Lives of Consequence
Warren K. Zola '89, P'18
Executive Director, Chief Executive Club, Carroll School of Management, Boston College
“I’ve spent most of my life in academia: going from high school, to college, to graduate school, to working at a university. The result is that the rhythm of the academic calendar, welcoming new students in the fall to commencement in the spring, is a natural part of my life,” says Warren K. Zola ’89. “My current role in the Carroll School of Management allows me to experience the best of both the academic and corporate worlds here at Boston College. I enjoy teaching and being surrounded by the intellectual curiosity found on a college campus, yet I also have the opportunity to interact with some of the world’s leading CEOs.”
Since 2014, Zola has served as the Executive Director of the Boston College Chief Executives Club, a program of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. Long recognized as one of the world’s premier business forums, the Boston College Chief Executives Club hosts prominent CEOs of global companies for an audience of business leaders. Previously, he served as Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs in the Carroll School of Management for 10 years.
As an attorney and thought leader in the business of sports and sports law, Zola is frequently contacted by national media outlets for his insights and perspective. He is an adjunct faculty member in the Carroll School’s departments of Business Law & Society and Operations Management where he teaches courses in sports law and the business of sports. He has written scholarly articles for legal textbooks, books, law reviews and newspapers.
“In running the Boston College Chief Executives' Club of Boston, I’ve been fortunate to spend time with, and learn from, some of the most successful business men and women in the world,” Zola says. “Additionally, this access allows me to play an important role in connecting these leaders to our University. In terms of a recent effort that I thoroughly enjoyed I’ll point to our luncheon where we hosted Rob Manfred of Major League Baseball. Hosting this keynote speaker gave me the ability to share my passion and expertise in the business of sports with CEOs who may not have truly understood the complexities and scope of professional athletics.”
Previously, Zola was vice president and chief financial officer of Maguire Associates, where he first served as senior consultant. He also was director of sales and then vice president for marketing and sales and chief financial officer of Interactive Media Solutions. He began his career in Boston College’s Department of Athletics, where he worked on various legal matters, facility development and game operations.
At HWS, Zola majored in economics, served as an RA, was a member of the cross country and track teams, managed the Hobart basketball team and worked at WEOS-FM. He earned a B.A. with Honors from Hobart, a J.D. from Tulane University, and an M.B.A. from Boston College.
Zola has been an active member of the Massachusetts Bar since 1993. He serves on the Boards of Directors of the nonprofits Mass Mentoring Partnership and You Can Play. In 2019, he was named to the HWS Board of Trustees. His daughter, Gabrielle A. Aulwes Zola, graduated from William Smith 2018.