iRobot, Arbella insurance honored at New England corporate awards

BOSTON — A pair of local corporate boards were honored by the National Association of Corporate Directors for their pioneering leadership at an awards ceremony held last week.

iRobot, founded by a group from MIT in 1990, and Arbella Insurance, founded in 1988 and based in Quincy, were honored for ‘raising boardroom standards.’

"New England continues to distinguish itself as a top region to do business, due in no small part to the thoughtfulness and diligence of our local corporate directors in fostering an environment in which companies of all kinds can thrive," said R. Robert Popeo, co-chair of the NACD New England Chapter.
According to the chapter, the work of the boards helps establish higher standards of business ethics, leadership and success across New England.

Public Company Board of the Year: iRobot | iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 20 million robots worldwide.

iRobot was founded in 1990 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology roboticists, including the company’s Chairman and CEO, Colin Angle. The company created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® Vacuuming Robot in 2002.

iRobot has developed some of the world’s most important robots, and has a rich history steeped in innovation. Its robots have also revealed mysteries of the Great Pyramid of Giza, found harmful subsea oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and saved thousands of lives in areas of conflict and crisis around the globe.

iRobot inspired the first Micro Rovers used by NASA, deployed the first ground robots for defense and security personnel, and brought the first self-navigating FDA approved remote presence robots to hospitals.

iRobot’s headquarters are in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Private Company Board of the Year: Arbella | Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group (www.arbella.com) is a customer-focused regional property and casualty insurance company providing personal and business insurance in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and business insurance in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Headquartered in Quincy, Mass., Arbella employs more than 1000 workers and is affiliated with a network of approximately 500 independent insurance agents across New England. Named one of the best places to work by the Boston Business Journal for 9 consecutive years, Arbella is deeply committed to fostering a hardworking, collaborative and charitable culture. The 13-member board, comprised of 30 percent women, is well-regarded for its long tenure and diversity. Board members have been instrumental in shaping corporate strategy and establishing the Arbella Insurance Foundation. Created in 2004, the Foundation's mission is to engage in activities and to support not-for-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella. In 2017 alone, the Foundation was proud to announce the donation of $2.4 million as well as 2,400 Arbella Insurance Group employee volunteer hours to more than 600 not-for-profit organizations and safe driving efforts throughout New England.

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