Larry Lucchino Is Stepping Down as Red Sox CEO
Sam Kennedy, now executive vice president and chief operating officer, will take Lucchino's place as president by the end of the year, the Boston Herald reports. The chief executive's office will remain unfilled in the transition, as Kennedy's duties won't include baseball operations, according to the Herald story. --Galen Moore
Yes, Uber is worth $50 billion
Talk about Uber's valuation crossing $50 billion has been in the wind since May. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reports it has happened. The ride-hailing service has closed a new round of nearly $1 billion at a valuation close to $51 billion, putting it on Facebook's record pre-IPO level. New backers include Microsoft and Indian media conglomerate Bennett Coleman & Co. So, how are you getting home this afternoon? --Galen Moore
Mayor Walsh Appoints a New Active Transportation Manager for Boston
On Friday Mayor Marty Walsh named Stefanie Seskin, Deputy Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition in Washington, D.C., as Boston's new Active Transportation Manager. Rather than see that visitors and locals get from one destination to another, it's the way in which they do it that's her area of expertise.
According to the City of Boston, "She will be responsible for implementing new initiatives to create people-friendly designs and programs that encourage and sustain active transportation options and lifestyles." Boston Bikes, Hubway and Neighborhood Slow Streets will all be under her watch. – Nick DeLuca
Wayfair Sells Australia Business
Wayfair is all done with Down Under. The Boston-based home goods e-tailer has announced the sale of its Australian-based business, as part of a plan to put all of its attention onto North America and Europe. The buyer is Australian competitor Temple & Webster, and the price of the deal wasn’t disclosed. In a news release, Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah said the move is part of “strategically focusing our resources on those two very large markets” of North America and Europe. The company will announce its Q2 earnings on Aug. 12 following a strong Q1 report. — Kyle Alspach
Former MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott Gets a Nod from The President
On Thursday President Obama nominated Beverly Scott, former GM of the MBTA, as a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. Scott was a polarizing figure in Greater Boston last winter when the T screeched to a halt under the weight of more than 110-inches of snow accumulation. After being called out for underperforming by Gov. Charlie Baker, Scott defended herself in a rather animated press conference only to announce her resignation, which took effect in April. – Nick DeLuca
Beijing Elected To Host the 2022 Winter Olympics
Only days after Boston 2024 was declared no more by the United States Olympic Committee, the powers that be in the International Olympic Committee met to vote on who would host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Due to what was seen as a problematic (and expensive) process, many candidate cities dropped out of the running for 2022. In the end, it was down to Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing, China. In Friday's vote, the IOC selected Beijing, by a thin margin of 44-40 (with one abstention). It's a problem for the Olympic movement, considering that Beijing has no suitable ski mountain within 50 miles and will rely almost completely on artificial snow. It's not the IOC's finest hour, though Kazakhstan wasn't exact the best alternative. As Olympic writer Jules Boykoff noted, the vote for 2022 was basically a no-win situation.
Yep, It Was Dan Lyons' Book that Led to HubSpot's Scandal
BostInno has received confirmation from a source who has knowledge of Lyons' relationship with terminated CMO Mike Volpe and Joe Chernov, the company's former VP content, who resigned just before Volpe was fired.
"It was widely believed among the HubSpot team that Dan had an agenda against Mike and Chernov,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. “Dan was hired before a role was determined, and that never worked out, so Mike let him go. Chernov was hired later and managed Dan briefly, who told everyone he really liked Joe. But once he was let go, Dan started to say some nasty things behind their backs, including how he wanted to come at them in his book.” >>> Read more on BostInno – Rebecca Strong
Boston's Most Sustainable Housing Cluster Could Be Built in West Roxbury
In mid-July, Wonder Group LLC filed a project notification form with the Boston Redevelopment Authority to build the city's "first entirely net-zero neighborhood" at 64 Allandale Street. The development consists of 16 townhouses erected in clusters of five as well as four units to be built in the home currently residing on the two acre site, totaling 44,481-square feet. >>> Read more on BostInno – Nick DeLuca
Caswell Restaurant Group to Open 3rd Eatery, Oak + Rowan, in 2016
At 32 years old, Nancy Batista-Caswell, StarChefs' 2014 "Rising Star Restauranteur" for Coastal New England, is now preparing to open her third restaurant. The restauranteur behind Ceia Kitchen + Bar and BRINE in Newburyport is set to open Oak + Rowan in Fort Point come early 2016 and will have Executive Chef Justin Shoults, longtime BRINE chef, at the helm. >>> Read more on BostInno – Kathyrn Orticerio
Goodbye, Hancock Tower. Hello, 200 Clarendon
Seeing as how insurance giant John Hancock no longer resides in the office tower that bears its name, the tallest in Boston, the building must change its name. The glass complex in Boston's Back Bay will henceforth be known as 200 Clarendon. Oh, and 150,000-square feet of space in the tower, going for $80 a square foot, will be available for rent this summer – Boston Globe
Here's What MIT's $1.2B Kendall Square Development Plan Looks Like [Renderings]
The university hopes that the Kendall Square Initiative will help to further enliven the neighborhood. MIT sees its plan as vital to its educational goals and the further development as one of the hubs of Greater Boston innovation through the expected many uses for the spaces. >>> Read more on BostInno – Sam Henken
