[December 4, 2024]  SEED's 42nd Annual Meeting was held on December 4th at White's of Westport and included the presentation of the 2024 Business of the Year, Start-Up Business of the Year, and Regional Business Advocate of the Year.

Small Business of the Year
Bridgewater Pediatrics
Bridgewater, MA

SEED has selected Bridgewater Pediatrics in Bridgewater, MA as the 2024 recipient of the Small Business of the Year Award for their outstanding financial performance, significant job creation, and community impact.

The team is known for providing exceptional care and developing lifelong partnerships centered on their patients’ health.

In 2013, Bluestone Bank (f/k/a Bridgewater Savings Bank) partnered with SEED to assist this incredible small business in the purchase of 2.4 acres of land and improve the site with a 12,500 SF quality medical building. This allowed them to relocate from their leased location nearby. The beautiful facility was completed and funded in 2016 and has been benefiting local families for almost a decade. Sales have doubled since moving to the larger complex and increased by 23% over the last two years. This impressive growth has allowed Bridgewater Pediatrics to increase their staff from 14 to 52 employees.
 
Bridgewater Pediatrics is firmly anchored in their community and are members of the substance abuse prevention committee in the Bridgwater / Raynham school system, as well as members of the health advisory council and provider of five scholarships for Bridgewater / Raynham graduates that are entering the health profession. Both Fred and Katherine are founders and part of the team for “The Well” that is a non-profit counseling organization that provides a holistic therapeutic approach to assist families in their journey to becoming well. Additionally, the practice is a strong financial supporter of numerous non-profits in the community.

For additional information, visit their website. 

Start-Up Business of the Year
We Rock The Spectrum- Wellesley
Wellesley, MA

SEED has selected We Rock The Spectrum- Wellesley, as the 2024 recipient of the Start-Up Business of the Year Award for their exceptional financial performance, job creation, and impact on their community.

We Rock the Spectrum is co-owned by sisters Melissa Defay and Sherley Brice and is a sensory gym with specifically designed play equipment for children with autism and special needs.  Melissa’s son Caden, who was confirmed to be on the spectrum at 17 months of age, was the inspiration for Melissa and Sherley to start the business.  Both are trained registered behavioral technicians with a focus on working with autistic children.            
 
In 2021, Melissa and Sherley were referred to SEED by Nicole Peterkin Morong, of Peterkin Financial in Braintree.  Their $240K project, which included $175K in financing from SEED, allowed them to purchase the franchise, build out 5,000 SF of leased space and purchase equipment in order to open their doors.  In the past three years, the business has reflected year over year growth and has created nine full-time jobs. In 2023, We Rock the Spectrum also received a $906M grant from Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health & Human Services, which allowed them to establish an afternoon care program.   

For additional information, visit their website.

Regional Business Advocate of the Year
Dorothy Savarese
Cape Cod 5
 

SEED Corporation has selected Dorothy Savarese, as the 2024, the retired CEO of Cape Cod 5, as the recipient of the Regional Business Advocate of the Year Award for her ongoing efforts to elevate the local and regional economy, and for the lasting impacts of programs implemented and expanded as a result of her work in the community. Established in 1999 in memory of Gus Yankopoulos, the award is presented annually on a merit basis to an individual who has performed exceptional work on behalf of the region’s economy.

Over the course of her over 40-year career, Dorothy has been a steadfast advocate for community banking. From her early days in Economic Development to joining Cape Cod 5, as a Commercial Lending Officer, rising through the ranks to become President and CEO. Under her leadership, the Bank has been a champion of environmental resiliency on the Cape, from affordable housing to climate change initiatives.

Dorothy has served on advisory councils for the FDIC and Federal Reserve and served as a member of Governor Charlie Baker’s economic development task force and most recently on the Healey-Driscoll Climate Policy Transition Committee. Suffolk University awarded Dorothy with an honorary degree in 2021 and her many accolades over the years have been nothing short of inspiring. Including being named by American Banker magazine, in 2017, as one of the Nation’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking. Later, the magazine named her Community Banker of the Year in 2022. In 2023 the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation announced that Savarese was the recipient of the JFK Hyannis Museum Founders Community Leadership Award.

SEED is proud to recognize Dorothy for her invaluable commitment to community banking, and to the advancement of the regional economy, and the ongoing work being done to elevate the local small business communities.