Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) held its annual Excellence in Nonprofit Awards at the State House. Finalists in each award category represented came from all over the Commonwealth. We particularly want to congratulate Christine Buckley, Executive Director of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, for being a Finalist in the Excellence in Leadership award category.
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South Shore nonprofits and board members should mark their calendars to submit their nomination for next year’s awards. Let’s show how strong our nonprofit sector is on the South Shore! To learn more about the Chamber’s support of the nonprofit industry, visit https://www.southshorechamber.org/npo-group.html.

The Department of Family and Medical Leave has recently posted Employer and Employee toolkits on their website  mass.gov/dfml .  From their email:

March 20, 2019 

Over 250 attendees gathered for the 2nd Annual South of Boston Summit hosted by the New England Real Estate Journal & the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to hear from key stakeholders about real estate development throughout the region. 

The program included a keynote address from Rich Beal of A.W. Perry, panel discussions on changing commercial real estate and how the South Shore is attracting various business in the region as well as a roundtable update on the Hanover Crossing project at the Hanover Mall. Attendees heard from Peter Abair of MassEcon, Patrick Brady of Cornerstone Realty Capital, Tim Cahill of Quincy Chamber of Commerce, David Ellis of Ellis Realty Advisors, Peter Forman of South Shore Chamber of Commerce / South Shore Economic Development Corporation, Ian Frenette of the Boston Cannons, David Gilmore of Pyramid Management Group (Kingston Collection), Josh Katzen of Forest Properties and Steven Kelly of Timberline Construction.

Thank you to our sponsors!
Platinum: A.W. Perry
Corporate: Ellis Realty Advisors, Timberline Construction, Inspired Technology and Communications LLC, Zaxia
Vendor: Cornerstone Realty Capital, PREP – Hanover Crossing, U.S. Pavement Services Inc., Bedford Cost Segregation, iCorps Technologies

More photos can be found in our gallery.

Key stakeholders gathered at the beginning of the month to recognize some critical leadership in the next phase of South Shore 2030’s Housing Initiative. The business voice is a critical component to moving the number on our housing goal of 44,000 new units by 2030. It isn’t only about increased housing production, but the right kind of housing in the right locations – some key housing developments and town initiatives were highlighted during the event and can be found on South Shore 2030’s housing page.  
 
Getting to that 44,000 number will take a lot of effort and leadership from community members, local officials from all 25 communities, small business, big business, all industry representatives. This is bigger than just increasing the number of homes on the South Shore – it is about building our communities and supporting the economic vitality of the region.  We have some great leadership here on the South Shore and Rockland Trust’s, Christopher Oddleifson, is leading the charge with a $35,000 contribution to support the project work.
 
Check out some of the media coverage of this announcement from the sources below.

For more information about the Housing Initiative and/or to get involved in the conversation, contact Courtney Bjorgaard at cbjorgaard@southshorechamber.org or 781.421.3915.

Our Board of 36 represents diverse businesses and a changing mix of leaders on the South Shore.  We welcome 10 new Board members this year (denoted by *).

Executive Committee
James Dunphy, South Shore Bank, Chairman of the Board
Renee McInnes, RN, BS, NVNA and Hospice, Vice Chair
Deirdre Savage, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Mass., Inc, Treasurer
George Toma, George Washington Toma TV & Appliance, Immediate Past Chair
​Martie Dwyer
Michelle Hatch, blumshapiro
Darlene Hollywood, Hollywood Agency
Brian Molisse, Molisse Realty Group, LLC
Cody Wright, Eye Health Services

Board of Directors
Cate Adams, Eastern Bank
Anthony Agnitti, Agnitti Insurance Agency
Stanley Blackmur, South Shore Magazine
Mark Brewster, Brewster Ambulance*
Ryan Bristol, Weathervane Companies*
Russell Chin, Chin Law Firm
Michelle Cully, Xpressman Trucking & Courier*
Susan Daileader, Rockland Trust Company*
Mark D'Onofrio, Coastal Heritage Bank
Rich Fernandez, Beth Israel Deaconess - Milton*
Joseph Gratt, Atlantic Mechanical*
Dr. Gena Glickman, Massasoit Community College*
John Keohane, Keohane Funeral Home
Ryan Kirwin, Envision Bank*
David Lombardo, The Lombardo Companies
Linda McDaid, South Shore Staffing
Barbara Mitchell, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Kathryn Murphy, Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP
David Nichols, EMD Serono
Jason Milligan, RBS Citizens, N.A.
Chris O'Connor, South Shore Health*
Dr. Ebi Okara, EdD, Metis Psychological Associates
Mark Olivieri, The Patriot Ledger
Jenifer Pinkham, Phifer Pinkham LLC
Lynn Sullivan, MountainOne Bank*
Bonnie Simmons, Citrin Cooperman*
​Nikki Tierney, Just ADD Dogs

I attended a briefing for business groups with  Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack.  We tend to focus a lot our transportation attention on the MBTA and major highways.  My meeting was a good reminder of how much depends on local roads and bus services. 

More people are served by buses than rail lines.  As the Secretary noted we need to pay more attention to bus service but almost every improvement from changing a stop, creating bus lanes, or having necessary curb cuts for stops all require partnership with local communities.

Our own work for regional development is now moving more toward local transportation needs to travel within the region rather than just the commute into and out of Boston. 

​- Peter

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce is going on record in opposition to the Nov. 6th ballot Question 1 ‘Patient-to-Nurse Limits,’ a referendum, that if passed, would limit the number of patients assigned to each registered nurse in Massachusetts hospitals and certain other health care facilities.

‘The question sets a rigid staffing standard for all hospitals, in all units, at all times,’ said Peter Forman, President & CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce. ‘It is an unworkable, one-size-fits-all system that imposes heavy fines, and limits the ability of doctors, nurses and hospitals to make decisions on how to care for patients; the implications for services in and outside of hospitals should concern every citizen.’

The South Shore Chamber of Commerce has long been a staunch supporter of a strong healthcare system for the region and is voicing concern that the cost of the proposed law will force hospitals to reduce some levels of care and community services.

‘The impact on our area hospitals would be significant,’ said Forman. ‘Annual costs for the South Shore Health system would be as high as $33 million, $7 million for Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Milton and $5 million at Beth Israel Deaconess in Plymouth.’
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The law, said Forman, would also be ‘devastating’ to healthcare delivered outside of hospitals, as nurses would be drained from settings such as home care, senior care, and mental health treatment at a time when ‘treatment for mental health and opioid addiction is needed more than ever.’