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78 Worcester Business Journal | Book of Lists 2025 | wbjournal.com F O C U S G E N E R A L I N T E R E S T Largest woman-owned businesses Ranked by number of local employees Company Local employees/ local offices/ Type of business Woman owner(s)/ percent owned WBE certified?/ year founded 1 Worcester Restaurant Group 118 Highland St., Worcester 01609 508-798-3474 • worcesterrestaurantgroup.com 253 1 Restaurants Madeleine Ahlquist owner 51% No 1979 2 Unic Pro Inc. 415 Boston Turnpike, Suite 211B, Shrewsbury 01545 877-881-8642 • unicpro.com 179 1 Commercial cleaning Beatriz Ramos president & CEO 100% Yes 2008 3 Century Homecare LLC 65 Water St., 2nd Floor, Worcester 01604 888-292-1809 • centuryhomecare.com 130 1 Home health care Milka Njoroge CEO & administrator 100% Yes 2012 4 CommCan 730 Main St., Millis 02054 508-533-9333 • commcan.com 92 1 Adult-use and medical cannabis business Ellen Rosenfeld co-owner 51% Yes 2015 5 Front Line Inc. 58 Mellen St., Hopedale 01747 508-634-6600 • frontlineinc.info 90 1 Construction services Nancy Salter president 100% Yes 1998 6 The Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Road, Shirley 01464 978-425-4311 • bullrunrestaurant.com 85 1 Restaurant, concert and function venue Alison Tocci co-owner & innkeeper 51% No 1740 7 Synergy Wellness Center 45 Main St., Suite 403, Hudson 01749 (1) 978-333-7426 • synergy-wellness-center.com 70 2 Holistic wellness, mental health, lifestyle Michelle Grasso owner 100% No 2018 8 BestPro Cleaning LLC 100 A June St., Worcester 01602 508-310-5406 • bestprollc.com 62 1 Commercial and restoration cleaning Diana Gallego general manager 51% Yes 1998 9 Prestige Adult Foster Care LLC 286 Lincoln St., Worcester 01605 508-205-6888 • prestige.com 52 1 Adult foster care Highness Meena owner 100% Yes 2015 10 Solidus Technical Solutions 17 Forsythia Road, Lunenburg 01453 866-765-4387 • solidus-ts.com 50 1 Systems engineering and software development Carla James CEO Darlene Tucker president 100% Yes 2001 11 Atlas Travel & Technology Group 200 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlborough 01752 508-488-1100 • atlastravelandtechnology.com 49 1 Business, vacation and meeting planning services Elaine Osgood CEO 60% Yes 1986 12 Accu-Clean Inc. 210 Park Ave., Suite 337, Worcester 01609 508-755-8166 • accu-cleaninc.com 45 1 Commercial janitorial cleaning services Michele Blanchette president Robin Booth vice president 100% Yes 1987 12 CAC Worcester LLC 255 Park Ave., Suite 412, Worcester 01609 508-756-5400 • cacworcester.org 45 3 Behavioral health clinic Jennifer J. Hylton executive director 100% No 2007 14 B&G Services Inc., dba 1800GOTJUNK 77 South St., Suite C2, Hopkinton 01748 774-233-0380 • 1800gotjunk.com 42 1 Professional junk removal and recycling Judith Briggs owner 100% Yes 2003 15 Primary Colors Inc. 9 Millennium Drive, North Grafton 01536 508-887-8789 • primarycolorsinc.com 40 1 Manufacturer of color concentrates for plastic Carrie Ann Brown principal 51% No 1994 15 USPack Inc. 300 Whitney St., Leominster 01453 978-537-4748 • uspack.net 40 1 Manufacturer Svetlana Aptekman president 100% Yes 2004 17 Precision Engineering LLC 29 Industrial Drive, Uxbridge 01569 508-278-5700 • precisionengineering.com 37 2 Manufacturer of custom sheet metal Emily Heisley Stoeckel owner & chairperson 100% Yes 1988 17 Strategic Environmental Services Inc. 362 Putnam Hill Road, Sutton 01590 508-757-7782 • strategic-es.com 37 1 Environmental services and remedial construction Marsha Harris president 51% Yes 2001 19 Alternative Creative Energy & HVAC Inc. 196 Central St., Millville 01529 508-876-2690 • aceandhvac.com 35 1 Mechanical contractor Jodi Connolly president 100% Yes 2009 19 Bean Counter Bakery Cafe 270 Grove St., Worcester 01605 508-749-5700 • beancounterbakery.com 35 2 Bakery and cafe Alice Lombardi founder & owner 51% No 2001 19 Need-A-Lift Medivan Inc. 132 Crawford St., Leominster 01453 978-534-0041 • needaliftmedivan.com 35 1 Chair car service Lauren Conrad Patti Belliveau co-owners 100% Yes 1990 Source: Each company via survey as of Q2 2025 and company websites. Note: N/A=not available. (1) With an additional location at 563 Main St., 2nd Floor, Bolton -Compiled by: Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com WBJ Power 100 for 2025: Caitlyn Carolan In May, WBJ released its Power 100 list of the most influential professionals in Central Massachusetts, including Caitlyn Carolan, president of Worcester Restaurant Group. The parent company of VIA Italian Table, One Eleven Chop House, and the Sole Proprietor, Worcester Restaurant Group has been a staple of the Central Massachusetts culinary scene for nearly half a century. Carolan, daughter of company founders Robb and Madeleine Ahlquist, grew up in the business. After trying different pathways after college, she returned to the company in 2007 to manage and book private parties. She was the general manager of VIA for six years before becoming chief operating officer in 2016 and president in 2020. Her husband, Keith, is now the company's COO. Last summer, Carolan took the extraordinary step of closing VIA for a week to do a full kitchen renovation. Almost every piece of equipment was replaced, new fryers were added, and workspaces were refreshed. Part of the reason, Carolan said, was inspiration from her son with celiac disease to add more gluten-free options to the menu. The renovation worked out well, and now VIA boasts a wide array of gluten-free options. Five years after COVID, Worcester Restaurant Group is thriving, Carolan said. The company sold more than $1 million in gift cards over the holidays for the past two years, and sales are growing year after year. - Story by Laura Finaldi Caitlin Carolan