NRR Chamber recognizes local businesses

Chamber President Tom O’Rourke presents the Large Business of the Year Award to Josh Chisolm of Chestnut Hill Realty. (Courtesy of Matt McKee Photography)

This story originally appeared in the January 25 edition of the Citizen.

The Neponset River Regional Chamber held its 130th annual meeting last week at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood. Awards were presented to four local businesses for their contributions to the region and the chamber.

The Small Business of the Year Award was presented to Brookmeadow Country Club, a championship 18-hole public golf course located on Everendon Road in Canton. Many area nonprofits, including the NRR Chamber, choose Brookmeadow for golf outings and charity galas, where they are offered preferential rates and support services to help ensure that their fundraisers are successful. They also provide special discounts for members of the military and first responders. The club frequently donates free golf rounds to local charities so that they can auction them off for fundraisers, and host other fundraising initiatives like collection drives for local food banks.

The Large Business of the Year Award went to Chestnut Hill Realty (CHR), which operates several apartment complexes in the greater Boston area, including Waterfall Hills in Canton and Norwood Gardens and Norwest Woods in Norwood.

CHR has a long history of supporting the communities in which they operate and donated nearly a million dollars to local nonprofits last year. The company also has a longstanding commitment to environmental sustainability and preserving natural resources. In 2022, CHR launched the Nature Positive initiative, which includes four primary areas of focus: Ecosystem Conservation, Natural Resource Conservation, Sustainable Purchasing, and Healthy and Mindful Outdoor Living. Among the many impressive actions they have taken is the installation of honeybee hives, birdhouses, and pollinator gardens at several of their apartment communities, encouraging and nurturing local biodiversity.

Additionally, Chestnut Hill Realty invests heavily in their employees and offers numerous professional development and continuing education opportunities along with wellness programs and mental health support. The company was recently recognized as a Top Place to Work and a Top Place to Work for Women by Multifamily.

The Paul Smith Volunteer of the Year Award went to Sheryl Leary of HESSCO Elder Services. As chair of the chamber’s Elder Care Alliance, she coordinated the production of the “Aging with Dignity” video series, a seven-episode production highlighting real-life examples of families dealing with aging parents.

Leary also helped launch an “Age Friendly” initiative in the town of Norwood, which is now being expanded to other communities. Her efforts helped the NRR Chamber become the first and perhaps only chamber in the country to receive AARP’s Age Friendly designation. And most recently she has been instrumental in the development and production of the Elder Care Alliance’s podcast series, “What to Expect as you Age.”

The other major award, recognizing the chamber’s Businessperson of the Year, went to David DePree, owner of the Norwood Space Center. DePree has brought over 100 businesses to the Space Center, garnering significant media attention and further elevating the profile of South Norwood as an attractive place to work, play, and live.

Through the many collaborative efforts that happen organically at the Space Center, DePree consistently demonstrates a commitment to the success and well-being of its members. One notable example of this is his efforts to promote and support “Sono Arts,” a community dedicated to nurturing artistic and cultural experiences. The Space Center’s social media pages and website regularly promote South Norwood community members, local artists, and other local businesses, which in turn helps to increase visibility for those businesses.

Established in 1894, the Neponset River Regional Chamber serves the needs of businesses in a 12-town region stretching from Route 128 to Route 495 southwest of Boston. For information on membership or doing business in the region, call 781-769-1126, email tom@nrrchamber.com, or visit nrrchamber.com.

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