Changing the Game in Worcester

Our annual business conference.

OCTOBER 25, 2019 | 7:30 am – 1:30 pm

MECHANICS HALL | WORCESTER, MA

(MAP)

Game Changers Business Conference

Presented by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, this half-day event introduces innovators, investors, and developers who are funding, disrupting, and supporting the region’s start-ups and entrepreneurs.

The Chamber’s annual conference and expo is now in its fourth year under the Game Changers brand. This event brings together the region’s business community to learn about innovations in the region, opportunities for their business, hear a keynote speaker, and network with other professionals in the region.

The 2019 conference features the release of the Chamber’s year-long housing study including the findings and recommendations in the report. Workshops will include: Workforce and Affordable Housing, Transit-oriented Development, Best Practices and Trends, Home Ownership, Employer Incentives, and Life Stage Housing.

The region’s housing crisis is impacting our economy. Here’s some of what we have learned from the housing study so far:

The Worcester metro region is the second-fastest growing economy in the state.

Worcester’s population is rising faster than comparable cities in Mass. and a housing shortage could slow our economic growth.

Conservatively, a $1B to $1.5B untapped housing market exists in the Heart of the Commonwealth.

Watch news coverage of Sen. Brendan P. Crighton, D-Third Essex, chair of the state’s hosing committee when he visited the Chamber in June 2019. Read the story.

Morning Keynote Speaker | Mahesh Ramachandran, Ph.D., Smart Growth Economics

Dr. Ramachandran earned his Ph.D. in economics from Clark University and works with a talented team to deliver data-driven products for complex policy decisions. He is currently in phase two of the Chamber’s housing study to determine the region’s needs, opportunities, and best practices to maintain an economically competitive environment.

Afternoon Keynote Speaker | Chrystal Kornegay, Executive Director, MassHousing

Chrystal Kornegay became MassHousing’s executive director in February 2018, bringing with her extensive experience and expertise in affordable housing, community development and government. Immediately before joining MassHousing, Ms. Kornegay served as the Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to that, she was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the community development corporation Urban Edge, and a project manager for The Community Builders.

Ms. Kornegay is a graduate of the Achieving Excellence Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She holds a Master’s Degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College.

Register for the Conference

Learn about innovations in the region's housing sector, hear the results of our housing study, and explore opportunities for your business. | $95 Chamber Members | $150 Non-Members