Assistant Secretary Addresses MassEcon Members at GE Health HQ in Marlborough
MARLBOROUGH, MA – Massachusetts Assistant Secretary for Business Growth Mike Kennealy told members of MassEcon today that the strengths of the Commonwealth — including its educational institutions, young and educated workforce, research centers, and spirit of innovation and collaboration — are key tools in bringing more businesses to the state.
“How great Massachusetts is – this is how we sell the state,” Kennealy told the nonprofit business advocacy group at its May members meeting at the headquarters of GE Health Care Life Sciences, in Marlborough, MA.
Kennealy, a former business person and co-chair of the Board of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, serves under Secretary Jay Ash in the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
He said incentives from communities and the state to businesses “play a role, but they are not what we lead with,” when educating businesses about locating in Massachusetts. “It’s all about talent and infrastructure.”
Kennealy said his team, working in some cases closely with MassEcon, promotes Massachusetts as a place to “work, live, and play,” emphasizing employment opportunities, high quality schools, and cultural and sports amenities.
The bipartisanship of the political establishment in Massachusetts is attractive, particular in today’s divisive atmosphere nationally he said. Even with a predominantly Democratic leadership but a Republican governor, “Here in Massachusetts folks really do get along,” he said.
The cooperation of state and city officials and the two parties leads to successes like bringing GE to Boston, he said, producing “growth and results.”
Kennealy said MassEcon, in assisting businesses to find locations, has been “just a tremendous partner in our work.”
He said 40 percent of the workforce in the state is in the innovation economy. Massachusetts is among the national leaders in science and technology graduate degrees, K-12 education, the large number of top life-sciences companies operating here, and National Institutes of Health funding, making it extremely competitive with other states.
He noted that as employment and the population grow, energy costs, affordable housing and transportation are among the main challenges that the state is trying to address, including connecting affordable housing to plentiful job opportunities.
After Kennealy spoke, Tony Kotarski, GE Healthcare Life Sciences Commercial Operations Leader for North and South America, conducted a tour of the office and laboratory facilities on Results Way in Marlborough. The company makes equipment for laboratories and research facilities.
Prior to serving in the administration, Kennealy spent more than 15 years at a leading growth private equity firm, where he and his partners drove the company’s growth from $360 million in assets under management to $4.7 billion and invested in nearly 100 high-growth internet, software, and information services companies. After his time in private equity, Mike spent two years as Special Advisor to the Receiver at Lawrence Public Schools where he worked with the state-appointed superintendent/receiver on strategic and financial initiatives to support the school district’s turnaround plan
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