MetroWest495 Biz

16 MetroWest495 Biz | May 2015 10 TO WATCH T hough new to her role as chief of staff at Commonwealth Medicine, Kimberly Haddad is no stranger to the world of public health policy. Having worked as health care policy director with the state's Executive Office for Administration and Finance and as health policy advi- sor to state Senator Richard T. Moore during the drafting of the 2012 health care cost containment law, Haddad — an attorney with a master's degree in public health — brings perspective to UMass Medical School's health care consulting division that serves government agencies, nonprofits and managed care organizations. Haddad, who is originally from Worcester and joined Shrewsbury-based Commonwealth Care in February, became aquainted with the organizations through professional interactions over the years. "I liked that role (of chief of staff) specifically, because it's such a high vantage point," she said. "It's an entrepreneurial environment with a (complex) mission." In terms of other work she's done in development and cost containment and her work at Com - monwealth Medicine, Haddad says there are enough similarities but enough differences, as well. "It's kind of parallel," she said, "but there's a lot of challenge for me here." The challenge includes not only working with public and private agencies across the state — as well as in 20 other states and internationally — offering consultations, improving care, controlling costs and maximiz - ing revenue, but also moving the division itself forward. Haddad's learning curve comes as Commonwealth Medicine looks to ramp up data ana- lytic capacity to help its agencies provide evidence-based solutions, especially as they relate to elders. "We're trying to improve patient care, but there aren't a lot of data analytics to ensure services are effective and cost-effective," Haddad said. Enter the HCBS Policy Lab, which has been years in the making under the state Office of Elder Affairs, to offer more in-depth analysis for the expected demand of a burgeoning elderly population with tools such as advanced software. Settling into a workplace such at Commonwealth Medicine is a bit more involved than most, Haddad said. "What makes us so complex is that we have our hands in so many parts of the (sector)," including health and human services, she said, starting programs, providing research support, helping with business models, mentoring, improving star ratings and enhancing relationships with other research institutions, among other ef - forts. But Haddad, who earned law and public health degrees at Northeastern Univer- sity and Tufts University School of Medicine, says she is up for the challenge and putting her skills where they can benefit the most. n KIMBERLY HADDAD Chief of staff, Commonwealth Medicine I f one were to list the economic development factors working in Framingham's favor today, Town Manager Robert Halpin would certainly make the cut. Halpin has aggressively worked to give the town a business makeover since he was hired in 2012, to the delight of local elected officials. In September, the Board of Selectmen voted to extend his contract through June 2018. With Framingham's rich diversity and proximity to Boston and Worcester, Halpin said the town manager job was instantly appealing. But coming into the role, he was aware of Framingham's disadvantages as well. He said businesses viewed the town as a difficult place to permit projects, such as expansions, and the relationship between the business community and Town Hall needed work. So Halpin set out to change that. "I think the paramount thing is just the importance of time. The old saying is, time is money," said Halpin, who has served in municipal management roles since he graduated from college in the late 1970s. Halpin holds an under- graduate degree in community planning and management from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, and a master's degree in public administration from Suffolk University. Prior to coming to Framingham, he was town manager in North Andover. To remake Framingham's image, Halpin worked with other town officials to identify several prior- ity development sites under the state's Chapter 43D law, which allows for expedited permitting of business construction projects. Within those sites, adopted by the Planning Board, the town ensures that all permitting will be complete within 180 days. Since then, the town has been able to deliver — in some cases, ahead of schedule. The bench- mark projects, according to Halpin, were TJX Cos.' expansion of its headquarters at Speen Street and Cochituate Road, which was permitted in under 50 days, and a retrofitting at 15 Pleasant St. Connector, known as the "upside down building," which took less than 60. And in January, HeartWare, a Framingham-based medical device firm, expanded its offices on Old Connecticut Path after the company had initially looked at space in other towns because, according to Halpin, their broker believed Framingham couldn't permit the project fast enough to fit HeartWare's needs. "We went from being written off in October or November to delivering the goods in Janu- ary," Halpin said. Now, attention has turned to downtown. Halpin said he's worked with stakeholders, in- cluding developers and small-business owners, on plans to rezone the area in a way that will encourage foot traffic. Historically, town officials have viewed the area "through the lens of a low-density residential suburb," Halpin said. But today, a higher-density lens is required, he said. The zoning change will require voter approval in the fall. "You can be a low-density residential suburb and you can have an exciting downtown and if we're all successful , we can have the best of both worlds," Halpin said. n ROBERT HALPIN Framingham town manager

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