2018 ANNUAL REPORT MISSION The New England Council is a non-partisan alliance of businesses, academic and health institutions, and public and private organizations throughout New England formed to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region. The New England Council is a leading voice on the issues that shape the region’s economy and quality of life. The Council focuses on key industries that drive the region’s economic growth including education, energy, transportation, technology and innovation, healthcare and financial services. TABLE OF CONTENTS OF TABLE President’s Letter . 4 Chairman’s Letter . 5 ADVOCACY AND INITIATIVES Introduction . 6 Energy and Environment. 7 Financial Services . 9 Healthcare . 12 Higher Education . 13 Technology . 15 Trade . 16 Transportation & Infrastructure . 18 EVENTS Annual Spring Event . 20 Annual Dinner . 22 Congressional Roundtable Series . 24 Capital Conversations Series . 26 Politics & Eggs Series . 28 Featured Programs . 30 ABOUT THE COUNCIL DC Dialogue . 32 Board of Directors . 33 Members . 37 PRESIDENT’S LETTER PRESIDENT’S Jim Brett with New Englander of the Year General Joseph F. Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. New England Council Members and Friends: Each year when I sit down to write this letter, I am amazed by the Council’s continued growth and accomplishments. Just when we think we’ve seen our best year yet, we somehow manage to build upon our success year after year. And 2018 was no different. Despite continued partisan division in our nation’s capital, the Council remained steadfast in our work to ensure that the region’s business community has a strong, unified voice in Washington, DC. We advocated for our members on a wide range of issues, including financial regulatory reform, retirement savings, trade policy, and investment in higher education and workforce development. We also provided a variety of opportunities for our members to connect with federal agency officials and key Congressional staff to learn about and provide feedback on important policy developments. Our calendar was packed in 2018, with over 60 events throughout the region and in Washington, DC. We hosted many members of Congress from New England and beyond at our Congressional Roundtable and Capital Conversations series. We continued our New England Innovates series with fascinating discussions about autonomous vehicles and financial technology, and convened forums on such important issues as the impact of tax reform, regional energy challenges, trade with Canada and Mexico, and business opportunities in Cuba. And as the first potential 2020 presidential candidates visited New Hampshire, we were pleased to welcome them at our Politics & Eggs series. Like so many around the nation, we followed the November midterm elections with great interest, and were pleased to see several of our region’s House members secure important leadership posts. We were also happy to welcome five new members of the delegation who are part of an historic freshman class in the 116th Congress. On the Senate side, many of the Senators with whom we have worked closely won well-deserved reelection, and our region’s delegation continues to climb in seniority and work together on behalf of the region. We look forward to working with our region’s leaders, both new and returning, in 2019. As we reflect on another great year, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that none of this would be possible if not for the steadfast support and active participation of our members. And so, I thank you all for your engagement in the Council, and look forward to another great year ahead. Best Regards, James T. Brett President & CEO 4 2018 ANNUAL REPORT CHAIRMAN’S LETTERCHAIRMAN’S John Hailer with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in Washington, DC. New England Council Members and Friends: One of my fellow longtime New England Council board members has often described the Council as an organization that plays three distinct roles in the region’s business community. And as I look back at 2018, I am proud that the Council excelled in all three categories over the course of the year. First and foremost, The New England Council is an advocate for the region’s businesses and institutions, as well as overall economic wellbeing. In 2018, the Council developed consensus-based positions and weighed in on some of the most important issues facing our economy, including regulatory reform, trade, data privacy, and retirement savings, just to name a few. Through letters, opinion pieces in regional publications, and meetings with federal policy makers, the Council ensured that the New England business community’s voice was heard in Washington. Of course, because the Council’s membership is so diverse, finding consensus can be a challenge. That’s where the Council’s second important role comes into play: an educator. Throughout 2018, the Council ensured that members had the most accurate and updated information on policy developments – both on Capitol Hill and in the Administration – and that businesses understood how legislative or regulatory changes would impact their ability to grow and thrive. From large policy forums, to small group meetings, to timely communications, the Council continues to be an incredible resource to businesses and organizations of all types and sizes who care about federal policy. And the third role the Council plays is the one that, in my opinion, makes the organization truly unique: a convener. The Council brings the region’s business community – across state lines and across many sectors of the economy – together around important issues and topics in a way that no other business association does. Whether it was hundreds of members coming together at the Annual Spring Event in Washington, DC, in May, or thousands gathering for the Annual Dinner in the fall, or smaller groups at various other meetings the Council convened throughout the year, the Council continued to play an important role in connecting members with each other as well as with policy makers in the region and in our nation’s capital in 2018. I continue to be very proud to serve as the Council’s Chairman, and look forward to working with fellow business leaders throughout the region in the year ahead. Sincerely, John Hailer Chairman President, 1251 Capital Group 2018 ANNUAL REPORT 5 ADVOCACY AND INITIATIVES ADVOCACY INTRODUCTION It was another busy and productive year in 2018 as The New England Council continued to serve as both an advocate and a resource for its members on federal policies aimed at promoting innovation and economic growth, fostering a positive business climate, and ensuring that our region has the talented workforce needed to compete in the 21st century global economy. While many important legislative initiatives fell victim to the intense partisanship that has plagued Washington in recent years, there was significant activity on several key issues, including the implementation of new tax reforms and the passage of key financial regulatory reforms, as well as significant developments in international trade policy. All the while, the Council worked to ensure that the Sen. Ed Markey (center) with Ayah Roda and Daniel Zotos of the New England business community’s priorities and Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts and New Hampshire Chapter. concerns were communicated to our region’s representatives on Capitol Hill and to leaders in various federal agencies, and that members had accurate and current information on policy developments and implications. In addition to various advocacy efforts, the Council also convened a wide array of informative meetings and events throughout the year, featuring members of Congress, other federal policy makers, and industry experts, to help Council members stay abreast of policy developments and to navigate the many challenging issues facing the business community. Sen. Maggie Hassan and Board Member Mark Reilly of Comcast. Board Member Kevin Rasch of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Rep. Jim McGovern. 6 2018 ANNUAL REPORT ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT AND INITIATIVES ADVOCACY Energy costs and access to energy resources are perennial challenges faced by New England businesses and residents alike. The New England Council’s membership includes a wide range of businesses and organizations in the energy and environment sector, including energy generators and distributors, developers of renewable and alternative energy sources, and energy and environmental technology firms, as well as commercial energy consumers large and small. The Council’s Energy & Environment Committee, chaired by Mark Kalpin of Holland & Knight, draws upon the experiences and knowledge of our members in developing consensus-based approaches that can help address New England’s energy challenges. In 2018, the Committee continued to focus on several issues of Attorney General Maura Healey and Dan Dolan of the New England importance to the region, and held a series of events Power Generators Association. and meetings featuring national leaders on energy and environmental issues. Regional Energy Forum On April 20, 2018, The New England Council presented its third Regional Energy Forum, hosted by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. The forum featured keynote remarks from Gordon van Welie, President and CEO of ISO-New England. Mr. van Welie discussed an ISO-New England report assessing the region’s fuel security, and outlined energy challenges facing the region.