SAM HAMMAR NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CAPITAL NETWORK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Meredith Childs
Phone 210-393-0547
Email [email protected]
WELLESLEY, Mass., April 2, 2012 — The Capital Network (TCN), Boston’s leading non-profit organization providing education and community to entrepreneurs and investors around funding for startups, today announced that Sam Hammar has joined the organization as Executive Director. Sam replaces Michelle Hipwood, who has joined TCN alumni company, ImmusanT, a venture backed biotechnology company, as Director of Finance and Operations.
“Under Michelle’s guidance, TCN has grown into an incredibly effective organization providing high quality programming and community to entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and others in the entrepreneurship ecosystem”
said Jeremy Halpern, TCN Board Member, and a Partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP “We believe that Sam will bring strong entrepreneurial energy, and a broadened strategic vision, as we continue to build an organization that can add tremendous value to startups raising capital at many different stages.”
Well known among entrepreneurs in Boston, Sam most recently spent four and a half years working for Mayor Menino’s Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) on the City’s Innovation District Initiative. She joined the BRA’s Economic Development team in late 2007 to market the City for business attraction and found herself helping craft the vision, strategy, and communications plan for the Innovation District upon its announcement by the Mayor in January 2010.
With a strong belief that the entrepreneurial community and its connectivity could drive the success of the area, Sam has built a global communications infrastructure that has seen a migration of companies to the District, supporting the vision of the agency. Since its inception, over 100 businesses and 3,000 employees have moved there.
Her passion for transparent and accessible organizations prompted her to advise several other City departments on revolutionizing the way they communicate with their constituencies.
“I am thrilled to be able to continue my work with Boston’s entrepreneurial community, helping startups actualize the vision for their companies,” said Sam. “The opportunity to drive The Capital Network’s next stage of growth is a natural extension of my passion around entrepreneurship, and I look forward to working with the community, the board and the organization’s tremendous sponsors to build on the great work that Michelle did as my predecessor.”
Sam holds an M.A. in Global Marketing Communications and Advertising from Emerson College and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida. Before joining the City, Sam used her marketing and community engagement skills for fundraising at the American Cancer Society, teaching Social Activism at a Boston Public High School, and producing trade shows for The Merchandise Mart in Chicago.
About The Capital Network
The Capital Network provides the most comprehensive set of early-stage financing education, networking and resources available in New England. Through large breakfast roundtables, intimate deep-dive topic lunches, mentoring sessions, Fast Track Boot Camps, focused industry special events and networking receptions, The Capital Network connects New England’s premier entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate/strategic investors, government agencies, educational institutions, and area-expert service providers.
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