Join us for the BIMA's thought leadership panel around AI in the advertising industry and gain insights from Noor Naseer.
09/26/2023
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Hill Holliday
Corean Reynold was recently appointed the Director of Nightlife Economy for the City of Boston, where she brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering an equitable and thriving nightlife ecosystem.
10/04/2023
6:00pm - 7:30pm
Roundhead Brewing Company
Don’t miss our upcoming Government Affairs Forum with Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. Register now!
10/11/2023
9:45am - 11:00am
Bank of America
Designed for mid-level managers and supervisors, this new certificate program addresses workplace well-being through unique, innovative, and actionable methods.
Join our Transformational DEI Certificate! Our comprehensive learning & development offerings are designed to connect and grow strong leaders who lead both inside and out of the office.
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.
Our Economic Inclusion Committee provides strategic support around research, policies, and programs that are focused on building equal opportunity.
We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).
The Fierce Urgency of Now Festival brings Boston’s diverse young professionals together with business leaders, organizations and their peers to build connection, advance careers and ignite positive change.
09/12/2023 -
09/16/2023
Greater Boston
City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.
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 nearly 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.
We support small business through public policy initiatives, events designed to connect small businesses in Greater Boston to their peers and established business leaders, professional development offerings, and free small business advising.
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.
Authored by Chamber President, James Rooney and Richard Dimino of A Better City for the Boston Globe
The Boston area is one of the fastest growing regions in America. By 2035, economic centers such as the South Boston Waterfront, Kendall Square, and the Longwood Medical Area are expected to generate more than 30 million square feet of new development and thousands of new jobs. Neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan region are well positioned for both job and population growth, and are looking toward transit-oriented development to boost their economies.
Unfortunately, the state is on a course to see this potential for economic opportunity slowed, and possibly reversed, by antiquated, underfunded public transit systems. Last month in a report from MassBenchmarks, Massachusetts economists identified the state of our transportation system as a genuine constraint on the future economic growth and prosperity of the Commonwealth. As representatives of about 1,600 business and institutions in Greater Boston, we know that improving transportation is the top public policy priority for the business community. The state needs to bring together reform, investment, and future planning for a better transportation system.
The Baker administration, with the support of the Legislature and the business community, has done great work in creating a clear picture of the financial and physical state of the MBTA and has made progress on controlling operating expenses through management reforms. These efforts, and the recent focus on attracting talented managers, build an excellent foundation for progress.
But there are steps that can be taken now, even as the state moves forward with reforms. For each of those reforms, the business community hopes to be a partner and advocate.
The most fundamental step is to create a collaborative, statewide vision for our transportation system and its role in enhancing the economy and quality of life in Massachusetts.
In addition, the MBTA must begin to create sound and permanent management and governance structures to foster leadership and efficient practices for the long term after the temporary Fiscal and Management Control Board is gone. As part of this, we should embrace Governor Baker’s strategy of attracting top-flight talent throughout the entire agency — from general manager to middle manager. Yes, top talent costs more, but the return on investment far exceeds the price.
The Department of Transportation and the MBTA must also begin to discuss, and create, a comprehensive, long-range finance plan that includes broader statewide funding discussion. They should set a goal of putting a comprehensive transportation finance plan before the Legislature in 2017. While new sources of revenue must be contemplated, increasing fares must be coupled with a plan on spending that revenue effectively and efficiently. Innovative approaches to fare collection, value capture, and public-private partnerships should be considered.
Finally, in order to support the region’s current and future economic growth, the T needs to invest in three priority areas: improving the state of good repair, meeting ridership demand by increasing the capacity of the existing system, and embracing strategic expansion projects to support economic development and regional growth priorities. Similar types of discussions should take place throughout the Commonwealth.
The Massachusetts economy is moving faster than ever before, and we need our public transit and transportation system to move and grow just as fast because it is the single most important physical tool in any economic-development strategy. Working together, the business community and government can make our top priority our best success.
James E. Rooney is president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber Commerce. Richard A. Dimino is the president and CEO of A Better City.
View this article at the Boston Globe here.
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