Harvey Ball Smile Award to honor Coghlin family for 'positive impact' on the community

Richard Duckett, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Updated ·2 min read
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WORCESTER — The Worcester Historical Museum will present its 2024 Harvey Ball Smile Award to the Coghlin family of the Coghlin Companies and Coghlin Electrical Contractors for four generations of "making our communities smile."

Named for Harvey Ball, a Worcester native and freelance artist who invented the iconic smiley face in 1963 to help raise morale at State Mutual Life Assurance Co. (now the Hanover Insurance Group), the award is presented at the museum's annual Harvey Ball event. The award has been given since 2001 in honor of an individual, organization or group of individuals whose commitments have made a "major positive impact on the Worcester community."

James W. Coghlin Sr., who was the recipient of the 2008 Isaiah Thomas Award, will be one of the recipients of the 2024 Harvey Ball Smile Award, along with his family.
James W. Coghlin Sr., who was the recipient of the 2008 Isaiah Thomas Award, will be one of the recipients of the 2024 Harvey Ball Smile Award, along with his family.

In an announcement Wednesday, the Worcester Historical Museum said the award will be presented to James Coghlin Sr., James Coghlin Jr. and Chris Coghlin of the Coghlin Companies, and Susan Mailman of Coghlin Electrical Contractors and a member of the Worcester School Committee.

"For more than 130 years, since 1885, John P. Coghlin, an engineering and manufacturing pioneer, founded Coghlin Electric Company, the family and its companies have been dedicated to serving the citizens and businesses of Worcester and the surrounding communities," the announcement said.

On behalf of the family, Chris Coghlin, president, CEO and chief culture officer of the Coghlin Companies, said, “It is a great honor for our family to be named the 2024 recipient of the Harvey Ball Smile Award. We look forward to receiving this distinguished honor on behalf of four generations of Coghlin family business leaders, countless dedicated professionals that have worked for Coghlin’s and so many trusted community leaders."

Bill Wallace, executive director of the Worcester Historical Museum, said, “The Coghlin family has had a profound impact on Worcester and Central Massachusetts, truly making our communities smile. We are proud to honor the memory and legacy of Harvey Ball and his world-famous creation, Smiley Face, with this presentation.”

The museum said the Harvey Ball event "will be as innovative and creative as the Coghlin family. Watch for more details."

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Coghlin family to receive 2024 Harvey Ball Smile Award