More Solar at Rosebrook

WAREHAM, MA – The A.D. Makepeace Company has announced plans to install a series of solar power canopies above the parking lots at 100 Rosebrook Way.

Working in conjunction with Renewable Energy Development Partners, LLC, of Hingham, ADM will install nine to 12 canopies which will provide protection for parking lot users and generate more than 800 kilowatts of electricity.

The building is leased to Southcoast Health and Fresenius Medical. Hundreds of visitors use the medical services there daily.

“This is yet another example of our commitment to renewable energy, and we are confident it won’t be the last such installation,” said James F. Kane, president and chief executive officer of the A.D. Makepeace Company. “We see this project as a model in support of the Commonwealth’s climate change objectives, and as a farmer, we have a vested interest in protecting against climate change impacts.”

Rosebrook is already home to Wareham’s first large scale ground-mounted solar installation, a 0.5 megawatt facility which has been generating power since 2015. The company has 15 ground-mounted solar installations and three more under construction, generating a total of 122 megawatts of power. The company also uses solar panels to power irrigation pumps in cranberry bogs on its properties throughout Wareham, Carver, and Plymouth.

Southcoast Health is committed to clean energy as well, having pledged to cut emissions by 50 percent over 2008 levels by 2030.

“All of us at Southcoast Health understand that the health of our people is tied intrinsically to the health of our planet,” said Dr. Ray Kruger, president and chief executive officer of Southcoast Health. “The consequences of climate change are among the many factors that can diminish wellbeing and life expectancy. Southcoast, alongside strong partners like the A.D. Makepeace Company, continues to prioritize sustainability as a guiding goal in the projects our community health system undertakes.”

Each solar-generating canopy in the parking lot will be comprised of a number of 450-watt photovoltaic modules with a 7-degree tilt angle. They will shield cars in the lot from sun and precipitation.

The installation requires approval of the Wareham Planning Board. Final plans are being designed, and the company hopes construction can begin this fall.

In addition to the greenhouse gas reduction resulting from clean energy development, solar energy is an important element of the economic development landscape in Massachusetts. According to a recent report by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Massachusetts ranks third among states in the U.S. in solar-related jobs, and employment increased by 11 percent in 2021.

The 168-year-old A.D. Makepeace Company is North America’s largest cranberry grower, the largest private property owner in eastern Massachusetts, and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and stewardship.

NACD New England Honors Boston Scientific, A.D. Makepeace, Rapid7 CEO Corey Thomas, Bennie Wiley, and Jack F. O’Brien at “Director of the Year” Gala May 4

BOSTON – The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) New England Chapter honored the A.D. Makepeace Company Board of Directors at a festive ceremony in Boston on May 4.

“With a 160-year history in the cranberry business, the A.D. Makepeace Company, based in Wareham, Mass., is the largest private property owner in Eastern Massachusetts and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and land and water stewardship,” the NACD said in announcing the award. “John Makepeace was one of the three original founders of the Ocean Spray Co-Operative, in 1930. The board embraces a culture of responsible governance, with independent directors holding 40 to 50 percent of the board seats.”

Accepting the award on behalf of Chairman Robert Karam was Vice Chairman Eric Strand, with Jim Kane, president and chief executive officer of the company. Mr. Kane described the company’s advances in cranberry production.

“The company has thrived due to vertical integration and diversification,” Mr. Kane said. “Last century, the company manufactured its own scoops and wooden boxes. Today, we continue to fabricate our own harvesting equipment. An aggressive renovation program is increasing production, in some cases quadrupling the per-acre return. Abel Makepeace would be pleased with the progress we have made.”

Mr. Strand discussed its real estate development, notably the new village known as Redbrook in Plymouth, and the Rosebrook development in Wareham.

“What these two developments have in common is that they were constructed around cranberry bogs,” Mr. Strand said. “Jim mentioned that Abel Makepeace would be pleased with the progress we have made with cranberry cultivation. I like to believe that he and the other members of the Makepeace family are equally proud of this new element of the company, and how we have worked to celebrate our founder’s legacy.”

Also honored at the event were:

  • Public Company Board of the Year: Boston Scientific Corporation
  • Leadership in Corporate Governance Award: Corey E. Thomas
  • Myra H. Kraft Award for Non-Profit Leadership: Benaree Pratt Wiley
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack F. O’Brien

The NACD New England Chapter is part of the larger National Association of Corporate Directors network, the only not-for-profit membership organization founded by and for corporate directors. NACD empowers more than 23,000 directors to lead with confidence in the boardroom. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD helps boards strengthen investor trust and public confidence by ensuring that today’s directors are well prepared for tomorrow’s challenges. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and corporate governance stakeholders, NACD has been setting the standard for responsible board leadership for 40 years.

 

Gorczyca Receives “40 Under 40” Award

Daniel Gorczyca, the vice president of development at the award-winning Redbrook, has received a Cape and Plymouth Media “40 Under 40” award.
The awards spotlight the region’s top young business leaders who excel in their industry and show dynamic leadership. This program, now in its 12th year, honors distinguished businesspeople under the age of 40 who have made a mark in the region at a young age.
“With more than 150 nominations, it was extremely difficult to choose only 40 of our amazing, talented honorees, who came from such diverse backgrounds,” said Cape & Plymouth Business Media Publisher and CEO Dale Shadbegian. “Our congratulations to the winners, who not only excel professionally but who are also involved in giving back to their communities.”
In nominating Dan for the award, his colleagues at the A.D. Makepeace Company wrote, “Dan’s commitment to his job, his community, and his family is an inspiration to all who know him. He has the ability to balance numerous volunteer roles while directing the development of the highly successful and complex Redbrook village in South Plymouth and raising four young children with his wife, Erin.”
The family lives in Plymouth.
“Dan’s leadership style is to subtly exude competence and confidence,” the nomination continued. “With his self-effacing sense of humor, he has the ability to negotiate complicated permitting arrangements. He makes frequent appearances before the Plymouth Planning Board and other public forums, always giving permitting authorities reason to trust his judgment and his word. He is both cheerful and thoughtful, with strong understanding of complex development concepts and the ability to think outside the box.”
In addition to his leadership role with ADM Agawam Development LLC, Dan is vice president of the Plymouth Education Foundation, a non-profit charity raising money for education at all age levels in the town. He has been a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2016.
He has served as an elected Town Meeting member since 2018.
He has served on the Town of Plymouth Water Conservation Committee since being appointed in 2020.
In 2017, he volunteered and coordinated efforts to build a new playground for the Plymouth Preschool. Under his leadership, all labor was volunteered – the school only had to pay for materials.
The 166-year-old A.D. Makepeace Company is developer of the award-winning Redbrook, North America’s largest cranberry grower, the largest private property owner in eastern Massachusetts, and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and stewardship. Visit admakepeace.com for more information, and redbrookplymouth.com for more information about Redbrook.

O’Connor Elected CCLA President

CENTERVILLE, MA — Justin O’Connor has been elected President of the Cape Cod Landscape Association (CCLA). O’Connor also serves as the Cape and Islands Sales Representative for Read Custom Soils (RCS) Division of the A.D. Makepeace Company.

Founded over 35 years ago, the Cape Cod Landscape Association, Inc. is a non-profit trade association serving the needs of individuals and businesses working in and involved with the Green Industry on Cape Cod and in southeastern Massachusetts.

“It was with great pride and pleasure that we learned of Justin’s new leadership role at the CCLA,” said RCS General Manager Christopher Ierardi. “He has long been an advocate of the green industry and of CCLA’s mission to serve the community through resources, education, and an invaluable scholarship program.”

“Justin is a passionate, dedicated and innovative member of our Board and I am looking forward to continuing to work with him,” said Diane Johnson, Executive Director of CCLA. “As a the CCLA president he brings a willingness to help promote the Association and the Green Industry. I know advancing membership is one of his main priorities.”

O’Connor brought over 25 years of experience in the green industry to the RCS team in 2019. He is a certified arborist and landscape professional with an Associates of Science degree in Arboriculture from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Forestry from University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

“I’m looking forward to growing our membership and enhancing collaborations within the Green Industry during my tenure,” O’Connor said. “Networking existing leaders with newcomers and innovators, while providing education and the introduction of emerging topics and trends, makes us a stronger industry.”

Justin is a life-time Cape Cod resident and is primarily responsible for expanding the company’s presence on-Cape. In addition to CCLA, Justin is a tenured member of the MA Tree Warden and Foresters Association, and the Arbor Day Foundation. Justin makes his home in West Barnstable with his wife Susie, son, and daughter, and dog.

Read Custom Soils is New England’s most experienced precision soil blender. The company operates from a New Hampshire quarry, a Westford blending facility, and a state-of-the-art blending facility in Carver. It is New England’s leading provider of lightweight planting soil for green roof installations, stabilized stonedust for nature paths and pedestrian walkways, bioretention/raingarden soils, a proprietary blend ideally suited for challenging urban tree planting, and specialized soils for athletic fields. RCS also provides materials to more than 400 golf courses throughout New England.

RCS works closely with the leading professional landscape architects throughout New England, and its proprietary soil solutions are frequently specified in proposal solicitations and bid packages.

ADM/Red Cross Blood Drives Aid Hundreds

WAREHAM – Blood drives hosted by the A.D. Makepeace Company at Rosebrook Place over the past year have provided assistance to 864 patients needing blood, according to a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross.

The drives began last May, after the company approached the American Red Cross and Southcoast Health seeking ways that a local employer and property owner could provide meaningful assistance through the pandemic.

“The need for blood donations was critical, and complicated by Covid-related restrictions,” said James F. Kane, president and CEO of the A.D. Makepeace Company. “We found space where they could safely conduct the drives, assisted with publicity, and gave time off so our own employees could give blood themselves.”

According to Kim Houdlette, the company’s director of community relations, additional monthly drives have been scheduled through September. Appointments are required and can be made through a link on the ADM website, ADMakepeace.com.

“We are truly grateful for A.D. Makepeace Company’s partnership during one of the most trying times this past year,” said Viviana Dorch, Donor Recruitment Account Manager for American Red Cross Blood Services. “With your partnership, you have helped to ensure that we are carrying out our lifesaving mission to support those patients in need.”

The 166-year-old A.D. Makepeace Company is North America’s largest cranberry grower, the largest private property owner in eastern Massachusetts, developer of the award-winning Redbrook, and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and stewardship. Visit admakepeace.com for more information.

MEPA Site Visit and Remote Consultation Session

NOTICE OF MEPA SITE VISIT AND REMOTE CONSULTATION SESSION/VIDEO CONFERENCE

EEA No. 13940      ADM TMUD Wareham PV+ES Projects (Phases C10-C12)     

Project Description: An Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) (please note: this is a link to only part of the EENF; see contact information below to obtain a full copy) has been filed with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs by Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. to construct three ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) generating facilities and energy storage (ES) systems:

Phase C10: 27 Charge Pond Road PV and ES Project- An approximately 5 megawatt (MW) AC/11.6 MW DC solar array and energy system requiring the clearing of approximately 40.1 acres of land on a 42.1-acre site. The Proponent will also remove trash and debris from an approximately 6,500-square foot area of Bordering Vegetated Wetlands (BVW).

Phase C11: 140 Tihonet Road PV and ES Project- An approximately 5 MW AC/19.3 MW DC solar array and energy system requiring the clearing of approximately 65.3 acres of land on a 66.2-acre site.

Phase C12: 150 Tihonet Road PV and ES Project- An approximately 5 MW AC/15.5 MW DC solar array and energy system requiring the clearing of approximately 49.2 acres of land.

The projects are subject to MEPA review in accordance with a Special Review Procedure (SRP) established on January 29, 2007 for the development of approximately 6,000 acres of land in Carver, Plymouth an Wareham. Phases C10 and C12 individually exceed the ENF threshold at

301 CMR 11.03(1)(b)(1), Direct alteration of 25 or more acres of land and Phase C11 exceeds the EIR threshold at 301 CMR 11.03(1)(a)(1), Direct alteration of 50 or more acres of land. According to the EENF, none of the projects requires a State Agency Action, such as a permit.

The Proponent has requested a Waiver from the requirement to prepare an EIR for the Phase C11 project, or alternatively, has requested to prepare a Single EIR for Phase C11.

A public consultation session will be held by video conference to receive advice and comments from agencies, officials, and citizens regarding which environmental issues, if any, are significant for this project. Opinions as to the extent and significance of possible environmental impact, and the Proponent’s Waiver and Single EIR requests, will be welcome.

MEPA Video Conference/Consultation Session scheduled for: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at 7:00 PM.

*Please RSVP to alexander.strysky@mass.gov at least one hour prior to the meeting for instructions on joining the video conference or calling in by phone*

An in-person site visit will be conducted at 12:00 noon on Thursday April 22.  For safety reasons, the number of attendees at the site visit will be limited and all attendees must wear a mask and maintain social distancing. The purpose of the site visit is to view existing conditions; to minimize the duration of the site visit, attendees are requested to generally limit discussion to site conditions under existing and proposed conditions. The video conference on April 28 will include a comprehensive discussion of the project and provide the opportunity to ask questions and make comments on the project. To attend the in-person site visit, please RSVP to alexander.strysky@mass.gov by 5:00 PM on Tuesday April 20.

MEPA comments due on or before: May 24, 2021

Certificate due: June 1, 2021

Contact for project information: Stacy Minihane, (508) 366-0560, sminihane@bealsandthomas.com

MEPA contact: Alex Strysky, (857) 408-6957, alexander.strysky@mass.gov

Comments may be submitted by email to alexander.strysky@mass.gov or via the MEPA Public Comments Portal.

MEPA Quarterly Meeting

ADM Development Services LLC will hold a Public Information Meeting on March 22, 2021 at 4:30 PM at the Rosebrook Event Center, 50 Rosebrook Place, Wareham, MA.

The Public Information Meeting is being held as a quarterly update meeting and pre-filing meeting regarding the proposed ADM Tihonet Mixed-Use Development project. The Public Information Meeting is being held and noticed in accordance with the Certificate of the Secretary of Environmental trendat Affairs Establishing a Special Review Procedure, dated January 29, 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to present information about the proposed development and provide the public with an opportunity to discuss and comment on the proposed development, including future energy projects.

The meeting will be held in accordance with the Commonwealth’s latest guidance regarding holding meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks are required and social distancing will be implemented.

For additional information, contact Stacy Minihane at Beals and Thomas, Inc. · 32 Court Street, Plymouth, MA · (508) 366-0560 · sminihane@bealsandthomas.com

Flannery Joins ADM Team

Lori Flannery

Lori Flannery learning first-hand about the cranberry industry. Photo by Kim Houdlette for the A.D. Makepeace Company.

WAREHAM – Lori Flannery has been named vice president and Chief Financial Officer of the A.D. Makepeace Company.

Flannery, 56, most recently served as senior director of corporate finance for Shawmut Design and Construction in Boston. She holds an MBA from Providence College, and previously worked for Gilbane Building Company for 30 years, most recently as vice president Corporate Controller. She is a resident of Walpole.

In announcing her appointment, ADM President and CEO James Kane said, “Lori’s extensive knowledge and experience make her a perfect fit for our complex and diversified company.”

Flannery oversees a team of seven financial professionals and is based in the company’s Wareham headquarters.

The 166-year-old A.D. Makepeace Company is developer of the award-winning Redbrook, North America’s largest cranberry grower, the largest private property owner in eastern Massachusetts, and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and stewardship.

Redbrook-Plymouth Wins More Awards

Your Mayflower II Home by The Stabile Companies at Redbrook PlymouthBOSTON – The Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston (BRAGB) presented Redbrook-Plymouth with another six Prism Awards at a recent virtual awards ceremony. The annual awards celebrate the best of the best in the region’s residential building industry.

The new village’s four Gold awards included top honors in the most coveted categories: Best Team of the Year and Best Ad Campaign. The team represents the A.D. Makepeace Company as developer, and its builder-partners: The Valle Group of Falmouth, Whitman Homes of Canton, and The Stabile Companies of Nashua, NH.

In addition, Redbrook-Plymouth won Gold Awards for Best Interior Merchandising of a Model Under $650,000 for The Fern, and Best Attached Home Under 2,000 square feet for The Mayflower II. Both homes are designed and built by The Stabile Companies.

Redbrook netted silver awards for Best Attached Home Under 1,800 square feet for The Emerald Townhome by Whitman Homes, and Best Universal Design for the Redbrook Apartments, a joint venture of the A.D. Makepeace Company and Campanelli of Braintree.

“We are particularly gratified that the selection committee recognized the work of our sales team. Home sales during a pandemic shutdown was an extraordinary challenge, and I was proud of our ability to pivot seamlessly to a remote model,” said Michael P. Hogan, president and CEO of Agawam Development Company, the A.D. Makepeace Company subsidiary responsible for Redbrook’s development. “Redbrook is exactly the product that homebuyers were seeking during the pandemic: a genuinely diverse community situated within a vast natural setting.”

History of Winning

Redbrook has won a total of 32 of the prestigious awards since the new village welcomed its first homeowners in 2015.

BRAGB, a trade association affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders and Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts, has represented the industry since 1944. BRAGB has evolved into one of the leading trade associations in New England. With over 390 member companies, including single-family, multifamily builders, and commercial builders and remodeling contractors, BRAGB is one of New England’s most prominent and influential trade associations.

The A.D. Makepeace Company is developer of the award-winning Redbrook. The 165-year-old company is the world’s largest cranberry grower, the largest private property owner in eastern Massachusetts, and a recognized leader in environmentally responsible real estate development and stewardship.

Information about the village is available at redbrookplymouth.com.

100% of Ocean Spray’s Cranberries Verified as Sustainably Grown

BOSTONApril 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., the agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 farmer families, announces it is the first major fruit cooperative worldwide to achieve 100% sustainably grown verification for its Ocean Spray cranberries through the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform’s (SAI Platform) Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA). The cooperative has received a verification that 100% of the cranberries it utilizes from its farmer-owners qualify as sustainably grown using SAI’s FSA.  To continue these efforts, Ocean Spray is also working with National Geographic to support fieldwork in regenerative agriculture.

The SAI Platform defines sustainable agriculture as the efficient production of safe, high-quality agricultural products in a way that protects and improves the natural environment, the social and economic conditions of farmers and their communities, and safeguards the health and welfare of all farmed species. Third-party certifier SCS Global Services evaluated Ocean Spray’s sustainable agriculture program and on-farm practices at representative number of its farmer-owners’ farms, validating performance against the FSA’s 112-question checklist.  These performance requirements measure farm sustainability holistically, from soil health, to water conservation practices, to health and safety of farm workers and local communities. Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.’s achievement also marks the first FSA verification in Chile across all agriculture.

“By using FSA, 100% of Ocean Spray’s cranberries have been verified as sustainably grown and we are thrilled to recognize their achievement,” said Nick Betts, Americas Director at SAI Platform. “It is meaningful to have companies like Ocean Spray create sustainable agriculture systems to help fight climate change and lead as an example for other companies.”

“We were able to confirm Ocean Spray’s efforts to move the needle on sustainable agriculture in their global supply chain, verifying their achievement of Silver and Gold performance levels in implementing the FSA with their cranberry growers,” said Bonnie Holman, Director of Sustainability Certifications at SCS Global Services.  “We commend Ocean Spray’s dedication to leadership in sustainable cranberry production!” SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party sustainability and food safety certification, auditing, testing, and standards development.

Ocean Spray’s farmers take great care of the water, soil, ecosystems, and communities on and around their farms.  On average, every 1 acre of cranberry bog conserves 5.5 acres of natural lands, such as wetland, forests, and grasslands, conserving natural land for native plants and wildlife. To further conserve resources, many farmers use water efficiency technologies such as soil moisture probes, and monitor their soil health and nutrient management to ensure vines receive nutrients at the right time and in the right amount for berry growth and protection of water resources. As a long-lived perennial vine, farmers also work to ensure the farm is sustainable for generations. Some farmers are growing cranberries on vines that have been passed down over decades and are over 100 years old. Many farmers are leaders in their community, providing agritourism on their farms, serving on local school or municipality boards, and volunteering time and farming equipment to help their community infrastructure.

“As Ocean Spray moves into our 90th year as a cooperative and as the world faces unprecedented challenges, we are committed now more than ever to the future of our farms and the communities we serve.  We are so proud that our cranberries have been verified as sustainably grown through SAI Platform,” said Christina Ferzli, Head of Global Corporate Affairs and Communications at Ocean Spray. “We are now able to apply the learnings from our farms by supporting National Geographic’s work, shaping the importance of regenerative farming to combat climate change in the context of an agricultural system under pressure to feed 8.3 billion people by 2030.”

By supporting the National Geographic Society through grants, Ocean Spray will focus on the critical importance of regenerative farming practices to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges of our time including food security, preserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Ocean Spray will support National Geographic fieldwork across the globe to aid in agriculture practices that help preserve the health of the planet. The field work includes projects such as bee-friendly agriculture, automated land-use, insect collection and biodiversity discovery, and global mapping of center pivot agriculture.

“The issue of improving agricultural practices that help preserve the health of our planet has not received the attention it deserves, and we are proud to work with Ocean Spray to support regenerative agriculture around the world,” said Alex Moen, Vice President of Explorer Programs at the National Geographic Society.  “National Geographic has been investing in science, exploration and education for more than 130 years, and we look forward to working together with Ocean Spray to support these impactful projects.”

Additional initiatives will be rolled out this year to help curb climate change, as well as to support food security and the health and wellbeing of all.

About Ocean Spray: 
Founded in 1930, Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. The Cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, nutritious products in over 100 countries worldwide. Leading by purpose, Ocean Spray is committed to the power of good—creating good, nutritious food that has a direct and powerful impact for the health of people and planet. All for good. Good for all.  For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com