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Mass. High Tech Council Update
February 23, 2010
Menino, Governor Candidates Highlight Council's Annual Meeting
The Massachusetts High Technology Council's Annual Meeting became the epicenter of the state's political world last week by bringing together Boston Mayor Tom Menino and four major candidates for Governor on February 16 in Waltham. The meeting also featured the election of new officers and directors, led by new Chairman James Regan, Chairman & CEO of Dynamics Research Corporation.
Speaker remarks can be viewed on our website by clicking here.
New Leadership Charts Course for Council
The election of new officers and directors was overseen with trademark efficiency by Council Secretary Paul Gauron, a Partner at Goodwin Procter. The Council members elected/re-elected 34 new directors, including a leadership committee of Regan, Vice Chairman Jeff Ray, CEO of SolidWorks and Treasurer Martin Madaus, CEO of Millipore.
In his remarks, Regan outlined the Council's policy agenda for the year, which will focus on four key areas: tax competitiveness, education, energy and defense. Each of these policy areas will be led by a Council director and be open to all CEO members; a CEO-level commitment that Regan highlighted as a special distinction that separates the Council from other technology organizations. More information on the work of these committees and upcoming meeting schedules will be available soon to all Council members.
Regan also recognized Council President Christopher Anderson, a former state Board of Education chairman, for his leadership in the successful efforts to bring education reform to Massachusetts, which he called "one of the most critical victories in our 33-year history." Regan also recognized the leadership of the Council's outgoing chairman, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Founder Josh Boger.
Menino Touts Education Reform
Mayor Menino, one of the Council's key allies in the effort to reform the state's educational system, made his first-ever appearance before the Council. Menino thanked the Council "for putting kids' needs before adult interests" in leading the charge for education reform. He called the passage of that landmark bill one of the proudest moments of his five terms as mayor. He said that the new law will provide Boston and other communities the tools and resources to "ignite a transformation within districts and bring innovation to scale ."
Menino also announced a new program, the Circle of Promise, which will build on the progress of education reform and align the numerous city departments - education, health, public safety - to help children and families succeed. But it was Menino's off-the-cuff ribbing of local meteorologists - amid another overblown snowstorm - that got the most media attention, being picked up by the Boston Globe, Boston Herald and television news stations.
Governor Candidates Make Pitches to Council
Four of the six candidates for Governor - former Harvard Pilgrim Health Care CEO Charlie Baker, state Treasurer Tim Cahill, businessman Christy Mihos and physician Jill Stein - all made pitches for the support of the technology community in the fall elections. Governor Deval Patrick was invited and declined to participate. Grace Ross, who is challenging Patrick for the Democratic nomination, did not respond to an invitation to participate.
Here is a brief summary of the comments of the corner office hopefuls as well as links to campaign websites:
Charlie Baker, Republican candidate for governor - Baker, who served as secretary of Health & Human Services and Administration & Finance in the Weld-Cellucci administrations, described his campaign platform as mirroring the Council's public policy agenda, which is strongly focused on education and economic competitiveness. This should not come as a surprise since Baker first served as the Council's communications director in the early 1980s and later was an active member while leading Harvard Pilgrim.
Baker called for the state to adopt a stable and predictable tax and cost structure. He noted that in the past four years, the state had changed its corporate tax structure seven times, leading to uncertainty and mistrust from the employer community. He called for a return to five percent for the state's sales tax, which was increased to 6.25 percent last year. Baker, a former member of the state's Board of Education, applauded the Council's work on education reform but said that the really hard work of implementing the reforms lies ahead. The state's ability to deliver innovations to the district level will ultimately determine how successful education reform in Massachusetts will be. Baker praised the Commonwealth's ability to reinvent its economy over the years, and, as governor, would support the next reinvention by bringing cost transparency to health care, innovations to the state budget and operations and creating a more competitive business climate for employers and consumers.
Christy Mihos, Republican candidate for governor - The loquacious Mihos, the former owner of the Christy's Markets convenience store chain, declared that because the state had ignored the needs of Main Street, "the jobs are not coming" to Massachusetts. He called the state's health care plan a "budget buster" and urged a transition from the universal program toward Health Savings Accounts and allowing small businesses to buy bulk health insurance. He also pledged to cut state payroll dramatically and bring the state's sales tax to three percent, which would greatly benefit small businesses on the Rhode Island border. While he opposes casinos, he thinks Massachusetts would benefit from legalizing sports betting.
Mihos, who ran for governor as an Independent in 2006, described himself as an outsider who is running against "big business, big labor, big government and big media." Mihos also touted his efforts fighting the Big Dig while serving as a member of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
Tim Cahill, Independent candidate for governor - Cahill, who is serving his second term as state Treasurer and Receiver General, said that Massachusetts has emerged from the "lost jobs decade" and that his first priority is to create a "level playing field" for Massachusetts to compete with other states for jobs and economic opportunity. He also said that Massachusetts had become famous for "borrowing money and buying lottery tickets," which are not positive distinctions. Cahill hopes that Massachusetts would become famous for having a competitive business climate, by restraining borrowing, trimming the state budget and reducing taxes. The former Norfolk County Treasurer favors rolling back the sales tax to five percent.
Drawing a comparison to the success the Red Sox have enjoyed under a new management philosophy, Cahill claimed he could help Massachusetts compete like never before by changing the Beacon Hill tax and spend mindset. Extending the Red Sox metaphor on the eve of spring training, Cahill said that the state should concentrate on the "pitching and defense" basics and "leave the offense" to the job-creating business community.
Jill Stein, Green-Rainbow candidate for governor - Jill Stein, a physician and environmental health advocate, called for a more cost-effective way to allocate health care dollars because of the impact on the state economy. She said that the state needs to focus on prevention - particularly for chronic diseases - which would free up some of the $79 billion currently spent on health care in Massachusetts for other priorities. She praised the state health care system for increasing access, but thinks costs still need to be addressed.
Stein also sees a "bonanza of jobs" in the state's energy technology sector, particularly through conservation and renewable solutions. She also believes consumers could cut energy costs with the development of more municipal power companies. As Governor, Stein would also work to restore public higher education funding and return the sales tax to five percent.
MATCH Student Mumford Steals the Show
Despite all the political firepower at the Annual Meeting, the speaker who made the biggest impression on the assembled tech leaders was Ayana Mumford, a junior at the MATCH Charter Public High School in Boston. Ayana, who lives in Roslindale, described the challenges of her MATCH experience, which starts with a 5:30 a.m.  wakeup call each school day and regularly keeps her at MATCH for extra studying and tutoring late into the evening.
Ayana admits that being a student at MATCH is extremely demanding but the teachers and resources the school provides - not to mention increased expectations - have prepared her for college and career success. Her brother, Ed, is a MATCH alumnus who earned a full academic scholarship to study mechanical engineering at Virginia State University. Ayana has her sights set on the University of North Carolina, where she plans to major in electrical engineering and play basketball.
Because of the Council's collaborative efforts to pass education reform, more students from urban settings, like Ayana, will have access to innovative school options, including charter public schools and Horace Mann charter schools.
DTI's Quenneville Transitions to Advisory Role
On February 16, the Defense Technology Initiative announced that Brigadier General Donald Quenneville (USAF, retired) would transition from DTI's executive director to an advisory role with the voice of the region's defense technology sector. DTI's Chairman, Mike Lewis, Vice President and General Manager of BAE Systems, will oversee ongoing initiatives as part of a reorganization that will include more direct operational involvement by DTI's members.
DTI will continue its mission of expanding economic opportunities for New England defense firms, universities and research labs and supporting the development of the next generation of warfighting technologies. As referenced by Council Chairman Jim Regan at the Annual Meeting, DTI is once again working to prepare Massachusetts and New England for success in the next federal base closing round, which is expected in 2015.
In addition to expanding the reach of DTI to all of New England, Quenneville was instrumental in the development of the Electronic Systems and Software Science &Technology Board and worked closely with state and military leaders to develop the skilled workforce for the region's defense industry.
Lewis said that"Q" had a "strong vision for the regional growth of the organization and possessed the leadership skills and military clout to make that happen." We are very pleased that Q will remain an integral part of the Council and DTI team for years to come.
For more information, please see the press release on General Quenneville's transition.
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