The Worcester Business Journal has selected Worcester State University President Barry M. Maloney as its 2025 Large Business Leader of the Year. The honor, announced in the February 24 edition [1], is reserved for an exclusive group of Central Massachusetts professionals with great accomplishments in the economy and the community over the past year.
“For our Large Business Leader of the Year award for 2025, WBJ considered dozens of finalists for the honor, but one name rose obviously to the top: Barry Maloney,” WBJ Editor Brad Kane said. “A steady leader at a powerful Central Massachusetts institution, President Maloney has defied the odds and grown enrollment at the university during a turbulent time for the industry, all while making higher education more accessible for underrepresented populations. It is an absolute honor to have him as WBJ’s Large Business Leader of the Year.”
From the start of his 14-year tenure, President Maloney’s focus has been to put students first, and that has resulted in significant gains in academic success and expansion of student life. The university’s graduation rate has increased 61 percent, and he has overseen the opening of Sheehan residence hall and the Wellness Center.
At the same time, he has been a tireless advocate for students and the university. Annual fundraising has more than doubled from 2011, and the Worcester State Foundation endowment, which supports the mission of the university, has increased 248 percent.
In its article, WBJ noted, “As the head of the largest state university in Central Mass., Maloney dovetails the needs of the institution with its financial objectives, all while putting people first.”
The Business Leader of the Year is Worcester Business Journal‘s oldest award, having first been given in 1982 when the publication was known as Business Worcester. Even as the award has expanded to five categories over the years, Business Leader of the Year is WBJ’s hardest award to win, as most professionals are only eligible in one category and only one award is given out per category per year.
Photo by Matt Wright ’10.