E-Newsletter
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.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is here to help – with trusted resources, a strong business network, and a support system to keep your business and the region moving forward

This event will provide Chamber members the opportunity to hear directly from members of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding business issues and critical matters facing the nation. Attendees will also be afforded the unique opportunity for networking and questions with members of North Central’s federal delegation.
Currently serving his eleventh term in Congress, Congressman Jim McGovern serves as the second ranking Democrat on the powerful House Rules Committee, which sets the terms for debate and amendments on most legislation; and a member of the House Agriculture Committee. In 2014, McGovern was named Democratic Ranking Member on the House Committee on Agriculture’s Subcommittee on Nutrition. The Subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes policies and statutes relating to nutrition, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and domestic commodity distribution and consumer initiatives.
Before his election to Congress, McGovern spent 14 years working as a senior aide for the late U.S. Representative John Joseph Moakley (D-South Boston), former dean of the Massachusetts delegation and Chairman of the House Rules Committee. He was born in Worcester, the son of two successful small business owners. His two sisters are elementary school teachers in Worcester’s public school system.
McGovern earned his Bachelor of Arts (‘81) and Masters of Public Administration (‘84) degrees from The American University, working his way through college by serving as an aide in the office of U.S. Senator George McGovern (D-SD).
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas was elected to the United State House of Representatives in a 2007 special election, becoming the first woman in 25 years to serve in Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She represents the Massachusetts Third District (which had previously been known as the Fifth District until 2012). Tsongas holds the same seat that was held three decades earlier by her late husband, former Congressman, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Paul Tsongas. Her Congressional district spans across portions of Essex, Middlesex and Worcester counties.
Tsongas serves as a senior member on the prestigious House Armed Services Committee, and having previously served in a leadership position as the top Democrat on the subcommittee for Oversight and Investigations. Tsongas also serves on the Natural Resources Committee, which formulates federal policy related to domestic energy production, National Parks, and the environment. In 2015, she was named to a leadership role as the top Democrat on the Federal Lands Subcommittee. She also serves on the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee. Recently Tsongas was elected by her peers to serve as the highest ranking Democrat on the largest HASC subcommittee, the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee.
Prior to being elected to the House of Representatives, Tsongas served as a Dean at Middlesex Community College, practiced law, and raised her three daughters all in the region she now represents.
Tsongas is not seeking re-election this year.
Make sure that you reserve your spot early to hear from our congressional delegation on the many critical issues facing the business community in Washington D.C.
Pre-registration is required and easy. Simply call the Chamber at 978.353.7600 ext. 235, email or register online at www.northcentralmass.com. The cost is $35 for members and $55 for non-members.

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 September edition are Secretary Matthew Beaton of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Deborah Weymouth, President and CEO of UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital.
Secretary Matthew A. Beaton oversees the Commonwealth’s six environmental, natural resource and energy regulatory agencies, which include the Departments of Environmental Protection, Public Utilities, Energy Resources, Conservation & Recreation, Agricultural Resources, and Fish & Game. Secretary Beaton also serves as Chairman of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Energy Facilities Siting Board, and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Before being appointed to the cabinet post at Energy and Environmental Affairs, Secretary Beaton served as a State Representative. First electe

d in 2011, he was a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Ethics, and the Joint Committee on Environ
ment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. In the private sector, Secretary Beaton has worked as an environmental engineer and energy efficiency consultant.
Deborah Weymouth serves as President and CEO of HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital. The hospital is a member of UMass Memorial Health Care creating a super-regional community hospital providing a full continuum of high quality healthcare services to the residents of North Central Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Her presentation will focus on the upcoming ballot question regarding patient to nurse ratios and the impact on community hospitals.
The cost is just $25 for Chamber members/$40 non-members and includes a breakfast buffet. Season Tickets are also available for purchase. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600 ext. 235 or visit www.northcentralmass.com.
You asked, we answered! We have revamped our Sales Leads program to be more responsive to the needs of program participants. Based on the feedback we have received, we have made the following changes:
Connect North Central will continue to be free for members and open seat – meaning more than one person from each industry can participate – to help you make the valuable connections that you want and need. For more information or to register for the next meeting, please visit www.northcentralmass.com.

“We are extremely pleased with the number of blankets we collected this year,” said John O’Brien, LCU President & CEO. “The generosity from members and staff was exceptional. A special thanks to Lorrie Brodeur and the residents from Sun Rise Senior Living Center for the blankets they made and donated to the drive. Giving back to the community is a core value of the LCU employees and one we strongly believe in. We are pleased that we are able to assist so many through this blanket drive.”
Blankets were distributed to the following area organizations: Montachusett Interfaith Hospital Network, Leominster; Our Father’s House, Fitchburg; Ginny’s Helping Hands, Leominster; Battered Women’s Shelter, Holden Senior Center; Andy’s Attic, Worcester; Wheat Community Connection/ Hidden Treasures, Clinton; Sterling Fire Department, McKay School, Fitchburg and Leominster Emergency Management to assist 15 people who were recently displaced by fire.
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 $600 million in assets. LCU has seven branch locations in Leominster, Worcester, Clinton, Holden, Sterling and North Leominster with ATM services at all branch locations. 24-hour online banking services are available at www.leominstercu.com and by telephone at 800-649-4646.

Chapters of United Way are vital links between local non-profit organizations and the residents who live in those towns to ensure better lives for those less fortunate in our communities. These funds have been exclusively raised by bankHometown employees over the past year.
bankHometown employees, throughout their 13 branches and Operations Center, have been participating in this bank wide Annual Giving Campaign for more than 30 years. In addition to their monetary support, employees volunteer at a variety of events with the United Way and their partner organizations, including a bank-wide “Day of Caring” held each September.
The chapters that benefited from this year’s campaign are:
United Way of Webster and Dudley, Massachusetts
United Way of Southbridge, Sturbridge and Charlton, Massachusetts
United Way of North Central Massachusetts
Tina Puza, Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager at bankHometown’s Auburn Office, coordinated this year’s successful campaign for the bank. She said, “I am so thankful for all bankHometown employees that have either made donations or have volunteered their time for United Way this year. The resources and dedication that the United Way provides to our communities are invaluable and we thank them for all that they do on a daily basis. I truly feel that together we are helping those in need and making a positive difference in our communities.”
bankHometown is headquartered in Oxford, Massachusetts and has $730 million in assets. bankHometown has served its communities since 1889 and operates thirteen full service offices; eight in central Massachusetts and five located in northeastern Connecticut.
Digital Federal Credit Union will return again as this year’s Premier Sponsor for the Dueling Pianos event to help raise funds benefiting the work of Habitat for Humanity North Central MA. Laughter and tomfoolery will be on tap for Friday, April 6ta at the Devens Common Center. This fundraiser has become one of Habitat’s most well-attended and fun-filled annual events! The musical event will support the Agency’s latest new home builds in Acton and Stow. Proceeds will also go to help support the organization’s critical home repair program.
Tickets are $70 per person for Dinner and the Show -OR- $40 per person for the SHOW ONLY. The Dinner and Show package includes a three-course plated dinner with choice of Baked Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, Marinated Beef Tips, or a Stuffed Pepper vegetarian selection. Dinner will be served at 6:00pm.
A Cocktail Hour with cash bar and complimentary light appetizers and desserts for “Show Only Patrons” will begin at 7:00pm. The show starts at 7:30pm. A Silent Auction is slated for the start of the evening and winners will be announced during the show’s intermission.
Joining DCU in this year’s Sponsor line-up is Leominster Credit Union as the event’s Entertainment Sponsor. Community Partner Sponsors include Mitrano Removal Service LLC y Phoenix Park Business Center, both located in Shirley, MA. Sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available at a variety of levels, allowing an affordable option for local businesses and community groups to come out and support Habitat NCM’s mission. Civic organizations and individual donors are also invited to be sponsors for the event.
To purchase tickets, please visit www.ncmhabitat.org. Tickets and sponsorship information are also available by calling the Habitat for Humanity NCM office at 978-348-2749. The Devens Common Center is located at 31 Andrews Parkway in Devens, MA.
Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts offers a hand up, not a hand out, to hard-working, low-income central Massachusetts families seeking affordable homeownership. Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat NCM builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside our homeowner partner families. Habitat NCM also operates the Leominster ReStore which raises funds through the sale of discounted or recycled materials and furniture.
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.
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.
CapEx Facility Services & Construction · Leominster, MA
TaraVista Behavioral Health Center · Harvard, MA
DRS Power Technology, Inc. · Fitchburg, MA
AIS · Leominster, MA