His insatiable curiosity about how the world works, coupled with his willingness to take risks, has propelled him to diagnose and improve places and systems globally.
CAMBRIDGE, MA, May 10, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — George W. McCarthy, PhD, has been recognized for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. McCarthy has distinguished himself as a preeminent expert in land policy and housing, with a career spanning over four decades that has been marked by significant contributions to both academia and public policy. Serving as the president and chief executive officer of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts, since 2014, he has led the institute through an unprecedented period of growth. Under his leadership, the institute expanded its workforce from 38 to over 160 employees and more than tripled its budget. This expansion included forming global partnerships with major organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Furthermore, Dr. McCarthy spearheaded strategic initiatives that introduced new centers and capabilities to the institute, including the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy, the Center for Community Investment and the Center for Geospatial Solutions. A landmark achievement was facilitating the institute’s ability to confer undergraduate and graduate degrees through a merger with Claremont Lincoln University in 2022.
Prior to his tenure at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Dr. McCarthy served as the Director of Metropolitan Opportunity at the Ford Foundation from 2009 to 2014. In this role, he focused on promoting economic fairness and sustainability within urban areas across the United States. His career also includes significant academic contributions as a senior research associate at the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of North Carolina, a professor of economics at Bard College, a resident scholar at the Jerome Levy Economics Institute, and visiting scholar positions at King’s College of Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, the University of Naples in Italy, and the Centre for Social Research in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Dr. McCarthy’s expertise is further recognized through his active participation in several industry-related organizations, including the American Economics Association, the Eastern Economics Association, the American Planning Association, the Government Finance Officers Association, the National League of Cities and the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. The foundation of Dr. McCarthy’s career is built upon a solid academic background with a Doctor of Philosophy in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998, a Master of Arts in economics from Duke University in 1987, and a Bachelor of Arts in economics and mathematics from the University of Montana. His insatiable curiosity about how the world works, coupled with his willingness to take risks, has propelled him to diagnose and improve places and systems globally. He attributes his success to these qualities, along with his excellent memory, openness and intelligence, which have enabled him to operate effectively within his field.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr. McCarthy has made significant contributions to various boards, including Living Cities, Next Step Housing, the International Center for Land Policy Training in Taipei, Taiwan, Peking Lincoln Center at Peking University in Beijing, China, the Center for Community Investment, and KnowledgePlex at the Fannie Mae Foundation.
Dr. McCarthy’s personal life is enriched by his marriage to Florence “Tootie” Larios and shared interests such as sailing, golfing, and woodworking, which provide balance to his demanding career. Looking ahead, he aims to transition from his role at the Lincoln Institute to focus on sharing his wealth of knowledge with others.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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