UMass Boston

Alumna Torry Katsiroubas StammG’08 carries on a four-generation legacy of entrepreneurship and public service.

Across New England, you can see them: iconic green trucks bearing the name “Katsiroubas Bros.” The modern-day convoy of a thriving produce business, these trucks also represent a century-old legacy of entrepreneurship and commitment to community, spearheaded today by UMass Boston alumna Torry Katsiroubas Stamm G’08.

Stamm was born into a family with deep ties to public education, civic service, and entrepreneurship. Her great-grandfather on her mother’s side, William T. Morrissey, was an engineer in Boston’s Public Works Department for 30 years, eventually becoming head of the Metropolitan District Commission. Her maternal grandfather served as a dean at Boston State College.

Stamm’s family on her father’s side hailed from Greece and epitomized hard work and perseverance. Katsiroubas Brothers traces back to 1914, when brothers Jim and Fred Katsiroubas opened a banana cart selling to Boston restauranteurs. Over the years, their modest endeavor blossomed, trans- formed over four generations to a store, then a produce wagon, and now a wholesaler that provides produce and specialty foods to more than 1,000 restaurants and other customers.

From as early as age five, Stamm was immersed in the family business, excitedly lending a hand whenever possible. She remembers spending Friday nights rolling coins on her grandparents’ bed. Her involvement continued through her youth and college years; she spent every weekend and school vacation working. After college, following her father’s advice to explore beyond the family business, she ventured to New York City, where she worked for a magazine and dabbled in photography. After a few years in NYC, she found herself drawn back to Boston and the family business.

Upon her return, Stamm rejoined Katsiroubas Brothers full time. But as a woman in a male-dominated industry, she faced challenges. “My dad had a lot of confidence in me. And I had confidence in myself because of him,” said Stamm. “But the environment I was in did not have confidence in me.” With encouragement from her father, she decided to get an MBA as a strategic move to distinguish herself and advance her career.

Stamm applied to several business schools, but her choice to attend UMass Boston was “a no-brainer,” she said. “UMass Boston checked every box— and more.” She was proud to continue her public schooling, especially at an institution located on the very street—William T. Morrissey Boulevard—the city had named after her great-grandfather.

After graduation, armed with new- found business acumen, Stamm transitioned into a leadership role within her family’s business. After her father’s death from ALS in 2013, Torry became the company’s president. Today, Katsiroubas Brothers has more than 50 of those signature green trucks and nearly 200 employees, led by the vision and dedication of Stamm and her brother, Ted, now the company’s CEO.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and many of their restaurant clients closed doors, Stamm and her team had to reimagine how to deliver the produce of their farming partners. They pivoted from wholesale delivery to CSA-style produce boxes sold to individuals and donated to nonprofits. What started as a temporary solution to the pandemic shutdown has evolved into a mission to give nonprofits and people with food-related disease access to healthy foods through the food as medicine movement, launching a new arm of the business known as Morrissey Market. With the goal of supporting small suppliers while helping to combat food insecurity, Morrissey Market is in the process of becoming a Certified B Corp, embodying the values of sustainability and ethical business practices.

Stamm’s personal goal is to “be a person for others,” and her endeavors extend beyond her business ventures. She established the Nick and Debbie Katsiroubas Scholarship at UMass Boston, providing financial assistance to deserving students pursuing either business or nursing degrees—honoring her family’s business background as well as the nurses who cared for her father when he was ill. In addition to the scholarship, Stamm returns to UMass Boston at least once per semester to guest lecture, has mentored female students, and has served on the College of Management advisory board. In memory of her father, her family also founded the Nick Katsiroubas Foundation, dedicated to supporting causes related to food insecurity.

Looking to the future, Stamm is determined to impart to her three children the same values that shaped her. For her business, she envisions a continued expansion of Morrissey Market’s impact, embracing the evolving landscape of food access and health equity while upholding the values of philanthropy and community engagement.