James MacAllen, a member of the Class of 1966, made quite a name for himself at Bowdoin, throughout Maine and even across the country for his record-setting career as a receiver for the football team. He has brought that same tenacity, focus and leadership to other aspects of his life, including to his service to the College, for which he has been named the recipient of the 2016 Alumni Service Award.
James MacAllen ’66
The highest honor bestowed by the Bowdoin Alumni Council, the award is presented each year in recognition of an individual’s record of volunteer service to the College.
Over the years, MacAllen has served Bowdoin in ever-increasing ways, as a BASIC volunteer, co-chair of the Reunion Gift Committee for the Class of 1966, a campaign volunteer, an Alumni Fund Director, and a member of the Board of Trustees.
MacAllen helped lead his class to Alumni Council fundraising awards multiple times, and served as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, chair of the Trustee Committee on Investments, and was an influential member of several other Trustee committees, including Development and College Relations, and Student Affairs.
An economics major, MacAllen contributed to the football team’s best three-year record in 70 years, including a state championship title in 1963. He was named Associated Press First Team All-New England in all divisions, All-Maine, All-UPI New England Small College, and All-East Honorable Mention, and his record of 15 career touchdown receptions still stands to this day.
After graduating from Bowdoin, MacAllen went on to earn an M.B.A. from the University of Virginia, and then embarked on a successful career in investment management, serving as a senior executive at the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, president and CEO of Wilmington Capital Management, Inc., and finally as president of David L. Babson & Company.
Having retired, MacAllen and his wife Patricia now live in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was inducted to the Bowdoin College Athletic Hall of Honor in 2010.
The Alumni Service Award will be presented, along with others, Saturday, June 4, 2016, during Reunion Convocation.
Registration for Reunion 2016 (June 2-5) begins in March.
