Thomas P. Glynn

Thomas P. Glynn III
Occupation(s)	Public official, academic administrator
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	CEO of Massachusetts Port Authority; General Manager of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; United States Deputy Secretary of Labor; CEO of Harvard Allston Land Company

Thomas P. Glynn III holds a senior leadership position at Harvard University, where he directs the Harvard Allston Land Company, tasked with overseeing the development of commercial properties on Harvard’s land in Allston. Previously, he served as CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority, was general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and held the role of United States Deputy Secretary of Labor. Between May 2023 and October 2024, he led the MBTA board of directors as its chair.

Education

Glynn pursued economics at Tufts University, where he was engaged in student activism and honored as Mr. Tufts in 1968, the institution’s top undergraduate accolade. He further obtained a master’s degree and a doctorate in social policy from Brandeis University.

Early career

Starting his professional journey as a policy analyst for Massachusetts Governor Francis W. Sargent, Glynn transitioned to Washington, D.C., in 1977 to serve as policy director for ACTION and as staff director for Vice President Walter Mondale’s youth employment commission. Returning to Massachusetts in 1981, he took on the role of associate dean at Brandeis’ Heller School of Social Welfare and contributed as an issues manager during Michael Dukakis’ 1982 gubernatorial campaign. From 1983 until 1988, Glynn acted as deputy state welfare commissioner, playing a key role in creating the Employment and Training Choices initiative aimed at assisting mothers reliant on public aid. He also provided counsel for Dukakis’ 1988 presidential bid and managed operations at the World Trade Center in South Boston.

MBTA

In 1989, Glynn was appointed by Dukakis as CEO of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. His leadership coincided with increased ridership and enhancements to customer amenities, including the installation of additional telephones and change machines across MBTA stations. Glynn oversaw the Authority during critical incidents such as the 1990 Back Bay train crash, which resulted in 453 injuries, and another Green Line accident involving an intoxicated operator. He stepped down in 1991 to accept the senior vice president position for administration and finance at Brown University.

Later, Glynn chaired the public transportation committee during governor-elect Maura Healey’s transition period. On April 21, 2023, Healey named him non-executive chair of the MBTA board of directors. He concluded this appointment in October 2024, with former Lynn mayor and board member Tom McGee succeeding him.

Deputy Secretary of Labor

In 1993, Glynn received nomination and unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor. He held this post until his resignation on April 15, 1996, making him one of the longest-tenured Deputy Secretaries in recent departmental history.

Private sector

Following his departure from the Department of Labor, Glynn assumed the role of chief operating officer at Partners HealthCare, Massachusetts’ largest hospital system. He left that position in 2010 to join Harvard Kennedy School as a faculty member and to become a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Additionally, he provided informal advice on health care matters and mediated labor disputes for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.

Massport

In 2012, Glynn took on the role of chief executive officer at the Massachusetts Port Authority, the organization responsible for overseeing Logan International Airport and the Port of Boston. He directed the agency for a period of six years before declaring his intention to step down in August 2018.

Harvard University

Glynn held the position of CEO at the Harvard Allston Land Company, where he oversaw the development of Harvard University's Enterprise Research Campus located in Allston. Presently, he serves as an adjunct lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School, teaching a course focused on state and local government.