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With the return of in-person meetings, we are excited to announce our second annual "ChamberTalks 7x7" event on September 23.
ChamberTalks is a fast-paced round of 7 talks by 7 speakers on 7 different topics. Loosely modeled on the popular TED Talks, the program will inform, inspire and educate you on a variety of subjects of local interest. Guests will be seated in the luxurious new seating at the Showcase Cinema at Legacy Place (with complimentary popcorn and water of course) to enjoy the presentations. Following the talks, we will head out to the main lobby by the bar for cocktails and hors d' ouevres. At this point you will have the opportunity meet the speakers, ask questions and network with others. As an added treat, we will have our own member, Dennis Blanchard from Eventful Magic, on hand to amaze and mystify you with feats of magic. Here are the topics our speakers will be sharing:
To learn more about the program and our presenters, click here. We look forward to seeing you there! Tom O'Rourke President and CEO We are including below a copy of Jon Hurst's op/ed piece which recently ran in The Boston Globe, because we believe it presents a well thought out argument on behalf of employers like you. Jon is the President of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM).
Beacon Hill should follow other states and devote federal COVID-19 relief funds to bring down the debt from the cost of layoffs from the pandemic. By Jon B. Hurst, RAM President Massachusetts employers were recently handed their revised unemployment insurance tax bills for 2021. These lower bills are the result of new legislation that has been marketed as a fix for the unemployment insurance crisis. It authorizes the state to borrow $7 billion to shore up what would have been an insolvent unemployment insurance fund to pay back federal loans and interest on those loans. For many businesses, their revised tax bills dropped dramatically from what was first sent to them in April. The catch? Employers must pay it back. While the reduction in payments is welcome, employers have been handed an unprecedented tax increase for the $7 billion COVID-19 unemployment tab, which is now being amortized over 20 years rather than just two years. This is hardly a fair fix. What employers need from Beacon Hill is for government to step up with true shared responsibility by significantly reducing the overall unemployment insurance debt. The Legislature can do this by using a portion of the $5 billion in federal COVID relief funds under its control to make a fair down payment to mitigate the unprecedented tax increase for COVID layoff costs, which were triggered by public policy and government administration as a result of the pandemic. The current legislative “fix” to the unemployment insurance system is a tax on employers to amortize over 20 years the massive $7 billion in COVID claims paid out during the pandemic. Through state bonding, the $7 billion — plus interest — is being spread out, but current and future employers are still being asked to pick up the entire tab for the claims, fraud, and interest charges. The delayed tax increase on employers will most certainly suppress future wage and job growth in the Commonwealth by making it more expensive to run a business here. By mortgaging the entire debt, Beacon Hill has yet to do what more than half of the states have done — devote federal COVID relief funds to bring down the debt and relieve employers from significant portions of the cost of the layoffs from the pandemic. Furthermore, some states — such as Connecticut — have also recently reformed their unemployment insurance systems, including freezing benefit increases for multiple years to create economic balance in the future, but Massachusetts has yet to freeze benefits. In recent months, the majority of states have used either CARES Act federal funds or committed to using new American Recovery Plan Act dollars to shore up their unemployment insurance trust funds. Massachusetts has received $5.3 billion in Recovery Plan funds. A significant portion of those funds should be committed now to this crisis to bring down the future borrowing, interest charges, and unprecedented tax increases for employers. Unlike past recessions, the unemployment insurance claims from COVID were not the fault of employers. Small-business owners did not order the business closures or the workplace and commerce restriction; nor did they prompt school and daycare closures. Employers also didn’t trigger the extra emergency unemployment insurance benefits. And they certainly didn’t cause the unrecoverable, fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and overpayments. A study by the National Conference of State Legislatures pegged the COVID fraud claims and overpayments nationally at a whopping $63 billion. Using a common economic extrapolation of Massachusetts representing 2.5 percent of national figures (probably conservative in this instance, given the generous nature of the state’s unemployment insurance system), one could assume that the fraud and overpayments portion of the $7 billion COVID unemployment insurance costs could be at least $1.6 billion. Members of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts understand that legislators are hearing from countless organizations, special interests, and constituent groups seeking a portion of that once-in-a-lifetime kitty of $5.3 billion in federal COVID aid. Congress recognized its shared responsibility in the COVID crisis by appropriating those funds, with an express intended use of state unemployment insurance Trust Fund replenishment. Now Beacon Hill must acknowledge its role in the shutdowns, restrictions, fraud and overpayments, and act as effective stewards of those federal tax dollars by mitigating the $7 billion COVID-related tax increase. The very floor of discussion for the state’s fair share of the COVID unemployment insurance costs should be the $1.6 billion that can be reasonably attributed to fraud and overpayments. Beacon Hill should prioritize a fair level of public investment into these unemployment insurance COVID claims. Likewise, balanced policy reforms should be considered to close outlier eligibility loopholes — such as joining 49 states in having both a minimum number of weeks of work as well as minimum earnings in order to qualify for benefits — and to prevent future system abuse. In doing so, it would send the right message to small businesses that they are valued and not taken for granted. Thanks to all who ventured to dine at our local restaurants last month. The first-ever “Regional Restaurant Week” ran from June 7 through June 11 in the towns of Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Westwood. The initiative was made possible in part by a grant received from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) 2021 Regional Pilot program, geared toward helping small businesses recover from COVID.
22 restaurants participated and offered prix-fixe meals to entice diners back to the restaurants. There was lots of action on social media throughout the week to promote the event. We had 5,000 interactions on Facebook (an increase of 2,900%) and 150,000 impressions (an increase of 1,150%). Our website traffic increased 225% leading into Restaurant Week with nearly 90% of the page views going to the Restaurant Week page. We have many people and groups to thank for making Restaurant Week happen. Our municipal partners in Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Westwood along with the Dedham Square Circle and the Friends of Norwood Center. Graphic design work by Amanda Deiratani, Deiratani Designs, web page development by Kerry Aglugub, KMA Web Design and social media promotion by Diana Bagas, LAUNCH Social Media. Tom O'Rourke President and CEO The Neponset River Regional Chamber is pleased to announce that, working with the towns of Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Westwood, the Chamber will run a “Regional Restaurant Week” from June 7 through June 11. The initiative is made possible in part by a grant received from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) 2021 Regional Pilot program, geared toward helping small businesses recover from COVID.
Make it a point to support our local restaurants by dining out as often as you can during the week, and of course, to continue doing so afterwards. Visit our “Regional Restaurant Week” webpage at nrrchamber.com. It lists all participating restaurants, their special offers and links to their websites. A social media campaign will be executed using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Diners are encouraged to post selfies on their social media platforms as they dine out. Among the restaurants participating are Blue Ribbon BBQ, Casa Loca, Lewis’, C.F. McCarthy’s, Il Massimo, One Bistro and many more. Tom O'Rourke President and CEO We are pleased to announce that as part of the 2021 Regional Pilot grant program, the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) has awarded a grant to the Neponset River Regional Chamber, in the amount of $95,000 for programs geared toward helping small businesses recover from COVID.
Working with the towns of Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Westwood, the Chamber, will run a “Regional Restaurant Week” from June 7 through June 11. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage people to begin frequenting local restaurants again, as we head back into better weather and more and more people have been vaccinated. A dedicated “Regional Restaurant Week” webpage will be built and housed on the NRRC’s website. It will list all participating restaurants, their special offers and links to their websites. Posters and flyers promoting “Restaurant Week” will be created and distributed to participating restaurants so that they can publicize the event to their existing customers. A social media campaign will be executed using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Diners will be encouraged to post selfies on their social media platforms as they dine out. Local officials will be recruited to do the same. Stay tuned for more details to come. We will also organize an educational campaign to help local merchants increase their ability to handle online sales and manage their online reputation using Google My Business and other training and tools. During the COVID-19 related shutdown, many businesses adapted to increase their online presence in order to continue serving customers. Many of the local merchants in our downtown areas lack the capacity or skill set to avail themselves of these necessary changes and continue to struggle. This effort aims to take a targeted approach of reaching out to those who need assistance in bringing their business online or enhancing what they already have. It will also give them the tools to more effectively manage their online reputation. This will be done through online webinars to the broader community of merchants and then through one-on-one mentoring with contracted consultants, trainers and web designers. Webinar topics will include Google My Business; Using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; managing online payment portals; Online reservations; and more. We are excited to have been given this opportunity to promote and assist local businesses and look forward to working with our municipal partners and with The Dedham Square Circle, The Friends of Norwood Center, contracted consultants, web designers, graphic designers and printers, to carry out these initiatives successfully. Tom O'Rourke President and CEO Yesterday, the Neponset River Regional Chamber along with statewide and regional business associations from across the Commonwealth have launched the Massachusetts Business Coalition on Skills (MBCS). The new statewide coalition will advocate for policies that develop the skills of our current and future workforce.
The MBCS formed because there are two sides to the skills gap and both can drag job and economic growth. On the employer side, it is difficult to find qualified talent: a 2019 survey by coalition member Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE) found that 73% of Massachusetts employers find it “somewhat difficult” or “very difficult” to find people with the right skills to fill open positions. For workers, new skills are the springboard to job opportunities and growth: a 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 87% of working adults believe developing new skills throughout their work life will be “essential” or “important” to career success. Over the last year, members of the Coalition’s steering committee researched, discussed, and refined policy proposals to address both the employer and employee side of the skills gap. The recommendations aim to leverage the state’s entire workforce, not just graduates with 4-year degrees, by creating a statewide standard of essential skills, expanding access to career and vocational technical education (CVTE), and incentivizing employers to provide ongoing skills training to employees. Closing the skills gaps in Massachusetts requires targeted solutions. As part of the coalition’s launch, the MBCS releases its policy agenda aimed at ensuring every resident can acquire the in-demand skills needed to be successful in the workforce. The MBCS’s policy agenda includes the following seven priority areas:
We look forward to working with our partners across the state to advance this agenda and begin to match worker's skills with existing job vacancies. Tom O'Rourke, CCE President and CEO The Chamber is combining physical wellness with financial wellness.
By now you have heard about our new membership offering of 401(k) plans for small business. To help celebrate and promote the program, we are hosting a 4.01k virtual road race on, you guessed it, 4/01. April 1st! And we are not fooling. To participate in the virtual race, simply sign up on our website here. You can run alone or as a company team. 4.01k is just 2.5 miles, so almost anyone can do it. You run at the time and place of your choosing any time between 4:01 pm on Thursday, 4/1 through 4:01 pm on Saturday, 4/3. Take a selfie of your watch and send us your time. It's that simple. Not a competitor? No problem, just get out and walk or run at your own pace and send us a selfie anyways. After a long cold winter we could all use it. Thanks to Norwood Bank's sponsorship we will have t-shirts for all participants and prizes for the winner's. Our goal is to encourage folks to get out and exercise in a COVID safe manner, have some fun and also to promote our new 401(k) retirement program. You can learn more about this money saving program here. Tom O'Rourke, CCE President and CEO 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!
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. View the Annual Meeting Recording Thanks to Norwood Community Media for producing a piece on the Annual Meeting. View the NCM video. Tom O'Rourke, CCE President and CEO Happy New Year!
How nice to have finally kicked 2020 to the curb and welcome in a New Year filled with promise, as millions of Americans become vaccinated against COVID-19, thanks in no small part to one of our own members, Moderna. While we know that we are not out of the woods by any stretch, and many will continue to struggle for several months, it is heartening to know that the end is in sight. Personally, I wish you all the best in the New Year and I cannot wait to begin in-person meetings with so many of you that I have come to know through the years. I am also excited to announce that with the New Year, we have two valuable new member benefits to announce: Two major barriers to small businesses access to retirement programs are cost and the hassle of administration. Our new offering removes those barriers and allows small businesses to offer their employees the benefit of long-term financial security. This Chamber's partnership with the U.S. Chamber has allowed us to share with you a number of valuable tools to help your business navigate the many challenges presented by the pandemic. We are now opening up access to many more of the benefits of membership with the U.S. Chamber and it won't cost you a dime, through our Federation Partnership. Details on both of these offerings and how you can benefit will be announced later this week. As we look forward to better days ahead, the Chamber is continually striving for ways to add value to your membership and your bottom line. Here's to a New Year that brings hope, stability, health and full recovery to all. Tom O'Rourke, CCE President and CEO Yesterday, Moderna filed for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine trials have shown the drug to be 94% effective against the disease.
We are pleased to announce that Scott Nickerson, the Site Head of Moderna’s Manufacturing Facility and Senior VP of US Manufacturing, will be the guest speaker at our Annual Meeting and Awards event on Friday, January 22nd from 12:00 - 1:00 PM. Mr. Nickerson will share with us information about Moderna's ability to develop a successful vaccine in less than a year. The Annual Meeting will be held virtually this year and in addition to the guest speaker will feature our election of officers and directors and our annual awards presentations. Registration will be open soon. We are adapting our Annual Awards this year to focus on businesses and individuals who have responded uniquely to the challenges presented by COVID-19. Please help us recognize a business or person you know that has done something special to help others during the pandemic or who has changed their business model to find success in new ways. This could include making or distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), frontline workers, or anything else that is a positive response to the pandemic. Download the Nomination Form Tom O'Rourke, CCE President and CEO |
