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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Analyst: Price Shock Concerns But Market Still In “Fast Trot”
Home prices in the red-hot housing market exceeded $500,000 for the fifth straight month in August, but buyers aren’t scooping up the properties as fast as they did during the previous two years as single-family home sales declined for the second straight month, The Warren Group reported on Tuesday.
Homebuyers purchased 6,318 single-family homes in August, down 6.2 percent from August 2020 and 4.6 percent from the same month in 2019.
The shrinking inventory undoubtedly played a role in the slowdown of sales in July and August, according to analysts, but Warren Group CEO Tim Warren said there may be another factor at play causing the “galloping real estate market” to slow to a “fast trot.”
“I think prices have gotten higher than a lot of people can afford. Increasingly the people who can afford to buy have already done so and the rest are ready to give up on home shopping,” Warren said.
The median price of a single-family home in August shot up 11.5 percent on a year-over-year basis to $535,000, about $55,000 more than the median price recorded in August 2020 and up from $420,000 in August 2019. The median price in August 2021 was a new all-time high for the month, and not far behind the $540,000 median price reported in July.
Gov. Charlie Baker has been pushing as recently as Monday in Roxbury to use as much as $1 billion in federal COVID-19 relief to invest in first-time homebuyer and other housing programs that would make purchasing a home more attainable for many Massachusetts families, particularly in communities of color.
Only four counties in Massachusetts – Hampshire, Hampden, Essex and Bristol – reported increases in sales this August over the same month in 2020, while Barnstable and Berkshire Counties saw declines of more than 22 percent each, exceeded only by the 55 percent drop on Nantucket.
“The decline in home sales volume for the second straight month is significant,” Warren said. “The data doesn’t lie.”
Overall, home sales for the year are up 10.3 percent through August, with the median price of the 40,047 single-family homes sold in Massachusetts climbing 17.7 percent to $512,000.
On the other side of the market, condominium sales continue to be strong with the 2,773 sales recorded in August, beating 2020 sales by 7.6 percent and exceeding condo sales from August 2019 by 6.1 percent.
The median condo sale price increased 10.6 percent on a year-over-year basis to $470,000, a new high for the month and the 13th consecutive month that median prices have exceeded $400,000.
While Barnstable County saw a similar drop of 34.9 percent in condo sales in August, Berkshire County posted a 21.7 percent uptick in condo sales last month and Suffolk County, which includes Boston, recorded an 18 percent increase in sales and a 4.1 percent increase in price.
A War that North Central Massachusetts Can Not Afford To Lose
A central theme of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce Regional Economic Development Plan—One North Central—prioritizes the importance of developing a strong talent pipeline and workforce development for the region. With our aging workforce and strong competition for younger, high-skilled talent, One North Central identifies strategies to help the region focus on strengthening the core of our workforce through advocacy, partnerships and resources to maintain the businesses who currently call North Central Massachusetts home while growing a strong pipeline to support new businesses locating to the region.
We call this the War for Talent. And it’s what is keeping our members up at night! Two of the most concerning challenges facing our members revolve around the talent pipeline and finding qualified workers. While we can place some blame on the pandemic, which provided the unemployed with supplemental federal unemployment benefits making going back to work less desirable, there are also challenges related to lack of affordable childcare and concerns about personal health and safety that have certainly kept some people out of the workforce.
For employers, the problem unfortunately runs deeper than the pandemic, and even as more people return to the workforce, the war for talent is expected to heat up in the years to come. It will not just be between companies, but regions, communities and even our state and country will be competing for the talent needed to help fuel economic growth and prosperity. It’s a war we must win by working collaboratively to address talent acquisition and growth while becoming more aggressive in our tactics to remain strong, viable communities for both families and businesses who live and work here.
Jeff Roberge, Executive Director of the MassHire North Central Workforce Board which is charged with helping employers develop the talent they need to grow and prosper, said this is not a regional issue, but a national one. “Businesses throughout the country are struggling to find the qualified workers they need. It’s all about the talent in today’s economic development world and how employers can competitively tap into that pipeline to bring qualified workers to their businesses.”
Our region is not immune to this issue, as a recent UMass Donahue Institute study commissioned by the Chamber indicated that by 2040, as many as 27% of residents in North Central Massachusetts may be over the age of 65, versus 12.5% in 2010. So, while baby boomers still represent a third of the workforce in the United States, there are simply not enough workers to fill their positions upon retirement.
Employers are also recognizing that some workers lack the skills or credentials they need to compete in today’s economy. According to the Center on Education and Workforce at Georgetown University, there will be millions of unfilled jobs by 2025 if the “skills gap” issue between education and talent does not match available jobs. We also live in an environment where labor has become mobile and workers are no longer tied to a particular company, industry or even geography, and the popularity of remote work opportunities intensifies the competition. From the perspective of the region, workers can also pick up and move to other regions or states which in turn puts the region at a competitive disadvantage in attracting, growing and retaining businesses.
Rocheleau Tool and Die in Fitchburg has a long history spanning four generations of bringing highly productive and efficient blow molding machinery to its customers world-wide. As a local employer, the company is working to attract youth through engagements with local vocational high schools and universities to get today’s youth excited about employment opportunities with the company. In fact, Rocheleau Tool & Die employees serve on the UMass Lowell Plastics Advisory Board and the Monty Tech Machine Technology Advisory Committee.
“We realize by engaging with our future workforce in an educational setting, we can help define a path where students can envision opportunities to establish a successful career. When industry can share knowledge with educators, gains can be made in closing the skills gap. The better we cooperate, the better chance we can grow our businesses and create opportunities where our local youth can grow along with us,” said Steven Rocheleau, President, Rocheleau Tool & Die. “When educators and business owners are aligned, we both do our part to keep jobs and workers here in the region.”
The Chamber is committed to providing our members with the tools they need to combat the war for talent. We’ve always taken a leadership role by placing importance on education and workforce development to the quality of life and economic prosperity of the region. In recent years, we have expanded our advocacy efforts by joining coalitions such as the Massachusetts Business Coalition on Skills and the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education. We’ve also fostered partnerships with the region’s schools and higher education institutions while working diligently to grow the pipeline through our WorkNorthCentral.com online resource portal and WorkNorth Central Hiring events. While the chamber and our members are fighting the war for talent with eyes wide open to address these challenges, our advocacy, partnerships and resources are the ammunition to win the war.
Strong Advocacy: We believe the very foundation of our region’s talent pipeline is rooted in our strong educational system. We’ve been a longstanding advocate for an educational system that prepares our youth for success and for our state to excel in a competitive environment. Our advocacy efforts on Beacon Hill and at the city and town halls in our region aim to create career pathways in our schools, increase access to high-quality vocational education, and to implement other reforms to better align with what our businesses need while preparing the students for long-term success.
“We know the greatest asset for our region is the talent of our residents and what they bring to the industries where they work,” said Senator John Cronin (D-Lunenburg). “The Chamber is a strong advocate for improvements within our schools to create stronger college and career pathways for our youth and I am committed to standing alongside the Chamber as we work together in achieving these goals.”
Strong Partnerships: We believe strong partnerships are critically important and winning the war for talent will require a concerted effort from the public and private sector, education and business leaders, and through philanthropy and non-profits to work toward improving our schools and the talent pipeline. Since not one company, group or industry can do it alone, our efforts have included building partnerships with the Workforce Investment Board, Mount Wachusett Community College, Fitchburg State University and others, as well as partnering with local schools to host career exploration programs. We’re encouraging internships and other work-based opportunities for young adults with our members, and we have conducted research and shared our findings to keep all of our stakeholders updated on our efforts. As a way to make college more affordable for graduating seniors, we also distribute more than $50,000 each year in scholarships.
Strong Resources: We believe by providing resources to connect the unemployed and underemployed with jobs that we can respond to the immediate challenges employers face when finding qualified workers. Through creative resources to connect employers with job seekers, as well as with our existing portfolio of economic development tools, we can change the war for talent into the peace of a restful night’s sleep for business owners. Since we launched the WorkNorthCentral.com online jobs resource portal last year, more than 6,000 jobs have been posted, making it the largest, geographically-focused jobs board in the region! And, on September 28, we’re hosting a major, regional hiring event to provide face-to-face interactions for job seekers with potential employers, as well as opportunities for career coaching, free professional headshots, workshops and seminars, and more than 50 employers showcasing a variety of employment opportunities across multiple industries.
But this isn’t the end of our efforts. In fact, the war for talent is just beginning.
Together, we can continue to identify and work toward new and innovative solutions with a multi-pronged approach to address talent attraction, retention and development. We will continue to strengthen the core of our workforce through advocacy, partnerships and resources.
It’s a war the North Central Massachusetts region cannot afford to lose!
The North Central Massachusetts remains engaged in constant communication with our local, state and federal elected officials. In July, Congressman Jim McGovern and Congresswoman Lori Trahan joined us for the Inside North Central Massachusetts podcast. The two spoke about the American Rescue Plan Act and the proposed infrastructure package. The two are also slated to join the Chamber’s Congressional Luncheon in October. In early August, the US Senate passed a bipartisan $1 trillion-dollar infrastructure bill that included hundreds of billions of dollars for areas including roads and bridges, electrical grid and power infrastructure, broadband investments and water infrastructure.
The Chamber continued to advocate for economic development and workforce development throughout the state budget negotiations. The Chamber was part of joint letters sent out to Beacon Hill from the Massachusetts Business Coalition on Skills and Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education that pushed for investment into career technical institutes and the workforce pipeline. That advocacy helped to ensure the inclusion of $15.4 million for career technical institutes, $6 million for dual enrollment and $6 million dollars for regional economic development organizations as part of the Commonwealth’s $48.1 billion-dollar budget. As part of the Massachusetts Coalition for Sustainable Energy, the Chamber was a part of multiple letters sent out to members of the legislature and the Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Advisory Council calling for a measured approach utilizing natural gas as the Commonwealth works to meet the emission reduction timeline laid out by the Governor.
Now that budget discussions have wrapped up, state legislators are focusing on the $5.3 billion dollars the Commonwealth is receiving from Washington D.C. as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Governor Charlie Baker has put forth a plan to spend $2.9 billion dollars of the funds, along with a $1.6 billion-dollar supplemental budget with the House and Senate holding hearings on priorities prior to putting forward their own spending plans. Since the publication of the Chamber’s new One North Central regional economic development plan, we have engaged in active discussions with the region’s delegation, educating them on the strategies contained in the plan, and how ARPA funds could be used to help implement some of the bolder initiatives. The Chamber intends to continue meeting with area leaders and stakeholders in hopes that the One North Central plan can serve as a unifying voice for the region as we seek to help the region navigate economic recovery and serve as a roadmap to advance the region in the coming decades.
In Mid-August, the U.S. Census Bureau released the latest local-level population and demographic data from the 2020 Census. According to the data, Massachusetts population rose to 7.02 million people and saw an increase of 7.4 percent, outpacing the Northeast average of 4.1 percent growth. This growth was enough to ensure that Massachusetts would retain its current levels of representation in Washington D.C. Based on the new data, and population changes, parts of the Commonwealth could see a shake up when it comes to their legislative and Congressional representation once districts are redrawn in the coming months.
The Chamber is continuing to monitor city and town affairs which included Westminster promoting Stephanie Lahtinen to Town Administrator, and Townsend appointing Ross Perry as their Interim Town Administrator. Leominster welcomed Amanda Curtis, a familiar face at the Chamber, as the City’s new Economic Development Coordinator. Shortly after her appointment, Curtis met to discuss the City’s priorities and the One North Central Regional Economic Development Program. With multiple contested municipal elections this Fall, the Chamber is excited to once again host the popular Legislative & Candidates Reception on September 23 at the Chocksett Inn in Sterling.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Travis Condon, the Chamber’s public affairs manager, at (978) 353-7600, ext. 224; or via email at .
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
Last week, Making Opportunity Count (MOC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to formally announce the grand opening of The Counseling Center at MOC. The new outpatient mental health clinic is co-located with a number of MOC’s human service programs out of their Nursery Lane facility in Fitchburg.
The Counseling Center at MOC received licensure from the MA Department of Public Health on June 15th, 2021 and will offer a wide variety of mental health services including individual psychotherapy and medication management. The center, open daily from 9am to 5pm, is staffed with five masters’ level psychotherapists that treat a wide range of conditions including anxiety, depression, trauma, substance recovery, ADHD, personality disorders and more.
Accessibility was at the forefront of the counseling center’s design; patients can schedule in-person or telehealth sessions and the center is currently accepting walk-ins or immediate remote access via therapy Zoom rooms. The expanded services address the growing need, particularly in the Fitchburg, Leominster and Gardner areas of North Central MA, for more direct and efficient access to psychiatric care—a need that has become more pressing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were seeing an urgent need for access to high-quality, mental health care,” said Kevin Reed, executive director of MOC. “The Counseling Center at MOC will be a vital local and regional resource that will provide our community with another access point for critical care and services. We’re grateful to our team, the state, and our delegation for helping us make this initiative become a reality.”
The private grand opening ceremony included remarks from Congresswoman Lori Trahan, Senator John Cronin, State Representative Michael Kushmerek, and Mayor of Fitchburg Stephen DiNatale. State officials expressed the value the new facility will offer to the greater community by bringing new resources to fill this critical gap in mental health care.
“For many hardworking families and individuals trying to improve their lives across the Third District, they’re just a little bit of help away from climbing out of poverty. That’s where Making Opportunity Count has stepped up time and time again,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “From access to quality child care to mental health services and much more, Making Opportunity Count provides critical support to folks in Fitchburg and beyond, lifting them up and enabling them to achieve financial stability. The opening of their mental health clinic will bolster those efforts and enable them to assist even more people in need. I’m grateful for their relentless efforts and look forward to continuing our partnership that will deliver even more resources to support their ability to deliver life-changing services.”
The occasion was recognized with an official proclamation delivered by Senator John Cronin.
“Today is a huge win for the city of Fitchburg,” said Senator Cronin. “Everybody knows we are in the midst of a mental health crisis and the most important thing we can do is increase the availability and access to outpatient behavioral health services. We cannot meet these challenges with lip service, we need to meet the challenge with resources and services.”
In addition to extending kudos to MOC for this new endeavor, State Representative Michael Kushmerek shared a personal reflection of his own family’s experience with mental health struggles and the importance of normalizing conversations about mental wellbeing.
“Removing the stigma, working to socialize mental health treatment is so crucial,” said State Representative Michael Kushmerek, member of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery. “So often we are hesitant and outright refuse to talk about mental health and about how key of a component it is in who we are. We’re lying to ourselves if we don’t acknowledge that we have stress, we have anxieties, we have days of depression.” He continued, “I’m proud to stand with these allies here…to fight, each and every day, so people can stand up and say today’s not a good day but maybe tomorrow can be.”
Also in attendance were members of MOC’s board of directors accompanied by members of MOC’s clinical team that worked on the development of the counseling center. A ribbon cutting sponsored by the North Central MA Chamber of Commerce and brief tour of the facility followed ceremony remarks.
Spend an enjoyable evening learning the basics of painting landscapes in this hands-on workshop. Using acrylic paint, we will explore the beauty of nature as we learn the process of observing color and shape. Great for beginners as well as those with some painting experience. All art supplies will be provided. Taught by Fitchburg artist, C. M. Judge.
***Limited spaces are available, please register at https://tinyurl.com/fplpaintclass or by calling 978-829-1780.
This class will take place in person in the library’s Garden Room. Please note that masks are required in the library building by order of the Fitchburg Board of Health.
C. M. Judge is an award winning artist who loves sharing her passion for art with others. She believes each student sees the world in a unique way and has the ability to make meaningful art. Ms. Judge teaches art at Sizer School and is the cofounder of the Central Massachusetts Women’s Caucus for Art.
This project is funded by a grant from the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, a 501C3 arts agency in Massachusetts since 1983.
This is a free program. For information about this or other Library programs call 978-829-1780 or visit our website: www.FitchburgPublicLibrary.org.
(L-R): Jordan Harris of Vernon, VT, Rebecca Rule-Sellers of Richmond, NH, Jessica Smith of Templeton, Savannah Smart-Gray of Athol, Jennifer Vazquez of Fitchburg, Khysha Doiron of Gardner, Alana Perry of Ashburnham, and Melany Lorance of Pepperell. Not pictured, Emily Jamieson of Athol.
The Class of 2021 Dental Assisting Program held a pinning ceremony for nine new graduates on Friday, September 10, 2021 outdoors at the Mount Wachusett Community College Fitchburg campus.
“We are here to recognize your hard work in this program and welcome you to the field,” Cindy Cadoret, Director of Dental Education Programs at MWCC, told graduates.
The Dental Assisting program at MWCC prepares students for immediate careers in the field and, should they choose to continue with their education, enables them to apply credits to the Dental Hygiene associate degree program.
Students pinned were: Emily Jamieson of Athol, Jordan Harris of Vernon, VT, Rebecca Rule-Sellers of Richmond, NH, Jessica Smith of Templeton, Savannah Smart-Gray of Athol, Jennifer Vazquez of Fitchburg, Khysha Doiron of Gardner, Alana Perry of Ashburnham, and Melany Lorance of Pepperell.
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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