JAMES T. BRETT

James T. Brett, President and Chief Executive Officer of The New England Council, was appointed to those positions by the Council's board of directors in October 1996. 

The Council, a nationally respected and influential regional organization, was established in 1925.  It is an alliance of schools, hospitals, corporations, and other private organizations throughout New England, working together to promote economic growth and a high quality of life in the New England region.  It identifies and supports federal policies of importance to New England, and advocates for its membership regionally and nationally.

Under Mr. Brett’s leadership, the Council has recorded major policy successes.  For example:  The Council was a strong advocate in favor of legislation that increased 401(k) and IRA contribution limits and simplified complex pension plan regulations that made it difficult for small businesses to offer plans.  This legislation not only enabled workers throughout New England and the nation to take greater advantage of their savings in order to maintain their standard of living at retirement, but also buttressed a core sector of the region’s economy – the financial services industry.  Its efforts on Capitol Hill have also helped secure a five-year high level of federal research and development funding for New England institutions, with consistent increases in the health and science areas.  Research and development funding for the National Institutes of Health, for example, has doubled from 1998 levels to the end of 2003.  The Council also worked with the Administration and congressional leaders to ensure passage of terrorism insurance legislation before the close of the 107th Congress protecting the banking, real estate, transportation construction and energy industries from significant losses should a terrorism attack occur in the future.  The Council advocated for a national standard for consumer credit data sharing laws as well as sought strong federal protections against identity theft and increased consumer protection.  The landmark Medicare legislation passed at the end of 2003 included several provisions of particular importance to New England’s health care community that were the focus of the Council’s advocacy efforts.  During the closing days of the 109th Congress the Council worked with Congressional leaders to ensure the extension of R & D tax credit.
 
The Council’s membership and financial growth have been impressive under Mr. Brett’s leadership.  In the past four years, revenues have doubled and net assets have significantly exceeded historical levels.

Prior experience
Before joining the Council, Mr. Brett served for more than fifteen years as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.  He held a succession of important leadership positions, including the chairmanship of two of the most significant committees in the Massachusetts legislature, Banking and the Committee on Taxation.  In these positions, he brought together various constituencies to create economic opportunity for the Commonwealth's citizens and businesses.

While serving as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, for example, Mr. Brett co-authored legislation granting tax relief to the Commonwealth's mutual fund companies, in return for the creation of 11,000 new private-sector jobs in Massachusetts over a five-year period.  He also sponsored the "Single Sales Factor" legislation designed to help Massachusetts manufacturers remain competitive, and keep high-skilled and high-wage jobs in the state.

He previously served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Banks and Banking, the Joint Committee on Criminal Justice, the Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting, the Joint Committee on Counties, and the House Committee on Legislative Redistricting.

Professional and charitable affiliations
Mr. Brett is a member of the Board of Directors of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, serving as Vice Chair of the Development Committee, the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Marian Manor Nursing Home, Simon of Cyrene Society, The Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester, Project Bread and the Society of Saint James.  He serves on the Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the Robert F. Kennedy Action Corp., The New England Center For Children, The Irish Immigration Center, and the Board of Advocates of Bay Cove Human Services, Inc.  Mr. Brett is a trustee of Catholic Charities of Boston, Caritas Carney Hospital, and Franklin Pierce University.  He is an Honorary Board of Directors Member of Special Olympics Massachusetts, a member of the Campaign Advisory Council, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, National Advisory Board of the National Autism Center, College Ready New England (CRNE) Board of Advisors and Early Education for All (EEA) Campaign Advisory Committee.

Mr. Brett is a former Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Mental Retardation and a former member of The President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.  He is also a former trustee of the Shriver Center, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Sisters of Saint Joseph Aids Education Ministry, as well as former board member of the Notre Dame Education Center, Laboure Center Advisory Board and former Board of Advisors of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mr. Brett is a member of the Knights of Malta, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry. 

Mr. Brett is also a member of the Clover Club of Boston.

Awards and recognition
While a legislator, Mr. Brett was formally honored on several occasions by labor, human service, and law enforcement organizations for outstanding public service.  Many other groups honored him as "Legislator of the Year," and organizations such as, Friends of the John F. Kennedy Library, Central Remedial Clinic in Ireland, and the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers have publicly honored him for his service.

Mr. Brett has continued to be a tireless advocate for the physically and mentally challenged, and has been recognized for his humanitarian work by Action for
Boston Community Development (Lifetime Public Service Award) and Hospice of Boston (Humanitarian of the Year).  In 1996, Bay Cove Human Services of
Boston named a new community home for disabled adults "Brett House" in his honor.  Mr. Brett also received the Distinguished Leadership Award from Massachusetts Special Olympics in 2008.

Mr. Brett is a recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

Education
In addition to a Bachelor's degree from American University, Mr. Brett holds Master's degrees in Public Administration from both Suffolk University and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mr. Brett and his wife Patricia reside in Dorchester, Massachusetts.