Worcester Business Journal

22 Worcester Business Journal | June 8, 2026 | wbjournal.com P OW E R 1 0 0 A R T S & C U LT U R E Jim Donahue President & CEO Old Sturbridge Village, in Sturbridge Employees: 215, along with 200 volunteers Annual revenue: $15 million Donahue leads one of Central Massachusetts' most important tourism and cultural assets. Since the start of 2025, Old Sturbridge Village completed a strategic merger with Coggeshall Farm Museum, secured a $2.5-million challenge grant, and attract- ed more than 200,000 visitors through signature events and new programming. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Donahue is positioning the village as a premier destination for heritage tourism in New England. - B.K. What unique skill sets you apart from others? One of my greatest strengths is helping people recognize potential in themselves they may not yet see. I encourage others to step beyond their comfort zones, build confidence, and take on new challenges. What is one habit powerful leaders should prac- tice every day? Connection. Strong leaders make time every day to genuinely engage with people. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? As we approach our 80th anniversary, this location continues to offer both historic integrity and accessi- bility, making it a leading destination for immersive education, cultural enrichment, and experiential tourism. Noreen Johnson Smith President & CEO EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature, in Worcester Age: 61 Total employees: 50 Annual revenue: $5.8 million Johnson Smith is guiding one of Worcester's most historic cultural institutions through a period of expansion and renewed visibility. As the EcoTarium marked its 200th anniversary in 2025, the museum welcomed more than 136,000 visitors, brought sci- ence education to 6,200 students in 247 classrooms, and raised $10.6 million toward a $12.5-million campaign. e new 8,000-square-foot Stoddard Ex- hibition Hall is helping attract regional visitors while positioning Worcester as a destination for major science exhibits. - B.K. What is one habit powerful leaders should practice every day? Gratitude. Every leader should practice daily appreciation for the team that works to- gether to achieve a vision and accomplish a goal, and for the supporters who help make progress possible. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? Cen- tral Massachusetts, anchored by the city of Worces- ter, is one of the best parts of the country in which to live, learn, and do business. e community is collaborative, supportive, culturally diverse, caring, and values education and science. Bryan O'Donnell Assistant location manager for IATSE 481, in Worcester Co-founder of Wootenanny Comedy Board member for Worcester Hot Dog Safari Age: 39 O'Donnell has become one of Worcester's most effective unofficial ambassadors, helping bring film and television productions to the city while championing local businesses and nonprofits. His location work has helped put downtown Worcester on screen, including as a filming location for "e Walking Dead" universe. - B.K. What unique skill sets you apart from others? e combination of a willingness to admit when I'm wrong, privilege afforded to me by my skin color and background, and a burning, white-hot vindic- tiveness against my childhood enemies that drives me ever forward toward success and madness. What one habit should powerful leaders practice every day? Deeply interrogating their own motives. When making any given decision, honestly assess whether it puts you closer to or further from the gibbet. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? Growing up in the honest, if baffling, weirdness of Worcester makes everywhere else seem phony. No other city will do. PHOTO | COURTESY OF CREATIVE HUB WORCESTER Laura Marotta Co-founder & CEO Creative Hub Worcester, in Worcester Age: 39 Employees: 8 Annual revenue: $1.5 million Marotta spent more than a decade pursuing her vision of transforming Worcester's long-vacant Boys' Club building into a thriving arts destination. In 2025, that vision became reality with the opening of Creative Hub Worcester's $16-million redevelopment project, creating a nearly 40,000-square-foot center for artists, entrepreneurs, educators, and community organizations. e project represents a major invest- ment in Worcester's creative economy and cultural infrastructure. - B.K. What unique skill sets you apart from others? I enjoy the challenge of turning incipient, ambiguous, and seemingly impossible ideas into reality by bring- ing together people, resources, and vision across very different worlds. Why do you do business in Central Mass.? Worcester and this region are places with extraordi- nary creativity, resilience, and untapped potential. is city has given me the opportunity to build something deeply community-centered while helping shape a cultural future where diverse creative voices are genuinely valued and supported. How do you unwind? I make art, sing, model, style outfits, and spend time with my partner and my cats. I also enjoy a good glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. "Now more than ever, we are being called to reckon with institutional structures that were built on the backs of people from whom power, opportunity, visibility, and resources were historically stolen." - Laura Marotta, Creative Hub Worcester

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