Name: Richard Simmons Jr., RA
Title: President, Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers
Company: Town of Lynnfield Assessor's office
Location: 55 Summer St., Lynnfield, Mass.
Birthplace: Gardner, Mass.
Family: Divorced
College: Nasson College, Springfield, Maine - BA English Literature
First job outside of appraisal: Sales at Eastern Mountain Sports
First job in appraisal or allied field: Joined Simmons Associates in 1981 with my father.
What do you do now and what are you planning for the future? Maintain the organization, increase membership and its presence regionally.
Hobbies: Backpacking, downhill skiing and bicycling.
Favorite book: Elizabethan drama
Favorite movie: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
Person you emulate (outside of family): Allan Caprone
Key to success: Due diligence and hard work.
If you were to choose another vocation what would it be? Own a bicycle touring company.
Cambridge, MA The nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) has secured $23.5 million in financing from Rockland Trust and Citizens Bank to transform a 150-year-old, underutilized church complex into housing. The project will ultimately create 46 affordable family-sized apartments.
The Connecticut hospitality market has demonstrated uneven recovery patterns between 2019 and 2025, with boutique and historic properties achieving $125 RevPAR in 2025, up 8.7% from the 2019 level. Coastal resort properties achieved a $105 RevPAR in 2025, representing 10.5% growth since 2019. Casino corridor properties maintained modest growth with RevPAR improving 4.5% to $92 in 2025.
Preserving wealth across multiple generations requires strategic planning, foresight, and the right investment vehicles. Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) offer a powerful solution for families looking to build and protect their financial legacy and to efficiently plan for their estate.