MassDevelopment board of directors names Liss as president and CEO

Boston, MA The MassDevelopment board of directors voted to approve Lauren Liss for the position of president and CEO.                             

“Our administration is committed to promoting economic development, job growth, and housing production throughout the Commonwealth, and looks forward to working with Lauren Liss in her new role at MassDevelopment to advance those goals,” said governor Charlie Baker.

As MassDEP commissioner beginning in 1999, Liss oversaw the development, implementation, and enforcement of air, water, waste, and site cleanup policy for the Commonwealth. At DEP, she managed a $110 million annual budget and a staff of 1,100. Prior to MassDEP, Liss had worked for the Commonwealth at the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction from 1997 to 1999. Most recently, at Rubin and Rudman, which she joined as a partner in 2003, Liss represented clients including large public corporations, higher-education institutions, and developers. Her areas of expertise include land use, transportation, and administrative law. 

“Lauren’s background in both the private and public sectors make her well-suited to lead MassDevelopment,” said EOHED secretary and MassDev. board chair Jay Ash. 

“Her management and policy expertise will help her oversee MassDevelopment in its efforts to grow the Commonwealth’s economy. I look forward to working with her.”

Liss, a Gloucester resident, will begin work at MassDevelopment September 5.

“Thanks to Governor Baker, Lt. Governor Polito, Secretary Ash, and the MassDevelopment Board of Directors for their support,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO-designee Lauren Liss. “I welcome the new challenges that this exciting position will entail, and look forward to working with our partners in state government and in industry to make Massachusetts an even better place in which to do business.”

MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2016, MassDevelopment financed or managed 352 projects generating investment of more than $4 billion in the economy. These projects are projected to create about 8,200 jobs and build or rehabilitate about 4,200 residential units.