LYNNFIELD– The Select Board awarded Jack Moynihan, co-owner of Moynihan Lumber and pillar of Lynnfield for decades, with the Daniel Townsend Award for Excellence for his long history of service to the town of Lynnfield.
Board Chair Phil Crawford said, the Townsend award for Excellence is given by the Select Board to a Lynnfield Resident “for the exemplary dedication and commitment to the Town of Lynnfield”. The Board selects one person each year who exemplifies “excellence in the area of volunteerism.”
The award is named in honor of one of Lynnfield’s “most celebrated sons,” Daniel Townsend, who gave his life on April 19, 1775, in the battle of Menotomy in Arlington, early on in the American Revolution.
Moynihan was nominated by former Select Board Chair Chris Barrett, who said Moynihan is someone he both greatly appreciates and admires.
He read aloud a passage from his letter nominating Moynihan, saying, “Jack’s contributions to our community span over multiple decades. He has not only achieved a remarkable success in his professional life, but he has consistently given back to the Town of Lynnfield in countless ways, embodying the very essence of what it means to be a true community leader.”
On Oct. 24, during the meeting where Moynihan was selected for this award, Crawford said: “We really look for people who have made decades of contributions. … I think Jack Moynihan really does personify what the award is about.” Board member Dick Dalton said, “It’s been 50 years of being a model citizen in things where him, and his wife Hilda, who is always by his side, they do things that they never seek any publicity [for]. There’s just so much good during the course of the year.”
According to Barrett, Moynihan’s contributions to the town began more than 40 years ago and have only grown since. He joined the Couple’s Club then, and forged “lasting friendships with community-minded individuals” such as past Townsend Award recipients Al Merritt and David Drislane, which only increased his lifelong commitment to volunteerism.
Barrett went on, pointing to some of Moynihan’s other major contributions, such as becoming Chair of the Comprehensive Housing and Planning Committee, where he created “a roadmap to guide prospective homeowners through the complexities of Town boards and committees.”
Moynihan also “helped spearhead the Partridge Island project, the acquisition of the Lynnfield Center Golf Course, and the development of housing units on Main Street” according to Barrett.
He added, “Jack also served with great distinction on the finance committee, where he guided the town through challenging economic time; his leadership in this role was pivotal, ensuring that Lynnfield maintained fiscal stability while continuing to provide essential services.”
Among Moynihan’s many other accomplishments and contributions, he helped to found Lynnfield’s middle school and to expand other schools, advised the development of MarketStreet, and he continues to give back through volunteer work with the Rotary Club.
Moynihan is also a long-time supporter of student athletes in the North Shore through his company, Moynihan Lumber, which runs the North Shore Student-Athlete Award, recognizing promising young student-athletes. Winners are chosen monthly, and the monthly winners are then eligible for the Student-Athlete of the Year award and scholarship.
In his brief acceptance speech, Moynihan thanked the Board, Barrett for the nomination, all the “great people who’ve worked with me throughout the years,” and his family. As well as his wife who was there beside him as they made the incredible contributions they have made.
He added “In all the roles I have been fortunate to take part in, there is one theme that runs through it all: service above self.”
