Gregory Buscone, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Banking Officer of Eastern Bank, has been elected Chair of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Board of Directors.

Members of the statewide business association elected Buscone during a meeting on May 3. He succeeds Patricia Begrowicz, President of Onyx Specialty Papers in South Lee, who led the board for two years.

Buscone will serve with a leadership group that includes Vice Chair Tricia Canavan, CEO of The Tech Foundry in Springfield; Treasurer Marie Johnson, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer at Ken’s Foods in Marlboro; and Clerk Marianne Lancaster, Owner and CEO of Lancaster Packaging in Hudson.

Brooke Thomson, President and Chief Executive of AIM, which represents the interests of 3,400 companies throughout Massachusetts, will continue to work closely with this leadership group.

“I am honored to be elected board chair of this vibrant organization that represents employers from every corner of the Commonwealth and every segment of the Massachusetts economy,” Buscone said.

“I Iook forward to working with the board of directors, President and CEO Brooke Thomson, and the AIM staff to continue our work to strengthen the Commonwealth’s economic climate, be a thought partner and go-to resource for our local employers, and ensure Massachusetts remains a great place to live and work for everyone.”

Buscone has served in multiple roles with AIM, including Vice Chair of the Board, Treasurer, Chair of the Investment Committee, and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

“Greg Buscone has played a significant role in guiding AIM’s mission to expand economic opportunity to residents, workers and businesses here in Massachusetts. We’re delighted that he will help to write the next chapter in the history of this 109-year-old organization,” Thomson said.

Buscone is a 35-year corporate banking leader who at Eastern Bank oversees a $10 billion commercial portfolio that included commercial and industrial lending, commercial real estate, and community development/not-for-profit lending. He is an expert in financing strategies for corporate growth and succession planning for family-owned companies, with sector experience serving the needs of manufacturers, wholesalers and security alarm companies.

Prior to joining Eastern, Buscone spent 17 years at Citizens Bank, serving as a Senior Vice President and Market Manager for Massachusetts Middle Market and Specialized Lending. He began his commercial banking career in 1986 at Shawmut Bank, which later became Fleet Bank.

Eastern Bank has approximately $21 billion in total assets and more than 115 locations serving communities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

In addition to his service with AIM, Buscone sits on the boards of Bay Cove Human Services, MassEcon and BDC New England.

About AIM

AIM is the statewide business association in Massachusetts. The association collaborates with its 3,400 members on public-policy issues that matter to their businesses so that these companies can provide economic opportunity across the commonwealth. AIM also empowers businesses with the information and tools to successfully navigate a fast-paced business world.