Nonprofits

A new biennial report from researchers at Nichols College found incremental progress in the rate of women in Massachusetts rising to leadership roles in business and the Legislature.

Abby's House is nearly finished with a $16.2-million renovation of its High Street women's homeless apartment complex in Worcester.

Women continue to be vastly outnumbered by men at Central Mass. public companies, though improvement has been found in some areas.

The gap of pay between Central Mass. male and female executives increased in the last year, as men continue to hold higher-paying positions.

Genesis Club House, the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, Girls Inc. of Worcester and The SHINE Initiative have each collected $10,000 grants from Fallon Health.

When international healthcare company Optum bought Reliant Medical Group for $28 million on March 31, the Worcester physician group's foundation was spun out as an independent entity.

After slowly taking over more responsibilities from founder Laura DiBenedetto for 2.5 years, Julia Becker Collins in December assumed control at Vision Advertising, two months after it moved from Worcester to Westborough.

Ann T. Lisi, the president and CEO of the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, will retire at the end of June.

Worcester is set to roll out the eighth business improvement district in Massachusetts, adding events, signage and "ambassadors" to keep the neighborhood clean and help visitors.

Westborough marketing agency Vision Advertising has appointed Julia Becker Collins, formerly the vice president of marketing and operations, to chief operating officer.