St. Jude and Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Leader Paul J. Ayoub to Be Guest of Honor at 10th Annual New England Choice Awards

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Paul J. Ayoub, a prominent Boston attorney and civic leader who has served as Chair of the Boards of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, will be the Guest of Honor at the 10th Annual New England Choice Awards on November 14.

Ayoub, who is chair of the Boston-based law firm Nutter, will join New England Patriots owner and Kraft Group President Jonathan Kraft, the gala’s Chief Guest, at the milestone anniversary celebration.

Ayoub brings an extraordinary record of leadership across the legal profession, business, healthcare, philanthropy and civic life. His longstanding involvement with some of the nation’s most prominent institutions includes serving as Chair of the Boards of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. During his 34-year tenure, he has chaired both boards and continues to serve on them.

In Greater Boston, Ayoub has also served as Chair of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and remains an active member of its Executive Committee and Board of Directors. His leadership and commitment to the region’s economic and civic development have made him an influential figure in the Boston business community.

The 10th anniversary gala will bring together more than 400 business executives, entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders, academics, philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and community influencers. The evening will also feature the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Srikant M. Datar, the 11th Dean of Harvard Business School, along with honors recognizing leaders and organizations across business, innovation, healthcare, philanthropy, arts and culture, and community service.

Ayoub is chair of Nutter, where he represents a broad range of businesses, as well as commercial real estate developers, owners and lenders, regionally and nationally. He also advises for-profit and nonprofit organizations on corporate governance.

His professional career has been accompanied by extensive service to organizations that shape the region’s business and civic landscape. In addition to his leadership at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Ayoub is a past president of the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Finance Association and has served on the Mayor’s Reopening Advisory Board for the City of Boston.

He is also a founding member of Small Business Strong, an initiative established in response to the COVID-19 crisis that continues to help Massachusetts small businesses access resources to plan, grow and succeed at no charge. The initiative has assisted more than 3,600 businesses. Ayoub also serves on the Board of Incorporators of the Boston Local Development Corporation.

His involvement in healthcare and philanthropy extends nationally. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the nation’s largest healthcare nonprofits in terms of dollars raised, with more than 400 collaborating sites in over 90 countries. Through his service to St. Jude and ALSAC, Ayoub has helped advance the work of an institution dedicated to understanding, treating and defeating childhood catastrophic diseases.

Ayoub’s commitment to social responsibility is also reflected in a personal literary project. He and his daughter co-authored Inspire Me! A Father-Daughter Book of Quotations to Motivate, Teach and Inspire, an Amazon bestseller, with proceeds donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Before entering the legal profession, Ayoub worked in Massachusetts state government in several capacities, including as assistant press secretary to the Governor. He later served on the transition team for Attorney General Andrea Campbell and has contributed to the transition efforts of a previously elected Governor, Secretary of State and Treasurer of Massachusetts.

He also served as co-chair of the International WELL Building Institute’s 2021 Health Equity Advisory and was a member of the editorial leadership of the Boston College International and Comparative Law Review, where he served as editor-in-chief during law school.

Ayoub’s contributions have earned recognition from across the legal, business and civic communities. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Chambers and Partners as a leading U.S. real estate attorney for multiple years. Boston Business Journal has included him in its Power 50 lists, and Boston Magazine has recognized him among the 150 Most Influential Bostonians.

His other honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from Boston Real Estate Times, the Robert S. Swain, Jr. Distinguished Service Award from the Real Estate Finance Association, induction into the inaugural Hall of Fame class of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, and the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians recognition from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Manju Sheth, MD, president of INE MultiMedia, founder of Women Who Win and creator of the New England Choice Awards, said Ayoub’s participation as Guest of Honor reflects the awards’ commitment to recognizing leaders whose influence extends well beyond their professional achievements.

“We are delighted to welcome Paul Ayoub as Guest of Honor at our 10th Annual New England Choice Awards. His leadership at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and ALSAC, along with his contributions to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, reflect an extraordinary commitment to institutions that strengthen our communities. What makes his journey particularly inspiring is the breadth of his service—from business and law to healthcare, philanthropy and support for small businesses. He represents the kind of leadership, integrity and social responsibility that we are proud to celebrate,” Sheth said.

Upendra Mishra, co-founder of INE MultiMedia and publisher of INDIA New England News, IndUS Business Journal, Boston Real Estate Times and Boston Life Sciences Times, said Ayoub’s career reflects the important connection between professional success and civic responsibility.

“Paul Ayoub is an outstanding example of how leadership in the business and legal communities can translate into a lasting contribution to society. His work with St. Jude, his leadership at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and his commitment to helping small businesses demonstrate a deep sense of responsibility toward the communities he serves. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the New England Choice Awards, we are especially pleased to recognize leaders like Paul, whose impact reaches across institutions, industries and generations,” Mishra said.

2026 New England Choice Awards Honorees

The 10th anniversary awards will recognize nine individuals and organizations across business, academia, healthcare, arts and culture, philanthropy, nonprofit leadership and community service.

The 2026 honorees are:

• Academia & Innovation Award: Srini Devadas, Edwin Sibley Webster Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• Art & Culture Visionary Award: Laura Weinstein, Ananda Coomaraswamy Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
• Business Trailblazer Award: Chandra S. Pandey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Seceon.
• Beacon of Community Service Award: Lalit Sudan, President, Vision-Aid.
• Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Sewa International Boston Chapter.
• Community Catalyst Award: Jharna Madan, Community Leader, Educator, Producer and Event Organizer, Hindi Manch.
• Healthcare Trailblazer Award: Dr. Anju Nohria, Associate Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
• Philanthropist of the Year Award: Vivek Sharma, Entrepreneur, Investor and Philanthropist.
• Hope in Action Award: Cancer Mukti Foundation, founded by Pramod Pandey.

The Hope in Action Award, introduced this year, recognizes Cancer Mukti Foundation for its work in cancer awareness, patient advocacy and support for families affected by the disease.

Established in 2016, the New England Choice Awards recognize individuals of Indian origin, Indian Americans and distinguished leaders from across communities whose contributions have made an impact in New England, the United States and India.

The awards span business, technology, healthcare, academia, arts, philanthropy, nonprofit leadership and community service. A jury comprising leaders from business, academia, healthcare, nonprofit organizations and community service selected the 2026 honorees through a nomination and review process.

The 10th anniversary gala is expected to bring together more than 400 guests, including business executives, entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders, academics, philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and community influencers.

The event is presented by INE MultiMedia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting art, culture, education and empowerment, in collaboration with INDIA New England News.

Event Details

10th Annual New England Choice Awards Gala

Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Venue: Burlington Marriott Hotel
Location: Burlington, Massachusetts
Dress code: Indian or Western formal
Chief Guest: Jonathan Kraft, President, The Kraft Group
Guest of Honor: Paul J. Ayoub, Chair, Nutter
Lifetime Achievement Award: Srikant M. Datar, 11th Dean of Harvard Business School

For tickets to the 2026 New England Choice Awards Gala, please click here.