Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker Honored by American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society

April 27, 2022—Boston, Massachusetts

Charles D. Baker, 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was honored on Thursday, April 21, 2022, by American Ancestors and New England Historic Genealogical Society (American Ancestors), the oldest and largest genealogical society in America. Governor Baker was presented with the American Ancestors Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Public Service, and also received an expertly researched, hand-bound volume of his family history.  Hosts American Ancestors President and CEO D. Brenton Simons and Executive Vice President and COO Ryan J. Woods also honored four notable contributors to the fields of history and genealogy with the American Ancestors Preservation and History Award. This year’s honorees are Linda Coombs, Thomas Bailey Hagen, Peter Lynch, and Paula Peters. 

Charles D. Baker has served as the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since January 8, 2015. Throughout his term in office, Governor Baker has assembled a diverse team and put forth a “get stuff done” approach to build a state government that is as thrifty, hardworking, and creative as the people of Massachusetts. Nonpartisan polls consistently list him as one of the most popular governors in the country. 

Over the course of his career, Governor Baker has been a highly successful leader of complex business and government organizations. As a cabinet secretary under Governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, he helped lead efforts to reform and modernize state government, turn a billion-dollar deficit into a surplus, create a half million jobs, and enact an ambitious education reform agenda. 

Raised in Needham, Governor Baker attended Massachusetts public schools and is a graduate of Harvard College. He went on to earn a master of business administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, where he met his wife, Lauren. The Bakers reside in Swampscott, have been heavily involved in numerous civic and charitable endeavors, and are the proud parents of their three children, Charlie, AJ, and Caroline. 

Linda Coombs, author, and historian of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)  

Thomas Bailey Hagen, Business leader, preservationist, and philanthropist  

Peter Lynch, American investor, author, and philanthropist    

Paula Peters, journalist, educator, and activist for the Wampanoag tribe 

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