WORCESTER – On Thursday, Oct. 4, the Worcester Historical Museum (WHM) will award its annual Harvey Ball Smile award to Cliff Rucker.

WHM is the only organization solely dedicated to preserving all facets of Worcester’s history and sharing that story with both current and future generations. The Harvey Ball Smile award is given out annually to an individual or organization that has made a significant positive impact on the city.

What is interesting to note is many past recipients or organizations that have received this distinguished award have usually had a long time presence in Worcester. However, Rucker only arrived on the Worcester scene in August 2015 when he was exploring the city as one of several sites where he might potentially take ownership of a professional hockey minor league team. In appropriately honoring him, the WHM has recognized what I call – “The Rucker Effect”.

The recent announcement that Worcester will become home to the Boston Red Sox’s Triple A baseball farm team beginning in the spring 2021 baseball season has generated tremendous excitement throughout the city and region. This $240 million economic development project will not only bring a state-of-the-art ball park named Polar Park to Worcester, it will also create jobs and a mixed-use development on property that has been vacant for nearly 30 years. The specifics of this project are included in several stories in this edition of Chamber Exchange, The Newspaper.

This grand slam announcement came to fruition because of the hard work of a number of individuals and organizations. City Manager Edward Augustus, Jr., Larry Lucchino and Denis Dowdle being the three principles were all key with the city manager being the linchpin to the letter of intent between parties. Strong support also came from Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and the state legislative delegation, the business community through the Chamber of Commerce and Canal District Business Alliance, and leaders such as Michael Angelini as well as others to move this proposal forward.

As I reflect on key moments during this process that began with a City Council resolution and a dinner meeting in Boston with Larry Lucchino, there is another moment that I believe was critical to the success of this effort to bring the Red Sox to Worcester. It was at a Worcester Railers game on Nov. 14, 2017. On this date, the Railers were playing a day game and nearly 5,000 Worcester Public School students would get a special treat and attend a game at no expense to them or the school system. Railers team owner Cliff Rucker had worked with Superintendent Maureen Binienda and team sponsors to make the day happen.

Additionally, Rucker invited the leadership of the Pawtucket Red Sox to attend the game as well and host them in his team box at the DCU Center. The game was exciting, the crowd enthusiastic and loud, the fan game day experience was fun, and the Railers played well. Throughout the DCU Center and on the ice and new jumbotron TV, it was also obvious that Worcester’s business community and important organizations were supporting the Railers through sponsorships and advertising. Rucker mingled throughout the game with the Red Sox leadership and spoke about his experiences in taking an ECHL expansion team with no name to the point where the Railers were receiving strong support from the fan base and corporate community here in Worcester and Central Mass. Each and every member of the Red Sox team commented how impressed they were with the atmosphere of the game and how the Railers were being supported by the business community. This would be a key factor in the Red Sox’s decision on whether they themselves would come to Worcester. Would the Worcester business community support and sponsor the team?

Several of us commented to the Red Sox leadership, “imagine what you could do with the Red Sox brand if you approach things in Worcester the same way as Cliff.” At that moment in those conversations with the Red Sox leadership, you could sense that they believed the local business community might be able to support the team in the manner in which the corporate community was supporting the team in Rhode Island. It was also at that moment that I recognized the positive impact Rucker’s commitment to Worcester was having in a new and different way. It is what I call the “Rucker Effect”. Simply, Rucker’s success was facilitating additional opportunities and potential wins for the city and region.

I was first asked to meet with Rucker in 2015 by his consultant Steve Ryan, a fellow alum of Fordham University and former NHL executive, to discuss Worcester as a possible location for a minor league pro hockey team. However, it has been Rucker’s  significant subsequent investments in addition to the Railers, which have had a dramatic impact on Worcester‘s skyline and psyche. The Rucker Effect, as I call it, has many people, property owners and leaders in the community thinking about what we can accomplish individually and collectively. The Rucker Effect has raised the bar on our expectations to improve the city economically, educationally, aesthetically and by strengthening the fabric of our community in a way that brings people together.

As a city, we have made tangible progress in taking on big projects relating to economic development, transportation, and in brownfields cleanup over the past 20 years. Collaboration and a can-do spirit has been the recipe of these successes. Gateway Park, City Square, South Worcester Industrial Park, additional MBTA trains, a growing airport are just a few examples.

Rucker ‘s private sector investments since 2015 have validated our collaborative efforts and can-do spirit. His investments include the construction of a $22 million Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center in the Canal District; the acquisition and cleanup of the old St. John’s High School property; the $2 million plus renovation of the Railers Tavern on Commercial Street; the acquisition of the Central Exchange Building on Main Street as well as the acquisition and several million dollar rehabilitation of the Palladium.

As a lifelong Worcester resident, what makes these commitments by Rucker so significant is that he has been a successful business person, recognized a growing momentum in our city, and wanted to be a meaningful part of it. His presence has accelerated the pace of development. Moreover, his investments have caught the eye of other outside developers and brokers, which has lead to additional development investment. These investments have created jobs and expanded the city’s tax base, however, equally important they have also inspired downtown property owners to consider making improvements to their own buildings. These are examples of the Rucker Effect.

Following a business meeting I attended earlier this year, I was speaking with two prominent business leaders whose families and businesses have been in Worcester for generations. I mentioned that I was going to the Railer’s game that evening. One of the individuals said, “what Cliff Rucker is doing is incredible!” The other individual said, “I know it means we all have to step up and do more as well.” I can say both of these individuals and their businesses have done more since that conversation.

As important as Rucker‘s investments are in the city and how this Danvers businessman and investor has helped stimulate increased development in the sense of higher expectations for many, what is equally important is the way he has gotten involved along with his family to strengthen our community. The Railers Foundation funds numerous youth and educational initiatives. Rucker serves on the board of St. Vincent Hospital and YOU. Inc., which provides programs for kids and young adults facing challenges. Moreover, Rucker worked directly with Superintendent Maureen Binienda to create the Skate to Success program, of which 2,400 students from the public schools participated this past year. Students were taught to skate at no cost. The visits to the rink to learn to skate included academic lessons and a lunch at Nonna’s Pizza at no expense to the kids or the schools.

While there is more work ahead to improve our local economy and provide good jobs that give families an opportunity for economic mobility and a level of economic security, we can be optimistic with people like Cliff Rucker on our team the sky is the limit. Congratulations to the Worcester Historical Museum for honoring him next month with the 2018 Harvey Ball Smile Award. The Rucker Effect has us all smiling a little more these days.

– Timothy P. Murray is President & CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The City of Worcester signed a letter of intent with the Triple AAA baseball team, the Pawtucket Red Sox, to have the team begin their 2021 baseball season here in Worcester. The letter of intent will require City Council approval in the coming weeks. This is a significant milestone, in that the proposal will not only involve the construction of a new ballpark, named Polar Park, but a major redevelopment of the long-vacant Wyman-Gordon site into a mixed-use district. Together the ballpark and redevelopment will create new jobs, tax base expansion and tens of thousands of new visitors to the City annually. Moreover, the redevelopment of the Wyman-Gordon site and Kelley Square area will lead to a plan and design that will knit together the Canal District, Vernon Hill, Green Island, Main South, and lower Chandler and Madison Street neighborhoods of Worcester.

City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. and his team deserve enormous credit for their diligent work in reaching this milestone at the request of the Mayor Joseph M. Petty and the City Council. Many individuals and organizations assisted in this several year process. Kudos to the Canal District Alliance for their impactful postcard campaign which created such a positive impression of Worcester on the Paw Sox leadership. Additionally, the support and advocacy of Lieutenant Governor Polito was key to this effort as well. The Chamber and many of our member businesses stepped up to make the case that the growing momentum here in Worcester and Central Mass is something that the team should be part of for decades to come. Also, the developer involved in this project, Denis Dowdle of Madison Properties, and a Chamber member, has a successful track record both in Worcester and statewide on projects of this scale. Lastly, Larry Lucchino and his team are to be commended for the time and attention they have spent in Worcester and Central Mass over the past year. They have listened and learned and gotten to know people, businesses, organizations, and leaders that make Worcester and Central Mass such a special place. They have taken the time to build a foundation for a successful long-term partnership. The best evidence of the success of the Paw Sox’s relationship building with the community is that Ralph Crowley, the President and CEO of Polar Beverages announced with Larry Lucchino at today’s announcement that the ballpark will be named “Polar Park.” Two iconic brands, the Red Sox and Polar Beverages coming together to move the City and region forward.

First published on the Worcester T&G. Co-authored with Kate Sharry.

The most important key to the success of any business is its workforce.

We can personally attest to that fact: The top priority of the 2,300 members of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce is workforce development. And the kind of workforce that makes a business successful is one that’s skilled, focused, and as productive as possible. That’s the workforce that Massachusetts will need to keep our economy strong in the years and decades to come.

The good news is that we know how to get it.

It requires an innovative approach in education that starts at pre-kindergarten, plus child care options that enable parents to continue working productively in their careers, and also a way to pay early childhood educators and staff a salary capable of recruiting and retaining them in fulfilling the needs of the first two elements. Each these three pieces is critical for attaining our overall goal in workforce development.

The first step is starting early. Building the workforce of tomorrow doesn’t begin in college or high school. It begins with high-quality early childhood education and care programs targeting our youngest learners.

Starting early makes sense, because the first few years of life are a unique time of brain development. High-quality early education and care programs prepare young minds for future success by teaching foundational early math, reading, and social-emotional knowledge.

This knowledge forms the basis of essential skills that kids will need as they grow and move through school and the workplace. Research backs up the conclusion that quality early childhood programs can be a difference-maker, particularly for at-risk kids: The national business-leader organization ReadyNation, a nonprofit advocate for early childhood education, spotlighted a peer-reviewed analysis of over 120 different studies showing that high-quality, pre-K programs help kids become “kindergarten-ready.” This is critical because research also shows that kids who are kindergarten-ready have higher math and reading scores, better high-school graduation rates, lower rates of special education or grade repetition, and a host of other traits that help put students on a path to college and career success.

Just as quality pre-K teaches students the skills that lead to a stronger workforce tomorrow, quality child care helps parents and businesses be as productive as possible today.

Quality care boosts positive social-emotional learning lessons for children and overall long-term development. It also allows parents to focus on work during the day, rather than becoming distracted at work, missing work, or even having to stop working because of a lack of affordable child-care options.

How big is this problem? Studies show that child-care issues cost American businesses billions every year in lost productivity. Both of us are parents as well as business leaders, and we can vouch for the fact that access to affordable, quality child care can play a major, positive role at work and at home.

Targeted investments that improve access to and quality of early childhood education and care programs bolster our economy today and tomorrow. But, remember what we said at the outset: The most important key to success is the workforce itself.

Without a strong early education and care workforce, the Commonwealth won’t be able to meet the needs of children and families who can benefit from these programs.

While low unemployment rates are great news, they also mean that the supply of workers is low, and people have more choices about where to work. If potential teachers and staff don’t go into the early childhood field, that means there will be fewer slots for children.

Today, almost 40 percent of early educators in Massachusetts earn so little that they have to rely on some form of public assistance. The average salary for an early educator is under $28,000. Meanwhile, the average entry-level, public-school teacher makes about $40,000. Low salaries can create serious problems in terms of retaining talent and avoiding employee turnover. We need a long-term solution to the challenge of improving our early-education workforce.

There have been some positive developments on this front recently. Last year, Governor Baker and the House and Senate invested $38.5 million in a pool to increase its state funding to improve pay and retention for early childhood educators. This boosted the average salary of a subsidized preschool teacher from $26,400 to $27,984.

This year, there’s a House proposal that will both boost this rate reserve pool by another $20 million and will dedicate $8.5 million toward creating early-education-workforce professional development programs in our community colleges. Speaker DeLeo deserves credit for his leadership on this issue.

These are important strides, but we must do more. Improving quality, access, and the workforce for crucial early childhood programs can help the lives of Massachusetts children and families in both immediate and long-term ways while also keeping our economy strong and healthy.

Tim Murray, of Worcester, the former lieutenant governor and mayor of Worcester, is president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and a member of ReadyNation. Kate Sharry, of Paxton, is president/owner of Group Benefits Strategies, and chair of the Board of Directors of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, and a member of ReadyNation.

If you talk to Christopher Crowley, executive vice president at Polar Beverages, he will tell you that of all the advantages to running a business in Central Massachusetts, the cost of energy is not one of them.

Speaking to the Telegram & Gazette in December, he talked about the measures his company is taking to drive down the cost of energy – and estimated that energy costs at its Worcester bottling plant were more than double its other facilities in New York and Georgia. Polar’s presence, employing 535, is critical to the city and region. Polar generates $59 million in salaries and benefits, $64 million in goods purchased and $18 million in taxes.

The cost

Unfortunately, we have recently seen some Massachusetts manufacturers leave the state, such as Polartec, and Crown Cork & Seal, which both left the city of Lawrence. In this instance, approximately 400 well-paying manufacturing jobs moved to states with significantly lower energy costs – a factor in each company’s move.

Today, Massachusetts is the fifth costliest state in America in which to do business – and one of the biggest reasons is that New England has the highest electricity prices in the continental United States. Every year, businesses and residents of New England pay an additional $1 billion in increased energy costs.

And it’s about to get worse. According to our independent grid operator, if we don’t increase our energy supply soon, Massachusetts may face rolling blackouts and controlled power outages in the years ahead.

What do we do?

So what do we do? Some say we should accelerate our transition to a renewable energy economy. Others argue we should increase access to clean alternatives such as natural gas.

I believe that’s a false choice. To continue our state’s climate leadership and protect good paying jobs in Gateway cities like ours, we need to do both.

As lieutenant governor in the Patrick-Murray Administration, we prioritized ridding ourselves of coal once and for all, retiring old power plants and boosting energy efficiency initiatives across the Commonwealth for both businesses and homeowners alike. We created tens of thousands of green-collar jobs through the Green Communities Act and Global Warming Solutions Act that incentivized the development and use of renewable green energy, such as solar and wind. Our administration also took a leadership role in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which facilitated unprecedented investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for Massachusetts residents and businesses. Additionally, we provided renewable energy credits, and rebates for appliance replacements. As mayor of Worcester, I was proud to have led the effort in the city becoming one of the first to develop and begin the implementation of a Climate Action Plan.

We need to continue to provide aggressive incentives to get to 100 percent green – and I believe we will get there over the next few decades. In the meantime, we still have to power our homes and businesses. We can’t afford to risk losing thousands of jobs in the intervening decades – which is how long President Obama’s own climate scientist had said it would take before we are 100 percent green.

We’ve already seen what happens when we prioritize ideological rigidity over a common-sense transition when it comes to fossil fuels: We actually end up using more fossil fuels – and produce more emissions. This winter, New England burned up more oil for backup oil-fired generators – two million barrels – than we had in almost two years, to make up for the shortfall in reliable electricity during that intense early 2018 cold snap.

We need to fight hard for jobs and a 100 percent green future. And the only way we can do that is by doubling down on solar and other renewables, investing in technology that enhances their effectiveness and storage capacity and, yes, increasing access to natural gas, which burns cleaner than oil and coal.

Natural gas

Today, natural gas generates the electricity that powers most of our businesses and homes, as well as serving as the fuel to heat many of them. It’s reliable nearly 100 percent of the time. It’s also been the single-biggest contributor to reducing greenhouse gases, responsible for regional emissions declining by 63 percent over the last three decades.

Keeping natural gas in the mix will allow us to be on the cutting edge of climate leadership. Right now, Massachusetts policymakers are beginning to look to our transportation sector to reduce some of the 40 percent of emissions that they produce – and electric cars are on the cusp of disrupting markets. Taking advantage of that opportunity will require more than good intentions – it will also require additional electricity generation to fuel them.

There are several proposals about where best to strategically expand natural gas capacity through new or expanded pipelines to supply the state. These proposals include locations in Central, Western and Eastern Massachusetts. Regulators should evaluate each of these proposals on their merits and seek to minimize the impacts that will occur. Additionally, as recently determined by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, these utility companies – not solely the ratepayers – must be prepared to make their own investments in this critical infrastructure.

The time has come to stop pitting jobs against the environment – we need to protect both. And with a “both/and” energy policy that boosts renewables and ensures reliable energy to our homes and businesses for years to come, we can protect both. It’s not just a business issue. Families across Central Massachusetts will benefit through more secure jobs as well as through their own utility bills.

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce fully supports the recent efforts of Mayor Joe Petty, City Manager Augustus, and a majority of the City Council to explore the feasibility of bringing the Pawtucket Red Sox to Worcester for a variety of reasons.

First, as City Manager Augustus and Mayor Petty have both stated, these efforts are not simply about bringing professional baseball and a ballpark to Worcester. More importantly, this conversation will serve as a catalyst about the reuse of a substantial portion of the 22 plus acre Wyman Gordan site that has laid dormant for nearly three decades producing little in taxes or jobs.

Wisely, this area was included in the Worcester Redevelopment Authority’s Urban Revitalization Plan, which was adopted by the Worcester City Council, and allows for the use of eminent domain to acquire these long standing vacant properties. The Chamber strongly supported the creation of the Urban Revitalization Plan as well.

This conversation with the PawSox is beneficial because it explores how a baseball park can be a driver for new private sector investment on the underutilized parcels of property around a new ballpark on most of the Wyman Gordon site and other underutilized properties in the area. In doing so, we can build on the momentum that has been growing in the Canal District over the past dozen years. Most recently this momentum has manifested itself with the newly completed $18 million Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center, which features two new hockey rinks, and 40,000 square feet of retail space, and new businesses openings like Lock 50, Queens Cup Bakery, and Kummerspeck Restaurant and butcher shop, just to name a few.

Secondly, this conversation and process is also about developing a plan that will knit together the Canal District, Vernon Hill, Green Island, Main South, and lower Chandler and Madison Street neighborhoods in a positive and strategic way. This would add density; include mixed use commercial, retail, and industrial uses that create jobs for the residents of these abutting neighborhoods, and expand the City’s tax base. A similar planning process was utilized by the City in the early stages of the now substantially completed City Square project in downtown Worcester.

The Red Sox brand is known internationally, and having a Triple AAA baseball team in Worcester would undoubtedly have many benefits. These benefits include 70 home baseball games, a ballpark that could be used for concerts and other sporting events year round. Tens of thousands of new visitors from across New England, and the country, would come to Worcester to watch baseball and the Red Sox’s future stars. These fans would be visiting many of our local businesses during the spring and summer months. Additionally, the Pawtucket Red Sox Managing Partner, Larry Lucchino, and his team, led by the nationally recognized architect, Janet Marie Smith, have a proven track record of building or rehabilitating baseball parks, like Fenway Park. They have done so in a manner that compliments the urban landscape of the surrounding neighborhoods and have attracted significant, new private sector investment in the immediate area around the ballpark. Camden Yards in Baltimore and Fenway Park are two tangible examples of their work. Additionally, new Triple AAA baseball ballparks, designed appropriately, have helped facilitate private sector investment in cities like Durham, North Carolina, Indianapolis, Indiana, Nashville, Tennessee, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The other positive is that the success of this conversation and process does not hinge solely on whether the PawSox choose to relocate to Worcester. As we witnessed with the City Square project, Gateway Park, and the South Worcester Industrial Park, as pad ready development sites are created, local and outside investors and companies come forward overtime to build on these sites. If the PawSox stay in Rhode Island, a smaller multi-use ballpark could be utilized for the Bravehearts, local colleges, high schools, youth groups, and concerts as well. Additionally, a plan for a mixed use development on the current vacant and underutilized properties in the urban revitalization area property could go forward as well to the benefit of the surrounding neighborhoods.

The Chamber will continue to actively participate in this process, knowing that no matter the outcome with the PawSox, Worcester’s future is bright, and we are confident that a plan that makes our neighborhoods and city stronger will be the result.

Waiting lists are long; employer demand high

THE DEFEAT OF QUESTION 2 to lift the cap on charter schools has left many on both sides of this issue wondering if any common ground can be found to expand student access to high performing public schools. The answer to that question is a resounding “yes.”

There is an immediate opportunity for both sides of this divisive issue to work together in pursuit of student access to the demonstrated educational excellence at the 60-plus vocational, technical, and agricultural schools and programs that exist throughout the state. The strong academic and skills training outcomes of the majority of these schools and programs have students voting with their feet to access these Career, Vocational/Technical Education (CVTE) programs. Currently, the annual statewide waiting list of students hoping to access CVTE programs hovers near 3,500 students. The longest waiting lists are in the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities.

As a result, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Association of Vocational School Administrators and Massachusetts Community Action Network, formed the Alliance for Vocational/Technical Education (AVTE) to advocate for expanded access to CVTE programs. We believe that expanding access to these schools is one of the best investments the state can make in terms of educational and economic development policy.

Read The Full Article on CommonWealth Magazine

After the divisive debate on the Question 2 ballot question concerning the expansion of charter schools we must now turn to the next chapter concerning K-12 educational priorities now that the voters have spoken on the issue of charter school expansion. In addition to the issue of Chapter 74 funding, expansion of Voke/Tech Ed must be at the top of that list. Read how we can expand access to these schools and address the statewide waiting list.

This is an excerpt from my article, “Your Turn: Canada is Massachusetts’s No. 1 customer” published in Worcester Magazine.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, there has been considerable talk about the equity of international trade deals and whether they help or hinder the U.S. economy. During these conversations, it is critical for all Americans, and the people of Massachusetts, to fully understand the incredibly important economic and trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada.

Speaking in April before a large audience gathered for the Chamber’s Business & Government Forum sponsored by Ventry Associates, David Nathan Alward, Canada’s consul general to New England, offered a fascinating overview of this successful relationship. Prior to Alward’s role as consul general, he served as 32nd premier of New Brunswick, a position comparable to that of governor in the U.S.

French Canadians are one of our region’s largest demographic and played a crucial role in Worcester’s early development. By 1870, nearly 40,000 French- Canadians had settled across Central Mass. What many may not know is, even today, our Canadian ties continue to be a core contributor to successful trade and commerce in Massachusetts, not to mention travel and tourism.

The full article can be found at Worcester Mag here.