Worcester Business Journal

B U S I N E S S L E A D E R S F O C U S Carroll never stops working, advocating BY EMILY MICUCCI Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer Worcester housing the headquarters of the Small Business Service Bureau Inc., the national business membership organization Carroll founded in 1968 and still leads as CEO. At an age when most executives are enjoying well-deserved retirement, Carroll's passion for work seems infi- nite. He spends seven days a week working. "I love the thrill of the chase," Carroll explained. Small business advocacy That applies to his work at the Small Business Service Bureau – which pro- vides small business owners expert business services and insurance prod- ucts as well as advocacy on Capitol Hill – and his charitable outreach and contributions to community service. Carroll said working with the poor is his chief cause, an ode to his own hard upbringing as one of six children in the Vernon Hill neighborhood. He was the lead donor and fundraiser of the Saint Francis Xavier Center on Temple Street, housing the Saint John's Food for the Poor Program. The center opened in 2013, greatly increasing capacity and outreach. A Korean War veteran, Carroll brought to downtown Worcester a Korean War Memorial, dedicated in 2007. Much farther from home is the Living Memorial Hospital in Vietnam, a project Carroll spearheaded in the late 1960s with Gold Star families from Worcester, in honor of the local fallen. An American history buff, Carroll F rank Carroll never left Worcester, but in a vast career in business advocacy bringing him deep into the national political area and an abiding commit- ment to philanthropy, Carroll's reach extends far beyond city limits. In an interview in February, Carroll counted eight proj- ects he was actively working on. He was particularly busy helping to launch a new website for St. John's Food for the Poor Program, an outreach program of St. John's Church in Worcester that he's worked tirelessly to grow and promote. Plans for travel to Washington D.C. to advocate for the small businesses on looming changes to federal healthcare reform were ongoing, and he was in the planning stages of a facade renovation of the Main Street block in downtown W B J H A L L O F F A M E I N D U C T E E Frank Carroll Founder & CEO, Small Business Service Bureau Inc. Location: Worcester Leadership example: In the SBSB office, Carroll maintains a presidential and vice presidential history museum. curated the U.S. Presidential Museum at his offices. An impressive collection of documents dates back to the found- ing fathers; portraits and memorabilia span the entire history of the U.S., through modern times. Political lead- ers featured there include those Carroll has worked with on political issues affecting small business. Michael Angelini, chairman of the Worcester law firm Bowditch & Dewey, said the museum is more than a collec- tion of American historical artifacts. "It's a metaphor," Angelini said. "He believes strongly in the political sys- tem." Working with Carroll on local proj- ects, from the renovation of the Hanover Theatre to United Way fund- raising, Angelini said Carroll is the type of leader so hard to find today. "He leads by giving the example of someone who is good and cares about other people," Angelini said. W Although Frank Carroll's history museum highlights multiple presidents and vice presidents, his favorite president is Harry Truman, highlighted in a special corner of the facility. wbjournal.com | February 20, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 15 P H O T O / B R A D K A N E

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