Secretary visits Lynn
Mayor Tom McGee gave a warm and official welcome to the new State Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mike Kennealy at a well-attended cross-section of the community in a Munroe Street coffee shop last Friday afternoon.
Kennealy, who took over his new position three and a half months ago, made his way around the North Shore visiting Gloucester, Salem and then Lynn.
Also joining him was Joe Mulligan, with MassDevelopment, and local and state elected officials.
Kennealy took some good-hearted ribbing and being a board member and alumni of St. John’s Prep in the land where St. Mary’s rules.
Kennealy comes to his new position with a lot of experience in the private section business world.
“At the start of the Baker-Polito administration we’ve added about 200,000 jobs – unemployment in the Commonwealth is under three percent. The task now is finding people for jobs,” Kennealy said. “Communities, business and citizens are the bases of economic development.”
Kennealy outlined his priorities while serving in the Baker administration. First, is economic development, second is overseeing Massworks grants, community compacts, the Seaport Economic Council, and an urban agenda – programs tailored for the needs of all 351 cities and towns.
Another issue across the Commonwealth is housing.
“Communities remain a focus for us. Direct investment, involvement and engagement. We focus on business growth too. If you want to do business in Massachusetts we want to help,” Kenneally said. “We want to be in the forefront at the global leadership position that we have – we are the global leader in life sciences.”
Kennealy added that Massachusetts has been a leader in technology for a long time.
“We want to be an active power with our business leaders,” Kennealy said.