An Electronic Publication of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Inside this edition, you’ll discover the latest Chamber initiatives and success stories from across our region. From economic development projects and upcoming networking events to policy updates and workforce training opportunities, we’re keeping you connected to what matters most for your business and North Central Massachusetts.
June 2026
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Funding to support purchase of equipment for virtual counseling, additional staff
The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently approved a $25,000 loan to Connecting to Greatness, located at 15 Monument Square, Suite 100 in Leominster. The loan will fund the purchase of required equipment to effectively provide virtual counseling services to clients, as well as support the hiring of two full-time clinicians in an effort to reach more individuals in need of mental health care.
Founded in 2018 by Kimatra Maxwell, Connecting to Greatness focuses on mental health education and training to help clients confront self-limiting beliefs, realign with what is truly important to them, and learn to trust themselves again. The practice also helps address significant psychological problems and resolve issues that impair one’s ability to function well.
“With this funding, we are able to expand our services to those who are not able to physically come to our facility and also provide additional clinicians so we can help more people,” said Maxwell. “The need for mental health services is significant and with this support from the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, we will be able to make an impact in the lives of those who desperately need help.”
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.
STRATEGIC PLANNING: The boards of the Chamber, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation and Visit North Central Massachusetts met in the Spring to begin working on the chamber’s next strategic plan. They reviewed the great progress made on our current strategic plan and discussed a variety of topics that are crucial to supporting our members and keeping our region a vibrant place to live, work and visit.We would love to hear from you. What can the Chamber and our affiliate organizations do over the next three years to support your organizations and the communities of North Central Massachusetts? Please send us your ideas and share your successes by emailing.
LAND BANK: The Chamber has commissioned a planning study to help us flesh out the Land Bank concept that was recommended in the One North Central economic development plan.The land bank concept was recommended as a tool to help spur more real estate development in the region.It would provide the region a method to identify and acquire land for economic development, market the property, and sell/lease the land when a prospect is identified.The study will commence this Summer and should be completed by the Fall.
VISITOR CENTER: Our Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center in Lancaster has completed some renovations and upgrades to help improve the experience and better showcase the region to the more than 165,000 visitors that stop there each year.Renovations include new floors, rustic paneling on the walls, new rugs and new office furniture thanks to a generous donation from AIS.Handicap doors, new security cameras, a dog walking station, a water refilling station and new signage were also added.Matching funds to help support the project came from a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and from the City of Leominster.
NEW LOANS: The Chamber’s economic development arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has closed 15 micro-loans for a total of $561,500 since October 1, 2021. The loans were made to a mix of existing and start-up businesses and ranged from $6,000 to $150,000. There are another four loans totaling $458,500 that have been approved but have not closed yet.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: During the last quarter, our team provided over 300 hours of direct technical assistance to small businesses. We also hosted several workshops and seminars geared towards supporting small businesses, including a webinar in Spanish on marketing, a workshop on digital marketing and a session on business planning and cost control. We also hosted a special client reception to thank our loan clients and connect them with resource partners.
FAÇADE AND POP-UP SHOP GRANTS: The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation is partnering with ReImagine North of Main in Fitchburg and the City of Leominster to help fund façade improvements for a number of small businesses in both Cities and a pop-up shop program in Fitchburg. The project is funded through a state grant the development corporation received.
WELCOME SIGNS: The Chamber is sponsoring the construction of welcome signs at key entrances in the Cities of Fitchburg, Gardner and Leominster.The signs are intended to provide a positive first impression to visitors, potential investors and future residents, as well as boost civic pride.The new signs were designed to look like traditional New England style community welcome signs, except they are made of composite for their durability and longevity.Each sign is carved with the city’s seal and painted to match the official colors of the community. We are working with the three cities to identify key gateways for the signs.We have selected Leominster based company Add-A-Sign to design and construct them.
DIGITAL MARKETING: Traffic to our websites is averaging approximately 12,232 unique page views each month for FY2022.This represents a 2.3% increase over the prior year.We continue to be very active on social media, populating our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter platforms with our content.Our social media platforms have a combined 21,836 total followers.In CY2021, our social media platforms garnered an average of 217,000 impressions monthly and a total of nearly 2.4 million impressions for the year.That represents a 20% increase over the previous year.
JOBS BOARD: The Chamber continues to promote the WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs board as a resource to connect employers and job seekers in North Central Massachusetts.The jobs board has had over 8,000 jobs posted and more than 76,000 views since being launched. We encourage members to post any employment opportunities they offer on the jobs board or send them to us and we will post them for you.
ENERGY SAVINGS: From its inception in August 2014 through April 2022 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 10,960,426 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $2,404,344 and the collective savings to participants totals $2,043,692.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Developing the pipeline of talent for our members and communities to compete continues to be a priority for the Chamber. As referenced in our last edition of this newsletter, the Chamber has commissioned a workforce study to assess and recommend ways to enhance the labor pool in the region. We are expecting the study to be completed this Summer and hope it will be a resource to help develop strategies to deal with the workforce challenges faced by employers. In addition, we continue to partner with Mount Wachusett Community College and the Spanish American Center on the national Equitable Credentialing Initiative that our region was selected for through the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the American Association of Community Colleges.
Seventeen of the region’s up-and-coming leaders recognized for community service, engagement
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce recently recognized the Community Leadership Institute (CLI) Class of 2022 at its Annual Meeting held on June 9 at Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg.
Seventeen graduates, who were identified as up-and-coming employees and future leaders in the region, completed the nine-month program focused on education, government, health care, social services, the justice system, media, arts and culture, the environment and history. CLI is dedicated to providing participants with individual leadership skills and a deep understanding of the region.
“The Chamber developed CLIto inspire a new generation of community leaders to enthusiastically assume important roles in their community while motivating participants from diverse backgrounds to be influential in our region’s future,” said Roy M. Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
Mike Greenwood, Ph.D., Professor of Business at Fitchburg State University and Chairman of the CLI Steering Committee, was impressed by the caliber of this year’s class. “For more than ten years, I’ve worked with the CLI class and each year I continue to be amazed with the dedication, creativity and motivation of our participants,” said Dr. Greenwood. “Programs like CLI are important to our community in an effort to ensure a continuity of leadership, community engagement and service as our region’s current leaders look forward to retirement.”
This year’s class completed several initiatives, including the establishment of a foundation and a successful community event.
Austin Brooks, Small Business Relationship Manager for TD Bank, presented an idea to the CLI class to support local families affected by cancer during the holidays. “My father, Russell Brooks, was diagnosed with cancer and expressed his feelings to me one day before our last Christmas together that he couldn’t afford gifts for the family,” recalled Austin. “This experience made me think how I can help with gifts for families when a parent or loved one is undergoing cancer treatments.”
Following a discussion with the CLI class about his thoughts, and in just seven weeks’ time, the class established the Russell Brooks Foundation to help make the holidays brighter for deserving families in our community. “Everyone knows someone affected by cancer and we agreed to move forward. We helped a family who lost their mother just two weeks before Christmas last year and we fulfilled the wish list for three children.”
For Christian Lopez, Marketing Manager at the Fitchburg Art Museum, bringing community services and programs for families in need was top of mind. With the support of the class, Lopez created The Community Cuts Program, working in collaboration with local barbers and hairstylists to provide free haircuts before the summer for local youth. “With the support of my classmates, local businesses and organizations, more than 65 youth received a free hair cut at the event in June and also obtained helpful information for food, fuel and housing assistance.”
For both Lopez and Brooks, the CLI was a lifechanging experience. “One of the biggest takeaways from CLI is the relationships you develop with your class and also with those people you meet along the way when you visit businesses and organizations within the community,” said Brooks. Added Lopez, “We had such a diverse group of individuals who were all like-minded in wanting to learn about their community and do something positive to help people as well.”
Community Leadership Institute Class of 2022
Daisy Ayala, Enterprise Bank
Joshua Bedarian, RCAP Solutions, Inc
Austin Brooks, TD Bank
Joseph Ferguson, Fitchburg State University (ReImagine North of Main and TDI Partnership)
Justin Goettsch, The Arc of Opportunity
Ramon Gonzalez, Mount Wachusett Community College
Brittany Haley, Leominster Credit Union
Megan Heffernan, UMass Memorial Health HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital
Kimberly LeBlanc, Resource Management, Inc
Bea Lee, North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation
Christian Lopez, Fitchburg Art Museum, Sponsored by AIS
Stephanie LoSasso, Avidia Bank
Hannah Pollan, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts
Andrea Sampson, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts
Melanie Sauvageau, Rollstone Bank & Trust
Patricia Wayrynen, Workers Credit Union
Marcus Williams, Mount Wachusett Community College
While the class of 2022 has officially graduated, their work continues. Class members are currently seeking a member of the community to assist with guidance related to expanding the development of the Russell Brooks Foundation. If you are interested in helping the Russell Brooks Foundation, please reach out to Kat Deal at the Chamber.
Applications for the class of 2023 will be accepted until August 26, 2022. Please contact Kat Deal, Events & Programs Manager, at 978.353.7600 x 235 or for more information.
Fore Then Pore: Golf Clinic, 9 Hole Play & End of Summer Bash
August 21, 2026
Golf Clinic, 9 Hole Play & End of Summer Bash
August 21, 2026
The Woods of Westminster
Event Start at 1:00pm View
Event
Sponsors Reception: Old Mill
August 26, 2026
Thank you to all our sponsors who help sponsor this past 2025-2026 program year! We are truly honored by your continued support and efforts to continue to make our community thrive! View
Event
Talk with your local legislators about the issues affecting the health, prosperity, and wellbeing of your community!
Date and time:
Fri, March 24, 2023, 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Location DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Leominster 99 Erdman Way Leominster, MA 01453
About this event
Our local North Central Mass legislators are working hard to improve the quality of life for all residents across the region. You’ll hear about their efforts and what you can do to advocate for the bills that are most important to you.
Your legislators also want to hear from you! What issues are most affecting your life and your loved ones here in North Central Mass? Personal stories are the most impactful way to highlight the need for change or the importance of programs and resources.
Agenda
8:00 am Breakfast and registration
8:30 am Welcome
8:45 am Constituent groups present
9:30 am Legislators present
10:15 am Closing remarks
10:30 am Close, begin transition to Community Charette. All are welcome to stay, but please register separately!
Interpretation services are available upon request. Please contact by no later than March 10th to request interpretation or other accommodations.
This breakfast is sponsored by the Health Equity Partnership of North Central Mass (CHNA9).
Donation will enable Ginny’s to store additional frozen foods of meats, fruits, vegetables
WHAT: In February 2023, Fidelity Bank learned Ginny’s Helping Hands and Food Pantry was in urgent need of two freezers to store frozen food for those they serve in the community. Each month, Ginny’s supports thousands of people in North Central Massachusetts by providing fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable groceries that come from scores of partners and supporters. Members of Fidelity Bank will be visiting Ginny’s to fill the new freezers with frozen meats, fruits, and vegetables.
WHERE: 52 Mechanic Street, Leominster
WHEN: Thursday, March 16 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
WHO:
Brandon Robbins, Executive Director, Ginny’s Helping Hands and Food Pantry
Ed Manzi, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Fidelity Bank
Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella, City of Leominster
Fidelity Bank colleagues
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: Reporters will have the opportunity to conduct on-site interviews with members of the Ginny’s and Fidelity Bank leadership to learn more about the donation and the continued partnership between the organization and the bank. Photography and videography is welcomed.
Ms. Lawson’s 6th grade students and ASNCM CEO Lori A. Richardson pose with over 1,100 socks that will be given to the aging community of North Central Massachusetts
Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts (ASNCM) is pleased to announce that St. Anna Catholic School of 213 Lancaster Street in Leominster generously gave a donation of over 1,100 pairs of socks to the aging community of North Central Massachusetts.
Traditionally referred to as “Socks for Santa”, ASNCM annually collaborates with Mrs. Denise Lawson’s 6th grade class. Each winter, Mrs. Lawson and her students raised well over a thousand pairs of socks thanks to the generous donations by everyone around.
“We (St Anna School) encourage and teach our students to help those in our community and show empathy by doing”, said Denise Lawson. “Our Socks for Santa drive is just one way we work together as a school community to help those around us.”
“We are so very grateful to Mrs. Lawson and her 6th grade class at St. Anna’s School. The caring spirit of these children and their families is profound and inspiring. Their generosity will have a positive impact on older adults in our community”, stated Lori A. Richardson, ASNCM’s Chief Executive Officer.
Business or community members interested in learning more about ASNCM should visit www.AgingServicesMA.org or contact David Ginisi, Chief Marketing Officer, at (978) 466-1571 or via email at .
Member Spotlight
Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody
When the workday ends and the lights go down, Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody, Inc. gets to work. “We operate as our clients’ silent partner after business hours,” says Adam Paicos, of Templeton, who now serves as Director of Operations and oversees the company’s expansion into North Central MA. “We are not often seen, but we ensure facilities are clean, secure, and ready for business each day while serving as the eyes and ears for our clients when they are not on site.”
Discover local business stories through our Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast series. Listen as Chamber members share their journeys, insights, and contributions to our thriving regional business community.
From Chamber events and ribbon cuttings to community celebrations and regional highlights, stay connected with what’s happening across North Central Massachusetts. Follow us on social media for the latest photos, updates, and stories.
Looking for your next opportunity? Explore current job openings from employers across North Central Massachusetts on our Jobs Board. Whether you’re starting a new career or making a change, you’ll find a variety of local positions available to help you take the next step.
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