The Greater Boston Chamber's Annual Meeting & Dinner is just two days away! On Wednesday, May 14 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place we hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to connect and celebrate with nearly 1,500 fellow business leaders from every industry across Massachusetts!

Some of the region's most prominent organizations will be in attendance. Companies supporting the Chamber's 99th Annual Meeting & Dinner as lead sponsors include: 

• Citizens Bank
• Constellation NewEnergy
• Eastern Bank
• Microsoft
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA
• Bank of America
• Northeastern University
• Bingham McCutchen LLP
• Partners HealthCare System
• National Grid
• Citibank North America
• Iron Mountain, Inc.
• Procter & Gamble
• The Boston Globe
• Goodwin Procter LLP
• Edgewater Technology
• Boston Culinary Group
• State Street Corporation
• Ropes & Gray
• SBLI
• Bentley College
• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
• Suffolk Construction Co.
• Bank of New York Mellon
• Interface Group - MA
• Boston University
• KPMG LLP
• Mass. Convention Center Authority
• Weber Shandwick Worldwide

The Annual Meeting is the premier event on our program calendar, and is recognized as one of the largest gatherings of business leaders in the region. I hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to connect and celebrate with fellow business leaders.

Click here to register for the Chamber's 99th Annual Meeting & Dinner!

The podcast of Governor Patrick’s address to the Chamber's Government Affairs Forum is now available on bostonchamber.com.

The Governor’s speech, given on May 1, 2008, was broadcast on Sunday, May 4, at 8:00 p.m. on 90.9 WBUR.

Yesterday, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick addressed the Greater Boston Chamber's Government Affairs Forum.

The focus of the Governor's speech was the Commonwealth's energy future. He called for the expansion of energy efficiency as a means to control costs. urged industry leaders to spur clean energy innovation. Governor Patrick told those in attendance that "The age of fossil fuels is passing. If we act now, the age of clean energy is ours."

If you missed the event, the audio will be broadcast this Sunday, May 4, at 8:00 p.m. on 90.9 WBUR.

Additional coverage of the event can be seen in the Boston Herald, Boston Globe and the Metro.

Click here for photos of the event.

The Chamber's Monthly Jobs Update reveals that Massachusetts has added 23,400 jobs in the last March 2007 a year-to-year job growth rate of posts 0.7%.

Other highlights of this month's update include:

• Nine of 12 regions added jobs in the last 12 months; Metro South and Metro West are growing the fastest.

• State remains 91,400 jobs below previous peak.

• State financial services jobs down 0.7% in the last 12 months; only two of 12 regions added jobs in the last 12 months.

To View all of the Chamber's previous Job Updates click here.

On Sunday's edition of This Week in Business, Tom Kinton, CEO of Massport, will join Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to discuss the continued turmoil in the airline industry and its impact on Logan Airport.

Then, Dr. Tom Lee, network president of Partners Healthcare, will join Paul and Mike to discuss health care costs.

Plus, NECN's Peter Howe on Liberty Mutual's acquisition of Safeco Insurance.

Be sure to tune in Sunday at 12:30 on NECN.

The podcast of Senator Kerry's address to the Chamber's Government Affairs Forum is now available on bostonchamber.com.

The Senator's speech, given on April 14, 2008, was rebroadcast on Sunday, April 20, on 90.9 WBUR.

The Greater Boston Chamber has once again partnered with Metro Boston on a featured news item.  From time to time, the Metro will offer readers a snapshot of select Chamber speakers and their comments. Last week, Senator Kerry's address to the Government Affairs Forum was featured, and today's edition of the Metro highlighted yesterday's special briefing with Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly.

Southwest’s philosophy:

“You can save people money and make money at the same time.”

On Southwest’s secrets of success:

“We hire great people and treat them like family.  We try our best to care for customers like they’re guests in our home.  We keep our fares low and our operating costs lower and we do that by being safe, efficient and operationally excellent.”

For the article's full text, check out the Metro online.

For photos of the event, click here.

On Monday, Senator John Kerry addressed the Greater Boston Chamber's Government Affairs Forum.

The Senator spoke candidly about the state of the economy, the war in Iraq, the continuing foreclosure epidemic, and the job potential of the energy industry.

Senator Kerry's address was covered in the  Boston Heraldas well as the Boston Metro, and will be rebroadcast Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. on 90.9 WBUR.

Click hereto see photos of the event

On April 10, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a corporate tax bill which coupled a rate cut with several policy changes.  The issue now goes to the state Senate, where the Chamber will continue to work for tax legislation that strengthens employers' ability to compete and grow in Massachusetts.
 
The Chamber has been a consistent advocate for lower Massachusetts corporate tax rates; the current rate of 9.5% is the fourth-highest in the country.  The House bill lowers that rate to 8.75% in 2009, and makes further reductions to 7.5% if revenue growth thresholds are met.  A provision was also added which will lower the corporate income tax burden on financial services institutions by cutting their rate from 10.5% to 9.0%. 
 
The House bill also includes combined reporting and federal conformity ("check the box") tax policy changes.  The original version of the bill gave wide discretion to the Department of Revenue (DOR) in administering these changes to the corporate tax code, but the final bill includes important limits on such discretion.  The Chamber and other business groups strongly advocated for these limits, as they are critical to establishing a clear, predictable, litigation-minimizing tax process for Massachusetts businesses. 
 
The Chamber will continue to work hard for a bill which includes a significant rate cut and limits on DOR discretion.  In this time of economic uncertainty, a competitive tax climate is especially important to employers as you work to grow and create jobs here in Massachusetts. 

On Tuesday April 8, the Chamber hosted the Women's Network Breakfast. Marsha Firestone, president of the Womens' Presidents Organization addressed the Chamber membership about women in enterprise.


Photos of the event can be viewed here

Earlier today, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce president & CEO Paul Guzzi released the following statement on the corporate tax bill that is currently before the Massachusetts House of Representatives:

"The Chamber, on behalf of its 1,700 member companies that employ hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents, urges the Legislature to enact a tax bill that includes a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 7.0%. 

The Massachusetts corporate tax burden is simply uncompetitive.  Massachusetts’ corporate tax burden is the 9th highest in the nation (Council on State Taxation, U.S. Census Bureau), and the Massachusetts corporate tax rate of 9.5% is the 4th highest rate in the U.S (The Tax Foundation). 

Over the past five years, Massachusetts corporate income taxes have been raised by $400 million, and Massachusetts unemployment insurance taxes have been raised by $600 million – totaling a billion dollars in new taxes in recent years on Massachusetts employers.

These factors have lead to anemic job growth.  From 2003 to 2007 Massachusetts had the 48th worst rate of job creation in the country and remains more than 95,000 jobs below its previous peak. 

Furthermore, recent tax increases have fueled the perception that Massachusetts is an inhospitable place to do business – as evidenced by a 2008 Chief Executive Magazine survey in which CEO’s ranked Massachusetts as the 48th worst state for business.

As the economy teeters on the edge of recession and the state faces anemic job growth, it is essential that Massachusetts tax policy promotes rather than hinders employers’ ability to stay and grow in Massachusetts.”

On yesterday's edition of This Week in Business on NECN, Eric Rosengren, president & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, gave his first in-depth television interview since taking over the Fed last year. 

In the first segment, Greater Boston Chamber CEO Paul Guzzi and his co-host Mike Nikitas of NECN talked with Rosengren about the economic picture and recent comments by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.



In the second segment, Rosengren discussed the housing crisis and the Fed's Mortgage Relief Fund.



For more information please visit www.MortgageReliefFund.com.

Mortgage Relief Fund Contact Information:

CITIZENS BANK 1-888-411-1145

SOVEREIGN BANK 1-800-288-6225

TD BANKNORTH 1-800-288-0025

WEBSTER (CT) 1-888-681-7788

WEBSTER(MA & RI) 1-800-635-9191

BANK OF AMERICA 1-800-344-9403

MA BANKERS ASSN 617-523-7595

In the Business Beat, Paul and Mike wrap up this week's show with a discussion of business costs, IPO's, and the new partnership between UMass and China.  


 

Every year since 1983, the Greater Boston Chamber has had the privilege of inducting some of our region’s most accomplished leaders into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

Meet one of the 2008 honorees: Peter Meade, former executive vice president, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc.

Peter is chair of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, and chair of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Emerson College. He serves on the Board of Directors for the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League of New England, The New England Council, AAA of Southern New England, and the Lenny Zakim Fund. 

Peter recently retired as executive vice president of corporate affairs at Blue Cross. Throughout his many years of service, he built lasting relationships with community groups, government officials, business and religious leaders, and the media. He continues to play a significant role in the economic, political, and civic life of Boston and New England.

Prior to joining Blue Cross, Peter served as president and CEO of The New England Council, and as vice president at Warner Amex Cable Communications. From 1983 to 1992, he gained a reputation for astute political analysis and commentary as a radio and television talk show host at WBZ NewsRadio and WBZ-TV. Peter provided a lively, interactive forum for discussion with presidents, heads of state, renowned authors, and local and national politicians. A dedicated public servant, he also served under Boston Mayor Kevin White as public safety coordinator and commissioner of parks and recreation in the 1970’s.

We hope you will be able to join the Greater Boston business community at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Dinner on May 14th as we induct Peter Meade into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

On last Sunday's edition of This Week in Business, hosts Paul Guzzi, president & CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber, and NECN Anchor Mike Nikitas were joined by Professor Karl Case, professor of economics at Wellesley College. Professor Case discussed the ups and downs in the housing market, the foreclosure crisis, the role of the Fed, and what he thinks can be expected in the coming months.

In the Briefing Room, Paul and Mike were joined by Jim Foster, President and CEO Charles River Labs, who discussed his company’s expansion in Massachusetts and abroad. He also explained why the shaky economy has been good for his company’s business.

This edition of This Week in Business  was also Steve Bailey’s final appearance on the Business Beat. Steve discussed 30 years of business reporting in Boston. He also talked about some of the highlights of his career.

Congressman Barney Frank's address to the Greater Boston Chamber's Financial Services Forum in March was covered in the New York Times by columnist Joe Nocera.

Every year since 1983, the Greater Boston Chamber has had the privilege of inducting some of our region’s most accomplished leaders into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

Meet one of the 2008 honorees: Larry Fish, chairman, Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and RBS Americas.

Under Larry’s leadership since 1992, Citizens Financial Group has grown more than 30 fold, now ranking as one of the ten largest commercial bank holding companies in the United States in total assets and deposits.  Prior to joining Citizens in 1992, Larry led the fight to revive the ailing Bank of New England Corporation during 1990 and 1991. He began his career in banking at Bank of Boston in 1972 where he was responsible for operations in Brazil, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region and headed New England Banking.

A leader in both the business and civic communities, Larry holds leadership positions in numerous companies and community organizations.  He serves as a director of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Textron, Inc., and a member of the MIT Corporation. Larry also serves as an overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and on the boards of Boston’s Dimock Community Foundation and Rosie’s Place.

Larry is also working to address the critical issues of immigration and urban poverty, and serves as a volunteer at inner-city organizations in Boston and Providence.  He has chaired numerous capital campaigns, including major initiatives to assist The Vietnamese Community Center, a facility for non-profit agencies that provide economic development and social services to Boston's 20,000 Vietnamese refugee and immigrant families.

We hope you will be able to join the Greater Boston business community at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Dinner on May 14th as we induct Larry Fish into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

 

At the Chamber's Life Sciences Forum on Wednesday, Dr. Christoph Westphal , CEO of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals addressed the Chamber membership. He spoke about the future of anti-aging pharmaceuticals and Sirtris’ leading role in their development.

The Boston Herald noted Westphal's enthusiasm about working in the Greater Boston area, " Boston is a great place to launch a life sciences company, because there are many skilled scientists, venture capitalists, lawyers and accountants."

Photos of the event can be viewed here.

The Chamber is a Silver Key sponsor of the Disney Institute's traveling professional development program, "Disney Keys to Excellence."  This full-day interactive workshop will be held at the Boston University School of Management on April 15, 2008.

The Disney Institute was established in 1986 to teach proven Disney success strategies to business executives from all over the world.

The Boston 'Disney Keys" program will showcase four 90-minute sessions:

Leadership, Disney Style - Discover how effective leadership has been the catalyst at Disney to drive employee/customer satisfaction and bottom-line results, from the company's inception to today.

Management, Disney Style - Examine the importance of integrating an organization's corporate culture into selection, training, and care of employees.

Service, Disney Style - Explore world-renowned Disney principles for service excellence.

Loyalty, Disney Style - Learn key practices and principles in building and sustaining loyalty that have made Disney a trusted and revered brand around the world for more than 75 years.

Chamber members receive a discount of $50 off of standard registration fees by using the promotional code: GBCCNWSE.

For more information, click here.

Every year since 1983, the Greater Boston Chamber has had the privilege of inducting some of our region’s most accomplished leaders into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

Meet one of the 2008 honorees: Ted Cutler, philanthropist and vice president, The Interface Group - MA.

Ted is an internationally recognized innovator in the travel industry and a leader in Greater Boston’s civic and philanthropic communities, most notably in the fields of education, the arts, and health care.  He is the founder of GWV International travel company, an organization that helped revolutionize the charter travel and entertainment industries. Today, Cutler serves as vice president and a member of the Board of Directors of The Interface Group – Massachusetts.

Over the course of several decades, Cutler has become a force in the charitable and non-profit worlds of New England. His current endeavors include serving as co-chair of the campaign for the Greater Boston Food Bank and chair of the board of the Hebrew College. Cutler is a Trustee Emeritus of the Citi Center for the Performing Arts and past chairman of Emerson College and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston.

In 1999, Cutler and his wife Joan made a lead gift toward the restoration of the Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, which reopened in 2003 as the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Cutler also led a campaign to fund new facilities for Emerson’s award winning, student-run radio station, WERS (88.9 FM). 

We hope you will be able to join the Greater Boston business community at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Dinner on May 14th as we induct Ted Cutler into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians.

The Chamber's February 2008 Monthly Jobs Update, released today, shows that Massachusetts added 18,200 jobs over the past 12 months, for a job growth rate of 0.6%.

Other key findings include:

• 7 of 12 regions added jobs
• Greater Boston and Metro West regions grow fastest
• State remains 95,700 jobs below previous peak
• State transportation & utilities jobs down 0.5% last 12 months
• Merrimack valley region grows fastest

Compare this month against previous jobs reports here.