Worcester Business Journal

26 Worcester Business Journal | April 29, 2024 | wbjournal.com P O W E R 1 0 0 Cheryl Eidinger-Taylor President & COO ERA Key Realty Services, in Northbridge Employees: 340 Residence: Uxbridge College: Northeastern University e last two decades have been a bit of a rollercoaster for the residential real estate industry. First, there was the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009, and now agents in Massachusetts are dealing with an unprecedented surge of prices and declining available inventory. Despite these hurdles to overcome, Eidinger-Taylor has helped turn ERA Key Realty into one of the most important firms in the Central Massachusetts residential real estate scene. e firm was responsible for more than 2,000 transactions in 2022, amounting to a sales volume of more than $1 billion, making it one of the largest home real estate companies in the state. Eidinger-Taylor got her start in 1989, joined ERA Key as a sales consultant in 1990, and is now the firm's president and chief operating officer, leading a stable of 300+ agents in 15 offices at a time when the residential real estate industry is set to change. At the end of last year, the National Association of Realtors settled a lawsuit related to the percentage a real estate agent collects from the seller on the sale of a home. While the ramifications of the lawsuit are still largely unknown and will play out aer several years, if not decades, the change is expected to impact the business models of residential real estate agencies. e New York Times compared the change to how the advent on online booking platforms changed the role of travel agents in vacation planning. Aer three decades in the industry, the latest change is another ride on the roller coaster for Eidinger-Taylor to manage. - E.C. Marc Dohan Executive director NewVue Communities, in Fitchburg Employees: 20 Residence: Arlington Colleges: Yale University; University of California, Los Angeles e lack of affordable housing has been a top concern among regional and state officials since before COVID came along, but Dohan has long worked to increase housing for people living in 22 communities across North Central Massachusetts. As executive director of the Fitchburg community development corporation, Dohan has led efforts to revitalize vacant buildings into quality homes for more than 20 years. Grants and other fundraising brought in revenue of $3.7 million in 2022, according to the most recent Internal Revenue Service filing by NewVue. A board member of the Massachusetts Association of Community Develop- ment Corporations, Dohan holds a law degree and a degree in urban planning. He is a regular speaker at industry and business events and works closely with business owners, residents, and local officials. Under Dohan's direction, NewVue runs home ownership and community de- velopment programs, while redeveloping oen historic buildings into affordable and market-rate apartments. Old mill buildings and former schools in cities such as Fitchburg, Leominster, and Gardner have found new life as residences, and blighted multi-family homes have been renovated, revitalizing neighborhoods while increasing housing options. Dohan builds partnerships with local, state, and federal governments and other stakeholders to help fund and complete these projects. NewVue is now working on the redevelopment of the former Ellen Bigelow School and e Riverbend School in Athol into intergenerational affordable housing. In May, the organiza- tion broke ground on a 68-unit artist-preference apartment complex, across from the Fitchburg Art Museum, a partner in the project. Historical buildings formerly housing the BF Brown School, Fitchburg High School, and the Fitchburg City Stables are converting to apartments and work spaces for artists. - E.M. Anthony Consigli CEO Consigli Construction, in Milford Employees: 1,800 Residence: Milford College: Harvard University Consigli and his brother, company President Matthew Consigli, have propelled the construction company founded in 1905 by their great grandfather to a $2.5-billion powerhouse, with offices throughout New England, New York, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the Caribbean. e company is now the largest employee-owned firm in Central Massachusetts. e company's far-reaching operations involve medi- cal, municipal, and cultural institutions as well as a vacation resort. Locally, Consigli has led projects at places like One Mercantile in Worcester, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Clark University, Worcester State University, Fram- ingham State University, and the YWCA Central Massachusetts in Worcester. Consigli has worked on healthcare facilities across the state – from Milford Region- al Medical Center to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester to Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston – and cultural institutions in Washington, D.C. such as the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and the Lincoln Memorial. In 2018, the company became 100% employee owned through an employee stock ownership plan. Forbes Magazine named Consigli the best midsize employer, citing, among other things, its hybrid working model, paid volunteer time, parental leave, and a culture encouraging work-life balance. Community involvement is a priority for Consigli. e Consigli Foundation focuses on promoting the well-being of children's health and education. It has worked with Habitat for Humanity and last year partnered with Juniper Outreach Foundation in Paxton to provide City View Discovery School in Worcester with a student food pantry. Outside of his company, Consigli has become a pillar of the business community, helping out others. Most notably, Anthony and Matthew Consigli were among the four investors who gave long-time Worcester dessert manufacturer Table Talk Pies a lifeline in 2022, bringing the firm back from the financial brink. - N.C. PHOTO | CHRISTINE PETERSON

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