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16 Worcester Business Journal | June 8, 2026 | wbjournal.com P OW E R 1 0 0 E D U C AT I O N Ché Anderson Assistant vice chancellor UMass Chan Medical School, in Worcester Age: 36 Employees: 6,406 Central Mass. employees: 3,986 Annual revenue: $1.242 billion Anderson sits at the intersection of education, health care, community engagement, and the arts. As UMass Chan Medical School navigates a major leadership transition, he serves as a key bridge between the institution and the broader community. Anderson's appointment this year as chair of the Massachusetts Cultural Council has elevated his influence statewide, expanding his role in shaping cultural policy, partner- ships, and investment across the commonwealth. - B.K. What unique skill sets you apart from others? Someone once described me as a social architect, and it's that ability to connect and create across sectors and communities that sets me apart. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? It's my second adopted home, and a special place where a young man without connections can work hard and make his family back home proud. Favorite book on leadership? "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara How do you unwind? I've become a runner over the last couple of years, so I like to listen to the "Ac- quired" podcast and get some miles in, or work out with the Challenge Yourself Fitness team. Donna Hodge President Fitchburg State University, in Fitchburg Age: 54 Employees: 1,096 Central Mass. employees: 1,096 Annual revenue: $136 million (2025) Hodge is helping redefine Fitchburg State's role as an economic and civic anchor for North Cen- tral Massachusetts. Since 2025, the university has strengthened enrollment, expanded partnerships with local schools, launched the Fitchburg Promise program, and repositioned the long-stalled Main Street eater Block into a redevelopment project featuring market-rate housing, retail activity, and downtown revitalization. - B.K. What unique skill, habit, or trait sets you apart from others? I am comfortable leading through un- certainty. Higher education is undergoing enormous disruption, and leaders must be willing to make difficult decisions honestly, communicate transpar- ently, and keep institutions moving forward even when the path ahead is imperfect. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? I grew up in a community much like Fitchburg. I un- derstand both the pride and the pressures that shape post-industrial communities, and institutions like Fitchburg State have a responsibility to help. How do you unwind? I love to cook, draw, tend to flowers and plants, and I'm learning the ukulele. Barry Maloney President Worcester State University, in Worcester Age: 60 Employees: 1,268 Central Mass. employees: 1,268 Annual revenue: $140 million Maloney is the longest-serving college president in Central Massachusetts and has spent 15 years expanding access to higher education and work- force opportunities. Since 2025, Worcester State launched a transfer partnership for displaced Anna Maria College students, reported a $65,000 average starting salary for graduates, maintained the lowest student debt among Massachusetts public under- graduate institutions, and expanded partnerships with organizations including the Worcester Red Sox and Worcester Art Museum. - B.K. What unique skill sets you apart from others? I'm extraordinarily calm in a crisis and have assem- bled an exceptional senior leadership team with virtually no turnover over my 15 years as president. What is one habit powerful leaders should practice every day? Share a laugh with a friend or colleague. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? We are the region's only four-year public university in Central Massachusetts. We are a primary source for its educated workforce and provide an excellent education at an affordable price. PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT Dr. David McManus Chancellor UMass Chan Medical School, in Worcester Age: 49 Total employees: 6,406 Central Mass. employees: 3,986 Annual revenue: $1.242 billion Aer taking the helm of UMass Chan Medical School at the end of May, McManus instantly be- came one of the most important figures in the Cen- tral Massachusetts economy. A clinical and research cardiologist by trade, McManus is the first UMass Chan alum to serve as its chancellor, beating out a field of top national candidates for the job leading the region's fih-largest employer. Following the 19-year tenure of former chan- cellor Dr. Michael Collins, McManus is entrusted with guiding the state's only public medical school through headwinds including declining federal funding, a nationwide physician shortage, and an industry being reshaped by AI. He has been tasked with mending fences with the region's largest em- ployer, the UMass Memorial Health system, as the two advance their longtime symbiotic partnership. McManus is the founding director of UMa- ss Chan's Program in Digital Medicine, which launched the school's AI Assurance Lab as an effort to deploy AI in health care in a responsible manner. His long list of credentials includes an MBA from MIT's Sloan School of Management. - E.C. "Power is the ability to influence what people do, institutions prioritize, and determine what's possible." - Ché Anderson, UMass Chan Medical School