Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 10, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 17 N O N P R O F I T S & G O V E R N M E N T P O W E R 5 0 Liz Hamilton, MSW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WORCESTER Residence: Worcester Colleges: Regis University and Boston University As head of the 132-year-old Boys & Girls Club of Worces- ter, Hamilton not only helps steer the city's youth in positive directions, but helps provide support for their parents, too. This was especially the case during the coronavirus pan- demic, during which the club opted to not only stay open and help provide emergency childcare for first responders and hospital workers, but later expand its hours to support more parents going back to work. The first woman to lead the organization, Hamilton oversees a $3.5-million budget, 92% of which is funded by donations and grants. At her 100-employee nonprofit, she has placed an emphasis on elevating the voices of women and people of color, especially on her executive team. Hamilton's choices and work life influences not only the region's children, but their families and those who support the club. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "Now that we have ways to combat COVID, I am certain that the partnerships and the habit of working together will remain in place, creating a vibrant network of opportunity for everyone ... Even when everything goes back to normal, it can't be business as usual. We must fight the good fight and ensure that all of our community members have a place at the table." TV chef: "I started a "no cook" cooking show for kids because I remember what it was like to be home alone after school." Dr. David A. Jordan PRESIDENT SEVEN HILLS FOUNDATION, IN WORCESTER Residence: Worcester Colleges: Medical University of South Carolina, Clark University, Salve Regina University, and University of Rhode Island The social service nonprofit industry in Central Mass. is full of a complex mix of organizations providing a variety of services, and sitting at the top is Jordan at Seven Hills. Jordan is the head of the largest nonprofit in the region with $285 million in annual rev- enue, 200 locations serving 30,000 individuals, 4,600 employees providing healthcare, educational and direct support, and more than $450 million in economic impact. Seven Hills has been on a bit of an acquisition spree, affiliating with other providers like YOU, Inc., Children's Friend, and Family Services of Central Massachusetts. In January, Seven Hills announced it would take those three organizations and create a Seven Hills Child & Family Behavioral Health in a 57,000-square-foot building on Gold Star Boulevard in Worcester. Jordan in the last year has used his clout to advocate for higher salaries for human services workers fund- ed by state government, as the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the important work these people are doing. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "We are a region of urban diversity, rural hills and mountains, and a collective sense of energy that I have not seen replicated in all my travels. In short, our future here in Central Mass. looks promis- ing indeed as long as we can hold on to our founding values of tolerance, empathy, and openness toward all." Love letter: "I was lucky to marry the love of my life, Dr. Kathee Jordan, who brings grace and kindness to my life and those she touches." Neddy Latimer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SPANISH AMERICAN CENTER, IN LEOMINSTER Residence: Dudley Colleges: Quinnipiac University, UMass Boston, Northeastern University & UMass Lowell Some 14.4% of Leominster's population is Spanish speaking, compared to 8.8% of Massachusetts' over- all population, according to data from the Massachu- setts Secretary of State. In her capacity as executive director of the Spanish American Center – a position she has held since 1986, Latimer oversees all of the nonprofit's operations, including its roughly half a million dollar in revenues. Anyone conducting outreach to the region's Span- ish-speaking population, including both Leominster and surrounding towns, would be remiss to skip approaching Latimer, a household name among North County's powers that be, as a primary step in that process. The center itself supports its service population in a variety of ways, including domestic violence advocacy, English classes, operating a food pantry, elder care, legal assistance, voter registration, children's programming and an extensive summer meals programs for students. If there's an aspect of life in which their clients need help, there's a good chance Latimer and her team already have their noses to the ground to find solutions. An approachable, whip-smart leader, Latimer is known to steer her team with determination, kindness and passion. Dean J. Mazzarella MAYOR CITY OF LEOMINSTER Residence: Leominster Colleges: Mount Wachusett Community College and Northeastern University When Mazzarella walks through Leominster's downtown, passersby whisper to each other: "Look, it's the mayor." Or, they shout his better-known nickname: "Hey, Mazz!" Serving as the city's mayor for a whopping 27 years, Maz- zarella has cultivated a reputation as both an approach- able leader and a constant presence. Little happens in Leominster without his knowledge or, in many cases, approval. Talk to any business leader in town, and they're likely to confirm as much: They set up shop in Leomin- ster in large part because of the support they received from City Hall, aka Mazzarella and his team. It's a refrain repeated to the media time and time again. Combine this with a dogged determination to make Leomisnter's downtown into a walkable, family-friendly destination and a commitment to obtaining as much grant funding as possible to make that dream a reality, and what you get is Mazzarella: a police officer turned city leader quite literally shaping his hometown into a new and better, more busi- ness-friendly version of itself. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "We have only seen the beginning. We have all the right amenities: Airports, medical, tourism, excellent quality of life, and are proud to be an affordable middle-class community." The disco mayor: Mazzarella was a night club disc jock- ey in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Anh Vu Sawyer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN COALITION OF CENTRAL MA, IN WORCESTER Residences: Worcester and Boston Colleges: Calvin College and Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology For 22 years, Sawyer has led SEACMA to help South- east Asian immigrants and refugees become contributing citizens in Greater Worcester while helping them to preserve their unique cultural heritage, which includes helping en- trepreneurs turn their startups into functioning businesses. People from Vietnam, in particular, make up a significant portion of Worcester's immigrant population, as the country was the No. 1 country of origin for Worcester immigrants in the 1990 U.S. Census and was the No. 2 country in the 2010 Census, and places like China and India typically are in the top 10. Her role in aiding Asian immigrants and hosting the Asian Festival and Moon Festival – events typ- ically drawing up to 3,000 – become much more poignant in the last year, as hate crimes against Asian people have risen across the country, leading SEACMA and Sawyer to become voices of calm and reason. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "Central Mass. is a destination of choice for many immigrants, refugees and English Language Learners who are brilliant, hardworking, innovative and are born-entrepre- neurs. Central Mass. will have a more vibrant future if the city invests in these folks via technical assistance, grants and low-interest business loans." Double dare: "I graduated from MIT's EMBA program at the age of 67 because of a challenge from SEACMA youth." Victoria Waterman CEO GIRLS INC. OF WORCESTER Residence: North Smithfield, R.I. College: Bryant College Waterman has made a life-long career of advancing women and girls. At Girls Inc., she drives the mission to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold with life-changing experiences and real solutions to the unique issues girls face. In 2020, she successfully completed a $5-million, five-year capital campaign, which ended up – among other things – installing a new HVAC system with hospital- grade filters, enabling the nonprofit to still serve 60 girls a day to attend summer programs and remotely attend school from the Girls Inc. learning hub, which enabled their families to stay in the workforce. At a time when more effort is being given to increasing gender and racial diversity in positions of power, Waterman, who also serves as a corporator at Bay State Savings Bank in Worcester, is preparing the next generation to lead. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "The future is bright! Worcester truly is unique in its collaborations and relationships that work toward common goals and impact. Central Massachusetts is well positioned for the future leaders with programs that identify and prepare the next generation." Leader & author: Waterman is writing a historical fiction novel highlighting her family's stories in surviving the Armenian Genocide and journey to U.S.

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