newton-needham regional chamber inbusiness 2017... · 2 • inbusiness • newton-needham regional...

June-July 2017 volume 3-2017

Newton-Needham Regional Chamber281 Needham Street, Upper LevelNewton, MA 02464

PRESORT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDPERMIT NO. 19316NEWTON, MA

2017 PLATINUM PARTNER

INBUSINESSBUSINESS HAPPENS HERE

‘This one has our full attention… we’re going to get it done’

– Gov. Charlie Baker

NEWTON-NEEDHAM REGIONAL CHAMBER

Baker: Money for Needham St.Highland Ave. is ‘locked-in’

(continued on page 12)

Summer Forecast: Sunny with a 100% chance of networking

– By Ellen Ishkanian –

It took Gov. Charlie Baker nearly 40 min-utes to get to a local topic that was likely on the minds of many in the packed ball-room at the chamber’s annual Spring Business Breakfast.

But when he did, Baker didn’t mince his words: The Needham Street and Highland Av-enue project is “locked in” and “we’re going to get it done.”

As recently as last month, the Baker Administration revealed that the long-delayed project to renovate the Needham

Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Gov. Charlie Baker, potential rivals in the 2018 gubernatorial contest, shared a laugh at the chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast at the Needham Sheraton. Photo by Leise Jones.

Street/Highland Avenue corridor was yet again stalled because the Mass. Depart-ment of Transportation said land takings and road design are not yet complete.

Baker told attendees that the state is working aggressively to complete the needed 130 takings but that the process takes time. He described the delay as a matter of months, “liter-ally being from the end

of one year to the beginning of the next.“This is America, you can’t just take

it, you actually have to work it, and then take it,” the governor said to laughter from

– By Katherine Herer –

While some business associations slow down during the summer, the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber is commit-ted to providing thoughtful programming content and a wealth of networking op-portunities year-round.

In fact, many of our most popular sig-nature annual events take place between Memorial and Labor Days (at beautiful outdoor venues!)

Here are some highlights you can ex-pect in the coming months.


NBCUniversal’s arrival would create N2 media hubAnother major media company is mak-ing a long-term investment in the N-Squared Innovation District.

NBCUniversal and Normandy Real Estate partners are plan-ning to build a $125 mil-lion “world class broad-cast and digital media center” at Founders Park in Needham. The 165,000-square foot fa-cility would house the new local NBC TV af-filiate, NECN, Comcast Sports Net, Telemundo and their 325 employees under one roof.

“This is a transformative addition to the N-Squared Innovation District,”

says Chamber President Greg Reibman. “This area is already home to WCVB-TV, GateHouse Media, TripAdvisor and Univi-sion. NBCUniversal’s decision to be here

too firmly establishes N-Squared as a major media hub, bringing skilled jobs, creativity and economic vitality here.”

NBCUniversal’s new home on B Street is pro-jected to open in early 2019. It is the latest

major addition announced for Found-ers Park, a mixed-use, master planned development located in the heart of the


‘A media cluster in N-Squared would be unique to us in Greater Boston.’

– Needham Selectmen Chair Marianne Cooley

After Hours receptions in June, July, August and September all boast abso-lutely stunning indoor/outdoor spots. In fact, some of these annual offerings are so popular we’ve made them open to members only and they still sell out with 100-plus attendees.

2 • INBusiness • Newton-Needham Regional Chamber • June-July, 2017 617-244-5300 • www.nnchamber.com

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617-244-5300 • www.nnchamber.com INBusiness • Newton-Needham Regional Chamber • June-July, 2017 • 3

PRESIDENT:Greg [email protected] DIRECTOR:Lise Q. [email protected] DIRECTOR:Katherine [email protected] SERVICES:Annie [email protected] INNOVATION DISTRICT DIRECTOR:Chuck [email protected]

The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber has a proud history of providing leadership and support and advocacy for the business and cultural vitality of Newton and Needham Massachusetts. We are a non-profit membership organization and are not affiliated with any other Chamber of Commerce locally or nationally.

INBUSINESS is published by theNewton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, Inc. ©2017

281 Needham St., Upper Level, Newton, MA 02464 617-244-5300 • www.nnchamber.com

EDITOR:Don Seiffert

CONTRIBUTORS:Cindy Bailen Ellen IshkanianMarian Leah Knapp Laura LovettEmma Murphy Chuck Tanowitz

PHOTOGRAPHY:Leise Jones Maura Wayman

SOCIAL MEDIA:Angela Pitter/LiveWire Collaborative

ADVERTISING:Eastern Advertising, 617-965-0222NEWSPAPER DESIGN:Mike Ciolino, Verve CreativeNEWSPAPER PRODUCTION:Stephen Hamilton, Union PrintworksPRINTING:GateHouse Media New England

– By Lise Elcock –

On Thursday, June 29 the chamber re-turns to the Newton Marriott’s pavilion along the banks of the Charles River for our Annual Members Celebration, where we’ll toast a larger-than-most-years group of businesses and organizations mark-ing significant anniversaries of chamber membership.

Serving double-duty as the evening’s sponsor and this year’s longest-serving hon-oree and long-time Platinum Annual Part-ner, The Village Bank boasts 70 years of chamber membership.

“It is truly an honor for The Village Bank to be recognized as the longest-stand-ing member of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber, and to continue to this very day our historical 70-year dedication to helping to build a stronger, more vibrant region for all. Times may have changed over the decades, but our commitment has never wavered,” said Joseph De Vito, president and CEO of The Village Bank and a vice chair of the chamber’s Board of Directors.

ChamberMembership DirectorLise Q. Elcock

A Message from Membership

June event to celebrate long-standing members“As always, we are extremely proud to

work in partnership with local businesses and non-profits, and to support the univer-sal goals we share for our communities. By working together, NNCC members are writing a dynamic script for the future of our region.”

Barry Brown, Mount Ida College presi-dent and also a vice chair or the cham-

ber’s Board of Direc-tors, was delighted to learn of the important 50th anniversary of the school’s chamber membership. Mount Ida has deepened its involvement with the chamber under Brown’s leadership by helping to under-write our program-ming and events as an Annual Gold Level Partner and contrib-uting to the chamber’s N-Squared Innova-

tion District fundraising initiative as the college focuses on student interest in the entrepreneurial and innovation sphere.

“We are proud of Mount Ida’s mem-bership and support of the chamber over the past half century,” Brown said. “Our mission and purpose is to guide our stu-dents toward career success and lifelong

involvement in their communities. There has been no better way to achieve these goals than partnership with the chamber.”

Newton-Wellesley Hospital, which will celebrate 40 years of membership at the event, is another long-time Annual Gold Level Partner and contributor to the chamber’s N2 initiative. With its am-bulatory care center in the heart of the district’s footprint, the hospital strongly supports the chamber’s efforts to promote infrastructure, traffic and other enhance-ments within the Wells Avenue office park and beyond.

When contacted about his business’s 40-year chamber anniversary, Paul Rob-erts of Newtonville Camera said the cham-ber’s economic advocacy role has changed during his years as a chamber member.

“We are excited about the chamber’s increasing role in promoting business development. We need leadership in advocating not only affordable housing, but promoting affordable small business locations as well,” Roberts said.

We hope you’ll join us on June 29 as we gather to thank the many members who

70 YearsThe Village Bank

50 YearsMount Ida CollegeSt. Sebastian’s School

40 YearsNewton-Wellesley HospitalNewtonville Camera

30 YearsGenalco Inc.

25 YearsBoston Showcase CompanyMarcum LLPBerman Adjusters Inc.Boston Sports ClubsThe Second Step Inc.FineLines Hair SalonBrezniak-Rodman Funeral

Directors Inc.Nature Springs Water Co. Inc.

have supported us throughout the years and on whose col-lective founda-tion we’ve been able to build our organization into the state’s fastest growing chamber for the second year in a row.

From the small business owners who pay their dues each year to our annual partners who contribute generous levels of underwriting, each and every member of the chamber makes it possible in its own way for us to continue to promote the cultural and economic vitality of Newton, Needham and the surrounding communities.

Members may register for our June 29 Annual Members Celebration at nn-chamber.com. Space is limited. Email Lise Elcock, the chamber’s membership director, at [email protected].

‘We are excited about the chamber’s increasing role in promoting business development. We need leadership in advocating not only affordable housing but promoting affordable small business locations as well.’

– Newtonville Camera’sPaul Roberts

20 YearsGoldberg & AssociatesThe Carroll Center For The BlindWilliam James CollegeSpaulding OutPatient Center

WellesleyThe Bulfinch Companies Inc.Golden Living Center —

HeathwoodAdvantage Payroll ServicesPartridge Snow & Hahn LLPFASTSIGNSFBC Mortgage, LLCLasell Village 15 YearsHome Instead Senior CareFirst Financial TrustVerve CreativeAvery Crossings Independent &

Assisted LivingNew England Cable News (NECN)Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer LLPNeedham BankFranklin W. Olin College of

Engineering

2017 milestone member anniversaries


GOLD PARTNERS

EMERALD PARTNER

PLATINUM PARTNERNewton-Needham Regional Chamber2017 OFFICERS:Rachel Hillman FoyChair of the BoardHillman Homes1381 Washington StreetNewton, MA 02465

Christopher TeachoutFirst Vice ChairNeedham Bank1063 Great Plain AvenueNeedham, MA 02492

Linda Sloane KayClerkCentury Bank32 Langley RoadNewton Centre, MA 02459

Walter TennantTreasurerR.L Tennant InsuranceP.O. Box 600069Newton, MA 02460

Barry BrownVice ChairMt. Ida College777 Dedham StreetNewton, MA 02459

Joseph De VitoVice ChairThe Village Bank307 Auburn StreetAuburndale, MA 02466

Seana GaherinImmediate Past ChairDunn-Gaherin’s Food & Spirits344 Elliot St.Newton, MA 02464

Devra BailinTown of Needham500 Dedham StreetNeedham, MA 02494

Bruce A. Gold, CPAAbrams Little-Gill Loberfeld, PC1330 Boylston Street, 5th Floor Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Mark JefferySheraton Needham Hotel100 Cabot StreetNeedham Heights, MA 02494

David LawsonNECN/NBC Universal160 Wells AvenueNewton, MA 02459

Peter LeavittEastern Advertising, Inc.241 Walnut StreetNewton, MA 02460

Josephine McNeilCAN-DO1075 Washington StreetNewton, MA 02465

Kurt OchallaTripAdvisor400 1st AvenueNeedham, MA 02494

Kevin RuddyPTC140 Kendrick StreetNeedham, MA 02494

Samantha Sherman Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham 148 Chestnut StreetNeedham, MA 02492

Mark Sokoll Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston333 Nahanton StreetNewton, MA 02464

John SpinoDwyer, Ruggieri, Spino & Goncalves, LLC300 Washington Street, Suite 450Newton, MA 02458

Allison YeeThe Street|W.S. Development33 Boylston StreetChestnut Hill, MA 02467

Committees

Our Partners are the chief underwriters of many Chamber programs throughout the year including the Women In Networking series, Speed Networking, the Golf Tournament, Achievement Breakfast and INBusiness. The financial and volunteer support of our Partners ensures that the Chamber has the resources needed to offer a wide array of outstanding programs and services to its members and the community.

2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: Chair Rachel Hillman Foy Hillman Homes Dotti Cullinan DKC Design Bill Ebben Ebben Zall Group Michael Gottesman BizTech Coaching Lisa LaVallee West Suburban YMCA GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE: Chair Linda Sloane Kay Century Bank Seana Gaherin Dunn-Gaherin’s Food & Spirits Samantha Sherman Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Needham John Spino Dwyer, Ruggieri, Spino & Goncalves Walter Tennant R.L. Tennant Insurance FINANCE COMMITTEE: Chair Walter Tennant R.L. Tennant Insurance Joseph De Vito The Village Bank Bruce A. Gold, CPA Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld, PC Mark Jeffery Needham Sheraton Hotel David Lawson NECN/NBC Universal AMBASSADOR COMMITTEE: Pavlina Atanasova Master the Time Concierge John Patrick Foley E3 Wealth Management Rachel Jellinek Reflection Films John Marczak Mantra Computing Mark Rosen Schofield Law Group Amy Silta Team Beachbody Lilly Trainor The Village Bank

WOMEN IN NETWORKING: Chair Melanie Jones HouseWorks Bunny Aronson Aronson Insurance Michelle DeSimone Needham Bank Pam Fisher Construction Coordinators Colleen Kelly Keller Williams Realty Luba Levin Rockland Trust Christine Hacsunda The Village Bank Susan Paley The Village Bank Susan Faccenda Peghiny Rotary Club of Newton Angela Pitter LiveWire Collaborative Vicky Seriy Benoit Mizner Simon

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE: Chair Kevin Ruddy Parametric Technology Corp. Alison Borrelli Needham Historical Society Barry Brown Mount Ida College D. Mark Loveless The Village Bank Bryan Manandhar Brookline Bank Josephine McNeil CAN-DO

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GROUP: Chair Nicole Sloan The Village Bank Rebecca Finley Crosspoint Associates John Patrick Foley E3 Wealth Management Jessica Leff newTV Sarah Lewis Hillman Homes Keith Magnus Engels & Völkers Wellesley Chris O’Day Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld, PC Amy Silta Team Beachbody

ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE: Co-chair Peter Smith Green Newton Co-chair Barney Frieberg-Dale Visiting Angels Marcia Cooper Green Newton Jack Eagan Michael Greis Green Needham Collaborative Philip Jutras Green Enterprise Training Institute Jim Kelly Single Source Energy Solutions William Lanciloti Suburban Appraisal Services Andrew Savitz City of Newton NON-PROFIT COMMITTEE: Chair Rosie Carey West Suburban YMCA Lindsey Beauregard Lasell College Debra Bergman The Price Center Merrill Davidson United Way/Mass Bay & Merrimack Valley Dan Elias New Art Center Jon Firger Family Access of Newton Nancy Gaulin Facing Cancer Together Roberta Goldschneider Walker, Inc. Jon Firger Family Access of Newton Steffi Aronson Karp Limmud Boston Josephine McNeil CAN-DO Hilary Ryan Charles River Center Clara Silverstien BostonSight Maureen Sullivan Wellesley Bank Foundation Anna Yanco-Papa Historic Newton

REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE: Chair Kerry McCormack Crosspoint Associates Jon Barnes Wellesley Bank Eric Brickley Belmont Savings Bank Hillary Brown Fairlane Properties Harold Dubin Fairway Independent Mortgage Mark Fisher Construction Coordinators Rachel Hillman Foy Hillman Homes Chris Keeley Bowdoin Construction Glenn Morris Morris Architects John Rufo Form + Place Davood Shahin DSH Design Group

N2 INNOVATION DISTRICT TASK FORCE: Chair Greg Reibman Newton-Needham Regional Chamber Jill Abrahams Mount Ida College Dennis Abelleria MassChallenge Devra Bailin Town of Needham Brendan Cohn Jones Lang LaSalle James Freas City of Newton Jeremy Freid Boston Realty Advisors Kent Gonzales Northland Development Dan Goodman Building 36 Technologies Moe Handel Needham Selectman Ted Hess-Mahan Newton City Council Joseph Hunter Olin College John Karacalidis The Village Bank Debi Kleiman Babson College Rick Lipof Newton City Council Kurt Ochalla TripAdvisor Joyce Plotkin Amethyst Associates Mark Sokoll Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston Chris Steele Investment Consulting Associates Chuck Tanowitz N2 Innovation District Christopher Teachout Needham Bank Mike Wilcox The Bulfinch Companies Steve Winter Mass. Area Planning Council

NEEDHAM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:Chair Christopher Teachout Needham Bank Devra Bailin Town of Needham Bill Dermody Century21 Commonwealth Michael Gottesman BizTech Coaching Amy Hurley Community Center of Needham Paula Jacobson Charles River YMCA Susan Kagan Parent Talk Jack McQuillan Taylor’s Stationery Samantha Sherman BID Hospital-Needham Bob & Brenda Stark The Closet Exchange Steve & Karen Waller Center Café

GOLF COMMITTEE:Chair Walter Tennant R.L. Tennant Insurance Ashley Agnew Centerpoint Advisors Susana Brown J. Hilburn Men’s Clothiers James Farina The Village Bank Bruce A. Gold, CPA Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld, PC Tom Keery Keery Family LLC Lynn Stevenson Boston Wine School

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First, there were the Founding Fathers. Now, the next generation of Founders is here. Founders Park, formerly known as Center 128, is a 41-acre mixed-use development in Needham, MA.

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Echo Bridge Linking Needham and Newton Since 1876

Help reconstruct the deteriorated iron railings a top this iconic historic landmark • Built 140 years ago to carry the Sudbury Aqueduct over the Charles River on its way to Boston. • Graces DCR’s Hemlock Gorge Reservation, acquired in 1893. • Now a destination for hikers, nature lovers, artists, commuters. • Join us to rebuild the fractured railings and eliminate the chain link fence to restore the integrity of the bridge design.

Your pledge matters • The Echo Bridge Railing Reconstruction Committee, a Chamber member, is helping the MWRA raise private funds to supplement public funds for this project. • Join leading firms like Northland Investment Corporation who have pledged significant support. • Project and pledging information at: www.EchoBridgeRailings.com

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Almost 200 businesses save on energyAlmost 200 Newton-Needham area businesses received more than $2.7 million in incentives to fund energy-saving upgrades in the first year of the Business Energy $avers Program, according to World Energy Efficiency Services.

Through the Newton Needham Business Energy $aver program, eligible businesses receive free energy audits, financing for upgrades, and rebates on lighting, heating, cooling and other upgrades through the Mass Save program, which is run by the lo-cal utilities.

To learn more, or to sign your business up for a free energy audit go to http://worldenergyes.com/Home/NewtonNeedham or call 774-420-2764.

Lasell, Wynn launch hospitality programLasell College has established a collaboration with Wynn Boston Harbor designed to prepare students for successful careers in the hospitality industry. Through this first-of-its-kind in Massachusetts partnership, Lasell and Wynn will develop curriculum, expand training and field experiences, join forces on research projects and create a pipeline for management positions and leadership roles in event, hospitality, and casino and resort management.

“Lasell is widely recognized for its emphasis on connected learning which integrates multidisciplinary academic programs with hands-on experiences,” said Lasell President Michael Alexander. “Our students will now have access to top industry experts, will work with faculty on timely research assignments and gain the in-depth experience that will distinguish them from others competing for internships and jobs.”

The Newton-based college is the state’s first institution of higher to offer a degree in Resort and Casino Management. As part of the partnership, Lasell will expand efforts to recruit students from communities surrounding Wynn Boston Harbor in Everett and offer Wynn employees on-campus and online professional development workshops, certificate programs and undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the hospitality field — all at special tuition rates.

“This is a breakthrough partnership that will not only attract and prepare local students for a great and long-lasting career at Wynn Boston Harbor and other hotels and restaurants, but also provide continuing education opportunities for existing Wynn employees,” said Robert DeSalvio, president of Wynn Boston Harbor.

Food trucks returning to N2 Innovation District Food trucks will soon be returning to the Needham Crossing section of the N-Squared Innovation District.

The Needham Board of Selectmen recently approved five locations to attract food options to the area. Two spaces are open on 4th Avenue, another two are available on 1st Avenue and a final spot is open on Cabot Street.

The N-Squared Innovation District is marketing the locations to food truck operating around the Boston area. Several have already expressed interest in opening up here.

In the past Blue Ribbon BBQ and Captain Marden’s Cod Squad had trucks in the area and this year the town hopes to add to that list. The Cod Squad truck has already opened up on Fridays on 4th Avenue.

While food trucks are allowed at Needham Crossing, Needham Town Meeting recently referred a proposal that would have also allowed food trucks to do business in Downtown Needham back to selectmen for further study.

– By Chuck Tanowitz –

Working with recombinant DNA — the technology used in making insulin and other biologic drugs — is common in the biotech and pharmaceutical world. So much so, that it’s now more difficult to find a lab that doesn’t work in rDNA than finding one that does.

Last year, the Town of Needham ob-tained a Gold BioReady rating from the state, certifying that it has biotech and life sciences-friendly zoning (a streamlined permitting process) and has robust infra-structure in place.

Companies looking for lab space use those rankings to help guide their decisions about where to locate when looking for new space. Yet the City of Newton only holds a Bronze Rating from the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio), the lowest ranking available.

Today, a company looking to build a lab in Newton that works with rDNA must first obtain a special permit from the city council, an added a layer of complica-tion to an already lengthy and involved process.

The 2016 economic development study from the N-Squared Innovation District by Camoin Associates specifically recommended biotech as a strong area for growth. Making it easier to open a biotech in Newton could greatly enhance the city’s ability to attract companies to Wells Avenue and other parts of the city. What’s more, if Newton is going

Newton takes steps to enhance biotech statusto be competitive and cooperative with neighboring communities like Needham, Waltham, Cambridge and Watertown, it must match those municipalities’ Gold and Platinum status.

That’s why the Warren Administra-tion, along with the Newton Biosafety Committee, went before the Zoning and Planning Committee of the City Council in May to ask that this block be removed, thereby opening the door to helping the city achieve a Silver or even a Gold rank-ing.

“[rDNA is] the single most powerful and basic tool in modern biology,” Carl Cohen, a member of the Newton Biosafety Committee told the city councilors.

“It’s hard to find a modern bio lab that doesn’t have rDNA as part of its usages,” said Biosafety Committee member Bill Dietrich.

The change requested by Mayor War-ren’s Planning Department would simplify the process, enabling the commissioner of health and human services to issue a permit after gaining approval from the Newton Biosafety Committee. That com-mittee already conducts site visits annu-ally and reviews all permitted facilities on everything from safety to waste disposal to insurance. It’s staffed by three experts in the field.

“We need to streamline our process to be business-friendly,” said Ward 8 City Councilor Rick Lipof.

James Freas, deputy director of the department of planning and development,

told councilors on the ZAP committee that he believes once the city removes the special permit process it can easily move to Silver and then to Gold, thanks to the fact that the city is already home to several rDNA labs.

One of the key criteria for moving from Silver to Gold is that a city al-

ready have pre-approved labs operating within its borders. Currently, Newton-based Karyopharm and Siam Lab have rDNA facilities, and the Life Time Center, formerly the Atrium Mall, has already been pre-approved for such facilities.

A public hearing on the change will be held on June 12 at Newton City Hall.

– By Emma Murphy –

Needham’s Farmers Market has a new home in the hope that the change will benefit downtown merchants.

Selectmen approved a request to move the market from behind Needham Bank in the Garden Street parking lot, to the front steps of Town Hall, along Garrity Way.

“We really appreciate the selectmen doing this for us and the town manager,” Jeff Friedman, president of the Needham Farmers Market Board of Directors told the Needham Times.

The move has been a long time coming for the market, which has repeatedly tried to find a new location. Garrity Way will be the market’s third location since it opened.

Chamber President Greg Reibman said the market’s new location should in-crease foot traffic in downtown Needham on Sundays and help area businesses.

The market is set to open on Garrity Way for the 2017 season on May 28 and continue until Nov. 19. Vendors will offer everything from toffee and nuts, to fish and fresh corn. The market will also include regular live music and arts and crafts.

Excerpted from an article in the Needham Times and Wicked Local Needham. Reprinted with permission.

Needham Farmers Market aims to give downtown a boost

Chamber News


Newton-Needham Regional Chamber Upcoming Events

Lawyers’ Council Event

Non-Profit Series

Networking forNon-ProfitsWhen: Tuesday, June 20, 9-10 a.m. Where: Conservatory at Highlands, 51 Winchester Street #201, Newton HighlandsCost: Free for members & non-members

If you work, sit on a board, or volunteer for a non-profit organization, please join us for an hour of networking and light breakfast at the new Conservatory at Highlands in Newton. Presented by the chamber’s non-profit committee, our non-profit networking series offers attendees a chance to connect, collaborate, share common challenges and discuss best practices in an informal setting.

Sponsored by:

Business After Hours

Business After HoursNetworkingWhen: Wednesday, March 31, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: K. Powers & Co., 16 Charles Street, NeedhamCost: Free/members, $20/non-members

We’re celebrating the culmination of Small Business Month with an extra-special business after hours at K. Powers & Co. in Needham. Reconnect with old friends and make lots of new connections while meeting 50+ area professionals at this casual, after work networking event. We’ll enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and refreshments courtesy of our hosts at K. Powers while exploring their stunning design showroom in the N-Squared Innovation District.

Two Views From the BenchWhen: Friday, June 9, 7:30-9 a.m.Where: PTC, Boothbay Conference Room, 140 Kendrick Street, NeedhamCost: $15/members, $25/non-members

Join us for a conversation with Honorable Judge Indira Talwani of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the Honorable Justice Howard P. Speicher of the Land Court Department. The justices will provide their view from the bench covering litigants, their attorneys and the issues they encounter in their respective courtrooms. This program should be invaluable to not only attorneys, but anyone doing business in the Commonwealth, as to what to expect and how best to deal with any matter that may need to be resolved in either of these courts.

Sponsored by:

Women In Networking

Lunch at Social Restaurant & BarWhen: Tuesday, June 6, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.Where: Social Restaurant & Bar, 320 Washington Street, Newton CornerCost: $20, space is limited, open to chamber members only

Get social on your lunch hour at Social Restaurant & Bar in Newton Corner for our next Women in Networking lunch. For $20 you’ll receive a buffet lunch (tax, tip, and non-alcoholic beverage included). Our Women in Networking lunch series is a great way to get to know your chamber colleagues in an informal, relaxed setting. Space is limited, and advanced registration is required to attend. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch will be served at noon.

Sponsored by:

Q Social Media Workshop

Why Video needs to be the Centerpiece of Your Digital Marketing StrategyWhen: Thursday, June 22, 10-11:30 a.m.Where: Direct Federal Credit Union, 50 Cabot Street, Needham Cost: $15, space is limited, open to chamber members only

While the rise of video isn’t exactly a secret, it has been traditionally associated with a high barrier to entry, questionable ROI and a somewhat heavy investment in terms of time and resources.

Save these DatesWednesday, August 9:Young Professionals Group Networking Crawl at The Street

Tuesday, August 15:Members Appreciation Night atWingate Residences

Thursday, September 14:Business After Hours at Gore Place

Thursday, November 9: Annual Business Breakfast at theNewton Marriott Hotel

Special Event

Economy and Commercial Development Economic Overview BreakfastWhen: Thursday, June 1, 9:30-11 a.m.Where: PTC, Visitor Center Room E, 140 Kendrick Street, Needham Cost: $25/members, $35/non-members

Join us as we welcome back Mary Burke , a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, who will offer the Fed’s perspective on the Massachusetts economy in 2017 and how current trends may impact commercial development in our region. Trust us, this annual event is one you don’t want to miss. Registration and light breakfast starting at 9:30 a.m. Program to begin promptly at 10 a.m.

Sponsored by:

Mary Burke

Coffee Connect

Coffee Connect atYoga WorksWhen: Tuesday, June 13, 8-9 a.m. Where: Yoga Works, 25 Boylston Street, Chestnut HillCost: Free for members & non-members

Strengthen your core network at our next Coffee Connect at Yoga Works in Chestnut Hill. The coffee will flow as you connect with 50+ professionals while exploring this brand new studio at The Street. Non-members interested in learning more about the Chamber, our mission, members and programs, are welcome to attend up to three Coffee Connects at no charge. As a member benefit, chamber members who pre-register will receive a list of attendees prior to the event.

Sponsored by:

IYoung Professionals Group

Young Professionals Happy Hour at Anthony’sCoal-Fired PizzaWhen: Wednesday, June 14, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza, 180 Needham Street, NewtonCost: Free for members & non-members

Enjoy a taste of summer (and delicious Italian inspired dishes) while networking with area young professionals on the patio of Needham Street’s newest eatery, Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza.

Happening the second Wednesday of every month, the Chamber’s Young Professionals Group meetups offer a chance to grow your professional network while enjoying complimentary hors d’oeuvres at some of the finest establishments in the Newton-Needham area. Geared towards professionals ages 21-40.

The chamber’s Young ProfessionalsGroup series is sponsored by:


Multi-Chamber Young Professionals NetworkingWhen: Wednesday, June 21, 5-7:30 p.m.Where: Sheraton Framingham Hotel, 1657 Worcester Road (Rt. 9), FraminghamCost: $20/open to members & non-members

We’re teaming up with the Corridor Nine, Marlborough, MetroWest, Nashoba, Worcester, Blackstone Valley, and North Central Mass Chambers of Commerce for a big regional young professionals networking event. Make lots of new connections – poolside at the Framingham Sheraton Hotel – while enjoying beer tastings, refreshments and a business scavenger hunt! Expected to draw 150-plus young professionals (between the ages of 21 and 40) this annual event will be a terrific opportunity get to know lots of new contacts throughout the greater MetroWest region.


Special Chamber Event

Real Estate Event

Real Estate Social at SocialWhen: Thursday, July 13, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: Social Restaurant & Bar, 320 Washington Street, Newton CornerCost: Open to members and non-members, please bring a donation of school supplies or $10 cash to benefit The Second Step, Inc.

Join us for the fourth annual “Social at Social,” a night of networking at Social Restaurant & Bar in Newton Corner. Meet local investors, residential realtors, commercial brokers, property managers, mortgage brokers and legal and financial services professionals. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar. This popular annual event is presented by the Chamber’s Real Estate Committee. To benefit The Second Step, Inc. the committee will be collecting new school supplies or a $10 cash donation at the door as the price of admission.

The chamber’s Real Estate series is sponsored by:

Children’s Charitable Golf TournamentWhen: Monday, August 7, 11 a.m. registration & lunch, 12:30 p.m. shotgunWhere: Woodland Golf Club, 1897 Washington St., NewtonCost: Early Bird through July 1: $340/golfer, $1,360/foursome After July 1: $365/golfer, $1,460/foursome

Registration is now open for individuals and foursomes and includes:

• all green fees and cart;• lunch in the clubhouse;• cocktail reception immediately following play;• use of practice facilities;• prizes for top teams; and• a genuinely useful gift for each player.Multiple sponsorship opportunities available

starting at $150.

Sponsored by:

For more events and to register go to nnchamber.com


Annual Members CelebrationWhen: Thursday, June 29, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: Newton Marriott, 2345 Washington St., NewtonCost: $20/open to members only

Join us for an extra-special after-hours celebration, outdoors in the pavilion at the Newton Marriott. Make new connections and reconnect with old friends while networking along the banks of the Charles River. We’ll enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres courtesy of our hosts and a cash bar. Plus, we’ll salute you – the members of the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber by honoring some of our longest standing members at the event.

Sponsored by:

Q Social Media Workshop

How to Maximize Your Facebook and Instagram Reach LocallyWhen: Tuesday, June 27, 7:30-9 a.m.Where: The Rockport Group, 1220 Washington Street, NewtonCost: $10, open to members only, advanced registration required

Special opportunity for retailers and restauranteurs! Join The Rockport Group’s social media team for an informational session about broadening your local customer base on Facebook and Instagram. If your business is on Facebook, but you’re unsure of how to work paid advertising into your strategy, then come learn about cost-effective ways to do so. If you’re on Instagram and in need of some fresh ideas, then come be inspired by an in-depth look at content that works and why. If you know what a hashtag is, but you’re not sure when and where to use one (or more), then #joinus. Coffee will be served.

Coffee Connect

Coffee Connect atLasell VillageWhen: Tuesday, July 11, 8-9 a.m. Where: Lasell Village, 120 Seminary Avenue, AuburndaleCost: Free for members & non-members

Take advantage of the summer weather and have coffee out on the courtyard at Lasell Village in Auburndale, while making lots of new connections with 50-plus professionals during our uber-popular morning networking series. Non-members interested in learning more about the Chamber, our mission, members and programs, are welcome to attend up to three Coffee Connects at no charge. As a member benefit, chamber members who pre-register will receive a list of attendees prior to the event.

Sponsored by:


Young Professionals Happy Hour at 3 Squares Craft Kitchen & CocktailsWhen: Wednesday, July 12, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: 3 Squares Craft Kitchen & Cocktails, 699 Highland Street, NeedhamCost: Free for members & non-members

Unwind after work while making lots of new connections with area young professionals out on the patio at 3 Squares Kitchen & Cocktails in Needham. We’ll enjoy extensive complimentary appetizers from the restaurant’s newly re-designed menu (and a cash bar). The chamber’s Young Professionals Group offers networking opportunities and other events geared towards professionals between the ages of 21-40. Drop by and stay for as little or as long as you like during these monthly meetups, happening the second Wednesday of every month.

The chamber’s Young ProfessionalsGroup series is sponsored by:

Join Angela Pitter (CEO and Founder LiveWire Collaborative) and Robert Lee (Executive Producer/Owner of Sha La La La Productions) in a conversation on incorporating video into your Digital Marketing Strategy. In this session, we’ll break down the myth. We’ll discuss why businesses need to use videos, provide examples of various formats and then demonstrate how it can easily be repurposed and distributed to maximize your ROI.

Sponsored by:


Hotel Indigo Pool-Deck PartyWhen: Wednesday, July 19, 5:30-7 p.m.Where: Hotel Indigo, 399 Grove Street, NewtonCost: $30/open to members only

Sunglasses and lots of business cards are essential for our annual party at the Hotel Indigo. This is always one of the Chamber’s most popular events of the year and will sell out. Enjoy an extensive selection of hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar while schmoozing with fellow chamber members poolside. Not a member? Join before we sell out and get a free ticket.

Sponsored by:

Women In Networking

Lunch at Davio’s (with the Brookline Chamber)When: Wednesday, July 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.Where: Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, 55 Boylston St., Chestnut HillCost: $20, open to members only

We’re teaming up with the Brookline Chamber of Commerce for a mega Women in Networking power lunch at Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse in Chestnut Hill. Make lots of new connections in an informal relaxed setting while sampling one of Newton’s best restaurants. For $20, you’ll receive a buffet lunch (non-alcoholic beverage, tax and tip included) and the opportunity to get to know more than 60 members of both the Newton-Needham and Brookline Chambers.

Sponsored by:


This includes our marquee Annual Members Celebration, sponsored by The Village Bank, on June 29. We’ll be hon-oring milestone member anniversaries while schmoozing along the banks of the Charles River at the Newton Marriott.

Then on Wednesday, July 19, you’ll definitely want to bust out your shades for our Annual Pool Deck Party presented by The Bulfinch Group at the Hotel Indigo – an event that’s sold-out almost as soon as registration has opened for close to four years running.

On the evening of Tuesday, August 15, at the gorgeous Wingate Residences, we’ll be honoring one of Needham’s oldest fam-ily businesses – Volante Farms – celebrat-ing its centennial anniversary this year. Finally, save the evening of September 14 for an After Hours at Gore Place Mansion just over the Newton border in Waltham – this 1806 estate is sure to impress.

Golfers, registration is open now for our annual Children’s Charitable Golf Tournament, presented by The Village Bank, which will take place at Wood-land Golf Club on Monday, August 7. Non-golfers can support the 26th annual event by sponsoring a tee sign to feature prominently out on the course, one of the region’s finest. A portion of the proceeds from the tournament go to support a deserving non-profit organization in our communities.

The chamber’s Young Profession-als Group will be taking their monthly networking happy hour al fresco on Wednesday, June 14 at the brand-new

Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza location on Needham Street. A week later they’ll join 10 area chambers for a pool-side network-ing event in Framingham – featuring a scavenger hunt and other activities. Fol-lowing another patio event at 3 Squares in Needham on July 12, the group will be on the move at The Street in Chestnut Hill Wednesday, Aug. 9 for their annual pub crawl — featuring tastings, prizes and networking at three locations at The Street in one evening.

And that’s not all. Power networkers can make lots of new connections at our ever-popular monthly morning Coffee Connects. Summer venues include the brand-new Yoga Works studio at The Street in Chestnut Hill (June 13) as well as Lasell Village’s expansive outdoor court-yard (July 11).

Plus, we’ve already scheduled social media workshops, lawyers council semi-nars, non-profit coffee connects, our an-nual Real Estate Social at the Social (July 13), Women in Networking lunches (save the date for a two-chamber lunch with the Brookline Chamber at Davio’s July 26), and more.

Whether you are looking for opportuni-ties to network, develop essential skills, or just chat with old friends while enjoying some of the finest event venues in our communities, you’ll find at least one can’t-miss event on our summer calendar. See pages 10 & 11 for more information about these offerings, and visit nnchamber.com for our most up-to-date calendar and registration.

Ellen Corbett, Hillman Homes and John Marczak, Mantra Computing, share a laugh at last year’s annual Hotel Indigo Pool Deck Party. This year, the event is planned for Wednesday, July 19. The chamber’s summer event calendar features some of our most popular annual offerings, and lots of opportunities to network out-of-doors and soak up the warm weather.

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Many opportunities for networking planned for this summer


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(continued from page 1)Governor emphasizes bi-partisanship at Spring Business Breakfastthe crowd of area businesspeople, many of whom have a stake in what happens along the two-mile stretch from Route 9 to Gould Street.

“This one has our full attention. The money is locked in, everyone is commit-ted to this, and we’re going to get it done, period,” Baker said.

The May 4 breakfast at the Needham Sheraton Hotel kicked-off a month of special Small Business Month chamber events, and also included the presentation of the chamber’s annual Green Business Awards. The awards are given to four local businesses that demonstrated sustainable or environmentally friendly initiatives, business practices and/or products.

The morning began with a preview of what may become commonplace by fall, with Baker and unofficial gubernatorial candidate Newton Mayor Setti Warren addressing each other.

Any tension between the two men was not obvious, as Warren quickly addressed what he called the elephant in the room.

“There’s a really important contest coming up in the fall,” said Warren, a Democrat who is an unofficial candidate for governor, expected to formally make his announcement this spring.

“It’s very important. I know you’re passionate, I’m passionate. You’re from Needham, I’m from Newton. I want to make it clear that the Newton North Tigers are going to defeat the Needham Rockets this fall on the football field,” he said to claps and laughs from the sell-out crowd

After Warren spoke, Chamber Presi-dent Greg Reibman took to the stage to introduce Baker.

“Right now, I’m the only thing standing between Setti Warren and the governor,” Reibman said.

“Next year it’ll be the Democratic pri-mary.”

When it was Baker’s turn, he seemed a bit confused by Warren’s quip, saying the two municipalities never played each other when he was a young athlete.

When he was told Newton North and Needham High are now aligned in the same league, he grinned. “Ah, that makes all the difference. I look forward to that one,” he said.

“When the mayor talked about the elephant in the room, I really thought he was talking about the Republican,” Baker said.

Baker, the event’s keynote speaker, spoke for more than 45 minutes high-lighting his administration’s emphasis working with local communities on “best practices,” improving wait times at the

Registry of Motor Vehicles, putting a sus-tainable solar program in place, shrinking the state’s regional unemployment gap, and smoothly eliminating Mass. Pike tolls without major traffic disruptions.

Baker said he and his staff looked at the original Mass Pike plan to do the work during weekdays and nixed it, opting in-stead for nights and weekends.

“I just can’t even imagine what it would have been like out there, people who were trying to come to an event like this would have had to leave two weeks ago,” he said.

Baker also spoke of the state’s impor-tant relationship with Israel, saying that on a visit there last December, literally half of the staff at a hospital he toured had connections to Massachusetts.

“The strength of that relationship is an incredible benefit to us, and we should do everything to build on it going forward be-cause there are tremendous opportunities to continue to grow, not just economically, but culturally, and intellectually,” he said.

He said Massachusetts could also learn from Israel’s model of preserving and honoring the past while they “run at nine zillion miles an hour into the future.”

He called Israel’s cyber security indus-try 20 years ahead of what the rest of the world is doing, and said a conference on global cyber security planned for this fall at Harvard Business School will bring Israeli experts here to speak with their colleagues here.

“Part of our point in going there was to embed ourselves a little more with the digital hub and cyber security folks there,” he said.

Baker never mentioned President

Gov. Charlie Baker highlighted his administration’s emphasis on working with local communities, shrinking the state’s regional unemployment gap and other topics at the chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast. Photo by Leise Jones.

Donald Trump, nor the American Health Care Act that the House of Representa-tives passed that afternoon. Later in the day, however, he publicly opposed the legislation he said could cost the state approximately $1 billion.

The crowd paid attention for more than 45 minutes, laughing at Baker’s jokes, nodding in recognition to his references

And the winners were…Four local businesses were presented with Green Business of the Year awards at the chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast on May 4. This year’s winners were:

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham was named the 2017 Needham Green Business of the Year for its employee-initiated work toward sustainability.

The 2017 Newton Green Business of the Year went to Sage Builders LLC and founder Jonathan Kantor for work constructing sustainable homes and advising the city on green building projects.

Residential landscaping company Go Green LawnCare, was awarded a Green Tech Award for using “the most pollution limiting equipment available,” and only natural and organic products.

And the Green Tech Award went to Needham’s SolarOne Solutions located in the N-Squared Innovation District, a leader in solar powered lighting solutions for roadways and public spaces around the world.

To qualify, a business must be based in either Newton, Needham or a neighboring community and either 1) made significant progress in reducing energy, or other environmental strategies toward sustainability, or 2) supply green products or services. In evaluating businesses, judges considered the following factors: waste prevention, recycling, purchasing, energy and water conservation, involving stakeholders transportation and social capital.

to growing up in Needham and giving him a standing ovation when he was done for his message of bipartisan cooperation.

Earlier, Warren talked about his role collaborating with Needham officials to get the N-Squared Innovation District that straddles the two communities off the ground. He also touted a “massive” investment in infrastructure proposed in his current budget that will upgrade roads and sidewalks while providing additional options for bikes and pedestrians across the city over the next decade.

“It’s going to really have a huge impact not only in and around the N-Squared Dis-trict but throughout the City of Newton to insure economic development continues to grow.”

Also speaking was Needham Board of Selectmen Chair Marianne Cooley, who announced Town Meeting approval of matching funds to help market the N-Squared Innovation District, and work with Newton on public transportation for the area.

Reibman thanked both Needham and Newton officials for contributing $20,000 and $24,000 respectively to the N-Squared marketing campaign. He said the finan-cial support from the two municipalities would leverage close to $300,000 in pri-vate sector support.


Steve Winter, Metropolitan Area Planning Council and a member of the chamber’s N2 Innovation District committee, joined Newton City Councilor and candidate for mayor Amy Sangiolo in applause during the chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast, presented by Eastern Bank and World Energy Efficiency Services. The sold-out Needham Sheraton ballroom was filled with 300+ business, civic and community leaders.

Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital was named the 2017 Needham Green Business of the Year at the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast in May. Pictured from left, Development Director Kelly Wallace and Director of Faculties Ken Edwards with Needham Selectmen Chair Marianne Cooley and State Rep. Denise Garlick.

Newton resident Jonathan Kantor, founder and principal of Sage

Builders, accepts the 2017 Newton Green Business of the Year Award from Newton Mayor Setti Warren

at the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast

at the Needham Sheraton.

Newton City Council President and mayoral candidate Scott Lennon joined a full ballroom of attendees at the Chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast, who were asked to participate in World Energy Efficiency Services’ Energy Saver$ program – a no-cost energy audit service for businesses to identify cost-saving energy efficient practices.

SolarOne Solution’s CEO Moneer Azzam celebrates his company’s Green Tech Award alongside Chamber President Greg Reibman and Needham Selectmen Chair Marianne Cooley. Four businesses were recognized for their environmental initiatives at the chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast, which was sponsored by Eastern Bank, World Energy Efficiency Services, The Village Bank, Abrams-Little Gill Loberfeld PC, BID-Needham, Mount Ida College, Middlesex Savings Bank and Eversource.

NBC Boston Today morning anchor Nick Emmons emceed the

chamber’s Spring Business Breakfast held

May 4 at the Needham Sheraton Hotel. The event featured the

chamber’s annual Green Business Awards

ceremony, remarks from Newton Mayor Setti

Warren, Needham Board of Selectman Chair

Marianne Cooley and a keynote address from

Gov. Charlie Baker.

All photos by Leise Jones Photography

Spring Business Breakfast honors local businesses


Lynne Sweet, LDS Consulting Group, joined a sold-out crowd of close to 600 area professionals, civic leaders and community residents at Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Newton & Needham. Attendees sampled signature items from 40 area restaurants under one roof at the chamber’s signature annual event, held at the Newton Marriott in April.

Spring Seasonings was once again an exceptional premier event

Jeannie Holland, Sally Powell, and Keisha King represented The Street/ WS Development at a special pre-event sponsor reception hosted by the Newton Marriott. NBC Boston, Showcase SuperLux, Mount Ida College, The Village Bank, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Sysco, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham and Briarwood Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center joined The Street as of sponsors of Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Newton & Needham, the chamber’s largest community event of the year.

Judith Kalish, proprietor of Judith’s Kitchen in West Newton, served her signature Kale Salad at Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Newton & Needham. Judith was one of seven first-time exhibitors featured at the event, representing the continued growth of the dining scene in our communities.

David Garcia, Dominic Grenga and owner Chris Lianos represented Needham Center Fine Wines at the chamber’s April Spring Seasonings tasting event. Beverage exhibitors poured craft beer and fine wine samples to augment the wide variety of tastes from area restaurants throughout the room.

Emily Rochford and the team from Stacy’s

Juicebar were all smiles as they served freshly prepared bites

to a crowd of 600 attendees

at Spring Seasonings: A

Taste of Newton & Needham.

Stacy’s joined 40 restaurants

and beverage exhibitors – all

members of the chamber – who

showcased their spring menus at

the event.

Legal Sea Foods chowder has been a staple at the chamber’s annual restaurant showcase,Spring Seasonings: A Taste of Newton & Needham, since the event’s inception over 20 years ago.

All photos byMaura WaymanPhotography


Needham Crossing section of the N-Squared District that is being developed by Normandy Real Estate Partners and Westbrook Partners.

Founders Park is already home to TripAdvisor and the Residence Inn; SharkNinja will open its headquarters there in June. Other plans for Founders includes a Staybridge Suites hotel, 390 rental apartments, retail space and ad-ditional commercial office space.

Needham Town meeting approved a tax incentive finance plan for the NBCU-niversal project on May 8 valued at nearly $2.1 million in property tax relief over 10 years. However, projections show that the town will greatly benefit from personal property taxes — satellites, cameras, com-puters and other high tech equipment — that will far outweigh the property tax breaks.

“With this move, N-Squared becomes an attractive destination for other media companies,” Marianne Cooley, chair of the Needham Board of Selectman told Town Meeting.

“We already have a small but interest-ing cluster of businesses in IoT (Internet of Things) in N-Squared, including PTC, BigBelly Solar, Building 36 Technologies and SharkNinja. But the idea of a media cluster in N-Squared would be unique to us in Greater Boston,” Cooley said.

As part of its tax increment finance agreement with the town, NBCUniversal

has agreed to house a collaborative media space in its building and broadcast the N-Squared/Needham Crossing logo on air.

The company has also agreed to offer shuttle service between its headquarters, the Newton Highlands MBTA Green Line station and the commuter rail station in

Needham Heights, and to provide intern-ships for local high school and college students.

NBCUniversal will receive a 70 percent real estate tax exemption for the first four fiscal years it is operating in Needham, a 5 percent exemption in the fifth year and a 1 percent exemption for the last five years.

Even with the exemptions, the town’s net real estate tax revenue on the parcel


NBCU joins WCVB-TV, Gatehouse Media, TripAdvisorand others to form N2 media hub

NBCUniversal has agreed to offer shuttle service between their headquarters, the Newton Highlands MBTA’s Green Line station and the commuter rail station in Needham Heights, and to provide internships to local high school and college students.

would increase with more than $5 million in incremental revenue. The company has also committed to investing $52 million in personal property in the first year, and maintaining not less than $16 million per year for the term of the Agreement. Per-sonal property is not exempted under the agreement. First year investment would result in $1.2 million in additional revenue.

Reibman praised Needham’s selectmen for negotiating the agreement and Town Meeting for overwhelmingly supporting it.

“This is a win for all sides,” Reibman said. “The town is going to enjoy signifi-cant tax revenues and NBCUniversal em-ployees are going to love working in the N-Squared Innovation District.”

This is only the second such tax break in Needham’s history. In 2012, Town Meeting approved a $1.8 million incentive package for TripAdvisor, a move that is widely believed to have sparked a renewed interest in what had long been an under-utilized office park.

Sure enough, Cooley told Town Meet-ing that Normandy reported a significant increase in inquiries for space at Founders Park following NBC Universal’s announce-ment.

“NBCU is the kind of tenant that other companies draft off,” Cooley said. “Need-ham Crossing and N-Squared is becom-ing seen as a cool place to be – not your grandfather’s suburban office park.”

– By Cindy Bailen –The latest in a series of articles looking

at office design in the Newton-Needham region.

Rockport shoes are all about combining a sense of classic with a touch of modern.

That same philosophy is apparent in the Rockport Group’s new global head-quarters on Washington Street in West Newton.

“Our CEO, Bob Infantino, feels very strongly about having a workplace that people want to go to, that you never want to leave,” Susan Dooley, senior vice presi-dent of global marketing at Rockport, says of the company’s beautiful 70,000 square foot headquarters.

Created by the Baker Design Group (responsible for the TripAdvisor’s interior

Rockport’s new HQ is a perfect fitRockport’s new home in West Newton features open collaboration areas and meeting spaces, furnished with leather seating that looks like it might have come from the Mad Men era.

in the N-Squared Innovation District), Rockport’s facility is more reminiscent of a mountain lodge than a corporate environment.

Baker’s design reflects the brand’s DNA and features. As you enter the building, you’re drawn to the gas fireplace in the lobby. A deep leather sofa, wood-framed armchairs, and a pair of orange ottomans communicate comfort and ease. Posted on an exposed brick wall in the foyer are large brand signs for Rockport, Aravon and Dunham (The latter two are smaller imprints, sold mostly by independent stores).

The company’s kitchen is enormous, with windows overlooking the Mass. Pike, huge arched mirrors on the walls, a long stone counter and intricately patterned tiles on the backsplash. Employees enjoy

catered meals here twice a week. Coffees, lattes and cappuccinos are free every day.

Rustic wood adds tremendous char-acter to the two-story office space. The vinyl floor tiles resemble slate. Horizontal surfaces feature terrariums filled with living plants.

There are walls of leather hides, and racks of footwear are everywhere, in Rock-port’s latest styles. As you pass them, it’s hard to resist picking up the shoes, since they’re displayed in such appealing ways.

Founded in 1971, Rockport went through a series of ownership changes, and its journey reads like a shuffle through some of the world’s foremost shoe com-panies. The company was purchased by Reebok in 1986, then Adidas acquired Reebok in 2005. Finally, in 2015, Rockport merged with New Balance partner The Drydock Group.

“We’re a freestanding company for the first time since the eighties,” says Dooley.

Employees moved into the renovated building at the end of last year. The Dry-dock Group space in the Seaport only had room for 40 employees. Rockport accom-modates five times as many workers in West Newton.

Open collaboration areas provide lounge and meeting space, and small phone rooms for private conversations are furnished with leather seating that look like it might have come from the Mad Men era.

Technology is pervasive here, too. Monitors show real-time information about what’s happening on the website. Employees bring their laptops to training rooms, and plug in to connect. Some con-ference rooms are set up for focus groups.

Every work station, from Infantino’s office to the cubicles where most employ-ees sit, has an identifying plaque show-ing some personality: name, shoe size, a couple of words expressing the occupant’s main interest, and the title, “Shoemaker.”

Everyone at Rockport is a shoemaker.Rockport’s latest marketing campaign

employs their trademark phrase, “Made for Movers.” As Dooley says, “A shoe has the whole world ahead of it. That’s what makes it beautiful.”

Cindy Bailen is a real estate reporter and architectural color consultant. She can be reached at [email protected].

Higher Office


Welcome to the ChamberAdviser Investments

Jake [email protected]

800-492-686885 Wells Avenue, Suite 109

Newton, MA 02459Wealth-management firm with 80

employees and $5-billion of assets under management.

Archstone Law Group, P.C.Arlene Schuler

[email protected]

57 Wells Avenue, Suite OneNewton, MA 02459

http://www.archstonelaw.comBusiness and transactional advisors to

companies, executives and professionals, with concentration in health care, real estate, food services, and estate planning.

Berkshire Hathaway Home ServicesPatrick Thomas

[email protected]

95 Union StreetNewton Centre, MA 02459http://ownnewengland.com

Boston Ballet School

Carolyn [email protected]

617-456-6260863 Washington Street

Newton, MA 02460http://www.bostonballet.org/school

Boston Evening Clinic FoundationRichard Brunson

[email protected]

1087 Beacon Street, Suite 301Newton, MA 02459

http://bostoneveningclinicfoundation.orgFoundation that awards grant funds to

agencies and organizations that provide medical, mental health and medical edu-cation services to underserved individuals in the Greater Boston area.

Colliers InternationalTed Lyons

[email protected]

160 Federal Street, 11th floorBoston, MA 02110

http://www.colliers.com/en-us/boston

Creative ImpressionsDebbie Jacobs

[email protected]

http://www.cre8iveinc.comCreative Impressions is a second-

generation, family and woman-owned business of branding experts. We provide promotional merchandise and services to connect brands and people.

Dynol ConsultingRichard Tibbetts

[email protected]

10 Oak Street, Suite #9Needham, MA 02492

Dynol Consulting delivers broad-based human capital consulting services to assist our clients achieve their business goals. Practice areas include human capital strategy, comp & benefit strategy and programs and leadership development.

Engel & Völkers WellesleyDean Poritzky

[email protected]

One Abbott StreetWellesley, MA 02482

http://wellesley.evusa.com

EYESPOTJorge Arroyo

[email protected]

One Boylston Street, Suite 3EChestnut Hill, MA 02467

http://eyespot.comConcierge Eye Care & Luxury Optical

Boutique.

Financial Planning Solutions, LLCRick Fingerman

[email protected]

120 Wells AvenueNewton, MA 02459

http://www.PlanWithFPS.comFinancial Planning Solutions, LLC,

is an independent firm specializing in financial planning and investment advice for individuals and families with young children, divorcees and widows. The firm also consults on 401(k) plans for small businesses in the Greater Boston/MetroW-est regions of Massachusetts.

FlexProfessionalsJennifer Thomson

[email protected]

Cummings Trade Center Executive Suites400 Trade Center Street, Suite 5900

Woburn, MA 01801http://www.flexprofessionalsllc.comFlexProfessionals, LLC is a flexible

recruiting and staffing service providing experienced business professionals to meet the part-time, flexible and project-based needs of local businesses.

Judith’s KitchenJudith Kalish

[email protected]

1371 Washington StreetWest Newton, MA 02465

Keene Vision Bob Keene

[email protected]

http://www.keenevision.comFreelance photographer specializing in

corporate and private portraits, event cov-erage and all still photography services.

Landmark ResidentialNora Lynch

[email protected]

320 Washington StreetWellesley Hills, MA 02481

http://www.landmarkne.comResidential Real Estate.

Law Office of Susan K. HowardsSusan Howards

[email protected]

300 Washington StreetBrookline, MA 02445

http://www.susankhowards.comCriminal defense attorney focusing on

domestic violence, elder abuse, bullying and discrimination practice at MCAD.

Longwood Dental GroupGail Barnes

[email protected]

1842 Beacon StreetBrookline, MA 02445

http://https://longwood-dental.comLongwood Dental Group is a Multi-

Specialty Group Dental Practice, provid-ing a complete range of restorative dental care.

Mahlowitz & Kanarek, LLCDenzil Kanarek

[email protected]

99 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Suite 301Boston, MA 02135

http://www.makalaw.com

Maura Wayman PhotographyMaura Wayman

[email protected]

244 Linden StreetWellesley, MA 02482

http://www.maurawayman.comWhen it comes to digital presence,

communicating your brand essence is essential. Trust Maura Wayman Photog-raphy to translate your corporate brand narrative into images. MWP works with corporate clientele and families.

Merrill Lynch - The Cafaro GroupAlbert Crimaldi

[email protected]

2221 Washington Street, Suite 300Newton, MA 02462

http://www.fa.ml.com/cafarogroupThe Cafaro Group at Merrill Lynch

offers a financial team with a keen per-spective and deep experience in managing different kinds of wealth. A select group of business owners, executives, wealthy retirees and other affluent individuals rely on The Cafaro Group for customized strategies designed to help them grow and preserve their assets for the long-term.

We work to get things done, and strive to surpass your expectations.

Monsignor Haddad Middle SchoolJames (Jay) MacDonald

[email protected]

110 May StreetNeedham, MA 02492

http://www.saintjoes.com/middle-schoolWe are a stand-alone, Catholic co-

ed middle school in the Archdiocese of Boston that has been leading students in faith, character, and scholarship for over 20 years. Our school, an intrinsic part of the Catholic Community of Saint Joseph Parish in Needham, is steeped in Catholic intel.


Ready to Show ItNora Keefe

[email protected]

http://www.readytoshowit.comHome Staging and Redesign.

Sara CampbellMichelle Zarella

[email protected]

200 Linden StreetWellesley, MA 02482

http://www.saracampbell.com

Southworth Development LLCPeter Alpert

[email protected]

120 Wells AvenueNewton, MA 02459

http://www.southworthdevelopment.comDeveloper of highly amenitized resi-

dential communities and golf properties.

Stone L’oven Pizza Co.Scott Lopes

[email protected]

1649 Beacon StreetNewton, MA 02468

http://www.stoneloven.com We are an upscale pizzeria with a full

bar offering our guests an eclectic menu of salads, panini, sandwiches and wraps in a warm and energetic atmosphere.

The Cerneos Group, LLCRichard Tharin

[email protected]

http://www.cerneos.comWe are a Product Development and

Global Regulatory consultancy focused on developing new and innovative bio-tech, medical device and pharmaceutical products.

Traktek PartnersJennifer Phillips

[email protected]

661 Highland Avenue, Suite 103GNeedham, MA 02494

http://www.traktekpartners.comTrakTek Partners is a marketing agency

that specializes in business and digital marketing strategies, creative design, website development, video production, SEM, SEO, and social media.

Wells Financial PartnersNathan Law

[email protected]

197 First Avenue, Suite 350Needham, MA 02494

http://www.wellsfinancialpartners.comWe are an independent financial plan-

ning firm helping people every day.

Wilchins, Cosentino, Novins LLPStephen Wilchins

[email protected]

20 William Street, Suite 130Wellesley, MA 02481http://wcnllp.com/

Wilchins Cosentino & Novins LLP is organized into seven major practice areas – Private Client, Litigation, Family Law, Employment Law, Real Estate, Corporate and Financial Services Litigation. Within those practice areas, we offer a wide range of services that help our clients reach their business and personal goals. We serve a wide spectrum of clients, including major corporations, financial institutions, indi-vidual entrepreneurs, closely held private companies, not-for-profit corporations, families and individuals. We strive to learn as much as possible about each client’s business and the industry in which each client operates.

30+ years as a member The Fessenden School (57 years)Maguire Company, Inc. (56 years)

R.L. Tennant Insurance Agency, Inc. (55 years)Sheraton Needham Hotel (31 years)

25 years as a memberBoston Sports Clubs

20 years as a memberGolden Living Center - Heathwood

Advantage Payroll Services

15 years as a memberVerve Creative

Avery Crossings Independent & Assisted LivingNew England Cable News (NECN)

Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer LLPNeedham Bank

10 years as a memberBlue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

5 years as a memberInvestment Consulting Associates NA, LLC

Siegel Associates, Inc.Newton Cultural Alliance

MiniLuxeCharles River Landing

1 year as a memberCharu Narain - Merrill Lynch

MILTONS - The Store for MenFrank Webb’s Bath Center Showroom

Morgan StanleyHuntington Learning Center

MIS AllianceWellesley Investment Advisors

Crystal Lake ConservancyMaster The Time Concierge

Newton Fire & FloodBlue Hill Country Club

Constitution Construction CorporationFeldman Family Law

Practical Computer ApplicationsYosemite Eyewear

Stephen Sherman PhotographyEustace Consulting

Law Office of Alan H. SegalPrimary Financial Care ProvidersLeague School of Greater Boston

Senior Helpers BostonClient Priority Financial Advisors LLC

Nigohsian Carpet & Rug Co Inc.Needham Housing Authority

Last Minute Productions

Happy Anniversary

Welcome Back to the Chamber

Anniversaries in June & July

People’s United BankGuillermo Monzon

[email protected]

827 Highland AvenueNeedham, MA 02494

http://www.peoples.com

Santander Bank, N.A.Andrew Murphy

[email protected]

780 Beacon StreetNewton Centre, MA 02459

http://www.santanderbank.com

To learn about the Newton-Needham Regional Chamberand membership benefits, call Lise Elcock at 617-244-1864

or email [email protected]


– By Laura Lovett –

The mixed-use project at 28 Austin St. in Newtonville appears finally ready to move forward following the dismissal of two lawsuits.

The contentious, 68-unit complex across from Star Market will be built atop a municipal parking lot and include 23 af-fordable units. Developed by Scott Oran and Austin Street Partners LLC, it is set to include 5,000 square feet of commer-cial space, including co-working space, office space, a public plaza and likely a restaurant.

Austin Street Partners is paying $1.05 million to lease the city-owned property. The city would retain control of municipal parking.

“We are accelerating,” said attorney Alan Schlesinger, of Schlesinger and Bu-chbinder, the law firm that is representing ASP. “We’ve started paperwork [for the ground lease] and we are hopeful.”

“Financing is not in place yet, but we

The Newton-Needham Regional Cham-ber has selected Newton South High School senior Maya Dennis and Need-ham High School senior Jillian Smith to receive the chamber’s annual student scholarships.

Dennis will attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the fall where

Chamber selects 2017 scholarship recipients

Jillian SmithMaya Dennis

she will pursue her interests of science, math and social advocacy. During her time in the Newton Public School system, she has made an impact through her aca-demic and extra-curricular success.

Dennis is also president and co-founder of the Aspirations in Medicine club, a pilot member of the school’s “Courageous Con-

versations on Race” initiative, a member of the Varsity Track and Field Team, plays saxophone in the Lab Jazz Ensemble and works at Rosie’s Place-the nation’s first homeless shelter for women.

“Maya possesses an intelligent, in-quisitive and reflective learning style, and displays motivation and maturity that are beyond her years,” said Suzy Drurey, her AP Chemistry teacher. “I am impressed by her warmth of character, kindness, innate curiosity, strong analytical problem-solv-ing ability, and especially her dedication to improving and challenging herself.”

Smith hopes to attend a small liberal arts college where she can pursue her in-terests in art and working with children. She has excelled as a student at Needham High School, taking several AP classes and involving herself in numerous clubs. Be-yond the walls of high school, Smith has fostered her love for teaching and working with children both through her coaching position at Energy Fitness and Gymnas-tics, and as a reading and writing tutor.

“Jillian is one of those people who continually stands out among her peers, whose infectious enthusiasm inspires others,” said Matt Johnson, founder of

Energy Fitness and Gymnastics. “Her unwavering commitment and integrity creates admiration and trusting relation-ships, and her intelligence, drive and intuition brings to her opportunities that are often reserved for those who are con-temporaries.”

Dennis and Smith were selected from a large pool of graduating seniors who live and or attend high school in Newton and Needham. The selection committee included Kevin Ruddy (PTC), Alison Bor-relli (Needham Historical Society), Barry Brown (Mount Ida College), Mark Love-less (The Village Bank), Bryan Manandhar (Brookline Bank) and Josephine McNeil (CAN-DO).

The two $2,000 awards will help fund the respective college or university each student will attend in the fall of 2017.

Austin Street project clearslegal challenges

don’t see it as a fatal problem,” Schlesinger said.

In a case dismissed in Middlesex Su-perior Court on May 2. three plaintiffs claimed they were abutters who have suf-fered or will suffer detriment sufficient to constitute “aggrievement.”

The plaintiffs alleged the project would increase traffic, density problems, pedes-trian congestion, saturation of businesses, increase pollution and cause a reduction of parking. But the court dismissed the case stating they did not provide expert testimony of allegations, instead relying on personal opinions and observations.

The dismissal also noted the plaintiffs had no legal standing as abutters since none of them had lots that directly abut the Austin Street site.

A separate lawsuit was dismissed in December.

Excerpted from an article in the New-ton TAB and Wicked Local Newton. Pub-lished with permission.

Jodi Goodman, Isagenix, Jill Becker, MD and Jen Cavallo, Isagenix practice at-desk strengthening routines demonstrated by Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Jackie Riedel. Riedel, along with Primary Care Physician Sally McNagny, MD led an interactive and informative wellness seminar, presented by the Chamber’s Women in Networking Committee and sponsored by The Village Bank and Newton-Wellesley Hospital in March.

Brianna Bishop, Nicole Sloan, Brian Lizotte, Matt Spaetzel of The Village Bank with Rebecca Finley, Crosspoint Associates represented the chamber’s Young Professionals Group at Newton’s annual Charles River Cleanup in April, helping to clear debris along Hemlock Gorge.


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Member NewsBoys & Girls Club gala raises $175K

Newton residents Paul Guzzi, for-mer State Representative, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and his wife Joanne served as Honorary Co-Chairs of the annual Reach for the Stars Gala Auction on April 1 to support the kids of the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton. Paul credits his time as a “Club kid” in the 1950’s for playing a significant role in his development. Channel 7 Sports Director and Club board member Joe Amorosino, serving as auctioneer, helped inspire the nearly 300 in attendance to raise more than $175,000.

Needham Education Foundation awards over $30K in grantsThe Needham Education Foundation recently awarded over $30,000 in grants to the Needham Public Schools. Grants include technology, such as Sphero SPRK robotic balls for all Needham elementary schools, Drawing Tablets for Needham High School, materials to enhance a new Engineering Design 101 course at Needham High and a visit from non-fiction author Jerry Pallotta. Other grants include funding more cul-turally diverse classroom libraries, a visit from a Native American storyteller and the development of curriculum for 5th graders to practice every day courage. Founded in 1990, NEF has awarded over 650 grants to the Needham Public Schools.

Newly renovated Keyes Drug debutsAn improved customer experience was the focus of a complete renovation at Keyes Drug in Newton, which includes new flooring, shelving, display cases, counters, and energy-efficient lighting. The updated pharmacy also features: a new private consultation and im-munization room; additional checkout areas to keep up with the increasing foot traffic in the store; and two new compounding labs, each featuring a glass window for customer viewing from the front-store.

Baby Basics marks 20th anniversaryBaby Basics, a non-profit providing over two million free diapers to thousands of working, low-income families in Need-ham, Dedham and South Boston, celebrat-ed its 20th Anniversary with a fundraiser at TripAdvisor on March 31. Honoree Congressman Stephen F. Lynch received the Jean Ann Lynch Founders Award, and The Congregational Church of Needham and The South Boston Community Health Center were presented Community Part-nership Awards. For more information on Baby Basics visit www.babybasicsinc.org.

Pelham Properties donates $3,000 to Beth Israel DeaconessRaz Panossian, Founder & Managing Broker of Pelham Properties, presented Kelly Wallace, Director of Development at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (Needham) with a donation in the amount of $3,000 — a donation specifically earmarked to support the hospital’s Lank Cancer Center.

After losing a close friend to cancer in 2016, Panossian now donates a minimum of 20% of the commission from every

transaction to organizations dedicated to fighting this disease and helping those who are coping with it or who have survived its effects.

Rotary sends students to weekend leadership program

The Rotary Club of Newton announced that it has awarded scholarships to this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Conference to be held in June at Fitchburg State University. The winners are Achille Ricca from Newton North High School, Ethan Weiss and Rachel Gamburg from Newton South High School, Stephanie Hogan from Mount Alvernia Academy, and Ingrid Farrell from Newton Country Day School.

Palmer shares expertise in new bookPatrick Palmer, former Newton-Needham Chamber Chair and member, has published a book entitled “A Husband’s Guide to Caregiving: Hard-Earned Lessons for Men and Women — Caring for a Loved One at Home.” It offers 10 insights into the world of caregiving which the author experienced over six years of caring for his wife. This book describes what the author learned on-the-go, as there are very few resources out there to teach you how to be a caregiver, especially for men. It is available on Amazon as a paper book and Kindle versions.

Hurwit & Associates and Champ Internet Solutions partnerHurwit & Associates, in collaboration with Champ Internet Solutions, are proud to announce the launch of a new website www.hurwitassociates.com. The Hurwit & Associates website is an educational resource, full of rich content and information for today’s nonprofit organizations. Champ Internet Solutions worked with Hurwit & Associates to strategize, design, develop and implement the deep, professional and highly functional website.

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www.haynesmanagement.com (continued on page 25)



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Abrams Little-Gill Loberfeld named a 2017 Regional LeaderAbrams Little-Gill Loberfeld PC (ALL) was recently selected as a 2017 Regional Leader by Accounting Today. ALL was named one of the Top 19 Firms in New England. Ac-counting Today’s Top 100 and Regional Leaders annually ranks the top 100 accounting firms in the country and the top regional leaders.

“We are honored to once again be recognized as one of New England’s leading accounting firms,” said Ron Loberfeld, CPA, managing partner of ALL. “This award highlights the commitment of our talented team to serve our great clients.”

Jackson Walnut Park Schools celebrates three milestonesJackson Walnut Park Schools is concluding the current academic year with three special occasions. The school’s 50th Anniversary was celebrated at a Jubilee Mass on Monday, May 8. On Wednesday, June 7, JWP Schools will graduate a sixth-grade class of 31 students. Additionally, A ceremonial ground breaking for a new Student Center will take place on June 8.

For information on openings in JWP’s pre-school and elementary school classes, contact Katy Denning, Director of Admissions, [email protected], 617-202-9772.

Insight Performance named a BBJ Best Place to Work

Insight Performance was one of only 80 companies in the state named a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal for the second year in a row in the extra-small workplace category.

Over 300 companies and 30,000 employees completed surveys, which addressed such factors as pride in the company, company encouragement, support and recogni-tion of achievement, and relationships with co-workers and supervisors.

League School holds 50th Anniversary Gala On Thursday, April 27, League School of Greater Boston held its 50th Anniversary at the Boston Waterfront Renaissance Hotel. Over 200 guests, including host committee member, Greg Susco of Telamon Insurance (seen here on the left with Fran Murray at the cocktail hour preceding the event), gathered to honor the school’s long-time supporters and friends while raising over $60,000 for the school.

Newly independent Presti Group expands outreach effortsBroker and owner Marie Presti, an award-winning realtor based in Newtonville, has announced she is now operating independently as The Presti Group. In order to ex-pand its community outreach while also giving back to the city of Newton, The Presti Group is proud to support a host of local events including The Newton Free Library’s Spring Fling Gala, the Historical Society’s House Tour, the local Rotary Club, and the Festival of the Arts, to name just a few.

Acrobatic dance certification enhances LINX dance programs

LINX Dance Studio of Wellesley has enhanced its dance programs through certifica-tion in the art of acrobatic dance, to provide safe and effective programs for young dancers as they learn acrobatic elements in choreography. LINX has been certified by Acrobatic Arts for two years, and is the only studio in Wellesley with this status. Ad-ditionally, they are one of only two studios presently certified in MetroWest. Cerneos gets new followers from MedMates Life Science ExpoCerneos gained new followers and expanded its reach by Exhibiting at the MedMates (www.medmates.com) Life Science Expo on April 26. Cerneos presented a rollout of its new website and White Papers on Demand service.

New Outlook Homecare takes part in Walk to End Alzheimer’sOn Sunday, Sept. 24, New Outlook Homecare will once again participate in the Greater Boston’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The team will join close to 5,000 people walking either 1.5 or 3.5 miles to raise awareness and funds for research to end Alzheimer’s disease.

There are no fees to walk, no fundraising obligation and each team member will get a team shirt and flower. To join their team, make a donation or volunteer on walk day please contact Marcy Leiman at [email protected].

Free Family Fun Nights at the West Suburban YMCAJoin the West Suburban YMCA for an hour of free family fun on the second Tuesday of every month from 6-7 p.m. All are welcome to enjoy gym activities, a bouncy house and snacks courtesy of The Belmont Savings Bank Foundation. Brian Thone, [email protected].

5K Run/1M Walk to supportCharles River Center The Seventh Annual 5K Run/1 Mile Walk is a fun, family event supporting a local non-profit. The USA Track and Field-certified course begins and ends at the Charles River Center at 59 East Militia Heights Drive, and loops through the scenic back roads of Wellesley and Needham. Participants (nearly 600 in years past) en-joy food, drinks and festivities after the run, which begins at 11 a.m. All abilities are wel-come. Free T-shirts to the first 300 entries. Proceeds benefit more than 950 children and adults with developmental disabilities including autism and Down syndrome supported by the Charles River Center. For more information and to register, visit www.CharlesRiverCenterRoadRace.com.

Century 21 Commonwealth Needham has welcomed Toula Sfougaris-tos, Larry Lodge, Karen Giovannucci, Phil Robey, and Pooh Lockwood as associates to their company.

Recently retired, David Park joins Newton Rotary’s Community Service Community Committee.

Michael Holt has joined Brookline Bank as their newest Business Banking Officer.

The Rockport Group has welcomed three new marketing team members: Natasha Iwanow, Associate Manager, Social Media, Cin-dy Woo, Senior Manager, Interna-tional Marketing Activation, and Caroline Keefe as Graphic Designer.

HouseWorks has announced Corie Scibelli as their new direc-tor of human re-sources.

Brookline Bank’sMichael Holt

David Park of theNewton Rotary

The Rockport Group’s Natasha Iwanow, Cindy Woo and Caroline Keefe


Member News Personnel Announcements

Member Events


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Marian Leah Knapp

– By Marian Leah Knapp –

The world’s population is getting older.Acknowledging that is easy. But for

business owners, knowing what to do about it is much more complex.

For the first time in history there are more people in the world age 65 and over than there are those who are under age 15. The proportions of “older” and “younger” will never reverse either. People are living longer and fewer children are being born.

From now and forever, we will be older as a global society.

Municipal leaders in both Newton and Needham are paying attention too and learning about their aging residents. The Needham Public Health Department is studying the obstacles people face as they age there. In 2013, the town opened the beautiful “Center at the Heights.” In Feb-ruary 2016, the City of Newton applied to become a member of the WHO/AARP Age-Friendly/Livable Community Network, which allows people all over the world and in the United States to communicate

Age-friendliness isn’t just the right thing to do.It’s good for your bottom line

Guest Column

about their “age-friendly” activities.The concerns across communities are

common, with perhaps the lack of appro-priate, affordable and accessible housing at the forefront.

Transportation is a significant factor, too, as many older people struggle to get to doctors’ appointments, cultural events,

and jobs – whether as volunteers or paid employees. These are all elements of in-clusiveness.

This is where the business community can have an impact and benefit too.

First, businesses can find ways to serve and accommodate their older customers. Second, they can meet their own staffing needs by providing jobs for a population of folks who want to work.

Let’s start with ways to serve: There are a number of steps a business can take to enable elders to patronize a business.

Most of these are not only good for seniors but for everyone — including people who push strollers: Keep sidewalks free of snow and ice in the winter; eliminate bar-riers such as steps to get inside; and have bathrooms that accommodate people with canes or walkers. Certainly, some of these items are not possible because

of the physical configuration of older properties, but when possible, these are things that can improve access and your bottom line.

The second item is em-ployment. Many older people want to work either as a way to stay connected in the com-munity or to earn income to help with expenses. Often people are surprised to learn that in 2010, the median total

income for a man over 65 living alone in Newton was $30,438; for a woman it was $ $26,300. Twenty-eight percent of heads of households age 65 and over reported annual income of less than $25,000.

Employing an older adult can make a significant impact on their ability to main-tain a safe home, stay in the community and avoid isolation. But don’t just do it to be nice. Retired people bring valuable knowledge and experience at a time when many area businesses struggle to fill jobs.

Initially we must define exactly what

Employing an older adult can make a significant impact on their ability to maintain a safe home, stay in the community and avoid isolation. But don’t just do it to be nice. Retired people bring valuable knowledge and experience at a time when many area businesses struggle to fill jobs.

skills are needed in the business community, iden-tify the assets that residents offer, identify the bar-riers that prevent older people from joining the labor pool, and figure out how to bridge the gap between what is available and what is needed. Locally, there are several agencies that specifically recruit older adults, so there are models from which we can learn.

The first step for individuals and busi-ness owners is to enter into age-friendly conversations and to generate interven-tion ideas to confront the fact that our communities are aging. Once we are willing to do that, then we can begin a dialogue about what to do next.

It is a challenging but exciting time. It is an opportunity for us who are living, aging, and doing business in our commu-nities to think and act creatively together around a critical issue that affects each and every one of us.

Marian Leah Knapp, PhD, is chair of the Newton Council on Aging and has published two books on aging, “Aging in Places: Reflective Preparation for the Fu-ture” and “A Steadfast Spirit: The Essence of Caregiving.” Her blog (voicesofaging.com/) focuses on the issues that people face as they get older.

The New England Mobile Book Fair, an institution that’s been a key part of the literary community of the Newton area for more than a half-century, has found a new home on Needham Street in the N-Squared Innovation District.

The business will be moving to Marshalls Pla-za, owned by Northland Development Corp., just a few blocks away, which offers a more affordable option for the independent bookstore.

The Book Fair had been looking for space for several months, as the lease on the existing space was set to expire. Owner Tom Lyons aimed to find a smaller, more affordable space that kept a local presence while also providing the core community with a viable, independent bookstore.

New England Mobile Book Fair will stay in Newton“We had been contacted by a number of

cities and locations nearby, but ultimately we felt that we wanted to try to stay local,

so when Northland contacted us it felt like the right fit,” said Lyons. “Even though it’s not a permanent solu-tion it helps keep this bookstore close to its roots. Northland clearly

understands the need for unique local businesses that support the community.”

Northland has offered a two-year lease to Lyons as the company readies plans to redevelop the plaza and adjacent parcels into housing, retail and office space.

“Our concern was that the city of Newton should not lose this important institution,” said Northland Senior VP

Peter Standish. “We are pleased to be able to facilitate New England Mobile Book Fair’s ongoing service and commitment to the people of Newton.

“This use fits squarely with the vision for our proposed mixed-use development, and we hope to find the bookstore a per-manent home here,” Standish added.

Newton-Needham Chamber President Greg Reibman praised Northland for “stepping up and finding a home for this beloved Newton business.”

“For a while it looked like we were ei-ther going to lose the Book Fair to another community, or see it close altogether. This agreement allows Tom time to carefully refine his business model at a challenging time for many retailers but particularly for independent bookstores,” Reibman said.

Work has already begun to get the space at 275 Needham St. ready. An opening cel-ebration is planned for mid-June.

‘Our concern was that the city of Newton should not lose this important institution.’

– Peter Standish,Northland Development Corp.


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