Source: State House News Service Author: Chris Lisinski
Massachusetts employers added 13,800 jobs in September, a significant increase after a revision cut down previously reported August gains, while the statewide unemployment rate ticked downward to 3.4 percent, labor officials announced Friday.
The job growth in September was driven by major gains in leisure and hospitality, which added 7,500 positions month-over-month, and education and health services, which added 5,100 positions.
The statewide unemployment rate also shed two-tenths of a percentage point as it fell from 3.6 percent in August to 3.4 percent in September, according to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. That’s slightly lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent for September.
Labor officials last month announced that the Bay State added 6,400 new jobs in August, but on Friday they said they had revised that figure down to an increase of just 800 jobs.
Job growth has been steady during the recovery from the early upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, but total Massachusetts employment in September 2022 still lagged February 2020 — the final full month before the pandemic hit — by about 48,400 jobs.
Legislation to supercharge the state’s economy with billions of dollars in spending remains in limbo on Beacon Hill after Democrats, flummoxed by the emergence of nearly $3 billion in mandatory tax refunds, hit pause at the end of July.
In recognition of National Manufacturing Month, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, recently partnered with regional organizations to host a unique manufacturing bus tour as part of the Chamber’s Education Compact Initiative. The initiative is aimed to further partnerships between the region’s K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and the region’s employers to collectively work to advance the region’s workforce.
The tour, which was held on Wednesday, October 19, provided education, civic and community leaders, economic development officials and the media, an opportunity to learn more about—and the importance of—manufacturing in the region as a way to promote careers in the industry. The regional organizations involved included the MassHire North Central Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board and Mount Wachusett Community College.
Participants visited several manufacturing companies where they obtained an insider’s look at how select manufacturers operate, and also learned about the growing job opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill-sets for employment.
Tour stops included Solvus Global, an advanced manufacturer located in Leominster that specializes in the areas of additive manufacturing, machine learning, and sustainable materials processing; Burkart Flutes and Piccolos, a company founded in 1982 that specializes in the precision manufacturing of high quality flutes and piccolos; Jabil, a worldwide contract manufacturer of various medical devices and medical equipment; and Mount Wachusett Community College’s Devens Manufacturing Center, which offers technical training in a number of different areas, including advanced manufacturing. The tour also included a lunch presentation and discussion with Branner Stewart, Project Manager for the UMass Donahue Institute. Mr. Stewart highlighted the findings of a recent workforce study commissioned by the Chamber.
North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state, with one-third of all private wages in the region paid from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world-class plastics industry cluster of more than 140 companies to pharmaceuticals, photonics and paper as well as biomedical devices
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“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation remain committed to supporting and growing this critical sector of the region’s economy while also building successful partnerships between businesses and the region’s schools which are critical to the collective, ongoing efforts of keeping manufacturing alive and well in the region,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Manufacturers are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, yet despite competitive wages and training, they are still challenged with recruiting the workers they need. We hope this tour provided our local educators, civic and community leaders, and the media, an opportunity to learn more about the jobs available in the region as the need for more young workers and a skills gap exists among the existing and transitioning workforce.”
“Manufacturing continues to be a priority industry in North Central Massachusetts,” said Jeffrey Roberge, Executive Director, MassHire North Central Workforce Board. “Many thanks to the North Central Chamber for hosting this important event as it brings together our legislators, educators and employers to learn more about this vital sector.”
“This tour proves how the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce commits itself to advanced manufacturing in the region,” said James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D., President, Mount Wachusett Community College. “Mount Wachusett Community College remains dedicated to providing educational training opportunities to meet the growing needs of local business and industry.”
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance of the following partners who helped make the event possible: MassHire North Central Workforce Board; Solvus Global; Burkart Flutes and Piccolos; Jabil; and Mount Wachusett Community College.
For more information on the manufacturing bus tour or the North Central Massachusetts Education Compact Initiative, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $10,000 loan to Magic Treasures, located at 914 Main Street in Fitchburg.
The loan will be utilized toward working capital and creates one full-time and one part-time job at the business. The funding follows a matching loan of $10,000 from the City of Fitchburg, and a small grant for façade improvements as part of Fitchburg’s North of Main program.
Following a career as a dental assistant, Keila Jardim, owner of Magic Treasures, decided to pursue her passion in mystical arts and open a business focusing on the health benefits of crystals. With this in mind, Magic Treasures sells specialty gift items with a focus on crystal sales and other novelty gift items for the alternative health care, and the mystical and spiritual niche market. The company was established September 2020, and recently relocated from Leominster to Main Street in Fitchburg. Keila received assistance with her business plan from NewVue Communities.
Jardim emigrated to America from Brazil when she was 16 years old. In Brazil, she resided in an area known for significant mining. “It was through this association that I developed a life-long passion and knowledge of crystals and their uses for health and mindful well-being,” she said.
“Many thanks to the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation for their support of helping me achieve my dream of being a business owner,” said Jardim. “With this support, I am able to hire staff and continue to grow my business in downtown Fitchburg.”
As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.
For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.
Local, woman-owned and operated graphic design and marketing studio looks back on 20 years of growth
Shirley, Mass.—Sitka® Creations, a graphic design studio providing clients with creative and effective graphic and web design and visual communication services, is celebrating 20 years in business this November.
Founded by Tamar Russell Brown in 2002, Sitka Creations was first opened in Rockland, Maine with Russell Brown and a few freelance staff. Over the years, the business has expanded to locations in Martha’s Vineyard, New York City, and Leominster, and moved to its current location in Phoenix Park in 2013.
“Moving to Phoenix Park gave me a real vision that I could grow my business,” said Russell Brown. “In 2015, I started offering payroll, and in the last three years offered benefits, such as health insurance and paid time off, in an effort to continue to grow and provide our team with what they need. Today, we have six employees and three contractors.”
Sitka Creations serves a variety of small businesses, and arts and culture organizations, in the food, retail, manufacturing, IT, and legal services industries. “We have a handful of clients in almost all of the places where I have done business in the past,” added Russell Brown. “While we are small, we are versatile and can offer clients a variety of services based on their unique needs. Typically, we essentially become contributing members of the client’s team.”
Like many entrepreneurs, Russell Brown took her passion of art and of being an artist as the drive for opening her business, while also looking up to her father, a small business owner himself.
“This started as a way to make extra money, but it was always in my head to design more creations than what I could do at my day job,” she said. “In my free time, I would try to obtain design gigs that were of interest to me, and since I loved working with clients directly, I made the transition to that of business owner.”
Russell Brown earned an associate degree from Nashville State Technical Institute and a bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication from Rhode Island College. She is also certified in photography, Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
A resident of Fitchburg, Russell Brown volunteers with various organizations within the community. She is Chair of the Fitchburg Cultural Council, a Founder of the Fitchburg Open Studios event, and on the board at the Fay Club. She previously served on the Mount Wachusett Community College Design Board, the Montachusett Regional Technical Vocational High School Design Department Advisory Committee and is in her second term on the Rhode Island College Alumni Board, where she also served as a mentor to aspiring web developers.
Russell Brown and her team will be recognizing her 20 years in business at an invitation-only event on November 2 to look back on their success while thanking clients, partners, and friends for their support.
For more than a century, North Central Massachusetts has served as the center of this state’s traditional, legacy manufacturing, making manufacturing one of the most important economic drivers in the region’s niche employment cluster. From the history of Foster Grant, L.S. Starrett and Simonds Industries to Bristol-Myers Squibb, Solvus Global and Wonder Plunger, North Central Massachusetts has served as a crossroads where companies work hard to recruit and retain local workers, a place with a strong local job market and an affordable lifestyle close by New England’s largest cities.
“I’ve lived in the region for close to twenty years, and it was the area’s manufacturing environment that drew me to open my business here,” said Lillian Burkart, Founder, Burkart Flutes and Piccolos, a Shirley-based manufacturer of high-end flutes and piccolos. “This area brings tremendous opportunity in terms of jobs because it is an affordable area to raise a family with many amenities but is still close to the region’s largest cities.”
Burkart Flutes and Piccolos opened for business in 1982 in Stoneham but after being priced out of that market, found themselves in Acton. In 2006, after doing some research on how to make her business more affordable, Burkart made the decision to move to Phoenix Park in Shirley. Close to the intersection of Routes 495 and 2, Shirley offered lower overhead costs. “There’s no better place to be in the state,” Burkart added. “Several of us are manufacturers in this area and it’s truly a hub of innovation and activity.”
As a relatively new manufacturing company, Solvus Global opened for business in 2017 with two employees and zero square footage of manufacturing space. Today, the company boasts 54 employees and 48,000 square feet of manufacturing space serving the aerospace, defense, and recycling industries. As post-doctorate graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, co-founders Sean Kelly and Aaron Birt were drawn to the startup community Worcester offers but decided to expand their business to Leominster. “We needed a secondary campus and in Leominster we get this strong manufacturing-bound city that also has a small-town culture and a range of community offerings,” noted Kelly. “By renovating an existing plastics factory warehouse, we were reminded of where manufacturing got its start in central Massachusetts, and we hope to provide it with a flavor of where it is headed in the future.”
As a UL-listed control panel shop, Applewood Controls, Inc., needed a new space to grow, preferably one with a ground-level entrance and loading dock. Applewood President Randy Furmanick found that magic combination in Ayer in 2019. “We needed to stay in the region so our employees could remain close to home, but we also needed to find the right spot for us,” said Furmanick. “After purchasing the building, we did an extensive remodel and added square footage. But in the middle of the remodel, we were hit with the pandemic. It did cause some delays, but Ayer has been a great fit and we are currently in a growth pattern and hiring.”
With 11 employees currently working at Applewood, Furmanick said the decision to invest in North Central Massachusetts was an easy decision since the region is home to a wide range of technology and biotech companies. “This region has a high level of technical manufacturing, and our central location allows employees to reverse their commute, going from the cities into our region for the jobs, rather than the other way around.”
With local cities and towns across the region revitalizing and rejuvenating their centers with restaurants, activities, rail trails, and other community-focused amenities, it is becoming an increasingly tempting proposition for city-dwellers to not just visit the area, but to stay and live here. “These are all of the things people tend to gravitate to locally, so it’s not just about more affordable housing, but about the communities who support that housing,” Furmanick explained. “That mindset and outreach is just as big a factor for people who want to stay and raise a family here.” Kelly at Solvus Global agrees. “In every step of Solvus’ growth journey, the surrounding community as grown right along with us,” he said. “We make it our mission to attract, support, and retain these talented people living in our region.”
Manufacturing firms employed more than 14,200 workers in North Central Massachusetts in 2019. That’s about 15 percent of the region’s total employment. Contrary to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which experienced a two percent decline in manufacturing jobs between 2014 and 2019, manufacturing employment in North Central Massachusetts actually grew by three percent, or
more than 440 jobs during that same period. In the region, chemical manufacturing is the fastest growing subsector, employing nearly 1,700 workers, with plastics and rubber products representing the largest manufacturing subsector with more than 2,400 local jobs.
For Solvus Global, building the right team is incredibly important, and Kelly said the right fit is well worth the company’s time and effort. “There is no better feeling than watching a company you truly believe in grow as Solvus has in the last few years. Every team member we have brought on brings incredible talent, dedication, and drive.”
Autumn Minery, Manager, Human Resources, Solvus Global agrees noting “with the addition of diverse backgrounds, skillsets, and personalities, you can feel the culture at Solvus evolving just as we hoped it would; our people have definitely fueled our company to date and will continue to do so as we look to the future.” The company, which has 15 career opportunities currently posted, found recruiting success by diversifying benefits packages and sourcing applicants from a variety of platforms, including the North Central Massachusetts Chamber’s jobs board.
Burkart Flutes and Piccolos said their recruiting success benefitted from a creative recruiting and retention approach, especially given the intricacies of manufacturing world-class musical instruments. What started as a business of one person has expanded to 22 employees today, with all instruments made of precious metals of solid silver, platinum and gold by an experienced and diverse group of employees (some of whom are musicians themselves) who love to work with their hands. “We have a talented team, and more than half of our staff is female,” said Burkart.
Though based in North Central Massachusetts, the company sells more than 50 percent of its instruments domestically with the rest going to musicians in every corner of the world. They serve a wide range of customers from symphony orchestras and training centers to aspiring musicians and amateurs. “A working musician needs a tool, but an amateur may be playing just for the enjoyment of making music,” she said. “Our instruments are definitely an investment tool for professional musicians, but we can also offer something at an intermediate level to make our products more accessible to less experienced musicians.”
But it’s not just about the customer. Burkart recently took employee engagement to the next level and offered shares of the company to her employees. “With this opportunity, I just welcomed 22 new business owners to the local economy,” she added. “I want to provide not just a job, but a long-term future to keep people and their families thriving in this area.”
One of the more pressing challenges for the region’s manufacturing employers is attracting and retaining younger workers who are interested in the region’s most concentrated areas of employment in health care, advanced manufacturing, and government and public services industries. While these sectors represent strong and stable industries, job opportunities in health care and manufacturing offer a wide array of pay grades that require both highly skilled, intermediate and entry-level workers. At the same time, the region’s industrial sector has experienced an increase in higher-paying, higher-tech firms within chemical manufacturing, electronic product manufacturing, research & development, and computer systems design, among others.
“Manufacturing used to be standing in front of a machine with not a lot of thought process. Today, there is so much more to manufacturing, such as robotics, and we need to start educating parents about the opportunity for future generations to have successful careers in manufacturing so we can reverse the skills gap,” said Furmanick.
Applewood decided to work directly with local technical and vocational high schools to combat the skills gap. “We are licensed electricians, and we are seeing a shortage in the number of up-and-coming electricians who can work in both industrial and residential settings,” he said. “If we can get to the youth, we can hopefully excite them about the opportunities available to them for long-term, successful careers.”
Kelly said he is starting to see a shift toward advanced manufacturing, which resulted in the creation of a workforce training program to improve and support the manufacturing industry in the region. “We want to bring the region back to its industrial roots,” added Kelly. “We foresee the nucleus of additive manufacturing forming right here in New England. The truth is manufacturing overall is becoming increasingly important to local economies because it offers a lot of growth potential to the region’s workforce and that will cultivate a surge in job creation and economic turnaround.”
“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is putting manufacturing at the forefront of job creation in our region. I believe that by supporting trade schools and showing students that we have great manufacturing jobs with clean work environments as well as opportunities for advancement and training, we can actively recruit youth into manufacturing,” said Burkart. “Our biggest challenge is hiring, and we cannot pretend to compete with the Greater Boston area. We need to create our own pocket of success in the region, and companies here need to appreciate and understand that training and education are a key component to having a successful workforce.”
Solvus Global’s Kelly believes manufacturing, and particularly advanced manufacturing, is unique in that it cuts across a wide swath of academic, industrial and government entities. “Our success depends on our ability to bridge the innovation gap by the identifying critical manufacturing needs and successfully scaling key research concepts into commercially-sustainable solutions,” he said.
“As individuals and businesses, we need to look at how supply chain disruptions have impacted our daily lives, especially those long-term supply chain issues which have proved how dependent we are on off-shored products for our day-to-day lives,” added Burkart. “Our boats have been rocked in the last few years and we need to steady our sails with a stronger local supply chain in the years to come.”
Furmanick echoes Burkart and encourages all people to buy local and buy American-made products as much as possible to help rebuild the once thriving American supply chain and resolve the supply issues our country is experiencing. “When you purchase locally, you know where it is made, who made it, and where they are located,” said Furmanick. “There are shortages of everything right now and some of those issues are related to imported products. This will take time to recover, and I suspect we will experience a shift, but I hope it’s a positive shift for future generations.”
As the challenges of the supply chain, inflation and the skills gap put increasing pressure on our manufacturing businesses, it’s clear they are thinking outside of the box and looking to our communities to help them overcome these challenges, to show that this region is an effective crossroad where growth, opportunity and innovation thrive.
WHAT: As part of the Fidelity Bank LifeDesign Workshop Series, the community is invited to attend a free workshop, “Being Smart About Cyber Security.” Participants will learn about the current cyber threat landscape, current attacks, and steps to prevent cyber attacks.
Sign provides recognition of civic pride for residents and visitors alike
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce today announced it has sponsored the construction of a new welcome sign for the City of Fitchburg on South Street, a key gateway to the community.
The new sign replaces a welcome sign originally constructed by the Sons and Daughters of Italy in 2003 in memory of the late Mary and Joe Ramondelli of Fitchburg but was partially destroyed by a car accident in recent years. Mr. Ramondelli, a retired Fitchburg police officer, and his wife were very active in the community.
Patricia Vacca Martin, a Fitchburg resident who was involved with the design of the original sign, said it is nice to have the sign restored. “Mary and Joe were active members in our community and with the Sons and Daughters of Italy,” said Vacca Martin. “We are grateful the Chamber stepped up to help fund the restoration of the former sign so our community will always remember Mary and Joe and their commitments to making Fitchburg a better place for all of us.”
The new sign is part of a project to construct welcoming signs at key gateways in communities in the region in order to boost civic pride and serve as a positive first impression for visitors. The project was partially funded by a grant secured by the Chamber.
The new sign on South Street mirrors a sign located in West Fitchburg near Route 2, of which the Chamber sponsored a few years ago. The signs were designed and produced by Add-A-Sign in Leominster and represent the region’s traditional New England style. The Fitchburg welcome sign includes a carving of the City of Fitchburg seal and is painted in the proud city color of red with gold lettering. In addition to Fitchburg, similar welcome signs are also being installed at key gateways in Gardner, Leominster and Westminster in the coming months. Each sign is carved with the community’s seal and painted to match their official colors. Additional signs will be constructed for other communities in North Central Massachusetts as funding becomes available.
“One of the goals of our regional economic redevelopment plan, One North Central, was to capitalize on our region’s unique locations,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Each city brings a distinctive experience to the region and with this project, those entering Fitchburg will learn about the city while receiving a warm welcome as they arrive.”
“As Fitchburg continues to implement our Urban Redevelopment Plan, the signs are truly a welcome addition to our city,” said Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale. “We are grateful for the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce for providing these personalized signs to welcome visitors to our city and to also welcome our residents home.”
Funding to support purchase of equipment for family-owned company
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $112,500 loan to JC Ferreira Construction, Inc., toward the purchase of construction equipment. This loan helped retain four jobs in Leominster.
JC Ferreira Construction was founded by Pablo (Paul) and Luis Ferreira in March 2020 as a family-run business specializing in utility and road construction for underground utilities. The company focuses on sanitary sewer, water, and drainage installations, as well as site, highway and civic construction. In addition to being certified as a Minority Business Enterprise by the Supplier Diversity Office of the Operational Services Division in Massachusetts, the company is also a Disadvantage Business Enterprise certified by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Their crew has more than 30 years of experience working with cities, towns and government contracts.
“The opportunity to purchase additional equipment through this loan will enable us to expand our dedication to strong loyalty, trust and satisfaction with our customer projects,” said Paul Ferreira. “As a small business just two years young, we are grateful the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation was able to help us move forward with growing our business.”
As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.
For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.
The Elementary School and former Junior High will be the new home to Senior Center and 3 Gardner Nonprofits
Gardner – October 4, 2022 – Gardner’s Waterford Street School, recently vacated after completion of the new Gardner Elementary School, will begin a new mission in the coming months. The former school is set to become the new home of four important Gardner institutions – The Gardner Senior Center, the Gardner Community Action Committee, GAAMHA, an organization dedicated to providing employment and treatment for individuals with disabilities and substance use disorders, and Growing Places, which aims to provide communities with sustainable, local produce.
In addition to providing a suitable home for these four institutions, including considerations of safety and access for the Senior Center, the quick turnaround in occupancy at the Waterford Street property will provide the City with a consistent source of revenue in what would otherwise be a disused building.
There will also be a Constituent Service Office at the location where members of the public will be able to meet with different City service departments and elected officials by appointment or scheduled office hours.
Speaking on the long-considered but quick-coalescing development, Gardner Mayor Mike Nicholson said, “The first time we talked about this project was in September of 2020, when I mentioned to Representative Zlotnik and Council President Kazinskas that I’d like to see the Senior Center moved to Waterford Street to get all of its services in a one floor building, and the project really took off from there. For the next year and a half, working with his office, we were able to set up meetings with the different organizations to get us to where we are today.”
Key to Waterford’s repurposing was State Representative Jonathan Zlotnik, who noted the opportunities that would arise from having the four organizations share a common space and resources. He stated “This project will meaningfully repurpose this building and provide these organizations with much needed space to improve and expand services. There are many advantages this will provide and present great opportunities for collaboration. As a former student, and the son of a former teacher at Waterford Street School, I’m very happy that we have been able to work to see this building continue to serve this community.”
Speaking at a press conference on Monday to announce the project, City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas said “I think this is going to be an exciting use of the space here at Waterford. As a former student of Gardner Junior High, it’s really nice to see something come of this space, because there are a lot of wonderful memories that were made for students over the years, just as there will be for the people that are coming here.”
At the press conference, the video of which can be found on the City’s YouTube channel, Mayor Nicholson noted that this initiative compliments the work the City has done over the last two years to prevent and reduce the number of vacant buildings and problem properties in the City.
“We’ve done a lot of work in Gardner to revitalize vacant buildings and hold landlords accountable and we need to hold ourselves to the same standard,” said Mayor Nicholson. “Today’s announcement shows just that. This new Community Center will utilize the space in a way that truly benefits the City’s residents by growing what these organizations do and allowing them to collaborate in a more effective environment.”
The press conference also made plain the enthusiasm of Waterford’s four new tenants. Speaking on behalf of the Gardner Senior Center, Director Mike Ellis outlined some of the specific advantages he saw for his organization in the upcoming move.
“The Gardner Senior Center is really energized and excited about moving here to Waterford. We currently have three major issues facing us on a daily basis. First, if you’ve ever come to the Senior Center for an event, you know that parking is an issue. Here at Waterford we have ample parking for folks to come and attend many of our programs. The second issue is that our current building doesn’t allow us to do many large programs at the same time. This move will help us provide more programs to our seniors simultaneously. Third, it’s not going without notice that the Gardner Senior Center stairs are precarious. In fact, over the last fifteen months, we’ve had several major incidents that have required us to call emergency services. Coming to Waterford affords us a facility on a single floor so that we’ll have better access, more opportunities, and a safer environment.”
Julie Meehan, the Director of the Gardner CAC, which currently shares a building with the Senior Center, echoed similar sentiments to her neighbor. “Many people know the CAC as the largest food pantry in the city, but beyond the pantry we also have free community meal sites, toys for tots, medical transportation for seniors, Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, and emergency assistance for housing and heating. This move is very important because it allows our agency to have all of our programs centrally located as opposed to scattered throughout the city.”
Ayn Yeagle, the Executive Director of Growing Places, said “One of the things that we work on is filling food system gaps. The pandemic certainly helped to make apparent the food insecurity issues we have in our region. We have 190 farms in North Central Massachusetts and our farmers are growing beautiful crops of all different types, but they don’t really have a way to get it to everybody. What Growing Places does is fill the distribution and aggregation gaps. What Waterford will do is that it has a school kitchen and we’re going to retrofit it and create a processing center so we can create value-added products for our farmers and our community, such as taking apples and making apple sauce, or apple chips, or maybe even some apple pie if you’re lucky.”
Tracy Hutchinson, the Chief Executive Officer of GAAHMA, and Shawn Hayden, its Chief Operating Officer, like their future neighbors, saw opportunity for growth in their organization. “As excited as we are about the expansion of our community-based day program here at Waterford Street School, that actually triggers another exciting expansion for GAAHMA” said Hayden “There will be another opportunity for the City in that the space that’s freed up at our Coleman Street headquarters will actually be able to pivot and expand our growing outpatient behavioral health services to provide mental health and addiction counseling for people in the city.”
Asked when the move was expected to come to fruition, officials emphasized that while there were several steps still to come in the process, they were confident it could be undertaken some time in 2023.
Nicholson concluded by thanking Representative Zlotnik for the integral work he played in getting this project to where it is today. “I want to thank Representative Zlotnik for his help in getting this project off the ground, by helping bring these organizations together and providing state funds. I’d also like to thank all of these organizations for their continued investment in our community.”
In order for this initiative to take place, the School Committee must first vote to transfer the building from the School Department to the City for ownership. The City Council must then approve the Senior Center moving to the location and approve the lease agreements for the tenants moving into the location.
Renovations aimed to modernize the facility and showcase the region to the more than 165,000 visitors annually
Local officials and community leaders joined members of Visit North Central Massachusetts, the official destination marketing organization representing the 27 communities of North Central Massachusetts, yesterday to celebrate recent renovations and upgrades to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center.
The renovations and upgrades are designed to modernize the facility and showcase the region to the more than 165,000 annual visitors to the center. Exterior upgrades included adding handicapped accessible doors, a dog walking station, a shaded area for picnic tables, new security cameras, new seasonal banners on the lampposts, fresh landscaping and new interpretive displays that help tell the story of North Central Massachusetts. Additionally, the famous “Big Apple of New England” sculpture was repaired. Inside the center, the layout was reconfigured and new floors, rugs, office furniture, signage, a water bottle refilling station, and rustic wall paneling were added. Upgrades to the electronic screens inside the center are currently being completed.
The renovations and upgrades cost $162,455 and were partially funded through a matching Destination Development Grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Matching funds came from a grant from the City of Leominster and from the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association (DBA Visit North Central Massachusetts). Donations of the office furniture were provided by AIS, Inc. in Leominster.
More than 100 local dignitaries and community leaders were on hand at yesterday’s event. State Senator John. J. Cronin; State Representative Meghan Kilcoyne; State Representative Natalie Higgins; State Representative Michael P. Kushmerek; Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella, City of Leominster; Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale, City of Fitchburg; Mayor Michael Nicholson, City of Gardner; Keiko Orrall, Executive Director, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism; Stephen Kerrigan, Chair of the Select Board in the Town of Lancaster; and Henry Tessman, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge and Chair of the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association/Visit North Central Massachusetts provided remarks. Also in attendance were Worcester Country Sheriff Lew Evangelidis; Register of Deeds for Northern Worcester County Kathleen Reynolds Daigneault; representatives from Mass Highway; and numerous other municipal, community and business leaders.
“Today is a great day for the region as we recognize the many improvements to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center,” said Tessman, General Manager of Great Wolf Lodge and Chair of Visit North Central Massachusetts. “From the ‘Big Apple of New England’ to the many amenities these improvements now provide to visitors, North Central Massachusetts is now on display for all to see!”
The Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center, considered by many the gateway to North Central Massachusetts, officially opened on June 14, 1997, as a way to welcome people traveling through the region and providing a place to stop, stretch their legs, and learn more about the region’s communities. Named after American pioneer and folk hero, John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) the 2,000 sq.ft. center is operated by the Johnny Appleseed Trail Association which does business under the name Visit North Central Massachusetts. In addition to the popular “Big Apple of New England” sculpture, the center also features a bronze sculpture of the young Johnny Appleseed that greets visitors outside the doors of the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center. There are also 91 apple trees located on the premises, including three Rambo trees that are direct descendants of the last remaining tree known to be planted by Johnny Appleseed. The center also houses a collection of historical and cultural items that showcase the region’s heritage. Unique historical items in the center’s collection include a vintage Iver Johnson bicycle, pieces of equipment from the region’s agricultural past, vintage Wachusett Mountain Ski Area items, and a large collection of Johnny Appleseed memorabilia.
In 2021, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce announced a new regional economic development plan, One North Central, which recommended new ways to expand the existing center, and showcase the history and heritage of the region while adding amenities to modernize the facility.
“Through One North Central, we learned a lot about how to upgrade the center in an effort to provide a unique experience for visitors,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and Visit North Central Massachusetts. “The upgrades and renovations to the visitor center will create an experience to link visitors to destinations in the region while providing a modern facility to rest and recharge before continuing on their journey through North Central and beyond.”
The center is open seven days a week, 361 days a year from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It only closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Independence Day and early on Christmas Eve.
MASSACHUSETTS – Main Street Bank is pleased to announce that Carl Flumerfelt has accepted the position of Senior Vice President Commercial Lender, effective August 15th, 2022.
Carl will be supporting Main Street Bank’s Commercial Loan Department by connecting with new and existing business customers. Using his years of experience in commercial banking, Carl works closely with clients to understand their business and how the appropriate business loan option will work to support their day-to-day functions and growth. While his office is based in the bank’s Ayer, MA location, Carl will be the first of our Commercial Lending Team to be available via Main Street Bank’s video banking service, Video Connect, to meet with and serve business clients from virtually anywhere.
“Building mutually successful deals and forming meaningful connections with clients are my favorite parts of this job, and I am excited to have access to the resources at Main Street Bank to do even more of it,” says Carl.
Carl comes to Main Street Bank after 35 years of service at Winchester Savings Bank. There, he oversaw the operational and strategic aspects of their commercial, retail, and consumer lending teams. Carl comes highly accredited with both Associates and Bachelor’s degrees from Bentley University, as well as an MBA from Babson College. He also has experience as a CRA officer, a Regulation O Officer, and a Bank Corporator and Executive Committee Member. Raised in the north shore community of Hamilton, MA, Carl is a proud New Englander. Anyone who has met Carl is familiar with his infectious approach to life and business. Main Street Bank is thrilled to have such a prestigious banker as part of our commercial lending team.
For commercial lending related questions or assistance, Carl can be contacted directly at 351-213-0391 or at .
FITCHBURG, MA: United Way of North Central Massachusetts (UWNCM) is inviting community members who are interested in serving on non-profit boards to meet local non-profit organizations at its inaugural Board Connection event, taking place on Wednesday, October 12, from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg.
The event will kick off with a panel discussion on being a non-profit board member moderated by Irene Hernandez Guzman, a trustee on the Mount Wachusett Community College Board of Trustees. Panelists include Eric Carriker, Assistant Attorney General for Massachusetts; Bruce Platzman, Chief Executive Officer at AIS and a member of UWMC’s Board of Directors; and Patricia Stern, Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry.
After the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to connect one-on-one with local non-profits that are seeking board members at an agency exhibition.
Admission is free for community members and the event welcomes attendees with all levels of experience who seek to give back. Attendees can learn about responsibilities involved in being non-profit board members and other opportunities such as volunteer committees.
Organizations with 501c3 non-profit status that serve North Central Massachusetts are also invited to register as event exhibitors for a small fee. Each exhibitor can set up a table at the agency exhibition, during which they can connect with business and community members about opportunities to get involved, as well as network with local professionals and increase brand visibility.
Advance registration is required for both attendees and non-profits and can be completed at uwncm.org.
Event panelist Bruce Platzman says he hopes to inspire others to learn more about the benefits of joining non-profit boards, stating, “Serving on these boards of directors has provided tremendous insight and fulfillment on many levels. I look forward to sharing my experiences and perspectives at this important event.”
UWNCM President and CEO Kory Eng adds, “This event will leverage United Way’s duel focus of building non-profit organizational capacity while connecting volunteers to rich experiences to support their community. Serving on a Board of Directors is a great way to connect to the local community, build your skills and to make significant impact on the lives of others.”
The United Way of North Central Massachusetts serves the communities of Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Ayer, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner, Groton, Harvard, Hubbardston, Leominster, Littleton, Pepperell, Lunenburg, Petersham, Phillipston, Royalston, Shirley, Templeton, Townsend, Westminster and Winchendon.
