We're Not Just a Chamber of Commerce;
We're a Chamber of Connections
8
February 18, 2020
Meet URCC Board Member
Josh Vanada

URCC Board Member Josh Vanada was appointed the President of the United Regional Young Professionals Organization and a member of our Board of Directors last year. He has great ideas and management skills and has been a positive addition to our board.

Josh currently serves as the General Manager at HURD Automall in Johnston, RI, a Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC dealership. Passionate about creating environments built on integrity, he enjoys helping his employees become better versions of themselves and building authentic relationships with customers.
 
Most of his career has been focused in the automotive industry, where he started out as a car salesman but quickly climbed the ranks to the general sales manager role. When an exciting proposition came along to be the general manager of Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park in Thompson, CT, he spent a handful of years revamping and growing the sports car and oval track events there. But the sales business has always had a hold on his heart, and in 2018, he accepted the General Manager position at HURD.
 
Josh lives in Attleboro with his wife, Ashleigh, and their 4-year-old son, Jack. When not at work, he enjoys playing golf and training for the Pan-Mass Challenge, a charity bike ride that raises funds for cancer research. 

Special Seminar:
Networking Secrets for Success
This Thursday

URCC Office
310 South Street
Plainville

Thursday, February 20
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m .

We are pleased to announce that Expert Networker and Chamber member Rob Peters of Rob Peters Entertainment will be facilitating his Networking Secrets for Success seminar just for us at the Chamber office in Plainville.

So many of us are out there networking at least a couple of nights each week. But it couldn't hurt to get some tips from a professional networker.

In his seminar, Rob will discuss why we network and how we go about choosing a networking event. He will help us with what we should prepare to attend and tell us what we should bring to the event.

Also, he will give us valuable advice on starting the conversation and so importantly what we should and should NOT talk about.

We know we are excited about the session and hope that you will be, too.
Are you coming our Networking Seminar
LOCATION
Chamber Office

DATE AND TIME
02/20/20 8:00am - 02/20/20 9:30am

I'll be there!
I can't make it
Let's Do Lunch at Evviva Trattoria

Join the Mob
The Chamber Lunch Mob,
That Is

Evviva Trattoria
15 K Ledgeview Way
Wrentham

Thursday, February 27
Noon - 1:30 p.m.

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Join us when we enjoy the great cuisine at Chamber member Evviva Trattoria . We were just there for lunch yesterday and it was fabulous (we highly recommend the Tritato salad -- so fresh and crunchy).

On Thursday, February 27, we will be "mobbing" Evviva Trattoria. We hope you will join us for some networking, some great food, and a little birdie told us that the great people at Evviva Trattoria might be creating a lunch special just for us Chamber folks.

The more the merrier.

Please RSVP so we will be able to warn Evviva Trattoria that the Chamber mob is coming.
Are you coming to our lunch mob at Evviva Trattoria?
LOCATION
Evviva Trattoria

DATE AND TIME
02/27/20 12:00pm - 02/27/20 1:30pm

Join us as we "mob" Evviva Trattoria in Wrentham. Great lunch, great people, great networking. Who could ask for anything more?
I'll be there!
I can't make it
URCC Member Craft, Inc. Manufacturer of the Year
in the Second Bristol District

Congratulations Craft, Inc.

Last week, URCC member Craft, Inc. of Attleboro was named Manufacturer of the Year in our district. State Rep. Jim Hawkins presented them with a certificate and our President Jack Lank was asked to join the ceremony because he nominated them for the award. Pictured here are Jack Lank, Representative Hawkins, and the crew from Craft, Inc. In the center of the picture is Craft, Inc. President Eric Roy.

Pioneers in self-fastening hardware, Craft Inc. provides quality self-fastening and non self-fastening hardware in their marketplace. Their “marketplace” today is the world, spanning the entire globe. The company was started on a family farming homestead in South Attleboro, Massachusetts in 1942 at a heavily used, worn drafting table, and was incorporated in 1950. Craft Inc. remains at that same location today, continuing to grow and prosper, in a state-of-the-art manufacturing and administrative facility.

The goal of Craft Inc. was, and always will be, to produce the best quality hardware possible and to make it available worldwide. They make their own dies and tooling, utilize high-speed stamping machines, and develop superior fastening machinery to make their customers' lives easier.

Their employees have a strong sense of pride in their work. Every one of their employees is personally involved in the manufacture of Craft products. They make sure that their customers are satisfied.

Craft, Inc. manufactures hasps, hinges, hangers, fasteners, easel backs, drawer hardware, and clips -- like the hasp in this picture.
Only for URCC Members

Rebecca is offering weekly free consultations at the Chamber office Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Send an email to her to schedule an hour. Rebecca will review the content in your Marketing material and website. This service is one of your member benefits, so you should take advantage."

Our Golf Tournament Has Been Scheduled

Save the Date June 15

This year, we will be hosting our 34 th annual golf tournament. For the past several years, Norton Country Club has been the venue for the tournament. They have been great to us and we are pleased that they will be hosting our event again.

Proceeds from this event benefit the educational programs and initiatives that the chamber facilitates each year, including the Spotlight on Education Breakfast which recognizes the top ten seniors and unsung heroes from the 16 communities that the chamber represents.

And we are looking for volunteers and sponsors. Please contact us at the chamber if you would like to be on the Golf Tournament committee, would like to volunteer the day of the event, or if you and your company would like to be one of our sponsors.

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Hours at the URCC Chamber Office

Nancy Lowd, Senior Business Adviser at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center ( MSBDC), holds office hours by appointment at the chamber office the second and fourth Monday of each month.

The MSBDC is committed to helping your business succeed in Massachusetts. They provide free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance and free or low-cost educational training programs to prospective and existing small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. The MSBDC fosters the start, growth, and sustainability of small business by providing high-quality, in-depth advising, training, and capital access.

Call 508-673-9783 for an appointment.
MassDevelopment
Office Hours at the Chamber



Jay Pateakos, vice president of Business Development for the South Region of MassDevelopment, will hold office hours at the United Regional Chamber office at 310 South Street in Plainville.

Pateakos will be available to provide information and answer questions about how the organization can help businesses, financial institutions, and municipalities in southeastern Massachusetts.

Here are the dates for the first half of 2020. 

March 4, April 1, May 6, and June 3
from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  
For more information email Jay  or call 508-678-0533, ext. 1201.


MEMBER NEWS AND UPDATES


Bristol Community College Ranked Top Community College in Massachusetts by  Schools.com

Bristol Community College is proud to announce that the college has recently been ranked the top community college in Massachusetts by  Schools.com.

The ranking highlighted the college’s  career-driven programs, resources available to help returning students be successful in the classroom and  the convenient choice to learn at one of four college locations ,  along with   fully online programs.

Based on its ranking methodology,  Schools.com  evaluated Massachusetts community colleges using the  National Center for Education Statistics' Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System  ( IPEDS ), then generated a list of colleges and universities that met the criteria that the level of institution is either "At least two but less than four years" or " Less than two years (below associate degree)” and that data is reported for all 14 ranking variables listed in the  methodology section .

Schools.com  ranked the resulting community colleges on multiple factors related to educational opportunity, student performance and student services. Each school was scored on a 10-point scale, using data points such as the percent of students that transferred to a 4-year institution and completed within 8 years, student-to-faculty ratio, full-time student retention rate and more.

Schools.com  connects current and prospective students with the tools, resources, schools, career info and more that they can use to find the right degree program for their educational and career plans.  Schools.com’s  unique, proprietary ranking methodologies are based on data gathered from government agencies and other nationally recognized primary sources, including the  Bureau of Labor Statistics  (BLS), the  National Center for Education Statistics  (NCES) and its data collection program, the  Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System  (IPEDS) and the  U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

For more information about  Schools.com,  please visit  https://www.schools.com/about .         

For the complete listing of the  Best Community Colleges in Massachusetts , including Bristol, please visit  https://www.schools.com/community-colleges/top-community-colleges-in-massachusetts .

For more information about Bristol Community College, please visit  http://www.bristolcc.edu/ .
The Racing Division of Plainridge Park Casino is currently offering a generous discount to any business or business owner interested in running an ad campaign during the entire 2020 harness racing season (April – November).

The ad package consists of a full-page color ad in the official track program PLUS a digital ad display on the track’s infield video board providing huge exposure on a local and national level. An on-property promotional event for your business would also be considered. Total cost - $1,000

For more information, please contact Racing Services Manager Lenny Calderone at 508-576-4482 or email  lenny.calderone@pngaming.com.
Like, Comment, and Share

Hey folks, we're on our smart phones and devices constantly (whether we want to admit it or not). We'd appreciate it if you would help us promote our Facebook posts. Like our page , share it, but when you see one of our posts, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE the post. This will help us promote our members and will gain interest for our organization.

Help us spread the word!
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J oin a great team!
Visit the B&M website for more information about the jobs that are available.
URCC MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES
Looking for talent?
  Send your open positions to us to post on our Member job board. To help you with outreach, postings remain on our website for two months. Email for more info.
Sponsorships
 Stay in front of your fellow Chamber members by sponsoring upcoming events.
  • Annual Meeting (February 2020)
  • Spotlight on Education Breakfast (May 2020)
  • Golf Tournament (June 2020)
  • Women's Expo (September 2020)
  • Taste of the Region (October 2020)
  • To get involved, click here or email.
URCC MONTHLY MEETINGS

Extreme Networking Group I  meets the first and third Wednesday of every month. 

Executive Express-O  meets the first Friday of every month (unless otherwise specified).

Small Business Advising is available the second and fourth Monday of the month.
Help Us Thank Our Chairman's Circle Member
Help Us Thank Our Corporate Partners