Healey to spotlight Massachusetts business expansions and job gains at Greater Boston Chamber address Wednesday

Healey scheduled to address business community at Seaport forum

Gov. Maura Healey is set to deliver an annual address to the Greater Boston business community on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Forum at the Westin Boston Seaport. The program includes a keynote and a moderated question-and-answer session with Chamber President and CEO James E. Rooney.

Administration plans to emphasize expansion announcements and investment-driven hiring

The governor’s office has framed the speech around a cluster of corporate expansions and new investments described as bringing thousands of jobs to Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on innovation-heavy sectors that have anchored the state’s economy for decades, including life sciences, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. The event comes as state leaders seek to underscore competitiveness efforts amid persistent concerns from employers about costs, permitting timelines, and workforce availability.

Recent publicly announced projects include a $250 million expansion of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals’ manufacturing facility in Norton. The company has described the project as a capacity expansion tied to its global RNA interference therapeutics manufacturing operations. In Greater Boston, TransMedics Group has announced plans to relocate its global headquarters and establish a combined research, development and manufacturing hub in Somerville’s Assembly Innovation Park through a nearly 500,000-square-foot lease, a move local officials have characterized as bringing hundreds of jobs with a mix of skill levels.

Economic policy backdrop: targeted growth strategy and workforce constraints

Healey’s address is also expected to intersect with the administration’s broader economic development agenda. The Mass Leads Act—an economic development law signed in 2024—directed close to $4 billion toward initiatives focused on emerging industries such as climatetech, life sciences and applied AI, alongside workforce and innovation-oriented programs. Separately, the administration has launched business-facing tools intended to simplify access to state resources and incentives for companies that are starting, relocating or expanding.

At the same time, Massachusetts enters 2026 facing a mixed set of labor-market signals. Recent analyses from regional economic researchers have pointed to periods of slower employment growth in Massachusetts compared with national trends, even as the state continues to attract high-value projects in sectors tied to research and development.

What to watch in the chamber speech

• Whether the administration provides job estimates and timelines for the highlighted expansion projects, including construction and operational ramp-up schedules.
• How the governor characterizes the state’s competitive position relative to lower-cost regions, especially for manufacturing and scaling operations.
• Any additional policy detail on housing, transportation and workforce development—areas frequently cited by employers as limiting factors for growth.

The Government Affairs Forum is positioned by organizers as a platform for business leaders to hear directly from policymakers and engage on legislative priorities and regional economic development.

Healey’s appearance is expected to draw a cross-section of executives, small business owners and civic leaders, as the chamber begins its first Government Affairs Forum of the year with a focus on job creation, investment and the state’s near-term growth strategy.