More than 500 business leaders from throughout Massachusetts gathered last week at the 2026 AIM Annual Meeting to celebrate the business community’s contributions to economic prosperity for the people of the commonwealth.

AIM honored four organizations and individuals for distinction in making the Commonwealth an attractive place to live and work:

• The 2026 Vision Award went to energy company Avangrid for developing and delivering the diverse energy sources Massachusetts needs to sustain and promote economic growth.
• The 2026 Lewis Latimer Award was given to the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition for its work on behalf of immigrants, refugees and others who have arrived in the commonwealth seeking a better life.
• The 2026 Frances Perkins Award was awarded to Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones for her tireless efforts to support caregivers in the workplace.
• And the 2026 John Gould Education and Workforce Development Award went to Hillcrest Educational Centers of Pittsfield for providing educational services to students with complex psychiatric, behavioral and emotional issues.

“AIM is truly a community of employers, and we deeply appreciate the support of companies who share our belief in the power of business to create a more prosperous and thriving Massachusetts for all,” AIM President and CEO told the crowd.

“In today’s rapidly changing and often unpredictable economic landscape, no business is an island. Whether you’re running a startup, a family-owned store, or a large enterprise, the challenges we face—rising costs, changing regulations, market disruptions, and technological advancements—are often too big for any one company to tackle alone.

“AIM gives businesses a collective voice. We articulate your concerns to government, push for fair regulation, provide education and training, and create opportunities for collaboration.”

Lt. Kim Driscoll used her keynote remarks to make the case that continued collaboration between business, government, higher education, organized labor and other sectors is the formula Massachusetts will use to overcome economic headwinds. She stressed that the Healey-Driscoll Administration understands the concerns about the rising cost of living and doing business and has made affordability the center point of its policy initiatives.

Solving the affordability challenge is key, the Lieutenant Governor said, since cities, towns and regions cannot survive without vibrant businesses.

“Economic development is not some abstract policy. It’s deeply personal,” she told the audience.

Lt. Governor Driscoll said the Mass Leads economic-development law passed in 2024 makes investments in industries where Massachusetts can “lead globally for decades to come.”

In an afternoon fireside chat with AIM President and CEO Brooke Thomson, Brian McGrory, Editor of The Boston Globe, said the Globe and other successful newspapers strive to reflect the communities they serve.

A native of Roslindale who began working for the Globe at age 26, McGrory has served two stints as the newspaper’s editor, leaving for two years to chair the Journalism Department at Boston University. He acknowledged the sometimes-contradictory manifestations of covering a Massachusetts economy with unparalleled assets but also burdensome costs.

“We know we have the foundation to be the best economy in this country. On the other hand, we also have to pose legitimate questions about why it doesn’t feel like that right now,” McGrory said.

Much of the networking activity at the event took place at the AIM Business Connect Vendor Showcase, where scores of association members talked business with 18 companies owned by women, people of color, veterans and members of the LGBTQ community.

Participating companies ranged from a Hudson-based packaging distributor to a commercial printer to a recruiting firm that places high-end executive assistants to serve as strategic operational partners for founders and leadership teams. AIM Business Connect is an economic inclusion that matches businesses from under-represented communities with fellow association members looking to diversify their supply chains.