Congratulations John and Brooke

As December turns to January and John R. Regan concludes his 23 years at Associated Industries of Massachusetts and Brooke M. Thomson continues her leadership now as the first female CEO of AIM, I wanted to share some observations in leadership.?

Both are incredibly special people.?I have had the fortune and blessing to work for and with both.?They are leaders because they are wicked good at what they do, care about people, and help to build up others around them.?John and Brooke - I am most happy for you both, rooting and supporting you both!

Brooke - You have been and will continue to be an amazing leader as President and CEO. Your presence, thoughtfulness coupled with your get it done and can do focus makes you stand out. You are on the first leaders that people think of when they need to solve a complex problem and talk through an issue or two. #YouRock

John - I was fortunate to work for you for 13 years and wanted to share some key memories that stick out for me now because of the impact then and now. In honor of your retirement from AIM, here are a few specific memories that made a big impact on me then and continue with me. #ThankYou

I met John as a result of networking with Brian Gilmore from AIM at an event hosted by Raytheon as a Congressional staffer and eventually interviewed for an opening he had on his Government Affairs team.

1.??????Family:??You always kept family first and still do.?It was most impressive and great to see the AIM team surprise you at your farewell party with keynote speakers – your kids.?Could not have had a better way to honor you.?When I first started at AIM, I was starting my family, and it was important then (and I realize now too) how great of a role model this was.

2.??????Interviews:?Have you ever thought of where the chairs are when you interview someone??When I interviewed with John for the first time, my chair was not in front of the desk or separated by the desk, but it was to the side of his desk.?It was John’s way of connecting and not creating barriers and developing respect.?Plus, it may have been an influence from your Seminary days.

3.??????Testimony: If you had the chance to see John testify at the State House it was worth the price of admission.?You approached it with confidence, humility, and great sense of honor to what the State House was about.?You showed up prepared, used Latin at time, and I know that you improved my vocabulary.

4.??????Leadership: You showed up, got things done with the team, provided guidance about active issues, and were constantly looking ahead for what was coming.?Your sailing metaphors were often quite appropriate.

5.??????Growth: You were humble, you had high expectations and you weren’t afraid to try something new. You are an incredibly smart person and someone that could also be so very open and intentional about bringing other perspectives around you.

6.??????Fun: You prioritized connectedness and often used laughter as a way to do that.?You made it fun and often while working on some of the most challenging of tasks.

7.??????Three-Way-Chess:?You provided a masterclass on doing it right – the people, the policy, and the politics.?You prioritized people, and when someone was in front of you, they had your attention.

There are more examples and I know others have great memories like these.

John – Thank you for your time, your mentorship and friendship.?Congratulations and most importantly, I’m most happy for you and the memories you’ll continue to have with your amazing family.

Peace - Brad