About James M. Stone and Cathleen D. Stone

James M. and Cathleen D. Stone
Photo by John Werner


Jim Stone is the founder and CEO of the Plymouth Rock group of insurance companies. He began his career teaching economics at Harvard University after earning his B.A. and Ph.D. at Harvard. From 1975 to 1979, he served as the insurance commissioner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and then served as chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. He is a member of the Executive Committee of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a member of the board of directors of ProPublica, a former member of the board of directors of the Boston Globe, a former vice chairman of Global Post, chairman emeritus of Management Sciences for Health, and chair of EdVestors’ School on the Move Prize Panel. Jim is the author of the bestselling book, Five Easy Theses: Commonsense Solutions to America's Greatest Economic Challenges, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, where he serves as a member of the Trust.
 

Cathleen Douglas Stone is president of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation. She earned her B.A. and J.D. from American University and an L.L.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. She was of counsel and a past partner of the Boston law firm Foley, Hoag & Eliot where her practice encompassed environmental and administrative law issues. In 1994, she was appointed as the City of Boston's first chief of environmental services. While serving as chief, she helped launch "Sustainable Boston" and was a part of the team that created the Boston Harbor Islands National Park. Since 1994, Cathy has served as a commissioner for the Boston Water and Sewer Commission. She also serves on the board of directors for Boston Harbor Now, the Wilderness Society, and WBUR Boston, and as a member of the Honorary Committee of the Museum of African American History (MAAH) Stone Book Award and the Advisory Committee of the School of Public Policy & Urban Affairs at Northeastern University. Previously, she served as chair of the board of directors for the Museum of African American History and as a member of the board of The Nature Conservancy, National Public Radio, the Supreme Court Historical Society, and MATCH Public Charter High School. In 2006 she received the Eleanor Roosevelt Following In Her Footsteps Award and in 2017 she received the Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in City Building Award.