Genzyme Genetics president, Mara Aspinall, J83, on having fun while finding success

Mara Aspinall, J83, President, Genzyme Genetics, presents the fall 2006 Lyon & Bendheim Alumni Lecture in Entrepreneurship.

October 14, 2006--As one of the top women leaders in the biotech field, Mara Aspinall, J83, knows a lot about inner workings of the business world.  

President of Genzyme Genetics, Aspinall shared some of those valuable insights when she spoke at Tufts on October 4. Her lecture, "Having Fun While Finding Success," was the fall Lyon & Bendheim Alumni Lecture in Entrepreneurship.

Aspinall said she has been able to persevere because she was dedicated to the success of the organization. To be a leader, it’s importance not only to have vision, she said, but to demonstrate support for one’s team. She described herself as an “intrapreneur” who applies an entrepreneurial spirit within the context of a division of a large company.

Aspinall, who joined Genzyme in 1997, is responsible for the Genzyme Genetics business unit, which includes nine laboratories across the U.S. and operations in Japan. Before joining Genzyme, she was a director of client services at Hale and Dorr, LLC, and a senior consultant at Bain and Company. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Aspinall also shared lessons learned at Tufts and how they influenced her career.  She encouraged students to “experience everything” by taking courses from diverse disciplines. This foundation, she said, translated into a confidence that she could learn and master anything.

Aspinall also stressed the importance of "dedicating to more than just your job," and how she, in "true Tufts spirit," has been an active citizen, a philanthropist who volunteers her time for non-profit organizations.

Kathleen Devigne, J96, a member of the Tufts Alumni Council, said, "I expected Mara Aspinall to be dynamic and vibrant. After all, she is another great example of a successful Tufts alumna. But one of the best things about her lecture was that she reminded us what many of us already know, but too often forget. We should always stay grounded and never forget what is truly important in life. That's success plus!"

Following a reception for the lecture’s attendees, Aspinall met over dinner with students from the Entrepreneurial Leadership Department and Tufts Senior Class Council.

Photo by Jeff Chen/Tufts University