The Transportation First Series offers a platform to discuss the challenges faced by our region, with the input of experts and changemakers.
06/12/2025
2:45pm - 4:30pm
Hybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Hear from Senator Edward J. Markey, a consumer champion and leader on energy, environmental protection, and telecommunications policy.
06/16/2025
9:45am - 11:00am
Boston Marriott Long Wharf
This Women's Network event will offer an insightful conversation with Dr. Melissa Gilliam, the 11th President of Boston University and both the first woman and the first Black woman to lead the institution since its founding in 1869.
06/18/2025
11:30am - 1:00pm
Fairmont Copley Plaza
This program is in redevelopment. Click this page for DEI resources.
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.
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.
Join us on June 12 for a highly interactive virtual workshop with Strategic Career & Leadership Coach Carole-Ann Penney.
City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.
We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).
Small businesses are the backbone of the Boston economy. Learn more about the resources available through the Chamber.
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.
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.
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.
Explore our mission and values to better understand how we are leading the business community forward.
Our member directory is your resource to discover, connect, and engage with Boston’s businesses from every industry and sector.
At the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s recent panel event, “How the Commonwealth Competes,” experts from various sectors gathered to explore the intricate factors influencing Massachusetts’ competitiveness. Organized in partnership with the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the event featured insights from industry leaders, including Sara Fraim, CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council; Doug Howgate, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; James E. Rooney, President & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce; and Jane Steinmetz, Boston Office Managing Principal at EY.
The conversation opened with a presentation by Doug Howgate, emphasizing the need for a clear understanding of competitiveness in Massachusetts. He pointed out that while the topic is widely discussed, there is often little consensus on its meaning or measurement. The recently released Massachusetts Competitiveness Index serves as a critical tool for examining the state’s standing against key competitor states across 26 metrics.
Howgate noted that the decline in our state’s working-age population (down 200,000 in the last 20 years) is a central issue that needs addressing. He highlighted that Massachusetts must become more attractive to retain residents, especially given the significant birth rate decline over the past 30 years. The index shows that economic competitors like Florida, Texas, and California are gaining ground, which raises alarms for local policymakers.
The panelists discussed the state’s strengths, including its highly educated workforce and quality of life, marked by strong healthcare and public safety. Massachusetts ranks first in national education assessments, which supports its innovation-driven economy. Howgate emphasized the importance of voting No on 2 in the upcoming election, to maintain our educational standards (a position that the Chamber strongly supports), and urged attendees not to underestimate how critical our educational system is to our success. While our state has many strengths, some key challenges such as a declining labor force size, high housing costs, and long commute times pose significant threats to its competitiveness. The good news, Howgate noted, is that we’re seeing efforts to address issues of affordability and transportation by policy leaders. And as Jim Rooney stated, “one of the strengths of Massachusetts that has sustained us over many years is our willingness to confront challenges, as we’re doing here today.”
Jane Steinmetz remarked on the nature of the issues at hand, stating how the complexity of the situation is not one factor that is the silver bullet; it is multifaceted.” This complexity necessitates a comprehensive approach to policy solutions.
As the discussion delved deeper, the need for actionable policies emerged as a focal point. Sara Fraim underscored the importance of addressing housing, stating that towns need to step up and facilitate the addition of more housing units. Additionally, Jane Steinmetz described the current situation where many young people are attending universities in the Southern United States and the need for solutions to ensure they can afford to come back and live here.
The panelists agreed that while some issues, like transportation, may require long-term strategies, others, such as housing and tax incentives, can be addressed more swiftly through legislation. The urgency to stabilize the Massachusetts economy was palpable, with the recognition that creating a supportive environment for young professionals is essential to curbing outmigration.
In light of these discussions, we invite you to join us on Wednesday, October 30, for the first installment of the Chamber’s new series, Transportation First, which will address the transportation crisis in Massachusetts. This series offers a platform to discuss the urgent challenges Greater Boston faces, bringing in experts and changemakers to explore the issues and potential solutions for the future of the Commonwealth. It will also raise broader awareness among employees and employers affected by the transit system every day.
The interconnectedness of various issues was a recurring theme throughout the event. As the challenges of funding and traditional investment practices in Massachusetts were highlighted, it revealed that innovation must be supported by a conducive business environment. As Sarah Fraim said, “we have all of the things to want people to stay here, talent, startups, all of it. We just somehow make it hard.” Whether that is solved in part through removing the perceptions of how expensive it is to do business in Massachusetts or enabling new small and medium sized businesses to be able to access capital for growth, ultimately, the panelists emphasized, these challenges facing the Commonwealth are not going to be solved in one fell swoop.
In closing, the event served as a vital reminder that Massachusetts has the potential to maintain its competitive edge, but it requires a collective effort to address its challenges. As policymakers consider the findings from the Competitiveness Index, there is hope that collaborative strategies can enhance the Commonwealth’s attractiveness for residents and businesses alike.
Nov 14, 20249:00am – 11:00amWinthrop Center
Oct 30, 20242:30pm – 4:00pmHybrid | Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
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