January Business Connection |
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Board of Directors
Chair of the Board
*Robert Ferrini
McGowanPRO
Past Chair of the Board
*Alisia St. Florian
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
Treasurer
*James Donellon
Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP
General Counsel
*Thomas Flaherty
Bacon Flaherty LLC
President/CEO
*Thomas O'Rourke
Neponset River Regional Chamber
Anthony Brown
Dedham Savings
Mary Chetwynd
Rockland Trust
Todd J. Chipman, MST, CPA
John T. Chipman & Co., CPAs
Peter Ellis
ServPro of Norwood and West Roxbury
Steve Forrest
CertainTeed
Rhonda Kale
Bank of Canton
*Michael Kennedy
Norwood Bank
Paul Kouri
Keller Williams
Jon Levy
American Holt Corporation
Michelle Llorett
Fairfield Inn & Suites
Mark LoVuolo
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Ashley Mansfield
Dedham High School
*Tim McCabe
The League School
Julie Molloy
Compass Real Estate
Sal Perla
Norwood Hospital
Cynthia Peterson
Brigham and Women's/Mass General Health Care Center
Christa Seychew
Legacy Place
*Member of the Executive Committee
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COVID-19 and Reopening Resources
Be sure to check out our webpage for a complete list of resources for your business during the COVID-19 crisis. |
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From the President: One New Year, Two New Benefits! |
Happy New Year!
How nice to have finally kicked 2020 to the curb and welcome in a New Year filled with promise, as millions of Americans become vaccinated against COVID-19, thanks in no small part to one of our own members, Moderna.
While we know that we are not out of the woods by any stretch, and many will continue to struggle for several months, it is heartening to know that the end is in sight. Personally, I wish you all the best in the New Year and I cannot wait to begin in-person meetings with so many of you that I have come to know through the years.
I am also excited to announce that with the New Year, we have two valuable new member benefits to announce:
Two major barriers to small businesses access to retirement programs are cost and the hassle of administration. Our new offering removes those barriers and allows small businesses to offer their employees the benefit of long-term financial security.
This Chamber's partnership with the U.S. Chamber has allowed us to share with you a number of valuable tools to help your business navigate the many challenges presented by the pandemic. We are now opening up access to many more of the benefits of membership with the U.S. Chamber and it won't cost you a dime, through our Federation Partnership.
Details on both of these offerings and how you can benefit will be announced later this week. As we look forward to better days ahead, the Chamber is continually striving for ways to add value to your membership and your bottom line.
Here's to a New Year that brings hope, stability, health and full recovery to all.
Tom O'Rourke, CCE
President and CEO
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Getting Into the Holiday Spirit |
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The NRRC Young Professionals closed out the year with a virtual Holiday party with the Tri-Town and United Chambers. Hosted by Rob Peters Entertainment, they dawned ugly sweaters, sipped festive cocktails and played a round of holiday trivia! |
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BrighamHealth's Cindy Peterson and Shonda Sumpter met virtually to discuss 2021 sponsorship options with Chamber President, Tom O'Rourke. Each was appropriately adorned for the season. |
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Chamber Members in the News |
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SYNERGY HomeCare of Greater Boston is pleased to announce it has been selected as a 2021 Caring Star for service excellence for in-home care. In consumer ratings and reviews on Caring.com, SYNERGY HomeCare of Greater Boston earned a 5-star rating (the highest possible score) within the qualification time frame, while also having a high volume of positive reviews, responding to any negative reviews, and meeting other criteria for this national honor. (read more...)
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The Trustees' Winterlights has been named one of the tope 10 Public Holiday Light Display's in the country by USA Today's 10 Best Reader's Choice Awards. Winterlights took place at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton and Naumkeag in Stockbridge. |
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G.T. Reilly & Company has announced that Kevin J. Bonnett, CPA, has been promoted to Accounting & Auditing Director.
Kevin provides audit, tax and consulting services to privately held businesses, including manufacturers and distributors, as well as financial institutions and nonprofit organizations. He also is a member of the firm’s Employee Benefit Services team, with broad experience providing audit and consulting services to retirement plan sponsors.
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Jeffrey Ellis, CPA, MST of Franklin, MA has been elected to serve as Managing Partner at QRGA, LLP, an accounting, tax and business advisory firm headquartered in Norwood. Prior to the election, Ellis led the firm’s tax department, was highly regarded for his controllership/temporary CFO services and was instrumental in attracting new clients to the firm.
Ellis succeeds Barbara Gonsalves CPA, MSCIS who has led QRGA since 2012, and who will continue to serve as Partner of QRGA while managing the firm’s audit department, non-profit practice group and information technology systems. (read more...)
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Thank You! The following members have renewed their membership with the NRR Chamber |
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We understand the difficulties that many of our members are dealing with at this time. We know that many may not be able to renew their memberships until the situation improves.
We are grateful to those who are in a position to support the Chamber, including the following who have recently renewed:
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Business Development Strategies, Inc. Courtyard by Marriott, Norwood Kenneth Berman Photography
Law Office of Brian F. Mahoney Middlesex Savings Bank
Oak Grove Insurance
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One Upland
Premium Printer Supplies
Rob Peters Entertainment
St. Catherine of Siena School
Sharon Public Schools
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What's in the New Stimulus Package? |
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On Sunday, December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the massive emergency economic relief package including government funding, and tax cuts designed to counter the effects of the pandemic and stimulate economic growth.
Efforts to pass economic relief measures in the weeks leading to the presidential election had failed despite numerous attempts. But after the election, a bipartisan group of lawmakers teamed up and successfully negotiated for action to spur economic activity by helping businesses and consumers.
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COVID-19 VACCINE: FAQs
What you Need to Know
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As you know, the Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna. These were among the more than 200 vaccine candidates in development in early 2020, and they are expected to be the first of multiple vaccines to become available in the United States in the coming months.
States are now starting to prioritize, allocate, and deliver the first vaccines. Here's a quick primer from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on what you need to know about the process, the expected timelines, and what it means for you. |
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All employers should be aware of the following changes to Massachusetts Labor Law effective for 2021. Thanks to ConnectPay for sharing these resources.
Minimum Wage Increase - The Massachusetts Department of Labor has increased the state minimum wage to $13.50 per hour and the minimum base wage for tipped employees to $5.55 per hour, effective January 1, 2021.
Premium Pay Decrease - The premium pay for working Sunday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day will be reduced to 1.2 times an employee's regular rate, also effective January 1, 2021. However, the premium pay for working on New Year's Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day will remain at 1.5 times an employee's regular rate.
Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) - The PFML notice has also been revised. The updated notice clarifies that for a worker to qualify as a covered individual under PFML, this worker must also be eligible for unemployment in Massachusetts. The updated notice also outlines certain job protections that do not apply to self-employed individuals.
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Sponsor Opportunities for 2021 |
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Looking for ways to gain positive exposure for your business? Look no further. The Chamber has put together a collection of sponsorship opportunities for all events in 2021.
What better way to show your commitment to supporting the local business community than by partnering with the Chamber as a sponsor. There are options to fit all budgets. Click below to learn more.
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Get your message out to more than 1,500 email addresses for just $25. Contact Tom O'Rourke at tom@nrrchamber.com
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Member Benefit of the Month
Enhance Your Directory Listing
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Stand out from the crowd by adding your logo and a description of your business. You can also add links to all of your social media pages including: Angie's List, Facebook, Flickr, FourSquare, Houzz, Instagram, LinkedIn, Open Table, Pinterest, TripAdisor, Twitter, Yelp and YouTube.
Check out the Chamber's listing below and you can see our logo, social tags and description included.
To add these to your listing, simply login to the website from our homepage, click Profile Update and choose an option from the menu on the left. |
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