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Labor-market Report Highlights the Region’s Skills Gap

Bill Ward calls it a “mismatch.”
There are other words being used to describe the region’s job market, none of them particularly enthusiastic. But to Ward, president and CEO of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County (REB), it boils down to an ever-present skills gap.
“It all comes back to this huge, complex issue we have: there are skills shortages, and there are people who are looking for jobs and can’t find them,” he said. “There’s a mismatch out there. There always has been, but now it’s more pronounced because today’s jobs require a higher skill set.”
Ward was responding to a report — “Labor Market Trends in the Pioneer Valley Region” — recently issued by the Commonwealth Corp. and the New England Public Policy Center of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. That report paints a picture of a naggingly high — albeit slowly falling — unemployment rate in the region, but also a labor pool that’s not adequately equipped to fill the job openings that do exist, which creates a problem for companies looking to grow or locate here.
This trend is exacerbated, the report notes, by an aging population and, in some fields, potential future shortfalls of workers with the skills and education required by employers. In 2008-10, the period the report focuses on, 47.1% of the labor force was age 45 or older, while only 31.6% was 34 or younger.
And while the region’s residents have, on average, increased their level of education over the past decade, progress in that area has been slower than in other regions, leading some economic-development leaders to wonder whether the younger generation will be adequately equipped to replace the masses of retiring Baby Boomers over the next decade.
All this isn’t news to Ward, who deals every day with the challenges of the Pioneer Valley economy and strategies to boost it.
“It updates the reality and confirms it,” he said, noting that the report offers plenty of data but few solutions. “These are complex issues; you can’t just flip a switch. What keeps me up at night is the quality of this workforce and what it needs to do to be competitive. If anything, this report emphasizes that.”

Youth Is Not Served
Robert Clifford, an economist and public policy analyst for the New England Public Policy Center, took part in a roundtable recently at Holyoke Community College to discuss ther report’s findings. He noted that the region’s working population between ages 16 and 24 actually fell from 51,988 in 2000 to 49,788 in 2010 — the only region in the state where that occurred.
Clifford broke down the report’s findings into four main points:
• After nearly a decade of declining employment, the Pioneer Valley is recovering at a modest pace, but continues to have one of the highest unemployment rates statewide;
• An aging workforce, declines in younger workers, and a stagnant population will force the region to confront demographic challenges sooner than other regions;
• Despite gains in the educational attainment of its labor force in the past decade, the Pioneer Valley still has the highest share of individuals with only a high-school degree or less; and
• Addressing the barriers to employment facing the region’s
jobless population, particularly among the young and less educated, is key to the Pioneer Valley’s economic vitality moving forward.

Bill Ward

Bill Ward says businesses shouldn’t wait for the perfect candidate for a job, but be willing to train a talented learner.

“It’s very clear,” Ward told BusinessWest, “with the dynamics of our region, with an older population and a shortage of younger people coming into the workforce, it leaves us in a situation where education and training are even more critically important to our region than to most other regions in the Commonwealth — whether it’s the K-12 system, the community-college system, or investments in training by employers themselves. That’s the big message.”
It’s a message framed by an air of overall sluggishness on the job front locally.
“While the employment rate in the region was nearly the same as the rate statewide through the first half of the past decade, the impact of the Great Recession was particularly severe in the Pioneer Valley,” the report states, noting that the region’s unemployment rate reached 9.2% in 2010, slightly below the national rate of 9.6%, but far exceeding the statewide rate of 8.5%, making it the third-highest jobless rate among all regional labor markets. It also represents a much higher rate than the 3.0% recorded in 2000 and the 5.8% posted in 2003, following the 2001-02 recession.
Perhaps more troubling, however, is the report’s repeated emphasis on how young workers are being impacted. In 2008-10, more than 50% of the region’s unemployed were 34 years old or younger, though such individuals accounted for just 32% of the region’s workforce. Meanwhile, 60% of those unemployed in the Pioneer Valley had a high-school degree or less, while only 38% of the region’s workforce had such an education.
That points to multiple demographic trends that intersect in a troubling way. While the Pioneer Valley’s workforce skews higher in age than other regions, the younger generation isn’t always ready to compete for the jobs that do, and will, arise — the very definition of a skills gap.
“Massachusetts is one of the most highly educated states in the nation, but the Pioneer Valley’s residents and workforce … have education levels similar to their counterparts in the United States,” the report asserts. “Over the past decade, the region has seen progressively higher levels of educational attainment among its residents and workforce, but a high-school degree continues to be the most common level of educational attainment in the region.”
Specifically, in 2008-10, the share of the region’s labor force with a bachelor’s degree or higher (30.5%) trailed that of Massachusetts as a whole (41.2%). However, when the figures are calculated to include all workers with some kind of post-secondary education, the Pioneer Valley (67.8%) closes the gap somewhat on the state (67.8%), due to a larger concentration of individuals with certificates or associate’s degrees, perhaps reflecting the strong presence of the region’s community colleges.

Training from Within
The persistent skills gap, the report notes, “may be particularly troublesome given that 91.5% of the region’s employees are also residents. The Pioneer Valley may not be able to attract workers from other regions to work in jobs with relatively low education requirements and pay, given that those populations are typically filled by less mobile populations.
“However,” it continues, “younger workers and those with lower levels of education, who are disproportionately unemployed, may provide a future supply of labor that can be educated and trained to address labor shortages.”
To foster economic growth in the future, the report argues, the Pioneer Valley should “strive to align the education of its labor force to meet the demands of the region’s employers” — a call to colleges to step up efforts to draw students into degree programs for in-demand careers, like those in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
Although Ward has been involved in many such initiatives to boost worker training in the region, he notes that colleges, career centers, and other economic-development entities can’t do it themselves.
“There’s an insidious dynamic in the job market where employers say, ‘I have jobs, but I can’t fill them; I can’t find skilled workers,’” he noted. “But these employers need to do some rethinking about training. They need to do it on their own. This idea of looking for a perfect candidate … the workplace is changing, and there’s no such thing as an off-the-shelf worker. You can’t expect that.
“Because of the complexity of the marketplace today, employers need to be more engaged in preparing their future workforce,” Ward continued. “They need to do more on-the-job training and engage with educators to create career pathways for young people, so when they’re in school and see the applications of math, science, and technology in the workplace, there will be less dropping out, and more kids turned on by seeing the connections between school and work. It’s a complex issue, and there is no single solution.”
Despite the presence of a “feeder system” in the form of multiple well-regarded colleges, plus the state’s flagship university campus, Western Mass. has long had difficulty holding on to graduates, he noted. “We’re seeing large numbers of young people not being retained in this region, and the reason for their outmigration is that we have not been able to generate employment opportunities for these young people.”
Part of that, he said, is due to generally lackluster job creation over the past three years, which has hit young people hardest, particularly in the realm of summer jobs, which provide much-needed experience and develop workplace skills. “Young people, up to age 25 or so, have been bearing the brunt of the recession, so to speak, and to get that first job, they’re tending to be more mobile and look elsewhere; we see them crossing into the Boston area and other markets.”
Meanwhile, older workers are holding on to their jobs longer, in many cases due to the financial meltdown of 2008 and the downturn that followed, which exacerbates the problem young people have finding work.
But the aging of Massachusetts will eventually provide opportunities for the young, Ward said, and it’s incumbent upon the region’s employers, educators, and economic-development leaders to turn those opportunities into a more vibrant hiring culture.
“We’re going to need to fill these positions of the job leavers who are maturing, and the people who fill them are going to need the right skills.”
Ward noted that fewer than half of all recent college graduates in the region are currently working in their degree fields. While troubling in some ways, that statistic also means there are plenty of smart, talented young people who have the aptitude to change careers if given the opportunity by proactive employers. But instead of cultivating their own pipeline of talent, “many employers say, ‘let someone else do it,’ and they wait at the end of the pipeline for someone with their specs.”
The question, he said, is “do you keep turning away from your door the person who could potentially do the job, but doesn’t have all the skills yet? We need some rethinking by employers.”

Opportunity Knocks
There’s a tidbit buried in the labor-market report that offers a bit of optimism. “After two recessions and a decade of declining employment, the region is now gaining jobs and recovering at a modest pace. Moreover, the recent recovery from the Great Recession has been somewhat stronger in the region than in the state as a whole. The Pioneer Valley has experienced relatively broad-based improvement, with stronger growth than the state in a majority of industries.”
Combined with that outlook, the region’s demographic trends — notably, the massive Baby Boom generation approaching retirement — may seem to bode well for younger workers, Ward said, but the skills gap remains, and it threatens the growth of current businesses and hinders others from moving to Western Mass.
“Companies looking to relocate look at the labor supply,” he told BusinessWest. “We need to be willing to say, ‘we can’t afford to waste a single young person.’ We have to get as many people as possible to their full potential.” n

Joseph Bednar may be reached at [email protected]

Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

 

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Ann Facchini v. Michael Smith Auto Repair a/k/a Autosmith

Allegation: Defendant breached a contract by installing a defective engine in the plaintiff’s vehicle: $3,000+

Filed: 10/31/12

 

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Catherine Kilgallen v. PNC Bank, N.A.

Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property causing slip and fall: $237,700.65

Filed: 11/7/12

 

John Aucoin v. First Light Power Resources Inc.

Allegation: Negligent operation and maintenance of facility to ensure safety of workers: $102,546.78

Filed: 9/14/12

 

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Commerce and Industry Insurance Co. v. Pioneer Supply Corp.

Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $11,521

Filed: 10/23/12

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Gladys Hatidani v. Amy N. Azza, 4U Direct Inc., d/b/a National Home Lending Center, Fieldstone Mortgage Co., and Paul Hatidani

Allegation: Plaintiff states that signature was forged on mortgage documents: $300,000

Filed: 10/23/12

 

Nery A. Bernal, d/b/a Bartlett Street Associates v. Underwriters at Lloyd’s London, by and through New England Excess Exchange, LTD and FSC Insurance Agency, Inc.

Allegation:  Breach of insurance contract: $237,055.85

Filed: 10/22/12

 

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Caryn Markson v. Northampton Cornucopia d/b/a Cornucopia Foods

Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property causing slip and fall: $35,063

Filed: 10/30/12

 

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

City Tire Co. Inc. v. Brandon Kelley Trucking, LLC

Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,198.72

Filed: 10/19/12

 

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Brent F. Massey and Kathryn E. Massey v. David Beach d/b/a D & D Remodeling

Allegation: Breach of home-remodeling contract: $35,000

Filed: 10/19/12

 

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Marion’s Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, & Heating Inc. v. Maurice Casey Inc.

Allegation: Balance owed for parts and services rendered: $17,186.51

Filed: 10/19/12

Opinion
The Dangers of Our Budget-deficit Minuet

The day after Barack Obama was re-elected, the Dow Jones lost 312.96 points. It wasn’t just that investors were hoping for the lower taxes and further deregulation that would have come with a Romney win. The news from Europe was bad, and pundits were obsessively focused on the ‘fiscal cliff’ of mandatory budget cuts that will drive the economy into a new recession unless Congress jumps off its own budgetary cliff first.

For once, the markets are right. But the news from Europe entirely contradicts conventional assumptions about the fiscal cliff.

Greece, which has dutifully cut its budget as demanded by the leaders of the European Union and the European Central Bank, is deeper in depression than ever. The latest reports show that its economy has shrunk by more than 20% over four years and that the more that it cuts its deficit, the more its national debt grows.

How can that be? Budget cutting in a depression just deepens the depression. The deeper the depression, the less revenue the government takes in.

So if the U.S. does not want to become like Greece, cutting the deficit in a still-depressed economy is the wrong way to go.

The ravages of Hurricane Sandy, with rising oceans forecasted to worsen in coming years, suggests that we will need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on rebuilding coastal infrastructure — a policy that will also create jobs and stimulate a recovery.

But the deficit-reduction minuet is proceeding as if Sandy never happened.

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are on track to cut a deal that Wall Street has been slavering over for a decade — a small dollop of revenue increases, mainly through loophole closings, coupled with massive spending cuts, including in Social Security and Medicare, adding up to $4 trillion to $5 trillion of budget cuts over a decade.

Obama is convinced that this sort of grand bargain is necessary because financial markets expect it. Yet the same financial markets are happy to lend the government money for 30 years at less than 3% interest.

If Obama and the Republicans do make such a deal, growth will slow to a trickle.

Ironically, the president, having humiliated the Republicans on Election Day, holds most of the cards.

He can declare that he has no intention of cutting Social Security or Medicare and instead propose new, must-pass infrastructure legislation. And he can insist that any budget deal needs to include higher taxes on the rich. (California Gov. Jerry Brown just demonstrated that such a stance is good politics. The initiative that he sponsored and worked for, raising taxes on the rich to increase funding for California’s public schools, was approved by the voters.)

Time is on Obama’s side. On Jan. 1, taxes increase on everybody, and automatic spending cuts of $1.2 billion kick in. He needs to set up the Republicans to take the blame because of their wildly unpopular conditions for a deal. Bill Clinton, who won a similar game of chicken with Newt Gingrich in 1996, can give Obama lessons in the art of the bluff.

Re-elected presidents often face a jinx in their second terms. The worst possible start for President Obama would be to agree to a deal that harms the economy and sells out the people who just re-elected him.

If there is one thing worse than a fiscal cliff, it is a fiscal cave. This is no time for Obama to cave into Republican and Wall Street pressure for a budget deal that will leave history to remember him as the Democrat who presided over eight years of a depressed economy. v

 

Robert Kuttner is co-founder and editor of The American Prospect.

Features
42 design fab Puts on a Display of Entrepreneurship

Todd Harris, left, and Jack Kacian

Todd Harris, left, and Jack Kacian look over one of 42 design fab’s many creations, this one an ‘alien life form’ for the company’s booth at a trade show.

It’s called the “walk-in tree,” and that name pretty much explains what this exhibit would be.

“This is a tree that people could literally walk inside,” said Todd Harris, co-owner of 42 design fab in Indian Orchard, who came up with the concept while working as a consultant for a company called the Holbek Group on a master-plan project for the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center in Bristol, Conn. “People could learn about a tree from the inside out — how the tree works, the insect life, and much more.”

The Barnes Center hasn’t created the walk-in tree yet — it is still exploring funding options for this and many other items in the plan — but it has contracted with 42 design fab, the company Harris started with model builder Jack Kacian (formerly with the Holbek Group), on several other projects, from outdoor signage shaped like a broken tree to the gift shop.

And these items have become part of a growing portfolio that includes everything from displays for the Basketball Hall of Fame (such as the ‘vertical leap’ exhibit and a tribute to Bob Cousy) to trade show booths for Fortune 500 companies. Expanding and diversifying that portfolio are the top priorities for Harris and Kacian as they look to take this unique design-and-fabrication company — hence the name — they started together in 2010 to the next level.

And to do so, they’ll attempt to maximize their own talents and those of the six other team members now working in a large space on the fourth floor of the Indian Orchard Mills.

Harris, who was a CAD program instructor at Holyoke Community College years ago, has extensive background in strategic planning and project management, working as an independent consultant for nearly two decades on everything from SAP implementation to a large Y2K initiative, to the building of a few chemical plants in Saudi Arabia. Kacian, meanwhile, is an artist and designer who has been involved in several signature projects in the area, including the so-called Money Tree in Greenfield — an ATM built into a 25-foot-high artificial tree that was designed and fabricated by the Holbek Group for Greenfield Savings Bank — and the model of a GeeBee airplane, built in Springfield in the late ’40s, that now sits in the Springfield History Museum after residing for years in the Visitors Center near the Hall of Fame.

Todd Harris

Todd Harris stands beside one of the many exhibits 42 design fab has created for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Together, the two partners look to shape a winning business strategy grounded in finding solutions for clients and creating new and different ways to convert their imagination and skills into reliable revenue streams.

“We want to be the most creative, most versatile design-fab shop around,” Harris said, “whether it’s custom furniture or trade-show items, restaurant interiors, or corporate offices.”

For this issue, BusinessWest goes behind the scenes — both literally and figuratively — at a company that certainly has designs on continued growth and an international reputation for imaginative solutions.

 

In the Right Mold

As he talked about some of the work 42 design fab has done for natural-history museums and facilities like the Barnes Center, Harris went over to a bookcase filled with some of the sculpted flora and fauna that have become part of various dioramas and exhibits.

There’s a giant slug that’s much larger than what actually appears in nature, a centipede (again, much larger than real life), the top half of a chipmunk (this one was coming up out of the ground), and a large eel built for the Shelter Island Nature Conservancy on Long Island, which went to great lengths to make sure the item was anatomically correct.

“They actually brought up a dead eel and said, ‘we want it to look just like this,’” said Harris, adding that the company was able to comply with that request, which is one of the keys to earning the repeat business and referrals that are the lifeblood of the business.

How Harris and Kacian joined together to design and fabricate eels, insects, trees, and Hall of Fame exhibits in this business venture is an intriguing story that blends elements of entrepreneurship, timing, and market opportunities.

Harris told BusinessWest that he enjoyed his consulting work, but certainly not the long hours and time away from home that his assignments demanded. “It was tough being a road warrior … you lose a bit of yourself with every job,” he explained, adding that, on the positive side, his consulting work introduced him to what he called “the museum world,” largely through work with Tor Holbek, an exhibit designer and former student of his at HCC who eventually started the Holbek Group and hired Kacian as his art director.

“Over the years, as a consultant, designer, and engineer, when I was between other gigs, I would stop and stay in touch with Tor,” said Harris. “I’d help him out with design projects here and there. It was interesting work — you never think about where things come from in a museum, but someone has to design and build them.

“Museum work fascinated me, and I got to know Jack over the years … and one thing just led to another,” he continued, fast-forwarding through some intervening years during which he worked on some project-management initiatives at museums and art galleries, and became increasingly drawn to that little-understood business.

When asked if his consulting work was lucrative, Harris joked, “more lucrative than starting a design and fabrication company in the middle of a recession.”

What propelled him forward, despite those challenges, was that aforementioned fascination he had with the museum realm, as well as confidence that he and Kacian, with whom he had worked on several projects, and who had by then won acclaim nationally for his model-building exploits, could mold an effective business model.

The Money Tree project in Greenfield helped shape Kacian’s reputation — it earned headlines in many different kinds of publications — as did the GeeBee initiative, undertaken by the city of Springfield. Kacian remembers working on a shoestring budget and stretching his imagination to make the model as authentic as possible while also controlling cost.

“That was a great job for me because it involved something I was really interested in,” he explained, adding that he did extensive research on the plane, which included a few trips to the attic of the widow of the man who built the original plans and blueprints. “The challenge was to build it as realistic as possible, and I used every trick in the book I could think of to fabricate it.

“I used a lot of foam, including with the wings,” he explained. “We sanded them and covered them with craft paper soaked with white glue, which gave it stiffness and a nice, smooth finish. The fuselage itself was built like a big model airplane.”

Kacian remembers installing the 400-pound model in the Visitors Center, taking instruction from a city official driving back and forth on I-91 via cell phone. “She kept saying, ‘pull it up a little in front,’ or ‘take it down a little in the back,’ trying to get the angle just right so people could see it from the road.”

Eventually, Harris, who desired a second career, and Kacian, who was looking for a setting in which he could better flex his design muscles, came together in a venture they called 42 design fab, with 42 being “the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything” in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Since the start, their hope has been to make their company the ultimate answer for a wide array of museums and companies who need something visual — and educational — to inform people and promote themselves.

The Shape of Things to Come

More than two years later, a team is in place, and a game plan is coming together.

It calls for the company to exploit its uniqueness as a firm that handles both design and fabrication (most do one or the other), and create the portfolio diversity that is necessary to maintain steady cash flow and survive fluctuations in the economy.

A look at one wall in the office area of the company’s facilities at the mill reveals that it is making solid progress with those goals.

On it are images from various projects, both completed and in progress.

That latter list includes some recent initiatives undertaken for the Basketball Hall of Fame, including new exhibits to tests visitors’ rebounding skills and gauge their wingspan — the distance between the fingertips when one’s arms are spread apart.

Over the past few years, the company has undertaken a number of projects for the Hall of Fame, including the Cousy exhibit, the display dedicated to Dennis Rodman after his enshrinement in 2011 — one that showcases one of the many dresses he’s worn over the years — and a large display called the “MAAC Experience,” which tells the story of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

There’s also work for former Boston Celtic Ray Allen’s Rays of Hope Foundation — specifically, his ‘Wall of Hope,’ a display of his sneakers meant to inspire young people to realize their full potential — as well as contributions to a Department of Homeland Security campaign.

A few photographs capture projects undertaken for various natural-history museums, such as a diorama chronicling the life of an acorn. Meanwhile, there are drawings for a new trade-show booth for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

Overall, projects have been undertaken for a host of museums and institutions, ranging from the Puget Sound Naval Museum — one of the company’s first clients — to to the Quadrangle in Springfield.

The Basketball Hall of Fame and the Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut (ELCCT) are both good examples of the type of client the company wants to attract and add to its portfolio, said Harris, noting that, in each case, there is an ongoing relationship and opportunities to handle a wide range of work.

The ELCTT operates two facilities — the Barnes Nature Center and the Indian Rock Nature Preserve, both located in Bristol. For the former, 42 design fab has created designs for many potential new exhibits — with names like “Interactive Wetland Diorama,” “Everything About Beaks and Feet,” “Nest and Egg Educational Module,” and the aforementioned walk-in tree — and has already completed several interior and exterior projects, including the signage and new gift shop.

And for the Indian Rock facility, it has a created, among other items, a waterfall that essentially camouflages an elevator shaft. Built in three sections, the waterfall reaches the top of the 18-foot ceiling in the center’s Great Hall and comes complete with fish, turtles, and seats for visitors.

 

Imagination — on a Large Scale

The projects undertaken for both the hall of fame and the ELCTT are also good examples of how 42 design fab works with the client to help it achieve specific and long-term goals, said Harris, returning to the Barnes Center once again, and the desire among administrators there to create learning opportunities on a number of levels.

“They balance funding availability with educational objectives,” he said, adding that the company works in partnership with the center to maximize its resources and create a number of different learning experiences.

As an example, he cited a planned magnetic wall within the center that would have several teaching curricula on it.

“An educator would stand there and work with a class of students on subjects like water cycles,” he explained. “They might put clouds up here to show how rain comes down and flows here. They can show what happens next, or what results if the rain doesn’t happen. There are many things you can do with a wall like this.”

Looking forward, the two partners say their primary objectives are to build their portfolio through strong word-of-mouth referrals while also diversifying, in terms of both the type of project and the size.

And they see some potential opportunities on the horizon for accomplishing both.

One is the casino industry, which will, in all likelihood, be coming to the Bay State and, more specifically, Western Mass., within the next few years. Harris said casino builders are known for incorporating elaborate designs into everything from their main entrances to their themed restaurants, which could add up to opportunities for the company.

“If there’s any casino action, we’d like to get a piece of that,” he said, “whether it’s the tree or rock work, or, if not, the retail and dining areas. Maybe they’ll want a western-themed saloon or restaurant; that’s something we could get into.”

Another potential source of new business is a different kind of gaming industry — the video-game sector, which is also known for creating imaginative workspaces.

“We’d like to see some of those kinds of projects through,” he said, “where you have a successful, fast-paced, super-creative startup that wants a custom space.

“If someone comes in and says, ‘I want my office to look like a submarine interior,’ we can do that,” he continued, citing an actual case he heard about in California, adding, “we’re just dying to find the clients out here who will do it.”

One of the company’s broad goals is to optimize its design-fabrication workflow through digital fabrication, said Harris, thus quickening the pace of taking something from the drawing board to the museum floor or trade show floor, bringing benefits for both the company and its clients.

“The faster we can go from a digital model in the computer to the CNC routers and efficiently fabricate the core of the components, the better it will be for us,” he explained. “We need to get better at that game because that lets us free up the high-value artistic labor to do the final touches.

Another broad goal is to create steady revenue streams — perhaps year-round or at least steady production of various lines of furniture — to smooth out some of the ebbs and flows that are part and parcel to the kind of project work the company handles.

“We’re looking down the road at ways to manufacture inventory,” he explained. “There has to a be a mix, because when you’re a project-oriented company, it’s either feast or famine. As one of our colleagues in the industry says, ‘you’re exactly one of two sizes in this business — you’re either too big or two little; one project coming in is not enough to keep the lights on, and three will kill you.”

 

Numbers Game

When asked to describe their transition to business owners, both Harris and Kacian used the phrase ‘learning experience’ to describe their first few years.

There’s irony there, because that’s exactly what the company also creates, whether it be for Hall of Fame visitors looking to measure how high they can jump, or grade school students paying a visit to something approximating the forest floor at the Barnes Center.

It all comes back to that number that’s now on the company’s letterhead, said Harris, referring again to a host of literary and cultural references.

“While we don’t know what your challenge is,” he told BusinessWest, “we know the answer is 42.”

 

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

Holiday Gift Guide Sections

Wilson “Hope” Golf Box Set: $299.99
Dave DiRico’s Golf Shop and Racquet Center
A pink golf set made for the starter or intermediate woman golfer; a portion of proceeds go towards breast-cancer research.
21 Myron St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 734-4444; www.davediricogolf.com

 

iSound Fire: $29.99
Ideal for iPod, iPhone, iPad, and any audio device with a 3.5mm output; powerful built-in speaker allows music to be heard with depth and clarity; built in Li-ion battery (5-hour life at 70% volume).
2078 Memorial Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075
(413) 535-0200; www.familywireless.com
(See website for other locations)

 

explorenorthampton.com Gift Card:
Any Denomination
Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
Honored at more than 60 Northampton shops, restaurants, salons; purchase at the Northampton Visitors Center or online; reload funds at any time and check balance online.
Northampton Visitors Center
99 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 584-1900; www.explorenorthampton.com

 

Old World Italian Gift Basket: $100
Frigo’s Foods
From the northern village of Dolo, Italy, the Frigo family has been serving Western Mass. since the 1950s; the Old World Italian basket holds a mix of seasonal gourmet products; other baskets in different prices available
90 William St., Springfield, MA 01105; (413) 732-5428
159 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(413) 525-9400; www.frigofoods.com

 

Kia or Volvo Remote Car Starter Kits:
$350 – $595
Fathers & Sons Dealer Group
Kia and Volvo factories now offer factory-brand car starters that are compatible with each car’s wiring system; can be ordered with new car purchase or as a gift accessory.
Kia: $350-$595 installed (depending on year of car)
468 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089
(877) 484-3442
Volvo: $519 installed
989 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089
(877) 332-8579; www.fathers-sons.com

 

The GET Skiing Program: $89
Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort
Guaranteed Easy Turns (GET) program offers a learn-to-ski class and free lift ticket for gift giver.
37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA  01237
(413) 738-5500; www.jiminypeak.com

 

Family Sports Basket: Various Prices
Create your own sports basket for a family by purchasing tickets or gift cards/promotions from these local museums and sports teams (based on a family of four):
 

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: $76 Family Four Pack
Children 4 and under free
1000 Hall of Fame Ave., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 781-6500; www.hoophall.com

 

Springfield Falcons Hockey: $40
Falcons’ Dunkin’ Donut Holiday Hat Trick Package; $80 value includes two hats, two Falcons tickets for any game, two $5 Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards.
45 Falcons Way, Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 739-3344; www.falconsahl.com

 

Springfield Armor: $49
All-You-Can-Eat Four-Game Plan includes tickets to four basketball games (Jan. 5 and 26, Feb. 9, March 23) two of which include all-you-can-eat hot dogs, popcorn, and soda (Jan. 26 and March 23); one Springfield Armor hat; one Springfield Armor t-shirt; starts at $49; team plays at MassMutual Center.
One Monarch Place, Suite 220, Springfield, MA 01144
(413) 746-3263; www.armorhoops.com

 

Family Fun History Basket: Various Prices
Create your own history and educational basket for a family by purchasing tickets or gift cards/promotions from these local museums and organizations (all based on a family of four):

 

Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center: $23 Family Four Pack
Adults: $6.75; senior citizens: $4.75; children ages 5-12: $4.75; children up to age 4: $2.50
302 Sumner Ave., Springfield, MA 01138
(413) 733-2251; www.forestparkzoo.org

 

Historic Deerfield: $34 Family Four Pack
Adults: $12; children 6-17: $5; children under 6: free
84B Old Main St., Deerfield, MA 01342
(413) 774-5581; www.historic-deerfield.org

 

Springfield Museums: $46 Family Four Pack
Adults: $15; seniors: $10: college students: $10: children 3-17: $8; children 2 and under: free
21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103
(800) 625-7738; www.springfieldmuseums.org

Custom Holiday Floral Centerpiece: $20 and up
A New Leaf Flower Shop
A social enterprise of the nonprofit Center for Human Development (CHD); people with mental health and developmental challenges grow beautiful plants and create fabulous flower arrangements; full-service florist, handcrafted jewelry and specialty items.
50 Warehouse St., Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 733-2179; www.chd.org/anewleaf

 

1st Timer Learn to Ski Package: $75
Ski Butternut
With lift ticket, rentals, and lesson included, it’s a $135 value for only $75. Then keep coming back for more lessons, also with lift tickets and rental included, for only $100 per session.
380 State Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230
(413) 528-2000; www.skibutternut.com

 

Troy Rear Folding BattleSight: $119.00
Troy Industries
Durability and dead-on accuracy have made Troy Industries Folding BattleSights the hands-down choice of special ops and tactical users worldwide.
151 Capital Dr., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 788-4288; www.troyind.com

 

Cellulite-reducing Clay Mask Treatment: $65
SkinCatering at Bella Vita Salon
Deluxe body mask targets the cellulite on hips and the backs of thighs and includes a relaxing therapeutic back massage; results last 7-10 days.
491 Granby Road, South Hadley, MA 01075
(413) 539-0793; www.skincatering.com

 

Brightside Angel Kringle Candle: $18
Brightside for Families and Children
New Brightside Angel Kringle Candle features a vanilla lavender fragrance offered online and at O’Connell’s Convenience Plus locations; proceeds directly benefit more than 400 local children and their families with in-home counseling and family support.
271 Carew St., Springfield MA 01102
(413) 748-9920; www.brightsideangels.com

 

A Nonprofit Donation in Someone’s Name: Any Denomination
Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
Give a gift in honor of a family member, friend, or colleague to the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ Annual Fund. Gifts to the Annual Fund help the Foundation support the region through scholarships for students and grants for nonprofits.
1500 Main St., Suite 2300, Springfield, MA 01115
(413) 732-2858; www.communityfoundation.org

 

Petra Azar Necklace: $235
Hannoush Jewelers
A brand-new collection; great for any age (even for those with shoulder or hand mobility issues); pendant is actually the magnetic clasp; comes in silver and gold; necklaces, bracelets, and rings.
1655 Boston Post Road, Springfield, MA 01129
(413) 439-2830; www.hannoush.com
(Check website for other locations)

 

Zip Line Canopy Tour: $94
Zoar Outdoor
The three-hour zip line canopy tour leads adventurers on an aerial trek though the woods by means of 11 zip lines, 2 sky bridges, and 3 rappels suspended in the trees (April 1 to Nov. 24, 2013); cost is per person.
7 Main St., Charlemont, MA 01339
(800) 532-7483; www.zoaroutdoor.com

 

Atkins Savory Suppers: $55
Atkins Farms Country Market
The Pioneer Valley’s first meal prep and assembly center; Savory Suppers allows one to prepare economical entrees quickly and easily with farm-fresh ingredients that can be taken home, frozen, and prepared when convenient; session includes 3 entrees to assemble or gift card can be purchased in any denomination.
1150 West St., South Amherst, MA 01002
(413) 253-9528; www.atkinssavorysuppers.com

 

Wine and Chocolate Tasting
Hosted by Michael Quinlan: $40
Table & Vine
Table & Vine will help one explore chocolate and wine together, with eight pairings. Cost is per person; reservations required.
1119 Riverdale St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 736-4694; www.tableandvine.com

 

Collectible Children’s Patriotic Drum: $34.95
Noble & Cooley Drum
Tin-body drum, strung with white cord and leather ears, has patriotic theme of Uncle Sam surrounded by eagles, stars, and stripes (carrying strap and sticks included); dates back to 1906. Visit the museum, www.ncchp.org
42 Water St., Granville MA 01034
(413) 357-6321; www.noblecooley.com

 

Mudpie Sentiments Serving Collections: $26.95 – $56.95
Cooper’s Gifts and Curtains
Beautiful thoughts and sentiments on ceramic, brushed silver, and glass tableware.
161 Main St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 786-7760; www.coopersgifts.com

 

Manny’s Olive Oil: $15.99
Fresh from the tree to the bottle; cold-press olive oil straight from the Island of Crete, Greece; order online or purchase in local food outlets.
(413) 233-2532; www.mannysoliveoil.com

Opinion
Holyoke’s Time Is Now

 

While much of the attention locally has been fixed on the issue of a Western Mass. casino, where it will go, when, and with what impact, there is an intriguing story being written just a few miles up I-91 from Springfield in Holyoke.

It’s not complete yet — in fact, it’s just getting started — but some of the chapters in progress are enough to warrant optimism in a city that has a rich industrial history but a turbulent recent past and status as one of the poorest communities in the Commonwealth.

As the story on page 44 reveals, there is considerable momentum building in what’s known as the Paper City, and there may be some important lessons here for those communities that don’t wind up with a casino — and even for those that do.

Holyoke is rebuilding itself the old-fashioned way, if you will, going one block, sometimes one building, at a time, using the creative economy as a way to create vibrancy and interest, and building a reputation as a place where technology and green-energy-related businesses can take hold.

As we said at the top, there is a long way to go in this, the nation’s first planned industrial city, but the signs of a strong comeback are there, and the elements for continued progress are in place or in the works.

Start with stories like Steve Porter’s. He was working and living in New York, and looking to take a traveling DJ business and expand it into a video-production venture. Real estate in New York was well out of his reach, so he started looking for another setting in which to set up shop. He found an oddly shaped building in a former textile complex known colloquially, and within Porterhouse Media, as the ‘wedge.’ Not much to look at on the outside, the building has become home to cutting-edge studios and offices with tight corners and unique square footage.

In many ways, Porter and his building represent the essence of the emerging Holyoke story — a small business finding a good home in a piece of property that many people wouldn’t bother to look at. It’s a story that could be replicated dozens of times, and that’s the simple message that Porter wants to leave with anyone who hears of how he came to Holyoke.

As he retells it, it wasn’t simply the price tag on the property that attracted him — although that was a big part of it. There was also a sense that something interesting, something exciting, was happening in Holyoke, and he wanted to be a part of it.

Vitek Kruta and Lori Devine felt the same way when they, like Porter, assumed a large amount of risk by opening Gateway City Arts in the former Judd Paper complex on Race Street.

Describing themselves as enablers, Devine and Kruta have a host of things going on in their complex — from tango classes to painting lessons; from performances and lectures to an incubator facility currently with a handful of tenants and potential for about 20 more.

The broad goal is to use the arts as a way to bring people to Holyoke, create energy and vibrancy, and perhaps give birth to some businesses that will repurpose more old mill space and put people to work.

As these stories and others unfold, the pieces of a puzzle are coming together for Holyoke. Creative-economy initiatives are introducing the city to more people and business owners, while the Green High Performance Computing Center, a collaboration involving several universities and technology corporations, give the community “affirmation,” as one entrepreneur out it, while also showing what this city can do. Rail service is returning on a limited basis, and old mills like Open Square continue to add new tenants and bring more vibrancy to the heart of the city.

Holyoke’s comeback story is far from complete, and there are many challenges ahead, but all the signs are there for a turnaround that will be real — and very inspirational.

Banking and Financial Services Sections
Thinking About Moving Your Business Financing Across the Street?

Gary G. Breton

Gary G. Breton

So … you, as a business owner, have finally made a decision (or have at least given it a great deal of thought) to take your company’s business-financing needs to another commercial business lender.

But wait. There may be some additional factors that you may not have considered.

First, ask yourself, what is the primary reason that you have made your decision? If it is a matter of you not being comfortable with your current account officer or what you feel are not competitive financing terms on your credit facilities, it might be better to have a frank discussion with the head of your commercial lender’s loan department in the first instance and with your account officer in the second instance. Many times, both of these concerns can be addressed in house in a timely fashion, and you could avoid the time and cost of taking your business elsewhere.

However, if you have taken these matters into account, and the basis for your decision involves other factors that you feel are not capable of being addressed by your current lender, understand that there are a number of potential benefits and costs associated with making such a move.

On the potential benefit side of the ledger, your new lender may be in a position to provide you with a new account officer who may be more in tune with your current and anticipated business needs. This officer should be someone with whom you are comfortable and share an open and honest mutual respect. He or she must have the ability to understand (as well as the desire to care about) your business to allow your company to be successful, and the lines of communication must be strong between the two of you.

Additionally, you may find that your new lender possesses the ability to respond to your financing needs in a timelier manner and with the requirement of less paperwork to support your request than your current lender. Another consideration is being sure that your prospective lender possesses the necessary financing products that may be specific to your business needs, such as letter-of-credit availability or asset-based financing.

You might also be pleasantly surprised by some of the terms of the financing commitment that is ultimately made by your new lender, which can include a more competitive interest rate as well as more palatable collateral and financial-covenant requirements than those that are currently in place with your existing financing. One key factor to keep in mind is that many of the terms and conditions of a financing commitment may be negotiable, including the size of any required loan-commitment fee.

While some of the possible benefits of such a move are highlighted above, there are also considerations that need to be given to the possible costs and disadvantages that may be associated with making such a transition. There is, of course, the amount of time you and your professional advisors will need to devote to produce the required paperwork to accompany your application for new financing, which will traditionally include your company’s history, prospective budget and business plan, current financial statements, and recent tax returns.

Additionally, if such financing will involve the pledging of real-estate collateral, the new lender will require a current appraisal to ascertain the fair market value of such property, as well as an environmental site assessment to determine the absence of any hazardous materials that might impact the value of such real estate prior to completing their financing. Also, if any asset-based financing will be part of your financing package, the new lender may also require a field audit/appraisal of your company’s raw material, work in process, and finished inventory. The costs of completing any such required reports generally are the responsibility of your company and can quickly add up to what may be considered a prohibitive figure.

Another major cost that may discourage your contemplated move is whether or not your current financing terms include a prepayment penalty that will be imposed if you elect to refinance with another lender. In many instances, these prepayment penalty formulas, when applied, can, in and of themselves, give a business owner pause on whether the contemplated move will be worth paying what may translate into a substantial sum of money. While many times, such prepayment penalties have been the primary factor in deciding to remain with one’s current lender, there are a number of instances where the cumulative weight of all the components considered by the business owner have outweighed the cost of incurring such a penalty.

So, you can see that the decision as to whether or not it may be in your company’s best interest to move to a new lender requires both a thoughtful and extensive evaluation of many important issues, including those identified above, so that the ultimate decision is grounded on a solid factual footing.

 

Gary G. Breton, Esq. is a partner with Bacon Wilson, P.C. and a member of its banking and finance department. His major emphasis of practice includes representation of financial-lending institutions, as well as both individual and business borrowers. He also represents numerous business clients in startup and ongoing business operations as well as the purchase and sale of businesses; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]

Chamber Corners Departments

ACCGS

www.myonlinechamber.com

(413) 787-1555

 

• Nov. 7: Chamber’s Business@Breakfast, at Ludlow Country Club, Tony Lema Drive in Ludlow. Registration begins at 7 a.m., the buffet opens at 7:30, and the program begins at 7:55. Guest Speaker is Tony Cignoli, who will be giving a recap of the elections. Coffee Bar Sponsor is Reminder Publications. Salutes will be given to Reminder Publications on its 50th anniversary and Columbia Gas on its 165th anniversary. Cost to attend is $20 for chamber members and $30 for non-chamber members. Reservations should be made in advance at www.myonlinechamber.com, by faxing information to (413) 755-1322, or by e-mailing Cecile Larose at [email protected]. Sponsorships are still available. Contact Larose at (413) 755-1313 if you are interested.

• Nov. 29: Government Reception, at Storrowton Tavern on the Eastern States Exposition grounds. Sponsors for this event are Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Verizon, Baystate Health, and Western Mass. Electric Co. Tickets are $50 for members and $70 for non-members. To make reservations, go online to www.myonlinechamber.com, e-mail Cecile Larose at [email protected], or fax your reservation to (413) 755-1322. Sponsorships are available. Contact Cecile Larose if you are interested.

 

CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

 

• Nov. 14: Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce November Salute Breakfast, from 7:15 to 9 a.m., Summit View Banquet & Meeting House, 555 Northampton St., Holyoke. Speakers are state Sen. Senator Gail Candaras and state Rep. Joseph Wagner. Among the topics they will address are transportation and gaming. Cost is $20 for members and $26 for non-members. Sign up online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

 

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.holycham.com

(413) 534-3376

 

• Nov. 14: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Eighty Jarvis Restaurant, Holyoke. This Business networking event includes a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, and a bake sale. Local accountants and lawyers may attend this event as the chamber’s guests at no charge. Cost is $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to register, or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

• Nov. 15: SBA Business Plan Basics Seminar, 9-11 a.m., at the chamber offices. This workshop will focus on management fundamentals from start-up considerations through business-plan development. Topics will include financing, marketing, and business planning. Presented by Allen Kronick of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. Cost is $40, which includes a continental breakfast. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to register, or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

• Nov. 29: SBA Marketing Basics Seminar, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the chamber offices. This workshop will focus on the basic disciplines of marketing, beginning with research — primary, secondary, qualitative, and quantitative. The core focus will be on developing and keeping a customer. Topics will include advertising, public relations, and the importance of developing a marketing plan. Presented by Dianne Doherty, director of the Mass. Small Business Development Center Network. Cost is $40, which includes a light lunch. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to register, or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

 

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com

(413) 584-1900

 

• Nov. 7: Networking Training Session, 4:15-5 p.m. at the Northampton Survival Center, 265 Prospect St., Northampton, prior to the Arrive@5.

• Nov. 7: Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m. at the Northampton Survival Center, 265 Prospect St., Northampton. Arrive when you can, stay as long as you can. A casual mix and mingle with colleagues and friends. Sponsored by Masiello Employment Services, Webber & Grinnell Insurance, and Dr. Hauschka Skin Care. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

 

PROFESSIONAL WOMENS CHAMBER

www.professionalwomenschamber.com

(413) 755-1310

• Nov. 14: November Luncheon, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at Max’s Tavern, Springfield, at the Basketball Hall of Fame, MassMutual Room. Guest speaker is Lynn Ostrowski of Health New England. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for non-members.

 

 

SOUTH HADLEY/GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.shchamber.com

(413) 532-6451

 

• Nov. 14: Economic Summit, 8-9:30 a.m. at Mount Holyoke College. Guest speaker is James Hartley, professor of Economics, who will talk on current state of the economy. Cost is $15 per person for breakfast. RSVP to [email protected] or call (413) 532-6451.

• Nov. 30: Holiday Party, 5-7 p.m. Sponsor: Village Eye Care. Cost: $5 per person.

 

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

 

• Nov. 14: Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, 6-9 p.m. at Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. Salute the Business Leader of the Year, Jeffrey Daley, city advancement officer. Guest speaker will be state Sen. Michael Knapik. Platinum sponsor: Westfield State University; Gold sponsors: First Niagara and Noble Hospital; Silver sponsors: Berkshire Bank and Savage Arms. Cost: $45 for members; $50 for non-members. To register, call Pam at (413) 568-1618, or e-mail [email protected].

Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Audette Group, LLC v. Concord Heights, LLC, et al

Allegation: Failure to pay for construction services: $118,945

Filed: 10/11/12

 

People’s United Bank v. A.D. George Construction Inc. and Andrew D. George

Allegation: Non-payment and default on two promissory notes: $138,631.67

Filed: 9/28/12

 

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC v. Atkins Construction, LLC, Kenneth G. Atkins, and Maureen A. Atkins

Allegation: Suit on previous judgment: $39,802.28

Filed: 8/13/12

 

Gary Kendall v. Colvest/Belchertown, LLC

Allegation: Negligent property maintenance causing injury: $28,763.43

Filed: 9/25/12

 

Krishnamurti Rao, M.D. v. Michael Dillon, M.D.

Allegation: Action to recognize the judgment of a different state: $226,293.68

Filed: 8/29/12

 

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Diana Rodriquez v. Kmart Corp.

Allegation: Negligent maintenance of property causing slip and fall: $3,908.31

Filed: 7/26/12

 

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Western Mass Environmental, LLC v. Corbett Home Improvement and Edward Corbett

Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $8,735

Filed: 9/27/12

 

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Larry G. Cusing & Sons Inc. v. Papesh Excavation and Alan R. Papesh

Allegation: Non-payment of well-drilling services and materials: $5,499.07

Filed: 8/6/12

 

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Pioneer Chiropratic Inc. and Pain Management and Rehabilitation Inc v. The Premier Insurance Co. of Massachusetts

Allegation: Breach of contract and failure to pay PIP: $3,719.08

Filed: 9/12/12

 

Robert Gossman v. Szczebak Realty Trust, et al

Allegation: Breach of contract when defendant failed to return refundable deposit pursuant to a formal offer to lease: $8,000

Filed: 9/20/12

 

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

American Zurich Insurance Co. v. Carlos Professional Deliveries and Carlos Cosmo

Allegation: Monies owed for insurance services rendered: $7,543

8/29/12

 

Correction:

A court listing in the Oct. 22 issue of BusinessWest was incorrect due to a transcription error. The item should have read:

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Hanibal C. Tayeh, Hanibal Technology, LLC, and Spectrum Analytical Inc. v. Vanessia Petroleum of Doha, Qatar and Cheikh Abdul Aziz Al Thani

Allegation: Breach of loan agreement: $1,500,000

Filed: 8/27/12

Departments Picture This

Send photos with a caption and contact information to:  ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

Barometer of Business

The 23rd annual Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield Super 60 awards luncheon was held recently at Chez Josef to celebrate the success of privately owned businesses that continue to make significant contributions to the strength of the regional economy. From top to bottom: Art Jasper, left, sales manager at Johnstone Supply, and Alan Stearley, financial advisor at the Gaudreau Group; Dr. Henry Julio East-Trou, center, executive director of Gandara Mental Health Center, accepts a Super 60 award for revenue from Luke Kettles, left, senior vice president at Hampden Bank, and Juan Campbell, vice president of sales at Health New England; Danielle Lord, vice president of operations at O’Connell Professional Nurse Service, accepts the award for overall growth alongside Campbell and Gordon Quinn, principal at Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn; from left, Lynn Ostrowski, director of Brand & Corporate Relations at Health New England, Pat Scheer, director of Quality Operations at Health New England, Michael Scheer, flooring contractor and consultant at Dimauro Carpet & Tile, and Peter Straley, president and CEO of Health New England; guest speaker Greg Bialecki, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, addresses the gathering; keynote speaker Stanley Kowalski III, chairman of the board for FloDesign Inc. and founder of FloDesign Wind Turbine, speaks about the misses his ideas experienced before his current success and new ventures.

 









































Super Model

Mike Balise, right, vice president of Balise Motor Sales, poses with Timothy Cardillo, general manager of Balise Lexus, at an unveiling of the new ES350 model at the dealership late last month. The event drew several dozen customers and potential customers to the facility on Riverdale Street in West Springfield.











Groundbreaking Event

Balise Ford in Wilbraham staged an elaborate groundbreaking ceremony for a new dealership on Wilbraham Road late last month. The 27,000-square-foot facility, which will feature 16 service bays and a QuickLane service center, is expected to open next spring. Seen here with ceremonial shovels in front of several Ford officials, are, from left, Hal Dewsnap, Ford regional manager; Michael Balise, vice president of Balise Motor Sales; and Wilbraham selectmen Robert Russell and Robert Bollard.

 

A Grand Opening

Laplante Construction hosted a reception on Oct. 18 to celebrate the opening of its new offices at 94 Maple St., East Longmeadow. The new, fully leased commercial building was designed with a residential look, and is also occupied by Northstar Recycling, M. Scott Investments, and Robert M. Phelan. From top to bottom: Bill Laplante, president of Laplante Construction; Paul Tierney, senior vice president of United Bank; and Brad Campbell, executive director of the Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass.; Andy Crane, president of A. Crane Construction, with his wife, Tina. Ray Laplante, left, founder of Laplante Construction, with Bill Donovan, president of Donovan Oil Co.

Departments Incorporations

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

 

AGAWAM

 

East Coast Petroleum Compliances Inc., 50 Main St., Agawam, MA 01001. Jeffrey Hansen, same. Petroleum-compliance testing.

 

AMHERST

 

Gemini’s Pampered Greyhounds Inc., 145 Whitney St., Amherst, MA 01002. Lisa Packard, same. Nonprofit organization developed for the purpose of finding appropriate homes for greyhounds which fail to qualify for racing regardless of health, condition, or age.

 

CHICOPEE

 

Chicopee Outreach Services Inc., 636 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Debra Moncrieffe, same. Develop a preferential option for those affected by domestic violence. By providing a safe environment in emergency, abusive situations, our goal is to improve the lives of women and children who live with abuse.

 

Eco Friendly Air Systems Inc., 477 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Alberto Ortiz, same. Sales and installation of air-quality products and systems.

 

KLM Auto Repair Inc., 21 Lacine St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Maria Christy, same. Automotive reapair.

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

AHA Creative Solutions Inc., 6 Pomeroy St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Tracey Bryant, same. Consulting services.

 

GZ Bagel Inc., 27 Bayberry Dr., Easthampton, MA 01027. Brian Greenwood, 366 East Street, Easthampton, MA 01027. Brian Greenwood, 366 East St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Restaurant and bagel shop.

 

FEEDING HILLS

 

FL Referrals Inc., 778 Springfield, St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Michael Preston, 01030. Business consulting services.

 

FLORENCE

 

Left Hand Productions Inc., 491 Bridge Road, Unit 2311, Florence, MA 01062. Heather Sutliff Rogers Craig, same. The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c)(3) of the internal revenue code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

 

GREENFIELD

 

AE Sushi Inc., Aaron Liang, 70 Deerfield St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Aaron Liang, same. Making and packaging sushi to be sold in supermarkets.

 

FCTS Machine Technology Inc., 15 Greenfield St., Greenfield, MA 01301. Steven Capshaw, same. To purchase machinery, to support current and future training of students at the Franklin County Technical School in Turners Falls, Mass. regarding the use and operation of modern machinery.

 

Greenfield and Western Corporation, 19 Carol Lane, Greenfield, MA  01301. Thomas Carter, same. Realty rental.

 

LONGMEADOW

 

K. Francis Lee, M.D., P.C., 29 Longmeadow, MA 01106. K. Francis Lee, M.D.295 Pinewood Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Medical practice.

 

LUDLOW

 

Cleaning Crew, Corp., 17 Grimard St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Daniel Goodwin, same. Specialized cleaning.

 

Lavertue Electric Inc., 733 Chapin St., Suite 200C, Ludlow, MA 01056. Paul Lavertue, 37 Ferncroft St., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Electrical Service.

 

MONTGOMERY

 

Grogan & Speer Inc., 16 North Road, Montgomery, MA 01085.Nathan Speer, same. Information-technology consulting.

 

NORTH ADAMS

 

Barbara and Eric Rudd Art Foundation Inc., 189 Beaver St., North Adams, MA 01247. Eric Von Eggers Rudd, same. To promote, conserve, preserve and exhibit the sculptures and pieces of art of Rric Rudd for the benefit of the public; to exhibit his visual art, and to organize performances of his written and described works; to collect, conserve, preserve and exhibit, on a temporary or permanent basis, the original works of other artists as such works relate to the works of Eric Rudd and in the context of such relationships; to organize and sponsor educational activities related to his art including, but not limited to seminars, workshops and performances; to promote, support, foster and/or contribute to the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a museum for the public exhibition of Eric Rudd’s art.

 

 

NORTHAMPTON

Hampshire Foundation Inc., 99 Main St., Northampton, MA 01060. Todd Ford, 78 Fern St., Florence, MA 01062.

 

Friends of Sayulita Inc., 189 Beaver St., North Adams, MA 01247. Eric Von Eggers Rudd, same. Nonprofit organization.

 

PALMER

 

Exhibit Resources Inc., 35 Cedar Hill St., Palmer, MA 01069. Mario Biagetti, same. Provide full range of product and support services to the trade show and event industry, to include all planning and design aspects of event exhibits and displays. This corporation may engage in or transact any and all lawful activities or business permitted under the laws of United States of America, the state of Massachusetts, or any other state, county, territory, or nation.

 

Cabot Pub II Inc., 387 Riverdale St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Richard Harty, same. Restaurant and pub.

 

SOUTH HADLEY

 

Leprechaun Plunge Inc., 246 Ferry St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Lucien Brunelle Jr. same.

 

SOUTHBRIDGE

 

Dance to Live Foundation Inc., Arianys De Jesus, 58 Crestwood Dr., Southbridge, MA 01550. Arianys De Jesus, same. A foundation for teens that suffer from depression or any mental health issue. To create a community where young teens are mentored to live healthy and meaningful lives, free from the bonds of depression. Mission: to battle depression through the art of dance and music by providing teens with the space and opportunity to better their physical fitness as well as mental and spiritual health.

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

A.M.R Inc.,  31 Daviston St., Springfield, MA 01108. Philps Roberge, same. Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning.

 

Ambassadors Professional Painters Inc., 38 Berkshire Ave., Springfield, MA 01109. Desmond Cavaan, 11 Balboa Dr., Springfield, MA 01109. Professional painters.

 

Artistic Remodeling Inc., 138 Santa Barbara St., Springfield, MA 01104. Barbaro Veloz, same. Remodeling services.

 

Bright Dental Care, PC 1795 Main St., #203, Springfield, MA 01103. Ranganayaki Chirummailla, 75 Hockanum Blvd., #1536, Vernon CT, 06066. Dental Practice.

 

Family Life Humanitarian Organization Inc., 335 Rosewell St., Springfield, MA. Randolph Lester, same. Provide free meals and clothing to homeless citizens within the Commonwealth.

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Aroma Inc., 935 Riverdale St., Unit 11, West Springfield, MA 01089. Chang Qiao Jiang, same. Restaurant.

Opinion
Valley Gives: A Celebration of Generosity

The Pioneer Valley has a long tradition of philanthropy — a culture of giving that has benefited youth- and family-serving organizations, educational initiatives, colleges and universities, healthcare institutions, and many other community-serving organizations in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties.

This generosity has had a meaningful impact on life in the Valley, even if this can be difficult to quantify. For much of the previous century, this generosity in our region sometimes was quiet, because those with means directed their contributions to one particular organization or even anonymously to the causes for which they had a passion.

In time, there came a desire to gather the philanthropic instinct of the Valley into an organized movement. Thus, in 1991, a group of local visionaries — led by our friend, the late Dick Stebbins, and others — helped to form and launch the Community Foundation of Western Mass.

In just over 20 years, the Community Foundation has grown into a respected institution, responsible for $121 million in assets for which it has grant-making responsibility. In just the last year alone, the foundation rendered $7.8 million in grants, $2 million of which went to scholarships and educational loans. And philanthropy continues to be on the rise in the Valley, as new gifts to the foundation for the most recent fiscal year totaled $8.4 million.

These are impressive numbers for sure. But there are many nonprofits in the Valley that need help, and, currently, there are not sufficient resources to support all of them adequately. We also know there are so many more in the Valley who are generous, who want to help the causes, organizations, and initiatives that make living in here so special.

At the same time, there is ample and growing evidence that philanthropy from the grassroots is well on its way to dwarfing traditional philanthropy. In 2001, just 4% of Internet users made an online donation. By last year, 65% of Internet users, a huge number, made an online donation. Over the past five years, fund-raising through social media alone has doubled to almost $1 billion.

Early last year, as longtime supporters of the Community Foundation, we approached the organization’s leadership to discuss how to get more individuals, from every corner of the Valley, involved in growing this culture of giving in the region.

After much discussion, research, and outreach to find successful models for inspiring new donors, we discovered community ‘giving day’ campaigns throughout the U.S. that in a single 24-hour period have raised millions for nonprofits. This tapping in to community-wide generosity served as the inspiration for the launch of Valley Gives.

The impact of community-giving days has been swift and impressive. In Minnesota, Nevada, Michigan, and New Haven, Conn., millions of charitable dollars have been raised from tens of thousands of donors in just one day. These results confirm that Americans welcome online giving. We think we can have the same success here.

In short, Valley Gives is a one-of-a-kind celebration of generosity in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. On Dec. 12 — 12/12/12 — residents of the three counties will join together for 24 hours of special events and online campaigns with the goal of getting thousands of Valley residents to make gifts to their favorite charities and nonprofits.

Anyone with a computer or mobile device, which is just about everyone, can participate. Starting at 12:01 a.m., residents of the Valley can visit the website, find the cause they care most about — or several at the same time — and make their contribution online. On the 12th, there will also be mobile giving stations located at areas of high foot traffic, such as malls.

The choices in spreading generosity and making a difference will be many — more than 250 nonprofits and the critical work they do will be represented on the Valley Gives website.

The initiative has an ambitious goal of raising $1 million in a single day from thousands of donors, large and small, via the Internet, much of it driven through social media, to help our nonprofits sustain and expand the important work they do.

We hope you will join us in supporting the causes and initiatives you care about by giving in this new way. Valley Gives is likely to engage more individuals supporting more causes in our region than ever before. Visit the website valleygivesday.org and be a part of starting something new, something big, in the Pioneer Valley.

Al Griggs and Paul Doherty are business leaders, supporters of the Community Foundation, and catalysts for the
Valley Gives initiative.

Health Care Sections
SPHS Breaks Ground for a New Medical Office Facility

Dan Moen

A new, three-story, 75,000-square-foot medical office building is one more phase in what Dan Moen believes will be continued growth for Mercy Medical Center.

Dan Moen, president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS), is rather proud of the new silver ceremonial shovel in his office.

He told BusinessWest that it’s more than a souvenir from an elaborate groundbreaking ceremony staged late last month for a medical outpatient office building at the corner of Carew and Chestnut streets. It’s also a symbol of an intriguing partnership — and a fairly new and different business model.

Indeed, in a departure from past practice, SPHS will not own the three-story, 75,000-square-foot facility to be built on the Mercy Medical Center campus that will become the new home to the Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital’s outpatient rehabilitation programs, the Mercy Hearing Center, and two Mercy-affiliated physician practices. (Hampden County Physician Associates will also occupy half of the office space in the new facility through consolidation of several existing medical-practice sites in the area.)

Instead, it will lease the space from developer Carew Chestnut Partners, a firm with medical-commercial real-estate development and management. Under the terms of a construction and land-lease agreement, Carew Chestnut Partners will develop and own the new building, while the SPHS will maintain ownership of the land, which it will lease to Carew Chestnut Partners.

“In this case, we get revenue from leasing the land to the partnership, so that’s a plus for us, and we’re not using our own capital for a facility that we really need,” Moen explained. “For lack of a better term, it’s what we call a ‘non-core’ asset, meaning we don’t have to own it because there are developers out there that do a very good job at medical development, so it’s a win for everybody.

“I’m a big believer in the concept that we don’t have to own everything,” Moen continued, adding that the lease-back model is becoming popular among healthcare systems nationwide because it allows the hospital or system to do what it does best — while also freeing up resources for other medical programs — and developers to do what they do best.

“Many hospitals and healthcare systems across the country are doing this type of partnership these days because access to capital for hospitals can be scarce, and we want to make sure we are saving our debt capacity for those projects that only the hospital can do,” Moen explained.  “So if we want to expand a particular service that is hospital-based, an in-patient service or a cancer program, we want to make sure we have the ability to borrow money to do that.”

Andrew Henshon, managing partner of Carew Chestnut Partners, said his company has extensive experience not only in the construction and development of medical office space, but also in the management of such properties.

“We’re very pleased to participate in this new venture with Mercy Medical Center and Hampden County Physician Associates,” he said. “The new, environmentally friendly medical office building promises to be one of the region’s leading destinations for outpatient medical care and services.”

Plans for the facility were taking shape when Moen took the helm at SPHS in early 2011, but over the past 12 months, the project has come off the drawing board, and with a design that places a heavy emphasis on mopdern, ‘green’ building features and techniques.

“Whatever type of construction we want to do these days, we have to pay attention to the environment,” Mosen explained. “It’s the right thing to do, and it will cost us less money over the long run.”

Henshon told BusinessWest that green aspects of the development include solar panels, green roofs, water-efficient fixtures, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and recycled and environmentally friendly materials, including limited use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The Mercy Hearing Center building, built in 1927, as well as an on-site maintenance building, will be torn down to make way for the new development, which Moen said is expected to be complete by December 2013.

The design, not to mention the operating model, are a reflection of the health system’s broad mission, said Moen.

“Mercy Medical Center is committed to the delivery of outstanding patient care and the best healthcare experience possible,” he explained. “This innovative partnership will allow us to further that goal so we can offer patients quality care in a spacious, bright, state-of-the-art setting that also features easily accessible parking.”

As the construction commences, Moen added that plans past the new building are being discussed.

“We just engaged a firm, MorrisSwitzer, to help us with a facility master plan for the campus,” he said. “This is a very experienced healthcare consultant firm, and it will help us look at what the campus will look like five or 10 years down the road.”

The master-plan discussions, being undertaken with all departments at SPHS, should take about six months to complete, he said.

For now, though, the focus is on the project just launched, which, like the shovel in Moen’s office, is symbolic of new partnerships and imaginative ways to meet the system’s mission and improve service to the region.

 

— Elizabeth Taras

Insurance Sections
Voluntary Benefits Are Becoming More Popular with Employees

Patti D’Amaddio

Patti D’Amaddio says employees, especially those in Gen X and Gen Y, embrace voluntary benefits, even though they pay much of the costs.

By definition, an employee benefit is a perk largely paid for by the employer.

Right?

Actually, that’s not always the case these days, as a concept called ‘voluntary benefits’ is becoming increasingly prominent in workplaces across America. These are benefits made accessible to employees but are paid for mostly or fully out of their own pockets.

And workers, for the most part, are responding positively.

“The voluntary benefit is really an increasing trend, no question,” said Patti D’Amaddio, human resource generalist at the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast, “because it allows the employer to add value to their benefit plan without adding a lot of cost. Instead of not offering things they feel they can’t afford, they’re offering voluntary benefits and letting people tailor them to match their personal needs, whether it’s long-term care or a number of other things.”

A survey conducted by EANE registered growing use of voluntary benefits, or VBs. Of the member companies that responded, 62% of them offer VBs of some kind. Of this group, 93% offer supplemental life insurance, 70% offer dependent life insurance, 20% offer auto insurance, 18% include long-term-care insurance, and 10% provide legal services. Four percent even offer pet insurance.

“That’s valued especially by Baby Boomers, whose kids have grown up; they’re spending a lot of money on their pets,” D’Amaddio said. “Again, anything can be tailored to the employees’ needs. Even if it costs the employee, it’s seen as a benefit being offered by the employer to the employee.”

Jim Mooradian and Bryan Lambert, founder and broker, respectively, with Jim Mooradian and Associates, a Boston-based insurance-brokerage firm, recently wrote on the topic of voluntary benefits for the Northeast Human Resources Assoc.

They note that, in today’s changing financial landscape, companies are looking for creative ways to expand their benefits packages while tightening their belts in other ways. In many cases, businesses are looking to control costs in their medical plans and other employer-funded benefits, from gym memberships to eye care.

Scott Llewellyn, western regional sales vice president at the Ameritas Group, recently told California Broker magazine that the idea of spending a few dollars per paycheck for that peace of mind is appealing to many employees — especially at a time when employers are paring back the health and dental benefits they traditionally pay for.

“Offsetting some of the lack in demand created by the down economy is a host of very new and creative voluntary benefits,” he notes. “Brokers are using these benefits to help increase their income, given the new realities of lower commissions from medical carriers.”

As Mooradian and Lambert point out, “companies increasingly see voluntary benefits as an effective tool for boosting employee commitment at little to no cost. Since voluntary benefits are employee-paid, corporate expenses are minimal, yet VBs deliver an immediate, tangible benefit to employees. Once the benefit is set up, there are virtually no ongoing demands on HR staff resources, since claims are administered directly by the carrier.”

It’s a win-win, but only if employees feel voluntary benefits are worth the expense. Increasingly, they do.

 

Youth Appeal

D’Amaddio cited a MetLife study that suggested that younger workers — both Gen X and Gen Y — are driving the new interest in voluntary benefits.

According to the survey, one half of such workers in smaller businesses (those with fewer than 500 employees) said current economic conditions make them look more toward employee benefits to achieve financial security — even if they have to fund 100% of the cost themselves.

Timm Marini

Timm Marini says chronic disease coverage, such as cancer insurance, is one of the hottest trends in voluntary benefits.

Businesses, in turn, are seeing voluntary benefits as a recruiting and retention tool. Four out of five employers of smaller businesses surveyed in MetLife’s 10th annual Study of Employment Benefit Trends ‘strongly agree’ that retaining quality workers is an extremely important objective of employee benefits. Meanwhile, the survey found that 72% younger workers who are very satisfied with their benefits feel a strong sense of loyalty to their employers, compared with 46% of younger workers overall.

“It’s hard to overestimate the importance of responding to the needs of younger workers on whose shoulders the future of a small business can depend,” said Anthony Nugent, executive vice president of Group, Voluntary, and Worksite Sales at MetLife. “Our study underscores that the generational differences about benefit needs and preferences are not just reflections of age. Younger workers, particularly those in many smaller organizations that were hit very hard by the recession, and who are unsure about the future of Social Security, have a different benefits perspective than older generations.”

The survey was reported by World at Work, a national employer-resources firm, which also noted that Gen X and Gen Y members, who collectively comprise 56% of the workforce, recognize that a broad range of benefits carries a cost, and they are more willing than their predecessors to bear some of those costs, despite the financial stresses many of them are feeling in the current economy.

“Two-thirds of Gen X and Gen Y would rather pay more than lose those benefits,” D’Amaddio said, again citing the MetLife survey. In fact, 54% of younger workers would be interested in having a wider array of benefits options even if means paying the full cost of certain voluntary benefits, such as life, dental, vision, disability, critical illness, or homeowner/auto insurance.

Such workers are essentially making a cost-benefit calculation between the cost of premiums for some coverages — which can be as little as $3 or $4 per week — and the the benefit, which is often a predetermined lump sum, with few strings attached, paid when a covered event occurs, such as an accident or a debilitating illness such as cancer, stroke, or heart attack, Mooradian and Lambert note.

Voluntary benefits, they write, “offer simple, affordable solutions to very real problems. An average accident policy, for example, costs an employee about $3.75 a week — about the same as a cup of coffee and a doughnut.”

And the terms, they note, are straightforward. “If an employee’s child falls off the swingset and breaks her wrist, the policy could pay $400 to be used for any purpose. If an employee slips and dislocates a shoulder, the policy could pay $500. Unlike core health and disability benefits, the money from this accident policy can be used to pay anything from uncovered medical costs to household expenses such as a utility bill. For rank-and-file employees, getting cash in hand during a difficult time is crucial to their financial well-being.”

Voluntary benefits can bring peace of mind during more serious medical situations as well, said Timm Marini, president of FieldEddy Insurance.

“We do a lot of voluntary benefits,” he said. “Historically, it’s been dental and disability, but all of a sudden, more and more, it’s critical illness and cancer coverage, things of that nature. That’s the hottest trend right now.”

That development may be in response to a couple of colliding trends — the fact that Americans are living longer than ever, often with chronic conditions, and the ever-soaring costs of health care, particularly for older and sicker patients.

“I think a lot of this is congruent with the life tables going up — more and more people are living longer, the medicines are better, and they’re living longer even with cancer and things of that nature,” Marini said. “Diseases are certainly as preventable as they’ve ever been, and the success rate is higher in treating cancer and putting it into remission.”

 

When Trouble Strikes

Studies increasingly show that families appreciate the way VBs allow them some spending flexibility during a rough patch. According to MetLife’s annual survey, having enough money to cover bills during sudden illness is the number-one concern of 63% of full-time employees and 75% of young families with children.

“One of the biggest issues facing America’s working families during a health crisis isn’t the cost of care itself,” Mooradian and Lambert point out. “It’s the loss of cash flow that results from being out of work, coupled with uncovered expenses associated with aftercare and treatment. If a family is living paycheck to paycheck, having the primary breadwinner miss a week of work has a significant impact on their financial stability.”

D’Amaddio also noted that voluntary benefits are convenient, in that they’re paid with a payroll deduction, and they are typically transferrable, so workers can take these benefits with them when they change jobs. “They’re not tied directly to the employer — and with the transient nature of employment right now, people aren’t staying 40 years with the same company, and they can take these benefits with them wherever they go.”

In addition, according to MetLife’s annual survey, 55% of employees feel that payroll deductions for voluntary benefits help them to be more disciplined about saving. This discipline — coupled with the financial safety net the benefits provide — can also translate into increased enrollment in company-sponsored 401(k) plans. At the very least, the report suggests, accident and critical-illness insurance might help curb a trend toward increasing credit-card debt incurred by participants in high-deductible health plans.

And companies are beginning to see quality VBs as retention tools. The MetLife survey suggests that employees who feel good about their company’s benefit package are much more likely to enjoy their jobs and to feel loyal to their employers.

“In small to mid-sized companies, when Joe or Jill has a heart attack, everyone knows about it,” Mooradian and Lambert write. “A $10,000 critical-illness payout within weeks of a diagnosis becomes good news that travels fast. Maybe that’s why critical-illness coverage is experiencing double-digit growth.”

But D’Amaddio cautioned employers about who they partner with to administer such benefits.

“We’ve heard some horror stories,” she told BusinessWest. “You want to make sure your partner is all about service for your employees, because an employee might say, ‘this is a great benefit, even if I have to pay for it’ — until they can’t get a claim processed, or they can’t get hold of a representative, or the service is inadequate. Then it becomes a detriment.”

In most cases, however, voluntary benefits are proving to be a key safety net for employees, one they’re more than happy to pay for.

 

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Departments People on the Move

Dietz & Co. Architects Inc. announced the following:

• Michael Burgess has joined the firm as Job Captain. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s College of Architecture and Urban Studies;

• Richard Dobrowski has joined the firm as an Architectural Associate. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Art and Architectural History and a master’s degree in Architecture from UMass Amherst. He studied abroad at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark through an exchange program with UMass; and

• Jason Newman, an Architectural Associate, recently earned a master of Architecture degree at UMass Amherst. He has been with the firm since May 2011.

•••••

Keith Minoff

Keith Minoff

Keith Minoff, principal with of the Law Offices of Keith A. Minoff, P.C., was recently listed in Massachusetts Super Lawyers 2012 as being among the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the state. Minoff specializes in business and employment litigation, and has an office in downtown Springfield. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased, and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.



•••••



Kathy Petris

Kathy Petris

Kathy Petris has been named Executive Assistant to Glenn Welch, president and COO of Hampden Bank. Petris will be responsible for senior-level administrative support, report and document preparation, and workflow management. Petris, formerly with Sovereign Bank, brings more than 20 years of banking experience, having served as the commercial loan administration supervisor and senior relationship administrator, in addition to previous positions at BankBoston and BayBank.



•••••



Jeffrey Roberts

Jeffrey Roberts

Patricia Rapinchuk

Patricia Rapinchuk

Nancy Frankel Pelletier

Nancy Frankel Pelletier

James Martin

James Martin

Richard Gaberman

Richard Gaberman

Jeffrey McCormick

Jeffrey McCormick

David Lawless

David Lawless

Michael Simolo

Michael Simolo

Jeffrey Trapani

Jeffrey Trapani

The Springfield-based law firm Robinson Donovan announced that several of the firm’s attorneys were recently named Super Lawyers, and three attorneys were named Rising Stars, by Super Lawyers magazine, a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Rising Stars recognizes top up-and-coming attorneys, those who are under 40, or those who have been practicing for 10 years or fewer. Those recognized as Super Lawyers are Jeffrey Roberts, Patricia Rapinchuk, Nancy Frankel Pelletier, James Martin, Richard Gaberman, and Jeffrey McCormick.  The up-and-coming Rising Stars include David Lawless, Michael Simolo, and Jeffrey Trapani.

•••••

Bill Lucardi

Bill Lucardi

The West Springfield-based, full-service advertising agency Marketing Doctor recently announced the addition of Bill Lucardi as Agency Director. Lucardi has more than 30 years of sales experience and more than 10 years in advertising in the Hartford and Springfield markets. He will cultivate new advertising and marketing ideas for clients, as well as introduce new businesses to the vast array of services the firm has to offer.

•••••

TD Bank recently announced the following:

• Molly McLaren, Assistant Vice President, has been named Store Manager of the 693 Memorial Dr. location in Chicopee. McLaren, who has five years of retail banking experience, is responsible for new-business development, consumer and business lending, managing personnel, and overseeing the day-to-day operations; and

Steven Gardner

Steven Gardner

• Steven Gardner has been named Store Manager of the 465 North Main St. location in East Longmeadow. He is responsible for new-business development, consumer and business lending, managing personnel, and overseeing the day-to-day operations at that location. Garner has more than 10 years experience in banking and residential home lending and joined TD Bank in 2011. He previously served as an assistant store manager in Great Barrington and East Longmeadow.

Company Notebook Departments

AIC Awarded $2.4 Million Grant

SPRINGFIELD — American International College has received $2.4 million over the next four years through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program. The award, announced by U.S. Rep. Richard Neal late last month, will enable at least 40 disadvantaged nursing students attending AIC to receive up to $15,000 a year each to defray the cost of their education. The grant is the largest awarded from the federal program to a Massachusetts college, and is the largest federal grant ever received by AIC. There are nearly 400 students in AIC’s bachelor’s-degree Nursing program, one of the largest such programs in the region.

 

Monson Savings Bank

Supports Book Program

MONSON — Monson Savings Bank has become the newest corporate sponsor to adopt a school as part of the Link to Libraries Business Book Link Program. The Quarry Hill Elementary School in Monson will receive new books annually as part of the Link to Libraries ‘adopt-a-school’ program each year for a three-year period. In addition, bank employees will be engaging with students at the school on a regular basis. According to Susan Jaye-Kaplan, Link to Libraries co-founder, “the participation of Monson Savings Bank employees and officers of the bank will greatly enhance the school’s mentoring, tutoring, and library. We are honored that this bank has stepped up and joined our efforts to supply new books to area school libraries and to get professionals developing meaningful relationships with the students and staff.” For more information on the Link to Libraries Business Book Link Program, call (413) 224-1031 or visit www.linktolibraries.org.

Agenda Departments

Employment Law and Human Resources Update

Nov. 8: The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast will stage its annual Employment Law and Human Services Practices Update at the Holyoke Hotel and Conference Center (formerly the Holiday Inn). The conference, sponsored by Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, will address the challenging state and federal legal and regulatory environment for employers, and present practical solutions and information to guide employers in their day-to-day employment decisions. The conference is designed for all levels of management — executives, corporate counsel, human-resource professionals, managers, and supervisors — who need practical and timely information to help negotiate ever-evolving employment issues. Conference presenters will include Joel Berner, chief of Enforcement for the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination; Charles Krich, principal attorney for the Connecticut Human Rights Organization; attorney Elaine Reall; and attorneys from Skoler Abbott & Presser, P.C., and EANE. For more information, contact Karen Cronenberger at (877) 662-6444.

 

40 Under Forty Reunion

Nov. 8: BusinessWest will stage a reunion featuring the first six classes of its 40 Under Forty program at the Log Cabin Banquet & meeting House inn Holyoke. The event, open only to 40 Under Forty winners, event judges, and sponsors, will begin at 5:30 and feature a talk from Peter Straley, president of Health New England, about leadership and community involvement. For more information on the event, call (413) 781-8600 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Innovators and Inventors

Nov. 12: In a historical lecture titled “Innovators and Inventors: Mary Woolley and the City Beautiful,” Sara Jonsberg will visit the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke at 6 p.m. to discuss the mutually supportive relationship in the early 20th century between the city of Holyoke and Woolley, who was president of Mount Holyoke College from 1901 to 1937. The event is sponsored by the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. The suggested donation is $5.

 

Starting a Business

Nov. 12: The Scibelli Enterprise Center is hosting an event for individuals who are interested in starting a business. “SEC Emerging/Growth Seminar Series: Making the Most of Licenses and Commercial Contracts” will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, One Federal Street, Bldg. 101, Springfield. This seminar will help business owners learn how to enter into license agreements and contracts to make them work for the business. Admission and parking are free. For more information, contact Bev Kelleher at (413) 755-6112 or [email protected].

Accounting and Tax Planning Sections
And with It Come Questions and Uncertainty for Taxpayers

Nicholas LaPier, CPA

Nicholas LaPier, CPA

On Jan. 1, the country may find itself falling back into recession, personal income taxes will go up, federal government spending will be cut, and unemployment most surely will rise. The good news, however, is that the federal deficit will undoubtedly be somewhat reduced.

This fiscal cliff, as it’s called, refers to a frenzy of fiscal changes that, collectively, have a far-ranging impact on all taxpayers and the economy. These changes in law are a result of a dizzying variety of tax laws enacted, altered, modified, or extended during the past 10 to 12 years. Congress’s failure to agree on its own budget cuts last summer forced the automatic spending sequestration of approximately $1.2 trillion in non-discriminatory spending cuts, across all line items, to be made over the next decade.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan arm of the U.S. Congress, estimates that the federal government could collect more than $200 billion more in personal income taxes in 2013 as a result of the changes in the personal income-tax laws. In addition, the CBO estimates that the expiration of the currently popular payroll tax cut of 2% on Social Security taxes will generate another $90 billion in revenue.

Obviously these gains are desperately needed to help balance the books of the U.S. government. However, they, in conjunction with the automatic spending sequestration, which is estimated to save the government $109 billion in 2013, will still fall well short of balancing the budget.

Other fiscal changes include the return of the 55% estate-tax rate. This item is actually a popular topic of discussion among most legislators, and has better curb appeal in getting reversed. However, the discontinuance of federally extended unemployment benefits is a hot potato, and their expiration could have a more serious impact on the U.S. economy, which relies heavily on consumer spending.

Other than a possible recession, the biggest impact of the fiscal cliff would be felt by individual taxpayers as the infamous Bush tax cuts are all reverted back to levels not seen since 2000. Gone would be the 10% income-tax rate and the imposition of a maximum 39.6% personal income-tax bracket. Also set to expire is the maximum 15% tax rate on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends.

In 2013, long-term capital-gains tax could be as high as 20%, and qualified dividends would be taxed at an individual’s ordinary tax rate, which could be as high as 39.6%. Both of these items, otherwise known as unearned income, would also be subject to an additional 3.8% surtax for taxpayers with adjusted gross income over certain levels.

The alternative minimum tax (AMT) will come into play for another 30 million taxpayers. The AMT is an archaic part of the tax code, first enacted in 1969 to increase the effective tax paid by taxpayers who, for a variety of reasons, were not paying any personal income taxes. The AMT basically increases the effective tax you pay by disallowing certain deductions that are allowed under the regular tax code.

Ironically, ever since the Bush tax cuts, more people became subject to the AMT because the built-in minimum tax rates of 24-26% had essentially wiped out the 10% and 15% tax brackets for higher earners. The CBO estimates that, even with the increase in the regular tax rates, the reduction in AMT income thresholds will still increase overall personal tax revenues. Taxpayers who reside in states where they pay higher real-estate taxes and a state income tax tend to be the victims of the AMT.

For residents in Massachusetts or Connecticut, it is very probable that an average married couple whose combined income is more than $100,000 will have the AMT.

Another area of concern is on the new 3.8% Medicare tax surtax that will be payable on unearned income, mostly by taxpayers in higher tax brackets (for example: a married couple with combined income of more than $250,000). This new tax could cause many people to shift their taxable investments, which may have an impact on financial markets.

With the expiration of the 2% Social Security tax cut, which was first enacted in 2011 and extended into 2012, an employee or self-employed individual should expect to pay up to an additional $2,202 more in Social Security tax in 2013.

So what does all this really mean? The fiscal cliff is getting nearer as Dec. 31 approaches, and without congressional action, the economy could very well give back the gains it recently made after the last recession from December 2007 to June 2009. Many experts suggest that, even though the country is not in a recession, the Jan. 1 fiscal changes will have a negative effect on the economy.

Government spending cuts will increase unemployment, higher income taxes will decrease consumer spending, and small-business owners may cut or curtail hiring. Meanwhile, investors may start shifting their portfolios to avoid the higher taxes on unearned income like capital gains and dividends. Basic uncertainty over fiscal policy and taxation is enough to make citizens pause and maintain the status quo; that alone will stymie an already semi-stagnant economy.

As a professional tax practitioner, I have learned to plan based on the tax code currently in effect. That code is complex and ever-changing. Changes in tax rates are a large part of careful tax planning, so making rash decisions or no decisions at all could increase your total tax burden.

We last saw major tax law changes at the end of 2010, but 11th-hour politics prevailed, and some tax relief was had as we headed into 2011. All taxpayers should stay abreast of the tax law changes, now and in the future, through self-awareness and professional support. Cautious optimism is my rule of thumb; the tax code is always in flux, and only over the long haul will proper tax planning really be effective, cliff or no cliff.

 

Nicholas LaPier, CPA, is the principal at Nicholas LaPier CPA P.C. in West Springfield; (413) 732-0200; www.lapiercpa.com

Bankruptcies Departments

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

 

Ala, Lisa

99 Hillcredst Circle

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Baillargeon, Timothy R.

Baillargeon, Michelle M.

23 Deleware Ave.

Springfield, MA 01119

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Barszewski, Daniel J.

89 Maple St.

Easthampton, MA 01027

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Basch, David R.

12 Walker Road

Wales, MA 01081

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Bassi, Patrick J.

24 Taylor St.

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Bates-Basch, Kimberly A.

12 Walker Road

Wales, MA 01081

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Benoit, Tanya L.

86 Ruskin St.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Berry, Laurie A.

24 Maple Terrace

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Blackburn, Delbert R.

Blackburn, Nancy E.

2 Honeysuckle Lane

Brimfield, MA 01010

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Blair, Kimberly M.

142 Main St., #3

Lenox, MA 01240

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/26/12

 

Brogle, Rebecca A.

67 Alden St.

Ludlow, MA 01056

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Brownson, Roger C.

2 Magnolia St.

Great Barrington, MA 01230

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Bushay, Louis R.M.

87 Congress St.

Orange, MA 01364

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/28/12

 

Campoverde, Carlos E.

130 Jenks Road

Cheshire, MA 01225

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Ceccarini, Krystal Marie

232 Sumner Ave.

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Chekovsky, John R.

Chekovsky, Luz M.

31 Grove St.

Southwick, MA 01077

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Chubka, Erin M.

a/k/a Finn, Erin M.

23 Belvidere St.

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Conant, John Wright

17 Settright Road

South Deerfield, MA 01373

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Conrad, Richard A.

5 Wildwood Lane, Unit E

P.O. Box 811

Goshen, MA 01032

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/18/12

 

Cotto, Juan C.

57 Miller St.

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/26/12

 

Cruz, Jorge L.

1098 Chicopee St.

Chicopee, MA 01013

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/26/12

 

Doherty, Erin L.

66 Nathaniel St.

Springfield, MA 01109

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Dowd, Eleanor R.

200 Lambert Terrace #17

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Dowling, Roy H.

75A Cadwell Road

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Faniel, Timothy M.

173 Nassau Dr.

Springfield, MA 01129

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Forbes, Sarah Channing

a/k/a Bledsoe, Sarah Forbes

P.O. Box 848

Charlemont, MA 01339

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Gabaree, Ronald A.

Gabaree, Gina M.

343 Water St.

Indian Orchard, MA 01151

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Galas, Jeremy M.

217 Nonotuck Ave.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/23/12

 

Gonzalez, Sonia I.

47 Laurie Ave.

South Hadley, MA 01075

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/28/12

 

Gray, Stephen P.

86 Bowdoin St.

Springfield, MA 01109

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/26/12

 

Green, Latara

91 Pilgrim Road

Springfield, MA 01118

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Haffty, Kimberley J.

491 Franklin St.

Agawam, MA 01001

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Hart, Kim Marie

11 Cypress Road

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Henriquez, Ellen S.

74 Memorial Dr.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Hooper, Donna M.

a/k/a Henry, Donna

Paul Revere Dr., Apt. 63B

Feeding Hills, MA 01030

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Howard, Stephanie C.

41 Washington St.

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Howell, Elizabeth A.

42 Stephanie Circle

Springfield, MA 01129

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Hubbard, Kelli L

81 Roosevelt Ave.

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Iennaco, Frank A.

a/k/a Iennaco, Francesco A.

130 Orchard Road

East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Jacques, Karen J.

133 Main St.

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Kamienski, Ann M.

917 North St.

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/28/12

 

Keefe, Colin

P.O. Box 83

Worthington, MA 01098

Chapter: 11

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Kirkitelos, Jeffrey P.

81 Roosevelt Ave.

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Krzanik, Fred A.

3 Myrtle St., Apt. A-6

Adams, MA 01220

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Lavigne, Lee

a/k/a Bustamante, Lee

68 Calvin Circle

West Springfield, MA 01089

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Lavigne, William F.

68 Calvin Circle

West Springfield, MA 01089

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Layman, Sean James

Wingblade, Georgia Michele

a/k/a Graves, Georgia M.

627 Berkshire Trail

Cummington, MA 01026

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

LeBlanc, Crystal E.

385 Worthington St., Unit 2E

Springfield, MA 01103

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/26/12

 

Long, Marie L.

Miles Morgan Court 11D

Wilbraham, MA 01095

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Magrone, Holly Elizabeth

132 Plain St.

Easthampton, MA 01027

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Martin, Dan F.

179 West Park St.

Lee, MA 01238

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/18/12

 

McElaney, Linda A.

540 Coles Meadow Road

Northampton, MA 01060

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

McNally, Sara Elizabeth

96 North St., Apt. 2

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Militello, Michael A.

Devio-Militello, Sunny L.

a/k/a Devio, Sunny L.

30 Prospect St.

North Adams, MA 01247

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Nestor, Thomas W.

740 Granby Road

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

O’Malley, William B.

O’Malley, Deborah A.

54 Corey Road

Springfield, MA 01128

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/18/12

 

Osborn, Muriel R.

238 Cottage St.

Athol, MA 01331

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/28/12

 

Partridge, Carol A.

34 Lamplighter Lane

Springfield, MA 01119

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Paul, Raymond L.

Paul, Chantal L.

4 Tokeneke Road

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Pelott, Suzanne Marie

520 B Pleasant St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Perez, Herminio

28 Freeman Terrace

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Poirier, Colleen

56 Tokeneke Road

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Pouliot, Jennifer L.

37 Rivest Ct.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Prawlucki, Francis J.

57 Brigham Road

South Hadley, MA 01075

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/23/12

 

Proulx, Julianne L.

48 Donbray Road

Springfield, MA 01119

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Richardson, Margaret A.

55 Flaherty Road

Cheshire, MA 01225

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Rivera, Debra Anne

72 Kings Highway Road

W. Springfield, MA 01089

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Robinson, Heidi J.

a/k/a Mantler, Heidi

415 Soule Road

Wilbraham, MA 01095-2432

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Sayre, Francis R.

Sayre, Cynthia C.

57 Dickinson Dr.

Granville, MA 01034

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Seixas, Carlos

370 Nottingham St.

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Shields, Kathleen Ann

192 Berkshire Ave.

Southwick, MA 01077

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/18/12

 

Silvano, Richard E.

3 Redmond Lane

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Smith, Bonnie J.

a/k/a Cantoni, Bonnie J.

1 Marietta St.

North Adams, MA 01247

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/21/12

 

Smith, Dora M.

a/k/a Reyes, Dora M.

675 Allen St.

Springfield, MA 01118

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Sperry, Norman A.

430 Pleasant St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

St. Francis, Sean Michael

St. Francis, Cherie Renee

291 Sarty Road

Warren, MA 01083

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Stebbins, Roxanne L.

41 Grove St.

Wilbraham, MA 01095

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/23/12

 

Strong, Michelle E.

293 Tremont St.

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/24/12

 

Stuart, Maria I.

30 Lionel Benoit Road

Springfield, MA 01109

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/25/12

 

Suprunchuk, Pavel

Suprunchuk, Inna

109 Park River Dr.

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Thivierge, Gerald R.

165 Farnsworth St.

Chicopee, MA 01013

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Thornton, Douglas W.

60 Berkshire Dr.

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/20/12

 

Tighe, Roberta Anne

377 Chicopee St.

Chicopee, MA 01013

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Tourville, William

Burke, Angela

33 Ames Ave.

West Springfield, MA 01089

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/19/12

 

Trueman, Robert F.

Trueman, Janice M.

11 Wallace Road

Sturbridge, MA 01566

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Vega, Brenda E.

19 Linden St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/27/12

 

Vyce, Christopher R.

350 West St., Lot 36

Ludlow, MA 01056

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Williams, Randal J.

P.O. Box 1706

Lenox, MA 01240

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/17/12

 

Zuckerman, Amy Irene

4 Eaton Ct.

Amherst, MA 01002-2828

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/27/12

Health Care Sections
Local Author Provides Insight into Asperger’s and Autism Spectrum Disorder

John Robison

In different ways, John Robison’s three books, challenge people’s assumptions about living with Asperger’s.

When John Elder Robison was a child, he thought he was “defective.”

Other children didn’t like him, and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t master social skills or figure out how to respond when people talked to him.

Robison failed continuously in school, wouldn’t make eye contact with anyone, and blurted out inappropriate responses to conversation, such as the time he cracked a grin when his mother was told about a child who had been killed. His parents were concerned and took him to several mental-health professionals who labeled him as “lazy, angry, or a social deviant,” and said he might have to be institutionalized if his behavior continued.

But Robison wasn’t malicious. He was simply different due to Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder characterized by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and significant difficulty with social interaction.

At the time, not much was known about the condition, so Robison suffered continuous shame and ostracism. “For my first 40 years, I was unaware that I had Asperger’s. I knew I was different, but I didn’t know why, and that lack of knowledge suffused me with a feeling of inferiority that permeated and poisoned my life,” he said. “Those feelings handicapped and hampered me in countless ways.”

Robison dropped out of high school and left home at age 16. At that point, a combination of luck and his savant-like “differences,” which were indeed rare gifts, led to work with famous musicians, including Pink Floyd and KISS. A professor had introduced him to electrical engineering, and the self-taught genius worked around the clock, creating revolutionary electronic breakthroughs for the industry that forever changed the world of music, including custom guitars with fiery smoke bombs inside.

Today, Robison is the author of the New York Times bestseller Look Me in the Eye, which chronicles his life growing up, and Be Different, which is filled with practical advice for “Aspergians, Misfits, Families and Teachers.”

A third book, expected to hit stores in March, is titled Raising Cubby, and is a memoir of Robison’s unconventional relationship with his son, who also was born with Asperger’s.

“It’s a unique story of parenting,” Robison told BusinessWest, explaining that he felt compelled to write it because the majority of books about raising kids who are “different” are about “heroic moms with disabled kids,” which he deemed depressing.

“I thought there should be something entertaining and hopeful, as real stories serve a powerful social purpose,” he said. “My book about my son Cubby celebrates being unique.”

In addition to owning J.E. Robison Service in Springfield, which restores and services European luxury cars, the Amherst resident and author is a strong advocate for people with autism and neurological differences. He is involved with autism research and therapy programs at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, sits on the science and treatment boards of the nonprofit organization Autism Speaks, and serves on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, which makes strategic plans that become the blueprint for treating autism in federal agencies including the National Institute for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Robison also gives 30 to 40 talks each year at a wide variety of international medical centers and conferences, ranging from Massachusetts General to Mount Sinai Hospital to Baystate Medical Center’s Child Psychiatry Conference in Springfield. Last year he spoke in Australia, and this month he will lecture at the most prestigious medical schools in Italy about Asperger’s, autism, “and how we think.”

His mission is clear. “I want to show young people, parents and teachers that kids who are different bring something unique to the world and can grow up to be OK,” he said. “Sometimes people talk about autism like it’s a disease, but the world needs us. If wasn’t for autistic people, we would still be in caves. It’s people like me who invent things and drive the world forward.”

 

Targeted Focus

Robison said the newest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders will be published next year, and it will replace about 40 distinct conditions with the umbrella diagnosis of ‘autism spectrum disorder.’

The change has generated tremendous controversy, as people fear if they lose their diagnosis, their insurance companies could cancel or withhold services. To ensure this doesn’t occur, a number of validation studies are being conducted, including one at Baystate Medical Center.

Robison says evidence from these studies shows the new criteria not only includes the vast majority of young people with prior diagnoses, but also picks up adults with other diagnoses who had not been identified with the disorder. This is important, since people who are not properly diagnosed may assume they are “defective,” which leads to poor self-esteem, he continued.

In addition, a diagnosis can give people an understanding of what they are failing to do that other people expect. “It can be an important step in making adaptive changes and allowing people to get along better in the world,” Robison said, adding that his success “is relatively unusual and was facilitated by being different.”

For example, his auto-repair facility came about due to his childhood fixation with Land Rovers. “Today, a fixation like this would be seen as a disability. But if someone starts a business related to what they are focused on, there may not be anyone else in the world who knows as much about the topic,” he explained.

Autism affects about 1% of the population and is usually seen as a significant disadvantage. But Robison said taking a different viewpoint can lead someone to find answers to seemingly unsolvable problems. “Since 98% of people think the same way, the 1% with autism may see an obvious answer to a problem that is totally invisible to everyone else,” he told BusinessWest.

In fact, approaching a problem from a different mindset can result in revelations and insights. “If you have different wiring in your brain, you can approach things in a unique manner. You don’t need to be smarter than everyone who came before you; you just need to have a different vision,” he said.

Robison used this gift when he worked for the music industry, and said it allowed him to envision and create things no one had ever seen or heard of before. It also led to success in his car-restoration business, and the vehicles he has worked on have been featured on magazine covers. “And it has proved true in my writing. People say my stories are unique, not because they are literary masterpieces, but because things that are obvious to me due to my differences are things other people have not seen before.”

His talents include professional photography, and he has captured images used by publicists in many venues because they are unique. For example, during this year’s circus at the Big E, he climbed a 50-foot pole and braced himself against a tower connected to a high wire to get close-ups of aerial performers. Then he went inside the lion’s cage to photograph the beasts jumping through rings of fire.

“Autistic people are often driven to be the best at what they do,” he said.

 

Uncommon Struggles

Still, life is not easy for people who are different. “Children are often bullied and ridiculed, which can be frightening for parents as they worry about whether their children will ever be able to live independently,” he said. “I feel my stories show these children, as well as adults and teachers, that it is possible for them to succeed and do better than other people.”

However, that can only occur if the person’s ability to hone in on a topic is directed toward something that can lead to career success, which he says does not include playing video games.

“In many instances, children get fixated on things that don’t have commercial value and don’t offer a career path,” Robison said. “Many autistic children immerse themselves in something, and their parents think the behavior is unhealthy. If it’s a dead end, it may be a problem. But rather than suppress the fixation, if parents can redirect the child to something that can have a productive outcome, it may be the best thing they can do.”

However, this can mean thinking outside the box. “If someone is fascinated with cockroaches, they may be seen as a freak at age 15, but later in life companies like Orkin may pay them a lot of money if the person becomes a world expert,” he said, referring to the large, national pest-control company.

In his case, Robison’s interests aligned with people who wanted to hire him, and although he never took a formal educational course in the areas of his success, his intense interest resulted in “thousands and thousands of hours of study facilitated by a social disability. If you don’t have friends and places to go, nothing stops you from studying 18 hours a day.”

However, not understanding how to interact socially was a real handicap for the author and inventor, who refers to his second wife as ‘Unit 2’ because she is the second sister of three in her family. He said the fact that people’s social responses and interactions often defy logic was the reason why he had such a difficult time mastering acceptable responses to conversation.

However, he eventually learned the skill and realized that, if everyone was completely honest, their relationships might not survive.

“But it was frustrating and lonely growing up because I was not in sync with everyone else; if you are a logical person in an illogical world, you are isolated,” he said.

Robison hopes educating people about autism and related social behaviors can make a difference for children growing up with those disorders today. “We should be talking about remediating disability as opposed to curing it, because the world needs people who are different. These are all messages that I bring to people.”

 

Value and Validation

Robison believes he serves as an example of how differences can be assets. “Everything I have done is because I think differently. When I was 16 or 17, it wasn’t obvious to people that I would do anything I have accomplished, so seeing someone like me is very encouraging to people,” he said, adding that no one has any real idea of a child’s true potential.

His books are enlightening and offer an inside view of the way people with autism think and interact with the world. And it’s that striking difference that allowed the child who once thought he was “defective” to grow into a man who is giving his all to facilitate positive change in our world today.

Accounting and Tax Planning Sections
There Are a Host of Vanishing Tax Provisions for Small Businesses

Jana Bacon

Jana Bacon

It has been difficult to miss all the hoopla over vanishing tax provisions. This article addresses the more common provisions affecting small businesses, including the fixed-asset expensing provisions, bonus depreciation, depreciation of specialized real-estate assets, the research credit, the new-markets tax credit, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC).

Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation

Since 1997, Internal Revenue Code Section 179 has allowed for the deduction of certain qualified expenditures that normally would be required to be capitalized and depreciated. Section 179 property is defined generally as tangible personal property acquired and placed in service in connection with the active conduct of a trade or business. Over the years, the maximum allowable deduction amount has varied.

For 2011, the maximum allowable deduction was $500,000 and was reduced dollar-for-dollar as qualified expenditures exceeded $2 million. For 2012, the maximum allowable deduction is $139,000 with reduction as expenditures exceed $560,000. For 2013, the maximum amount is currently scheduled to decrease to $25,000 with the phase-out beginning at $200,000.

Bonus depreciation is another tax benefit scheduled to disappear after this year. In 2011, 100% first-year bonus depreciation applied to qualified tangible personal property additions with no limit. In 2012, that was reduced to 50% first-year bonus depreciation.

Although there has been considerable discussion about the fate of these provisions — because we have no idea whether they will be reinstated by Congress or, if so, at what levels — businesses may wish to take advantage of the higher Section 179 amount and/or bonus depreciation for this year by acquiring and placing in service qualified tangible personal property purchases prior to Dec. 31, 2012.

 

Cost Recovery for Specified

Real Property

Qualified leasehold improvements and qualified restaurant property placed in service between Oct. 22, 2004 and Dec. 31, 2011, and qualified retail-improvement property placed in service between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2011, were subject to straight-line depreciation over a 15-year period. For such property placed in service after 2011, however, straight-line depreciation over a 39-year period is required.

Also, because these assets were previously considered 15-year property, they had qualified for Section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, they no longer qualify for either.

 

Research and Experimentation Credit

The tax credit for research and experimentation expenses (R&E credit) was originally enacted in 1981, and applied to amounts paid or incurred on or before Dec. 31, 1985. The credit had been extended 14 times since then but expired on Dec. 31, 2011. The R&E credit had been allowed to expire only once before from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996. The traditional R&E credit provision had allowed a taxpayer to claim a credit equal to 20% of the amount by which the taxpayer’s qualified research expenditures exceeded a base amount.

The base amount reflects past research expenditures that were incurred over a fixed period of time, so the credit was really a credit on incremental increases in research costs. The credit was generally available on both in-house and contract research costs. Also available was an alternative simplified credit, which was only partially incremental and utilized a rolling three-year base period and a 14% credit rate.

 

New Markets Tax Credit

Originally enacted in 2000 for investments made after Dec. 31, 2000, the new markets tax credit provided a credit on qualified investments to promote economic and community development in low-income communities. The credit was taken over a seven-year period and totaled 39% of qualified equity investments made in a qualified community-development entity (CDE).

CDEs were required to invest in qualified low-income community business, and applications were required by CDEs to obtain an allocation of a portion of the credit authorized for the year. The last amount authorized was $3.5 billion for 2011.

 

Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Enacted in 1997, the work opportunity tax credit (WOTC) provided a credit to employers on wages paid to eligible employees who began work for the employer before Jan. 1, 2012. The amount of the credit ranged from $2,400 to $9,000 per each eligible employee, depending upon the type of eligible employee. Eligible employees included qualified members of families receiving assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, qualified veterans, qualified ex-felons, designated community residents, vocational rehabilitation referrals, qualified summer youth employees, qualified members of families in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), qualified Supplemental Security Income recipients, or long-term family-assistance recipients.

To qualify for the credit, the employee had to complete at least 120 hours of service for the employer. The credit has been extended for wages paid through Dec. 31, 2012 only for qualified veterans.

The uncertainty of whether Congress will reinstate or extend these tax benefits makes planning extremely difficult.  Pay close attention after this year’s elections to see if any new or extending tax legislation is enacted that may affect your business.

Please note that this article contains only a general discussion, so you should consult your tax advisor for additional information or assistance.

 

Jana Bacon is a member of the firm at Wolf & Company, P.C. and focuses on tax compliance and planning services; (413) 747-9042.

Accounting and Tax Planning Sections
Despite Ambiguity, This Is Still a Time for Tax Planning

We have a challenging year before us on the tax-planning front, with expiring provisions leading to uncertain future rates and pending elections leaving us with little in the way of legislative expectations.

Historically, the last few months of the year are used to implement tax-planning techniques to manage individuals’ tax liability for the current year with the relative certainty that comes from having the majority of the year behind us. This year, the only certainty appears to be everyone’s uncertainty.

Ambiguity in the tax realm can have a paralyzing effect on planning, but a wait-and-see approach can lead to lost opportunities or last-minute scrambles to seize the remains of an opportunity. Although the tax future remains unclear, planning opportunities remain. There are gifting provisions that are largely considered once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and rates that may be the lowest to be seen in a while. They provide an opening to make meaningful tax-planning decisions before 2012 comes to a close.

The focus in this piece is on tax-planning techniques that can be initiated during the remainder of 2012. But, depending on one’s facts and circumstances, these are just the beginning of the opportunities that might be available. If you think any of these strategies apply to you, be sure to contact your tax professional or advisor.

 

Changes on the Horizon

Despite the quiet year for tax legislation, significant changes are before us for 2013. Two years ago, when faced with a comparable series of expiring provisions, the can was legislatively kicked down the road. Conclusive action was deferred in favor of short-term extension solutions.

Here we stand, nearly two years later, with a similar collection of rate reductions, deductions, credits, and incentives set to expire as the calendar flips from one year to the next. In addition, two new taxes stemming from healthcare-reform legislation become effective in January.

Absent any late-year legislation, the significant changes on the horizon in 2013 are as follows:

• Two new taxes established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will go into effect on Jan. 1 — a 0.9% tax on wages and self-employment income, and a 3.8% contribution tax on investment income;

• Individual tax rates will universally climb, with the highest rate rising from 35% to 39.6% before accounting for the new taxes stemming from the act. Including the 3.8% UIMC tax, the top rate on investment income will rise to 43.4%. The current 10% rate bracket expires, reverting back to 15% as the lowest tax rate. The UIMC tax is explained below;

• Federal estate and gift-tax rates will increase from 35% to 55%, and the exclusion amount will drop from $5.12 million to $1 million;

• A series of tax rules designed to reduce what is commonly referred to as the ‘marriage penalty’ will sunset at the end of this year, raising taxes for many dual-income couples;

• Preferential tax rates on capital gains and dividends, currently 15% for most individuals, will expire at the end of the year, with the tax rate on long-term capital gains returning to 20% and qualified dividends losing preferential treatment altogether, returning to the ordinary income rates of up to 43.4%;

• Limitations on itemized deductions and personal exemptions will return in 2013 for higher-income taxpayers;

• It is anticipated that millions of additional taxpayers will become subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) with the expiration of the ‘AMT patch’; and

• The child tax credit will be reduced by half for 2013.

 

Business Tax Strategies

Kristina Drzal-Houghton

Kristina Drzal-Houghton

• Section 179 Expensing: IRS Code Section 179 provides businesses the option of claiming a full deduction for the cost of qualified property in its first year of use rather than claiming depreciation over a set period of years. For 2012, the Section 179 dollar limitation is $139,000, with a $560,000 investment limitation.

The dollar limitation for 2013 is scheduled to drop to $25,000, with a $200,000 investment limitation. Businesses might want to consider accelerating scheduled purchases into 2012 to take advantage of the higher limits.

Businesses with a fiscal year-end should note that the $139,000 deduction limit applies to property purchased and placed in service during tax years beginning in 2012.

• Bonus Depreciation: Property not qualifying for an immediate tax write-off under the expensing election may qualify for an increased first-year depreciation deduction under bonus depreciation rules. This deduction is equal to 50% of the cost of qualifying property purchased and placed in service by Dec. 31, 2012.

Unlike the Section 179 deduction, bonus depreciation is not limited in amount or by an investment limitation, and it can create a current-year net operating loss.

• Changes to Repair Regulations: Comprehensive repair and capitalization regulations issued by the IRS late in 2011 may open up planning opportunities.

A new de minimis expensing rule allows a business to deduct certain amounts paid or incurred to acquire or produce a unit of tangible property if the company has an allowable policy. There is an overall ceiling limiting the total expenses a company may deduct under the de minimis rule. Accounting policies and existing depreciation schedules should be reviewed to determine whether changes in accounting methods should be filed and adjustments taken. In many cases, the change will result in accelerated expensing.

• Corporate Dividends: Traditional C corporations face double taxation on distributed earnings. Profits are taxed at the corporate level, and dividends paid out to shareholders are again subject to tax at the individual level. With the maximum 15% tax rate for qualified dividends during 2012 rising to 43.4% for 2013, this may be the year to consider paying out accumulated earnings that the corporation is not otherwise using.

• Health Insurance Tax Credit: A tax credit is available for an eligible small employer to purchase health insurance for employees. To qualify as an eligible small employer, the company must:

— Pay for at least 50% of the premium cost for employees;

— Generally have no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees employed during the year; and

— Pay its full-time equivalent employees annual wages averaging no more than $50,000.

 

Individual Tax-planning Strategies

• Planning for the New Healthcare Taxes: Effective Jan.1, a 0.9% hospital insurance (HI) tax applies to wages and self-employment income, while a 3.8% Medicare contribution (UIMC) tax applies to investment income. Neither tax becomes applicable until income exceeds the established threshold noted in the table below.

The HI tax may be managed through withholding for employees, but in certain circumstances, such as for dual-income households or in years of employer transitions, withholding may not fully cover the wages subject to the HI tax.

For the purposes of the UIMC tax, net investment income has been defined to include dividends, rents, interest, passive-activity income, capital gains, annuities, and royalties. Specifically excluded from the definition are self-employment income, income from an active trade or business, gain on the sale of an active interest in a partnership or S corporation, IRA or qualified plan distributions, and income from charitable remainder trusts.

For individuals, the amount subject to the UIMC tax is the lesser of your net investment income, or the excess of your modified adjusted gross income, which is generally your adjusted gross income with certain foreign earned-income adjustments, over the applicable threshold amount.

For both taxes, the applicable thresholds are as follows:

Keep in mind that the UIMC tax applies if you have net investment income and your modified adjusted gross income is above the threshold. The impact of the tax may be minimized through shrewd management of your net investment income, proximity to the thresholds, or both.

 

Year-End Tax Planning Strategies

Bearing in mind the new Medicare taxes and the scheduled changes in tax rates, traditional year-end tax planning techniques may need to be reversed to take advantage of the known lower rates of 2012.

• Shifting Taxable Income Between Years: When you’re expecting stable rates in the future, the traditional year-end strategies are largely focused on deferring income and accelerating deductions. But with the rates set to rise for most taxpayers, the better tax answer may come from an opposite approach.

Income accelerated into 2012 could potentially result in a significantly lower rate than the same income recognized during 2013. Because rates remain relatively uncertain, now may not be the time to accelerate income. But having a plan in place should the rates hold will allow taxpayers to act deliberately as the rates become more certain.

• Managing the AMT: When undertaking tax planning, both regular and AMT tax liabilities need to be evaluated. At times, certain deductions may need to be shifted between years to manage the alternative minimum tax.

• Paying Estimated State Income Taxes: The payment timing of the fourth-quarter estimated state-tax payment, generally due Jan. 15, 2013, has some flexibility. It may be paid before year end for a current-year federal itemized deduction. The alternative minimum tax should be considered before employing this tax-planning tool because state income taxes are not deductible for AMT purposes.

• Fulfilling Charitable Goals: An alternative to cash donations is the contribution of appreciated assets. When contributing assets, you can deduct the fair market value of certain property and avoid paying taxes on the appreciation. However, if you would like to donate securities that have declined in value, you will likely want to sell them first to realize the loss and then gift the proceeds to your organization of choice. In some circumstances, particularly when there is expiring capital loss, a direct donation may not be the most effective tax-planning tool.

• Funding Retirement Plans: For retirement contributions to qualify for a deduction in 2012, contributions must be in place usually before the end of the year. The exceptions to the rule are IRAs and SEP (simplified employee pension) plans. An IRA can be created and funded by April 15, 2013, and a SEP by the extended due date of your tax return.

• Converting to a Roth IRA: Roth IRAs have long-term advantages over traditional IRAs because money grows and can be distributed tax-free. Some taxpayers find that the benefits of tax-free withdrawals in the future are in line to be greater than the tax cost on conversion.

Converting before-tax earning plans — 401(k)s, traditional IRAs, etc. — to the after-tax Roth IRA creates taxable income in the year of conversion. The upfront tax cost does not make conversion the right answer for every taxpayer, but for taxpayers with certain circumstances, conversion can be an extremely powerful tool.

• Paying with Credit Cards: As a reminder, paying tax-deductible expenditures, including charitable contributions, with a credit card secures the deduction in the current year, even if you do not actually pay the credit-card company until the following year.

• Deducting Losses from Pass-through Entities: If you are expecting a 2012 loss from a partnership, LLC, or S corporation, ensuring that you have sufficient tax basis will help to secure your ability to deduct the loss. You may be able to increase your tax basis prior to year end, but given the rates for 2013 as enacted, you might want to purposely avoid doing so until 2013 to push the loss into the higher rates of 2013.

 

Capital Gains and Losses

You should consider a few basic rules when planning for capital gain or loss transactions:

• Gains and losses from securities sales generally are recognized on the trade date as opposed to the settlement date. So a December trade will be a 2012 transaction, even if the settlement date is in the following year;

• Sales at a loss reduce other capital gains, and a net capital loss in excess of capital gains of up to $3,000 is available to be used to offset other income, with excess losses being carried forward to future years; and

• Before you sell an asset to recognize a gain, check your holding period. Capital assets held for over a year are eligible for a significantly lower tax rate than those held less than a year.

 

Estate- and Gift-tax Planning

Absent congressional action, the $5.12 million estate and gift-tax exemptions and current top tax rate of 35% will revert to a $1 million exemption with a top tax rate of 55% beginning Jan. 1, 2013. Moreover, the estate-tax exemption will no longer be portable between spouses.

Because of the reversion to a lower exemption and a higher tax rate, what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity exists to transfer significant assets to the younger generation without incurring any estate and gift tax. Also note that:

• The annual gift tax exclusion for 2012 remains at $13,000. It is expected to rise to $14,000 for 2013;

• If you are married, you can avoid federal gift-tax ramifications by gifting up to $26,000 per donee, or recipient, in 2012 under the gift-splitting rules. Annual gifting is a relatively simple method to reduce your taxable estate; and

• Along with the high gift-tax exemption, the generation-skipping transfer-tax exemption is also $5.12 million during 2012. So, the door is open to bypass children and transfer significant wealth to future generations.

Developing an overall tax strategy under ambiguous circumstances can feel daunting. But the deliberate, informed implementation of a plan for what is known now can also protect against what remains to be seen — as what is unknown becomes known.

 

Kristina Drzal Houghton, CPA, MST, is partner-in-charge of Taxation at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in Holyoke; (413) 536-8510.

Opinion
The Casino is a Citywide Issue in Springfield

The Springfield City Council is apparently still gathering information and formulating a decision on whether the vote to support a specific resort-casino proposal in the community should be citywide. We understand the need to be thorough and to hear different voices on this subject, but in our opinion, this is a no-brainer, a decision that should have been made a long time ago.

This is a matter that impacts every section and every citizen of Springfield, no matter where the casino is built, so it should certainly be an issue for the entire city to decide.

This has become even more clear over the past several weeks as details have emerged on the three dueling casino plans — in some cases more than others. When one looks at the size and scope of the proposals, it becomes evident that a casino will alter the look, the feel, the perception, and, most importantly, the future of the city.

The phrase ‘game-changer’ has come into vogue in recent years — mayors seem to love it — and it is often overused and used incorrectly. But in this instance it fits; a casino will definitely change the game in Springfield and in surrounding communities as well.

There are some who would argue that, because a casino will be located in a certain neighborhood, only that ward, or precinct, should be able to vote on the matter, because those residents will be the ones most affected by such a development. Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino seems to be in that camp, because he’s fearful that residents who don’t live in Revere or East Boston might not support a huge casino proposed for Suffolk Downs.

And such thinking probably explains why the state’s new gambling law permits large cities like Boston and Springfield to limit a casino vote to a host ward.

But Springfield’s officials shouldn’t take advantage of that provision. Whether a Springfield casino is built off Page Bouvelard, in the South End, or in the North End, it will have implications that will reach into Sixteen Acres, Forest Park, Mason Square, and Indian Orchard. There will be jobs, tax revenue, and donations from the chosen casino operator to groups and causes that represent the entire city. There will also be inconveniences from construction, traffic problems, and a negative impact on many different kinds of businesses because of the dollars that will instead be flowing into a casino.

Springfield will become the destination that people have long wanted it to be, and because of that, it will change in every way that an urban center can change. Such a decision can’t be left to a small fraction of the city’s population.

There are many decisions that have to be made in Springfield over the next several months on the casino issue. Most, including the ultimate decision on which plan or plans will go before the voters on a referendum, will involve a high degree of difficulty.

Indeed, as details on the proposals emerge, it becomes clear that they all have merit, question marks, and potential. Choosing a finalist or finalists will be a hard decision.

What shouldn’t be hard is deciding who gets a voice on this matter. Everyone who calls Springfield home should have a say.

Banking and Financial Services Sections
Principals Say NUVO Has Become a ‘Proven Commodity’

Jeff Sattler

Jeff Sattler says NUVO is on target with its goals for assets, revenue, and gaining respectability in the local banking market.

Jeff Sattler says he feels an attachment to the small-business owners sitting across the conference room table from him, a bond that most commercial-lending officers probably wouldn’t understand.

That’s because he’s been in their shoes.

Indeed, five years ago, he was one of the principals trying to lure investors and amass the capital needed to launch the venture that would become NUVO Bank, which he now serves as president.

“When you’re dealing with a banker, most of them haven’t owned a business — they have to critique the business owner,” he told BusinessWest. “I started this thing with the same mentality as other entrepreneurs — ‘I’m going to do this; there’s a market, and I’m going to make this work.’ And I had the same growth pains, issues, challenges, and fears that any entrepreneur has. I can talk the same language as that business owner.”

This linguistic ability is one of the factors that Sattler and NUVO’s CEO, Dale Janes, believe have contributed to the bank’s steady growth and recent momentum. Like most of its commercial clients, NUVO’s primary objective has been to gain a strong measure of respectability and build a solid foundation for growth, said Janes, adding that, despite being launched just as the worst downturn since the Great Recession was taking hold, the bank has, in his opinion, achieved that goal.

Dale Janes

While other banks rush to add branches, Dale Janes says NUVO will stay with its business model and maintain one location.

“We’ve come a tremendous distance,” he said. “We are now what I call a proven commodity.”

Sattler agreed. “We’re profitable right on plan,” he said. “I don’t want to be the biggest in this market; I want to be the most profitable, and that’s return on assets, return on equity, efficiency ratios … key bank ratios that we want to be leaders in eventually, and we’re getting there now.”

Janes told BusinessWest that the institution’s first four-plus years in business have proven that its basic model — operating through one location with a reliance on technology that would ensure that most clients would rarely see that facility on the ground floor of Tower Square — works, and there is no need to change it.

“Our overhead is so low, we can afford to be aggressive on retail CD rates, savings rates, and the costs of accounts,” he said while citing the main advantages to being small and efficient. “The core of our model is small business, small business, small business — and it’s worked; about a year ago, it really started to kick in.

“With longevity comes credibility,” he continued. “So, more and more now, customers who used to do business with Jeff or with me are saying, ‘these guys are around, and they’re going to be here; let’s go check them out.”

Doing some quick math, Sattler noted that NUVO, which just passed the $100 million mark in assets, has something approaching 1% of the regional market, and is by far the smallest bank in the region. While that number may not sound impressive, he said — while noting that doubling or tripling it would still give the bank only 2% or 3% of a market dominated by huge national and regional players — it is a solid base on which to build.

And as he surveyed the local banking market, especially the smaller, community institutions, Janes, who has been in the business for more than 30 years, sees ample opportunity to grow.

“There is going to be more consolidation within this market; it’s inevitable,” he said with a large dose of certainty in his voice. “And with that consolidation, there will be opportunities for banks with the right products and the right approach to customer service. We’ve positioned ourselves to be one of those banks.”

For this issue and its focus on banking and financial services, BusinessWest looks at how far NUVO has managed to come in four challenging years, and what the future could hold for the institution.

 

By All Accounts

As he prepared to talk with BusinessWest, Sattler was closing on another small-business loan, giving NUVO just over 80 such clients in its portfolio.

That’s another comparatively small number, especially when put alongside the other institutions with downtown Springfield mailing addresses, but Janes and Sattler both take a ‘glass is much more than half-full’ mentality.

“Every new customer is another dot on the map,” said Sattler, adding that the bank’s approach from the day it opened has been to achieve to measured, smart growth, while also carving out a specific niche in the market — in this case, what would be considered small, or even very small, loans.

And both officers believe the institution has achieved those missions, while also establishing the NUVO brand across Greater Springfield and into Northern Connecticut.

“This is the reason why we knew we were going to be successful — we have a niche,” said Sattler, referring to the small-business loans like the one he closed on that afternoon late last month. “Everyone thought we were going to fail, but we succeeded, because we created that niche.”

Both men said that virtually every bank in the region can write the kinds of small loans that NUVO has made its specialty, but most don’t have the need or desire to do so, and can’t do it as well.

“We’ll look at every single deal, no matter what the industry,” he explained. “I won’t say ‘yes’ to every deal, but if we can’t do it, then nobody can do it.”

Meanwhile, another advantage is the aforementioned ability to “speak the language,” as Sattler described it.

“I appreciate their passion,” he said of entrepreneurs. “They have a vision of where they want to take their company, and I can relate to that. I try to get under the tent with them and say, ‘how are we going to make this loan?’

“They say, ‘Sattler, I’m not talking to you like a banker,’” he continued. “And I’m not; I’m a business owner, not just a banker, who started the same way most of these businesses started.”

Overall, the bank has been “on target” with everything from asset growth to profitability to brand recognition, said Janes, adding that the current momentum has manifested itself in a number of ways.

For starters, there have been roughly 18 months of continued monthly profits, he said, adding that another commercial-lending officer, the bank’s third, was recently hired, and another addition is planned for the first quarter of next year. Meanwhile, the bank is planning another capital raise — the prospectus is currently being finalized — to provide the wherewithal to continue growing.

“We’re doing well against our original plan, and super well against our model,” Janes explained. “We have a lot of focus and a lot of discipline around the business model; we can’t be everything to everyone, and we’re honest about that.”

 

Balance Statement

Moving forward, Janes and Sattler said NUVO is in the process of scripting a new three-year strategic plan.

When asked what it will likely include, they said, in essence, there would be more of the same that has marked the bank’s four-plus years of existence — with the emphasis on more.

The planned additions to the commercial lending staff — “we’re now building a lending team,” said Sattler — and the capital raise are part of this strategic initiative, noted Janes. Overall, he believes that, given the bank’s steady growth and the current landscape in financial services, NUVO is well-positioned to add market share for the short and long term.

Elaborating, he said there are two trends in the marketplace that are working in NUVO’s favor. The first is a significant shift among consumers, business owners, and investors away from large regional and national banks and toward community banks.

“And why not? They’re just smaller, and they have more flexibility and more options for the small-business customer,” he told BusinessWest. “And we plan to take advantage of that, especially on the investor side, because as we grow, we’re going to need to raise more capital.”

The second trend, although it has slowed in recent years, is a movement toward greater consolidation, said Janes, adding that the many publicly owned regional and community banks serving Western Mass. are both candidates for additional expansion themselves or targets for acquisition. And both scenarios, which will be driven by shareholders and their desire for better returns, bode well for banks like NUVO that can take on customers left wary by such transactions.

“This is a very challenging time to provide a return to your shareholders,” he said of the situation facing the public banks. “Everyone’s had what amounts to a free pass because of the recession, because everyone made bad loans and business slowed down, but that free pass is going to get called in, and banks are going to have to start producing, either a dividend or growth in the market price of the stock.

“People are going to instigate,” he continued, “and get these banks to either perform better on an earnings-per-share basis through the organic nature of their business, or by selling.”

And while NUVO has plans for more lending officers, employees, loans, and assets, one thing there won’t be more of is branches.

“People keep asking me, ‘why don’t you open a branch here?’” said Janes, adding that there have been many suggestions when it comes to ‘here.’

“That’s not who we are or ever intend to be,” he continued. “We will never have a huge branch network, and probably will not have a traditional branch. We will expand our footprint; we will take our model and replicate it somewhere else, in a market where there are a lot of small businesses. That was our intent, and it’s still our intent. We’re not ready for it yet, but our three-year plan contemplates something like that.

“Right now, we just want to dominate where we are,” Janes went on, “and earn our keep in this region.”

Despite its lone location, NUVO has been able to grow its presence and build its brand through track record and word-of-mouth referrals. And with presence and referrals, the bank has opportunities to show what it can do, said Janes, which is an important component in the growth equation.

“Once we get in front of people,” he said, “we’re pretty good at bringing in some business.”

 

Brand Equity

Looking at the numbers compiled by area banks for assets, deposits, and loans (see pages 38 and 39), Janes and Sattler know they will be looking up at the rest of the region’s banking community for quite some time.

But after four recession-riddled years, the bank is starting to see some real momentum. As Janes said, there is enough statistical and anecdotal evidence to show that the bank is indeed a proven commodity — and that things are truly looking up.

 

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

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

Ben Franklin Design and Manufacturing

938 Suffield St.

$40,000 — Replace roof

 

Genesis Healthcare

61 Cooper St.

$10,000 — Install new concrete pad

 

Marc Sparks

176 Shoemaker Lane

$350,000 — Interior renovation

 

AMHERST

 

Amherst Presidential Village

950 North Pleasant St.

$27,000 — New roof

 

J. Gumbo

19 North Pleasant St.

$2,000 — Install cabinets

 

CHICOPEE

 

Atlas Property

32 Lucretia Ave.

$11,500 — New roof

 

Bernashe Realty Inc.

1783 Memorial Dr.

$8,000 — New roof

 

Chicopee Grove Realty Associates, LLC

233-235 Grove St.

$5,400 – New roof over porch

 

City of Chicopee

680 Front St.

$10,000 — Install panel roofing

 

Satya Enterprises, LLC

500 Memorial Dr.

$9,056,000 — Construction of a new Residence Inn

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

Easthampton Savings Bank

36 Main St.

$230,000 — Sidewalk and window replacement

 

Eastworks, LLP

116 Pleasant St.

$8,500 — Build demising wall to separate warehouse form sales office

 

Eastworks, LLP

116 Pleasant St.

$9,000 — Construct non-bearing partitions to create bar/lounge

 

HADLEY

 

Chipotle Mexican Grill

354 Russell St.

$41,500 — Interior renovations

 

Hadley Pet Hotel

155 Russell St.

$57,500 — Install HVAC system

 

McDonald’s

374 Russell St.

$17,500 — New kitchen exhaust system

 

Verizon Wireless

99 East River Dr.

$9,000 — Nine upgraded antenna

 

HOLYOKE

 

Holyoke Gas & Electric

30 Water St.

$59,000 — Install storefront windows

 

Sisters of Providence

1233 Main St.

$144,000 — Roof work

 

United Waste Management Holding Inc.

686 Main St.

$2,559,000 — Build waste transfer facility

 

NORTHAMPTON

 

518 Pleasant Street, LLC

518 Pleasant St.

$56,000 — New roof

 

City of Northampton

240 Main St.

$724,000 — Conversion to storage building at the Leachate Treatment Facility

 

Corliss Ruggiero LLC

50 Center St.

$23,000 — Replace roof

 

Smith College

60 Elm St.

$75,000 — Replace front entry door

 

PALMER

 

Dunkin Donuts

1559 Main St.

$103,000 — Cosmetic renovations

 

SOUTH HADLEY

 

Senior Center

45 Dayton St.

$561,000 — Roof repairs

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Baystate Health

50 Maple St.

$55,000 — Renovate office space

 

Big Y Foods, Inc.

60 Memorial Dr.

$20,000 — Renovate interior office partitions

 

Big Y Foods Inc.

2145 Roosevelt Ave.

$115,000 — New roof

 

Honore, LLC

417 Liberty St.

$14,000 — Interior renovations

 

Robert McCaroll

44 Dale St.

$18,750 — Exterior repairs

 

WESTFIELD

 

City of Westfield

22 Ashley St.

$25,000,000 — Construction of a new elementary school

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Jay Kruzel

1319 Riverdale St.

$23,000 — Re-roof

 

NGL Supply & Wholesale

1275 Union St.

$6,000 — Install a truck scale

 

U-Name-It-Storage, LLC

203 Circuit Ave.

$15,000 — Siding

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

Blue Goose Cupcakery

159 Main St.

Kristin K. Ashe

 

Chasam Boutique, LLC

159 Main St.

Tammy Gentile

 

Fursique

360 North Westfield St.

Jennifer Scully

 

Pioneer Precision Grinding

40 Bowles Road

Christopher Bignell

 

Weddings by Trista

322 Meadow St.

Trista Leonesio

 

AMHERST

 

Backyard Bakery

33 Ward St.

Dorie Goldman

 

Big Red Taxi

42 Polly Village Place

Ajeet Fuller

 

Charter 21

7 North Pleasant St.

Mary J. Viederman

 

Game Central Station

220 North Pleasant St.

Agueel Ahmed

 

Penny Farthing Investment Management LLC

6 South East St.

Eric Bright

 

Phoenix Feather Press

55 High Point Dr.

Loraine Young

 

Pioneer Valley Open Science

336 North Pleasant St.

Donald Blair

 

CHICOPEE

 

Action Construction Services

108 Greenpoint Circle

Stanton Collier

 

American Home Energy Raters LLC

165 Front St.

John J. Kosak

 

DP Enterprises LLC

60 Dwight St.

Ferndes Delciney

 

Fiona’s Spa

1888 Memorial Dr.

Ling Chen

 

Giovanni’s Pizza

1885 Memorial Dr.

Turgut Aydin

 

Napa of Western Mass.

49 Circle Dr.

Timothy Hurley

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

Shema

88 Loudville Road

Edward Machat

 

Tanden Bagel Company

9 Railroad St.

Christopher Zawacki

 

HADLEY

 

Alina’s Ristorante

96 Russell St.

Martin Barraza

 

Exotic Auto Repair

184 Russell St.

Paul Narus

 

KT Hair Imports

153 Rocky Hill Road

Kyra Troiano

 

HOLYOKE

 

Bridge Motor Sales

914 Main St.

James W. Roule

 

Calendar Club

50 Holyoke St.

Veysel Ozen

 

D & M’s Variety

522 South Bridge St.

Diana Morales

 

La Pescaderia Restaurant

389 Main St.

Victoria Williams

 

RBW Painting

12 Florence Ave.

Bruce White

 

RSS Holyoke

128 Allyn St.

Mark Wotton

 

NORTHAMPTON

 

Amblyobe Press

74 Maynard Road

Richard Brunswick

 

Chameleon’s Hair Salon

2 Conz St.

Michael Marvin

 

M & M Cleaning

377 Florence Road

Ashley Samson

 

Plumb Auto Supply

125 Carlon Dr.

Frederick Pitzer

 

Rick Mott’s Auto Repair LLC

442 Elm St.

Richard Mott

 

Sweetbrier Birth & Postpartum Services

2313 Brewster Court

Allison Cwalinski

 

The Dirty Truth

29 Main St.

Nathan Blehar

 

Uname It Print

73 Bridge St.

Abdul Kabba

 

Valley Hands

342 Pleasant St.

Dorene Pennell

 

PALMER

 

MERG

32 Smith St.

Thomas Cassidy

 

River East School to Career Inc.

1455 North Main St.

Loretta Dansereau

 

SA Martin Heavy Truck and Equipment Repair

84 Beech St.

Shawn Martin

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

1 Home Health Care

77 Firglade Ave.

Hetty Reis

 

Abarca Tree Service

30 Paramount St.

Benito Abarca

 

African Diaspora Mental Health

17 Arvilla St.

Joseph C. Strickland

 

American Ballroom Dance

469 Sumner Ave.

Richard J. Labrie

 

Ara-Springfield Dialysis

125 Liberty St.

Kristen J. Ziemba

 

Arena Colorful

1196 St. James Ave.

Erik Christopher

 

El Caribeno Restaurant

858 State St.

Isidro Rodriguez

 

El Morro Bakery & Restaurant

599 Page Blvd.

Neidy Cruz

 

Family First Music Group

90 Teakwood Road

Christian A. Lowe

 

Family Home Improvements

230 Fort Pleasant Ave.

Pablo Martinez

 

Food Mart

353 Allen St.

Masood Ghani

 

Golden Fingers Barbershop

433 White St.

Younes H. Tony

 

GXM Windows

24 Seminole St.

David Montanez

 

JS Wireless

1655 Boston Road

Joonsoon Lim

 

JD Cole-TV

59 Meredith St.

Jeremy D. Cole

 

Jose Santiago Home Improvements

34 Woodcliff St.

Jose A. Santiago

 

K & L Exchange

1192 Parker St.

Lien A. Chen

 

Kim’s Wigs & Boutique

950 State St.

Kevin S. Lee

 

Kumar & Andy Inc.

145 Boston Road

Sneh Kumar

 

WESTFIELD

 

Champion Tae Kwondo

98 Franklin St.

Chung S. Park

 

David M. Ritchie Plumbing and Heating

35 Barbara St.

David Ritchie

 

Elegant Tailoring Shop

69 Elm St.

Larisa Ovchinnikova

 

Furrow Engineering

199 Servistar Industrial Way

Frank DeMarinis

 

Larsen Creative Media

36 ½ Cross St.

Benjamin Larsen

 

New England Apiaries

53 Elizabeth Ave.

William D. Crawford III

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Affordable Auto Glass Inc.

806 East Elm St.

Joseph J. Esile III

 

Bertera Mitsubishi

526 Riverdale St.

Bertera Automobile Corporation

 

Big Lots

1150 Union St.

Big Lots Stores Corporation

 

Circle of Life Holistic Massage

1096 Memorial Ave.

Marianne M. Swiatek

 

Cooper Works Services & Products

93 Charles Ave.

Ricky R. Cooper

 

DSG

1284 Elm St.

Richard Leaderman

 

Kwarciany Construction

78 Smyrna St.

Michael A. Kwareiany

 

Liz Bontempo Productions

19 Hillside Ave.

Elizabeth Bontempo

 

O’Neal Management

203 Circuit Ave.

James Bethea

 

Rotary Liquors

52 Park St.

Jennifer Demerski

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

Berkshire Athletic Development

77 Cecile St.

Brian Regnier

 

Mass Movers & More

377 South West St.

Gregory Bassett

 

North Atlantic Trucking Co.

20 Conifer Dr.

James Craven

 

True Star Cleaning

69 Parker St.

Christine Bertoncelli

 

CHICOPEE

 

Civro Enterprises LLC

95 Elcon Dr.

Angel Civro

 

Fedora’s Custom Building & Home Improvement

24 Arnold Ave.

Christopher Federa

 

Gracie’s Cleaning Service

155 State St.

Grazyna Syrek

 

Paul Teehan Insulation Company

28 Slate Road

Paul Teehan

 

Smile 4 Me Gifts and Services

144 Horseshoe Dr.

Victor Lopez

 

EAST LONGMEADOW

 

Dance Inc.

168 Denslow Road

Julie R. Szymanski

 

Duets Salon for Hair & Nails

42 Harkness Ave.

Laura M. DeLuca

 

Hampden Hearing Center

200 North Main St.

Susan B. Chunyk

 

M. Scott Investments Inc.

94 Maple St.

Michael S. Poggi

 

Redstone Rehab & Nursing Center

135 Benton Dr.

Alberto A. Lugo

 

GREENFIELD

 

Carolyn’s Critter & Cottage Care

126 Elm St.

Carolyn Gabriel

 

Community Yoga & Wellness Center

16 Federal St.

Susan Peck

 

Doggie Dipst Clips

278 Federal St.

Karen M. Baker

 

Greenfield Family Wellness

34 Glenbrook Dr.

Katherine Golub

 

Homedic

14 Graves Road

Aleksandr Agapov

 

Nelo

306 High St.

Jefferies Anderson

 

Shape & Nature Press

76 Hastings St.

Maria Williams-Russell

 

Transcendental Meditation Program for Women

277 Main St.

Sheila Moschen

 

HOLYOKE

 

MD Beauty Salon and Supply

396 High St.

Marie Ferrer

 

Revista Antorcha

26 Forestdale Ave.

Arnaldo Garcia

 

Union Mart

297 Appremont Highway

Ghulam Safeer

 

LUDLOW

 

Communicare LLC

360 Sewall St.

Merissa Hall

 

Vibrant Message

322 West Ave.

Meaghan Murphy

 

PALMER

 

Dynamic Coating Solutions

21 Wilbraham St.

John C. Becker IV

 

Fit Club

21 Wilbraham Road

Jessica Francis

 

Labonte Self Storage

256 Wilbraham St.

Eva Labonte

 

Lazy Lady Farms

60 Olney Road

Paul Lukaskiewicz

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Aaron’s

1275 Liberty St.

Ray Simmons

 

Action Center for College

1 Armory Square

Bob Giannino-Racine

 

Bezalel Prophetic Art

1676 Carew St.

Triny E. Vargas

 

Botanica Chango Gifts

21 Rutland St.

Nelson Ramirez

 

Clean Green Cleaning Service

12 Myrtle St.

Danielle R. Reeves

 

Cross-Spectrum Laboratories

114 Sunnybrook Road

Herbert Singleton Jr.

 

Eastern Ave Market

264 Eastern Ave.

Juleidy Almanzar

 

Falls Fruit and Vegetable

1003 St. James Ave.

Isam Mohamed

 

Forastiere Funeral Home

45 Locust St.

Forastiere Family

 

Gator Financial and Insurance

63 Green Lane

Woodgett Walter

 

Gerardo Car Limo Service

626 Carew St.

Charles F. Pimental

 

Hanger Clinic

1985 Main St.

Hanger Prosthetics

 

International Health Solutions

604 Cottage St.

Margarita Blater

 

WESTFIELD

 

Able Welding

3 Progress Ave.

Patrick Martin

 

Aleksandr Verbetsky Photographer

3 Cross St.

Aleksandr Verbetsky

 

Gigi Pizza Inc.

358 Southwick Road

Yauqoob Mohammed

 

Justice for Thomas

12 Deep Wood Dr.

Natalie Avery

 

The Batter’s Box LLC

170 Lockhouse Road

Timothy Kelleher

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Baron Auto Sales

195 River St.

Timothy Roberts

 

Chavez Construction

43 Roanoke Ave.

Andres Chavez

 

Fathers & Sons Audi

989 Memorial Ave.

Damon S. Cartelli

Departments Incorporations

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

 

AGAWAM

 

Robinson Park Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization Inc., 65 Begley St., Agawam, MA 01001. Kathy St. Pierre, 30 Tom St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Will be operated exclusively to support the education of the children at Robinson Park Elementary School.

 

Tada Holdings Inc., 218 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam, MA 01001. Donna Cyr, 378 Halladay Ave. East, Suffield, CT. 06078. Hair salon and real estate.

 

AMHERST

 

New England Grove Educational Services Inc., 120 Pulpit Hill Road, #29, Amherst, MA 01002. Gina Simm, same. Educational services.

 

BRIMFIELD

 

Veterinary Specialty Centers Inc., 311 Brookfield Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Paul McCarthy, 311 Brookline Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Veterinary services.

 

CHICOPEE

 

Yogurt City I Inc., 530 Memorial Dr., Unit C, Chicopee, MA 01020. Tao Lin, same. Yogurt and ice cream shop.

 

EAST LONGMEADOW

 

Quercus Brokerage Inc., 265 Millbrook Dr. East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Thomas Kay, same. Sales.

 

EASTHAMPTON

 

New Outriders Inc., 142 Pleasant St., Easthampton, MA 01027. James Witmer, 140 North Main St., Florence, MA 01062. Operate a club to promote the development and enjoyment of online computer games.

 

Nini’s License Corporation, 124 Cottage St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Aristide Giovanni Daniele, 17 David St., Southampton, MA 01073. Restaurants.

 

FEEDING HILLS

 

Nine Four Two Corporation, 942 North West St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Robert Sands, same. Purchase and sales of art and collectibles.

 

HADLEY

 

 

Public Education Policy Institute Inc., 245 Russel St., #15D, Hadley, MA 01035. Deborah Keisch Polin, 40 School St., Northampton, MA 01060. Support the fight for universal public education.

 

INDIAN ORCHARD

 

Village Keepers Adult Day Health Services Inc., 47 Braywood Circle, Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Cynthia Brown-Clemons, same. Adult day health services.

 

LONGMEADOW

 

Pioneer Neurology and Sleep P.C., 785 Williams St., Suite 324, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Rani Athreay MD., 36 Quinnehtuk Circle, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Neurology Services.

 

SOUTH HADLEY

 

Solution Insulation Inc., 49 Bridge St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Shawn Mitchell, same. Sale and insulation of commercial and industrial mechanical insulation and energy conservation.

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Mountain Laurel Inc., 425 Springfield St. Springfield, MA 01107. Scott Sphon, 46 Davison Road, Moodus, CT 06469. Franchise convenience store.

 

RNL Unlimited Inc., 469 Sumner Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Richard Labrie, same.  Dance instruction.

 

Seventh Day of God Number One, 229 Oak Grove Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Fredrick Murray, 34 Westernview St., Springfield, MA 01108. Religious activities, community outreach, etc.

 

Zas Enterprises Inc., 910 State St., Springfield, MA 01105. Mohammad Islam, 46 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. To own and operate a convenience store.

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Pride of New England Transport Inc., 1903 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Ummat Lomanov, same. Transportation.

 

 

DOING BUSINESS AS CERTIFICATES

 

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

Berkshire Athletic Development

77 Cecile St.

Brian Regnier

 

Mass Movers & More

377 South West St.

Gregory Bassett

 

North Atlantic Trucking Co.

20 Conifer Dr.

James Craven

 

True Star Cleaning

69 Parker St.

Christine Bertoncelli

 

CHICOPEE

 

Civro Enterprises LLC

95 Elcon Dr.

Angel Civro

 

Fedora’s Custom Building & Home Improvement

24 Arnold Ave.

Christopher Federa

 

Gracie’s Cleaning Service

155 State St.

Grazyna Syrek

 

Paul Teehan Insulation Company

28 Slate Road

Paul Teehan

 

Smile 4 Me Gifts and Services

144 Horseshoe Dr.

Victor Lopez

 

EAST LONGMEADOW

 

Dance Inc.

168 Denslow Road

Julie R. Szymanski

 

Duets Salon for Hair & Nails

42 Harkness Ave.

Laura M. DeLuca

 

Hampden Hearing Center

200 North Main St.

Susan B. Chunyk

 

M. Scott Investments Inc.

94 Maple St.

Michael S. Poggi

 

Redstone Rehab & Nursing Center

135 Benton Dr.

Alberto A. Lugo

 

GREENFIELD

 

Carolyn’s Critter & Cottage Care

126 Elm St.

Carolyn Gabriel

 

Community Yoga & Wellness Center

16 Federal St.

Susan Peck

 

Doggie Dipst Clips

278 Federal St.

Karen M. Baker

 

Greenfield Family Wellness

34 Glenbrook Dr.

Katherine Golub

 

Homedic

14 Graves Road

Aleksandr Agapov

 

Nelo

306 High St.

Jefferies Anderson

 

Shape & Nature Press

76 Hastings St.

Maria Williams-Russell

 

Transcendental Meditation Program for Women

277 Main St.

Sheila Moschen

 

HOLYOKE

 

MD Beauty Salon and Supply

396 High St.

Marie Ferrer

 

Revista Antorcha

26 Forestdale Ave.

Arnaldo Garcia

 

Union Mart

297 Appremont Highway

Ghulam Safeer

 

LUDLOW

 

Communicare LLC

360 Sewall St.

Merissa Hall

 

Vibrant Message

322 West Ave.

Meaghan Murphy

 

PALMER

 

Dynamic Coating Solutions

21 Wilbraham St.

John C. Becker IV

 

Fit Club

21 Wilbraham Road

Jessica Francis

 

Labonte Self Storage

256 Wilbraham St.

Eva Labonte

 

Lazy Lady Farms

60 Olney Road

Paul Lukaskiewicz

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Aaron’s

1275 Liberty St.

Ray Simmons

 

Action Center for College

1 Armory Square

Bob Giannino-Racine

 

Bezalel Prophetic Art

1676 Carew St.

Triny E. Vargas

 

Botanica Chango Gifts

21 Rutland St.

Nelson Ramirez

 

Clean Green Cleaning Service

12 Myrtle St.

Danielle R. Reeves

 

Cross-Spectrum Laboratories

114 Sunnybrook Road

Herbert Singleton Jr.

 

Eastern Ave Market

264 Eastern Ave.

Juleidy Almanzar

 

Falls Fruit and Vegetable

1003 St. James Ave.

Isam Mohamed

 

Forastiere Funeral Home

45 Locust St.

Forastiere Family

 

Gator Financial and Insurance

63 Green Lane

Woodgett Walter

 

Gerardo Car Limo Service

626 Carew St.

Charles F. Pimental

 

Hanger Clinic

1985 Main St.

Hanger Prosthetics

 

International Health Solutions

604 Cottage St.

Margarita Blater

 

WESTFIELD

 

Able Welding

3 Progress Ave.

Patrick Martin

 

Aleksandr Verbetsky Photographer

3 Cross St.

Aleksandr Verbetsky

 

Gigi Pizza Inc.

358 Southwick Road

Yauqoob Mohammed

 

Justice for Thomas

12 Deep Wood Dr.

Natalie Avery

 

The Batter’s Box LLC

170 Lockhouse Road

Timothy Kelleher

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Baron Auto Sales

195 River St.

Timothy Roberts

 

Chavez Construction

43 Roanoke Ave.

Andres Chavez

 

Fathers & Sons Audi

989 Memorial Ave.

Damon S. Cartelli

Bankruptcies Departments

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

 

Abderrahim, Kais H.

Abderrahim, Melissa M.

101 Longview Terrace

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Abebe, Donald

a/k/a Stolmeier, Donald A.

168 Marion St.

Springfield, MA 01109

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Adames, Luis A.

57 Merrimac Ave.

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Ainsworth, Neil J.

Ainsworth, Mary A.

919 Southampton Road, Apt C-2

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Barrett, Robert L.

100 Circle Dr.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Beauford, Christie J.

419 Montcalm St.

Chicopee, MA 01020-4058

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/04/12

 

Beaumier, Tana A.

a/k/a Pope, Tana A.

56 Ames Road

Hampden, MA 01036

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Bennar, Erich O.

66 Edward St.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Blaise, Jean G.

185 Colonial Village

Amherst, MA 01002

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Bond, Mark A.

207 Wimbleton Dr.

Longmeadow, MA 01106

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Bramucci, Brenda J.

34 North East St

Amherst, MA 01002

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/01/12

 

Butch, Sandra

54 Dayton St.

Chicopee, MA 01013

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Caraher, Dennis W.

20 Elizabeth St.

Northampton, MA 01060

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Colon, Maria

97 Ellsworth Ave.

Springfield, MA 01118

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Czupkiewicz, Kelly A.

77 Ohio Ave.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Darcy, Candace A.

6 Shady Lane

Wilbraham, MA 01095

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Delano, Gary John

Delano, Linda Ann

42A Valley View Apartments

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

DellaPorta, Dana R.

68 Pines Lodge Road

Williamstown, MA 01267

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/09/12

 

DiMatteo, John R.

398 Main Road

Gill, MA 01354

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/03/12

 

Dunbar, Richard H.

Dunbar, Cheryl A.

8 Woodland Heights

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Erskine, Augustus E.

Yancy-Erskine, Ilene A.

58 Mountainview Dr.

Belchertown, MA 01007

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/04/12

 

Faillace, Vincent

Faillace, Constance

30 Greenleaves Dr. #209

Hadley, MA 01035

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Fernet, Tabitha M.

23 Burrill Ave.

Orange, MA 01364

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Forfa, Lisa J.

Gadson, Lisa J.

65 Onota St.

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Fradette, Danny M.

Fradette, Diana G.

369 Stapleton St.

Springfield, MA 01109

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Frank, Michael D.

Frank, Jennifer L.

9 Pierce St., Apt. 1

Greenfield, MA 01301

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Fritscher, Steven Robert

51 Fritscher Road

Barre, MA 01005

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Gamache, Armand J.

10 Cottage St.

Belchertown, MA 01007

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Glidden, Ronald S.

397 East St.

Easthampton, MA 01027

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Gow, Joanne S.

11 Duke St.

Ludlow, MA 01056

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Guerra, Amarilis

a/k/a Arroyo, Amarilis

309 Dorset St.

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Haddocks, Jonathan A.

Haddocks, Deanna M.

a/k/a Anderson, Deanna M.

305 Rice St.

Athol, MA 01331

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Hokom, Sandra Renee

1764 Pleasant St.

Athol, MA 01331

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Huertas, Juan

Huertas, Wilmaliz

a/k/a Padilla, Wilmaliz

a/k/a Schaper, Wilmaliz

340 Maple St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Jarvis, Louis C.

Jarvis, Nancy P.

59 Pioneer Circle

East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Kiel, Steven G.

Kiel, Margaret J.

6 Gwen Circle

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Krodel, Mark Phillip

Krodel, Melanie Lynn

a/k/a Pelletier, Melanie L.

207 Braeburn Road

East Longmeadow, MA 01028

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Kuzmicki, Slawomir

7 Reservoir Road

Southwick, MA 01077

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

La France, William M.

La France, Frema B.

81 Windsor Place

Longmeadow, MA 01106

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

LaCau, Donald J.

LaCau, Laura M.

209 Connecticut Ave.

Springfield, MA 01104

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Landry, Linda A.

29-31 Bloomfield St.

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

LaPalm, Edward Charles

PO Box 480

Warren, MA 01083

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Lepine, Roger D.

Lepine, Elizabeth J.

19 Christopher St.

Chicopee, MA 01020-1022

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Lofland, Michael E.

32 Lloyd Ave.

Belchertown, MA 01007

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Mapletree Ventures

Lipka, Scott W.

Lipka, Deborah J.

104 Union St.

North Adams, MA 01247

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Martin, Carolyn M.

53 Central Ave.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

May, Ginger L.

PO Box 106

Royalston, MA 01368

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/07/12

 

Michienzi, Audrey

106 Wilson Road

Bernadston, MA 01337

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Mieltowski, Paul J.

PO Box 992

Ware, MA 01082

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Morgan, Janet L.

24 Main St.

Monson, MA 01057

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

 

Mozar, John M.

43 Watt Ave.

Ludlow, MA 01056

Chapter: 13

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Murray, Paul G.

25 Crestwood St.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Newcomb, Steven L.

11 Niles St.

W. Springfield, MA 01089

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/13/12

 

Nolan, Shannon L.

P.O. Box 415

Otis, MA 01253

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Nuttelman, Jennifer L.

100 Mechanic St., Apt. A

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

O’Neal, Michael S.

1130 Parker St.

Springfield, MA 01129

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Page, Doreen L.

66 Mobile Home Way

Springfield, MA 01119-1740

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Palmer, Patricia A.

639 Main St.

Sturbridge, MA 01518

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Picard, Frank

Picard, Anne Marie

10 Pinebrook Dr.

Easthampton, MA 01027

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Poulin, Todd A.

75 Fairview St.

Palmer, MA 01069

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Quinn, Christopher J.

Quinn, Connie M.

119 Woodland Dr.

Hampden, MA 01036

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Rainey, Harry W.

Rainey, Jean T.

67 Highland Ave.

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Rescia, Judith A.

97 Dwight Road

Springfield, MA 01108

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Rice, Rebecca J.

a/k/a Wagner, Rebecca J.

P.O. Box 248

Warren, MA 01083

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/12/12

 

Robbins, Tawnya Marie

1 Mill St.

Huntington, MA 01050

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Roberts, Roxanne L.

16 Crestwood St.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/06/12

 

Rodriguez, Miguelina

59 Maple St., Apt. 1

Springfield, MA 01105

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Ross, Darlene

1281 North St.

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Rumrill, Robert M.

Rumrill, Jennifer D.

a/k/a Holloway, Jennifer D.

a/k/a LaFlamme, Jennifer D.

4 Wilson Ave., Apt #2

Greenfield, MA 01301

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/03/12

 

Scheidle, Heinz D.

25 Plantation Dr.

Agawam, MA 01001

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Schieb, Michael R.

13 Sergeant Ave.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Shattuck, Kristin M.

a/k/a Leary, Kristin M.

50 Edward Dr.

Holyoke, MA 01040

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Smith, Jeremy C.

51 Bay State Road

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/04/12

 

Smith, Renee L.

110 East Housatonic St., #15

Pittsfield, MA 01201

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/05/12

 

Stacey, Linda C.

367 Main Road

Westhampton, MA 01027

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Thomson, Jessica L

a/k/a Petersoli, Jessica L.

425 Church St.

Lee, MA 01238

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/10/12

 

Tracy, Alan W.

Tracy, Kelly A.

683 West St.

Ludlow, MA 01056

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

 

Trueman, Steven George

Trueman, Laurie Ann

a/k/a Pasterczyk, Laurie Ann

91 Angela Dr.

Chicopee, MA 01020

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/14/12

 

Vassallo, James B.

180 Russell Road

Westfield, MA 01085

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Wallace, Carol A.

54 Dayton St.

Chicopee, MA 01013

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 08/31/12

 

Whalen, Michael P.

Whalen, Linda R.

115 Shearer St.

Palmer, MA 01069

Chapter: 7

Filing Date: 09/11/12

Briefcase Departments

Three Pitches Accepted by Valley Venture Mentors

SPRINGFIELD — Three out of five ventures to pitch to Valley Venture Mentors have been accepted into the six-month program, which recently added separate tracks to handle the rising number of new and mature startups seeking services from the organization. PeopleHedge, based in Boston and Chicago, was represented by co-founder Damon Magnuski. The company simplifies the process of managing currency risk by allowing customers to select an exchange date, currency pair, and protection amount. InsideOut Solar was represented by co-founder Gregory Margolis. The company was formed by three Mechanical Engineering students at UMass Amherst. They have designed, built, and are testing a solar space-heating panel that slides easily into a standard home window, similar to an air-conditioning unit.Tinville (the Industry Network Village), based in Woburn and pitched by founder Disraeli Abreu, intends to become the premier fashion marketplace for startup and established independent designers. Tinville aims to create an interactive e-commerce site where each designer can host his or her own boutique. All users of Tinville.com will create a custom account on the site; however, fans of the label will have the opportunity to follow, shop at, and receive notifications from their favorite independent designers’ stores. The startups have been accepted into VVM with the expectation that they will successfully complete the accelerator track in six months and graduate to the mentor track, which was recently added to accommodate the rising number of mature ventures who still desire support and mentoring assistance.

 

Three Casino Companies to Vie for City’s Support

SPRINGFIELD — Three casino developers — Ameristar, MGM Resorts, and Penn National — met an Oct. 11 deadline to submit a formal proposal and a $50,000 fee to the city of Springfield. They will now compete for the city’s support in pursuit of casino-development rights in Western Mass. Each company has proposed a gaming resort development approaching $1 billion. Hard Rock International, which had expressed interest in Springfield and explored real estate downtown, did not submit a proposal. The 2011 state casino law allots one resort casino license to Western Mass. In addition to the Springfield projects, Mohegan Sun has proposed a resort in Palmer. On Oct. 11, PennNational released some details and an architect’s rendering for an $807 million gaming complex to be built in the city’s North End. The proposal calls for 3,000 to 3,500 slot machines, poker rooms, up to 100 live table games, and a hotel with 300 to 500 rooms. There would also be restaurants, a spa, a parking garage, and up to 45,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. The proposed 13.4-acre site includes the headquarters for the Republican newspaper and the current home of Peter Pan Bus Lines.

 

SBA Loan Volume Remains High

WASHINGTON — With loan volume steadily increasing for the past six quarters, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s loan programs posted the second-largest dollar volume ever in FY 2012, supporting $30.35 billion in loans to small businesses. That amount was surpassed only by FY 2011, which was heavily boosted by the loan incentives under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. In Massachusetts, under SBA’s two flagship lending programs, the 7(a) General Business Loan program and the 504 Certified Development Co. program, loan approvals supported 1,846 businesses with more than $670 million, said Bob Nelson, Massachusetts SBA district director. This ranks Massachusetts fifth out of 68 MBA offices nationwide for total loans approved under 7(a) and 504 combined for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. The totals for 2012 nationwide include 44,377 loans, $15.5 billion approved under the 7(a) program and $15.09 billion under the 504 program.

Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

 

 

CHICOPEE

DISTRICT COURT

LVNV Funding, LLC, assignee of FIA card Services, N.A. v. Sweetwater Cycles

Allegation: Unpaid balance due for monies loaned: $27,629.29

Filed: 9/5/12

 

GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Trans River Marketing Co., L.P. v. Whitney Trucking Inc.

Allegation: Non-payment of waste disposal services provided: $188,160.50

Filed: 8/29/12

HAMPDEN

SUPERIOR COURT

Hanibal Technology, LLC v. Spectrum Analytical Inc.

Allegation: Breach of loan agreement: $1,500,000

Filed: 8/27/12

 

Ocean State Job Lot v. Cobalt Industries Inc.

Allegation: Defendant has failed to pay subcontractors: $116,459

Filed: 9/4/12

 

SPRINGFIELD

DISTRICT COURT

Perlman Recycling Inc. v. Tri County Recycling

Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,874.99

Filed: 8/28/12

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2012.

 

AGAWAM

 

West Mass Area Development Corp.

912 Shoemaker Lane

$1,741,000 — Installation of a solar generation facility

 

CHICOPEE

 

Chicopee Housing Authority

165 East Main St.

$225,000 — Waste and vent pipe replacement

 

New Greek Orthodox Church

32 Grattan St.

$3,000 — Bell tower repairs

 

GREENFIELD

 

Country Club of Greenfield

130 Country Club Road

$23,500 — Exchange existing antennas on tower

 

Greenfield Housing Authority

1 Elm St.

$5,000 — Construct new room in the community center

 

Greenfield Industries Inc.

34 Sanderson St.

$50,000 — Install new roof

 

Mary Calagione

285 High St.

$6,200 — Change existing bay window

 

Town of Greenfield

21 Ferrante Ave.

$123,000 — Install dust system

 

Town of Greenfield

62 Meridian St.

$34,000 — New vinyl siding

 

HOLYOKE

 

Contemporary Apartments Inc.

59 Mosher St.

$250,000 — Replace back porches

 

Eastern Micro-Graphics Inc.

624 Hampden St.

$53,000 — Add wireless communication facility

 

LUDLOW

 

Craig Tracy

77 Winsor St.

$39,000 — Alterations

 

Crown Atlantic, LLC

145 Carmelinas Ave.

$15,000 — Antenna replacement

 

Freedom Credit Union

645 Center St.

$16,000 — Alterations

 

Joseph Starczyk

242-250 East St.

$11,000 — Alterations

 

SOUTH HADLEY

 

Netlink Global

50 College St.

$25,000 — Install telecommunications tower

 

SPRINGFIELD

 

Morais Enterprises, LLC

108 Rocus St.

$20,000 — Install solar panel system

 

Shiloh SDA Church

797 State St.

$9,250 — New roof shingles

 

Smith & Wesson

2100 Roosevelt Ave.

$832,000 — Construct a 5,000-square-foot addition to Building “L”

 

Smith and Wesson

2100 Roosevelt Ave.

$110,000 — Install modular building

 

Styrolution Corp.

950 Worcester St.

$17,500 — New duct work system for air conditioning

 

WESTFIELD

 

Carl Schmidt

815 North Road

$27,500 — Construct a second-floor deck

 

City of Westfield

59 Court St.

$2,703,000 — Exterior renovations

 

City of Westfield

22 Franklin Ave.

$440,500 — New roof on Franklin Ave. School

 

Mark Katz

321 Elm St.

$25,000 — Interior repairs

 

Robert Bacon

310 Lockhouse Road

$610,000 — New commercial building

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD

 

Cumberland Farms Inc.

143 Park St.

$1,059,000 — Construction of a gas station and convenience store

 

 

 

 

Columns Sections
How to Survive Scrutiny of Social-media Policies

Karina L. Schrengohst

Karina L. Schrengohst

Does your company have a provision in its employee handbook that prohibits employees from publicly posting content on social-media sites that damages or defames your company or your employees? If you do, it is important to know how to tailor such a policy to survive the National Labor Relations Board’s scrutiny.

This is particularly important because, over the past year or so, the NLRB has taken an interest in social-media policy discipline and discharge cases.

As an increasing number of employees are using social media, many employers have found it necessary to include a section in their employee handbooks that prohibit certain electronic postings. Accompanying this growth is a rise in litigation involving such policies. Therefore, the importance of a carefully drafted social-media policy cannot be overstated.

The NLRB issued its first formal ruling on the legality of social-media policies on Sept. 7, 2012, finding language in an employee handbook that employers commonly use unlawful. Although this is the first NLRB decision addressing this issue, the topic of social media has received much attention from the NLRB and by administrative-law judges around the country. This recent decision reaffirms the board’s position that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is broad enough to provide protection to employees who make comments about their employers via social media such as Facebook posts.

This decision is also consistent with the guidance the NLRB’s acting general counsel has issued in the past year or so that overly broad restrictions on negative statements about the workplace may make employees feel that they are prohibited from using social media to discuss job-related concerns such as wages, hours, and working conditions, and, therefore, such restrictions violate the NLRA.

In the recent case in question, the NLRB found Costco Wholesale Corp.’s social-media policy unlawful, in part, because it broadly prohibits electronic statements “that damage the company, defame any individual, or damage any person’s reputation or violate the policies” in its employee handbook. This language should look familiar to many employers, as it is commonly used in employee handbooks.

Specifically, the rule in Costco’s employee handbook stated that “any communication transmitted, stored, or displayed electronically must comply with the policies outlined in the Costco Employee Agreement. Employees should be aware that statements posted electronically (such as [to] online message boards or discussion groups) that damage the company, defame any individual, or damage any person’s reputation, or violate the policies outlined in the Costco Employee Agreement, may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment.”

The board found that Costco’s policy could be construed as prohibiting concerted communications, such as speech critical of the company’s treatment of employees or working conditions, and such restriction on Section 7 rights violates the NLRA. Section 7 of the NLRA guarantees employees, whether in a union or non-unionized work environment, the right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid and protection. In other words, all employees have the right to discuss the terms and conditions of their employment.

Although the board failed to articulate any criteria to assist employers in crafting social-media policies, this decision is important because it suggests that employers might avoid liability by including appropriate disclaimers in their social-media policies and restrictions on its application. As part of its reasoning, the NLRB criticized Costco’s policy for not having disclaimer language that the policy did not apply to communications protected under the NLRA. This suggests that express language excluding Section 7 communication from the scope of the policy might have survived the board’s review. And it is likely that the board will find policies without language that explicitly excludes protected activity under the NLRA unlawful.

In addition, as part of its reasoning, the board criticized Costco’s policy for not having language which restricts its application. This suggests that a policy that provides context to restrictions by giving specific examples of prohibited conduct that is not protected by the NLRA, such as the use of profane language; malicious, abusive, or unlawful statements; or unlawful harassment, would be more likely to survive NLRB scrutiny.

The takeaway from this decision is that, even in a non-unionized work environment, vague and overbroad social-media policies restricting disparaging comments about the company or its employees will be found unlawful by the NLRB. Furthermore, disciplining an employee under such a policy could potentially lead to unfair-labor-practice charges and wrongful-termination claims.

In light of this decision, and given the fact that the language at issue is commonly found in employee handbooks, employers should carefully review their social-media policies and consult with their employment counsel to ensure that their policies do not contain broad prohibitions on employee conduct and are tailored to survive NLRB scrutiny.

 

Karina L. Schrengohst, Esq. specializes exclusively in management-side labor and employment law at Royal LLP, a woman-owned, SOMWBA-certified, boutique, management-side labor- and employment-law firm; (413) 586-2288; [email protected]