At its September meeting, the Board of Directors of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce adopted a new strategic plan designed to serve as a roadmap for the future success of the Chamber and its affiliate organizations over the next three years.
“Our new strategic plan is crafted to take a look towards the future and ensure that we are continuing to meet the needs of our members and region,” said Roy M. Nascimento, president and CEO of the Chamber. “We have set some very aggressive goals around economic development, membership, programming, micro-lending, and regional promotion. Our goals and focus are to make North Central Massachusetts the best region in the state to live, work, raise a family, or build a business.”
The Chamber’s new strategic plan is focused on promoting the region’s strengths, expanding existing businesses and business opportunities, and significantly improving the economic future for all who call North Central Massachusetts home. The strategic plan was prepared as a result of a comprehensive planning process that included input provided by members, the Board, staff and other stakeholders. The plan, vision, and mission serve as a blueprint for the future success of the Chamber and its affiliate organizations as well as help drive programs, services and value the Chamber is creating for members. The new plan includes areas of focus, goals and quantifiable metrics and targets.
Members can view the new strategic by visiting www.northcentralmass.com/ncmcc-strategic-plan. Programs and projects will be undertaken with care and consideration of actual resources of the Chamber and its members. The plan is also a fluid document that the Chamber will update as needed to reflect the changing world.
A special thanks to all those members who assisted with the development of the business plan, either by completing a membership survey, participating in a meeting, or providing input. Members are encouraged to contact Roy Nascimento at 978.353.7600 or via email at with any questions or feedback on the strategic plan.
Visit North Central Massachusetts, an affiliate of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently launched a new website to serve as a resource for visitors from all over the world who are interested in exploring this scenic and dynamic New England region. The new website address is www.VisitNorthCentral.com.
The new site promotes North Central Massachusetts as a desirable place to visit by highlighting what to do; where to stay; where to eat; and the events happening throughout the year. The new site will have a focus on the region’s unique attractions; accessibility from Boston and other major markets; family friendly activities; and the benefits of not only visiting but holding a sporting tournament or corporate event in the region.
The new site features an attractive look and feel, and an intuitive, easy to use menu options to help users easily access the information they are looking for. The new site is also responsive so it will adapt to the screen size of whatever device is being used for easy viewing and navigation. The new site was designed by 3MediaWeb, a website design and development company that is a member of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
“We believe that we have a great story to tell. North Central Massachusetts is a terrific place to visit, live and grow a business,” said Roy M. Nascimento, president & CEO of Visit North Central Massachusetts. “This new website will be a great tool to help us highlight the region’s many strengths and assets and motivate visitors and local businesses to help us continue as to grow as a destination.”
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development affiliate the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation hosted a manufacturing bus tour on Tuesday October 23, 2018, for 41 students and chaperones from Fitchburg High School and Leominster High School as part of their “Amp It Up!” initiative to promote careers in manufacturing and highlight the importance of manufacturing to North Central Massachusetts.
Attendees on the tour visited AIS, Inc in Leominster and the Mount Wachusett Community College Advanced Manufacturing Campus in Devens, where they were able to get an insider’s look at how manufacturers operate as well as learn about the growing employment opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets needed.
“We were excited to work with AIS, Mount Wachusett Community College and the high schools and showcase the employment opportunities that are right here in North Central Massachusetts and the skills needed to be successful,” said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “We are very encouraged by the response of not only the local educational institutions, but the students themselves to this important industry sector.”
With over 440 firms, North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state. Fully one-third of all private wages paid in the region are from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world class plastics industry cluster, to pharmaceuticals, photonics, paper, and biomedical devices.
Manufacturers today are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, working on advanced equipment and technology. However, many manufacturers have been challenged recruiting the workers they need. Despite the high wage potential and increasing employer demand, there is both a need for more young workers and a skills gap among an existing and a transitioning workforce.
The purpose of the “AMP it up!” initiative is to leverage new and existing resources to continue ongoing efforts to reach career counselors, community organizations, youth-serving organizations, educators, and most importantly students throughout North Central Massachusetts. The Chamber’s “Amp It Up!” initiative is funded in part through a matching grant from MassDevelopment. Other partners include Fitchburg State University, Mt. Wachusett Community College and school systems throughout the region. Ongoing efforts to promote manufacturing careers have also included engaging the schools and offering career exploration activities to students, hosting student tours, participating in career day activities and promoting manufacturing via a targeted social media campaign.
For more information on the manufacturing bus tour, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.
Fidelity Bank has made good on its promise to support small local businesses in the communities of Gardner and Winchendon in recognition of the completion of its merger with Colonial Co-Operative Bank, which had branches in those communities prior to the merger. The merged state chartered, mutually owned financial institution has combined assets of approximately $900 million.
Fidelity Bank has committed to earmark $300,000 for the establishment of a micro loan fund, to be called The Colonial Bank Loan Fund- a Fidelity Bank Endowment. “We want to honor Colonial Co-operative Bank’s prior commitments to the people of Gardner and Winchendon,” said Fidelity Bank Chairman & CEO Edward F. Manzi Jr. “It aligns well with our LifeDesign promise of being a team of caring people, who take a caring approach, to provide caring solutions.”
The fund will be managed by the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), an affiliate of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, to provide the loans to small businesses in the city of Gardner and the towns of Winchendon and Templeton. “We are very excited to be partnering with Fidelity Bank on the establishment of the new Colonial Bank Loan Fund,” said Roy M. Nascimento, CCE, IOM, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “These funds will go a long way in providing local entrepreneurs with the critical infusion of capital that they will need to take their business from dream to reality.”
The Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce will partner with NCMDC to promote the loan fund to businesses in the area. “We are pleased to promote the fund as a resource for new businesses to accelerate their ideas and achieve their ambitions. In large part, small businesses are driving the economic growth in the Greater Gardner region” said Carol Jacobson, President & CEO of the Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce. “It is also a fitting tribute to Colonial Co-operative Bank’s rich history of supporting businesses and citizens in Gardner and surrounding towns for more than a century.”
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Brendan Hannen to its professional staff in the position of Micro-Loan Program Manager.
In his new position, Mr. Hannen will be responsible for helping to manage the micro-loan program offered through the Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation.
“We are excited to welcome Brendan to our team,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Brendan will be a great resource to the business community as we look to expand our micro-loan program and help support new and existing small businesses in the region.”
Brendan joins the Chamber from the Ives Group, Inc. where he worked as a Product Manager for the Audit Analytics service. In this role he helped to develop and deliver datasets to major accounting firms and financial institutions for compliance with SEC requirements. Prior to that role he was a Research Analyst where he participated in the research and presentation of published reports on topics including IPOs, Auditor Changes and Going Concern Opinions which have been featured in periodicals including the Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch and presented at accounting industry conferences. Earlier in his career he also worked for Millbury Credit Union as a member services representative. He holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Clark University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Worcester State University.
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) is a non-profit economic development corporation with the mission of creating jobs and improving the economy. NCMDC is certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Program. The NCMDC works in partnership with local banks, credit unions, chambers of commerce and area nonprofits to support emerging microenterprises, small businesses, and community projects in 76 communities in Worcester, Middlesex and Franklin Counties with loans and business assistance. Since 1996, the NCMDC has granted over $6,300,000 in loans to small businesses to help grow jobs and the economy in the region.
Businesses or community members interested in learning more about the micro-loan program through the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation can reach Brendan at 978.353.7600 ext. 234 or via email at .
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development affiliate the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation hosted a manufacturing bus tour on Tuesday, October 23, 2018, for 46 students and chaperones from Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School as part of their efforts to promote careers in manufacturing and highlight the importance of manufacturing to North Central Massachusetts.
Attendees on the tour visited NyproMold in Clinton and WestRock in Devens, where they were able to get an insider’s look at how these manufacturers operate as well as learn about the growing employment opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets needed.
“We were excited to work with some of our local manufacturers and Monty Tech to get these students into these businesses and see the opportunity that is right here in North Central Massachusetts,” said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “We are continually looking for new ways to promote this important industry sector to the next generation that will be quickly entering the workforce.”
With over 440 firms, North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state. Fully one-third of all private wages paid in the region are from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world class plastics industry cluster, to pharmaceuticals, photonics, paper, and biomedical devices.
Manufacturers today are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, working on advanced equipment and technology. However, many manufacturers have been challenged recruiting the workers they need. Despite the high wage potential and increasing employer demand, there is both a need for more young workers and a skills gap among an existing and a transitioning workforce.
For more information on the manufacturing bus tours, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.
The next edition of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber’s popular Good Morning North Central breakfast series is scheduled for Friday, November 16, 2018 from 6:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton, 99 Erdman Way, Leominster, MA. The September edition is sponsored by the Doubletree by Hilton, Leominster.
El 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 November edition are Christian McMahan, the new President of Wachusett Brewing Company and Robert Nelson, District Director for the U.S. Small Business Association.
Christian McMahan joined Wachusett Brewing Company as its President in June of 2017. He began his career in the beer industry in sales working with Boston Beer Company and then went on to serve as Vice President of Marketing for Diageo and Chief Marketing Officer for Heineken USA. Founded in Westminster in 1994, Wachusett has grown to become the 2nd largest packaging brewer in Massachusetts and was named one of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the United States in 2017.
Robert H. Nelson was appointed district director of SBA’s Massachusetts District Office on November 26, 2007. As district director, Mr. Nelson is responsible for the effective delivery of SBA’s financial and business development programs with a mission to counsel, assist and protect the interest of small business statewide in order to maintain and strengthen the economy. He has 25 years of federal service, 19 of which have been with the SBA.
The cost is just $25 for Chamber members/$40 non-members and includes a breakfast buffet. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Kathleen Deal at 978.353.7600 ext. 235, or visit www.northcentralmass.com/news/calendar-of-events/.
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) granted a $19,000 micro-loan to Charles Simmons, owner of Simmons & Sinclair Logistics located in Leominster, to assist with the purchase of a tractor. Simmons & Sinclair Logistics will offer local and long-distance transportation for a variety of products to include wood and metals. Ray Belanger, Director of Small Business at NewVue Communities in Fitchburg assisted Charles with his business plan and projections. This loan was a referral from Workers Credit Union and will create one job.
Winston Burrell received a $5,000 loan from NCMDC to start Barrington’s Autumn, a home-based business located in Lunenburg. With many years in the medical industry and having researched various approaches to holistic health, Winston recently started Barrington’s Autumn and will specialize in environmentally friendly, dye-free essential oils and fragrances to promote healing and wellness. This $5,000 loan will assist Winston with purchasing inventory and marketing expenses. For more information visit www.Barringtonsautumn.com. Winston also worked NewVue Communities on his business plan and projections. This loan was a referral from NewVue Communities and will create one new job.
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.
On the surface, Question 1’s proposal to implement nurse staffing ratios seems like a good idea. Assigning fewer patients per nurse sounds good, but the reality is that the provisions of this proposed mandate would have devastating unintended consequences for our community hospitals and patients.
Should this measure pass, hospitals in Massachusetts would be held to rigid, no-exceptions nurse staffing ratios imposed by the government that would have a profound impact on their ability to provide care. Just imagine what would occur under these mandates if an emergency department were to reach its full legal allowance of patients. New arrivals would be sent to alternative hospitals, compromising their care and risking their safety in the process.
Of the 50 states, only one, California, has adopted mandated nurse staffing ratios and that was over ten years ago. If government mandated nursing ratios were such a good idea, why haven’t more states adopted them since then? The reason is that there is no evidence that it has led to improved care. According to 2018 Leapfrog patient safety data, the gold standard for assessing quality outcomes, California hospitals rank 25th for patient safety. Massachusetts ranks fourth. Likewise, United Health Foundation ranks California seventeenth nationally in terms of statewide health, while Massachusetts ranks first. Our hospitals equal or in many cases exceed California’s in nearly every meaningful measure of quality patient care and safety.
If voters pass Question 1 it would also raise costs substantially for hospitals and patients. The independent, non-partisan Massachusetts Health Policy Commission has estimated that passage of Question 1 would cost the state up to $949 million annually. Patients, employers and taxpayers will end up footing the bill for these new government mandates through increased taxes and higher premiums. Most of our community hospitals operate now on razor thin margins. UMass Memorial HealthAllianceClinton Hospital reports that this will add $8.9 million more to their cost structure year over year moving forward. Likewise, Heywood Hospital will see $5.6 million in additional costs and Athol Hospital an additional $1.9 million. The pressures on them to break even are immense, and it is likely that they will be forced to make deep cuts to critical programs, such as opioid treatment and mental health services, in order to implement these mandates. In some parts of the state, local community hospitals could close altogether, creating a significant hardship for those dependent upon them.
Staffing decisions should be left to the experienced doctors and nurses who operate our hospitals, and not imposed upon them by the state through a rigid set of mandates. Nursing is a well-organized and respected profession, whose members are protected by their elevated skillset and long established union representation. Concerns about working conditions and patient loads should – and regularly are – negotiated at the hospital level and should not be imposed via the ballot box. This produces the best results for each institution, and is perhaps why many doctors and nurses have come out openly in opposition to this ballot proposal.
On November 6, voters will decide whether to tie the hands of our experienced health care professionals by voting ‘Yes’ or allow them to make the right decisions for patients with the flexibility in staffing that is essential to their important work.
On behalf of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, we urge you to vote “No” on Question 1. For more information, please go to www.protectpatientsafety.com.
Roy M. Nascimento, CCE, IOM
President & CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development affiliate the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation hosted a special manufacturing bus tour on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 for education and community leaders as part of their efforts to promote careers in manufacturing and highlight the importance of manufacturing to North Central Massachusetts.
Attendees on the tour, which also included school superintendents, legislators, economic development officials and members of the media, visited several manufacturing companies where they were able to get an insider’s look at how select manufacturers operate as well as learn about the growing employment opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets needed.
The manufacturing bus tour, part of the Chamber’s “Amp It Up!” initiative, included stops at AIS, Inc., a furniture manufacturer based in Leominster that specializes in high-end office systems; Burkhart-Phelan, Inc., a company founded in 1982 that specializes in the precision manufacturing of high quality flutes and piccolos; SMC Ltd., a worldwide contract manufacturer of various medical devices and medical equipment; and Mount Wachusett Community College’s Devens Manufacturing Center, which offers technical training in a number of different areas including advanced manufacturing. The tour also included a lunch presentation and discussion with Dr. James Vander Hooven, president of Mount Wachusett Community College and Roy Nascimento, president & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce on ways that schools and communities can collaborate with employers.
With over 440 firms, North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state. Fully one-third of all private wages paid in the region are from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world class plastics industry cluster, to pharmaceuticals, photonics, paper, and biomedical devices.
Manufacturers today are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, working on advanced equipment and technology. However, many manufacturers have been challenged recruiting the workers they need. Despite the high wage potential and increasing employer demand, there is both a need for more young workers and a skills gap among an existing and a transitioning workforce.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation remain committed to supporting and growing this critical sector of the region’s economy. The organizations are working with partners to address this skills gap, retain the region’s young talent, and introduce them to the high-tech, high-skilled, and high-paying careers of the modern manufacturing industry. The Chamber believes that building successful education partnerships between businesses and the region’s schools is critical to collective,
on-going efforts.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance of the following partners who helped make the event possible: MassDevelopment; MassHire North Central Workforce Board; AIS, Inc.; Burkart-Phelan, Inc.; SMC Ltd.; Mount Wachusett Community College; and Fitchburg Access Television (FATV).
The purpose of the “AMP it up!” initiative is to leverage new and existing resources to continue ongoing efforts to reach career counselors, community organizations, youth-serving organizations, educators, and most importantly students throughout North Central Massachusetts. The Chamber’s “Amp It Up!” initiative is funded in part through a matching grant from MassDevelopment. Other partners include Fitchburg State University, Mt. Wachusett Community College and school systems throughout the region. Ongoing efforts to promote manufacturing careers have also included engaging the schools and offering career exploration activities to students, hosting student tours, participating in career day activities and promoting manufacturing via a targeted social media campaign.
For more information on the manufacturing bus tour or the “Amp It Up!” Initiative, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.
