Newton residents, New Balance leaders receive honorary degree from BC

Newton residents James S. (Jim) and Anne M. Davis, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., were each awarded an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from Boston College at the University's Commencement Exercises on May 23.

Jim Davis bought New Balance in 1972 when the company’s six-person work force was turning out just 30 pairs of running shoes a day. Since that time, New Balance has developed into the largest private company in the sporting goods industry, employing more than 5,000 people around the globe.

In addition, New Balance has joined First Lady Michelle Obama in her efforts to end childhood obesity and to promote healthy lifestyles for children and families, and earlier this year, the New Balance Foundation made a $7 million gift to Boston’s Children’s Hospital to establish the New Balance Foundation Center for Childhood Obesity Prevention, Clinical Research and Care.

Anne Davis is responsible for the recruitment, training, compensation, benefits administration and corporate policy for business operations for New Balance in over 70 countries. Her innovative and progressive management techniques have produced one of the industry’s most highly motivated and goal-oriented work forces. As managing trustee of the New Balance Foundation, she oversees New Balance’s social responsibility program, corporate contributions and community service functions, and has been an integral factor in the company’s widely acknowledged leadership in philanthropic pursuits.

 The Davises have served on several boards and committees for organizations such as Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association, The Athletic Footwear Council, Franciscan Hospital for Children, The West End House, The Sports Museum, The Children’s Museum, and Boston Children’s Hospital, among others.

Boston College was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1863. Today, it is one of the nation's foremost universities, with a co-educational enrollment of 14,600 undergraduate and graduate students drawn from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. Ranked 31^st among national universities by U.S. News & World Report, Boston College is among the nation's most selective universities—with some 33,000 applications received for its 2,250-member Class of 2015.