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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The Eastern States Exposition (“Big E”) is an annual 17-day event held in West Springfield, Massachusetts. The Big E is the fourth largest fair in the United States, attracting over 1.6 million attendees in 2022. This year’s Big E will be held from September 15 through October 1, 2023. The Massachusetts Building, located on the Avenue of States, is one of the Big E’s premier attractions and provides Commonwealth businesses, non-profits, and other entities an opportunity to showcase their products and services.
Massachusetts Day (“Event”): Thursday, September 21, 2023, from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
The focus of this day is to provide a family-friendly, fun environment with games, giveaways and entertainment that showcases the very best of Massachusetts culture, agriculture, and tourism. Different from previous years, we will not be accepting exhibitors that are selling food items, goods and merchandise. We are looking for tourist attractions, agricultural commodity groups, non-profit and other organizations that would showcase Massachusetts culture, agriculture, and tourism and that will set up a booth to engage attendees with games, giveaways, and entertainment. The sale of merchandise and goods will not be permitted. If you have any questions, please reach out to Katie Rozenas-Hanson, at .
Three staff members of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce were recently recognized for their years of service by the Massachusetts Association of Chamber Executives (MACCE). Diane Burnette, manager of the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, and Roy Nascimento, president and CEO were both recognized for twenty-five years of service within the chamber of commerce industry. Kat Deal, programs and events manager, was recognized for five years of service.
The 2023 Service Awards were awarded during the MACCE Annual Meeting held on April 13, 2023 in Northampton, Mass. MACCE Service Awards recognize and promote chamber professionals in Massachusetts who have achieved significant years of service in the chamber industry.
Deal joined the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce in 2018 and is responsible for planning and executing the many events and programs of the Chamber and its affiliate organizations.
Nascimento started his chamber career in 1998 at the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, before leading the Attleboro and New Bedford Chambers. He was selected to lead the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce in 2015.
A lifelong resident of Fitchburg, Burnette began her career with the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce in 1998 as an administrative assistant and was promoted to manager of the Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center in 2008. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations and overseeing staff at the visitor center on Route 2 in Lancaster, Mass.
“Diane, Kat and Roy are important contributors to the success of the Chamber,” said Jim Vander Hooven, president of Mount Wachusett Community College and Chair of the board of directors for the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “This recognition is well-deserved and a testament to their professionalism and dedication to our members and communities in North Central Massachusetts.”
Fitchburg, MA | Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | Visit North Central Massachusetts | Visit North Central Local Tourism | Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center | Diane Burnette | Kathleen Deal | Roy Nascimento
Hodge recognized by fellow ambassadors for outreach, engagement efforts with chamber members in the North Central region
Beth Hodge, associate director of resource development at the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, has been named the 2023 Ambassador of Year by the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. The announcement was made during the chamber’s Annual Meeting on June 15, 2023.
Chamber Ambassadors are valued volunteers to the Chamber who serve as the face of the organization in the community. They assist the Chamber with communications to new and existing members, participate in ribbon cuttings and help connect members at various Chamber events. Hodge was voted Ambassador of the Year by her fellow Chamber Ambassadors at their May meeting.
“We are grateful to Beth for her dedication and support of our Chamber as we work to advance our goals throughout the 27 communities that comprise our region,” said Roy Nascimento, president and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Beth has been an active member of the chamber not only in her capacity as an ambassador but as a champion of our events and many initiatives.”
In her role at the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Hodge is responsible for engaging with business and community leaders throughout the region. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human services from Fitchburg State University and is active in the community, including volunteering at Loaves and Fishes, a food pantry in Devens, and at the No Fame Games, a division of the Highland Games Heavy Athletics.
“Being a member of the chamber and a part of the chamber ambassador program has helped me to grow not only professionally, but personally as well,” said Hodge. “Connecting with others and breaking out of my shell has significantly impacted the way I am able to interact with the North Central community, and it is an incredible feeling to be a part of something that is doing so much good for so many individuals, businesses, and other entities here.”
Fitchburg | Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | 2023 Ambassador of Year | Beth Hodge | United Way of North Central Massachusetts
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
Join us for Connect North Central
Friday, November 20, 2026
8am-9am View
Event
Joint Mayor's Meeting
December 4, 2026
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
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
The Williams-Rockwell Educational Gift Fund Committee met on February 13, 2024 and March 7, 2024, to distribute this year’s round of grants to applicants from the Gardner Public School System. The committee was able to distribute $82,831.60 for 14 different projects which will take place over the remainder of the academic year and beyond.
Gardner’s Superintendent of Public Schools, Dr. Mark Pellegrino remarked, “The Williams-Rockwell grants continue to generously give to Gardner Public Schools. These funds allow us to offer very creative programs that enhance the experience of our students beyond the core and essential expectations of our community. From service dogs to laser cutters, this program supports our students social emotional needs and academic growth. Thank you to everyone on the committee for supporting our students!”
The Williams-Rockwell Education Gift Fund was established in 2014 following the auction of Norman Rockwell’s “Willie Gillis in the Convoy” painting. The fund was set up to provide financial assistance to projects and programs requested by the faculty and administration of Gardner Public Schools to enrich the experiences of Gardner’s students. The grants are funded by the interest and capital gains earned from investments of the sale price of the painting.
From the auction to the disbursement of the grants, the Williams-Rockwell Educational Gift Fund has been a collective effort in bringing about a way to give back to the city and its students for years to come. To date, the Committee has awarded $610,064.00.
“I am very happy to hear that we are able to continue to give back to our students through this program,” said Mayor Michael Nicholson who serves as the Chair of the fund’s Trustees. “The projects submitted for this year’s round of funding were certainly unique and help provide valuable resources to help enrich our students’ academic careers. This fund truly makes a big difference in helping Gardner Public Schools provide our students with a modern academic experience that stands out from other districts. I’m looking forward to seeing our students take advantage of these programs in the future.”
Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas added, “The Williams-Rockwell resource enriches the quality of our education in Gardner, and we are incredibly lucky to have it. These grants continue to serve their purpose providing valuable opportunities for our students each year. Such options would likely not be possible otherwise, or their funding would draw from the city’s budget.”
As required by the fund’s governing statute, awards were given out to both arts related applications as well as applications that promote athletics and academics in our schools.
“The funds received by GMS from the Rockwell Grant will be used to help subsidize our 6th grade trip to Nature’s Classroom,” explained Annette Lussier, Gardner Middle School Science Teacher. “Students look forward to this trip every year! This amazing educational experience provides our students with an opportunity to think and learn about the natural world around us and more importantly our place in nature and how we, humans, are uniquely responsible for the stewardship of our planet. GMS would like to thank the Rockwell Grant committee for this award and their continued support for this unique and powerful educational experience.”
“20 years ago when I started teaching at the middle school, I used the spotlights that were shared with the high school to light a lot of each production due to a lack of an auditorium at GMS,” said Joanne Landry, Gardner High School Music and Drama teacher. “It was clear to me even then that the spotlights were not very effective and had two very different illumination capacities. One is very dim with fuzzy edges while the other is brighter but with no filter capabilities any more. They are also very bulky and heavy and difficult to transport from one school to the other. I am thrilled that after 20 years, we will finally be able to acquire new spotlights for the theater program. All the drama students from both the high school and middle school will be able to benefit from better lighting. The units are portable, quieter when in use, and use LED lighting so they will be less expensive to maintain. These should be easier to operate as well and we can have students on stage crew run the spots for the shows. I am excited to have the new spotlights shine brightly on our hard working performers.”
“We are so excited to receive this grant for the Great East Festival for the 4th Grade Band,” said Michelle Heffner, Gardner Elementary School Band Director. “Great East provides a competitive opportunity for our young musicians in a supportive environment. Students will perform in front of a panel of judges and then receive a clinic where the judges will work with our 4th Grade band students to help them improve their playing, listening and ensemble skills. It is exciting to provide our youngest band students with this opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a real-life competitive setting and provide them with their first experience with adjudication! The students are eager to begin learning their music and are excited to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in front of a panel of well-respected music educators. Thank you to the committee for providing our 4th Grade Band with this opportunity!”
“We ordered these boards a few years ago and they were so successful in their ease of setting up artworks that we wanted to obtain more,” said Frances LeMieux, Gardner High School Art Teacher. “This has allowed us to be able to rotate where our All School Art Exhibitions are held, in an effort to connect with all facets of the community. The venue change allows for greater community access, allowing the public to see all of our schools, but also gives the host school an opportunity to display a higher amount of its students’ work. The color of the boards are varied, which will show off our art pieces better. The grey backing will help to specifically show off works that have a darker composition, that we have noticed get lost while viewing on our current black backings.
By law, the membership on the Board of Trustees who votes to award the grants is made up of three members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council, the City Treasurer, the Superintendent of Schools, a member of the School Committee, the City Council President or their designee, and the Mayor or his designee who serves as chair.
A full listing of the grants awarded can be found here:
The Town’s zoning for economic development is limited and outdated. Please attend one or both of these forums and tell us what you want for new economic development in Sterling. At these forums, the following topics will be discussed:
The importance of economic development.
The tax benefits of economic development.
The impact of economic development on your tax bills.
What the Town allows for economic development and what other towns allow.
Is the Town’s Performance Zone right for economic development?
What do you want to see for new economic development?
All this and more will be discussed at the public forum.
Public Forums on Economic Development
Wednesday March 6, 2024 at 6:30 PM
1835 Town Hall (31 Main Street)
If you can’t attend the Wednesday night forum, the program will be repeated on Saturday March 9, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Please attend and give us your input!
Thank you – the Sterling Planning Board & Economic Development Committee
In the Photo: bankHometown’s Grove St., Worcester office Vice President, Branch Officer Isabelo Cruz Lopez (left) and Assistant Branch Manager Allysha Desrosiers (right) present a check for $5,275 to Trish Appert, executive director of Friendly House, one of 16 food pantries receiving donations from the bank’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraising campaign to help address food insecurity.
Robert J. Morton, president and CEO of bankHometown, announced that the bank’s 20th annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraising drive raised $84,400 for local food pantries. This brings the total amount raised since the program’s inception to $415,400.
The annual appeal is part of bankHometown’s charitable giving program, The Giving Tree, which reflects the bank’s commitment to making a difference in the neighborhoods it serves. Throughout November, the bank invited customers, employees, and members of the community to donate at bankHometown branches. Up to $2,500 per donation was matched, dollar for dollar, by bankHometown and the total divided among food pantries in Massachusetts and Connecticut communities the bank serves.
Each of these pantries received $5,275:
Massachusetts Food Pantries:
Athol Salvation Army Food Pantry
Auburn Youth and Family Services Food Pantry
CARE Food Pantry, Clinton
Food Share, Southbridge, Charlton & Sturbridge
Friendly House Pantry, Worcester
Ginny’s Helping Hand, Inc., Leominster
Millbury Senior Center Food Pantry
Oxford Ecumenical Food Shelf
Sutton Senior Center Michael A. Chizy Food Pantry
St. John’s Food for the Poor, Worcester
St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Webster
Connecticut Food Pantries:
Community Kitchens of Northeastern CT, Killingly
Daily Bread, Putnam
Friends of Assisi, Killingly
Project PIN Food Pantry, Moosup
Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group
“On behalf of bankHometown, I’d like to thank all those who generously donated to our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fundraiser to help fight food insecurity in our communities,” said Morton. “We’re pleased to host this annual appeal and that so much was raised to help families in need this holiday season.”
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.
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