Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts explained

Post:	Massachusetts Secretary
Body:	Administration and Finance
Incumbent:	Matthew Gorzkowicz
Incumbentsince:	January 5, 2023
Department:	Executive Office of Administration and Finance
Style:	Mr. Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Reports To:	Governor of Massachusetts
Appointer:	Governor of Massachusetts
Termlength:	No fixed term

The Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts is the head of the Executive Office of Administration and Finance, and serves as an advisor to the Governor of Massachusetts. Its current Secretary is Matthew Gorzkowicz, who has been serving since January 5, 2023.^[1]

History

In 1922, the Massachusetts General Court passed legislation creating the department of administration and finance. The department replaced the office of supervisor of administration and assumed many of the duties of the superintendent of buildings, Secretary of the Commonwealth, state treasurer, and state auditor.^[2] On December 13, 1922, Governor Channing H. Cox nominated four men to the newly created commission of administration and finance. They were:^[3]

• Homer Loring, chairman and budget commissioner
• Thomas W. White, commissioner of personnel and standardization
• James C. McCormick, controller
• Robert L. Whipple, purchasing agent

In 1928, due to the commission's increased workload, Governor Alvan T. Fuller chose to separate the positions of chairman and budget commissioner.^[4]

The department was reorganized in 1948 and the four-person commission was replaced by a single commissioner. Thomas H. Buckley, the final chairman of the commission, was the state's first commissioner of administration and finance.^[5]

In 1969, the state legislature passed a bill introduced by Governor John A. Volpe and backed by his successor, Francis Sargent, that reorganized the state government under a cabinet-style system. The bill, which went into effect in 1971, reorganized the state government into 10 executive offices led by secretaries who served at the pleasure of the governor.^[6] The Executive Office of Administration and Finance combined the existing administration and finance operation with the department of corporations and taxation. It was described by David Nyhan as "the most powerful of the cabinet appointments" due to its "powerful budgetary control over other secretariats".^[7] Sargent appointed sitting commissioner of administration and finance Charles E. Shepard to be the first Secretary of Administration and Finance.^[8]

Duties

The secretary is in charge of formulating the governor’s budget plan, providing guidance on the economy, and implementing the state government’s revenue and budgets. The secretary also manages numerous state administrative agencies.^{[9] [10]}

Managing agencies

• Department of Revenue^[11]
• Human Resources Division^[12]
• Group Insurance Commission^[13]
• Operational Services Division^[14]
• Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance^[15]
• Civil Service Commission^[16]
• Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission^[17]
• Teacher's Retirement Board ^[18]
• Health Policy Commission^[19]
• Developmental Disabilities Council^[20]
• Division of Capital Asset Management

Leadership

Members of the Commission of Administration and Finance

Chairman

• Homer Loring (1922–1924)^[21]
• Thomas W. White (1924–1925)^[22]
• Charles P. Howard (1925–1937)^[23]
• Patrick J. Moynihan (1937–1941)^[24]
• Angier Goodwin (1941–1942)^[25]
• Paul W. Foster (1942–1945)^[26]
• Thomas H. Buckley (1945–1948)^[27]

Budget commissioner

• Homer Loring (1922–1924)
• Thomas W. White (1924–1925)
• Charles P. Howard (1925–1928)^[28]
• Carl A. Raymond (1928–1940)
• Charles W. Greenough (1940–1947)^[29]
• William H. Bixby (1947–1948)

Controller

• James C. McCormick (1922–1928)
• Walter S. Morgan (1928–1932)
• George E. Murphy (1932–1940)^[30]
• Walter S. Morgan (1940–1945)^[31]
• Francis X. Lang (1945–1948)^[32]

Commissioner of Personnel and standardization

• Thomas W. White (1922–1924)
• Frank H. Putnam (1924–1934)^[33]
• William H. Doyle (1934–1945)^{[34] [35]}

Purchasing agent

• Robert L. Whipple (1922–1925)
• George J. Cronin (1925–1948)^[36]

Commissioner of Administration and Finance

Secretary	Term	Governor
Thomas H. Buckley	1948–1953	Robert F. Bradford Paul A. Dever
Carl A. Sheridan	1953^[37] –1956^[38]	Christian Herter
Francis X. Lang	1957^[39] –1958^[40]	Foster Furcolo
Charles F. Mahoney	1958–1960
Charles Gibbons	1961^[41] –1963	John A. Volpe
William Waldron	1963^[42] –1965	Endicott Peabody
John J. McCarthy	1965^[43] –1967^[44]	John A. Volpe
Anthony P. DeFalco	1967–1969
Donald Dwight	1969^[45] –1970	Francis Sargent
Charles E. Shepard	1970–1971

Secretaries of Administration and Finance

Picture	Secretary	Term	Governor
	Charles E. Shepard	June 22, 1971–September 27, 1971^[46]
	Robert Yasi	September 27, 1971–November 14, 1972
	William I. Cowin	November 14, 1972^[47] –May 9, 1974
	David M. Marchand	May 9, 1974^[48] –January 2, 1975
	John R. Buckley	January 2, 1975–January 4, 1979	Michael Dukakis
	Edward Hanley	January 4, 1979–January 27, 1982	Edward J. King
	David M. Bartley	January 27, 1982^[49] –January 6, 1983
	Frank T. Keefe	January 6, 1983–December 30, 1988^[50]	Michael Dukakis
	L. Edward Lashman	December 30, 1988–January 3, 1991
	Peter Nessen	January 3, 1991–March 1, 1993	Bill Weld
	Mark E. Robinson	March 1, 1993–November 1994
	Charlie Baker	November 1994–September 1, 1998	Bill Weld Paul Cellucci
	Frederick Laskey	September 1, 1998^[51] –March 1, 1999	Paul Cellucci
	Andrew Natsios	March 1, 1999^[52] –April 2000
	Stephen P. Crosby	May 2000–January 2002	Paul Cellucci Jane Swift
	Kevin J. Sullivan	February 2002–January 2, 2003	Jane Swift
	Eric Kriss	January 2, 2003–September 30, 2005^[53]	Mitt Romney
	Thomas Trimarco	October 1, 2005–January 4, 2007
	Leslie Kirwan	January 4, 2007–October 12, 2009^[54]	Deval Patrick
	Jay Gonzalez	October 12, 2009–January 7, 2013
	Glen Shor	January 7, 2013^[55] –January 8, 2015
	Kristen Lepore	January 8, 2015–July 19, 2017	Charlie Baker
	Michael J. Heffernan	July 19, 2017–January 5, 2023
	Matthew Gorzkowicz	January 5, 2023–present	Maura Healey

Notes and References

1. News: Kashinsky . Lisa . Healey's first big hires . 24 March 2023 . Politico . December 13, 2022.
2. News: Approves Bill for New Department . The Boston Globe . June 3, 1922.
3. News: Commission on Budget Named . The Boston Globe . December 14, 1922.
4. News: Gow Still a Candidate for Postmaster Here . The Boston Globe . December 20, 1928.
5. News: Owens . Cornelius . T. H. Buckley to Head New State Financial Agency . The Boston Globe . May 12, 1948.
6. News: Nyhan . David . Sargent signs reorganization plan into law . The Boston Globe . June 17, 1971.
7. News: Nyhan . David . Sargent Has 10 State Cabinet Posts to Fill . The Boston Globe . November 5, 1970.
8. News: Sargent names Shepard finance chief . The Boston Globe . June 23, 1971.
9. Web site: Michael J. Heffernan, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
10. Web site: Overview of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
11. Web site: Massachusetts Department of Revenue | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
12. Web site: Human Resources | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
13. Web site: Group Insurance Commission | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
14. Web site: Operational Services Division | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
15. Web site: Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
16. Web site: Civil Service Commission | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
17. Web site: Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
18. Web site: Mass Teachers Retirement Board | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
19. Web site: Massachusetts Health Policy Commission | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
20. Web site: Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council | Mass.gov. www.mass.gov.
21. News: Loring to Leave State Board. The Boston Daily Globe. September 17, 1924.
22. News: White Succeeds Homer Loring . The Boston Globe . September 24, 1924.
23. News: "No" Man Under Five Governors . The Boston Globe . December 27, 1937.
24. News: Harris . Henry . New Watchdog of State Treasury Made Pol Support Mother-in-Law . The Boston Globe . December 19, 1937.
25. News: Goodwin Quits Legislature for State Post . The Boston Globe . December 30, 1941.
26. News: Beacon Hill Notes . The Boston Globe . May 22, 1942.
27. News: Buckley and Tompkins Are Confirmed by Executive Council . The Boston Globe . August 9, 1945.
28. News: Gow Still a Candidate for Postmaster Here . The Boston Globe . December 20, 1928.
29. News: Ex-Officer in Italian Navy Affirms Loyalty to U. S. as State Appointee . The Boston Globe . June 13, 1940.
30. News: Murphy Takes Office as State Controller . The Boston Globe . December 23, 1932.
31. News: Morgan Named State Controller by Saltonstall . The Boston Globe . December 19, 1940.
32. News: Ainley . Leslie . Luncheon Tuesday Seen Prelude to Tax "Show-Down" . The Boston Globe . March 11, 1945.
33. News: F. H. Putnam Dies From Auto Injuries . The Boston Globe . May 2, 1934.
34. News: Says Harlow, Doyle Slated for Jobs . The Boston Globe . July 31, 1934.
35. News: William H. Doyle: 'King-Maker' of Legion, Former State Commander . The Boston Globe . December 3, 1947.
36. News: Council Approves Appointee Cronin . The Boston Globe . November 19, 1925.
37. News: Herter Picks Sheridan for Finance Post . The Boston Globe . January 7, 1953.
38. News: Carle (sic) A. Sheridan Selected by Herter To Replace Volpe . The Boston Globe . October 12, 1956.
39. News: Bartlett . K. S. . New State Finance Chief a Stubborn Guy With Independent Ideas . The Boston Globe . December 9, 1956.
40. News: Lewis . William . Artesani Named Judge; Lang Will Head DPU . The Boston Globe . August 15, 1958.
41. News: Lewis . William . Gibbons to Get $14,000 Post As Gov.-Elect Volpe's Top Aide . The Boston Globe . November 29, 1960.
42. News: Healy . Robert . Peabody Names Only Two Aides For Time Being . The Boston Globe . November 24, 1962.
43. News: Rollins . Bryant . Volpe Aide Plans To Up Efficiency, Morale: McCarthy Wants Industry Methods in State Agencies . The Boston Globe . January 22, 1965.
44. News: Leland . Timothy . Comr. McCarthy Resigns . The Boston Globe . January 5, 1967.
45. News: Newsman Replaces DeFalco. The Boston Globe. December 16, 1968.
46. News: Shepard retires; Sargent aides rise . The Boston Globe . September 28, 1971.
47. News: Ayres . James . Cowin foresees other increases if property tax lowered . The Boston Globe . November 15, 1972.
48. News: Marchand replaces Cowin . The Boston Globe . May 10, 1974.
49. News: Bartley Sworn in to $55,000 Post . The Boston Globe . January 28, 1982.
50. News: Keefe, Author and Traveler, Says Adieu to State Finance . The Boston Globe . December 31, 1988.
51. News: Cassidy . Tina . DOR official named chief of cabinet post . The Boston Globe . August 18, 1998.
52. News: Sargent . Hilary . Cellucci welcomes Natsios as 'fiscal discipline' ally . The Boston Globe . December 17, 1998.
53. News: Monahan . John J. . Kriss leaving with warning . Telegram & Gazette . July 31, 2005.
54. News: Monahan . John J. . State budget chief leaves for Harvard . Telegram & Gazette . September 26, 2009.
55. News: Glen Shor Sworn in as Secretary of Administration and Finance . Targeted News Service . January 7, 2013.