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About Us Overview

In 1993, recognizing the need for a private-public partnership to promote Massachusetts as a place to do business, a consortium of the state's utility and telecommunications companies, real estate associations, and our public sector partner, the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, founded the Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development (MassEcon). MassEcon’s founding was an outgrowth of recommendations made by the Governor's Council on Economic Growth & Technology, a body of civic and business leaders which advised Governor Weld on issues relating to the competitiveness of Massachusetts. The founding members have since been joined by firms in law, architecture, construction, finance, and other industries. While services and membership have expanded, the overriding objective of MassEcon remains to encourage the expansion and retention of business within the Commonwealth.

Site Finder Service

MassEcon’s statewide Site Finder Service is an economic development resource for companies seeking a Massachusetts location within which to expand or relocate. MassEcon works cooperatively with real estate brokers, site location consultants, and state, regional, and local economic development officials to enable companies and their exclusive agents to access property information that matches their real estate needs. The service covers all regions of the state and serves a broad range of industry sectors.

Research & Information Service

The Research and Information Service assists companies in conducting research about Massachusetts during the site selection process. Companies can use the service to answer questions about demographics, incentives, workforce, education, industry sectors, or related matters that are relevant to the location or expansion of their business. The service is particularly useful when companies are comparing Massachusetts to other states. Not only data-based, the service also helps link companies with the people and resources on the state, regional, and local levels.

Massachusetts Ambassadors

MassEcon oversees the Massachusetts Ambassadors program, a network of senior executives throughout Massachusetts who serve as peer contacts for companies evaluating Massachusetts as an expansion location. Hosting a lunch for visiting executives, providing a letter to a company considering a Massachusetts location, or supporting the Governor in reaching out to recruit companies to the state are some of the ways Ambassadors volunteer their time.

Programing & Education

MassEcon holds many events throughout the year to increase the economic development knowledge of its staff, members, public officials, and the business community at large. Our yearly Annual Conference focuses on the theme of Massachusetts as a competitive business location. Featuring industry leaders and policy makers, these conferences have addressed the outlook of the state’s key business sectors, the factors driving their growth, and how the Commonwealth can position itself to capture future growth. MassEcon's member-only Roundtables bring together members, economic development professionals, and industry executives to share knowledge and expertise around key sectors and topics including biotechnology, defense, information technology, international business, and manufacturing, among others. Finally, MassEcon hosts the state’s only annual awards event that recognizes companies from throughout Massachusetts that have contributed to the Commonwealth’s economic vitality.

MassEcon Foundation

The Massachusetts Economic Development Foundation is MassEcon’s 501(c)3 affiliate. The Foundation hosts MassEcon’s Annual Conference each year, other educational forums, and is the corporate home for the state’s Massachusetts It’s All Here initiative, the public-private collaboration that markets Massachusetts as a great place to live, work, play, and study.

Past Presidents