Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | Fact Book 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 23 R E G I O N S C e n t r a l M a s s . S o u t h Community Minutes Average commute West Brookfield 23.5 Webster 24.6 Southbridge 25.3 Dudley 28 Oxford 28 Sturbridge 28.6 Spencer 30.2 North Brookfield 31.3 East Brookfield 31.7 Charlton 32.7 Brookfield 35.1 Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2012-2016 American Community Survey Community Avg. net worth Household average net worth Sturbridge $1,526,236 Charlton $1,257,305 East Brookfield $1,024,957 Brookfield $1,019,221 West Brookfield $926,414 Dudley $804,911 Oxford $785,859 Spencer $720,887 North Brookfield $712,051 Webster $612,997 Southbridge $419,179 Sources: Esri's Updated Demographics, 2018 estimates, Esri Tapestry Segmentation, www.esri.com Tax rate per $1,000 Community in assessed value Central Mass. South property tax rates Dudley 11.73 Spencer 13.42 Charlton 13.50 Webster 15.39 East Brookfield 15.46 West Brookfield 16.07 North Brookfield 16.67 Oxford 17.27 Brookfield 19.14 Sturbridge 19.44 Southbridge 20.75 Sources: Mass. Department of Revenue A lexandra McNitt, president of the Chamber of Central Mass. South spoke with WBJ about doing business in the region. What are the most common challeng- es you hear in doing business here? The difficulty in finding qualified, self-motivated employees has persist- ed for at least a decade now, and more recently the annual rising cost of health care and minimum-wage increases. Many of our members express con- cern at recruiting new employees. All of our members would like to be able to offer health care, but many of the smaller ones simply can't afford it. Some of our larger companies are frustrated even if their employee doesn't take it because they like the plan offered by a spouse's employer better, then the company gets penal- ized by the state. As for the minimum-wage increas- es, how do they do it when they are already operating on razor-thin mar- gins? I was in a meeting with two of the region's larger retail businesses who were expressing they work on a 1-percent profit margin. This means for them to make $1,000 profit, they have to sell $100,000 of merchandise. So if they have 50 full-timers getting an increase of a dollar an hour, that is an added cost of $2,000 per week, so they need to sell an additional $200,000 per week just to cover the cost. How about the benefits? We have good schools and low crime. People look out for one another, and our member businesses support one another. Minimum wage and low crime Alexandra McNitt, president of the Chamber of Central Mass South What were the biggest issues in the chamber when you came onboard 12 years ago? It had multiple years of losing money, so my first year was really just working with our board to stop the bleeding, which we did, modestly. Since then, it has been a continual challenge to remain cost effective while providing benefits and services. How has the chamber strengthened? Our longest-running, non-dues fun- draiser is our Annual Harvest Festival, sponsored by Sturbridge Tourist Association. Next October will be our 30th anniversary. We've added a golf classic, a new tourism map, new mem- bership directory and benefits aimed at helping our members attract new cli- ents. Our membership is full of the most wonderful people. I am lucky to serve them. This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by Susan Shalhoub, special to WBJ. the shift. "Sturbridge has gotten way better," said Treitman. Restaurants, manufacturing In addition to restaurants and tour- ism anchor Old Sturbridge Village, Central Mass. South is abuzz with man- ufacturing activity, especially in optics. Specialty lens maker Gentex Optics is in Dudley, for example, with Schott Fiber Optics, AO Eyewear and United Lens Company in Southbridge. KARL STORZ, which makes flexible endoscopes for the medical, veterinary and industrial fields, is in Charlton. The general manager for its North American operations is Bruce Watkins. The strong fiber-optic reputation of the area was why the German company came to the area in 1989, Watkins said, with five employees. Today there are more than 700 in Charlton, about 900 in Massachusetts overall. "The business continues to grow," said Watkins, providing good, high- paying jobs for the area." Due to this growth, the company is moving its second facility – a logistics center in Southbridge – to Auburn so it can take advantage of more square footage, accessibility to major routes for reverse-commuters and better access to delivery hubs for quicker customer shipments. But the business-friendly Charlton location will continue to be a local home for KARL STORZ, said Watkins, which has invested in and become part of the area. "The company has good relation- ships with the local community," said Watkins, hosting facility tours, doing service projects and offering co-ops and internships to students. Continued on Page 24 Bruce Watkins, general manager for North American operations, KARL STORZ "I had to go to each individual board in town to say, 'What do you need from me, how can I make this work?'" It used to be like pulling teeth." Brian Treitman, owner, B.T.s Smokehouse, Sturbridge W

• Cover