Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 18, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 3 BY BRAD KANE WBJ Editor T he Pan-Mass Challenge cycling fundraiser will have its primary start in Worcester for the first time this year, and Central Massachusetts business leaders are preparing for the 2,900 riders and economic attention expected to come this summer. About 70 business leaders from Greater Worcester attended a Pan- Mass Challenge kickoff event April 27 at the startup accelerator Auxilium, where leaders from the PMC and the region spoke about the ways to capitalize on the opportunity. "e Pan-Mass Challenge starting here is a really great opportunity for Worcester, especially for the business community," said Karen Pelletier, executive vice president for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. PMC has multiple starting lines throughout the state, but the primary one has been in Sturbridge since the event was founded in 1980. e event concludes in Provincetown on Cape Cod. Riders raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Last year, the event raised $78 million. e nonprofit decided to switch the primary start this year to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester because the city has more amenities like hotels and restaurants to accommodate the riders, said Billy Starr, president, founder, and chairman of the PMC. "Worcester has a legit cycling community," Starr said. "is is a win-win." When PMC announced the switch from Sturbridge to Worcester, registrations for the 2026 event spiked by 450 riders, said Starr. About 6,200 riders are expected to participate in the event Aug. 1, with 2,900 riders starting in Worcester, the largest share of any location. e second-largest starting location is Babson College in Wellesley. "at's a pretty strong endorsement that people want to experience this new start and this town," he said. Among attendees were UniBank Community Healthlink closure "There is no plan currently for Open Sky to operate any other Community Healthlink programs. Decisions about the future of those programs will be made by UMass Memorial Health with guidance from the state agencies that fund those services." Ken Bates, president and CEO of Open Sky Community Ser- vices, on the Worcester nonprofit taking over only two programs from behavioral services provider Community Healthlink ahead of UMass Memorial Health closing the division. UMass Memorial is seeking to transfer 17 CHL programs. New president "I am mindful of the global legacy the company has built over the past 115 years. As COO and president of APAC, I've had the privilege of working with Bemis teams globally and seeing firsthand the amazing value that the Bemis team can create." Christina Chen, former global chief operating officer and Asia- Pacific region president at Shirley adhesive manufacturer Bemis Associates, on being promoted to president of the entire company. Class increase "This has been an unusually intense and competitive year for undergraduate admissions, and I am extremely proud of the hard work across the university to enroll a strong, vibrant incoming class." Clark University President David Fithian, on projected freshman enrollment increasing 35% for the fall semester, which came after the school reported a nearly 20% drop in expected freshmen enrollments in spring 2025 and consequently announced plans to reduce its faculty size by up to 30% and restructure its degree programs. Pan-Mass Challenge to start in Worcester for first time PHOTO | COURTESY OF PAN-MASS CHALLENGE CEO Ed Augustus; Jon Weaver, president and CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives; Andy Davis, director of Worcester Regional Airport; Zak Dutton, director at Auxilium; David Klein, CEO of Greenwood Industries; Julie Bowditch, executive director of CASA Project Worcester County; Worcester City Manager Eric Batista; Kimberly Salmon, AVP of community relations at Hanover Insurance Group; and Worcester Railers President David Aitken. "Worcester is very lucky to be able to showcase our grit, determination, love, and caring," Klein said. "We will take care of the PMC for now and forever." Grace Lee, president and CEO of St. Mary's Credit Union in Marlborough, helped organize the event. "Up until recently, Worcester was not a destination for these types of events," Lee said. "at is starting to change." W

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