."

"His favorite thing to do was promote different causes," recalls Sullivan's widow, Mary-Jo Griffin. "He'd either get people financially or physically involved."

This spirit, says Griffin, is what guides the foundation, organized by Griffin, Casey, University of Massachusetts at Lowell president Marty Meehan, Howell Communications president Ray Howell, attorney Steve O'Neill, and Kendall Wallace, chairman of the Lowell Sun. Griffin says the fledgling foundation already has two projects. The first is the Paul H. Sullivan suite at Saints Medical Center, where Sullivan was born and where he spent his last days.

"They were wonderful to us," says Griffin. "But it was still a sterile environment." Her husband, she says, wanted families to be more comfortable at such stressful times and planned for the two-room suite, which will have a pull-out bed, a kitchenette, and a shower. "It was all about comfort for Paul."

The second project, following up Sullivan's commitment to community involvement, is funding the Paul H. Sullivan Leadership Institute at Middlesex Community College.

"He thought, 'How are we going to get young people involved?' " Griffin recalls. The institute is already helping groom 12 Middlesex students for the business world - and for roles in the community at large. "We bought them their first business suits," says Griffin, "and we're taking them out to events like this."

True to Sullivan's memory, the launch event will combine humor and good works. The fund-raiser, which will be hosted by WBZ's Jordan Rich, will open with comedy by Jimmy Tingle and a cocktail hour featuring "Sully's dream cuisine," which Griffin describes as macaroni and cheese and pigs in a blanket ("with an elegant touch"). A formal dinner will follow, and then a multimedia event with a range of speakers from the worlds of media and politics. A range of tickets are available, from corporate sponsorships to $125 for the dinner and show and $20 for the show only. The event, says Griffin, is one her husband would have loved: "As Paul would say, 'We laughed, we cried, we had a good time.' "

To which Casey adds, "It's a nice way to keep Paul's name out there, but also to keep Paul's good work out there."

Talk host's leadership legacy alive and well at college
Boston Herald - Boston, Mass.
Author: JESSICA HESLAM


In the days before cancer took his life, WBZ radio talk show host Paul Sullivan got some news that thrilled him.

The president of Middlesex Community College, where he was a beloved professor, told him she'd like to launch a new leadership program and name it in his honor. The program had begun to take shape before he became ill.

Sullivan smiled and said to his wife, Mary-Jo Griffin, "I want you to make sure this happens."

Now, Griffin is carrying out her late husband's dream as director of development and community outreach for the Paul H. Sullivan Leadership Institute. Griffin's role is to bring selected students into the community to shadow and be mentored by leaders in business and government.

Sullivan, a 50-year-old father of five, died in September.

"I am so lucky to be able to wake up and think about how I'm going to keep Paul alive today," said Griffin.

Sullivan, who was also a columnist and political editor at the Lowell Sun in addition to his nighttime show on WBZ-AM (1030), was concerned with the lack of young people involved in the community and wanted to show them how they could make a difference.

He told Dr. Carole Cowan, the college's president, that he wanted the institute to reach out to "students of promise."

A dozen ambitious students, many of whom have endured their own hardships, were chosen for the institute's pilot semester and attended orientation this week. There will be workshops and guest speakers. Among the leaders students will shadow is Lt. Gov. Tim Murray. A full class will launch this fall.

Cowan recalled when Sullivan visited the school just one day after he returned home from his first cancer surgery. "We thought, if we can make this happen it would be a great tribute to him, who was taken from us way too soon, and give our students a chance that they may not have otherwise," she said.

Griffin, who works at the state Registry of Motor Vehicles part-time, also plans to raise money for the program.

She knows where she gets her inspiration: "It's him pushing me along and guiding me along, just filling me with enthusiasm and motivation."

- jheslam@bostonherald.com

CAPTION: SULLY'S WISH: Sophomore Michael Doherty and Mary Jo Griffin, widow of Paul Sullivan, inset, celebrate the leadership program set up in Sullivan's honor. STAFF PHOTO BY MATTHEW WEST

Sullivan Institute fellows prepare to shape the future

By David Perry, dperry@lowellsun.com
Article Last Updated: 03/10/2008 12:25:26 PM EDT

Patrick Kenney of Billerica says the new Paul Sullivan Leadership Institute is an ideal place to get an inside line on his future.

Kenney, 20, is one of 12 students selected for the inaugural class of Sullivan Institute fellows. The program was developed through Middlesex Community College to honor the memory and concerns of Paul Sullivan, who taught business and journalism there.

Until his death on Sept. 9, Sullivan, the late Sun columnist and WBZ radio talk-show host, was deeply concerned with developing and supporting students who aspire to become the area's future leaders. His widow, Mary Jo Griffin, is the program's director of development and outreach.

"It's about shaping the leaders of the future," Kenney said. "It's providing ways for us to connect with the community in different ways than the classroom offers. Things like dressing for success, media training."

At a recent formal dinner, he said, the dozen learned "some how-tos. It was everything from how introductions are made to which fork to use."

"And they even bought us suits," said Ian Moloney, 21, of Lexington. "I didn't have one before, but now I don't have to worry in case something comes up."

Rosie R. Austin, 35, Medford

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: To learn to be more assertive and a better leader. I also want learn more about how to network with those around me.

Professional aspirations: A career in biochemical engineering, working in research to help find cures for some of the diseases in the world.

Favorite musical artist: U2.

Favorite movie: Pride and Prejudice.

TV show: Friends.

People you admire most: My grandmother, my mom and my Aunt Joan. They all have influenced me in different ways, and I have grown from their influence.

Michael J. Doherty Jr., 19, Lowell

What do you hope to get from the Sullivan Institute?: I hope I can become more of a leader at Middlesex, and use my work experience to become an advocate for young students, while also playing a large role in our community.

Professional aspirations: CPA/banking manager or a politician.

Favorite musical artists: 50 cent, Lil Wayne, Young Buck, Jay-Z.

Favorite movies: The Kingdom, Hitman.

Favorite TV shows: The Wire, CSI-Miami.

People you admire most: My mother and father, MCC faculty and staff.

Emely J. Gomez, 19, Dracut

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: I hope to become a well-rounded leader, to learn from individuals who are already community leaders and from my fellow student leaders.

Professional aspirations: My dream is to become a journalist and continue researching and learning new and interesting information and ideas. I want to share what I learn with those who are just as curious as I am.

Favorite musical artists: Alicia Keys, Jay Z.

Favorite movies: The Godfather, Goodfellas, A Bronx Tale.

Favorite TV shows: Sex and The City, Family Guy.

Person you admire most: My mother. Growing up, she was able to overcome all odds in New York City and better herself and her family. I hope I have inherited her traits.

Patrick Kenney, 20, Billerica

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: Experience and leadership skills that I can bring to a career in politics and community activism.

Professional aspirations: I'd like to become a politician, working on education reform, global warming and immigration.

Favorite musical artist: Kanye West.

Favorite movie: The Day After Tomorrow.

Favorite TV show: Seinfeld.

Person you admire most: Hillary Clinton. She's quite an inspiration. She's slugging it out, showing real perseverance.

Veera Mahmud, 23, Nashua

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: A strong foundation of an understanding of a world outside of the generic college experience.

Professional aspirations: Theater director/cell biology researcher.

Favorite musical artists: Anything but heavy metal.

Favorite movie: Romantic comedies, action thrillers.

Favorite TV show: Anything on Discovery Channel.

Person you admire most: My mother.

Ian Moloney, 21, Lexington

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: I look forward to learning how I can help myself stand out and get ahead down the line.

Professional aspirations: Teaching high-school history.

Favorite musical artists: Incubus, Jay-Z, Radiohead.

Favorite movies: Jaws, Prefontaine, Star Wars.

Favorite TV shows: 24, The Office.

Person you admire most: My dad. He's got a good work ethic, one I hope to inherit someday.

Adam Nichols, 20, Tewksbury

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: Leadership is about your responsibilities. I hope to continue my growth as a leader in the Institute and learn as much as I can from speakers and others.

Professional aspirations: Real-estate investing. I plan to own rental properties and help others own their own homes, especially in this market where many people are losing them.

Favorite musical artist: I currently do not have a favorite band.

Favorite movie: Action movies.

Favorite TV show: Property Ladder and other real-estate shows.

Person you admire most: My mother. Her hard work and dedication to her children has had a profound impact on my brothers and I. Always striving for success -- that is how I would describe my mother.

Kinjal Patel, 20, Lowell

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: Leadership skills and confidence.

Favorite musical artist: W-inds.

Favorite movie: Speed.

People you admire most: My parents.

Danillo Sena, 21, Acton

What do you hope to get out of the Sullivan Institute?: To improve my leadership skills and create new networks with community members.

Professional aspirations: To pursue a career in law and politics.

Favorite musical artist: Nickelback.

Favorite movies: Titanic, The Diary of Anne Frank, A Beautiful Mind, Ordinary People.

Favorite TV show: Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Person you admire most: My mom, because I'm where I am today because of her.

January 18, 2008

The Lowell Sun
Sullivan's wife to direct MCC institute named for husband

   David Perry, dperry@lowellsun.com
LOWELL -- Mary Jo Griffin returned to Middlesex Community College this week, this time as director of development and outreach for a program in her late husband's name. Griffin, 45, taught computer applications and accounting courses at Middlesex in the 1990s, when she met Paul Sullivan, who also taught business and journalism courses there. They married in 1998.
Sullivan, the popular Sun political editor and columnist, and WBZ Radio host, died on Sept. 9 at the age of 50, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
Griffin's new part-time position will pay $20,000 annually and involves outreach into the community of business and civic institutions to guide the students selected for the Paul H. Sullivan Leadership Institute.
"My role," said Griffin yesterday, "is to market and brand the program outside the college, to bring the community into it. The college itself is overseeing how it will take place there. I'm working on what happens outside of the classrooms."
The institute hopes to reach both within and beyond Greater Lowell for an array of workplaces that will offer practical experiences for its students, with advice, internships and jobs.
The Leadership Institute, born of Sullivan's long-held belief that leaders of tomorrow needed to be groomed early, was solidified when MCC President Carole Cowan asked Sullivan during his final days for permission to name the institute for him.
Now, it is springing to life, with what Griffin called a "pilot group" of 12 students. Future plans call for as many as two-dozen to take part in sessions.
"She's an ambassador for the program," said Middlesex spokesman Patrick Cook. "How could you have a better person to explain the program, and Paul, than the woman who knew him best?"
The Sullivan Institute was formed to provide some of Middlesex's most enthusiastic students with up-close views of workplace leaders, as well as offering intensive preparation in everything from communication skills to etiquette.
"We are still figuring out how to fulfill the details," said Griffin. "But it all comes back to the fact that Paul really wanted to make a difference in kids' lives."
Besides teaching at Middlesex, Griffin chaired the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (2002-2003), served on the state's Motor Vehicle Registry Board of Appeals (2003-2006) and was a member of the Chelmsford School Committee from 1998 to 2001.
Griffin is also launching The Paul Sullivan Foundation, to help those navigate unanticipated "bumps" on the road of life. The "unpredictable" things, said Griffin, "which is a perfect adjective for Paul. If you were only allowed one word, 'unpredictable' would be it."
The foundation is planning a fundraising "evening of humor" at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in April. The first 12 Institute students will be introduced that evening as an example of Sullivan's ongoing legacy.
The Paul H. Sullivan Leadership Institute recently received a $10,000 donation from Middlesex Foundation of Lowell. The institute is guided by a 15-member advisory board including representatives from the college, the community, The Sun and WBZ.

(c) 2008 The Sun (Lowell, MA). All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.