Lauren Howe named North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce 
2022 Ambassador of the Year

/in /by

Howe recognized at Chamber’s 38th Annual Meeting

Lauren Howe, principal and owner of empHowered PR, has been named as the 2022 Ambassador of Year by the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.   The announcement was made at the chamber’s Annual Meeting on June 9, 2022.

Chamber Ambassadors are valued volunteers to the Chamber who serve as the face of the organization in the community.  They assist the Chamber with communications to new and existing members, participate in ribbon cuttings and help connect members at various Chamber events.  Howe was voted Ambassador of the Year by her fellow Chamber Ambassadors at their May meeting. 

“We are grateful to Lauren for her dedication and support of our Chamber as we work to advance our goals throughout the 27 communities that comprise our region,” said Roy Nascimento, president and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “While Lauren is a fairly new member of our business community, she quickly become an engaged business leader across North Central and a sought-after expert in the areas of public relations and communications for a variety of businesses. We are eager to see what the future holds for Lauren, both through her work with the Chamber and with her business.”

Howe founded empHowered PR in March 2020 following an esteemed 23-year career in a variety of communications roles in the health care, manufacturing and non-profit industries.  While her plans to launch her business were delayed due to the pandemic, she currently serves a variety of clients around the region, the country and the world. Her tailored services focus on brand strategy, corporate social responsibility, reputation management and thought leadership to effectively position her clients with key stakeholders to deliver long-term business goals. 

Lauren holds both a master’s degree in Organizational and Professional Communication and a graduate certificate in Health Care Leadership Communications from Regis College.  She received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an associate degree in Liberal Arts from Mount Wachusett Community College.  Lauren is a member of the Worcester Business Journal 40 under Forty class of 2014 and a 2017 graduate of the Leadership Worcester program.  She currently serves as Chair of the Public Relations Society of America Independent Practitioner’s Alliance and is a member of the board at the American Red Cross of Central and Western Massachusetts.  She also serves as the regular host of the Chamber’s “Good Morning North Central,” the region’s most popular morning gathering featuring high-profile guests discussing topics of interest with business, civic and community leaders. 

“As a small business owner starting out at the beginning of the pandemic, the Chamber provided me with information and connections to successfully launch my business, literally from my kitchen table,” said Howe. “I am honored to be recognized by my peers as their Ambassador of the Year and look forward to continued collaboration and success with my fellow Ambassadors in the years to come.” 

Sales Tax Holiday Weekend Set For Aug. 13-14

/in /by

State House News Service

Author: Sam Doran

Tarr Says Surplus Shows Holiday Can Be Expanded

The Legislature on Monday set the dates of this year’s sales tax holiday weekend, settling on Aug. 13 and 14, when Massachusetts shoppers will get a break from state sales tax on most retail items less than $2,500.

The annual sales-tax-free weekend was made permanent by a 2018 law, which calls on the Legislature to set the dates by June 15 each year, otherwise the Department of Revenue gets to pick.

As part of the “grand bargain” law, retailers in 2018 dropped their push for a ballot question lowering the 6.25 percent sales tax to 5 percent. That law also raised the minimum wage will rise from $11 to $15 an hour over a five-year period, phased out time-and-a-half pay for workers on Sundays and holidays over that same period, and solidified the launch of a paid family and medical leave program overseen by the state government and backed by a payroll tax.

Economic Development Committee co-chairs Sen. Eric Lesser and Rep. Jerry Parisella sponsored the date-setting measures in their respective branches Monday.

Prior to the Senate’s vote, Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said the Legislature was being “proactive” and setting the date, but he found it “unfortunate” no other tax relief steps had yet been taken.

“While we are here to at least accomplish two days of sales tax relief, I would hope with the remaining time in this session that we would consider still expanding this sales tax holiday,” Tarr said, “as one of the best ways to be able to give tax relief to the citizens of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, who are watching these debates, and asking themselves — repetitively — if we have billions of dollars in surplus, and we are properly funding all of our accounts, then why is it that we cannot find the ability to reach consensus on offering substantial, responsible tax relief?”

The holiday does not apply to purchases of some specific goods or services: motor vehicles, motorboats, meals, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, marijuana products, telecommunications services like prepaid calls, natural gas, steam, or electricity.

Christopher McCarthy to Chair North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

/in /by

Christopher W. McCarthy, president and COO of Fidelity Bank has been elected Chair of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2022-2023.  The announcement was made at the chamber’s Annual Meeting on June 9, 2022.

McCarthy was named president and COO of Fidelity Bank in 2015, after more than twenty years of experience in community banking.  Headquartered in Leominster, Fidelity Bank is one of the oldest and continually growing independent, local community banks in Central Massachusetts.  Fidelity offers a full range of banking, investment and insurance products and programs, and operates full-service branches in Leominster, Worcester, Fitchburg, Needham, Gardner, Shirley, Barre, Millbury, Paxton, Princeton and Winchendon.

McCarthy earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration degree from Nichols College.  He also holds a post-graduate degree from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado. 

In addition to his involvement with the chamber, Mr. McCarthy also serves on a number of boards and charitable organizations, including the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the Worcester Business Development Corporation and Saint Vincent Hospital.  He is also active in his alma mater, Nichols College, serving as a member of the College’s Board of Advisors.  

He succeeds Rachel Lopez, president of Resource Management Inc. (RMI) who now moves to the position of Immediate Past Chair of the Board of Directors.

“It is an honor and privilege to have been elected Chair of this dynamic and respected organization that plays such an important role in North Central Massachusetts,” expressed Mr. McCarthy, “I am excited to continue Rachel Lopez’s efforts and make sure the Chamber remains a strong resource for the local business community.”

McCarthy was first elected to the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2016 and has held several leadership positions including Vice Chair, Treasurer and has served on the Chamber’s Leadership Council, the One North Central leadership committee and the executive committee. As the Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, Mr. McCarthy will work with the Board, Chamber staff, and membership to champion the Chamber in its mission to serve the region’s business community. 

“As Chair, Chris will play a significant role in advancing the Chamber’s goals and initiatives,” noted Roy Nascimento, Chamber president & CEO. “We are fortunate to have his respected leadership. We look forward to working with him to advance the interests of our members and promote North Central Massachusetts.”

In the same election, James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D., president of Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner was elected Vice-Chair and director Barbara Mahoney, president & CEO of Leominster Credit Union was elected to the position of Treasurer; and Dr. Richard Lapidus, president of Fitchburg State University was elected to the position of Assistant Treasurer.  Board members elected for new terms were Winfield Brown, president & CEO of Heywood Healthcare in Gardner; Jackie Cullen, Owner of RiverStyx Brewing in Fitchburg; Melissa Glenny, founder and CEO of Franklin Professional Associates in Leominster; Michael Johansen, president of Bemis Associates in Shirley; and Lori Richardson, president & CEO of Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts; 

Continuing current terms on the Board of Directors are Allie Catlin, co-owner of Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon; Tony Fields, president and owner of Cleartech Group in Leominster; Matthew Fournier, president of Elite Construction & Design in Fitchburg; Bruce Platzman, president of AIS, Inc. in Leominster; Steve Rocheleau, president of Rocheleau Tool & Die in Fitchburg; Rodrigo Souza, owner of Comeketo Brazilian Steakhouse in Leominster; Henry Tessman, general manager of Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg; and John Zarrella president of Research Results, Inc. in Fitchburg.

Making Opportunity Count empowers local community through additional resources

/in /by

There are a few handfuls of designated community action agencies that truly stand out among the rest. Making Opportunity Count (MOC), located in Fitchburg, Ma., has thrived through their community outreach, providing systems, programs, and collaboration for low-income individuals and families to build pathways out of poverty.

According to their website, their mission is to empower families to achieve economic security by eliminating barriers and creating opportunities. Nicole Michaud, Vice President of Advancement, said it best when asked about MOC’s clients:

“We’re here for people facing serious crisis like potential homelessness, and we’re here for people who find themselves needing a little extra support, especially since the pandemic when unemployment soared and we could help through our emergency assistance program to pay utilities or rent,” she stated. “If we aren’t able to assist clients ourselves, we will find other resources and be that connector for the local community. We do everything we can to help people avoid crises moving forward.”

Making Opportunity Count serves the 30 cities and towns that span the North Central Massachusetts region. Most recently, MOC has grown programming to include behavioral health and a youth innovation center located in Fitchburg.

The Counseling Center at MOC launched from staff recognizing that there was a need to support mental health in the local area, as well as an additional and important need to create another opportunity out of poverty. Their website states that all services are designed to meet clients’ individualized treatment needs through consultation, collaboration and coordination of care that respects their strengths and differences. Additionally, the center is committed to inclusive care and serves people of all ages, backgrounds, and types of needs.

The Counseling Center offers a variety of languages to bring mental health care access to non-English speakers, and has prioritized diversifying the Center’s staff through a variety of strategies including an intern program. Through grant funding, the Counseling Center provides paid practicum opportunities for students of color attending Fitchburg State University and other colleges in the area. The initiative removes barriers to care, keeps clients engaged, and fosters a relationship between patients and therapists while providing financial support to their interns.

Currently, The Counseling Center is serving over 200 clients since becoming officially licensed in July 2021 and has nine therapists on staff.

Making Opportunity Count also continues to further develop their Youth Innovation Center, located in the Cleghorn neighborhood in Fitchburg, MA.

The Youth Innovation Center looks to provide resources to enable youth in the area to explore and research anything that they might be interested in pursuing for their future. It was designed by the center’s Youth Founders, a core group of young individuals who guided MOC in what they wanted the space to look like, feel like, and what should be included and focus on.

“[The Youth Innovation Center] aims to be a space for them to have the resources to explore what interests them,” said Michaud.

The Center’s space includes a multimedia room for podcasting, music editing, vlogging, and other digital arts, partnered with the Fitchburg Access TV station; a makerspace with a dry studio for artwork and creativity, in coordination with the Fitchburg Art Museum; and an open floor plan for performances or wellness activities.

Additionally, the Center looks to include a mentorship component to assist youth in exploring their interests and hearing from real-life experiences in the local community. “It’s flexible and fluid; we built the space to be able to accommodate future generations of youth,” she said.

The Center is looking to open in July 2022, after final construction is complete.

Several opportunities that MOC brings to the community could not have been possible without the assistance of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

“We appreciate the diverse program offerings and networking opportunities from the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce,” said Colby O’Brien, Senior Director of Advancement at MOC. “We love getting to know the different community drivers in the area and fostering relationships, such as AIS, who is providing the furniture for the Youth Innovation Center, and the local businesses and financial institutions who support us.

“What sets MOC apart from other agencies is our holistic approach to services that are driven by compassion – and that is what is needed in the community,” O’Brien said. “We get to see the impact we have on the community – from kids in Head Start or WIC to elders receiving Meals on Wheels. It’s great to see how quickly our staff respond with resources in such a caring and compassionate way and the positive impact the agency has in our community.”

You can learn more or donate about the Making Opportunity Count’s Youth Innovation Center on their website, www.mocinc.org. If you are interested in becoming a patient or learning more about The Counseling Center at MOC, please visit www.counselingatmoc.org, or follow MOC on Facebook @makingopportunitycount and Instagram @ making_opportunity_count.

Biopharma Expects To Grow, But Faces Talent Troubles

/in /by

Most biopharmaceutical companies in Massachusetts expect to grow their workforces over the next year, but many have also had a hard time filling open positions, according to a new industry report.

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council previously projected that the industry could require up to 40,000 new workers by 2024, and an analysis BW Research Partnership conducted for MassBio calls for the field to “re-think the current workforce development pipeline,” by prioritizing regionalization and diversity.

“Given that employers project to see growth across several different entry- and non-entry-level positions over the next couple years as well as the significant hiring difficulties attributed to a small applicant pool and lack of experienced or qualified applicants, the life sciences industry will require significant workforce development support mechanisms from the state, educational institutions, and other workforce development stakeholders,” reads the report, released Wednesday.

The life sciences sector is a significant force in the state’s economy, with about 106,600 jobs across Massachusetts as of 2021, up by nearly 60,500 jobs since 2006. It’s also been singled out for major state investments — in 2018, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a life sciences bill that called for $473 million in capital spending over five years.

Short-term strategies recommended in the report include adding biopharma-specific courses or modules to existing four-year degrees like accounting or marketing; scaling up short-term, customized certification programs; increasing hands-on and lab experience in educational settings; and expanding internships with life-sciences company.

On the longer-term front, the report suggests partnering with higher education institutions that serve minority populations, developing “a central organizing workforce institute run by MassBio,” and seeking financial support from the state for both of those efforts.

Elect North Central Coalition To Sponsor Gubernatorial Forum on Tuesday, June 7

/in /by

The Elect North Central Coalition, composed of leading business, educational, media and community organizations, will host a forum with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sonia Chang-Díaz at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 7 at the Fitchburg Access Television studios.

The program, to be moderated by Fitchburg-Leominster All Politics (FLAP-TV) host Kevin Cormier, will be streamed live and then available for viewing on demand at fatv.org. Questions will focus on issues of concern to the diverse communities and businesses of North Central Massachusetts.

The coalition has extended invitations to additional gubernatorial candidates – including Democrat Maura Healey and Republicans Geoff Diehl and Chris Doughty – to participate in similar forums.

State Sen. Chang-Díaz has represented the Second Suffolk District since 2009. 

Elect North Central is a coalition of organizations dedicated to making the democratic process accessible and assuring that local and regional issues are examined and addressed by candidates running for office. The coalition plans to invite the Democrat and Republican candidates for governor to debate in advance of the general election in November.

“The members of Elect North Central include a broad cross-section of leaders in media, education, community, and business organizations, and was formed to provide residents an opportunity to hear the candidates on issues affecting them and the region,” said Lea Ann Scales, Vice President of Enrollment and Public Affairs at Mount Wachusett Community College, the chair of Elect North Central. “As we have since coming together in 2018, we will continue to collaborate on projects that will engage candidates and voters, and provide a platform to ensure the voices and concerns of our region are heard.”

The Elect North Central Coalition includes the Clinton Item; Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts; Faith Based Community Coalition of North Central Massachusetts; Fitchburg Access Television (FATV); Fitchburg State University; Gardner News; Leominster Champion; Leominster Access Television (LTV); MassLive; Minority Coalition of North Central Massachusetts; Making Opportunity Count; Mount Wachusett Community College; NewVue Communities; North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce; Spanish American Center; State House News Service; Three Pyramids, Inc; United Way of North Central Massachusetts; Vocero Hispano Newspaper; Worcester Business Journal; Worcester Telegram & Gazette; and WPKZ FM 105.3.

Government Affairs Update

/in /by

At the time of this writing, candidates’ signatures are being verified for federal and statewide offices as election season continues to shape up. The Chamber has engaged with candidates for the Governor’s race and the major constitutional offices.  Efforts have included interviews with the candidates on our Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast: Election Series, which is available on our website as well as Apple and Spotify. The Chamber is also monitoring a number of other races in North Central Massachusetts. The region’s two Congressional delegates are expected to face challengers this November, and in addition to at least two open seats, a number of our State legislative delegation will also face opponents in November.

In April, Governor Charlie Baker signed a supplemental budget for FY22. One of the biggest impacts for our members was the extension of outdoor dining and to-go cocktails through April 1, 2023.  The midyear spending bill also included an additional $700 million to be directed to the ongoing COVID-19 response and $100 million for road repairs. The Governor also filed a $3.5 billion economic development bill that, if passed, would enable new infrastructure and jobs, and invest in every city and town in the Commonwealth. The proposed Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (or FORWARD) contains a significant set of opportunities to advance community and economic development, including a number of shovel-ready projects in cities and towns across the Commonwealth, while ensuring that every community would receive at least $250,000 in funding, although a number of communities in our footprint would be poised to receive a larger amount.

After the Governor released his $48.5 billion budget proposal for FY23, the Chamber spent time engaging with House delegates while they crafted their $49.7 billion version of the budget in the latter half of April. The Chamber also attended a roundtable with Senate President Karen Spilka at the MassHire North Central Career Center. The roundtable, organized by Senator John Cronin, provided the region’s stakeholders the opportunity to engage the Senate President on a number of issues facing the region including the need for an increase in resources for English language learners in education, the ongoing shortage of available workers, and the need to further support initiatives to develop the workforce and talent pipeline.  In late May, the Chamber engaged the region’s Senate delegation in several priority areas including workforce development, economic development, and tourism before they unveiled their $49.9 billion budget.  The budget now moves onto conference committee where differences between the House and Senate will be reconciled.

In addition to the budget discussions, the Chamber continues to monitor Governor Baker’s $700 million tax relief proposal released earlier this year along with his $1.7 billion proposed supplemental budget unveiled in May. While attempts to suspend the state’s gas tax have been thwarted, there is hope that the Governor’s relief package or something comparable could pass in the legislature. The Department of Revenue announced that April tax collections came in more than $3 billion more than what was collected in April 2021 and more than $2 billion above their own monthly benchmark.  Other big issues that are still pending before the legislature include sports betting, mental health, round 2 of the ARPA budget, and climate and energy policy.

The Chamber is continuing to work to advance North Central Massachusetts through multiple initiatives contained in the One North Central regional economic development plan. Senator Cronin spearheaded an effort to secure funding in the first round of ARPA funding that will aid us in reconvening the education compact to work on initiatives surrounding workforce development and developing a talent pipeline. Fitchburg and Gardner, along with the Chamber’s economic development arm, are also contributing funds to help with a new initiative aimed at attracting new investment to the region.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Travis Condon, the Chamber’s public affairs manager, at 978.353.7600, ext. 224; or via email at .

Chamber Staff Promoted

/in /by

The Chamber is pleased to announce two promotions. Sandie Cataldo, who joined the staff in 2015, has been promoted from Economic Development Manager to Senior Economic Development Manager, and Maribel Cruz, who joined the staff in 2021 as our Community Business Advisor, has been promoted to Economic Development Manager.  The promotions were made to better reflect their responsibilities and seniority, recognize their success and contributions to our organization, and better align with the changes we have made at the Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved promotions!

Sandie Cataldo, Senior Economic Development Manager

Maribel Cruz, Economic Development Manager

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce celebrates accomplishments at 38th Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon

/in /by

The 38th Annual Meeting and Business Luncheon for the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2022 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Great Wolf Lodge, 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg.

This annual event celebrates businesspeople working together to ensure a bright future for North Central Massachusetts and presents an opportunity for the region’s business and community leaders to build camaraderie among peers.  In addition to the Chamber’s annual recognition awards and commencement for the Class of 2022 Community Leadership Institute, a tabletop Business Expo will also be offered.  The expo will showcase local businesses before and after the formal event giving exhibitors the chance to reach hundreds of business and community leaders from throughout North Central Massachusetts.  The Business Expo will start at 10:30 a.m., the Annual Meeting and Luncheon will run from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the expo will close out the event from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The event is funded by the generous support of various businesses and organizations, including Premier Sponsor Fidelity Bank; Business Expo Sponsors MassHire North Central Workforce Board and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation; and Supporting Sponsors Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts; Great Wolf Lodge; Avidia Bank, Enterprise Bank; Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority; Resource Management, Inc.; and TD Bank.

This year’s keynote speaker is Doug Griffiths, President and CEO of The 13 Ways, a company dedicated to helping communities grow and thrive.  He is a popular community strategist and author of the best-selling book, 13 Ways to Kill Your Community.  Throughout his career, Doug has supported, guided, and inspired hundreds of communities to create effective change.  A former Canadian politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, he retired from politics in 2015 to actively pursue his passion for helping communities.  Doug’s mission is to help North American communities identify what is holding them back from finding success, and he works with communities to develop strategies to help them overcome their weaknesses.  His solutions have built up many communities and allowed them to get on a better path.  He grew up on a ranch outside of a small community, and his upbringing provided practical education, as it gave him a strong work ethic and critical thinking skills.  He holds both an honors bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Alberta and completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Alberta.

To register for the Annual Business Meeting and Luncheon, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600, ext. 222 or ext. 235 or email or register online at northcentralmass.com.  The cost is just $55 per person for members and $70 per person for non-members and includes lunch. Reservations are required. Supporting sponsorships and tables of ten are also available.  Please RSVP by June 6, 2022.

Foster-Healey Continues to Evolve Through Technology While Keeping Tradition Alive

/in /by

Originally founded in 1924, Foster-Healey Real Estate, Inc. has thrived in the local North Central Massachusetts area for nearly 100 years.

President Richard Healey became a realtor at 26 after graduating from Colby College in 1977, and took over running the family-owned business after his father had passed in 1982. Since then, Healey and his wife has owned and operated the company under his father’s principles, and for the last fourteen years, they have worked together with their son Taylor, who knew he wanted to be a realtor and get more involved with the business.

“Real estate is much more about problem-solving, rather than being a salesman,” said Healey. “People need places to live or had a house to sell, and they needed our help.”

What sets Foster-Healey apart from the other larger national companies is that they are a local-focused firm.

“We are a local firm. So much of local business is talking about shopping local, and when you look at real estate firms, most of them offer the same technology that we’re offering, but they’re owned outside of the local area.

“We like to say, ‘We’ve been here, and we’ll be here.’ If someone has an issue, they know that they can call me,” said Healey. “Our agents are local, have local knowledge, and we have state-of-the-art technology through drone and aerial photography, as well as Matterport technology for 3D tours.”

The 3D Matterport tours are included in every house they sell on the market. According to their website, “A Matterport Tour is an immersive, 360º virtual experience. It is a great tool for engaging our potential home buyers by allowing you to really feel like you are walking-thru the home. What is so neat about the tour, is the fact that you can press the play button at the bottom of the screen, sit back and enjoy a walk-thru video. Or you can click on the circles located on the floor to move from room to room. This is a great option if you are wanting to see a specific room and you don’t want to sit through the entire tour to get there.”

With approximately 800-1,700 consumers viewing the tours each month, they are able to control what rooms they want to view, rather than a standard virtual walkthrough. This game-changing technology provides the opportunity for people to control where they are going in the house listed. The camera revolves 360 degrees and there is a camera every 6 feet, which is then digitally stitched together and measures everything, which can prove to be beneficial for making sure your couch fits, or how high the ceilings are without having to leave the comfort of your own home. As an immersive technology, it allows the consumer to really understand and dive into the question, “Is this my house?”

“Very little replaces the actual touching, feeling everything, and looking around in person,” said Healey, “but the Matterport tours really help to make that first decision for the consumer, and saves sellers from so many people having them walk through the house.”

Through the pandemic there were a lot of adjustments. Fortunately, Foster-Healey and other real estate businesses were described as essential businesses. Although both buyers and sellers are now feeling more comfortable doing things in person, both parties still really heavily on technology to be able to assist them.

The Matterport tours are especially convenient if a consumer is from the Boston area, and looking to move further away from the city, as they realize they can work from home or go into the city once or twice a week, or even once or twice a month. “We want to make sure we get our listings up on the internet in the best possible way.”

In 2024, Foster-Healey Real Estate, Inc. will be celebrating their centennial of being in business in the local North Central Massachusetts area, and for a large portion of that time, they have been a Chamber member with the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. In fact, President Healey was a former chairman of the board in 1995.

“It’s a great opportunity of other local businesses to interact with each other and other local businesses, and the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce provides us that opportunity,” he said.

For Healey, he believes that the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce keeps the economy up and the local businesses thriving.

Foster-Healy Real Estate aims to continue to try to make sure that they have state-of-the-art services and continue to be involved with what’s happening around them. They are located at 50 Central Street, Leominster, MA, as well as 26 Pearson Boulevard, Gardner, MA and can be reached at for more information on finding your next home.