Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 27, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 5 B R I E FS Heavy regulations to follow Mass. reopening Gov. Charlie Baker hinted he plans to convene a group of public health, academic and business leaders to assemble a thoughtful framework for how Massachusetts might be able to resume more normal economic and social life once the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic subsides. At the same press conference in which he announced schools will stay closed through the end of the school year, Baker said he is more focused on the ongoing surge of COVID-19 patients than he is on making a decision about whether to extend restrictions on non- essential businesses beyond May 4. "Right now, the commonwealth is still in the surge ... the facts on the ground tell us that we need to stay strong, continue to socially distance and stay home. While we ask for your full cooperation to get this job done, please know that we're working hard to think about a strategy to reopen the economy," Baker said. UMass successful in first COVID plasma treatment UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester has reported encouraging results from the first coronavirus patient it has treated with the blood plasma of a recovered patient. Aer hours of transfusion, the patient has dramatically improved and is being weaned off a ventilator, the hospital said. at's a dramatic improvement aer the critically ill patient was on the ventilator near maximum settings to get enough oxygen. UMass Memorial received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to use convalescent plasma from a recovered patient for a potential new treatment for the virus. 47K Mass. businesses received $10B in bailout Nearly 47,000 small Massachusetts businesses have received or are in line to receive $10.4 billion through a now- defunct federal aid program to help them through coronavirus pandemic- related closures and drops in revenue. at tally, released by the U.S. Small Business Administration on April 17, puts Massachusetts ninth nationally in both the number of businesses awarded and the amount its businesses received from the Paycheck Protection Program, the small-business component of the $2-trillion federal CARES Act. Due to high demand, the PPP program ran out of money aer 13 days, although another $310 billion has been earmarked for the program to restart. Schulman site in Worcester sells for $4M e former A. Schulman Inc. manufacturing plant on Millbrook Street in Worcester has been bought by a Boston real estate advisory and development firm, GFI Partners. e site at 53 Millbrook St. closed in 2019, laying off 68 workers, aer the chemicals firm LyondellBasell bought A. Schulman, a maker of plastic compounds, composites and powders. An entity of LyondellBasell, which has its American headquarters in Houston, has now sold the site. e Worcester site is one of two in Central Massachusetts GFI Partners bought in March. GFI Partners has also bought a 100,000-square-foot warehouse off Princeton Road in Fitchburg for $3.9 million. e seller is a limited liability corporation registered to Nancy, Pamela and Peter Quick of Jaffrey, N.H. e deal closed March 5. Cannabis Commissioner Kay Doyle steps down Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commissioner Kay Doyle will step down from her seat on the commission on May 8. Doyle was appointed to a three-year term on the commission beginning Sept. 1, 2017. She plans to return working in the private sector, although she has not yet publicly disclosed where. Central Mass. colleges receiving $33M in federal aid Colleges in Central Massachusetts are receiving nearly $33 million in federal aid to help make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic. Students have been sent home from dorms, classes have been moved online, commencement ceremonies Business Stepping Stone? We Can Help From the Ground Up. Many of the best ideas in business start with one inquiry, one possibility, one opportunity. And you may only get one chance for your idea to make a first impression. At Fletcher Tilton, our experience in representing leading privately-held companies in Massachusetts has provided us with the knowledge needed to assist you with your business venture from beginning to end. And every step along the way. Call Mark Donahue 508.459.8029 or Todd Brodeur 508.459.8038. Real Knowledge in Real Life FletcherTilton.com WO RC E ST E R | F R A M I N G H A M | B OSTO N | C A P E CO D Continued on Page 6 Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov Karyn Polito

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