A veteran of the Haverhill-based Merrimack Valley Planning Commission has been named the organization’s executive director. Jerrard Whitten, who most recently served as the quasi-public agency’s GIS and Information Technology program manager, succeeds Theresa Park who was named deputy director and senior executive vice president of MassDevelopment. Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Chairman Robert Snow of Rowley said Whitten “brings considerable planning and economic development experience along with strong regional relationships. Jerrard has significant knowledge and understanding of the Planning Commission’s work as he has been an integral part of the organization since 1995.”
The Commission contracted with Community Paradigm Associates and its principal, former Lowell City Manager Bernard F. Lynch, to search for and recruit candidates for the position.
Haverhill Promise, the Campaign for Grade Level Reading, is partnering with Haverhill Public Schools and a number of community organizations to present a 10-week series of free family literacy events at summer meal sites. “Literacy Lunches” take place every Friday at noon, from June 25 through Aug. 27.
The Essex County Ghost Project is having a “Spooktacular Paranormal Walk” this Saturday night to benefit Asperger Works of Haverhill. The tour of, what is being called one of the “most haunted cemeteries in New England,” Hilldale Cemetery, begins with a meet and greet at 7 p.m., followed by a ghost hunt at 8, at 331 Hilldale Ave., Haverhill. Admission is $10 per person and payable at the event.
Personal and business branding expert Ramon Ray, author of “Celebrity CEO,” offers a free SCORE webinar Thursday, July 1. Ray shares his key strategies during the talk, “Power Branding: Getting and Keeping Your Next Customer.” Attendees will learn that branding is more than logos and color. It’s also about “wowing” customers and other easy-to-implement tips to grow businesses.
