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December 5, 2016 2016 Power Players

Don Irving: Standard Bearer

Don Irving, President of Black Point Realty & Nichols Square LLC. Age: 66, Hometown: Westminster, Years working in Central Mass.: 47

Irving is a champion of Gardner. There are others that do it louder, such as the city's young mayor Mark Hawke, and those who have been working for the city for longer, but few are as consistent as Irving. The company he founded, Data Guide Cable Corp., has been in the city since 1983 and still provides the kinds of manufacturing jobs that formed the backbone of the Chair City.

His passion expanded when started a realty and development company and proceeded to clean up the former manufacturing site that housed his business and created a development that now houses a Price Chopper, bringing much-needed shopping diversity and jobs and further cementing his long-standing influence.

Q&A

What is the future of manufacturing?

As required manufacturing skill sets change, it will be important for schools and manufacturers to collaborate on STEM programs to develop a workforce.

How can cities like Gardner push the regional economy forward?

Gardner is a great city to have a business in. If it could develop an incubator program for new startups, it could create many new opportunities.

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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