Daniel O'Connell Bio

Dan O'Connell is the Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. He is an attorney and a former real estate developer with extensive management experience. He has worked in federal, quasi-public and private institutions in Boston and Washington, DC.

In December, 2005, Dan joined Meredith & Grew as an Executive Vice President, Partner and senior member of the firm‚ Development and Advisory Services Group.

From 1998 to 2005, as a Principal in the Development Services Group at Spaulding & Slye Colliers, Dan provided strategic counsel and execution capabilities to governmental, institutional and corporate clients. Dan was in charge of several large-scale permitting and development projects, including: Fan Pier, Boston, Massachusetts; North Point, Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, Massachusetts; and, the Puerto Rico Convention Center District Authority, San Juan Puerto Rico.

Dan also served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency (now MassDevelopment), the Massachusetts quasi-public development finance agency, and as the Director of Planning and Development for the Massachusetts Port Authority.

For eleven years, Dan was a lead real estate attorney with the Boston and Washington, DC law firm of Gadsby & Hannah, including serving as Managing Partner of the firm. Dan also was the first Chief of Staff for Congressman Edward J. Markey, D.‚ Mass.

Since 2003, Dan has been a guest speaker on ‚ The Permitting and Public Approval Process‚ at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for Real Estate Development.

Dan served in 2006 as a Commissioner of the Massachusetts Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Beaches.

Dan is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He is a member of the Massachusetts and District of Columbia Bars.

[Source: www.mass.gov]

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