February Business Connection
Board of Directors

Chair of the Board
*Robert Ferrini
McGowanPRO

Treasurer
*James Donellon
Gray, Gray & Gray, LLP

General Counsel 
*Thomas Flaherty
Bacon Flaherty LLC

President/CEO
*Thomas O'Rourke
Neponset River Regional Chamber

Anthony Brown
Dedham Savings

Mary Chetwynd
Rockland Trust

Todd J. Chipman, MST, CPA
John T. Chipman & Co., CPAs

Peter Ellis
ServPro of Norwood and West Roxbury

Steve Forrest
CertainTeed

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

Rhonda Kale
Bank of Canton 

*Michael Kennedy
Norwood Bank

Paul Kouri
Keller Williams 

Jon Levy
American Holt Corporation

Michelle Llorett
Fairfield Inn & Suites

Ashley Mansfield
Dedham High School

*Tim McCabe
The League School

*Julie Molloy
Compass Real Estate

Sal Perla
Norwood Hospital 

Christa Seychew
Legacy Place

Shonda Sumpter
Brigham and Women's Health Care Center

*Member of the Executive Committee
COVID-19 and Reopening Resources

Be sure to check out our webpage for a complete list of resources for your business during the COVID-19 crisis.
From the President: Annual Meeting Honors COVID Heroes
The Chamber's 127th Annual Meeting celebrated the accomplishments of several area businesses and was highlighted by remarks from Scott Nickerson of Moderna.

Normally we recognize a few of our members for their contributions to the community and to the Chamber, but the past year was anything but normal, so instead, we felt it was appropriate to recognize “COVID Heroes Among Us”. We presented awards to a business or person who had done something special to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic or who has changed their business model to find success in new ways.  

Congratulations to the following award winner's!
  • Moderna
  • The Kraft Group
  • Norwood Hospital
  • Dedham Square Circle
  • Friends of Norwood Center
  • Avi Shemtov, Simcha Restaurant
  • Rob Peters Entertainment

We also heard from Scott Nickerson from Moderna about the incredible story behind their successful efforts to develop a vaccine against COVID-19. This included the development of their mRNA technology and expanding their manufacturing facility in Norwood, where the vaccine is being produced. Never has such an impactful vaccine been produced so quickly and effectively.


Thanks to Norwood Community Media for producing a piece on the Annual Meeting. View the NCM video.

Tom O'Rourke, CCE
President and CEO
Welcome New Member
Chamber Members in the News
South Shore Staffing, the locally owned staffing agency serving Southeastern Massachusetts, is pleased to announce new President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Corrigan (left). Corrigan will replace long-time President, Linda McDaid, who will remain at the company as a Recruiting Consultant.

“Since taking over the company in 2013 after the unexpected death of my brother, founder Ed McDaid, I am pleased to be able to transition South Shore Staffing to Lisa knowing that the legacy of the business he began will continue,” says outgoing President Linda McDaid. “Lisa’s experience and dedication to the local community will guide South Shore Staffing to the next level in what has been a great journey.”
SYNERGY HomeCare announced that it has received both the 2021 Best of Home Care® – Provider of Choice and Employer of Choice Awards from Home Care Pulse. These awards are granted only to the top-ranking home care providers, based on client and caregiver satisfaction scores gathered by Home Care Pulse. SYNERGY HomeCare is now ranked among a small handful of home care providers across the country who have proven their ability to provide an exceptional working experience to employees and the highest quality care to clients.
Member to Member Offer
$50 Savings for Chamber Members
Reach thousands of local readers focused on enhancing their living spaces when you advertise in the Spring Home and Garden Guide.
From building a better bathroom to tool care tips and budget landscape improvements, this special section includes a variety of features to complement your products and services.
During its recent December Debit Sweepstakes promotion, Bank of Canton awarded seven local residents $5,656 worth of prizes, including five KitchenAid stand mixers, a DEWALT power tool combo set, and a Peloton bike package with six-month membership.

“With so many holiday purchases being made online and over the phone this year, we knew lots of customers were going to be using their debit card,” said Stephen P. Costello, president and CEO of Bank of Canton. “The December Debit Sweepstakes was a fun and exciting way to thank our customers for using their card, and give a few lucky folks a great start to 2021.”
Thank You! The following members have renewed their membership with the NRR Chamber
We understand the difficulties that many of our members are dealing with at this time. We know that many may not be able to renew their memberships until the situation improves.

We are grateful to those who are in a position to support the Chamber, including the following who have recently renewed:
Brookmeadow Country Club
City of Boston Credit Union
ConnectPay
EMCO Engineering
Home Instead Senior Care
John T. Chipman & Co., CPA's
Keller Williams Boston/Southwest
Kesner, Godes & Morrisey, LLC
Marathon Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine
Marilyn & Company
McCrea's Candies
Meantide Associates, LLC
Nicholson Financial Services, Inc.
Norton Country Club
Red Ball Promotions
Schlossberg, LLC
School to Careers Partnership
Sharon & Crescent United Credit Union
The Bulfinch Group
Tring Staffing Solutions
Truelove, Dee & Chase, LLP
Meet Our New Board Members
The Chamber extends its gratitude to Cindy Peterson, Brigham Health, Alisia St. Florian, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey and Lehane and Mark LoVuolo, Liberty Mutual Insurance for their service as members of the board of directors. Their terms expired at the recent Annual Meeting.

Also, two members were elected to the Board of Directors.
Shonda A. Sumpter, born and raised in Boston, has over 20 years of experience in Hospital Administration. She has held leadership roles at Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and, most recently, has joined Brigham and Women’s Hospital as the Practice Administrator at Brigham Health Care Center at University Station in Westwood.
Shonda is fueled by her passion to serve. She is convinced that is why she has worked her entire career in Healthcare. Shonda was selected as a Global Scholar and had the opportunity to travel to Uganda. The experience was a lifelong lesson in regards to the many things in America that is taken for granted, the strength and resiliency of people, and how the basic human right to healthcare is not the same for everyone everywhere.
Shonda resides in Milton with her husband and sons. She has lived there since 2003. She is a member of Concord Baptist Church, Milton. Serving on the NRRC board is a welcomed and exciting opportunity for Shonda to serve in an area she lives and works, and presents an opportunity to continue the Brigham mission to improve the health and wellness of the global and local community.
Erin Hooker-Thomas is the Marketing Manager for Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP and is also involved in the firm’s office administration. Originally hired in 2019 as a part-time employee to assist the IT administrator with general technical issues and website maintenance. After excelling at that task, Erin was asked to join MHTL on a full-time basis as the firms Marketing Manager. As time has progressed, she has taken on new roles and now assists the firm in a variety of administrative ways along with her ongoing marketing management work. 
Prior to joining MHTL, Erin rejoined the workforce on a part-time basis at John Hancock Financial Services. She received awards for her dedication, hard work, and commitment to customer service. Before that, Erin also managed a multi-veterinary practice early in her career. At that veterinary practice, Erin worked her way up from her start as a receptionist, to assisting with surgeries, and ultimately, to filling the role as office manager for more than 10 years.  
Erin graduated from Curry College in 2013 with a Master of Business Administration. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and Photography with a concentration in Communication Media Technology from Salve Regina University.  
Outside of work, Erin can be found on various sport fields with her 5 children. If she is not headed to a sporting event or tackling homework issues, she is enjoying the slopes, hiking a mountain, or swimming in the ocean. Erin can also be found preparing meals to feed the homeless at a variety of Boston’s non-profits.
Paycheck Protection Program Webinar Recording
If you missed the "Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)" virtual experience that was held last Friday, you can now view the webinar and the slides.

The informative session was presented by Ili Spahiu, Lead Lender Relations Specialist, and Dan Martiniello, Lender Relations Specialist, with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Jessica Mello with SEED Corporation and Margaret LaForest with the Mass. Office of Business Development.

Thanks the One SouthCoast Chamber and MSBDC for also partnering with us on the program.
Sponsor Opportunities for 2021
Looking for ways to gain positive exposure for your business? Look no further. The Chamber has put together a collection of sponsorship opportunities for all events in 2021.

What better way to show your commitment to supporting the local business community than by partnering with the Chamber as a sponsor. There are options to fit all budgets. Click below to learn more.
Get your message out to more than 1,500 email addresses for just $25. Contact Tom O'Rourke at tom@nrrchamber.com
Member Benefit of the Month
Virtual Member Decal
Later this month you will be receiving your 2021 Membership Directory and member window decal.

We recognize that not everyone has a window on which to display their decal. You can download a virtual decal, which can be added to your website, email signature or any other digital display that you would like.

Simply go to the Virtual Member Decal page on our website and follow the simple instructions to download it today!

Remember, studies show that consumers are more likely to do business with those they know belong to their local Chamber of Commerce.
Neponset River Regional Chamber | www.nrrchamber.com