New England Council
[1] A group of New England business leaders along with the states' six governors convened in Poland Spring, Maine in June 1925 to tackle issues related to economic growth in the region.[3] In 1962, the New England Council helped spearhead efforts to relax quotas on petroleum imports in the United States.[7] The NEC claims that its mission is "to identify and support federal public policies and articulate the voice of its membership regionally and nationally on important issues facing New England."[1] In effect, it acts as a lobby in Washington, D.C., advocating for the region's economic interests, ranging from private enterprise to academia to public policies and projects.[9] Other former presidents include Ralph Flanders, Frederick Steele Blackall Jr., Laurence F. Whittemore, Hugh Gregg, Charles Franklin Phillips, and Joseph A.