Josh Kraft, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, former U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, and Robert Cashman, president and CEO of Metro Credit Union, are
pictured at the 100th meeting of the Jordan Boys and Girls Club Breakfast Series. Frank was the featured speaker at the milestone event.
On Feb. 7, the Jordan Boys and Girls Club marked its 100th Breakfast Series event at the clubhouse on Willow Street with former Congressman Barney Frank as the keynote speaker.
For the past 18 years, the Breakfast Series has served as a fundraiser for the youth organization. Josh Kraft founded the initiative, and the Jordan Boys and Girls Clubhouse itself opened a decade ago.
Mark Robinson, who serves as breakfast chairperson and master of ceremonies, reflected on the origins of the Breakfast Series.
Robinson stated, “When we first started, we were in the basement and had a meeting – Richard Voke, Mark White, Jay Ash, Josh Kraft, and myself and we tried to figure out ways to raise money, and one of the ideas we came up with was a breakfast series,”
The roster of speakers who have participated represents a remarkable collection of prominent figures from sports, business, politics, and media.
Among the distinguished speakers are New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, New England Patriots president Jonathan Kraft, Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, Massachusetts Governors Deval Patrick, Mitt Romney, Michael Dukakis, and Ed King, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, and the late Kevin White, former Boston Mayor and father of breakfast committee member Mark White.
Robinson added, “Twice Bob Kraft brought the Super Bowl championship trophy to the breakfast,”
Jay Ash, the City Manager who has spoken at a previous breakfast, attended the 100th event. Steve Buckley, a Boston Herald sports columnist and former speaker, was also present.
Recognizing their contributions to the club and their leadership of the Breakfast Series, Josh Kraft—current CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Boston and former executive director of the Jordan Boys and Girls Club—presented Boys and Girls Club sweatshirts to Mark White and Mark Robinson.
Michelle Lopez, the club’s executive director, also acknowledged Robinson’s contributions.
Lopez remarked, “I especially want to thank Mark Robinson for giving so much of his time over the past two decades to make this series successful,”
Frank’s remarks focused on his career spanning 32 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and 40 years of public service.
Following his graduation from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Frank served as chief of staff to Mayor Kevin White before winning election in 1972 to the Mass. House of Representatives. In 1980, he was elected to Congress, succeeding the Rev. Robert Drinan as representative for the Fourth District.