South Coast publisher named chief operating officer at Schwartz

Mary Harrington has been appointed chief operating officer for the Schwartz Center for Children. Harrington, who currently serves as publisher of South Coast Media Group, will take up her new position as chief operating officer of the Schwartz Center once she retires at the end of this year. Harrington had served as a member of the Schwartz Center’s board from 2003 to 2009, including two years as its treasurer.

PBN: Having been heavily involved in the news industry, how did you first decide to get involved with the Schwartz Center for Children?
HARRINGTON: When I moved out of the newsroom and into general management at South Coast Media, executive leadership encouraged me to get involved in the community in the way you really can’t when you are a reporter or an editor working stories. A colleague, already on its board, introduced me to the Schwartz Center for Children. … I was drawn [in] by the center’s compelling story (it was started by a mother wanting services closer to home for her son with cerebral palsy) and by its broad mission (the center serves children with a range of complex medical and development needs through the efforts of an incredibly caring staff).

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PBN: What will be some of your responsibilities and goals as chief operating officer of the Schwartz Center?
HARRINGTON: This is a newly created position charged with working with a great team to achieve the operational goals underlying broad strategic plans that are already in motion for the critical range of services the center provides to children and their families. The center’s services are anchored by a year-round private day school, approved by the R.I. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a special education school, and serving children from age 3 through young adulthood. Other key flagship programs are Early Intervention for infants through age 3 and rehabilitation services.

PBN: Are there other organizations that you are involved with?
HARRINGTON: As publisher, I have been involved in several business- and community-related boards, including South Coast Development Partnership, the Workforce Investment Board, the New Bedford CEO Council and the Greater New Bedford Chamber of Commerce. … I served as a SMILES mentor in New Bedford for two years and am a former member of the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Marketing Research and Sacred Hearts Retreat Center advisory boards. Going forward, I am privileged to be able to continue on the Greater New Bedford Chamber board of directors executive board. &#8226