Although Gorham Brigham can trace his Massachusetts forebears straight back to the landing of the Mayflower, he carved out his own place in the community. Mr. Brigham attended the Rivers School and graduated from Milton Academy. In 1933, Mr. Brigham was accepted to Harvard University and the ROTC. In 1937, Mr. Brigham graduated from Harvard University and was also commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery Reserves. Mr. Brigham then enrolled in the Harvard Business School and in 1939, with his Harvard MBA complete, Mr. Brigham began work with Price Waterhouse. In 1940, Mr. Brigham was called to active military duty as a First Lieutenant. He was then promoted to Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel and ultimately Colonel and served on the staff of General George C. Marshall until 1946. General Marshall personally decorated Mr. Brigham with the Legion of Merit. Mr. Brigham remained in the Army Reserve until 1967 when he retired with the rank of Colonel, Finance Corps.
After the war, Mr. Brigham joined Saco-Lowell Shops where he advanced to Secretary-Treasurer and CFO over 3 years. When the company was sold in 1949, he moved on to a computer firm for company-founder, Bernard Gordon, at Epsco Engineering as a director and CFO. His banking career began in 1962 with Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company, as a vice president in the area of business development. He went into commercial lending in 1983 with the Boston Five Cent Savings Bank, which was acquired by Citizens in 1993.
Upon his retirement in 2005, Mr. Brigham was the oldest member of the bank’s senior management team. In 1998, he was promoted to senior vice president. A self-acknowledged workaholic, Mr. Brigham put in 60 to 80 hours a week, usually arriving at the office around 4 a.m. In 1999, Mr. Brigham received the National Prime Time Award in a Washington D.C. ceremony for the honor of being Massachusetts' Outstanding Older Worker. In 2006, Mr. Brigham was among the first five individuals to be inducted into the inaugural class of the Financial Executives International’s “Hall of Fame” - the FEI is a professional organization for CFOs and senior finance executives where he has been an extremely active member since 1963.
Lawrence K. Fish, Chairman, President & CEO of Citizens Financial Group, Inc. said of his colleague: "Gorham is a role model to everyone at Citizens. His dedication to the community, support of his colleagues and commitment to business is an inspiration to us all." In 2009, Mr. Brigham was honored with the Boston Business Journal’s first-ever CFO of the Year recognition for “Lifetime Achievement”, which is now named in his honor.
Mr. Brigham is a tireless community activist. He currently volunteers much of his time to numerous not-for-profit endeavors. He remains active in Harvard alumni activities, business, charitable, and patriotic organizations. He considers his most outstanding accomplishment the co-founding of The Carroll School in Lincoln, Massachusetts, for children with dyslexia. Started in 1967 with six students, the school has grown to more than 400 boys and girls in grades one through twelve. Mr. Brigham serves as Trustee Emeritus.
A glimpse into Mr. Brigham’s world is one of many hand-written notes of thanks and praises, of a sharply dressed and a well-spoken man, of a man who includes others in conversations and of a man who genuinely wants others to connect in ways they might not have without his gentle persuasion. His world is of a man who is always on time and of a man who does what he says when he says it will be done. His world is a world of great character, of unquestionable ethics and of high morals. Gorham has taught us all so much and he continues to inspire us each day.
Congratulations to the F. Gorham Brigham Award Winners
2018 - Kathryn Wooters
2016 - Mario Cornacchio
2015 - Sharon Merrill
2014 - Kim Gazzola
2013 - Mike Simons
2012 - Dan Grady |
2011 - Steve Curran
2010 - Jeff Bergart
2009 - Linda Jensen
2008 - Bill Quigley
2007 - Jim Andersen
2006 - Bruce Osterling |