YOUR BUSINESS CONNECTION
February - In This Issue:

Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
*Cynthia Peterson
Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center

Past Chair of the Board
*Brian Johnson

Chair-Elect
*Alisia St. Florian
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane 

Treasurer
*Jim Kivlehan
Blue Hills Bank

General Counsel 
*Thomas Flaherty
Bacon Flaherty LLC

President/CEO
*Thomas O'Rourke
NVCC

Previous Past Chair
*Dana Bottorff
G.T. Reilly & Company

Shawn Alexander
Universal Technical Institute

Kim Bassett
Norwood Hospital 

Todd J. Chipman, MST, CPA
John T. Chipman & Co., CPAs

Susan Cwieka
New Pond Village

John Decker
Dedham Savings

*James Donellon
Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP

*Robert Ferrini
McGowanPRO

Jim Forrest
Dedham High School

Steve Forrest
CertainTeed

Rhonda Kale
Bank of Canton 

Paul Kouri
Keller Williams 

*Nancy Levine
Residential Mortgage Services

Jon Levy
American Holt Corporation

Mark LoVoulo
Liberty Mutual Insurance

Najwa Murphy
Fairfield Inn & Suites

*Member of the Executive Committee
W elcome 
New Member!



Member News

Rotary to Host 
"Hire a Vet" Breakfast

The Neponset Valley Sunrise Rotary is sponsoring a breakfast to assist veterans seeking employment to meet with potential employers.

Wednesday, March 21 at 7:30 am at the MIT Endicott House, 
80 Haven Road, Dedham.

Please RSVP to John Gorham 781-292-3290;  jgorham@bulfinchgroup.com

Veterans bring résumés / Business cards ready for Interview!

Liberty Mutual is Hiring
Sales Career Opportunities

Join us on February 15th for one of three sessions at Gillette Stadium to learn more about the benefits we offer, and find out why a career at Liberty Mutual is right for you! 

February 15th, 2018
* 3:45pm-5:15pm
* 5:00pm-6:30pm
* 6:15pm-7:45pm

Club Lounge Southwest 
1 Patriot Place, Foxboro, MA 02035
Light snacks and refreshments will be served.

RSVP by February 14, 2018

mark.lovuolo@LibertyMutual.com or (781) 223-2032



Norwood Bank to Host FREE Social Security Seminar

Tuesday, February 6th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. (Refreshments will be served.)

Learn about your options and how they will impact your retirement planning.

To register, call 781-440-4278 or register online


Cornerstone at Canton Recognized

Cornerstone at Canton has been recognized as one of the 2018 Top-Rated Senior Care Providers by SeniorAdvisor.com, the largest ratings and reviews site for senior care and services in North America and Canada. 

This award is given to senior living and home care providers who consistently receive high ratings and positive reviews from residents, families and guests. The annual SeniorAdvisor.com "Best of Awards" tabulate over 150,000 family-created reviews to find the highest quality care providers for this honor and recognized only those eligible communities that maintain a minimum rating of 4.5 out of 5. Cornerstone at Canton was one of only 14 assisted living communities in Massachusetts to be recognized

From the President
Extra Points
Sharing some random thoughts while wondering which Nick Foles will show up for the Eagles on Sunday.
  • How lucky are we to be living and working in the shadow of Gillette Stadium?  The Super Bowl has become like an annual holiday around here, thanks to the Patriot's stranglehold on the AFC.  
  • Of course in addition to bragging rights, their success is good for business.  Just look at the recent surge in hotel development along Route 1.  Additionally, the extra games played in January provide a boost in business for local restaurants, bars and others that might otherwise be experiencing a slow month after the holidays.
  • My prediction - Patriot's 24 Eagles 17
Cindy Peterson
  • From her perch at Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center at Patriot Place, Cindy Peterson literally looks down onto Gillette Stadium. Cindy, is the Executive Director of the Health Care Center (which is expanding) and was just elected board chair of the Chamber at last week's Annual Meeting.  An active member for many years, she recently spearheaded our new Women's Leadership Alliance and looks forward to building on the momentum gained at the end of 2017.  
  • That momentum occurred with Brian Johnson as chair.  We are grateful for his dedicated leadership and continued involvement as he hands over the reins to Cindy.  At the Annual Meeting, Brian took the opportunity to thank Peter McFarland, The Allied Group, for his long-time support of the Chamber as Peter's term as a member of the Board of Directors came to an end.
  • Other highlights from the Annual Meeting included the election of three new board of directors: Susan Cwieka, New Pond Village, Paul Kouri, Keller Williams and Najwa Murphy, Fairfield Inn & Suites.  Welcome!
  • We also recognized our Awards winners whose photos are below.
Go Patriots!

Tom O'Rourke
President and CEO
Members Recognized at Annual Meeting
Brian Johnson (R) thanks Peter McFarland, The Allied Group for his time as a member of the Board of Directors. 
(L-R) Tom O'Rourke, Chamber President, Cindy Peterson, board chair, Susan Jacobs Marshalsea, S Jacobs Plumbing -Small Business of the Year and Brian Johnson, past chair.
Members recognized for 10, 20 and 25 years of membership (L-R) Alisia St. Florian, Dana Bottorff, John Decker, Katherine Touafek, Maryellen Brett and Tim McCabe.
(L-R) Steve Costello, Bank of Canton, Al McCooey, New Horizon Medical - Business Person of the Year, Brian Johnson, past chair.
Paula Burke. Bank of Canton receives the Volunteer of the Year Award from Cindy Peterson, Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center.
   
(L-R) Kim Kelley, Norwood Hospital, David Orlovsky, Wegmans - Large Business of the Year and Brian Johnson, past chair.
Experience The TASTE of Neponset Valley!
Get ready to Experience The TASTE of Neponset Valley!

Formerly known as Flavors, The TASTE is a newly re-imagined take on the biggest and tastiest food and beverage event in the region.

Here's a little of what's new:
  • A new name - Experience The TASTE of Neponset Valley
  • A funky new venue - The Norwood Space Center - 15,000 s.f. of space in a refurbished mill building
  • An expanded marketing campaign with new media partners and a social media campaign - #bitesbeerandwine
  • Reduced ticket prices to encourage greater attendance
For information on participating as a food or beverage vendor contact Denise Flynne at denise@nvcc.com or 781-769-1126.

Thursday, March 22
Norwood Space Center
83 Morse Street, Norwood
5:30 - 8:30

Tickets
4-pack $100
Single ticket $30 ($40 after March 8)

Small Business Workshops 
Presented by SEED and Dedham Savings
The South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corporation a nd sponsor Dedham Institution for Savings will hold two basic busines s workshops in Dedham aimed at assisting potential and existing entrepreneurs. 

The free workshops are being held in cooperation wit h the U.S. 
Small Business Administration, Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce, MA Small Business Development Center (MSBDC), Town of Norwood Economic Development Committee, and SCORE.

Both workshops will be held at Dedham Institution for Savings, 55 Elm Street, Dedham, MA on Thursday, March 1, 2018.

Session I
"Learn the Fundamentals in Planning, Preparing, and Financing Your Business," 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.  Breakfast will be provided free of charge to attendees. 

Session II
"Understanding the Purpose of Financial Statements and How They Can Help Determine the Health of Your Business" will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided free of charge to attendees. 

Please call SEED Corporation at 508-822-1020 ext. 318, to register for either or both sessions by Thursday, February 22nd

Monthly Member Video Spotlight 
Click image above to view

This month's spotlight is on the Bank of Canton.  Click above to hear what Peter Fredericksen has to say about their services!
   
Norwood Video is located within the Chamber office and Darryn Carroll would love to hear from Chamber members regarding complimentary video projects for the Chamber. Reach out to Darryn at darryn@norwoodvideo.com or call 781-686-5293. 
February Networking Opportunities
Morning Networking

Start your day off right by networking with fellow Chamber members at our Morning Networking meeting at the Courtyard by Marriott in Norwood.   
 
This structured networking event will help you expand your network by connecting with other Chamber members over a hearty breakfast.
 
Bring your business cards and your appetite.  We'll do the rest.

Courtyard Norwood
300 River Ridge Road
Norwood, MA
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
7:30 - 9:00 AM


Sponsor:



Business After Hours
Join us on February 15 at our next Business After Hours!

Blue Hill Country Club has undergone a number of renovations and upgrades recently.   Don't miss your chance to check it out.
 
Enjoy drinks, appetizers and great networking with fellow members.


Blue Hill Country Club
23 Pecunit Street   
Canton, MA 
Thursday, Febrruary 15, 2018
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Member Benefit of the Month:
2018 Member Directory Online
The 2018 Membership Directory and Community Guide is complete and will be arriving in your mailbox in February.

But you don't have to wait for the mail, you can already access the directory from the Chamber website.  Just  Click Here  and you can browse the directory any time you want to find other members with whom you can do business.

Remember, when doing business locally, always start with your fellow Chamber members.
Iceland - A Land of Fire and Ice 
Ready to cross Iceland off of your bucket list?

Join  us from October 7-13, 2018 for 7 days and 5 nights including hotels, meals, day trips and airfare from Boston for just $2,599.

This trip is open to members, employees, friends and guests, so please feel free to share this information.

Join us on our tour to Iceland, a land of geysers, glaciers, volcanoes, epic sagas, heroic legends, and rich history.

Iceland is an otherworldly place where forces of nature have created a landscape that allows you to swim in geothermal heated pools, trek across a mossy lava filed, or  drive over an icy glacier all in one day. You will be enchanted by the striking and raw beauty of this extraordinary and geologically young island. The local cultural life is equally rich, from medieval sagas to contemporary novels. The effortless style of the local people is simply mesmerizing, as is their friendly and self-reliant spirit.



Members Invited to Dedham High Career Fair

Dedham High School will host its annual Career Fair on Tuesday, March 13th and would like to invite Chamber member's to present at this year's event. The Career Fair is an opportunity for students to learn more about the careers available to them after graduation and start planning for life after high school.  

If you are interested in participating in the event, please complete the Participant form by CLICKING HERE

Please RSVP by Tuesday, February 13, 2018.
For more information contact:
 
Ashley Mansfield
Career Counselor
Dedham High School
781-310-1142
Neponset Valley Video Released!
  
Check out our newly released video highlighting the Neponset Valley region as a place to live, work and play!
Thanks to New Outlook Homecare for sponsoring the video.



Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce
520 Providence Highway, Suite 4
Norwood, MA 02062
(t) 781.769.1126 (f) 781.769.0808