Over 75 members and guests, including several of Cape Ann’s elected officials, attended the Chamber’s annual economic forecast breakfast on Friday, February 10, at The Elks at Bass Rocks. Attendees heard Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki’s presentation on the topic of ‘Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Job Creation in Massachusetts’. Secretary Bialecki addressed five key focus areas in his talk:

1. Better integrate education and workforce training programs

2. Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship

3. Support regional job growth and economic development with strategic infrastructure investment

4. Ease the regulatory burdens on businesses, and improve the effectiveness and delivery of the state’s business support services

5. Address cost competitiveness issues, including health care, energy, and housing costs.

Among those in attendance were a group of six business and marketing students from Gloucester High School. Secretary Bialecki encouraged Chamber members and business owners to work collaboratively with area high schools and community colleges to help ensure that their programs are well aligned with and responsive to employer needs

Chamber President Mark Grenier of BankGloucester served as master of ceremonies. Secretary Bialecki was introduced by Edward Moscovitch, President of Cape Ann Economics.