SLIDESHOW: MetroWest Chamber Holds 119th Annual Meeing and Gala

The MetroWest Chamber held its 119th Annual Meeting and Gala reception Wednesday night, Nov. 12, at the Sheraton in Framingham.

It was announced more than 100 new businesses joined the Framingham-based MetroWest Chamber of Commerce in the past year.

The Chamber includes the communities of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland and Westborough. The Chamber’s membership and services also extend to the communities of Bellingham, Dover, Franklin, Hopedale, Hudson, Marlborough, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Milford, Northborough, Wellesley, Weston and beyond, serving nearly 700 member businesses and representing over 35,000 employees.

Fran Colantonio of Colantonio Inc. was named the Business Leader of The Year. Colantonio is a $40 million, award-winning general contractor and construction manager based in Holliston, specializing in the academic, affordable housing, municipal, and historical restoration markets.

Other finalists for the award was Deborah Penta of Penta Communications in Westborough and Arthur Fair of
Fair and Yeager in Natick.

The keynote speaker for the gala was Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki.

He told the packed ballroom that the mind set for business in MetroWest and specifically Framingham has changed over the past 8 years.

“Framingham is a different place to do business now,” said Bialecki. And he cited MetroWest CEO Bonnie Biocchi, Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin and Art Roberts, Framingham’s Director of Community and Economic Developmentas three reason why.

During the awards portion of the gala, Lonergan Construction in Framingham was named the Small Business of the Year.

Other finalists were Chocolate Therapy of Framingham and Red Barn Coffee Roasters of Southborough.

Natick VNA was named the Non-profit Partner of the Year Wednesday night.

Other finalists were Framingham Adult ESL and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, based in Framingham.

The Athena Award was given to Framingham resident Linda Vaden-Goad of Framingham State University. Vaden-Goad has been the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Framingham State since August 2010.

Other finalists for the Athena Award were Framingham resident Susan Nicholl, the Executive Director of the MetroWest Vistors Bureau and Janet Drummey, publisher of the Town Planner Calendar of Metrowest, based in Framingham.