MEMO Founder Meeting

Recently while in Rockland Trust (MEMO member) I had the accidental opportunity to meet and talk with Fran McCormack. Fran was one of the original founders of MEMO back in 1978. According to Fran in 1978 Old Colony Bank & Trust Company of Norfolk County opened a branch office in Medfield, where Middlesex Bank currently resides. Fran was president of Old Colony a the time and had moved to Medfield 2 years prior. According to Fran all the towns where Old Colony had branches had a chamber of commerce or similar organization and thought Medfield should have one too.

At the same time Bob Larkin was in the process of selling his real estate business to DeWolf Real Estate. Richard DeWolfe, the owner, agreed that Medfield needed an association for businesses. So Fran and Dick sponsored a luncheon at the American Legion for all Medfield businesses. They presented the idea of a Medfield business association. All the attendees agreed and thus MEMO was formed in 1979.

Roy Watson was the first president and Tracy Mitchell was the treasurer. The original members all agreed that MEMO should have some way of promoting and celebrating the businesses in town, thus Medfield Day was born in 1980. Roy Watson, Tracy Mitchell, Rick Grahm and Henry Marcel were the leaders of the first Medfield Day. Fran said he would never forget that first event. No one knew what they were doing and it is nothing like it has become. I have to add that Russ Hallisey has been of the key people in making Medfield Day what we now know and love of Medfield Day. I will keep digging for more history of MEMO. If you have any additional info, please forward to me so we can capture it digitally for the future.

• Greg Testa, MEMO president

Russ Hallisey, Fran McCormack, Greg Testa