Greater Worcester

If you are looking for the true economic and political power in Central Massachusetts, you should start by walking into the Worcester city manager's office at 8:30 a.m. every Friday.

There's something funky in the air, and it isn't the smell of medical marijuana in Massachusetts.While medical marijuana has been part of the Massachusetts landscape since a ballot vote passed in 2012, thanks to slow implementation, there are still fewer than 14,000 active patients and only three dispensaries authorized to distribute in the Commonwealth.

Dr. Charles and Janet Birbara never intended to run the Beechwood Hotel, but when their business partner went bankrupt, the responsibility fell to them. They have taken that misfortune and turned it into an opportunity.

Christina Andreoli's influence has been quietly growing behind the scenes of Worcester -- first in City Hall as the chief of staff for City Manager Mike O'Brien and then as the vice president of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce -- but since taking on the leadership of tourism organizations Destination Worcester and the newly created Discover Central Massachusetts, Andreoli is settling into a highly visible role of promoting the entire Central Massachusetts region.

At first glance, anyone holding the title of director of the Fitchburg Art Museum wouldn't seem to have much influence outside the cultural community. But Nick Capasso isn't just anyone.

Dr. Eric Dickson never set out to be a hospital administrator, but leadership roles have tended to fall into his lap as he practiced as an emergency room physician over the years, thanks to his take-charge nature.

Susan Mailman is the fourth-generation owner of the 130-year-old Coghlin Electrical Contractors & Coghlin Network Services, but she has not only stepped into a role guiding her company, but also in helping to guide major institutions in the city.

Ralph Crowley Jr. is not only the president and CEO of Worcester's most visible company, the $450-million Polar Beverages, but he is also a true believer in the city.

Inside Route 128, incubators for early-stage companies are numerous, but in MetroWest and Greater Worcester, the options are far more limited. But two local nonprofit leaders, Kevin O'Sullivan, president and CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives in Worcester, and Barbara Finer, CEO of TechSandBox in Hopkinton, have been pioneers on the incubation frontier and are leading ongoing efforts to increase resources to help local startups thrive.

Amy Lynn Chase is an entrepreneur, who has helped build up the Canal District as she builds her own businesses, but this relative newcomer is increasingly being leaned upon by the established Worcester business community for both her social media prowess and her fresh perspective.