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          11/13/2025

          2:45pm - 4:00pm

          Nutter

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          Join us in person to learn about Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL), a prestigious leadership program shaping top talent across Greater Boston. Hear from alumni, explore the application process, and stay for networking and refreshments.

          arrow-go
          Read More
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          Read More
          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

          Level up your leadership and communication in this Boston Chamber workshop for professionals—gain essential skills in team alignment.

          Read More
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          Read More
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2024 Economic Outlook

November 14, 2024 9:00 am – 11:00 am Winthrop Center

Event Details

  • Thank you for joining us to hear from expert panelists on the economic opportunities and challenges that will shape the local economy.
  • Attendees heard projections for the financial year ahead.

Tickets

  • FREE for Members & Non-Members
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  • Overview
  • Speakers
  • Agenda
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2024 Economic Outlook

Thank you for joining us on Thursday, November 14, for our free Economic Outlook event to hear from leading experts in the fields of local, national, and global economics, entrepreneurship, AI, small businesses, and more. With the Presidential election the week before our event and the new year on the horizon, panelists discussed the economic opportunities and challenges that will shape the local economy.

The program focused on the economic outlook of Greater Boston and the Commonwealth, including reflections on rapid technology advancements, evolving workforce and industry trends, and global geopolitical implications for our city and state, to inform your strategic planning for 2025.

Press and media wishing to cover the event must RSVP to [email protected].

Questions? Contact us.

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Staff
Erica Deese

Senior Program Manager

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Email Erica

Speakers

Egon Zakrajsek
Egon Zakrajšek

Executive Vice President and Director of Research, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Egon Zakrajšek is an executive vice president and the director of the research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Among Zakrajšek’s primary responsibilities…Read more
Egon Zakrajšek is an executive vice president and the director of the research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Among Zakrajšek’s primary responsibilities is oversight of the work of the research department, including economic analysis for the monetary policy deliberations of the Bank’s president and board of directors.

Zakrajšek’s policy and research interests focus on macro-finance, banking, inflation dynamics, and monetary policy. His research has been published in a variety of academic journals, including the American Economic Review, Journal of Monetary Economics, and The Quarterly Journal of Economics.

Previously, Zakrajšek was a senior advisor in the monetary and economic department of the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Switzerland. He began his career in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and later joined the division of Monetary Affairs at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, DC. He holds a PhD in economics from New York University.

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Grace Lee

Massachusetts Regional President, EVP, M&T Bank

Grace has combined over twenty-five years of public and private sector leadership experience in Massachusetts. As Regional President, Grace is responsible for the…Read more
Grace has combined over twenty-five years of public and private sector leadership experience in Massachusetts. As Regional President, Grace is responsible for the coordination of the region’s strategic development and growth through its community banking activities that advance the bank’s localized focus to deliver more value for customers, businesses, and communities.

In addition to her responsibilities as Regional President, Grace also manages the Government Banking & Finance division for the New England area. Grace joined People’s United Bank in August of 2014 from Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot, LLP, where she was Special Counsel and Vice Chair of the Public Finance Group.

Previously, Grace was General Counsel and First Deputy Treasurer of the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General from 2003 to 2011, where she managed the operations of the State Treasurer’s Office (“Treasury”) and was responsible for managing the Treasury’s legal affairs.  Notably, while at the Treasury, Grace was instrumental in the passage of the legislation that established the Asian American Commission and served as the Commission’s first Executive Director.

Prior to joining the Treasury, Grace was with Morgan, Brown & Joy, concentrating her practice in employment discrimination, labor law and commercial litigation. Grace’s other public sector experience includes her work as a civil rights attorney for the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, and an assistant district attorney, Chief of the Civil Rights Division, for the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office.

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President Stephen Spinelli - Babson College
Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr.

President, Babson College

Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., MBA’92 became the 14th President of Babson College on July 1, 2019. A lifelong entrepreneur, Dr. Spinelli spent his career at the intersection…Read more
Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., MBA’92 became the 14th President of Babson College on July 1, 2019. A lifelong entrepreneur, Dr. Spinelli spent his career at the intersection of academia, business and philanthropy. He co-founded Jiffy Lube International and was Chairman and CEO of American Oil Change Corporation, pioneering the quick-lube industry and turning Jiffy Lube into the nation’s dominant competitor with more than 1,000 service centers.

Dr. Spinelli spent 14 years at Babson as a faculty member, vice provost for entrepreneurship and global management, and director of the Blank Center. As a member of the President’s Cabinet and the Academic Council, and chair of the entrepreneurship task force that contributed significantly to the College’s strategic plan, he led the charge to maintain Babson’s No. 1 entrepreneurship ranking in U.S. News & World Report and to achieve Babson’s first No. 1 entrepreneurship ranking from the Financial Times in 2006. In 2011, Dr. Spinelli was inducted into Babson’s Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

As vice provost, he strengthened and grew the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), the Entrepreneurship Intensity Track, and Rocket Pitch. He also doubled the entrepreneurship faculty and expanded the Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators internationally.

In 2007, Dr. Spinelli became president of Philadelphia University, where he established the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering, and Commerce, a pioneer in transdisciplinary colleges, and championed the award-winning Master of Science in Sustainable Design, one of the world’s most recognized sustainable design graduate degrees. Under his leadership, Philadelphia enjoyed record enrollment and retention. Dr. Spinelli led the merger of Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University, and was named chancellor of the new Jefferson in 2017.

Dr. Spinelli speaks and lectures at global conferences and universities around the world, and his work has appeared in prestigious journals and the popular press. He has co-authored eight books and written numerous book chapters and business cases. He has led executive education programs and served as a consultant for corporations including Intel, IBM, Allied Domecq, and Planet Fitness. Currently, he serves on the board of advisors for Berwind Corporation and the board of directors for Planet Fitness.

Dr. Spinelli earned his PhD in economics from The Management School, Imperial College, University of London, his MBA from Babson College, and his BA in economics from McDaniel College. In 2016, he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

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Caitlin Reimers Brumme
Caitlin Reimers Brumme

Chief Executive Officer, MassChallenge

Caitlin Reimers Brumme is the Chief Executive Officer of MassChallenge. Prior to stepping into the role of CEO, Cait Brumme was the Executive Vice President of Global…Read more
Caitlin Reimers Brumme is the Chief Executive Officer of MassChallenge. Prior to stepping into the role of CEO, Cait Brumme was the Executive Vice President of Global Acceleration where she oversaw MassChallenge’s portfolio of accelerator programs and community efforts. Prior to MassChallenge, Caitlin led the Impact Collaboratory at the Harvard Business School, a multi-faceted effort to develop world class academic leadership on the topic of “Investing in the 21st Century” including sustainable, ESG, and impact investing. Caitlin holds an MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar, and a B.A. with honors from The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

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Carol Meyers Canva
Carol Meyers

Operating Partner, Glasswing Ventures

Carol Meyers is an operating partner at Glasswing Ventures, where she invests in early-stage B2B SaaS companies reshaping industries through AI and frontier technology….Read more
Carol Meyers is an operating partner at Glasswing Ventures, where she invests in early-stage B2B SaaS companies reshaping industries through AI and frontier technology. Additionally, she serves as board chair and independent director for various public and private companies.

Throughout her career as a go-to-market executive, Meyers has been at the forefront of major technological shifts, including personal computing, the internet, SaaS, and mobile and cloud computing. She has contributed to building innovative companies and witnessed the decline of those that failed to innovate rapidly. As a C-level sales and marketing executive, Meyers played a crucial role in growing four technology companies—Shiva, Unica, LogMeIn, and Rapid7—from their early stages through successful IPOs and beyond.

Meyers leverages her experience to guide companies toward success and has helped generate over $10 billion in value for investors.

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Agenda

  • 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Networking & Registration

    Guests arrive, sign in at registration, and network with fellow attendees.

  • 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Program

    Hear from Egon Zakrajšek, Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., and local business leaders, addressing the economic forecast for the year ahead.

  • 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Audience Q&A

    A chance to ask questions to the experts.

Sponsor

Presenting

M&T Bank

FAQs

  • What is included in my registration?

    Access to a welcoming community of professionals over a great conversation forecasting the year ahead and morning refreshments!

  • What should I bring?

    An interest in connecting and networking with other professionals. Oh, and don’t forget business cards.

  • What should I wear?

    Please come dressed for your day!

  • When should I arrive?

    Registration begins a 9:00 a.m., with program starting promptly at 9:30 a.m.!

  • Do I need to register in advance?

    We have a limited number of tickets available for this event and encourage registering in advance.

  • COVID-19 POLICY

    The Department of Health and Human Services lifted the Presidential Declaration of a National Public Health Emergency arising from the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Therefore, COVID-19 will no longer be considered a national health emergency. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce will continue to monitor trends and act accordingly based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.

    Your health and safety remain our top priority while attending programs, events, and meetings. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are strongly recommended. The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce still follows exposure guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.

    If you feel ill or learn of an exposure before an event or meeting, whether with COVID-19 symptoms or others, please stay home and contact your healthcare provider.

    *Please note -If the venue or host of the program has additional policies or protocols, we will adhere to them and notify attendees in advance.

Winthrop Center

115 Federal St, Boston, MA 02110

Get Directions

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce encourages persons with disabilities to participate, and engage fully, in its programs and events.

If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, including but not limited to, listening devices, closed captioning, large print, wheelchair access, allergies and environmental sensitivities, or if you have any questions about the venue, event format, or virtual platform, please contact us at [email protected].

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