Who Are The Other Partners Behind The Wilmington Detox Center Proposal?

WILMINGTON, MA -- Last week David Ray, a key partner in a group that wants to build a drug addiction treatment facility in Wilmington, said he was stepping away from the group proposing the controversial project. But Ray's email indicated that the other partners would move forward with the project, which has divided town residents.

At last week's Wilmington Selectmen's meeting, Ray outlined his plan to the Wilmington Board of Selectmen and more than 100 people who attended the meeting to speak for and against the project. Ray ran sober houses in Wakefield and Wenham, all of which closed in December 2015. The facility he was proposing for a vacant lot at 362 Middlesex Avenue in Wilmington would be a medical facility where people in the early stages of drug withdrawal would be stabilized before being referred to longer term drug treatment facilities.

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But the project has not been withdrawn. A filing with the Massachusetts Secretary of State lists all of the partners and directors in the project. Brief biographies of each of the partners listed with the Secretary of State follow:

R. Thomas "Tom" Belhumeur, of Swampscott, is listed as the treasurer. He owns several commercial real estate properties, including some in downtown Andover. He worked for Athlete's Corner for 30 years and partnered to create the Bridal Center in Andover, a one-stop wedding planning business.

His wife, Cynthia H. Belhumeur, is also listed as a director. In 2014, she was named to the Board of Overseers at Salem State University, where she has been an adjunct professor in health and wellness since 2000. She co-owned Athlete's Croner and has previously served as program manager with the North Shore Special Education Consortium.

Michael Ray, of Manchester, is listed as secretary. It is unclear what relationship, if any, he has to David Ray. He is listed as president of Harbor Trading Co. Inc., a wholesale apparel company. Ray is the sole employee of the Ipswich-based company, which has $130,000 in estimated annual revenues, according to BuzzFile.

According to the Massachusetts Secretary of State, Michael Ray is listed as the assistant clerk of the Bard Foundation and as a director of the 04 Foundation, which also includes former Red Sox players Mike Timlin and Kevin Millar on its board. According to its 2012 articles of incorporation in Massachusetts, the foundation was set up to raise money and make grants to fight cancer and "develop relationships between the 2004 World Series Champion Red Sox and the Greater Boston community."

Kenneth Ingber, of Scituate, is a founding principal of the Boston-based law firm Krattenmaker O'Connor & Ingber P.C. Accordig to the firm's Website, his practice includes all aspects of real estate law. His projects have included the development of retail shopping centers, industrial parks, quick lube and car wash facilities, residential subdivisions, and entertainment complexes. He and Belhumeur previously partnered on a redevelopment project in Revere

According to his LinkedIn profile, David Tornstrom is a 2000 Suffolk Law School graduate and started a "wealth coaching" business for families and individuals in May. He lives in Beverly and has worked as a financial consultant in the past and has worked for Ray at Harbor Bay since 2014. Before that, he was a doorman and bartender at the Pickled Onion Grill in Beverly from 2006 to 2015.

Paul Kneeland is a Wilmington developer and liquor store owner whose current address is listed as Juno Beach, Florida. He is chief executive of the Channel Building Company which has taken on a number of area commercial real estate projects. He and Inger have also worked on projects together, including one in Lynn. He is listed as a director of Care Group Associates, a home healthcare company based in East Longmeadow.

Photo of site for proposed drug treatment facility by Dave Copeland.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).