Terry McGinnis to Receive E. Augustus Holyoke, M.D., Award

The grandson of Irish immigrants, Terry McGinnis went from the poorest section of Lynn to a successful legal and banking career, including his appointment as Banking Commissioner of Massachusetts from 2016 to 2018. Through it all, he never lost his commitment to his hometown nor those striving for a better life.

“Growing up in probably the poorest part of Lynn, my friends were all children of immigrants from Italy, Canada, Poland, Russia and Ireland, and so I assumed our way of life was the norm where we were all mixed and appreciated our diversity,” says McGinnis. “It wasn’t until I got older that I realized that people needed help accessing basic needs and advocating for themselves. This is why I work with organizations that serve the most vulnerable. Everyone deserves a seat at the table.”

On Nov. 5, McGinnis will be honored with the E. Augustus Holyoke, M.D., Award by Salem Hospital for his service to the health care needs of the North Shore community. A champion for Massachusetts’ most vulnerable populations, he is credited with helping to bridge gaps in healthcare, legal services, and education to ensure everyone gets their seat at the table.

McGinnis has a long history with Salem Hospital. Back in the 1990’s, he was chair of the Board of Trustees of the former Lynn Hospital as it became Union Hospital, and then merged with Salem Hospital and the Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare) network in 1997. He was a member of the Salem Hospital Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2021, including four years as chair, and is current chairman of North Shore Physicians Group – the physician organization associated with Salem Hospital. He was also a board member of the Lynn Community Health Center for 10 years. Through these roles, he has had a front row seat in the development of healthcare delivery in the North Shore community.

Every step of the way he fought for community members of all backgrounds to have equal access to quality and compassionate healthcare.

“Terry was a leading voice in the Union Hospital merger discussions and has been a long-time champion for the underserved” says Lori Long, former General Counsel for Union Hospital and Community Benefits Director for Salem Hospital. “He was effortlessly able to navigate the legal intricacies of the merger while fully understanding and advocating for his Lynn neighbors. He has continued to bring that insight to countless challenges that have faced Salem Hospital over the years and has been an effective advocate for improving health care for all in this community.”

Using his professional skills to help others and appreciating how the past informs the future are at the core of McGinnis’s success. Adding to his list of community accomplishments, he was President and Board Chair of the Children’ Law Center, a legal service organization, that serves low-income children and youth in the area of educational advocacy, child welfare, and immigration. For many years, he also chaired the Human Rights Committee for the Bass River Program for the differently abled, who lived in group homes and worked in sheltered workshops. Currently, he serves on the Finance Committee of St. Anthony’s Shrine in Boston.

In his present job as a senior “of counsel” in the Corporate and Transactions Department of Nutter, McClennen, & Fish LLP, and a member of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services group, McGinnis focuses on corporate governance, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance for financial institutions. Previously, he held senior legal positions within Bank of Boston and Fleet Bank before becoming the Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Eastern Bank and then the Commissioner of the Division of Banks in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Some of his most rewarding moments of his career have been watching the City of Lynn embrace new faces and grow.

“I am so humbled to receive the Holyoke Award as I feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment for all we – my fellow board members and colleagues – have accomplished to help the City of Lynn to grow and thrive,” says McGinnis. “To know that I have helped enable residents to access such exceptional healthcare is a wonderful feeling.”