North Central chamber named national Chamber of the Year

Photo | Courtesy of North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce From left: Kat Deal, events & programs manager; Maribel Cruz, former economic development manager; Sandie Cataldo, senior economic development manager; Bea Lee, portfolio manager; Norman Vigeant, vice president, Lending; Diane Burnette, Johnny Appleseed Visitors’ Center manager; Terry Young, manager of talent and education initiatives; Roy M. Nascimento, IOM, CCE, president & CEO; Vicky Tippawong, marketing & communications manager; Teresa Roberts, director of finance & operations; Travis Condon, public affairs manager; Rebecca Beaton, vice president, lending; Tracy Gagnon, manager of membership recruitment & engagement; Tom Meyers, marketing advisor.

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By Timothy Doyle

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce has won the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives 2023 Chamber of the Year award, the first chamber in New England to win the honor.

“We are very proud to bring this award home to our region and to the Commonwealth,” North Central Chamber President & CEO Roy Nascimento said in a Wednesday press release from the chamber. “This recognition exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and collective action that lives within North Central Massachusetts and the dedication of our hard-working staff, our engaged board of directors, our community partners, and the many diverse businesses that make up our membership.”

NCMCC was chosen from a pool of 1,600 chambers nationwide, at the ACCE’s Aug. 1 annual convention in Salt Lake City. It had previously been named a finalist for the award in 2017 and 2021.

The North Central chamber presented a number of innovative programs for consideration, including its efforts to engage and support Latinx small businesses, partnerships built to support talent and workforce development in the region, as well as the chamber’s efforts to update and transform the Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center from a highway rest stop into a unique and inclusive anchor destination showcasing the region and helping advance the economy.

The North Central chamber is unique in Massachusetts as it serves as a U.S. Small Business Administration microlender, providing loans typically in the $10,000 to $50,000 range to small companies throughout Central Massachusetts. In 2022, the chambers lending arm – the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. – ranked third nationally among SBA microlenders.

“This award also reflects the Chamber and business community’s commitment to improving the quality of life in North Central Massachusetts. Our work is a collaborative effort not possible by any single entity, and we are very thankful for our many partnerships with businesses, government, non-profits, educational institutions and many more,” Nascimento said.