About the Foundation
Welcome to The Plymouth Foundation, a private non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life in our region through smart economic growth. We actively support government and private-sector initiatives to attract, retain, and strengthen employment opportunities and increase the community’s commercial and industrial tax base.
For most of Plymouth’s 400 years, the town has grown and thrived economically. The Foundation has its eyes set on the next 400. Working together with town management, municipal departments, and business advocacy groups, our collective charge is to expand Plymouth’s reputation. Plymouth is widely known as a great place to live and visit. We also want you to know it’s a smart place to build and grow a business.
Leading the Foundation is an experienced Executive Director and a committed board of directors. Each member brings distinctive know-how and abundant connections within Plymouth. Many are or have been business owners. They can help businesses wishing to relocate or expand in Plymouth as they navigate the necessary regulatory and permitting processes. We like to think of the Foundation as a one-stop resource for businesses of all sizes with a variety of needs.
We view business opportunities through a lens of compatibility. We evaluate whether the opportunity is in sync with Plymouth’s goal of balancing residential and commercial development while preserving open spaces. We take an analytical approach to land use strategies and workforce development. We commission market trend studies that open our eyes to future and emerging technology opportunities. For all these reasons and more, we encourage you to consider Plymouth.
Stephen T. Cole, Executive Director
Stephen Cole has experienced, firsthand, what it takes to nurture economic development and catalyze economic growth. In Springfield, he worked alongside fiscal and economic development authorities to restore fiscal stability. In Hartford, he managed the Obama Administration’s Strong Cities, Strong Communities program, a $1 million competition to nurture entrepreneurial activity. He is data driven. He has commissioned a study with the UMASS Donahue Institute that will position Plymouth for the future with industries like AI, quantum computing research and development, and grid-scale energy storage as well as Marine Tech and Trade. Because of Plymouth’s location, it has a highly skilled and educated workforce, and the attraction of a highly desirable lifestyle, The Plymouth Foundation is helping to attract these industries in greater Plymouth.
Board of Directors
The Plymouth Foundation’s 13 Board members each bring distinctive expertise to the Foundation’s work. The Board concentrates on traditional economic strategies such as land use, workforce development, and small business development. In addition, the board works to foster meaningful relationships with the region’s entrepreneurs and innovators. The board plays an integral role in the welcome and nurture of new and prospective businesses to Plymouth. Board members recognize Greater Plymouth’s unique assets which put the region in a position of strength. They are also committed to advancing the global tourism opportunities afforded by Plymouth’s 400-year history and the numerous businesses that enhance the visitor experience.
Foundation President. Owner, Shiretown Glass & Home Center
William Hallisey
Foundation Vice President, Owner, Woods Seafood
Jay Kimball
Foundation Assistant Treasurer. Operations Manager, Triple M
Kevin O’Reilly
Town of Plymouth, Town Manager
Derek Brindisi
Town of Plymouth, Director of Planning & community Development
Lee Hartmann
Town of Plymouth, Chairman of the Selectboard
Dick Quintal
Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director
Amy Naples
President of Massasoit Community College (ret.)
Charles Wall
State Representative, Plymouth 1st District
Matt Muratore
Banking and Finance (ret.)
Jack Meehl
Principal Lecturer at Northeastern University. Owner, Shea Vance, LLC.
Dee Spencer
President, MEGRYCO, Inc.
Rick Vayo
Board Members Emeritus
Foundation Clerk. Banking and Finance (ret.)
Ed Santos
Regional Partners
The Community
Plymouth, Massachusetts is a town of 60,000 residents, with a town manager and town meeting form of government. This growing community is known for its unparalleled natural beauty, vast coastline, and abundant open spaces. Lesser known, its cost of living is significantly less than other New England towns. Its location—with proximity to Boston, Quincy, Fall River, New Bedford, and Providence—is a major attractor to many growth industries. Plymouth’s zoning and permitting process is modernized and ready to accommodate new types of investment. The community, being home to the now-decommissioned Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, has a significant core of scientists, engineers, and power operators in its midst. As a post-nuclear city, Plymouth will be uniquely positioned to pivot to digital and quantum economies with the necessary land-use, permitting policies and incentives in place.