Nessen Family Papers

Peter Nessen was born on January 5th, 1936 to Saul and Edith Nessen. He is the founder and president of Nessen Associates, a certified public accountant, and a senior business executive whose career spans public service, finance, and higher education. Raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, he graduated from Edward Devotion School in 1949 and attended Hebrew school at Kehillath Israel. In 1953, he graduated from Brookline High School, then attended Dartmouth College (A.B., 1957) and the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration (M.B.A., 1959). After becoming a CPA in 1964, he served as managing partner of the Henry J. Bornhofft Company (BDO Seidman). He later held senior roles at BDO and other major accounting and investment firms. Peter’s extensive public service includes appointments as Assistant Secretary (1987) and Secretary (1991) of Administration and Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, serving under Governors Michael Dukakis and William Weld. He has served on the governing boards of major investment banking firms; chaired the Massachusetts Cultural Council; served on the Governor’s Commission on school reform; and represented Massachusetts on the New England Accreditation Commission. In higher education, he served as Dean for Resources and Special Projects at Harvard Medical School and has been a trustee of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design since 2015. Peter and his wife, Beatrice, raised their daughter, Victoria, in Beacon Hill.

Beatrice (“Fifi”) Nessen, born in France in 1938, spent her early childhood in Morocco, Mexico, and Texas before her family settled in Brookline. She attended Girls’ Latin School starting in seventh grade, first in the Longwood area and later in Codman Square, and graduated from Wellesley College in 1960 as an Honor Scholar with a degree in political science. A dedicated advocate for environmental and urban issues, Beatrice has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Friends of the Public Garden, where she chaired the Common Committee. She is also one of the founders of the Garden of Peace, a memorial to Massachusetts homicide victims in Boston. Her professional and volunteer work reflects a lifelong commitment to civic engagement and community improvement.

Robert Nessen, Peter’s brother, is an attorney specializing in corporate finance, net lease finance, and real estate taxation. After receiving his A.B. from Dartmouth College and his LL.B. from Harvard Law School, he joined the law firm Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood in 1958. Over several decades, Robert became a leading authority in the legal and technical aspects of net lease and credit real estate financing, participating in transactions totaling more than $6 billion. He has written extensively on real estate finance for publications such as the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and other major journals, and has authored three books on real estate finance and taxation. Robert has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Boston University School of Law, teaching courses in real estate finance and taxation.

1923

Saul Nessen graduates from Dorchester High School

1936

Peter is born

1938

Beatrice ("Fifi") is born

1949

Peter graduates from Edward Devotion School

1953

Peter graduates from Brookline High School

1957

Peter graduates from Dartmouth College

1958

Robert begins working at Dewey, Ballantine, Bushby, Palmer & Wood

1959

Peter graduates from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration

Peter and Beatrice get engaged

1960

Beatrice graduates from Wellesley College

Peter and Beatrice get married

1964

Peter becomes a CPA

Peter is appointed Managing Partner at Henry J. Bornhofft Company

1987

Peter is appointed Assistant Secretary of Administration and Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

1991

Peter is appointed Secretary of Administration and Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

1993

Peter is appointed Dean for Resources and Special Projects at Harvard Medical School