Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 17, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 15 Clarity & Confidence Starts with a Bank that Cares Our C.A.R.E. process ensures that we understand your unique finanicial goals and tailor solutions to meet them. Every moment with our clients matters. At Fidelity Bank, we see every interaction as an opportunity to listen, care, and provide clarity — so you can spend less time worrying about your financial life and more time focusing on the things that matter most. Call or visit a caring LifeDesign Banker Today 800.581.5363 FidelityBankOnline.com Bernard "Bob" Barlow President & CEO MBA Mortgage Corp., in Worcester Residence: Norwell Military branch: U.S. Air Force Served: 9 years Rank at discharge: A1C airman first class Bernard "Bob" Barlow joined the U.S. Air Force because his father was a veteran, his uncle was a veteran, and his grandfather was a veteran. Growing up in a military family, service, discipline, and accountability were daily expectations. He served in the Massachusetts Air National Guard and was deployed to Iraq as part of a combat communications squadron, responsible for setting up critical infrastructure for military communications. e hardest part of transitioning to civilian life was losing the clarity of mission and structure the military provides. In service, every day had purpose, every role was defined, and the path was clear. Civilian life required rebuilding that frame- work from scratch. At MBA Mortgage, which he founded in 2005, he set out to recreate that sense of mission, anchored in service, accountability, and community. at foundation shaped how he leads at MBA Mortgage. e company has ex- panded operations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, with several loan officers being military members themselves. In the military, Barlow learned to lead with integrity, stay accountable, and never ask others to do what he wouldn't do himself. ose values are the backbone of how MBA Mortgage operates. In 2015, Barlow suffered a life-altering diving accident that le him para- lyzed. Despite this, he remained actively involved in leading MBA Mortgage and supporting veteran causes. His volunteer work with disabled veterans earned him an active role in the Disabled American Veterans of Massachusetts, and he was awarded Disabled Veteran of the Year in 2019 for his extraordinary service to vet- erans and their families while overcoming significant personal injury. VETERANS IN BUSINESS F O C U S Andrea Brewster Nurse navigator UMass Memorial Medical Center, in Worcester Residence: Worcester Military branch: U.S. Army Served: 4 years Rank at discharge: Captain Andrea Brewster joined the U.S. Army aer discovering a pamphlet in her high school guidance office in 1984 titled "West Point Sports." At the time, she was hoping to play college field hockey. Although West Point didn't have a field hockey team, she was inspired by what it did offer: the chance to learn, train, and work toward becoming an Army officer. is idea of combining education and service deeply resonated with her. West Point and the Army taught her the true importance of teamwork. Early in Plebe year, she learned quickly success was never an individual effort. She saw how much more a team could accomplish when every member felt valued and under- stood that their contributions mattered. She learned that no one succeeds alone. Building relationships, trusting others, and learning from them were all essential to achieving success. e hardest part about transitioning to civilian life was losing the sense of being part of something larger than herself. It takes time to develop this sense of purpose in civilian workplaces. e loss of instant camaraderie can be overwhelming. A 1985 graduate of Notre Dame Academy and former Army officer who served during Desert Storm and Desert Shield, Brewster transitioned into nursing. Inspired by the exceptional nursing care she received when her daughter was born, she has practiced for 28 years. Currently a nurse navigator in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at UMass Memorial Medical Center, her passion has always remained women's health. A passage in the cadet prayer states, "Choose the harder right over the easier wrong." is has guided her throughout her life.

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