February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
In addition to his general executive role as advisor to Governor Deval Patrick and being chair of the Governor’s Council, Murray also chairs the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services, the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Interagency Council on Substance Abuse, and the state’s Seaport Advisory Council.
Throughout his public career, Murray has taken on the tough challenges of economic development, improving public education, protecting the environment, and making government more responsive to every citizen.
Prior to his election as Lieutenant Governor, Murray was a three-term mayor of Worcester, the state’s second largest city. Under his leadership, Worcester experienced unprecedented progress, with $1 billion of new economic development projects that are helping to transform an older industrial city into one well positioned for the new economy.
As mayor, Murray chaired the Worcester School Committee and helped make the city’s schools among the best urban systems in the nation. He built community partnerships to lower drop-out rates, launch school-based health initiatives and expand after-school programs to support working families.
Murray was first elected to the Worcester City Council in 1997 and became mayor in 2001. Prior to his elective service, he was active for many years in a wide range of community initiatives.
Murray is the oldest of five children. His father was a teacher and his mother is a registered nurse. He attended Worcester public schools and went on to St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Fordham University, and then put himself through law school.
He earned his law degree from the Western New England College School of Law in Springfield and became a partner in the Worcester firm of Tattan, Leonard and Murray. His wife Tammy (Sullivan), also a Worcester native, is an occupational therapist who works with school age children. The Murrays continue to live in Worcester where they are proudly raising their two daughters.