Governor-elect Charlie Baker announced Ron Walker will serve as Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. Walker founded Next Street, focused on growing small businesses, advising entrepreneurs to spur economic development and growth in urban areas.
“Ron’s experience will serve him well as he takes on the job of connecting our administration’s job training and workforce development services with employers ensuring they expand and grow here,” Baker said. “I look forward to Ron bringing the new, innovative approach he took in his role at Next Street to this important post and I am thrilled to have him on board.”
“I am honored to join Governor-elect Baker and Lieutenant Governor-elect Polito’s bipartisan administration and humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of Massachusetts,” Walker said. “I share the Governor-elect’s emphasis on connecting education to work, his commitment to workforce development, and look forward to helping carry out his mission to make Massachusetts a great place to live and work in every region of the commonwealth.”
Walker is managing partner and president of Next Street, the merchant bank he founded to transform the way finance and business advisory services are provided to small businesses and entrepreneurs operating in major cities across the U.S.
Prior to joining Next Street, Ron served as executive vice president and regional executive of Retail Banking for Sovereign Bank and oversaw the bank’s 38 Business Banking Centers and 200 employees. Prior to joining Sovereign, Ron held several senior executive roles in retail, commercial banking, including roles with Fleet Financial Group, Bank of New England, the Xerox Corporation and IBM Mr. Walker is chair of the board of THE BASE and serves as an overseer for the Boston YMCA.
He recently received the 2013 Boston Business Journal “CEO of the Year Social Leadership Award” and the 2013 Harry Dowd Community Service Award from Central Boston Elder Services. In 2012, he received the prestigious Heroes in Health Care Award from the Visiting Nurses Association of Boston. Ron also received the under 40 Leadership Award from the Boston Chamber of Commerce.
