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Annual Small Business Awards
“Business of the Year:” Team Haverhill
In August 2005, the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce participated in the cultivation and start of the volunteer action group we know today as: Team Haverhill, an independent group dedicated to making Haverhill a better place to live, learn, work and play, advocating for positive change. From its inception, Team Haverhill has stepped out as a leader and innovator within Haverhill’s Arts and Culture sector.
Since 2007, Team Haverhill has sponsored the creation and installation of 24 murals with local historic and cultural themes, including a technologically innovative mural banner in the downtown arts district entitled “Connecting the Community Through the Arts.” Team Haverhill has also provided leadership in the arena of arts-oriented festivals such as “Shoe-la-Bration” in 2009, which generated community-wide support, participation and pride. Fourteen giant fiberglass shoe sculptures celebrated Haverhill’s past as the premier supplier of ladies fine-quality, high-button footwear.
Team Haverhill has partnered with multiple groups including the Haverhill Boys and Girls Club, the YWCA, Whittier Vo-Tech, Haverhill High School, Girls Inc. and the Discovery Club after school programs to involve children and young people in the creation of public art works and exhibits and in 2010, Team Haverhill took the initiative in planning a major new river-oriented summer festival called River Ruckus.
Team Haverhill spent almost three years generating intensive research and advocacy to improve the municipal recycling program which came to fruition in the summer of 2010 with the city-wide rollout of curbside, single-stream recycling.
Team Haverhill works closely with the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce on many projects, including the Soles of Haverhill and the recently awarded Massachusetts Cultural Council Adams Grant. On a permanent basis, the Chamber works as Team Haverhill’s fiscal agent.
Team Haverhill has been chosen by their peers as the Business of the Year in 2010 winner as a result of their dedication to the community, participation and work with the chamber and all of the groundbreaking strides they have made in 2010.
Health: Merrimack Valley Hospital
Merrimack Valley Hospital is an acute care hospital delivering high quality health care to Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire. The hospital offers exceptional medical care, state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical technology, friendly staff, and most importantly, personalized care in all private patient rooms.
Merrimack Valley Hospital recently opened The Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center. The hospital continues to expand primary and specialty care services including laparoscopic surgical services to ensure access to high quality health care in a convenient setting.
In addition to its many medical advances, Merrimack Valley Hospital has made a deep impression on the Greater Haverhill Community. The hospital holds information seminars, an annual Ladies Night, a free interactive evening of vendors, food, fashion and shopping for women in the Greater Haverhill area, and the hospital is the largest employer in Haverhill, employing over 500 men and women.
Merrimack Valley Hospital has been a dedicated member of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce since 1988. Their commitment to the vibrancy of the city is evident by their support and their sponsorship of many Chamber programs and events. The hospital’s CEO, Michael Collins, is an active member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors and is a member of the Board’s Executive Committee. In addition, Merrimack Valley Hospital is the major sponsor of KidsFEST and a major supporter of the annual Winning Opportunities for Women Conference.
Manufacturing: Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods
Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods, Inc. was established in 1981 and has been a leader in the Mediterranean food industry for over 25 years. Its authenticity and expertise has allowed the company to nationally expand and flourish. As one of the only major hommus manufacturers still privately owned, Cedar’s continually introduces new products and flavor profiles to help keep the industry fresh and consumers satisfied.
Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods gained national attention when it was recently featured on the Discovery Channel’s “How’s It Made” television series. Cedar’s has also earned numerous awards and garnered much recognition. Their All Natural Original Hommus was rated in the Top 125 Nutritious Foods for Men by Men’s Health Magazine and their Tzatziki Greek Yogurt Dip was voted one of Women’s Health Magazine’s Top 125 Best Packaged Foods 2010.
In order to show its gratitude and pride for New England, the company strives to enrich the community through active participation in community events. Since 2008, Cedar’s has taken a distinct initiative to educate local consumers about the health benefits of its products. Through participation in community events, fundraisers, and benefits, Cedar’s is able to communicate benefits of its healthy products while supporting those in need, and making a difference in the community.
In addition, as a supporting member of the Mediterranean Foods Alliance, one of Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods’ latest efforts is to promote the cancer prevention benefits of the Mediterranean.
Restaurant: The Tap
About 10 years ago, John Fahimian and Sharon Cohen, previously owner and manager (respectively) of an antique market in Cambridge, saw something special in Haverhill. They were renovating The Antique Market on Washington Street, noticing the promise in the city, while enjoying the food next door. The Tap, a restaurant and small brewery was up for sale, and John bought it and ran with it.
Employing a high of 40 staff in their busy season, The Tap has become a staple in the Greater Haverhill community. Serving pub grub to delectable delights, The Tap brings in locals to dine and experience the old shoe city’s history.
Their award-winning brewery first started bottling a few years ago, selling four (4) different types of ales. While the thirst for locally brewed ales grew deeper, The Tap purchased more tanks and expanded. Now their brewery department has grown, originally staffing 1-2 employees, now employing 5 and selling their bottled beers in 150 stores in Massachusetts.
While the now empty Antique Market is still used for storage and bottling, John welcomes community groups to use this space, and does so multiple times a year. During KidsFEST, the Italian Festival and the Christmas Stroll, John lends the Chamber to use the building for kids’ events and storage. Community art shows and other events are also held in The Antique Market space.
Mid 2000s John had a thought: so many cities have become successful because of their old buildings, their water access and ability to serve food outdoors during a hot, sunny summer day. He attached onto the back of his building the largest deck in downtown Haverhill to provide his customers with the classic architecture of the old shoe city combined with the joy of sipping a cool beer on a mid-summer day.
A loyal member of the Chamber and a welcoming hub for the community, The Tap has created a legacy and a standard for downtown Haverhill.
Pioneer of the Year: Kenoza Vending Company, Inc.
Kenoza Vending Company, Inc. was founded more than 60 years ago by John DerBogosian right up the street in Merrimac. The company focused primarily on the vending machine and coffee service market until 2006. In 2006, John’s nephew Mike DerBogosian, enhanced the company’s product offerings and entered the highly competitive consumer coffee market with the launch of kenozacoffee.com. Kenoza Coffee sells the now enormously popular k-cups through on line. The online sales have skyrocketed and Kenoza Coffee is now one of the top websites in the world.
But, the expansion of Kenoza Vending didn’t stop there – in 2008 Mike expanded another of the company’s staple products and opened another division of the company – Kenoza Water. The company markets filtered water systems plumbed directly into a home or office. The systems save money and are eco-friendly, and truly produce the best water your have ever tasted.
Expansion and re-creation of the company continues. This past year, Mike took the company in yet another new direction with the creation of Kenoza Café products. At the retail store and online companies and individuals can purchase desserts and muffins.
Kenoza Companies have been long standing supporters of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. Hy DerBogosian, Mike’s father was chairman from 1969-1971 and the company has always been a supporter and proponent of the Chamber.
Retail/Wholesale: Angles & Art of Haverhill
and Positive Images Gallery 61
Angles & Art of Haverhill has been in existence for over 30 years, opening its doors in Haverhill in 1978, under the ownership of Richard St. Onge, Jr. In 1993, after three years at Ben Franklin in Plaistow, Harmke Lawrence joined Richard as the manager of the Haverhill store, while Richard handled the newly opened location in Hyannis. From their Haverhill base, Harmke managed all the framing for both locations. In 2000, the Hyannis location closed and Harmke relocated the Haverhill store to its present location on Wingate Street, and in 2004 became the sole owner of the business.
Under Harmke’s ownership, Angles & Art expanded its focus from just framing to bringing out and showcasing the talents of local artists through art shows, exhibits, and demonstrations in the gallery. Angles & Art provides the only complete custom framing services in Haverhill, and if you have not done so already, I encourage you to visit them and see their product and services firsthand.
She has also hosted several art classes, and has worked tirelessly in the creation and promotion of the Wingate Street Arts District, where visitors come to shop and enjoy a taste of local culture. She has worked to create a brochure of Wingate Street, celebrating the neighborhood through events like the “Friday Night Live” street concerts and the “Chalk Walk,” an interactive family activity.
Harmke’s dedication to the Haverhill community extends beyond Wingate Street, having been a member of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, the Haverhill Downtown Association (now the Community Support Committee of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce) and volunteering for Chamber-run city events such as KidsFEST, Italian Festival and the Christmas Stroll. She has participated in the Haverhill City-Wide Clean-Up, and is currently in the fourth year as president of the Bragg Block Condo Association, in which her business resides.
Positive Images Gallery 61:
Many of us may think of Positive Images as a lovely, eclectic gift shop, but that is not the full picture of this staple to the Wingate Street business community.
Positive Images had its inception 30 years ago as a stock photography agency in Wayland, Massachusetts. In 1989, Patricia Bruno approached the company in hopes to represent her photography work and joined the company as Stock Photography Agent. In 1995, Pat took over as manager and moved the business to Andover. In 2000, she became the owner and moved it to Route 97 in Haverhill. Positive Images was then flourishing as stock photography agency with five employees, a business office, and a photo library selling the rights to the work of 65 photographers to consumer magazines, textbook publishers, and advertising agencies.
By 2007, however, access to stock photographs through the internet and a downturn in the economy necessitated some changes for the business to survive. Pat was forced to downsize and she moved the newly named “Positive Images Gallery 61” to Wingate Street in downtown Haverhill. Since then the store has thrived as a gift shop, and Pat has continued to work in her original field - the stock photography industry.
Positive Images provides the Haverhill community and its visitors an opportunity to sample the works of local artisans. The array of pottery, jewelry, fine art photography, and other original creations makes Positive Images a “destination stop” in Haverhill.
Pat Bruno has been an active proponent of the Wingate Street Arts District and her community through her involvement with the Wingate Concert Series, the Haverhill Cultural Council city murals, and the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce Christmas Stroll, and her work in creating the Wingate Street brochure.
Both of our downtown Haverhill retailers have been supporters of the Chamber through their tireless donations, attendance at Chamber events and serving on the Chamber’s Community Support Committee, acting as the Wingate Street liaisons.
Service for Non-Profit: Haverhill Police Department
Lead by Chief of Police Alan DeNaro, the Haverhill Police Department is more than cops and robbers, and gingerbread investigators. The team-driven city department is involved in many community initiatives throughout the city, lending their guidance, help and man power in any way necessary to improve the city of Haverhill. Amongst their fight to keep the city safe, the following touches on the heart-felt work that our police officers do:
- Summer day camp for underprivileged kids, bringing gang awareness and skill building, giving out bike helmets to promote safety, providing trips to Fenway, Canobie Lake Park and more.
- Involvement with the Boys & Girls Club, interacting with the kids to create a positive relationship with the police.
- Coalition Against Violence: helping with alternative strategies in the school system.
- Exchange Club of Haverhill’s Junior Police Program: Graduating 800 kids a year, giving kids safety tips trainings.
- Intern programs with local colleges.
- Kids fingerprinting for identification and safety.
- Night Out Against Crime: Giving backpacks to kids filled with school supplies.
- Alzheimer program: Giving transmitter bracelets to those with Alzheimer’s disease and Autism to help in tracking.
- Mock Accident at Haverhill High School and Whittier Voc-Tech during prom season to educate teens on the dangers of drinking and driving.
The Haverhill Police Department employs 85 officers, one of them being Community Officer Paul Malone. In the early 2000’s, Haverhill P.D. employed seven (7) community police officers, now all of this work load coming down to one man. “His position is so essential to the health of this city and highlighting what is good about this city,” said Chief DeNaro. “Paul has great commitment, he isn’t afraid to work and get his hands dirty. He is a great partner. He’s not a partner in name. We try to get the right peg in the right hole. Paul is the right peg for the right hole.” Working very intimately on KidsFEST, Italian Festival and Christmas Stroll for the past many years, Paul Malone has become a staple in the Haverhill community, bringing light to the police department and creating a fluid bond between “the force” and the community.
Service for Profit: Sullivan Bille Group
Sullivan Bille P.C., is a full service CPA firm located in Tewksbury and along with their sister company, Wealth Management Advisors, they are known as the Sullivan Bille Group. Since 1972, the firm has been key in the growth of some of the region’s most successful companies and entrepreneurs by offering the highest quality service and advice in the areas of accounting, auditing, financial planning, investment advisory services, tax and consulting services.
Barbara Rowell, a life-long resident of Haverhill, has worked for Sullivan Bille since 1984 and has been a shareholder in the firm since 2002. Barbara manages and directs the audit and tax requirements of the firm’s non-profit and employee benefit plans practice.
The firm is very active in several chambers of commerce, particularly in those communities where the shareholders reside. Sullivan Bille joined the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and has been active in supporting the Chamber through substantial sponsorship and noteworthy attendance at all Chamber events.
In 2005, Barbara joined the board of directors and in 2008 was named Treasurer. As treasurer, she has established a finance committee that meets regularly to review the financial position of the chamber. She provides the executive committee and board of directors with a detailed and trusted picture of the Chamber's financial status. As the treasurer, Barbara doesn't get a lot of the spotlight, but her contributions have been critical to the success of the Chamber.
Women in Business: Cheryl K. Perkins & Associates.
As everyone knows, if you're in business - you have to have a website. Whether you're a manufacturer, a retail store, an attorney, or a major corporation - your customers are searching for your type of business on the Internet. The catch is - can they find you there? You need a web developer who can also get you top search engine rankings.
Founded and run by Cheryl Perkins her company specializes in all things on line. With a solid history in producing profitable web sites, Cheryl K. Perkins & Associates focuses on practical marketing, using straightforward, cost-effective techniques to attract new customers and grow your business. Cheryl K Perkins & Associates has built hundreds of websites for companies both large and small.
Cheryl is an active member of the Plaistow Area Commerce Exchange and developed their website from start to finish. She and Dianne McDermott designed and built the Haverhill Chamber website which, even two years after its launch, is still one of the top chamber websites in the country. Today Cheryl’s company handles all of the updates for the chamber website and works closely with Chamber staff to actively produce up-to-date information and easy member access. Member since 2003, she has been directly involved in Chamber committees and has become an active and vocal member of the board of directors, ensuring that the NH point of view is represented in all of our initiatives.
Education: Whittier Regional Vocational-Technical High School
Whittier Regional Vocational-Technical High School has had a long history of community service. Along with a longstanding, active membership in the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, students and staff at Whittier reach out to help others in the cities and towns that make up the Whittier District.
The following is a sampling of the students’ projects, encompassing the many things that they do:
- Culinary students prepared and served a luncheon to residents at Newbury Council on Aging.
- Masonry and carpentry students are building a large addition to a highway garage in Rowley
- The Whittier Tech Chorus singing during the holidays for the elderly in Georgetown and Amesbury.
- Electrical students rewired dozens of apartments at Amesbury Housing Authority.
- Culinary students hosted an Italian Feast for 75 Elderly residents at Heritage Towers in Amesbury.
- Key Club members served Thanksgiving Lunch at the Salvation Army in Haverhill, rang bells for the Salvation Army at several locations, made 50 dolls for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute at Floating Hospital for children at Tufts Medical Center.
There are also several projects Whittier students and staff take care of on their own campus that saves the Whittier District thousands of dollars. The carpentry and masonry students are building six dugouts for the baseball and softball fields as well as rebuilt the handicap ramp at the school’s entrance. The Telecommunications students run a computer repair business for students, staff and outside clients.
Of course many of us in this room know the scandal of “Gingy,” the affectionately named 7-foot tall gingerbread man stolen from Columbus Park in downtown Haverhill, Christmas time last year. Carpentry students built and painted eight (8) larger-than-life sized gingerbread boys and candy canes to decorate downtown Haverhill for the Christmas Stroll, organized by the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce. When Gingy showed up vandalized days after his disappearance, the carpentry and art students built a replacement and donated it.
Technology: NorthEast Computer Services, LLC
In October 2003, Haverhill resident and Chamber member Eric LaFleur ventured into new business ownership after 20 years with Electronic Data Systems. Initially working from his home, he called his fledgling company NorthEast Computer Services. In 2005, he was joined by Jonathan Baron, who brought with him an extensive background as an IT systems engineer and a Certified Cisco Network Associate. Between the two of them, they bring a combined industry experience of over 40 years.
Today, NorthEast Computer Markets themselves as a Managed Services Provider – in other words, providing a virtual IT department for small to medium sized businesses. When working with a client, Eric and Jonathan apply their expertise to maintain optimum performance for servers, desktops, laptops and remote systems. Servers and security issues are kept up to date with software upgrades and hardware is evaluated to make sure it is adequate for the user’s needs.
Northeast Computer’s overriding philosophy is to be proactive, rather than to be in “break/fix” mode. They provide a very viable alternative to business owners who do not have the resources for an in-house IT guru. Those who have engaged their services will give testament to the rapid response time and high level of customer satisfaction provided by NorthEast Computer.
2010 was a very good year for Northeast Computer. It was a year in which they relocated to a new office space at 143 Essex Street and also saw a triple digit growth in their business – an extraordinary feat in today’s economy. Locally, they have been recognized by the Greater Haverhill Chamber of commerce as a Small Business of the Month award winner for the month of November and nationally, their success has been touted in a 2-page article in the IT trade magazine, Redmond Channel Partner.
Both Eric and Jonathan have been extremely involved in their community and the Chamber, joining the Chamber as a new business, serving on the Excel Club of Haverhill’s Board of Directors, attending Chamber and community events and much more.
Rookie of the Year: Archie’s Place
Tin ceiling, elegant hardwood floors, picture post cards of old Haverhill showing on a TV monitor and cutouts from old Haverhill newspapers placed under the glass table tops. Archie’s Place, located on Washington Street in the downtown restaurant district, opened just one (1) year ago. At one time the old Pentucket Bank, the unique environment invites one to enjoy and remember things from years ago. The old vault is still located in the rear of the restaurant, is used to store dry goods, and the hustle and bustle of sizzling food and dripping taps fills the room.
In a time where businesses are downsizing, Archie’s is flourishing. The restaurant has made a splash in the Haverhill social scene and brings in families to eat and friends to laugh. Folks go there to eat, drink and watch the hustle and bustle of people walking along Washington Street through the large windows with old fashioned cotton ruffled swag curtains.
This old-fashioned restaurant explores new menus, spinning the typically traditional family favorites into something to excite your taste buds. It has already become a staple of the community, bringing in a large lunch crowd and a packed house on almost any night of the week.
Archie’s Place joined the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce shortly after opening and has already become an active member. Archie’s participates in the Annual Penguin Pub Crawl, part of the Christmas Stroll, and will host a Business After Hours networking event for the month of April on April 5, 2011. We are excited to create a long-lasting relationship with Archie’s.
April Business of the Month
Rogers Spring Hill Garden & Farm Center
The Rogers family has been operating family businesses in Haverhill since 1902. Rogers Spring Hill Garden & Farm Center was founded in 1902 when Randolf Rogers purchased 2 1/2 acres of land, one horse, and a cow. By 1928 the first tractor was purchased, and in 1941 Randolf expanded his farm by adding more cows, enabling him to expand into milk distribution industry. The Rogers Spring Hill farm still grows fruits and vegetables that are distributed to grocery markets all over the Merrimack Valley and is famous for its pick-your-own strawberries and pumpkins.
An artesian well was dug in 1978, allowing the introduction and distribution of bottled water and the spring water business was founded. In 1990, the Rogers family purchased the garden center on Rt 125 in Bradford. Today, and four generations later, Rogers Spring Hill Garden Center is owned and operated by two of Randolf's great-grandchildren, Stephen and Barbara. The garden center offers a wide variety of annuals, perennials, trees and landscape material. An astounding 90% of the annuals are grown right here in Haverhill! The garden center is known for its high quality, great customer service and variety.
Barbara Rogers Scharnek was a driving force of the Small Business Committee for many years, which has now evolved into the Member Services Committee, the committee behind this breakfast. The Rogers’ family businesses have been long-standing members of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and have supported the Chamber in many ways including event hosting and many in-kind donations.