Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1543351
wbjournal.com | February 23, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 11 FOCUS Something special 2026 Honorees B U S I N E S S L E A D E R S O F T H E Y E A R C entral Massachusetts is full of amazing professionals, each with their own unique skills, talents, and dedication to their companies, industries, and communi- ties. You could make a strong case for hundreds of them to be considered as WBJ's Business Leader of the Year. Yet, to actually win the award, you need to have that little something extra: a magic spark, an insight no one else sees, years of knowledge that pay off with the right decision at the right time, a leadership style inspiring people to follow, a push for a paradigm shi at a stag- nant organization. Business Leader of the Year is WBJ's oldest award, launched in 1982 when Herb Dunnington of First Safety Fund Bank won the sole award. In the decades since, BLOY has expanded to honor winners from dif- ferent corners of the economy: small businesses, large businesses, nonprofits, innovation, families. Each of the six winners this year has that something special setting them apart as true leaders in our Central Massachusetts business community: Neelu Moha- ghegh's creativity, Nick Haritos' compassion, Nicolette Sacco's adaptability, Julie Bowditch's energy, Sean Rose's steadiness, the Vaccaro family's culture. You can read more about each of them in the following pages. To learn more from each of the 2026 Business Leaders of the Year and to hear from them directly, I invite you to attend their awards ceremony on March 26 at the AC Hotel by Marriott Worcester, where WBJ also will induct its 2026 Hall of Fame class. Head to WBJournal.com to register. . – Brad Kane, editor Nicolette Sacco Neelu Mohaghegh Sean Rose Julie Bowditch Frank, Jeanne, Matthew & Frankie Vaccaro • Small Business Leader of the Year Neelu Mohaghegh Café owner & creative cultural activator Café Neelu, Inc. Page 12 • Large Business Leader of the Year Nick Haritos President & CEO AIS Inc. Page 13 • Innovative Business Leader of the Year Nicolette Sacco General manager Davis Farmland, Davis Mega Maze & Davis BBQ Page 15 • Small Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year Julie Bowditch Executive director CASA Project Worcester County Page 16 • Large Nonprofit Business Leader of the Year Sean Rose President & CEO Thrive Support & Advocacy Page 17 • Family Business Leaders of the Year Frank, Jeanne, Matthew & Frankie Vaccaro Owners & presidents Masis Staffing Solutions, Peak Scouts, Worcester Bravehearts Page 19 W PHOTOS | MATT WRIGHT AND COURTESY OF AIS INC., DAVIS FARMLAND, AND MASIS STAFFING SOLUTIONS Nick Haritos