Shows
NightSide With Dan ReaFormer Boston City Councilor Seeks Election Frank Baker, a longtime Boston City Council member who served 6 terms over 12 years as a district councilor representing most of Dorchester and parts of South Boston decided not to seek reelection in 2023. Flash forward to now and the former councilor has decided to seek election as a Boston city councilor at large to represent the entire city of Boston. Baker says after hearing a “steady beat of Bostonians urging me to step back in and get involved” he decided to answer that call. Frank Baker joined us to share his story.Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on th...2025-05-2438 minNightSide With Dan ReaDeadly Boston School Bus Crash Prompts Calls for Transparency Part 2Community members in Hyde Park are left with more questions than answers regarding the Boston school bus crash that killed a five-year-old boy last month. While the Boston Police and the Suffolk district attorney’s office are investigating the crash, community members including Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepin point to a lack of information being released on the case. It’s unknown who the school bus driver was but from the little info given, it appears the driver struck two parked cars before the fatal crash. Could this crash have been prevented? Who is the driver, and did they have the...2025-05-1539 minNightSide With Dan ReaDeadly Boston School Bus Crash Prompts Calls for Transparency Part 1Community members in Hyde Park are left with more questions than answers regarding the Boston school bus crash that killed a five-year-old boy last month. While the Boston Police and the Suffolk district attorney’s office are investigating the crash, community members including Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepin point to a lack of information being released on the case. It’s unknown who the school bus driver was but from the little info given, it appears the driver struck two parked cars before the fatal crash. Could this crash have been prevented? Who is the driver, and did they have the...2025-05-1535 min
CEOs You Should Know BostonBill Martin, President and CEO, Plymouth Rock AssuranceBill joined Plymouth Rock in 2016 and is in charge of our property insurance business and reinsurance programs. Bill has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. Bill was formerly President of Bankers Insurance, winning a Celent Model Insurer award in 2014 for simplifying homeowners insurance shopping. He also founded a startup with a new approach to flood insurance and has held senior positions at Farmers Insurance, Progressive and Travelers. Bill is a graduate of Stanford University, with a degree in Survey Data Research. He is a frequent speaker and author on insurance issues and has served on the Institute for...2025-05-1201 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston’s Crackdown on Food-App Delivery DriversThe Boston City Council is toying with the idea of a new food delivery tax, that’s part of the city’s efforts to crackdown on food-app delivery drivers and their “dangerous” and at times “unlawful” driving. The Council is weighing an amendment to Boston Mayor Wu’s “road safety and accountability for delivery providers ordinance” that would add a 15-cent delivery fee per order for national third-party food delivery companies like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and others that operate in Boston. Opponents of the measure fear the tax would hurt consumers and restaurants. *The MA Restaurant Association declined our invitation to j...2025-03-2538 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston Mayor Wu Testifies Before Congress Part 3Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testified before the House Oversight Committee, which is a Republican-led panel, which pressed the Mayor on Boston’s immigration policies. The Congressional hearing is part of a federal investigation into "sanctuary cities." Democratic mayors of New York City, Chicago and Denver also appeared before the Committee. In Mayor Wu’s opening statement she hammered down the point that Boston is “the safest major city in the country” and at one point during the hearing went on to say Boston residents are “afraid of the federal government.” Dan went over the key parts of the hearing and discussed im...2025-03-0640 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston Mayor Wu Testifies Before Congress Part 2Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testified before the House Oversight Committee, which is a Republican-led panel, which pressed the Mayor on Boston’s immigration policies. The Congressional hearing is part of a federal investigation into "sanctuary cities." Democratic mayors of New York City, Chicago and Denver also appeared before the Committee. In Mayor Wu’s opening statement she hammered down the point that Boston is “the safest major city in the country” and at one point during the hearing went on to say Boston residents are “afraid of the federal government.” Dan went over the key parts of the hearing and discussed im...2025-03-0642 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston Mayor Wu Testifies Before Congress Part 1Boston Mayor Michelle Wu testified before the House Oversight Committee, which is a Republican-led panel, which pressed the Mayor on Boston’s immigration policies. The Congressional hearing is part of a federal investigation into "sanctuary cities." Democratic mayors of New York City, Chicago and Denver also appeared before the Committee. In Mayor Wu’s opening statement she hammered down the point that Boston is “the safest major city in the country” and at one point during the hearing went on to say Boston residents are “afraid of the federal government.” Dan went over the key parts of the hearing and discussed im...2025-03-0637 minNightSide With Dan ReaPublic Safety in Boston Part 2Over the weekend, a fatal shooting occurred at a Chick-Fil-A in Boston’s Back Bay. An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who was chasing two people with a knife. The Chick-Fil-A staff and patrons were seen running out of the restaurant visibly scared. The incident has raised concerns and questions about public safety in Boston with some local politicians calling for increased police presence throughout the city. Do you feel safe when visiting Boston? We will assess and discuss public safety needs in Boston.2025-03-0441 minNightSide With Dan ReaBig Week for Boston Mayor WuBoston Mayor Michelle Wu on Wednesday is expected to be challenged by Republican members of Congress over Boston’s policies on immigration. Carine Hajjar, an opinion, and editorial writer for the Boston Globe will preview Wu’s trip to Washington and comments on the threats being made by the Trump Administration.Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the new iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!2025-03-0438 minNightSide With Dan ReaPublic Safety in Boston Part 1Over the weekend, a fatal shooting occurred at a Chick-Fil-A in Boston’s Back Bay. An off-duty police officer shot and killed a man who was chasing two people with a knife. The Chick-Fil-A staff and patrons were seen running out of the restaurant visibly scared. The incident has raised concerns and questions about public safety in Boston with some local politicians calling for increased police presence throughout the city. Do you feel safe when visiting Boston? We will assess and discuss public safety needs in Boston. Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the new iHeart Radio app and...2025-03-0439 minNightSide With Dan ReaA Reassessment of Boston StreetsBoston Mayor Michelle Wu announced that the city will remove a bus lane on Boylston Street in Bay Back, after neighborhood opposition. The mayor is also calling for a "review of what has been installed over the last fifteen years and adjust or redesign what has not been functioning well". Is a reassessment of Boston streets long overdue? What infrastructure changes do you think are most needed in Boston?Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!2025-02-1441 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston PoliticsGary Tanguay Fills In On NightSide with Dan ReaThis year there will be another mayoral election in Boston. It was recently announced that Josh Kraft, a longtime nonprofit leader, and son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, plans to run against incumbent mayor, Michelle Wu. Kraft has yet to make an official announcement but has filed the necessary paperwork to run for mayor of Boston. While Mayor Wu has not officially launched her re-election campaign, Kraft is her first competitor this Fall. CBS Boston political analyst Jon Keller joined Gary to...2025-02-0440 minNightSide With Dan ReaICE Sweeps Affecting BostonSince taking Office, President Trump has made it a top priority to crack down on illegal immigration. As part of Trump’s mass deportation efforts, ICE has been directed to conduct widespread sweeps throughout the U.S., including Boston. During a sweep in Boston, ICE Boston made multiple arrests of MS-13 gang members and murder suspects. We discussed the ongoing ICE sweeps with Boston City Council Member Ed Flynn.2025-01-2440 minNightSide With Dan ReaJosh Kraft Plans To Run For Boston MayorJosh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, plans to run for Mayor of Boston, running against incumbent Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, sources close to him confirm. Kraft has spent a majority of his career focusing on philanthropic work. For over a decade he served as CEO of the Boston chapter of the Boys & Girls Club and is the current president of the New England Patriots Foundation. Do you think Kraft has what it takes to be an effective Boston Mayor?2025-01-2337 minNightSide With Dan ReaBoston Traffic: Is It the Worst?Boston, despite having the largest year-over-year decrease in traffic delay time for any city in the top 25 most congested American cities, ranks 4th in the U.S. for having the worst traffic congestion. This data comes from INRIX’s 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard. The report found Boston drivers lost 79 hours and $1,414 sitting in traffic, resulting in $2.7 billion lost city wide! Is there anything we can do to help alleviate congestion in Boston?Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!2025-01-0742 minCEOs You Should Know BostonRyan Bailey, President and CEO, Cambridge Savings BankOver the span of his 20+ year career in financial services, Ryan Bailey has focused on enhancing customer experiences and supporting communities at every turn.Prior to becoming President and CEO of CSB, Ryan held leadership positions at some of the country’s most respected financial institutions, including TD Bank, Bank of the West, JP Morgan Chase, Fifth Third Bank, and Bank of America. His most recent role was as the Head of Retail Banking at USAA, where he led a team of nearly 2,000 customer-focused employees and spearheaded initiatives to deliver world-class products and services to the military community an...2024-11-1801 minCEOs You Should Know BostonMichael Christian, Board President, Someone Else’s Child, Inc.Michael Christian has served as Board President of Someone Else’s Child, Inc. (SEC) for nearly 25 years. The foundation supports youth causes throughout the U.S., Africa, and Central America with areas of emphasis including education, the arts, youth living with disabilities, economic justice, and collective action efforts. SEC addresses disparities by investing in opportunities for young people to live, learn, grow and engage as contributing members of their communities. Mike is the Managing Partner for Community Impact Ventures (CIV), a venture capital impact fund that provides financial support to social entrepreneurs and for-profit companies that have missions sim...2024-11-1101 minCEOs You Should Know BostonPhillip Eng, General Manager and CEO, Massachusetts Bay Transportation AuthorityPhillip Eng is the General Manager and CEO of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). A Civil Engineer with nearly 40 years of transportation experience, including President of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Long Island Rail Road and Interim President of New York City Transit, Mr. Eng brings his abilities to spearhead challenging initiatives, modernize aging systems and prioritize safety to bear for the MBTA.Mr. Eng joined the MTA in 2017 as the Chief Operating Officer, where he drove initiatives and focused on updating transportation systems through the use of innovative technologies, including developing new fare payment applications an...2024-11-0401 minCEOs You Should Know BostonSean Flaherty, Managing Partner, Keches Law GroupAttorney Sean Flaherty, Managing Partner at Keches Law Group, is a former member of the Local 7 Steel and Ironworkers Union. He represents injured workers in all phases of workers’ compensation litigation including Conciliations, Conferences and Hearings before Administrative Law Judges at the Department of Industrial Accidents as well as Social Security Disability claims, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination.Before joining Keches Law Group, P.C., Sean interned with the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Attorney Flaherty is the past President of the Bristol Bar Association and on their Board of Directors since 2011; Co-Chair of the Work...2024-10-2101 minNightSide With Dan ReaHotel Workers Strike in Boston!Hotel workers in Boston are on strike over increased wages and manageable workloads. UNITE HERE Local 26, the labor union representing the hospitality workers, has a total of 1,300 workers from the Omni Parker House and the Omni Boston Seaport hotels, Hilton Boston Logan Airport, and the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, who are on strike right now. That number could increase if more hotels join in on striking. Isaac Smith-Kawah, a cook joins Dan to discuss!2024-10-1542 minCEOs You Should Know BostonTerry Andre, CEO, AmCoat IndustrialTerry Andre has led AmCoat as its CEO since 2010. With more than twenty years of contract manufacturing experience, he is uniquely qualified to help dealers develop their businesses and keep the supply chain moving. Terry and his wife Kathy, reside in Destin, Florida and have three adult children.2024-10-0700 minCEOs You Should Know BostonJenny Holaday, President of Encore Boston HarborJenny Holaday brings her extensive background in the casino industry to her role of President of Encore Boston Harbor, which she assumed in August 2021. Previously the executive vice president of operations, Jenny oversees all aspects of the $2.6B resort’s operations and leads a team of nearly 3,000 employees.Jenny has lived and worked in gaming regions from the East Coast to Nevada and many places in between. She has held executive positions for companies including Harrah’s, Caesars Entertainment and Mandalay Resort Group and has successfully launched two enterprise-wide casino player programs.When she isn’t at the...2024-09-2301 minCEOs You Should Know BostonJarrod Lopiccolo, CEO & Founder, Noble StudiosWith one foot firmly in Reno and the other across the pond at our Bristol, UK office, Jarrod’s globetrotting nature has led him to make meaningful connections with people all over the world. His attention to listening first let’s him learn what makes people tick and, admittedly, helps him harness the insights to propel Noble’s success.Over the last two decades Jarrod has grown our creative digital performance marketing agency from a single-laptop endeavor to an international company. To date, Noble partnered with brands like Visit Lake Tahoe, Santa Monica, Autodesk, The Islands of Tahiti, Nianti...2024-09-0900 minCEOs You Should Know BostonPaul English, Co-Founder, LolaPaul is the founder of Boston Venture Studio. Paul has previously co-founded and successfully sold six startups – Kayak, Lola, Moonbeam, GetHuman, Boston Light and Intermute.Paul is also the founder of four nonprofits – Summits Education in Haiti, Embrace Boston, The Winter Walk for Homelessness, and the Bipolar Social Club.Paul is the subject of Tracy Kidder’s book “A Truck Full of Money”. You can hear an interview with Paul on “How I Built This” with Guy Raz, and you can see his video from TEDxBoston in 2022.Paul grew up in Boston (as did his parents...2024-08-2601 minCEOs You Should Know BostonKate Fox, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Travel & TourismKate Fox is the executive director at the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism in the Healey-Driscoll Administration. A seasoned tourism professional with 25 years of experience, Kate was previously the executive director of Destination Salem, the city’s Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs, where she oversaw year-round destination marketing efforts for nearly two decades. Fox spent five years as the Director of Cultural Heritage Tourism for the Essex National Heritage Area, developing collaborative programs including Trails & Sails. Kate also served as the President of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, the Salem Chamber of Commerce Board of...2024-08-1601 minCEOs You Should Know BostonBen Garthwaite, CEO, Fors MarshBen Garthwaite serves as chief executive officer of Fors Marsh and guides the company’s business growth and diversification. Ben cultivates a purpose-driven culture focused on using business as a force for good, with the belief that businesses must share responsibility for strengthening the systems in which we operate. He is committed to evolving company policies and practices so that each of Fors Marsh’s key stakeholder groups—community, client, employee, and planet—are positively impacted. Under his leadership, Fors Marsh has earned B Corporation Certification, has become a Just® employer, and received Top Workplace USA, the Northern Virginia Family Service C...2024-07-2901 minCEOs You Should Know BostonDr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., President, Babson CollegeDr. Stephen Spinelli Jr. is the 14th president of Babson College, having assumed the role in July 2019. A lifelong entrepreneur, President Spinelli has spent his career at the intersection of academia, business, and philanthropy. Under his leadership, Babson College was named the 10th best college in the United States by The Wall Street Journal and has retained its long-standing place atop U.S. News & World Report’s undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship rankings.He co-founded Jiffy Lube International and was chairman and CEO of the American Oil Change Corporation, helping to pioneer the quick-lube industry across the United States an...2024-07-2201 minCEOs You Should Know BostonMatt King, President and COO, Legal Sea FoodsChef Matt is a New England native with almost 30 years of culinary experience, working through the ranks at many local Boston establishments. Through his career, Matt has opened up a remarkable 16 restaurants – across the United States and even abroad in Ireland. He’s now at the helm as President & COO of one of New England’s most iconic restaurants – Legal Sea Foods. Legal has 26 restaurants, and soon to be 27, with an expansion into the west planned for this summer, as Legal sets sail for Chicago! And his accomplishments go beyond the kitchen – Matt has completed 5 marathons, across 3 major cities, including of course h...2024-07-0101 minCEOs You Should Know BostonLisa Wieland, President, National Grid New EnglandLisa is responsible for safe, reliable and affordable energy delivery to National Grid’s customers in New England, overseeing gas and electric operations in Massachusetts and transmission in New England. She is committed to enabling the Commonwealth’s energy transition and ambitious climate goals, while keeping Massachusetts competitive.Prior to joining National Grid, Lisa served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Port Authority, a complex quasi-public sector organization operating vital transportation assets including Boston Logan International Airport, Hanscom Field and Worcester Airport, Maritime facilities in the Port of Boston and a large commercial real estate portfolio. Durin...2024-06-1701 minCEOs You Should Know BostonCatherine D’Amato, President and CEO, The Greater Boston Food BankA tireless advocate for the hungry for more than 40 years, Catherine D’Amato assumed the leadership of GBFB in 1995. During her tenure, she has transformed GBFB into a $180 million charitable business and increased GBFB’s distribution from 7.5 million meals a year to nearly 90 million healthy meals per year. She has grown GBFB’s network to include 600 partner food pantries, meal programs and direct distribution sites across the 190 cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts.Under D’Amato’s guidance, GBFB was able to rise to the challenge of an unprecedented surge in hunger brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the su...2024-06-0301 minCEOs You Should Know BostonTodd Krinsky, President and CEO, ReebokTodd Krinsky was appointed President and CEO of Reebok in September 2022 after three decades of unwavering service to the company. As a Reebok “lifer”, Todd leads the company’s continued commitment to creating industry-leading, innovative products and embodying its “irreverent” brand identity.During his 30 years at Reebok, Todd has touched every aspect of the business - from category leadership to merchandising management to sports and entertainment marketing and more - even spending time overseas managing product development. This intrinsic knowledge allows him to pay homage to the company’s deep-rooted heritage, while seamlessly accelerating Reebok into its next chapter.2024-05-2001 minCEOs You Should Know BostonMichael London, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, UwillAn educational technology, digital health, and social impact entrepreneur, Michael London has created more than one billion dollars in company value throughout his career. Michael’s belief that "student mental health is the defining higher education issue of our time" led him to create Uwill. Founded in 2020 to assist campus counseling centers as they faced overwhelming student demand for mental health support, Uwill has quickly earned the reputation as the leading student mental health and wellness solution, now serving more than 2 million students at 300+ colleges across the county.Michael has spent a career building and advising new education ve...2024-05-0601 minCEOs You Should Know BostonLeonard Spada, Founder, Spada Law Group LLCLeonard Spada is the founder of Spada Law Group LLC. Upon graduating from Boston College Law School in 1991, Len accepted a prestigious one-year appointment as a Judicial Law Clerk for the justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court. It was during this time that Len worked closely with the Judges of the Superior Court assisting them in deciding matters that came before the court in both civil and criminal trials. The clerkship was a valuable opportunity for Len to learn the practice of law from some of the finest legal minds in Massachusetts.Upon completing his judicial clerkship, Len acce...2024-04-2201 minCEOs You Should Know BostonDenise Woodard, Founder/CEO, Partake FoodsDenise Woodard is the Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, the allergy-friendly company that was inspired by her daughter’s experience with food allergies. Key moments this year include that Partake Foods announced it became a Certified B Corporation, and launched a collab with Ben & Jerry’s! Created in 2016, Denise started the business by self-distributing (selling cookies out of her car around NYC) and self-funding (depleting her 401K and selling her engagement ring). To date, the company has raised more than $20M from investors including HER, Rihanna, Circle Up Growth Partners, FF2032 and Marcy Venture Partners (Jay-Z’s venture capital firm). Partake was named...2024-04-0801 minCEOs You Should Know BostonStephen Kramer, CEO of Bright HorizonsStephen has devoted his career to supporting the educational promise of all, from the youngest children to high school students and adult learners -- working to realize his vision and belief that everyone at every age deserves a great education. Stephen was named CEO of Bright Horizons in January 2018, and over the last decade, he has held leadership positions throughout the organization including President, Chief Development Officer, and Managing Director, Europe, based in London. He joined Bright Horizons in 2006 through the acquisition of College Coach®, a company he co-founded and led. Previously, Stephen held roles at Fidelity Ventures and Arthur D...2024-03-2801 minCEOs You Should Know BostonAnuj Khanna, CEO, Service 1st FinancialAnuj Khanna is a Partner of CapitalView Investment Partners. Mr. Khanna is responsible for deal origination, transaction execution, portfolio management, fundraising, and administration of the firm’s operations. He has over 12 years of investing and other relevant experience and has sat on the board of directors of eight portfolio companies.Prior to co-founding CapitalView Investment Partners in 2017, Mr. Khanna was a Principal with American Capital Special Situations, having joined in 2007 as a Senior Associate. Mr. Khanna was involved with and served on the board of directors of the following American Capital portfolio companies: Service Experts, NECCO Realty Investments, Ha...2024-03-1101 minCEOs You Should Know BostonMark Eldridge, CEO/Founder, ALKUMark Eldridge is the CEO and founder of ALKU, a nationally ranked niche based staffing and consulting firm based in Andover. Mark has been in the staffing and consulting industry since he graduated college. Through his experience, Mark noticed a need for reliable, highly specialized resource services and solutions; this observation led to the launch of ALKU in 2008! During ALKU’s years in business, its unique Have Fun Working Hard® culture and exponential growth have been recognized with several prestigious awards. The company operates on the simple belief that if you give the right people the correct tools, everything else wil...2024-02-2601 minCEOs You Should Know BostonMichael Hund, CEO, EB Research PartnershipMichael Hund is the CEO of EB Research Partnership (EBRP), a trailblazing medical research organization focused on curing Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a life-threatening genetic skin disease. Under his leadership EBRP has accelerated the landscape from 2 to over 40 clinical trials and via their award winning venture philanthropy methodology funded the first FDA approved treatment for EB in 2023, the first ever topical gene therapy. In Michael’s tenure, EBRP’s innovative business model has garnered recognition from Harvard Business School, Yale University, MIT, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Rolling Stone, and Forbes. With a background at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation and Paul Newm...2024-02-1201 minCEOs You Should Know BostonShontay Lundy, CEO and Founder, Black Girl SunscreenShontay Lundy is the CEO, Creator, and Founder of Black Girl Sunscreen (BGS). In 2016, when Shontay became tired of using sunscreen that left a white residue, she decided to leverage her MBA and knack for business to develop a melanin-friendly option for women who look like her. While working to build awareness for BGS, Shontay has continued to fuel her passion by traveling the world educating women of color on the importance of wearing sunscreen.Shontay has emerged as a thought leader and innovator in the beauty industry and her success has been chronicled by Forbes, Business Insider...2024-01-2901 minCEOs You Should Know BostonTim Maxwell, President and CEO, GreenEarth CleaningGreenEarth® Cleaning, the world’s largest brand of environmentally friendly dry cleaning, offering the industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative, recently named Tim Maxwell as its chief executive officer (CEO). Maxwell had served as president of the company since 2003.In his role as CEO, Maxwell will continue oversight of GreenEarth Cleaning and the company’s network of Affiliates. GreenEarth’s proprietary products and processes are available at more than 6000 points of consumer contact around the globe.“What has been most gratifying to me over the past 20 + years, has been the commitment by so many members of both the Af...2024-01-2201 min