E-Newsletter
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.
The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is here to help – with trusted resources, a strong business network, and a support system to keep your business and the region moving forward
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Darcie Lee Hanaway is someone that Gallery Sitka owner Tamar Russell Brown has been following for a long time. Gallery Sitka is thrilled to have an opportunity to show her work in Central Mass.
Ms. Hanaway is a whimsical, mixed-media artist who takes inspiration from time, nature, and their cycles and patterns. When Ms. Hanaway makes art, she uses “an intuitive process,” she says. “There’s no end-product in mind.” Her art is typically nonrepresentational and about community, family, and love, and what those things mean to her. Her adventures — from having a baby to living in an Airstream trailer — take on meaning and significance that seem to change continually as life goes on.
Encouraged to create art since infancy, the Rhode Island native has created art pieces ranging from installations made of old ventilation systems and harvested street signs in her old studio, to organic gardens for her clients, to a restaurant she helped build from scratch in Delray Beach, Fla. One might think that Ms. Hanaway has done it all! She travels often, creating art with different people to keep herself inspired. She does whatever it takes to “generate creative energy and share it.”
In 2007 Ms. Hanaway moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where she truly discovered something essential about the nature of time, thanks to the island’s cyclical tourist season. It is here that we find the Airstream that she lives in and which has taught her so much about the true meaning of “home.” She finds that “living simply makes my life richer. The less I own, the more value I assign to the items I keep.” Ms. Hanaway loves to make art outdoors, as it allows her to create art based on her feelings and her environment. Her creations originate from a primal sense rather than from rigid technique.
The show will also feature the works of two New Hampshire artists whose artwork complements Ms. Hanaway’s work, Melissa Richard and Angelique Ward. Ms. Richard’s new work, created this past winter, is an “exploration of emotion through color and texture,” using mixed media, mostly acrylic and collage. Much of her work examines relationships. It also explores emotions “that don’t necessarily have words.” Inspired by abstract expressionism, her art has helped her work through many of her own internal struggles. Ms. Richard is an art teacher and participates in art shows throughout New England. She is represented by Gallery Z in Providence, R.I.
Angelique Ward is a self-taught artist who hails from Hudson, N.H. She says that her passion for the arts has ranged from “performing onstage as a singer and in theater pieces, to writing poetry, to creating two-dimensional artworks in acrylic and mixed media.” She enjoys blending different art forms, particularly in assemblage, a three-dimensional medium that employs one or more boxes rather than a flat canvas. This method of storytelling is a deeply personal medium that “sets the stage” for her unique poetic mystery.
The show is expected to present big, bold, edgy artwork that will inspire thought about the subjective world within us and the objective world outside of us. Ms. Hanaway and her colleagues are excited to bring a fun, gypsy-like spirit to Fitchburg this summer and invite all to enjoy the exhibition, which will run from June 3 through August 1 at Gallery Sitka, 454 Main Street in Fitchburg. The public is welcome to attend the opening reception on Saturday, June 3, 4 – 6 p.m.

The Peer Support Group for Mental Health is a collaborative effort between UMass Memorial – HealthAlliance Hospital, Seven Hills, Michael’s Run, Parent/Professional Advocacy League and the Crusaders for Healthier Minds Community Leadership Institute team as part of their involvement in the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.
The group is open to anyone who would like to share their personal experiences with mental health.
Michael Hewitt, President and CEO of bankHometown, announced “We are pleased to announce the promotions of our Hometown team members listed below. We are proud of their performance and accomplishments.”
He added, “Hometown is a community bank with a focus on providing the best customer service and truly caring about the communities we serve. All of the individuals below have earned recognition of execution of that charge and we look forward to many more years of their exemplary service.”


Susan Collins has been promoted to Hometown Bank’s Cash Management Officer. Collins joined Hometown Bank in 2000 as a teller. She has worked as a Head Teller, a Customer Service Representative and an Assistant Manager. Collins attends Bay Path University. She is a board member of the Central MA Chamber of Commerce and has been Secretary/Treasurer for Business Networking International. Collins lives in Webster with her husband and children.


Jo-Ann Bussiere was recently hired as a Branch Manager of Hometown Bank’s South Lancaster Office. Bussiere has many years of experience in the banking industry, as a Branch Manager. She attended Monroe Community College and is a Board Member of Youth Ministry for St. Isadore and St. Elizabeth. Bussiere resides in Stow, Ma.
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.
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.
CapEx Facility Services & Construction · Leominster, MA
TaraVista Behavioral Health Center · Harvard, MA
DRS Power Technology, Inc. · Fitchburg, MA
AIS · Leominster, MA