BusinessWest & Healthcare News: Business & Health Talk Podcast · Audacy

Joe Bednar Talks with president and CEO of the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, Rick Sullivan

·23 min·1 clip

Holyoke is drawing a carbon-free concrete company and Clean Crop's biomanufacturing plans, both tied to UMass.

Joe Bednar opens the conversation by welcoming Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Western Mass Economic Development Council. Bednar begins with the organization’s role in the region and asks Sullivan to break down what the council actually does. From there, the discussion turns to the state of the western Massachusetts economy. Sullivan describes the region as having real opportunity, but also real pressure points. Manufacturing comes up early as one of those strengths. He makes the case that the region still makes things, even if that fact is easy to overlook. That manufacturing base includes smaller and mid-sized companies as well as precision manufacturing. Sullivan treats that sector as a vital and growing part of the local economy, not a nostalgic leftover. The conversation also comes back to workforce development. He links hiring and training needs to the bigger question of whether the region can support future growth. Energy costs are another recurring concern. Sullivan notes that businesses looking at western Massachusetts are paying close attention to the cost of doing business. The episode also touches on companies seeking a foothold in the United States. Sullivan describes recent interest from mostly European-based firms. He says these companies are looking at western Massachusetts in part because of federal policy and supply-chain requirements. The CHIPS Act comes up as one of the forces encouraging a U.S. presence. He explains that some firms need to be based in the United States to participate more fully in purchasing and contracts. That interest creates a fresh kind of onshoring opportunity for the region. Sullivan suggests that this could lead to growth in both traditional manufacturing and newer areas such as chips or quantum manufacturing. The conversation stays focused on practical business conditions rather than abstract theory. Bednar gives Sullivan room to explain the operational side of the story. The result is a regional update that moves from institutional mission to concrete economic pressures and future possibilities. The episode also closes with a note on Big Y’s leadership evolution and a broader read on what the business climate means for the region going forward.

As heard by us

A practical look at the regional economy, centered on manufacturing, workforce, energy costs, and the push for a U.S. foothold.

Rick Sullivan gives a grounded picture of the western Massachusetts economy, with attention to the Western Mass Economic Development Council and the pressures shaping growth.

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Why you'd press play

You want a plainspoken take on what is shaping western Massachusetts business growth.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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