MA Small Business Person of the Year announced

Small Business Person of the Year: 

Todd Snopkowski - Snapchef

BOSTON

Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: 

Elaine J. Boone - PTS Truck-Trailer-Construction Equipment Supply
PALMER

Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: 

Michael Chege & Raphael Bibiu - Ace Medical Services, Inc.

WORCESTER

Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year:

Debra Heims - H&S Environmental, Inc.

WESTBOROUGH

Microenterprise Business of the Year:

Matthew &Tina Phaneuf - BioSurfaces, Inc.

ASHLAND

Region 1 Prime Contractor of the Year:

Arthur Mabbett - Mabbett & Associates, Inc.

BEDFORD

Massachusetts & New England SBA Small Business Exporter of the Year: 

Lester Hensley & Bashar Moussallieh - EMSEAL Joint Systems Ltd.

WESTBOROUGH

Massachusetts & New England SBA Financial Services Champion:

Mary Katherine Mansfield - Bay Colony Development Corporation
WALTHAM

Massachusetts & New England SBA Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award: 

Keith Girouard - Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, Berkshire Regional Office

PITTSFIELD

Massachusetts & New England SBA 8(a) Graduate of the Year: 

Hector Sanchez - P&S Construction, Inc.
CHELMSFORD

Massachusetts SBA District Director Award:

Robert J. Viamari - Cape & Plymouth Business Magazine

YARMOUTH PORT

MAYOR WALSH INVITES RESIDENTS TO THE BOSTON HOME CENTER'S HOUSING EXPO

MAYOR WALSH INVITES RESIDENTS TO THE BOSTON 

HOME CENTER'S HOUSING EXPO

ONE STOP OPPORTUNITY FOR HOME BUYERS AND OWNERS TO LEARN ABOUT CITY RESOURCES

The City of Boston is inviting potential home buyers and current homeowners to the Boston Home Center’s Housing Expo at the Boston Teachers Union Hall in Dorchester on Saturday, May 2. Attendees will be able to talk with realtors, mortgage lenders, nonprofit housing councilors, City agencies and City of Boston Home Center (BHC) staff about homeownership and home repair opportunities.  Among other things, the main exhibit hall for the Expo will offer attendees information about residential properties available for purchase, mortgage and prequalification information, and the Boston Home Center’s first-time homebuyer and home repair programs. 

The Expo will also include seminars and information sessions for homeowners and homebuyers on specific topics, led by BHC staff and partners.  Offerings include “Options for Reducing Your Mortgage Payment” and “Post- Winter Home Maintenance”. Attendees can register ahead of time on the BHC webpage: www.bostonhomecenter.com  

WHERE: Boston Teachers Union Hall, 180 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester

WHEN: Saturday, May 2, 2015 10:00AM - 2:00PM

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES CITY OF BOSTON JOINS THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND'S CLIMATE-START CITIES PROGRAM

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES CITY OF BOSTON JOINS THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND'S CLIMATE-START CITIES PROGRAM 

Partnership supported by a $500,000 MacArthur grant for green infrastructure projects

BOSTON - Thursday, April 30, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that the City of Boston has started work with The Trust for Public Land’s Climate-Smart Cities™ Program to help Boston achieve climate mitigation and preparedness goals set forth in the Greenovate Boston 2014 Climate Action Plan Update. The Trust for Public Land’s Climate-Smart Cities effort helps cities meet the climate challenge through conservation and design--from protecting waterfront parks and wetlands to creating green alleys and “water smart” playgrounds.

“I thank the Trust for Public Land and the MacArthur Foundation for their partnership that will help us reach the ambitious goals laid out in our climate action plan," said Mayor Walsh. "Through effectively using the resources that support our environment, we have the opportunity to create a healthy, thriving and more innovative Boston."

The goal of this partnership is to help the City of Boston implement green infrastructure as a strategy to better connect people, keep Bostonians cool, absorb stormwater, and protect the city, its buildings and its people. Through this partnership, The Trust for Public Land will help the City and its partners integrate these four objectives into green infrastructure development by creating a Geographic Information System (GIS) decision support tool, conducting research, and developing projects.

"We are thrilled to be working with a great city like Boston as part of our Climate Smart Cities program," said Will Rogers, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. "We know that coastal cities like Boston are particularly vulnerable in a changing climate and we applaud Mayor Martin J. Walsh and his staff for tackling this problem with solutions that provide multiple benefits."

As a result of the partnership, by late 2016 the City will have new research on climate impacts and an interactive online mapping tool. The Trust for Public Land will also assist Boston with creating green infrastructure design interventions such as flood mitigation and reducing the urban heat island effect.

Studies have shown that bringing natural features into urban environments can cool summer nights, absorb rainstorms, protect against coastal flooding, and help connect residents to mass transit and pedestrian corridors. These natural features, or "green infrastructure," like street trees, biking corridors, urban farms, and waterfront parks can keep neighborhoods of all kinds safe and livable when weather turns bad.

“Green infrastructure is an important tool that will help Boston both reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and also prepare for the impacts of climate change,” said Austin Blackmon, Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space. “I look forward to working with the talented team at The Trust for Public Land to develop this resource and identify pilot projects in Boston.”

The partnership includes participation from multiple City of Boston departments and agencies including the Environment Department, the Department of Innovation and Technology, the Boston Transportation Department, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, and the Boston Public Health Commission. Additionally, the state and community organizations are involved, including the Commonwealth’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, The Boston Harbor Association, Charles River Watershed Association, Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, and Livable Streets Alliance.

紐英崙朱沛國堂迎羊年 大秀宗親文武雙全

紐英崙朱沛國堂四月廿五日晚在喜臨門大酒樓席開四十二桌，以歌聲，詩意，琴韻，彰顯宗親才子佳人多；藉頒獎朱振舜，表揚宗親藝高不忘助鄉里。

            會上還送出新年利是給中華頤養院，中華耆英會，廣教學校，僑立學校，已是朱氏尊重敬老，勵學的中華傳統。

            朱沛國堂的詩人暨前主席朱紹昌，當晚擔任司儀，特地寫了一幅對聯“朱門崇德義，勝友如雲，沛國聚賢良，高朋滿座”，為大會增添雅氣。

            現任主席朱健威，朱添達，分別致歡迎，答謝詞時，也由朱添達獻詩一首“君是海棠花熳爛，繁枝錦簇吐芬芳，他日花卉綻放日，願為綠葉作陪襯”，聊以輝映的向到會宗親及嘉賓表心意。

            今年從紐約來的宗親道賀團，格外龐大，有三十多人，其中包括青年組組長朱英強，副組長朱芊親。紐約朱氏主席朱永益指出， 他們是應紐英崙主席朱健威邀請，特地來和波士頓年輕朱氏宗親交流的。希望兩地年輕一代朱氏，能體會上一輩人苦心，從交流中擴展人際關係，累積人生經驗，學習領袖才能，將來攜手服務社會，光宗耀祖。

駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文等人也以嘉賓身份，用廣東話一一致詞。賴銘琪稱許朱氏多才子，虛懷若谷的歡迎僑社指導。郭大文感謝僑界支持政府，透露八個月後，他就將任滿返台。陳銘俊效法朱紹昌的也獻詩一首。

經文處新聞組組長朱永昌忝為朱氏宗親，當晚也應邀出席。

波士頓市議員吳弭派代表王芳菲，送給朱氏一份表揚狀。

紐英崙朱沛國堂當晚自己頒發一塊獎牌，表揚高齡八十三歲，創辦了朱振舜太極功夫會的宗親朱振舜，稱許他“武學超群倫人稱師傅“，感念他資助鄉梓的”辛勞寄沛國我敬鄉賢”。另一名獲表揚的宗親朱自律，當晚因事，未能出席。

文娛節目部分，由健威夫人，植武夫人主持，符克華樂合唱團演唱“炮竹一聲，大地回春”，“歡樂中國年”拉開序幕。經文處處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊，僑教中心主任郭大文接著有如“三劍客”般，聯袂合唱。昭倫公所主席譚達兒不但獨唱，扭舞，還“招兵買馬”，拉了一伙昭倫宗親及好友，在台上邊唱邊跳，為迎春慶會帶出更多歡樂氣氛。

紐英崙朱沛國堂今年的職員包括，主席健威，添達；中文書記，星發，西文書記蘇珊；財政瑞生；核數平臻；總務佑務，玉漢；康樂組建威夫人，植武夫人；法律顧問蘇珊，出席中華公所代表紹昌，婦女組主任平臻夫人，紹昌夫人，樓業組長紹昌，樓業委員會瑞生，平臻，星發，自律。

  

圖片說明：

            朱振舜，李足蘭（左三，四）夫婦，在兒子朱國昌（左一），徒弟司徒宗達（右二）陪同下，上台接受紐英崙朱沛國堂主席朱健威（左二），朱添達（右三）頒給表揚獎牌。（菊子攝）

            紐英崙朱沛國堂職員與嘉賓向出席者敬酒。（菊子攝）

            左起，朱星發，朱紹昌，朱添達，朱健威（右一）等人在會中合影。（菊子攝）

            翁宇才（前右起），謝如鍵，鄺坤珍等人大合唱。（菊子攝）

            紐英崙朱沛國堂主席朱添達（左起），朱健威，以及顧問朱紹昌（右三）送出利是給四機構，由梅伍銀寬，曾秀芬，江輝輝，阮奕雲代表接受。（菊子攝）

            昭倫公所主席譚達兒（左一）拉著副主席謝如鍵（右一起），李氏公所主席李源沛，紐英崙中華公所主席阮鴻燦，中華公所財政翁宇才等人合唱。（菊子攝）

            經文處處長賴銘琪（右起），副處長陳銘俊，特地起身向朱振舜（左二）致意。（菊子攝）

            經文處副處長陳銘俊（左起），處長賴銘琪，僑教中心主任郭大文，有如三劍客，聯袂合唱。（菊子攝）

中華耆英會講座 吳皓解答骨髓疏鬆疑難

中華耆英會與十健康（Ten Health），紐英崙婦女心運會合作，昨（廿九）日中午在帝苑大酒樓辦“骨骼強健宣導會”，請吳皓醫師向150多名出席者講解如何預防骨質疏鬆。

            中華耆英會在宣傳單上指出，年滿五十歲以上的中年女性，每兩人中就有一人會因為骨質疏鬆症而骨折，昨日的講座，討論停經後骨質疏鬆症，以及造成骨折的高風險因素。

            吳皓昨日表示，其實男性年過五十後，也會有骨質疏鬆的危險。要察覺自己是否已出現骨質疏鬆症的最佳方法，就是量身高。如果身高減少了一英吋或以上，或者出現過骨折情況，很可能就是已經在不知不覺中得了骨質疏鬆症。

        要預防骨質疏鬆，可以曬曬太陽，增加身體維他命D，多攝取鈣，減少攝取鈉和咖啡因，適度增加運動量，例如不行，打太極，爬樓梯，不要抽煙等等。吳皓建議正在服用藥物的人，先諮詢醫師，再採取防止或治療骨質疏鬆的步驟。

            如果做了運動，改變了飲食內容，也服用了維他命，還是不夠時，就得用處方藥來輔助了。其中一種處方藥是Prolia，一年只需注射兩次，但是這藥也有引起嚴重副作用的可能，應該先諮詢醫師，說明各人是否正在服用其他藥物，有沒其他病症，使否正在懷孕或授乳等。

            在使用處方藥上，許多人沒注意的是，頂多吃上三到五年，就應該停止服用，找醫生諮商。至於保險包不包，各種保單要求不同。據吳皓所知，有三、四家保險公司包，甚至有些公司還不需要另外辦申請手續。

            吳皓指出，由於飲食習慣不同，亞洲飲食往往缺鈣，亞裔又個頭較小，骨質密度也低，還大約90%成年亞裔有乳糖不耐症，難以從食物中攝取鈣，因而是骨質疏鬆症及骨折的高危險群。為此，他會視情況建議甚至年紀還輕的中國女性，都採取措施，改善骨質疏鬆情況。

他也提醒出席耆英，藥通常都是繼有好處，也有壞處，可以醫治這病，卻同時可能會因副作用，讓人得另外一種病，所以選擇藥物，關鍵在於衡量那種藥帶來的好處比較多。以鈣來說，多吃固然對骨頭好，對心血管卻不好。

圖片說明：

            紐英崙婦女新運會會長湯鳳鳴（左二起），呂錦芳，中華耆英會行政主任梅伍銀寬（左三），十全健康策略主任陳愛玲（右三），耆英會醫療主任張青梅等人邀請吳皓醫師（右四）講解骨質疏鬆症。（菊子攝）

            吳皓醫施拿出脊椎骨模型，輔助說明。（菊子攝）

            吳皓解釋骨刺和骨質疏鬆的不同。（菊子攝）

            一百五十多名耆英，聽得很投入，會後紛紛提問。（菊子攝）           

創業中國大賽波士頓賽區選出六隊 六月赴上海決賽

2015年北美”創業中國“四月廿四日下午，在麻省理工學院舉行波士頓分賽區複賽。十四個團隊路演三個半小時後，六個團隊打入決賽，將於六月廿七日到上海嘉定參加總決賽。

這場比賽由上海育成中心和嘉定創投聯合主辦，麻省理工學院中國創新與創業論壇（MIT-CHIEF）承辦。

創業中國組委會負責這一比賽的李媛表示，共有三十多隊申請參賽，他們從中選出十四隊進入複賽，當天再由六名裁判當場打分，選出六隊進入總決賽。

複賽當天的評委，包括中美企業創新中心總經理祁陪，青年光耀科技董事長謝雷杰，賽默飛規管產品主任欒甡，惠通金屬集團總經理王維，嘉定國資副總經理茅健，波士頓大學醫學院教授林鴻煌等人。

經過三個半小時的展示，答問後，曾在麻省理工學院中國創新創業大賽中獲獎的葛志飛，以“Cam Med貼附式柔性泵”這項目，和汪楨的“氣體污染物監測平台”，王璞的“Vibronix血管內光聲成像”，韓壁丞的“BrainCo腦電可穿戴設備，孫瑞的”智能無線輸液滴速及氣泡檢測預警系統“，以及王韜戎的”手術室智能信息平台“等六個項目，打入決賽。

其他參加複賽的項目包括王鑫拓的“水產養殖的水下機械人”，張宜業的“圖像感測面板“，王若謙的”智能溯源機械人“，吳檸的Medicbnb跨國醫療的醫院選擇平台“，陳莉洋的“Ucare 雲端老人安養中心資訊管理系統”，陸世龍的“景安唾液腫瘤篩查”，陳航的“Belleds智能LED節能燈泡“，周振宇的”eXlouge語言教學交換平台“。

祁培會後表示，“創業中國”選擇波士頓做賽區之一，顯示中國的創業圈也開始關注波士頓，甚至對早期科技項目也感興趣了。他認為波士頓和矽谷之別，在於波士頓已開始探索，嘗試技術轉化結合創業的投資模式。部分原因是波士頓的高校資源豐富。

主辦方指出，“創業中國”是上海市扶持的海外僑胞回國創業活動，由上海嘉定先進技術創新與育成中心，嘉定創投主辦，今年還有育仁投資，嘉定孵化，香港科技大學創業中心，香港科技園，麻省理工學院中國創新創業論壇等合作承辦。比賽地點，也在上海之外增加了波士頓及香港。四月廿四日在波士頓舉行複賽後，將於五月廿五日舉辦香港賽區複賽，打入決賽的個隊伍，將於六月廿四日參加第十八期華僑華人回國創業班；西門子/殼牌訓練營，六月廿七日再到上海嘉定做總決賽。一，二，三等獎各一名，依序可獲獎金人民幣十萬，五萬，二萬元，並有機會獲得主辦單位最高一百五十萬元的天使投資。

“創業中國”大賽之前已辦過兩屆，共有247各項目參賽，選手來自12個國家，地區，迄今已有20多個項目落戶嘉定，另有多個項目經由大賽獲得五十萬到一千萬元人民幣不等的融資。

圖片說明：

            麻省理工學院中國創業創新論壇今年的主席是譚驗（右），當天在會場協調。（菊子攝）

            評審們，右起王維，謝雷杰，欒甡，茅健，祁培，林鴻煌等人仔細聆聽項目展示。（菊子攝）

            會場。（菊子攝）