KENSINGTON INVESTMENT COMPANY, INC. | Since 1983

About Us

Kensington Investment Company, Inc. (KIC), founded in 1983, is the family office of the Lewis family and a Boston-based investment firm with an international focus. KIC’s primary areas of investment include real estate, direct investments in private companies, and investments in alternative investment vehicles, such as private equity and venture capital funds.

From our offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Kensington, New Hampshire, we currently own and manage over two million square feet of residential and commercial property. Our real estate portfolio is focused on Boston, Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, but also includes property outside the U.S. We seek strategic acquisitions and development opportunities that align with the Lewis family’s philanthropic mission to change people’s lives and save the earth we share. Our goal is to be the leading socially and environmentally responsible family real estate development and investment firm in New England.

In addition to real estate and other investments, the Lewis family owns Grand Circle Corporation (GCC), which operates through the brands Grand Circle Cruise Line, Overseas Adventure Travel, and Grand Circle Travel, is the nationally recognized leader in the provision of international travel, adventure, and discovery to Americans over the age of 50. GCC’s trips include both land-based trips, and river and ocean cruises on the fleet of 18 ships that it owns.

The Lewis Family’s philanthropic endeavors include:

Pinnacle Leadership Foundation (with a mission of improving leadership among business, nonprofit, and youth leaders);
Lewis Family Foundation (focused on empowering inner-city youth in Boston’s Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan neighborhoods, as well as young people in seacoast New Hampshire);
Grand Circle Foundation (with a mission to give back to the people and places where GCC travels), such as schools and orphanages in developing countries;
Eastman’s Corner Foundation (a locally-governed, year-round farmers’ market, which promotes local farming, conservation, and cultivating healthy, fresh foods)

Mission & Values

Our Mission

We will strive to be the leading socially and environmentally responsible family Real Estate Development and Investment Company. Our focus will be strategic acquisitions, investments, and development in Boston and New England. We will leverage our resources and leadership by partnering with diverse socially responsible organizations to enhance and enrich people’s lives.

Within a rewarding and challenging environment, we will manage core investments to create long-term wealth.

We will change people’s lives.

Our Values

Our values are the foundation upon which our company is built. They are the source of our beliefs and actions. Our values shape our decisions, give direction to our growth, and allow us to measure our progress. We strive to operate with the highest level of integrity in all our responsibilities. We have embraced these values to ensure that our individual actions and communication constantly mirror The Kensington Investment Company’s Mission and Values.

Open and Courageous Communication

We believe that asking for and giving frank and honest feedback is critical for all of us to break down barriers, continuously improve at what we do, and drive a successful business. We encourage all of our associates to communicate in a direct and candid manner that reflects their true thoughts and convictions. Simply saying the “politically correct” thing is detrimental to this environment and is not acceptable. We believe that recognizing our weaknesses and asking for help is a sign of strength.

Risk Taking

We ask all of our associates to move outside their comfort zones to try things they may not have tried before and to push themselves to attempt things they are not sure they can do. Toward this end, we foster an environment where it is safe to make mistakes, which we believe are important learning experiences that we can build on. Failure results only when we do not even attempt the well-intended risks, or when we do not learn from the outcomes. Growth happens when we do.

Teamwork

We believe in small groups of people who work together to create excellent results, solve difficult problems, support each other personally and professionally, and recognize their success. In a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment, each member of the team is critical for success. Empowered teams are comprised of people who are committed to taking the necessary actions to assure that the team will reach its goals. Every member must be fully accountable for the team — and his or her own personal results.

Thriving in Change

In these times of rapid change, global competition, and high volatility, we must be prepared to change course and move forward. Being well organized may sometimes be less important than moving quickly. Our goal is for each of our associates to maximize their effectiveness, and ultimately our overall success, in an unpredictable and ever-changing environment.

Speed

We must be fast, flexible, and as time-competitive as possible to keep us ahead of our competition and be a leader in our industry. We strive continuously take our speed to new levels in order to achieve the aggressive corporate goals we have set.

Quality

Our decisions must be made and actions taken in accordance with the highest standards of quality and service. Quality can be subjective, and in our business quality often involves a compromise between speed and perfection. When the level of quality required is in question, we operate to the high standards expected by our customers. Excellence in our quality continually enhances our repeat business and ultimately our financial performance.

Our Responsibilities

To Our Associates

We will provide an environment that fosters leadership and professional development (Pinnacle Leadership) as well as encourages personal growth for our associates. We will maintain competitive compensation and benefits packages relative to the industry and community. We will conduct business with respect for each individual and his or her role within the organization.

Financial

We will operate Kensington Investment Company and our entities, in a sound manner, to create growth, and increase value.

Social

We will make a significant impact on Boston, Kensington and World Wide communities through targeted partnerships, investments and development of strong leaders and citizens to create change we can measure, celebrate and benefit generations.
We will build strong community and cultures, and protect our natural resources.

Environmental

We will strive to be an integrated model of conservation, sustainable energy and local food production in all our endeavors in Boston, Kensington and World Wide. We will help save the earth we share. We will operate, build and refurbish our real estate portfolio with a focus on energy efficiency.