Wellesley's Joe Avellone Makes Bid for Governor's Seat

Wellesley’s Joe Avellone isn't a stranger to politics: he served six years as selectman and with the late Paul Tsongas on his failed presidential campaign. But it is the healthcare executive’s private-sector experience that he will be emphasizing in his campaign for governor.

Earlier this year, Avellone had announced his bid to replace Deval Patrick as Governor. Patch met with him at his Linden Street office to learn more about why he's running.

"I am running on the basis my private-sector experiences,” said Avellone, “which I think will be front-and-center for the next governor."

The PAREXEL International senior vice-president and one-time surgeon said he believes jobs will be the biggest issue during the upcoming campaign.

"I have a good feel for what the workforce looks like around the world, and our own workforce for that matter. I think I know how to create jobs," he said. "I've been doing it for 30 years."

While he began his career as a surgeon, he said he had always had an interest in health policy.

"After a few years of practicing, I realized I could have a bigger impact on people if I was a leader in the healthcare system itself." Avellone said, "I always wanted to help people. That's what drove me to medicine in the first place."

A lifelong Democrat, Avellone says he is most proud of his work as a health care advisor for the presidential run of the late Paul Tsongas, a man he calls a "political mentor."

"I really supported all of his campaigns because I thought his approach to democratic politics was right. As he used to say often, what we need to do is grow jobs by growing the economy," he said.

Avellone came to Massachusetts 40 years ago, and wants to build it for the future. He spoke about "gateway cities"--towns based on heavy manufacturing which he says is in decline. It's important for those towns to find new industries, Avellone says, and he sees possibilities in the public and community colleges.

One possibility is a program PAREXEL has with an academy in Berlin, Germany, which teaches students skills needed for careers in their industry. Community colleges and vocational high schools will be key to creating a path from school to the working world. The company has a similar program with Salem State Community College, and Avellone believes this is the kind of thing the state needs to be doing.

"It's an empowering thing to give people the ability to work in a modern industry, and I think that's what the state can do most for its citizens: create that opportunity," Avellone says.

While here in Wellesley, Avellone served six years as a selectman,  some of that time as board chairman, and worked with fellow selectmen on the Washington Street renovation and police station projects, as well as overseeing the selection of police and fire department chiefs. He called it a "great experience," adding that he learned a lot about public budgets and working with unions.

The Avellone campaign kicked off in January, and has already visited 92 towns — some more than once. He believes his campaign is about where Deval Patrick's was with a little less than 18 months to go.

"Massachusetts has a history of electing outsiders to the governor's office, people who didn't come through Beacon Hill," Avellone noted, pointing to Governors Patrick, Romney, Weld and even Dukakis. 

"I think the state has a willingness to look at new ideas for the governor's office," he added.

He is building a field force around the state, and says he has more than 150 volunteers on his team. He says the Avellone team will rely both on "shoe leather" and on social media during his campaign. He is looking to the fall to organize and build a field force for next year's Democratic convention.

Newton Residents Donald Berwick (also a former Obama staffer) and United Independent party founder Evan Falchuk have both expressed interest in the position, as have State Treasurer Steve Grossman and 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker.