Worcester Business Journal

18 Worcester Business Journal • August 29, 2016 www.wbjournal.com 40 U N D E R F O R T Y << Since becoming WCTI's executive director last year, Bush led the organi- zation from a virtual network broker to a full-fledged business incubator, establishing a facility and cultivating a community of entrepreneurs, mentors and investors. He continues to grow its physical and network resources. Previously, Bush raised funds for and coordinated a solar workforce training program, led student research projects on using open-source elec- tronics for energy and environmental monitoring, and helped write the the first course curricula on energy infra- structure at Bronx Community College. During that time he also helped start a green-chemical company through the National Science Foundation I-Corps program. By the time I am 50, I would like to have accomplished...having my children still want to hang out with me. What would you like to tell your 10-year-old self? Learn to code. Buy and hold. Spend more time with Dad. If you could have dinner with any four people, who would they be? Carl Sagan, Vannevar Bush (my great grandfather), Bill Gates, Isaac Asimov. Where do you get motivation? I have no excuse not to do my best. n Leary and two partners launched Running Start in 2012, realizing Worcester had a demand for a mem- bership-based workspace. What start- ed as 800 square feet in a Lincoln Street office and a single member has grown into two locations in Worcester and Oxford with more than 100 mem- bers and nearly a dozen partner loca- tions around the state. Leary has taken on every role from business develop- ment to community management to the buildout of each uniquelocation. What will the title of your mem- oirs be? "Run. Start. Work." – it refer- ences my entrepreneurial mindset, my work with Running Start and even my favorite pastime, running and triathlon. What should older generations know about the up -and- coming workforce? We may have new ways of approaching things but many of us still have the same good old fashioned work ethic as past generations. Why do you work in Central Massachusetts? There isn't a better place to live or work. It's a short drive to major cities or a quiet country land- scape. Great for cycling and running! The people I work with would tell you I am... stubborn, fun and will- ing to risk failure to make progress. n After working as assistant town manager and chief financial officer for three years, Herbert in 2016 was pro- moted to town manager, orchestrating the increase of the town's bond rating two notches from AA to the highest level of AAA. By finding ways to reduce fixed costs like utilities and health benefits, Herbert enhanced ser- vice levels in public safety, education, administration and human services. Herbert serves on the board for the Metrowest YMCA's Hopkinton branch, Leadership Metrowest, and the Arts! Ashland Alliance. Whose career would you like to emulate? Abraham Lincoln – despite numerous disappointments and faced with difficult choices, he always moved forward and made decisions based on his principles and vision. What is your advice to young business people? No matter how bad things seem, you should never give up. What is the first impression you like to leave with business con- tacts? I am a good listener. I want people to know their concerns and issues are heard and addressed. If I hadn't gone down this career path, I would have liked to... contin- ue as a musician. n Zea's career at Saint-Gobain began 14 years ago, where in test develop- ment her team pioneered a program to improve testing at the facility. Later, in research and development, she collabo- rated to launch two new products gen- erating $3.4 million in sales. After working in New Hampshire as produc- tion manager, she returned to Worcester as plant manager, responsi- ble for annual sales of more than $40 million and 145 employees. She served in the inaugural Leadership Worcester class in 2015. What is your main professional goal? Make sustainable impacts to operational effectiveness through engagement of employees, focused ini- tiatives and strong communication. Who gave you the best career advice? My long-term mentor Regan Gallo: "What's your plan?" Rather than dwelling on what is frustrating, she told me to work toward solutions. I prepare for the unexpected by... remaining grounded in my ethics and the long-range strategies of my team, always biasing towards what is right. Who is the fictional character you are most like? Per my daughter, Elsa from "Frozen" – very intense but doing what is right for her kingdom. n Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Worcester College: Johnson & Wales University Ryan Leary, 32 Co-founder, Running Start Coworking, Worcester Michael Herbert, 39 Town manager, Town of Ashland Residence: Framingham Birthplace: Provo, Utah Colleges: UMass Boston Residence: Bolton Birthplace: Auburn, N.Y. College: Clarkson University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Nicole Zea, 36 Plant manager, Saint Gobain Superabrasives, Worcester Joe Bush, 34 Executive director, Worcester CleanTech Incubator Residence: Paxton Birthplace: Sudbury Colleges: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Brown University P H O T O / E R I K A S I D O R

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