John Regan Named President and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts

BOSTON — John Regan, a Boston native who has directed government-affairs advocacy at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) for the past 12 years, was selected as the next president and CEO of the commonwealth’s largest business association. Regan succeeds AIM President and CEO Richard Lord, who is retiring after two decades leading the organization. The appointment is effective May 20.

“The AIM board of directors conducted a comprehensive search to find just the right person to lead this dynamic organization into the future,” said Patricia Begrowicz, chair of the AIM CEO search committee and President of Onyx Specialty Papers in South Lee. “After engaging with an extraordinary and diverse group of more than 100 candidates and prospects, our committee recommended unanimously to the board that John Regan should be the next president of AIM.”

Regan, who joined the AIM Government Affairs department in 2000 and was appointed executive vice president in 2007, explained that “my goals are to ensure that AIM remains the preeminent voice for businesses on Beacon Hill, and to make Massachusetts an attractive state for employers of all kinds to succeed. I’m committed to ensuring that AIM represents, and advocates for, the full diversity of Massachusetts employers. I am deeply honored and grateful to the board of directors for their confidence in me and for all the time and effort they invested in this search process.” 

At AIM, Regan’s focus has been administrative and legislative advocacy, regulatory affairs, litigation, and ballot initiatives. He has negotiated favorable outcomes for employers on major issues such as healthcare reform, paid family and medical leave, use of non-compete agreements, pay equity, unemployment-insurance rate freezes, and the 2018 compromise that avoided costly and contentious ballot questions concerning the minimum wage, sales tax, and paid leave.

“John emerged as the clear top choice to build on Rick Lord’s long legacy of success advancing the interests of employers and fostering economic growth and opportunity in the Commonwealth,” said Dan Kenary, chair of the AIM board of directors and CEO and co-founder of Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company in Boston. “We’re excited to have John lead our organization.”

Regan has deep experience in both the private and public sectors. Prior to his tenure at AIM, he served as chief operations officer for MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, overseeing real-estate development and community-revitalization projects including the transformation of the former Fort Devens. Before MassDevelopment, he was executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, leading the commonwealth’s business-retention and recruitment efforts.

Regan, a graduate of Boston Latin School, earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Seminary College in Boston and a certificate in organizational management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.