[2] He was selected for the post by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 29, 2009.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton appointed Solomont to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

[7][8] Solomont has served on the boards of numerous organizations including Angel Healthcare Investors, LLC, Boston Medical Center, The Jewish Fund for Justice, The New Israel Fund, Israel Policy Forum, Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly, and the WGBH Educational Foundation.

On June 13, 2013, Solomont was appointed the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts and announced his intention to retire in 2021.

[6] He is married to Susan Solomont and they live in Weston, Massachusetts; they have two daughters, Rebecca and Stephanie.