Be visible, participate in Chamber programs and watch your business grow.
The Chamber offers members the opportunity to showcase their products and services by sponsoring programs and events throughout the year. From the smallest to largest business, we provide multiple sponsorships and various programs to meet our member’s marketing needs. Regardless of your budget, there is a sponsorship opportunity available for you at the North Central Massachusetts Chamber!
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7600 or via email at .
Entrepreneur Brings Passion for Education to Community
Kumon, the world’s largest after-school math and reading enrichment program, is opening a new center in Leominster at 21 Sack Boulevard. The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce invites the public to attend the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Event on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 from 4:00 p.m. to meet local educators and entrepreneurs.
Kumon’s individualized approach helps children progress by ability rather than age or grade. More than 280,000 preschool to high school aged children across the United States are developing their math and reading skills independently and gaining confidence through the Kumon Method of Learning. The Kumon Center of Leominster joins the more than 1,500 U.S. instructors committed to helping children excel through the self-learning program.
“At Kumon, we believe children have unlimited potential to succeed,” said small business owner, Issumael Nzamutuma. “My goal is to help children of our community love learning and understand that they can learn and master the subject called Math.”
Ribbon Cutting Event:
Day: Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: 21 Sack Boulevard, Leominster
Best Visuals for Photography: Arrive at 4:00 p.m. to capture a shot of the ribbon cutting ceremony with local mayor, Dean J. Mazzarella, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Roy Nascimento, and District Education Superintendent.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, American students were significantly outperformed by 29 nations in mathematics. America’s stagnant performance and lack of advanced students impacts the country’s future growth, which is why Nzamutuma cares deeply about helping Leominster students in his after-school enrichment program achieve academic success. Many Kumon students study advanced math, which includes materials two to three years above their grade level.
Instructor Nzamutuma, saw her kindergarten grand-daughter develop a love of learning in Kumon, as well as discipline, accuracy, and focus. She is now studying one year beyond her school grade level. Prior to opening Kumon of Leominster, Instructor Nzamutuma spent many years teaching Math and Economics in addition to his administrative responsibilities in Colleges and Universities. He was constantly concerned by a growing number of first year college students who have to take remedial courses in Math, English, or both.
Kumon of Leominster class hours are: Mondays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. Students study for approximately 30 minutes per subject at 21 Sack Boulevard, Leominster, MA 01453 and have daily assignments to complete at home. For more information, or to schedule a free placement test, please call 978 706 2400 or email .
About Kumon Math & Reading Centers:
Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school. Founded in Japan in 1958, the learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills. Through daily practice and mastery of materials, students increase confidence, improve concentration, and develop better study skills. Kumon has over four million students enrolled in nearly 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries and regions. The company’s North American headquarters is located in Teaneck, N.J. Visit Kumon.com to learn more.
Growing MetroWest Digital Agency has been to chosen spearhead new automation user-group for agencies.
Marc Avila, CEO and Founder of 3 Media Web in Hudson MA, has been chosen by Accelo to be it’s featured guest at “Agency Automation 2018: Boston”
The Accelo backed event is a first time, user-community event aimed at helping agencies adopt and improve operational automation with the assistance of successful agency peers.
The goal of Agency Automation 2018 is to help agencies create efficiencies in their business to increase productivity, quality, and profitability. The agenda includes industry insights and best practices from Geoff McQueen, CEO and Founder of Accelo, along with featured guest Marc Avila, CEO and Founder of 3 Media Web, a Boston area digital web agency already using automation software to help grow their business.
“3 Media Web is a true innovator in agency automation,” says Geoff McQueen, CEO and Founder Accelo. “The company’s willingness to embrace and benefit from automation has directly enabled them to grow tremendously over the last few years, and their story about how they were able to take advantage of operations automation to acquire and sell other businesses with confidence and success is something we think many other agencies can benefit from learning about.”
“Automation and processes have been the key to success for our business,” says Avila. According to him, “Being an early adopter of technology and automation tools like Accelo is what has differentiated 3 Media Web in the marketplace and enabled us to run a highly-efficient and reputable digital agency.”
3 Media Web has been an agency leader in adopting and embracing automation to scale its operations. In 2017, 3 Media Web was designated by Mass TLC as a “NewCo” and opened its doors to the NewCo Festival attendees sharing its expertise on automation, scaling, and business processes.
The event, hosted by Accelo, will be held Monday, September 3rd, 2018 as a kick-off to HubSpot’s INBOUND 2018 and will be held at the Industrious Coworking Space in Boston’s Seaport District from 6 pm – 9 pm.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has been named an “Award of Excellence” winner in the Communications Excellence awards program presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). ACCE, an Alexandria, Va.-based association, represents more than 8,000 chamber of commerce professionals, and 1,300 chambers of commerce, around the world.
ACCE’s annual Awards for Communications Excellence is designed to showcase top communications and marketing work of chambers of commerce and similar organizations. Several thousand award entries have been submitted since the launch of the organization’s Awards for Communications Excellence, which is now in its thirty-fourth year.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce received an Award of Excellence for a special digital campaign that showcased video testimonials from businesses. In 2018, the Chamber set out to interview some of its members and hear what they had to say about the work of the Chamber and its affiliates, as well as how they have best taken advantage of their membership. The results were astounding, as members from all industries were interested in sharing their story. Twenty-one different videos were shot entirely using an iPhone and shared through NorthCentralMass.com and social channels allowing people to hear about the benefits and work of the Chamber directly from members enjoying the benefits. The videos culminated in a four minute highlight video that premiered at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting in June.
“Hearing directly from our membership about why they continue to partner with us and having them help us share that story has been a great exercise for our organization” said Roy Nascimento, president & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Every member has the ability to be a representation of our Chamber and the amazing work we can do when we work together towards the betterment of the region. Hearing about their positive experiences fills us with great pride and continues to motivate and inspire us to work even harder for our members and communities.”
A panel of communications and marketing professionals from five U.S.-based chambers of commerce evaluated the more than 150 entries that were received. The entries were organized by category — based on the chamber’s annual budget — and entry type: advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital and publications.
Monty Tech’s fall 2018 session of its Continuing Education Program is off to an exciting start with over 30 new classes, many aimed to prepare adults for some of the fastest growing career fields.
According to Program Director Mary May-Lucchese, the program’s main mission is to offer courses designed to meet the needs of residents, and the area’s workforce development pipeline.
“We are answering the call with expanded workforce-readiness classes. For example, we have added the Continuing Education hours for the Construction Supervisor License. Our Medical Career program is growing with the addition of Pharmacy Technician Certification, Medical Terminology and Medical Coding. These courses augment our existing Phlebotomy, EKG, Certified Clinical Medical Assisting, and CNA/HHA offerings, giving students the opportunity to stack their credentials,” Ms. May-Lucchese explained.
A unique feature of the program is that students successfully completing the medical courses have the opportunity to experience a very diverse externship in a number of physicians’ offices, hospitals and other medical sites located in Leominster, Fitchburg and Worcester.
Another way the program is designed to meet residents’ changing needs is by increasing one-night personal enrichment classes. “We found our students who wanted to participate in some of these classes did not always have the ability to commit long-term,” she said.
Also new this fall is an on-line career course component. Students can access career certification and licensure classes through the program with the new Ed2go partnership. “This is another example of our efforts to support the diverse needs of our community,” Ms. May-Lucchese stated.
She added that alumni and seniors are taking advantage of the 10% course discount, and area veterans qualify for 15% course discount in both the career and personal enrichment classes.
“As we look ahead to the Spring Session, we have started the process to map out two new classes. A Welding III class will assist students in preparing for the AWS D1.1 Certification. We were fortunate to receive grant funds from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts to establish an Oil Burner Technician Certification. These are two major examples of our future impactful workforce readiness programs,” she said.
For more information or to register for classes, contact Mary May-Lucchese at (978)345-9220 Ext. 5221 or email at .
COMMUNITY YARD SALE
September 23
9 AM – 2 PM
Vendors are invited to bring a
6-8 foot table with a donation
of $20 to the River Terrace
Resident fund for the space.
Set Up At 8 AM
Sign up by September 10
Rain Date: September 30
Space is limited so sign up soon!
We have already raised $5,500 and you can help us make it to our goal by joining us at our fundraiser this year!
In the fall of 2017, we piloted our very first youth education program Teaching Garden for Kids (TG4K); a program that focuses on healthy eating, gardening and the environment.
We started in one Fitchburg school and at 6 months into the pilot were teaching the program in five schools in Fitchburg and Leominster with over 90 students participating! Based on our success piloting the program and current demand to continue the program in existing schools and offer it in new schools, we need to raise $15,000 for the 2019 school year.
Join us and –
Enjoy delicious seasonal appetizers from Eating In Catering;
Sample local brews from Moon Hill Brewing and chat with the crew about their craft;
Be one of the judges in our local, seasonal dessert competition;
Visit North Central Massachusetts just released the music schedule for the 7th Annual Appleseed Country Fair. The Appleseed Country Fair is set for Labor Day weekend running from Saturday September 1st to Monday September 3rd. The Appleseed Country Fair will feature over 50 vendors that range from artisans and crafters to food, beer and wine.
Running the full length of the fair we will have music on stage that ranges from blue grass and fiddlers to hard and 90s rock. Saturday and Monday will feature bands from all over New England, while Sunday is reserved for our fiddlers. Our FiddleFest is quickly turning into one of the biggest fiddle competitions in New England. Last year we had 27 fiddlers with ages ranging from 5 to 68, and we are expecting bigger numbers for this year!
“We are excited to bring back the music tent again this year” said Roy Nascimento, President & CEO of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Our bands set the mood as people flock to the farm from all over New England for some old fashioned country fun.”
MAIN STAGE
Saturday September 1, 2018
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Bees Deluxe
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Derek Curtis
12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Monica & Friends
2:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Andy Fichtel / Dan Villani
4:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Grin Whistle
Sunday, September 2, 2018
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Wootan
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Fiddle Contest
Contestant check in starts at noon
Cash Prizes Awarded. No Registration Fee to Participate.
The 4th Annual FiddleFest, one of the most popular musical segments of the Appleseed Country Fair returns on Sunday, September 2nd. FiddleFest is one of the largest fiddle competitions in New England and promises to be a lot of fun!
This is a North American Fiddlers Judges Association (NAFJA) sanctioned Fiddle Contest. NAFJA has been providing skilled judging for fiddle contests throughout New England and other parts of the Northeast since 1977. It is most important to have judges whom the fiddlers can trust to provide knowledgeable, fair and unbiased adjudication. Because of their training and experiences, NAJFA judges can do just that.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is hosting its quarterly Women’s Leadership Connection on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 featuring the First Lady of Massachusetts, Lauren Baker. The program, sponsored by Fidelity Bank, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Great Wolf Lodge, 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg, MA.
Lauren Schadt Baker became the First Lady of Massachusetts when her husband, Gov. Charlie Baker, was sworn in as Governor in January, 2015. As First Lady, Lauren works to improve the lives of the children of Massachusetts, focusing in particular on the children served by their Department of Children and Families, through her work with the Wonderfund, a private, nonprofit she helped launch.
Lauren earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Northwestern University. She is a veteran of the advertising world where she managed many brand campaigns for consumer products. She then she spent several years working in higher education at Marian Court College where she served as Board Chair and Director of Institutional Advancement. Currently, Mrs. Baker works as a marketing communications consultant for The Baker Group serving independent schools across the country.
She also serves on the boards of the Wonderfund, the American Red Cross New England Region, Phoenix Academy Charter School Foundation and the Care Institute. The Bakers reside in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Their proudest accomplishments are their three incredible children who are now all grown up.
The Women’s Leadership Connection, a luncheon event held four times per year in, September, December, March and June, focuses on business women empowering women in business. Core topics will include professional development and career advancement as well as social and philanthropic events.
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 $50 for non-members.
Matthew S. Sosik, President and CEO of bankHometown, announced that Nancy S. Roberts has accepted the position as AVP and Branch Manager of the two Webster Branches (4 Gore Road and 218R Main Street) starting on June 6th.
Prior to joining bankHometown, Nancy was the Vice President, Business Development Branch Manager at Eastern Savings Bank. She worked previously at First Niagara Bank and People’s United Bank. Nancy was born and raised in Queens, NY.
She moved to Connecticut and is an active member of her community. She has been involved with several non-profits and community groups such as the Danielson Rotary, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and the Deary Memorial Cancer Fund Auction. She is currently Vice President of the Board of Martin House, Inc., Thames River Community Service Inc., and serves on both finance and personnel committees.
In 2012, she was honored to participate in Follow the Fifty, a group formed of more than 180 women from northeastern Connecticut who vowed to participate in a year long journey to be community models of heart health as well as bring awareness of heart disease in women.
Nancy is an avid scrap booker, a covenant member of the Green Valley Crossing, and resides in Danielson with her husband, Ron. She has two children, Mathew and Michael, who reside in Massachusetts.
bankHometown has served its communities since 1889 with offices in Massachusetts (Athol, Auburn, Leominster, Oxford, Lancaster, Sturbridge and Webster) and Connecticut (Putnam, Brooklyn, Killingly, Thompson and Woodstock). Depositors of bankHometown have their deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for amounts up to $250,000 with amounts in excess of $250,000 insured in full by the Share Insurance Fund, a private excess insurer.
A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Matthew Myers, IOM has graduated from the Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation program, and has received the recognition of IOM. Awarded to all graduates of the Institute program, the IOM Graduate Recognition signifies the individual’s completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management. In addition, participants can earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE) certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend Institute annually.
Myers started working at the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce in 2013 as a marketing intern while completing his communications degree from Fitchburg State University and was subsequently hired as marketing coordinator for the Chamber’s tourism arm, the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association. He was promoted to marketing and communication manager in 2016. He is responsible for managing the marketing initiatives for the Chamber and its affiliate organizations.
“My time at Institute has been an incredible learning experience,” said Matthew Myers, marketing & communications manager of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “The lessons learned in the classroom and from my fellow peers have been valuable to my growth as a professional and have been things that I have been able to take back to the Chamber to help improve upon the work that we are doing.”
“Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s vice president of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”
Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates. Institute’s curriculum consists of four weeklong sessions at five different university locations throughout the country. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.
Free Public Talk Coming to the Fitchburg Historical Society
TheFitchburg Historical Society will present a free history discussion featuring new research on a family that moved to Fitchburg in the booming 1870’s. It is entitled “When Samuel Holton Came to Fitchburg” and will be presented by local historian and genealogist Sara Campbell on Thursday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m.
Samuel and Samantha Holton came to Fitchburg during its largest economic expansion in the late 1800’s and became successful farmers, political leaders and local philanthropists. Local historian and genealogist Sara Campbell has unearthed original documents that shed light on their triumphs and tragedies, as she traces the Holton family along the Fitchburg timeline.
When Campbell encountered the story of Samuel Holton and his family, she was intrigued about the decision that sent him suddenly east to Fitchburg in late middle age, even though his family had been based in Northfield, Massachusetts for six generations. Why did he uproot his family? What was his impact on Fitchburg? What was the city like for newcomers like Samuel and Samantha Holton?
“Everyone has a story,” according to Sara. “I found that the Holton’s were a fascinating family, a real New England success story. My research makes it possible to ‘get to know’ those who have come before us.”
Sara Campbell has taught genealogical research in Fitchburg’s ALFA program. She is a founder of the Turners Falls Genealogy Gathering, and a member of the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium. She has also taught as an historian in residence in the Erving Public Schools and has published widely in genealogy and Massachusetts history.
This program is funded in part by the Fitchburg Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information on the Mass Cultural Council, visit http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/index.asp.
The Fitchburg Historical Society and Crocker Family Center for the History of Fitchburg is located at 781 Main Street, Fitchburg, in the historic Phoenix building. There is abundant on-street parking near the Historical Society and free parking behind the building. The building is handicapped accessible.
