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"I’ll admit that writing about the Worcester County restaurant scene spanning 35 years has made my head spin," writes Barbara Houle.

While Central Massachusetts business leaders have seen substantial diversification among small business owners in the past three decades, the same cannot be said for those among the area’s highest-paid.

How do you whittle 35 years of headlining business news down to a couple thousand words and a few pages? You don't. But here, we take our best shot to highlight the companies, individuals, and moments that left a lasting impression.

WBJ has an extensive physical photo archive from the days when businesses sent in black-and-white photos of their executives and new hires.

You can define success in myriad ways: holding your ground; uncompromising ambition; the relentless pursuit of excellence; steady as she goes; staying a step ahead. The one thing shared in common by the most-heralded and well-run companies Worcester Business Journal has chronicled over 35 years is a bit of all these things.

As a 1979 Holy Cross graduate, I returned to Worcester in September of 1980 to start my publishing career in advertising sales.

Retirement is the well-deserved break all employees strive for at the end of a hard-worked career. While that respite sounds great in concept, the reality is retirees nationwide are reversing their decision and re-entering the workforce.

Having a comprehensive estate plan is important for every stage of life. As you reach your later years, you may wonder if you have done everything you can to preserve your legacy and protect those you’re leaving behind.

The need for grandfamily housing is significant as traditional elder or subsidized housing does not meet families' needs.

Seniors in the United States want to age in place. In fact, 77% of U.S. adults 50 and older prefer to stay in their homes for the long term, a percentage that has remained consistent for more than a decade, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the AARP.