Worcester Business Journal

12 Worcester Business Journal | May 1, 2023 | wbjournal.com P O W E R 5 0 G O V E R N M E N T Residence: Marlborough College: University of Massachusetts While Marlborough does not have the population of other cities in Massachusetts, it punches above its weight economically with corporate offices, lab space, and new residential developments. Part of this is due to the efforts of the MEDC. Led by Harris, the quasi-public nonprofit helped to fill 350,000 square feet of space and bring approximately 500 jobs in 2022 through business relocation and expansion. One notable relocation was bringing the BJ's Wholesale Club headquarters to Marlborough from Westborough. New residential and mixed-use developments are popping up in the city including Alta Marlborough, with 276 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. To help solve a major issue with employers in MetroWest with their employees not being able to get to their offices using public transit, MEDC runs a commuter shuttle. On top of partnering with banks and credit unions to offer financing for small business starts and growth, MEDC runs business grant programs, as part of its development toolbox. The organization has awarded more than $400,000 in reimbursement grants, helping to fill 147,000 square feet of commercial space while retaining and adding more than 230 jobs in the city. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "By listening to their team and by respecting dissenting opinions. The ability to build consensus, compromise, and understand where other people are coming from is the key to success. It's easy to surround yourself with people that agree with you, but to make a well-rounded decision, it's critical to not only listen to opposing opinions but to listen with an open mind and a willingness to change your own thinking." n Roughing it: For more than 20 years, Harris has camped on an island with no electricity or running water every summer with her family in Lake George, New York. MEREDITH HARRIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARLBOROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. MICHAEL ANGELINI SENIOR COUNSEL BOWDITCH & DEWEY, LLP, IN WORCESTER ERIC BATISTA CITY MANAGER CITY OF WORCESTER Residence: Worcester Colleges: Wesleyan University in Connecticut, Duke University School of Law in North Carolina Angelini has dedicated his considerable leadership skills to advancing many of the largest institutions in the Worcester area. He spends a portion of each day working in the best interest of the community. After stepping down in 2022 as chair of Worcester's largest law firm, Bowditch, he remained with the firm as senior counsel. In 2022, he was named the chairman of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority, which oversees urban renewal planning, land acquisition, business relocation, demolition of obsolete structures, site testing/preparation, and public improvements. Currently the board is choosing which proposal to select for the redevelopment of the six-story former Denholm Building on Main Street, a property the City of Worcester purchased in 2022. WRA is revitalizing Union Station, offering retail spaces for lease and preparing for the Worcester Regional Food Hub to take up residence in the station. Angelini serves as vice chair for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the second largest grant-making foundation in Central Massachusetts, overseeing more than $200 million in assets. In March, Angelini and the board named experienced New York foundation executive Peter Dunn to be the foundation's new CEO, effective Aug. 1. In the past, he was the chairman of The Hanover Insurance Group, Worcester's largest public company. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "The first step is to stop wielding power as an individual. We have an extraordinary community full of people working hard every day to make it a better place. Working with a team is what brings the best results and provides the most happiness." n An open book: "I have no secrets. Life is fun." Residence: Worcester College: UMass Amherst, Assumption University in Worcester In the second largest city in New England, the city manager is the municipality's CEO, more powerful than the mayor. He oversees a $778-million budget and almost 8,000 employees. In late 2022, when Batista became the first Hispanic city manager in Worcester history, he inherited a gold rush of real estate investment bringing in new investment but also displacing longtime residents, a police department about to face a federal Department of Justice investigation, teachers seeking a new contract, and an unflattering report of racial disparity in city government. Since his promotion from assistant city manager, he has established a new Executive Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; implemented the Body Worn Camera Program for police officers; and completed a racial equity audit. His administration is nearing final approval on an inclusionary zoning policy to get more affordable housing into new developments, and he has initiated a search for a chief equity officer. n How should professionals best use the power they wield? "Leadership is nothing if not the power to influence change. Our effectiveness as leaders is measured by both the achievements of those we lead, as well as the culture we shape within our institutional systems. We often remove people from the equation when we talk about systemic change, but the reality is that we, the people, are the system. The only thing standing in the way of transformative change is ourselves." n The chair and the throne: "I come from a family of barbers and musicians, both of which I am myself. In my spare time, you can find me in deep conversation behind the chair cutting hair or playing the drums with family and friends." PHOTO | COURTESY OF MARLBOROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

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