www.wbjournal.com February 16, 2015 • Worcester Business Journal 3
There's this video on YouTube that never ceases to crack me up in the days and hours before a snowstorm
strikes. Maybe you've seen it: A comedian, scared witless after watching a weather forecast or two calling for
snow, freaks out on the edge of insanity as he starts his car because he's "gotta get the bread and milk!"
The video is more a statement of how much the a snowstorm can be talked up to a level where it can drive
many into hysteria (which I'm sure we're pretty immune to now after the last three weeks). It also lets us know
that, despite the conveniences of modern technology, we still need to get out to the store for some things, hope-
fully without an elevated state of panic.
That brings me to Staples, the second-largest company headquartered in Central Massachusetts, which could be months away from
becoming the largest, should its plan to buy rival Office Depot win stockholder and regulatory approval. Staples doesn't sell bread and
milk, or even fresh produce. The leading retailer of office supplies is not as likely to bring people into its stores — especially just before
a snowstorm — as a grocery store would because of growing competition from major retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar.
What's behind the deal, for the company and the retail industry? Read our Briefing on Page 4 and our editorial on Page 29.
Also, in this issue, beginning on Page 12, meet this year's Business Leader of the Year honorees — Doron Kempel, Hamid
Mohaghegh and Gail Carberry — and our Corporate Citizen of the Year, Bay State Savings Bank.
~ Rick Saia (rsaia@wbjournal.com)
This Week In The WBJ
Editor, Rick Saia, rsaia@wbjournal.com
Web Editor/Columnist
Christina H. Davis, cdavis@wbjournal.com
Staff Writers
Sam Bonacci, sbonacci@wbjournal.com
(Banking & Finance, Real Estate,
Manufacturing, Technology)
Emily Micucci, emicucci@wbjournal.com
(Health Care)
Staff Writer/Copy Editor
Carol McDonald, cmcdonald@wbjournal.com
(Education)
Contributors
Susan Shalhoub, sshalhoub@wbjournal.com
Livia Gershon
Research Director, Roger Magnus
rmagnus@nebusinessmedia.com
Research Assistant, Heide Martin
hmartin@wbjournal.com
Art Director, Kira Beaudoin
kbeaudoin@wbjournal.com
Graphic Designer, Mitchell Hayes
mhayes@wbjournal.com
Manager of Video/Multimedia Services,
Matthew Volpini
mvolpini@nebusinessmedia.com
Director, Major Accounts
Bonnie Leroux, bleroux@wbjournal.com
Senior Accounts Manager
Matt Majikas, mmajikas@wbjournal.com
Custom Publishing Project Manager
Christine Juetten, cjuetten@wbjournal.com
Marketing & Events Manager
Kris Prosser, kprosser@wbjournal.com
Sales Admin & Account Coordinator
Susan Munyon, smunyon@wbjournal.com
Controller, Mary Rogers
mrogers@nebusinessmedia.com
Accounting Assistant, Valerie Clark
vclark@nebusinessmedia.com
Collections Manager, Raki Zwiebel
rzwiebel@nebusinessmedia.com
Human Resources, Debbie Amorelli
damorelli@nebusinessmedia.com
Publisher, CEO, Peter Stanton
pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com
Associate Publisher, Mark Murray
mmurray@wbjournal.com
Group Publisher, Joseph Zwiebel
jzwiebel@nebusinessmedia.com
Worcester Business Journal (ISSN#1063-
6595) is published bi-weeky, 24x per year,
including 5 special issues in April, July,
September, November and December, by
New Engand Business Media. 172
Shrewsbury St., Worcester, MA 01604.
Periodicals postage paid at Worcester, MA.
Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
Postmaster: Please send address changes
to: Worcester Business Journal, PO Box
330, Congers, NY 10920-9894.
Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions are
available for $49.95. For more information,
please email wbjournal@cambeywest.com
or contact our circulation department at
845-267-3008. Fax: 845.267.3478
Advertising: For advertising information,
please call Mark Murray at 508-755-8004
ext. 227. Fax: 508-755-8860.
Worcester Business Journal accepts no
responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts
or materials and in general does not return
them to the sender.
Worcester Business Journal • 172 Shrewsbury Street • Worcester,
MA 01604 • 508-755-8004 tel. • 508-755-8860 fax
www.wbjournal.com
A division of:
WBJ on the Web
From news to information about events and awards, we have it all at WBJournal.com.
It's never too early to submit
a 40 Under Forty nomination
Do you know an up-and-coming
business leader in Central Massachusetts
who's worthy of being recognized as part
of our 16th annual 40 Under Forty class?
Fill out a nomination form today at
www.wbjournal.com/40underforty/nomination.
ON PAGE ONE
On a mission for NASA
Worcester is the birthplace of modern rocketry, and some Central Massachusetts
firms are playing a part in the next phase of U.S. space exploration.
EMC's choice: Spin off division? Or stay the course?
Amid investor pressure to accelerate growth, the data-storage leader isn't
signaling any plans to divest its stake in its virtualization division, VMware.
NEWS & ANALYSIS
9 How long can AMSC last?
The Devens manufacturer of energy equipment was riding high until
2010, when it lost its top customer and took it to court. As revenue keeps
falling, analysts address the firm's challenges.
21 New chamber leader takes charge in North Central
The successor to David McKeehan believes a broad approach can lead to
business growth in Fitchburg, Leominster and surrounding towns.
SHOP TALK
8 Q&A with Karen Chapman, president of the Corridor Nine Area Chamber
of Commerce, Westborough
THE LIST
19 Largest private foundations in Central Massachusetts
COLUMN
22 DIGITAL DIVA
Ever build an online survey, only to find out it was a bust? Christina Davis
offers you seven tips that can make the survey look good and get the
results you're looking for.
Join us as we honor our
Business Leaders of the Year
Join us Thursday, March 5, at 5 p.m. at
The Urban Kitchen (formerly Coral Seafood)
on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester as we
honor this year's Business Leaders of the Year and Corporate Citizen of
the Year in Central Massachusetts. To register, go to
www.wbjournal.com/businessleaders.
Bread, milk — and office supplies
Business Leaders of the Year
FOCUS
DEPARTMENTS
24 Accolades & Honors
4 Briefing
29 Editorial
28 Flash Poll
24 Fresh Beginnings
26 Incorporations
23 Knowhow
27 Movers & Shakers
25 Networking/Events
30 Photo Finish
5 Real Deals
8 Ticker
29 Viewpoint
2015
12 LARGE BUSINESS:
Doron Kempel, SimpliVity
13 SMALL BUSINESS/ENTREPRENEUR:
Hamid Mohaghegh, Family Pharmacy
14 NONPROFIT: Gail Carberry,
Quinsigamond Community College
16 CORPORATE CITIZEN:
Bay State Savings Bank (Peter Alden, CEO)
CORRECTION: Our story on the future of automated teller machines, on Page 13 of the Feb. 2 issue, mis-
spelled the name of Chuck Bauer, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Middlesex Savings
Bank in Natick.
