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Inform. Inspire. Spark! is a series of 5-minute talks sharing momentum-building work happening on greater Cape Ann in the areas of community celebrations, investment, arts and culture, decarbonization, coastal resilience, and design. The lightning talks will be followed by short, interactive breakout sessions where you can learn ways to get involved.

TOPICS & SPEAKERS

• 400+ Years in 12 Months: Isabel Pett, Events Manager, Gloucester 400+
• The Future of Gloucester’s Downtown: David Fields, Community Development Director, City of Gloucester
• Supporting Arts Now: Karen Ristuben, Program Director at Essex County Community Foundation’s Creative County Initiative
• Electrify Greater Cape Ann: Maureen Aylward, Director, TownGreen, Inc.
• Demonstrating Coastal Resilience: Katie Kahl, UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station
• Design in Everything: David Minogue, President of Spade Graphic Design

Light appetizers and cash bar will be offered. Registration is required for this FREE event. To register, please visit bit.ly/InformInspireSpark or contact Michelle at michelle@capeannchamber.com.

What is the Cape Ann Innovators Collaborative?
An initiative of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, CAIC is a collaborative of innovators, entrepreneurs, makers, artists, designers, developers and producers dedicated to supporting people from all walks of life in their endeavors to create lasting, innovative change, with the ultimate objective of growing the economy and creating new jobs. The CAIC Forums are designed to Inform and Inspire.

Game Night & Release of the Hammond Naval Warfare Game Tonight: Friday, Nov. 25th 5pm – 10pm Drop In/Drop Out $15 Admission Be one of the first ever to play Hammond’s 1912 board game: Hammond Naval Warfare and be entered for a chance to win your own game set! Bring your friends for a night of tabletop gaming as we celebrate the introductory release of the Hammond Naval Warfare game. We will also have a wide variety of other great games for players, available on a first come, first serve basis, including: Dixit, Risk, Fluxx, Munchkin, Chess, We Didn’t Playtest This At All, Settlers of Catan and The Oregon Trail Card Game & more.  Visit our YouTube channel to watch the Hammond Weekly: Board Games episode to learn more about the Hammond Naval Warfare game.   Reserve Your Place Here ) Holiday Lights & Illumination Celebration with the Jambalaya Horns  Tomorrow: Saturday, Nov. 26th 5:30 – 8pm Performance begins at 6pm. Free Event Local-favorite the Jambalaya Horns10(6.8%)kicks off the season of light and hope with joyous holiday favorites here at Hammond Castle Museum, starting at 6pm. (This concert will be held outdoors, in front of our 12th and 13th Century Arches. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held inside, in the Museum’s Great Hall.) Holiday lights will be cast upon our majestic castle and romantic arches, creating a magical holiday scene across the Museum grounds. Guests who wish to peek into the Hammond’s historic home to see the Great Hall decked out for the holidays are welcome to do so. Please note: Not all portions of the Museum will be open to guests. Guests will only have access to the Great Hall and rooms leading down to the Great Hall. This program is free and open to the public and sponsored by Cape Ann Savings Bank.

Inform. Inspire. Spark! is a series of 5-minute talks sharing momentum-building work happening on greater Cape Ann in the areas of community celebrations, investment, arts and culture, decarbonization, coastal resilience, and design. The lightning talks will be followed by short, interactive breakout sessions where you can learn ways to get involved.

TOPICS & SPEAKERS

• 400+ Years in 12 Months: Isabel Pett, Events Manager, Gloucester 400+
• The Future of Gloucester’s Downtown: David Fields, Community Development Director, City of Gloucester
• Supporting Arts Now: Karen Ristuben, Program Director at Essex County Community Foundation’s Creative County Initiative
• Electrify Greater Cape Ann: Maureen Aylward, Director, TownGreen, Inc.
• Demonstrating Coastal Resilience: Katie Kahl, UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station
• Design in Everything: David Minogue, President of Spade Graphic Design

Light appetizers and cash bar will be offered. Registration is required for this FREE event. To register, please visit bit.ly/InformInspireSpark or contact Michelle at michelle@capeannchamber.com.

What is the Cape Ann Innovators Collaborative?
An initiative of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, CAIC is a collaborative of innovators, entrepreneurs, makers, artists, designers, developers and producers dedicated to supporting people from all walks of life in their endeavors to create lasting, innovative change, with the ultimate objective of growing the economy and creating new jobs. The CAIC Forums are designed to Inform and Inspire.

The Board and I are very excited to announce that Gloucester resident and Boston area business executive Stephen Buckley will succeed Ken Riehl as the organization’s chief executive officer.

Steve was selected following a four-month search that attracted more than 50 candidates from across the U.S. The search committee presented its recommendation to the Chamber’s Board of Directors last month, and his appointment was approved by a unanimous vote.

Steve impressed the Chamber’s leadership with his passion for Cape Ann, his extensive business management experience, and his track record of community involvement. We reviewed a number of extraordinary candidates for his position, and he emerged as the clear choice to advance the Chamber’s mission to support our businesses and the entire Cape Ann community.

Steve has more than 20 years of business leadership experience, most recently as Executive Director of Winchester Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 121-bed facility with 200 employees. In this role, he oversaw strategic marketing, financial management, community and business partnerships, and relationships with federal, state, and local elected officials. He previously held management positions at health care facilities in Saugus, Stoneham, Haverhill, and Gloucester.  He also brings a personal understanding of small business, having owned and operated a Melrose-based physical therapy practice.

A Cape Ann resident since 1999, Steve has been active with the Gloucester Friends of Seacoast and Gloucester Education Foundation. He also served as a vice president with the Winchester Chamber of Commerce and president-elect of the Winchester Rotary.

“I thank the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce for this opportunity to put my experience to work in an organization that supports  an important part of our community,” said Steve. “I am proud to call Cape Ann home for me and my family, and I am excited to be able to give back to the community as the Chamber’s CEO. I look forward to extending the Chamber’s extraordinary work focused on making greater Cape Ann an amazing place to live, work, and visit.”

Steve’s first official day will be December 5, replacing Ken Riehl, who is retiring in December after nine years as the organization’s CEO. Over the next month, Steve will work alongside Ken and the Chamber staff, Executive Committee and Board while transitioning into the CEO position.

“As we looked ahead to this transition, I was committed to making certain that the Chamber continued to be a strong and active force across the Cape Ann community,” said Ken. “In Stephen, we have found a passionate, skilled, and visionary leader who will build on the foundation we’ve established and ensure an increasingly brighter future for greater Cape Ann.”

The Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is the fifth largest Chamber in the commonwealth, with more than 1,000 members. In recent years, the Chamber has marked a number of milestones, including the creation of the Cape Ann License Plate and  the Cape Ann Community Foundation, which has granted almost $100,000 back to Cape Ann non-profits and schools; the Chamber’s relocation to new offices on Gloucester’s Harbor Loop; informing and supporting the community through the pandemic; and a merger with the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce,

Ken and I were part of a search committee that included the Chamber’s Executive Committee, as well as past board presidents and longtime Chamber CEO Michael Costello. The search committee was co-chaired by Past Chamber Board President Sal Frontiero and Chamber Treasurer Mike Luster.

Steve’s appointment follows the addition of Bernie Romanowski as Chief Operating Officer, a new position on the Chamber staff. Bernie, who joined the Chamber last month, will report to Steve and be responsible for day-to-day operations. Bernie brings a track record in operations leadership, most recently as Chief Program Officer for Pathways for Children.

Caitlin Pszenny
2022 Board President
Manager, Cape Ann Lanes and Laneside Pub & Brewery

 Join Backyard Growers and Sunspell Flora to learn how to design and create festive winter wreaths using local flora like amaranth, straw flower, and evergreen. Instructed by North Shore flower farmer Lauren Barnhill of Sunspell Flora, each participant will take home a wreath of their own creation.

When: December 7, 5-6:30pm

Where: Backyard Growers HQ @ 103R Maplewood Ave, Gloucester, MA, 01930

Tickets: $40 general admission / $20 Backyard Growers program participants (e.g. 2022 Community, Backyard Garden, or GrowBag Garden Programs)

 Children are welcome to join for free with a caretaker’s ticket purchase! We will be running a children’s winter craft activity during the workshop. If you plan to bring children, please RSVP for them at community@backyardgrowers.org.

 Light refreshments will be provided.

 Proceeds from this workshop support Backyard Growers’ mission of cultivating healthy, connected, resilient communities by empowering people to grow their own food. Come have some festive fun and support a great cause!