October Business Connection

Board of Directors


Chair of the Board

*Julie Molloy

Compass Real Estate


Vice Chair

*Tim McCabe

The League School


Treasurer

*James Donellon

Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP


President/CEO

*Thomas O'Rourke

Neponset River Regional Chamber


Kenneth Berman

Kenneth Berman Photography


Anthony Brown

Dedham Savings


Eric Cappellano

Bank of Canton


Mary Chetwynd

Rockland Trust


Erin Hooker-Thomas, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane


Bill Kearns

Cullen, Murphy & Co., P.C.


Suzanne Kelly

Legacy Place


*Michael Kennedy

OneLocal


Michelle Lloret

Fairfield Inn & Suites


Sal Perla

Norwood Hospital 


Jill Rossetti

Blue Hills Regional Technical High School


Shonda Sumpter

Brigham and Women's Health Care Center


Tricia White

T. White Creations


Nicole Zea

CertainTeed


*Member of the Executive Committee

Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day

Lexi R. Branson is executive director of federation programs and grassroots at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.


With thousands of chambers of commerce thriving today, it’s no secret that chambers are an integral part of business communities nationwide. And while the primary purpose of a chamber of commerce is to serve its community and the businesses they represent, often times chambers are in the background, pulling strings and making magic happen without garnering much attention.


That’s why Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day, which takes place on the third Wednesday of every October, is a great time to highlight the work that chambers do every day to promote free enterprise, boost the economy, and celebrate their local communities.


Let’s look at some of the behind-the-scenes work chambers, including their staff and volunteers, do on a regular basis.


Advocating on Behalf of Business

Chambers of commerce are the voice of their local business communities with policymakers and government entities. Whether it’s lobbying for favorable business regulations or advocating for the interests of local small business owners, when it impacts the business community, you can count on your chamber’s involvement.


Promoting Economic Development

From attracting new businesses to their communities to helping existing businesses expand, promoting economic development is a top priority for chambers.


Helping Businesses Thrive

Chambers provide the resources local businesses need to grow and thrive, like networking opportunities to connect with new customers and other businesses.


Serving Communities

Whether it’s promoting tourism or engaging communities in major events, chambers of commerce place bettering their communities at the top of their to-do lists.


Join us in thanking your local chamber of commerce for their work today and every day. Not a member of a chamber? Let’s change that!

Join here

Welcome New Members!

Norwood Day Draws Thousands

Chamber members were well represented at Norwood Day last month. Clockwise from top left: The street was packed with local residents and families; Cornerstone Caregiving; Member's Plus Credit Union; Bank of Canton; The Cove at Dune Jewelry, Wegmans; Norwood Financial Center.

Thank You! The following members have renewed their membership with the NRR Chamber

AcuBoston, Inc.

BCPi, Inc.

Hampton Inn Boston/Norwood

Judge Rotenberg Educational Center

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane

Omega Financial, Inc.

Signarama Walpole

Steel Art Company

Walpole Cooperative Bank

Westwood Public Schools

Woerdeman Financial Group

Y D Autobody

IT Industry Job Fair

SAVE THE DATE: IT Industry Career Fair

Wednesday, October 18th , 2:00-4:00pm

MassHire Norwood Career Center- 128 Carnegie Row, Norwood


NO-COST Career Fair targeting job seekers through our region with current or future backgrounds and experience with IT Specific Careers.  


*EMPLOYER REGISTRATIONS ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE AT THIS TIME. The MassHire MS/W Career Centers are finalizing event details soon, however if you are interested in learning more, please contact either person below or we’ll be in touch with final details as soon as they are confirmed!

• Jennifer McKenna – JmcKenna@MassHireMSW.com or

• Eric Fernandez- EFernandez@masshiremsw.com 

Register for ChamberTalks!

Register

PERMANENT WEEKDAY COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE TO FOXBORO STATION TO BEGIN MONDAY, OCT. 2

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Kraft Group and Patriot Place, in partnership with the Town of Foxborough, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), announced this week that permanent weekday commuter rail service to and from Boston’s South Station will go into effect at Foxboro Station with the start of the MBTA’s fall/winter schedule on Oct. 2, 2023.


The permanent service announcement comes after the completion of a year-long weekday service pilot at Foxboro Station that began on Sept. 12, 2022. The successful pilot exceeded targeted goals in all key metrics, including ridership, operations and creating new opportunities for reverse/non-traditional commuters traveling to Foxboro.


The schedule will continue to feature a total of 11 inbound and 10 outbound daily trips during peak commuting times with stops at Back Bay Station, including an inbound train arriving at South Station at 8:15 a.m. and an outbound train departing South Station at 5:32 p.m. The schedule is available in its entirety at mbta.com/foxboro.

Disaster Recovery Resources

Having just missed a direct hit from Hurricane Lee recently and in light of other recent extreme weather conditions nationwide, we thought it would be helpful to share some information from our partners at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.


The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has resources to help the business community prepare for the next disaster. Whether it’s flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, or hurricane season preparedness, please bookmark these resources so that you are prepared and can recover should disaster strike.

  • Readiness for Resilience (R4R) Program
  • The U.S. Chamber Foundation's R4R Program, developed in partnership with FedEx, guides businesses on building an emergency action plan through an easy-to-follow checklist found here. Once a business completes that checklist, they become eligible to receive a $5,000 grant should FEMA issue an Individual Assistance declaration in their county.

  • Disaster Help Desk for Business
  • The Disaster Help Desk for Business offers one-on-one expert assistance to small business owners before, during, and after a disaster strikes. From preparing for hurricane and wildfire season to unexpected floods or power outages, our team can help businesses in any disaster stage. By dialing 888-MY-BIZ-HELP or contacting us at BizHelpdesk@USChamber.com, you’ll be connected to experts who will assist your business in any disaster stage.

Additional preparedness and recovery resources can be found on our Small Business Resilience Hub. These links are also available on the Chamber's website under the Programs and Services/Business Resources tab.

Member Promotion

Member Content: How You May Qualify for Loan Forgiveness

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 


Did someone say loan forgiveness? Many people with outstanding college loans were waiting with bated breath as the Biden administration pushed for broad student loan forgiveness programs. While this effort ultimately ended up falling short, all hope is not lost. Numerous loan forgiveness programs exist, and it's possible you may be eligible for some without even realizing it. 

In this article, we focus on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). So, let's dive into what exactly PSLF is and who meets the eligibility criteria. 


What is PSLF? 

PSLF was implemented in 2007 to encourage more people to pursue careers in public service by erasing some of their student debt from federal loans. The program is aimed at helping student loan borrowers who become teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, or any employee who works for a non-profit organization. (continue reading)


Contributed by Thomas J. Mullen CFP ®, CFSLA Partner, Chief Operating Officer & Sr. Wealth Management Advisor M: (339) 502-4200 O: (617) 340-7409 Breakwater Capital Group https://breakwatercapitalgroup.com/

September: Networking, Jewelry and AI

September featured a Connections at Work lunch with a presentation on using AI tools for marketing from Amanda Deiratani, Deiratani Designs and a Business After Hours event at the Cove at Dune Jewelry. Members were given a tour of the jewelry manufacturing area at Dune.

Member Benefit of the Month

401(k) for Small Business

As you know, the Chamber has implemented a 401(k) program to bring Chamber businesses and their employees a full suite of retirement plan solutions that save time and money. Businesses of all sizes are eligible.


To learn more about the program click here.

Neponset River Regional Chamber | www.nrrchamber.com
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