In November, the Metro South Chamber of Commerce hosted its 111th Annual Meeting & Expo, marking over a century of promoting economic growth and fostering collaboration among businesses to shape the future of the Metro South region.
More than 400 business professionals and over 30 exhibitors came together to network, reconnect, and gain insights from Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The event also celebrated outstanding contributions to the region, all while attendees enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Adult & Teen Challenge of Brockton’s in-house catering program.
We are thankful to have the opportunity to partner with lead sponsors South Shore Bank, UMass Donahue Institute, and lead expo sponsor Bridgewater State University; supporting expo sponsor JM Pet Resort; Pen Sponsor Rockland Federal Credit Union; supporting sponsors Eastern Bank, Hub Technical Services, North Easton Savings Bank, OCES Old Colony Elder Services, SCU Credit Union, and our media sponsor The Enterprise Newspaper.
Finally, thank you to our partners at Adult & Teen Challenge, Brewster Ambulance, Brockton Area Transit, Brockton Community Access, Concord Foods, Hutcheon’s Florist & Holmes-McDuffy Florists, Mi Nina Tortilla, Rich Morgan Photography, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the New Heights Charter School ensemble.
Scroll down to view profiles of each of our ten Economic Impact Award recipients!
Photos courtesy of Rich Morgan Photography – visit us on flickr to view the full photo album. Missed the event? Don’t worry, we recorded it for you – thanks BCA!
2024 Economic Impact Award Recipients
The Metro South Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to honor ten local businesses whose economic contributions have significantly benefitted the region. These businesses have impacted Metro South by creating jobs and adding to the rich business culture by providing valuable products, resources, and services to help our region thrive. Whether small entrepreneurs or large institutions, the following businesses are recognized for their investments and contributions to the economic development of the Metro South region.
1. Air Energy Group
105 Industrial Blvd, Brockton, MA 02301 | (508) 230-9445
Founded in 1985, Air Energy fabricates and services compressed air and vacuum systems for respected customers such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard University, Takada, Moderna, and others. Air Energy is among the most recognized and demanded names in the industrial and life science spaces. The company has consolidated its three current locations in South Easton, Pembroke, and Lincoln, Rhode Island, into a newly constructed 75,000 sq ft building on a property owned by GFI Partners in Brockton. The new facility will allow for the expansion of sales operations and new fabrication operations for their Global Vac & Air integrated skid-packaged systems and container builds which are used in medical/lab, industrial and remediation applications. Air Energy has invested $3.2M into the new Brockton facility, retaining 52 jobs and 80 expected new jobs over the next ten years.
2. Egan Development – “Hanson Crossing”
999 Main Street, Hanson, MA 02341 | (781) 799-4142
Hanson Crossing is a two-building mixed-use project situated on 3.5 acres and within walking distance of the Hanson MBTA Commuter Rail Station on the Kingston Line. In accordance with the Commonwealth’s new Chapter 40R Mixed-Use Overlay District Zoning requirements, Hanson Station consists of two buildings with a total of 5 ground-level retail stores and 49 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The first building, 999 Main Street, is 32,110 sq ft and fully occupied as of July 2024! Part two, 965 Main Street, will be 36,000 sq ft when completed in the spring of 2025. With a total investment of $12M, these two buildings combined bring 40-50 jobs to the site, 49 units of housing, 5 commercial spaces, and 100 construction jobs for the duration of the project. Egan Development and its founders have been developing “for sale and rental real estate” projects in the Metro South area for the last three decades. Stephen Egan and his brother Todd were both raised in Whitman and have focused their efforts in the Metro South and South Shore areas.
3. Giana Restaurant + Bar
3 Roosevelt Circle, South Easton, MA 02375 | (508) 219-2045
As seen on Phantom Gourmet, “whether you come for something sweet, or for the scene, or for the sushi, you’ll be impressed with your experience at Giana in South Easton.” With an investment of a few million dollars, newly constructed Giana Restaurant & Bar brings an elegant Boston feel with a unique atmosphere and modern American menu to South Easton. Current partner of “Novara” and “Abby Park” in Milton, owner and chef Tony DeRienzo, drawing from his experience, was inspired to take the next steps in his culinary journey by bringing the “city to the suburbs”. You can find captivating design elements everywhere in the restaurant, from the 44-seat bar to the 40-seat outdoor patio, to the imported Italian pizza oven and open kitchen, to the video wall and hand-painted mural. The modern menu offers an array of options with something for everyone; whether you’re in the mood for a dish with an Asian flare, something with more of a Portuguese vibe, traditional Italian flavors, fresh seafood, steak tips smothered in chimichurri sauce, or just looking to grab a martini (or a flight of martinis) and some fun desserts!
4. Kids & Company
647 Main Street, Randolph, MA 02368 | (781) 807-8017
Kids & Company has invested $2.5M into their brand new state-of-the-art childcare center in Randolph; boasting 11 classrooms that can accommodate 109 children, two outdoor playgrounds, new equipment and toys, plus plenty of on-site parking with two different street entrances. They also have additional locations in Abington and Canton. The center employs an emergent curriculum and learn-through-play philosophy, ensuring that each child receives personalized learning experiences tailored to their interests and skills. At Kids & Company, children are immersed in experiences that enhance language, literacy, a sense of music and rhythm, and socialization so that they may develop independence, confidence and a positive sense of self and the world around them. Children will be provided with a hot lunch and 3 snacks each day, catered by our in-house Kidco Kitchen. The Kidco Kitchen is founded on a fresh-from-scratch philosophy and serves food which contains no additives, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors.
5. Massasoit Community College
230 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301 | (508) 588-9100
Massasoit Community College has officially opened a new 3,750 sq ft location in downtown Brockton. The first floor of the redeveloped three-story C. Gerald Lucey Building includes three classrooms, offices, and communal space with interactive screens and flexible furniture that allows Massasoit to stage a wide range of programs and classes in the heart of the City of Champions. The building is also home to the Department of Unemployment Assistance. With Massasoit right next door, it’s an excellent combination when trying to match people to jobs and employers in the area. Massasoit is a leader in job training and career preparation. Now, tuition is free, making a true economic impact on the state and region. The building is one of the most sustainable in the Commonwealth’s property portfolio. Its features include timber and steel hybrid construction, daylight-adjusting illumination, and white noise and sound-absorbent baffles. It uses 44% less energy than a comparable building using standard construction and building systems. The redevelopment of the parcel is one of many projects at play in the City’s years-long effort to revitalize Downtown Brockton, and the inclusion of Massasoit in those plans offers the community access to a vital amenity and resource: higher education opportunities. The Massasoit Community College Future of Work Institute goal is centered around increasing the pipeline for women, racially marginalized groups, and justice involved individuals. Their focus for 2025 is meeting the clean energy center and Massachusetts’ climate tech initiatives in construction; expansion and development of technical and trade programs; apprenticeships in the diesel industry; and restorative justice.
6. Natural Agricultural Products
1437 Bedford Street, Abington, MA 02351 | (781) 312-6510
Natural Agricultural Products has opened its doors for business, becoming the town’s second retail cannabis shop and it’s first manufacturing and cultivation operation. The 27,000 sq ft shop and warehouse is located in the front corner of a longtime commercial building at 1437 Bedford Street, and employes 20 in the region. Thanks to a $1.2M investment, the renovated interior features multiple display cases of cannabis flowers, shelves of products, and digital customer service screens. Gary Leonard, a longtime area entrepreneur, said the shop has more than 400 varieties of products, including flowers, vape cartridges, pre-rolls, and edibles. He asked suppliers for brands and products not already found at other dispensaries in order to give customers different options. While the front of the building is a retail shop, the rest of the building is permitted to grow cannabis and eventually make cannabis-infused products. Leonard said he hopes to start growing across 10,000 square feet by 2026.
7. New England Knockouts
1 Feinberg Way, Campanelli Stadium, Brockton, MA 02301 | (508) 559-7000
Professional baseball returns to Brockton! As the newest addition to the MLB-partnered Frontier League, the New England Knockouts’ inaugural 2024 season has offered fans 48 games featuring different promotional themes and experiences, revitalizing professional baseball in Brockton and is growing with the surrounding community. While baseball is certainly not new to the area — with the Brockton Rox getting their start in 2005 as a member of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball — the Knockouts are the first professional team in Brockton since the Rox’s discontinued participation in the Can-Am League in 2011. The Knockouts owner also holds ownership of the Frontier League’s Windy City ThunderBolts, purchased the Brockton Rox in 2022 and always envisioned bringing pro ball back to the city of Brockton. Shortly after his acquisition of the Rox, his vision was presented to the Frontier League, and membership was awarded to the now-New England Knockouts in 2023. The Knockouts consist of 29 players from across the continental U.S. and five players from as far away as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Venezuela. Knockouts Baseball starts up again in May of 2025!
8. Salo Bar & Grill
810 Main Street, Brockton, MA 02301 | (774) 428-2041
Salo Bar & Grill is a modern restaurant and bar, providing customers with diverse menu options and a vibrant dining experience. Recently winning the spot of “Best Cape Verdean Restaurant in Brockton”, Salo offers dazzling dishes of grilled octopus, lobster smothered in butter, grilled steak with whipped garlic potatoes, fresh wild-caught seafood platters that serve four, roasted lamb, and pastels stuffed with tuna. The interior sports elegant decor, marble floors, and soothing earth tones with gold accents. If the food isn’t what draws you in, it will be the cocktails and the ambiance of the restaurant. One signature drink is the Sexy Criola, a classic lemon drop martini blended with tropical flavors creating a passionate harmony, a unique drink worth trying. Salo is family-owned, investing 150K into the operation and employing twenty-five in addition to independent contractors like local DJs, musicians, and entertainers.
9. Signature Healthcare
680 Centre Street, Brockton, MA 02302 | (508) 941-7000
After a dramatic fire caused extensive damage to Signature Healthcare Hospital in Brockton, the hospital leadership and the community came together to reconstruct this regional asset. With close to one hundred million dollars in renovations, the facility has reopened and is well positioned to serve the health care needs of the Metro South Region. Through extensive expansion and rebuilding, Signature Healthcare now employs more than 2,700 people at their facilities throughout the region in eleven locations including a new Ambulatory Surgery Pavilion, an updated Emergency Room Department, new Cardiac Catheterization units, along with many other improvements. Signature Healthcare has served the city and the region for more than 125 years and is well positioned to continue this service well into the future.
10. Stoneridge Mutual Properties – “Centre Station”
127 Centre Street, Brockton, MA 02301 | (508) 318-8469
Centre Station is a brand new addition to Brockton’s Downtown landscape, featuring a newly constructed five-story building that houses 40 high-end apartment units and five ground-level retail spaces. This modern development offers a sophisticated blend of one and two-bedroom market-rate apartments, catering to the needs of young professionals and families seeking contemporary living experiences. The site is home to what was once Central Glass, which operated from 1962-2017 when the business relocated to West Bridgewater. Since then, the vacant property has been transformed by Darrin DeCoste and Stoneridge Mutual Properties. The building abuts the downtown’s MBTA Commuter Rail station, offering quick and easy access to Boston, and soon to be extended down to Fall River and New Bedford with the additions to South Coast Rail. Centre Station is next to Stoneridge’s recently completed Commercial Station which offers an additional 24-units of housing in the downtown area.