The Registry Bids Farewell to Our Beloved George Matthews
January 11, 2024, just 33 days short of his 94th birthday, George peacefully left this world surrounded by his loving family. He was the type of man who was larger than life in so many ways, but at the same time when you spoke with him you realized he was a humble man full of empathy and compassion. Raised by Irish immigrants in a family of 8 in East Boston, his accomplishments were numerous in both the business world and higher education. His contributions to the growth and development of The Registry were truly extraordinary.
(Legacy.com Boston Globe Obituary)
MATTHEWS, George J. Well Known Entrepreneur George James Matthews, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, died peacefully on January 11, 2024, after illness, surrounded by his family. George was born on February 13, 1930 to Wallace James Matthews, Sr. and Catherine Carter Matthews. George grew up in East Boston, attending public schools and playing football for his high school. George graduated from Northeastern University in 1956 with double degrees, one in Business Administration and another in Industrial Engineering.
He was an energetic and fearless entrepreneur, owning and managing a number of companies during his lifetime, most recently, The Registry. At the Registry, an agency that places interim executives with colleges and universities, George worked alongside his son, Kevin, who now serves as The Registry’s CEO. George was founding owner of the United States Football League and a co-owner of the USFL’s Boston Breakers football team. George served on many boards of directors during his career.
In 1950, George married Hope MacDonald and they raised four children, Karen Matthews, Kevin Matthews, Maureen Matthews McClintock, and Kathleen Matthews Rodgers in Littleton, Massachusetts. Later, George, Hope and Kathleen moved to Manchester-by-the-Sea, where George enjoyed sailing his sloop, It’s About Time.
Northeastern University was a very special place to George. George believed the University’s unique Cooperative Education program, mixing work experience with education, was foundational for his career, and for many others, too. George joined the University’s Board of Trustees in the 1980s. During his tenure, George led the effort to renovate the former Northeastern Arena (originally known as Boston Arena), giving the Arena new life. The University renamed the Arena the George J. & Hope M. Matthews Arena in honor of George and his first wife, Hope.
In 1989, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, serving in that position for ten years. His leadership transformed Northeastern from a regional institution to a nationally-ranked university (now ranked #40 nationally by U.S. News & World Report). George was instrumental in the university, establishing the Center for the Study of Sports in Society. For his service, the university honored George with its highest honor, granting him an honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 1986. The university’s most prestigious faculty and student awards, the Matthews’ Distinguished Professor and the Distinguished Scholar Awards, were named for George and his wife, Kathleen Waters Matthews. For George’s support of the university’s athletic programs, including women’s athletics, George was inducted into the Northeastern Athletic Hall of Fame.
George joined forces with Mikhail Gorbachev to establish the Gorbachev Foundation of North America, which is dedicated to “the triumph of humanism and justice” in the world. George and Mikhail Gorbachev were the foundation’s first leaders. The foundation hosts events for world leaders, addressing the issues of economic development, democracy and justice. He was co-founder and member of the Club of Madrid, a resource center for democracy, whose one-hundred-plus members are all former prime ministers or presidents of their respective countries.
George served as a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies at Trinity College of Oxford University, U.K. George received many honors during his lifetime. In 1998, George received the Medal of Honor from the Les Amis D’Escoffier Society of Boston. The Vatican State honored George with a knighthood, making him a Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which was founded in 1099.
George was a proud member of the Clover Club of Boston, serving as its President in 1993. For all of his honors and accomplishments, George was a product of East Boston. He believed that everyone in an organization and community had value and was important. Whether you were the chief financial officer or the receptionist, the president of a large corporation or a machinist, you were important. George could be a force of nature as a leader, but he always respected people of character, regardless of their station in life. He believed that success did not always last and, if a person’s life took a bad turn, help should be provided. These are the values that George shared and passed along to us.
George is survived by his loving wife, Kathleen Waters Matthews of Manchester-by-the Sea, MA; his daughters, Karen Matthews of Rockport, MA, Maureen Matthews (Lon) McClintock of Shaftsbury, VT, and Kathleen Matthews (Robert) Rodgers of Magnolia, MA; his son, Kevin (Prema) Matthews of Sudbury, MA; his sister, Ann Regan of Belmont, MA; and his brother, Wallace (Sherry Loo, M.D.) Matthews, Jr., M.D., of Honolulu, HI. George is also survived by his grandchildren, Alex Sorgi (Ryan Fairchild) of Jersey City, NJ, Mark Sorgi (Bianca deLeigh) of Watertown, MA, Matthew McClintock of South Burlington, VT, Carter McClintock (Calla Harrington) of Greenfield, MA, Samantha Rodgers, Mikaela (Matthew) Daigle, and Derek Rodgers, all of Magnolia, MA, and Ranjani Matthews of Sudbury, MA; and great-grandson, Jackson Fairchild. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Hope MacDonald Matthews; his parents, Catherine Carter Matthews and Wallace James Matthews, Sr.; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Edna and Charles Dankens, Alice Matthews, Thomas Regan, Joan and Frederick Peterson. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.
(Northeastern Global News article)
Entrepreneur, philanthropist, leader: George Matthews, former chairman of the Northeastern Board of Trustees and namesake of Matthews Arena, dies at 93
Born on Feb. 13, 1930, George James Matthews grew up in working-class East Boston. He joined the Board of Trustees in the 1980s and was elected its chairman in 1989, a position he held for 10 years.
George Matthews, a Northeastern University graduate and former chairman of the Board of Trustees for whom Matthews Arena is named, died peacefully on Jan. 11 surrounded by his family. He was 93.
Matthews, who established himself as a successful entrepreneur after earning degrees in business administration and industrial engineering from Northeastern in 1956, served the university as a proud graduate, administrative leader and philanthropist.
He joined the Board of Trustees in the 1980s and was elected its chairman in 1989, a position he held for 10 years. Crucial to that future was Matthews’ creation of a special trustees’ committee in the 1990s, chaired by Neal Finnegan, that would initiate measures to reshape the university around a major building campaign, a more selective admissions process and a refined budget. In partnership with university President Jack Curry, Matthews helped make Northeastern “smaller and better” while emphasizing the importance of faculty.
“George Matthews was a perfect alum,” says Finnegan, who would succeed Matthews as chair of the trustees. “In George we had a person who had come up through the school in a non-routine way — and he made the school a part of his life.”
Born on Feb. 13, 1930, George James Matthews grew up in working-class East Boston to become a player on the high school football team. His belief in the importance of all people as contributors was affirmed routinely by his actions: Every stroll across campus elicited greetings and conversations with the university community.
“George knew everybody,” says Vincent Lembo, who served as secretary to the Board of Trustees in addition to vice president and university counsel. “He not only knew the faculty, he also knew the grounds people, he knew the truck drivers — and he always told them to call him George. Not Mr. Matthews, not Dr. Matthews, not Chairman Matthews. He said, ‘Call me George.’ That was the kind of guy he was.
Matthews’ lifelong devotion to his alma mater was a natural outcome of his enduring belief in Northeastern’s signature co-op program, which enables students to integrate semesters of academic study with periods of full-time employment. Today, Northeastern students work, study and do research in 149 countries and on all continents, including Antarctica.
He was the namesake of Matthews Arena, which underwent a major renovation thanks to his philanthropy and leadership. (The arena, which has undergone several name changes since it opened in 1910, was at one time known as the George J. & Hope M. Matthews Arena in honor of Matthews and his first wife, Hope.)
Matthews is a member of the Northeastern Athletics Hall of Fame in honor of his support for the Huskies’ athletic programs, including women’s athletics. He was a driving force behind the creation of the Center for the Study of Sports in Society at Northeastern.
“In all of his roles, George Matthews was dedicated to helping Northeastern become better,” says Gene Reppucci, the former senior vice president for development at Northeastern who developed a close relationship with Matthews while working alongside him. “Besides being a very wise person and having lots of compassion for others, he had a great sense of humor. And he never forgot his roots.”
In partnership with Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union who helped end the Cold War, Matthews established via Northeastern the Gorbachev Foundation of North America, which takes on pressing issues of economic development, democracy and justice while hosting events for world leaders.
In addition to serving on many boards of directors, Matthews owned and managed a variety of companies, including The Registry, which pairs interim executives with colleges and universities and is now led by his son, Kevin Matthews as chief executive officer.
He was founding owner of the United States Football League and co-owner in the 1980s of the Boston Breakers franchise.
Eventually he settled in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, enabling Matthews to relax on his sloop, aptly named “It’s About Time.” But his family and friends knew that he always identified himself as the man from the working class Boston neighborhood known as “Eastie.”
The Registry Bids Farewell to Our Beloved George Matthews
January 11, 2024, just 33 days short of his 94th birthday, George peacefully left this world surrounded by his loving family. He was the type of man who was larger than life in so many ways, but at the same time when you spoke with him you realized he was a humble man full of empathy and compassion. Raised by Irish immigrants in a family of 8 in East Boston, his accomplishments were numerous in both the business world and higher education. His contributions to the growth and development of The Registry were truly extraordinary.
(Legacy.com Boston Globe Obituary)
MATTHEWS, George J. Well Known Entrepreneur George James Matthews, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, died peacefully on January 11, 2024, after illness, surrounded by his family. George was born on February 13, 1930 to Wallace James Matthews, Sr. and Catherine Carter Matthews. George grew up in East Boston, attending public schools and playing football for his high school. George graduated from Northeastern University in 1956 with double degrees, one in Business Administration and another in Industrial Engineering.
He was an energetic and fearless entrepreneur, owning and managing a number of companies during his lifetime, most recently, The Registry. At the Registry, an agency that places interim executives with colleges and universities, George worked alongside his son, Kevin, who now serves as The Registry’s CEO. George was founding owner of the United States Football League and a co-owner of the USFL’s Boston Breakers football team. George served on many boards of directors during his career.
In 1950, George married Hope MacDonald and they raised four children, Karen Matthews, Kevin Matthews, Maureen Matthews McClintock, and Kathleen Matthews Rodgers in Littleton, Massachusetts. Later, George, Hope and Kathleen moved to Manchester-by-the-Sea, where George enjoyed sailing his sloop, It’s About Time.
Northeastern University was a very special place to George. George believed the University’s unique Cooperative Education program, mixing work experience with education, was foundational for his career, and for many others, too. George joined the University’s Board of Trustees in the 1980s. During his tenure, George led the effort to renovate the former Northeastern Arena (originally known as Boston Arena), giving the Arena new life. The University renamed the Arena the George J. & Hope M. Matthews Arena in honor of George and his first wife, Hope.
In 1989, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, serving in that position for ten years. His leadership transformed Northeastern from a regional institution to a nationally-ranked university (now ranked #40 nationally by U.S. News & World Report). George was instrumental in the university, establishing the Center for the Study of Sports in Society. For his service, the university honored George with its highest honor, granting him an honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 1986. The university’s most prestigious faculty and student awards, the Matthews’ Distinguished Professor and the Distinguished Scholar Awards, were named for George and his wife, Kathleen Waters Matthews. For George’s support of the university’s athletic programs, including women’s athletics, George was inducted into the Northeastern Athletic Hall of Fame.
George joined forces with Mikhail Gorbachev to establish the Gorbachev Foundation of North America, which is dedicated to “the triumph of humanism and justice” in the world. George and Mikhail Gorbachev were the foundation’s first leaders. The foundation hosts events for world leaders, addressing the issues of economic development, democracy and justice. He was co-founder and member of the Club of Madrid, a resource center for democracy, whose one-hundred-plus members are all former prime ministers or presidents of their respective countries.
George served as a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies at Trinity College of Oxford University, U.K. George received many honors during his lifetime. In 1998, George received the Medal of Honor from the Les Amis D’Escoffier Society of Boston. The Vatican State honored George with a knighthood, making him a Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which was founded in 1099.
George was a proud member of the Clover Club of Boston, serving as its President in 1993. For all of his honors and accomplishments, George was a product of East Boston. He believed that everyone in an organization and community had value and was important. Whether you were the chief financial officer or the receptionist, the president of a large corporation or a machinist, you were important. George could be a force of nature as a leader, but he always respected people of character, regardless of their station in life. He believed that success did not always last and, if a person’s life took a bad turn, help should be provided. These are the values that George shared and passed along to us.
George is survived by his loving wife, Kathleen Waters Matthews of Manchester-by-the Sea, MA; his daughters, Karen Matthews of Rockport, MA, Maureen Matthews (Lon) McClintock of Shaftsbury, VT, and Kathleen Matthews (Robert) Rodgers of Magnolia, MA; his son, Kevin (Prema) Matthews of Sudbury, MA; his sister, Ann Regan of Belmont, MA; and his brother, Wallace (Sherry Loo, M.D.) Matthews, Jr., M.D., of Honolulu, HI. George is also survived by his grandchildren, Alex Sorgi (Ryan Fairchild) of Jersey City, NJ, Mark Sorgi (Bianca deLeigh) of Watertown, MA, Matthew McClintock of South Burlington, VT, Carter McClintock (Calla Harrington) of Greenfield, MA, Samantha Rodgers, Mikaela (Matthew) Daigle, and Derek Rodgers, all of Magnolia, MA, and Ranjani Matthews of Sudbury, MA; and great-grandson, Jackson Fairchild. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Hope MacDonald Matthews; his parents, Catherine Carter Matthews and Wallace James Matthews, Sr.; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Edna and Charles Dankens, Alice Matthews, Thomas Regan, Joan and Frederick Peterson. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.
(Northeastern Global News article)
Entrepreneur, philanthropist, leader: George Matthews, former chairman of the Northeastern Board of Trustees and namesake of Matthews Arena, dies at 93
Born on Feb. 13, 1930, George James Matthews grew up in working-class East Boston. He joined the Board of Trustees in the 1980s and was elected its chairman in 1989, a position he held for 10 years.
George Matthews, a Northeastern University graduate and former chairman of the Board of Trustees for whom Matthews Arena is named, died peacefully on Jan. 11 surrounded by his family. He was 93.
Matthews, who established himself as a successful entrepreneur after earning degrees in business administration and industrial engineering from Northeastern in 1956, served the university as a proud graduate, administrative leader and philanthropist.
He joined the Board of Trustees in the 1980s and was elected its chairman in 1989, a position he held for 10 years. Crucial to that future was Matthews’ creation of a special trustees’ committee in the 1990s, chaired by Neal Finnegan, that would initiate measures to reshape the university around a major building campaign, a more selective admissions process and a refined budget. In partnership with university President Jack Curry, Matthews helped make Northeastern “smaller and better” while emphasizing the importance of faculty.
“George Matthews was a perfect alum,” says Finnegan, who would succeed Matthews as chair of the trustees. “In George we had a person who had come up through the school in a non-routine way — and he made the school a part of his life.”
Born on Feb. 13, 1930, George James Matthews grew up in working-class East Boston to become a player on the high school football team. His belief in the importance of all people as contributors was affirmed routinely by his actions: Every stroll across campus elicited greetings and conversations with the university community.
“George knew everybody,” says Vincent Lembo, who served as secretary to the Board of Trustees in addition to vice president and university counsel. “He not only knew the faculty, he also knew the grounds people, he knew the truck drivers — and he always told them to call him George. Not Mr. Matthews, not Dr. Matthews, not Chairman Matthews. He said, ‘Call me George.’ That was the kind of guy he was.
Matthews’ lifelong devotion to his alma mater was a natural outcome of his enduring belief in Northeastern’s signature co-op program, which enables students to integrate semesters of academic study with periods of full-time employment. Today, Northeastern students work, study and do research in 149 countries and on all continents, including Antarctica.
He was the namesake of Matthews Arena, which underwent a major renovation thanks to his philanthropy and leadership. (The arena, which has undergone several name changes since it opened in 1910, was at one time known as the George J. & Hope M. Matthews Arena in honor of Matthews and his first wife, Hope.)
Matthews is a member of the Northeastern Athletics Hall of Fame in honor of his support for the Huskies’ athletic programs, including women’s athletics. He was a driving force behind the creation of the Center for the Study of Sports in Society at Northeastern.
“In all of his roles, George Matthews was dedicated to helping Northeastern become better,” says Gene Reppucci, the former senior vice president for development at Northeastern who developed a close relationship with Matthews while working alongside him. “Besides being a very wise person and having lots of compassion for others, he had a great sense of humor. And he never forgot his roots.”
In partnership with Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union who helped end the Cold War, Matthews established via Northeastern the Gorbachev Foundation of North America, which takes on pressing issues of economic development, democracy and justice while hosting events for world leaders.
In addition to serving on many boards of directors, Matthews owned and managed a variety of companies, including The Registry, which pairs interim executives with colleges and universities and is now led by his son, Kevin Matthews as chief executive officer.
He was founding owner of the United States Football League and co-owner in the 1980s of the Boston Breakers franchise.
Eventually he settled in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, enabling Matthews to relax on his sloop, aptly named “It’s About Time.” But his family and friends knew that he always identified himself as the man from the working class Boston neighborhood known as “Eastie.”
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