Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1527921
wbjournal.com | October 28, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 33 35th Anniversary WBJ 1. Elwood Adams Hardware Founded: 1782 Last address: 156 Main St., Worcester Notes: Officially went out of business in October 2017 2. Becker College Founded: 1784 Last addresses: 964 Main St. Leicester; 61 Sever St., Worcester Notes: Closed at the end of 2020-21 academic year 3. Lawrence Academy Founded: 1792 Current address: 26 Powderhouse Rd., Groton Website: https://www.lacademy.edu/ 4. American Antiquarian Society Founded: 1812 Current address: 185 Salisbury St., Worcester Website: https://www.americanantiquarian.org/ 5. EcoTarium Founded: 1825 Current address: 222 Harrington Way, Worcester Website: https://ecotarium.org/ 6. Simonds International Founded: 1832 Current address: 1981 Schurman Way, Woodland, WA Website: https://simondsint.com/ Notes: Fitchburg-founded company integrated into Washington-based firm 7. Worcester Academy Founded: 1834 Current address: 81 Providence St., Worcester Website: https://www.worcesteracademy.org/ 8. Sentinel & Enterprise Founded: 1838 Current address: No address listed Website: https://www.sentinelandenterprise. com/ Notes: No physical newsroom; online only. Operated by MediaNews Group. 9. Worcester County Horticultural Society Founded: 1842 Current address: 11 French Dr., Boylston Website: https://nebg.org/ 9. Worcester County Mechanics Association Founded: 1842 Current address: 321 Main St., Worcester Website: https://mechanicshall.org/ working time in Central Mass. e presi- dent of now-defunct Becker College from 2010 through 2017 has kept his leadership recipe simple while moving on to presiden- cies at UMass Dartmouth for three years and current perch at Springfield-based Western New England University. "e biggest thing I've learned is the importance of showing up, as a leader. Being visible and having a presence," he said. Johnson, a father of two who still resides in Southborough with his wife, Michelle, fondly recalls his introduction to the city's power structure as an outsider and person of color. "ey all embraced me ... and made sure I got 'in the room.' at speaks volumes about the collaboration of the Worcester community," he said. It also led to his involvement in the First Wednesday Group which featured leaders from other Worcester-area colleges, cham- bers, nonprofit organizations, and city and business executives. "To get together and talk about how to make the region better was really im- portant and I think it made a difference," he said, citing progress on the Worces- ter-to-Boston commuter rail as one success during his involvement. A worthy addition to any list of promi- nent movers in the 35 years since Worces- ter Business Journal's birth is former Hanover Insurance Group President and CEO Frederick H. Eppinger, who retired from the firm in 2016 aer 13 transforma- tional years. He currently serves as chief executive of Houston-based Stewart Information Services Corp. Eppinger was feted in June as one of Inman's 2024 Best of Finance Awards win- ners—the second year in a row he's earned that accolade. e award spotlights those at the forefront of the mortgage and financial services industries. In addition to directorship roles at Stew- art and QBE Insurance Group, he's served as Executive Board chairman at Centene Corp. since 2023. Anniversary update: A look at oldest Central Mass. businesses When WBJ charted the region's oldest businesses for our 25th Anniversary edition, who would have predicted the two institutions topping the list— one that debuted two years before the Revolutionary War officially ended, and the other the same year as the Treaty of Paris signing—would be defunct by 2024? Aside from a Fitchburg cutting-tool vendor being subsumed by a Washington-based conglomerate, several ownership changes and a few banks' rebranding after localized mergers, the survivors remain largely intact. 11. College of the Holy Cross Founded: 1843 Current address: 1 College St., Worcester Website: https://www.holycross.edu/ 12. Rollstone Bank & Trust Founded: 1846 Current address: 780 Main St., Fitchburg Website: https://www.rollstonebank.com/ 13. Southbridge Savings Bank (now Cornerstone Bank) Founded: 1848 Current address: 253-257 Main St., Southbridge Website: https://cornerstonebank.com/ Notes: Merged with Spencer Savings Bank in 2016, operating as Cornerstone Bank under SSB Community Bankcorp. 14. Children's Friend Founded: 1849 Current address: 505 Pleasant St., Worcester Website: https://www.sevenhills.org/affiliates/ childrens-friend Notes: Now an affiliate of Seven Hills Foundation 14. Leominster United Methodist Church Founded: 1849 Current address: 77 Hall St., Leominster Website: https://www.leominsterumc.org/ 16. Clinton Savings Bank Founded: 1851 Current address: 200 Church St., Clinton Website: https://www.clintonsavings.com/ Notes: Now operated by Kasasa, Ltd. 17. The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. Founded: 1852 Current address: 440 Lincoln St., Worcester Website: https://www.hanover.com/ 18. Duvarney Jewelers Founded: 1854 Current address: 457 Main St., Fitchburg Website: https://duvarney.com/ Notes: Now known as Duvarney & Co. 19. Fitchburg Hardware Co. (now FHC Industrial Supply) Founded: 1858 Current address: 692 N. Main St., Leominster Website: https://www.fhcindustrial.com/ Notes: DBA as FHC Industrial Supply after merger with Leominster Industrial Supply in 2015. 20. Fitchburg Public Library Founded: 1859 Current address: 166 Boulder Dr., Fitchburg Website: https://www.fitchburgma.gov/871/ Library 21. Marlborough Savings Bank (now Main Street Bank) Founded: 1860 Current address: 81 Granger Blvd., Marlborough Website: https://www.bankmainstreet.com/ Notes: Merged with North Middlesex Savings Bank in 2017, now known as Main Street Bank. 22. Dean College Founded: 1865 Current address: 99 Main St., Franklin Website: https://www.dean.edu/ 22. St. Mark's School Founded: 1865 Current address: 25 Marlboro Rd., Southborough Website: https://www.stmarksschool.org/ 22. Worcester Polytechnic Institute Founded: 1865 Current address: 100 Institute Rd., Worcester Website: https://www.wpi.edu/ 25. Worcester Telegram & Gazette Founded: 1866 Current address: 100 Front St., Worcester Website: https://www.telegram.com/ Notes: Owned by Gannett Corp., which was purchased by GateHouse Media in 2019. 26. Athol Savings Bank Founded: 1867 Current address: 388 Main St., Athol Website: https://www.ibankasb.com/ (Note: The rankings, aside from Becker College, reflect the 2014 chart) Compiled by T.J. Gaudet; original list compiled by Roger Magnus, New England Business Media Robert E. Johnson, former Becker College president COURTESY WESTERN NEW ENGLAND UNIVERSITY American Antiquarian Society