Home 2017 October (Page 2)
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Marcotte Ford Sales will break ground today, Oct. 20, on its new, $8 million facility located at 1025 Main St. in Holyoke. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to noon, with refreshments to follow.

The project will bring Marcotte Ford’s sales and service operations into an all-new, state-of-the-art building that will include Ford Motor Co.’s new Trustmark. Upon completion, the project will add 10 new job opportunities in Holyoke.

The 40,000-square-foot facility will showcase a brand-new showroom with indoor delivery areas, administrative and business development centers, as well as a customer waiting lounge. Marcotte Ford’s Rental Department will also grow. Additionally, the Service Department expansion will include a double-door drive-thru, air-conditioned shops, new equipment, as well as 24 bays and a dedicated inspection bay to better serve customers. The popular LugNutz Cafe will also have a dedicated space to enhance the overall experience.

When construction is completed, Marcotte’s full campus will showcase 48 bays at three locations on Main Street to serve the needs of retail and commercial customers as it has been doing for more than 55 years.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, slated for Thursday, Nov. 2 at the MassMutual Center, will present a lunch event featuring keynote speaker Ron Insana, senior analyst and commentator with CNBC.

Titled “Trumponomics,” Insana’s talk will address how Washington will affect the economy in the years ahead. As the U.S. and global economies move toward recovery, Insana will apply his journalistic perspective to how Wall Street, Main Street, and Washington shape what the new normal means for everyone.

The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with check-in starting at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $25. To register, visit www.wmbexpo.com.

A financial journalist with the experience of working for and running his own hedge fund, Insana offers clear insights on the ever-changing status of the economy. Currently host of a nationally syndicated daily radio show in addition to his roles at CNBC, he has access to the top financial players in Washington and on Wall Street and translates the market signals and political maneuvers into information everyone understands. His hands-on experience in the financial industry — through some of the markets’ most turbulent times — give an added depth of perspective. He offers practical advice on what individuals and businesses can and should do now to protect what they have and to find opportunities in any type of market condition. Insana is the author of Traders’ Tales, The Message of the Markets, TrendWatching, and most recently How to Make a Fortune from the Biggest Bailout in U.S. History: A Guide to the 7 Greatest Bargains from Main Street to Wall Street.

The Expo will feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, Wild Apple Design Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing and Go Graphix (show partners), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), WMAS, WHMP, Rock 102 & Lazer 99.3, and MassLive (media partners), and the Better Business Bureau and Cartamundi (contributing sponsors). Exhibitor spaces are still available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College will host a panel discussion on healthcare innovation on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m. in the Dooley College Center dining room annex.

The panel, “Driving Change in the Business of Healthcare,” is presented as a collaboration between the college’s MBA program, Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and School of Nursing’s doctor of nursing practice program.

The panelists — entrepreneurs and innovators in the business, technology, and clinical sides of healthcare — will share stories of innovating, changing, disrupting, enhancing, advancing, and problem solving in medical and healthcare settings. They will talk about their own paths to innovation: what was easy, what was challenging, and what they would tell new entrepreneurs about getting started. In addition, they will discuss how to identify needs in the field and create solutions that meet those needs.

Panelists include entrepreneur Rick Crews, president of Medvest LLC, d/b/a AFC Urgent Care; healthcare innovator Grace LaValley, cardiovascular nurse at Baystate Health; technology entrepreneur Bryan Shnider, co-founder and CEO of TrueMedIT; and healthcare app designer Robert Horton, nurse manager at Baystate Health.

This event is free and open to all entrepreneurs, business leaders, and people who work in the healthcare field. Refreshments will be provided. Seating is limited, and registration is requested. To register, visit www.elms.edu/innovationpanel.

Daily News

FLORENCE — American Benefits Group (ABG) recently welcomed Brad Ramer as vice president of Sales & Marketing. His responsibilities will encompass sales-team leadership, driving revenues through the acquisition of new clients, and contributing to the company’s marketing and business strategies.

Ramer boasts more than 20 years of business experience. For the past seven years, he occupied the role of area sales manager, Benefit Services for PrimePay, LLC in West Chester, Pa. While at PrimePay, he oversaw the sales department.

In his new position, Ramer will be responsible for overseeing sales and marketing at ABG and will strive to expand ABG’s client base, strengthening the company’s current broker relationships, along with developing new broker relationships.

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Insurance broker Smith Brothers has added Nicole Miner as employee benefits account executive, based in the company’s Easthampton office. Her responsibilities include managing and selling employee-benefits products; administering and servicing group medical, Medicare, dental, life, disability, and voluntary benefits; providing annual market analysis and strategy for groups upon renewal; facilitating employee-education meetings; and client services including COBRA administration, enrollment changes, HR consulting, ACA, ERISA, and other compliance communications.

Previously, Miner was a benefits director and licensed agent with Dowd Financial Services. She earned her degree from UMass Amherst, and is also a certified paralegal. With a strong passion for animals and helping others, she is active with her local Animal Control Advisory Board, where she currently serves as chair and secretary.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Single-family home sales were down 5.9% in the Pioneer Valley in September compared to the same time last year, while the median price rose 9.5% to $219,000, according to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley.

In Franklin County, sales were up 26.3%, while the median price rose 11.8% from a year earlier. In Hampden County, sales were down 8.5%, while the median price was up 7.2%. And in Hampshire County, sales fell 9.8% from September 2016, while the median price shot up 20.5%.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Revitalize CDC’s second annual #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild is coming to the city of Holyoke today, Oct. 18. The goal is to rebuild 10 homes and one city park with 300 volunteers and dozens of sponsors, all in one day. Hundreds of volunteers will descend upon the Springdale Park area to rebuild homes on Meadow, Vernon, James, Papineau, and Temple streets and Springdale Avenue.

Volunteer registration check-in will be in the parking lot of the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, located at 15 Papineau St. Radio personality Joan Holliday from 93.9 FM (the River) will be broadcasting live from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Leon Nelson has been a resident of Holyoke for the past seven years and enjoys spending time with and helping his friends. He suffers from PTSD and spinal and shoulder injuries, but he was instrumental in spreading the word about the GreenNFit community block rebuild opportunity to his neighbors. Volunteers from PeoplesBank, Extremely Clean Construction, and Westover Job Corps will perform exterior painting; landscaping; repairs to the porch roof, lattice, and storm door; and handicap ramp staining.

The work on the 10 homes will focus on making them safe, healthy, and energy-efficient. Scope of work may include repair or replacement of leaking roofs; installation of new energy-efficient windows and doors, insulation, and water-saving fixtures; installation of age-in-place modifications such as grab bars; electrical upgrades; repair of steps; exterior low-VOC painting; mulch; and planting of shrubs, trees, and flowers.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts brand-strategy firm Six-Point Creative Works has acquired van Schouwen Associates, a Longmeadow-based marketing firm that specializes in business-to-business marketing. The acquisition, which took effect Oct. 2, was announced jointly by the two companies on Oct. 17.

The purchase is a step toward meeting Six-Point goals for strategic growth and diversification, said Six-Point President and CEO Meghan Lynch. “This is the first of several upcoming announcements, and it comes just a month shy of our company’s 10th anniversary.”

She added that “this has been a very positive and beneficial move for everyone involved. It’s been a pleasure over the last few weeks to meet and welcome so many growth-minded clients making the transition to Six-Point.”

Michelle van Schouwen, who founded van Schouwen Associates in 1985, will remain involved as a strategic marketing consultant during the transition. “I have a number of personal projects I would like to move on to, and I’m happy to have a path for those,” she said. “But I also have a roster of long-time, loyal clients whose businesses are important to me. I’m working closely with Six-Point to help them onboard both clients and staff and will continue to be available as needed.”

van Schouwen’s Longmeadow office has closed, she confirmed, and two key staff members have made the transition to Six-Point’s downtown Springfield office. Lynne Turner, who was with van Schouwen for 17 years, has joined Six-Point as Operations manager. Tyler Leahy will continue to serve as a client advocate and copywriter for former van Schouwen accounts.

“We’re excited to have Lynne and Tyler on board to provide additional expertise to our clients. They both exemplify our Six-Point values and bring even more depth to our already accomplished team,” said Lynch.

After 32 years in business, van Schouwen said, “this is a bittersweet moment for me, but it’s also a happy outcome. Six-Point is one of the region’s smartest and most successful agencies, and will be a very good fit for the companies van Schouwen Associates has been serving.”

Six-Point is owned by Lynch, Chief Creative Officer David Wicks, and Chief Marketing Officer Marsha Montori. The company’s current clients include Hyde Group, Farm Credit East, Hot Table, CHD, United Personnel, Detector Technology, Incom, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Springfield Public Forum, and Ingersoll Products of Ontario, Canada. The van Schouwen client roster has included manufacturing and industrial firms in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Rhode Island, and California, many of whom serve global markets.

While the van Schouwen website and phone number continue to be active, the van Schouwen name will be phased out in favor of one unified brand, said Lynch. Six-Point offices are located at 9 Hampden St. in Springfield.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — As construction nears completion on Holyoke Community College’s new Culinary Arts and Hospitality center in downtown Holyoke, two major building projects on the college’s Homestead Avenue campus have just begun.

Construction has started on the new HCC Center for Life Sciences, which will occupy about 7,500 square feet on the first floor of the Marieb Building. The $4.5 million project, funded in part by a $3.8 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, involves the creation of two state-of-the-art labs dedicated to biotechnology, genetics, and microbiology, as well as lab-prep areas, storage, and classroom space.

A key feature of the Center for Life Sciences will be the addition of an instructional ‘clean room’ to train students to conduct experiments and research in sterile environments, the first of its kind in Western Mass. The Center for Life Sciences is expected to be open by summer 2018 and ready for the fall 2018 semester.

In addition, HCC is already seeking funding from a variety of public and private sources to expand the Center for Life Sciences to encompass the entire three-story Marieb Building. The new center would provide updated facilities for biology, zoology, botany, veterinary technology and animal science, anatomy and physiology, forensic science, environmental science, and sustainability studies. “We’ve been encouraged to think big,” said Bill Fogarty, vice president of Administration and Finance.

Meanwhile, next door, construction fences have been up around the perimeter of the Holyoke Community College Campus Center since before the start of the fall semester. Tannery Brook, the stream that runs along the east side of the building and flows through campus on its way to the Connecticut River, has been channeled underground through six-foot metal pipes and covered with tons of fill and dirt strong enough to support the heavy machines required to renovate the building during the two-year, $43.5 million project.

Demolition on the interior and exterior surfaces is under way. Work crews from Walsh Brothers Construction have been busy chipping, scraping, peeling, stripping, and hauling away tons of concrete and other material. Eventually, the building’s sloping surfaces will be squared off and the concrete façade covered with metal cladding to fix water leaks that have plagued the building since it opened in 1980.

“The main impetus is to get the building watertight,” Fogarty said, “but we also want to improve the operation of the building and bring together programs and departments that complement each other to make the Campus Center a real hub of student engagement.”

A descending exterior stairwell leading to the cafeteria entrance has been excavated, making space for what will eventually become an enclosed, two-story atrium off the HCC courtyard. In the front of the building, exterior walkways on the second floor will be enclosed, adding a total of about 9,000 square feet to the 58,727 square-foot building.

Eventually, Tannery Brook will be returned to its natural state, and the streambed planted with native vegetation.

When it’s all done, a dedicated visitors parking lot will direct prospective students and their families over a new bridge crossing the brook and leading to a first-floor Welcome Center, where they will find a new Admissions, Advising, and Testing suite. The second floor will feature updated and expanded dining facilities, a new Campus Store, lounge areas with charging stations, and a new Student Activities office. On the third flood, the Media Arts Center, home to HCC’s Electronic Media and Photography programs, is being updated with new ductwork, lighting, and ceilings. The Campus Center is expected to reopen for the fall 2019 semester.

Construction on the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, on the corner of Race and Appleton streets, is expected to be completed next month.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Mathew Geffin, vice president of Webber & Grinnell Insurance, earned his Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) designation from the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.

The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors has been providing high-quality continuing education to insurance professionals since 1969. Because of its high standards, CIC has become the nation’s premier designation program for insurance professionals throughout the U.S.

“We are proud of Mat’s accomplishments,” said Bill Grinnell, president of Webber & Grinnell Insurance, “and his CIC designation is another example of our continued commitment of excellence to the clients and communities that we serve.”

Features

Returning to Its Routes

Peter Picknelly says his company stands to benefit in many ways from ending its affiliation with Greyhound.

Peter Picknelly says his company stands to benefit in many ways from ending its affiliation with Greyhound.

Back in 1999, Peter Picknelly says, it made perfect sense for Springfield-based Peter Pan to forge a partnership with long-time archrival Greyhound.

The two carriers served most of the same cities in the Northeast, often had terminals right next door to each other, and were waging intense price wars that weren’t benefiting either company.

So a truce was called and an affiliation forged, said Picknelly, president of Peter Pan, adding that the companies’ names and logos soon appeared together at ticket counters, and the carriers shared operations and revenues.

But times, as they inevitably do, change, said Picknelly, and several years ago, it became apparent that ending this partnership made as much as sense as creating it did nearly two decades ago.

It took some time — at least a few years by Picknelly’s count — and legal action amid Peter Pan’s claims it was not being properly compensated by Greyhound, to formally untie the knot. But this desired independence will bring with it a number of benefits, he said, adding that, above all else, it will allow his company to be more responsive to changing needs and tastes among bus travelers.

Elaborating, he said Peter Pan had been hampered by Greyhound’s inability (or unwillingness) to accept paperless tickets, and also by its routes with frequent stops — things today’s time-conscious, technologically savvy bus travelers frown upon.

“The customer will see new Peter Pan ticket counters and new gates in many locations, and they’ll also see much more non-stop service than we had before,” he explained. “Because we were aligned with Greyhound, there were just certain things we couldn’t do, and now we can.”

The partnership between the two companies was due to expire in roughly a decade, he went on, but the long-time and once-again rivals agreed to terminate it much earlier due to those changing times mentioned earlier.

Indeed, the Internet and the declining role of the bus-terminal ticket counter probably played the biggest roles in the mutual decision to turn back the clock — in most, but not all ways — roughly 18 years.

“Back then, whoever controlled the bus terminals controlled the business,” Picknelly explained. “With the advent of the Internet, things have changed, because most people buy their tickets online, not at the bus terminal; people are planning their trips further in advance.”

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with Picknelly about his company’s regained independence from Greyhound and what it all means. In this course of doing so, he shed some light on a changing business, but one still laden with opportunities for growth.

Driving Forces

As he talked with BusinessWest in his soon-to-be-vacated office at the almost-empty Peter Pan terminal across from the recently renovated Union Station, to which the company will be moving, Picknelly said that, overall, the bus industry remains quite healthy.

This despite comparatively lower gas prices that have persisted for the better part of two years now. Picknelly explained that higher gas prices fuel surges in business for ventures such as his, and spikes in prices at the pump like the one that followed Hurricane Harvey-related damage to refineries in Texas result in very noticeable increases in bus-ticket purchases.

“When gas prices go above $3 or just get close like they are now, we see it,” he explained, referring to increased ridership. “When they go above $4 … forget it; people don’t want to take the bus.”

But while gas remains relatively inexpensive, bus travel continues to be a solid option because there are other expenses to consider — tolls and parking, especially in major cities, he explained. There’s also the convenience factor; with most all buses now equipped with wi-fi, professionals can work while they travel, and many are choosing to do so.

The popularity of bus travel comes with heightened competition, however, said Picknelly, noting that there a number of carriers in Peter Pan’s operating area — the Northeast, from Washington, D.C. to New England.

Still, the biggest competition comes from the automobile, he told BusinessWest, adding that a large percentage of his customers own one and need to be convinced to leave it in the garage when it’s practical to do so and take the bus instead.

Peter Picknelly says that, by regaining its independence from Greyhound, Peter Pan can give customers more of what they want and need.

Peter Picknelly says that, by regaining its independence from Greyhound, Peter Pan can give customers more of what they want and need.

And this observation leads him back to Peter Pan’s breakup with Greyhound. That split ultimately helps his company, and his buses, better compete with the car, he explained, by ultimately making bus travel less expensive, more convenient, and less time-consuming.

“I wake up every morning, and my job is to get people out of their car to take public transportation,” he said, adding that he can better succeed in this basic mission without some of the restrictions that resulted from the Greyhound affiliation.’

“Our focus is on city-center-to-city-center service; our focus is good, solid service from point A to point B, and that’s where we think our growth is — that’s where it always has been.”

To further explain, Picknelly first talked about the way things were, before quickly moving on to why the picture needed to change.

“Our companies have grown apart; while the industry has changed, so has Peter Pan, and so has Greyhound,” he explained. “Since our alliance was formed, Greyhound has been bought and sold twice, it’s no longer an American company — it’s owned by a British conglomerate — and decisions are made in the U.K. They’re a very different company and very different to deal with.

“And their business model is very different,” he went on. “Their focus is on long-distance travel, and they make many stops en route; they’re interested in carrying people from Boston to Florida, and we don’t do that.”

Looking ahead, Picknelly said that he believes Peter Pan is well-positioned for a return to how things were in 1998, and that’s one of the big reasons why an end to the affiliation with Greyhound came about.

Indeed, he listed everything from what amounts to a lowest-price guarantee to those non-stop routes he mentioned, to the increasingly paperless nature of the company, to the rewards program it recently started called Peter Pan Perks.

“Greyhound, because it’s so big, and because it focuses on long-distance routes, required people to print a ticket,” he explained. “We’ve had technology for two years now where you can buy a ticket on your mobile device, just show the driver your phone, and get on the bus. We were not able to do that with our alliance with Greyhound; now, we’re 100% paperless.”

Looking Down the Road

Summing up the changing picture, Picknelly said the secret to the success of the bus industry was quite simple — frequency of service and low fares.

Those are the keys to prevailing over what remains this sector’s biggest competition — the car.

Splitting from Greyhound will better position the company to prevail in this competition, he said, adding that Peter Pan is returning to its roots, and its routes, and will be the better for it.

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

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Serving Up the Season

Banquet tables

Banquet tables await guests at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse.

By any measure, the holiday-party business is stronger than it has been since a decade ago, before the recession. Buoyed by a generally strong economy, companies are willing to invest in late-in-the-year gatherings for their employees and, sometimes, their families. But it’s still a fiercely competitive environment for banquet facilities, who have become increasingly creative and flexible in their seasonal event offerings, aiming to provide a memorable experience and drive crucial repeat business year after year.

As he spoke with BusinessWest, Peter Rosskothen was getting ready to meet a client planning a holiday party.

The message he intended to share? Don’t do what you did last year — even if you loved it.

“My main focus for that meeting is to motivate them and excite them about relying on our brains and expertise to create something a little different from last year,” said Rosskothen, who owns the Log Cabin and the Delaney House in Holyoke. “It’s very easy for somebody who’s working very hard to say, ‘we had a great party last year; let’s do the same thing again.’ But I think that’s a negative.

“The smart thing in the event business is to create something a little different,” he went on, so your staff, workers, and associates get a different experience. I think it gets same old thing, the same old Christmas party, gets boring. The more change you can bring into it, the more people look forward to coming.”

Indeed, many area facilities take pride in being flexible enough to handle different styles of events.

“Companies are usually looking for something business casual, but we also have events where they want to go all out, have a seated dinner with filets, followed a cocktail hour and ending with a DJ for the younger members of the office,” said Alyssa Blumenthal, event manager at Bistro 63 in Amherst.  “A lot of people know us as not only a bistro, but a pub, so we provide a seamless transition from formal events to lighthearted, business-casual affairs.”

With a stable economy and corporate profits on the rise, a national survey released at the end of 2016 showed that not only are more companies planning holiday parties this year, but many also expect to increase spending on those events.

In its annual survey on holiday-party plans (the 2017 survey has not yet been released), global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. found that 80% of companies planned to host holiday parties last year, while 21% were increasing the budget.

More than 66% of survey respondents said their companies were hiring caterers or event planners, up from 62% in 2015. In addition, 43% percent of companies were inviting employees’ spouses or family to attend, up from 31% in 2015.

Peter Rosskothen says he encourages repeat clients to change up their holiday parties from year to year.

Peter Rosskothen

Peter Rosskothen says he encourages repeat clients to change up their holiday parties from year to year.

 

“Company holiday parties are a great way for employers to thank workers for a successful year. For employees, it’s a great way to meet and interact with co-workers and managers who are not part of one’s daily routine. If you happen to be attending the holiday party of a spouse or friend, it could be a great opportunity to network,” said John Challenger, the consultancy’s CEO.”

Rosskothen said his business certainly reflected the national uptick last year, and 2017 is shaping up to be as least as strong.

“We’re actively in the holiday planning season right now, definitely entering the core part of the season,” he said. “When people are coming back from summer vacations, they’re really focused on business, but by the time we get to October, they’re starting to focus on holiday parties and so forth.”

’Tis the Season

For many, if not most, banquet facilities, the holiday season — which typically extends through January, thanks to a growing number of businesses that move their company gatherings to after Christmas and New Year’s Day — is  key factor in the year-end bottom line.

“We do anything — baby showers, birthday parties, bridal showers, post-funeral receptions, corporate meetings, and holiday parties,” said Cathy Stephens, director of catering sales at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden, noting that the facility is trying to ramp up its holiday-party schedule after a successful first season last year.

She said many holiday-party clients are leaning away from formal functions in favor of moving around and socializing amid food stations. “It’s not really a sit-down dinner, but more of a networking party.”

The Starting Gate will also host an elaborate buffet luncheon for multiple small groups on Dec. 12, reflecting a trend in the corporate party-planning world toward giving smaller companies a big-party experience for a budget price simply by combining groups into one event.

That will follow fall holiday events including a Halloween dance on Oct. 28 and a comedy night the Saturday after Thanksgiving, both aimed, again, at both the public and area companies looking to treat their employees.

The Log Cabin has hosted similar events in recent years, and this year is no exception.

“Each one is different; some are a little more elaborate, some a little less elaborate,” Rosskothen said. “Some people coming to a party really don’t want to dance, so we respond to that: ‘how about a comedy night, where you can socialize with co-workers and listen to comedy? How about a wine tasting, beer tasting, martini night?’ People find different things they can do.”

His team has been busy selling out most key dates on the calendar, both private and group events. “I think we do very well every year, and it will be that kind of year this year, too. Most of our key dates are sold out, and our group parties well on their way to selling out at this point. We’re optimistic we’ll have another good year — and happy about that, because there’s lots of competition in the market right now, so knowing people are loyal to us is a big deal to me.”

Blumenthal said Bistrol 63 is seeing a record level of event bookings, due in part to having a full-time event team for the first time in a long while. “That has definitely increased bookings. Someone is always here to answer questions.”

Flexibility is important to clients, she added, and companies tend to have a budget in mind. “The buffet option offers the most flexibility to customize the menu, especially for guests who don’t like choosing one dish.”

Bistro 63 emphasizes its unique custom-cocktail program, and, indeed many party guests look to unwind with a drink or two at holiday events. The Challenger survey revealed that 62% of holiday parties would include alcohol, up from the 54% in 2015. And that poses some risks.

“Serving alcohol can make for a more celebratory mood, but it also has pitfalls, especially for employees and their guests,” Challenger said. “Company parties are not necessarily a time to let loose.”

In the Party Spirit

TriNet, a national provider of human-resources services, surveyed employees at small and mid-size businesses late last year about how they felt about their company-sponsored holiday parties.

A majority (65%) of respondents said they planned to attend their office party, while 22% percent said they were not sure and 13% percent said they wouldn’t go. Meanwhile, 36% stated they are required or strongly encouraged to attend, while 48% considered it their choice.

Asked how they feel about the tradition of holiday parties, 37% said they were somewhat excited, while 28% said they were very excited. Only 5% of respondents showed no enthusiasm at all. However, despite the general enthusiasm, a large majority indicated they would trade a party for other perks. For instance, 73% would prefer a cash bonus, while 51% would favor office closure during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Given those options, only 20% would still prefer the holiday party.

Locally, both Stephens and Rosskothen said employees who have a good time at their holiday parties look forward to returning the following year, and their employers are willing to keep paying for the event.

“We’re getting repeat business from people who came last year,” Stephens said of spillover from the Starting Gate’s first holiday season in 2016. Others have experienced other events there, including weddings that incorporate the site’s sweeping vistas, and return for other events, like holiday parties, based on those good memories.

“The holiday business, specifically, is extremely loyal,” Rosskothen said. “It helps that we do things that smaller companies can join if they don’t want to be alone in a smll room, that we create something cool and different. We have created events with all kinds of variety, and companies can pick. Hopefully there’s something for everyone out there.”

The holiday-party business may not have returned quite to pre-recession levels — a trend that holds true nationally as well — but it’s close, he added.

“It’s definitely come back a long way. We see a lot of people trying to do something during the holiday, to tell employees they’re appreciated and bring the team together.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Education Sections

A New Chapter

Laurie Flynn says her new role with Link to Libraries enables her to make her passions — reading and children’s literature — her profession.

Laurie Flynn says her new role with Link to Libraries enables her to make her passions — reading and children’s literature — her profession.

Laurie Flynn says it’s not often that one gets to make their passion their profession.

And it was the opportunity to do just that which prompted her to put aside a budding marketing business she co-founded a few years ago and become president and CEO of Link to Libraries (LTL), the decade-old nonprofit that, as the name suggests, puts books on the shelves of school libraries and other agencies and promotes childhood literacy on many levels.

“It just seemed like this serendipitous, perfect opportunity to bring together what I’ve learned professionally and my personal passion for children’s literature, and also for reading and writing,” said Flynn, who has made LTL only the latest example of making her passion her work.

Indeed, Flynn, who returned to college (Simmons College in Boston, to be more specific) in 2011 to earn a master’s degree in writing for children, has long been a children’s book reviewer for Kirkus Reviews, handling middle-grade and young-adult books across all genres. And for nearly two years, she was the Western Mass. regional coordinator for Reach Out and Read, a nonprofit that works to incorporate books into pediatric care and encourage families to read aloud together.

Desiring to take her work with literacy and children’s literature to a still-higher level, Flynn assumes many of the responsibilities carried out by Susan Jaye-Kaplan, co-founder of LTL, as it’s called, along with Janet Crimmons, in 2007. Jaye-Kaplan told BusinessWest she will remain quite active with the organization, as a board member, fund-raiser, and volunteer, among other roles, but acknowledged that, as LTL continues to grow, geographically and otherwise, it was time for the nonprofit to hire a paid, full-time president.

LTL’s warehouse at Rediker Software is crammed with books bound for area schools and nonprofits.

LTL’s warehouse at Rediker Software is crammed with books bound for area schools and nonprofits.

“This was a very necessary step to continue growing Link to Libraries and broadening its impact,” she said of the decision to hire a director. “We were at a crossroads, growth-wise, and this was the direction we needed to take.”

Flynn, who moved into LTL’s donated office space at Rediker Software in Hampden in late September, told BusinessWest that her first few months will be spent “learning the territory,” a phrase with multiple meanings.

First, there is the actual physical territory, meaning the dozens of schools and nonprofits across Western Mass. and Northern Conn. that LTL serves; she’s already visited several, and more trips are scheduled. There is also LTL’s operating structure, complete with a network of hundreds of volunteers handing assignments ranging from reading in the classroom to packing books bound for area schools.

And there’s still more to that word ‘territory,’ including everything from the art and science of selecting the books that will be distributed to soliciting new sponsors for LTL’s hugely successful Business Book Link program, which recruits businesses large and small to sponsor individual schools.

Actually, Flynn was already familiar with much of this territory through her work reviewing books, with Reach Out Read, and also work as an LTL volunteer. Indeed, she was, and would like to go on being, a volunteer reader at Homer Street School in Springfield.

But she acknowledges that she has much to learn, and is eager to get on with doing so.

For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest talked with Flynn about her new role and her decision to turn her passion for books and childhood literacy into her new business card.

Turning the Page

Flynn brings an intriguing résumé to her role with LTL, one that includes time working in both Parliament and the U.S. Capitol.

The former was a relatively short stint — an internship undertaken while she was enrolled at the London School of Economics in 1993. The latter was much more involved, covering the first half-dozen years of her professional career.

A Washington, D.C. native, Flynn started working as deputy press secretary for U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire) in January 1995, and a year later became his press secretary, serving in that role until 1998, when she became communications manager in the office of the Secretary of the Senate.

In that role, and also as a staff assistant handling special projects and communications in the office of the Clerk of the House, she was heavily involved with press inquiries and other aspects of construction of the $621 million U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC), a large underground addition to the Capitol complex that opened in 2008.

After relocating to Western Mass., she became an independent communications consultant, specializing in event planning and execution, product launches, and writing of documents related to corporate marketing and mission.

And after spending two years with Reach Out and Read, she co-founded Red Mantel Communications (her partner had a red mantel in her home, where the two would often brainstorm), which specialized in media and public relations, event planning, and other communications-related work.

“I was fortunate enough, since it was our own company, to focus on communications work I really wanted to do,” she explained. “Much of it had to do with nonprofits and with helping corporations focus their philanthropic giving as a way to generate good press for not only the business, but also the organization; we really tried to focus on local agencies when we could to help raise their visibility.”

Among her clients was Balise Motor Sales, which had already forged a unique relationship with Homer Street School — the late Mike Balise, a principal with the company, purchased winter coats for students there — and took it to a higher level by adopting the school through LTL’s Business Book Link program.

Flynn, who read to fourth-graders at Homer Street, said she was content in her work with Red Mantel, but when she heard that LTL was going to commence a search for its first full-time paid director, she became intrigued.

But first, she needed convincing that Jaye-Kaplan, the energetic face of the nonprofit, was really going to take at least a small step back in her role as leader of the agency.

ltllogo-bw1017b

“I couldn’t imagine her actually stepping away — I thought she would change her mind, which would have been fine,” Flynn said. “But she was firm — she was going to step back.”

The position attracted a number of applicants, most of them with backgrounds in education, nonprofit management, or both, and Flynn eventually prevailed in a search process that ended in early September.

Looking ahead, Flynn said her informal job description is to build on LTL’s solid foundation and advance its work to not only put books on library shelves and in students’ hands, but to encourage young people to read and impress upon them the importance of doing so to attain jobs and careers.

“I just have a deep love and appreciation for the importance of reading in kids’ lives,” she told BusinessWest, adding that the Business Book Link program is an important part of this mission.

And not simply because the businesses donate money to purchase books for the schools they’re sponsoring. A perhaps even bigger component is how those businesses become involved with the schools — by reading to students, but also funding field trips and other initiatives — and having their employees visit the classrooms and become role models of sorts.

“That community involvement, and getting representatives of the business world to come into the classroom and take the time to sit down with those kids … that’s just so important and so unique,” Flynn explained.

Overall, she said would like to see the organization broaden its work and its mission in some important ways, but without ever straying from its reason for being.

“I’d like to see Link to Libraries grow as a resource — a source of literacy information and a way to connect teachers with books,” she explained. “I’d love to see us expand that way and create a new niche, as a children’s literacy resource.”

Meanwhile, she would like to use books and reading as a way to help young people “find their own voice.”

“By sharing a love of reading and stories,” she told BusinessWest, maybe we can inspire kids to write their own.”

As she contemplates how to do that, Flynn said the region’s many noted children’s authors, including Jane Yolin, Holly Black, Richard Michelson, and others, could play a role in such work.

“These authors could become a resource for teachers and educators in our community, offering them new and interesting ways to approach reading to kids to make it interesting and relevant.”

Book Smart

As LTL celebrates 10 years of carrying out its unique mission, this is an appropriate time to pause and reflect, said Flynn, adding that the milestone, and her arrival as the first paid director, are turning points for the organization.

Together, they symbolize the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the agency. And while the specific plotline of this chapter isn’t known yet, the story is likely to be one of continued growth and deeper impact within the community.

As for Flynn, she is excited to be helping to script this chapter. That’s to be expected when your passion becomes your life’s work.

—George O’Brien

Education Sections

Degrees of Growth

The AIC campus

The AIC campus has seen considerable change over the past decade, and the picture continues to evolve, with a planned addition and renovations for an existing building to house exercise science classes.

American International College has again earned placement on the list of the fastest-growing colleges in the country. Overall, the institution has nearly doubled its enrollment over the past decade or so, largely out of necessity. But the methods for achieving such growth — specifically in response to trends within the marketplace and a high-touch approach to student needs — offers lessons to schools of all sizes.

Jonathan Scully was searching for a word or phrase to describe the situation when it comes to enrollment on college campuses today.

He eventually settled on “it’s scary out there,” which certainly works, given the current trends. Indeed, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, there were 18,071,000 students taking classes on American campuses in the spring of this year. That number was 19,619,000 million three years earlier, a nearly 8% decline. According to most reports, the numbers have been falling rather steadily, about a percentage point or two the past several years, with no real change on the horizon.

There are a number of reasons for this drop, noted Scully, dean of Undergraduate Admissions at American International College (AIC), who listed everything from smaller high-school graduating classes to a relatively strong economy — when times are worse, people often stay in school after graduating or return to school because they are unemployed; from outmigration to steep competition for a smaller pool of students.

Whatever the reasons, most schools — from community colleges to some prestigious four-year institutions — are struggling to maintain their numbers and, at the same time, their standards for admission.

AIC has managed to not only buck these trends but achieve status as one of the fastest-growing schools in the country, said Scully and Kerry Barnes, dean of Graduate Admissions.

Jonathan Scully

Jonathan Scully says AIC takes a high-touch approach with students, both before and after they arrive on campus.

Indeed, the Chronicle of Higher Education recently named AIC one of its “fastest growing colleges in the United States,” the sixth time the school has made that list in recent years. Among private, nonprofit doctoral institutions, AIC placed fourth among the top 20 colleges and universities in the country, with a 95% growth rate. Overall, AIC nearly doubled its enrollment between 2005 and 2015. (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, ranked ninth, is the only other school in the Commonwealth that placed in the same category.)

Most of this growth has come at the graduate level, where overall enrollment has risen from 415 to more than 2,000 over the past decade, but there has been improvement on the undergraduate side as well, with the overall numbers up 5% over that same period, much better than the national averages.

AIC has achieved such growth in large part out of necessity. A decade ago, the school was struggling mightily and needed to make a number of adjustments, in everything from its physical plant to its enrollment strategies, to attract students to its campus. But the climb up the charts has also resulted from ongoing and heightened attention to the needs of both the business community and students.

Regarding the former, said Barnes, the college has surveyed the marketplace and worked with businesses across a number of sectors to identify in-demand skill sets and areas of need when it comes to trained professionals. This has led to creation of new degree programs in areas ranging from occupational therapy to casino management.

“We’ve been able to identify key trends within the marketplace,” said Barnes, “but also work with local businesses to say, ‘what do you really need?’ and ‘what do you want students to have in order to be successful in their positions?’ or ‘what are your current employees looking for, and what do you need them to know?’”

Such questions, and the answers to them, have led to the creation of new degree programs, specific areas of study, and even new facilities, such as the expansion of a building on State Street, across from the main campus for exercise science programs.

As for the latter, said Scully, AIC is working hard — much harder than it once did — to assist students (many of them first-generation college students) both before and after they actually start attending classes in an effort to make them more comfortable and better able to meet the many challenges confronting them.

“We focus on a high-touch approach, and we take it all the way through — from recruitment to the time students are on campus,” he explained. “We realize that students aren’t always going to be ready for the rigors of college, not ready for application process, not ready to take that step on their own. And rather than say ‘figure it out — or don’t,’ we hold their hand the whole way and give them whatever they need.”

Add it all up, and it becomes easy to see why AIC has now become a regular on the Chronicle of Higher Education’s fastest-growing colleges chart.

For the this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest talked with Barnes and Scully about how the school intends to continue earning placement on that list, even as the enrollment picture becomes ever more scary.

Class Action

They call it ‘summer melt.’ And they’re not talking about ice cream.

Indeed, college administrators use that term to refer to those students they lose between the time they sign on the proverbial dotted line and when classes begin in the fall. There are many reasons for this meltage, said Scully, including financial matters and other personal issues.

“It’s a big problem for a lot of institutions, especially those like AIC,” he explained, referring to the large percentage of low-income and first-generation students at the school. “A student pays their deposit, they intend to enroll, but they fall off for any number of reasons.”

AIC has devoted a considerable number of resources — all of them in that category of hand-holding — to the matter, and as a result, it has seen its melt rate drop from 18% a few years ago to 11%, just below what would be average for schools with AIC’s size and demographics.

This dramatic improvement in a critical area is just one example of how AIC is bucking national trends with regard to attracting and retaining students — and the manner in which it is achieving such results.

Kerry Barnes

Kerry Barnes says graduate programs at AIC have enjoyed explosive growth as the school responds to changing needs in the business community.

But before getting more in-depth about the present and future, it would be prudent to first take a look back — to where AIC was about a decade or so ago.

Talk about scary … that would be an apt description of the picture on campus. Neither Scully nor Barnes was around back then, but they’re both from this area, and they both know what the conditions were like.

“It was a very different place back then,” said Scully. “The physical plant was in decline, the enrollment numbers were falling, technology was lacking. But sweeping reforms were instituted, and they continue today.”

Indeed, both Barnes and Scully give considerable credit to AIC President Vince Maniaci, who arrived on campus in 2005 and made increasing enrollment his first priority — again, out of necessity and real threats to survival.

“There’s a lot to be said for a leader who’s willing to take educated risks,” Barnes told BusinessWest. “We’ve been very thoughtful in our growth, and Vince has supported that, and so has the board of directors. And that’s very important for a school our size to rebound from where we were 10 years ago.”

AIC’s successful efforts to roughly double its enrollment are attributable to a number of factors, said Scully and Barnes, but mostly, it all comes back to working harder, listening better, being innovative, and being nimble. And they have examples for each category.

With regard to working harder, Scully noted everything from those hand-holding efforts he described to more aggressive recruiting across the school’s main catchment area — Massachusetts and Connecticut.

He said there are eight admissions staffers, a big number for a relatively small undergraduate population (roughly 1,500 students), but it’s indicative of that high-touch approach and a reason why the melt numbers are comparatively low.

And this approach continues after the student arrives on campus.

“We hand things off to the academic side, to the student-life side,” said Scully. “They pick up the baton and run with it, and make sure students are treated the same way we treat them during the recruitment process; they get what they need, they get the attention, and they never become a number.”

As for the listening part, Barnes noted, again, that it involves a number of constituencies, including one she called simply the “marketplace.”

By that, she meant careful watching of trends and developments with regard to jobs — where they are now and where they’ll in be the years and decades to come — but also concerning the skills and requirements needed to take those jobs.

panoramic

As one example, she cited education and, specifically, a requirement in Massachusetts for teachers to become licensed. “We’ve been able to identify programs with growth potential, specifically to meet the needs of the local K-12 districts,” she explained. “We’ve been able to work with those districts to make sure we’re bringing the right licensure programs to their areas; that’s been hugely successful for us.

“We’ve been able to create very structured growth within our own programs to help meet what the market in Springfield needs,” Barnes went on. “In healthcare, we’ve had considerable growth in occupational therapy, physical therapy, and family nurse practitioners, but we’ve also been able to branch off and start key programs like the resort and casino management program, an arm of the MBA program.”

Scully agreed, noting that, with undergraduate programs — and all programs, for that matter — there is an emphasis on creating return on investment for those enrolled in them, something that’s being demanded by both students and the parents often footing the bill.

“We’re focused on programs that the market demands, that are interesting, and that are ROI-driven,” he explained, referencing, as examples, offerings in visual/digital arts, public health, theater, exercise science, and other fields.

“There’s going to be a high demand for exercise science graduates, athletic trainers,” he explained. “So we’re giving the market what it needs.”

As for innovation and nimbleness, they go hand in hand — with each other and also the ‘working hard’ and ‘listening’ parts of the equation. It’s one thing to listen, said Barnes, and it’s another to be able to respond quickly and effectively to what one hears and sees.

AIC has been able to do that, not only with new programs, but also in how programs are delivered, such as online, on weekends in some cases, and in accelerated fashion in other instances.

“We’re being very smart about the programs that we’re offering, and we’re working closely to update everything on the academic side to make sure it’s relevant,” she went on, adding that, in addition to relevancy, the school is also focused on flexibility and enabling students to take classes how and when they want.

“I think it’s cliché to say we’re nimble, but we are,” she told BusinessWest. “We’re able to a do a lot of things that larger institutions can’t, and we’re really in tune with our students and what they need.”

Determined Course

All this explains why AIC is making the best of a scary situation, especially on the undergraduate level.

The school’s presence on — and rise up — the fast-growing colleges list is significant and makes for good press for the institution. More important, though, is how such growth was accomplished.

Words such as ‘relevancy,’ accronyms like ROI, and phrases such as ‘high-touch’ do a good hob of telling this story.

It’s a story of a remarkable rebound in a relatively short time — with more intriguing chapters to come.

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

Cover Story Sections Super 60

Saluting Success

super60logoA large technology company that has been a fixture in Western Mass. for decades and a craft-beer startup that has quickly shot from obscurity to a large cult following may boast very different histories, but they have one thing in common: they are the top honorees in this year’s Super 60 awards.

“The success of this year’s winners is a clear indication that our regional economy is strong and reflects the diverse nature of our industries,” said Nancy Creed, president of the Springfield Regional Chamber, which is presenting the Super 60 honors for the 28th year. A celebration event honoring this year’s class will be held Friday, Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Chez Josef in Agawam.

Whalley Computer Associates Inc. of Southwick placed atop this year’s Total Revenue listing, followed by Marcotte Ford Sales Inc. of Holyoke and Commercial Distributing Co. Inc. of Westfield. In the Revenue Growth category, which recognizes the fastest-growing firms in the region, Tree House Brewing of Charlton tops the 2017 list, followed by Five Star Transportation Inc. of Southwick and LavishlyHip, LLC, an online outfit based in Feeding Hills.

“In just two short years of operation, Tree House Brewing, Inc., has moved straight to the top of the Revenue Growth category in its first year as a Super 60 winner,” she said.  “And LavishlyHip, an online retailer that garnered the top honors last year has returned in the top three this year.”

To be considered, companies must be based in Hampden or Hampshire counties or be a member of the Springfield Regional Chamber, have revenues of at least $1 million in the last fiscal year, be an independent and privately owned company, and be in business at least three full years. Companies are selected based on their percentage of revenue growth over a full three-year period or total revenues for the latest fiscal year.

Creed noted that this year’s winners hail from 17 communities across the region and represent all sectors of the economy, including nonprofits, transportation, energy, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, retail, and service. One-quarter of the Total Revenue winners exceeded $30 million in revenues. In the Revenue Growth category, one-quarter of the top 30 companies had growth in excess of 100%.

Four companies in the Total Revenue category also qualified for the Revenue Growth category, while 15 companies in the Revenue Growth category also qualified for the Total Revenue category, although each honoree is listed in only one category.

Tickets to the Oct. 27 event cost $60 for chamber members, $75 for general admission. Reservations may be made for tables of eight or 10. The deadline for reservations is Wednesday, Oct. 18. No cancellations will be accepted after that date, and no walk-ins will be allowed. Reservations must be made in writing, either online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by e-mail to [email protected].

Total Revenue

1. Whalley Computer Associates Inc.
One Whalley Way, Southwick
(413) 569-4200
www.wca.com
John Whalley, president
WCA is a locally owned family business that has evolved from a hardware resale and service group in the ’70s and ’80s into a company that now focuses on lowering the total cost of technology and productivity enhancement for its customers. Boasting nearly 150 employees, Whalley carries name-brand computers as well as low-cost compatibles.

2. Marcotte Ford Sales Inc.
1025 Main St., Holyoke
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
Bryan Marcotte, president
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade. It also operates the Marcotte Commercial Truck Center.

3. Commercial         Distributing Co. Inc.
46 South Broad St., Westfield
(413) 562-9691
www.commercialdist.com
Richard Placek, Chairman
Founded in 1935 by Joseph Placek, Commercial Distributing Co. is a family-owned, family-operated business servicing more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, and clubs, as well as more than 400 package and liquor stores. Now in its third generation, the company continues to grow by building brands and offering new products as the market changes.
A.G. Miller Co. Inc.
57 Batavia St., Springfield
(413) 732-9297
www.agmiller.com
Rick Miller, president
Early in its history, A.G. Miller made a name in automobile enameling. More than 100 years after its founding in 1914, the company now offers precision metal fabrication; design and engineering; assembly; forming, rolling, and bending; laser cutting; punching; precision saw cutting; welding; powder coating and liquid painting; and more.

Aegenco Inc.
55 Jackson St., Springfield
(413) 746-3242
www.aegisenergyservices.com
Spiro Vardakas, president
Aegenco, an energy-conservation consulting firm and the manufacturing arm of Aegis Energy Services, has grown steadily since its inception in 2005.

Aegis Energy Services Inc.
55 Jackson St., Holyoke
(800) 373-3411
www.aegischp.com
Lee Vardakas, owner
Founded in 1985, Aegis Energy Services is a turn-key, full-service provider of combined heat and power systems (CHPs) that generate heat and electricity using clean, efficient, natural-gas-powered engines. These modular CHP systems reduce a facility’s dependence on expensive utility power, reduce energy costs, and reduce one’s carbon footprint.

Baltazar Contractors Inc.
83 Carmelinas Circle, Ludlow
(413) 583-6160
www.baltazarcontractors.com
Frank Baltazar, president
Baltazar Contractors has been a family-owned and operated construction firm for more than 20 years, specializing in roadway construction and reconstruction in Massachusetts and Connecticut; all aspects of site-development work; sewer, water, storm, and utilities; and streetscape improvements.

Braman Pest
147 Almgren Dr., Agawam
(413) 732-9009
www.bramanpest.com
Gerald Lazarus, president
Braman has been serving New England since 1890, using state-of-the-art pest-elimination procedures for commercial and residential customers, and offering humane removal of birds, bats, and other nuisances through its wildlife division. The company has offices in Agawam, Worcester, and Lee, as well as Hartford and New Haven, Conn.

City Enterprises Inc.
38 Berkshire Ave., Springfield
(413) 726-9549
www.cityenterpriseinc.com
Wonderlyn Murphy, president
City Enterprises Inc. offers skilled general-contracting services to the New England region. Priding itself on custom design and construction of affordable, quality homes and the infrastructure surrounding them, the firm executes its mission in a way that supports community empowerment through job opportunities and professional development.

filli, lcc d/b/a con-test                                     analytical laboratory
39 Spruce St., East Longmeadow
(413) 525-2332
www.contestlabs.com
THOMAS VERATTI SR., FOUNDER
Established in 1984, Con-Test provides environmental consulting and testing services to clients throughout Western Mass. The laboratory-testing division originally focused on industrial hygiene analysis, but expanded to include techniques in air analysis, classical (wet) chemistry, metals, and organics, analyzing water, air, soil, and solid materials.

EG Partners, LLC d/b/a Oasis Shower Doors
646 Springfield St., Feeding Hills
(413) 786-8420
www.oasisshowerdoors.com
tom daly, President
Oasis Shower Doors, New England’s largest designer, fabricator, and installer of custom frameless glass shower enclosures and specialty glass, has rapidly expanded its operations in recent years, with showrooms located at Feeding Hills, Weymouth, and Peabody, Mass., as well as Avon, Conn.

Fuel Services Inc.
95 Main St., South Hadley
(413) 532-3500
www.fuelservices.biz
Steve Chase, President and CEO
Full-service home-comfort and energy-solutions firm offering heating oil and propane delivery; plumbing, air-conditioning, and natural-gas services; installation of heating, cooling, water, and indoor-air-quality equipment; and more. The company serves more than 30 communities in Western Mass. and provides 24-hour emergency service.

The Futures Health Group, LLC
136 William St., Springfield
(800) 218-9280
www.discoverfutures.com
Brian Edwards, CEO
Futures provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, special education, nursing, mental health, and other related services to schools and healthcare facilities across the U.S. Founded in 1998, it continues to be managed by expert practitioners in their fields.

The Gaudreau Group
1984 Boston Road, Wilbraham
(413) 543-3534
www.gaudreaugroup.com
Jules Gaudreau, president
A multi-line insurance and financial-service agency established in 1921, the Gaudreau Group helps clients respond to an ever-changing economic environment. The agency offers a broad range of insurance and financial products from basic life, home, and auto insurance to complex corporate services, employee benefits, and retirement plans.

Haluch Water Contracting Inc.
399 Fuller St, Ludlow
(413) 589-1254
Thomas Haluch, president
For more than 30 years, Haluch Water Contracting has served the region as a water-main construction and excavation contractor specializing in water, sewer, pipeline, communications, and power-line construction.

JET Industries Inc.
307 Silver St., Agawam
(413) 786-2010
www.jet.industries
Michael Turrini, president
Jet Industries Inc. is a leading design build electrical, mechanical, communications and fire sprinkler contractor. What began as a small, family-run oil company founded by Aaron Zeeb in 1977 has grown into one of the nation’s largest companies of its type with over 500 employees servicing projects all across the country.

Kittredge Equipment Co. Inc.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, president
Founded in 1921, Kittredge Equipment Co.is one of the nation’s leading food-service equipment and supply businesses. It boasts 70,000 square feet of showroom in three locations. The company also handles design services, and has designed everything from small restaurants to country clubs to in-plant cafeterias.

Lancer Transportation & Logistics and Sulco Warehousing & Logistics
311 Industry Ave., Springfield
(413) 739-4880
www.sulco-lancer.com
Todd Goodrich, president
In business since 1979, Sulco Warehousing & Logistics specializes in public, contract, and dedicated warehousing. Lancer Transportation & Logistics is a licensed third-party freight-brokerage company that provides full-service transportation-brokerage services throughout North America.

Louis and Clark Drug Inc.
309 East St., Springfield
(413) 737-7456
www.lcdrug.com
Skip Matthews, president
Since 1965, Louis & Clark has been a recognized name in Western Mass., first as a pharmacy and later as a resource for people who need home medical equipment and supplies. Today, the company provides professional pharmacy and compounding services, medical equipment, independent-living services, and healthcare programs.

Maybury Associates Inc.
90 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow
(413) 525-4216
www.maybury.com
John Maybury, president
Since 1976, Maybury Associates Inc. has been designing, supplying, and servicing all types of material-handling equipment throughout New England. Maybury provides customers in a wide range of industries with solutions to move, lift, and store their parts and products.

Notch Mechanical Constructors
85 Lemay St., Chicopee
(413) 534-3440
www.notch.com
Steven Neveu, president
A family-owned business since 1972, Notch Mechanical Constructors provides piping installation and repair services to facilities throughout southern New England. Its team has the capacity to address process and utility piping challenges at any business within 100 miles of its locations in Chicopee and Hudson, Mass.

O’Connell Care at Home
One Federal St., Bldg. 103-1, Springfield
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, president
For more than two decades, O’Connell Care at Home, formerly O’Connell Professional Nurse Service, has grown to deliver a range of home-health and staffing services across the Pioneer Valley. Services range from nursing care and geriatric healthcare management to advocacy and transportation.

PC Enterprises Inc. d/b/a Entre Computer
138 Memorial Ave., West Springfield
(413) 736-2112
www.pc-enterprises.com
Norman Fiedler, CEO
PC Enterprises, d/b/a Entre Computer, assists organizations with procuring, installing, troubleshooting, servicing, and maximizing the value of technology. In business since 1983, it continues to evolve and grow as a lead provider for many businesses, healthcare providers, retailers, and state, local, and education entities.

Rediker Software Inc.
2 Wilbraham Road, Hampden
(800) 213-9860
www.rediker.com
Andrew Anderlonis, president
Rediker software is used by school administrators across the U.S. and in more than 100 countries, and is designed to meet the student-information-management needs of all types of schools and districts. For example, 100,000 teachers use the TeacherPlus web gradebook, and the ParentPlus and StudentPlus web portals boast 2 million users.

Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc.
235 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 789-6700
www.specialtybolt.com
Kevin Queenin, president
Founded in 1977, Specialty Bolt & Screw (SBS) is a full-service solutions provider of fasteners, vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs, and C-class commodities. Based in Agawam, it has locations in Valcourt, Quebec; Juarez, Mexico; Queretaro, Mexico; Rovaniemi, Finland; and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Troy Industries Inc.
151 Capital Dr., West Springfield
(413) 788-4288
www.troyind.com
Steve Troy, CEO
Troy Industries was founded on the principle of making reliable, innovative, over-engineered products that function without question when lives are on the line. Troy is a leading U.S. government contractor that designs and manufactures innovative, top-quality small-arms components and accessories and complete weapon upgrades.

United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
Patricia Canavan, president
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.

W.F. Young Inc.
302 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow
(800) 628-9653
www.absorbine.com
Tyler Young, CEO
This family-run business prides itself on offering a variety of high-quality products that can effectively improve the well-being of both people and horses with its Absorbine brands.

Webber & Grinnell Insurance Agency Inc.
8 North King St., #1, Northampton
(413) 586-0111
www.webberandgrinnell.com
Bill Grinnell, president
Webber and Grinnell’s roots can be traced back to 1849, when A.W. Thayer opened an insurance agency on Pleasant Street in Northampton. The agency, which offers automotive, business, homeowners, employee benefit, and other types of products, serves more than 5,000 households and 900 businesses throughout Western Mass.

WestMass ElderCare Inc.
4 Valley Mill Road, Holyoke
(413) 538-9020
www.wmeldercare.org
Priscilla Chalmers, Executive Director
WestMass ElderCare is a private, nonprofit agency with a mission to preserve the dignity, independence, and quality of life of elders and disabled persons desiring to remain within their own community. Programs include supportive housing, home care, options counseling, adult family care, nutrition programs, and adult foster care.

Revenue Growth

1. Tree House Brewing Company Inc.
129 Sturbridge Road, Charlton
(413) 523-2367
www.treehousebrew.com
Nate Lanier, Damien Goudreau, Dean Rohan, Owners
The opening of a 45,000-square-foot facility in Charlton speaks to the recent growth of this brewery. Tree House was founded in Monson 2011, but in 2015 counted just one employee and 55 barrels of cellar space. The new facility can accommodate 50,000 barrels of cellar space, which will enable the brewery to produce up to 125,000 barrels a year.

2. Five Star Transportation Inc.
809 College Highway, Southwick
(413) 789-4789
www.firestarbus.com
Nathan Lecrenski, president
Five Star provides school-bus transportation services to school districts and charter schools throughout Western Mass. From its launch a half-century ago with a single bus route, the company currently services more than 12 school districts and operates a fleet of more than 175 vehicles.

3. Lavishlyhip, LLC
Feeding Hills
www.lavishlyhip.com
Rika Woyan, owner
This online retailer of jewelry and accessories offers accessory collections from the latest top designers. By meeting with the designers in their showrooms and at industry events, it stays on top of what is trending. Shoppers will find hip and classic jewelry for women and men, cashmere, silk and blend scarves, and hair accessories.

Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding Inc.
160 Old Lyman Road, South Hadley
(413) 525-0025
www.1800newroof.net
Adam Quenneville, CEO
Adam Quenneville offers a wide range of residential and commercial services, including new roofs, retrofitting, roof repair, roof cleaning, vinyl siding, replacement windows, and the no-clog Gutter Shutter system. The company has earned the BBB Torch Award for trust, performance, and integrity.

Alliance Home Improvement Inc.
375 Chicopee St., Chicopee
(413) 331-4357
www.alliancehomeinc.com
sergiy suprunchuk, president
Alliance is a professional local contractor providing quality and reliable residential services. Its products are Energy Star certified, and most of them have lifetime warranty provided by the manufacturer. Services include siding, windows, doors, roofs, gutters, faux stone siding, and custom-built homes.

Baystate Blasting Inc.
36 Carmelinas Circle, Ludlow
(413) 583-4440
www.baystateblasting.com
Paul Baltazar, president
Baystate Blasting, Inc. is a local family owned and operated drilling and blasting firm located in Ludlow, Massachusetts that began in 2003.   Sitework, heavy highway construction, residential, quarry, portable crushing and recycling, ATF licensed dealer of explosives as well as rental of individual magazines.

Center Square Grill
84 Center Square, East Longmeadow
(413) 525-0055
www.centersquaregrill.com
Michael Sakey, Bill Collins, Proprietors
Center Square Grill serves up eclectic American fare for lunch and dinner, as well as an extensive wine and cocktail selection and a kids’ menu. The facility also has a catering service and hosts events of all kinds.

Charter Oak Insurance &                        Financial Services Co.
330 Whitney Ave., Holyoke
(413) 374-5430
www.charteroakfinancial.com
Peter Novak, General Agent
A member of the MassMutual Financial Group, Charter Oak been servicing clients for more than 125 years. The team of professionals serves individuals, families, and businesses with risk-management products, business planning and protection, retirement planning and investment services, and fee-based financial planning.

Chicopee Industrial Contractors Inc.
107 North Chicopee St., Chicopee
(413) 538-7279
www.chicopeeindustrial.com
Carol Campbell, president
Founded in 1992, Chicopee Industrial Contractors is an industrial contracting firm specializing in all types of rigging, heavy lifting, machinery moving, machine installation, millwrighting, machine repair, heavy hauling, plant relocations, concrete pads, foundations, and structural steel installations.

Community Transportation Services
288 Verge St., Springfield
(413) 732-1500
Houshang Ansari, president
Community transportation is a locally owned medical, elderly, and VIP transportation service founded in 1991. Its goal is to provide the community with safe and affordable transportation services. It is especially committed to meeting the transportation needs of senior citizens and the physically and mentally challenged.

Courier Express Inc.
20 Oakdale St., Springfield
(413) 730-6620
www.courierexp.com
Eric Devine, president
Courier Express is committed to providing custom, same-day delivery solutions for any shipment. Its focal point is New England, but its reach is nationwide. The company strives to utilize the latest technologies, on-time delivery, customer service, and attention to detail to separate itself from its competitors.

Court Square Group Inc.
1350 Main St., Springfield
(413) 731-5294
www.courtsquaregroup.com
Keith Parent, president
Court Square is a technical strategic advisor to the life-science and biotech industries. Consulting services include business analysis and consulting, information security and disaster recovery, SharePoint and document management, long-term archiving, project management, and much more.
FIT Staffing Inc.
25 Bremen St., Springfield
(413) 363-0204
www.fitstaffingsolutions.com
Jackie Fallon, president
FIT Staffing, founded in 2005, provides a personal approach to connecting companies to the right IT professionals. FIT takes the time to meet the hiring manager to determine the exact qualifications, skills, and personality traits for the client’s ideal candidates. Meanwhile, FIT’s extensive listing of local IT openings is continuously updated.

Fletcher Sewer & Drain Inc.
824A Perimeter Road, Ludlow
(413) 547-8180
www.fletcherseweranddrain.com
Teri Marinello, president
Since 1985, Fletcher Sewer & Drain has provided service to homeowners as well as municipalities and construction companies for large pipeline jobs. From unblocking kitchen sinks to replacing sewer lines, Fletcher keeps up to date with all the latest technology, from high-pressure sewer jetters to the newest camera-inspection equipment.

Gleason Johndrow Landscaping Inc.
44 Rose St., Springfield
(413) 727-8820
www.gleasonjohndrowlandscaping.com
Anthony Gleason II, David Johndrow, Owners
Gleason Johndrow Landscape & Snow Management offers a wide range of commercial and residential services, including lawn mowing, snow removal, salting options, fertilization programs, landscape installations, bark-mulch application, creative plantings, seeding options, pruning, irrigation installation, maintenance, and much more.

Kelley & Katzer Real Estate, LLC
632 Westfield St., West Springfield
(413) 209-9933
www.kelleyandkatzerrealestate.com
Joe Kelley, Christine Katzer, Co-owners
Kelley & Katzer combines more than 40 years of real-estate experience with a modern approach. It is involved every step of the way of the real-estate process, guiding clients with a hands-on approach and knowledge of the real-estate market, blended with a genuine understanding of clients’ needs.

Knight Machine & Tool Company Inc.
11 Industrial Dr., South Hadley
(413) 532-2507
Gary O’Brien, owner
Knight Machine & Tool Co. is a metalworking and welding company that offers blacksmithing, metal roofing, and other services from its 11,000-square-foot facility.

Market Mentors, LLC
30 Capital Dr., Suite C, West Springfield
(413) 787-1133
www.marketmentors.com
Michelle Abdow, principal
A full-service marketing firm, Market Mentors handles all forms of marketing, including advertising in all mediums, media buying, graphic design, public relations, and event planning.

Martinelli, Martini & Gallagher Real Estate Inc.
1763 Northampton St., Holyoke
(413) 736-7232
www.buywesternmass.com
Paul Gallagher, president
Gallagher Real Estate boasts four locations in Holyoke, Agawam, South Hadley, and Springfield, offering commercial and residential sales and leasing services, as well as a real estate school and a separate division devoted to handling property-management needs.

North Atlantic Trucking Inc.
100 Progress Ave., Springfield
(413) 455-3981
www.northatlantictrucking.com
James Vieu, Director of Fleet Services & Financials
North Atlantic Trucking began by hauling a variety of products, including paper, plastic, metal, and more. The company is rapidly growing with a current fleet of 15 vehicles providing transportation services for miscellaneous products throughout the U.S.

Northeast IT Systems Inc.
777 Riverdale St., West Springfield
(413) 736-6348
www.northeastit.net
Joel Mollison, president
Northeast is a full-service IT company providing business services, managed IT services, backup and disaster recovery, and cloud services, as well as a full-service repair shop for residential customers, including file recovery, laptop screen replacement, PC setups and tuneups, printer installation, virus protection and removal, and wireless installation.

Paragus Strategic IT
112 Russell St., Hadley
(413) 587-2666
www.paragusit.com
Delcie Bean IV, president
While still in high school, Delcie Bean founded Paragus IT in 1999, first under the name Vertical Horizons and then Valley ComputerWorks. Under the Paragus name, it has grown dramatically as an outsourced IT solution, providing business computer service, computer consulting, information-technology support, and other services to businesses of all sizes.

Rock Valley Tool, LLC
54 O’Neil St., Easthampton
(413) 527-2350
www.rockvalleytool.com
Elizabeth Paquette, president
Rock Valley Tool is a 17,000-square-foot facility housing a variety of both CNC and conventional machining equipment, along with a state-of-the-art inspection lab. With more than 40 years of experience, the company provides manufactured parts to customers in the aerospace, commercial/industrial, and plastic blow-molding industries.

Rodrigues Inc.
782 Center St., Ludlow
(413) 547-6443
Antonio Rodrigues, president
Rodrigues Inc. operates Europa Restaurant in Ludlow, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine with an interactive dining experience, presenting meals cooked on volcanic rocks at tableside. Europa also offers full-service catering and banquet space.

Royal, P.C.
270 Pleasant St., Northampton
(413) 586-2288
www.theroyallawfirm.com
Amy Royal, owner
Royal, P.C. is a woman-owned law firm that exclusively represents and counsels businesses on all aspects of labor and employment law. It represents a wide range of businesses throughout the New England states and nationally, and is an approved panel counsel for insurance companies that provide employment-practices liability insurance to employers.

Safe & Sound Inc.
428 East St., Chicopee
(413) 594-6460
www.safeandsoundhq.com
Michael Laventure, owner
Since 1983, Safe and Sound Inc., a family-owned company, has been providing customers with a wide selection of quality components such as home theater speakers, audio/video receivers, amplifiers, subwoofers, as well as car audio, remote starters, and security.

Taplin Yard, Pump & Power
120 Interstate Dr., West Springfield
(413) 781-4352
www.fctaplin.com
Martin Jagodowski, president
Taplin has been servicing the local area since 1892, and is an authorized dealer for parts, equipment, service, and accessories for a wide range of brands. It boasts a large inventory of zero-turn mowers, commercial lawn equipment, lawnmowers, lawn tractors, trimmers, blowers, generators, pressure washers, pole saws, sprayers, chainsaws, and more.

Valley Home Improvement Inc.
340 Riverside Dr.,
Florence
(413) 517-0158
www.valleyhomeimprovement.com
Steven Silverman, owner
Valley Home Improvement has specialized in home improvement, renovations, and remodeling service since 1991. Home-improvement and remodeling services include kitchen design, bathrooms, additions, sunrooms, screen porches, basement finishing, weatherization/insulation services, garages, and custom cabinetry and countertops.
VertitechIT
4 Open Square Way, #310, Holyoke
(413) 268-1600
www.vertitechit.com
Michael Feld, CEO
Calling itself a group of advisors, confidantes, strategists, and innovators for hire, Vertitech has, in its own words, created a new path to IT transformation, aiming not just to solve technical problems, but to develop the strategic solutions that make an organization or healthcare institution thrive.

Western Mass  Demolition Corp.
50 Summit Lock Road, Westfield
(413) 579-5254
www.wmdemocorp.com
Dale Unsderfer, president
Western Mass Demolition Corp. has a wide range of services to meet clients’ demolition and recycling needs, including complete structure removal, selective works, emergency and fire on call, lowboy and equipment hauling, building separation, abatement and remediation, concrete cutting and breaking, oil-tank removal, recycling, reuse, and salvage.

Features

Food for Thought

expologo2017comcastThe Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will pack plenty of knowledge and insight into one memorable day on Nov. 2, and not just on the show floor at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

Take, for example, the lunch event, featuring keynote speaker Ron Insana, senior analyst and commentator with CNBC. Titled “Trumponomics,” Insana’s talk will address how Washington will affect the economy in the years ahead. As the U.S. and global economies move toward recovery, Insana will apply his journalistic perspective to how Wall Street, Main Street, and Washington shape what the new normal means for everyone.

A financial journalist with the experience of working for and running his own hedge fund, and now host of a nationally syndicated daily radio show in addition to his roles at CNBC, he has access to the top financial players in Washington and on Wall Street, and aims to translate the market signals and political maneuvers into information everyone understands. He is the author of Traders’ Tales, The Message of the Markets, TrendWatching, and most recently How to Make a Fortune from the Biggest Bailout in U.S. History: A Guide to the 7 Greatest Bargains from Main Street to Wall Street.

The event will runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with check-in starting at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $25. To register, visit www.wmbexpo.com.

That event will follow a fund-raising breakfast for Revitalize CDC’s JoinedForces program, running from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on the Expo show floor. The master of ceremonies will be state Rep. Aaron Vega.

Revitalize CDC has been supporting veterans for more than 25 years. JoinedForces, in partnership with businesses, civic organizations, and other nonprofit agencies, provides veterans and their families with critical repairs and modifications on their homes to help make them safe, healthy, and energy-efficient. This is all done in a surrounding that offers integrity, dignity, and hope.

Registration is free, but day-of donations are strongly encouraged, as this is a fund-raising event. Parking in the Civic Center garage will be validated at the conclusion of the breakfast.

One of this year’s new Expo highlights comes from corporate sponsor MGM Springfield, which will showcase its contracting opportunities at the event. MGM is committed to awarding agreements to regional and certified minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned businesses that provide quality, competitive products and services.

The resort will have contracting opportunities in operating supplies, casino supplies, food and beverage supplies, food and beverages, hotel supplies, promotional print services, and more. To explain these, MGM will present two events during the Expo.

The first, “MGM Procurement Introduction,” runs from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. This session is an overview of the current needs of the resort, as well as general information about the new entertainment venue coming to the region, followed by questions and answers from the audience.  Speakers will include Alex Dixon, MGM Springfield general manager, and Stacey Taylor, MGM Resorts International senior vice president and chief procurement officer.

During the second seminar, “MGM Matchmaking,” from 1:15 to 3 p.m., various MGM sourcing managers will be on site to meet potential partners. Each session lasts 15 minutes and will feature a sourcing manager at a table with seven seats available to be filled by companies interested in pitching their specific service or product. Each business will have two minutes to share their elevator pitch and a capabilities statement. Open discussion will follow if time permits. To register your company in advance, visit www.wmbexpo.com.

The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass. will also feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, Wild Apple Design Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing and Go Graphix (show partners), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), WMAS, WHMP, Rock 102 & Lazer 99.3, and MassLive (media partners), and the Better Business Bureau and Cartamundi (contributing sponsors). Exhibitor spaces are still available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Features

Change Agent

Donna Haghighat

Donna Haghighat

Donna Haghighat has seen a number of titles on her business cards over the years — everything from ‘tax attorney’ to ‘grants manager’ to ‘founder and CEO’ — yes, she’s launched a few businesses of her own. A common denominator with most all those career stops has been a desire to work with women and girls to identify goals and opportunities and remove the barriers to realizing them. Call it a passion — one that has brought her to her latest business card, which reads ‘CEO, Women’s Fund of Western Mass.’

“She changed the world for women.”
That was the simple six-word response Donna Haghighat summoned, after a few moments of thought, when asked why she sought to become the next director of the Women’s Fund of Western Mass.

By way of explanation, she said this is a mantra of sorts that she lives by, but also something she would perhaps like people to say about her when her career is over — which won’t be for quite some time now.

She told BusinessWest that she took this position with the hope, and expectation, that she could better live up to that mantra — and, well, also make it more likely that people will be saying that about her.

In many ways, they already are.

Indeed, Haghighat (pronounced Ha-gi-gat) has spent most of her career in positions devoted largely or entirely to that mission of changing the world for women, in some way. Her résumé includes a stint as the chief Engagement & Advocacy officer for the Hartford Region YWCA, and another as founder and CEO of a “social entrepreneurial website,” as she called it, called shoptimize.org, which featured products from emerging women entrepreneurs. Her background also includes work as the grants and programs manager for the Women’s Advancement Initiative at the University of Hartford and as executive director of the Aurora Women & Girls Foundation in Hartford.

She started out as a tax attorney and served for two years earlier this decade as the chief development officer for the Hartford Public Library, but assisting women and girls has been her real passion.

“Even when I wasn’t working professionally in women’s funding, I’ve always done that on an individual level even when I couldn’t do it on an organizational level,” she explained. “So for me, when this opportunity presented itself — one that would allow me to work at an organizational level to really bring about bigger change and mobilize the collective resources of women and their allies — it was really a no-brainer.”

She said she came to the Women’s Fund primarily because two of its main focal points — awarding grants to agencies and programs focused on assisting women and girls and developing programming on women’s issues and leadership — also happen to be her two main focal points.

womens-fund-logo

With the former, she’ll strive to “strengthen the strategy concerning our grant making,” as she put it, meaning a more concerted effort to identify specific issues the grants are intended to address.

And with the latter, she is intrigued by both the prospect of building upon existing initiatives, such as the hugely successful Leadership Institute of Political and Public Impact (LIPPI) program, and new undertakings, such as the Young Women’s Springfield Initiative (YWSI), which features young women leaders working together with adult mentors to create a roadmap for their collective futures.

“I like that we’re able to do both grant making and on-the-ground programming as well,” she explained. “We’re helping women and girls in Massachusetts right now, and also building for the future in terms of shaping future leaders.”

When asked what was on her to-do list for the Women’s Fund, she started by talking about the organization’s mailing address. At the moment — and for the foreseeable future, it is 276 Bridge St. in Springfield, a strategic location chosen by the previous administration to address another item on Haghighat’s list — creating more visibility for the organization.

But that’s the address of the new Innovation Center in Springfield, an ambitious project led by DevelopSpringfield, MassDevelopment, and other partners that is currently in a holding pattern (construction work ground to a halt in May) amid funding problems and a now a lawsuit filed by the general contractor over non-payment for services and materials.

Haghighat, who started on Sept. 1, said the Women’s Fund is a tenant in the Innovation Center and has no control over the fate of the project. So while she watches as those issues play themselves out, she’ll focus on what she can control, specifically the programming and grant awarding she mentioned, efforts that should be boosted by another new addition at the agency.

That’s Christine Monska, who has joined the Women’s Fund as program officer for Leadership Programs, and in that position will play a lead role in administering the Young Women’s Initiative as well as other programs.

Overall, Haghighat said the broad goal for all members of her team is to make the Women’s Fund a greater resource and a stronger vehicle for positive change for girls and women across the region.

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with her about what brought her to the Women’s Fund and also about where she wants to take this organization that lives by the same mantra she does.

Seizing an Opportunity

Haghighat said she became aware of the position at the Women’s Fund in a roundabout fashion, but one that speaks to how her skill set matches what the agency was looking for its next leader.

She had recently launched a consulting firm called Collabyrinth Collective, LLC, one that provided guidance to small businesses and nonprofits in realms ranging from marketing and fund-raising to diversity and inclusion.

Fast-forwarding a little, she said she reached out to friend and former Trinity College classmate Patricia Canavan, president of United Personnel, about her new venture, and in turn, Canavan asked her if she would ever consider taking on interim CEO opportunities.

They would eventually go on to discuss one such opportunity at length, one that didn’t pan out due mostly to issues of timing (Haghighat had a lengthy trip to China already on the calendar). But not long thereafter, the discussion would take a much different, rather serendipitous tone, because Canavan would be assigned the task of chairing the search committee charged with choosing a successor to outgoing Women’s Fund CEO Elizabeth Barajas-Román.

“She [Canavan] was reminded that I had considerable women’s funding experience,” Haghighat went on, adding that while she wasn’t exactly looking for a new opportunity and was enjoying her consulting work, the Women’s Fund of Western Mass. intrigued her on a number of levels.

Specifically, the WFWM position offered an opportunity to take experiences from several previous career stops involving women, fund-raising, and both, and apply them at an organization that is clearly in growth mode and developing new ways to carry out its multi-faceted mission.

Such as the YWSI, an initiative that has enormous promise on a number of levels, said Haghighat.

Elaborating, she said the Women’s Fund of Western Mass. is part of a coalition of eight women’s foundations across the country (the others are in Birmingham, Dallas, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York City, Washington, D.C., and the state of Minnesota) taking part in the Young Women’s Initiative.

In Springfield, the program will kick off Oct. 18 at UMass Center at Springfield, an event designed to highlight some of the key issues facing girls and women in the Commonwealth’s third-largest city and what the Women’s Advisory Council (YWAC) plans to do about them.

The program was inspired by an effort in New York City launched by an organization called Girls for Gender Equity, funded by the New York Women’s Foundation, Haghighat explained, adding that the Women’s Funding Network, of which the WFWM is a member, saw great potential in the initiative, which led to the pilot programs launched in those eight areas.

Here’s how it works. Girls and women from Springfield — meaning they are from the City of Homes if not necessarily living there now (they may be away at college, for example) — are eligible to participate in the program, which enlists them to both identify concerns and learn how positive change can come about.

“Through these young women, the program helps identify the concerns and the barriers that these women are seeing in their own lives,” she explained. “And then it will teach them about what public policy is all about and how they can affect public policy by looking at the issues affecting them and pushing for change.”

YWSI will partner the Women’s Fund with the city of Springfield, she went on, adding that funding for the initiative has been secured from MassMutual. It will focus primarily, but not exclusively, on girls and women of color, and will invite a number of stakeholders to be part of the process of initiating change and progress.

“Here’s an opportunity for young people to be at the center of efforts to try to change some of the things that are impeding their own progress and keeping them from reaching their full potential,” she went on, before motioning to the words written on large sheets of paper affixed to the walls outside her office.

Those words were some of the collective thoughts gathered at a host of so-called ‘listening tours’ staged in the run-up to the start of the program.

The girls and women gathered for those tours listed a broad array of interests (a list that including everything from fashion to arts to ‘daydreaming’) as well as concerns, barriers, supporters, and more, she said, adding that the collected thoughts serve as a form of preliminary database as the project gets underway.

“We’re learning a lot about what young women in Springfield see as both their opportunities and challenges,” she said. “And that’s going to help us inform our curriculum.”

The participating girls and women (Haghighat is expecting between 20 and 30 of them) will meet at least monthly between now and the spring.

While launching YWSI, Haghighat and her team will address a host of other issues on her growing to-do list.

Included on that list are bringing on two new staff members (Monska and an intern tasked with working on the YWSI program) and “having the team coalesce under my leadership,” as Haghighat put it, as well as work to finesse a recently drafted strategic plan.

Also on the list are increasing visibility for the Women’s Fund as well as staging more events like the LIPPI alumni gathering recently held in Shelburne Falls.

And for Haghighat personally, after spending the bulk of her career working in and around Hartford, she plans to work hard at becoming more familiar with this region, its institutions, its resources, and potential partners moving forward.

Impact Statement

Asked to look ahead to next spring and, more specifically, toward what she hopes and expects participants in the YWSI program to come away from that effort with, Haghighat offered thoughts that reflected not only on that initiative, but also what has become her life’s work.

“I want to have these young people walk away having a clearer sense of what their own challenges and opportunities are,” she said, “as well as an understanding of how policies work and how they can speak up and either join other groups or create their own groups to effect change that will remove barriers and hopefully amplify the opportunities they have so that not only them but also other young women can benefit.”

The wording varies, but that’s essentially the mission of every agency or business she’s ever worked for, including her own consulting company.

It’s about changing the world for women — for the better. That’s a mantra, but it’s also a career, one that has brought Haghighat to Springfield and the Women’s Fund.

Where she will take the organization remains to be seen, but the goal is clear: to broaden its impact and make it even more of a change agent.

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

Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

David Nixon says Hadley’s low tax rate, access to transportation, and mix of agriculture and commerce are among its selling points.

David Nixon says Hadley’s low tax rate, access to transportation, and mix of agriculture and commerce are among its selling points.

What a difference 300 feet makes.

“I often talk about the different views from Route 9 and the bike path,” Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon said, referring to the trail that parallels the heavily trafficked Russell Street a football field’s length away. “One is a very commercial, mercantile view, and one is a very pastoral view. And they’re right next to each other. That really makes Hadley very special — commercial, residential, and agricultural, we have it all here.”

Indeed, many out-of-towners driving along Russell Street during the day might not realize that only 5,000-plus residents call Hadley home. “That number is accurate between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. Otherwise, it’s between 20,000 and 60,000,” Nixon said, with visitors crowding into five major shopping areas along Route 9, as well as a few facilities on the UMass Amherst campus, including McGuirk Stadium and the Mullins Center, that are actually on Hadley property.

“We have to provide services for all those residents and visitors,” he went on. “But it’s great that we get all that commercial activity. People go to a game and eat at our restaurants, which are selling something like $3 million worth of product every single month.”

The eclectic mix of eateries continues to evolve, from the Texas Roadhouse location that’s still drawing large crowds two years after its opening to its new — and very different — neighbor, Pulse, a vegan restaurant that opened a month ago where Seven Sisters Bistro and a bison farm once stood.

Other developments speak to a healthy economic landscape in Hadley. A long-planned Pride station, featuring a 6,000-square-foot convenience store, will open next spring at the foot of the Calvin Coolidge Bridge that connects the town to Northampton.

Pulse, a vegan restaurant that opened a month ago

Pulse, a vegan restaurant that opened a month ago

“They’re in the process of completing the site work now,” Nixon said, noting that Pride has also applied for a liquor license, which would make it the only gas station in town selling alcohol. “For a long time, that was a derelict set of properties — an old hotel, the old Aqua Vitae restaurant, and some residences there that had fallen into disrepair. The site was overgrown with weeds and trees, vines, and creepers.”

Meanwhile, on the heels of Autobahn Indoor Speedway opening at Hampshire Mall last fall, that complex continues to court further entertainment options. On the distinctly non-entertaining side, MedExpress just opened up an urgent-care center at a former Pizza Hut restaurant that had become a derelict property.

“It serves a need for medical treatment on this side of the river,” Nixon said. “We have Cooley Dickinson on the west side, but you have to go through some congested traffic to get there, so we’re very excited about this opportunity for people to get walk-in treatment without having to deal with as much traffic.”

Hadley at a glance:

Year Incorporated: 1661
Population: 5,250 (2010)
Area: 24.6 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential Tax Rate: $11.57
Commercial Tax Rate: $11.57
Median Household Income: $51,851
Median Family Income: $61,897
Type of Government: Open Town Meeting, Board of Selectmen
Largest Employers: Super Stop & Shop; Evaluation Systems Group Pearson; Elaine Center at Hadley; Home Depot; Lowe’s Home Improvement
* Latest information available

That traffic has a silver lining, of course — it means Hadley’s business culture, concentrated almost totally along Route 9, continues to drive the town’s economy. But that’s far from the whole picture, as a short walk to the bike path — and beyond — clearly shows.

Home and Away

Residential development continues apace as well, Nixon told BusinessWest. Two significant projects — East Street Commons, which consists of 32 affordable, energy-efficient homes for people 55 and older, and a condominium complex — are nearing the occupancy stage.

Meanwhile, on the hospitality front, the city is working with Pioneer Valley Hospitality Group to develop a 96-suite hotel on the Home Depot site on Route 9.

“It’s going to fill a nice niche here in the Valley in that the rooms are suites with kitchenettes,” he explained. “People who are staying here longer than a typical hotel stay — like visiting professors and people in the consulting world — can have something more comfortable than just a hotel room they can call their home base while here.”

 

He understands the importance of the Five Colleges — UMass, Smith, Amherst, Hampshire, and Mount Holyoke — and their tens of thousands of students to the Hadley business community, but says the town is central to far more than those. “I often talk about us being part of a 30-campus community,” he explained, based on how many colleges are within an hour’s drive of Hadley.

Despite its draws, however, Hadley does face some development challenges, including the Berkshire Gas moratorium, dating from 2015, on new or expanded service in Hampshire and Franklin counties due to a lack of pipeline capacity.

“The gas moratorium remains a challenge,” Nixon said. “We submitted testimony last summer to the Mass. Department of Public Utilities in order to see if we can get some sort of relief … but, basically, nothing has changed, so we’re still looking for some short-term solutions to bridge us from where we are to when gas is flowing again — just exploring what we can do to help the business community.”

Many businesses have been able to convert to propane in the meantime, he added. “It’s not ideal, but it’ll do.”

On the other hand, Hadley is now able to offer tax-increment financing for development projects. “This is a program I successfully used in Deerfield as town administrator to promote growth in both agricultural and commercial businesses,” Nixon noted. “When I came to Hadley a dozen years ago, I wanted to offer some kind of program, but wasn’t able to because of legislative issues. Those have changed, and this is now an economic-incentive tool we can employ to develop small to medium-sized businesses in the town of Hadley.”

Meanwhile, the city continues to invest in municipal facilities and roadway infrastructure. The former includes new roofs on Town Hall, the Department of Public Works, and the public-safety complex, while the latter includes significant projects like bridge repair on Bay Road and the replacement of a century-old water line on Route 9, a project conducted in tandem with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation — which was already conducting a road-widening project on the well-traveled thoroughfare — to save on costs.

The town has also made strides with new solar and other sustainable-energy projects. “We found out just the other day that Hadley produces more renewable energy than any other town in Hampshire County,” Nixon said. “We do a very good job of producing renewable energy for the Valley.”

Experts in Their Fields

That ‘green’ priority is fitting for a town that is far more dominated by its farmland, at least in terms of sheer area, than it is by Route 9. Two years ago, the town implemented a Farmland Preservation Agreement, and has worked to transfer property-development rights to preserve farmland that is put up for sale.

“I’m very proud of the fact that we have more farmland than any other community in Massachusetts,” Nixon said. “We have six dairy farms, also more than any other community.”

On the quality-of-life front, the town has earmarked $5.3 million for a new senior center, and voters will have the opportunity in November to vote on $1.8 million in additional funding to complete that project. Residents will also vote on $3.8 million toward the construction of a new library, after the town received a $3.9 million grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for that project.

Those projects, if approved, will be just two more amenities in a town that boasts plenty of reasons to live and work there, Nixon said.

“This is a place that’s easy to access by multiple forms of transportation, rail and road and airports. It has a low tax rate — in the lowest 25% in the Commonwealth. We have a highly educated workforce and access to resources produced by the colleges and universities. We have clean air and water, and a well-maintained town with an AA+ bond rating from Standard & Poors. It’s a business-friendly environment with interesting spaces for families to grow together.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Mixing It Up

Alyssa Blumenthal says many clients make use of Bistro 63’s outdoor deck.

Alyssa Blumenthal says many clients make use of Bistro 63’s outdoor deck.

Located at the edge of the UMass Amherst campus and central to the other Five Colleges institutions, Bistro 63 has done a brisk business in events for those schools, from department holiday gatherings to retirement parties to student events.

It’s an ideal space for the wildly divergent tastes of college students, faculty, and staff, said Event Manager Alyssa Blumenthal, because it easily transforms from a banquet space to a nightclub — often during the same event.

That makes for a memorable experience, she added, which often brings those undergrads back a little later in life.

“Many students come back to us later on,” Blumenthal said. “Five years after graduating, people are getting married, and we see them again when they choose to do a rehearsal dinner with us, when they want a nightclub-style party after dinner. We’re a venue that can provide any atmosphere you can imagine for a private gathering.”

Current owners Rasif and R.J. Rafiq bought Bistro 63 — the restaurant attached to the popular Monkey Bar at 63 North Pleasant St. in Amherst — from its original owner, who opened it in 1999. The brothers both worked there for more than a decade before taking over the business, learning every aspect of the operation. Today, the space hosts parties of all types — holiday events, corporate dinners, cocktail parties, rehearsal dinners, reunions, and more — ranging from small gatherings to large events up to 240 people. A large room can be divided into smaller spaces, including a covered deck outside. A 131-inch projection screen is available as well.

“We also love music,” Blumenthal said, referring to both live bands and DJs that frequently perform. “Atmosphere is important to us, and it really permeates every part of the restaurant.”

She noted that Bistro 63 has become a popular event site not just for UMass and the colleges, but area law offices, financial-services businesses, and a variety of others. Business tends to pick up starting in October, not only with the approaching holidays, but because it tends to be a hot season for convention business — and those events tend to spur further bookings. In fact, two weekends ago, Blumenthal welcomed three separate gatherings all booked by companies who attended a Bistro 63 event during last year’s International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy at UMass.

“We’re really lucky to have some great, loyal customers,” she told BusinessWest. “At the end of the day, we love creating memorable experiences for guests with a personalized touch.”

Drinking It In

Nowhere is that personalization more evident than in the facility’s cocktail program.

“This is a Prohibition-style bar, known as a speakeasy, that sort of illicit atmosphere,” she said. “Our translation is using modern techniques on classic cocktails, putting our own personalized spin them. I’m not a cocktail drinker, but I will drink every cocktail on the menu; they’re not too sweet, but perfectly balanced. We make all our syrups in-house, squeeze all the citrus fresh to order.”

With that kind of reputation to uphold, the bartenders have a demanding job, she added. “But it shows in the quality drinks they produce. We have more than 250 craft and specialty spirits we can use, and the owners give the bartenders free rein to use our stock at their delight.”

Bistro 63’s location at the foot of the UMass campus

Bistro 63’s location at the foot of the UMass campus makes it a popular spot for party bookings by students and faculty.

While Rasif Rafiq focuses on food and events, R.J., who studied under master mixologists, specializes on the drink side and trains the bartenders.

“The interviews are intense,” Blumenthal said. “He’s the most stern you’ll ever see him. He’ll laugh and be casual with us because we know him. But during the bartender-training process, there’s no smile. He wants to make sure they’re at the top of their game. And it shows — guests know they’ve had an experience above par, something they’ve never had before. He’s a great mixologist who has trained the bar staff to be the same way.”

In addition to a rotating list of custom cocktails, Bistro 63 has been known to create unique concoctions for specific events. “For one event, probably my favorite bride of all time had this idea: she wanted to describe her fiancé, and wanted him to describe her, and she wanted us to make drinks based on those descriptions. It was like a lab test to see how well they knew each other.”

That sort of customization tends to spur repeat business, she added. Even the UMass soil convention requested a custom cocktail, which included elder flower liquour, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and vodka. “They’re having another one this year, and they want the same cocktail, but they want an additional cocktail as well. In five years, we’ll be running a fully customized bar for this group.”

It all stems from the philosophy that no two events are the same, and each should spring from a unique vision, she went on. “We try to bring it to life with those extra touches they weren’t expecting. It makes it more memorable in the end.”

As for the food, clients may choose from a number of appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts, creating a custom package for their event. Those options — which may include anything from wild saku sesame tuna to rack of lamb ‘lollipops’ to truffle mushroom risotto — change throughout the year, not only for variety but to focus on seasonal ingredients.

“We definitely want people come back,” Blumenthal said. “At the end of the day, the customer is boss, and you want them to come every day if they could. We order from a lot of local producers and work with a lot of farms in Hadley. Why wouldn’t you? We have some of the best farms in the world, so we put those local eggs, local potatoes, and local meat on the menu.”

Keep Calm and Party On

Party planning, Blumenthal said frankly, can be difficult, and it’s easy to forget details like that guest who requires gluten-free options. So she aims to create a stress-free experience.

“If we can make a plan without you having to think about it too much, we’re more likely to book you,” she said. “We think ahead all the time; we have gluten-free and dairy-free food on all the menus.

“For every inquiry, we try to go the extra step, make your life easier, and make the planning process more straightforward and streamlined,” she went on. “We get repeat events because people like that personalization and like that we give them a plan straight off the bat. When they come back next year, we say, ‘this is the event order from last year; these are the updated menu items; do you want to keep the menu the same or try some new items?’ We don’t have people asking questions — we’re already anticipating their needs.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Opinion

Editorial

 

We can’t say with any degree of certainty whether Theodor Geisel would appreciate all the controversy that’s been swirling about his work recently. But we think he probably would.

Throughout his career, he never shied away from politics or controversy, and, more than anyone else, he understood that his works were always a matter of interpretation and that people often saw in them what they wanted to see.

Don’t forget, it was Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, who, in 1974, just a few days before President Richard Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal, sent columnist Art Buchwald a copy of his book Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! — with ‘Marvin K. Mooney’ crossed out and replaced with ‘Richard M. Nixon.’ Buchwald asked if Geisel if he could reprint it, and despite warnings from his publisher that this was probably not a good idea, Geisel gave his blessing to do so.

And that’s just one example of how the author eschewed the ‘play it safe’ and ‘let’s be careful not to offend anyone’ theory of the universe, one that has pretty much taken over life as we know it in 2017, where political correctness — or the endless pursuit of it — is the order of the day.

Which brings us to the recent controversy about Seuss and his work. First, a librarian in Cambridge refused to accept Dr. Seuss books given to her by the current First Lady, claiming that the author was a “tired and worn ambassador for children’s literature” and that his illustrations are “steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes.”

Next, three children’s authors said they would boycott a festival at the recently opened Seuss museum in the Quadrangle because of an image of a Chinese man on a mural at the museum, complete with chopsticks, one they said was a “jarring racial stereotype.”

In response, the museum’s leaders have said they will replace the mural with “a new image that reflects the wonderful characters and messages from Dr. Seuss’ later works.”

That decision didn’t sit well at all with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, who called on the museum to consider leaving the offending mural in place. Meanwhile, restaurateur and developer Andy Yee, the son of Chinese immigrants, took offense at the proposed removal and, along with business partner Peter Picknelly, offered to buy the mural to display elsewhere.

“Where do we draw the line?” the mayor asked in his statement. “This is political correctness at its worst, and this is what is wrong with this country?”

As we said at the top, Theodor Geisel probably would have liked all this — and we’re just going to guess that he would be right there with the mayor on this one, saying, in essence, ‘my work is my work; interpret it how you will, and discuss it as you will.’

But we’re just speculating.

Actually, what Ted Geisel would do is not the issue here. It’s what the museum should do in this matter, and this is not an easy question to answer.

The new facility in the Quadrangle is called the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum. His world was different from this one, and his world (and his works) certainly included a number of stereotypical images, many of which would be considered harmful to those who see them.

Does the museum present this world unvarnished, or does it take pains — as it looks like it will — to only show the parts of this world that probably (that’s probably) won’t offend anyone?

While we completely understand why the museum would take out the mural in question — this image may indeed be offensive to some Asians (if not Yee), and there are plenty of ‘safer’ images, for lack of a better term — this is a very slippery slope to start down, or continue down, because we started down it a long time ago.

If museums start removing art (and that’s what this is) that offends someone, anyone, then soon we’ll be looking at blank walls. It’s the same with books, statues, monuments, and buildings named after people.

Let the discussion continue. Theodor Geisel would have liked it, and he probably would have joined right in.

Opinion

Opinion

By Michael Rudman

One of the most highly anticipated changes with the transition in Washington from one political party to another involves the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Once known exclusively for its oversight of unionized workplaces, the agency has in recent years expanded its scope to include decisions and actions favoring unions and people trying to organize unions.

Traditionally, the board is composed of five members, three of which, including the chair, are from the president’s party, and two from the opposition party. Political fights over the years have led to nominees not being confirmed for long periods of time, leaving the board without a majority or sometimes without even a working quorum.

With Senate action this summer, the NLRB now has two Republicans and two Democrats. The status of the president’s final nominee is currently on hold within the Senate confirmation process, with no firm date for a vote. Given the likely tie vote on contentious matters until the final board member is approved, employers can expect that existing case law and precedents established over the past administration will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.

Does the NLRB matter now that there is a Republican administration? The answer is yes. NLRB still has a great deal of power in shaping some aspects of the American workplace. Employers must still be cautious about running afoul of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) if they engage in unfair labor practices.

To help minimize the risk of getting in trouble anytime an employer may be dealing with a union organizing drive, it is handy to remember the acronym TIPS. It serves as a reminder that, when an employer has a union or is facing a union drive, mistakes can be costly.

• An employer may not THREATEN employees with reprisals or other negative actions for discussing, supporting, or voting for a union. An employer may not threaten to close or relocate a business in the face of union activity.

• An employer may not INTERROGATE an employee about union activity, discussions, meetings, or any other events or activities relating to a union.

• An employer may not PROMISE rewards, different working conditions, new benefits, or other changes in status, compensation or employment in an attempt to discourage an employee from considering a union.

• An employer may not SPY on employees or union organizers for the purposes of gaining insight into union sympathizers, union promises, union activities, and the like. An employer cannot request or require an employee to act on the employer’s behalf in monitoring or reporting on union activities.

Michael Rudman is senior director at Associated Industries of Massachusetts. This article first appeared on the AIM blog.

Departments Picture This

Hats Off to Square One

The 12th annual Square One Tea drew about 400 supporters who celebrated the work the provider of early-learning and family services does on behalf of thousands of families throughout the Greater Springfield region. “Year after year, we look forward to this wonderful opportunity to highlight the work we are doing and the impact that our programs and services have had on the thousands of children and parents who have been served by Square One,” President and CEO Joan Kagan said. “It is so gratifying to hear from our guests how much they enjoy being a part of this special day, and it’s always fun to see who is going to have the best hat.”

From left, Yvette Frisbee, Gladys Oyola, Joan Kagan, Denise Jordan, and Marian Sullivan.

From left, Yvette Frisbee, Gladys Oyola, Joan Kagan, Denise Jordan, and Marian Sullivan.

From left, Ashley Kohl, Lamont Clemons, Lauri Doleva, Christine Dingler, and John Doleva

From left, Ashley Kohl, Lamont Clemons, Lauri Doleva, Christine Dingler, and John Doleva

From left, Sam Edwards, Jennifer Sanchez, Justin Roberts, Lidya Rivera, and Angelo Puppolo

From left, Sam Edwards, Jennifer Sanchez, Justin Roberts, Lidya Rivera, and Angelo Puppolo

Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE

www.1berkshire.com

(413) 499-1600

• Nov. 1: BYP Fall Extravaganza, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted by Hilltop Orchards, 508 Canaan Road, Richmond. Join Berkshire Young Professionals at Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook Winery, for a fall get-together. Wear flannel and boots and enjoy music, hikes into the orchards, wine tastings, Johnny Mash cider beverages, cheese plates, cider donuts, and apples galore.

• Nov. 15: Chamber Nite, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Security Supply, 50 Roberts Dr., North Adams. Remember to bring your business card to enter a drawing to win a door prize.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

• Oct. 18: Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Salute Breakfast with Kay Simpson of the Springfield Museums, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Collegian Court, 89 Park St., Chicopee. Sponsored by the Arbor Kids and Westfield Bank. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members, including breakfast buffet. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• Oct. 19: Oktoberfest Collaborative Event with Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Munich Haus Biergarten, 13 Center St., Chicopee. Free to YPS and chamber members. Call (413) 594-2101 for more information.

• Oct. 26: Lunch & Learn: New Marijuana Legislation, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Residence Inn, 500 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Sponsored by the Greater Chicopee Chamber and Residence Inn of Springfield/Chicopee. Cost: $30 for members, $35 for non-members, including lunch. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• Oct. 25: The Hampshire County Tourism Council will launch its new tourism guide at Northampton Country Club, 135 Main St., Leeds, 5-7 p.m. For more information, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Nov. 1: Hampshire County Business Bash, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Lord Jeff Inn, 30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst. This event, a partnership of the chambers of commerce of Easthampton, Amherst, and Northampton, is sponsored by Duseau Trucking and the Lord Jeff Inn. It offers members a unique opportunity to showcase their business to a regional audience. For more information, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org, or call the chamber office at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.holyokechamber.com

(413) 534-3376

• Oct. 18: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted and sponsored by Westfield Bank, 1642 Northampton St., Holyoke. Business networking event. Refreshments, 50/50 raffle, and door prizes. Cost: $10 members, $15 for guests. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to register, or sign up at holyokechamber.com.

• Oct. 25: Holyoke Chamber Business Person of the Year/Volunteer of the Year Award Dinner, 6 p.m, hosted by Delaney House, Country Club Way, Holyoke. Social hour 6-7 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. A celebratory dinner honoring the 2017 Business Persons of the Year: Michael Hamel, owner of Hamel’s Creative Catering and the Summit View Banquet and Meeting House, and the Henry A. Fifield Volunteer of the Year, Harry Montalvo, Community Development specialist at bankESB. Cost: $65. Register online at holyokechamber.com, or call the chamber at (413) 534-3376.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com

(413) 584-1900

• Oct. 19: “Microsoft Excel: Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts,” 9-11 a.m., presented by Pioneer Training, hosted by Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. This workshop will present tips, tricks, and shortcuts that we have collected and developed over 20 years of teaching and using Microsoft Excel. Participants are encouraged to bring laptops and follow along with the instructor, but this is not required. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members. To register, visit goo.gl/forms/My7lF9Xk1aB7xg0Q2.

• Oct. 24: Start Your Business, 9 a.m. to noon, at TD Bank, 175 Main St., Northampton. Presented by SCORE of Western MA. This three-hour workshop will help you clearly understand the details, challenges, opportunities, and rewards of owning and operating your own business. This workshop is a suggested prerequisite to our Business Planning Workshop. Cost: $25. RSVP, as space is limited. To register online, visit westernmassachusetts.score.org/content/take-workshop-38.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787.1555

Oct. 27: Super 60, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., hosted by Chez Josef, 176 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. The 28th annual Super 60 awards luncheon celebrates the success of the fastest-growing privately owned businesses in the region. Cost: $60 for members in advance, $75 for non-members. Reservations for all Chamber events may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com

(413) 426-3880

• Oct. 19: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by Cal’s Woodfired Grill, West Springfield. Must be a member or guest of a member to attend. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. The only cost to attend is the cost of your lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. We cannot invoice you for these events. Register online at [email protected].

• Oct. 25: Food Fest West, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by Springfield Country Club, West Springfield. Local restaurants show off their cuisine at this well-attended event. Vote for your favorite restaurant or enjoy a cigar on the patio of Springfield Country Club. A DJ, raffle, and entertainment round out this event. Proceeds raised by Food Fest West will go toward the Partnership for Education and the WRC Educational Fund, which provides grants to businesses for on-the-job training and continuing-education needs. Cost: $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information about this event, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].

• Nov. 8: Multi Chamber Night of Networking & Open House, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, Burnett Road, Chicopee. Join us for an evening of networking with the Springfield Regional Chamber as we welcome our newest member to the community, Mercedes-Benz. Cost: $10 for members. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, call the chamber at (413) 426-3880.

• Nov. 16: Lunch N Learn Seminar – How to Promote your Business on Social Media, noon to 1:30 p.m., hosted by the Carriage House at Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Enjoy lunch while learning about the do’s and don’ts of promoting one’s business on social media, including best practices, target audience, boosting, and other aspects of promotion. Cost: $30 per member or guest. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

www.springfieldyps.com

• Oct. 18: Professional Breakfast Series: “The EQ Exchange,” 7:30-9 a.m, hosted by the Colony Club in Tower Square, Springfield. Use emotional intelligence to manage your boss. Cost: free for members, $15 for non-members.

• Oct. 19: Oktoberfest Third Thursday with Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Munich Haus. Join us for live music, light appetizers, and networking. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members.

Departments Incorporations

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

CHICOPEE

Ela Deli Inc., 226 Exchange St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Elzbieta Magda, 75 Wheatland Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020. Deli & grocery store.

CUMMINGTON

LM Cubed Inc., 320 Stage Road, Cummington, MA 01026. Mark    F. Sullivan, same. Providing solutions for clients’ needs arising from construction activities they have undertaken.

EAST LONGMEADOW

J&B Fleet Maintenance Inc., 290 Westwood Ave., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Suzanne Lynch, same. The repair of tractor-trailer trucks.

HOLYOKE

Holy Spirit International Chaplin of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 460 Tokeneke Road, Holyoke, MA 01040. Norma Rodriguez, 60 Alvord Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020. Volunteer services to the community and the poor through religious and non-religious outreach.

LEE

K.B. Regency Inc., 65A Fairview St., Lee, MA 01238. Karen Hawkins, same. Author.

LEVERETT

Coolcap Fund Inc., 88 Shutesbury Road., Leverett, MA 01054. Roger Bird, same. Provides poor smallholder farmers in Kenya and other African counties with low-cost-to-buy farming equipment at a price they can afford with terms they can meet.

MONSON

Eight Eight One Entertainment Inc., 189 Hovey Hill Road, Monson, MA 01057. John P. Siniscalchi, same. Operation of restaurant and lounge.

SOUTH DEERFIELD

Frontier Youth Football Association Inc., 195 North St., South Deerfield, MA 01373. Jennifer Hannum, same. Non-profit that provides an opportunity for eligible youth (ages 8-14) to engage in athletic exercises in a supervised, organized, and safety-oriented manner.

SOUTHAMPTON

Green Thumb Investment Corp., 170 Pomeroy Meadow Road, Southampton, MA 01073. Leakhena Som, same. Investing in medical dispensaries and cultivation.

SPRINGFIELD

Hampden County Bar Foundation Inc., 50 State St., Room 137, Springfield, MA 01103. Kevin V. Maltby, 165 Viscount Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Raise and expend funds for research in the public interest in any branch of the law.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Eagle Express Freight Inc., 480 Cold Spring Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Arber Allajbegu, same. Transportation 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

ASHFIELD

1379 West Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: 78 Acres T
Seller: Deborah G. Thomas
Date: 09/15/17

BERNARDSTON

61 Deane Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $130,380
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Robert Ehalt
Date: 09/12/17

467 Huckle Hill Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: William C. Glabach
Seller: Walsh, Timothy J., (Estate)
Date: 09/13/17

30 Keets Brook Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jonathan Peterson
Seller: Jane C. Chase
Date: 09/12/17

COLRAIN

10 Main Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kathryn A. Bosyk
Seller: Donelson INT
Date: 09/13/17

CONWAY

377 Bardwells Ferry Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $435,050
Buyer: Hanna B. Sherman RET
Seller: Pixie J. Holbrook
Date: 09/15/17

68 Hamilton Dr.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: David B. Whittier
Seller: Drew E. Powers
Date: 09/13/17

DEERFIELD

247 Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: GM Real Estate LLC
Seller: Helene W. Petrovic
Date: 09/15/17

149 Long Plain Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Michael R. Morawski
Seller: Andrea Morawski
Date: 09/15/17

151 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Mark W. Puchalski
Seller: Ian W. Walls
Date: 09/13/17

19 Stage Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Mark T. Predmore
Seller: James W. Laughner
Date: 09/14/17

42 Thayer St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Jeffery B. Johnson
Seller: Elizabeth N. Clarke
Date: 09/15/17

ERVING

68 Mountain Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Robert L. McNamee
Seller: Louise E. Golosh
Date: 09/14/17

GREENFIELD

44 Forest Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $196,500
Buyer: Tyronne E. Henderson
Seller: David M. Gaboury
Date: 09/12/17

51 Ferrante Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $237,750
Buyer: Adam D. Gleason
Seller: Linda A. Lewandowski
Date: 09/07/17

36 Meadow Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Zera
Seller: Troy Santerre
Date: 09/15/17

8 Plantation Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Lori L. Caples
Seller: Jamie B. Spofford
Date: 09/15/17

27 Pond St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: James A. Allen
Seller: Carolyn J. Heiden
Date: 09/15/17

HEATH

29 Judd Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: F. R. O’Donnell
Seller: Martha R. McDonough
Date: 09/15/17

MONTAGUE

312 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Lilith G. Wolinsky
Seller: Janelle E. Rivers
Date: 09/15/17

5 Park St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $161,900
Buyer: Jessica Pivero
Seller: Scott M. Kuzmeskus
Date: 09/05/17

NEW SALEM

39 North Main St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Susan Ressler
Seller: David J. Larue
Date: 09/11/17

NORTHFIELD

519 Warwick Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Brandon Snow
Seller: Jennifer D. Williams
Date: 09/08/17

ORANGE

180 Athol Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Stephen P. Johnson
Seller: Betty E. Kimball
Date: 09/15/17

10 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Justin D. Nelson
Seller: Steven E. Adam
Date: 09/14/17

42 Hamilton Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Christopher C. Girouard
Seller: Jeanne M. Shelton
Date: 09/15/17

SHELBURNE

271 Old Greenfield Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $537,000
Buyer: David Freitas
Seller: Gordon M. Glier
Date: 09/07/17

SUNDERLAND

260 North Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Madeline R. Nussbaum
Seller: Travis J. Lamothe
Date: 09/15/17

50 South Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Mitchell J. Kuc
Seller: Joy H. Parsons
Date: 09/13/17

WHATELY

91 Westbrook Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $458,200
Buyer: Jeffrey Waskiewicz
Seller: Peter Ells
Date: 09/08/17

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

18 Blacksmith Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Antoine Elias
Seller: Ronald C. Goulet
Date: 09/07/17

16 Conners Cove
Agawam, MA 01001
Date: 09/15/17
Amount: $424,900
Buyer: Seth Paulo
Seller: Kenneth P. Douthwright
Date: 09/15/17

56 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Charlee D. Gebeau
Seller: Mary E. Pietroniro
Date: 09/15/17

71 Country Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $311,000
Buyer: Rashaine A. Johnson
Seller: Gerald M. Landry
Date: 09/14/17

26 Dartmouth St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Brahman Holdings LLC
Seller: Josephine Taylor
Date: 09/05/17

86 Forest Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Dominic Costanzi
Seller: Jessica L. Paulo

29 Harvey Johnson Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Sean Demartino
Seller: Daniel C. Watson
Date: 09/14/17

707-709 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: James Acerra
Seller: Main-School Realty LLC
Date: 09/13/17

Maple View Lane #4B
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,113,500
Buyer: Elias Family LP
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 09/12/17

Maple View Lane #4C
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,113,500
Buyer: Elias Family LP
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 09/12/17

Maple View Lane #4D
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,113,500
Buyer: Elias Family LP
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 09/12/17

Maple View Lane #4E
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,113,500
Buyer: Elias Family LP
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 09/12/17

Maple View Lane #4F
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,113,500
Buyer: Elias Family LP
Seller: T. Russo Construction Corp.
Date: 09/12/17

418 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $127,479
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Andrew S. Finnie
Date: 09/07/17

129 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: William S. Duggan
Seller: Donna J. Gregory
Date: 09/12/17

46 Old Mill Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Sudhirkumar V. Patel
Seller: Rebecca Scibelli
Date: 09/07/17

50 Partridge Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $198,500
Buyer: Charles M. Chalmers
Seller: Ann T. Ledger
Date: 09/08/17

46 Rosie Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Vasiliv Ivanov
Seller: PNC Bank
Date: 09/12/17

87 Strawberry Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Rexhep Nuhiu
Seller: Nicholas Annino
Date: 09/15/17

BLANDFORD

12 Julius Hall Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Robert S. Decoteau
Seller: Wayne Roberts
Date: 09/06/17

BRIMFIELD

4 3rd St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Vito L. Novembrino
Seller: Richard C. Nicoli
Date: 09/11/17

54 Crestwood Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Hope
Seller: Roger Woods
Date: 09/12/17

38 Tower Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Murak
Seller: Elizabeth H. Gouin
Date: 09/15/17

CHESTER

10 Hampden St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Matthew Drenen
Seller: Thomas O’Brien
Date: 09/08/17

CHICOPEE

127 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Monica Rosskothen
Seller: Jennifer M. Pete
Date: 09/15/17

169 Casey Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Martin J. Iwasinski
Seller: Matthew E. Carroll
Date: 09/15/17

127 Champagne Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Tanya T. Kokoszyn
Seller: Linda F. Sarnelli
Date: 09/15/17

960 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Victor Lizardo
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 09/13/17

225 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $127,678
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Brenda J. Gallant
Date: 09/07/17

18 Devlin Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $272,900
Buyer: Laurie Berry
Seller: Timothy J. Dorman
Date: 09/15/17

211 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Amer Aljashaam
Seller: Roxanne L. Finn
Date: 09/15/17

782 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Horace E. Robinson
Seller: Harry E. Knights
Date: 09/07/17

95 Gill St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: A. Rodriguez-Monsalve
Seller: Lorraine A. Kerr
Date: 09/13/17

156 Goodhue Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: John M. Pollard
Seller: Kimberly A. Rodrigo
Date: 09/12/17

19 Grace St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Scott R. Freniere
Seller: James A. Moreau
Date: 09/15/17

924 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John A. Marchand
Seller: Jill E. Krystofik
Date: 09/07/17

29 Hampshire St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Beaudette
Seller: Keem LLC
Date: 09/15/17

64 Kendall St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Abbas Altamimi
Seller: Linda J. Masek
Date: 09/05/17

71 Laramee St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $165,500
Buyer: Saul A. Caban-Bonilla
Seller: DGL Properties LLC
Date: 09/13/17

29 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $137,950
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Martha M. Ford
Date: 09/11/17

377 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $970,000
Buyer: Z. A. Durrani LLC
Seller: W. Anthony Hojnoski
Date: 09/13/17

439 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Lanell C. Johnson
Seller: Eric J. Ulitsch
Date: 09/13/17

19 Rose St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: DJD Real Estate LLC
Seller: Timothy M. Foley
Date: 09/13/17

EAST LONGMEADOW

31 Greenwich Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Anthony C. Racco
Seller: Todd Hope
Date: 09/07/17

95 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Rebecca D. Hutchins
Seller: Michelle A. Murray
Date: 09/08/17

36 Markham Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $422,000
Buyer: Dominic E. Dinoia
Seller: Geraldine Kasulinous
Date: 09/15/17

210 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $507,500
Buyer: Danielle E. Damour
Seller: James A. Stewart
Date: 09/08/17

351 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: David E. Florence
Seller: Cynthia M. Drenthe
Date: 09/15/17

554 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Ryan Provencher
Seller: Robert Paulides
Date: 09/14/17

32 South Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Geisler
Seller: John C. Stuckenbruck
Date: 09/08/17

9 Westminster St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Kevin P. Kusey
Seller: Richard Paige
Date: 09/06/17

34 Windsor Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $439,500
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Drake
Seller: Steven R. Wesley
Date: 09/08/17

GRANVILLE

119 South Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Karen E. Ross
Seller: Peter Strniste
Date: 09/14/17

HAMPDEN

96 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: P. K. Bagley-Bacigalupo
Seller: Kenneth H. Hultstrom
Date: 09/14/17

23 Valleyview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: N. B. Florian-Theriaque
Seller: Jonathan P. Kielbania
Date: 09/13/17

HOLLAND

15 Lakeridge Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Nielson
Seller: Annette G. Kelehan
Date: 09/15/17

5 Linder Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Guerraz
Seller: Steven J. Grimaldi
Date: 09/14/17

46 Wales Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $366,992
Buyer: Michael R. Scanlon
Seller: Nicholas B. Lafauci
Date: 09/08/17

HOLYOKE

211 Bemis Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jill L. McCormick
Seller: Alissa A. Fontaine
Date: 09/08/17

29 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Ann Hill
Seller: Amber T. Vail
Date: 09/15/17

39-41 Calumet Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: William T. Lyle
Seller: William T. Lyle
Date: 09/06/17

12 Corser St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $383,400
Buyer: Tnop Inc.
Seller: 1866 Northampton St. Inc.
Date: 09/12/17

14 Corser St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $383,400
Buyer: Tnop Inc.
Seller: 1866 Northampton S.t Inc.
Date: 09/12/17

23 Dale St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Melanie D. Demetriou
Seller: Cynthia A. Jackson
Date: 09/15/17

72 Elmore St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $136,556
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Kimberly A. Fontaine
Date: 09/08/17

334 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Madeline Rodriguez
Seller: Gray, Dorothy H., (Estate)
Date: 09/08/17

32-34 Magnolia Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $173,500
Buyer: Virginia Ocampo
Seller: Susan M. Storozuk
Date: 09/15/17

175 Michigan Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Matthew Lyman
Seller: Heather E. Midura
Date: 09/15/17

27 Morgan St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Brian D. Murphy
Seller: Keith M. Holbrook
Date: 09/05/17

180 Mountain View Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $234,950
Buyer: Chad Fontaine
Seller: Sean M. Pelletier
Date: 09/11/17

1238 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Amy B. Carrier
Seller: EDC Real Estate LLC
Date: 09/08/17

1850 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,166,600
Buyer: PeoplesBank
Seller: 1866 Northampton St. Inc.
Date: 09/12/17

1864-1866 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $1,166,600
Buyer: Peoplesbank
Seller: 1866 Northampton St. Inc.
Date: 09/12/17

51 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Lindsay A. Pasdera
Seller: Elaine F. Vega
Date: 09/15/17

15 Shepard Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: Pathlight Inc.
Seller: Jon D. Lumbra
Date: 09/06/17

167 Sky View Terrace
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Jacqueline P. Fraser
Seller: Daniel J. Desnoyers
Date: 09/14/17

12 Valley Heights
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Linda M. Devine
Seller: Michael W. Zaremba
Date: 09/14/17

42 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Abraham J. Pabon-Serrano
Seller: Don H. Oyer
Date: 09/11/17

LONGMEADOW

625 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Mark Papirio
Seller: Ira A. Pollack
Date: 09/08/17

34 Cooley Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Steven L. Groccia
Seller: Greg A. Desrosiers
Date: 09/05/17

177 Cooley Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Rakesh Talati
Seller: William J. Mitchell
Date: 09/12/17

734 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $470,200
Buyer: Longmeadow Historic Preservation
Seller: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Date: 09/07/17

756 Shaker Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $272,900
Buyer: Geoffrey M. Long
Seller: Thomas A. Lepper
Date: 09/15/17

24 Wendover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $542,500
Buyer: Daniel R. Schwarting
Seller: Elizabeth L. Tetreault
Date: 09/06/17

52 Whitmun Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Bryant E. Ostrander
Seller: Jonathan M. Retchin
Date: 09/15/17

108 Yarmouth St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Yana Powers
Seller: Ernest R. Zavalunov
Date: 09/06/17

LUDLOW

92 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Joshua W. Banas
Seller: Joan W. Lewis
Date: 09/15/17

791 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Julie Dicesare
Seller: Maura C. Archuleta
Date: 09/15/17

73 Eden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Sean M. Burns
Seller: Joan Nunziato
Date: 09/05/17

Gaudreau Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Jill E. Krystofik
Seller: Lisa F. King
Date: 09/07/17

238 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Virgina L. Kielbania
Seller: Joseph L. Hart
Date: 09/13/17

81 Lawton St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $267,379
Buyer: Luke Palatino
Seller: Gilbert & Son Insulation
Date: 09/05/17

278 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Noel A. Laguerre
Seller: Jason R. Pease
Date: 09/15/17

537 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Elizabeth H. Gouin
Seller: John P. Gaviglio
Date: 09/15/17

23 Shawinigan Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Yaser Sierra
Seller: Noel A. Laguerre
Date: 09/15/17

MONSON

1 Brookside Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Edward K. Smith
Seller: Donald H. Jones
Date: 09/11/17

39 Crest Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Jonathan R. Bucior
Seller: Jereth M. Hodge
Date: 09/08/17

127 Moulton Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Elaine H. Anderson
Seller: Meffen, Robert P., (Estate)
Date: 09/15/17

51 Stafford Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $198,378
Buyer: Jake T. Janas
Seller: Monson-Glendale United
Date: 09/05/17

PALMER

234 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Gravel
Seller: Maple Ledge Associates
Date: 09/15/17

12 George St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Meagan C. Perrier
Seller: Wayne M. Smith
Date: 09/05/17

3013-3015 Hill St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Bret M. Pisarski
Seller: Fred P. Gralinski
Date: 09/12/17

3099 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Jake B. Demarey
Seller: Harry C. Pegg
Date: 09/08/17

16 Stewart Court
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $119,800
Buyer: Joshua M. Dupuis
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/11/17

3 Walters Way
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: James A. Moreau
Seller: Kimberley K. McLoskey
Date: 09/15/17

372 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: John M. Griggs
Seller: Tanya A. Saylor
Date: 09/14/17

SOUTHWICK

179 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Teddy J. Cieplinsky
Date: 09/12/17

175 College Hwy.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Thomas A. Montagna
Seller: Keenan, Michael P., (Estate)
Date: 09/15/17

5 Echo Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Walter R. Tucker
Seller: Jon E. Lafreniere
Date: 09/14/17

147 Fred Jackson Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Keith Walker
Seller: Kevin M. Solek
Date: 09/08/17

26 Laro Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $388,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Searles
Seller: Paula Lapolice
Date: 09/06/17

4 Miller Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Nikolay T. Nedeoglo
Seller: Marc A. Hanks
Date: 09/12/17

342 North Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Paula Lapolice
Seller: Paul R. Breveleri
Date: 09/11/17

37 Pineywood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Brian L. Hersey
Seller: Joseph Searles
Date: 09/06/17

SPRINGFIELD

22 Amanda St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $126,400
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Christopher M. McCrae
Date: 09/12/17

114 Andrew St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Teresa Mateo
Seller: Pioneer Housing LLC
Date: 09/12/17

1289 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Jean W. Cesar
Seller: Grahams Construction Co.
Date: 09/15/17

726 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $223,900
Buyer: Airbel Real Estate LLC
Seller: Hampden Realty LLC
Date: 09/06/17

788 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Airbel Real Estate LLC
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 09/05/17

165 Belvidere St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $151,009
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Stanley Cross
Date: 09/05/17

1010 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Carmen M. Berrios
Seller: Nicholas A. Crespo
Date: 09/11/17

620 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: DJD Real Estate LLC
Seller: Timothy M. Foley
Date: 09/13/17

1330 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Luis F. Gomez
Seller: Elizabeth Belle-Isle
Date: 09/15/17

90 Canterbury Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $159,600
Buyer: Ashley A. Dutton
Seller: Richard G. Bangs
Date: 09/08/17

1459 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Gloria Velez
Seller: David R. Bellucci
Date: 09/15/17

98 Carr St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Jorge L. Serrano
Seller: Robert D. Baldwin
Date: 09/08/17

73 Castle St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Thelma L. Thomas
Seller: Arthur G. Knodler
Date: 09/11/17

24 Cindy Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Paul Ouimette
Seller: Deborah M. Moran
Date: 09/15/17

61 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Errol G. Green
Seller: Michael Zheng
Date: 09/15/17

121 Dartmouth Terrace
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Louis A. Love
Seller: Greg Welch
Date: 09/08/17

111 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Leroy Dixon
Seller: Brendan P. Cronin
Date: 09/08/17

17 Doyle Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ali Alzubaidi
Seller: Janice M. Klaus
Date: 09/14/17

92 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Sonia N. Fields
Seller: Choo Duk-Heiskala
Date: 09/15/17

17 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $124,500
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Andrew J. Pac
Date: 09/12/17

34 Eloise St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: Tarra M. Saccamando
Date: 09/06/17

55 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Country Development Corp.
Seller: Joan E. Butler
Date: 09/12/17

35 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Shamieka Stewart
Seller: Migual A. Rodrigez
Date: 09/14/17

56-60 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $925,000
Buyer: 56-60 Fort Pleasant LLC
Seller: Youngs Realty Management
Date: 09/15/17

141 Freeman Terrace
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Betzaida Diaz
Seller: Jose Matos
Date: 09/15/17

64 Glencoe St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $123,124
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: Luis Cintron
Date: 09/14/17

74 Glenham St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Eugene L. Pretlow
Seller: US Bank
Date: 09/15/17

44-46 Gordon St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Melanie Pham
Seller: Norman W. Green
Date: 09/15/17

41 Grand St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Antony Massop
Seller: Leon Hutt
Date: 09/15/17

14 Horne St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Raymond Aguirre
Seller: East Coast Contracting
Date: 09/05/17

11 Isabel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Leidy T. Ferreira
Seller: Raymond R. Duval
Date: 09/15/17

31-33 James St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Glenroy Henry
Seller: Share Point LLC
Date: 09/06/17

26 Macomber Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,600
Buyer: Barbara Bauer
Seller: Heather M. Friedrich
Date: 09/08/17

99 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Yolanda L. Arroyo
Seller: Lori A. Randall
Date: 09/06/17

66 Oak Ridge St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Tam Le
Seller: Carlos A. Maio
Date: 09/15/17

27-29 Oakwood Terrace
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Victor M. Lopez-Garcia
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 09/12/17

105 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Richard A. Stennett
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/15/17

28 Osgood St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Omar Guzman
Seller: Sheila V. Rivera
Date: 09/06/17

1434 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Angel L. Guzman
Seller: James T. McInerney
Date: 09/15/17

1801 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Boondock Enterprises LLC
Seller: Javal Inc.
Date: 09/05/17

1357 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Henry Mercado
Seller: Sherry A. Marchessault
Date: 09/13/17

25 Riverview Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Charles Mutigwe
Seller: Kerri Saucier
Date: 09/11/17

22 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Ryan Kennedy
Seller: Ziohomz & Properties LLC
Date: 09/08/17

10-12 San Miguel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Samuel V. Verges
Seller: Antoni M. Bryda
Date: 09/11/17

54 Slater Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: James E. Stewart
Seller: Buchanan, Joseph N, (Estate)
Date: 09/05/17

165 Stapleton Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Eddie Sierra
Seller: Joy M. Grandfield
Date: 09/14/17

87 Wakefield St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Allen T. Collins
Seller: Nicholas M. Falardeau
Date: 09/07/17

112 West Canton Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Brian A. Johnson
Seller: Thomas E. Pitts
Date: 09/08/17

75 Wrenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $122,564
Buyer: Damian Cieszkowski
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 09/08/17

TOLLAND

302 Fox Den Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: George P. Damico
Seller: Juan N. Rodriguez
Date: 09/15/17

92 Porcupine Point Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: 210 Woodcliff Road RT
Seller: Theodore F. Babbitt
Date: 09/08/17

WALES

28 Ainsworth Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Brian Farnham
Seller: Michael Milanese
Date: 09/13/17

161 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $173,750
Buyer: Ronald Besaw
Seller: Elizabeth M. Besaw
Date: 09/13/17

WEST SPRINGFIELD

159 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $250,555
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Christopher J. Lozinski
Date: 09/07/17

6 Druids Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Miguel A. Santana
Seller: Celeste D. Piccin
Date: 09/15/17

40 Elmdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Kash Reddy LLC
Seller: White Birch Garden Apartments
Date: 09/15/17

367 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Lane
Seller: Gallo, Paul, (Estate)
Date: 09/15/17

250 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Shannon Cavanaugh
Seller: Rebecca J. Willson
Date: 09/14/17

673 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Robert A. Spiegler
Seller: Rosemary Hannoush-Helou
Date: 09/12/17

29 Webster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Bret Biram
Seller: Robin R. Sheldon
Date: 09/08/17

WESTFIELD

48 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Richard Holve
Seller: Michael Hebda
Date: 09/06/17

4 College Park Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Christopher F. Newby
Seller: Maria C. Letasz
Date: 09/15/17

8 Frederick St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Noah L. Goldstein
Seller: John F. Hyland
Date: 09/07/17

72 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Krutka
Seller: William J. Carrigan
Date: 09/13/17

4 Greenwood St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Brian F. Dellatore
Seller: Diamond Investment Group
Date: 09/08/17

77 Heggie Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $127,100
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Jessica A. Maynard
Date: 09/13/17

37 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $118,900
Buyer: Pennymac Loan Services
Seller: Evelyn Serrano
Date: 09/06/17

7 Hillary Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $387,000
Buyer: Scott M. Gray
Seller: Ronald J. Stevenson
Date: 09/08/17

44 Jefferson St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: JP&SP Realty LLC
Seller: Ronald D. Kaddy
Date: 09/15/17

37 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Jason M. Wheeler
Seller: Teresa A. Lathrop
Date: 09/08/17

18 Old Holyoke Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Matthew E. Bittlingmeier
Seller: Jason M. Wheeler
Date: 09/08/17

23 Pearl St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Krista D. Chechile
Seller: Jessica L. Crandall
Date: 09/15/17

220 Prospect St., Ext
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Arion M. Slingerland
Seller: Brian T. Cleland
Date: 09/06/17

81 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Kamlyn Allman
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 09/15/17

15 Skipper Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $228,500
Buyer: Michael Hebda
Seller: Michael C. Chechile
Date: 09/06/17

16 Sherman St., Ext
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: David J. Zagula
Seller: George R. Fleury
Date: 09/15/17

62 South Meadow Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $209,659
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Christine A. Koske
Date: 09/12/17

710 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: MRC Enterprises LLC
Seller: Sandra L. Boyd
Date: 09/05/17

47 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Carrie M. Baker
Seller: James E. Angell
Date: 09/15/17

128 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Andrey Saykin
Seller: Melissa A. Fenton
Date: 09/12/17

31 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Nathaniel Towse
Seller: Bethann McCoy
Date: 09/14/17

35 Turnpike Industrial Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $5,100,000
Buyer: G&I 9 Cadence LLC
Seller: Canam Po LP
Date: 09/05/17

68 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Burke
Seller: Aileen M. Weaver
Date: 09/08/17

120 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Maria C. Letasz
Seller: Elizabeth A. Butcher
Date: 09/15/17

292 West Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $279,900
Buyer: Henry M. Bisbee
Seller: Joseph F. Hebda
Date: 09/11/17

25 Woodland Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Roger W. Fleury Jr RET
Seller: Tallage Adams LLC
Date: 09/15/17

WILBRAHAM

5 Branch Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Tatiana Eskandarinejad
Seller: Bruce R. Bergeron
Date: 09/08/17

194 Crane Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $371,500
Buyer: Kelly D. Hayes
Seller: Ruth A. Giroux
Date: 09/07/17

2 Greenwood Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Donna J. Gregory
Seller: Rena M. Mathews
Date: 09/11/17

4 Maplewood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Cordi
Seller: Thomas J. Doyle
Date: 09/15/17

10 Poplar Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Mark Pafumi
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/06/17

8 Sherwin Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $419,900
Buyer: Anthony M. Caratozzolo
Seller: AC Homebuilding LLC
Date: 09/06/17

10 Sherwin Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Michael Dyer
Seller: Sherwin Road RT
Date: 09/06/17

60 Washington Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Erik Vanderleeden
Seller: Schaefer, Sophia, (Estate)
Date: 09/15/17

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

24 Aubinwood Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Cora Fernandez-Anderson
Seller: ARJ 15 T. B
Date: 09/05/17

9 Carriage Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Kristine Afrikyan
Seller: Timothy C. Thompson
Date: 09/15/17

792 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $347,500
Buyer: Geoffrey C. Dawe
Seller: Carol Lynch
Date: 09/14/17

144 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Bilal M. Ghandour
Date: 09/12/17

36 Hartman Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Qiye Sun
Seller: Cassandra L. Kosloski
Date: 09/05/17

337 Meadow St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Mark Power
Seller: Robert E. Devine
Date: 09/15/17

157 Mill Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: Robert T. Sweeney
Date: 09/11/17

226 Pine St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Julia N. Khan
Seller: Burlin Barr
Date: 09/08/17

70 Stony Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Carla R. Savetsky
Seller: Omar S. Dahi
Date: 09/05/17

135 Summer St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Ian Walls
Seller: Verrill, Elizabeth H., (Estate)
Date: 09/13/17

40 Van Meter Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $294,900
Buyer: Danielle Raad
Seller: Ian Boyd
Date: 09/08/17

BELCHERTOWN

62 Clark St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Elis Feingold-Jackendoff
Seller: Shauna M. Roper
Date: 09/08/17

110 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Amanda R. Kavanagh
Seller: US Bank
Date: 09/05/17

6 Forest Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $270,500
Buyer: Jennifer A. Miller
Seller: Matthew R. Streeter
Date: 09/07/17

10 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: George I. McDaniel
Seller: Patricia M. Lafore
Date: 09/15/17

690 South Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $389,450
Buyer: Keith Lussier
Seller: Whisperwood LLC
Date: 09/06/17

CHESTERFIELD

67 Stage Road
Chesterfield, MA 01026
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Eric W. Liimatainen
Seller: Bisbee, Alice C., (Estate)
Date: 09/13/17

EASTHAMPTON

198 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shawn T. Forest-Ussach
Seller: Robert G. Redfern
Date: 09/08/17

7 Franklin St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Harold J. Weeks
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 09/12/17

57 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Terri L. Garvey
Seller: Kimberly A. Potasky
Date: 09/05/17

63 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Kathleen Etzel
Seller: Kevin C. Netto
Date: 09/08/17

4-6 Mill St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Joshua H. Cornehlsen
Seller: Jessica S. Gifford
Date: 09/14/17

55 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Michael Hempstead
Seller: Jennifer M. Dragon
Date: 09/08/17

18 Oliver St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Theodore D. Towne
Seller: No Place Like Home Properties
Date: 09/08/17

8 Robin Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $312,400
Buyer: Marilyn G. Mooers
Seller: Colby E. Quinn
Date: 09/06/17

4 Torrey St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $349,500
Buyer: Corey K. Lalime
Seller: Jeffrey R. Hildreth
Date: 09/05/17

45 Westview Terrace
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Kate M. Hancock
Seller: Virginia F. Raymond RET
Date: 09/06/17

8 Williams St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Allison T. Butler
Seller: Nancy A. Scott
Date: 09/13/17

3 Willow Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Boruchowski
Seller: Timothy M. Davis
Date: 09/12/17

GRANBY

18 Darrel Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Mark Hansel
Seller: Jason Balut
Date: 09/05/17

19 Jennifer Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Onur Onder
Seller: Todd Blais
Date: 09/07/17

107 Maximilian Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Brian C. Carillon
Seller: Frank L. Bradfield
Date: 09/11/17

34 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Steven W. King
Seller: Brian C. Carillon
Date: 09/07/17

55 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Henry J. Wielgosz
Seller: Patrick E. Kappenman
Date: 09/11/17

HADLEY

7 Meadowbrook Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Devin R. Tomlinson
Seller: Moakler FT
Date: 09/08/17

204 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Donald C. Sadler
Seller: Mitchell J. Kuc
Date: 09/13/17

70 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Goldman Sachs Mortgage Co.
Seller: R. Susan Woods
Date: 09/07/17

HATFIELD

23 Bridge St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Robert A. Liebenow
Seller: Frank L. Liebenow
Date: 09/05/17

118 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Catherine M. Moriarty
Seller: Eric W. Liimatainen
Date: 09/13/17

48 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: Peter P. Grandonico
Seller: Harold F. Green
Date: 09/15/17

HUNTINGTON

4 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Joseph T. Wichowski
Seller: William A. Shover
Date: 09/08/17

MIDDLEFIELD

1 Skyline Trail
Middlefield, MA 01011
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sean G. Duma
Seller: Robyn T. Stimpson
Date: 09/12/17

NORTHAMPTON

259 Acrebrook Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Holly A. Sweeney
Seller: Anthony L. Bombard
Date: 09/15/17

80 Damon Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Benjamin Dion
Seller: John A. Marchand
Date: 09/07/17

189 Drury Lane
Northampton, MA 01027
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: William H. Marotto
Seller: Crescione LT
Date: 09/13/17

18 Fairview Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Anna Lusardi
Seller: Susan E. Stebbins
Date: 09/08/17

9 Federal St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: Amy E. Martyn
Seller: Cecilia G. Martyn RET
Date: 09/12/17

90 Franklin St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Katharine Gartner
Seller: Stephen S. Daniell
Date: 09/11/17

31 Graves Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: L. G&M B. Williams LT
Seller: Esther G. Gendel
Date: 09/13/17

160 Nonotuck St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $264,100
Buyer: Richard C. Weis
Seller: Charles K. Barcomb
Date: 09/08/17

123 Williams St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Seller: William J. Blizniak
Date: 09/14/17

SOUTH HADLEY

614 Amherst Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Henry Bristol
Seller: Murphy, Karen R., (Estate)
Date: 09/07/17

295 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Henry Komosa
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 09/08/17

52 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $131,200
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Arthur L. Stoltz
Date: 09/12/17

446-448 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: 446-448 Newton St. Realty
Seller: Kay G. Lerner
Date: 09/14/17

3 Sunset Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $255,900
Buyer: Timothy J. Dorman
Seller: Deborah L. Phoenix
Date: 09/15/17

13 Susan Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Berengere Cusin
Seller: Christine P. Jaspersohn
Date: 09/08/17

SOUTHAMPTON

56 Cottage Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Christopher T. Amidon
Seller: Monahan, Thomas M., (Estate)
Date: 09/08/17

WARE

2 Lagoon Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Charles E. Howard
Seller: Edward T. Hudson
Date: 09/15/17

62 Old Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Benjamin M. St.George
Seller: Marie A. Rathemacher-Reo
Date: 09/14/17

76 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Roger L. Dugas
Seller: Troy Booth
Date: 09/13/17

292 Osborne Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Sharyn C. Trott
Seller: Rabschnuk FT
Date: 09/08/17

2 Susan Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: John F. Slattery
Seller: Joel Harder
Date: 09/14/17

238 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Danny T. Harper
Seller: Robert E. Varney
Date: 09/08/17

WILLIAMSBURG

91 Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $356,000
Buyer: Susan E. Stebbins
Seller: Kathleen B. Etzel
Date: 09/08/17

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Valley Blue Sox announced they will host a special fan-appreciation party on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m. at La Quinta Inn & Suites at 100 Congress St. in Springfield. La Quinta is the presenting sponsor of the event, and admission is free and open to the general public.

Fans will be treated to free food and beer at the event as well as an opportunity to take free photos with the Faye Vincent Sr. Cup, awarded to the Blue Sox following their championship win in August. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to purchase Blue Sox 2017 NECBL championship T-shirts. They will also have a chance to grab an early-bird flex package that will include a free Blue Sox championship T-Shirt ($15 value) with the purchase of a 12-pack of 2018 flex tickets for $59.

“We like to give back to our fans whenever we get the right opportunity to do so,” said Blue Sox President Clark Eckhoff. “Coming off such a successful 2017 campaign, it’ll be a wonderful opportunity for fans and sponsors to interact with Blue Sox staff, get a chance to see the championship trophy up close and personal, and be able to get access to our championship gear on the spot.”

The Blue Sox won their first league title in franchise history in August, sweeping the Ocean State Waves in the championship series. The team enjoyed a rush of success off the field as well, finishing 10th overall in the nation in attendance among more than 250 summer collegiate baseball teams.

“Our success this year was a great achievement — but it’s a shared success,” said Blue Sox General Manager Hunter Golden. “Our sponsors have stepped up to support us, and our fans are the driving force in everything we do, so we want to make sure they get to share in the experience as well.”

The event, free and open to the public, will be held at the bar area in the main lobby of La Quinta, which is sponsoring the event. Free food will be provided by the hotel, and door prizes will be given away over the course of the evening.

Departments People on the Move
Amanda Sbriscia

Amanda Sbriscia

Holyoke Community College announced that Amanda Sbriscia has been hired as its new vice president of Institutional Advancement. Sbriscia will lead HCC’s fund-raising efforts as head of the HCC Foundation as well as oversee Alumni Affairs, Resource Development, and Marketing and Communications. She begins Oct. 30. “I am thrilled to be joining HCC at a very exciting time in its history,” Sbriscia said. “I look forward to connecting with our alumni, friends, faculty, and staff, and to engaging the community in our efforts to support students and build on the college’s excellent reputation.” Sbriscia  comes to HCC with more than 10 years of experience in education and fund-raising. Most recently, she has been serving as senior director of Advancement at Bay Path University, following her role there as director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations. Before Bay Path, Sbriscia worked in fund development for the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts and as director of Annual Giving for Anna Maria College in Paxton. Her experience in higher education also includes work in major gifts, volunteer management, corporate sponsorship, and strategic planning. “We were fortunate to have four extremely qualified finalists to consider, and we put each of them through a full day of rigorous interviews,” said HCC president Christina Royal. “In the end, though, Amanda’s experience, presence, and passion really made her stand out. She has an energy that I believe will integrate fluently with our current campus leadership and help propel us forward as we begin to develop a strategic plan for the future of HCC. I’m excited that she will soon be here.” Sbriscia has served on the board of the Assoc. of Fundraising Professionals and is a member of Women in Philanthropy and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. She is also a classroom reader through Springfield School Volunteers. She is currently pursuing her doctor of education degree in organizational leadership from Northeastern University.

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Jaime O’Connor

Jaime O’Connor

Waterford Hotel Group announced the appointment of Jaime O’Connor as director of sales at the Sheraton Hartford Hotel located inside Bradley International Airport. The Sheraton Bradley is managed by Waterford Hotel Group, a national hotel and convention-center management firm. As director of Sales, O’Connor is responsible for the total sales efforts for the hotel, as well as supervising sales-related personnel and implementing sales and marketing strategies to maximize profits while also maintaining guest satisfaction. O’Connor started her career in hospitality at the Sheraton Springfield in 2001. She quickly grew within the property, holding the positions of executive meeting manager and senior executive meeting manager, before joining Waterford Hotel Group as a sales manager at the Marriott Hartford in 2005. Most recently, she has been working as director of sales at the Sheraton Hartford South. “We are pleased to welcome Jaime back to the Waterford Hotel Group team,” said Karen Bachofner, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Waterford Hotel Group. “We look forward to working with her in this new role.”

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Valerie Krolicki

Valerie Krolicki

Valerie Krolicki recently joined Ayre Real Estate Co. Inc. as a full-time real-estate sales associate. She is a graduate of Hopkinton High School and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education from Northeastern University in Boston. Krolicki is the daughter-in-law of the late Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Ayre, formerly of Ayre Real Estate and past president of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley and Realtor of the Year.

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With the upcoming departure of DevelopSpringfield’s President and CEO Jay Minkarah, the organization has tapped Jeff Daley to provide consulting services on an interim basis to manage project oversight. Daley is founder and principal of CJC Development Advisors, LLC with more than 15 years of experience in real-estate development, construction project development, government relations, and public-private partnership development. He was formerly the Economic Development director for the city of Westfield, executive director of the Westfield Redevelopment Authority, and a member of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority board of directors, in addition to roles on other nonprofit boards and advisory panels. “I am excited for the opportunity to assist the team at DevelopSpringfield to move their projects forward,” Daley said. “CJC Development Advisors has been engaged in development projects around the region, and I feel this is a perfect opportunity to help DevelopSpringfield through their transition on some very important projects.” Nick Fyntrilakis, DevelopSpringfield’s board chair, added that “we are pleased to have Jeff step in to help ensure the advancement of DevelopSpringfield’s projects. Jeff has a strong background in large-scale development projects, and I’m confident his experience will be invaluable to the organization as we look to begin a search for a permanent replacement for Jay Minkarah.”

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Claudia Pazmany

Claudia Pazmany

Claudia Pazmany was recently named director of Development & Marketing for Providence Ministries. “My guiding core philosophy is to honor the work of today but to bring people together in the form of support to enable a vision for tomorrow,” Pazmany said. “It exemplifies how I feel about the power of philanthropy and how it can transform communities. I hope to transform how we think about our most vulnerable in my new role here at Providence Ministries, and how we can all play a vital role in that transformation.” Pazmany is a community leader with more than 16 years of experience in professional fund-raising. Her business-development skills, combined with a long history in capital campaigns, philanthropy, community engagement, social media, and alumni relations, helped her build visionary and sustainable movements of giving. She continues to apply her leadership skills to creating a more just and equitable world. Pazmany has an MBA from UMass, served on the executive team as former director of Development at the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Women’s Fund’s Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact, and is currently a board member at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.

•••••

Morrison Mahoney LLP announced the election of six new partners, representing a range of practice areas including appeals, insurance coverage, construction litigation, professional liability defense, medical malpractice, fraud, transportation, and employment-law disputes.

“The election of so many highly qualified partners speaks volumes of the depth of talent that we have in all offices of Morrison Mahoney and quality of our mentoring and professional development,” said Managing Partner Scott Burke.

The new partners are:

Jeffrey O’Connor

Jeffrey O’Connor

Joseph Ciollo

Joseph Ciollo

Jeffrey O’Connor (Springfield), who focuses his practice on the defense of medical and legal professionals, healthcare law, employment litigation, and general liability defense;

Joseph Ciollo (Hartford, Stamford), who represents insurance companies, insureds, private businesses, attorneys, and other licensed professionals in matters involving automobile, homeowner, and property insurance coverage; insurance fraud investigation; general liability defense; automobile liability defense; bad-faith claims; subrogation; professional liability; and employment discrimination;

Christopher Davidson (Boston), who specializes in the defense of corporate clients involving claims of catastrophic injury or death in the context of construction-site accidents, product liability, premises liability, and transportation/trucking matters;

Larry Slotnick (Boston), who has successfully represented insures in a wide range of coverage and bad-faith disputes, both at the trial and appellate levels, and also represents businesses in commercial-litigation disputes;

Christopher Keenoy (New York), who focuses his practice on cases involving professional liability, construction defects, product liability, lead paint, trucking, and general liability; and

James McKenney (New York), who litigates complex commercial and civil matters, including healthcare and insurance-coverage issues, regulatory violations, Medicaid fraud claims, contract disputes, and civil RICO actions in federal, state, and appellate courts.

•••••

Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso, CFP has been named a member of the 2017 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the elite Chairman’s Council rank in the top 3% of New York Life’s sales force of more than 12,000 licensed agents in sales achievement. Deliso has accomplished this level of achievement for six consecutive years. Her passion for finance and strategic planning led to the creation of Deliso Financial and Insurance Services in 2000. She began her career in corporate accounting in Tampa, Fla., where she consulted with small-business owners on financial operations and maximizing performance. Deliso has been a New York Life agent since 1995 and is associated with New York Life’s CT Valley General Office in Windsor, Conn. She is currently chairman of the board of the Baystate Health Foundation and a board member of the Community Music School of Springfield. She is past chairman of the board of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, past board member of AAA Pioneer Valley, and past trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the advisory council at Bay Path University. Deliso Financial and Insurance Services is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Co. or any of its affiliates.

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of September 2017.

AGAWAM

Luigi Chiarell
371 South Westfield St.
$75,000 — Construct self-storage building

Frank DeCaro, Joseph DeCaro
1226 Springfield St.
$15,000 — Demolish fire-damaged building

Fisher Scientific Co.
325 Bowles Road
$702,843 — Roofing

AMHERST

Amherst Office Park, LLC
417 West St.
$3,550 — Relocate fire sprinkler heads for new tenant layout

Amherst Pelham School District
21 Mattoon St.
$10,000 — Build two mansard garages

The Common School Inc.
521 South Pleasant St.
$1,500 — Install handicap ramp

Peace Development Fund
44 North Prospect St.
$27,167 — Install solar panels on roof

EAST LONGMEADOW

Countryside Store
334 Somers Road
$3,000 — Roofing

Mattress Firm
32-48 Center Square
$30,000 — Commercial alteration

HADLEY

Chamisa Corp.
31 Campus Plaza, Suite B
$33,600 — Reconfigure interior partitions, plumbing, HVAC, ductwork, modify hallway and entrance to accessible restroom

LONGMEADOW

Longmeadow Mall, LP
793 Williams St.
$10,000 — Alteration to restroom and interior finish renovations

LUDLOW

Ludlow Fish & Game
857 Sportsmens Road
$5,400 — Soffit repairs

NORTHAMPTON

ES Realty Corp.
34 Bridge St.
$6,000 — Illuminated wall sign

Robert Gougeon
36 Main St.
$650 — Illuminated wall sign for Dodson & Flinker

Robert Gougeon
36 Main St.
$195 — Non-illuminated wall sign for Dodson & Flinker

PALMER

Pathfinder Regional Vocational School
240 Sykes St.
$35,489 — Install new acoustical ceiling and fire blocking in machine shop

Stephen Stathis
1313 Park St.
$5,000 — New sign

Town of Palmer
4105 Main St.
$27,000 — Cut through non-bearing block wall at Palmer High School to install steel jamb, fire doors

SPRINGFIELD

Astro Chemicals
126 Memorial Dr.
$23,010 — Construct additional concrete tank support pedestal in exterior containment area and construct additional concrete tank support pedestal in interior containment area with two additional containment walls for the new tank

Baystate Health
3300 Main St.
$250,000 — Interior renovation of Café 3300 space at Tolosky Center

Baystate Health
3350 Main St.
$257,394 — Renovate CT scan room for new machine

Baystate Health
3400 Main St.
$12,000 — Interior demolition of finishes and partitions

Baystate Health
3601 Main St.
$195,712 — Renovate shell space into office space

Fontaine Brothers
506 Cottage St.
$80,000 — Alteration of leased area and construction of handicapped-accessible exterior ramp

MassDevelopment
1550 Main St.
$232,627 — Tenant fit-out

Springfield Water & Sewer Commission
71 Colton St.
$104,000 — Roofing

WEST SPRINGFIELD

CH Realty VII/CG Mact Bird, LLC
518 Memorial Ave.
$95,000 — Construct addition to existing car wash to enclose pre-wash and cashier area

Heritage Ventures
1702 Riverdale St.
$20,000 — Remove and replace shingles

Richard Korris
152-170 Elm St.
$87,875 — Roofing

William Matte
842 Main St.
$7,000 — Place pre-made storage shed on premises of Main Auto Sales

Nouria Energy Corp.
2667 Westfield St.
$34,995 — Roofing

Town of West Springfield
26 Central St.
$62,000 — Install new rooftop unit to service third-floor detectives bureau

Verizon Wireless
380 Union St.
$15,000 — Replace antenna panels and remote radio heads on existing smokestack

WILBRAHAM

Wilbraham Animal Hospital
2424 Boston Road
$6,000 — New sign

The Kids Dentist
1984 Boston Road
$1,800 — Replace three existing signs

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Cognitive neuroscientist and researcher Dr. Jonathan Jackson will host a presentation at Bay Path University on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Breck Suite, located in Wright Hall on Bay Path’s Longmeadow campus. Jackson’s presentation will focus on current research findings in early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as discuss upcoming clinical trials that aim to prevent Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms are exhibited.

Jackson investigates the behavioral, genetic, neurological, physiological, and cognitive changes of normal aging as well as in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. He has a particular interest in topics such as attentional control, episodic memory, the brain’s connectivity, subjective concerns, and health disparities. He received his PhD in psychological and brain sciences from Washington University in St. Louis and is now an instructor in Neurology with Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts General Hospital. When not in the lab, he speaks about clinical trials, health disparities, and Alzheimer’s disease.

This presentation is part of the Kaleidoscope series sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Assoc. Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter and Strategic Alliances at Bay Path University, which fosters openness, curiosity, and dialogue concerning issues and topics in the local and global communities. Registration is strongly encouraged and available at www.baypath.edu/events-calendar.

Health Care Sections

Progress Report

Questions answered by Dr. Holly Mason

Dr. Holly Mason

Dr. Holly Mason

Q: My mother has been after me to go for a mammogram. When should screenings start if one is to detect breast cancer early?

A: There is no simple answer to that question. The benefits of screening are greatest for those women who are most likely to develop breast cancer and for whom early treatment is more effective in treating the disease.

There is a lack of consensus among the leading healthcare organizations as to when to begin screening for the average risk patient. What is recommended today is that women have an honest discussion with their physician about when their screening should begin. Your physician will make a recommendation for you based on your risk factors, including any family or personal history.

After talking with your doctor about screening, you can make an appointment by filling out a form at baystatehealth.org/getscreened or calling (413) 794-2222.

Q: What is the difference between conventional mammography and the newer 3D mammography now being offered?

A: While 2D mammograms take images only from the front and side, 3D mammograms, which we offer, take multiple images or ‘slices’ of the breast from many different angles to create a three-dimensional picture of the breast. The ‘slices’ can reduce images with overlapping breast tissue and give doctors a clearer image of the breast tissue.

Using 3D mammography can make it easier for doctors to catch breast cancer early and reduce the chances of false positive results. However, not all insurance plans cover 3D mammography.

Q. My mother told me she had a breast MRI. What are the advantages of breast MRI as opposed to mammography?

A: First and foremost, a breast MRI is used to supplement, but never to replace a mammogram for screening of the breast. Breast MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is another way to look at breast tissue. It requires a dose of a dye called gadolinium. A screening MRI may be indicated, in addition to mammography, if you are at increased risk for breast cancer.

At Baystate Health, we follow the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) recommendations for screening MRI for breast cancer, which include a known gene mutation placing you at greater risk to breast cancer, such as the BRCA mutation, previous history of chest radiation, such as for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or a family history of breast cancer that places you at a greater than 20-25% lifetime risk for breast cancer. You can learn more at the ACS website www.cancer.org.

Q: How great a risk do women face if they have a family history of breast cancer?

A: It depends on how many family members had breast cancer, their age at diagnosis, and the degree of relation to the women who had cancer. There are many other cancers which may be related to breast cancer within a family, such as gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer, to name a few. A careful family cancer history is important to determine if there might be a genetic component to your risk of developing breast cancer.

At Baystate, we offer our Family Cancer Risk Program for patients who may be candidates for genetic testing due to a family history of breast and other types of cancer. For more information on this program, call (413) 794-8890.

Q: What choices does a woman with a BRCA gene mutation have?

A: There are two main approaches: heightened surveillance or risk-reducing mastectomy, but this is a personal decision. Women who are planning to start a family or have additional children have the option for increased screening by alternating an MRI and mammography every six months to check for cancer. I do not know how old you are or if you have the BRCA gene, but for younger women still in their 20s, the recommendation is for a baseline annual MRI starting at age 25 and beginning mammography at age 30. This option must also include a clinical breast exam twice a year in combination with monthly breast self-exams.

Q: What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?

A: Symptoms which indicate a need for evaluation by a doctor include: A new lump in the breast or underarm, irritation or dimpling of breast skin, redness or flat skin in the nipple area of the breast, pulling in of the nipple, nipple discharge other than breast milk that is spontaneous (not occurring with self-examination), including blood, and any change in the size or the shape of your breast or pain in any area of your breast.

Given the fact that screening mammography often detects a cancer when it is very small, most women do not have any symptoms at the time of their cancer diagnosis.

Q: Can you tell me about any new treatment options for women?

A: Breast cancer treatment has changed quite dramatically since 1990 because of early detection, as well as better treatment and a better understanding of the nature and behavior of breast cancer. Most importantly, treatment should be tailored on an individual basis depending on the tumor and the patient in collaboration with the breast cancer team.

In terms of surgery, mastectomy was once the norm. We are now able to preserve the breast and perform a lumpectomy in most patients who prefer this choice. In women who have a cancer that is too large to allow for a lumpectomy with a reasonably satisfactory cosmetic result, medical therapy with chemotherapy or anti-hormone therapy can be given before surgery to shrink the tumor.

In the late 1990s, a procedure called the sentinel node biopsy was developed, where dyes can be injected into the breast to determine which lymph nodes are the first that the breast drains into. If cancer is going to spread outside the breast, it will go to these lymph nodes first. If the sentinel node(s) is negative for cancer, then there has not been any spread to any of the lymph nodes. By limiting the number of lymph nodes that are removed, the risk of swelling of the arm, referred to as lymphedema, can be minimized.

In women over the age of 70 who have a slow growing type of cancer, a lumpectomy may be able to be performed without post-lumpectomy radiation, as long as the patient is willing to take anti-hormone therapy. In addition, some patients may not need to have any lymph nodes removed. These decisions, however, need to occur in discussion with your surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist to ensure that the risk of recurrence is low enough to avoid these treatments.

Medical therapy has also improved with the development of different anti-hormone medications to treat breast cancer, as well as different chemotherapy regimens which are better tolerated and more effective. One of the biggest developments is the use of molecular, or gene profiling, of the tumor, which can help in the decision of whether or not chemotherapy will give a benefit above what benefit is seen with anti-hormone therapy, which can then be weighed against the risks of chemotherapy.

Dr. Holly Mason is section chief for Breast Surgery at Baystate Medical Center.

Daily News

Over his four decades of selling pet food, soda, and a lot of other things, Dave Ratner has proven himself to be a very good retailer and an extremely smart businessperson.

Smart enough to know that it’s never, ever a good idea to mix business with politics.

He didn’t think he was doing that when he went to the White House recently to attend the signing of a measure he pushed hard for as a member of the National Retail Federation, one that would give small-business owners more flexibility in purchasing health insurance.

Ratner went to the White House not knowing this would be far from the only matter to be commemorated on a day when President Trump would sign an executive order peeling back portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The measure backed by the National Retail Federation had really nothing to do with the executive order on the ACA, but that doesn’t matter in these days of almost unprecedented polarization among Americans. Ratner was standing right behind the president on a day when health insurance for millions of Americans became clouded by question marks.

And that was more than enough to convince some people they had to buy their dog food somewhere else — or buy it at the same place, but not before giving Ratner and his staff an earful.

In a letter to the Republican recently, Ratner claimed he was duped by the White House and called himself an “idiot” for putting himself in what was obviously the wrong place at the wrong time — at least if you claim, as Ratner does, that he doesn’t support the president or the changes to the ACA.

He can be hard on himself on himself if he wants, especially amid his contention that he was only being respectful to the office of the president in showing up in the first place.

We prefer to view this episode as a clear sign of the times. Americans are divided, they are angry, and they want to vent. And often, they vent before they know the whole story or before they really listen to what is being said.

This is the way it is now, and the way it’s going to be for quite a while. We’d like to say there is a lesson in here somewhere, but we’re not sure there is. Like we said, Ratner wasn’t trying to mix business with politics, but they got mixed anyway.

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Albaladejo, Francisco
24 Ednsons Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/17

Badillo, Omaira
235 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/17

Bedell, Amy Bertha
a/k/a Kolick, Amy Bertha
a/k/a Phelps, Amy Bertha
a/k/a Bedell, Amy Bertha
16 Myrtle St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/17

Big Daddy’s Homemade Ice Cream
Smith, David J.
100 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Boardman, Sanford
a/k/a Boardman, Sandy
6 James St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Boudreau, James F.
16 Victoria Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/17

Boyd, Edward W.
52 Emmett St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/17

Bridges, Lynne B.
115 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Brown, James W.
151 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Broxton, Lynette R.
5 West Laramee Green
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/17

Calderwood, Letitia
239 Main St., Apt 1
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Carattini, Melissa M.
17 Lakeshore Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Ethier-Allen, Carol Ann
164 Highland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/17

Ewing, Steven Michael
5 Mark St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Farrell, Jeannine L.
a/k/a Farrell, Nina L.
66 Cronin Hill Rd
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Finish Line Auto
Marier, Francis
678 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Haire, Emily Anne
5 Berard Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/17

Hait, Christian T.
19 Ballard St., Apt. 1
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Johnson, Todd F.
Johnson, Julie
a/k/a Stedman, Julie
1401 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/12/17

Josefek, Andrea Kathryn
64 Munsing Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/17

Lamon, Robert C.
40 Riley Switch Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/04/17

Laprade, Meaghan Ashley
158 Old Sunderland Road
Montague, MA 01351
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/17

Lowell, Jennifer L.
15 Central St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/17

Maldonado, Bartolo
a/k/a Oliveras, Bartolo Maldonado
Maldonado, Gladys Odette
142 Brittany Manor Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/17

Martone, Sheila M.
222 Stebbins St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Montgomery, Darren R.
569 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/17

Murphy, Lawrence W.
Murphy, Doreen
620 North Westfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Nadeau, Philip W.
4 Manola St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/17

O’Lari, Sarah Madeline
a/k/a O’Lari-Woods, Sarah Madeline
a/k/a O’Lari-Muniz, Sarah Madeline
47 Congress St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Payen, Evarice
247 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/17

Photography by Corinna
Cole, Corinna S.
a/k/a Spinale, Corinna
50 Normandy Road
Lynn, MA 01902
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/17

Riley, Jessica L.
34 Amherst Ave.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/17

Rough-Lewinski, Jennifer
81 Lamb St.
South Hadley, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Schnopp, Glenn P.
15 Water St., Apt. B
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Sepulveda, Maria D.
PO Box 60562
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/17

Tatro, Phyllis A.
183 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/17

Van Buren, Lisa M.
325 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/17

Vasquez, Louis A.
14 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/17

White, Karen Marie
163 Saint James Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/06/17

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — One of the highlights of this year’s Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, comes from corporate sponsor MGM Springfield, which will showcase its contracting opportunities at the event on Thursday, Nov. 2 at the MassMutual Center.

MGM is committed to awarding agreements to regional and certified minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned businesses that provide quality, competitive products and services. The resort will have contracting opportunities in operating supplies, casino supplies, food and beverage supplies, food and beverages, hotel supplies, promotional print services, and more. To explain these, MGM will present two events during the Expo.

The first, “MGM Procurement Introduction,” runs from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. This session is an overview of the current needs of the resort, as well as general information about the new entertainment venue coming to the region, followed by questions and answers from the audience. Speakers will include Alex Dixon, MGM Springfield general manager, and Stacey Taylor, MGM Resorts International senior vice president and chief procurement officer.

During the second seminar, “MGM Matchmaking,” from 1:15 to 3 p.m., various MGM sourcing managers will be on site to meet potential partners. Each session lasts 15 minutes and will feature a sourcing manager at a table with seven seats available to be filled by companies interested in pitching their specific service or product. Each business will have two minutes to share their elevator pitch and a capabilities statement. Open discussion will follow if time permits.

Advance registration is highly encouraged. There will be some open availability the day of the Expo; details will be shared at the morning MGM Procurement Introduction. To register your company in advance, click here.

The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass. will also feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor).

Exhibitor spaces are still available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Attorney Keith Minoff has been selected to Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2017. Super Lawyers selects attorneys based on peer nominations and evaluations combined with independent research. The final published list represents no more than 5% of Massachusetts lawyers.

Minoff has also been recognized by his peers for inclusion in the most recent edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of commercial litigation and corporate law. He specializes in business litigation and employment law and also serves as a mediator with Minoff Mediation Solutions. He maintains a law office in Springfield.

Court Dockets Departments

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

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Donald Kendal v. Home Depot USA Inc. and Electric Eel Manufacturing Co.

Allegation: Personal injury: $9,092.37

Filed: 9/15/17

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Jess Douglas v. Monahan Trucking, LLC

Allegation: Failure to pay prevailing wage: $90,000

Filed: 8/9/17

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

Steven Kinsley v. Dave’s Sheet Metal Inc.

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing injury: $6,488.13

Filed: 9/6/17

Insignia Inc. d/b/a The Sign Center v. Universal Wilde Inc.

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $10,436.48

Filed: 9/15/17

American Builders and Contractors Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. Brian E. Drenen d/b/a Southwick Builders

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered, unjust enrichment, breach of credit documents: $7,183.76

Filed: 9/15/17

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Fanony Montoya-Plavan and Caleb Plavan v. Allegra Daniela Deucher, M.D.; Alice M. Shin, M.D.; and Olivia H. Chang, M.D.

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $231,000

Filed: 9/7/17

Brenda Morales v. City of Springfield

Allegation: Motor-vehicle negligence causing injury: $29,941

Filed: 9/12/17

67 Market Street, LLC v. Service Experts of the Berkshires, LLC; Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning – Massachusetts, LLC; and Berkshire Air Conditioning, LLC

Allegation: Money owed for services, labor, and materials: $225,000

Filed: 9/14/17

N.L. Construction Inc. v. DevelopSpringfield Corp. and 276 Bridge Street, LLC

Allegation: Money owed for services, labor, and materials: $253,894

Filed: 9/14/17

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Cornetta A. Young v. Realty Resources Chartered, LLC and Nash Hill Place

Allegation: Slip and fall causing injury: $6,995

Filed: 9/8/17

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Shafiis’ Inc. d/b/a TigerPress v. Jamie Jordan d/b/a Stone Age Advertising and d/b/a Ad-Advantage and d/b/a Big Coaster

Allegation: Money owed for services: $10,973.82

Filed: 9/6/17

Agenda Departments

Springfield Symphony Orchestra 2017-18 Season

Through May 19, 2018: An evening with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is more than a musically memorable experience. To attend an SSO concert is to be part of a rich cultural tradition. Single tickets and subscriptions, including the SSO’s new pops-oriented Wild Card 4 package, are on sale now for the SSO’s 74th season. The public may purchase tickets by visiting the box office at 1441 Main St., Springfield (ground-floor level in the TD Bank Building), or calling (413) 733-2291. The season began Oct. 14 and runs through May 19, 2018. In addition to offering its traditional subscriber options, which include four to all seven of its classical performances, the SSO has introduced the new Wild Card 4 package. Perfect for fans of the pops, the new subscription package includes all three special events — “Holiday Extravaganza with the Grinch,” “Star Wars & Star Trek Sci-Fi Spectacular,” and a performance by the Texas Tenors — as well as one classical performance of the subscriber’s choice. For the opening-night concert on Oct. 14, the SSO and Kevin Rhodes, its longtime music director and conductor, presented selected works of celebrated composers Rossini, Prokofiev, and Brahms, featuring guest pianist Claire Huangci. Next up, on Nov. 4, guest cellist Julian Schwarz joins the musicians for “Viva America,” a toe-tapping nod to American masters Gershwin, Copeland, Bernstein, and Liebermann. Then, on Dec. 9, the Springfield Symphony Chorus joins the orchestra for the much-anticipated “Holiday Extravaganza.” Both this festive show and “Star Wars & Star Trek Sci-Fi Spectacular,” the season’s second special event (March 3, 2018), feature interactive family fun. For the season’s third and final special event on April 21, 2018, the SSO will bring audiences the Texas Tenors, a popular vocal trio whose signature crossover style has topped Billboard charts. The group’s widely viewed debut on NBC’s America’s Got Talent quickly led to a worldwide concert tour and a 2014 PBS special, “You Should Dream,” which earned three Emmy Awards. Free parking at three downtown garages is available to all attending an SSO concert. Subscribers, whether they choose a classical package or the Wild Card 4, enjoy additional benefits, including savings of up to 20% over single-ticket purchases and exclusive access to special events. An SSO subscription makes an ideal holiday gift for friends and family members of all ages. For more information on SSO subscriptions, single-ticket sales, or the 2017-18 concert series, call the SSO box office at (413) 733-2291 or visit springfieldsymphony.org.

Hoarding Conference

Oct. 18: To promote greater understanding of research and treatment for hoarding disorder, a conference titled “Hoarding Disorder: Recovery Is Real” will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley. Jesse Edsell-Vetter, stabilization case manager, Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership Hoarding Team, will be the keynote speaker. CEUs will be offered for licensed professionals. Funding for the conference is being provided by a grant from the Center for Human Development. According to the American Psychiatric Assoc., people with hoarding disorder excessively save items that others may view as worthless. Typically, they save random items they feel have value or that they may need in the future. Their persistent difficulty parting with possessions leads to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or work spaces. People with hoarding disorder often feel safer surrounded by the things they save, but items can fill, block, and clutter active living spaces at home. Hoarding can cause problems in social or work settings, too, including hindering a productive and safe environment. Serious hoarding can lead to fire hazards, tripping hazards, and health-code violations, as well as interpersonal strain and conflict, isolation, and loneliness. “Contrary to negative pop-culture portrayals, people who have accumulated a problematic amount of possessions tend to be creative, intelligent, and resourceful,” said Lee Shuer, a consultant with Mutual Support and the creator of WRAP for Reducing Clutter. “Such people are mostly just unsuccessful in the pursuit of moderation, although some people call us the ‘H’ word: hoarders. I call myself a finder/keeper because hoarding has become such a derogatory label, helped in no small part by sensational reality TV shows. People like us who acquire and keep too much stuff are stuck, hung up on something emotional, something unseen beneath the surface of life. What can be seen is merely the tip of the iceberg. It’s complicated. But hoarding disorder is real, and so is recovery.”

Homework House 10-year Celebration

Oct. 19: Homework House is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, and it will mark the occasion with a 10th Anniversary Celebration and Fund-raising Breakfast from 7:45 to 9:15 a.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke to share its story and inspire the financial resources Homework House needs to sustain its programs for the next 10 years and beyond. The anniversary breakfast’s theme is “A Decade of Inspiring Children, Supporting Families, and Transforming Community,” which reflects the broad ripple effect that occurs as a result of children’s participation in Homework House’s academic after-school and summer programming. Founded by retired educators Sr. Maureen Broughan and Sr. Jane Morrissey, Homework House promotes educational success through free, individualized tutoring and mentoring for children. Featuring a program that will highlight the stories of Homework House alumni, parents, and stakeholders, the breakfast will reflect on the powerful work of the past 10 years while looking forward to Homework House’s continued growth. The breakfast is free and will feature a focused ask for donations. Community members interested in attending the event or taking a leadership role as a table captain can register by visiting www.homeworkhousetenth.com.

Healthcare Heroes

Oct. 19: BusinessWest and the Healthcare News will present the inaugural Healthcare Heroes Awards at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden. This new recognition program was created by the twin publications to recognize outstanding achievement across the region’s broad and diverse healthcare sector. From a pool of 70 nominations, panel of judges chose eight winners in seven categories, who were profiled in the Sept. 4 issue of BusinessWest, the September issue of HCN, and at businesswest.com. American International College and Trinity Health Of New England are the presenting sponsors of Healthcare Heroes. Partner sponsors are Achieve TMS East, HUB International New England, and Health New England. Additional sponsors are Bay Path University, Baystate Health, Elms College, Renew.Calm, and Cooley Dickinson Health Care. This event is sold out.

Dress for Success Panel

Oct. 24: Area employers and human-resource professionals are invited to join Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts for a panel discussion about breaking down the barriers that stand between the region’s workforce and sustained employment. With sponsorship support from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, United Personnel, Sperion Staffing, Armbrook Village, and Western MA HRMA, the event will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Tickets for the event cost $25 and may be purchased online at westernmassachusettsdressforsuccess.org or by calling (860) 638-8980.

Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass.

Nov. 2: Comcast Business will present the Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News. The seventh annual business-to-business show will feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, Wild Apple Design Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing and Go Graphix (show partners), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), WMAS, WHMP, Rock 102 & Lazer 99.3, and MassLive (media partners), and the Better Business Bureau and Cartamundi (contributing sponsors). Exhibitor spaces are available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

ToGetHerThere Awards

Nov. 3: Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM) announced the recipients of the inaugural ToGetHerThere Awards. The five award recipients have a shared vision of creating a culture of creativity and caring, where young women feel confident in their ability to work hard, dream big, and face with courage any obstacle that stands in the way of making their dreams come true. The winners have affected hundreds of lives and serve as role models for other organizations grappling with how to support underserved members in their communities. The awardees are:

• Entrepreneur: Cassandra Abramson, president and founder, ECi Stores;

• Financial Literacy: Amy Roberts, vice president of Human Resources, Balise Auto Group;

• Health & Wellness: Katie Gauvin, regional safety director, SODEXO; major, Logistics Readiness Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base;

• Man Enough to Be a Girl Scout: Timothy Murphy, Esq., partner, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.; and

• STEM: Martha Baker, associate dean, College of Natural Sciences, UMass Amherst.

Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts will honor the winners at the ToGetHerThere Awards Luncheon at the Tower Square Hotel (formerly the Springfield Marriott). Tickets are $50 each or tables of 10 for $500. To order tickets and for more info on each awardee, visit www.gscwm.org/en/events/special-events/TGHTA.html or contact Melanie Bonsu at (413) 584-2602, ext. 3623, or [email protected].

Company Notebook Departments

Davis Foundation, Businesses Contribute $100,000 to VVM

SPRINGFIELD — The Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts (EDC) announced that several of its members came together to donate a total of $50,000 to Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) to fulfill a match put forth by the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation. VVM will now receive $100,000 that will go towards programs providing mentorship, education, and community for entrepreneurs, ultimately fueling economic development in the region. “Once again, EDC members have come together leading the region in driving innovation and commerce,” said EDC President Rick Sullivan. “Valley Venture Mentors outcomes are astounding. Their entrepreneurs are creating jobs, revenue, and investment that are transforming Springfield and Western Mass. The Davis Match is a great example of how leaders of the business community are working to ensure economic prosperity for.” Organizations that donated to the Davis match include Balise Motor Sales, Bulkley Richardson, Columbia Gas, Mercy Medical Center, Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation, the Republican, and UMass Amherst.

Driving for the Cure Tourney Raises Record Amount

HADLEY — The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament set a new fund-raising record by raising $131,300 to support Dr. Patrick Wen and his research colleagues in the Center for Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The tournament was held on Aug. 21 at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow and Elmcrest Country Club in East Longmeadow, followed by a dinner at Twin Hills Country Club attended by more than 300 guests. The dinner featured a performance by Noah Lis from The Voice along with John Dennis, celebrity emcee of the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon and featured a raffle and live and silent auctions. The event’s platinum sponsor was Edmunds. The tournament was started by Carla and Tommy Cosenzi, co-presidents of TommyCar Auto Group, to honor the legacy of their father, Tom Cosenzi, who passed away from a glioblastoma in 2009 and dreamed of a cure for brain cancer. What started as a small, four-team tournament in 2009 has grown to become one of the largest charity tournaments in Western Mass., with more than 52 teams and 300+ participants. Proceeds from tournament sponsorships help Dana-Farber researchers design novel clinical trials to test and develop targeted therapies that have not previously been studied in brain tumors, initiate several clinical trials in immunotherapy, and conduct groundbreaking basic research to guide new therapeutic approaches. Since its inception in 2009, the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament has donated $830,712. “Every year, I think it’s the best one yet,” said Carla Cosenzi. “However, I’m proud to say that our players and sponsors continue to come through, making each year more successful than  the last.” Visit tomcosenzidrivingforthecure.com for information about the 2018 tournament, which will mark the event’s 10th year.

Thunderbirds Ink Marketing Partnership with Lottery

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, announced a new marketing partnership with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. The Lottery will receive branding at Thunderbirds home games and arena signage at the MassMutual Center. The organizations have launched a “Salute to Soldiers” initiative. As part of this military-appreciation platform, an armed forces member or veteran, along with their family, will be recognized at Friday home games. This program is designed to honor men and women for going beyond the call of duty. The partnership will also feature “Winning Weekdays,” which reward all fans in attendance with a ticket to a future game when the T-Birds win. “Sports and the lottery are both synonymous with winning,” said Chris Thompson, senior vice president, Sales & Strategy for the Thunderbirds. “The Thunderbirds are excited to partner with the most successful lottery in the country and share our mission of giving back to the community.” Added Edward Farley, assistant executive director and chief administrative officer, Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, “we are excited about this opportunity to recognize deserving individuals among us who have dedicated themselves to serving others.” The Thunderbirds opened their 2017-18 home ice schedule on Oct. 14 with a matchup with the rival Hartford Wolf Pack. Ticket memberships, including season tickets, are on sale now, starting at $12 per game. Thunderbirds full-season ticket members receive the most benefits, including a refillable collector’s mug and a commemorative jersey. For more information or to order, call (413) 739-4625 or visit www.springfieldthunderbirds.com.

Big Y Looks to Combat Opioid-related Deaths

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Pharmacy and Wellness Centers can now prescribe and fill naloxone for customers in all 39 of its pharmacy locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. This effort is intended to help prevent opioid-related deaths throughout the region. Naloxone is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. All Big Y pharmacists are trained to assist patients and their family members on how to recognize signs of an opioid overdose and how to administer this medication. According to state government data, in 2016 opioid-related deaths claimed nearly 2,000 lives in Massachusetts and 1,000 in Connecticut. Naloxone can be administered to any person who has overdosed on a variety of opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, and even heroin. “Many of our pharmacists have contributed their professional expertise during panels at local opioid-epidemic forums in our communities. The ability to now prescribe and fill naloxone for our patients and their families is just another way we can help them prevent an accidental overdose, save lives, and allow our patients the opportunity to seek long-term treatment,” said Nicole D’Amour Schneider, director of Pharmacy.

CATIC Relocates Office to Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — CATIC has relocated its Western Mass. office to One Monarch Place, Suite 1210, in Springfield. The building, located in the heart of Springfield’s Financial District, with easy access to I-91 and the Mass Pike, offers state-of-the-art accommodations and convenience for its customers, said Jim Bilodeau, CATIC’s Massachusetts state manager. “One Monarch Place is a beautiful building in a central location,” he added. “This new space enhances our ability to serve clients in Western Massachusetts.”
The Springfield office’s telephone number is (413) 552-3400. CATIC, currently licensed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire, is an underwriting member of the American Land Title Assoc. and North American Bar-Related Title Insurers.

Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan & Blakesley Gives $6,000 to Hurricane Relief

SPRINGFIELD — The law firm of Pellegrini, Seeley, Ryan and Blakesley this week donated $6,000 to the Red Cross as part of a sponsorship for the organization’s hurricane-relief golf tournament held Oct. 2 at the Haven Country Club in Boylston. “In the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Maria, we wanted to make a contribution that we knew would make a difference,” said firm partner Patrick McHugh. “There is no organization as committed to providing life saving assistance as the Red Cross.” McHugh and the law firm have many clients with direct ties to Puerto Rico and are involved in the Puerto Rican community in Western Mass. and throughout the state. “When you see such devastation in Puerto Rico and, of course, in Texas and Florida, you feel a need to do what you can. It’s frustrating to be so far away, but it is critical that all of us as Americans work to affect a positive outcome for the people who are so tragically impacted by these natural disasters,” said McHugh, who is also a Red Cross board member. “I know first-hand the incredible work that the Red Cross does, and our firm for decades has stood with this organization to lend whatever support we can to their efforts. We are so very proud of our affiliation with them.”

Florence Bank Ad Campaign Features Local Residents

FLORENCE — Florence Bank knows people are at the heart of the communities it serves. Pioneer Valley residents are proud of their roots, and Florence Bank embraced the opportunity to put that on display with the launch of its new television commercials. The new ads showcase the Pioneer Valley by featuring local residents celebrating the diversity and inclusiveness of the region’s people. As in years past, the ads place the musical spotlight on the bank’s tagline “Always.” This year, new lyrics were written for the bank’s signature song to display the essence of each resident featured in the commercials. Among those featured in the new Florence Bank commercials are Bud Stockwell, owner of Cornucopia Foods; Melissa Torres, a volunteer with Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen; sports broadcaster Scott Coen; Mohamed Ibrahim, a teacher at the International Language Institute; Madeline Nagy of Dakin Humane Society; Mark Giza, owner of Mark Henry Florist; and Alicia Zitka, a volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club of West Springfield. When asked what makes the Pioneer Valley such a special place to live, Ibrahim said, “it’s an integrated community with a lot of warmth and love.” Zitka added, “I live here, I work here, I volunteer my time and energy here, and this is my heart; this is my home.” Stockwell also understands the importance of the word “local” and has seen firsthand the progression of his community throughout the decades. However, the loyalty of his customers has stayed consistently fierce, he said, adding that “we were local back in 1980 when there was no such thing as local.” The ads were created by Sean Tracey Associates, the advertising agency that has produced Florence Bank’s award-winning ad campaigns for several years. “Our intent with these commercials is to stay true to the message that the Pioneer Valley is a remarkable place to live and work,” said Monica Curhan, senior vice president and marketing director at Florence Bank. “We think that has once again been achieved with this year’s ad campaign, and we look forward to hearing what our customers, both present and future, have to say.”

AIC’s Freshman Class Second-largest in a Decade

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced its second-largest freshman class since 2007 with a total enrollment of 504 new students. “The demographics in New England are declining and are projected to drop for the foreseeable future. This geographic area is dense with colleges in a highly competitive landscape. With those considerations in mind, we are very pleased to have reached and surpassed our enrollment goal,” said Jonathan Scully, dean of Undergraduate Admissions. “This is also one of the most academically competitive classes we have accepted in the last five years. Incoming students are from richly diverse backgrounds, and many are first-generation, which has long been central to the AIC mission.”

Chicopee Savings Foundation Supports Dress for Success Boutique

SPRINGFIELD — The Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation recently presented Dress for Success of Western Massachusetts with a donation of $1,000 to support its boutique operations. “Dress for Success provides a tremendous service to women in our community who are working toward achieving financial independence,” said William Wagner, president of Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation. Located at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, the Dress for Success boutique outfits women as they prepare for job interviews and career enhancement opportunities. “If our community is to achieve true economic success, we need a workforce that is prepared in every way,” said Dawn Creighton, president of Dress for Success. “We couldn’t be more grateful for the support of organizations like the Chicopee Savings Bank Charitable Foundation who understand and appreciate the need for our programs and services.”

Briefcase Departments

Eastern States Exposition Breaks Attendance Record

WEST SPRINGFIELD — A record number of visitors attended the Big E this year, breaking the fair’s all-time high attendance figure, with a final tally of 1,525,553. The previous record of 1,498,605 was set in 2014. Oct. 1 attendance was 137,208, also a new record for the final Sunday of the 17-day fair. During the fair’s run, the all-time-highest single-day attendance record was also broken when 171,897 visitors attended Saturday, Sept. 23. Three additional daily attendance records were set: Sept. 21, 85,019; Sept. 28, 89,905; and Sept. 29, 109,871. “I am humbled to see the incredible support of Eastern States Exposition by our loyal fair patrons,” said Eugene Cassidy, president and CEO of the Exposition. “The 2017, 101st edition of the Big E broke records again, recording for the first time in history over 1.5 million guests. Patrons of New England’s Great State Fair braved days of punishing temperatures that pushed the heat index to above 100 degrees, they endured a 55-degree drop in temperature accompanied by rain, and yet they came in great numbers to participate in, enjoy, and support this organization and all it stands for.”

Employer Confidence Rebounds in September

BOSTON — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index broke a two-month slide in September, rising 1.2 points to 62.4. The reading equaled its high for 2017 and was 6.5 points better than a year ago. Employer confidence has moved in a narrow range so far in 2017, as employers appear bullish about the growth prospects of their companies. The September uptick was driven in part by a 5.7-point surge in the Sales Index, which is often a leading indicator of increased business activity. “The Index was also taken prior to the announcement of an effort by Congressional Republicans and the White House to significantly reduce corporate taxes, a move that enjoys broad support among employers,” said Raymond Torto, Chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design. “The prospect of tax reform and tax simplification is likely to buoy employer sentiment through the end of the year.” The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. The Index has remained above 50 since October 2013. The constituent indicators that make up the overall Business Confidence Index were generally higher during September. The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth, rose 2.2 points to 65.4, a reading that was 8.4 points higher than in September 2016. The U.S. Index of national business conditions dropped 0.4 points to 59.8 after surging more than 10 points during the previous 12 months. September marked the 90th consecutive month in which employers have been more optimistic about the Massachusetts economy than the national economy. The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, increased 1.6 points to 62.9, while the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, rose 0.7 points to 61.9. The Future Index ended the month 5.9 points higher than a year ago. The Company Index, reflecting overall business conditions, gained 1.4 points to 62.3. Finally, the Employment Index fell 2.2 points to 55.8, continuing an up-and-down pattern within the mid-50s on the 100-point scale. “The Massachusetts economy continues to maintain a steady recovery, with employers adding 10,800 jobs during August and the state jobless rate declining to 4.2%,” said Elmore Alexander, dean of Ricciardi College of Business at Bridgewater State University, and a BEA member. “The surge in the AIM Sales and Future indices suggests that business activity may actually accelerate in coming months, so the primary challenge for employers will remain hiring and retaining skilled workers in a tight labor market.” AIM President and CEO Richard Lord, also a BEA member, said employers generally support federal initiatives to reduce business taxes, but also remain concerned about the potential effect those reductions might have on the deficit. It is ironic, Lord added, that the proposed Republican tax plan would lower levies for subchapter-S corporations and other small pass-through businesses, while Massachusetts voters may be voting on a surtax next year on those same companies. “Subchapter-S corporations and other companies that pay taxes on the individual level are generally small to medium-sized enterprises that form the heart of the Massachusetts economy,” he noted. “What a shame it would be if the federal government were to help these companies while Massachusetts penalizes them.”

MGM’s 95% Document Submittal Consistent with HCA Commitments

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Kevin Kennedy, the city’s chief Development officer, announced that the MGM 95% construction-design submittals are consistent with the commitments outlined within the city’s host-community agreement (HCA). “As we move closer to the completion and grand opening of this unique urban development, I am pleased to be able to announce another milestone as the city accepts the 95% construction-design submittals,” said Sarno. “Through this continued collaborative effort between the city of Springfield and MGM, the designs submitted remain consistent with what has been outlined within the host-community agreement.” This determination of compliance is based on a detailed review of the submittal documents by a number of city departments, including the Office of Planning & Economic Development, the Law Department, the Building Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Casino Liaison Office. A full review of the 95% construction-design documents was also completed by Chicago Consultants Studio Inc., an urban-planning consultant that has been used extensively by the city of Springfield throughout the casino design-review process. “Based on a thorough review and engaged process over the past few months, we believe that MGM’s 95% construction documents continue to illustrate a high-quality, attractive, and innovative design,” said Kim Goluska of Chicago Consultants Studio Inc. “MGM’s cooperation with the city and its positive enhancements and completion of the key design components has resulted in a project that not only conforms to the HCA intent and requirements, but also creates a new, truly innovative precedent for urban casino developments.” Added Kennedy, “with MGM Springfield nearing completion and the numerous other economic-development efforts underway throughout the city, including the recent grand opening of Union Station, we are really starting to see the new Springfield take shape. Our focus will continue to be on capitalizing on these larger transformative developments to help attract other private investment and jobs to the city of Springfield.”

New England Unemployment Holds Steady in August

BOSTON — The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released New England and state unemployment numbers for August 2017. These data are supplied by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, which produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor-force data for Census regions and divisions, states, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities. The New England unemployment rate was little changed at 4.0% in August. One year ago, the New England jobless rate was 3.9%. The U.S. jobless rate was little changed from July at 4.4%. No New England state had a significant over-the-year jobless rate change.

DBA Certificates Departments

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of September 2017.

AMHERST

Fernando Molina IT Consulting
240 West St.
Fernando Molina

Mary Moore Design
534 Main St.
Home and Homme, LLC

CHICOPEE

CL Construction
11 Falcon Circle
Chet Lokey

D & D Masonry
524 Chicopee St.
Marc Murphy, Jordan Healy, Roger Roberge

Dowco
83 Wheatland Ave.
Stephanie Dow

NextGen Farm
963 Burnett Road
Damion Campbell

PNG Home Improvement
20 Sterling St.
Pavel Gavrilyuk

Pooch Caboose, LLC
114 Wellington Ave.
Ann-Marie Malloy

DEERFIELD

Old Deerfield Antiques
663 Greenfield Road
Brian Rider

EAST LONGMEADOW

Christine Robinson
511 North Main St.
Christine Robinson

JL Communications
67 Nottingham Dr.
Janet Lupacchino

Silverson Machines Inc.
355 Chestnut St.
Harold Rothman

Standen Financial Services
296 North Main St., Suite 12
Patti Standen

Vittoria Lombardi
511 North Main St.
Vittoria Lombardi

GREENFIELD

AutoZone #3247
430 Federal St.
AutoZone Northeast, LLC

Barts Ice Cream Co.
80 School St.
Thomas Schmidt

China Gourmet
78 Mohawk Trail
Chi & Chi Restaurant Inc.

Chinese Body Work
91 Main St.
Feng Ling Wang

New England Educational Partners
66 Meadow Wood Dr.
Martha Seretta

HADLEY

B & B HVAC
91 North Maple St.
Steven Beauregard

Burning Heart South
191 Russell St., A-C
Burning Heart, LLC

HOLYOKE

Dam Café
37-39 Myrtle Ave.
Michael McMahon III, Celeste Long

Hawks at Mt. Tom
320 Easthampton Road
Linda Henderson

Jhanvi, LLC
161-165 Suffolk St.
Mitaben Patel

O’Brien’s Auto
40 Anderson Hill
Edward O’Brien Jr.

T. McGarry Home Improvement
963 Hampden St., Apt. 1
Thomas McGarry

Rescom Property Improvement
60 West Glen St.
Raquel Soto

LONGMEADOW

Anne Most, LICSW
123 Dwight Road
Anne Most

Edward D. Jones & Co., LP
175 Dwight Road
Stephanie Griffin

On Point Property Solutions
145 Porter Lake Dr.
Katie Toomy

LUDLOW

Gary Guertin Excavating
437 Holyoke St.
Gary Guertin

Mackenzie and Sons
125 Wilno Ave.
Brandon Mackenzie

Nutritional Services Consulting
54 Owens Way
Lynn Moylan

NORTHAMPTON

45 and Single
73 Barrett St., #6192
Juan Diaz

Berkshire Natural, LLC
100 Emerson Way
David Starr

Hampshire Dermatology and Skin Health Center
39A Carlon Dr.
Katherine White, M.D.

Hampshire House Publishing Co.
8 Nonotuck St.
O. Stan Freeman

Movement Voter Project
37 Kensington Ave.
William Wimsatt

Penny Lane
141 Main St.
Ronny Hazel

Picture Public Health
26 Market St.
CommunicateHealth Inc.

RAPS Real Estate
79 Masonic St.
Joseph Curran, Dan Berger

SH Construction and Hardscapes
230 Bridge St.
Steven Gosselin

VIP Nail Spa
104B Damon Road
Tommy Nguyen

SOUTHWICK

A.J. Precision Inc.
13 Industrial Road
Wade Austin

Bob Solek Masonry
183 Granville Road
Bob Solek

First Choice Nurse Staffing Services, LLC
32 George Loomis Road
Mark Beaulieu

Spotlight Trade Show Displays
9B Whalley Way
Diane DeMarco

SPRINGFIELD

Bentley’s Café
1142 Berkshire St.
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36 Court St.
Cameron Walker

Capital Income Tax
1655 Main St.
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City Soul Market
700 State St.
Ruth Elizabeth

Josiah’s Landscaping
30 Harvard St.
Omar Santiago

Junny’s Transporter
37 Balis St.
Candido Borges

K and K Distribution, LLC
494 Central St.
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Longonot Transportation
49 Bissell Ave.
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181 Chestnut St.
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Marriott Hotel Service Inc.
2 Boland Way
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Shooting Star Dance Center
1196 Parker St.
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217A Berkshire Ave.
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823 Armory St.
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Weemans Custom Vinyl
98 Whittier St.
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WEST SPRINGFIELD

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215 Ely Ave.
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Distinctive Works
31 Lowell St.
Real Mercier

Edwin’s Quality Services
18 Kings Highway
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The Loft Salon Studio
2301 Westfield St.
Ann Marie Walts

Nick Tokman
46 Bonnie Brae Dr.
Nicholas Tokman

Panera Bread
935 Riverdale St.
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Roche Realty & Associates
425 Union St.
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90 Baldwin St.
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Michelle Litchfield

WILBRAHAM

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Health Care Sections

The Best of Both Worlds

Dr. Lindsey Rockwell, left,

Dr. Lindsey Rockwell, left,  says the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital offers patients and their families the best of both worlds.

Opened almost two years ago, the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital is a stunning example of collaboration in motion, if you will.  The center brings a host of services together under one roof, but it also brings the vast resources of Mass General to CDH and the people it serves. The collaboration that created and designed the center is rock solid, but it also continues to evolve and add new layers to a unique partnership.

Dr. Lindsey Rockwell calls it “the gift that keeps on giving.”

As she spoke those words, she acknowledged that they form a somewhat old, well-worn cliché used, to one degree of effectiveness or another, in a wide array of forums.

But when it comes to the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, it works, said Rockwell, a medical oncologist and hermatologist now affiliated with the center.

She told BusinessWest that when the center was conceptualized several years ago, it was envisioned as a facility where a host of specialists and services would come together under one roof, bringing higher levels of convenience and lower levels of stress to both patients and their families.

It was also blueprinted to become a truly unique asset for the region, one that would essentially make the vast resources of Massachusetts General Hospital and its oncologists available to individuals in this region — often without them having to travel to Boston.

And the center has become all of that and much more, said Rockwell as she talked about the facility nearly two years after it officially opened its doors. This is what she meant by that ‘gift that keeps on giving’ comment, before elaborating and reshaping her thoughts.

“Part of the beauty of this relationship is the idea of creating a new paradigm in oncology care where the patient can have their care in their backyard, with a world-renowned academic and research hospital at their fingertips when and if they need it,” she said. “And as a community oncologist, I believe this allows the patient to have the best of both worlds.

“They can have the intimacy and ease of a community hospital,” she went on. “And they can have access to the experts that are writing the data and doing the research in the field of their disease. They can get that here and not have to drive to Boston every week.”

 Dr. Lindsey Rockwell

Dr. Lindsey Rockwell

As she talked about the $5 million, 16,400-square-foot facility center and its first few years of operation, Rockwell came back repeatedly to that subject of stress — an all-important matters wen it comes to diagnosing and treating cancer — and how those at the center work collaboratively and effectively to reduce it.

“The patient doesn’t have to go see ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C’ — ‘A,’ ‘B,’ and ‘C’ come to the patient,” she went on. “And I think part of what that allows is for less stress. If the patient has a new cancer diagnosis, which obviously a terribly stressful time for them … by creating a system that works toward them, the intention is to alleviate the stress, their stress, and organize around them.”

For this issue and its focus on cancer care, BusinessWest talked at length with Rockwell about the center, the collaboration that created it and continues to fuel it, and this system designed to work for the patient.

Center of Attention

Rockwell said the seeds for the cancer center were planted perhaps as early as 2009, when a dialogue was generated with specialists at Mass General about what such a facility could and should look like — and how it would operate.

She called these the “courting stages.”

“Our go-to consultations to experts became our colleagues at Mass General,” she explained. “I think they had us on their radar for consideration for a satellite facility, and we had them on our radar for a replacement for Dartmouth Hitchcock (the former parent company for Cooley Dickinson Hospital).

“The oncology program was really the pilot program to establish a rapport with our colleagues in Boston,” she went on. “And it went really well.”

Elaborating, she said those both side of this pilot program developed a very fluid process of discussing patients, getting patients to Boston if they needed to be seen in Boston, and opening up a fast-track discussion of appropriate clinical trials.

“That groundwork was set over several years, and it led to the formal dialogue that created the actual affiliation,” she explained, adding that all this what not what she would call a natural process, but rather a “natural evolution” of a relationship or collaboration.

“It was like … ‘OK, we like you, and you like us, this is working — let’s do it,” she told BusinessWest. “‘And let’s broaden it and deepen it, and make it more specific, and define it — and agree to agree and create a relationship.”

And this process of evolution has continued, meaning it certainly didn’t end when the cancer center opened its doors in the fall of 2015, she said.

As an example, she cited a growing platform of videoconferences staged at the center and involving colleagues at Mass General.  There are now three of them; one is a weekly breast cancer conference, another is focused on multiple myloma and takes place roughly every other month with the goal of eventually becoming monthly, and the third is a broader tumor conference staged monthly.

These conferences provide unique opportunities for both the oncologists based at Cooley Dickinson and their patients, Rockwell explained.

“It’s an informal way of getting a second opinion with more complicated cases, she said, adding that this is just one of many ways of bringing everything that Mass General offers to patients in this region, and just one example of ongoing evolution.

Radiation therapists treat a patient in the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dockinson Hospital.

Radiation therapists treat a patient in the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dockinson Hospital.

As for the center itself, Rockwell said its creation, specific design elements, and roster of services was, in itself, an exercise in collaboration.

“We met regularly — every month as the go-live time got closer — and discussed things as a group,” she explained. “That means everything from operations — where should the exam rooms go? And the infusion suite? Where is the waiting room? What is the flow process, from a patient coming in the door to the exam room to the infusion suite? Needless to say, that was an extraordinary amount of collaboration, and our colleagues were an intimate part of those decisions.

“And what’s interesting is that, while they were an intimate part of those decisions, they want us as a community hospital to have our own voice and have our own autonomy,” she went on. “And this is a big part of why I think this works — knowing that we have them in our back pocket if we want advice or counseling on a certain issue.”

Beyond access to the resources at Mass General, convenience is at the heart of the center’s creation and design, said Rockwell, adding that cancer care is now centralized at the facility.

“They have their labs done in one place, see their oncologist at that same place, and also have their scans done and their chemotherapy at the same place,” she explained, adding that radiation is one flight below the cancer center, and a new, multi-disciplinary breast clinic now in the planning stages will just one hallway away.

And this brings her back again to that broad mission of alleviating stress — for patients, obviously, but also for physicians as well, because of the ‘one roof’ nature of this facility and the manner in which it improves communication between members of a patients’ team.

“All the doctors are talking to each other in real time,” she explained. “That alleviates a lot of stress on the physicians, because having each other right there cuts back on phone calls and not being able to reach people; we get to sit down and have the conversations, and come to an agreement on the patient’s plan as a team.”

Coming Together

As she talked about life before the center was created and contrasted it with operations now, Rockwell said that before, things were ‘separate’ — a word she eventually preferred over ‘fragmented,’ although she used them both —and now they are integrated.

And the change is significant for all parties involved — specialists delivering care, their patients, and the patients’ families — because integrated translates directly into “more patient centered,” she explained, which is the quality that those who orchestrated this collaboration and the cancer center itself had in mind when they did so.

“Because we’re all under one roof, the plan for the patient’s care is driven by the patient, the diagnosis, and the team taking care of them.”

This is what she meant by the center being a gift that keeps on giving — a development will continue, just as the center and the collaboration behind it continue to evolve.

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