Natick Native Aims to Bring Fresh Perspective to Board of Selectmen

UPDATED:

Natick resident Martin Alintuck got an early jump on the local election season by pulling papers recently for the Board of Selectmen race.

The Natick High School class of 1980 alum is vying for one of two seats, currently occupied by Chair Carol Gloff and former Police Chief Nick Mabardy. Gloff has already announced she will not run for re-election. Mabardy pulled papers for re-election recently.

But whether the race is contested, Alintuck is confident he can bring fresh ideas and visions to the Board.

"I’m hoping I bring a different perspective to the Board of Selectmen because I have the credibility of being born here, growing up here and coming back," said Alintuck, who has spent time living in California and parts of Asia. "But I’ve also done a lot of interesting things that are not related (to town politics). And that gives you a different perspective, a different way of looking at things."

• Extensive experience in China, Japan and other Asian markets;
• Served as president & CEO of American presence at Expo 2012 Shanghai;
• Proven success in building organizations, revenue and profit;
• Varied public sector experience at state, local and campaign levels;
• Passionate about education, elder care and economic development;
• Natick High School "Wall of Achievement" inductee.

"I’m someone who grew up here, was born here, and frankly that is an important thing for Natick, to have a sense of what Natick was, what Natick is and what Natick can be," he said. "I’m someone who is thinking about long-term challenges and wants to push the discussion, at least, to think about some of these long-term issues (pensions, economic development)."

"I think Natick is a great place. But the challenge is how do we make Natick great 10 years from now, 20 years from now," he said. "I think there are a lot of issues facing us that we need to have the foresight to think about these now and plan for them now."

Annual Town Election is March 25, but the associate member of the Economic Development Committee has already started making his presence felt.

"I've done more than 50 individual meetings, and listened to what they have to say," he said. "Over the next month I'll figure out how to introduce myself. This isn't a massive city. People know each other here."

Alintuck, a soon-to-be engaged candidate, also has long-term plans for himself in town.

"I never thought I'd move back," he said, adding he returned home in 2011 to care for his ailing parents. "Then I thought to myself, 'Wow, I really love this place.' I felt like I was coming home. I decided I wanted to stay here, raise a family here, and be a part of the community’s future."