MassDevelopment CEO Dan Rivera resigned abruptly last Friday, April 26, leaving the quasi-state agency that directs commercial and residential development at Devens without a permanent leader.
Rivera, a former mayor of Lawrence, was in his second year of a three-year contract with the agency. The contract had been renewed by a unanimous vote of the MassDevelopment Board of Directors in December 2022, just weeks before the administration of Gov. Maura Healey took office. It was set to expire in June 2025.
In a statement provided the Press by a spokesperson at the state’s Executive Office of Economic Development, Rivera said he had tendered his resignation “in consultation and coordination with Secretary Yvonne Hao,” head of the state’s Office of Economic Development who is also chair of MassDevelopment’s board of directors.“I am excited to pursue some personal opportunities that will allow me to continue to work in the development and transformation of cities and towns across the state,” Rivera’s statement read.
Rivera’s resignation was effective immediately, a spokesperson for the Office of Economic Development, told the Press Friday.
Dan O’Connell, a member of the MassDevelopment board, has been appointed interim CEO until a replacement can be found. O’Connell served as secretary of housing and economic development under Gov. Deval Patrick. “During Dan O’Connell’s tenure as interim CEO, the MassDevelopment board will conduct a thorough search to find the new leader for the agency,” the spokesperson said.
The Press has asked whether additional staff changes are in the works, but as of Tuesday afternoon had not received a reply. Interim Executive Vice President for Devens Meg Delorier was present at a meeting of residents on Saturday to represent MassDevelopment.
In a statement released Friday, Secretary Hao wrote: “EOED [Executive Office of Economic Development] and the Administration want to thank Dan Rivera for his tenure and dedication to MassDevelopment over the last three years. Under Dan’s leadership, the agency has funded key housing deals, created economic development opportunities in Gateway Cities, and promoted commercial development across the state. We wish him well on his next endeavor.”
This is a developing story. Watch for updates in the May 3 issue of the Harvard Press.
