Q&A with MetroWest Medical Center’s New CEO Ava Collins, EDIC Launches Gift Card Matching Program, Framingham Businesses Reflect on the Pandemic’s Impact and More. The Choose Framingham Newsletter

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Monthly Newsletter

March 31, 2021 | In This Issue

Meet the EDIC: George Matook Brings Program Management Skills to Framingham’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation

When asked why he wanted to join Framingham’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC), Board Member George Matook said, “of course, [I wanted] to help our city improve and flourish, with some good leadership specifically focused on economic development.”

George, who has been on the EDIC Board since 2018, grew up in Rhode Island and attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. He has lived in the City of Framingham with his wife and two young children since 2009. George began working with the Federal government in 2008 and prior to joining the EDIC, became interested in getting involved with the city’s local government. “I’ve been happy to do it,” he said. “I will keep at it as long as they’ll have me."

“Our goals are very similar across the board,” he said when asked about what he hopes to see the EDIC achieve. “We want to make sure to prepare and plan to work on projects of our own. We want to set the stage for success for staff to execute it and execute it well... It’s time to put our mark on something.”

Outside of the EDIC, George also serves as the Program Manager for the MASTR-E program for the US Army and the skills he has developed there are applicable to the EDIC’s work. “My role as the program manager requires me to be structured and goal-driven, as it is the largest human performance science and technology program in the Department of Defense’s history,” he said. “I am a mechanical engineer and I am a very goal driven person. I set a goal and determine the steps to execute and achieve the desired end state.”

“The last year notwithstanding, I see a lot of positive activity in the Downtown with the new apartment buildings and stores,” George said, when asked about Framingham’s economic development. “Even just the look and feel of the Downtown has improved… There have been a lot of positive changes, especially in that area. What will be interesting to see is what kind of resiliency the business community will have coming out of this and how the EDIC can help.”

George shared that his favorite things to do in the City of Framingham are outdoors, “because of my kids, we like to spend a lot of time outdoors. They love the rail trail and the farmers market.” He also mentioned that pre-pandemic, trips to the library with his kids were frequent. “I assume it will be as exciting as it was last year once the library re-opens.”

For anybody interested, George encourages people to reach out to the board members of the EDIC. “If you are interested in the meetings, I encourage you to come and have your voices heard or just hear what’s going on.”

Framingham EDIC launches Gift Card Matching Program to Help Small Businesses

To help local Framingham businesses dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Framingham’s Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC) has recently launched a gift card matching program. The EDIC will spend up to $10,000 by offering a dollar-for-dollar match on gift cards purchased by members of the community at participating Framingham businesses. More details on the program can be found at the Choose Framingham website.

“Retail businesses in Framingham continue to struggle, even though we are hopeful that with more vaccinations and more assistance coming, economic recovery is on the horizon,” said Doug Lawrence, EDIC Chair. “The EDIC’s gift card matching program will help Framingham employers, especially retailers, restaurants, service-based, and more, during this crucial period.”

The program will run between May 1 and May 16, 2021. During that two-week time period, when a gift card is purchased by a member of the community, it will be matched by the EDIC, dollar for dollar, up to $250 per business as long as matching funds last. The opportunity will be open to all locally-owned, for-profit retail, restaurant and service-based businesses, including local franchisees and local licensees, physically located in Framingham, with annual sales less than $2,000,000.

Businesses who may be interested in participating in the program should apply by April 9, 2021 at 5 PM at this link. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additional details, including terms and conditions, are available at the Choose Framingham website.

Framingham Businesses Reflect on COVID-19's Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on many changes for everyone living and working in the City of Framingham, and has hit many of the City’s employers especially hard. To mark the one-year anniversary of the city- and statewide emergency declarations and lock downs that began impacting so many business owners and operators in March 2020, Choose Framingham asked some of Framingham’s local businesses for their insights and takeaways from the past year. Here is what they had to say:

The Corner Cabinet: “Business is extremely busy, which is good, but there are so many challenges right now with every order,” said Gina Richard from The Corner Cabinet, when asked to share about the store’s experience.

“If we’ve learned one thing, it would be that we all need to be patient and tolerant. Everything that we purchase is manufactured by humans, packaged and delivered by humans, and then assembled and installed by humans. This leaves a lot of opportunity for mistakes to be made. And the stress of our world is evident by the number of mistakes we are seeing people make. Things are going to take longer right now and there are going to be a few more bumps along the way than there were during the pre-COVID world. Setting your expectations and allowing for an elongated time frame will save yourself and those around you a lot of stress. And if they are lucky enough to not run into any problems with a purchase then, that’s great.”

For more information on The Corner Cabinet, please visit: www.thecornercabinet.com

Robinson's Hardware: “We made changes very early in the pandemic,” said Joseph Deign of Robinson’s Hardware. “Around March of 2020, we installed the plexiglass barriers, started to offer curbside pickup, and mandated a mask policy in store. We were really one of the first to do so.”

When asked what they learned as a business, he expressed the necessity to adapt. “It was very difficult to have people work extended work shifts, or even to come in and work at the beginning. We had to change a lot of things. It required much more time on the telephone with customers. I think we all gained a lot of patience and understanding skills. We are still adapting and learning, and we are still open and still offering curbside [pickup].”

For more information on Robinson's Hardware, please visit: www.robinsons1874.com

Bourbon's Kitchen & Cocktails: “One thing that’s come out of this for us is gratitude for our community,” said Luke Foley of Bourbon’s Kitchen & Cocktails. “They never let us fall. Throughout, the community supported us so much. At the beginning, we had to lay off a lot of people, but luckily, we were able to adapt, open the food truck, and slowly, we were able to re-hire people, and even welcome new members to our team. When it was nicer out, we were able to open the patio, and we even have lines around the building.”

When asked what he wanted the community to know, Luke expressed his gratitude. “I really just want to give a big warmhearted thank you to our customers, the new ones and the old ones. It really means a lot to have all of your support.”

For more info on Bourbon's Kitchen & Cocktails, please visit: www.bourbonsframingham.com

"In my 30 years of healthcare, I never imagined the kinds of challenges our hospitals would face in the COVID-19 pandemic.”

A Q&A with Ava Collins, MetroWest Medical Center’s New

Chief Executive Officer

In December 2020, MetroWest Medical Center (MWMC) announced that Ava Collins, who had previously been the Chief Operating Officer at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester, would be taking over the role of Chief Executive Officer. Choose Framingham checked in with her to learn a little more about her background, the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the medical center, and what’s next for MWMC.

Tell us a little about your background and what you were doing before coming to MetroWest Medical Center.

I’ve been in healthcare for over 30 years. I joined Tenet Healthcare in 2016 as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Saint Vincent Hospital (SVH). At SVH, I was responsible for daily management and coordination of hospital operations, driving the performance of key service lines as well as playing a key role in development and implementation of business plans. I also had the opportunity to serve in the role of Group COO Lead for Tenet Healthcare’s Massachusetts and the South Carolina market and served as Interim Chief Executive Officer at SVH in addition to my COO role from August 2018 thru May 2019.

Prior to my executive appointment at SVH, I served in various leadership roles with Ochsner Health System in New Orleans including Chief Operating Officer – Ochsner Baptist, Vice President of Operations – Ochsner Medical Center and Assistant Vice President of System Strategy Operations.

I earned my bachelor’s degree from Northeast Louisiana University and Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Tulane University.

What are the biggest challenges facing MetroWest Medical Center?

I think we will continue to have COVID-19 uncertainty and recovery challenges over the next few months. We have always provided separate care pathways for COVID and non-COVID patients at the hospital to ensure safe care for everyone. However, many people have been putting their health and wellness on hold due to concerns of exposure. As the prevalence decreases and the vaccination rates rise, we know that patients will feel more comfortable visiting their primary care physician, getting their routine screenings, scheduling their procedures and coming to our Emergency Room. We are focused on ensuring access, convenience and exceptional service.

And its greatest opportunities?

We remain on vision and on purpose to inspire hope, health and healing in our community. We know that there are many ways to advance this purpose both inside and outside the walls of the hospital and we will continue to work tirelessly to deliver upon our commitment.

COVID-19 has obviously had a significant impact on the center – what do you want people and businesses in Framingham to know about how the center has addressed the crisis?

Our MWMC healthcare heroes have courageously served our patients during this unprecedented year. In my 30 years of healthcare, I never imagined the kinds of challenges our hospitals would face in the COVID-19 pandemic. I also could have never understood the depth of gratitude I have for our physicians, residents, nurses, technologists, care managers, therapists, support services and other team members. They met extraordinary challenges with compassion, perseverance, teamwork and innovation. They changed and saved lives on a daily basis.

And beyond the pandemic, what else do you think Framingham should know about the center’s healthcare offerings?

The community should know that they can receive high quality, advanced healthcare right here in their own neighborhood.

Our medical center consists of 2 campuses, Framingham Union Hospital in Framingham and Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick. Our Framingham hospital is an acute care hospital where we offer medicine, surgical and emergency room care. We have award-winning programs including cardiac, ortho, urology, GI, OB, Cancer, etc. Our Natick campus is dedicated to Behavioral Health including inpatient and outpatient services. We are expanding our behavioral health inpatient beds from 86 to 103 beds which will open soon.

What do you see the next year looking like for the center?

We have plans to expand services in behavioral health, cardiac care, women’s health and surgical services. Three projects currently underway include the addition of 17 inpatient behavioral health beds at our Natick campus, opening of a new Wound Care Center and Cardiovascular step down unit at our Framingham campus.

To learn more about MetroWest Medical Center, please visit their website at www.mwmc.com.

Framingham Taking Care of Business BNI and City of Framingham to Host Second Small Business Workshop

If you own a small business, we encourage you to join the second small business workshop, which will be hosted by Framingham Taking Care of Businesses BNI along with the City of Framingham. The virtual event will take place on Monday, April 12, 2021 from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, where members of the Framingham Taking Care of Businesses BNI will share their financial expertise to help small businesses.

The event will feature seven speakers with financial knowledge on subjects ranging from negotiating contracts to how your business should be handling accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll. The conversation will be followed by a 30-minute period for Q&A.

Speakers include:

Jana Abramson, Northern Bank - business banker
Jeremy Bombard, Bombard Law - business lawyer
Tom Charbonnier, Paresky Flitt - accounting
Matt Kaplan, Solex Payroll - payroll and human capital management
Brian Kilcoyne, H&K Insurance - commercial insurance
Casey Killam, Re/Max Executive Realty - commercial real estate
Michelle Teitelman, Accounting Solutions Providers (bookkeeping)

The workshop is free and open to all Framingham businesses. For more information and registration, please click on the link here.