BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Robert L. Reynolds, Chairman of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP), announced today that Jay Ash will become the next chief executive officer of the non-partisan, public policy group comprised of the CEOs of some of the Commonwealth’s largest businesses. Ash, who earlier this week announced he will be leaving his current post as Governor Charlie Baker’s economic affairs secretary on December 28th, will begin his new role on January 2nd.
“We’re thrilled to have a leader of Jay’s depth and experience ready to serve MACP as we continue to focus on enhancing the state’s business competitiveness and overall economic well-being,” said Reynolds, who leads the non-profit organization while serving in his primary role as President and CEO of Putnam Investments. “Jay’s public policy background, his record of accomplishment, and, frankly, the high regard universally held for him makes him the right person to succeed our outgoing CEO, Dan O’Connell. We thank Dan for his significant contributions and look forward to picking up and building upon them with Jay.”
Ash, served as Baker’s secretary of housing and economic development for four years after fourteen years as city manager of his native Chelsea. He has also held positions of increased leadership and responsibility at the State House, including as the staff director to then House Ways & Means chairman, State Representative Richard Voke (D-Chelsea). While Baker’s top economic development official, Ash led efforts to retain and attract businesses to Massachusetts, like Kronos and General Electric, increase housing production, support community development in the state’s 351 communities, and train and employ more people in the workforce.
“I’m so appreciative of Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor (Karyn) Polito for the opportunity they gave me to serve in their administration, and grateful to our partners in the Legislature and other stakeholders throughout the state for the collaboration that allowed us all to enjoy so many important successes,” said Ash. “In now joining MACP, this is a great opportunity to continue to focus on the issues I have been working on my entire life, and do so with a group of CEOs who are not only successful leaders in their own businesses, but also personally engaged in and deeply committed to the betterment of our state.”
Outgoing CEO O’Connell has led MACP for 9 years. Like Ash, O’Connell is a former state economic development secretary, having served in former Governor Deval Patrick’s cabinet for two years. O’Connell and Ash have run in parallel paths for 40 years, including having initially been part of Senator Edward Markey’s first campaign for Congress in 1976.
“MACP is an important and well-respected organization that has had much success in enhancing the state’s overall economic competitiveness; I’m proud of what we have achieved in our first chapter,” said O’Connell. “While it’s time for me to move on to other opportunities, turning the reins over to someone I’ve watched become the outstanding professional Jay has become makes me feel even more optimistic about the future of statewide public policy discourse and the state’s overall well-being for many more years to come.”
About Jay Ash:
Jay Ash serves as the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Secretary Ash is responsible for directing and executing Governor Charlie Baker’s agenda on housing and community development, job creation, business development, consumer affairs, and business regulation. Since joining the Baker-Polito Administration, Secretary Ash has prioritized efforts to grow jobs, help communities realize their economic development priorities, connect citizens to new economic opportunities, and build prosperity across Massachusetts.
Under Secretary Ash’s leadership, the Commonwealth has substantially increased its commitment to public infrastructure that unlocks economic development, to the revitalization of Brownfields, to workforce training equipment, and to the development and commercialization of emerging technologies. He has led efforts to increase affordable housing production, to redevelop and modernize public housing communities, and to substantially reduce the number of homeless families sheltered in motel rooms. Secretary Ash has played a leadership role in the recruitment and expansion of major employers, including Amazon, General Electric, IBM Watson Health, Kronos, and Siemens.
Secretary Ash previously served as the city manager in his native Chelsea, a position he held from 2000 to 2014. In Chelsea, Secretary Ash’s leadership produced both economic expansion and fiscal stability. He grew the city’s housing stock, expanded its commercial base, developed 10 new parks, secured five credit rating increases, and won two All-America City designations for Chelsea. He previously served as the staff director to the Massachusetts House Majority Leader, as co-founder and vice-chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, as past president of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, as a board member of the public policy think tank MassINC, and as an elected trustee of his alma mater, Clark University.
About Massachusetts Competitive Partnership
The Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP) is a non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c)(4) public policy group comprised of chief executive officers of some of the Commonwealth's largest businesses. MACP works to promote job growth and competitiveness in the Commonwealth by working in collaboration with public officials and business and civic leaders in Massachusetts. The Leadership of MACP is comprised of:
Robert L. Reynolds
Chairman, MACP
President & CEO
Putnam
Investments
Dr. Jeffrey M. Leiden
Vice Chairman, MACP
Chairman, President
& CEO
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Jack M. Connors Jr.
Co-founder & Former Chairman
Hill
Holliday
Connors Family Office
Roger W. Crandall
Chairman, President & CEO
Mass Mutual
Financial Group
Michael Dell
Chairman & CEO
Dell Technologies
John F. Fish
Chairman & CEO
Suffolk Construction
Marianne Harrison
President & CEO
John Hancock
Joseph L. Hooley
Chairman & CEO
State Street Corporation
Abigail P. Johnson
Chairman, President & CEO
Fidelity
Investments
James J. Judge
Chairman, President & CEO
Eversource Energy
Thomas A. Kennedy, Ph.D
Chairman & CEO
Raytheon
Company
Robert K. Kraft
Founder, Chairman & CEO
The Kraft Group
David H. Long
Chairman & CEO
Liberty Mutual
Sheila Lirio Marcelo
Founder, Chairwoman & CEO
Care.com
Brian T. Moynihan
Chairman & CEO
Bank of America
Niraj Shah
CEO & Co-Founder
Wayfair
Dr. David Torchiana
President & CEO
Partners HealthCare
