North Central Mass Development Corp Provides Funding to 50-50 Diner in Fitchburg

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(Regional) – The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) – the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce – recently approved a $50,000 loan to the 50-50 Diner in Fitchburg.

The 50/50 Diner, a restaurant in Fitchburg managed by David and Reesi Cordio and Michael Cataldo, received a $50,000 microloan to refinance high interest business debt, purchase some equipment and utilize working capital during the pandemic. As the restaurant was shut down at the height of the stay at home advisories, David and Michael decided to take advantage of the down time to make some improvements in their restaurant. They made some cosmetic upgrades to the dining room as well as to some kitchen equipment. The diner is located at 440 River Street in Fitchburg and can be found online at facebook.com/50greeneggs/.

As a microloan lender, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) can provide loans to small businesses up to $150,000 for working capital, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

Chamber Member Spotlight: Fitchburg Art Museum

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Founded in 1925, the Fitchburg Art Museum plays a vital role in the cultural life of North Central Massachusetts.

It has 20,000 square feet of exhibition space with a collection that ranges from Ancient Egypt artifacts to contemporary art of the 21st century, including American Art, African Art, and photography.

But the Fitchburg Art Museum is much more than a place where you can stroll through galleries or take painting classes – the museum sees itself as an integral part of the local community.

“Fitchburg Art Museum operates a little differently from most art museums,’’ said Nick Capasso, director of FAM. “We are dedicated to not only art and education but more broadly to community service. We feel strongly that we need to work directly with other partners in North Central Massachusetts to help revitalize the economy, to work on community and economic development and to contribute to the quality of life and community health for the people in our region.’’

Some examples of its community involvement: a local neighborhood association holds its regular meetings at the museum; the museum also launched a program with the Fitchburg schools, underwriting the admission fee so that every 4th and 7th grade student in the district makes an annual trip to the museum.

But Capasso said the primary example of FAM’s commitment to community and economic development is the work it’s doing with NewVue Communities to create housing for artists.

“We’re working together to transform three historic but abandoned municipal buildings directly across the street into a campus of 68 units of affordable artists units and studios,’’ he said. “This is a great collaboration and something neither the museum nor NewVue could do ourselves.’’

When the project is completed, there will be 100 artists living across the street from the museum, which will work with them to establish and nurture a creative community and economy.

The museum also works with the corporate community, offering a members program. Capasso said not only does the program help support the museum but is a way to provide cultural benefits to employees.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit non-profit organizations particularly hard, Capasso said FAM is open for business and is in a strong position to weather the storm.

“This pandemic has been a complete disaster for non-profit sectors, especially cultural non –profits,’’ he said. “This will not be easy and fun but we are in no danger of closing or merging or some kind of hibernation. We will be here for our community when all this is over.’’

The museum is located at 185 Elm St., Fitchburg.

It is open Wednesday-Friday, 12 to 4 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. It is open until 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month.  It is closed Monday and Tuesday.

To learn more about the Fitchburg Art Museum, visit https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Targeted Measures To Curb Rising COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations

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Early Business Closures, Revised Gatherings, Mask Orders Announced to Disrupt Growth of COVID-19 Cases

 BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a series of targeted measures to disrupt the increasing trend of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Governor Charlie Baker announced these changes at a time where public health data has indicated that cases are rising, with cases up by 278% and hospitalizations up by 145% since Labor Day. These measures are meant to disrupt rising trends now, so the Commonwealth can keep the economy and schools open for residents and to prevent the need to roll back to Phase I or Phase II of the reopening plan.

All orders and advisories will be effective Friday, November 6th at 12:01 AM.

New Orders & Advisories:

Stay At Home Advisory: The Administration issued a revised Stay At Home Advisory to ensure residents avoid unnecessary activities that can lead to increased COVID-19 transmission. The revised Stay At Home Advisory instructs residents to stay home between 10 PM and 5 AM. The Advisory allows for activities such as going to work, running critical errands to get groceries and address health needs, and taking a walk.

Click here to read the revised Stay At Home Advisory: www.mass.gov/stayhome.

Early Closure of Businesses and Activities: Governor Baker issued a new executive order that requires the early closure of certain businesses and activities each night at 9:30 PM. The 9:30 PM closure requirement is aligned with the Stay At Home Advisory and together the two new initiatives are designed to further limit activities that could lead to COVID-19 transmission.

Effective November 6, the following businesses and activities must close to the public each day between the hours of 9:30 PM and 5:00 AM.

  • Restaurants (in-person dining must cease at 9:30 PM, although takeout and delivery may continue for food and non-alcoholic beverages, but not alcohol)
  • Liquor stores and other retail establishments that sell alcohol must cease alcohol sales at 9:30 PM (but may continue to sell other products)
  • Adult-use marijuana sales must cease at 9:30 PM (not including medical marijuana)
  • Indoor & outdoor events
  • Theaters/movie theaters (including drive-in movie theaters), and performance venues (indoor and outdoor)
  • Youth and adult amateur sports activities
  • Golf facilities
  • Recreational boating and boating businesses
  • Outdoor recreational experiences
  • Casinos and horse tracks/simulcast facilities
  • Driving and flight schools
  • Zoos, botanical gardens, wildlife reserves, nature centers
  • Close contact personal services (such as hair and nail salons)
  • Gyms, Fitness Centers and Health Clubs
  • Indoor and outdoor pools
  • Museums/cultural & historical facilities/guided tours

Click here to read the new executive order (including full list of businesses required to close at 9:30 PM).

Face Covering Order: Governor Baker also signed an updated order related to face-coverings. The revised order requires all persons to wear face-coverings in all public places, even where they are able to maintain 6 feet of distance from others. The revised order still allows for an exception for residents who cannot wear a face-covering due to a medical or disabling condition, but it allows employers to require employees to provide proof of such a condition. It also allows schools to require that students participating in in-person learning provide proof of such a medical or disabling condition.

Click here to read the revised face-coverings order.

Gatherings Order: Governor Baker also signed an updated order restricting gatherings. The new gatherings order reduces the gathering size limit for gatherings at private residences: indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. The limit on gatherings held in public spaces and at event venues (e.g. wedding venues) remains the same. The new order also requires that all gatherings (regardless of size or location) must end and disperse by 9:30 PM.

The new gatherings order also requires that organizers of gatherings report known positive COVID-19 cases to the local health department in that community and requires organizers to cooperate with contact tracing. The gatherings order authorizes continued enforcement by local health and police departments and specifies that fines for violating the gathering order will be $500 for each person above the limit at a particular gathering.

Click here to read the revised gatherings order.

Reconnect with Your Clients By Email

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Is your email inbox flooded with messages from big brands, with every message starting off with “In these uncertain times” and ending with “We’re all in this together”? You’re not alone. It seems like every brand wants to reach out to its customers in these (sorry) uncertain times.

But there’s no need to fall into the trap of being predictable and sounding like all the corporate robots filling your inbox. We believe it’s possible to connect to your clients and customers in a meaningful way that’s relational and personal. Take a look at some of our tips for reconnecting with your clients via email, even if you temporarily can’t communicate face to face.

  1. Be Transparent and Helpful

You probably don’t have all the answers to clients’ questions right now. But the more transparent you are, the more likely your customers are to stay connected with your brand. Let them know how your business is affected by the current situation, for starters. But many clients want to know more.

Reach out to tell your customers what you’re doing to protect them, whether it’s by sanitizing your physical location or adding extra online security to protect their data when your employees are working from home. Many customers want to know how you’re supporting your staff during this time, and others want to know what your plans are going forward. If you’ve changed the hours of your customer service center or you’ve opened new web pages to help customers out, let them know. When you’re transparent and clear via email, your clients will know you’re still there for them.

  1. Focus on Your Current and Recent Clients

Too many companies are digging too deep into their databases to connect with customers they haven’t had any contact within years. This isn’t the time for that deep dive, which is likely to alienate people and make them think you’re just trying to exploit them. Instead, connect with the customers and clients you have active relationships with, focusing on how you can help meet their current and future needs. Those are the clients who will be most receptive and appreciative to your updates.

  1. Strike the Right Tone

You undoubtedly have already established a clear voice when you reach out to customers. Now is the time to take a careful second look at that voice, especially if you tend to add a flash of sarcasm or flippancy to your communications with customers. If your emails make customers feel as if you aren’t taking their concerns and worries seriously, your efforts to reach out could have the opposite effect than the one you’re hoping for.

It’s also not the time to push people to buy things in an overt way, especially when many of your clients or customers may be taking second looks at their own budgets. If you send the inadvertent message that you’re taking advantage of the current situation, you won’t win friends. As you strive to strike a tone that’s supportive without being jarring, you should also avoid making political statements or promises you don’t know if you can keep (such as opening dates).

During a crisis, you have an opportunity to define who you are through your communications with your clients and customers. Honest, transparent communication via email can help you maintain the relationships that will be crucial again in the near future.

Chamber Member Spotlight: Wachusett Precision Tool Continues Growth For Near Future

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The current COVID-19 hasn’t stopped Wachusett Precision Tool (WPT) from growing, and Michael Carrigan, president of WPT, doesn’t intend on having it slow them down either. WPT has put in the appropriate safety policies as recommended by the CDC, including but not limited to masks, gloves, and social distancing.

Wachusett Precision Tool was created in December 2016 by Michael Carignan and vice president Matthew Saunders. The company was previously Bisson Tool and Die and was purchased in an asset sale. WPT started with eight employees and has grown to twenty-six employees over the past four years.

“Sales have increased from $800,000 in FY2016 to forecasted sales of $4,500,000 in FY2020. This sales growth was enabled by our expanded service offerings that include full mold building and qualification capabilities,” said Carignan.

According to their website, WPT is a full-service provider for medical products, medical device and packaging industries. WPT’s team is experienced in building a full range of prototype, pilot and class 101 production molds.

WPT offers full support through the development cycle of medical products, medical devices and complex packaging solutions. They offer quick-turn prototype solutions and have the capabilities to mold small quantities of parts for Design Verification and Human Factor Studies.

Their team is experienced in building molds and getting them through qualification, validation, and into production. They are more than “mold builders” as many of their key employees have come from the medical device manufacturing industry and have built and validated hundreds of medical molds for manufacturing globally.

“WPT purchased two injection molding machines that allow us to fully sample, debug and qualify all molds prior to delivering to our customers. Our experience with the qualification and validation of healthcare molds is instrumental to our ability to grow sales,” Carignan said.

WPT is currently in the process of purchasing the real estate they presently operate out of, and they expect to close on the purchase before the end of the calendar year. Once they have ownership of the building, they plan on developing plans for an expansion of floorspace that will enable continued growth.

“The most exciting activity for us is the purchase of the building and possible expansion. We have also added new equipment including a vertical EDM, CNC mill and laser engraver, and we have plans for additional equipment in the coming calendar year,” said Carignan.

Medical device and diagnostics contract manufacturer clients should reach out to the ever-growing Wachusett Precision Tool team for their next project. They are located at 830 Westminster Street in Fitchburg, MA. Find out more about WPT at www.wachusettprecisiontool.com or by calling them at 978-343-6443.

Emerging leaders Participate in Community Leadership Institute

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(Regional) – Fourteen men and women, sponsored by area companies as up and coming employees and future leaders in our community, have been accepted into the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leadership Institute (CLI).  CLI is dedicated to providing participants with individual leadership skills and a deep understanding of the region.  The nine-month program focuses on education, government, health care, social services, justice system, media, arts and culture, environment and history.  The Chamber created the Institute to inspire a new generation of men and women to enthusiastically assume important roles in their community.   The program challenges individuals from diverse backgrounds to be influential in our region’s future.

Professor Mike Greenwood, business professor at Fitchburg State University and chairman of the Institute steering committee, is enthusiastic about this year’s participants and the meaningful professional, personal and community development they will take part in.  “I have been with the class since it’s reintroduction in 2011.  Each year, I am amazed and impressed with the dedication of the participants.  Programs like this are an important asset within the community to ensure one that continues to thrive, even after our current leaders retire.”

Marty Connors, president of Rollstone Bank & Trust and past chairman of the Institute steering committee, led the Institute’s revival in 2010.  “I was in the 1991 class of the Institute and it was an integral part of my success in the community.  As Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2010, I felt we needed the program back to once again support our needs for leadership and succession planning. Rollstone Bank & Trust’s participants have enjoyed the program and become leaders here in their workplace and in the community.  We could not be prouder of the work they have done.”

 

Participants in the CLI Class of 2021 include:

Anna Wilkins, North County Land Trust

Ashley Kenney, Fitchburg Public Library

Cindy Dalton, City of Fitchburg, Community Development Department

Colby O’Brien, The Arc of Opportunity

Kelly Johnson, Digital Federal Credit Union

Kijah Gordon, Mount Wachusett Community College

Marcio Cirino, Jr, Rollstone Bank & Trust

Nancy De La Rosa, Primerica

Natalia Aguilar, Resource Management, Inc

Paul Chlebecek, Baystate Financial

Ryan, Murphy, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

Sam Smith, Advent Financial

Scherrie Keating, Diabetes Kare Consultants

Ty Adorno, Leominster Credit Union

About Community Leadership Institute

The Community Leadership Institute began in 1988, known then as Leadership North Central.  Over the last 25 years, more than 250 participants have graduated from the Institute and become leaders in their communities, with over 100 in the last five years.  Participants for the Institute are sponsored by their business and are seen as leaders or potential leaders within that company.  Applications for each class are available in July & August of each year, sessions held once per month from October to June.

About the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce (northcentralmass.com) is a business advocacy, economic development organization working to create and sustain relationships among businesses and between businesses and the community.  The Chamber works to foster economic opportunity in Fitchburg, Leominster and the twenty-five other communities that comprise North Central Massachusetts.  Find the Chamber online at northcentralmass.com or on Twitter at @NCMChamber. 

Building Businesses
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Chamber Member Spotlight: Beaudoin HVAC Brings Personalized Touch To Central MA

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Eric Beaudoin, owner of Beaudoin HVAC, has been working with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) since he was 14 years old. About eleven years ago, he came up with a plan to run his brother’s company for him and on October 30th, 2019, Eric purchased the company in full from his brother Keith.

Business started to grow with the assistance of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and then the pandemic hit shortly after at the beginning of this year, but COVID-19 hasn’t stopped Beaudoin in his tracks.

“We had a two-week furlough, which wasn’t easy to tell new employees, especially after buying the business in October,” Beaudoin said, “but we opened back up after those two weeks, and a lot of clients came back. Our office manager works remotely and our 24/7 emergency line responds quickly.”

Beaudoin HVAC prepared for the “new normal” with pre-screening questions to ensure the safety of their technicians and personal protection equipment (PPE) like masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer.

The company recently became an authorized diamond dealer for Mitsubishi Electric, which allows them to be able to offer better warranties for clients, but they are also fluid in taking care of multiple brand and systems, including Daikin, American Standard, and more.

“We build a relationship with our clients, keeping their best interests in mind and what makes the most sense to solve the problem,” said Beaudoin. “We are transparent at the beginning, with no hidden nonsense. We go to the location, tell you what the problem is, and how to fix it. We aren’t perfect, but we just want to make sure that our clients are happy and satisfied with the service they receive. We love any client who love us, and appreciates the knowledge that we have.”

Masked up and ready to go, Beaudoin HVAC technicians are booked up with a full schedule up until around Christmas time. The fall time is the perfect time to get HVAC systems serviced, and Beaudoin recommends looking into hyper heat system installations, and can run all year instead of using gas or oil boilers.

Beaudoin HVAC can also service a wide variety of winter preparation such as preventing frozen pipes, checking thermostats, and annually following up with clients personally to recommend prepping their houses for winter time.

“We are proactive rather than reactive, which takes out the guess work for everyone,” said Beaudoin.

Pandemic or not, Beaudoin has brilliant plans for the future, such as growing the technician crew to a ten truck crew, so they may be able to care for a larger area of central Massachusetts.

“We want to build the brand so that clients can trust us, as we train ourselves to do the job right and put out the best product possible,” Beaudoin said.

For more information on Beaudoin HVAC, visit their website at www.beaudoinhvac.com or contact them via phone at 978-345-4270.

Home, Condo Sale Prices Set September Records

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Article Source: State House News Service
Article By: Michael P. Norton

Low Rates, Strong Demand May Lift Fall Market

 

OCT. 28, 2020…..Home and condo sales and prices skyrocketed across Massachusetts in September, with the median single-family home price surging to $472,000.

The Warren Group on Wednesday reported that nearly 6,400 single-family homes were sold last month, up from just over 5,000 during September 2019. The 27 percent increase in home sales was coupled with an 18 percent increase in the median sale price.

The strong demand for new homes comes as pandemic era unemployment remains high and the state tries to guard against tens of thousands of evictions now that Gov. Charlie Baker and the Legislature have let an eviction moratorium expire. Bills to boost the supply of housing also remain bogged down on Beacon Hill.

The third straight month of large housing market gains followed a sales slump in the earlist months of the pandemic.

Year-to-date, there have been 42,566 single-family home sales, a 4 percent decrease from the first nine months of 2019. The median year-to-date sale price of $440,000 is up 10 percent.

Condo sales are also down year to date, by 7.5 percent. However, nearly 2,500 condos sold last month in Massachusetts, a 26 percent increase over September 2019, and the median condo sale price increased 11.5 percent on a year-over-year basis to $418,000.

Tim Warren, CEO of The Warren Group, said a work-from-home lifestyle for some workers and “rock-bottom mortgage rates” could prolong the sales boom.

“Historically in September we start to see a significant slowdown in single-family home sales, but this proved not to be the case in 2020,” Warren said in a statement Wednesday morning.

 

 

Human Resources Council

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Join the discussion on the effects to our mental health and the stress in the workplace related to COVID-19. We will discuss managing the anxiety around reintegration back to the office and the anxiety of uncertainty of how to best proceed.

Kyrah Altman, President and Co-Founder of Let’s Empower, Advocate and Do, Inc. (LEAD) is our presenter for the November edition of the Human Resources Council. 

Since its founding, LEAD has transformed into the industry leader in mental health education in the United States. Altman travels the world, speaking about the impact of social entrepreneurship on trauma survivors, the importance of proactive mental health education in schools, and the idea that “while not everyone has a mental illness, everyone can improve their mental health.” Since 2012, Kyrah has been featured in the New York Times, on three national television stations, and was named the nation’s 3rd best student entrepreneur by the EO Global Student Entrepreneurs Award.

Participation in HRC programs is open to all members, but pre-registration is required. The cost is just $10 for members. For more information or to register, please visit www.NorthCentralMass.com.

North Central Mass Development Corp Provides Financing to Valley Florist and Greenhouse in East Templeton

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(Regional) – The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) – the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce – recently approved a $10,000 loan to Brendan Loughman, owner of Valley Florist and Green House at 1 Valley Drive, East Templeton MA.

Brendan recently purchased Valley Florist & Green House, a flower shop in operation for over 60 years.  Brendan has an advanced certification in floral design with many years of experience as a floral designer.  Valley Florist & Green House offers custom floral designs and delivery using flowers grown on site.  In addition to floral arrangements, Valley Florist’s gift shop offers a wide selection of gift items for every occasion.  This loan for $10,000 was used for startup costs and inventory, and was a referral from Small Business Development Center where Brendan also worked on the financial plan.  For more information on Valley Florist and Green House visit them online at www.thevalleyflorist.com

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $150,000 for working capital, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.