James Carmody
The View from the Waterfront

Jim Carmody has a great view of Boston’s developing waterfront.

As vice president and general manager of Seaport Boston, a mixed-use facility that includes Boston’s World Trade Center and Seaport Hotel, he has seen the South Boston Seaport District go from rusty piers and old parking lots to a brand new neighborhood in the past decade.

The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Museum just opened down the street, one of Boston’s exciting new cultural facilities. Then there’s the Bank of America Pavilion, home to great summer concerts. And around the corner is the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, a state-of-the-art facility that has restored Boston’s stature as one of America’s major convention cities.

Complimenting these are dozens of small shops, art galleries and cultural venues throughout the neighborhood. Not to mention restaurants!

“The Seaport District is fast becoming Boston’s hottest dining destination,” Carmody says. “We’ve long enjoyed Anthony’s Pier Four, the Barking Crab and hidden gems like Lucky’s Lounge, but now the area is chock-full of delicious gourmet experiences driven by top-quality chefs with a creative flair.”

Carmody cites Roger Berkowitz’s newest concept restaurant, LTK, Wolfgang Puck’s waterfront café at the ICA, and the new Morton’s Steakhouse which opened in the World Trade Center East building in early November.

The Seaport Hotel’s own Aura Restaurant and Bar is currently undergoing some exciting renovations with private rooms, a wine display case, fireplace and high ceilings. Chef Frank Toohey oversees an elegant menu that emphasizes the proximity to fresh seafood and the availability of local produce from the state’s small farms.

Carmody has an illustrious career in the hospitality industry. A graduate of Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of America, he worked at some of the country’s finest hotels, including the Boston Harbor Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel in Dallas, the Omni International Hotel in Atlanta, and the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago. Previous to joining Seaport, he was Vice President of General Services for the Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston.

Jim’s community involvement is varied. He serves on the board of Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester. He is the President of the Guild of Oenophiles, and is Chairperson of both the WGBH Wine & Food Auction and the Luis Tiant Swing for Diabetes Golf Tournament, two annual events that raise money for worthwhile causes. In 2006 Jim was named Father of the Year by the American Diabetes Association.

Jim and his wife Theresa live in Milton and have four children, Casey, Michael, Frances and Mary. A dual Irish – American citizen, Jim’s mother immigrated from County Sligo and his father’s parents came from County Cork.

For more information, visit www.seaportboston.com

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by Michael P. Quinlin