The Beacon Hill Business Association held its annual meeting at Hampshire House on Thursday April 5, highlighting the group’s numerous achievements over the course of the past year.
Nina Castellion, outgoing co-president and manager of E.R. Butler & Co., recapped memorable events, including the annual Holiday Stroll, which the organization coordinates behind the scenes. This year marked two firsts for the event as former neighborhood resident Andrew Sherman and his now-fiancée Tori got engaged following the traditional tree-lighting, as well as an inaugural visit from a standing mayor. “Mayor Walsh was very gracious and went into a number of businesses on in a short amount of time,” Castellion told the packed room.
Other new initiatives were the BHBA Crime Watch, which allows participating businesses owners and staff to discuss active shoplifting and other security concerns via a private text message group, along with a monthly newsletter spearheaded by Lucy Grogan, the group’s incoming co-president (2018-2019) and outgoing clerk, as well as vice president of Grogan & Co auction house.
Grogan and Ali Ringenburg, co-president (2017-2019) and owner of the Sloane Merrill Gallery, have also designed and implemented a “highly successful” BHBA Neighborhood Map, which, now in its third edition, shows the addresses and locations of members’ businesses.
Meanwhile, Grogan introduced the organization’s slate of board directors for 2018-2019. In addition to herself and Ringenburg, other executive committee members are Markus Ripperger, vice president (2018-2020) and president and CEO of Hampshire House Corporation; Michelle Vilms, treasurer (2017-2019) and owner of Vilms Consulting; and Stacy Sheehan, clerk (2018-2020) and vice president and branch manager of the Cambridge Trust Company.
Other directors include Lana Barakat (2017-2019), owner of December Thieves; Paul Elias (2017-2019), owner of the Charles Street Meeting House; Jack Gurnon (2017-2019), owner of Charles Street Supply; Steve Losordo (2018-2020), real estate agent for Campion & Company; Brian Maglione (2017-2019), owner of Boston Arts and Antiques Company; and Chris Spagnuolo (2018-2020), owner of Panificio Bistro & Bakery