Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | July 24, 2023 | wbjournal.com C E N T R A L M A S S I N B R I E F V E R B AT I M New CEO "John has developed a strong team, improved performance and driven strategic growth. We are confident he is the right leader to take MWMC successfully into the future during this challenging time in health care. He has already gained significant momentum there during his tenure as interim CEO." Carolyn Jackson, CEO of the Massachusetts market for Dallas healthcare company Tenet, announcing John Whitlock, Jr. as the next CEO of MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham. Pictured is Whitlock. Preserved land "Through collective effort and dedication, we have safeguarded the future of this orchard and, with it, the ability to continue to feed those experiencing hunger in our community." Tori Buerschaper, executive director of Grafton nonprofit Community Harvest Project, which worked with local, state, federal, and private organizations to preserve its 75-acre apple and peach orchard in Harvard as protected farmland Downtown purchase "526 Main Street is a jewel box of a structure located at an extremely high visibility intersection in Downtown Worcester. It has played an important role in the retail landscape for more than a century, and we are excited for the building to recognize its full potential." Mark Rengel, vice president of development for Washington, D.C. developer The Menkiti Group, which added to its downtown Worcester property holdings when state agency MassDevelopment conveyed a two-story commercial building to the developer and provided Menkiti with $7 million in loans for the redevelopment BY TIMOTHY DOYLE WBJ Staff Writer T he second-largest credit union in Central Massachusetts, Littleton's Workers Credit Union, will have a new leader, as longtime President and CEO Doug Petersen retired on July 14. Jay Champion joined WCU as interim president and CEO on July 18, according to a WCU press release. Champion will lead the credit union during the transitional period as the board of directors searches for a permanent replacement for Petersen. Petersen joined WCU in 1995 as chief financial officer. As CEO, he oversaw growth at the credit union from $796 million in assets in 2011 to $2.6 billion as of March 31, 2023, according to the National Credit Union Association. In 2019, WCU began construction on a new 60,000-square- foot headquarters, moving the credit union from Fitchburg to Littleton. Construction was completed in December 2020. Champion had served as president & CEO of Colorado-based Westerra Credit Union since 2018 until he announced his resignation in May, according to a May press release from Westerra. "Workers is firmly focused on empowering members to achieve financial wellness and we're confident in Jay's ability to provide the leadership needed to continue fulfilling this mission," WCU Board Chair Mary Heafy said in the WCU press release. "As a seasoned financial institution leader, Jay understands the industry and has the skills needed to maintain our team's delivery of top-notch member service." Aer Digital Federal Federal Credit Union in Marlborough, Workers Credit Union is the second largest credit union, when ranked by assets based in Central Massachusetts, according to the WBJ Research Department. As of March 31, WCU has more than 124,000 members and employs 372 people full-time. Founded in 1914, the credit union has 18 branches across Massachusetts. Workers Credit Union long-time CEO Doug Petersen retires PHOTOS | COURTESY OF WORKERS CREDIT UNION Doug Petersen, former WCU president and CEO Workers Credit Union's headquarters in Littleton W

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