Earlier this week, Governor Baker declared a state of emergency due to the outbreak of coronavirus. In an effort to gain an accurate assessment of the outbreak’s impact to businesses in North Central Massachusetts, the Chamber and its affiliate organizations have created this brief survey. Please take a moment to answer the following questions. All information will be reported in general terms and individual business information will remain confidential.
Thank you in advance for your participation. Click here for information and resources for businesses dealing with the Coronavirus Outbreak.
Having been involved for over 30 years, Rick Healey of Foster-Healey Real Estate knows a thing or two about the ever-changing ways of the real restate business.
With a focus on mainly residential properties, Foster-Healey Real Estate prides itself in keeping up with the growing technology since the start of the Internet era. Their agents are well-trained and professional and service the entire marketplace from first-time home buyers to seasoned ones.
The company was originally founded in 1924 by Ralph Foster, and Healey’s father started working there in the 1950s and started managing in the 1960s. Shortly after, in 1977, the company was bought and became Foster-Healey Real Estate, and the name was kept as the Fosters were well-known in the North Central Mass area.
Healey took over running the business shortly after his father passed, and has been involved with the North Central Chamber of Commerce since he’s owned the business, and was also a past chairman in 1995. In 1990, Healey also owned and operated Countryside Real Estate in Leominster and Gardner.
“The [North Central] Chamber of commerce is great at connecting,” Healey said. “As a local business, we enjoy the Chamber working with other locally-owned businesses and being able to connect and work with them. We appreciate what the Chamber does to connect everyone.”
Foster-Healey includes their 3D Matterport Tours in every house they market. According to their website, the “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.”
“The Internet has changed everything that we do. The consumer is expecting the best experience possible,” said Healey. “[The 3D Tours] allow the consumer to have the freedom to explore more, and thus, more likely be interested in purchasing the property.”
The Matterport Tours also put things into perspective by allowing the user to virtually tour through a house and put things where they actually are. At times, real estate photos can be digitally altered, but with Foster-Healey Real Estate, you get the real deal. They combine the 3D Matterport Tours with professional photography as well as drone photography to be able to provide the best experience for the consumer looking to purchase or sell.
In the spring, Foster-Healey Real Estate is looking forward to a great spring market and more 1-on-1 time with clients like first-time home-buyers with the education process. “We see ourselves as a liason or guide for the [home-buying] process, as marketing agents, rather than just listing agents,” said Healey.
Foster-Healey Real Estate is located at 50 Central Street, Leominster, MA 01453. For more information on Foster-Healey Real Estate, please visit their website at www.foster-healey.com.
North Central NOW is a news segment of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce that spotlights business and community leaders, as well as relevant business news in various ways including written articles and video segments. For more information on North Central NOW or to be considered for the next segment, please contact David Ginisi, Marketing and Communications Manager at .
Community and business leaders will look to the future of the economy in North Central Massachusetts at the Ninth Annual Economic Forecast Breakfast being held on Friday, March 27, 2020 from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Double Tree by Hilton, 99 Erdman Way, Leominster, MA. Sponsored by Fidelity Bank and in partnership with the Greater Gardner, North Quabbin, Nashoba Valley and Wachusett Area Chambers, the breakfast will feature the results of the annual Economic Outlook Survey and remarks from a panel of three featured speakers.
This year’s Economic Forecast Panel will feature Dr. Tracey Corley, Transit-Oriented Development Fellow at MassINC; Eileen McAnneny, President of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; and Dr. Bo Zhao, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
Bo Zhao is a senior economist at the New England Public Policy Center in the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Research Department. He specializes in public finance and urban and regional economics. In 2013, he received the Boston Fed’s President’s Award. Zhao earned his PhD in economics and his MS in applied statistics from Syracuse University. He joined the Boston Fed in 2005 and served on the Municipal Aid Subcommittee of the Massachusetts Municipal Finance Task Force from 2006 to 2007. Zhao was selected by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation as one of 20 young scholars nationwide to participate in the 2005 Entrepreneurship Research Boot Camp.
Eileen McAnneny joined the staff of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation as its President in February, 2015. Founded in 1932, the Taxpayers Foundation is widely recognized as the state’s premier public policy organization dealing with state spending, tax and economic policies. The Foundation’s record of high-quality research and non-partisan analysis has earned the organization broad credibility on Beacon Hill and across the state. Earlier in her career, she worked in the public sector as a staff attorney for the Joint Committee on Revenue of the Massachusetts legislature, playing a key role in numerous significant tax policy changes, including reforms to the corporate tax code, an overhaul of the Appellate Tax Board, amendments to DOR’s administrative practices and updates to unclaimed property collections. A cum laude graduate of Tufts University and Suffolk University Law School, Ms. McAnneny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a juris doctorate in law. She is a Commissioner of the Group Insurance Commission and on the Board of Directors of the Cooperative Central Bank. She also was appointed by Governor Baker as Vice Chair of the Commission on the Future of Transportation in the Commonwealth.
Dr. Tracy A. Corley, MassINC’s Transit-Oriented Development Fellow, thrives on creating economic opportunities and sustainable livelihoods for people in our world’s metropolitan regions. She brings expertise in economic development, business, labor markets, architecture, law, and public policy to MassINC. As the TOD Fellow, she convenes political and community leaders to spur inclusive development in Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities. Dr. Corley attained her B.A. in Architecture Design from Clemson University and her M.S. in Public Policy and Ph.D. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University.
The cost is just $35 for Chamber members/$50 for non-members and includes a breakfast buffet. Tables of ten are also available.Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600 ext. 235 or CLICK HERE.
Here is an update on the work of our tourism arm – Visit North Central Massachusetts – over the Winter to promote and market North Central Massachusetts as a destination for visitors and groups.
We continued to utilize a diverse mix of digital and print advertising in target markets to promote the region, including geo-targeted digital ads, a paid YouTube advertising campaign and print advertisements in Bay State Parent. During the winter season we also partnered with the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, Massachusetts Ski Resort Association, and the Berkshires and Franklin County Convention and Visitors Bureaus on a special #SkiMass campaign to promote the state to skiers and snowboarders. The campaign included a mix of paid digital media on Facebook and Instagram in the target markets of Greater Boston, New Hampshire, New York and Connecticut.
Our Facebook following has grown 5.8% over the winter season and a whopping 290% compared to the same period last year! This is primarily due to our rebranding and our strategy of utilizing a combination of Facebook ads, compelling content and video. Our Instagram following grew by 6% and our Twitter grew by 11% during the Winter season. We also released a new tourism video on our social media channels highlighting the dynamic region. A special thank you to Wilspro Entertainment and music artist Joshua Radin for his song “Going With You” which is featured in the new video.
Our tourism website – VisitNorthCentral.com – saw a 192% increase in traffic over the same period last year.Primary origins for the majority of visitors included the New England states and Canada. Winter themed blog articles on the website included “Take The Ski Train,” “Sleigh Bells Ring,” and “Feathered Fun.”
Hotel occupancy was up 3% in the region compared to the month of January last year. The state saw a 4.3% increase compared to January of last year. Revenue per available room (RevPar) for January 2020 was up 5.5% for the region compared to January 2019 and the state was up 4.5% compared to January 2019. All data is from the most recent STR report (occupancy data for February has not been released as of printing).
Visit North Central Massachusetts was also busy promoting the region at trade shows. We showcased the region at the Great Bridal Expo held in Boston, promoting our beautiful wedding venues to future brides and grooms from throughout New England. Plans are currently underway to participate in the Dreams and Destinations Travel Show in Springfield, MA in May. We will be showcasing our region for the first time at this trade show that targets visitors from Western Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut. We will also be participating in the Discover New England Industry Show taking place in Maine.
The Spring/Summer 2020 Guide to North Central Massachusetts is now available.Due to higher demand, we have increased our printing by 15% and expanded distribution in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, the South Shore, Boston and even Canada (our region’s biggest international market).The Guide to North Central Massachusetts can now also be found across all terminals inside Boston’s Logan Airport.
We are currently seeking partners for upcoming co-op opportunities in the Spring and Summer. Please contact David Ginisi, Marketing and Communications Manager, if you are interested and would like additional information.
The Chamber and its economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp, have hired national economic development strategists RKG Associates, Inc. to assist in the creation of a new economic development plan for the region.RKG Associates is an economic planning and real estate consultancy with offices in Washington, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Durham, NH. The RKG consulting team for the project will also include FXM Associates, a consulting firm based in Massachusetts that specializes in real estate and transportation, and Hodge Economic Consulting, an economic development consulting firm also based in Massachusetts.
The RKG led team was chosen after a thorough selection process that included a formal request for proposals from economic development firms, evaluation of the responses received, interviews with finalists, and evaluation of past projects and experience.The process was led by a selection committee, comprised of twelve business and community leaders.
The purpose of this effort is to develop a multi-faceted and implementable plan to guide the Chamber’s regional economic development efforts over the next 10 to 15 years, providing for sustainable growth.In the 1990s, the Chamber led a similar community and business-based planning effort that proved effective in driving economic development efforts over a twenty-year period and led to the creation of many of the region’s economic assets.Recognizing that much has changed since that first plan was developed and the major impact it had in advancing the local economy, the Chamber felt that the time was right to undergo this process again and develop a new plan for the future.
“In order to gain a competitive edge, we believe that it is time to reflect on the assets we have in North Central Massachusetts and how we can build on them,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “We believe it’s important to go through this process to develop a shared vision for the future of the region and a roadmap to ultimately achieve success.”
Echoing Nascimento’s sentiments, RKG Vice President and Principal, Eric Halvorsen stated, “North Central Massachusetts is at an important point in its history.It needs to set a new economic path forward that capitalizes on its regional competitive advantages but does so in a way that leverages new economic development opportunities and outcomes.”
The scope of the project includes a data driven assessment of the region’s competitiveness as a place to live, work, visit and do business; identification and analysis of comparable regions locally or nationally for benchmarking purposes; review and analysis of economic development resources and capacity within North Central Massachusetts; outreach and engagement with community, businesses and other stakeholders to gather input to help shape the plan; and the preparation of an economic development strategy and implementation plan. The project is expected to take 6 to 12 months.
This development of this comprehensive regional economic development plan is part of the Chamber’s continuing efforts to advance the economy of North Central Massachusetts. For more information on the project, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600.
With debate over transportation improvements and funding taking shape in the State House, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has released a platform outlining its position on this important matter. “North Central Massachusetts is poised to be the next area of growth in Massachusetts,” stated Roy Nascimento, the Chamber’s president and CEO. “However, without a strong and reliable transportation system, we will be unable to expand our residential, commercial, and industrial tax bases.”
The platform itself is divided into three sections, covering the Chamber’s position on individual reforms, funding proposals, and priority regional infrastructure projects. “The platform’s goal is to ensure accountability and regional equity as the state explores prioritizing transportation infrastructure and ways to finance these projects” explained Christopher McDermott, the Chamber’s public affairs manager. Key highlights of the Chamber platform include:
· First and foremost, the Chamber believes that any new transportation funding initiatives should be accompanied by meaningful reforms, with increased focus on fiscal management, long-term planning, and sustainability. Moreover, any new funding measures passed for transportation infrastructure should be directly tied to those purposes;
· In regards to funding, the Chamber supports congestion pricing as a targeted method of addressing bottlenecks during peak periods along routes where public transit is readily available. It is also in favor of increasing ride sharing fees for transportation network companies;
· The Chamber is open to the Governor’s Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI), provided that New Hampshire and other states in the Northeast participate so as not to place Massachusetts at a competitive disadvantage. While we have some concerns with this proposal, we appreciate the regional focus and the underlying goals of improving transportation infrastructure, reducing carbon emissions, and creating economic development opportunities;
· At the same time, the Chamber opposes expanding tolling along open access state highways. The Chamber will also resist efforts to increase the gas tax or implement mileage fees, as these are regionally inequitable options which penalize drivers in rural areas that lack access to public transit;
· Lastly, once funds have been raised, the Chamber will advocate for the modernization of Route 2 and Interstate 190; expansion of alternative transit options; and improved Commuter Rail service, to include increased frequency of trips, subsidies to address unreasonably priced fares, and express trains from Fitchburg to Boston.
The Chamber’s position was developed after research and polling members. The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, comprised of members from diverse industries, also helped review and draft the position. A final draft was reviewed and approved by the Chamber’s Board of Directors at their meeting on January 16, 2020. It can be found on the Government Affairs Page under “Chamber Positions” by clicking here. Thank you to all the members who provided input on this issue.
Last Fall, Governor Charlie Baker established the Merged Market Advisory Council in an effort to examine the individual and small group insurance market, or “merged market,” and underlying trends that have driven insurance costs up for small and mid-size employers. This group is comprised of 13 appointed members and chaired by Gary Anderson, the Commissioner of Insurance. Its membership includes various experts with knowledge of the insurance industry, including actuaries, brokers, insurance carriers and representatives from employers and the small business community.
The creation of this market can be traced to the Commonwealth’s enactment of RomneyCare in 2006. The reforms included merging the “non-group” risk pool, comprised of individuals, with the “small group” risk pool, comprised of small business with 50 or less employees (including the self-employed). This was intended to reduce premiums for those in the non-group market- which faced elevated costs due to a higher utilization on services – by spreading the risk over a larger population. The Chamber and many business groups were opposed at the time, fearing that rates would increase for small businesses. Vermont is the only other state where the individual and small group risk pools were merged into a single merged market.
While it is true that the merged market has led to premium reductions for individuals, it has also resulted in dramatic increases for small businesses and their employees. According to the Center for Insurance Information and Analysis, Massachusetts has amongst the highest small business health care premiums in the country. Unfortunately, this comes as no surprise to the Chamber or our members who have struggled with increasing premiums for years.
The Governor’s Merged Market Advisory Council is expected to make recommendations to the Baker Administration, which may include separating the merged groups as a way to reduce costs for small businesses. Some have argued that since passage of the national Affordable Care Act, the merged market is no longer necessary due to the incentives and subsidies provided to individuals.
The Advisory Council has scheduled a series of sessions where the public may share their input and concerns. The closest session to North Central Massachusetts is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2020 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Room S-1-123 at UMass Medical Center, 55 Lake Avenue North in Worcester. The Chamber will be in attendance and encourages its members to participate and share any concerns they have as well. If you are unable to attend, please consider submitting written comments to the Merged Market Advisory Council via email at .
For more information, please feel free to contact Christopher McDermott, Public Affairs Manager at 978.353.7600 ext. 224 or via email at
The next edition of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber’s popular Good Morning North Central breakfast series is scheduled for Thursday, March 12, 2020 from 6:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton, 99 Erdman Way, Leominster, MA.The March edition is sponsored by the DoubleTree by Hilton.
The Good Morning North Central series is a high-profile, fast-paced and educational breakfast program geared towards executives, senior managers, professionals and business owners.Each of the programs has a business-oriented focus and features popular speakers to present on topics of interest to local businesses.
The featured speakers for the month of March are Carolyn Kirk, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and Jim Hull, Owner and Managing Principal of the Hull Property Group.
Carolyn A. Kirk was selected by the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative as the agency’s new executive director in February, 2019.
From January 2015 to early February 2019, she served as the Deputy Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), a role she held since the beginning of the Baker-Polito Administration. As Deputy Secretary, Kirk supported the management of HED’s $1.4 billion dollar budget and approximately 1,000 employees. In addition, Kirk’s portfolio includes serving alongside Lt. Governor Karyn Polito on the Seaport Economic Council. She is extremely familiar with MassTech’s work, having chaired the agency’s Board on behalf of EOHED, and has been a leader on the effort to bring broadband to 44 unserved towns, working closely with the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech.
Prior to her appointment to the Administration, Kirk as the first woman popularly elected as Mayor of the City of Gloucester. Her professional career spans more than 25 years and includes time as a management consultant, working with clients that included many of the Top 20 banks in the U.S. along with Fortune 500 companies.
Jim Hull is the founder and managing principal of Hull Property Group- who recently acquired the Mall at Whitney Field in Leominster. He has led the acquisition, development and redevelopment in excess of 70 big-box retail, neighborhood and regional shopping centers, including the acquisition of 32 enclosed regional malls, many of which comprise the Company’s approximate 15 million plus square feet of owned retail portfolio located in 13 states.
Jim is a lifelong resident of Augusta, Georgia and is an active communicant of the Church of the Good Shepherd. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. He is also on the boards of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation, Board of Visitors of Augusta University, AU Health System, State of Georgia’s REACH Scholarship Program, the Georgia Research Alliance, the Community Foundation of the CSRA, America’s Warrior Partnership and is the past Chair of the University System of Georgia Foundation.
He is a long-standing member of the United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society and has been honored with the United Way’s Founders Award. Jim received the President’s Award from Augusta University, the Liberty Bell Award from the Augusta Bar Association and the Philanthropist of the Year Award from the Society of Fundraising Professionals. He is a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow, past president of the Augusta Assembly, and has been inducted in Junior Achievement’s Business Hall of Fame and Beta Gamma Sigma’s Honor Society. Jim is a recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Augusta University.
The cost is just $25 for Chamber members/$40 non-members and includes a breakfast buffet.Pre-registration is required. To register please click here.
Visit North Central Massachusetts is proud to participate in a #SkiMass collaboration in partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, The Massachusetts Ski Resort Association, The Berkshires and Franklin County. This is in an effort to bring more ski and snowboarding travelers to North Central Massachusetts and support our partners at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area.
A mix of targeted digital media on Facebook and Instagram platforms are set in place to target key markets in Greater Boston, New Hampshire, New York and Connecticut.
For more information on North Central Massachusetts, please go to:
