Newton Needham Chamber To Honor Former West Newton Business Owner

NEWTON, MA — Each year for two decades the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber takes a moment to honor someone who imbibes outstanding contributions to the economic and cultural vitality of the community. Last year the R.L. Tennant award, the chamber's highest, was presented to outgoing Mayor Setti Warren. This year, the award will be going to the son of the man that the award was originally named after.

Walter F. Tennant, the chamber’s long-time treasurer and proprietor of the R.L. Tennant
Insurance Agency in West Newton, will be presented the award at the chamber’s annual Fall
Business Breakfast on Nov. 13 at the Newton Marriott Hotel.

Walter was the chamber’s treasurer for 28 years and played a critical role in rescuing the
chamber from financial ruin in the early 1990s and then rebuilding the organization’s financial
stability to become the fastest growing in the state, according to a press release from the chamber.

He was also a past president of the Newton YMCA and the Newton Schools Foundation and
served as a director at the Second Step, Kiwanis Club and the John M. Barry Boys and Girls Club,
among others. He retired from the chamber’s board of directors last year and sold his insurance
business to Eastern Insurance, where he now serves as a consultant. He is a Needham resident.

His father, Robert L. Tennant was a Newton alderman for 24 years, served as the chamber’s
president twice and also had a history of philanthropic and community service in Newton; a path his sons, Robert Jr. and Walter followed.

“The Tennant family has meant so much to Newton, Needham and the chamber over nearly a
half century,” said Chamber President Greg Reibman in the release. “It’s terrific and appropriate that the chamber’s executive board has decided to bring this award full circle by honoring Walter for his many decades of extraordinary service.”

Started nearly 20 years ago, the R.L. Tennant Award is the chairman’s award. In 2017 the award was presented to outgoing Newton Mayor Setti Warren. Other recipients include Marshall Sloane of Century Bank, Ken Brennan of The Village Bank, Dr. Michael Jellinek of Newton-Wellesley Hospital and Peter Smith of Green Newton.

The R.L. Tennant Award will be presented at the annual Fall Business Breakfast; Annual
Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Newton Marriott Hotel, 2345
Commonwealth Ave, Newton. Congressman Joseph Kennedy will deliver the keynote address.

The breakfast is sponsored by Needham Bank with additional support from The Bulfinch Group,
Newton-Wellesley Hospital, BID-Needham, The Village Bank, NBC10 Boston, Cambridge Savings
Bank, ALL CPA’s, William James College, Belmont Savings Bank and Lasell College. Tickets are
available at nnchamber.com

Photo courtesy Newton-Needham Chamber