Governor Appoints President of Commonwealth Corporation

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BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the appointment of Molly Jacobson as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Corporation. 
 
Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Secretary Lauren Jones serves as Chair of the Commonwealth Corporation Board of Directors, which voted unanimously to appoint Jacobson at its Board meeting earlier this month. Jacobson was appointed after an extensive search.
 
"Molly Jacobson brings tremendous experience, demonstrating a track record of executing on important work to strengthen workforce development programming and partnerships in Massachusetts," said Governor Maura Healey. "As we look to build on Commonwealth Corporation's history as a leader in workforce development and meet this moment, we are confident Molly will foster equitable workforce solutions. We're proud to welcome her to Team Massachusetts."
 
Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public agency within the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development that is committed to ensuring that Massachusetts businesses have access to a pipeline of highly skilled workers and that youth and adults in Massachusetts have pathways to good jobs in the knowledge economy. As a nationally recognized leader in building industry sector partnerships that address the skill needs of specific employers in an industry, Commonwealth Corporation creates new or expanded capacity by leveraging state funding for education and training programs for in-demand occupations. 
 
"Commonwealth Corporation is a vital part of the state's workforce development infrastructure, and we are thrilled to welcome Molly as a partner to advance the Healey-Driscoll Administration's workforce agenda, focused on increasing access and opportunities for our untapped, diverse talent," said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and Chair of the Commonwealth Corporation Board of Directors Lauren Jones. "Molly brings extensive knowledge of and experience in the public sector, including past work with this organization. We look forward to welcoming her creativity, strategic thinking, empathetic leadership, and equitable lens as we tackle this incredible work together and with a great network of community partners."
 
"I'm grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, and Secretary Jones for placing their faith in me. I've been lucky to work alongside Commonwealth Corporation in recent years, applying a strategic lens to promote workforce and economic development across Massachusetts," said Molly Jacobson. "I am honored now to roll up my sleeves and to dive deeper with Comm Corp's staff and partners to advance meaningful employment and upward mobility for all." 
 
About Molly Jacobson
 
Molly Jacobson is currently a Partner in the Public Sector practice of Boston Consulting Group, where she focuses on economic and workforce development and has been deeply involved in strategic projects across the Commonwealth. In recent years, Molly partnered closely with Commonwealth Corporation, the Workforce Skills Cabinet, and other agencies on numerous initiatives to strengthen workforce planning and training in the Commonwealth, and to better position state programs to meet employer and training provider needs. Among past work, Molly helped to design and launch in 2019 the Massachusetts Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, a public-private collaboration focused on addressing Massachusetts' growing healthcare labor shortages. She also supported state leaders to rapidly plan for the deployment of $250M+ federal American Rescue Plan Funding for workforce development in Massachusetts, working with regional workforce boards, employers, the Commonwealth's MassHire system, and Commonwealth Corporation programs such as the Career Technical Initiative.
 
Molly holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
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PEDA Site 9 Preparation, Member Retirement

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The redevelopment of Site 9 for mixed-use in the William Stanley Business Park is set to take off. 

Edward Weagle, principal geologist at Roux Associates, gave an update on the yearlong work to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority last week.

"It's been a real pleasure for me to work on a project like this," he said. "This is kind of like a project of a career of a lifetime for me, and I'm very pleased to see that we're just at the finish line right now. My understanding is that all the documents are in front of the commissioner, waiting for her to sign off."

Mill Town Capital is planning to develop a mixed-use building that includes housing on the site. Roux, headquartered in Islandia, N.Y., was hired assist with obtaining grant financing, regulatory permitting, and regulatory approvals to aid in preparing the 16.5-acre site for redevelopment. Approximately 25,000 cubic yards of concrete slabs, foundations, and pavements were removed from the former GE site. 

Once the documents are signed off, PEDA can begin the work of transferring 4.7 acres to Mill Town. Weagle said the closing on this project will make it easier to work on the other parcels and that he's looking forward to working on Sites 7 and 8.

PEDA received a $500,000 Site Readiness Program grant last year from MassDevelopment for Sites 7 and Site 8. The approximately 3-acre sites are across Woodlawn Avenue from Site 9 and border Kellogg Street. 

In other news, the state Department of Transportation has rented the east side of the parking lot for CDL (Commercial Driver's License) training. This is an annual lease that began in September and will bring in $37,200 in revenue.

Lastly, the meeting concluded with congratulations to Maurice "Mick" Callahan Jr. on his retirement.

Callahan is a former chair and a founding member of PEDA, dating back to when the board was established in the 1990s. He has also served on a number of civic and community boards and has volunteered for many organizations in the Berkshires. He is the president of M. Callahan Inc. 

"The one thing that's been a common denominator back is that you've always put others before yourself. You've served others well. You've been a mentor to two generations of Denmarks, and I'm sure many generations of other families and people within this city," said board Chair Jonathan Denmark. "We can never say thank you enough, but thank you for your services, for the creation of this board, your service to the city of Pittsfield, and to all the communities that you've represented and enjoy retirement." 

"It wasn't always easy to be in the position that you were in Mick, but you handled it with so much grace, always respecting this community, bringing pride to our community," member Linda Clairmont said. "I could not have accomplished many of the things I did, especially here for this business part, without you all of the Economic Development discussions that we had really informed my thinking, and I'm so grateful."

Callahan left the team with a message as this was his final meeting, but said he is always reachable if needed.

"I also have to say that a lot of great people sat around this table and other tables before the current board, and the time that I had with Pam [Green] and Mike [Filpi] sticking around, the leadership of this mayor [board member Linda Tyer], and it really, it was always great synergy," he said.

"So don't be afraid to embrace change. And you know, you got a business model. It's been around long time. Shake it up. Take a good look at it, figure out where it needs to go, and you're lucky to have leadership that you have here."

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