A Better City is honored to present the Norman B. Leventhal Excellence in Building Award, to Rosemarie E. Sansone, for her excellence in Land Development. Named in memory of A Better City’s founder, the event recognizes remarkable leaders and innovators who have made significant contributions to the Greater Boston built environment. Sansone, a long time resident of Lexington, will be one of four honorees recognized at this years event
Sansone, the President & CEO of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) Corporation, has focused on business, jobs and community in a career that has spanned the private and public sectors. She has worked in government, community affairs, advertising and fundraising.
Sansone was twice elected to the Boston City Council, where she served at large, developing a broad understanding of the relationships among city, state and federal agencies. Later she played a pivotal role in attracting businesses, tourism and conventions to the city as the director of the Mayor’s Office of Business and Cultural Development in the Flynn administration. In 1994, she joined Suffolk University as director of public affairs, with responsibilities that included collaborating with public- and private-sector partners on downtown’s ongoing revitalization.
In 2007, Sansone transitioned to the Downtown Crossing Partnership, the BID’s predecessor organization. As its leader she spearheaded the multi-year campaign that led to the BID’s establishment in 2010. She brought a collaborative style built upon teamwork with hundreds of business and property owners as the driving force behind the creation and success of Boston’s first BID.
In leading the BID, Sansone is committed to serving its members through direct and immediate attention to their needs and those of the district. She works closely with the mayor’s office, the Boston Planning & Development Agency, the Boston Police Department, and a host of other city agencies to ensure the BID achieves the district’s full potential as a premier and vibrant destination.
Sansone studied liberal arts at Suffolk University and earned a master’s degree in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Institute of Boston. Sansone has served on many boards, including the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Industrial Board. She currently serves on the board of Revolution 250, which commemorates the anniversaries of significant events that led to the outbreak of the American Revolution. In 2013-14, Sansone served on Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s transition team, advising the incoming administration about basic city services. In 2016, she served as co-chair of the commission that oversaw the creation of the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in Boston’s Seaport.
A Better City is excited to present this award in honor of Sansone’s longstanding city leadership and work with the Boston Downtown BID. With her at the helm, it has become one of the most successful BID’s in the country. She is also being recognized for her many years as a City Councilor in Boston.
