Friday, September 14, 2007

Permitting head to lead biz development in Bay State

By Catherine Williams

Mass High Tech has learned that Massachusetts officials are poised to name state-permitting czar Gregory Bialecki as the state's new undersecretary of business development, replacing Robert Coughlin.

Bialecki would replace Coughlin, who left the post last month to take over as president of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. State officials today confirmed that Bialecki's appointment is undergoing final contract negotiations.

Coughlin, meanwhile, is facing a review by state ethics officials, who have launched an investigation into Coughlin's final weeks as undersecretary. Specifically, state officials say they are looking into the timing and manner of Coughlin's acceptance of the biotech council position.

The concern, say state officials, is whether Coughlin disclosed his meetings with council officials quickly enough before recusing himself from his work in crafting the state's $1 billion life sciences initiative.

Coughlin's troubles have added to the council's recent woes. Coughlin was named to replace former council president Thomas Finneran, who resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to obstruction-of-justice charges in January.

Coughlin's case is scheduled for review by the state's Ethics Commission later this year.

Bialecki has served since January 2007 as assistant secretary and general counsel of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, where he has worked as the state's permitting ombudsman.

Bialecki's primary responsibility was to find ways to speed up the permitting process for businesses, cities and towns trying to win approvals for real estate development projects across the Bay State.

Prior to taking up a state post, Bialecki served as real estate development and environmental lawyer at DLA Piper Rudnick. Bialecki also worked at the law firm Hill & Barlow, which closed its doors in 2003.

Bialecki earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School.