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Month: July 2010

Bankruptcies

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Bankruptcies Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Adamczyk, Jeremy Josef
Adamczyk, Jennie Rebecca
Leach, Jennie Rebecca
324 Mackenzie Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Adamowicz, Andrea M.
187 North Maple St.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Arsenault, Robert A.
Arsenault, Sharon M.
19 Everett Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Asher, Shawn T.
Asher, Saramarie M.
86 Williston Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Backholm, Wendy A.
a/k/a Higgins, Wendy A.
38 Dartmouth St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/10

Bak, Linda A.
P.O. Box4 78
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/06/10

Baker, Richard H.
16 Elm Ter.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Baldwin, Kelvin Eugene
Baldwin, Jessica Renee
a/k/a McCrimmons, Jessica Renee
31 Delaware Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Bernardi, Christopher A.
21 Lyman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Bisono, Juan Eddy
20 Bonner St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Borgatti, Suzann Maria
250 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Boyce, Jane
144 Coolidge Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Burke, Vanessa
26 Hassler St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Call, Glenn R.
29 Chestnut Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/02/10

Camilleri, Donna M.
14 Upland Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Carney, David H.
Carney, June M.
170 Pontoosic Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/10

Colby, Theresa M.
a/k/a Colby-Ghiatis, Theresa
32 Sandra Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Collier, Paul R.
31 Veazie St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Collins, Brad Garrett
1038 N St. Ext.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/10

Conkey, Edward W.
972 Carpenter Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Daigneault, Ralph I.
Daigneault, Constance C.
739 Daniel Shays Highway
Box E-12
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/10

Darosa, Teresa L.
130 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

DeCaro, Giovanni S.
DeCaro, Linda J.
Walling, Linda J.
152 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Delisle, Penni A.
a/k/a Schorge, Penni A.
419 Montcalm St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/10

Desmarais, Kay M.
4325 High St.
Thorndike, MA 01079
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/10

Drost, Herman A.
Drost, Marsha L.
132 North Green River Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Dunkley, Lee P.
Dunkley, Emilia A.
a/k/a Jones, Emilia
275 Ryan Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Endelos, Jonathan P.
22 Pinebrook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Fairbrother, Derek J.
Fairbrother, Kerri A.
a/k/a Steacie, Kerri A
73 Hall Road – Apt. #17
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/10

Frost, Jeffrey Edward
Frost, Pamela
a/k/a Livingston, Pamela
35 Norwood Ter.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Gamelli, Jeffrey L.
P.O. Box 792
East Otis, MA 01029
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/10

Girard, Claire D.
162 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/10

Glod, Stanley J.
61 Coral Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Griffin, Joseph F.
Griffin, Linda J.
a/k/a Sowa, Linda J.
5 Woodbridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Guerra, Kenneth
Garcia-Guerra, Birgit
a/k/a Velazquez, Birgit
171 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Hearne, Andrew P.
92 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/10

Hirtle, Barbara A.
16 Washington St. #304
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Hirtle, Barbara C.
178 Legate Hill Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/10

Hitchcock, Heather June
91 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Hoffman, Barbara M.
39 Railroad Row
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Horton, Michael R.
53 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Kalesnik, Lyle A.
37 Birch Hill Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/03/10

Kaplan, Gary A.
403 Nassau Dr., Unit 103
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Kazalis, Michael G.
40 Knollwood St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

 

Lafayette, Lorraine R.
36 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Laflamme, Tara K.
35 Calley St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

LaFlamme, Timothy J.
314 Acebrook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Lafountain, David L.
Lafountain, Kathleen E.
29 O’Donnell Dr.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Laurin, Evelyn S.
15 Sunset Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Leitgeb, Edward J.
47 Brittany Road
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/02/10

Lopez, Peter Edwin
Lopez, Annette
74 Glenham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Lussier, Brendan T.
Lussier, Nicole P.
87 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/10/10

Mastalerz, Edwin J.
23 Beverly St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Maynard, Anne
55 South St., #3
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Mazur, John A.
121 N. Main St., Apt. Q7
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

McClain, Melissa L.
a/k/a Roberts, Melissa L.
10 Quinn Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Millenium Women
Betts, Jacqueline Simmons
24 Leatherleaf Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/03/10

Ming, Joscelyn A.
1662 South Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/12/10

Mosely, Holly Louise
80 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Nguyen, Minh Duc
Pham, Hong Thi
225 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Olivera, Elisabeth Marie
108 Feltham Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Pagan, Blanca
98 Federal St., Apt. 3
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Pagan, Jimmy
36 Longfellow Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Palmer Bowl
Midura, Ronald S.
58 Randall St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Paquette, Ronald A.
6 First Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/06/10

Partyka, Walter P.
18 Bardwell St., Apt.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Parzyck, Michael P.
P.O. Box 473
Pittsfield, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Porter, Candice
3 Birchknoll Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/10

Ramirez, John P.
21 Harborview Road
Hull, MA 02045
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Reardon, Hilda C.
15 Hubbard Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Rickis, Shelley A.
a/k/a Wallace, Shelley A.
a/k/a Huot, Shelley A.
460 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Robinson, Daniel A.
Robinson, Tina M.
516 Kings Highway
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/10

Rollins, Scott A.
Rollins, Lori J.
194 Conant Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Rosenberg, Lewis B.
Rosenberg, Paula R.
131 Monument Valley Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/04/10

Sam’s Auto
Shapiro, Samuel Banks
89 Egremont Plain Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/02/10

Sheaff, Roland K.
Sheaff, Joann M.
271 Hovey Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Silva, Renee
91 East Park St., Apt. 2
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Smith, Carolyn A.
40 Loudville Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Spencer, Kimberly Evelyn
60 Almon Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/10/10

Tallis, Patrick A.
276 Prospect St. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Terrill, Samantha C.
14 High St.
Colrain, MA 01340
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/15/10

Therien, Steven
16 Charron St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/07/10

Tracy, Joshua M.
5 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/11/10

Velazquez, Carlos A.
37 Woodrow St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/08/10

Verchot, Peter J.
Verchot, Maribeth
12 King St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/09/10

Wadle, Karen E.
91 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Weatherbee, Douglas S.
Weatherbee, Marilyn
23 Mosher St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/01/10

Wells, James D.
41 Montgomery Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 06/14/10

Departments People on the Move

People on the Move

By

Attorney David Webber of Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. of Springfield was one of eight local attorneys who recently volunteered their time to answer questions from veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Veterans from across Western Mass. turned out to ask personal legal questions. In addition, veterans received information on particular state laws and appropriate court procedures. Webber practices law in the areas of business transactions, estate and succession planning, taxation, and nonprofits.

•••••

Brian Smith has joined Cambridge College in Springfield as an Admissions Counselor. He is responsible for educating individuals, health care professionals, and businesses in Connecticut and Western Mass. about the Master of Management Program for working adults.

•••••

Jan Steven Martell has joined UMassFive College Federal Credit Union as a Financial Adviser in the Financial and Investment Services Department for the Northampton and Worcester branches.

•••••

Carla Oleska was recently chosen as a delegate to the Vision 2020 National Convention. Vision 2020 is a national project focused on advancing gender equality by energizing dialogue about women and leadership. The national search for delegates focused on finding women with a demonstrated commitment to helping women and girls.

•••••

Brendan Neal has accepted a position with Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He will serve as Senior Officer involved in institutional development, planning and managing institutional development, and advancement activities with local and international partners, stakeholders, and alumni.

•••••

Kathleen Krisak, an employee in the Nuclear Medicine Department at Holyoke Medical Center, was elected Secretary of the Society of Nuclear Medicine’s technology section at the society’s 57th annual meeting in Utah. A member of the society for more than 30 years, Krisak received fellowship status in 2008 and recently completed her second term as president of the New England Chapter of the Society of Nuclear Medicine.

•••••

Claudine Parent recently joined Prudential Connecticut Realty in Enfield, Conn. as a Sales Executive. Parent will focus on residential real estate and providing service in Connecticut and Massachusetts. She is licensed in both states.

•••••

Robin Ann Bienemann of Touchstone Advisors in Enfield, Conn. has been named the first entrepreneur in residence at the UConn School of Engineering. At Touchstone Advisors, Bienemann advises companies looking to increase their value through improved business processes and innovation. She is also Chairman and Founder of Crimson Rook, a Connecticut-based firm specializing in helping small and medium-size businesses increase value through improved processes.

•••••

James B. Heffernan has joined Bacon Wilson P.C. as an Associate Attorney in the Springfield and Amherst offices. He will handle a variety of corporate transactional matters, bank financing, and Chapter 11 work.

•••••

Chicopee Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Chicopee Savings Bank, announced the following:
• Guida R. Sajdak has been appointed Chief Financial Officer;
• Lisa Crowley has been promoted to Assistant Vice President of Accounting;
• Maria Lopez has been promoted to Assistant Vice President of Residential Lending;
• Cidalia Inacio has joined the organization as the Senior Vice President of Retail Banking;
• Alyse Ramalho has joined the organization as Senior Vice President of Retail Lending; and
• Henry Downey has joined the organization as Assistant Vice President of Commercial Lending.

DBA Certificates Departments

Doing Business as Certificates

By

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of July 2010.

GAWAM

Ian Parker
91 Parker St.
Pawel Muskus

Igliesia Christiana Casa
525 Springfield St.
Ramon Morales

On the Way
308 Suffield St.
Rashad Rauf

PWC Courier Service
218 Beekman Dr.
Patrick Camp

Tortoriello Construction
178 Maynard St.
Mark Tortoriello

AMHERST

Amherst Enterprises Park
463 West St.
Leigh Andrews

Amherst Extensions & Beauty Salon
233 North Pleasant St.
Yasmin Branford

Annias Garden & Gift
515 Sunderland Road
Russell Granguist

Auto Express
118 Southeast St.
Amir Mikhchi

Pioneer Valley Pizza
70 Belchertown Road
Joseph Rowman

Intelligent Machine Consulting
222 North East St.
Frank Stolle

Sonnhalter ETC
17 Aubinwood Road
Christine Sonnhalter

Strongbridge Associates, LLC
19 Amity Place
Theodore Rosenberg

Water Lifearts
511 West St.
Perry Conley

Yoga Center Amherst
17 Kellogg Ave.
Patty Townshend

CHICOPEE

Christian Brothers Painting Company
265 New Ludlow Road
Moises R. Cruz

New Pinoy Food Mart
157 Grove St.
Rhoda St. Germain

GREENFIELD

Beck’s Automotive
370 Deerfield St.
Lancelot J. Beck

Mirage
97 Franklin St.
Margary Fisher

Save Each Life
332 Deerfield St.
Dan V. Oros

HADLEY

Aranda Yoga Studio
41 Russell St.
Justine Humphrey

Michaels
325 Russell St.
Michaels Stores Inc.

Saint’s Landscaping
116 Rocky Hill Road
Philip St. Lawrence

HOLYOKE

Dancing Dog Café
191 High St.
Octavia Anderson-Mackey

Nathan’s Floors
18 Pearl St.
Nathan Holesovsky

New England Fish & Chip
530 High St.
Timothy S. Callahan

Trak II Convenience LLC
330 Main St.
Johnny Kayrouz

LUDLOW

Europa Café & Catering
390 West St.
Antonio Rodrigues

Permanent Addiction Tattoo
81 East St.
Shawn Murphy

Portelada Electric
168 Lockland Ave.
Antonio Portelada

NORTHAMPTON

McFalcon Construction
270 Bridge St.
Jose Guaman

Pioneer Valley Driving School
241 King St.
Mary E. Paciorek

Platinum Vision Records
21 Alamo Court
Tyler Geis

 

SOUTHWICK

Benny’s Heavy Equipment Repair
25 Sam West Road
Bernardo E. Garcia, Jr.

Craig Electrical Service
114 Granville Road
Craig R. Filiualt

JL Towing
40 Sam West Road
John A. Litwak

Laba Drycleaners and Alterations
208 College Hwy.
Vladimir Molokras

Liberty Enterprises
92 South Loomis St.
Robert Liberty

Mitchell’s Corner
9 Wood St.
Cheryl A. Mitchell

Pentz’s Parlour
38 Lakemont St.
Lisa Pentz

William Michael Lakota Plumbing
17 Sheep Pasture Road
William M. Lakota

SPRINGFIELD

Kidsandjeans.com
35 Berbay Circle
Nicole T. Wallace

King Nails
461 State St.
Nguyet Nguyen

Linda Nails
898 Main St.
Tuyen Nguyen

Mamma Mia Pizzeria
1441 Main St.
Maria Alfarone

Merchant Auto
354 Main St.
Kevin Scott

Nany’s Tag Sale Store
360-368 Walnut St.
Anna Medina

Novelty
1655 Boston Road
Ran Chang

Or Enterprises
97 Kane St.
Othoniel Rosario

Robbin D. Jones
21 Deveau St.
Robbin D. Jones

Santana Tax Service
882 State St.
Luis R. Santana

Santana X-Press Inc.
81 Ranney St.
Wilking Mateo

SRC Springfield
215 Bicentennial Highway
Brian C. Callahan

Tammies Bags and Things
23 Duggan Circle
Tammie M. Robinson

Terry Etc. – Hair and Nails
380 Allen St.
Teresa M. Ianello

Tong Tong Beauty Center
1293 Boston Road
Tong Wang

WESTFIELD

City Package Store
131 Meadow St.
Corey Phillips

Grammy’s Natural Soaps
467 Northwest Road
Diane Fothergill

Steve’s Glass & Mirror Company Inc.
21 Mechanic St.
Stephen J. Erwin

Tactical 4 Manufacturing Support Systems
432 Southwick Road
Linda L. Buzzee

Whip City Landscaping
817 Airport Industrial Park Road
Radames Lopez

WEST SPRINGFIELD

AT Installers
76 Merrick St.
Vlad Grechka

Christine Parizo Communications
118 Wilder Ter.
Christine Parizo

Ex Tempore
38 Front St.
John Mackay

Nathan P. Somers, MD
61 Bayberry Lane
Nathan P. Somers

Nutel-West Communications
1434 Memorial Ave.
Massachusetts SK Games Inc.

Ron’s Delivery Service
454 Main St.
Roland M. Navone

Travelodge
437 Riverdale St.
Bhavna V. Bhagat

Chamber Corners Departments

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By

ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

July 21: ERC Board of Directors Meeting, 8 to 9 a.m., the Gardens of Wilbraham, Community Room, Wilbraham.
July 21: Diplomats’ Meeting, 4 to 5 p.m., EDC Conference Room, Springfield.
July 26: ACCGS Golf Tournament, all day, Springfield Country Club, Springfield. Cost: $160 per player or $640 for a foursome.
July 27: WRC Board of Directors Meeting, 8 to 9 a.m., Captain Leonard House, Agawam.

Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield
www.springfieldyps.com  

Aug. 19: Third Thursday, hosted by the Federal, Agawam.

Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
www.amherstarea.com
See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Chicopee Area Chamber of Commerce
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
www.franklincc.org
(413) 773-5463

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

July 30: 26th annual Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce Golf Tourney, 9 a.m. shotgun start, scramble. Hosted by Southampton Country Club, Southampton. Major sponsor: Easthampton Savings Bank. Golf with cart, lunch, dinner, gift, contests. Cost: $100 per person or $400 for a foursome. Win a Buick Hole-in-One sponsored by Cernak Buick. Win $10,000 Hole-in-One sponsored by Finck & Perras Insurance.

Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
www.explorenorthampton.com  
(413) 584-1900

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Northampton Area Young Professional Society
www.thenayp.com
(413) 584-1900

July 21: NAYP Leadership Luncheon with Northampton Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted and sponsored by Community Staffing, Northampton. Free to NAYP members. Limited to 15.

Aug. 12: Party with a Purpose, 5 to 8 p.m., hosted by Eighty Jarvis, Holyoke. Come to the park for a cookout, games, and fun. The area nonprofit taking part will be the Alzheimer’s Assoc.

Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce
www.qvcc.biz
(413) 283-2418

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

South Hadley/Granby Chamber of Commerce
www.shchamber.com
(413) 532-6451

July 19: 7th Annual Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, hosted by Hickory Ridge Country Club, benefiting Amherst Regional High School business-education programs. Registration and putting contest at 11 a.m., light lunch at 12:30p.m., shotgun start, scramble format, dinner reception and raffle at 5:30 p.m. Cost: $125 per person or $500 for a foursome.

Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

See chamber’s Web site for information on upcoming events.

Rudi Scherff, co-owner of the Student Prince restaurant
Features

Profiles in Business

By
His Job Description? Holding Down the Fort

Rudi Scherff, co-owner of the Student Prince restaurant

Rudi Scherff, co-owner of the Student Prince restaurant

Rudi Scherff started washing dishes at the Student Prince restaurant, then co-owned by his father, Rupprecht, when he was 12 years old. This means that, among many other things, he has a half-century’s worth of perspective on downtown Springfield.
He’s seen quite a bit of change in and around the central business district over that time, with much of it, by his estimation, being not exactly good for business.
“Years ago, people had to come downtown to see their lawyer or their dentist,” he said, noting that, while doing so, they would often stop in for lunch. “Now, that’s pretty much disappeared. When I was a teenager, I’d walk to the bank with my dad, and maybe 60% of the men you saw were wearing a sportcoat and tie, even in July; now, collars are a rarity, never mind ties.”
There have been other changes beyond dress and an outmigration of professionals, he added. There are fewer stores and far fewer restaurants downtown, and where once many white-collar workers lived downtown, now, the vast majority of housing is of the subsidized variety.
Through all of this change and societal evolution, the Student Prince, or the Fort, as it’s called colloquially, has been a constant (this year marking its 75th anniversary), when so many other establishments fail to keep the doors open even a tenth that time. When asked to articulate on the landmark’s longevity, the soft-spoken but opinionated Scherff said it comes down to consistency but also flexibility and adjusting to those changing times.
Elaborating, he said that, where once most customers and potential customers were content to simply have a nice meal and perhaps some accompanying liquid refreshment, many people today want “an experience.”
“As a result, we’re a little more in the entertainment business and less in the basic sustenance business,” Scherff explained. “Some people just want to come out and have something to eat, but I think more people are looking for that experience, they’re looking a novelty, for more than just stomach filling.
“So we change our menus a lot more, we’ll do many more seasonal specials, we’ll do a lot of different desserts,” he continued. “We try to give people reasons to come in, be it with soft-shell crabs in July or native corn; we try to have some variation of products. Sometimes things succeed, and sometimes they don’t.”
For this, the latest installment of its Profiles in Business series, BusinessWest turns the spotlight on one of Springfield’s most noted restaurateurs, who may not be quite the institution his father was, but has been equally successful in holding down the Fort.

A Lot on His Plate
Scherff never expected to follow in Rupprecht’s considerable footprints, even though he practically grew up in the restaurant and held just about every job in the place.
The plan was to become a lawyer, and, by and large, things went according to script. Scherff earned his juris doctorate from Boston College and settled into private practice in Springfield in the early ’80s. He focused on criminal work and handled some real estate. “Some of it I enjoyed, but all that paperwork … I didn’t really care for that.”
He had been in practice about a decade, and doing reasonably well, when his father’s failing health forced him to eventually slow down. Rudi, who would work in the restaurant on occasion, especially during peak times of the year, found himself having to pitch in much more and attempt to juggle two vocations.
“I tried to do both for a year,” he said, “but decided that I wasn’t being fair to the law practice, the restaurant, or myself.” So he left the legal profession in the early ’90s, and, with his sister, Barbara, brother, Peter, and nephew, Michael, now the kitchen manager, he continues the Fort tradition, which began in 1935.
When asked for his job description, Scherff said there are many elements to it. “I keep my eyes open, see what’s happening, and see if the customers are enjoying themselves,” he said, offering first the long view of what occupies the 60 or so hours a week he spends at 8 Fort St. “I do the scheduling and the ordering, and supervise menu development — all the little things that don’t fit in the pigeonholes.”
Also on that list is listening to stories about his father, who passed away in 1996, and there is no shortage of them coming from the Fort’s legion of long-time and sometimes very long-time customers.
“Some of these stories are true, some of them are not true,” he said, “but far be it for me to ruin someone’s memories.”
Scherff has many of his own memories from five decades on Fort Street. He’s watched the restaurant, famous for its collection of beer steins, stained-glass windows, and Roquefort dressing, expand and evolve, while also gaining a place in both the local lexicon and the national trade media.
Indeed, when, in 2008, Gourmet magazine printed its list of “legendary restaurants,” establishments that had been in business since before the magazine started publishing in 1941, the Student Prince was on it.
“We didn’t know it was coming,” Scherff said of the listing in Gourmet. “They just said, ‘we’re doing an article … you may or may not be in it.’ They were kind enough to send us a copy of the magazine, and it came the same day as we were having our Hampden Street Octoberfest. It was a very exciting day for us.”
Scherff said the Student Prince has hosted its share of celebrities over the years. John Kennedy frequented the restaurant when he was a senator, and his brother, Ted, did as well. Wilt Chamberlain dined there, as have others from the world of basketball visiting the birthplace of the game. Roy Rogers stopped in a few times, John Ratzenberger paid a visit when he was in town several weeks ago (and ordered a bologna sandwich), and Scherff has fond memories of when John Denver came in for dinner.
“Some of the guys in the kitchen wanted autographs,” he recalled. “When I asked him if he would sign a few, he said, ‘no, I’m not going to do that here,’ and promptly went out to the kitchen, thanked everyone, and signed them back there. He was a real gentleman.”
But while having stars in the dining room is great for any restaurant in terms of creating lasting memories for staff and patrons alike, Scherff said one doesn’t build a business and keep it open for 75 years because a few singers, politicians, and hoop legends stop in on their way to somewhere else. “All that’s wonderful,” he said of the celebrities, “but the guy who comes in once a week and has bratwurst and a beer or two is much more important to me.”
Such customers have been the lifeblood of the Student Prince, and while Scherff says there are still enough of them to keep the business humming, times are changing in the area, and they are making life more challenging for the current generations managing the landmark.
For starters, there are those changing trends and demographics downtown, which combine to create fewer of the kinds of customers the Fort has always thrived on. Also, the Fort, like all establishments downtown, has to contend with the negative perceptions of the area and the lack of free parking. In the meantime, there is considerable competition, both in the suburbs (much more than in decades past) and along Springfield’s riverfront.
On the brighter side, Scherff says he seeing some signs of a comeback in downtown Springfield, although he keeps his optimism guarded. He notes with enthusiasm the retenanting of the old federal building and other efforts to bring more workers to the central business district. Meanwhile, he sees some signs of progress bringing more professionals into the area to live.
“Hopefully we’re starting to see downtown come back a little bit,” he told BusinessWest. There are some things happening that give you reason to think that things are going to get better.”

Check, Please
When asked what he does when he’s not keeping an eye on things at the Student Prince, Scherff says he works, often in frustration, in his garden, and that he’s trying — that’s trying — to take up woodworking.
“I bought a lot of equipment, and I still have all my fingers, so I guess that’s good,” he joked, before admitting that, between his family (and especially twin 16-year-olds) and the family business, there simply isn’t time for much else.
And while he’s thinking about somehow trying to pare some of those hours he spends at and on the restaurant, he knows he can’t pull back too much. “I’d go crazy if I wasn’t here a lot,” he said.
Which means that he’ll log many more years of reflections on downtown Springfield. Times may never be as they were when the sidewalks were crammed with people and all the men wore suits and ties, but Scherff can easily envision much better times for the downtown that’s been his real home for the past 50 years.

George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]

Departments Incorporations

Incorporations

By

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

BECKET

Technology Empowering Rural Individuals Inc., 23 Prentice Place, Becket, MA 01233. Steven Craig Schatz, same. Educational organization.

BELCHERTOWN

Quality Fleet Service Inc., 625 State St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Nicholas J. Moynihan, 25 Summit St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Mobile repair service.

CHCIOPEE

American Legion Auxiliary Fairview Unit 438 Inc., 29 New Ludlow Road, Chicopee, MA 01020. Edna Delsautels, 22 Pleasant St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Organization designed to preserve the memories and incidents of the association.

DALTON

The Home Shop Inc., 757 Dalton Division Road, Dalton, MA 01226. Colleen B. Maffuccio, same. Real estate agent.

LUDLOW

Seli’s Deli and More Inc., 223 East St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Ginger A. Seligman, 53 Mariana Way, Ludlow, MA 01056. Restaurant.

HOLYOKE

Tardy Foundation Inc., 4 Scott Hollow Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. Alan Tardy, 4 Scott Harlow Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. Fundraising for educations, charitable, benevolent, and religious purposes.

NORTHAMPTON

Baystate Metal Solutions Inc., 668 North Farms Road, Northampton, MA 01062. Anthony Fernandez, 668 North Farms Road, Northampton, MA 01062. Metal manufacturer.

Bustle Media Inc., 377 Prospect Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Anthony Sean Cahillane, same. Computer software application development.

PALMER

RLR Development & Management Inc., 45 Squier St., Palmer, MA 01069. Raymond J. Remillard, same. Land planning and construction-project management.

 

SPRINGFIELD

Pump Tech Inc., 127 Thompson St., Springfield, MA 01109. Robin Babineau, same. Pump repairs.

Renacidos En Cristo De Dios Es El Poder, 93 Mill Park, Springfield, MA 01105. Jose Juan Cabezudo, 299 Lexington, Springfield, MA 01104. Teach the word of God.

Roberto’s Sports Bar & Grille Inc., 272 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01103. Paul Ramesh, 26 Nottingham St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Restaurant.

Roy’s Towing and Service Inc., 1130 Bay St., Springfield, MA 01109. George H. Roy Jr., 489 Trafton Road, Springfield, MA 01108. Towing Service.

Sound Performance Inc., 265 Mill St., Springfield, MA 01108. Hector L. Davila, same. Retail audio installation.

World Telephone Network Inc., 9 Gunn Square, Springfield, MA 01109. Darnel Ali, same. Low-cost Internet telephone service.

SOUTHWICK

Vinee Corp., 587 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077. Dave Nitin, 22-B Maple St., Westfield, MA 01085. Convenience store.

STURBRIDGE

Wasp Audio Technologies Corp., 50 Main St., Sturbridge, MA 01566. David Tschirpke, 124 Fabyan Woodstock Road, North Grosvenordale, CT 06255. Consumer electronics.

Yankee Purchase Corp., 376 Main St., Sturbridge, MA 01566. Donald F. Cimini, 251 Mapleshade Ave., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Package stores.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE

Queensborough Liquors Inc., 26 Main St., West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Leslie Mickle, 45 Garland Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Package store.

WESTFIELD

Red Dog Realty Inc., 18 Country Club Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Denise J. Calvo-Berndt, same. Realty services.

Sackett Brook Sand & Gravel Inc., 162 Union St., Westfield, MA 01085. Dawn Antonuzzo, same. Manufacture, purchase, and sale of sand, gravel, and related materials.

Building Permits Departments

Building Permits

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The following building permits were issued during the month of July 2010.

AGAWAM

M. Reilly Corp.
395 River Road
$15,000 — New siding on building

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
Scott House
$103,000 — Renovations to the second floor

Amherst College Trustee
Converse Hall
$43,000 — Subdivision of single office to create two offices

Kamins Real Estate
400 Amity St.
$4,000 — Exterior renovations

CHICOPEE

C & M Partners, LLC
1109 Granby Road
$1,950,000 — Construct office building for Riverbend offices

Lady of the Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$480,000 — Renovate dining hall, kitchen, and lobby area

REV Ampid, LLC
51 Keddy St.
$15,000 — Interior remodel

GREENFIELD

Charles Unaitis
331 Colrain Road
$5,700 — New roof

Fair Business LLC
74 Fairview St.
$2,000 — Install garage in shipping area

Gali Properties LLC
60 Mohawk Trail
$50,000 — Commercial renovations

PBHQ Whitney Inc.
330 Whitney Ave.
$60,000 — New pedestrian walkways

LUDLOW

Ludlow Housing Authority
37 Chestnut St.
$12,000 — Commercial alterations

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
123 Hubbard St.
$14,000 — Exterior renovations

NORTHAMPTON

Central Chambers Realty Trust
12 Center St.
$51,000 — Interior renovations to a dental office

DBR Properties
270 Pleasant St.
$46,000 — Interior renovations for offices

 

Home City Housing Development
16 North Maple St.
$39,000 — Construct new storefront

Smith College Office of Treasurer
60 Elm St.
$538,000 — Repair roofing and exterior renovations to John Greene Hall

Thornes Marketplace, LLC
150 Main St.
$6,000 — Install five replacement windows

William Truswell
61 Locust St.
$23,000 — Exterior repairs

SPRINGFIELD

878 Worthington St., LLC
878 Worthington St.
$50,000 — Repair and install new windows and hot water heating units

Central High School
1840 Roosevelt Ave.
$44,500 — New roof

Miguel Pedrosa
2550 Main St.
$22,000 — Interior renovations to take out restaurant

Pride Station
55 Robbins Road
$3,000 — Interior remodel

Western New England College
1215 Wilbraham Road
$36,000 — New roof

WESTFIELD

Elm Pizza
34 North Elm St.
$17,000 — Repair

Friguglietti-Morizio
243 Elm St.
$11,000 — Repairs

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Century Center LLC
353 Memorial Ave.
$20,000 — Renovate existing space

Fred Aaron
1472 Riverdale St.
$205,000 — Renovate 2,589 square feet of office space

Friendly Ice Cream Corp.
1094 Riverdale St.
$36,000 — Remodel fountain area

Claudia Walsh
Features

Companies to Watch: Reflections by Claudia

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Shedding Light on an Intriguing Business Venture

Claudia Walsh

Claudia Walsh says her lamps have become an attractive alternative to flowers as a bereavement gift, and are appropriate for other milestones as well.

Claudia Walsh taught English, off and on, for the better part of 20 years.
She has put her talents with words and composition of same to considerable use when helping clients put together the thoughts they send along with what Walsh calls the “gifts of light” she sells — although there’s much more to this business than selling decorative lamps.
Here’s one such thought, to go on a card — personalized and embossed in the store — accompanying a lamp sent to mark the birth of a child, one of many occasions for which Walsh’s ‘reflections’ have become popular.
“When the day is done and you cradle your son, let the soft glow of this light reflect upon the beautiful child you have created and the wonderment of motherhood. Enjoy the cherished moments that you will share with the little one as you nurture and care for this person who will fill your life with love, laughter, and pride.”
This was a first draft of sorts, and there was still deliberation about whether ‘child’ or ‘baby’ might eventually replace ‘person.’
Walsh told BusinessWest that assisting clients with crafting such messages is one of the more rewarding aspects of a business venture that offers many. And it’s one of the myriad tangibles and intangibles that have made this enterprise — started in her home as a very part-time endeavor while she was still substitute teaching — so successful in the wake of considerable competition.
Others include everything from a wide selection of lamps and other items (in a host of price ranges) to the innate ability to be able to not only serve, but also comfort people at what is often a very difficult time in their lives.
“That’s not really an acquired skill,” said Walsh, when asked about it. “It’s something I think I’ve always had; that’s just who I am.”
But she has no doubt honed that talent since she started in business not long after the passing of her father following a long battle with bone cancer, an event that turned a simple lamp in her home into a reflection and an inspiration.
“When my dad became gravely ill, he needed so much care and support,” Walsh writes in a welcome to her Web site that explains the concept behind her business. “Just before he died, he made one last trip to my home. While there, he tried to turn on a small lamp, but needed my help. After his death, I put on that same light, and its soft glow reminded me of his quiet presence.”
Soon thereafter, Walsh started sending small, so-called ‘angel lamps’ from a local florist as bereavement gifts. The testimonials she received back let her know that she had created a popular alternative to flowers, and the remembrance light, as she called it, was born.
Walsh set up shop in the basement of her home, operating her venture part-time while she continued to teach. Soon, she would move into a small office in an industrial park on Benton Drive in East Longmeadow, a facility intended as an operations center for what was projected to be an Internet-based business.
“But people kept coming in to see what we had,” Walsh explained, adding that she soon realized that she could — and should — make this a full-time venture, and for that, she’d need a storefront.
She started in a small shop on Shaker Road in East Longmeadow, and later moved into her current, much larger space, on North Main Street, just past the town’s famous rotary.
Over the years, reflection lamps have become popular for a host of milestones, including weddings, new homes, babies, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, and, especially, bereavements. Meanwhile, the product list has grown to include offerings from a number of well-known manufacturers, including Dale Tiffany Inc., Meyda, Quoizell, Paul Sahlin, CBK, Standard Specialty Co., and others. Items range in price from $30 to more than $200, although higher-end specialty items can be ordered rom any of several catalogs.
Lamps come in all shapes and sizes, and color patterns as well, and can be personalized to recognize someone’s interests or passions, said Walsh, noting that this list includes everything from hunting or fishing to the ocean, to the Red Sox or Yankees.
And the client list has grown as well, to include area residents; several nursing homes in the area, which give lamps when residents pass away; celebrities, such as Michael Jackson and Art Linkletter (Walsh wanted to name few due to privacy concerns); and companies of all sizes (including funeral homes), which have chosen Walsh’s gifts of light for employees mourning loved ones, retirements, and other reasons.
On the day BusinessWest visted Reflections, Catherine Belleville, service delivery manager for the New England Service Office of IBM, was in the store picking up a lamp for an employee who had recently lost his mother.
“We find these gifts a great alternative to flowers,” she said, adding that the company has become a regular customer of Walsh’s, and makes her lamps gifts for retirements and other milestones as well. “Flowers are a wonderful gesture, but they’re gone in three or four days. These lamps last a lifetime.”
Other companies now on the client list include MassMutual, Hallmark Cards, and many others, said Walsh, noting that much of her business is of the repeat variety. She says she gets it because she does more than sell lamps out of catalogs or off her showroom shelves.
There is a personal side to the business, she said, noting that this includes everything from assisting someone searching for the right words to accompany a lamp, to having the ability to help and serve individuals at such a trying time in their lives.
That’s how a company shines bright when its business is gifts or light.

— George O’Brien

Briefcase Departments

Briefcase

By

$45.5 Million Broadband Investment Coming To Western Mass.

BOSTON — U.S. Sen. John Kerry, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, U.S. Rep. John Olver, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, and Gov. Deval Patrick were in Greenfield recently for an announcement ceremony to celebrate the $45.5 million federal investment to bring broadband to Western Mass. In recent weeks, Kerry had joined his colleagues in announcing that the Massachusetts Broadband Institute will receive $45.5 million for investment in broadband technologies for 123 underserved or unconnected towns in Western Mass. Currently, millions of Americans lack broadband service because it is either unaffordable or not accessible. In Massachusetts, an estimated 100 small towns — many of them in the western part of the state — are underserved; a few of these communities have no access at all. In communities throughout the region, broadband access connects families to each other, students to educational opportunities, first responders to citizens in times of crisis, job applicants to employers, patients to medical care, and small businesses to customers. The service area contains more than 1 million residents, more than 44,000 businesses, at least 2,100 community anchor institutions, and 3,429 square miles. MassBroadband 123 will create or retain almost 3,000 jobs, half from building and managing the network and half from economic development in these disadvantaged areas and the rest of the region. Under the terms of the federal grant, two-thirds of the broadband project must be completed by 2012, and the entire network built in 2013.

AIM’s Business Confidence Index Rises

BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index added 2.2 points in June to 53.7, continuing its movement into positive ground. The index topped 50 — neutral on its 100-point scale — in May for the first time in more than two years. Massachusetts employers report that current business conditions are now “mildly favorable,” and they are optimistic though “not exuberant” about continued improvement, according to Raymond G. Torto, global chief economist at CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. and chair of AIM’s board of economic advisors. Torto added that employers see Massachusetts’ business conditions keeping pace with or surpassing national conditions, in contrast to the experience in the recovery phase of recent past cycles. The AIM Index was up 4.8 points from its level of June 2008, and within a half-point of its readings from three and four years before. The highest reading in its 18-year-plus history was 68.5, attained on two occasions in 1997-98; its all-time low was 33.3 in February 2009.

Enshrinement 2010 Plans Underway

SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced a weeklong “Celebration of Basketball” festival leading up to Enshrinement 2010, scheduled Aug. 7-14. Organizers believe this year’s enshrinement will include the largest number of Hall of Famers ever assembled in Springfield. Highlights of the week include: a monument unveiling at Mason Square, where the first game of basketball was played; the inaugural Hoops & Heroes Tournament, a first-responders tournament with local and regional representation from police, fire, and other agencies benefiting Special Olympics Massachusetts; a Wheelchair Basketball Celebration at the Hall featuring the USA Gold Medal-winning Wheelchair Paralympics Team; a Children’s Day featuring basketball clinics with NBA and collegiate players; a 96-team AAU National Tournament presented by the Chris Paul Foundation, and many other public events surrounding the induction of the Class of 2010. For a complete list of all events or to purchase tickets, visit www.hoophall.com.

Arts & Soles Project Features Giant Sneakers

SPRINGFIELD — Community leaders and artists were on hand July 8 to welcome the arrival of 20 six-foot-high sneakers to be installed around the downtown area once they are decorated. The huge fiberglass footwear will serve as canvases for artists chosen through the Arts & Soles public art project to answer the question, “What Makes Springfield Great?” The event also celebrated the opening of the Main Street studio, a site vacant for years, which will provide a creative space for the participating artists, who hail from Springfield, UMass Amherst, and around the Pioneer Valley. Artists have until the first week of August to finish their sneakers, which will be installed at various locations around downtown. After three months, the sneakers will be auctioned off at a community event to bene