September 22, 2005
For Immediate Release

Heather Elster Honored as "40 Under Forty" Recipient by the Worcester Business Journal

Heather Elster, BVCC Membership Services Manager

Whitinsville, MA. The Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Heather Elster was selected as a "40 Under Forty" award recipient by the Worcester Business Journal. The award acknowledges 40 individuals under the age of forty who are "rising stars" in the Worcester business community. Awardees were nominated by peers, friends, and colleagues, and then selected based upon their level of professional achievement.

The Worcester Business Journal and Junior Achievement of Central Massachusetts co-sponsored this year's sixth annual 40 Under Forty Awards. The winners were selected from a field of more than 100 nominees throughout Central Massachusetts and exude positive energy about their careers, their communities, and their fellow human beings.

One of our own staff members, Membership Services Manager Heather Elster, was among those honored. Ms. Elster has been at the chamber for about a year, and she is responsible for member recruitment and creating and implementing member programs and events. We would also like to congratulated our members who were recognized for their professional and community services contributions: Renee (Gargulinski) Hackett from Bowditch & Dewey LLP; Stavy Johnson from Commonwealth National Bank; Randy Manyak from Staples, Inc.; and Nicole Valentine from the American Red Cross.

# # #

About the Chamber

The Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce serves the Blackstone River Valley's eleven member towns in Massachusetts: Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge. The mission of the chamber is to promote the economic vitality of the Blackstone Valley, meet the needs of the Chamber's business members, while providing leadership on issues which impact the economy and quality of life in the Valley.