|
|
Chris Anderson, President
Leaders of Massachusetts’ innovation economy have much to accomplish in the next few years. We look forward to leading that effort together with you.
|
|
High Tech Council Vision: Regaining Business Climate Competitiveness |
|
Elizabeth Mahoney, MHTC’s New VP of Policy & Government Affairs |
|
As noted in my email to High Tech Council members on January 25, we are pleased to welcome an important new addition to the MHTC staff: Elizabeth Mahoney, former Senior Advisor to Governor Baker, joined us effective February 1 to manage and strengthen our public policy leadership and advocacy capacity in the coming years.
Elizabeth’s role fulfills an important part of our commitment to invest in and strengthen our advocacy capacity to address Massachusetts’ changing business climate and execute strategies necessary in an active public policy environment under the leadership dominated by one political party across all branches of state government. Read our official announcement to learn more.
Please reach out directly to Elizabeth to welcome her to our “family” at elizabeth@mhtc.org.
|
|
Elizabeth will lead our short-and long-term strategic policy agenda as Massachusetts’ private sector leaders confront an especially unpredictable time. High Tech Council leaders will be focused on rehabilitating and strengthening the business climate in Massachusetts, amplifying our leadership and advocacy strategy, and leading a forward-looking approach to future “direct democracy” preparedness.
Employers across the Commonwealth face uncertainty on many fronts due to volatile economic conditions, downward shifts in state economic performance, and changing political tides. The key drivers of this uncertainty include the passage of the new income surtax, which is already having a significant negative economic impact; the return to one-party rule on Beacon Hill, which is giving momentum to activist proposals such as new tax and spending initiatives; and a challenging economic outlook, including rising interest rates and inflationary pressures.
To address these new economic realities, a comprehensive strategy to return Massachusetts to a position of strength will be bundled within our Critical Mass work stream. This includes promoting the conditions and institutions that have driven the Commonwealth’s economic prosperity and stability; addressing the economic fallout of the income surtax and the harm it has done to Massachusetts’ competitive position relative to other states; and advancing our capacity to lead future “direct democracy” initiatives over the next four to six years.
Looking ahead, Governor Healey is set to kick off the state’s FY24 budget process by releasing her budget proposal by March 1. As part of our Critical Mass efforts, we will be particularly focused on how the Governor proposes to spend the revenue from the new income surtax; whether she proposes any pro-growth tax reforms alongside her budget; and what investments the budget makes in education, workforce, and skills-building initiatives. In the coming months, we will work with the Healey Administration and the Legislature on the passage of an FY24 budget and other legislation that serves to enhance, not hinder, Massachusetts’ competitiveness.
|
|
Member Leadership & Investment Opportunities |
|
The High Tech Council’s commitment to our expanded capacity requires an increase in financial resources, and you are urged to seriously consider participating in one of our major sponsorship opportunities as outlined in our 2023 Sponsorship Opportunities package. Supporting our new personnel and building an “endowment” for supporting specific competitiveness and “direct democracy” will require us to be successful in achieving broad sponsorship participation by current members and attracting other leaders to join and invest in our multi-year plan to protect and enhance the environment for our private sector economy.
|
|
Please be responsive when I contact you to discuss the specifics of how you can help achieve our new annual revenue goal.
Our MassVision2050 project provides a logical multi-year place for consideration for your sponsorship participation (along with priority programs in our “Engaged Workforce” and “Critical Mass” work streams).
|
|
Diversity Leadership Council—Senior Executive Invitation |
|
In July 2020, the High Tech Council announced the launch of a multiyear Diversity Initiative to be led by the Council’s Executive Committee. The initiative featured data-driven information, insights, and programming to help translate ‘intent’ into measurable ‘action’ to address this important workplace culture priority.
To advance the impact of our prior work within our “The Engaged Workforce” set of initiatives, we invite senior executives to participate in our Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) to support each other’s journey in creating an inclusive environment that supports individual strategies to engage, recruit, develop, retain, and advance diverse talent. The DLC will convene quarterly meetings of CEOs and senior executives from technology companies, universities, and other organizations. We’re scheduling our first quarterly meeting now. Stay tuned for your invitation to participate and support this community of innovators in advancing strong workplace cultures!
|
The Massachusetts High Technology Council, Inc. is an organization of CEOs and senior executives representing technology companies, professional services firms, and research institutions dedicated to creating and sustaining conditions that support investment, job growth, and improved quality of life in Massachusetts. Our members are growth-oriented, knowledge-intensive employers and institutions that develop, deliver, and depend on technology products, services, and innovations to advance their organizational objectives—a definition that covers just about all business enterprises in Massachusetts today.
Our mission is to help make Massachusetts the world’s most attractive place to live and work and create, operate, and grow businesses within the innovation ecosystem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
