Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | February 7, 2022 | wbjournal.com Three decades "Until a new person is sworn- in to this office, I remain the senator and will fight for this community to ensure an equitable pandemic recovery and to direct investment and innovation to Central Massachusetts." B R I E FS IPG Photonics faces DOJ investigation Laser manufacturer IPG Photonics, based in Oxford, is facing an investigation into equipment shipments, the company disclosed in its third quarter earnings report in 2021. IPG did not disclose what types of equipment shipments were being investigated or when said shipments took place, but suggested in the report they were exports outside of the U.S. In its disclosure, the company acknowledged it has identified and may continue to identify times when it has exported products without receiving appropriate trade control authorizations in the countries it does business or, in some cases, submitting approval requests at all. "As a result, we have submitted a limited number of voluntary self- disclosures regarding compliance with export control laws and regulations with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security," IPG said in its report. Planned $57M Polar Park residences get financing Madison Properties, the Boston- based company building a mixed-use development next to Polar Park in Worcester, has received $57 million in financing for its 228-unit residential building. Rockland Trust is leading the financing package, which was arranged by executives at Colliers' Boston office with UniBank and PeoplesBank. Located at 115 Madison St./1 Green Island Blvd., the residential complex is known as South of Madison Apartments. C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F V E R BAT I M Smartphone medical device "Omnipod 5 is a life- changing technology that we believe will revolutionize the market and the lives of people with diabetes." Shacey Petrovic, president and CEO of Insulet Corp. in Acton, announcing the company's new smart phone- enabled, insulin-delivery device has received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Supporting the arts "We know that both arts programming and community needs are so often overlooked and underfunded." Jim Ayres, Greater Worcester Community Foundation president and CEO, announcing $64,000 in grants to area health, art, and justice groups State Senator Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester), announcing her retirement after more than 30 years of holding public office W orcester Polytechnic Institute President Laurie Leshin will leave her role at the college to become the director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. Leshin has served as WPI's 16th president and first woman president since 2014. She will be JPL's first female director, according to the announce- ment from Caltech on Jan. 27. During her time at WPI, Leshin has focused on expanding research through the Global Projects Program, and the school launched its largest-ev- er, $500-million fundraising campaign in October. e school has widened its campus footprint considerably during her tenure, with the addition of the 40,000-square-foot Innovation Studio and newly opened, 100,000-square-foot Unity Hall academic building. Under her tenure, WPI strove to di- versify its student body, particularly by adding more women. Its class of 2021 is the most gender diversity in its history, with female students making up 44% of the student body. Leshin will remain as president of WPI through the end of the academic year, according to WPI's version of the announcement. "We know that this comes at a time when strong and consistent leadership is more important than ever," said WPI Board Chair Jack Mollen in the announcement. e news comes two days aer WPI said it was investigating its seventh student death in six months. Over the next several months, the board will initiate a presidential search process. An interim president will be voted upon by the board and begin service in mid-May. Women college presidents Leshin will be the second female president of a Central Massachusetts college to leave at the end of the spring, aer Paula Rooney announced in Oc- tober she will retire from Dean College in Franklin, aer leading the school for 27 years. "e success of Dean College has been built on the strong traditions of the 156-year history of Dean," Rooney wrote in the retirement announcement. "at history, and the Dean of today, is a vibrant and passionate campus community based in an exceptional commitment to student success." Leshin and Rooney are two of three women leading any of the 15 colleges headquartered in Central Massachu- setts. e other is Mary Lou Retelle, who leads Anna Maria College, in Paxton. In July, Nancy Niemi, provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, will take over as president of Fram- ingham State University, succeeding retiring President Javier Cevallos. Laurie Leshin, ground-breaking WPI president, to leave for NASA BY KATHERINE HAMILTON WBJ Staff Writer W WPI President Laurie Leshin PHOTO | COURTESY OF WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

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