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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Expansive Guide highlights the region’s vast manufacturing firms and industrial space
The Chamber and its development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), announce the publication of the 2022 edition of the Manufacturers Directory and Industrial Parks Guide for North Central Massachusetts. The publication is designed to promote and connect manufacturers with suppliers as well as serve as a resource for companies looking to relocate or expand throughout the region.
Working with multiple sources, the NCMDC confirmed the operating status and primary product line of each company listed in the directory. In addition to the listing of local manufacturers, the publication also includes a section on life science companies, a listing of suppliers and a guide to business and industrial parks in North Central Massachusetts.
The 2022 edition of the publication was supported by advertising and is being circulated to manufacturers throughout the region. For more information or to request a copy, please contact the Chamber at 978.353.7607.
WORKFORCE STUDY: In partnership with Fitchburg State University, the Chamber has commissioned the UMass Donahue Institute to conduct a study to assess and recommend ways to enhance the labor pool in the region. Specifically, we will be looking for strategies to recruit populations in the region that may not be currently participating fully in the labor market, including people with criminal backgrounds, the disabled, mature older populations, women, immigrants and veterans. The study is funded from a state grant that we collaborated on with the university.
EDUCATION COMPACT: The Chamber Foundation was awarded $150,000 in funding through an earmark in the ARPA budget passed by the legislature recently. The funding will be used to help support the North Central Massachusetts Education Compact initiative. The compact, comprised of leaders in education, business and workforce development, was established in late 2019 to help facilitate partnerships around the shared goals of improving college and career pathways for students. Special thanks to Senator Cronin and the other members of the delegation for their efforts to secure these funds for the region.
MINI-GRANTS: The Chamber’s economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, was able to provide 14 grants totaling $60,000 to local small businesses. This was a one-time grant initiative launched in partnership with New Vue Communities and funded through a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development to support vulnerable small businesses impacted by COVID-19 with their recovery and growth. The grants ranged between $500 – $5,000 for professional services including accounting/bookkeeping support, marketing and social media support, website upgrades, legal services and signage
EQUITABLE CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT COHORT: A North Central Massachusetts team comprised of the Chamber, Mount Wachusett Community College and the Spanish American Center have been accepted in the Equitable Credential Attainment Cohort offered through the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). The ACCE Foundation, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, is sponsoring this 18-month program to support communities in building partnerships that allow more workers, and particularly BIPOC workers, to gain the credentials or degrees they need to secure well-paid jobs with career advancement opportunities. Our team will receive technical assistance and subgrant funding to help work together to drive the growth of credentialing and degree programs that place workers in well-paid jobs. We were one of seven teams selected from throughout the country to participate in this competitive program.
JOBS BOARD: Over 1,000 jobs are currently listed on our WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs board and over 7,500 jobs have been posted since we launched the online resource. Several new
Education Compact
optional features have been added since the introduction of the jobs board to improve the functionality, including a “Quick Apply” feature that allows employers to collect applications directly through the jobs board; an auto acceptance/rejection notification; and a follow-up survey to the employers to determine if they have filled the position. The jobs board continues to be one of the most visited sections of our website.
CHAMBER BUILDING: The Chamber has invested in some improvements to the Chamber’s headquarters in Fitchburg. These include some repairs to the interior, repaving the entry road and implementing some technology upgrades in the conference room to allow for hybrid or virtual meetings. In the Fall, the Chamber also had some heating tape added to the roof to prevent ice dams and invested in some landscaping to improve the appearance of the Chamber grounds from the road. The parking lot is scheduled to be resealed in the Spring.
Repaved Driveway
GIFT LOCAL: The Chamber is currently exploring revamping the Gift Local gift card program to make it easier to redeem for both the merchants and the gift card recipients. We are looking for a new provider that will enable participating merchants to redeem the cards via the credit card network versus a separate platform or integrating it with a POS system.
AUDITS: The Chamber and its affiliates the Chamber Foundation, Visit North Central Massachusetts and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation each completed their fiscal years and underwent their annual independent audits. The audits were completed on time and with no findings reported
HEALTH INSURANCE: Open Enrollment is upon us once again. Preparations are being made to provide participating members with new rates, benefit changes, plan discontinuations and their available options. Members interested in health insurance through the Chamber should contact our office for quotes.
ENERGY SAVINGS: From its inception in August 2014 through December 2021 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 10,215,626 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $2,217,053 and the collective savings to participants totals $1,884,495.
DIGITAL MARKETING: Traffic in FY2021 averaged approximately 11,955 unique page views each month to our two main websites – NorthCentralMass.com and VisitNorthCentral.com – excluding our other websites. That represents a 4% increase over the prior year, and traffic for FY2022 is currently running 33% over the same time period in FY2021. Our social media platforms have also grown to boast over 21,000 total followers. In CY2021 our social media platforms garnered an average of over 217,000 impressions monthly and a total of over 2.4 million impressions for the year. That represents a 20% increase over the prior year.
New Loans
NEW LOANS: The Chamber’s economic development arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation – has closed seven micro-loans for a total of $333,500 since October 1, 2020. The loans were made to a mix of existing and start-up businesses and ranged from $6,000 to $150,000. There are another three loans totaling $325,000 that have been approved but haven’t closed yet. We are also excited to share that the U.S. Small Business Administration recognized the Development Corporation in December for its success in providing micro-loans.
ELECT NORTH CENTRAL COALITION: The Chamber has reconvened the Elect North Central Coalition to explore organizing debates and other initiatives to engage candidates for statewide office. There are a number of important elections occurring this November, including for Governor; Lt. Governor; Attorney General; and State Auditor. The Elect North Central Coalition was formed in 2018 and is comprised of the major community institutions and media in North Central Massachusetts. The Coalition’s mission is to make the democratic process accessible and assure that local and regional issues are examined and addressed by candidates running for statewide and federal offices.
MEMBER DISCOUNTS: We have recently revamped our member discounts page on the website. We are hoping to increase the use of the member to member discount program among members. If you would like to offer a member discount, please contact Lauren Goulet, Operations Manager, at .
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: During the last quarter, our team provided over 350 hours of direct technical assistance to small businesses. Most of that was delivered via phone and ZOOM and focused on providing clients with information on the SBA Cares Act payments as well as continued updates on resources available, including PPP, EIDL, ADVANCE, grants and Restaurant Revitalization Fund through the SBA.
Sales of both single-family homes and condos in Massachusetts declined in February as housing prices rose even further.
Single-family home sales tumbled 14.7 percent last month as the median home sale price increased 5.4 percent on a year-over-year basis to $470,000, up from $446,000 in February 2021, according to The Warren Group.
Tim Warren, CEO of The Warren Group, said Monday that buyers are chasing after a shrinking stock of available homes, noting the Massachusetts Association of Realtors reported that inventory of single-family homes for sale was down 50 percent in January.
“New listings and pending sales were down as well,” Warren said “February was the eighth month in a row where the number of homes sold declined while the median price continued to rise. It is a familiar trend, one that is likely to continue unless sellers flood the spring market with new homes.”
Condo sales in February were down 17 percent over-the-year, with the median condo sale price rising 5.3 percent to $440,000.
The median sale prices for homes and condos in February both set new record highs.
Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday identified the difficult housing market in Massachusetts as the single biggest headwind on the local economy. Public policies have so far failed to lead to a major surge in housing production, and critics of local zoning control say that dynamic often works against the creation of new supply and more options for buyers.
Chamber members are provided with the opportunity to engage with the Mayors of Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster who provide updates on projects and other things happening in their Cities. These events are by invitation only, please contact Travis Condon for more details. View
Event
Future Leaders of North Central: Annual Holiday Party & Ugly Sweater Competition
December 8, 2026
Bull Run Restaurant
215 Great Rd. Shirly, MA View
Event
Connect North Central
December 11, 2026
Join us for our last Connect North Central of the year!
Friday, December 11, 2026
8am-9am View
Event
Chamber members are provided with the opportunity to engage with the Mayors of Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster who provide updates on projects and other things happening in their Cities. These events are by invitation only, please contact Travis Condon for more details. View
Event
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.
(Leominster, Mass.) Fidelity Bank announced the appointment of Andrew Beauvais to Vice President, Manager of the Fidelity Bank Winchendon Banking Center located at 1 School Square in Winchendon.
In this role, he will oversee the LifeDesign banking approach at the Winchendon Banking Center and continue to care for Fidelity Bank clients when they are making financial decisions.
Andrew comes to Fidelity Bank from Worker’s Credit Union where he served as Assistant Vice President, Financial Wellness Coach at its Townsend location. He has more than 10 years of banking experience serving in a variety of management roles at TD Bank and GFA Federal Credit Union.
“Andrew has much experience in providing financial coaching to clients on building savings and credit, eliminating debt, and planning for various phases of life,” said Sheila King-Goodwin, Senior Vice President, Chief Community Banking Officer, Fidelity Bank. “With his additional experience overseeing daily banking center operations and service, he is the perfect fit to bring our LifeDesign approach to banking to our clients in Winchendon.”
A resident of Winchendon, Beauvais earned his high school diploma from Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School. He holds a Massachusetts producer license for Life and Health Insurance and annuities and is a Certified Financial Education Instructor for the National Financial Educators Council.
Leominster, Mass – Fidelity Bank announced the appointment of Barbara Yanke to Senior Vice President, Director of Residential Lending. In this role, Yanke will lead the growth of all residential lending originations and processes while also executing the overall direction of the residential lending sales strategy.
With more than 25 years of experience in residential and consumer lending, Yanke joins Fidelity Bank from Hometown Financial Group where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Residential and Consumer Lending responsible for three banks: Easthampton Savings Bank, Hometown Bank and Abbington Bank. Prior to that role, she was Vice President, Residential and Consumer Lending Manager of People’s United Bank in Brattleboro, Vermont.
“Barbara has extensive experience in the leadership of mortgage and consumer lending,” said Joseph Silva, Chief Lending Officer, Fidelity Bank. “With Barbara’s knowledge and experience, combined with our LifeDesign approach and C.A.R.E. process, our clients are in good hands when making one of the most important financial decisions of their lives in buying a place to call home.”
A resident of Wilmington, Vermont, Yanke earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Champlain College. She is also a Certified Mortgage Professional from the Vermont Mortgage Bankers Association. She currently serves on the board of directors at the YWCA of Springfield, and the Mass Mortgage Bankers, and serves on the Development Committee of Worcester Community Housing Resources.
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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