News from our members
Fidelity Bank Donates 6,000 KN95 Masks to Local Hospitals Fighting COVID-19 Pandemic
LEOMINSTER, Mass – Fidelity Bank is doing its part to help protect local front line healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bank has donated a total of 6,000 KN95 face masks worth nearly $14,000 to and UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital with locations in Leominster, Fitchburg, and Clinton; UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Heywood Hospital in Gardner, and Central Care Nurses Association. On May 8, Fidelity Bank provided free lunches to 400 employees at six of UMass Memorial HealthAlliance’s facilities as well.
“Our community has continued to show immense support for the hospital in myriad ways,” commented Steve Roach, interim President of UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital. “This commitment raises the spirit of our caregivers and has immediate impact in our community. We can’t thank Fidelity Bank enough for this generosity.”
The money comes from Fidelity Bank’s LifeDesign Community Dividend, which donated more than $330,000 to more than 250 worthy organizations in Central Massachusetts last year. “Healthcare workers are heroes who are putting their lives at risk daily to get us through this crisis,” says Fidelity Bank Chairman and CEO Edward F. Manzi, Jr. “Donating masks to keep them safe and providing free lunches are just two ways we can live up to our Caring LifeDesign promise to provide support to our community, clients, and colleagues.” Fidelity Bank has given out more than $2 million since the dividend program was formally named in 2013.
About Fidelity Bank:
Founded in 1888, Fidelity Bank is one of the oldest independent community banks in Central Massachusetts. Fidelity Bank’s exclusive LifeDesign approach offers a range of banking, investment, and insurance solutions to clients in 14 full-service offices in Leominster, Worcester, Fitchburg, Needham, Gardner, Stow, Shirley, Barre, Millbury, Paxton, Princeton and Winchendon. The Bank has consistently earned a “5 Star” rating from BauerFinancial, Inc., the nation’s leading independent bank rating and research firm. In 2018, Fidelity Bank was voted Worcester Telegram & Gazette Best Bank in Central Massachusetts and Best Financial Services. It was also named Best Bank by both Leominster Champion and Baystate Parent for 2018. It has been recognized by the Worcester Business Journal as a Top Workplace and in 2019 named to the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list for the fifth time. As of March 31, 2020, the bank had total assets of approximately $1.2 billion. For more information, visit www.fidelitybankonline.com or www.facebook.com/fidelitybankma
Comeketo Brazilian Steakhouse to Host Livestream Fundraiser; Launches Drink Menu Deliveries
Comeketo Brazilian Steakhouse of Leominster is on a mission to feed families in need throughout the community. That is why they are putting on a Facebook Live Event this Saturday, May 16th starting at 8:00 PM.
Their goal is to raise funds to feed at least 30 families in our community.
Help them by sharing this message. Comeketo will donate .50¢ for every share they get + 10% of sales on Saturday.
Comeketo has also released a new delivery menu for some of their famous drinks to coincide with the livestream event.
Check out the drink menu below!
Joseph J. Normant Joins Leominster Credit Union
Leominster, MA- Leominster Credit Union (LCU) announces Joseph J. Normant has joined their team as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Normant will oversee LCU’s Finance Department including Accounting and Treasury as well as Audit and Compliance. Normant will report to John O’Brien, President and CEO, and will participate as a member of the Senior Management Team.
“We are excited to have Joe join our team,” said John O’Brien, President & CEO. “He is a versatile leader that not only brings a collaborative style, but he is dedicated to continue to help maximize our financial performance to support our members, community and employees.”
In his new role, Normant brings a strong results-driven background with a collaborative team-building approach and excels in financial operations and reporting, expense control, operational efficiencies, and data management. Prior to joining LCU, Normant was the CFO at Main Street Bank in Marlborough.
Normant succeeds Gary Abrams who retired on May 1 after serving as the credit union’s EVP, Chief Financial Officer for the past 15 years. Abrams was an integral part of the Leominster Credit Union team and over the past few months helped to facilitate this transition.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank Gary for his dedication and the extensive knowledge that he brought to Leominster Credit Union. He was a great teammate and was instrumental in the growth and success of LCU. We will miss his leadership, commitment and sense of humor,” stated John O’Brien.
Founded in 1954, Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with a full range of deposit, lending and other financial services. Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, LCU is proud to claim nearly 50,000 members and more than $700 million in assets. LCU has seven branch locations in Leominster, Clinton, Holden, North Leominster, Sterling and Worcester with ATM services at all branch locations. LCU also provides 24 hour banking via Mobile and Online services. Visit leominstercu.com or call 800-649-4646.
WACHUSETT BREWING COMPANY LAUNCHES COUNTRY HARD SELTZER
New brand bringing together the flavors of lemonade and seltzer set to roll out across New England
Wachusett Brewing Company is putting a refreshing twist in to the fast-growing hard seltzer category with the launch of Country Hard Seltzer, an exciting fusion of flavored lemonades and seltzer, just in time for the summer season.
“Everyone has been really excited about this one” said Christian McMahan, President of Wachusett Brewing Company. “So many people know us for the quality of our fruit beer portfolio, so taking that knowledge and translating that to a line of delicious fruit flavored lemonades combined with the refreshing taste of seltzer was a natural extension for us”
Country Hard Seltzer will feature four different flavors: Blueberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade and Lime Lemonade. The brand will release a 12pk variety pack featuring the four flavors together.
For more information about Country Hard Seltzer, visit http://www.countryhardseltzer.com
About Wachusett Brewing Company
Celebrating 25 years in 2019, WBC produces a diverse, award-winning line of beers ranging from their best-selling Blueberry Ale to their highly-rated Wally New England IPA series. WBC was named of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the US in 2019.
Workers Credit Union donates $31,000 to area organizations
FITCHBURG, Ma., April 30, 2020 – Workers Credit Union is pleased to announce it has donated more than $31,000 to area organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Charitable giving is an important part of our culture at Workers and it is crucial that we continue to support our local organizations. There is more need than ever for us to stand together and support our most vulnerable members of our community” said Doug Petersen, president and CEO of Workers Credit Union. “Needs for services do not end because we are staying at home. I hope other businesses in the area who can donate will do so as well. We’re all in this together.”
The bulk of the donations were sent to the North Central Mass Development Corporation for their newly founded recovery fund, Making Opportunity Count (formerly Montachusett Opportunity Council), and Our Father’s House, among several other organizations. These organizations support a variety of essential services from Meals on Wheels to food pantry services to the needs of small businesses.
In 2019, Workers gave more than $375,000 to 170 organizations throughout Worcester, Franklin and Middlesex counties where its 16 branches are located. In 2020, Workers has already donated more than $140,000 to area organizations and continues to accept applications for support of charitable organizations on it’s website www.wcu.com/community.
Workers Credit Union, headquartered in Fitchburg, MA, is a member-owned financial institution with full banking services to meet a lifetime of financial needs including the $3 million GiveBack program. With 16 branches in Athol, Chelmsford, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Lancaster, Leominster, Lunenburg, Orange, Townsend, Westford and Worcester, Workers is proud to offer traditional banking channels as well as the latest technologies to more than 104,000 members.
Cleartech Group Named Minority Owned Business of the Year
BOSTON – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has named Cleartech Group the 2020 Minority Owned Small Business of the Year for Massachusetts.
Cleartech Group earned the recognition for tremendous growth in revenue and outstanding community service. Serving clientele throughout Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, Cleartech provides consulting and managed IT business solutions for small and mid-sized firms.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Tony Fields for his service in the United States Military,” said SBA Massachusetts District Director, Robert Nelson. “It is an honor to recognize Mr. Fields for contributions both to his country and his community. He has notably demonstrated an ability to adapt to a changing marketplace and grow his business with relationships and commitment to his community.”
Tony began his entrepreneurial career in 2004 when he opened a computer repair franchise in Leominster, MA. For the next decade, he operated his business while balancing raising a young family and serving his community in the Leominster/Fitchburg area. With steady growth and an increased demand for managed IT services, Fields could see an expansion and new focus were necessary. In 2017, Fields left the franchise and founded Cleartech Group. He moved the company from a 900 sq. ft. service center to a 2,300 sq. ft. office space. The risk paid off as Cleartech Group increased revenue by 40% from 2018 to the end of 2019.
“We recognize how vital technology is to business success and provide the right solutions catered to our clients.” said Tony Fields, President of Cleartech Group. “My team is instrumental in supporting our clients’ ever-changing needs, especially in today’s unprecedented environment.”
Mr. Fields actively participates in the Nashoba and North Central Massachusetts Chambers of Commerce and co-founded the still-thriving Leominster chapter of Business Network International in 2004. He also contributes time and support to his community with organizations including: LUK, Inc., First Robotics Lego League, Mass STEM, Ayer Shirley Girls’ High School Basketball, and the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster.
Tony Fields completed both the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and the SBA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative in 2018 and has utilized counseling services provided by the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center of New England. He is currently participating in EO Accelerator, a program facilitated by the peer-to-peer network, Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
The company was nominated by Alison Berglund, Founder/Coach at Encore Age LLC.
Open Letter From the Crowley Family
Dear Friends & Neighbors,
The first thing we always tell people is that we are a family business, not just our own family, but our greater New England family of skiers, riders and seltzer drinkers. We wanted to share some of the things we are doing to support our community and lift spirits.
We asked people to nominate a health-care worker to receive a Polar Seltzer care-package… and the response overwhelmed us. Our customer service team members were brought to tears. We are working on sending out packages to all 1,000 nominees.
During the upcoming weeks, we will also be launching #PolarTips on Instagram in support of bar and restaurant workers. Some Wachusett employees are also building face shields from Polar 2-liter bottles for local hospitals to help with PPE shortage.
In addition, Polar Beverages and Wachusett Mountain have donated $150,000 to support COVID-19 relief efforts. The pledge will be shared equally between the Worcester Together Fund and the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund.
We are all in this together.
On Behalf of Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and Polar Beverages,
Ralph, Chris, Jeff, Carolyn & David Crowley
For more information, visit:
Massachusetts COVID-19 FUND www.macovid19relieffund.org
Worcester Together Fund www.greaterworcester.org/About-Us/Worcester-Together-Central-Mass-COVID-19-Fund
Open Letter from the Nashoba Valley Medical Center President
Many members of the community have reached out in recent weeks with kind words and expressions of thanks to our dedicated staff as we work to battle COVID-19. Please know that your support means the world to us.
Others have reached out with concerns on how our regional approach to battling COVID-19 – which reaches beyond the walls of our hospital – might impact the local community. So, I wanted to provide you with the facts.
What We Did
As many know, we temporarily suspended inpatient intensive care admissions at Nashoba Valley Medical Center and redeployed resources to communities experiencing increased need as a result of COVID-19. Other services, including the Emergency Department, remain open. In addition, experienced critical care nurses continue to be available at Nashoba Valley Medical Center 24/7 to treat and stabilize anyone in need of immediate intensive care services. We plan to resume normal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services at Nashoba Valley Medical Center when the statewide declaration of emergency is resolved.
Why We Did It
The year-to-date average daily census in the ICU at Nashoba Valley Medical Center is three patients. As COVID-19 cases have surged across the Commonwealth – and to best care for all patients we serve – we have assembled teams, including critical care staff to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, to maximize the effect these highly-trained providers could have on patient outcomes, including those from Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
By doing so, we were able to create both COVID positive and COVID negative ICU locations at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, further reducing the potential for cross-contamination of patients and staff.
Our chief medical officer, Joseph Weinstein, MD, recently addressed why this was the right step in caring for our community’s health. He said: “We saw early on in other geographies that traditional models of care delivery were ineffective in battling the surge of COVID-19. We needed to learn the lessons from Italy and China. And we needed to move fast. Significantly lower infection and mortality rates were achieved in places like Germany and South Korea, where hospitals clustered COVID-19 patients in isolated locations, thus lessening the chance of infection for other patients and staff.”
We Are Here for You
Our mission is to best serve the health needs of our community. Nashoba Valley Medical Center is open and continues to serve the needs of the local community with its 24/7 Emergency Department and medical/surgical beds.
We are able to respond to any case that comes through our door or medical need that arises within our facility. In addition to ICU nurses, we have 24/7 physician coverage in our Emergency Department and our inpatient units. We also have more than adequate resources to care for our patients, including personal protective equipment (PPE), medications, ventilators, defibrillators and medical expertise.
Again, thank you for your support in during this very difficult time.
With Gratitude,
Korry Dow
President
Nashoba Valley Medical Center
M.E.S. Consulting Business Owner Survey
This survey is to gain perspective on concerns that are truly affecting businesses throughout New England. M.E.S. Consulting wants to gain insight as to what type of support businesses need right now aside from the financial relief that is available.
Looking ahead of Coronavirus M.E.S. Consulting wants to hear what businesses are hoping to be able to achieve. Their hope is to share this insight so that businesses can gain the support that they really need.