Robert Kinloch "Bob" Massie IV (born August 17, 1956) is an American activist, author, and politician who works on issues of global leadership and corporate accountability, social justice, and climate change. He has created or led several organizations, including
Ceres, the
Global Reporting Initiative
The Global Reporting Initiative (known as GRI) is an international independent standards organization that helps businesses, governments and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human righ ...
, the
Investor Network on Climate Risk
The Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) is a network of investors and financial institutions that promotes better understanding of the financial risks and investment opportunities posed by climate change. INCR is coordinated by Ceres, a coaliti ...
, and the
New Economy Coalition
The New Economy Coalition (NEC) is an American nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, formerly known as the New Economics Institute. It is a network of over 200 organizations based in the US and Canada working for "a future where ...
. His early activism centered on opposition to South Africa's
apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
regime, writing the about the relationship between the US and South Africa in the apartheid era.
In 1994, Massie won the Democratic nomination for
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...
, running on a ticket with
Mark Roosevelt
Mark Roosevelt (born December 10, 1955) is an American academic administrator and politician serving as the seventh president of the Santa Fe campus of St. John's College. He was the President of Antioch College from January 2011 to December 2 ...
, but lost in
that year's general election.
In 2018, he was a candidate for the
Democratic nomination to be governor of Massachusetts, and was endorsed by
Our Revolution
Our Revolution (sometimes known by its initials OR) is an American progressive political action organization spun out of Senator Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign to continue its work. The organization's mission is to educate voter ...
, Massachusetts
Peace Action,
350 Action, and a number of other progressive organizations and groups. He lost the primary to
Jay Gonzalez
Juan Manuel "Jay" Gonzalez (born January 8, 1971) is an American politician who served as Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts under Governor Deval Patrick from 2009 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the nomi ...
, a cabinet official in
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick (born July 31, 1956) is an American politician, civil rights lawyer, author, and businessman who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was first elected in 2006, succeeding Mitt Romney, who ...
's administration.
Early life and education
Born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
,
Massie is the son of historians
Robert K. Massie, winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for biography; and
Suzanne Massie
Suzanne Massie (née Rohrbach; born January 8, 1931) is an American scholar of Russian history who played an important role in the relations between Ronald Reagan and the Soviet Union in the final years of the Cold War.
In mid-May 2021, she a ...
, who worked in forming the relationship between
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
and
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (2 March 1931 – 30 August 2022) was a Soviet politician who served as the 8th and final leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 to the country's dissolution in 1991. He served as General Secretary of the Com ...
.
Massie was born with severe classic
hemophilia
Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising ...
. As a result of this, his father, Robert Massie Sr., wrote ''
Nicholas and Alexandra
''Nicholas and Alexandra'' is a 1971 British epic historical drama film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, from a screenplay written by James Goldman and Edward Bond, based on Robert K. Massie's 1967 book of the same name, which is a partial ...
'' (1967), a biography of
Tsar Nicholas II
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Polan ...
and his family, which was produced as the movie ''
Nicholas and Alexandra
''Nicholas and Alexandra'' is a 1971 British epic historical drama film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, from a screenplay written by James Goldman and Edward Bond, based on Robert K. Massie's 1967 book of the same name, which is a partial ...
'' four years later. Massie's parents also wrote a more personal account of their son's challenges, titled ''Journey''. Because of his childhood health issues, Massie spent ages six through twelve in leg braces and a wheelchair. The family spent a few years living in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, where Massie's healthcare was covered by the French government, and he was able to regain the ability to walk.
Massie entered
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...
, graduating ''
magna cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...
'' in 1978 with a degree in history. As an officer of his alumni class he established the Class of 1978 Foundation, one of the first university foundations to fund direct summer service for students.
While at Princeton he was active in the student movement for Princeton's
divestiture from South Africa, and campaigned for equal access to university dining clubs, many of which did not admit women as members.
After graduating from Princeton, he received his
Master of Divinity
For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and di ...
(M.Div.) degree from Yale in 1982. He received a
Doctor of Business Administration
The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is either a professional doctorate or a research doctorate, depending on the granting university, awarded on the basis of advanced study, examinations, project work, and research in business administrat ...
from Harvard in 1989.
Professional career
After completing school, Massie became ordained as an Episcopal priest, and became a chaplain at
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
's
Grace Episcopal Church, where he founded a homeless shelter. He later served as a chaplain at Christ Episcopal Church in
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people. With an area ...
.
From 1989 to 1996 Massie lectured at
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school's mission is to educate its students either in the academic study of religion or for leadership roles in religion, gov ...
, and served as Director of the Project on Business Values and the Economy there.
In 1993 Massie received a
Senior Fulbright Research Award to spend time in South Africa, where he taught at the
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town (UCT) ( af, Universiteit van Kaapstad, xh, Yunibesithi ya yaseKapa) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1829 as the South African College, it was granted full university statu ...
. In 1994 he also served as an official international observer during the first democratic elections in South Africa. His book ''Loosing the Bonds: The United States and South Africa In the Apartheid Years'' was completed over the next four years, and published by Doubleday in 1997. It won the
Lionel Gelber Prize
The Lionel Gelber Prize is a literary award for English non-fiction books on foreign policy. Founded in 1989 by Canadian diplomat Lionel Gelber, the prize awards "the world’s best non-fiction book in English on foreign affairs that seeks to deep ...
for the Best Book on International Relations in 1998 and was reviewed favorably across the United States, including the ''New York Times''.
From 1996 to 2003 Massie served as the Executive Director of
Ceres, a coalition of environmental groups and institutional investors in the United States.
He also proposed and led the creation of the
Investor Network on Climate Risk
The Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) is a network of investors and financial institutions that promotes better understanding of the financial risks and investment opportunities posed by climate change. INCR is coordinated by Ceres, a coaliti ...
and the Institutional Investor Summit on Climate Risk, a gathering of public and private sector financial leaders held every two years at UN Headquarters in New York City. At the most recent meeting of the INCR, global investors and pension funds worth more than $22 trillion explored the financial dangers of climate change and pressed for a tripling of investment in clean energy technology to reach an annual goal of $1 trillion a year.
In 1998, in partnership with the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
and major U.S. foundations, he co-founded the
Global Reporting Initiative
The Global Reporting Initiative (known as GRI) is an international independent standards organization that helps businesses, governments and other organizations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human righ ...
(GRI) with Allen White. According to the most recent 2017 database, 10,613 organizations have produced 40,155 reports of which 26,675 are GRI reports.
In 2002, Massie was named one of the 100 most influential people in the field of finance by ''
CFO
The chief financial officer (CFO) is an officer of a company or organization that is assigned the primary responsibility for managing the company's finances, including financial planning, management of financial risks, record-keeping, and financ ...
'' magazine. In the same year, he learned that he had contracted
hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that primarily affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. During the initial infection people often have mild or no symptoms. Occasionally a fever, dark urine, a ...
from contaminated blood medications used to treat his hemophilia. He resigned from Ceres in order to pursue medical treatment.
Massie founded and co-chaired the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Coalition, and in 2010 led a campaign against slot machine and casino gambling in Massachusetts. In that year he was awarded the Damyanova Prize for Corporate Social Responsibility by the Institute for Global Leadership at
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...
, and in April, 2009 he received the Joan Bavaria Innovation and Impact Awards for Building Sustainability in Capital Markets.
In March 2012, Massie became the president of the
New Economy Coalition
The New Economy Coalition (NEC) is an American nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, formerly known as the New Economics Institute. It is a network of over 200 organizations based in the US and Canada working for "a future where ...
, then called the New Economics Institute, an organization dedicated to moving the American economy toward greater justice and sustainability. He stepped down as president in October 2014.
His autobiography, ''A Song in the Night: A Memoir of Resilience'', was published in 2012 by Nan Talese/Doubleday books.
In May 2014, Massie called on
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
to divest its endowment from fossil fuel corporations in an op-ed for ''
The Harvard Crimson
''The Harvard Crimson'' is the student newspaper of Harvard University and was founded in 1873. Run entirely by Harvard College undergraduates, it served for many years as the only daily newspaper in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Beginning in the f ...
''.
He continued to devote time to the New Economy Coalition.
In November 2015 Massie became the executive director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at
UMass Boston
The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medical ...
.
Political career
In 1975 Massie began working in public politics with a job in the office of
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
Henry M. Jackson
Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington. A Cold War liberal and a ...
. In 1994 he won the statewide primary election and became the
Democratic candidate for
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...
. The Democratic ticket was defeated by incumbent
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
governor
Bill Weld
William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945) is an American attorney, businessman, author, and politician who served as the 68th Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997.
A Harvard and Oxford graduate, Weld began his career as legal counsel to ...
.
In January 2011, Massie declared his candidacy for the
United States Senate election in Massachusetts, 2012
The 2012 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held in Massachusetts on November 6, 2012, Democrat Elizabeth Warren defeated incumbent Republican Senator Scott Brown. This election was held concurrently with the U.S. presidential ...
. In April 2011, Democratic strategist
Joe Trippi
Joseph Paul Trippi (born June 10, 1956) is an American political strategist who has worked on several gubernatorial, United States Senate, and Congressional campaigns, including Jerry Brown for Governor of California and Doug Jones for U.S. Sen ...
joined the Massie campaign. Massie ended his campaign on October 7, citing the entrance of
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...
into the race.
During the
2016 Democratic Party presidential primary
Presidential primaries and caucuses were organized by the Democratic Party to select the 4,051 delegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention held July 25–28 and determine the nominee for president in the 2016 United States presidential e ...
, Massie supported Bernie Sanders.
2018 gubernatorial campaign
On May 16, 2017, Massie began a campaign for the Democratic nomination in the
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2018. His platform, he said, focused on climate change initiatives, workers' rights and economic equality. He lost the primary election on September 4, 2018.
2020 Massachusetts Democratic Party chair campaign
In October 2020, Massie announced that he was running for election to a four-year term as chair of the
Massachusetts Democratic Party
The Massachusetts Democratic Party (MassDems) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is chaired by Gus Bickford. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all nine of Massachusetts' U ...
, and posted a YouTube video about his candidacy. Massie was defeated by incumbent chair Gus Bickford.
Personal life
In 1984 he was diagnosed with HIV, which he had contracted in 1978, from medical injections. By 1994 he was one of the longest survivors with HIV and offered his case to Dr.
Bruce D. Walker at
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third oldest general hospital in the United Stat ...
for review. Extensive study of Massie's blood has contributed to research and treatment studies around the world, and he was the subject of a NOVA documentary in 1999. In 1996 and 2002 Massie had surgeries to replace his knee joints, damaged from the repetitive joint bleeds.
In June 2009, Massie received a
liver transplant
Liver transplantation or hepatic transplantation is the replacement of a Liver disease, diseased liver with the healthy liver from another person (allograft). Liver transplantation is a treatment option for Cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease and ...
, in a procedure performed at
Emory University Hospital
Emory University Hospital is a 733-bed facility in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in the care of acutely ill adults. Emory University Hospital is staffed exclusively by Emory University School of Medicine faculty who also are members of The Emor ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, which cured not only his hepatitis C, but also his hemophilia. The clotting factor in blood is produced in the liver.
After graduation from Yale he met and married
Dana L. Robert in November 1980, with whom he had two sons, Sam (born 1987), and John (b. 1989). The couple divorced in 1995. In 1997 Massie married Anne Tate, an architect and professor at
Rhode Island School of Design
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the ...
, with whom he has a daughter, Katherine (b. 1998).
References
External links
Cereswebsite
Global Reporting Initiativewebsite
Bob Massie Campaignwebsite
New Economics Institutewebsite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massie, Bob
1956 births
American Episcopal priests
American male writers
American people of Swiss descent
Harvard Business School alumni
Liver transplant recipients
Living people
Princeton University alumni
Massachusetts Democrats
People with HIV/AIDS
Recipients of contaminated haemophilia blood products
People with haemophilia
Yale Divinity School alumni