Worcester Business Journal

4 Worcester Business Journal | April 2, 2018 | wbjournal.com C E N T R A L M AS S I N B R I E F V E R B A T I M Marathon beer "Somewhere along the Boston Marathon route. It only happens once a year, but it's quite a good marketing opportunity for us. Our brand was founded around running." Medfield-based Zelus Beer Co. Founder and CEO Geoffrey Pedder on the brewery looking for a taproom location in the MetroWest area Manufacturing in 2018 "It's a fairly simple recipe. You have you keep your labor cost low by innovating and investing in cutting-edge technology and by producing a product that's very superior compared to China, Mexico or other companies we compete with." Northbridge-based Riverdale Mills CEO James Knott, Jr. on the company's ability to stay competitive Airbnb bill "It's an important issue. I think it's a level playing-field issue, and it's unfortunate that it hasn't happened already." Gov. Charlie Baker, on a bill to tax and regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb BBBS CEO to serve 8-month Navy stint in Afghanistan D uty calls for Jeffrey Chin, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/ MetroWest. The U.S. Navy Reservist has been called to serve in Afghanistan for eight months beginning in April, he announced in an email last month. "As a reservist, it is always 'part of the deal' that there will be a chance that you will be called up to active duty for a particular mission or need," Chin wrote in an email announcing his call to duty. Chin's last day with the organization will be April 5, and he ships out April 8. Interim CEO After his eight-month deployment, Chin intends to return to his post leading Big Brothers Big Sisters. Chin and the Worcester nonprofit's leadership team are discussing a tran- sition plan to keep the organization running during his absence, including hiring an interim executive director to be on site two or three days a week. Terms with an unnamed individual are currently being finalized, but Chin said the individual has extensive experi- ence managing a nonprofit organization and experience in child welfare work. According to Chin, the interim director will be responsible for specific projects, including executing the bud- get and ensuring the integration of the organization's Mazie Mentoring Program team members and organiza- tion, which was acquired in July. A history of service Chin, a reservist since 2011, said he joined the reserves as a public affairs BY ZACHARY COMEAU Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer officer because of his family's military history. His grandfather served in World War II and the Korean War, so service and patriotism was always instilled in his large family. Chin, the oldest of 40 grandchildren, said his grandfather's service helped teach them about what it meant to live in the United States. "I really admired his service," he said during a phone interview with the WBJ a week before his deployment. In his time as a reservist, Chin has fulfilled his obligation with two-to- three-week assignments, usually in the summer months to avoid disruption, as the organization typically slows down programming in the summer. This deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan's capital and largest city, will be his longest yet. The organization shouldn't miss a beat and the interim director may not even work full time thanks to the solid leadership in place, Chin said. "I'm very encouraged and hopeful that the agency will continue to flour- ish," he said. "We have a great plan in place, and I very much look forward to my return." Jeffrey Chin, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves, will be deployed to Afganistan on April 8. Here, he takes an oath after being promoted to his current rank in 2015. W

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