ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS
Was your business impacted by the flooding on September 11, 2023?
The Small Business Association (SBA) is in the city of Leominster providing resources for business owners.
SBA and FEMA have representatives available at the Disaster Recovery Center located at City Hall to help answer your questions Monday-Saturday from 9am-7pm until July 15.
The SBA also has a Business Recovery Center located at the Emergency Management Office at 37 Carter Street with someone available to assist you Monday-Friday from 9am-5:30pm.
Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
More than 1,000 Berkshire Bank employees rolled up their sleeves on June 13 and helped make the communities where they live and work stronger and more resilient by volunteering at more than 45 local nonprofits across the bank’s markets as part of Xtraordinary Day (X Day), the bank’s annual day of service.
Every year, Berkshire closes all of its financial centers and offices at 12 p.m. to host X Day, which supports nonprofits that address hunger, homelessness and affordable housing and aim to create a more equitable, just and sustainable future.
In all, employees participated in more than 50 X Day projects in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island, as well as one in Pennsylvania that was supported by colleagues at Berkshire’s nationwide SBA lending division 44 Business Capital.
In Massachusetts, Berkshire participated in projects that benefitted:
Berkshire Botanical Gardens and Construct in Stockbridge;
Berkshire HorseWorks in Richmond;
Bina Farm in Lexington;
Veterans Inc., Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Habitat for Humanity of Metro West Greater Worcester and Hope for Worcester in Worcester;
Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and the Gladys Allen Brigham Center’s Girls Inc. camp in Pittsfield;
Child Care of the Berkshires in North Adams;
Cradles to Crayons in Newton;
Girls Inc. of Worcester in Holden;
Lee Youth Commission in Lee;
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless in Lynn and Westfield;
Milford Veterans Services in Milford;
ReGreen Springfield in Springfield;
Ron Burton Training Village in Hubbardston;
United Way of Tri-County in Clinton;
West Stockbridge Historical Society in West Stockbridge.
“At Berkshire, giving back to our communities is a top priority,” said Lori Gazzillo Kiely, Managing Director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. “We know that building stronger
communities requires a better approach to banking and our employees work tirelessly every day to deliver on that promise.”
Named for the X in its logo, Berkshire’s award-winning XTEAM Employee Volunteer and Giving Program is a central element of its workplace culture, providing employees with an easy way to put its corporate values into action and help each of our communities realize its full potential.
In 2023, Berkshire employees logged more than 21,000 hours of volunteer service. In addition to the hours contributed through X Day, all Berkshire employees are eligible for up to 16 hours of paid time off annually to volunteer with nonprofits of their choice.
Join us at Polar Park on Friday June 21st, 2024 as the Worcester Red Sox take on the Columbus Clippers! Tickets purchased through this link will also support the Warmer Winters non-profit out of Leominster MA (https://www.warmerwinters.net/about-us).
Each ticket will include:
A fixed seat in our 3rd Base Field Box of the seating bowl
$2 of Loaded Value*
$5 fundraiser that goes back to Warmer Winters
And don’t forget to stick around after the conclusion of the game for UniBank Fireworks! Take in the spectacular firework display that has become synonymous with Friday nights in Worcester!
*Loaded Value is ballpark credit on your ticket that is redeemable at concession stands and the Team Store; Just scan your ticket barcode at the register and take $2 off your purchase*
Please contact Joe Foley, , (508) 204-5384 with any questions.
Workers Credit Union has named Jay Champion as its CEO and President. He brings over 35 years of experience developing high performing and engaged teams at financial institutions. Since July of 2023, Champion has served as the credit union’s Interim CEO and President after the retirement of Doug Petersen, who was with the credit union for 27 years.
“Jay is a seasoned financial leader and has the skills needed to maintain our team’s delivery of top-notch member service,” says Nilesh Gunda, Board Chair of Workers Credit Union. “In less than a year, Jay has made a positive impact on Workers Credit Union and our mission to empower our members to achieve financial wellness. We’re confident in Jay’s ability to continue advancing our goals while being an innovative leader to help the credit union continue to thrive.”
Since joining Workers Credit Union, Champion has established a vision for financial growth and stability that focuses on member choice and innovation, empowering his team to think creatively about the future while honoring the past.
“Workers Credit Union is an institution that has made an indelible impact on North Central Massachusetts since its founding 110 years ago by helping people and businesses save, spend, invest, borrow, and plan. Our team is passionate about being the community economic engine that people and businesses in our markets can count on.” says Champion. “I am honored to lead our team in our mission to continue improving the daily lives of our members.”
Champion most recently served as President and CEO of Westerra Credit Union in Denver, Colorado. Prior to that, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Elevations Credit Union in Boulder, Colorado. Throughout his experience serving in multiple C-suite roles for various financial institutions over the past 30+ years, Champion has become highly skilled in building healthy and engaged team cultures, enhancing business process management, and driving organizational performance.
Champion obtained his Master of Business Administration with Finance and Management concentrations from Texas A&M University – Commerce and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from East Texas State University. He is also a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.
About Workers Credit Union
Workers Credit Union, a member-owned and member-focused $2.4 billion credit union, is building the financial wellness of its nearly 122,000 members through coaching, products and support that empowers them to build a better life for themselves and their families. Headquartered in Littleton, MA, Workers Credit Union has been serving communities in Massachusetts for more than 110 years. Workers Credit Union is a Community Development Financial Institution and Low-Income Designated Credit Union.
ConvenientMD presents its student scholarship award at its Leominster urgent care clinic. Pictured here is award recipient Abigail Barnaby, along with members of ConvenientMD’s Leominster clinic and Scholarship Selection Committee.
Leominster High School Senior Abigail Barnaby was recently awarded a $2,500 scholarship from ConvenientMD Urgent Care. ConvenientMD’s Student Scholarship Program has expanded to award ten $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts who plan to pursue post-secondary education in the healthcare field. There were nearly 800 applications for this year’s scholarship awards.
“ConvenientMD is honored to play a role in shaping the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. These scholarships will provide much needed support to these students pursuing post-secondary education in healthcare,” said Massachusetts Director of Operations Bridgette Adams.
“Our Social Impact Committee was impressed to see Abigial’s commitment to academic success, while also finding time to engage and excel in extracurriculars,” said ConvenientMD Community Partnerships Manager Morgan Faustino.
ConvenientMD is New England’s leading urgent care provider. Its clinics, including the location at 20 Commercial Road in Leominster, are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to serve the community’s immediate medical needs – no appointment necessary. Learn more at ConvenientMD.com.
About ConvenientMD Headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, ConvenientMD is a walk-in and virtual healthcare provider dedicated to delivering the best medical care and experience for patients throughout New England. By offering fast, quality care at an affordable rate, ConvenientMD is raising the bar for urgent care and reshaping the delivery of modern healthcare. Each urgent care center provides an advanced array of services—including X-rays, IVs, labs, and minor surgical procedures—as well as staff committed to following an innovative, full-service approach to satisfying patients’ demands for convenient, compassionate treatment in an urgent care setting.
Members of Beers For Good present a $1,000 donation to Mayor Sam Squailia and Fitchburg Civic Days on behalf of the Nashua River Brewers Festival. Beers For Good has donated more than $85,000 in proceeds from the annual festival to local charities since 2008. Tickets are now on sale for the 14th Nashua River Brewers Festival – featuring 30+ brewers, live music, food and fun – on June 29 at Fitchburg’s Riverfront Park.
Join Wachusett Business Incubator for a one-hour class that will show you how to use the free version of Canva for your business marketing and printing needs. Topics include logo creation, print options, and sizing for online marketing.
Bring your questions as there will be time for Questions and Answers.
Friday, June 14th – 9 AM – 12 PM Location – MWCC – Leominster Cost – FREE but requires registration.
Entrepreneurship 101: Presentation Agenda
Part 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship – Dr. Mike Greenwood
Overview: Discuss the entrepreneurial mindset and key characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.
Opportunity Identification: Briefly cover methods to identify and assess business opportunities.
Part 2: Developing the Business Idea – Dr. Mike Greenwood
Idea Generation: Share techniques for brainstorming and creative thinking.
Validation: Introduce basic validation tools like market feasibility and the Lean Startup approach.
Part 3: Essentials of Business Planning – John Lohmann
Business Plan Components: Outline the structure of a simple business plan.
Goal Setting and Financial Basics: Highlight how to set realistic goals and basic financial projections.
Part 4: Marketing and Sales Overview – John Lohmann
Marketing Basics: Brief discussion on creating a marketing strategy and understanding the target market.
Sales Fundamentals: Introduce basic sales techniques and the importance of customer relationships.
Part 5: Funding and Legal Considerations – Sandie Cataldo
Financing Options: Overview of different funding avenues like bootstrapping, loans, and investors.
Legal Basics: Discuss the importance of choosing the right business structure and understanding regulatory requirements.
