BUSINESS BRIEFS: New Partner, Space Squeeze, Top Tax, Mutant Ninja Turtles, and More

SPONSOR OF Business Briefs in the Franklin ObserverThe chamber serves the communities of Bellingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Medway, Milford, Mendon, Millis, and Upton. More information is available at https://www.tricountychamberma.org

Barton Gilman Promotes Kristina Hultman to Partner

Barton Gilman has announce that Franklin resident Kristina Hultman (above) has been promoted to partnership at Barton Gilman LLP in Providence, RI. “Kristina is an exceptional litigation attorney, and we are delighted she has become a partner in the firm,” said Co-Managing Partner, Angela L. Carr. “We appreciate Kristina’s hard work and her dedication to Barton Gilman. Her promotion reflects her significant achievements and outstanding contributions to the firm and its clients.” Hultman received a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and a J.D., magna cum laude, from Roger Williams University School of Law. Hultman is an experienced civil litigator with a particular focus on premises liability, transportation litigation and insurance defense.

Industrial Space Squeeze by Housing

The greater Boston region shed roughly 190 football fields worth of built industrial space over a decade-long period ending in 2021 while the share of vacant industrial space declined, related trends that could hamstring smaller firms, a new report warns. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council found that the 101 cities and towns in its area collectively lost 10.9 million square feet of built industrial space between 2011 and 2021, space that could be used by businesses involved in construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade and transportation. Nearly three-quarters of the industrial land lost in that span occurred in the "inner core" closest to Boston, the MAPC wrote in a report published last week.

MA has Highest Top Marginal Tax Rate in Region

The Tax Foundation released a new report comparing all fifty states and their income tax rate. The Tax Foundation report now shows Massachusetts as the highest top marginal tax rate in all of New England and seventh highest in the entire country. This decline in ranking comes after voters narrowly passed Question 1 last November which added a four percent surcharge on the state’s five percent income tax rate, which triggers on income over a million dollars. The Tax Foundation report may be found by clicking here. Massachusetts has completely lost its economic competitive edge,” noted Paul D. Craney, spokesman for the Mass Fiscal Alliance.

AIM Elects Director from Milford’s Waters Corporation

Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the statewide business association, recently elected five new members to its Board of Directors. The new board members will lead the association as it represents the interests of 3,400 business from all sectors of the Massachusetts economy. Among those elected were Jess Lee, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Waters Corporation, Milford. Jess Lee became Director of DE&I at Waters Corporation in September 2021. Her expertise is in diversity, equity and inclusion, higher education, recruitment, people relationships, and integrating anti-racism and anti-oppression work into long term strategies. Waters Corporation is a global leader in analytical instruments and software serving the life, food, and materials sciences.

Tax Dollars at Work

According to a recently published report in The Daily Hampshire Gazette, the city of Northampton used thousands of dollars it received in American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic on manhole covers honoring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Yep, you read that right...

Franklin’s Intentsify transforms the B2B intent data landscape

Intentsify, a pioneer in buyer-intent data and intent activation solutions, has announced what it calls a groundbreaking and patent-pending evolution of its proprietary intent data: next-generation precision intent. Using advanced natural language processing (NLP) and activated via its Intelligence Activation Platform, Intentsify's precision intent is the first and only intent data solution that generates signals using models calibrated precisely to a customer's unique products and business offerings."As GTM functions are being asked to do more with less, the need for precision intent data is paramount," said Marc Laplante, CEO of Intentsify. To learn more, visit www.intentsify.io.

What is a Certificate of Origin?

A Certificate of Origin (CO or COO) is an important international trade document. It is a printed form, completed by the exporter or its agent, and certified by an issuing body, attesting that the goods in a particular export shipment are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country. The Certificate of Origin must be signed by the exporter, and, for many countries, also validated (signed and stamped) by a Chamber of Commerce. The Tri-County Regional Chamber has the authority to sign and stamp Certificates of Origin. We are pleased to offer this service as a free Member Benefit to all Chamber members.

Fees:

Tri-County Regional Chamber Members: Complimentary

Non-Chamber Members: $35 per certificate

NOTE: Payment is requested at time of signing, please. We accept credit cards, checks made out to the Chamber or cash. Please contact the Chamber at 508-473-6700 to make an appointment or to ensure staff will be in the office when you stop by. As a reminder, please allow ample time between getting your CO signed/stamped and the date your order will be exported. For clarifications on whether you need a certificate or for other exporting assistance contact Massachusetts Export Center at 617-973-6610 or visit Massachusetts Export Center.