George Keverian
Encyclopedia
George Keverian was an American
Democratic Party
politician who served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from 1985 until 1991. In his role in the legislature, he was an advocate for greater openness in leadership, free speech and government reform.
, located in Middlesex County
, near Boston
. Keverian was the son of Armenian parents who immigrated to America from Turkey before 1915; his mother was a dressmaker and his father ran a shoe repair business.
Keverian attended Everett High School where he was a champion runner the valedictorian of the class of 1949. Keverian attended Tufts College for two years before transferring to Harvard College
. Keverian graduated from Harvard in 1953.
From 1975 to 1978 Keverian was the House Majority Whip, the number three leadership position in the Massachusetts Hoiuse of Representatives.
In 1978 Keverian was chosen to be the House Majority Leader, the number two leadership position in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
, he won the position as Speaker of the House from fellow Democrat Thomas W. McGee
in January 1985, bringing reformers in the legislature to back his candidacy. Though he was able to bring greater openness, he had difficulties as a leader and in pushing through legislation. He left the post, and state politics, in 1991, after losing the Democratic party primary for Massachusetts State Treasurer
.
Weighing as much as 400 pounds by 2002, Keverian blamed his place in the public eye for his weight problems, telling a 2003 forum on obesity at the Harvard School of Public Health
that "People can be very, very cruel, even when they're not trying to be" and that "Having all that publicity and public acceptance worked against me". He was able to bring his weight down to 260 pounds following gastric bypass surgery
in 2002.
The George Keverian School in Everett, Massachusetts is named after him. Keverian had been scheduled to read a Dr. Seuss
book to first-graders at the school on the day of his death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
from 1985 until 1991. In his role in the legislature, he was an advocate for greater openness in leadership, free speech and government reform.
Early life and education
George Keverian was born in Everett, MassachusettsEverett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...
, located in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
, near Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Keverian was the son of Armenian parents who immigrated to America from Turkey before 1915; his mother was a dressmaker and his father ran a shoe repair business.
Keverian attended Everett High School where he was a champion runner the valedictorian of the class of 1949. Keverian attended Tufts College for two years before transferring to Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
. Keverian graduated from Harvard in 1953.
Early political career
He was elected to the City of Everett Common Council in 1954 at the age of 21, shortly after his graduation from Harvard. Running for three seats in a field of three dozen, Keverian used a high-speed motion picture camera suggested by his brother that could capture still images of each house in the ward. He sent an individualized flier to each house with a photo of their own home and a message about the attention he would offer the neighborhood. He served on the Common Council until 1961, serving as President of the Common Council from 1960 to 1961.Massachusetts House of Representatives
In 1966, Keverian was elected to represent the 20th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.From 1975 to 1978 Keverian was the House Majority Whip, the number three leadership position in the Massachusetts Hoiuse of Representatives.
In 1978 Keverian was chosen to be the House Majority Leader, the number two leadership position in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Serving in the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesMassachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
, he won the position as Speaker of the House from fellow Democrat Thomas W. McGee
Thomas W. McGee
Thomas William McGee is a former U.S. politician who served as a member of the Lynn City Council from 1956–1963, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1963–1991, and as the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975 to 1984 as a Democrat. He is the father...
in January 1985, bringing reformers in the legislature to back his candidacy. Though he was able to bring greater openness, he had difficulties as a leader and in pushing through legislation. He left the post, and state politics, in 1991, after losing the Democratic party primary for Massachusetts State Treasurer
Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
The Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts is an executive officer, elected state-wide every four years....
.
Later life
He returned to Everett, where he was appointed as the city's chief assessor in 1995. He lost the position in 2007, with Keverian claiming that he had lost the post due to conflicts with the city's mayor; the mayor stated that the position had been eliminated.Weighing as much as 400 pounds by 2002, Keverian blamed his place in the public eye for his weight problems, telling a 2003 forum on obesity at the Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard School of Public Health
The Harvard School of Public Health is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Area of the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of Mission Hill, which is next to Harvard Medical School. HSPH is considered a significant school focusing on health in the...
that "People can be very, very cruel, even when they're not trying to be" and that "Having all that publicity and public acceptance worked against me". He was able to bring his weight down to 260 pounds following gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass procedures are any of a group of similar operations that first divides the stomach into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch and then re-arranges the small intestine to allow both pouches to stay connected to it. Surgeons have developed several different ways...
in 2002.
The George Keverian School in Everett, Massachusetts is named after him. Keverian had been scheduled to read a Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss
Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
book to first-graders at the school on the day of his death.