The First Statewide
Regions & Industry Clusters Forum
Fidelity Investments, Marlborough - April 20, 2001

Context

In spring 2000, the Governor's Economic Development Council, co-chaired by Governor Jane Swift during her tenure as Lt.Governor and David Weinstein of Fidelity Investments, recommended the establishment of a Statewide Marketing Council. The purpose of the Marketing Council is to enable Massachusetts companies to understand the advantages of expanding within the Commonwealth, and to enable regions within Massachusetts to promote their assets to growing businesses. The Statewide Regions and Industry Clusters Forum provided a first step towards implementing this recommendation.

Find out more by reading the executive summary >>

Governor Jane Swift and David Weinstein, Chief of Administration at Fidelity Investments at the Forum.



Donald Walsh, Chairman of the Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development and Director of Corporate Relations at NSTAR, welcoming the Governor and opening the Forum.



Governor Jane Swift, talked about the shortage of skilled workers as the key challenge to economic development.



The panel from left to right: Susan Houston - Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development; Elizabeth Ames - Director, Department of Economic Development; Jack Troast - Director of Policy, Department of Economic Development; and Allan Blair - President, Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council

Bill Nigreen, Quality Manager at New Profit, Inc. leading the discussion about Next Steps & Action Plans.

Susanne Leeber, President of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce, making a point during the open discussion.



Kerstin Nemec, National Partner for KPMG's Strategic Relocation and Expansion Services, talked about the key factors affecting the decision making of companies involved in relocation or expansion projects.