Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 19, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 5 for $290,000, according to the Worcester District Registry of Deeds. Floyd operated the diner for more than two decades. Former treasurer O'Brien to chair cannabis commission When the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission marked its five- year anniversary on Sept. 1, it got a new chairperson -- former state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, who is responsible for appointing someone with a financial background to chair the marijuana industry regulatory body, announced Aug. 30 she will swear in O'Brien, who served as state treasurer from 1999-2003, as chair of the CCC. "I am confident that her financial background, experience in corporate governance, executive management, and business development, combined with outstanding leadership skills and an acute knowledge of the legislative process, will help the Massachusetts cannabis industry be fairly regulated, equitable, and successful," Goldberg said of O'Brien, who follows interim Chair Sarah Kim and inaugural CCC Chair Steven Hoffman. O'Brien, who served six years in the Massachusetts House and two years in the Massachusetts Senate in the late 1980s and 1990s, was the Democratic Party's nominee for governor in 2002 but she lost the general election to Mitt Romney. Aer leaving politics, O'Brien worked at Boston TV station WB 56, and then served three years as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater Boston. She was appointed by New York Comptroller omas DiNapoli to serve as chair of the Pension Reform Commission from 2008 to 2010. entrepreneurs, on site consumption, and enhanced oversight of Host Community Agreements." Westborough medical- device firm has new CEO Miach Orthopaedics Inc., a Westborough firm specializing in surgical implants for connective tissue repair, has appointed Patrick McBrayer as president and CEO, the company announced on Sept. 7. McBrayer replaces Christopher Joyce, who was serving as interim president and CEO aer Martha Shadan le the company in June. Joyce will return to his prior position as CFO. Prior to joining Miach, McBrayer Nonprofits should vet their donations Nine nonprofits in Massachusetts, including five in Central Massachusetts, received an undisclosed amount of charitable donations from the LIV Golf tour event held at The International in Bolton over Labor Day weekend. The LIV tour has become controversial because it is challenging the PGA Tour business model and because its primary backer is the Public Investment Fund from the Saudi Arabian ruling royal family, which has been tied to human rights abuses. The Saudi fund is also an investor in much less controversial enterprises, including businesses like Google, Starbucks, Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase, and Amazon, which is a sponsor of PGA Tour events. When polled online, the majority of WBJ readers said nonprofits should carefully review or even reject donations coming from donors with questionable backgrounds. F L AS H P O L L Should nonprofits refuse to take donations from organizations deemed controversial? B R I E FS Developer plans 218 apartments behind Shrewsbury Street restaurants Lundgren Equity Partners LLC of Auburn is proposing a 200,000-square- foot, seven-story multifamily high rise at 225 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester. e 218-unit building will be constructed behind the current commercial buildings on the property, occupied by InHouse Coffee, Digital Federal Credit Union, Mexicali Cantina Grill, and others, according to plans submitted to Worcester Zoning Board of Appeals for its Sept. 12 meeting. e developer proposes demolishing a structure at 68 Albany St. on the opposite side of Casco Street from the proposed structure to provide 120 parking spaces in addition to 178 at the site of the development. Lundgren Equity Partners bought the Shrewsbury Street property in 2017 for $5.5 million and 68 Albany St. in 2017 for $1 million. Historic diner sold in Gardner e Blue Moon Diner in Gardner was sold to Kathleen and Robert Wright, who took over operations of the diner from its long-time owner on Sept. 8. "It's a very original place, personal with a lot of regulars. It has an extended family feel to it," said Kathleen Wright. e diner at 102 Main St. was manufactured in 1949 by the Worcester Lunch Car Co. It is Worcester Diner #815. It was originally located in Winchendon and named the Miss Toy Town Diner, before being moved to its current location and renamed in 1954, according to the diner's National Register of Historic Places registration form. Going forward, Wright said the restaurant plans to offer its own baked goods and eventually to open for special reservation-only dinners. e restaurant currently offers breakfast and lunch. Jamie Floyd and Jamie Brouillet sold the diner property to a corporation registered to Kathleen Wright on Sept. 7 Rendering of proposed 225 Shrewsbury St. T H E T I C K E R 31 Jytek Road Leominster industrial property purchased by Steven Goodman of GFI Partners in Boston for $3.5 million, the developer's second Jytek Road purchase this year Source: Worcester North District Registry of Deeds Three Source: Family Health Center of Worcester Locations in Southborough and Webster to be closed by the Family Health Center of Worcester, as it laid off about 10% of its 500-employee staff amid financial troubles Stories in the 90,000-square-foot, 105-unit mixed-use development proposed at the former Worcester site of Fairway Beef, which closed after 75 years in business Nine Source: AKROS Development Penalty Next Step Healthcare, with facilities in Worcester, Fitchburg, and Westborough, will pay to resolve allegations of discrimination against patients with opioid-use disorder. $10,000 Source: U.S. Department of Justice No, as the nonprofit will use the money for positive social benefits. 14% Continued on page 6 Almost never. nonprofits should only turn down donations in the most extreme cases. 18% Sometimes. Certain donations should be flagged for further review if a donor's background is problematic. 39% Yes, as nonprofits should take money only from people and organizations who align with the nonprofits' values. 29% COMMENTS "The U.S. imports 5-6% of its oil from the Saudis and is looking for more. No problem there." - Merrill L. Cohen "Although I think that nonprofits should only take money from organizations that align with their values, I see absolutely no problem whatsoever with taking money from the Saudis."

• Cover