As CRA celebrates its 60th anniversary, we’re highlighting employees who have shaped our history across the decades. This feature spotlights Jim Burrows, Vice Chairman, Vice President, and former CEO.
What was life like working in the 1960s?
“When I was working for CRA in the mid to late 1960s, CRA was like a family. CRA is a highly collegial organization in present day, but it was even more collegial in that time period. We were a small community of 5-25 staff, depending on the year. Everyone knew everyone. We would meet in groups often, would entertain in each other’s homes, often walk to Harvard Square with our colleagues to eat lunch, and meet in smaller groups to discuss our projects. We were embedded in the Cambridge culture. The office environment was extremely informal; we were located in a wing of the Sheraton Commander hotel, and the offices consisted of a number of adjacent hotel suites. There were bathrooms for every few offices. The windows opened (!) with a direct view of Cambridge Common, and we would often go out in the daytime to play catch or just enjoy the outdoors. The dress style was even less formal than now—shorts and sandals in the summer were not uncommon. We would have small seminars to share work and solicit ideas from our colleagues. Everyone at CRA was associated with either Harvard or MIT, and the environment was very academic in addition to being collegial. We felt that we were all in it together.”
Who is someone who has made a big impact on you while you were here?
“Frank Fisher was a professor of economics at MIT and one of the founders of CRA. He was the smartest person I have ever known. He was also one of the least pretentious persons I have ever known. He cared about everyone with whom he worked. He would involve the most junior consultants as part of his “brain trust” for a project—he would listen and respect everyone’s ideas, and he was generous in his time providing feedback. He would invite junior staff to be active participants in client meetings. He’s also the only person I have known who could sing by heart all the songs in a Gilbert & Sullivan musical. He was a terrific role model for me and many others. I was not surprised when Dennis Carlton—who started his career as a research assistant working for me at CRA, went to MIT for his PhD, and became one of the most prominent economists in the world as a professor at the University of Chicago—endowed a chair at MIT that was first held by Frank Fisher.”
Dr. Franklin Fisher (Image: MIT Department of Economics)
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to future or current employees?
“At the beginning of your career, you should gain exposure to different areas of expertise, but you should eventually specialize in one area and become an expert in that area.”
Image: Jim Burrows, John Griffin
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
“I played a major role in CRA’s growth over the years, from a small consulting company located in hotel rooms in Cambridge to a large diversified, international consulting company. In CRA’s early days, my colleagues and I insisted on CRA having high standards with respect to integrity, quality, and caring for people, and I think those values are still strong today. I took over the management of the Litigation Services Practice when we only had five staff members and helped it grow to be the standard of the industry. I then led the Initial Public Offering (IPO) and helped launch the rapid growth of CRA in the succeeding decade. We managed to grow the organization without undermining any of the values that are the signature of CRA today.”
Image: Bill Burnett, Jim Burrows, Alan Willens, and Michael Klass
What keeps you motivated?
“I enjoy solving problems and learning new things. Consulting is the perfect environment for me. I’m doing and learning something new every day. Every project and assignment is different from the past problems and assignments.”
What is your most treasured possession?
“My 1995 convertible Porsche 993. The most perfect car ever manufactured.”
