(BOSTON—12/3/2025) Senator Feeney has been appointed to serve on Governor Healey’s newly formed “Advisory Council on Competitiveness.” The Council is tasked with advising the Governor on issues relating to taxation, business incentives, workforce development, support of innovation, business regulation, and other related factors that affect Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness. Senator Feeney attended the first meeting of the council today to kick-off the council’s work.  

“I am honored to serve on Governor Healey’s Advisory Council on Competitiveness and thank Senate President Spilka for appointing me to this position. Addressing the root of affordability challenges and barriers to economic competitiveness in the Commonwealth are central to my ongoing work in Senate and echo much of the legislation I’ve filed this session, especially policy to improve access to housing, workforce training and financial wealth- building education. I look forward to working alongside fellow members of the council to strengthen pathways to economic development and business growth in the Commonwealth through a lens of common-sense policy making that puts the needs of Massachusetts residents and businesses first,” said Senator Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough).  

The council will also be tasked with offering recommendations on potential actions to strengthen the state’s business climate and support growth in existing and emerging industries. The council will also assess the impacts of federal policies related to research, education immigration and free trade. 

Governor Healey signed an Executive Order creating the Governor’s Advisory Council on Competitiveness on October 15, 2025. Senator Feeney was appointed to serve on the council by Senate President Karen Spilka as one of two members of the Senate appointed to the council.  

Members of the Advisory Council on Competitiveness:  

• CHAIR Dan Kenary, CEO and Co-Founder, Harpoon Brewery 

• CHAIR Mark Nunnelly, Chairman, Toolbox Holdings 

• Senator Paul Feeney 

• Senator Barry Finegold 

• Eric Paley, Secretary of EOED 

• Matthew Gorzkowicz, Secretary of A&F 

• Lauren Jones, Secretary of EOLWD 

• Paul Niedzwiecki, Chief Executive Officer of Cape Cod Chamber 

• James Rooney, President & CEO of Boston Chamber 

• Michael Bevilacqua, President & CEO, Merrimack Valley Chamber 

• Ian Trombly, Vice President of Public Policy, One South Coast 

• Darnell Dunn, Director of Business Recruitment, Worcester Chamber 

• Rick Sullivan, President & CEO, Western Mass Economic Development Council 

• Jonathan Butler, President & CEO, 1 Berkshire 

• Jay Ash, President & CEO, Mass Competes 

• Viviana Abreu-Hernandez, President, Mass Budget and Policy Center 

• JD Cheloff, President & CEO, MA Round Table 

• Doug Howgate, President, Mass Taxpayers 

• Brooke Thomson, President & CEO, AIM  

• Chrissy Lynch, MA President, AFL-CIO 

• Harris Gruman, State Council Executive Director, SEIU 

• Nicole Obi, President & CEO, Black Economic Council of MA (BECMA) 

• Enedia Roman, President & CEO of We Are ALX 

• Kyle Warwick, Founder & Principal, Red Gate  

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