North Central Massachusetts e-Newsletter » North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

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.

June 2026

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Chamber News

Chamber Hosting Office Hours with State Economic Development Officials

Posted on September 6th/in Chamber News /by northcentralmass

In a partnership with the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD), MassDevelopment, Mass Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), and MassHire, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce will be hosting state economic development officials for one-on-one appointments with local developers, manufacturers, and business owners. The meetings are an opportunity to discuss any specific matters related to their business or the expansion of their business, as well as to review state resources available to support business growth and expansion.

Kevin Kuros, Central Massachusetts Director for MOBD; Rob Anderson, Vice President of MassDevelopment; Chuck Merrill, Senior Loan Officer for MGCC; and Scott Percifull, Program Coordinator for MassHire; will be available at the Chamber office by appointment on Monday, September 23 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The appointments are in thirty-minute increments and are first come, first serve. The meetings are free and confidential, available on a non-discriminatory basis, and are handicapped accessible.

MOBD helps businesses relocating to Massachusetts and businesses wishing to expand their current operations here. MOBD is responsible for managing the state’s Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) which provides tax credits for qualifying business expansion projects. In addition, they provide information on other state economic development programs, including the state’s R&D tax credit, the Mass Life Science Center tax incentives, the Workforce Training Fund grant program, the STEP grant offered through the Mass Office of International Trade and Investment, and other state resources. MOBD also oversees the Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership (MassCEO) which is focused on supporting businesses considering converting to an employee ownership structure.

MassDevelopment, the state’s development finance agency, and land bank, works with businesses, nonprofits, banks, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2023, MassDevelopment financed or managed 545 projects generating investment of more than $2 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are estimated to create or support 10,522 jobs and build or preserve 1,583 housing units.

MGCC helps small businesses create and preserve jobs by providing access to working capital, loan guarantees, business resources, and targeted managerial assistance that solves specific financial and operational problems. MGCC works with traditional financial institutions to turn “un-bankable” businesses bankable, Community Development Centers and non-profits to provide financing for job-producing projects, and directly with businesses to find the growth capital they require.

MassHire Bizworks/Rapid Response coordinates state and federal resources for businesses, offering a single point of contact to multiple programs. The MassHire Rapid Response team provides layoff prevention, early intervention re-employment, layoff management, and outplacement services to companies and their employees. Additionally, we offer employment and training resources, including assistance with recruitment, hiring, and tax credit programs.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Sandie Cataldo, Senior Economic Development Manager at the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600 ext. 232 or via email at .

Fall 2024 Goverment Affairs Update

Posted on September 5th/in Chamber News /by northcentralmass

Federal Affairs:

In May, the Chamber participated in Small Business Day on Beacon Hill, meeting with a number of our region’s delegation about our legislative priorities and small business concerns. Pictured left to right: State Representative Meg Kilcoyne; State Representative Natalie Higgins; Chamber President & CEO, Roy Nascimento; Chamber member and owner of ECi Stores, Neil Abramson; and State Representative Mike Kushmerek.

As we approach the fall, attention is focused on Washington D.C. ahead of the November election. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Jim McGovern and Congresswoman Lori Trahan are running unopposed. For the Senate, incumbent Senator Elizabeth Warren will face a Republican challenger, to be determined by the Republican primary in early September. We will closely monitor the policies of the winning Presidential administration to assess their potential impact on the business community when they take office in January.

We’re pleased to announce our annual Congressional Luncheon event on Thursday, October 17th at 11:30 am at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Leominster. Both Congressman McGovern and Congresswoman Trahan will be in attendance. We extend our gratitude to our premier sponsor, Fitchburg State University, and supporting sponsor, Care Central VNA & Hospice, Inc., for their generous support.

State Affairs:

Budget: Following tradition, Beacon Hill agreed on a $57.8 billion budget after the start of the new Fiscal Year, with Governor Healey signing it in late July. The Governor’s $317 million veto overrides remained in place as formal sessions concluded.

Economic Development: At the time of this writing, lawmakers are expected to return to Beacon Hill to address the proposed economic development bond bill which did not pass during formal session. The House and Senate have released separate versions of the proposed bill which, depending on a compromise, would include billions of dollars in bond authorizations and tax credits along with the reauthorization of the state’s life sciences initiative, hundreds of millions in MassWorks public infrastructure grants, $99 million for advanced manufacturing, and a potential reintroduction of Happy Hour.

Education: The budget continues to fund the Student Opportunity Act with $6.86 billion, a 4% increase over FY24. Fair Share funds will be used to make community college free for all. Investments continue in programs helping high school students earn industry-recognized credentials and in pathways and early college initiatives.

Housing: A housing bond bill was passed to address the Commonwealth’s housing crisis. Secretary Ed Augustus estimates this legislation will lead to the creation of over 45,000 new units and the preservation of 27,000 housing units. The $5.15 billion bonding bill offers new tax credits for companies converting unused commercial buildings, doubles the tax credit for rehabilitating historic buildings, and allows accessory dwelling units by-right.

Wage Equity: New legislation (H. 4890) requires employers with 25 or more employees to disclose pay ranges in job postings and provide pay range information for promotions, transfers, and upon request. The Attorney General’s Office will conduct a public awareness campaign and has enforcement authority, including the ability to impose fines for violations.

Election Season: In addition to the Presidential election, State Representative and State Senator positions will be on the November ballot, with several regional delegation members facing contested elections.

We invite you to our Legislative and Candidates Reception, one of our most exciting annual events. It provides community members the opportunity to engage with current elected officials and candidates. The event, supported by premier sponsor Mount Wachusett Community College and supporting sponsor Open Sky Community Services, will be held at the Chocksett Inn in Sterling on Thursday, September 26th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

Ballot Questions: The Chamber is particularly concerned about Ballot Questions 2 and 5:

Question 2 would remove the statewide high school graduation requirement to pass the 10th grade MCAS standardized test without offering a uniform alternative standard. We believe this could lower education standards at a critical time.
Question 5 proposes eliminating the tip credit. We have serious concerns about its potential impact on tipped employees and restaurants, key drivers of our local economy. Currently, all workers in Massachusetts, including tipped employees, are guaranteed to earn at least the $15 minimum wage. A recent survey showed that 86% of tipped employees prefer the current system, and a coalition of tipped employees has endorsed a NO vote on this question.

For questions or concerns regarding the Chamber’s public policy efforts, please contact Travis Condon, our public affairs manager, at 978.353.7600, ext. 224, or via email at .

Fall 2024 Tourism Update

Posted on September 5th/in Chamber News, Tourism /by northcentralmass

As we conclude the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, the Chamber is pleased to share this update of our tourism affiliate Visit North Central Massachusetts (VNCM). This report highlights our marketing efforts, achievements, and future plans to promote our region as a premier destination.

Branding & Advertising

Our advertising strategy combined print and digital media across target markets, with messaging such as “Everything You Love About New England… A Lot Closer to Home.” and “Drive to, not through, North Central MA” through various channels, including:

Paid social media campaigns via MassLive
Search Engine Marketing through Local IQ
Print/digital campaigns in Boston Magazine
Digital and email campaign with AAA
Digital bundle campaign with Yankee Publishing

These efforts showcased our region’s diverse attractions and increased web traffic, aiming to captivate potential visitors and encourage exploration of North Central Massachusetts.

Visitor Guide

We also published the Fall/Winter edition of the Guide to North Central Massachusetts, a popular glossy, full-color magazine aimed at informing and inspiring readers. It showcases the region as a unique destination for living, working, and visiting. We printed 40,000 copies per edition and distributed them to 350 high-traffic locations throughout New England through AAA and CTM Media Group. A digital version is also shared on our website, social media, via email, and shared with the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) to maximize its reach and engagement.

FAM Trips & Travel Shows

We actively participated in Familiarization Trips & Travel Shows. We also continued our “Super Region” collaboration with two other Central Massachusetts Regional Tourism Councils (Discover Central MA and MetroWest Boston Visitors Bureau), implementing an off-season marketing campaign. We hosted two regional travel writer press trips in January and March to assist us with generating more interest in the region among the travel media and other travel influencers. We have several advertising campaigns underway and are working with CM Communications, a Boston-based PR Agency that specializes in destination marketing. Our participation in the Dream Destination Travel Show in October also further promoted our region as a desirable travel destination.

Social Media

We maintained a strong presence on social media throughout the year. From January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024, our Visit North Central Massachusetts Facebook page had a total reach of 500,291, a 21% decrease over the previous six months, but a 17% increase over the same timeframe the previous year. Our Facebook channel also attracted 4,068 new followers, an 11.66% increase over the previous six months. In addition, the page also had 7,400 content interactions and 12,600 link clicks during the same timeframe. Paid reach was 250,017 and 1,395,876 paid impressions. On Instagram, the page achieved a reach of 43,700, a 33.9% decrease over the previous six months, but a 250% increase over the same timeframe the previous year. We gained 419 new followers, had 2,300 content interactions and 1,200 link clicks during the same timeframe.

Website

Our tourism website, Visitnorthcentral.com, has experienced growth in traffic for FY24. Google Analytics indicates that our website experienced a 44.5% increase in pageviews; a 51.1% increase in sessions; and a 48.1% increase in unique users from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024, when compared to the same timeframe in 2023. During the same time period, we also had over 1,587,649 Google impressions. Additionally, we are actively aligning the content of Visit North Central’s seasonal landing pages with our SEO strategy to maintain consistency with our SEM campaign efforts.

Lodging & Other Data

STR data through June indicates that YTD hotel occupancy was 73.6%, a 2.6% increase over the previous year; ADR was $187.81, which is a 1.8% decrease; RevPar was $138.21, a 0.8% increase over the previous year; total room revenue was down 3.8%; and rooms sold was down 2.1%. AirDNA data indicates that short-term rentals in the region have continued to trend upwards, growing from 4.4% of total lodging revenue in the region in FY23 to 5.7% in FY24. Research from Datafy indicates that the region had 4,428,731 trips in FY24 and 8,346,506 visitor days. Average length of stay in the region was 1.9 days and our top four origin markets were Boston; Hartford/New Haven; New York; and Providence-New Bedford.

Email Newsletter

We launched a quarterly Visit North Central Massachusetts (VNCM) subscription-based email newsletter to help promote the region to visitors. Our VNCM email list already has 3,117 subscribers and has an average open rate of 46% and click-through rate of 9%.

Looking Ahead

As we enter the Fall season, our focus remains on showcasing North Central Massachusetts as a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts and those seeking authentic New England experiences. Our strategic approach includes:

Enhancing our digital marketing presence
Developing exciting seasonal itineraries
Targeting the Route 2 corridor with geofenced ads
Refreshing our website homepage for improved user experience
Continuing to highlight outdoor attractions and traditional New England experiences

We’re implementing a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, including paid search, social media advertising, targeted YouTube ads, and organic engagement. By combining these strategies, we aim to engage a broader audience and demonstrate the unique benefits of visiting North Central Massachusetts.

We invite you to join us in promoting our region’s unique attractions and experiences. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to get involved!

Upcoming Events

ALL EVENTS

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

WLC Self-Love Mini Series: Reignite Your Wellness

September 9, 2026

E-Newsletter

June 2026

Not Yet A Member? Join the Chamber

Chamber News

Federal Affairs:

State Affairs:

Ballot Questions: The Chamber is particularly concerned about Ballot Questions 2 and 5:

Branding & Advertising

Visitor Guide

FAM Trips & Travel Shows

Social Media

Website

Lodging & Other Data

Email Newsletter

Looking Ahead

Upcoming Events

Sponsors Reception: Old Mill

WLC Self-Love Mini Series: Reignite Your Wellness

Meet & Greet: Plain View Farm

Business Benefit Series: Quarterly Roundtable - Cashflow, Financial Literacy for Small Business Owners

Good Morning North Central Sponsored by Unitil

MassHire Lunch and Learn: Building our Future Workforce

Legislative & Candidates Reception

Connect North Central

Meet & Greet: The Farm Stand Winchendon

Leominster Mayor's Meeting

North Central Golf Tour Championship: Fore the Future FLNC Scholarship Golf Classic at Oak Hill

WLC Luncheon | Women of Impact: Leading Through Awareness & Action

Fitchburg Mayor's Meeting

Congressional Luncheon Sponsored by Fitchburg State University

Business After Hours: RC Excitement Halloween BAH

Connect North Central

Business Benefit Series: HR Council Legal Update

6 Chamber B.A.S.H.

Fitchburg Mayor's Meeting

Business Benefit Series: Quarterly Roundtable - Work Smarter, Not Harder: Tools That Give You Back Your Time

Good Morning North Central: Sponsored by IC Credit Union

Connect North Central

Joint Mayor's Meeting

Future Leaders of North Central: Annual Holiday Party & Ugly Sweater Competition

Leominster Mayor's Meeting

Women's Leadership Connection Luncheon

Connect North Central

Fitchburg Mayor's Meeting

Winter Reception

Leominster Mayor's Meeting

Fitchburg Mayor's Meeting

Economic Forecast Breakfast

Annual Scholars Breakfast

Leominster Mayor's Meeting

Joint Mayor's Meeting

43nd Annual Meeting & Business Expo

Member News

Member Spotlight

Custom Cleaning Service of Peabody

Inside North Central Massachusetts Podcast

Out & About

Celebrating Great Wolf Lodge’s $30 Million Investment in North Central Massachusetts

Discover Your Leadership Potential with CLI

Cinco de Mayo Business After Hours Recap

Job Board Postings

Regional Leaders

Chamber Partners

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce

Affiliates

Suggestion Box

Membership Application