BOSTON, MA – Worcester County Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis was unanimously elected to head the seven-member Massachusetts Port Authority board (MPA) at its September 28 meeting.

Sheriff Evangelidis has served on the board since his appointment by Gov. Charlie Baker in April, 2015. He is taking over the Chairman’s seat from Worcester attorney Michael Angelini, whose term has ended. Evangelidis has been sheriff in Worcester County since 2010.

“Sheriff Evangelidis is a dedicated public servant committed to the safety of the Commonwealth’s families and communities and we are pleased to see him assume this important role as Chairman of the Massport Board,” said Baker, and added: “as Logan International Airport, Conley Terminal and Massport’s facilities in Worcester and Hanscom see record growth and success as economic engines for Massachusetts and the region, Sheriff Evangelidis’ extensive experience will continue to be a valuable contribution to their safety and security.”

The MPA board is a seven-member group that oversees Massport, a financially independent authority which owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport along with the Worcester Regional Airport, the public container and cruise terminals in the Port of Boston and Hanscom Field as well as real estate holdings and public parks in South Boston and East Boston. Board members are not paid for their service.

Evangelidis’ previous public service includes serving as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County (then run by State Attorney General Janet Reno), in Florida and an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, MA. Lew Evangelidis also served in the Massachusetts Legislature from 2002 – 2010, serving on the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Public Safety. Additionally, Evangelidis practiced law for over 20 years as an Associate at Wausau Insurance Company and at the law firm of Pellegrini and Seeley. Sheriff Evangelidis attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics in 1983 and earned a Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia in 1987.

Since becoming sheriff in January, 2011, Evangelidis has focused on professionalism and public safety. As Sheriff, Evangelidis has significantly increased the hiring standards to the highest in the field of corrections in the Commonwealth today and currently is the only sheriff in Massachusetts who does not accept political contributions from employees or their spouses. A policy that has promoted a more professional department and better working environment for all Worcester County Sheriff’s Office employees.

With almost 90% of today’s inmates incarcerated due to addiction issues, Evangelidis has centered on the current opioid epidemic facing Massachusetts by implementing innovative reentry and substance abuse programming with inmates as well as presenting his Face2Face Drug & Alcohol Prevention Program to over 300,000 middle and high school students from across the region. The program is the only one of its kind in the country.

In addition, Evangelidis has implemented numerous public safety Initiatives as well as Community Outreach Programs to further protect and serve the citizens of Worcester County.