Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker To Speak At The 2015 PA GOP Fall Dinner

HARRISBURG — Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker will be address Republican activists from across the Commonwealth at the Republican Party of Pennsylvania’s Fall Dinner, the PA GOP announced today.

Governor Baker, who was recently profiled in The National Journal under the headline “The Most Popular Politician in America,” will serve as the keynote speaker for the event, which will be taking place at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel on Friday, September 18th.

“Governor Charlie Baker is one of the great Republican success stories in the Northeast,” PA GOP Chairman Rob Gleason said. “In just a few short months in office, Governor Baker has increased the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families and enacted a sales tax holiday to spur economic growth. His leadership during the terrible winter storms this year also earned him national recognition.

“We are excited to welcome Governor Charlie Baker to the Republican Party of Pennsylvania’s Fall Dinner, and we look forward to hearing about his vision for the future.”

About Governor Charlie Baker

Charlie Baker was inaugurated on January 8th, 2015 as the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Elected in November of 2014 on a platform of making Massachusetts great for everyone, Governor Baker’s arrival in the Corner Office continues a long, successful career in both the private sector and public service where he has worked hard to put the people of Massachusetts first.

Governor Baker is committed to making Massachusetts a truly great place to live, work, start a business and raise a family. As Governor, he has pledged to work toward a growing economy with family-sustaining jobs; ensure that schools across the Commonwealth provide opportunity for every child regardless of zip code; and make Beacon Hill a true partner with our local governments to create safer and thriving communities across Massachusetts.

Over the course of his career, Governor Baker has been a highly successful leader of complex organizations in business and in government. As a cabinet secretary under Governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, Baker helped lead efforts to reform and modernize state government. During his time as Chief Executive Officer of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Baker turned a company on the brink of bankruptcy into the nation’s highest ranked health care provider for six straight years.

As a member of the Weld and Cellucci Administrations in the 1990s, Baker helped turn a billion-dollar deficit into a surplus, create a half million jobs, and enact an ambitious education reform agenda. First asked to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services in 1992, Baker led efforts to make Massachusetts’ social service system more humane, cost-effective and responsive to the needs of the Commonwealth’s residents. In 1994, Baker was appointed Secretary of Administration and Finance, overseeing a number of cost-saving reforms, modernizing state government and making it more efficient. Governor Baker was recognized for his leadership and innovation by the National Governors’ Association in 1998 which rewarded him with the Distinguished Service Award.

As Chief Executive Officer of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care from 1999 to 2009, Baker led the company out of receivership to become the top healthcare plan in the country for member satisfaction and clinical effectiveness. During Baker’s tenure, Harvard Pilgrim was named one of Boston Business Journal’s “Best Places To Work” for seven years in a row.

Raised in Needham, Baker attended Massachusetts public schools and is a graduate of Harvard College. He went on to earn a Master’s of Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Governor Baker and his wife, Lauren, have been heavily involved in numerous civic and charitable endeavors. They live in Swampscott, and have three children: Charlie, AJ, and Caroline.

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