Leominster, MA- Leominster Credit Union (LCU) announces Joseph J. Normant has joined their team as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Normant will oversee LCU’s Finance Department including Accounting and Treasury as well as Audit and Compliance. Normant will report to John O’Brien, President and CEO, and will participate as a member of the Senior Management Team.
“We are excited to have Joe join our team,” said John O’Brien, President & CEO. “He is a versatile leader that not only brings a collaborative style, but he is dedicated to continue to help maximize our financial performance to support our members, community and employees.”
In his new role, Normant brings a strong results-driven background with a collaborative team-building approach and excels in financial operations and reporting, expense control, operational efficiencies, and data management. Prior to joining LCU, Normant was the CFO at Main Street Bank in Marlborough.
Normant succeeds Gary Abrams who retired on May 1 after serving as the credit union’s EVP, Chief Financial Officer for the past 15 years. Abrams was an integral part of the Leominster Credit Union team and over the past few months helped to facilitate this transition.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank Gary for his dedication and the extensive knowledge that he brought to Leominster Credit Union. He was a great teammate and was instrumental in the growth and success of LCU. We will miss his leadership, commitment and sense of humor,” stated John O’Brien.
Founded in 1954, Leominster Credit Union (LCU) is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with a full range of deposit, lending and other financial services. Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, LCU is proud to claim nearly 50,000 members and more than $700 million in assets. LCU has seven branch locations in Leominster, Clinton, Holden, North Leominster, Sterling and Worcester with ATM services at all branch locations. LCU also provides 24 hour banking via Mobile and Online services. Visit leominstercu.com or call 800-649-4646.
New brand bringing together the flavors of lemonade and seltzer set to roll out across New England
Wachusett Brewing Company is putting a refreshing twist in to the fast-growing hard seltzer category with the launch of Country Hard Seltzer, an exciting fusion of flavored lemonades and seltzer, just in time for the summer season.
“Everyone has been really excited about this one” said Christian McMahan, President of Wachusett Brewing Company. “So many people know us for the quality of our fruit beer portfolio, so taking that knowledge and translating that to a line of delicious fruit flavored lemonades combined with the refreshing taste of seltzer was a natural extension for us”
Country Hard Seltzer will feature four different flavors: Blueberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade and Lime Lemonade. The brand will release a 12pk variety pack featuring the four flavors together.
For more information about Country Hard Seltzer, visit http://www.countryhardseltzer.com
About Wachusett Brewing Company
Celebrating 25 years in 2019, WBC produces a diverse, award-winning line of beers ranging from their best-selling Blueberry Ale to their highly-rated Wally New England IPA series. WBC was named of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the US in 2019.
Late last week, Washington passed its fourth stimulus bill since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic less than two months ago. This $483.4 billion legislation is meant to serve as a bridge between the CARES Act- issued just a few weeks ago- and a larger, yet to be drafted bill currently being negotiated between Democrats and Republicans. Though it is only intended to serve as a stop gap until a more comprehensive aid package can be agreed upon, there remain a number of important points you should be made aware of.
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Amongst small businesses, this program proved incredibly popular. Unfortunately, demand far outstripped supply and the funding provided by the CARES Act was quickly depleted. Adding to the frustration was a sense that larger banks- such as Citizens or Wells Fargo- had prioritized applications from established, more financially savvy clients.
To address this, the new bill allocated an additional $321 billion towards the program, with $60 billion set aside for smaller lenders. This allocation will be split between two categories, with half allocated to banks with less than $10 billion in assets and the remainder to institutions with between $10 billion and $50 billion in assets. It is hoped that by targeting regional or local lenders, a greater share of these funds would be directed to small or otherwise disadvantaged borrowers. Banks began accepting new PPP applications on Monday, April 27th, with funding anticipated to last roughly two weeks. To learn more about this program, visit the SBA’s website. You can also find a list of locally participating banks by clicking here.
Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) Another highly popular program which quickly ran out of funding was the EIDL. These flexible, low interest loans could be coupled with forgivable advances of up to $10,000 depending upon the number of individuals a business employed. Unfortunately, in its initial iteration, this program was unavailable to farmers and ranchers with less than 500 employees.
Last week’s legislation amends this, enabling a vital program to assist critical agricultural businesses across the nation. It also refinances the program, infusing it with $50 billion in new lending capital and an additional $10 billion for the aforementioned advances. As with the PPP funding however, these resources are only expected to last for a limited time. According to its website, the SBA intends to review existing requests for assistance from the previous round of funding before opening the program up to new applications. Once the application portal is reopened, the Chamber will act to alert you. Interested businesses can learn more by visiting the SBA’s EIDL page here.
Testing and Other Priorities Beyond these assistance programs, Congress and the White House allocated funding to address the public health crisis directly. The new bill commits $75 billion to assist the nation’s hospitals and healthcare providers cope with this pandemic, and provides an additional $25 billion to maintain and expand testing efforts. This last allocation will prove particularly important as the nation and the Commonwealth work to reopen.
In a conversation with the Chamber the day President Trump signed this act into law, Congresswoman Trahan and House Rules Chairman McGovern repeatedly emphasized the importance of testing to responsibly bringing the quarantine to an end. As businesses reopen and people resume their normal routines, the ability to identify new coronavirus cases and contact those who may have come into contact with them will be crucial to guarding against a resurgent epidemic or “second wave”. This legislation divides that responsibility between state and federal authorities.
Of the $25 billion, $11 billion is to be distributed amongst the states and indigenous peoples. Two billion dollars of this will be issued relative to the Health Emergency Preparation Grant Formula with another $4.25 billion distributed relative to the number of cases within a given area. The remaining $14 billion will be overseen by the federal government. This includes allocations for contract tracing, test production, expansion of lab capacity, and $1 billion for testing uninsured individuals. Significantly, it specifically allocates $825 million towards community health centers and clinics in rural areas.
As events continue to take shape, the Chamber’s staff will remain on hand to provide assistance and keep you informed of the latest developments. You can find additional resources by visiting the Chamber’s website at www.northcentralmass.com/coronavirus. If you have questions or concerns about this legislation- or other government efforts to address this crisis- please contact Christopher McDermott, Public Affairs Manager, at or (978) 353-7600 ext. 224. Now- more than ever- we want to hear from you!
FITCHBURG, Ma., April 30, 2020 – Workers Credit Union is pleased to announce it has donated more than $31,000 to area organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Charitable giving is an important part of our culture at Workers and it is crucial that we continue to support our local organizations. There is more need than ever for us to stand together and support our most vulnerable members of our community” said Doug Petersen, president and CEO of Workers Credit Union. “Needs for services do not end because we are staying at home. I hope other businesses in the area who can donate will do so as well. We’re all in this together.”
The bulk of the donations were sent to the North Central Mass Development Corporation for their newly founded recovery fund, Making Opportunity Count (formerly Montachusett Opportunity Council), and Our Father’s House, among several other organizations. These organizations support a variety of essential services from Meals on Wheels to food pantry services to the needs of small businesses.
In 2019, Workers gave more than $375,000 to 170 organizations throughout Worcester, Franklin and Middlesex counties where its 16 branches are located. In 2020, Workers has already donated more than $140,000 to area organizations and continues to accept applications for support of charitable organizations on it’s website www.wcu.com/community.
Workers Credit Union, headquartered in Fitchburg, MA, is a member-owned financial institution with full banking services to meet a lifetime of financial needs including the $3 million GiveBack program. With 16 branches in Athol, Chelmsford, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Lancaster, Leominster, Lunenburg, Orange, Townsend, Westford and Worcester, Workers is proud to offer traditional banking channels as well as the latest technologies to more than 104,000 members.
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, is now accepting applications for the SBA Paycheck Protection Program. Applications are limited to small businesses, sole proprietorships, independent contractors, self-employed persons, and non-profit organizations who are unable to apply through a local bank or credit union and located within our service area. The NCMDC is also limiting its PPP loans to under $50,000. Businesses and entities with an established banking relationship or with requests larger than $50,000 are encouraged to contact their bank or credit union first to apply.
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program offers favorable financing for small businesses to help keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. Portions of the loans are eligible to be forgiven by the SBA when used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.
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 $6,900,000 in loans to small businesses to help grow jobs and the economy in the region.
For more information or to apply for a PPP loan through the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, please contact Bea Lee, Economic & Loan Administrator at or Sandie Cataldo, Economic Development Manager at 978.353.7600 x232 or via email at .
BOSTON – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has named Cleartech Group the 2020 Minority Owned Small Business of the Year for Massachusetts.
Cleartech Group earned the recognition for tremendous growth in revenue and outstanding community service. Serving clientele throughout Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, Cleartech provides consulting and managed IT business solutions for small and mid-sized firms.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Tony Fields for his service in the United States Military,” said SBA Massachusetts District Director, Robert Nelson. “It is an honor to recognize Mr. Fields for contributions both to his country and his community. He has notably demonstrated an ability to adapt to a changing marketplace and grow his business with relationships and commitment to his community.”
Tony began his entrepreneurial career in 2004 when he opened a computer repair franchise in Leominster, MA. For the next decade, he operated his business while balancing raising a young family and serving his community in the Leominster/Fitchburg area. With steady growth and an increased demand for managed IT services, Fields could see an expansion and new focus were necessary. In 2017, Fields left the franchise and founded Cleartech Group. He moved the company from a 900 sq. ft. service center to a 2,300 sq. ft. office space. The risk paid off as Cleartech Group increased revenue by 40% from 2018 to the end of 2019.
“We recognize how vital technology is to business success and provide the right solutions catered to our clients.” said Tony Fields, President of Cleartech Group. “My team is instrumental in supporting our clients’ ever-changing needs, especially in today’s unprecedented environment.”
Mr. Fields actively participates in the Nashoba and North Central Massachusetts Chambers of Commerce and co-founded the still-thriving Leominster chapter of Business Network International in 2004. He also contributes time and support to his community with organizations including: LUK, Inc., First Robotics Lego League, Mass STEM, Ayer Shirley Girls’ High School Basketball, and the Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster.
Tony Fields completed both the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and the SBA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative in 2018 and has utilized counseling services provided by the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center of New England. He is currently participating in EO Accelerator, a program facilitated by the peer-to-peer network, Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
The company was nominated by Alison Berglund, Founder/Coach at Encore Age LLC.
The first thing we always tell people is that we are a family business, not just our own family, but our greater New England family of skiers, riders and seltzer drinkers. We wanted to share some of the things we are doing to support our community and lift spirits.
We asked people to nominate a health-care worker to receive a Polar Seltzer care-package… and the response overwhelmed us. Our customer service team members were brought to tears. We are working on sending out packages to all 1,000 nominees.
During the upcoming weeks, we will also be launching #PolarTips on Instagram in support of bar and restaurant workers. Some Wachusett employees are also building face shields from Polar 2-liter bottles for local hospitals to help with PPE shortage.
In addition, Polar Beverages and Wachusett Mountain have donated $150,000 to support COVID-19 relief efforts. The pledge will be shared equally between the Worcester Together Fund and the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund.
We are all in this together.
On Behalf of Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and Polar Beverages,
Many members of the community have reached out in recent weeks with kind words and expressions of thanks to our dedicated staff as we work to battle COVID-19. Please know that your support means the world to us.
Others have reached out with concerns on how our regional approach to battling COVID-19 – which reaches beyond the walls of our hospital – might impact the local community. So, I wanted to provide you with the facts.
What We Did
As many know, we temporarily suspended inpatient intensive care admissions at Nashoba Valley Medical Center and redeployed resources to communities experiencing increased need as a result of COVID-19. Other services, including the Emergency Department, remain open. In addition, experienced critical care nurses continue to be available at Nashoba Valley Medical Center 24/7 to treat and stabilize anyone in need of immediate intensive care services. We plan to resume normal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services at Nashoba Valley Medical Center when the statewide declaration of emergency is resolved.
Why We Did It
The year-to-date average daily census in the ICU at Nashoba Valley Medical Center is three patients. As COVID-19 cases have surged across the Commonwealth – and to best care for all patients we serve – we have assembled teams, including critical care staff to Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, to maximize the effect these highly-trained providers could have on patient outcomes, including those from Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
By doing so, we were able to create both COVID positive and COVID negative ICU locations at Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, further reducing the potential for cross-contamination of patients and staff.
Our chief medical officer, Joseph Weinstein, MD, recently addressed why this was the right step in caring for our community’s health. He said: “We saw early on in other geographies that traditional models of care delivery were ineffective in battling the surge of COVID-19. We needed to learn the lessons from Italy and China. And we needed to move fast. Significantly lower infection and mortality rates were achieved in places like Germany and South Korea, where hospitals clustered COVID-19 patients in isolated locations, thus lessening the chance of infection for other patients and staff.”
We Are Here for You
Our mission is to best serve the health needs of our community. Nashoba Valley Medical Center is open and continues to serve the needs of the local community with its 24/7 Emergency Department and medical/surgical beds.
We are able to respond to any case that comes through our door or medical need that arises within our facility. In addition to ICU nurses, we have 24/7 physician coverage in our Emergency Department and our inpatient units. We also have more than adequate resources to care for our patients, including personal protective equipment (PPE), medications, ventilators, defibrillators and medical expertise.
Again, thank you for your support in during this very difficult time.
This survey is to gain perspective on concerns that are truly affecting businesses throughout New England. M.E.S. Consulting wants to gain insight as to what type of support businesses need right now aside from the financial relief that is available.
Looking ahead of Coronavirus M.E.S. Consulting wants to hear what businesses are hoping to be able to achieve. Their hope is to share this insight so that businesses can gain the support that they really need.
With the COVID-19 virus presenting unique challenges and stressful conditions for healthcare workers, Golden Girl Granola wanted to help the best way we knew how. This month, we provided 4 cases of healthy and delicious granola to the Emerson Hospital staff to help lift their spirits.
Here are the live webinar course offerings with registration links for enrollments.
All courses $24.95 each. After purchase course, there will be a registration link for zoom. Click on link, register on zoom for live webinar, then you will receive webinar confirmation email with zoom meeting password and ID.
Looking forward to sharing this life changing education. Stay healthy!
Scherrie Keating, RN, BSN, CDCES, CDC, NDPP Lifestyle Coach, CDP, Certified Ageless Grace Educator, Founder Diabetes Kare Consulting, LLC, Producer and Host Talk Me Healthy TV Show and Podcast
