Roy Nascimento

The Power 100 edition is an annual report on how power is shared and expended in Central Massachusetts each year, as told through the 100 people who are most effectively wielding their influence, with a special focus on those creating change and bringing new ideas to the forefront.

After a nearly 30-year career with the Johnny Appleseed Visitors' Center in Lancaster, Diane Burnette has retired from position as manager of the Fitchburg-based North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce’s center, effective Monday.

Further beautification efforts may soon be underway in Leominster as the City’s Façade Improvement Program has been awarded $12,000 from the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., the economic development branch of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

Cautious optimism. These two words are perhaps the most succinct way to summarize how some of the region’s economists and business figures feel about the state of the Central Massachusetts economy.

MassHousing and the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corp have teamed up to launch what they say is the largest publicly led financing program of its kind in the country.

While generally supportive of the new rule, the lending industry is concerned about the onus the new requirements put on banks.

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., an affiliate of the Fitchburg-based North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce is offering loans of up to $10,000 at 1% interest to businesses affected by the devastating flooding in Northern Worcester County on Sept. 11.

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. granted $10,000 to the City of Fitchburg for the development of pop-up shops for local artisans, crafters, and entrepreneurs.

The Power 50 may not necessarily hold the most power in the region, but they are the people who most effectively wielded their power to have an outsized influence on the economy and the community within the last year.

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. announced Tuesday it has approved two loans amounting in $30,000 to go towards 290 Auto Body Inc. and American Transport, both in Worcester.