by John Osborn ·
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
For the second time in five months, MassDevelopment has a new interim president and CEO.
Effective Friday, Sept. 27, Dan O’Connell has resigned the position and will be replaced by Marcos Marrero, according to the state Executive Office of Economic Development.
MassDevelopment is the quasi-state finance agency responsible for economic development of the 4,400-acre former Army base and provision of municipal services to Devens businesses and residents. Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao chairs the organization’s nine-member board of directors.
In a statement to the Press, an EOED spokesperson wrote: “The Healey-Driscoll administration is grateful to Dan O’Connell for stepping in at MassDevelopment on an interim basis and for all of his work on behalf of the agency and the state. MassDevelopment remains an important driver of economic development across Massachusetts, and we thank Marcos Marrero for standing in at the agency while we continue the search for a permanent president and CEO.”
Marrero is the agency’s deputy director who oversees MassDevelopment’s community development division. Before joining MassDevelopment three years ago, Marrero served Holyoke as director of planning and economic development.
O’Connell was named acting MassDevelopment president and CEO following the resignation of Dan Rivera in April. He was a member of the MassDevelopment board of directors and had served as secretary of economic development in the administration of Deval Patrick.
O’Connell attended last month’s meeting of the Devens Committee, where he introduced himself and responded to questions about housing at Devens and MassDevelopment’s future involvement. “My best days of the job are at Devens,” he told the dozen attendees. “It’s a beautiful place. It’s come a long way. … It’s amazing to see how much has happened here, the residential districts, the incredible job creation. We should all be proud, especially you who are residents here at Devens.”
Meanwhile the search for a permanent CEO continues. Last month O’Connell told the Devens Committee some very strong candidates had applied for the position. He said at the time he expected an appointment to be made by the governor “within the next two months.”