An Electronic Publication of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Inside this edition, you’ll discover the latest Chamber initiatives and success stories from across our region. From economic development projects and upcoming networking events to policy updates and workforce training opportunities, we’re keeping you connected to what matters most for your business and North Central Massachusetts.
June 2026
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Expansive Guide highlights the region’s vast manufacturing firms and industrial space
The Chamber and its development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), announce the publication of the 2022 edition of the Manufacturers Directory and Industrial Parks Guide for North Central Massachusetts. The publication is designed to promote and connect manufacturers with suppliers as well as serve as a resource for companies looking to relocate or expand throughout the region.
Working with multiple sources, the NCMDC confirmed the operating status and primary product line of each company listed in the directory. In addition to the listing of local manufacturers, the publication also includes a section on life science companies, a listing of suppliers and a guide to business and industrial parks in North Central Massachusetts.
The 2022 edition of the publication was supported by advertising and is being circulated to manufacturers throughout the region. For more information or to request a copy, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7607.
WORKFORCE STUDY: In partnership with Fitchburg State University, the Chamber has commissioned the UMass Donahue Institute to conduct a study to assess and recommend ways to enhance the labor pool in the region. Specifically, we will be looking for strategies to recruit populations in the region that may not be currently participating fully in the labor market, including people with criminal backgrounds, the disabled, mature older populations, women, immigrants and veterans. The study is funded from a state grant that we collaborated on with the university.
EDUCATION COMPACT: The Chamber Foundation was awarded $150,000 in funding through an earmark in the ARPA budget passed by the legislature recently. The funding will be used to help support the North Central Massachusetts Education Compact initiative. The compact, comprised of leaders in education, business and workforce development, was established in late 2019 to help facilitate partnerships around the shared goals of improving college and career pathways for students. Special thanks to Senator Cronin and the other members of the delegation for their efforts to secure these funds for the region.
MINI-GRANTS: The Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, was able to provide 14 grants totaling $60,000 to local small businesses. This was a one-time grant initiative launched in partnership with New Vue Communities and funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development to support vulnerable small businesses impacted by COVID-19 with their recovery and growth. The grants ranged between $500 – $5,000 for professional services including accounting/bookkeeping support, marketing and social media support, website upgrades, legal services and signage
EQUITABLE CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT COHORT: A North Central Massachusetts team comprised of the Chamber, Mount Wachusett Community College and the Spanish American Center have been accepted in the Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort offered through the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). The ACCE Foundation, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, is sponsoring this 18-month program to support communities in building partnerships that allow more workers, and particularly BIPOC workers, to gain the credentials or degrees they need to secure well-paid jobs with career advancement opportunities. Our team will receive technical assistance and subgrant funding to help work together to drive the growth of credentialing and degree programs that place workers in well-paid jobs. We were one of seven teams selected from throughout the country to participate in this competitive program.
JOBS BOARD: Over 1,000 jobs are currently listed on our WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs board and over 7,500 jobs have been posted since we launched the online resource. Several new
Education Compact
optional features have been added since the introduction of the jobs board to improve the functionality, including a “Quick Apply” feature that allows employers to collect applications directly through the jobs board; an auto acceptance/rejection notification; and a follow-up survey to the employers to determine if they have filled the position. The jobs board continues to be one of the most visited sections of our website.
CHAMBER BUILDING: The Chamber has invested in some improvements to the Chamber’s headquarters in Fitchburg. These include some repairs to the interior, repaving the entry road and implementing some technology upgrades in the conference room to allow for hybrid or virtual meetings. In the Fall, the Chamber also had some heating tape added to the roof to prevent ice dams and invested in some landscaping to improve the appearance of the Chamber grounds from the road. The parking lot is scheduled to be resealed in the Spring.
Repaved Driveway
GIFT LOCAL: The Chamber is currently exploring revamping the Gift Local gift card program to make it easier to redeem for both the merchants and the gift card recipients. We are looking for a new provider that will enable participating merchants to redeem the cards via the credit card network versus a separate platform or integrating it with a POS system.
AUDITS: The Chamber and its affiliates the Chamber Foundation, Visit North Central Massachusetts and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation each completed their fiscal years and underwent their annual independent audits. The audits were completed on time and with no findings reported
HEALTH INSURANCE: Open Enrollment is upon us once again. Preparations are being made to provide participating members with new rates, benefit changes, plan discontinuations and their available options. Members interested in health insurance through the Chamber should contact our office for quotes.
ENERGY SAVINGS: From its inception in August 2014 through December 2021 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 10,215,626 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $2,217,053 and the collective savings to participants totals $1,884,495.
DIGITAL MARKETING: Traffic in FY2021 averaged approximately 11,955 unique page views each month to our two main websites – NorthCentralMass.com and VisitNorthCentral.com – excluding our other websites. That represents a 4% increase over the prior year, and traffic for FY2022 is currently running 33% over the same time period in FY2021. Our social media platforms have also grown to boast over 21,000 total followers. In CY2021 our social media platforms garnered an average of over 217,000 impressions monthly and a total of over 2.4 million impressions for the year. That represents a 20% increase over the prior year.
New Loans
NEW LOANS: The Chamber’s economic development arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has closed seven micro-loans for a total of $333,500 since October 1, 2020. The loans were made to a mix of existing and start-up businesses and ranged from $6,000 to $150,000. There are another three loans totaling $325,000 that have been approved but haven’t closed yet. We are also excited to share that the U.S. Small Business Administration recognized the Development Corporation in December for its success in providing micro-loans.
ELECT NORTH CENTRAL COALITION: The Chamber has reconvened the Elect North Central Coalition to explore organizing debates and other initiatives to engage candidates for statewide office. There are a number of important elections occurring this November, including for Governor; Lt. Governor; Attorney General; and State Auditor. The Elect North Central Coalition was formed in 2018 and is comprised of the major community institutions and media in North Central Massachusetts. The Coalition’s mission is to make the democratic process accessible and assure that local and regional issues are examined and addressed by candidates running for statewide and federal offices.
MEMBER DISCOUNTS: We have recently revamped our member discounts page on the website. We are hoping to increase the use of the member to member discount program among members. If you would like to offer a member discount, please contact Lauren Goulet, Operations Manager, at .
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: During the last quarter, our team provided over 350 hours of direct technical assistance to small businesses. Most of that was delivered via phone and ZOOM and focused on providing clients with information on the SBA Cares Act payments as well as continued updates on resources available, including PPP, EIDL, ADVANCE, grants and Restaurant Revitalization Fund through the SBA.
Sales of both single-family homes and condos in Massachusetts declined in February as housing prices rose even further.
Single-family home sales tumbled 14.7 percent last month as the median home sale price increased 5.4 percent on a year-over-year basis to $470,000, up from $446,000 in February 2021, according to The Warren Group.
Tim Warren, CEO of The Warren Group, said Monday that buyers are chasing after a shrinking stock of available homes, noting the Massachusetts Association of Realtors reported that inventory of single-family homes for sale was down 50 percent in January.
“New listings and pending sales were down as well,” Warren said “February was the eighth month in a row where the number of homes sold declined while the median price continued to rise. It is a familiar trend, one that is likely to continue unless sellers flood the spring market with new homes.”
Condo sales in February were down 17 percent over-the-year, with the median condo sale price rising 5.3 percent to $440,000.
The median sale prices for homes and condos in February both set new record highs.
Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday identified the difficult housing market in Massachusetts as the single biggest headwind on the local economy. Public policies have so far failed to lead to a major surge in housing production, and critics of local zoning control say that dynamic often works against the creation of new supply and more options for buyers.
¡Gracias a todos nuestros patrocinadores que ayudaron a patrocinar este pasado año del programa 2025-2026! ¡Nos sentimos verdaderamente honrados por su continuo apoyo y sus esfuerzos para que nuestra comunidad siga prosperando! View
Event
Join us for Connect North Central
Friday, November 20, 2026
8am-9am View
Event
Joint Mayor's Meeting
December 4, 2026
Chamber members are provided with the opportunity to engage with the Mayors of Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster who provide updates on projects and other things happening in their Cities. These events are by invitation only, please contact Travis Condon for more details. View
Event
Future Leaders of North Central: Annual Holiday Party & Ugly Sweater Competition
December 8, 2026
Bull Run Restaurant
215 Great Rd. Shirly, MA View
Event
Chamber members are provided with the opportunity to engage with the Mayors of Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster who provide updates on projects and other things happening in their Cities. These events are by invitation only, please contact Travis Condon for more details. View
Event
Leominster, Massachusetts – Fidelity Bank announced the appointment of Barbara Yanke to Senior Vice President, Director of Residential Lending. In this role, Yanke will lead the growth of all residential lending originations and processes while also executing the overall direction of the residential lending sales strategy.
With more than 25 years of experience in residential and consumer lending, Yanke joins Fidelity Bank from Hometown Financial Group where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Residential and Consumer Lending responsible for three banks: Easthampton Savings Bank, Hometown Bank and Abbington Bank. Prior to that role, she was Vice President, Residential and Consumer Lending Manager of People’s United Bank in Brattleboro, Vermont.
“Barbara has extensive experience in the leadership of mortgage and consumer lending,” said Joseph Silva, Chief Lending Officer, Fidelity Bank. “With Barbara’s knowledge and experience, combined with our LifeDesign approach and C.A.R.E. process, our clients are in good hands when making one of the most important financial decisions of their lives in buying a place to call home.”
A resident of Wilmington, Vermont, Yanke earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Champlain College. She is also a Certified Mortgage Professional from the Vermont Mortgage Bankers Association. She currently serves on the board of directors at the YWCA of Springfield, and the Mass Mortgage Bankers, and serves on the Development Committee of Worcester Community Housing Resources.
GARDNER, MA – September 12, 2022 – Mount Wachusett Community College has been awarded an Upward Bound Math and Science grant from the US Department of Education for five years beginning September 1, 2022. The grant amount is $312,480 annually or $1.6 million over 5 years. The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) grant aims to prepare high school students for postsecondary education that leads to careers in the fields of math and science.
The 5-year grant will provide a comprehensive academic year, summer, and bridge program customized to the needs of each participant, preparing high school students for postsecondary education programs that lead to careers in the fields of math and science. The UBMS program will serve 63 high school students from Gardner, Athol, and Winchendon.
“Upward Bound Math and Science programs have touched the lives of many students and their families in North Central Massachusetts,” states MWCC President James Vander Hooven. “This funding ensures that we can continue our mission to support students, families and schools in providing access to STEM career exploration and higher education opportunities.”
During the academic year, UBMS students receive support and guidance in developing a comprehensive individual success plan. Within these plans, students will be provided a variety of in-school and out-of-school services: tutoring, advisement on secondary course selection, assistance with secondary school entry and alternative education programs, and workshops for students and parents/guardians. Additionally, STEM-based cultural/academic enrichment, hands-on labs, career speakers, and field trips are provided. Upperclassmen will have access to dual enrollment courses, SAT preparation, a college fair, college admission assistance and course selection.
“We are so excited to be able to continue to provide this opportunity for students in North Central Massachusetts. Upward Bound Math & Science students have profound learning experiences that help to inform career decisions, provide exposure to math and science in many different forms, and help students to navigate through the college decision, application, and transition process,” states Fagan Forhan, Assistant Dean of K-12 Partnerships and Civic Learning. “We are thrilled to be partnered with Winchendon, Gardner and Athol, who are all deeply committed to expanding STEM opportunities for students who perhaps don’t have a parent who have attended higher education, or who struggle to make ends meet.”
In the summer, students will complete four courses in the areas of math, science, foreign language, and literature/composition during a six-week residential academy hosted on a college campus. Graduating UBMS seniors will participate in college survival and matriculation workshops as well as be encouraged to enroll in college-level courses. Up to five graduating UBMS seniors may serve in a work study capacity as a student leader for UBMS.
Upward Bound Math and Science is part of the Federal TRIO Programs, founded in 1990 to address the need for specific instruction in the fields of math and science, aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of economically disadvantaged college students in math and science careers.
LEOMINSTER, MA—Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts (ASNCM), the region’s Aging Services Access Point (ASAP), is pleased to invite the community to the 2022 AGEwell EXPO. The EXPO will highlight the many offerings for everything health and wellness that is offered by our community-based businesses and nonprofit agencies. The AGEwell EXPO is by the community for the community.
With nearly fifty exhibitors there will be something for everyone. Highlights of the EXPO include acupuncture, massage therapy, pet therapy, the new nutrition, volunteer & learning opportunities as well as resources galore.
There will be ample opportunities to assess one’s health such as testing eye pressure, blood pressure and fall risks. One can also preregister for the COVID booster clinic.
The AGEwell EXPO is free for all ages with a specific focus towards our older adult population. The EXPO is Thursday, September 29th at Great Wolf Lodge (150 Great Wolf Way, Fitchburg, MA 01420) from 11am – 3pm.
To learn more about the 2022 AGEwell EXPO, or Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts—including programs and services being offered, and ways you can donate or volunteer, please visit www.AgingServicesMA.org or contact David Ginisi, Chief Marketing Officer, at (978) 466-1571 or by email at .
Miembro Destacado
Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody
When the workday ends and the lights go down, Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody, Inc. gets to work. “We operate as our clients’ silent partner after business hours,” says Adam Paicos, of Templeton, who now serves as Director of Operations and oversees the company’s expansion into North Central MA. “We are not often seen, but we ensure facilities are clean, secure, and ready for business each day while serving as the eyes and ears for our clients when they are not on site.”
Discover local business stories through our Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast series. Listen as Chamber members share their journeys, insights, and contributions to our thriving regional business community.
From Chamber events and ribbon cuttings to community celebrations and regional highlights, stay connected with what’s happening across North Central Massachusetts. Follow us on social media for the latest photos, updates, and stories.
Looking for your next opportunity? Explore current job openings from employers across North Central Massachusetts on our Jobs Board. Whether you’re starting a new career or making a change, you’ll find a variety of local positions available to help you take the next step.
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