Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 10, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 5 M O N E Y & I N F L U E N C E P O W E R 5 0 Congratulations Dr. Carolyn Langer Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Fallon Health on being named to the 2021 class of Worcester Business Journal's Power 50! fallonhealth.org 21-731-028 Rev. 00 4/21 Thank you for your leadership and vision in promoting Fallon's mission . . . making our communities healthy. Deborah Penta FOUNDER & CEO PENTA COMMUNICATIONS, INC., IN WESTBOROUGH Residence: Westborough College: Stonehill College Penta has been leading PENTA Communications for more than 30 years, and over the course of those decades, she has made connections with seemingly everyone in the Central Massachusetts business community and used that influence to help her firm and the overall community at large. Inside her company, this means helping clients with market- ing, innovation and business growth, as they seek to reach the next level. In the community, Penta has served on more than a dozen influential nonprofit boards, including past chair of the Westborough Economic Development Committee, the Worcester Community Action Council, the Corridor 9/495 Regional Chamber, and as the current chair of the Worces- ter Regional Research Bureau. When then governor-elect Charlie Baker was transitioning into the state's top public job in 2014, he called upon Penta to serve on his transition team, focusing on jobs and the economy. Beyond just serving paying clients, Penta has provided $3.5 million in pro-bono support over the years to Central Massachusetts nonprofits. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "Our region is abundant with tremendous assets and opportunities. From the growth of our world-renowned life sciences and biotech community in Worcester, to the smart and strategic development of Polar Park, to our highly skilled and educated workforce, increases in public transportation infrastructure … the best is yet to come." On the open water: Penta an ocean kayaker. James Regan PRESIDENT & CEO DIGITAL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, IN MARLBOROUGH College: UMass Lowell Regan sits atop the largest credit union in Central Massachusetts, as DCU has more than $10 billion in assets, which is more than $8 billion higher than the second-larg- est credit union. The organization is closing in on 1 million members when most credit unions struggle to get to 100,000 and has opened up its membership eligibility to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Worcester, as well as to employees of more than 800 companies. All this is important because one of the services written into DCU's DNA is helping its members find strong financial footing by using low-inter- est loans, savings accounts with higher returns, financial counseling, and other tools to help those who may be struggling get out from under predatory loans and bad deals, which prevent people – particularly those from disadvantaged communities – from reaching financial indepen- dence over the long term. Regan, who was a certified public accountant for much of his career, has been with DCU since 1991 and its CEO since 2008. He has taken on a leadership role in the industry nationwide, too, having served as administrator of the Trust for Credit Unions, which is a mutual fund for credit unions across the country. Fred Taylor BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE FOR CARPENTERS UNION LOCAL 336 NORTH ATLANTIC STATES REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS, IN WORCESTER Residence: Worcester As the newly elected as president of the Worcester Unit of the NAACP, Taylor took the helm of the organization at a pivotal moment, when both Worcester and the rest of the country are actively reckoning with centuries of systemic racism, which has served to bolster white individuals and companies at the expense of communities of color. In the wake of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police, more companies are taking a hard look both internally and externally. As the largely white executives at these companies look for help in these efforts – as well as for outside organizations to help lead the way – Taylor and the high-profile NAACP are leaders for this movement. A business representative for the Carpenters Union Local 336, Taylor's work is entrenched in advocating for equity for Black, brown and other underserved communities. As the NAACP, concerned stakeholders and residents vie for tangible changes to everything from policing to environmental justice, Taylor's position as the face of the organization carries a capacity to draw attention and resources to the greatest civil rights battles of our current moment. What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? "Over the past year, there has been an openness to positive change in policies in Worcester. This has been helpful in starting to help the community feel comfortable speaking up for change." Billiard man: "I like to play pool."

• Cover