Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | August 19, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 7 2 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 4 0 U N D E R F O R T Y What does financial freedom mean to you? At Bartholomew & Company, we believe it comes down to sound financial planning and investment advice—expertise you can trust to keep you on track at any stage, whether you're taking a trip down the aisle or around the globe. It's the kind of guidance we've been delivering for 25 years. So that when those important moments come along, you can experience every one of them with confidence. Call us for a complimentary consultation at 508.753.8807, or visit www.bartandco.com. Financial Planning Today for All of Tomorrow's Firsts 370 Main Street, Suite 1000, Worcester, MA 01608 | 508.753.8807 Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, ® Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Cakir works in information technology for Fallon, responsible for storing, protecting and analyzing data for the insurer. If that sounds like a job not giving someone many chances for personal connections, Cakir more than makes up for it through his efforts when he's not in front of a computer. Cakir has helped coordinate Fallon's IT volunteer team with the Community Harvest Project, which provides healthy fruits and vegetables to those who need it, and with building food pantries at Worcester Public Schools. He's volunteered for the United Way's Day of Caring and at Working for Worcester, a group creating recreational spaces. Cakir captained Fallon's team in the Worcester Dragon Boat Festival. This January, Cakir helped launch an internship program with international graduate students in Worcester Polytechnic Institute's data science program, giving students a chance to apply technical skills to predict and improve public health. He joined Fallon in 2013, and he has created effective programs through analyzing healthcare data, as well as designing and implementing a new set of complex data specifications for a large Fallon client. Cakir is in this year's Leadership Worcester class, which trains the area's most talented workers on leadership skills and networking. – G.W. Favorite Central Mass. restaurant? The Fix Burger Bar What are you proudest of? My two sons. Every day I watch them grow to be more mature. What will the inscription say on the statue they eventually build of you? He would never have wanted this. Emrah Ercan Cakir, 37 Director, information management & analytics Fallon Health, Worcester Residence: Holden Birthplace: Erzurum, Turkey Colleges: Ege University & New York Institute of Technology Barely a year has passed since Radke won 40 Under Forty, and she already has nearly doubled the size of her cleaning company, growing from 124 employees in summer 2018 to now employing 230 people. In March, she was chosen by the Center for Women & Enterprise to be the Women Business Enterprise National Council star of 2019. This came after she had grown her company's revenues from $350,000 to more than $5 million in eight years. Those accolades have helped make her a go-to mentor to others looking to start a business, particularly women. Not bad for someone who left her native Brazil on a volleyball scholarship to the University of Arkansas and had no intention of staying in the U.S. – G.W. What are you proudest of? I love I do my devotionals every morning, have quality time with my family, separate time to care for myself, and mentor women. Doing all that without going crazy is my biggest accomplishment. What did 40 Under Forty mean to you? Sometimes you work super hard, you get so involved with your day-to- day tasks you forget to pause and realized you actually accomplished something. When I had to answer the questions for my profile, it gave me more energy to keep going. What advice do you have for this year's winners? 1) Be persistent. Setting up goals is just as good as accomplishing them. 2) Always improve. Everyone wins when a leader gets better. Lilian Radke Then & Now: President of Unic Pro Inc. in Shrewsbury Class of 2018 Kimberly M. Salmon Then: Executive director of the American Heart Association Now: Director of community relations and engagement at Fallon Health in Worcester After six years at AHA, Salmon left the nonprofit in 2009 to eventually land at Fallon, where she has developed a comprehensive statewide giving program. She oversees corporate giving programs, community and volunteer outreach, educational conferences, symposiums and other events. Salmon remains ingrained in the community, serving on boards like Ascentria Care Alliance, Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Worcester Educational Development Fund and YOU, Inc. For the past eight years, Salmon has been on the Worcester Women's Leadership Conference Committee, which brings close to 800 women together. She has chaired that committee since 2017. This year, Salmon was recognized with a Katharine F. Erskine Award from the YWCA of Central Mass., which recognizes women leading their professions. – Z.C. What did 40 Under Forty mean to you? It both humbled and propelled me further in my professional journey. What advice do you have for this year's winners? To my fellow women and leaders of color: It is critically important you lift other women and individuals of color as you climb, always be present in your role and take your rightful seat at the table. Class of 2007 2007 2019 2018 2019

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