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Governor Healey also appoints Former Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur as Commissioner
Boston - On October 28, 2024, Governor Maura Healey appointed Jordan Maynard as the Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, a position he has held in an interim capacity since Cathy Judd-Stein's retirement in March. Governor Healey also appointed the former Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur to serve as a Commissioner, now filling the final seat of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
“I’m grateful to Jordan Maynard for providing strong leadership for the Gaming Commission during this transitional period and proud to appoint him as Chair. He has proven to be a consensus builder who has a deep understanding of the agency and strives to do what’s best for the people of Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Mayor Paul Brodeur is a trusted leader in our state who has a record of bringing people together to deliver results on our most pressing challenges, including by bringing together elected officials, the business community, labor and advocates to negotiate the Grand Bargain which strengthened our economy and supported Massachusetts workers, families and businesses alike. I’m excited for him to continue to service to Massachusetts as a Commissioner.”
“I am thankful for Chair Maynard for stepping up to take the reins of our Gaming Commission on a permanent basis and to former Mayor Brodeur taking on this new challenge as Commissioner,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We have a strong team at the Commission and I’m confident they will make decisions in the best interest of the industry and our state.”
"I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the Commonwealth as chair of the Gaming Commission, and am grateful to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for the trust they have placed in me to carry forward the mission of this incredibly important agency,” said Chair Jordan Maynard. "Since being appointed to the Commission in 2022 and through my time as interim chair, I have been consistently impressed with the level of integrity and leadership shown by my fellow commissioners and staff at the MGC. I am confident that Mayor Brodeur will make an impactful addition to the MGC team where he will be able to call on his excellent experience as a state and municipal leader and continue his service to the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."
“I have great respect for the important work that the Massachusetts Gaming Commission does to oversee and support this industry that is critical for our economy, workforce and competitiveness,” said Mayor Brodeur. “This moment more than ever requires leaders who bring people together, look past differences and make progress, and I’m committed to being that type of leadership. I’m grateful to Governor Healey for placing her trust in me to serve as a Commissioner, and I look forward to working with Chair Maynard and the entire team at the Gaming Commission.”
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was created after “An Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth” was signed into law on November 22, 2011. The Commission is a full-time, five-member independent body that is the single licensing and regulatory body of the casino, horse racing, and sports wagering industries in Massachusetts.
The Commission consists of five commissioners, one appointed by the governor, one appointed by the attorney general (who must have experience in criminal investigations and law enforcement), one appointed by the State Treasurer (who must be proficient in corporate finance and securities), and two appointed by a majority vote of the same three constitutional officers. The Governor designates the Chair of the Commission.
Jordan Maynard has served the Massachusetts Gaming Commission as interim chair since March 2024 after being appointed commissioner in August 2022. Since joining the Commission, he has played a pivotal role in successfully rolling out sports wagering, enhancing consumer experiences, and continuing to support robust responsible gaming initiatives focused on player health to protect all citizens in the Commonwealth.
Maynard spearheads the MGC’s involvement in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Youth Sports Betting Safety Initiative, working with statewide partners to combat underage sports wagering while creating a curriculum to educate youth on the potential harms of unsafe gambling. He has made security at the brick-and-mortar properties in Massachusetts a top priority, working with the licensees on best practices and prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of patrons. Maynard is committed to creating regulations and policies that will enhance the economic benefit of gaming for the Commonwealth to benefit area residents, local businesses and employees. Leading with care and fidelity to the law, Maynard’s work has helped maintain the strong reputation of the MGC amongst its partners and licensees.
In October 2024, Maynard was named by the Innovation Group to the Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 under 40 class of 2025. Earlier in 2024 he was recognized by US Gaming Hub’s Game Masters Top 100 Most Influential Figures in the US Gaming Industry.
Prior to joining the Commission, Maynard served as Chief Secretary to the Governor. He is a 2010 Graduate of Morehead State University and a 2013 graduate of Northern Kentucky University’s Chase School of Law.
About Paul Brodeur
Paul Brodeur previously served as the Mayor of Melrose from 2019-2024, delivering four on-time balanced budgets and managing the municipal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He successfully won passage of a major renovation of the Melrose Public Library and led a debt exclusion campaign to rebuild four Melrose public safety buildings. Previously, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 2011-2019, serving the communities of Melrose, Wakefield and Malden. He was the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development and was the Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications. During this time, he negotiated the 2018 labor rights law known as “the Grand Bargain,” which increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour and created a new universal Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Under this leadership, the Commonwealth also passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and important reforms to Massachusetts non-compete laws. His first elected office was as an Alderman in Melrose.
Prior to holding elected office, Brodeur was Acting General Counsel for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, an enforcement attorney in the Massachusetts Securities Division and handled criminal prosecutions in the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. He received his BA in Government and Law from Lafayette College and his JD from Suffolk University. He lives in Melrose with his wife Elizabeth, his two sons, and his dog Wilbur.