People, Places, Things: 12-19-14

A coach and his two old pros at The Item dinnerWhen The Item honored the 25 best football players on the North Shore Wednesday night at Tedesco Country Club, it also honored Swampscott’s Frank DeFelice for his 49 years of coaching the sport.DeFelice had a chance to meet up with some of the players he coached while with the Big Blue including former NFL players Dick Jauron (who was also head coach of the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills) and Bill Adams, who was also there to see his son, David, receive his all-star plaque.Other people attending from the DeFelice era were Andy Rose, Lloyd Benson and Randy Werner.Other guests included members of Lynn’s State House delegation, both current and future: Sen. Thomas M. McGee, State Rep. Robert F. Fennell and Rep.-elect Brendan Crighton.Fennell took the time to speak with the parents of Item All-Star Lucas Harris, Larry and Monica.Marblehead native swimming with sharks”Shark Tank” winner and Marblehead native Neal Hoffman said he and his fellow “Sharks” have signed an agreement and are focusing on Hanukkah 2015, less than a week after the broadcast of his success on the ABC reality show.”Everybody was thrilled,” Hoffman said Thursday by phone. “My parents are thrilled, I’m thrilled, I’m on the phone with these two sharks … it’s been crazy.”Hoffman, 37, created The Mensch on a Bench – a 12-inch doll named Moshe, “the unsung hero” of Hanukkah who sat and watched the small amount of lamp oil as it burned for eight full days and nights. Hoffman pitched his product to the business executives on “Shark Tank” in an episode that aired last Friday night, seeking $150,000 for a 10-percent share in the company.Co-hosts Lori Greiner and Robert Herjavec offered Hoffman $150,000 for 30 percent in the company, while Barbara Corcoran offered $150,000 for 20 percent ? and a few conditions. She wanted to redraw the doll’s face “so it actually looks friendly and huggable,” and requested a rewrite of the accompanying book.Hoffman countered Greiner and Herjavec by requesting $150,000 for a 15-percent share in the company. He also guaranteed that they’d recoup their investment after three years – something he said he believed had never been done on the show.”My goal was to show how much I truly believe in the business and take out the risk for them,” Hoffman said.Greiner and Herjavec bit, and have worked with Hoffman for the past few months (the show was filmed in September) doing “due diligence” on the company and then signed an agreement, Hoffman reported.But Corcoran’s comments haven’t been ignored.”I love Moshe’s face, but agree that he’s maybe not cuddly,” Hoffman said. “We will do some work with concept designs … we didn’t make this to be the end-all be-all, we’re continually trying to improve.”Peabody launching teen entrepreneur training program next yearLook forward in 2015 to the Peabody Chamber of Commerce launching its Young Entrepreneurs Academy for 11- to 18-year-olds interested in starting businesses or other initiatives.Community Credit Union has made a three-year commitment to support the 30-week program aimed at teaching students how to formulate a business idea, write a business plan, pitch it to investors and launch a business.”The YEA! Program is an exciting opportunity for local students who will be able to learn from mentors in the business community as they work towards creating their very own business,” said Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Deanne Healey.NSCC brightens veterans’ holidaysNorth Shore Community College students, professors and Veterans Services workers adopted 11 veterans aided by North Shore Veterans Counseling Services, Inc. in Beverly and bought them gifts ranging from lottery tickets to shoes and candy that were delivered on Dec. 15.Students, including Carlos Menjivar, Michael Michaud and Stefanie McBride of Lynn, pitched in to help make the veterans’ Christmas brighter.”Many of my students don’t have a nickel to rub together themselves, but when th