Chamber Updates - Your Chamber In Action! » North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

As your dynamic partner in North Central Massachusetts, we continue to drive initiatives that strengthen our business community and foster regional growth. Our impact spans from direct business support to innovative community development, and we are pleased to share these updates with you that are not covered elsewhere in the newsletter.

STRATEGIC PLANNING: Our current three-year strategic plan concludes in 2025. This May, the Boards of the Chamber and its affiliate organizations will meet to begin developing our next strategic plan. We’ll review our progress and discuss crucial topics for supporting our members while maintaining our region as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.

We value your input! Share your thoughts on how the Chamber and our affiliate organizations can better support your organizations and our communities over the next three years. While we’ll be distributing a formal survey, we welcome your ideas anytime at .

SMALL BUSINESS LENDING: Our commitment to small business remains strong. Since the start of FY2025 (October 1, 2024), the Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), has approved and closed 5 micro-loans totaling $244,500. These loans, ranging from $1,000 to $121,500, helped leverage an additional $119,554 in capital from our banking partners and borrowers and created or retained 22 jobs. Currently, our loan portfolio comprises 88 loans with a total principal balance of $3,179,764.

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: To date, our team has provided 476 hours of hands-on technical assistance to local small businesses in FY2025. We’ve also connected businesses with partner resources and outside professionals offering specialized services in marketing, public relations, website/media design, bookkeeping, and legal support.

WorkNorthCentral.com: Our online jobs board continues to thrive. From November 1, 2024 to February 18, 2025, we’ve had 622 job opportunities posted and more than 9,250 page views.

Remember that Chamber members can post job listings at no cost. Submit directly through the platform or email your listings to Sabbra Reyes at .

SOLAR INITIATIVE: Since August 2014, our Pleasant Street solar field has generated 14,840,946 kWh in Net Metering Credits for participating manufacturers. These credits, valued at $3,725,800, have resulted in collective savings of $3,166,930. The Chamber itself has realized $298,064 in energy savings over the years. As we celebrate ten years of operation, these figures highlight the lasting economic and environmental benefits of our solar initiative.

SHOP LOCAL GIFT CARD PROGRAM: Our Gift Local eGift Card program currently features 44 participating member merchants. From November 2024 through January 2025, we sold 99 gift cards valued at $3,755, with 36 cards worth $1,320.29 redeemed at participating small businesses.

Visit www.GiftLocal.net to purchase gift cards or to learn more about the program. To join as a participating merchant, contact Patrick O’Hara: or 978.353.7600 ext. 239.

MEMBER DECALS: In February, we mailed the new 2025 Member Decals to the main contact at each member organization. We encourage you to proudly display your decal at your business entrance or office.

Need additional decals for multiple locations? Contact Maureen Babcock at or 978.353.7600 ext. 222, or stop by the Chamber office to pick them up. Thank you for being a valued Chamber member!

MANUFACTURING COUNCIL: Our January Manufacturing Council meeting at SMC Ltd. in Devens drew over forty manufacturers. Attendees gained insights from Lily Fitzgerald, Director of Massachusetts’ Center for Advanced Manufacturing, on 2025 industry trends and resources. SMC’s Dave Bergman followed with an in-depth look at their cutting-edge operations, capped off by an exclusive facility tour showcasing their advanced manufacturing capabilities. Check our website for upcoming meetings of the Manufacturing Council.

CHAMBER LEADERSHIP COUNCIL: Our December meeting of the Leadership Council – an advisory body of members who provide strategic guidance on regional issues – featured three key presentations. Canada’s Consul General Bernadette Jordan highlighted the vital and longstanding trade relationship between Massachusetts and Canada, discussing shared economic interests and collaboration opportunities amid evolving international trade policies. Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao provided insights on the newly signed Mass Leads Act and its implications for regional economic growth. Chamber President Roy Nascimento rounded out the session with an update on the Chamber’s progress toward our strategic and economic development plans and goals. This meeting offered members valuable perspective on international, state, and local economic initiatives.

CHAMBER WEBSITE: We have continued enhancing the Chamber’s website – northcentralmass.com – to serve as a comprehensive resource for our members and communities. Recent improvements include updated content, enhanced SEO strategies and new community profiles on our economic development section to further showcase the strengths and opportunities within our region. For FY2025 through January, the Chamber’s website saw 50,429 visitors and120,204 pageviews. That is a 9% decrease in visitors and 4% increase in pageviews over the same period the previous year.

CHAMBER SOCIAL MEDIA: The Chamber’s social media presence continues to expand, with particularly strong growth on LinkedIn where our following increased 23.4% to reach 2,347 followers. Instagram showed steady growth of 10.4%, reaching 1,233 followers, while Facebook saw modest growth of 4.3% to reach 7,168 followers. X (formerly Twitter) experienced a slight decline of 1.2%, with current following at 1,103, primarily due to reduced activity on that platform. Tourism-related social channels are tracked separately and reported on page 18.

CHAMBER EMAIL NEWSLETTER: The Chamber’s redesigned monthly e-newsletter launched for 2025 features a mobile-friendly single-column layout with new sections including “Out & About” for community photos, “Member Spotlight” for success stories, and “In the Mix” for news and opportunities. Our email database currently reaches 3,923 business contacts, achieving a 41% average open rate across all communications and 50% for the monthly newsletter.

ACCOUNTING: North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, North Central Massachusetts Chamber Foundation, Johnny Appleseed Trail Association (Visit North Central), North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, The North Central Massachusetts Land Bank, and Chambers Insurance fiscal year-end 2024 closed smoothly. Their applicable Annual Audits and Tax Returns were processed and filed on time and without incident.

MEMBER TO MEMBER OFFERINGS: Boost your visibility and support fellow Chamber members through our Member to Member Offerings program! This complimentary benefit allows you to showcase exclusive discounts or special services on our website, reaching member businesses and their employees throughout the region. Participating not only increases your exposure but also strengthens our regional business community through collaborative support. Ready to post your offer? Contact Maureen Babcock at 978.353.7600 ext. 222 or . Start leveraging this valuable member benefit today!

PODCAST: In January, we surpassed 6,500 downloads on our Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast, a 17% increase over the previous year. 2024 marked our most successful year for downloads since launching the podcast in 2021. We are continuing to book guests about a month out. We’d like to thank Franklin Professional Associates for sponsoring the podcast again this year. Want to share your story? Contact Travis Condon at or 978.353.7600 ext. 224 to book your guest spot.

STAFF RECOGNITION: Travis Condon, our Public Affairs Manager, was recently named to the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ 40 Under 40 emerging chamber leaders list, bringing national recognition to both Travis and our chamber.

ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORSHIPS: Mark your calendar for our Annual Meeting on June 12, 2025—one of the Chamber’s largest and most prestigious events of the year. We’re currently seeking sponsors at multiple levels. Showcase your organization to hundreds of regional business and community leaders while supporting this premier gathering. For sponsorship details and benefits, contact Valerie Bruno, Programs and Events Manager, at 978.353.7600 ext. 235 or .

MEET & GREETS: The Chamber has resumed hosting our popular “Meet & Greet” series throughout the region. Our Meet & Greets are smaller, focused gatherings typically hosted by a member in one of our communities. They provide a great opportunity to engage with local businesses and get an update from the Chamber. Check our calendar of events for the next Meet & Greet or contact Patrick O’Hara on the Chamber team if you are interested in attending or hosting a future Meet & Greet at your business.

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North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

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