by Emily Langner
Ed Palleschi
On season 2, episode 11 of the Build Better podcast, HP’s publisher, Anastasia Barnes, talked with Edward Palleschi, the undersecretary for the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. OCABR is dedicated to protecting and empowering consumers throughout the state with outreach, advocacy and education while ensuring a fair playing field for Massachusetts businesses.
Palleschi instituted OCABR’s Licensee Recognition Program, which aims to recognize businesses licensed or registered in Massachusetts that continue to reach high standards through their work and commitment to their consumers. Palleschi says companies have faced a variety of challenges over the last year and a half during the pandemic, and he wanted to “promote and highlight these businesses and some of the great things they are doing with their customers, consumers of the Commonwealth, and in their communities.”
He says, “When you have businesses that are out there working hard, doing the right thing, keeping up with their licensure, doing the right things by their customers, then everyone gets hit wit the pandemic like they did – that obviously really affected businesses. I just think that it’s important to help these businesses in any way possible, so the recognition program is just a great way to recognize and thank people for all those things.”
Interstate Electrical Services Corporation was one recent honoree of the program. Palleschi attended Interstate’s employee recognition event in September, where he presented the firm with a certificate of appreciation for the company’s contribution to the community. During his speech, he highlighted the longevity of service of Interstate employees, and explained the reason this new award was conceived by his office is to “recognize exemplary licensees who deliver quality and take pride in their work.”
Previous to his current position at OCABR, Palleschi spent four years as the deputy chief secretary of boards and commissions for Governor Baker. During that time, he helped the governor appoint more than 2000 individuals to over 700 boards and commissions. Fifty percent of the appointees were women, and 25% were from diverse backgrounds. He says the priority was to give new people the opportunity to serve, and adds that diversity “really makes for better discussion and better outcomes when you’re able to bring together different types of people, different types of ideas, and different types of perspectives.”
For those looking for ways to become more involved and make an impact, Palleschi recommends volunteering to serve on a board or commission. He says it’s important to have people contribute their time and passion to giving back to their profession, and believes taking the time to volunteer will have a positive impact on the individual, their company, and the industry as a whole.
Emily Langner is editor of High-Profile Monthly.
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