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HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank will present “Staying Ahead of the Hackers” on Wednesday, May 13 from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m. in the PeoplesBank Conference Center, 330 Whitney Ave., Holyoke.

The presentation is part of the bank’s 2015 Business Banking Seminar Series. This free seminar will focus on best practices in security to ensure that your small business does not become a victim to the latest security threats. Presenter Matthew Putvinski serves as director of the Information Technology Assurance Services group at Wolf & Co.

To join this workshop, register online at bit.ly/PBsignup by May 8. For questions on the 2015 Business Banking Seminar Series, e-mail [email protected] or call (413) 538-9500.

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SPRINGFIELD — Effective May 1, STCU Credit Union is changing its name to Arrha Credit Union.

“To usher in the next era in financial services, we’ve evolved our name and our look. It’s all to provide the best, most innovative member experience ever,” the company explained in a statement. “We are excited to have a name that is reflective of the credit union we’ve become. While our name is changing, we are still the same strong credit union with the same board of directors, management, and employees.”

In 1929, STCU Credit Union was formed to serve the teachers of Greater Springfield. Since then, it has grown and expanded our membership to a much broader community.

“We’ve spent the past few years examining how to better serve all of our members and create a brand that truly represents who we are today,” the credit union noted. “Arrha, meaning ‘a pledge in earnest,’ is one of the oldest words in the English language and reflects our pledge to assist our members in reaching their financial goals by providing superior products and services in a personal manner.”

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SPRINGFIELD — The Loomis Communities’ annual spring reception will honor the founding board of directors of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the senior living community on Thursday, May 21 at 4:30 p.m. at the retirement-community campus, 807 Wilbraham Road, Springfield.

The founding board of directors will receive the Elvira Whiting Ball Award for outstanding service to older adults. The reception will honor retired Michael Daly, Bruce Dewey, Jack Dill, Dr. Richard Flynn, John Gallup, Barbara Jefferson, Ronn Johnson, George Kuselias, David Longworth, John Mailhot, Keith McLean-Shinaman, Anthony Mott, Dr. Jill Russell, Scott Stearns Jr., J. Michael Wallace, Dr. Stephen Wittenberg, and deceased members Carl Breyer, Dr. Randolph Bromery, and John Mann.

The community opened in 1995 on the east campus of Springfield College on Lake Massasoit, the result of a collaboration between its founders, Baystate Health and Springfield College. When established, Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing became the first continuing-care retirement community in Springfield with independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing all on the same campus and under one roof.

According to David Scruggs, CEO of the Loomis Communities, “the establishment of the community 20 years ago was the result of a vision shared by leadership from Baystate Health and Springfield College, who were intent on building a first-of-its-kind retirement community in Springfield. There is no better way to honor these founders than with the Elvira Whiting Ball award, named after another visionary leader who, over 100 years ago, with a group of Holyoke women, established the first Loomis community to provide older adults a place to live ‘exempt from strife.’”

The award is presented annually to an individual or group for outstanding service to older adults who personify the spirit of Loomis’ founding leader.

The reception is open to the public. Tickets to the event are $35, with proceeds to benefit the nursing centers at Loomis House in Holyoke and Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing. Reservations can be made by calling Carol Constant, director of community engagement, at (413) 532-5325.

The spring reception sponsors include benefactor sponsors Mountain View Landscapes and Peoples Bank; sustaining sponsors Goss & McLain Insurance and Health New England; patron sponsors Lyon & Fitzpatrick and Smith Brothers Insurance; and platinum sponsors Easthampton Savings Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, O’Connell Care at Home, Retirement Dynamics, and Specialized Construction.

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HOLYOKE — Having raised a half-million dollars on word of mouth alone, the Community First Fund is now publicly pushing to reach $1 million before the end of the year.

The fund is managed by Common Capital Inc., a nonprofit that finances and assists small businesses. The fund is comprised of loans by people in Western Mass. who utilize their savings to help launch or expand local businesses. Investors receive a 2% return over the three-year term of the loan and then have the option of rolling it back into the fund. An investor’s return is not tied to the repayment ability of Common Capital’s borrowers, but is a general obligation of the organization. The fund accepts loans ranging from $500 to $50,000.

“The key to creating more well-paying jobs and other opportunities is to put local money into the local economy,” said Chris Sikes, CEO of Common Capital, which has been financing small business for 25 years as well as providing hands-on help in accounting, human resources, marketing, and other business areas. “Much like we strive to buy from local farmers, we also see real, positive results when we partner with local businesses.”

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SPRINGFIELD — Merchants Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Merchants Bank, and NUVO Bank & Trust Co. jointly announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which Merchants will acquire NUVO for approximately $21.8 million in stock and cash, which represents $7.15 per share.

Headquartered in Springfield, NUVO is focused on providing business loans, deposits, and cash-management services to small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in Western Mass. At Dec. 31, 2014, NUVO reported approximately $153 million in assets, $139 million in loans, and $134 million in deposits. Merchants had approximately $1.7 billion in total assets as of Dec. 31, 2014, with total shareholder equity of approximately $125.8 million.

“We are excited to enter the Greater Springfield market through a combination with NUVO Bank & Trust,” said Michael Tuttle, president and CEO of Merchants Bancshares. “The market has witnessed a great deal of change recently, the NUVO team is extremely experienced, and the growth opportunity is significant. We plan to invest in and grow the NUVO team and business. While operational areas will be combined, the value created in this merger will be more attributable to revenue growth than expense reduction. We look forward to welcoming the NUVO banking team to our Merchants family.”

Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of NUVO may elect to receive either 0.2416 shares of Merchants common stock or $7.15 in cash for each share of NUVO common stock outstanding, subject to total consideration being comprised of approximately 75% stock and 25% cash. Holders of NUVO common-stock options will receive a cash payment for the difference between $7.15 and the exercise price of the option, while warrant holders of NUVO may either be cashed out in a similar fashion or receive an equivalent warrant to acquire Merchants stock. The merger price of $7.15 per share is equivalent to approximately 133% of NUVO’s tangible book value at Dec. 31, 2014 and 51.9 times NUVO’s last 12 months’ earnings.

The agreement has been approved by both institutions’ boards of directors. The closing is anticipated to occur during the fourth quarter of 2015, subject to approval by NUVO shareholders, receipt of required regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions. Merchants expects the transaction to be accretive to its earnings in the first full year of combined operations.

NUVO’s chairman, Donald Chase, is expected to join the boards of directors of both Merchants Bancshares Inc. and Merchants Bank. In addition, Merchants has entered into employment agreements with M. Dale Janes, NUVO’s CEO, and Jeffrey Sattler, NUVO’s president and chief loan officer. NUVO will remain a distinct brand and operate as a division of Merchants Bank.

“There is tremendous opportunity in our market, and we believe that we can best capitalize on it by leveraging the liquidity, expanded lending limits, lower-cost deposit base, and broader product range of a strong partner like Merchants,” Chase said. “Additionally, Merchants’ publicly traded stock and dividends will be attractive to our shareholders. We have admired Merchants for some time, and getting to know their team better has reinforced the fact that we share common values and a similar operating philosophy.”

Added Geoffrey Hesslink, president and CEO of Merchants Bank, “the NUVO banking team will be able to lead credit opportunities of greater size, close more aggregate volume, and fund the business at a lower cost of funds with our combined balance sheet. In addition, we will be able to provide their team additional products, including municipal banking and wealth and asset management, as well as expanded mortgage offerings, with which to serve their market while keeping their own unique operating brand.”

Daily News

AMHERST — Hollister Insurance of Clinton, Mass. has acquired J.F. Conlon and Associates of Amherst.

J.F. Conlon has been a leading employee-benefits broker in Western Mass. for 20 years. Jim Conlon, president of J.F. Conlon and a former regional director with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, has plans to retire within a year of the transition, and Hollister President Matt Hollister has assumed the role of CEO for the overall business. April Williams, who has worked at J.F. Conlon for 15 years as a producer and account manager, has been promoted to regional manager and will head up the Amherst office.

The consolidated business gives Hollister Insurance a broader presence in the Massachusetts employee-benefits market, increases the number of plans offered, and adds significantly to the depth of experience in the brokerage staff. J.F. Conlon will continue to maintain the same close relationships with its customers while being able to offer additional support available through Hollister Insurance, such as human-resources support and benefit technology solutions.

Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Donald Courtemanche noted that “J.F. Conlon and Associates has long been a strong partner of the Amherst Area Chamber. We wish Jim Conlon the very best in retirement, and are confident that the company is in great hands with April Williams at the helm. I also look forward to getting to know Matt Hollister and think that he will be a good resource for the community here in Amherst.”

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PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank has been named the Small Business Lender of the Quarter by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for the first quarter of fiscal year 2015.

During the SBA’s first quarter — Oct. 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014 — Berkshire had 22 SBA loan approvals in Massachusetts, tying it as the third-most-active lender out of 84 lenders. During fiscal year 2014, Berkshire had 26 7(a) loan approvals for small businesses in the Pioneer Valley and Berkshire County, totaling $2.139 million. Also, Berkshire was ranked 13th by the SBA across all of Massachusetts in its 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program in 2014.

“Congratulations to the entire Berkshire Bank team for being named our Small Business Lender of the First Quarter,” said Robert Nelson, Massachusetts SBA district director. “Our continued economic expansion is dependent on lenders such as Berkshire Bank supporting the small-business community — which is why we are so very happy to applaud the bank on this recognition.”

Berkshire Bank is a preferred SBA lender and is a participant in the Massachusetts Treasurer’s Office Small Business Partnership Program, offering a full suite of financial services for small businesses.

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CHICOPEE — First responders are the ones who run into burning buildings and rush to help during natural disasters and other emergencies. Because they work in dangerous conditions, there’s a chance at the start of every shift that they won’t see the end of it. And, more often than not, they don’t have a will.

First responders often don’t think about the high risks inherent in their work, or the need for an estate plan in the event of their demise. It might sound paradoxical, but it’s true. But Caroline Murray, director and associate professor of Paralegal and Legal Studies at Elms College, is working to change that. Every spring, she hosts a workshop at the college, allowing students in her Wills class to offer free, attorney-supervised will-writing services to local heroes.

The event is associated with the Wills for Heroes Foundation, which originated after 9/11, when the lack of estate planning among most first responders became clear. The U.S. military offers soldiers free estate-planning documents — especially wills — but local first responders must pay for their own, and they can be expensive. “And, understandably, this is a topic most families do not want to think about, never mind discuss,” Murray said.

Wills for Heroes was founded in 2007 to create and execute free wills for first responders. Attorneys from around the country volunteer to participate in these events. This year, Murray and her class of about a dozen students will work with the West Springfield Fire Department. She and her class wanted to help local first responders, cementing community relations and also allowing them to focus on a specific group of heroes each year.

It’s an important service to offer firefighters. For example, in the U.S., 106 firefighters died in the line of duty in 2013, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Three-quarters of them died from emergency-related activities, half died from fire-scene activities, and 14 died while returning from or responding to emergencies. These deaths were unexpected and sudden, and if the firefighters died without wills in place, the families could have ended up with miles of red tape to walk while grieving.

It’s important to Murray’s students, too. Law firms generally prefer to hire paralegals with experience, she pointed out, so students must earn such experience in the classroom, or through voluntary clinics or internship opportunities. “The event helps paralegal students gain the valuable experience they need by creating and executing wills under the supervision of an attorney.”

It also forces them out of the classroom comfort zone and get a real, hands-on taste of estate planning, she added. “Several students [in previous years] claimed this was their favorite class because what they did made a real difference.”

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HOLYOKE — The River Valley Counseling Center (RVCC), an affiliate of Holyoke Medical Center and member of Valley Health Systems, will hold its fourth annual 5K Run/1-Mile Walk fund-raiser on Saturday, June 13. Funds raised will support RVCC in providing mental-health and other supportive services to individuals, families, and groups in the Pioneer Valley.

The first 100 registrants for this year’s Run/Walk event for River Valley will receive a free T-shirt. The deadline for mail-in registration is Friday, June 5, with online registration accepted until Wednesday, June 11. An awards ceremony and festivities with food and entertainment will be held following the race, which will be held rain or shine. Download a registration at www.rvcc-inc.org or register online at www.accu-specracing.com.

This is RVCC’s premier fund-raising event and promotes the importance of exercise and wellness. “Research shows that people with mental illness have a lifespan 25 years shorter than that of the general population,” said Angela Lozano Callahan, fund-raising committee member and race co-chair. “There is a clear connection between mental and physical health, as sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, smoking, and side effects of medications, so often a part of mental illness, lead to chronic conditions, from heart disease to diabetes. Funds that are raised through our corporate sponsors and community members allow RVCC to connect residents to the services they need.”

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AMHERST — The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce announced that Kim Alli has been hired as the chamber’s new marketing and membership coordinator, effective May 1.

Alli is a graduate of Westfield State University with a degree in marketing. She most recently served as marketing and promotions manager of Amherst Laser and Skin Center. She has a longstanding involvement with the chamber, serving as an ambassador for potential and new chamber members. She has also been an active member of several standing chamber committees, including the golf tournament, program, and Margarita Madness committees.

According to Donald Courtemanche, the chamber’s executive director, “Kim is an excellent fit for our team as we continue the work of building relationships and continuously strengthening the area economy. Her extensive experience with marketing and in creating membership connections will allow her to hit the ground running. Her extensive and intimate knowledge of the local business community will be a huge asset to the organization.”

Added Alli, “while I have enjoyed my engagement as a volunteer and supporter of the chamber on a number of different levels, I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work as part of the chamber team.”

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HOLYOKE — The HASHPPAC (Holyoke Adolescent Sexual Health Pregnancy Prevention Accountability Committee) community engagement subcommittee will host a series of positive engagement workshops called Project: CHOICES during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Week in May.

The three-day workshop series will be held at Holyoke High School on Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m., followed by workshops at Dean Technical High School during the school day on Friday, May 8. National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is recognized throughout the month of May, with special recognition on May 6, which is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day.

Project: CHOICES is a positive approach to working with adolescents to delay unintended pregnancies. The interactive workshops — on various themes such as science, environmental studies, creative writing, dance, art, criminal justice, and social-media literacy — encourage positive choices and provide teens with an alternative, progressive approach to delaying unintended pregnancies.

These workshops will be hosted by community members and volunteers from local agencies, who have donated their time to support the efforts of the HASHPPAC community engagement subcommittee. Community partners include Holyoke Health Center, Girls Inc., Tapestry Health, Head Start, Holyoke Youth Task Force, Holyoke Board of Health, Holyoke Police Department, Holyoke YMCA, and several others. Holyoke Public School Department officials have played a large role in supporting the efforts of the Project: CHOICES event.

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SPRINGFIELD — The East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce (ERC5) will host its annual Feast of the East on May 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Twin Hills Country Club, 700 Wolf Swamp Road, Longmeadow.

From American to Italian, nearly a dozen restaurants and caterers will showcase their signature dishes. Participating chefs featuring their culinary creations include those from Kaptain Jimmy’s of Agawam; Center Square Grill, Fazio’s, and Pasquale’s of East Longmeadow; Twin Hills Country Club and Primo’s 2 Go of Longmeadow; Europa Black Rock Bar & Grill of Ludlow; Magic Spoon Catering of Monson; and Pop’s Biscotti & Chocolates and Dana’s Grillroom of Wilbraham. In addition to serving palate-pleasing portions, the chefs will vie for the title of “People’s Choice.”

The event is made possible by Comcast, the Republican, and Go Graphix. Proceeds will benefit the ERC5’s Scholarship Fund. To date, the fund has provided more than $30,000 in educational funds and scholarships to students in East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, and Wilbraham.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by e-mailing Amanda Brodkin at [email protected].

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SPRINGFIELD — What is emotional intelligence? Why is it important to leadership? Can it be learned? These and other questions will be explored in an interactive workshop, “Work of Leaders Essentials,” sponsored by Leadership Pioneer Valley and Bredenberg Associates. The event will be held at the Business Growth Center in the Springfield Tech Park on Friday, May 1 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. A networking lunch will follow.

The program is designed for seasoned and emerging leaders in business, government, education, and healthcare, as well as coaches and consultants. It will be presented by Ingrid Bredenberg, professor of Leadership and Management at Marlboro Graduate School and senior strategy coach with Bredenberg Associates. Online registration is available at workofleaders.eventbrite.com.

The program is based on more than six years of research into leadership best practices. Interviews with over 300 authors, consultants, and thought leaders in the field of leadership development, as well as analysis of millions of data points from 360-degree assessments of leaders, resulted in a book, The Work of Leaders, as well as a leadership-assessment tool. The tuition of $95 includes a personalized Work of Leaders assessment which must be completed prior to the event.

“Leaders need more than just vision. They need to be able to align people, processes, and projects to their organization’s purpose. And then they need to take action to make things happen. That’s the goal of this program,” said Lora Wondolowski, director of Leadership Pioneer Valley.

Added Clarissa Sawyer, program director for the Mass Bay Organization Development Learning Group, “with all the changes in business, policy, and education, leaders need to be forward-thinking, collaborative, and visionary. Leaders aren’t born; they’re educated. This program provides critical insights and strategies for new and seasoned leaders.”

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SPRINGFIELD — Think you know everything about social media? Think again. Like all technology, social-media platforms are constantly updating and changing, and unless you change with it, your content could be going unnoticed. To ensure you are optimizing your social-media posts, join the Creative Strategy Agency workshop “Digital Marketing Update” on 
Friday, May 1 from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at 1350 Main St., Suite 1506, Springfield.

This workshop occurs twice a year and gives businesses an opportunity to stay up to date on the latest changes happening to digital marketing and social media in a boot-camp-style session. The workshop will cover the latest in updates across all platforms: things you need to know for your business, where to focus your energy and resources, as well as how to effectively use the platforms as they continuously update. You will also learn about platform algorithms, content consumption and engagement, analytics, social-media advertising, and new, upcoming social-media platforms.

This workshop is open to anyone but is geared towards professionals in marketing, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, startups, and small businesses. It includes refreshments, breakfast, lunch, and a printed eBook packet as a resource filled with information, research, and statistics. The cost to attend the workshop is $90, or $75 for members of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. For more information, visit tcsa.co/tcsaupdate.

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SPRINGFIELD — St. Michael’s Academy, located at 153 Eddywood St. in Springfield, will hold its annual 5K run/walk, as well as its annual carnival, on Saturday, May 2.

The 5K registration will begin at 9 a.m. on the school campus, and there will be a free kid’s run at 9:45 a.m. The 5K event will officially begin at 10 a.m. with the runners kicking off the race, followed by the walkers. The St. Michael’s Carnival will also run from 10 a.m. to noon on the school campus, featuring food, games, and prizes. Race participants are encouraged to register early to ensure a T-shirt.

Race registration fees are $35 for adults and $15 for students. Spectators will have the opportunity to order T-shirts the day of the carnival and race. For further information or to register, visit www.smaspringfield.org or call the school at (413) 782-5246.

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HOLYOKE — On May 7, the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts will unveil its new Creative Awards show, formerly known as the ADDYs, recognizing the creative work of advertising agencies and marketing departments throughout the region.

The club recently ended its affiliation with the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in favor of a show focused on the work of the local creative economy. The revamped Creative Awards show will be held at Open Square in Holyoke, a nod to the city’s recent commitment to a creative economy. Entries for the inaugural Creative Awards show comprised a variety of media, including photography, print work, video production, and more. The creative industry in Western Mass. and Northern Conn. responded positively to this year’s overhaul with more than 100 submitted entries.

“Seeing the entries submitted for this year’s show was a reminder of how deep the pool of talent is in our region,” said David Cecchi, club president and historian. “The Creative Awards will be a great opportunity for the local creative and business communities to celebrate the excellent work being done locally in advertising, design, and communications.”

Cecchi also noted the commitment of the club to serve as a connector between the business community and the marketing and communications communities in Western Mass. “The show will be a great opportunity for local business to get exposed to the creative resources available to them in the area — and meet the people doing great work.”

This year’s Creative Awards judges are Jeff Patch, partner and executive director of RDW Group; Maureen Gawron, creative services manager and associate creative director at the TJX Companies Inc.; and Amy Graver, principal and creative director at Elements, a creative-communications agency. “Really nice pieces in this year’s show,” noted Graver. “There is also a lot of diversity in the type of work being submitted.”

With a view to breathing new life into the awards show and re-engage the local creative community, Creative Awards co-chairs Lynn Saunders and Scott Whitney, both of Six-Point Creative Works, have rebuilt the program from the ground up. “We really started from scratch in terms of determining categories, submission process, and the format of the show,” said Whitney. “It’s certainly been a daunting task, but we’ve already had a lot of support from our colleagues in the industry who appreciate that the Ad Club is focusing on the work of local creatives.”

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SPRINGFIELD — DevelopSpringfield announced it has awarded a $20,000 grant for facade improvements to 595 Main Street, the new location for Glory Inc., a family-owned South End department store. The grant is made possible under DevelopSpringfield’s Corridor Storefront Improvement Program, which provides grants of up to $10,000 per storefront for exterior improvements to first-floor businesses located on State and Main streets in Springfield.

Improvements to this space included renovations to multiple storefronts. The recently awarded funds were used to create larger window openings, as well as for new signage, lighting, and doors.

“DevelopSpringfield is pleased to support the Lee family in the rehabilitation of new space for their successful retail business and in helping to support the reuse of a vacant commercial building on Main Street in the South End,” said Jay Minkarah, president and CEO of DevelopSpringfield.

A $7,963 grant was also recently provided to Islazul Realty, LLC to support the substantial rehabilitation of a building located at 2547 Main St. in Springfield’s North End. The project included the installation of new, large windows, as well as a door, lighting, and an awning to convert a former commercial garage into professional office space that will attract additional service businesses to the neighborhood.

DevelopSpringfield’s Corridor Storefront Improvement Program was established in 2009. Funds are no longer available to support new projects except for properties located on State Street in the Mason Square area and on Main Street in the North End. For more information on the Corridor Storefront Improvement Program, go to www.developspringfield.com and click on ‘programs’ or contact Minkarah at (413) 209-8808 or [email protected].

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Springfield College LogoSPRINGFIELD — Springfield College revealed a new brand and visual identity system designed to showcase its rich heritage, varied academic offerings, and commitment to community service. Created to help present a unified message and look, the system includes a new logo and messaging that is built on the foundation of the college’s mission. “The affirmation of our core values of educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others is more relevant today and more needed in today’s society than it was when we opened our doors in 1885,” said Springfield College president Mary-Beth Cooper. “The triangle in our new logo will remind us of what matters to this community.” The college partnered with the national branding agency, Ologie, for the comprehensive market research study, which began in late 2013. The end result clarified the institution’s core values and crafted a unique and compelling message that the entire college community may use moving forward. One of the key insights that emerged from the process was the college’s focus on service to others. “It is the tie that binds together all of the Springfield College programs and departments,” said Cooper. A new college logo, which includes the words ‘Springfield College’ and an inverted triangle, exemplifies the college’s Humanics philosophy, which recognizes that an individual’s emotional, intellectual, and physical lives are interconnected. The inverted equilateral triangle utilized in the new logo dates back to former Springfield College faculty member Luther H. Gulick, a pioneer in physical education and recreation in the United States, who first introduced the symbol to the college in 1891. “With such a vast and interesting history, the college must bring all of its stories together into a cohesive brand message that authentically expresses the identity of everyone and every program at Springfield College,” said Springfield College Executive Director for Marketing and Communications Stephen Roulier. The new logo and messaging will appear in enrollment marketing and advertising. An expanded and redesigned website will launch at a later date.

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SPRINGFIELD — Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) recently named the 12 finalists who will compete for their share of $250,000 in prize money at the organization’s first annual Accelerator Awards on April 30. During the awards ceremony, the finalists, which include startup companies from wide-ranging industries, will be in the running for grants of up to $50,000. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and will include a networking reception and showcase of startup teams, as well as a dinner and awards program. Finalist startups include Artifact Cider Project, BeTH, EDENIS, LLC, Food on a Truck, Lobster IT Limited, LocalTable, MachineMetrics, Olive Natural Beauty Inc., PetSimpl, White Lion Brewing Company, Wonder Crew, and Worksafe Technology Inc. More than 120 teams from all around the valley, the state, and even around the world applied to the program. The top 30 were accepted and engaged in a series of 72-hour monthly training boot camps in downtown Springfield. A total of 29 teams made presentations recently in preparation for the awards. VVM program participants then judged each other on their customer segment, sales and marketing, scale, profitability and size as well as their revenue model and cost structure to determine the finalists. “VVM takes a lovingly critical approach to training its startups,” said Paul Silva, co-founder and president of the organization. “We put the entrepreneur first in every endeavor. I’m extremely proud of what these entrepreneurs and their mentors have been able to achieve.” During the four-month Accelerator Program, startup teams collectively raised more than $1 million dollars, hired employees, negotiated partnerships, secured and grew accounts, and increased product orders. “We provide comprehensive, effective resources for our teams,” Silva added. “Our real aim is to provide our groups with preparation beyond the presentation. We want them to build their businesses for the long term.” This year’s Accelerator Program is funded by Mass Mutual, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Mass. Technology Collaborative with the mission to support an entrepreneurial renaissance in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.

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SPRINGFIELD — Leadership Pioneer Valley (LPV), now in the recruitment process for the fifth year of its ten-month leadership development program, has seen positive results in careers and community as a result of participation in the program. LPV, working with Denny Consulting has evaluated skills transfer, learning, and career and community impact of both program participants and alumni over the past four years. The overall satisfaction with the program has increased each year, with 100% rating the program as ‘good’ or ‘excellent (54%). The LPV curriculum focuses on developing leadership skills, creating broader connections, and increasing regional understanding leading to action. LPV’s evaluations reported attainment of these goals in each of these areas.
Connections: Nearly all (99%) of LPV participants reported having made meaningful connections with fellow participants, and 64% reported having made meaningful connections with other leaders met through opportunities provided by the program;
Leadership Skills: Participants reported statistically significant skill increases in collaboration, leading teams, creativity, confidence, managing conflict, and understanding personality types.
Cultural Competency: 76% of participants increased their cultural competency;
• Career Advancement: 53% of alumni have a new leadership role at work, while 29% have taken a new job with increased responsibility.
Community Engagement: 64% of alumni have joined a new board of directors and 31% of alumni have initiated a new community project.
“We are astounded to already be making such an impact in the region after only four years,” said Lora Wondolowski, executive director. “It is incredibly humbling to see the kind of changes that our alumni are making as a result of their participation in Leadership Pioneer Valley.”

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SPRINGFIELD — National transportation leader Beverly Scott will visit Springfield to help launch a local effort to achieve greater equity in federal transportation policy. Scott will speak on May 12 at 5 p.m. at the UMass Center at Springfield, 1500 Main St. in Tower Square. In 2012, President Barack Obama named Dr. Scott a “transportation innovator of change” for her record of leadership and service in public transportation. Scott has long advocated for better access to jobs, health care, education, and other opportunities, especially for people who depend on public transportation. From 2012 to 2015, she was the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), leading it through the snowiest winter in recorded history. From 2007 to 2011, she was the chief executive officer of Atlanta’s Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) system, where she notably focused public attention on transportation funding by painting a large red “X” on buses that would be eliminated by proposed budget cuts. Scott’s visit will lead off a local effort to better incorporate principles of transportation equity into the work of LiveWell Springfield, a coalition of community-based organizations that promote public health and related activities citywide. The project includes three workshops in June designed to engage, educate, and empower emerging leaders within communities of color in Springfield. Scott’s appearance is sponsored by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, which was one of six organizations nationwide to receive funds to help recruit and engage emerging local leaders as part of a program by the Leadership Conference Education Fund and PolicyLink, a national research and action organization working to improve social and economic equity.

Daily News

Even as construction firms added jobs in 41 states between March 2014 and March 2015, construction employment declined in 29 states and the District of Columbia between February and March, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that ongoing D.C. gridlock over how to pay for needed infrastructure improvements and declining demand for oil-related projects likely contributed to so many states shedding construction jobs last month. “While the year-over-year data remains relatively positive, it is troubling to see so many states losing construction jobs during the past month,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “As energy firms cancel or delay projects and Congressional action on transportation and other infrastructure measures remains stalled, many construction firms appear to be reducing headcount, at least temporarily.” 

California added more new construction jobs (46,300 jobs, 6.9%) between March 2014 and March 2015 than any other state. Other states adding a high number of new construction jobs for the past 12 months included Texas (39,300 jobs, 6.2%), Florida (37,400 jobs, 9.7%), Washington (18,900 jobs, 12.1%) and Illinois (16,600 jobs, 8.4%). Idaho (14.8%, 4,800 jobs) added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year, followed by North Dakota (12.1%, 4,000 jobs), Washington and Colorado (10.4%, 14,500 jobs). Nine states shed construction jobs during the past 12 months while construction employment was unchanged in D.C. West Virginia (-2,400 jobs, -7.2%) and Mississippi (-2,400 jobs, -4.7%) were tied for the most construction jobs lost. Other states that lost a high number of construction jobs for the year were Indiana (-1,900 jobs, -1.6%), Ohio (-1,400 jobs, -0.7%) and Nebraska (-600 jobs, -1.6%.) 

Texas (-5,800 jobs, -0.9%) lost the most construction jobs between February and March. Other states experiencing large monthly declines in total construction employment included Ohio (-4,500 jobs, -2.3%), Kentucky (-4,100 jobs, -5.4%), Georgia (-3,500 jobs, -2.2%) and Arkansas (-3,400 jobs, -6.9%). Arkansas lost the highest percent of construction jobs, followed by Kentucky, West Virginia (-4.3%, -1,400 jobs) and New Mexico (-3.0%, -1,300 jobs). “The construction industry has clearly hit a soft patch,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “Passing needed infrastructure measures will certainly help keep construction employment levels from backsliding.”

Daily News

BOSTON — The state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) reported that the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for March were down in all 24 labor market areas over the month and over the year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During March, 12 of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded seasonal job gains, one area had no change in jobs, and the remaining two areas lost jobs. The largest job gains were in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Worcester, Springfield, Barnstable Town and Peabody-Salem-Beverly areas. Taunton-Middleborough-Norton was the only area with no change in its jobs level. Since last March, all 15 areas added jobs with the largest percentage gains in the Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Barnstable Town, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, Worcester, Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem and Peabody-Salem-Beverly areas. In order to compare the statewide rate to the local unemployment rates, BLS estimates that the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for March was 5.0%, down 0.4 of a percentage point from the revised February 2015 rate. Over the year, the statewide unadjusted rate was down 1.3% from the March 2014 rate of 6.3%. The seasonally adjusted statewide March unemployment rate, released on April 16, 2015 was 4.8%, down 0.1 of a percentage point over the month and down 1.1% over the year. The rate was 0.7 of a percentage point below the national unemployment rate. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 10,500-job gain in March and an over-the-year gain of 60,200 jobs. The labor force, unemployment rates and jobs estimates for Massachusetts, and for every other state, are based on several different statistical methodologies specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

Daily News

AMHERST — Leykia D. Brill has been named to the newly created post of assistant provost for diversity at the UMass Amherst, effective May 6. Brill will play a leadership role in the university’s ongoing efforts to make the undergraduate student body more diverse and to help foster an inclusive campus community that attracts and supports diversity in many forms. Currently, she works at Amherst College as associate director for student activities and the Keefe Campus Center. “This appointment is an important step in our ongoing efforts to increase recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups,” said Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy, who created the assistant provost position last fall. “In her outreach to under-represented communities, Ms. Brill will play a key role in promoting our campus’ values of diversity, equity and inclusion, and will help us fulfill our goal to create a climate where all students can thrive and excel.” As a member of the university’s Enrollment Management team, Brill will develop contacts and foster relationships with high school and community college personnel, communicate directly with prospective students and parents and collaborate with the Admissions Office in off-campus recruitment efforts. She will train admissions staff on ways to best present the diversity of the university, as well as how to speak about the value of a diverse campus community and work with colleges and departments to coordinate their diversity recruitment and retention efforts with those of Enrollment Management.

Brill will also help define and coordinate undergraduate recruitment efforts and marketing materials to reach underrepresented student populations. In her current post at Amherst College, Brill advises, directs and provides leadership training to the school’s activities board, social council, student association, radio station, yearbook and more than 100 recognized student organizations. She also oversees $100,000 in the student activities budget and its allocation for programs and student-organized events. From 2009-14, Brill was a member of the admission staff at Amherst, first as an assistant dean and then as associate dean of admission/coordinator of diversity outreach.

She was involved in developing strategies to increase the enrollment yield of underrepresented students of all backgrounds, focusing additional effort on programming for Native students. She also supervised an assistant dean of admission, two admission fellows and 14 diversity interns for on-campus events, diversity programming and outreach to community-based organizations. Her achievements included a 50% increase in American Indian applications during one admission cycle and the design of new marketing campaigns for Native student programming and general diversity programs. From 2006-08, Brill was assistant director of admission at Wheaton College in Norton, where she directed the multicultural admissions committee and planned programming and recruitment for prospective students of color. Brill earned her B.A. at Wheaton College and an M.S. in higher education policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Daily News

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — United Financial Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for United Bank, today announced results for the quarter ended March 31. These results represent the third full fiscal quarter as the combined United Financial — the merger of Rockville Financial Inc. (Rockville) and legacy United Financial Bancorp, Inc. (legacy United). The company had net income of $13.0 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, compared to Rockville’s net income of $947,000, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2014. Net income for the linked quarter was $1.4 million, or $0.03 per diluted share.

“I am pleased to report that during the first quarter of 2015 United Financial Bancorp Inc. delivered 7% linked quarter revenue growth and a 7% decrease in linked quarter operating expenses, resulting in net income of $0.26 per diluted share. The company reported return on tangible common equity of 10.72%, return on average equity of 8.63%, return on average assets of 0.95%, non-interest expense to average assets of 2.23% and a 63% efficiency ratio. All of these metrics reflect progress toward merger financial targets we outlined in November 2013,” said William H. W. Crawford, IV, Chief Executive Officer of United Financial Bancorp Inc. and United Bank.

“For the balance of 2015 we remain focused on generating high single-digit loan growth, growing fee income and core deposits, while exercising expense discipline to drive non-interest expense to average assets approaching 2.00% by the fourth quarter.” While the first quarter of 2015 commercial loan growth was below plan, he went on, “we have record commercial and robust mortgage loan pipelines. The transformational merger into United Financial Bancorp Inc. has positioned us for solid organic growth with a conservative risk profile and attractive cost structure all fueled by our ability to retain and recruit top talent across our organization. Given all of the above, we are increasing our quarterly dividend by 20% to $0.12 per share from $0.10 per share.” The company reported record quarterly net income of $13.0 million, or $0.26 per diluted share, and return on average assets (ROA) of 0.95% in the first quarter of 2015. Total revenues increased 7%, reaching a record $48.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. Interest income totaled $48.3 million in the first quarter of 2015 and was flat in comparison to the linked quarter. Earning assets grew organically by $57 million, or 1%, during the quarter, while average interest-earning assets increased by $115 million, or 2%, from the linked quarter.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — While progressive political organizations dream of convincing Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for president in 2016, a majority of Warren’s constituents think a presidential candidacy is a bad idea, according to the latest survey from the Western New England University Polling Institute. The telephone survey of 427 registered voters in Massachusetts, conducted April 6 – 14, found that 57% said that Warren seeking the presidency would be a bad idea, 32 percent said it would be a good idea, and 11% said they did not know or declined to answer the question. The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus five percentage points. Warren has repeatedly said she has no plans to run for president in 2016, despite ongoing efforts by liberal political organizations to entice her to run. While a majority of voters in Massachusetts don’t think Warren should run for president, those sentiments do not necessarily reflect negative views of Warren. The survey found that 62% of voters approve of the job Warren is doing as senator, 21% disapprove, and 17% said they did not know or declined to answer the question. More thasn half (55%) of voters have a favorable view of Warren, and 30 percent of voters have an unfavorable view. The survey also found that:

• Governor Charlie Baker, after having served 100 days in office, has a job approval rating of 63%, with 10% of voters disapproving, and 27% saying they did not know or declining to answer the question; 56% of voters have a favorable view of Baker, while 13% hold an unfavorable view, marking an increase in Baker’s popularity since winning election as governor in November.

• Senator Ed Markey, who won re-election in November, has a job approval rating of 35%, with 18% of voters disapproving and nearly half of voters — 47% — either unable or unwilling to offer an opinion. Markey’s favorability rating is 35%, with 19% unfavorable, 15% saying they have not heard of him, and 27% saying they have no opinion of him. Markey’s unfavorability has dropped 10 points since October, while his favorability has remained steady.

After asking voters about a hypothetical Warren candidacy for president, the Polling Institute asked voters to explain, in their own words, why they think Warren running for president would be a good idea or a bad idea. Among voters who said a Warren White House bid would be a bad idea, the most frequent reason given was that Warren does not have enough experience yet to serve as president (38%). Meanwhile, 12% said Warren is too liberal, while another 12% said they don’t like Warren, or they don’t like her issue positions. Tim Vercellotti, director of the Polling Institute and a professor of political science at Western New England University, said that voters who think a Warren presidential candidacy is a bad idea are a mix of her detractors and supporters. “While there are plenty of voters who oppose the idea because they feel Warren is inexperienced or they don’t like her or her issue positions, there is also a significant number of voters who say she is doing a good job in the Senate and they want her to stay there,” he said. Democrats were almost evenly divided, with 42% saying a presidential run would be a good idea and 46% saying it would be a bad idea. Among Republican and unenrolled voters, more than 60% said they thought it would be a bad idea.

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced that the institution will consolidate its downtown Pittsfield facilities beginning July 1. In an effort to streamline efficiencies, BCC will shift its operations from the Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) to the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building when its agreement expires June 30. In 2008, BCC and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) embarked on a unique initiative that involved utilizing available space at the ITC to allow students to access classes in downtown Pittsfield at the public transportation hub. The effort was achieved with the assistance of former Congressman John Olver, the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) and the City of Pittsfield. BCC and MCLA expanded their downtown presence at the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building in 2011. Dubbed the Education Center at Conte, the location provides convenient access to public transportation.

“As part of BCC and MCLA’s commitment to downtown Pittsfield, we will focus our efforts on one convenient location where we can provide high-quality educational services to our students,” said Vice President for Community Education & Workforce Development William Mulholland. “The number of students, businesses, and the general public that were exposed to the BRTA and BCC through the cooperative venture in the ITC over the past seven years is immeasurable,” said BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati. “BCC and the BRTA have been and will continue to be collaborative partners in downtown Pittsfield.”

BCC’s Office of Community Education & Workforce Development will relocate to the Education Center at Conte beginning in June. BCC’s main campus located on West Street in Pittsfield will undergo a $32 million upgrade including substantial building renovations, a community turf athletic field and resurfaced parking lots and access roads. The centerpiece of the campus enhancements will occur at Hawthorne and Melville Halls, BCC’s two main academic buildings. Renovations to Hawthorne Hall will begin in May with Melville to follow January 2016.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums will host a community art show featuring creations by local students in grades 5 through 12. Life’s Impressions will be on view in the Special Exhibit Gallery of the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts May 9-17. The show is free with general admission. The exhibition is funded, in part, by the Michele and Donald D’Amour Fund, established in 2008 to bring world-class art exhibitions to the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.The 36 featured works include drawings and paintings that were selected by Museum staff from over 65 entries received from the following schools: Belchertown High School, Chicopee Comprehensive High School, Hatfield Elementary School, Longmeadow High School, Northampton High School, PV Chinese Immersion Charter School, Springfield Conservatory of the Arts, Springfield Central High School, West Springfield High School, and Westfield High School. In addition to the privilege of having their art displayed at a prestigious museum, the winning students will also receive free enrollment in one of the summer art courses offered through the Museum School. The opening of Life’s Impressions will be celebrated with a reception in Blake Court of the D’Amour Museum on May 9 at 2 p.m.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College has been awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities that will enable the college to incorporate Latino Studies material into humanities classes, a step faculty and administrators hope will lay the foundation for a full-fledged Latino Studies program at HCC. The $120,000 ‘Bridging Cultures at Community Colleges’ grant was the largest awarded this year by the NEH to any college or university in Massachusetts, putting HCC on a prestigious list of recipients that also included Mount Holyoke College, Northeastern University, UMass, Amherst College, and Brandeis.

”Incorporating a Latino Studies perspective into a range of humanities courses will certainly serve the college’s sizable — and growing — Latino student population,” said Matt Reed, vice president of Academic Affairs, in support of the grant. “Students and faculty at large will also benefit from increased understanding, awareness, and appreciation of cultures that play such a significant role in our home community.” From 2009 to 2014, the number of Hispanic/Latino students at HCC rose from 1,477 to 1,879, a 27% increase. During the same period, Latino enrollment grew from 16% to 21% of the total student population. Nearly half, 48.4%, of Holyoke’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, according to the grant proposal.

 The grant coordinators, HCC professors of Spanish, Monica Torregrosa and Raul Gutierrez, are organizing a series of summer workshops for HCC humanities faculty where they will learn how to add Latino Studies content to existing HCC courses. Torregrosa and Gutierrez are working closely with the Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies at UMass to create the curriculum. “A requirement of the grant was that we collaborate with another institution,” said Torregrosa, adding that several HCC faculty members are lined up to participate in the workshops, from English, art and communications, including theater professor Pat Sandoval, who directed the play Living Out at HCC last year, which explored the lives of Latina immigrants working as nannies in Los Angeles. 

Gutierrez and Torregrosa said it is important to distinguish between Latin American Studies, which focuses on the history, culture and people who live in Latin America and Latino Studies, which focuses on Latino groups living in the United States. 

”If you think about it,” said Gutierrez, “the Mexican population has been living in the southwestern U.S. since the 1800s, so you’re not talking about new groups, even though people assume they are new groups. You have all these groups that have been here for a long time. Puerto Ricans have been on the East Coast since 1898, so you’re talking more than 100 years.”

 The three-year grant will also pay for Latino-themed presentations during the fall and spring semesters that will be open to the entire campus community and general public. 

One of the listed objectives of the grant is to create a new interdisciplinary Latino Studies program at HCC.

Chamber Corners Departments

AFFILIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
 
• April 29: ACCGS Beacon Hill Summit 2015, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Massachusetts State House. Hosted by state Sen. James Welch. Day-long opportunity to meet with members of the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts delegation. Reservations are $180 per person and includes continental breakfast, transportation, lunch, reception, and all materials. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• May 6: ACCGS Business@Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Colony Club, 1500 Main St., Springfield. Speed networking — a fast-paced way to work the room. Sponsored by United Personnel. Reservations are $20 for members (in advance, $25 members at the door), $30 general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• May 13: ACCGS After 5, 5-7 p.m., at the Residence Inn by Marriott, 500 Memorial Ave., Chicopee. Join us for our last After 5 of the season for a tailgate party, featuring food trucks with tailgating cuisine, parking-lot games like cornhole and ladder toss, music, and cash bar. Reservations are $5 for members, $10 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• May 14: East of the River Five Town Chamber Feast in the East, 5-7:30 p.m., at Twin Hills Country Club, 700 Wolf Swamp Road, Longmeadow. Enjoy culinary tastings from local restaurants and caterers to benefit the ERC5 Scholarship Fund. Reservations are $25. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• May 19: Professional Women’s Chamber Woman of the Year, 5:30 p.m., at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Honoring Anne Paradis, chief executive officer, Microtek Inc. Reservations are $55 and may be may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• May 26: ACCGS Pastries, Politics & Policy, 8-9 a.m., at TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. For political and policy junkies. Reservations are $15 for members, $25 general admission, and includes continental breakfast. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
 
AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700
 
• May 6: After 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Bridgeside Grille, 9 Amherst Road, Sunderland. Register online at www.amherstarea.com or call the office at (413) 253-0700. Tickets: $10 for members,  $15 for non-members.
• May 27: After 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Florence Savings Bank, 377 Russell St., Hadley. Sponsored solely by Florence Saving Bank. Register online at www.amherstarea.com or call the office at (413) 253-0700. Tickets are $10 members, $15 for non-members.
• June 18-21: Taste of Amherst, on the Amherst Common. Featuring 22 individual restaurants on the common for a weekend of fun, food tasting, food demos, live music, kids’ area, zoo, and much more. Hours: June 18-19, 5-9 p.m.; June 20, noon-10 p.m.; June 21, noon-4 p.m. All food is under $5 per item. No entry fee.
• June 23: After 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at J.F. Conlon , 29 University Dr., Amherst. Sponsored in part by J.F.Conlon & Associates. Register online at www.amherstarea.com or call the chamber office at (413) 253-0700. Tickets: $10 per member, $15 per non- member.
 
GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
 
• May 15: Lunch & Learn, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. “ACA Compliance: Employer Requirements and Management Tools.” Learn about a solid, user-friendly road map for understanding compliance issues. Tickets: $15 for members, $23 for non-members.
• May 20: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Renaissance Manor on Cabot, 279 Cabot St., Holyoke. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
• May 21: Golf Tournament at Chicopee Country Club; 10 a.m. shotgun start. Registration: $125 per golfer.
• May 27: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Elms College. Tickets: $23 for members, $28 for non-members.
• June 13: 5K Road Race/2-mile Walk. Begins and ends at Portuguese Club, 149 Exchange St., Chicopee. Registration: $25 per person; $15 for children 12 and under. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. Fee includes T-shirt and free lunch provided by the Munich Haus.
• June 18: Mornings with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at the Willimansett Center West, 546 Chicopee St., Chicopee. Free for chamber members.
• June 24: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Wireless Zone, 601E Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
 
GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414
 
• May 11: Monday Morning with the Mayor. “Getting Down to Business About Business: Casual Conversation with Mayor Cadieux,” 8-9 a.m., at Easthampton Savings Bank, 36 Main St., Easthampton. Free and open to the public.
 
GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376
 
• May 15: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and hosted by Pic’s Place, 910 Hampden St., Holyoke. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for the public. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 18: Annual Chamber Cup 2015 Golf Tournament Celebrating the chamber’s 125th Anniversary, at Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Registration and lunch at 10:30 a.m.; tee off at noon (scramble format); dinner following game with elaborate food stations catered by the Log Cabin. 
Cost: $125 per player includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, cart, and dinner. Dinner only-$25. Awards, raffles, and cash prizes follow dinner. Tournament sponsors: Log Cabin and PeoplesBank. Corporate sponsors: Dowd Insurance, Goss & McLain Insurance Agency, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Mountain View Landscapes, Holyoke Medical Center, People’s United Bank, the Republican, and Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll. For reservations, call the chamber Office at (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 21: Chamber Business Connections, 5-7 p.m., in the Atrium in the PeoplesBank building, 330 Whitney Ave. Sponsored and hosted by PeoplesBank. Join your friends and colleagues for this fun and casual evening of networking. Refreshments, door prizes, and 50/50 raffle. Cost: $19 for chamber members, $15 for non-members.
• June 19: 125th Anniversary Gala Ball, starting at 6 p.m., at the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Cocktails at 6, dinner at 7. Enjoy an elegant meal and dance to the music of the Floyd Patterson Band. Join Marcotte Ford as one of the major event sponsors by calling (413) 534-3376. Event is open to the public. More details to follow. 
 
GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900
 
• May 6: May Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Whalen Insurance Agency. For more information or to register, call the chamber at (413) 584-1900.
• July 1: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Pioneer Landscapes and Easthampton Electrical. For more information or to register, call the chamber at (413) 584-1900.
 
GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618
 
• April 28: Southwick Home to Business Show. Hosted by Tucker’s Restaurant. For more information, contact Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• May 4: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at Renaissance Manor, 37 Feeding Hills Road, Westfield. Join us for our monthly coffee hour with Westfield Mayor Dan Knapik. This event is free and open to the public. Call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register for this event.
• May 13: May After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity and the ReStore. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for non-members; cash at the door. To register, call Pam at the chamber at (413) 568-1618.
• May 18: 54th Annual Golf Tournament, at Tekoa Country Club, 459 Russell Road, Westfield. Schedule: 10 a.m., registration and lunch; 11 a.m., shotgun start; 4 p.m., cocktail hour; 5 p.m., dinner. Title sponsor: Westfield Gas & Electric. Premium gift sponsor: Westfield Bank. Cart sponsor: Doctor’s Express.
• June 1: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at Westfield Vocational Technical High School, 33 Smith Ave., Westfield.
Free and open to the public. Register by calling (413) 568-1618.
• June 19:
Chamber Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Ranch Golf Club, 65 Sunnyside Road, Southwick. Platinum sponsor: Mestek. Golf sponsor: Berkshire Bank. Silver sponsors: First Niagara and Prolamina. Registered attendees of the chamber breakfast can golf at a discounted rate of only $65 at the Ranch following the breakfast. Call Bill Rosenblum, golf pro, to register at (413) 569-9333, ext. 3. Cost for the breakfast: $25 for members, $30 for non-members. For more information on sponsorships, to register, or to donate a raffle prize, call Pam at the chamber at (413) 568-1618.
 
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310
 
• May 19: Professional Women’s Chamber Woman of the Year, 5:30 p.m., at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Honoring Anne Paradis, CEO of Microtek Inc. Sponsored by BusinessWest. Reservations are $55 and may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
 
WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• May 6:
 Wicked Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Northeast IT, 777 Riverdale Road, West Springfield. Free for chamber members, $10 at the door for non-members. Event is open to the public. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].
• May 20: Networking Lunch, noon-1:30 p.m., at the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, 174 Brush Hill Ave., West Springfield. Must be a member or guest of a member to attend. Enjoy a sit-down lunch served while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. Cost: $10 at the door, which includes lunch. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].

Company Notebook Departments

Normandeau Technologies Named Partner of the Year
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Normandeau Technologies (NTI) announced it has been awarded the 2014 Ericsson-LG Enterprise North American Partner of the Year Award at the Ericsson-LG Global Partner Conference held in Cancun, Mexico. The award celebrates the excellence Normandeau Technologies has achieved in helping to build the North American distribution channel for the iPECS communications platform and for its success in bringing IP telephony, unified communications, mobility, and call-center solutions to SMBs in industries such as manufacturing, insurance, realty, medical, education, government, and financial. Bob Rankin, general manager of Presence Management, the largest distributor of Ericsson-LG iPECS products in North America, noted, “NTI continues to expand sales of our award-winning iPECS LIK VoIP platform with the iPECS Unified Communications Solution (iPECS UCS) and iPECS Contact Center Suite Solution (iPECS CCS). We recognize and appreciate the continuous hard work NTI performs in their region, and we applaud their continued success with iPECS.” Successfully marketed worldwide with a dominant market share in South Korea, Australia, and South Africa, and significant market share in many other countries, the iPECS is a highly scalable and fault-tolerant platform that connects up to 1,200 endpoints per system and up to 300,000 endpoints with networking. It’s a versatile, premise-based IP phone platform with a competitive entry cost, five-year warranty, and one of the industry’s lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). The Ericsson-LG UCS is a collaboration platform for organizations of virtually any size that integrates voice, presence, video conferencing, and instant messaging on the IPECS platform. The Ericsson-LG CCS is a multi-channel call-center solution providing intelligent management of multiple communication mediums. “We’re honored to receive this recognition for our sales success with the Ericsson LG line of advanced communication applications in the Massachusetts area and for our success in bringing these new technologies to our clients,” said Brett Normandeau, president of NTI. “Solutions like the iPECS UCS and iPECS CCS offer a tightly integrated, next-generation communications environment for telecom resellers at a very compelling price point.”

Survey Touts Growth of Whittlesey & Hadley
HARTFORD, Conn. — Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C., one of the area’s largest independent accounting, audit, tax, and business-advisory firms, ranks ninth in the 2015 Accounting Today annual survey of regional leaders in New England. The firm’s expansion into Western Mass. in August 2014 helped precipitate a growth in revenue of 10%. The average firm growth for top firms in New England was 6.8%. “From our early beginnings in 1961, our firm has continued to focus on achieving steady growth through unmatched service to our clients and the retention of a highly skilled and committed team of professionals,” said Managing Partner Drew Andrews. “Today, we are embracing a more aggressive growth plan that combines the acquisition of professional service firms throughout New England with a similar culture and philosophy as Whittlesey & Hadley, where our unwavering commitment to exceed client expectations every day, in every way possible, will prevail.” The annual survey is published in Accounting Today’s March issue and is based on total revenue.

Departments People on the Move

Anne Paradis

Anne Paradis

The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) announced that Anne Paradis, Chief Executive Officer for MicroTek Inc. in Chicopee, has been named the PWC 2015 Woman of the Year. The award, given annually since 1954, is presented to a woman in the Western Mass. area who exemplifies outstanding leadership, professional accomplishment, and service to the community. A celebration in Paradis’s honor will be held on May 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern in West Springfield. “We are thrilled with this year’s honoree — a truly inspiring and accomplished woman like Anne Paradis,” said Janet Casey, PWC board president. “She is a domestic trailblazer among women in the high-tech industry, and the opportunity that she has provided to people with disabilities speaks so deeply to her sense of compassion. Her achievements are spectacular and her generosity admirable.” Microtek was founded in 1983 with the mission of integrating individuals with disabilities into the workforce. The company provides custom cable and wire configurations, control panels, and enclosures for customers in the medical equipment, scientific test and instrumentation, life sciences, industrial, and retail industries. Paradis was tapped to lead the organization in 1987. Under her guidance, the company has grown an average of 15% each year, expanded its product lines and client base, and created more than 80 jobs. As well, Paradis has led the organization through construction of a new 22,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, obtained industry certifications as well as ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003 registrations, and has been awarded the Massachusetts quality-of-service certification with distinction for employment services every year since 1996. Prior to joining MicroTek, Paradis served as a management and training consultant, served as the marketing director and employment design specialist for New England Business Associates, and spent nearly 10 years in the mental-health field. She is a member of the Baystate Health board of trustees and vice chair of its audit committee, past president of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts board of directors, corporator of the Wentworth Institute of Technology, and former president of the National Assoc. of Supported Work Organizations board of directors. She also served on the reference services advisory board for UMass and the electronic advisory committee for Chicopee Comprehensive High School. She is also active in the Social Enterprise Alliance, the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Assoc., the Women Presidents’ Organization, and the Human Right Campaign, and in 2009 was named to the 21st Century Women Business Leaders Hall of Fame at Bay Path University. Tickets for the May 19 celebration, sponsored by BusinessWest, are $55. To register, visit www.myonlinechamber.com or e-mail [email protected].
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Paul Kleschick

Paul Kleschick

Paul Kleschick has joined American International College (AIC) as its new Registrar. Kleschick recently performed consulting work for a variety of colleges and universities. Prior to working as a consultant, he was registrar at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He previously served as the associate registrar at Georgetown University and Temple University. Kleschick graduated from Cabrini College in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He earned his master’s degree from Temple University and his MBA from Philadelphia University.
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Melinda Graulau

Melinda Graulau

The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield announced that Eastfield Mall and Auburn Crossing General Manager Melinda Graulau has been chosen as its 2015 recipient of the Leadership Community Service Award. The award will be presented at the Leadership 2015 graduation ceremonies on April 16 at the Springfield Sheraton. Leadership 2015 is a unique collaboration between the ACCGS and Western New England University (WNEU) to teach middle- and upper-level managers the crucial thinking and problem-solving skills needed to prepare participants to be effective leaders in service to the community and their workplaces. Since 1990, the award has been presented annually to a citizen or organization that exemplifies the program’s values of leadership in the workplace and in the world and a commitment to community service. A 2012 graduate of the program, Graulau moved to Western Mass. in 2009 to take on the role of general manager at the two shopping malls for Mountain Development Corp. She leads a team of 40 and is responsible for temporary and permanent leasing, expense control, personnel development, contract negotiations, and community relations.
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J. Polep announced the promotion of Adam Kramer to vice president of Purchasing and Food Service. Kramer has been with J. Polep since 2006, most recently as director of Food Service. Over the past nine years, he has also been a field sales representative, district manager, and president of Grote & Weigel (a division of J. Polep).
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Country Bank’s annual meeting was held at the Worcester Art Museum last month. The evening’s agenda included the election of trustees, corporators, and officers, as well as a report of 2014 highlights and financials. The 10 new incorporators are: Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, Sheila Cuddy, Brian D’Andrea, Robert Dik, Mary Falardeau, Janice Kucewicz, Lauren Miller, Timothy Murray, James Paugh III, and Richard Poissant.
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The Westfield-based engineering firm Tighe & Bond announced the following:
Christina Jones

Christina Jones

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) named Christina Jones, a project engineer in the company’s Westfield office, the recipient of the 2014 ACEC/MA Young Professional of the Year Award. The recognition took place during ACEC/MA’s Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala on March 18 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. Each year, this competitive award recognizes the accomplishments of one engineer, 30 years old or younger, based on their work and its societal impact. Jones, who is a licensed engineer in Massachusetts, was recognized for achieving significant successes within just five years of launching her civil- and environmental-engineering career. For the city of Chicopee, she provided construction administration and observation, research, and analysis for the first paving project in Massachusetts to implement cutting-edge intelligent-compaction technology. The result was a more streamlined, cost-efficient paving process, and better-quality pavement that is slated to have a longer life. Jones is also developing an integrated management plan for Chicopee, which will include working with regulators to advance green infrastructure as an alternative approach to separating combined sewer overflows. In addition, she is developing a unidirectional flushing plan for cleaning water-distribution pipes that will improve water quality and pressure throughout Chicopee. For two of Connecticut’s major water suppliers, Jones has developed hydraulic models of critical water reservoirs to assess the impact of new fish-habitat-friendly stream-flow regulations on reservoir management. This research enabled her to assist with reservoir-management decisions. Jones earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and environmental engineering, as well as her master’s degree in environmental engineering, from UMass Amherst. Her professional affiliations include the American Water Works Assoc., the New England Water Works Assoc. (where she is a programs committee member), and Engineers without Borders. She also previously served as a student activities committee member for the New England Water Environment Assoc; and
Michael Toto

Michael Toto

Michael Toto has been hired to manage the company’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) team. A senior electrical engineer with more than 21 years of experience, Toto has managed a wide range of commercial, industrial, and institutional engineering projects. He has provided engineering services to numerous well-known industry giants and prominent institutions. His expertise includes the study, design, permitting, construction management, construction administration, and startup of numerous building and infrastructure facilities. His portfolio of projects includes all phases of engineering for electrical infrastructure. As a project manager, he has led many project teams during various phases of projects simultaneously, and has been the leader on several jobs with multiple owners during his professional experience. Toto earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical power engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His professional affiliations include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power Engineering Society, the National Fire Protection Assoc., the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the Assoc. of Energy Engineers.
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The regional law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Attorney Kenneth Albano was recently appointed to the board of directors of the New England Chapter of the March of Dimes. Albano is also currently serving a second term as board chair of Massachusetts’ Western Division Chapter. The March of Dimes is a national organization whose primary mission is to reduce birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Upon learning of his appointment to the New England Board, Albano noted that “I am very pleased to continue my service to the important mission of the March of Dimes. The good work of the March of Dimes improves the health of Massachusetts babies and provides support to their families.” Albano is a senior partner with Bacon Wilson and a member of the firm’s corporate, commercial, and municipal practice groups. Bacon Wilson is one of the largest firms in Western Mass., with a total of 40 lawyers and approximately 60 paralegals, assistants, and support staff.
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Beloved Earth, the Pioneer Valley’s first ‘green’ cleaning company, hired Andrew Sbrega of Chicopee as its first residential services manager for Hampden County. Over the past four years, Sbrega worked for Tropical Smoothies in Holyoke and oversaw a team of employees while keeping the shop space clean and building customer relations. Beloved Earth owner Terra Missildine said Sbrega’s leadership experience will positively influence his work as a services manager. As a residential services manager, Sbrega will oversee a cleaning team designated to the Springfield area. Since beginning the position in January, Sbrega has gained residential and office clients in West Springfield and Longmeadow. He and Missildine are currently in the process of hiring Sbrega’s team. Beloved Earth’s current teams focus on clients in Hampshire County and book an average of 250 hours of cleaning per week. Missildine wants to expand into Hampden County, and she sees Sbrega as an ideal leader to begin that outreach. “Andrew is committed to green living. He really walks the walk,” she said.
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The Dowd Insurance Agencies announced that Nadine West has joined the organization as a commercial-lines account manager. “We are very excited to have Nadine join our team of insurance professionals,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies. “She has a great deal of industry experience and brings a lot of enthusiasm for customer service.” West has been specializing in property and casualty insurance since 1998. She is a licensed property and casualty producer and holds the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation. Prior to joining Dowd, West was employed by Borawski Insurance of Northampton. As a commercial-lines account manager, West will manage a roster of insurance clients at Dowd’s Holyoke office and support producers with business-development initiatives. She has a strong focus on customer service and is dedicated to continuing education opportunities as the industry advances. “I consistently challenge myself to stay on top of industry trends and learn all I can about my competitors and carriers to strengthen my industry relationships,” said West. “I have extensive training in sales, management, and customer service, and I look forward to applying these skills for the benefit of our customers at the Dowd Insurance Agencies.”
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Jonathan Soucy

Jonathan Soucy

Molding Business Services (MBS) announced it has taken on a new partner, Jonathan Soucy of Plymouth. He joins forces with partners Terry Minnick, Joel Minnick, and Andrew Munson, and will help bolster the firm’s M&A advisory and recruiting efforts. Soucy has more than 25 years of experience in precision injection molding and manufacturing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering UMass Lowell and an MBA from Suffolk University. For the past six years, Soucy served as the CEO of Plainfield Precision, a multi-national manufacturer of injection-molded components, metal stampings, and complex assemblies. During his tenure with Plainfield, he led a corporate-wide turnaround, developed and executed a strategic plan to build value, and successfully sold the various Plainfield companies to maximize shareholder return. Soucy’s move to MBS coincides with a Jan. 30 transaction that saw Plainfield Precision sell its final production facility — a precision automotive injection molder in San Luis Potosi, Mexico — to the U.S. subsidiaries of Nissha Printing Co. Ltd. Based in Japan, Nissha is a global manufacturer of printed films and owns Eimo Technologies, a Michigan-based manufacturer of decorative, injection-molded components. MBS advised Plainfield in the transaction. Soucy also spent nearly two decades with a Plainfield predecessor company called Pixley Richards. Pixley was a custom plastic-injection-molding company specializing in tight-tolerance parts. During his tenure there, Soucy held various roles in engineering and operations management until eventually leading a management buyout of the company and assuming the role of owner and CEO.
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The Springfield Falcons announced that Corey Cowick has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to the Springfield community during the 2014-15 season. The Falcons’ left winger has gone above and beyond with his efforts to give back to the community. He constantly takes part in appearances and volunteer opportunities, meeting fans and doing his part to help improve the local area. The Falcons have a strong dedication to bettering quality of life in the Springfield community by promoting awareness of education, exercise, and health along with donating time and resources. Cowick has been at the forefront of these initiatives, making countless appearances in schools, libraries, and community centers. He became the main speaker for the Falcons’ Stick to Reading program presented by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the Teamwork program presented by TD Bank, and the Play It Forward program. Cowick has spoken to numerous students and young fans around the Greater Springfield area about the importance of literacy, ways to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle, and the qualities of leadership and anti-bullying. Cowick also frequented Friends of the Homeless and served meals to clients along with personally donating winter and toiletry items during the holidays. He visited patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children and donated his time to answer phones at the 14th Annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital. He also participated in the sale of team-signed ornaments and green mystery pucks with proceeds donated to Toys for Tots and Baystate Children’s Hospital, respectively. Additionally, Cowick visited the Pioneer Valley PSO, where he visited with military families and spent a great deal of time conversing and getting to know each family. Cowick is now one of 30 finalists for the American Hockey League’s 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the AHL later this month.
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Florence Bank announced that Stephen Bourgeois Jr. of Amherst has been named to the President’s Club for 2015. The President’s Club affords employees opportunities to nominate their peers for the honor, which recognizes superior performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank. Bourgeois was nominated by numerous colleagues at Florence Bank. He is a senior teller and customer-service representative at the bank’s King Street office, and joined the bank in 2012. John Heaps Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank, said, “we received so many comments about Stephen — everything from ‘he is the first to volunteer to take on projects or help in any way’ to ‘he maintains the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness with our customers.’ His commendable work ethic and genuine desire to contribute make Stephen an outstanding member of the President’s Club.”
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Dr. Laura Iglesias Lino

Dr. Laura Iglesias Lino

Praised for her leadership and for using her skills in geriatrics and palliative care to help Spanish-speaking and other immigrant populations in Springfield, Dr. Laura Iglesias Lino has been named a recipient of the 2015 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Award. Iglesias Lino, medical director for Geriatrics and Palliative Care at Baystate Brightwood Health Center/Centro de Salud and associate medical director for Hospice at Baystate Medical Center, is one of five physicians nationwide recognized with the award. The awards program honors leaders who advance palliative care in underserved areas and forge ties with various medical specialists to help people with cancer. “This cohort of physicians demonstrates that compassion, competency, and a healing presence are cherished by patients and their families and admired and respected by their colleagues,” said Dr. Richard Payne, chairman of the selection committee and the Esther Colliflower Professor of Medicine and Divinity at Duke University and the John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics at the Center for Practical Bioethics. “The awards will make a difference for their careers, and will assist them in building palliative-care programs in their communities.” Each of the five recipients was noted as being exemplary in one or more of four areas: medical practice, teaching, research, and community. Awards were made in three categories: senior, mid-career, and early-career. Recognized in the early-career category, Iglesias Lino will receive $15,000 to further her work in palliative care in Springfield. “Although I was her teacher and am decades older, I hope to match her dedication to patients one day,” said Dr. Maura Brennan, chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Palliative Care & Post-acute Medicine at Baystate Medical Center, and hospice medical director for the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice. “Dr. Iglesias Lino has an unassuming, gentle nature and is more likely to design programs for patents in need than write scholarly articles for publication. She has a beautiful soul and is precisely the type of physician our aging society needs. Dr. Iglesias Lino combines the best parts of a geriatrician and a palliative-care physician and is eminently worthy of this prestigious award.” Iglesias Lino received her medical degree from the Universidad Nacional San Agustin de Arequipa in Peru. She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital/Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, followed by a geriatrics fellowship at Baystate Medical Center. She is board-certified in both geriatrics and palliative care. While at Baystate Brightwood Health Center, Iglesias Lino has developed a team-based program to ease caregiver stress and provide quality of life for patients with advanced dementias. Her knowledge and diagnostic abilities put her in high demand as a physician and consultant. Her teaching and caregiving skills have generated culture change in a clinic with little previous experience in geriatric or palliative care. The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the doctor-patient relationship near the end of life, funds the awards. The Hastings Center, a bioethics research institute that has done groundbreaking work on end-of-life decision-making, co-sponsors the awards. Duke University Divinity School’s Program in Medicine, Theology, and Culture oversees the selection process.

Briefcase Departments

Rapid Population Growth in State to Continue
HADLEY — Newly updated population projections by the UMass Donahue Institute say recent growth in the state’s population will be sustained through 2015, with the rate then slowing through 2035. The newly released report, “Long-term Population Projections for Massachusetts Regions and Municipalities,” was developed by researchers at the UMass Donahue Institute’s (UMDI) Population Estimates Program and Dr. Henry Renski, associate professor of Regional Planning and director for the UMass Center for Economic Development at UMass Amherst. It provides detailed projections, or expected populations, at five-year intervals through 2035 by age and sex for all Massachusetts cities and towns and eight distinct Massachusetts regions. This 2015 series updates the last set released by UMDI in 2013. The study, produced with support from Mass. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, forecasts 11.8% growth in state’s population from 2010 to 2035, with population increasing by 771,840 over the 25-year term to a new total of 7,319,469. “Massachusetts has been growing very rapidly in the past few years”, said Susan Strate, Population Estimates Program manager. “It’s been growing more than twice as fast as the Northeast average, and twice as fast as it had between Census 2000 and 2010 on average. The new projections pick up on this recent, rapid growth before the natural forces of an aging population eventually start to slow things down.” Among the study’s most significant findings, the population aged 65 and over will almost double in 25 years, increasing from 902,724 in 2010 to 1,679,917 by 2035 — changing from 14% of the state’s total population to 23% by 2035. At the opposite end, the population aged 19 and under is expected to decrease by 57,000 people, changing from 25% of the state population to just 21% by 2035. Some areas of the state — including the Greater Boston, MetroWest, and Central regions — are predicted to grow at rates well above the state average, while others, including regions in Western Mass., will experience only slow growth. The Cape Cod region is expected to lose resident population if recent trends in migration, fertility, and mortality continue. This projection series picks up on the recent, rapid growth experienced in Massachusetts through 2014, estimated at 3% cumulatively since the 2010 Census and averaging 0.7%, or 46,492 persons per year, according to U.S. Census estimates. According to UMDI projections, growth will be sustained at this rate through 2015, adding about 245,000 persons in the first five-year period, and then gradually diminish over time, slowing to 0.2% annual growth from 2030 to 2035. By comparison, Massachusetts grew by 3.1% cumulatively in the 10 years from 2000 to 2010.

State Announces $1 Million Expansion of AgEnergy Grants
BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts farmers will soon be able to apply to the expanded Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) AgEnergy Grant Program, thanks to new funding from the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). As a result of the efforts of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matt Beaton, DOER Acting Commissioner Dan Burgess, and MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux, DOER will provide $1 million to support a two-year expansion of the existing AgEnergy Grant Program. “A vibrant agricultural community in Massachusetts is essential to building healthy communities and a stronger economy across the Commonwealth,” said Baker. “As we celebrate the impact agriculture brings to our economy and history today, the expansion of the AgEnergy grants will help our Commonwealth’s farmers address their energy needs and increase their future opportunities for competitiveness in the global marketplace.” Added Beaton, “the AgEnergy Grant Program is an important part of keeping Massachusetts farms operational and competitive, while ensuring safe, long-term local food production.” The AgEnergy initiative is an annual competitive program for Massachusetts agricultural operations seeking funds to build energy projects to improve energy efficiency and facilitate adoption of alternative clean-energy technologies. By implementing these projects, agricultural operations can become more sustainable, and the Commonwealth can maximize the environmental and economic benefits from these technologies. “Supporting local agricultural operations through clean-energy investments and equipment upgrades is beneficial for the Commonwealth’s farmers, local consumers, and our clean-energy industry,” Burgess noted. Since its inception in 2009, the AgEnergy program has helped 156 farms build a variety of energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects, providing funding of more than $2.2 million toward $12.3 million in total project-construction costs, achieving more than $900,000 in either annual energy savings or energy generation. Projects have included installations of variable-speed-drive vacuum pumps and heat recovery for dairy operations; thermal curtains, biomass boilers, and high-efficiency heaters for greenhouses; cold storage and high-efficiency refrigeration for vegetable farms and orchards; high-efficiency arches, heat-recovery, and reverse-osmosis equipment for maple-syrup operations; anaerobic digesters; and a variety of photovoltaic projects for all farming sectors. “These new funds will provide a tremendous boost toward strengthening MDAR’s resources and our ability to serve the Massachusetts’ farm community in its own efforts to become more sustainable in their energy use and choice,” Lebeaux said.

Unemployment Holds Steady in New England
BOSTON — The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released New England and state unemployment numbers for February 2015. These statistics are supplied by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, which produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor-force data. Among the key points, the New England unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.3% in February. One year ago, the New England jobless rate was higher, at 6.3%. Four New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from the U.S. rate of 5.5%. New Hampshire and Vermont (3.9% each) recorded lower-than-average unemployment rates. In contrast, Connecticut (6.4%) and Rhode Island (6.3%) had jobless rates that were significantly higher than the national average in February.

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2015.

AGAWAM

CNE Associates
135 Edgewater Road
James Millot

Comics and More
250 Cooper St.
Deborah Stellato

Jetsetter Play Cards
28 Meadow St.
Paul Ruccio

Phoenix PC Repair
61 Regency Park Dr.
Ryan Surprenant

Masterpiece Healing
762 Springfield St.
Michael Parrish

The Dent Guy
162 Parkview Dr.
Eric Brumley

CHICOPEE

I Fix It Solutions
38 Rzasa Dr.
Scott Piegza

Joe T. Handyman Service
40 Slate Road
Joseph Taliceo

Professional Car Services & Logistics
103 Crescent Dr.
David Lozado

Ryan & Son Handyman Services
269 McCarthy Ave.
Ryan Mandell

GREENFIELD

David Roe Electrician, LLC
269 Federal St.
David Roe

Hair by Marge
30 Mohawk Trail
Margary Fisher

Serenity Senter
45 Bank Row
Vicky Seavey

HOLYOKE

All Star Fashion
362 High St.
Javier Rosa

Dairy Market
160 Lyman St.
Irfan Kashif

Kim Lee Nails
322 Appleton St.
Luy Nguyen

Polish Delicatessen
214 Lyman St.
Marta Pelka

Relco Compliance Services
51 North Canal St.
Margaret J. Morneau

Technique USA
24 Old Jarvis Ave.
Thomas J. Kennedy

LUDLOW

Dr. Binca Warren
222 Winsor St.
Binca Warren

Lorraine’s
19 Prospect St.
Lorraine Carreira

SAS Comfort Shoes
433 Center St.
Donna Wishart

Spy Shelf
60 Parker Lane
James Wojnar

PALMER

Demore’s Automotive
1160 Park St.
Michelle Demore

Hermanson Excavation
44 Forest St.
Derek Hermanson

Tony V Entertainment
65 Springfield St.
Anthony Valley

SOUTHWICK

3 Tees
14 Shore Road
Twisted Pair Consulting, LLC

K9 Cleanups
91 Berkshire Ave.
James Shovak

Kennedy’s Seasonal Services
266 Granville Road
Gregg Kennedy

Jaime Beth Photography
21 Matthews Road
Lauri Scott-Smith

Sarah Crepeau Handling
312 Granville Road
Sarah Crepeau

Southwick Forastiere Funeral
624 College Highway
Frank Forastiere

Southwick Tae Kwon Do
491 College Highway
Gary Cormier

SPRINGFIELD

A Tranquil Journey Massage
45 Vincent St.
Lisa Dowers

AGV Transport
76 Brittany Road
Joseph Richard

Allstate Electrical Contractor
336 Main St.
Gary M. Landry

Arrow Tree Services
269 Forest Hills Road
John C. Larace

B & A Transport
73 Grover St.
Angel M. Santos

Bellajems
1293 Bradley Road
Erica Fonseca

Brightwood Press Company
121 Chestnut St.
Adam Gomez

C.M. Technical Consulting
118 Washington Road
Paul R. Campana

El Caribeno Restaurant
858 State St.
Eddy J. Garcia

Erica’s Market
234 Orange St.
Erica Nunez

Forastiere Family Funeral
45 Locust St.
Forastiere Family

Good Vibes Project
75 Athol St.
Thomas J. Matthew

GRP Companies
1350 Main St.
Daniel Eastman

Hafey Funeral Service
494 Belmont Ave.
Forastiere Family

Hashbury
1812 Wilbraham Road
Frank S. Cincotta

Heavenly Sweets Bakery
159 Wellington St.
Shauna Beecher

Junior Achievement
1500 Main St.
Jennifer Connolly

Live & Breath Media
39 Ingersoll Grove
Jorge Perez

Lydia’s Boutique
1019 Main St.
Jeremy Rodriguez

Mass Fashion Source
4 Tacoma St.
Axel Quinones

Miguel’s Towing & Inspection
155 Rocus St.
Miguel A. Santiago

MW Dwell
99 Haskin St.
Marshal Anderson

Pito Barbershop
1129 State St.
Israel L. Lopez

WEST SPRINGFIELD

4 Brothers Transport
4 Chapin St.
Ravshan Agayev

C & M Realty
1095 Westfield St.
LJCD Associates, LLC

D & A Home Service
83 South Blvd.
Dmitry Ivanov

Class General Contracting
21 Murray Place
Brian St. Amand

Galustov Consulting
18 Hampden St.
Mavlyud Galustov

Lynch Flooring
115 Frederick St.
Peter L. Lynch

Precision Manufacturing
54 Myron St.
Peter Urbanek

RBR Wholesalers
900 Riversale St.
Robert Roe

Romack
203 Circuit Ave.
Robert Espinosa

West Side Auto Detailing
4 Chapin St.
Islam Agayev

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Vann Group, providers of strategic consulting and transactional advisory services, announced its recently formed affiliation with ROCG Americas, the leading business exit and transition planning specialists in North America.

The first of its kind affiliation will be mutually beneficial. It will provide the Vann Group with access to the extensive proprietary planning resources and expertise that ROCG has developed over the past 10 years, while ROCG continues to build its capabilities with the addition of Kevin and Michael Vann, a father-and-son team that has a diverse set of skills and business experience. “As business transition specialists, we do much more than guide owners through the exit from their business,” said Ronen Shefer, CEO of ROCG. “We are unique because we focus on helping business owners achieve both their personal as well as their business goals, and the earlier we get involve, the chances of actually gaining a better quality of life and increasing business value improve tremendously. Ultimately, we help owners view and run their companies as investors would.” Michael Vann, CEO of the Vann Group, sees the affiliation as a great opportunity. “The ROCG team are the leaders in the succession/transition planning field, no one comes close.

Their team has a tremendous amount of real world experience and they have developed an approach to planning that can’t be matched,” he said. “Joining ROCG is a great opportunity for us to grow our planning practice and provide more value to our clients, because we’ll be able to access ROCG’s intellectual property and network of experienced transition specialists.”

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

Spark Transportation Corp., 1047 Suffield St., Agawam, MA 01001. Kateryna Rushchak, same. Transportation.

Western Mass Home Health Services Inc., 270 Main St., Agawam, MA 01101. Dominic W. Ndungu, same. Home health services.

AMHERST

HPBC Inc., 55 University Dr., Amherst, MA 01002. Harold Tramazzo, same. Restaurant franchising.

Lighthouse Personolized Education for Teens Inc., 506 Pine St., Amherst, MA 01002. Catherine L. Gobron, 108 Sears Road, Goshen, MA 01032. Learning centers for teens.

BRIMFIELD

Dipali Inc., 13 Main St., Brimfield, MA 01010. Dipali S. Patel, 773 Worcester St., Apt. B, Southbridge, MA 01550. Convenience store with full liquor selection.

CHICOPEE

Jay’s Food & Fuel Inc., 646 Grattan St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Rajesh Sanghvi, 38 Wheatland Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020. Convenience store.

N.S. Guarizi Constructions Inc., 26 Casino Ave., Chicopee, MA 01013. Erisnaldo Novais Dos Santos, same. General construction services.

Pizza Chop Corp., 486 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013. David A. Carlos, 14 Beesley Ave., Chicopee, MA 01013. Restaurant.

Soja Trucking Inc., 301 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Michael A. Soja, same. Trucking.

LUDLOW

Barroso Landscaping Inc., 687 East St., Ludlow, MA 01056. George Barroso, same. Landscaping.

Greylock Information Technologies Inc., 40 Oak St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Michael Menard, same. Supply businesses with technology solutions.

Michael’s Party Rentals Inc., 409A West St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Michael B. Linton, same. Party supplies for rent.

Western Mass Family Services Inc., 185 West Ave., Suite 104, Ludlow, MA 01056. Dawn Michelle Mackinnon Delaney, 39 Rankin Ave., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Supervised visitation.

NORTHAMPTON

Electronic Commerce Solutions Inc., 29 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060. Henry L. Pope, same. Data processing for third-party government vendors.

Hodge City Plumbing Inc., 123 Hawley St., Northampton, MA 01060. Ronald F. Hodges, 60 North Maple St., Florence, MA 01062. Plumbing services.

Departments Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

CONWAY

99 Orchard St.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Smith
Seller: Kirsten L. Chervinsky
Date: 02/27/15

2739 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Candida Canepa
Seller: Pixie J. Holbrook
Date: 02/27/15

304 South Deerfield Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $468,500
Buyer: Elizabeth Stowe
Seller: Heidi L. Hobby
Date: 03/02/15

DEERFIELD

62 Eastern Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Susan S. Lundrigan
Seller: Lacoille, Edward N. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15

155 North Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $226,500
Buyer: Amie L. Clark
Seller: Susan T. Hudyma
Date: 02/25/15

GREENFIELD

8-10 Grant St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: James E. Filipkowski
Seller: James E. Filipkowski
Date: 02/27/15

38-46 Greenfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,410,000
Buyer: Store Master Funding 7
Seller: Channing L. Bete Co. Inc.
Date: 02/23/15

252 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Michael H. Barnard
Seller: Daniel P. Field
Date: 03/05/15

229-231 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Rachael Seven LLC
Seller: Rooney & Sons Inc.
Date: 03/06/15

27 Smith St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Dorina Placinta
Seller: Stephen D. Gibowicz
Date: 03/02/15

33 Sunrise Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Austin
Seller: Lorraine C. Ferrante TR
Date: 02/27/15

LEVERETT

4 Number 6 Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jean Sherlock
Seller: Daniel McIntire
Date: 02/26/15

MONTAGUE

80 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $133,404
Buyer: 80 on 4th LLC
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/06/15

19 L St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kara Mulligan
Date: 02/26/15

18 High St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Gregory R. Haas
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/04/15

ORANGE

13 Dewey Conrad Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Sevigny
Seller: Reginald Haughton
Date: 02/26/15

SHUTESBURY

19 Weatherwood Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Shana Anolik
Seller: Susan J. Russell
Date: 02/23/15

SUNDERLAND

57 North Plain Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. Murphy
Date: 03/05/15

WHATELY

Christian Lane (SS)
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Caroline C. Pam
Seller: Ralph K. Farrick Funding TR
Date: 02/27/15

21 Poplar Hill Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Maxwell W. Bland
Seller: Pamela A. Dickinson
Date: 02/23/15

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

8 Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $328,500
Buyer: Judith A. Piper
Seller: Jaclyn M. Belland
Date: 02/26/15

44 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Patrick H. Cullen
Seller: Jeffrey J. Benoit
Date: 03/06/15

43 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: David W. Elliott
Seller: Jill M. Tower
Date: 03/04/15

35 Hayes Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Margaret J. Dane
Seller: John J. Negrucci
Date: 02/27/15

425 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alan W. Bozak
Seller: Carole J. Calabrese
Date: 02/27/15

209 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: David W. Hamel
Seller: Julie A. Fife
Date: 03/06/15

417 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ellis L. Langone
Seller: Langone Plumbing 7 Heating
Date: 03/04/15

129 Tobacco Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joseph T. Martin
Seller: Robert A. Desimone
Date: 02/27/15

CHICOPEE

54 2nd Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $785,000
Buyer: Keith Laflamme
Seller: Chicopee Partners LLP
Date: 03/05/15

40 Belmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $123,100
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: Tammy-Lynn Gadouas
Date: 03/06/15

107 Columba St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Todd N Beattie
Seller: David J. Guertin
Date: 02/25/15

296 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: City Of Chicopee
Seller: Peters Josephine, (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15

456 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Petros Mirisis
Seller: Lawrence A. Maziarz
Date: 03/05/15

18 Gagne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Alysha M. Lewis
Seller: Chase A. Standre
Date: 02/27/15

N/A
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,300
Buyer: Bank New York
Seller: Gayle Arsenault
Date: 03/03/15

104 Lauzier Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Rui M. Mendes
Seller: William T. Lavelle
Date: 03/06/15

274 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $120,389
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Raul Hernandez
Date: 03/05/15

7 Overlook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Aneta Temple
Seller: Roxanne Ferretti
Date: 02/25/15

24 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Coleen S. Nauman
Seller: Martha H. Shea
Date: 02/27/15

77 Westport Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Timofey Adzhigirey
Seller: Nancy R. Forni
Date: 02/25/15

EAST LONGMEADOW

97 Barrie Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Shawn G. Santanello
Seller: Shelby P. Marrin
Date: 03/06/15

330 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: M&A Longmeadow LLC
Seller: Modak LLC
Date: 02/26/15

119 Colony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Nicholas R. King
Seller: Kristin Blakeslee
Date: 02/27/15

37 Holland Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Marco Scibelli
Seller: Gioio Scibelli
Date: 02/27/15

N/A
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael D. Collura
Seller: John A. Collura
Date: 02/25/15

89 Rogers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Lloyd
Seller: China Access LLC
Date: 02/25/15

40 Shawmut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Steven Kofsky
Seller: Theresa J. Cloonan
Date: 02/24/15

30 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Odres Nuevos
Seller: Shiloh Church
Date: 03/05/15

HOLYOKE

37 Francis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Murray
Seller: Provident Funding Assocs.
Date: 02/27/15

37 Lindbergh Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Arrow Worrall
Seller: Elizabeth E. Barker
Date: 02/27/15

224-226 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Naviah Investments LLC
Seller: 4306 3rd Avenue LLC
Date: 02/25/15

254 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Caroline I. Cotto
Seller: John J. Hanley
Date: 02/26/15

430 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,750
Buyer: Stephen Parmenter
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 03/05/15

98 Ridgewood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Michael A. Chatel
Seller: James L. Mooney
Date: 03/06/15

20 View St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,261
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Marie Cintron
Date: 02/23/15

LONGMEADOW

63 Crestview Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jack V. Grassetti
Seller: Gloria I. Durpe
Date: 03/05/15

37 Greenwich Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Stewart A. Mackie
Date: 02/27/15

152 Hawthorne St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sandra Kenefick
Seller: Leonard Lotito
Date: 03/06/15

123 Homestead Blvd.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Lynn L. Wagman
Seller: Stephen P. Wagner
Date: 02/27/15

99 Silver Birch Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Bucknor
Seller: Joseph J. Egan
Date: 03/05/15

LUDLOW

27 Americo St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Atwater Investors Inc.
Seller: Roland P. Savoie
Date: 02/27/15

95 Coolidge Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $127,750
Buyer: Brenda L. Shields-Dean
Seller: Frank A. Murray
Date: 03/05/15

Parker Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: David Cote
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/24/15

269 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Kathleen E. Fleming
Seller: Michael A. Perry
Date: 02/27/15

MONSON

13 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Tracy L. Davis
Seller: Kristen Beaulieu
Date: 02/25/15

250 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Richard W. Lamb
Seller: Denning, Elizabeth F., (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15

PALMER

14 Rockview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Steeven Magan
Seller: Lynn M. Plotczik
Date: 03/04/15

23 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,790
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: William F. Murray
Date: 02/24/15

SOUTHWICK

70 Congamond Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Mark Provost
Seller: Norman H. Storey
Date: 03/06/15

129 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jaydub LLC
Seller: Eileen L. Horkun
Date: 02/27/15

SPRINGFIELD

416 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,500
Buyer: Everton G. Senior
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 02/26/15

281 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ronald J. Charles
Seller: Kerrian A. James
Date: 03/06/15

Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Buckeye Pipe Line Co. LP
Seller: Boston & Maine Corp.
Date: 03/02/15

93 Balfour Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Dion E. Barron
Seller: Richard Garcia
Date: 03/05/15

18 Beaufort Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Karen R. Waterman
Seller: Sabrina M. Gross
Date: 02/27/15

129 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $213,325
Buyer: Bank of America
Seller: Joan T. Byrnes
Date: 02/26/15

73 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: David A. Brehaut
Seller: Mya Realty LLC
Date: 03/03/15

Garland St. (ES)
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15

178 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,300
Buyer: Andrew J. Normand
Seller: Stephen M. Ellis
Date: 02/26/15

65 Glenvale St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Danette L. Krushel
Seller: USA VA
Date: 02/26/15

21 Herman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $129,500
Buyer: Joyce T. Ramos
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 02/27/15

280 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $119,012
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Luis F. Rodriguez
Date: 02/25/15

70 Martone Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: WBGLA Of Westfield MA LLC
Seller: Keith A. Laflamme
Date: 02/24/15

60 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Zachary E. Rec
Seller: Galin Joseph
Date: 03/05/15

23 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Heather M. Sanford
Seller: 855 Liberty Springfield LLC
Date: 02/27/15

488 Porter Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Merrill
Seller: Brian J. Wallace
Date: 02/26/15

27 Pratt St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Baystate Medical Center
Seller: Alfonso E. Acuna
Date: 02/27/15

Quebec St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Wilfredo J. Semprit
Seller: Vyacheslav A. Kuzmenko
Date: 02/26/15

980 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Dieu H. Pham
Seller: Stephen C. Lafever
Date: 03/02/15

1197-1201 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15

73 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $146,500
Buyer: Rosa I. Torres
Seller: Christopher Plewa
Date: 03/06/15

102 Tamarack Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,500
Buyer: Kenneth Ramos
Seller: Michael T. Wayner
Date: 02/26/15

WEST SPRINGFIELD

1228 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Inna Gargun
Seller: Joseph A. Brosseau
Date: 03/06/15

17 Angeline St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Melany Laroe
Seller: David J. Paier
Date: 02/27/15

71 Austin Lane
West Springfield, MA 01013
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Prasanth Prabhakaran
Seller: Frank J. Morassi
Date: 02/27/15

446 Brush Hill Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,150
Buyer: Daniel J. Deluca
Seller: Morganford Holdings LLC
Date: 02/26/15

714 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Whitney Salvatore
Seller: Elizabeth R. Clark
Date: 03/04/15

104 Hillcrest Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Aric A. Nunes
Seller: Angela M. Nunes
Date: 02/27/15

61 Homestead Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Ashleigh Chrusciel
Seller: Crossroads Property Investors
Date: 02/26/15

56 Kent St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Denise Dumont
Seller: Thaddeus S. Saj
Date: 03/06/15

182 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Ryan E. Finn
Seller: Charles D. Carpino
Date: 02/27/15

197 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: May E. Mangalili
Seller: John A. Perez
Date: 02/27/15

44 Pine St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Angela R. Stone
Seller: Laurie A. Cassidy
Date: 02/24/15

386 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jason R. Faucher
Seller: George C. Dziurzynski
Date: 02/27/15

30 Virginia Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Halli Hunderfund
Seller: Stephen A. Cloutier
Date: 02/25/15

464 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Great Bay Properties LLC
Seller: 3 Diamond Realty Corp.
Date: 02/27/15

WESTFIELD

25 Big Wood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Kelly J. Cieplinski LT
Seller: Kenneth K. Gordon
Date: 03/06/15

72 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Thomas Curran
Seller: James R. Hale
Date: 03/06/15

113 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Susan Norton
Date: 02/25/15

27 Woodland Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Mary P. Kadomoto
Seller: Elizabet Matthews-Sitnik
Date: 02/27/15

8 Woodside Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Pineview RT
Seller: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Date: 02/23/15

WILBRAHAM

4 Warren Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Guberow
Seller: FHLM
Date: 02/26/15

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

4 Barry Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $477,000
Buyer: Patrick P. Arguin
Seller: Paul A. Pierce
Date: 02/27/15

48 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Neal B. Patel
Seller: Reynold A. Gladu
Date: 02/27/15

Henry St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Scott Tundermann
Seller: Jean K. Canon
Date: 03/06/15

32 Hitchcock Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: Patrick L. Williamson
Date: 03/04/15

16-18 Main St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: LIJJM LLC
Seller: Russell, William F. 3rd, (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15

478 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $624,900
Buyer: Amy A. Crawley
Seller: Western Development Corp.
Date: 02/26/15

60 Sunderland Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Parks Coop LLC
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 03/06/15

84 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Brian W. Fitzgerald
Seller: Laura Cadonati
Date: 03/02/15

235 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Across Campus UMass LLC
Seller: Xavier A. Tondeur
Date: 02/27/15

BELCHERTOWN

491 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel McLane
Seller: FNMA
Date: 02/25/15

Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jeffrey O. Duprey
Seller: Shannon D. Sligo
Date: 02/27/15

111 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lauren Clarke
Seller: Rocco J. Malaspina
Date: 02/27/15

46 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Daniel O. Sullivan
Seller: Burdge, Barbara J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15

22 Raymond Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Tyler D. Chambers
Seller: Dawn V. Waslh
Date: 02/27/15

44 River St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Bukola T. Okuwobi
Seller: Edward J. Pazik
Date: 02/26/15

36 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $342,900
Buyer: Brandon C. Dube
Seller: Patrick P. Arguin
Date: 02/27/15

90 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $141,083
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Conor R. McMillen
Date: 02/27/15

EASTHAMPTON

75 Glendale St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Roseanna M. Alves
Seller: Larose, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15

11 Keddy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Victoria E. Trudeau
Seller: Debra A. Smith
Date: 02/27/15

27 Knipfer Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Albert J. Finch
Seller: Jean Pierre Pasche
Date: 02/27/15

329 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: Ashtons Acquisitions LLC
Seller: Onewest Bank
Date: 02/27/15

85 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $183,750
Buyer: Mark A. Essa
Seller: Stacia S. Tabaka LT
Date: 02/25/15

21 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $268,782
Buyer: Dewayne A. Matthews
Seller: Tori B. Jennings
Date: 03/03/15

GRANBY

553 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $180,200
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Roger J. Rouillard
Date: 02/23/15

151 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Douglas A. Gray
Seller: Kevin D. Rolfe
Date: 02/26/15

255 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Richard Ordynowicz
Seller: Kathleen M. Lukasik
Date: 02/24/15

12-R Jackielyn Circle
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Castle Farm Enterprises
Seller: Richard J. Niedbala
Date: 02/27/15

HATFIELD

439 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Robert E. Slysz
Seller: Slysz, Robert E. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 03/03/15

112 West St.
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John D. Sabola
Seller: Claire Laliberte
Date: 02/27/15

NORTHAMPTON

12 Bedford Terrace
Northampton, MA 01063
Amount: $3,225,000
Buyer: Simple Abode LLC
Seller: Smith Collage
Date: 03/04/15

40 Bradford St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Robert E. Aldrich
Seller: Martha A. Merriam
Date: 02/23/15

5 Kary St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Lori Leistyna
Seller: Katharine R. Walmsley
Date: 02/27/15

216 Lovefield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wendy J. Allen
Seller: James W. Shea
Date: 02/25/15

46 Middle St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Katharine R. Walmsley
Seller: John Koleszar
Date: 02/27/15

111 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $551,660
Buyer: Lesley Peebles
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 02/23/15

244 North St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Marta P. Tom
Seller: Caraker, Reece G., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/15

119 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Cory E. Gatrall
Seller: Kathleen E. Silva
Date: 02/25/15

295 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Sarah E. Gibbons
Seller: Sandra E. Slanda
Date: 02/27/15

115 Willow St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $182,155
Buyer: Maria C. Govantes
Seller: Cindy Beebe
Date: 03/03/15

SOUTH HADLEY

293 Morgan St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Frederick M. Sard
Seller: Steven H. Harrington
Date: 02/24/15

1 Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexander V. Stepanov
Seller: Andrew B. Galik
Date: 03/03/15

148 Stony Brook Village
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $327,335
Buyer: Barbara Callan-Bogia
Seller: Whispering Pines At Root
Date: 03/02/15

SOUTHAMPTON

80 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Jonathan H. Marsh
Date: 02/27/15

9 Glendale Woods Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $288,304
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Charles J. Hubbard
Date: 02/27/15

WARE

86 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Judy C. Riggenbach
Seller: Anne W. Martin
Date: 02/27/15

120 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Keith W. Greiner
Seller: Donald P. Hebert
Date: 03/06/15

21-23 Morse Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Timothy Welsh
Seller: Roger Morrissette
Date: 03/06/15

5 Sczygiel Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Jaime A. Muche
Seller: Mark E. Richard
Date: 02/27/15

WILLIAMSBURG

66 Old Goshen Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: William B. Thomson
Seller: Michael E. McCabe
Date: 03/05/15

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation Executive Director Mary Walachy will be the recipient of the 2015 Springfield College Humanics Achievement Award as part of the undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 17 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The award recognizes an individual or group who has exhibited courage in the face of adversity, demonstrated leadership in service to others, advanced diversity and inclusion, served as a champion for the oppressed, furthered education in spirit, mind and body, or contributed significantly to the understanding of the universe. Walachy took on the role of executive director of the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation in 1997, with her primary responsibilities including the development of the organization’s strategic direction and new funding initiatives and guidelines, as well as providing general oversight of the foundation’s administration. Walachy has overseen the Cherish Every Child Initiative as it assisted in the passing of universal PreK legislation in Massachusetts and highlighted the importance of long-term return on investing in early childhood education. Along with her work with Cherish Every Child, Walachy directed the Davis Foundation into new collaborative endeavors, including the CAN DO initiative between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Hampden County Regional Employment Board, which focuses on the nursing shortage in Western Mass. She also developed a partnership with Lumina, Balfour, and Boston Foundations to establish the Achieving the Dream Initiative, designed to address community college retention and graduation rates. Walachy’s dedication to the community does not end at the Davis Foundation. She is a co-chair for Homes Within Reach, a member of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce board of directors and executive committee, and a member of the steering committee for the Massachusetts Early Education for All campaign. Prior to joining the Davis Foundation, Walachy served as an executive director for the Mental Health Association of Greater Springfield after earning a master of Social Work from the University of Connecticut.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Amy Royal, principal and founding partner of Royal LLP, the boutique woman-owned, women-managed labor and employment law firm, was honored recently by the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition (MCC) at a ceremony at the State House in Boston. She was recognized for her efforts to diversify Royal LLP’s workforce by employing individuals with mental illness from the local community, with the support of Star Light Center and the MCC. State Rep. Ellen Story was on hand to present the award to Royal.