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December 5, 2016 2016 Power Players

Cliff Rucker: Gear Shifter

Cliff Rucker, Owner of the Worcester Railers Hockey Club and Worcester Sports Center. Age: 53, Hometown: Danvers, Years working in Central Mass.: 2

A year after the Worcester Sharks moved away and left the city without an ice hockey team, Rucker announced he was making it his mission to keep hockey culture alive and well in Central Massachusetts.

Rucker, whose wife turned him into a Boston Bruins fan more than 30 years ago, spent years looking into team ownership and saw an opportunity in New England's second largest city, with its new developments, including hotels and apartments.

Rucker – who made his millions founding an IT services company and heads a Beverly equipment leasing company – is part of a development team building a new two-rink hockey facility in the Canal District. The rink will be a practice site for the Railers and home ice for local schools and recreational hockey organizations.

Q&A

What will push the Central Massachusetts community forward?

We must maintain a continued focus on the revitalization of downtown Worcester.

How do professional sports impact Worcester's image?

The Railers will provide a sense of identity and civic pride by offering affordable family fun while giving back to the community.

Gathered below are the other Central Massachusetts' 2016 Power Players:

Standard Bearers: Long-time forces in the business community

Trail Blazers: Pioneers setting the latest economic trends

Behind the Scenes: People in the background who keep the wheels turning

Next Wave: Forward thinkers ushering in the new economy

Gear Shifters: Up-and-comers breathing new life into old ideas

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