professional, social, intellectual society of diverse leaders

Author and avid fly fisherman Steve Woit, also our very own BHS member,  shared some stories from his new limited edition book "Mary Orvis Marbury: A Life in Flies" and the history of the Orvis Company, one of the leading outdoor sporting goods companies in the world, based in Manchester, Vermont. Steve walked us through the Orvis family history, and Mary Orvis Marbury (1856–1914), the daughter of Charles F. Orvis, who was a remarkable person and the founder of the Orvis fly tying operation. The ornate and intricate flies, which are an outstanding art form in and of themselves, were all handcrafted by a group of closely-knit women called the owl, because they got together at the end of the day, after having completed their daily family and societal duties. Steve showed gorgeous images from his book which includes over 200 color photographs of the original Orvis flies featured in Mary's landmark book "Favorite Flies" from 1892, as well as those from Charles Orvis's book "Fishing with the Fly" from 1883 and from the famous World's Columbian Exposition fly panels created by Mary and her tiers for the first World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. Steve also described some of the discoveries and revelations that resulted from the research and writing of the book.

This topic unearthed quite a few fly fishing enthusiasts who had been clandestinely hidden in our midst to date! Q&A unearthed the intricate construction of fishing rods and mechanisms; the material being used migrating from native VT Ash to imported Bamboo (more costly but lighter); to what extent the fishermen cared about the ornateness of their flies; the incredible expense of the fly fishing salmon permits up north due to near extinction;  the quest for hidden streams and banks to find solitude and mediation; the resourcefulness of many fish species; Patagonia being Steve's next dream frontier to fish; and how the fly fishing enthusiasts and anglers in general (together with hunters) are the leading voices and financial contributors to nature conservation, stopping toxic projects in New England, and building fish ladders from the Pacific deep into California's inland Nappa Valley!

The book is limited to 275 numbered editions, with all the copies appearing at the event sold out!

Steve is the author of "Fly Fishing Treasures", the leading book on collecting antique fly tackle, and is a member of the Anglers' Club of New York City and of the Flyfishers' Club in London.

It was our honor to host former Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld who addressed a range of topics in a compelling conversation with Boston Hub Society member and Jonah Communications President Pamela Jonah.

Bill graciously discussed his distinguished career in government and business, and the impressive impact on the Commonwealth that still reverberates today.  Members were captivated by insights based on his service as Governor of Massachusetts during the 1990s, a time when he is credited from bringing Massachusetts back from the brink of bankruptcy and drastically improving the business climate. As Governor, he cut taxes 21 times, balanced the budget without borrowing from Wall Street, reined in wasteful programs, improved state services, and signed into law one of the strongest welfare reform laws in the country. His reflections on the regulatory reforms he championed made state government a partner, not an adversary, to job creators and entrepreneurs. An avowed social liberal as well as a fiscal conversative with unequivocal beliefs that all citizens be treated equally and "there is no such thing as government money, only taxpayer money," Bill candidly offered his opinions on pioneering decisions as an early pro-choice proponent and as one of the first governors in the U.S. to advocate equal rights for the LGBT community.

Members also heard vignettes from his career journey in earlier roles including as a federal prosecutor as Assistant U.S. Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division of the Justice Department in Washington, D.C.; U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts during the Reagan administration; as a commercial litigator in Boston and Washington to today at member and principal of ML Strategies, Mintz's government relation's subsidiary.

As the only Republican to run against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, his views on today's political climate at the federal, state and city level offered both an experienced and clarifying perspective to macro social and policy issues including AI, education, trade, health care, housing, the environment and the Commonwealth's competitive edge as the global education and medical leader.