Updated: January 11, 2021
Best of Business 2021: Office services
President Tony Rosado and Vice President Mark Kaminski
The coronavirus pandemic kept people home in 2020 – and will do so well into 2021 – far more than they would have expected starting the year. That meant a lot of people looked around their yard and discovered both a desire to upgrade where they’d be spending nearly all their time as well as savings maybe earmarked for a vacation.
“We certainly found that homeowners were interested in improving their outdoor space since they were home much more than previous years,” said Aaron Bunn, a member of the sales team at Rosado & Sons, Inc. in Westborough.
Rosado & Sons, which was founded in 1989 and today has more than 50 employees, found itself busy with commercial and residential landscaping and construction services, including landscaping design, patios and other masonry projects, irrigation systems, and water features such as backyard waterfalls – attributes homeowners would find appealing while at home more.
The company covers a stretch of the Massachusetts Turnpike from Sudbury to Worcester, and I-495 from Westford to Franklin. Rosado provides commercial plowing services over the winter.
Rosado & Sons isn’t alone in benefitting from the massive shift in where people have been spending their time. A survey in September by the Indianapolis-based Home Improvement Research Institute said consumer home improvement spending was expected to spike 11% last year, hitting roughly $312 billion. Porch, a Seattle home services startup, in a survey in July found roughly three in four people took on a home improvement project during the pandemic, and roughly the same rate of people expected to undertake at least one in the coming 12 months.
For companies like Rosado & Sons, being deemed an essential business during the pandemic ensured they remained open. The biggest adjustment was helping homeowners find the best value for reduced budgets, Bunn said. Generally, homeowners locally haven’t opted for big wow-factor projects.
“I wouldn’t say 2020 brought people to think bigger or more elaborate,” Bunn said, “but it certainly gave the homeowner more time to think about how they wanted to upgrade their outdoor space.”
-- Grant Welker
Notable runners-up: Cheaper than the Kid Next Door, Keating Enterprises, Inc.
BEST OFFICE CLEANER
Enterprise Cleaning and Restoration Corp.
Location: Worcester, www.enterprisecleaningcorp.com
Top executives: Founder, President & CEO Stephen S. Buchalter and Director of Operations Diogo Silva
Founded: 2001
Employees: 148
As the cleaning industry came to the forefront during the coronavirus pandemic, Enterprise has set up a special team to respond quickly to combat COVID-19 cases using electrostatic disinfecting. The company provided personal protective equipment for all its staff and time stamped cleaning records through its app, which can be emailed instantly to clients.
Notable runner-up: Eagle Cleaning Corp.
BEST COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE
Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates
Location: Worcester, Kelleher-Sadowsky.com
Top executives: Principals James Umphrey, Will Kelleher, John McKinley and Don Mancini
Founded: 1981
Employees: 25
Kelleher has helped hundreds of companies and property owners achieve their real estate objectives in Central Massachusetts over the last 40 years. The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the trend of brand-name tenants with investment-grade credit migrating from Boston and Cambridge to the region, especially in the biotech and warehouse sectors. As a result, Kelleher expanded its footprint to the MetroWest region.
Notable runner-up: NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs
BEST COFFEE SERVICE
Good As Gold Coffee
Location: Worcester, www.goodasgoldcoffeeservice.com
Top executive: President Patrice Goldman
Founded: 1969
Employees: Between 12 & 20 employees
The family-owned coffee company offers office service ranging from by-the-pot brewing and single-cup pods to nitro cold brew and espresso. The company’s air roasting technique helps showcase beans’ land of origin and produce a satisfying taste.
BEST PLUMBER/HVAC CONTRACTOR
J.J. Bafaro, Inc.
Location: Worcester, JJBafaro.com
Top executive: President Joe Bafaro
Founded: 1965
Winner of the WBJ Best of Business Award every year since 2015, J.J. Bafaro remains a family-owned, community-focused plumbing and HVAC provider with services including design build and engineering, HVAC systems & piping, plumbing, heating, sheet metal, fire protection, and repairs and maintenance.
BEST WASTE REMOVAL COMPANY
E.L. Harvey & Sons, Inc.
Location: Westborough, Elharvey.com
Top executive: President James Harvey
Founded: 1911
Employees: 350
E.L. Harvey continues to grow and adapt to the ever-changing landscape in the waste and recycling industry, particularly as customers’ needs evolve and in response to new local and state regulations. Even as the coronavirus pandemic upended the economy, the company continues business as usual, servicing its customers to meet high expectations.
BEST HOTEL FOR BUSINESS CLIENTS
Beechwood Hotel
Location: Worcester, Massachusetts, www.beechwoodhotel.com
Top executive: Sayed Saleh, asset manager and managing director
Founded: 1989
Employees: 100
A distinguished member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts Connect Collection and the only AAA Four Diamond boutique property in Central Massachusetts, the Beechwood Hotel has been ranked amongst the Best Hotels in Massachusetts and one of the Best Hotels in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. To provide safety assurance and peace of mind for guests, the Beechwood Hotel has thoroughly instilled the highest possible standards of sanitization.
Notable runner-up: AC Hotel by Marriott Worcester
BEST LOGISTICS COMPANY
Euro-American Worldwide Logistics
Location: Worcester, www.eawlogistics.com
Top executive: President Eric Busenburg
Founded: 1966
Employees: 20
Euro-American’s third-party logistics allows the company to maintain direct control of products throughout the manufacturing supply chain, which reduces the need for brokering to additional outside parties and enhances efficiency, safety and quality assurance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company shifted 70% of its staff to working remotely, while maintaining its ISO-9001 certified processes.
BEST LIMOUSINE SERVICE
Knight’s Airport Limousine
Location: Shrewsbury, www.knightslimo.com
Top executives: Owner Michael Hogan and Owner & General Manager Thomas Hogan
Founded: 1985
Employees: 65
Knight’s strives for exceptional customer service and will go the extra mile to ensure our customers’ happiness. During the coronavirus pandemic, Knight’s implemented new safety regulations to ensure the safety of customers and drivers.
Notable runner-up: Joey's Limousine Service
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