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          Doing Business with Mass General Brigham

          Join us for our installment of the Pacesetters Doing Business series featuring Mass General Brigham on August 7, 2025.

          08/07/2025

          1:00pm - 2:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
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        • ...
          BIMA
          2025 BIMA Summer Sizzler

          The BIMA Summer Sizzler is a chance to network with your digital media industry peers from the agency, publisher, and adtech community!

          08/14/2025

          6:00pm - 9:00pm

          Fenway Park

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Talent
          Skills for the Future: How to Upskill Early Talent for Success

          Join Boston’s leading educators and industry experts to explore career-aligned high school programs, in-demand workplace skills, and innovative school partnerships driving student success

          07/17/2025

          9:00am - 11:00am

          Omni Boston Hotel Seaport

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Insights
        • Transformational DEI Certificate

          This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          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
          Authentic Professionalism for Early Career Professionals

          In this highly interactive workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney, you’ll define your professional identity and develop strategies to confidently navigate workplace dynamics.

          Read More
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          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          City Awake

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          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
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          Read More
          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For over 30 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          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
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
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NAFTA Renewal is a Must for Greater Boston

January 30, 2018

For the past two weeks, Jim and our Public Policy Team have been focused on international trade and expanding Massachusetts’ role in the global marketplace. That’s because trade is a key part of our state’s, and our region’s, economy:  from financial services to pharmaceuticals, trade represents billions of dollars in economic impact each year, including thousands of jobs.

NAFTA BY THE NUMBERS

In 2016 Massachusetts exported $25.8 billion in goods

  • $3.0B to Canada
  • $2.5B to Mexico
  • $2.2B to China

Top export industries include

  • Computer & Electronic products ($7.0)
  • Machinery ($3.3B)
  • Chemicals ($3.3B)
  • Miscellaneous manufactures ($3.1B)

In 2016 Massachusetts exported $22.3 billion in services

  • Financial Management ($3.9B)
  • Research & Development ($3.5B)
  • Educational Services ($2.9B)

That means in 2016 Massachusetts exported $48.1 billion in goods and services, with $40.4 billion of that originating in the Boston metro area.

This activity supports 310,000 jobs in Massachusetts and more than 270,000 in Greater Boston.

Check out our Data Source

LOCAL TESTIMONY

Just a few weeks ago, Jim testified before the Joint Committee on Export Development. His remarks focused on:

  • The role the business community can play in fostering trade relationship by hosting delegations from abroad;
  • The importance of investing in career and technical education to maintain the skills need to continue the region’s success in advanced manufacturing; and 
  • The importance of NAFTA to our local economy.

METRO CITIES FOR NAFTA

Following his local testimony, Jim also traveled to Montreal as part of the Metro Cities for NAFTA coalition, where leaders of 25 metropolitan Chambers of Commerce in the US, Canada, and Mexico signed a joint resolution supporting the modernization and renewal of NAFTA.  After more than twenty years, all parties agree that NAFTA could use updating, but renewal of the core concept of free trade between the three countries is crucial to the North American – and Boston’s – economy.

Some opponents of NAFTA cite the disenfranchisement of American workers by the increased import of goods and the decline of American manufacturing jobs. But proponents of NAFTA would argue that NAFTA has become a scapegoat for larger economic disruption from trends such as automation and competition from less expensive Asian markets. At the Chamber, we believe that investments in workforce and job training, plus investment in expanding our state’s reputation for producing exceptional goods and services could actually increase the number and quality of jobs.

In fact, the increase in trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico that occurred under NAFTA supports five million US jobs and billions in economic activity.  In Massachusetts alone exports to NAFTA countries grew by $1.5 billion between 2006 and 2016.  If the US were to withdraw from NAFTA, it would significantly disrupt our supply chain and drive up the cost of goods, ranging from vegetables and fruits (yes, your avocados) to vehicles, for consumers and businesses.

NAFTA is a crucial free trade agreement in an increasingly globalized world. We hope the ongoing negotiations will protect the strength of the North American market while preparing it for success in the modern economy.

MONTREAL EXTRA

While in Montreal, Jim was in attendance at the Bell Centre for the Bruins 4-1 victory over the Canadiens. While we hope to strengthen our economic relationship with Canada, we plan to remain squarely in Boston’s camp on this historic rivalry.

 

 

Ben Stuart is our resident Research & Data Analyst. Read more about him and his role at the Chamber here.

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