April Business Connection |
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Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
*Robert Ferrini
McGowanPRO
Treasurer
*James Donellon
Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP
General Counsel
*Thomas Flaherty
Bacon Flaherty LLC
President/CEO
*Thomas O'Rourke
Neponset River Regional Chamber
Anthony Brown
Dedham Savings
Mary Chetwynd
Rockland Trust
Todd J. Chipman, MST, CPA
John T. Chipman & Co., CPAs
Peter Ellis
ServPro of Norwood and West Roxbury
Erin Hooker-Thomas, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
Rhonda Kale
Bank of Canton
*Michael Kennedy
Norwood Bank
Paul Kouri
Keller Williams
Jon Levy
American Holt Corporation
Michelle Llorett
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Ashley Mansfield
Dedham High School
*Tim McCabe
The League School
*Julie Molloy
Compass Real Estate
Sal Perla
Norwood Hospital
Christa Seychew
Legacy Place
Shonda Sumpter
Brigham and Women's Health Care Center
*Member of the Executive Committee
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COVID-19 and Reopening Resources
Be sure to check out our webpage for a complete list of resources for your business during the COVID-19 crisis. |
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Chamber Joins Statewide Coalition on Skills |
The MBCS formed because there are two sides to the skills gap and both can drag job and economic growth. On the employer side, it is difficult to find qualified talent: a 2019 survey by coalition member Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE) found that 73% of Massachusetts employers find it “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult” to find people with the right skills to fill open positions. For workers, new skills are the springboard to job opportunities and growth: a 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 87% of working adults believe developing new skills throughout their work life will be “essential” or “important” to career success.
Over the last year, members of the Coalition’s steering committee researched, discussed, and refined policy proposals to address both the employer and employee side of the skills gap. The recommendations aim to leverage the state’s entire workforce, not just graduates with 4-year degrees, by creating a statewide standard of essential skills, expanding access to career and vocational technical education (CVTE), and incentivizing employers to provide ongoing skills training to employees.
Closing the skills gaps in Massachusetts requires targeted solutions. As part of the coalition’s launch, the MBCS releases its policy agenda aimed at ensuring every resident can acquire the in-demand skills needed to be successful in the workforce. The MBCS’s policy agenda includes the following seven priority areas:
- Create a pathway toward essential skills development
- Modernize Career Vocational Technical Education (CVTE)
- Incentivize employer training initiatives
- Support Massachusetts’ ongoing training initiatives
- Set statewide and regional training goals
- Simplify workforce development
- Increase employer engagement.
We look forward to working with our partners across the state to advance this agenda and begin to match worker's skills with existing job vacancies.
Tom O'Rourke, CCE
President and CEO
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Restaurant Revitalization Fund |
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The American Rescue Plan includes long-awaited targeted aid dedicated specifically to the restaurant industry in the form of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund—providing $28.6 billion in grants to restaurants and bars in need.
To help our restaurant industry members navigate the funding options that are available to them through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a new guide— What You Need to Know About Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grants— outlining the five big things restaurants need to know about grant eligibility, how and when to apply, and more. |
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Transportation Survey: Please Share Your Opinions |
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What will Routes 1 and 1A be like when things open back up? That’s a big question – but there’s an even bigger one: What do we want it to be like?
The Neponset River Regional Chamber is teaming up with the Neponset Valley Transportation Management Association (NVTMA), Neponset Valley Suburban Mobility Group (SMWG), and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to figure out how to make transportation in our area better than before COVID, particularly in sites along Routes 1 and 1A. This survey will take about five minutes, and it’s anonymous. Your answers will help shape improvements. http://mapc.ma/route1
(Please feel free to share this survey with your employees and other businesses.)
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Chamber Members in the News |
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Chamber member, Morrill Memorial Library in Norwood recently named Clayton Cheever as its new director, replacing Charlotte Canelli who has retired. Mr. Cheever was most recently the assistant director at the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy and served previously at the Boston Public Library and the Watertown Public Library.
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Kudos to the residents and staff at Orchard Cove in Canton for receiving a "Courage in Theatre" Award from the Music Theatre International, the world's leading licensor of musical theatre. Orchard Cove was recognized for safely conducting a pilot workshop of Guys and Dolls Sr. during the pandemic.
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Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane have published a client alert documenting a number of important provisions of the "American Rescue Plan" signed recently by President Biden. The alert includes information on Paid Leave Tax Credits, Unemployment Insurance and more.
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Legacy SWEAT, powered by PNC Bank, is continuing to bring socially distanced fitness classes through the spring.
Classes are offered through Pure Barre and come with a free financial wellness consultation from PNC.
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Thank You! The following members have renewed their membership with the NRR Chamber |
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We understand the difficulties that many of our members are dealing with at this time. We know that many may not be able to renew their memberships until the situation improves.
We are grateful to those who are in a position to support the Chamber, including the following who have recently renewed:
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Avalon Norwood
BCPi, Inc.
Bearingstar Insurance
Blue Hills Regional Technical School
Brenda McIsaac Tax Accounting
Carroll Advertising Company
Comfort Inn Randolph
Edgewood Development
Fox Hill Village at Westwood
Goodman & Goodman
Hanlon & Associates, LLC
Hilton Boston/Dedham Hotel
John T. Michaels, D.D.S.
KMA Web Design, LLC
McCafferty & Company, PC
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Minuteman Press of Canton
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Nofolk County Register of Deeds, William P. O'Donnell
Norwest Woods
Norwood Space Center
Patriot Place
Residence Inn by Marriott, Norwood
Rockland Trust
Staples - Dedham
Staples - Norwood
TD Bank
Town of Norwood Municipal Light Department
Unique Home Care Services
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Sponsor Opportunities for 2021 |
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Looking for ways to gain positive exposure for your business? Look no further. The Chamber has put together a collection of sponsorship opportunities for all events in 2021.
What better way to show your commitment to supporting the local business community than by partnering with the Chamber as a sponsor. There are options to fit all budgets. Click below to learn more.
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Get your message out to more than 1,500 email addresses for just $25. Contact Tom O'Rourke at tom@nrrchamber.com
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Member Benefit of the Month
Online Membership Directory
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Your 2021 Membership Directory and Community Guide should have arrived in your mailbox recently.
Don't forget you can also 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.
Be sure to click on the ads that contain video messages.
Now more than ever, it's important when doing business locally, to start with your fellow Chamber members.
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