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Community Spotlight

Courtney Hendricson spends a moment with Sean Vaccarella

Courtney Hendricson spends a moment with Sean Vaccarella in the newly opened Vitamin Shoppe on Elm Street.

Courtney Hendricson thinks of herself as a matchmaker.

Although it’s an unusual way to describe the job of a town official, she is doing all she can to strengthen and facilitate the growth of Enfield’s key industries by introducing people to each other and keeping them informed about opportunities via networking events and social-media platforms.

“Some of our key industries are really strong, and others are burgeoning, but we’re taking a very proactive approach to growth, and I have relationships with builders, developers, site selectors, property owners, and brokers,” said the assistant town manager of development services. “It’s my job to connect them and let them know what is happening in town.”

Retail business is among the community’s key industries, and it is home to 3,000 stores. “Enfield is a regional retail destination, and many people spend their Saturdays here,” Hendricson said, pointing to the presence of industry giants such as Sears, Home Depot, and Costco, as well as a plethora of other stores and eateries found in the mall, shopping centers, and business corridors easily accessible off Interstate 91.

She added that the retail corridor — which starts immediately after vehicles exit from 91, runs along Elm Street, and connects to Freshwater Boulevard — continues to grow.

“Starbucks and the Vitamin Shoppe opened in late August in a renovated building on Elm Street that used to be an Arby’s restaurant, Asian Grille and OMI Grocery are opening this month on Enfield Street, and a new, 14,500-square-foot Goodwill store is under construction on Palomba Drive,” Hendricson said. “Hannoush Jewelers put up a new building on Elm Street, expanding from a much smaller space in the Stop & Shop Plaza, and Chick-fil-A built a pad site and opened in the parking lot of an existing shopping center on Hazard Avenue.

“We rarely have vacancies in our retail corridors, and when they occur, the space is filled very quickly,” she continued, adding that the town is working with a food franchiser who hopes to move into the former Rockville Bank building, which sits on 1.1 acres and has been empty for several years.

One of the town’s many retailers, Vitamin Shoppe Manager Sean Vaccarella, views Enfield as an ideal location.

“We’re really excited to be here; the economy is thriving in terms of retail, and there are acres of stores in Enfield,” he said. “We’re looking to penetrate the market and develop a footprint here.”

Advanced manufacturing is another thriving industry, and a pipeline of employees is continually being created, thanks to the strong program at Asnuntuck College.

“They’re known as the leader in Connecticut for this type of education. In fact, the governor took their model and replicated it in other community colleges across the state. Enfield students are exposed to the program in middle school, and every grade from that point on has a program for interested young people,” Hendricson said. “The advanced-manufacturing industry here is robust. ”

The third key industry in town is logistics and distribution. “We’re very strong in this area,” she told BusinessWest. “Advanced Auto Distribution Center moved to Enfield after completing a major renovation of a former 400,000-square-foot Lego warehouse and brought more than 200 jobs here in the last year, and Brooks Brothers Distribution Center is in Enfield and is thriving in our industrial park.”

Hallmark Cards Distribution Center plans to close next June, but town officials are working to connect Hallmark’s commercial real-estate team with interested brokers. “It’s critical to fill all of our buildings to their best use, and we are very proactive in this area,” Hendricson said.

The town is also looking for an interested manufacturer or tenant to occupy a 235,000-square-foot building on 19 acres at 35 Manning Road. “It’s zoned industrial and is part of the commercial real estate that is available,” she told BusinessWest.

Meanwhile, growth is occurring in residential real estate, and revitalization efforts continue in the Thompsonville section of town.

For this, the next installment in BusinessWest’s Community Spotlight series, we look at the many forms of progress being recorded in this community just south of the Massachusetts state line.

Raising Awareness

While existing, traditional sectors of the economy are thriving in Enfield, town officials want to build even more diversity into the equation.

For example, while there are some biomedical-related companies in Enfield, officials want to increase their number.

“The industry is growing, and we’re trying to cultivate it here. Johnson Memorial Hospital has a campus in Enfield, and we have companies that are thriving,” Hendricson said, mentioning Davita Enfield Dialysis on Palomba Drive as an example. New zoning was created about 18 months ago within a few industrial sites to spur growth and facilitate the use of properties for biomedical manufacturing, which include Metro Park North on Route 5, a 135-acre site that could be subdivided.

Town officials are encouraged by the decision by Cirtec Medical Systems, LLC to move from East Longmeadow into a new, 35,000-square-foot plant in Enfield. It will have a 5,000-square-foot clean room and a 6,000-square-foot, controlled-environment assembly space, in addition to a machine shop and laboratory. The company provides outsourced services for the medical-device industry that are used in stroke recovery and heart-disease treatment.

“The move will bring 100 jobs to Enfield, and they have told us they plan to add another 50,” Hendricson said. “We’ve made a concerted effort in the past year to do more outreach to spur additional economic growth. We have also strengthened our revitalization efforts in Thompsonville, and continue to foster an environment that provides new ways to unite our business community.”

To that end, the city’s Economic Development Commission held its first Business Development Summit on Sept. 23, and the 150 available slots were filled quickly.

“It highlighted all of our key industries, and people came from both the Greater Hartford and Springfield areas,” Hendricson said, adding that there were breakout sessions with panels composed of experts who discussed the town’s main industries: advanced manufacturing, logistics and distribution, healthcare and the environment, and the future of retail.

“These are areas where we are really strong, and our goal was to showcase them,” she told BusinessWest, adding that each participant received a booklet with photos and detailed information about every available commercial property in town. “The properties range from 600 to 235,000 square feet; from small, rentable spaces downtown and in Thompsonville  to an available building in our retail corridor that was a car dealership. We worked hard on the summit in hopes that, by bringing players to the table together, they could make deals.”

She added that copies of the booklet, which contain photos and detailed information about available property, were given out last year during a breakfast for commercial real-estate developers.

Hendricson also records quarterly video news clips called “V-News,” which can be seen on YouTube and keep viewers up to date on economic development.

She just finished her third video, and a link to each broadcast is e-mailed to more than 3,000 of what she refers to as “key players,” who range from commercial and residential real-estate developers to businesses and CEOs of leading companies.

Efforts have also been made to streamline the town’s permitting process and make sure it is consistent and predictable. To that end, Enfield recently purchased new, customer-friendly software that is being customized and will allow people to apply for a permit online, 24 hours a day, then check its status.

“It’s exciting. We’re really trying to serve developers and businesses and figure out what we need to do to get people to invest and grow their companies,” she explained.

Growth is also being recorded in residential real estate. A 340-unit, luxury apartment community called Mayfield Place is under construction, and will contain 10 two-story buildings.

“There is a real demand for this type of housing. Bigelow Commons is completely filled, and these units are likely to appeal to professionals,” Henricson said, referring to the former carpet mill that was renovated and converted to apartments.

In addition, revitalization efforts continue in Thompsonville, which include infrastructure improvements. “We’ve been very proactive; we have formed partnerships with building owners and continue to work with state officials to make sure a new transit center there becomes a reality,” she went on, explaining that the vision for Thompsonville is to turn it into a vibrant, walkable village centered around the transit center, as a commuter rail line between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield is slated to begin operating next year.

Moving Forward

Town officials urge business owners and investors to visit www.thinkenfield.com, a site established a year ago devoted entirely to news and opportunities related to economic development.

“It contains demographics on all of our commercial properties,” said Hendricson. “There is also a calendar of current events and information about revitalization work being done.”

In addition, Enfield offers space for business classes and meetings free of charge, and employees in its information-technology department help new businesses with tasks ranging from creating Excel spreadsheets to establishing websites.

“We continue to show investors and developers the potential of Enfield,” she went on. “The town is on the move, and we are making things happen. There is room to grow and open a business here.”

Enfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1683 in Massachusetts; annexed to Connecticut in 1749
Population: 44,654 (2010)
Area: 34.2 square miles
County: Hartford
Residential Tax Rate: $29.89 (plus fire district tax)
Commercial Tax Rate: $29.89 (plus fire district tax)
Median Household Income: $68,356
Type of government: Town Council; Town Manager
Largest Employers: MassMutual; Hallmark Cards Distribution Center; the Lego Group
* Latest information available

Sections Super 60

Success Stories Offer Measures of Optimism

Super60logoThe Springfield Regional Chamber’s annual Super 60 lists have consistently reflected the depth and diversity of the region’s economy, and the Class of 2015 is no exception. Ranked by Total Revenue and Revenue Growth, this year’s honorees reflect the vibrancy of sectors ranging from healthcare to manufacturing; retail to financial services — and much more.

A quarter-century after its inception, the Super 60 program continues to document not only the growth and sustained success of area businesses, but the vitality of the local economy.

The Springfield Regional Chamber — formerly the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield — has been issuing annual lists of its largest-revenue and fastest-growing members since 1990, documenting, over time, the businesses that keep the region running.

“There’s a reason we break it down by Revenue Growth and Total Revenue,” said Jeffrey Cuiffreda, Springfield Regional Chamber president. “I think it shows we have a lot of mature industries on the largest-revenue list, and to get to that level, you have to be around a long time and have a stable base, and that shows the good foundation of our economy.

“At the same time,” he went on, “we’re finding newer and newer companies that come along, and that’s oftentimes where the growth comes from. There’s usually a good cross-section of industries there, which shows the diversity of the growing companies that add to our employment base.”

Being named to the Super 60 has also become a bragging right for businesses large and small, and a highly anticipated fall tradition. The Super 60 companies will be honored at a luncheon on Friday, Oct. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Chez Josef in Agawam, presented by Health New England and sponsored by Berkshire Bank, WWLP-TV22 News, and Zasco Productions.

To be considered, companies must be headquartered 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 have been 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.

“Small business is the backbone of our region, and the success of this year’s winners is a clear indication that our regional economy is strong,” Ciuffreda said, adding that, while all winners in the Total Revenue category had revenues in excess of $4 million, one-third exceeded $30 million. The Total Revenue winners combined for more than $1 billion in revenues.

In the Revenue Growth category, all winners had growth in excess of 20%, while one-third had growth in excess of 65%. In addition, 11 companies in the Total Revenue category also qualified for the Revenue Growth category, and 19 companies in the Revenue Growth category also qualified for the Total Revenue category. Each was placed in the list where it ranked highest.

Topping the Total Revenue category is NUVO Bank & Trust Co. in Springfield, followed by Whalley Computer Associates Inc. in Southwick and Sarat Ford-Lincoln in Agawam. In the Revenue Growth category, Springfield-based City Enterprise Inc., a woman-owned commercial and residential builder, finished on top for the second straight year, followed by Aegenco Inc. in Springfield and Holyoke Community College Foundation Inc.

Emily and Oliver Rich, founders of Tea Guys, will keynote the Oct. 23 Super 60 luncheon. Founded in 2002, Tea Guys has steadily expanded, tapping into the strong consumer demand for superior tea products. The company has expanded its online platform to include a brick-and-mortar location in a 10,000-square-foot retail store and production facility in Whately. Boasting more than 120 blends, the company offers its blends as loose teas, K-style cups, and a tea beverage concentrate product for the hospitality industry, and are sold nationwide.

Luncheon reservations are $50 for Springfield Regional Chamber members and $70 for non-members. To reserve tickets, visit www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or e-mail Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

TOTAL REVENUE

* Qualified for both lists

1. Nuvo Bank & Trust Co.*
1500 Main St., Springfield
(413) 787-2700
www.nuvobank.com
Dale Janes, CEO
NUVO Bank is a locally owned, independent small-business bank located in downtown Springfield. NUVO provides loans, deposits, and cash-management services for personal-banking and business-banking needs.

2. 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 ownership of technology and productivity enhancement for its customers. Whalley carries name-brand computers as well as low-cost performance compatibles.

3. Sarat Ford-Lincoln
245 Springfield St., Agawam
(413) 789-5400
www.saratford.com
Jeff Sarat, President
Founded in 1929 by John Sarat Sr., Sarat Ford has become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass., and today, grandson Jeff Sarat leads the company. The full-service dealership includes a state-of-the-art body shop, and a new, 10,000-square-foot expansion offers a 24-bay service center that houses a $1 million parts inventory featuring Ford, Motorcraft, Motorsport, and a variety of other specialty manufacturers.

Associated Electro-Mechanics*
185 Rowland St., Springfield
(800) 288-4276
www.aemservices.com
Elayne Lebeau, Owner/CEO
Associated Electro-Mechanics is a diversified, one-stop industrial sales and service center servicing the New England region and beyond, with a variety of industrial repair and rebuilding services.

The Assoc. for Community Living
220 Brookdale Dr., Springfield
(413) 732-0531
www.theassociationinc.org
Barbara Pilarcik, Executive Director
For 60 years, the Assoc. for Community Living has been creating opportunities, building relationships, and improving lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The agency’s caring and experienced workforce empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to live with dignity, bringing fulfillment, community, and valuable relationships into their lives.

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; all aspects of site-development work; sewer, water, storm, and utilities; and streetscape improvements.

Bay State Elevator Co.
275 Silver St., Agawam
(413) 786-7000
www.bseco.com
Harold Potts, President
Established in 1908, Bay State Elevator works with architects, builders, and business owners to install state-of-the-art elevators of all sizes and shapes. The company also specializes in modernization and maintenance of elevator systems. It boasts six offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Vermont.

Braman Chemical
Enterprises Inc.
147 Almgren Dr., Agawam
(413) 732-9009
www.braman.biz
Gerald Lazarus, President
Braman has been serving New England since 1890, using state-of-the-art pest-elimination procedures for commercial and residential customers. The company has offices in Agawam, Worcester, and Lee, as well as Hartford and New Haven, Conn.

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 127 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.

Community Enterprises Inc.
441 Pleasant St., Northampton
(413) 584-1460
www.communityenterprises.com
Dick Venne, President and CEO
In 1972, some progressive staff members at Northampton State Hospital applied for and received a small grant to develop a program to train residents to live and work outside the hospital. In the 40 years since, Community Enterprises has grown into a multi-faceted program that supports the employment, educational, and independent-living goals of people with disabilities in three states.

Cutchins Programs for
Children & Families Inc.
78 Pomeroy Terrace, Northampton
(413) 584-1310
www.cutchins.org
Jay Indik, Executive Director
Cutchins Programs for Children & Families boasts 37 years of providing care not easily found in today’s healthcare environment. It offers residential, outpatient, and special-education services for children and families struggling with the effects of trauma and mental illness in a sanctuary of safety and love.

The Dennis Group*
1537 Main St., Springfield
(413) 746-0054
www.dennisgrp.com
Tom Dennis, CEO
The Dennis Group offers complete planning, design, architectural, engineering, and construction-management services. The firm is comprised of experienced engineering and design professionals specializing in the implementation of food-manufacturing processes and facilities.

Environmental Compliance
Services Inc.*
588 Silver St., Agawam
(413) 789-3530
www.ecsconsult.com
Mark Hellstein, President and CEO
For more than 25 years, ECS has specialized in environmental site assessments; testing for asbestos, lead, indoor air quality, and mold; drilling and subsurface investigations; and emergency-response management.

Filli, LLC 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 a variety of clients throughout Western Mass. The laboratory-testing division originally focused on industrial hygiene analysis, but rapidly expanded to include numerous techniques in air analysis, classical (wet) chemistry, metals, and organics, and has the capability for analyzing nearly all water, air, soil, and solid materials.

Gandara Mental Health Inc.*
147 Norman St., West Springfield
(413) 736-8329
www.gandaracenter.org
Dr. Henry East-Trou, CEO
Focusing on the Latino/Hispanic community, Gandara Center provides substance-abuse recovery, mental-health, and housing services for men, women, children, adolescents, and families throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Holyoke Pediatrics
Associates, LLP
150 Lower Westfield Road, Holyoke
(413) 536-2393
www.holyokepediatrics.com
Carole Hebert, Manager
Holyoke Pediatric Associates is the largest pediatric practice in Western Mass., serving patients from Pioneer Valley communities at offices in Holyoke and South Hadley. The group medical practice comprises board-certified pediatricians, certified nurse practioners, and more than 75 clinical, nutritional, and clerical support staff, and has served the healthcare needs of infants, children, and adolescents since 1971.

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 — Agawam, Williston, Vt., and Bow, N.H., making it the largest total showroom in New England, with in-stock inventory of equipment and smallware consisting of more than 7,000 different items. The company also handles design services, and has designed everything from small restaurants to country clubs to in-plant cafeterias.

Marcotte Ford
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.

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.

Poly-Metal Finishing Inc.
1 Allen St # 218, Springfield
(413) 781-4535
www.poly-metal.com
Jason Kudelka, President
Poly-Metal Finishing Inc. has served the metalworking industry for more than three decades and specializes in providing the aerospace, military, and com­mercial sectors with complete anodic services: sulfuric anodizing, color anodizing, chromic, hardcoat, polylube pro­cessing, chemical conversion of aluminum, and pre-bond coatings.

Rediker Software Inc.
2 Wilbraham Road, Hampden
(800) 213-9860
www.rediker.com
Richard Rediker, 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.

Riverside Industries Inc.
One Cottage St., Easthampton
(413) 527-2711
www.rsi.org
Charlene Gentes, President
Now in its 45th year, Riverside Industries provides individualized services combining life-skills development, rehabilitation, and employment options for more than 270 adults living with developmental disabilities from 33 communities. Riverside also offers a wide range of innovative therapies and programs, including music, art, farming, yoga, and other classes.

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.

Tighe & Bond Inc.
53 Southampton Road, Westfield
(413) 562-1600
www.tighebond.com
David Pinsky, President
Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011, Tighe & Bond specializes in environmental engineering, focusing on water, wastewater, solid-waste, and hazardous-waste issues, and provides innovative engineering services to public and private clients around the country and overseas.

Troy Industries Inc.
151 Capital Dr., West Springfield
(413) 788-4288; (866) 788-6412
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. The choice of special ops, law enforcement, and war fighters worldwide, Troy Industries 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.

Valley Opportunity Council Inc.
35 Mount Carmel Ave., Chicopee
(413) 552-1554
www.valleyopp.com
Stephen Huntley, Executive Director
The Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is the largest and most diverse community-action agency in the region. It has a network of support and collaborative services that include energy assistance, nutrition, early education and childcare, adult education, senior services, housing, money management, and transporation.

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.

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 “to preserve the dignity, independence, and quality of life of elders and disabled persons desiring to remain within their own community.” The agency offers a variety of services for elders, their families and caregivers, and persons with disabilities. Programs and services include supportive housing, home care, options counseling, adult family care, nutrition programs, adult foster care, and group adult foster care.

Westside Finishing Co.
15 Samosett St., Holyoke
(413) 533-4909
www.wsfinish.com
Brian Bell, President
A leading powder coater, Westside Finishing began more than 30 years ago as a liquid-coatings job shop. Today, it offers a much wider array of services, including silk screening, pad printing, trucking, sub-assembly, final packaging, and more. Over the years, Westside has significantly increased the size and volume capability of parts it is able to coat by installing new coating equipment, increasing inventory, and bringing new members onto the team.

REVENUE Growth

* Qualified for both lists

1. City Enterprise Inc.*
38 Berkshire Ave., Springfield
(413) 726-9549
www.cityenterpriseinc.com
Wonderlyn Murphy, president
City Enterprise Inc. offers skilled general-contracting services to the New England region. The company prides itself on custom design and construction of affordable, quality homes and the infrastructure surrounding each project.

2. Aegenco Inc.*
55 Jackson St., Springfield
(413) 746-3242
Spiro Vardakas, President
Aegenco, an energy-conservation consulting firm, has grown steadily since its inception in 2005.

3. Holyoke Community College Foundation Inc.
303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
(413) 552-2546
www.hcc.edu/the-hcc-foundation
Erica Broman, executive director
The Holyoke Community College Foundation was created four decades ago to help the college meet the needs of the region’s citizens and workforce, by raising both funds and awareness and supporting programs and activities in keeping with the mission of the college.

Aegis Energy Services Inc.*
55 Jackson St., Holyoke
(800) 373-3411
www.aegisenergyservices.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.

CanAm Fibers*
100 State St., Ludlow
(413) 525-9018
www.canamfibers.net
Peter Meuiner, president
CanAm Fibers has established itself as a well-known and highly respected supplier of varied and specialty-grade paper products to export markets, particularly third-world countries, a segment that allows CanAm to offer domestic suppliers a feasible and economically advantageous avenue in which to dispose of excess material.

Chemex Corp.*
11 Veterans Dr., Chicopee
(413) 331-4460
www.chemexcoffeemaker.com
Liz Grassy, president
The Chemex coffeemaker was invented in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. Made simply from non-porous, borosilicate glass and fastened with a wood collar and tie, it brews coffee without imparting any flavors of its own. Chicopee-based Chemex Corp., a family-owned company, manufactures Chemex coffeemakers, bonded filters, handblown water kettles, and accessories for worldwide distribution.

Detector Technology Inc.*
9 Third St., Palmer
(413) 284-9975
www.detechinc.com
Jay Ray, president
Detector Technology is a leading manufacturer of products and systems for OEM and equipment manufacturers, specializing in channel electron multipliers, glass extrusion and fabrication, and motion-control products. With a state-of-the-art fabrication and production facility, An ISO 9001-certified commapny, DeTech has been delivering for its customers for more than 20 years.

East Baking Company Inc.*
104 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke
(413) 536-2300
www.eastbaking.com
Danny Serra, President
East Baking Co. offers a full line of fresh and frozen bakery products, with an extensive product line including everything from wraps and pitas to yeast rolls and frozen dough, with full-service distribution in Western Mass. and Connecticut.

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 Western Mass. to Southern Conn. From unblocking kitchen sinks to replacing sewer lines, this woman-owned company keeps up to date with all the latest technology, from high-pressure sewer jetters to the newest camera-inspection equipment.

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 combines the traditional service philosophy of an agency with the talents of a dynamic marketing organization. With the expertise and resources that enable clients to 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.

Grand Prix International Inc.*
34 Front St., Indian Orchard
(413) 543-8887
www.grandprixintl.com
Michael Fisher, President
Since 1978, Grand Prix International has grown to become a leading independent game manufacturer, offering a wide range of services, from graphic design to project management, manufacturing, and freight forwarding. GPI has extensive experience with custom product packaging, specializing in plastic molding, tins, clamshells, blister cards, set-up boxes, neck boxes, wood boxes, and displays.

Hampden County Career
Center Inc. d/b/a CareerPoint
850 High St., Holyoke
(413) 532-4900
www.careerpointma.com
David Gadaire, executive director
Since 1996, Hampden County Career Center Inc., d/b/a CareerPoint, has been serving the workforce and economic-development needs of individual job seekers, social-service agencies, and the business community throughout Hampden County and beyond. The center transforms the maze of complex, bureaucratic employment and training programs into one seamless service-delivery system for job seeking and employer customers alike.

Hayden Corp.*
333 River St., West Springfield
(413) 734-4981
www.haydencorp.com
John Hayden, President
Founded in 1919, Hayden Corp. is an ISO 9002-2008 registered provider of thermal spray coatings and other wear- and corrosion-control surfaces, providing comprehensive pre- and post-surfacing services, including preparatory machining, finish grinding, and metallurgical coating quality analysis.

Human Resources Unlimited Inc.*
60 Brookdale Dr., Springfield
(413) 781-5359
www.hru.org
Don Kozera, President and CEO
HRU’s programs annually help more than 1,500 people with physical and mental disabilities or who are disadvantaged by poverty or homelessness, by providing a unique and holistic approach to skill building, job-readiness training, placement, and support. Each year, HRU works with about 140 area employers, providing them with a skilled, reliable workforce while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for its members.

James J. Dowd & Sons
Insurance Agency Inc.*
14 Bobala Road, Holyoke
(413) 538-7444
www.dowd.com
John Dowd Jr., President and CEO
Founded in 1898, Dowd is one of the oldest, most experienced insurance agencies in Massachusetts. The staff includes fully licensed and certified insurance and financial services agents and brokers with a full complement of professional license and designations to insure that clients receive proper insurance and financial-services guidance.

Kielb Welding Enterprises
d/b/a Advance Welding
47 Allston Ave., West Springfield
(413) 734-4544
www.theperfectweld.com
Christopher Kielb, President
Since 1978, Kielb Welding Enterprises, d/b/a Advance Welding, has served its clients with high-quality welding, brazing, and metal fabrication with state-of-the-art facilities and more than 100 years of combined welding experience. The company recently added 6,000 square feet of new facilities and actively participates as role models to young people who may someday seek a career in welding.

Lancer Transportation & Logistics*
311 Industry Ave., Springfield
(413) 739-4880
www.sulco-lancer.com
Todd Goodrich, President
Lancer Transportation & Logistics is a licensed third-party freight brokerage company. Since 1979, Lancer has been providing full-service transportation-brokerage services throughout North America.

Ludlow Heating & Cooling Inc.
1056 Center St., Ludlow
(413) 583-6923
www.ludlowheatingandcooling.com
Karen Sheehan, President
In business since 1978, Ludlow Heating & Cooling is a full-service energy company dedicated to providing quality heating and cooling products, including home heating oil, boilers, furnaces, hot-air systems, humidifiers, air cleaners, and air-conditioning systems. Services include home heating-oil delivery, 24-hour emergency service, annual tuneups, and equipment installations.

Market Mentors, LLC*
30 Capital Drive, 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.

Northeast IT Systems Inc.
777 Riverdale St., West Springfield
(413) 736-6348
www.northeastit.net
Joel Mollison, President
Full-service IT company providing business services, managed IT services, backuop 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.

O’Connell Professional
Nurse Service Inc.*
14 Bobala Road, Holyoke
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, president
For more than two decades, 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.

ONsite
Mammography, LLC*
815 N Road, Westfield
(413) 642-3759
www.osmammo.net
Karl Schmidt, President and CEO
ONsite Mammography is the develops and operates digital mammography services within the ob/gyn profession. It offers a comprehensive portfolio of project-management, installation, and operational services that eliminate the administrative burden to physicians and staff, thereby allowing them to remain focused on the delivery of quality patient care, which can now include digital mammography.

Orthotics & Prosthetics Labs Inc.
300 Birnie Ave., Suite 3, Springfield
(888) 432-5488
www.oplabs.com
Jim Haas and Blaine Drysdale, Owners
Orthotics & Prosthetics Labs provides physician-directed orthotic and prosthetic services to meet the personal needs and improve the health status of the area people. It offers a complete range of quality orthotic and prosthetic devices and services, specializing in custom-made braces and prosthetic limbs, but also stocking the most popular off-the-shelf braces.

Paragus Strategic IT*
84 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 for area clients. From information technology solutions to CMR-17 compliance to EMR implementation, Paragus provides business computer service, computer consulting, information-technology support, and other proactive services to businesses of all sizes.

PC Enterprises 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.

Pioneer Valley Financial
Group, LLC
535 East St., Ludlow
(413) 589-1500
www.pvfinancial.com
Joseph Leonczyk, Charles Myers, and Ed Sokolowski, Managing Partners
Realizing a need to provide a comprehensive, relationship-focused approach to financial planning, the partners at PV Financial Group opened their doors in 2002. Serving both individuals and organizations, the firm’s financial planners and financial advisors craft unique strategies for each client based on individualized needs, tolerances, and time horizons.

Powervestors II, LLC
55 Jackson St., Holyoke
(413) 536-1156
www.aegisenergyservices.com
Spiro Vardakas, Owner
PowerVestors provides services in power-generating equipment installation throughout the region.

Squier Lumber & Hardware Inc.*
5 Squier Ave., Monson
(413) 267-5542
www.squierlumber.com
Chris Haley and Kevin Haley, Owners
Serving the local community since 1874, Squier is the oldest continuously operating business in Monson. It offers lumber, building materials, paint, garden supplies, hardware, windows, doors, wood pellets and bagged coal, hearth products, and pellet, coal, and wood stoves.

Universal Plastics Corp.*
75 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke
(800) 553-0120
www.universalplastics.com
Joseph Peters, CEO
Since 1965, Universal Plastics has been a leading force in the custom thermoforming industry. It specializes in precision custom thermoforming, a plastic-manufacturing process that converts a sheet of plastic into a highly detailed finished product with less tooling investment than other plastic molding processes.

V&F Auto Inc.
443 Springfield St, Agawam
(413) 789-2181
www.vfauto.com
Frank Palange, owner and president
Since 1988, V & F Auto Inc. has been a local, family-owned and -operated auto-repair center servicing Agawam and neighboring areas. As an approved AAA auto-service shop, its ASE-certified technicians have years of experience working on both domestic and import vehicles of all makes and models and can work with customers to find cost-effective repair and maintenance alternatives.

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Work and Play

PartyPlannerDPartFor companies large and small, the annual holiday party is a highly anticipated event — a chance to reward employees while celebrating the season (and another year in business). It’s also a massive opportunity for restaurants and banquet halls, which report a very healthy pace of bookings for 2015. The style of party varies from one event to the next — with lunchtime and January bookings up along with more traditional times — but all are aimed at providing good food, relaxation, and healthy profits for the area’s culinary industry.

After a year of dedicated service to their employers, a holiday party isn’t too much to ask for, is it?

Increasingly, companies are agreeing, and with the holiday-party-booking season in full swing at area restaurants and banquet halls, 2015 is shaping up to be a particularly strong year.

“We have maybe one or two days left on weekends to book events,” Abaz Cacunjanin, manager of Terrazza at Country Club of Greenfield, said of his December schedule, adding that each holiday season since opening the restaurant — this will be its third — has been better than the last for bookings. “Last year was one of the best for the restaurant industry, and we’re doing well this year.”

Erin Corriveau, catering and events manager at Lattitude in West Springfield, has become accustomed to a holiday rush — a rush that often ends in disappointment for late callers.

“I started booking holiday parties last year; some companies, at the end of their party, sealed the deal on the date for the following year,” she said. “I booked a few more in February and March, and by early August, every single Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in December was booked for holiday parties on site, and we were booking into January as well. Right now, we’re working on filling up the Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and the few Sundays that are left.

“People call in the summer and say, ‘I know I’m early, but I want to get ahead,’” she went on. “But you’re not early, even though it’s 90 degrees out and no one is thinking about Christmas. Companies that want a particular date are upset if they can’t get it, and one actually booked with us for December 2016 instead, which is incredible. You can never be too early in thinking about your holiday party.”

Joe Stevens, owner of Hofbrauhaus in West Springfield, also knows the value of repeat business around the holidays. “A lot of people come year after year after year,” he said. “They want a certain Friday, or a certain room. They’ll change their menus on occasion, but for the most part, they come back every year, or every two years. Others come in because we’ve won them over at the restaurant.”

That said, “the holidays are always good here,” he added. “The place decorates so well. I’ve been here 21 years, and we look forward to the holiday season every year. We’re going strong with party bookings this year, like we do every year.”

For this issue’s focus on holiday party planning — which also features profiles of three restaurants in unique settings — BusinessWest visited several establishments across the Valley to talk about what is turning out to be a merry season indeed.

’Tis the Season

Terrazza is one of the newer establishments in the region, opening in 2013 after a fire destroyed the clubhouse at the country club two years earlier. Cecunjanin and his brothers, who had previously operated Bella Notte in Bernardston, brought their Italian culinary sensibilities to the new eatery and opened it to the public for both regular dining and events.

“People don’t have to be so fancy here; it’s somewhere in the middle between fine dining and a nice restaurant you can go anytime,” he said. “We serve filet mignon along with wraps, sandwiches, and burgers, so it’s appealing to many people. A lot of people said an Italian restaurant would not be able to succeed here, but I beat my own expectations and certainly everyone else’s.”

Terrazza, which hosts gatherings from under 20 people up to 180, welcomes events ranging from weddings and class reunions to corporate events and holiday parties, he went on. “Much of my business is repeat. And, personally, I don’t take them for granted. We want to make a living through good food and kind service. We’re very people-oriented.”

That serves him well during the holiday party season, which introduces many first-timers to the restaurant, a benefit for any facility that welcomes company gatherings.

Terrazza’s Abaz Cecunjanin

Terrazza’s Abaz Cecunjanin says holiday bookings were strong last year and remain healthy in 2015.

That’s also true at Hofbrauhaus, where the party trend is toward sit-down dinners, which begin with a cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by a three- or four-course meal and wine, then dessert, Stevens explained. “Some of them have gift giving; there are a couple of companies I really look forward to because their gift giving is so much fun. It’s a very festive atmosphere with music.”

At other establishments, like Lattitude, the trend is toward stand-up events.


Go HERE for a listing of the region’s banquet facilities


“Last year, we had a lot of plated events. This year, we’re booking a lot of cocktail stations with fun food, and employees are not necessarily sitting down for a formal dinner,” Corriveau said. “They want food stations and passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails. For one green-energy company, we created a green cocktail. The trend is fewer formal sit-downs and more cocktail stations. It’s fun.”

That said, she added, buffets have become passé unless a company has a party catered on their premesis, in which case they’re more common.

One growing trend has seen restaurants host one event for numerous companies, giving small businesses an opportunity to experience a big-party atmosphere, with copious food choices and entertainment, on an affordable budget.

“That’s a great way to go for small businesses, and that’s what we mostly have around here,” said Deborah Snow, co-owner of the Blue Heron in Sunderland (see story, page 40), which hosts such a party each holiday season, in addition to individual gatherings for large and small groups in its various rooms.

“Most businesses in the Valley don’t have huge budgets for parties; they’re Yankees, and they’re frugal, which is great,” Snow said. “But business owners still want to give something to their employees in the way of a big holiday party, and this is one way to do it. We’ve also gone to other people’s locations to cater parties; that’s a big part of our success, too.”

Corriveau said Lattitude also brings the party to companies that prefer not to leave the office, or find it difficult to agree on a time for everyone, but still want to celebrate the season.

Erin Corriveau says Lattitude’s

Erin Corriveau says Lattitude’s prime December party dates were largely booked by August.

In addition, “a lot of people can’t do evenings or weekends, so they’re booking lunches, taking the staff out to lunch. They’ll either close early or take a big chunk out of the day to celebrate with staff,” she explained. “Work-life balance is a big thing, and a nighttime event might not work for all employees; they’re taking those needs into account and making a party work for as many people as possible.”

Giving Thanks

At their heart, Corriveau said, company holiday parties are a way to express gratitude.

“A lot of employers want to celebrate with employees and thank them,” she told BusinessWest. “Typically, the holiday season is considered the year end, so they’re thanking them for a job well done and their hard work throughout the year.”

For Cecunjanin, who took a chance on a new restaurant in 2013, the concept of gratitude takes on a different meaning — a more personal one — as he heads into a busy holiday season.

“You can work as hard as you want,” he said, “but any business needs a little luck, and so far, we’ve had luck on our side.”

That’s as good a reason as any to make merry.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Farm Fresh

The Blue Heron

The Blue Heron offers a striking setting inside Sunderland’s 148-year-old former Town Hall.

The menu at the Blue Heron Restaurant & Catering lists more than 25 farms in Western Mass. that supply the Sunderland restaurant with fresh meat, produce, and dairy products. Co-owner Deborah Snow says that’s just an extension of what she learned as a child growing up on a farm in Ohio.

“I came from a food family — today they would be called foodies,” she said. “They were from agricultural backgrounds. I lived on a farm until I was 2; my parents were farmers who loved to eat good food. They had experimental tastes for that time, even though we didn’t have access to a lot of global cuisine back then. They were great cooks; my mother was a pastry chef.”

Though the phrase ‘farm to table’ hadn’t yet been coined, “that was the roots of my family; you ate what was fresh,” Snow went on. “It was all oriented to seasons. I don’t remember having tomatoes in the house if it wasn’t tomato season. My family wouldn’t eat corn if it wasn’t picked that morning. It’s just how I grew up.”

As a child, Snow fantasized about owning a restaurant, but chose instead to study art history and photography in college, aiming for a career in art and, in the early ’80s, landing a photography exhibition for the United Nations.

“But I’ve worked in the restaurant industry since I was 14,” she added, with an aunt and uncle who ran a diner and another aunt and uncle with a catering business. Years later, that experience led her to shift her career focus. “When you’re a struggling artist, you need to get money somewhere, and one day I said, ‘I can actually make more money in the food business.’”

Still, she found that the food world was no hindrance to her goal of being an artist — it simply represented a different kind of art.

“I found a great deal of creativity in being a chef,” she told BusinessWest, but she didn’t want to own her own business at first, working instead for a large catering company in Boston. “That’s where I feel I really grew in knowledge. The best teacher is just getting in and doing it.”

Her many different forays into the culinary world convinced her that her passion truly lay there, she explained, adding that passion is a must to succeed in such a challenging industry. “Everyone wants to be a chef until they understand how grueling it is. And the financial rewards are not like being an IT person. It’s not like creating code.”

After running a small restaurant in Boston, she moved to Western Mass. and worked as the prepared food manager at Bread and Circus, then took catering jobs with Amherst College and Northfield Mount Hermon School, where she met her eventual partner in business and in life, Barbara White.

Taking the Leap

White took a similarly circuitous route into food service. She began her career as an elementary-school teacher, worked in an alternative school in the 1970s for a few years, moved to Massachusetts, and ran community-based mental-health programs for teenagers. At Northfield Mount Hermon School, where she worked first as a campus dean and later as director of parent programs, she decided to launch a catering business with Snow, which led to the Blue Heron.

“She was an educator and administrator, but she always had this desire to be in the hospitality business, so that’s what we did,” Snow said, adding that the restaurant initially opened on the banks of the Sawmill River in Montague in 1997 and quickly caught on with the dining public.

Deborah Snow

Deborah Snow says the Blue Heron was focused on locally sourced food long before it became an industry buzzword.

“People thought we were crazy,” she went on. “There’s a bookstore there whose motto is ‘books you don’t need in a place you can’t find.’ And we were not easily found — but we were successful. As one baker who was interested in doing business with us said, ‘if you’re successful here, you could really be successful anywhere.’”

With the customer base growing, Snow and White went looking for a new, larger location, and found an ideal spot in the Old Town Hall in Sunderland, which had fallen into disuse for almost a decade. After purchasing the property from the city for $1 and undertaking an extensive remodeling job, the Blue Heron reopened in 2004.

“It’s a great thing that towns are willing to do that with buildings that are burdensome to them,” Snow said. “It’s an old public building, and we found a way to reuse it. It was getting damaged, and there were leaks, and it was obvious the town didn’t want to keep it. We fit the profile of what they wanted to see — something that would increase their tax base and also bring people to the area, which we do.”

Built in 1867 to house the Sunderland town offices and grammar school, the building has served myriad municipal functions over the years. The first floor and basement were remodeled in the 1940s, but the second floor retains its original construction, including the Great Room’s pressed-tin walls and ceilings.

To White and Snow, the building was a satisfying challenge, since they already shared a love for old structures. “Barbara and I live in a house built in the late 1820s, early 1830s, and we’re in the process of working on that,” Snow said. “We love the character of an old building; we love the reuse.”

She talked with BusinessWest in the bar area, which used to be a small basketball court that doubled as a function area for various town activities. “Customers say, ‘I used to play ball here, and my daughter did ballet upstairs.’ We hear wonderful stories.”

Now, the partners are hoping to create new memories for diners through fresh, eclectic food in a striking, historic setting.

“Our motto is ‘globally inspired, locally sourced.’ I traveled a lot as a photographer, as did Barbara.” Her experience with the UN led Snow to the Middle East and Far East, where she always sought out local cuisine, not fare aimed at American tourists. “They really opened their hearts. I wanted to create food from the tastes I had around the world.”

When the Blue Heron first opened, however, exotic ingredients were harder to find than they are in 2015, when even the most Americanized grocery stores carry a wide range of Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern sauces and spices. However, while the ‘globally inspired’ aspect of their philosophy has evolved with the greater choices available today, the ‘locally sourced’ aspect was strong from the start.

“The meat for our burgers comes from Foxbard Farm, 20 miles away; it’s all grass-fed,” Snow said. “We go that extra mile and spend more money on all our meats than many restaurants. We’re not only doing that now; we were the only ones doing that when we opened. That’s our commitment, and for us, that never changes.”

It also provides incentive to change the menu seasonally; rather than tomatoes and corn and berry-centric desserts, the fall and winter will see increased usage of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and kale.

Moving On Up

While she no longer cooks on a nightly basis, Snow remains active in designing the menu, and she relishes the challenge of party bookers who request traditional ethnic dishes, from Indian to Mexican to Chinese.

“I love all those foods,” she said. “For one wedding, the groom was from India, and the bride was from around here. They wanted me to do a lamb biryani. I hadn’t made it before, but I studied, went out and tasted some, and made it for their wedding. They said it was the best they’d ever had.”

That kind of response, Snow said, is gratifying, and begins with a philosophy that fresh, local food beats freezers and powders — and it has helped her and White carve out one of Franklin County’s tastiest success stories.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Taste of History

Kevin Sahagian

Kevin Sahagian, Mill 1’s catering partner, uses seasonal produce from local farms.

Last year, Holyoke Medical Center transformed the event space in Mill 1 at Open Square into a winter wonderland for its annual holiday party.

Sparkling Christmas trees stretched toward the exposed beams on the room’s 12-foot ceiling, evergreen boughs nestled in deep windowsills that flank both sides of the room, and birch bark was wrapped around decorative centerpieces on every tabletop.

“It was beautiful. But you really don’t have to do much to this space to make it look amazing,” said Mill 1 Sales and Communications Director Maggie Bergin, adding that the natural elements in the building give the room character. “People really enjoy the atmosphere created by the exposed brick walls and gleaming maple floors. They set the stage for a holiday party, wedding, conference, or family gathering, while creating a stunning, neutral backdrop that can be customized to reflect almost any style. There is a quality to the construction that lends an elegance to events.”

Mill 1 is one of six buildings in Holyoke that make up the complex known as Open Square. It was a former paper mill, and architect and principal John Aubin began revitalizing the 19th-century structures in 2000.

Today, they contain office, retail, and light-industrial storage space, as well as the event space he carefully designed five years ago.

The impetus to create that area came from a confluence of factors: Pearl Bridal Boutique had opened in 2008 on the first floor, a liquor license was obtained for the café in the spacious first-floor lobby, and Bergin had been receiving frequent calls from people who loved the ambience of the renovated complex and wanted to know if Open Square had space that could be rented for an event.

She noted that 90% of the businesses in the complex are in Mill 4, and since the first floor of Mill 1 was focused on retail operations, it seemed like a natural place for Aubin to put his creative artistry to work. “He designed a custom bar made from cypress taken from an old, wooden water tank on top of the building. John tries to reuse elements in the buildings while giving them a modern look, so he had it dismantled and turned into a bar with pendant lighting and a matching liquor cabinet.”

The maple ceilings, beams, and brick walls were sandblasted, and the floors, which date back to 1846 when the mill was built, were refinished. In addition, a modern heating and cooling system was installed, and a partial wall was built toward the back of the space, which draws attention to the area often designated as a dance floor.

About 40 events were held there last year, ranging from corporate holiday parties, weddings, and fund-raising events to a lavish, 50th birthday celebration and a bat mitzvah.

an ideal setting for a holiday party

Brick walls and oversized windows provide an ideal setting for a holiday party.

The spacious lobby serves as an ideal spot for cocktail hours and a display of large panels titled “Between the Canals: The Evolution of a Mill Town,” created by Enchanted Circle Theater for a production of the same name, adds to the historic feel.

“We are also conveniently located — just a short distance from I-91, I-391, and Route 141,” Bergin said, adding that Mill 1 has parking for about 150 vehicles and is handicapped-accessible.

Menu of Choices

When the space first opened, people had to hire their own caterers. “But it was one more thing for them to do, so last year we began looking for a local partner,” Bergin said.

They teamed up with Kevin Sahagian, who owns Captain Jack’s Roadside Shack in Easthampton and Electric Café and Catering. He told BusinessWest he takes pride in the fact that he uses ingredients and produce from local farms, and offers a full range of options that includes buffets, formal sit-down dinners, and cocktail hours with hors d’oeuvres.

Sahagian said a growing number of businesses are choosing holiday parties centered around food stations, which allow people to mix and mingle as they move from one station to the next.

“Clients can select our imported and domestic cheese display that features wild mushroom paté with buttery croustades, or our vindaloo hummus with Armenian flatbread crisp. There are also seasonal options, such as butternut squash pakoras, turkey fennel meatballs with maple dijon dipping sauce, or roasted brussel-sprout chips,” he said. “Our menu includes traditional ethnic stations with Italian, Southern, and Asian offerings, but for more adventurous partygoers, we have a whiskey-rueben and root-beer station with petite corned-beef sandwiches, kosher pickles, potato-scallion pancakes, beer-braised brats, and kielbasa.”

Signature cocktails are also available, including a pomegranate rosemary punch and bloody marys created by partygoers at a bloody mary-cocktail shrimp station. Sahagian explained that guests can make their own cocktail and garnish it with shrimp, or simply enjoy the shrimp and cocktail sauce on its own.

“Buffet and plated dinners are always available, and a sample seasonal menu could include a salad of tempura parsnips tossed with mustard greens, creamy gruyere potatoes, port-wine-and-prune-braised brisket, and cider-doughnut bread pudding,” he suggested.

In addition to the food, Bergin added, Mill 1 prides itself on the quality of its linens, glassware, and silverware. However, decorating the space is left to the clients.

“We host quite a few weddings and during the holiday season, and many people put up Christmas trees as part of their décor,” she said, adding that Mill 1’s website contains a list of preferred vendors for those who don’t want to do their own decorating, or who need services like photographers, florists, live music, and more.

History and Tradition

Mill 1 has become a popular place to stage annual corporate holiday parties and other gatherings, and clients have included Veritech IT, the Jewish Federation of Springfield, O’Connell Development, and the Greater Holyoke YMCA, which held a fund-raiser in the space.

Traditions are created when companies return, but Open Square is a place where the past meets the present, Bergin said. “We are the only private operator left on the canal system generating our own electricity, which powers all of our buildings.

“People drive by these old mills and say they wish someone would do something with them. Well, we are here, we have done something, and we love this,” she continued. “When you have a party here, you are participating in the rebirth of Holyoke by actively supporting the city’s businesses and the reuse of a century-old, amazing building on its canals.”

Holiday Party Planner Sections

Tunnel Vision

The entrance to Union Station

The entrance to Union Station is one of the areas that underwent a complete renovation.

Outside of a stint in the military, Jeremiah Micka has worked at Union Station in Northampton since age 13. He knows every nook and cranny in the building, but will never forget the awe he felt the first time he entered the doors of the main area, which was built in 1896.

“I had never been in a room with 20-foot ceilings and such impressive lighting. But I always thought it could be something grander than a restaurant. It deserved to be a ballroom,” he said, adding that Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt made appearances there.

It took years for Micka to realize his vision, but today it has become a reality. Union Station has undergone a $1 million renovation, which preserved the historic interior, but revamped areas that needed improvement.

Micka began the work in November 2013 after purchasing the building, where he had been employed as a line cook, server, bartender, and bar manager. He contracted some jobs, but much of it was a labor of love, and he put in countless hours of painstaking effort to get things exactly the way he dreamed they should be.

Renovations included a new roof on the building, gutting the bathrooms and replacing them with modern fixtures, and installing new carpeting, a dance floor, and a tile floor in the hallway. The entranceway also received attention, and charm and utility were added with Goshen stone steps, brick pavers, stone walls, new plantings, and a curved handicapped ramp.

When Micka took the building over, the well-known Tunnel Bar in the basement of the building, and the Deck, located outside of the station, were doing well. But he knew the area that had been occupied by Spaghetti Freddy’s for years was an architectural gem, and he transformed the former restaurant area by focusing on its historic attributes.

“There was no doubt in my mind that this area would become our banquet hall,” Micka said as he sat in the newly created, 2,800-square-foot Grand Ballroom, pointing out its lofty ceilings, striking archway, enormous fireplace, buff-colored brick walls, and impressive windows.

“You could never replicate this,” he told BusinessWest, adding that he created a bridal suite that overlooks the Grand Ballroom where the bridal party can watch guests arrive before they make their entrance. “It’s extraordinary to see a bride and groom come through the archway. It’s a moment they don’t forget.”

Union Station, which reopened in August 2014, offers two banquet areas in addition to the Grand Ballroom. One is the Lounge, an historic space backed by a wall of intricate, stained-glass windows. “When this section of the station was built in the 1850s, it was used as a horse and buggy pull-up, as well as a train depot,” Micka said. “We just added a baby grand piano to the space, which has been refurbished and is fully functional. It was originally used in a jazz club in Northampton and is on a wheeled system so it can be brought into any space. People have already used it at different functions.”

UnionStationDningRoomAboveAfter repurposing the Lounge and transforming the Italian eatery into a ballroom, Micka focused on the rear of the building, which became the Platform Sports Bar. It boasts 21 televisions with surround sound, 110-inch projectors, and seating for almost 200 people. “During the winter, we have a disc jockey, and we have had wedding parties go into the bar and start dancing after the reception,” he said. People also frequent the well-known Tunnel Bar after events, and Micka has opened it early for group functions.

Although the Grand Ballroom and Lounge are rife with character, they have a more formal feel, and since Micka knew some people prefer to hold events in a casual space, he built the Blue Goose Room in the rear of the sports bar, where small parties gather and enjoy pub-style food and cocktails.

Diverse Offerings

Since Union Station reopened 14 months ago, 20 weddings and more than 100 events have been held in the ballroom, and an equal number have been held in the Blue Goose Room. There have also been numerous parties in the Lounge, including holiday gatherings for small companies, rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, and more.

“When we say this place is unique, we really mean it. We are flexible and appeal to so many different people,” Micka said.

Duncan agreed. “When we give tours, we take people into the Lounge and the Grand Ballroom. Most of them love it, but if they don’t, we take them into the Blue Goose Room, which is exactly what some people are looking for. It’s advantageous to have three areas to hold events.”

Union Station is a landmark in Northampton, and last December, Amtrak’s Vermonter began stopping at a new passenger rail platform located just to the south of the building. “The track runs past the station, and children who come to holiday events can be seen pressing their face to the windows when the train goes by,” Duncan said.

The Lounge in Union Station

The Lounge in Union Station can seat 50 people and is a popular spot for small company parties as well as showers, rehearsal dinners, and other gatherings.

Micka added that the station is easily accessible. “People coming off of I-91 simply take a left, then a right a short distance down the road into our driveway. We own the parking lot and have 400 spaces.

“Northampton is such a perfect location for an event, as there is so much variety and culture for guests to enjoy,” he went on. “The town has 61 restaurants, and people who stay overnight can walk here from Hotel Northampton. And our Tunnel Bar was just listed on Buzzfeed as the number-one bar that people should see before they die.”

Food for all functions is prepared on site, and the chefs use as much local produce as possible. “I was born and raised on a fourth-generation, 60-acre farm in Northampton, so I know most of the farmers in the area,” Micka said.

Duncan said the menu was designed to be upscale. But although many choices certainly fulfill that criteria, with entrees such as surf and turf and New York strip steak, people can also choose chicken wings, spring rolls, quesadillas, and other items typically served in the Blue Goose.

But the variety adds to the flavor. “We have done lobster bakes, with mussels, clams, and corn on the cob,” Duncan said, adding that Union Station employs three full-time chefs, and one is dedicated entirely to banquets. “Everyone is looking for something different, so we are very flexible. At the end of the day, we want our customers to be happy.”

To that end, only one event is held at a time in Union Station, he added. “When you are here, you are our focal point.”

Shared Sentiments

Micka said people who enter the Grand Ballroom for the first time experience his initial reaction.

“People’s faces light up when they walk into it. It has so much character, and in most cases, it’s exactly what they are looking for,” he told BusinessWest. “This building has always been a major focal point in Northampton.”

Thanks to his vision, today people can make their own memories — and history — in a place deemed worthy of a visit by four American presidents.

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2015.

AMHERST

Amherst Colonial Village
81 Belchertown Road
$3,000 — Exterior renovations

CHICOPEE

HIS Land Associates, LLC
672 Fuller Road
$14,000 — Install sprinkler system

Knights of Columbus
460 Granby St.
$27,000 — Strip and re-roof

Our Lady of Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$9,000 — Renovations at Berchman’s Hall

GREENFIELD

409 Federal Street, LLC
377 Federal St.
$8,500 — New shingles

Federal Realty
277 Main St.
$363,000 — Install wireless communications facility on existing building

Greenfield Co-Op Bank
63 Federal St.
$10,500 — Install suspended ceiling

Rosenberg Property, LLC
311 Wells St.
$44,000 — Subdivide existing space into office area

Salvation Army
72 Chapman St.
$114,000 — Renovate kitchen and two bathrooms

LUDLOW

Colvest Wilbraham, LLC
450-456 Center St.
$295,000 — New commercial building

SPRINGFIELD

988 Main Street, LLC
994 Main St.
$10,000 — Renovations for hair salon

City of Springfield
1170 Carew St.
$13,000 — Convert classroom to office and conference room

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$1,870,000 — Tenant fit-up of three floors for office space

Titeflex
603 Hendee St.
$164,000 — Renovations

Western New England University
1215 Wilbraham Road
$53,9000 — New roof

WESTFIELD

Anthony Rotticello
Root Road
$38,000 — Pre-engineered metal building

Stanley Park
400 Western Ave.
$1,691,000 — 1,500-square-foot bathroom and kitchen facility

Westfield Housing Authority
12 Alice Burke Way
$602,000 — Construct elevator shaft with lobby

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Jennifer Demerski
52 Park St.
$4,500 — Exterior renovation to storefront

KQuad, LLC
312 Memorial Ave.
$55,000 — Antennas installed to existing roof

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

355 Ashfield Mountain Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Kim Payne
Seller: Tamara Sloan
Date: 09/11/15

BERNARDSTON

4 Fox Hill Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Shannon Wissman-Hoar
Seller: Foxhill Road RT
Date: 09/16/15

191 Martindale Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Nathan R. Streeter
Seller: Moore, George R., (Estate)
Date: 09/11/15

47 Turners Falls Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. Fisk
Seller: Lester A. Black
Date: 09/10/15

BUCKLAND

5 Dunbar Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $262,750
Buyer: John B. Schatz
Seller: Warren S. Overlock
Date: 09/15/15

CHARLEMONT

39 Heath Stage Terrace
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Douglas F. Pratt
Seller: Thomas R. Lively
Date: 09/09/15

DEERFIELD

54 Sugarloaf St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Catherine A. Eden
Seller: Brian P. Diggins
Date: 09/16/15

ERVING

156 Mountain Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Andrew A. Hill
Seller: Sadlowski, Pauline M., (Estate)
Date: 09/18/15

GREENFIELD

780 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Steven D. Beckwith
Seller: William C. Shumway
Date: 09/14/15

19 Birch St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: L. R. Grignaffini-Gordon
Seller: Daniel R. Ashline
Date: 09/18/15

195 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $177,200
Buyer: Janna Walters-Gidseg
Seller: Ronald Gordon
Date: 09/18/15

214 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: John G. Lively
Date: 09/17/15

44 Devens St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Michael J. Roberts
Seller: Dharam K. Khalsa
Date: 09/10/15

93 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Rebecca A. Himlin
Seller: William C. Phelps
Date: 09/16/15

33 Lillian St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Darry C. Madden
Seller: Paul W. Hunter
Date: 09/08/15

260 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Keith F. Jenkins
Seller: Richard W. Hartshorn
Date: 09/18/15

167 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: David J. Larue
Seller: Kells, Marilyn F., (Estate)
Date: 09/16/15

LEYDEN

178 Frizzell Hill Road
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $328,548
Buyer: Michael Morgan
Seller: Roger M. Hewett
Date: 09/14/15

MONTAGUE

28 High St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Sarah R. Pendriss
Seller: Toby A. Holmes
Date: 09/16/15

NEW SALEM

24 Orange Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: 24 Orange Road RT
Seller: Jonathan L. Wooley
Date: 09/10/15

NORTHFIELD

555 Pine Meadow Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Michael A. Bond
Seller: Chad Beauregard
Date: 09/18/15

ORANGE

22 Govenor Dukakis Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $406,000
Buyer: Orange Distribution Co.
Seller: Massachusetts PFE Inc.
Date: 09/15/15

74 Harrison Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John Ferguson
Seller: Geneva Lawson
Date: 09/18/15

142 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Rachel M. Diamondstone
Seller: Michael A. Bond
Date: 09/18/15

77 Intervale Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Mark S. Brouillette
Seller: Donna A. Billiel
Date: 09/17/15

10 Lucci Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $406,000
Buyer: Orange Distribution Co.
Seller: Massachusetts PFE Inc.
Date: 09/15/15

207 Oxbow Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Donna A. Billiel
Seller: Dean A. Nutter
Date: 09/17/15

SHELBURNE

143 Main St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Manat M. Wooten
Seller: William R. Sweeney
Date: 09/10/15

SHUTESBURY

102 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Tamzeena Giggey
Seller: Leonard S. Bobrow
Date: 09/10/15

91 Wendell Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Katherine A. McConnell
Seller: William G. Labich
Date: 09/08/15

WHATELY

125 Haydenville Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Bonnie E. Hoffman
Seller: Susan B. Hanecak
Date: 09/10/15

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

53 Alexander Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Festus Vanjah
Seller: Alan E. Mark
Date: 09/11/15

158 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $125,441
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Mildred J. Macey
Date: 09/17/15

36 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Alexandra Alders
Seller: Scott R. Chapman
Date: 09/17/15

34-36 Mark Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $384,000
Buyer: Peter A. Langone
Seller: Langone Realty Corp.
Date: 09/15/15

78 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Joseph Cardaropoli
Seller: Cincotta, Annunaziata, (Estate)
Date: 09/18/15

104 Raymond Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: David P. Curley
Seller: Donald F. Kinsley
Date: 09/08/15

70 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Shaye A. Stone
Seller: Anthony B. Bishop
Date: 09/15/15

639 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Sinan Turan
Seller: Peter T. King
Date: 09/15/15

699 Silver St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $930,000
Buyer: MSR Properties LLC
Seller: Silver Street Realty LLC
Date: 09/14/15

BLANDFORD

6 Wyman Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ian T. McEwan
Seller: Alan D. Vautier
Date: 09/11/15

CHICOPEE

56 Acrebrook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Dianne A. Copeland
Seller: Bruce F. Cote
Date: 09/11/15

48 Ames Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Robert A. Arcott
Seller: Diane Lavoie
Date: 09/15/15

31 Boston St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $313,500
Buyer: Brian J. Jarry
Seller: Seth M. Tellier
Date: 09/18/15

38 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ralph H. Strolis
Seller: McCarthy, Marguerite, (Estate)
Date: 09/11/15

124 Deslauriers St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Roxanne Furgal
Seller: Linda Furgal
Date: 09/08/15

104 Fair St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Sara A. Kindness
Seller: Jason D. Siudak
Date: 09/10/15

225 Fuller Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Grzegorz P. Lech
Seller: Brian J. Jarry
Date: 09/15/15

1424 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Norman P. Avey
Seller: John H. Chase
Date: 09/16/15

369 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $176,700
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Kenneth Baer
Date: 09/18/15

13 Hunt Seat Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Lynn A. Landry
Seller: Sandra M. Litwin
Date: 09/18/15

53 Marlborough St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Danielle A. Dupont
Seller: Helena B. Ratelle
Date: 09/08/15

Morgan Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Claude D. Labrie
Seller: CRA Holdings Inc.
Date: 09/09/15

N/A
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Steven J. Morin
Seller: Eileen M. Morin
Date: 09/11/15

12 Oakwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Timothy J. Aloisio
Seller: Julia B. McCarthy
Date: 09/18/15

79 Old Farm Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Ronald G. Bergeron
Seller: Denise J. Dupuis
Date: 09/11/15

96 Providence St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,250
Buyer: Sean T. Fitzpatrick
Seller: Sheri A. Anderson
Date: 09/17/15

19 Rochester St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Rosario V. Rivera
Seller: Edward P. Grogan
Date: 09/18/15

73 School St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: R2R LLC
Seller: Bayview Loan Servicing
Date: 09/15/15

67 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Trigo
Seller: Juan B. Martinez
Date: 09/11/15

115 State St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Sergey Shumskiy
Seller: Scott A. Ryer
Date: 09/14/15

14 Tolpa Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Alfonso Botta
Seller: Elaine M. Blazejowski
Date: 09/11/15

38 Wellington Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $179,448
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jessica Goehlert
Date: 09/10/15

38 Wellington Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Redmond
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/18/15

EAST LONGMEADOW

23 Anthony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Nicole M. Stone
Seller: Kristine L. Sweetman
Date: 09/08/15

77 Brookhaven Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Dorothy J. Hightower
Seller: Michael K. Harding
Date: 09/10/15

391 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Mario A. Ferrentino
Seller: Patricia A. Marra
Date: 09/11/15

5 Favorite Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $488,000
Buyer: Jared D. Petit
Seller: Philip C. Jackson
Date: 09/17/15

31 Lenox Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Elizabeth R. Johnson
Seller: Joseph A. Reale
Date: 09/18/15

56 Lynwood Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $171,900
Buyer: Dennis J. Reyes
Seller: Wayne J. Cote
Date: 09/15/15

105 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Gullberg
Seller: Jodi Manley
Date: 09/14/15

278 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Adele C. Hill
Seller: Dominick A. Anzalotti
Date: 09/17/15

421 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Emilio Guadalupe
Seller: Peter D. Carpenter
Date: 09/15/15

48 Terry Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Michael B. Pereira
Seller: Noel P. Pixley
Date: 09/18/15

178 Vineland Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Kimberly A. Jeffries
Seller: Wladyslawa Plewa
Date: 09/18/15

HAMPDEN

135 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $139,500
Buyer: Wilmington Savings Fund
Seller: Sean J. McCafferty
Date: 09/11/15

39 Mill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Jay C. Torres
Seller: Jonathan Caruana
Date: 09/14/15

HOLLAND

65 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Daniel Hill
Seller: Bank of New York Mellon
Date: 09/11/15

HOLYOKE

25 Arthur St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Tammy K. Schmidt
Seller: Jean M. Fournier
Date: 09/08/15

249 Huron Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Robert Allen
Seller: Aurelio Garcia
Date: 09/15/15

9 Jarvis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Stacy K. Collins
Seller: Luc C. Petit
Date: 09/17/15

330 Mackenzie Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $124,100
Buyer: Bank of America
Seller: Loida M. Martinez
Date: 09/08/15

7 Michelle Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $364,900
Buyer: Peter J. Higgins
Seller: J. N Duquette &  Son Construction
Date: 09/11/15

318-320 Oak St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $141,588
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Carlos I. Lopez-Rivera
Date: 09/11/15

101 Pearl St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Peter A. Williams
Seller: David A. Gowler
Date: 09/11/15

324 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Hashim Mwanilelo
Seller: Everett J. Sexton
Date: 09/11/15

33-35 Wolcott St.
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Ricardo M. Renta
Seller: Hector L. Rosado
Date: 09/16/15

LONGMEADOW

107 Belleclaire Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $308,500
Buyer: Cartus Financial Corp.
Seller: Jeffrey A. Bellendir
Date: 09/15/15

84 Ellington St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $363,000
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Thibodeau
Seller: Frederick S. Kadushin
Date: 09/18/15

580 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Marvin Morris
Seller: Maria-Karnina Iskandar
Date: 09/16/15

635 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Sandra Coens
Seller: Gregory Dumeny
Date: 09/10/15

1657 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Muhammad A. Razzaq
Seller: Kristen S. Shejen
Date: 09/10/15

243 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Costello
Seller: Jeri A. Kreinest
Date: 09/18/15

61 Prynne Ridge Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $665,000
Buyer: James F. Foard
Seller: Peggy Grodd
Date: 09/09/15

6 Roseland Terrace
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Alan D. Vibber
Seller: Amy F. Zwaan
Date: 09/08/15

1112 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Gregory Dumeny
Seller: John R. Vogel
Date: 09/14/15

LUDLOW

41 Arch St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Mary C. Gero
Date: 09/11/15

546 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Jessica L. Janes
Seller: Eugene B. Labrecque
Date: 09/15/15

51 Kendall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Gail E. O’Connor
Seller: Joseph F. Leclerc
Date: 09/16/15

101-103 Minechoag Heights
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Steven A. Crespo
Seller: Shari C. Scott-Smith

76 Moody St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $180,500
Buyer: Ibrahaim Yanbul
Seller: Jared A. Rondeau
Date: 09/10/15

59 White St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Jose A. Clemente
Seller: William J. Dubuque
Date: 09/16/15

MONSON

146 Munn Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Elisabeth R. Charnley
Seller: Peter F. Matrow
Date: 09/18/15

223 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Kyle R. Metcalf
Seller: Timothy J. Aloisio
Date: 09/18/15

MONTGOMERY

Thomas Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Donovan Brothers Inc.
Seller: Albert G. Nugent
Date: 09/08/15

PALMER

75 Beech St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: David S. Anton
Seller: John M. Boilard
Date: 09/11/15

114 Belchertown St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Craig H. Bodamer
Seller: Thomas J. Pelissier
Date: 09/08/15

8 Countryside Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $209,836
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Krista J. Devine
Date: 09/15/15

3060 Palmer St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Aaron Jablonski
Seller: MHFA
Date: 09/10/15

1109 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jason E. Reome
Seller: Elizabeth A. Lasky
Date: 09/11/15

RUSSELL

1025 Westfield Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Robert F. James
Seller: Richard N Holcomb
Date: 09/11/15

SPRINGFIELD

11 Acton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $134,900
Buyer: Robert Carlson
Seller: Zdzislaw S. Kowalski
Date: 09/18/15

132 Alderman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $156,500
Buyer: Padma Biswa
Seller: Ngoc K. Nguyen
Date: 09/18/15

33 Alwin Place
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Charles C. Baldwin
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 09/18/15

588-590 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Joanna Torres
Seller: James Pirro
Date: 09/14/15

531 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $124,633
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Patricia Cruz
Date: 09/14/15

25 Burke St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Eric Rivera
Seller: Christopher L. Bones
Date: 09/15/15

83 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Cyclone Enterprises LLC
Seller: David J. Roffo
Date: 09/10/15

272 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Breanna A. Goodrich
Seller: A. M. Oakes
Date: 09/17/15

24 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Bradley D. Wright
Seller: Bernard J. McGrath
Date: 09/18/15

36-38 Denton Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $186,448
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Antonio Reyes
Date: 09/14/15

Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Develop Springfield Corp.
Seller: Gardner Memorial African
Date: 09/09/15

42 Fellsmere St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Edgar Rodriguez
Seller: Linda A. Tammi
Date: 09/18/15

156 Garland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $133,900
Buyer: Migdalia R. Ortiz
Seller: Lawrence F. Adona
Date: 09/11/15

37-39 Lyons St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Laurence J. Barker
Seller: Pedro P. Pereira
Date: 09/11/15

197 Mallowhill Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: James E. Menard
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/14/15

112 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Nilsa M. Arocho
Seller: Mckenzie, Robert C., (Estate)
Date: 09/08/15

69 Notre Dame St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Enrique Galarza
Seller: Benoit, Frances A., (Estate)
Date: 09/08/15

83 Oklahoma St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Francisco J. Luna
Seller: Kevin J. Conway
Date: 09/10/15

142-144 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Rafael G. Mercado
Seller: Leon Hutt
Date: 09/18/15

25 Patricia Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,045
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Melinda A. Pellerin
Date: 09/18/15

45 Perkins St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Alicia Stacy
Seller: Edward M. Wesp
Date: 09/10/15

22 Pheasant Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Eduardo Infante
Seller: Christopher Rollins
Date: 09/09/15

44 Piedmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Judith M. Kelly
Seller: Kenneth M. Robbins
Date: 09/14/15

432 Porter Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $239,761
Buyer: Flagstar Bank
Seller: Lori A. Twining
Date: 09/09/15

21 Ramblewood Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Anthony B. Foster
Seller: Marsha J. Harvey
Date: 09/10/15

64 Rochford Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Lee A. Chenette
Seller: Matthew S. Burzdak
Date: 09/11/15

129 20 Rosella St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Brad Rosenberg
Seller: David Lengieza
Date: 09/18/15

81 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Murphy
Seller: Sandra J. Ciurleo
Date: 09/15/15

366 Springfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Juana L. Delgado
Seller: Timothy J. Bolduc
Date: 09/18/15

180 Sunrise Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $133,386
Buyer: USA VA
Seller: Sinel Q. Franco
Date: 09/17/15

59 Sylvester St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,011
Buyer: HSBC Bank
Seller: David R. Etheridge
Date: 09/18/15

Talbot Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Barbara A. Dismuke
Seller: David P. Fellion
Date: 09/11/15

32 Texel Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Valri Bromfield
Seller: Jeffrey Thibodeau
Date: 09/18/15

43 Thetford St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Olga Orbe
Seller: Tok Chang
Date: 09/11/15

86 Timothy Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Samantha Castaneda
Seller: Valerie Bigelow
Date: 09/10/15

197-199 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Kenneth Fitzgibbon
Seller: Kenneth Fitzgibbon
Date: 09/14/15

177 Whittum Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Laura J. Simoneau
Seller: Eric Jacobson
Date: 09/11/15

SOUTHWICK

207 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $235,500
Buyer: Francis J. Delmastro
Seller: Christopher E. Johnson
Date: 09/09/15

35 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jenny L. Cory
Seller: Suzanne T. Seguin
Date: 09/08/15

24 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $127,575
Buyer: Tasos FT
Seller: Bayview Loan Servicing
Date: 09/17/15

162 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Tomas Kielasinski
Seller: Claire D. Girard
Date: 09/09/15

53 Foster Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Amy L. Johnson
Seller: Cass, Gary W., (Estate)
Date: 09/17/15

13 Honey Pot Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Kirk S. Samuelsen
Seller: Robert W. O’Connell
Date: 09/16/15

5 Sodom Mountain Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: John E. Balesky
Seller: Edwin A. Beckwith
Date: 09/10/15

130 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Christopher E. Johnson
Seller: Stephen M. Bernath
Date: 09/09/15

TOLLAND

179 Slope Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Leonard J. Oshinskie
Seller: John A. Hubert
Date: 09/18/15

WALES

43 Hollow Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Shawn M. Connery
Seller: Paula M. Smola
Date: 09/10/15

WESTFIELD

18 Chestnut St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Michael P. Keenan
Seller: Edward F. Cassell
Date: 09/15/15

43 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Renzhen Yang
Seller: Curran, James J., (Estate)
Date: 09/11/15

32 Denise Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Pedro Leon
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/10/15

389 Falley Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Nathan Lemay
Seller: Porcello, Irene Y., (Estate)
Date: 09/18/15

680 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing LLC
Seller: Philip E. Leblanc
Date: 09/11/15

22 Knollwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Jason E. Loring
Seller: Kevin J. Charland
Date: 09/09/15

24 Kristen Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Pavel Hancharonak
Seller: Robin Chaloux
Date: 09/11/15

497 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Robert D. Chaffee
Seller: Linda Snider-Tryon
Date: 09/17/15

9 Myrtle Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Shawn M. Morse
Seller: Jayce C. Edwards
Date: 09/16/15

74 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Joseph Pugliese
Seller: Nora E. Coach
Date: 09/09/15

100 Sergeant TM Dion Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Jason Vaillancourt
Seller: REG Enterprises Inc.
Date: 09/17/15

53 Spruce St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Buyer: Edward F. Cassell
Seller: Martin W. Connolly
Date: 09/15/15

10 Waterford Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Kristen M. Pighetti
Seller: Thomas F. Costella
Date: 09/10/15

96 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Rebecca L. Kreke
Seller: Mary E. Quesnel
Date: 09/14/15

10 Westwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Dennis B. Orser
Seller: John J. Zarkowski
Date: 09/15/15

WILBRAHAM

591 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Christine Lessard
Seller: Dean A. Helm
Date: 09/15/15

7 Rochford Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Agnieszka Swistak
Seller: Robert A. Fleury
Date: 09/11/15

1039 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Susan H. Parker
Seller: William H. Kenyon
Date: 09/14/15

WEST SPRINGFIELD

1047 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Rebecca L. Geary
Seller: David M. Barkman
Date: 09/10/15

10 Butternut Hollow Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Suleymon Shakirov
Seller: Vladimir Melnichuk
Date: 09/17/15

34 Exeter St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $185,900
Buyer: Kelly J. Pettazzoni
Seller: Russell T. Salvatore
Date: 09/11/15

143 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Randy L. Velez
Date: 09/18/15

49 Harbey Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: David M. Barkman
Seller: Peter J. Higgins
Date: 09/10/15

22 Janet St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Justin R. Desmarais
Seller: Christopher A. Pettazzoni
Date: 09/18/15

175 Jeffrey Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $421,500
Buyer: Ronald P. Campurciani
Seller: John P. Bartolucci
Date: 09/14/15

171 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Ramsey Hillman
Seller: S&C Homebuyers LLC
Date: 09/11/15

358 River St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $416,500
Buyer: Dominucc Realty LLC
Seller: John T. Reilly
Date: 09/16/15

438 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alan E. Mark
Seller: Ronald P. Campurciani
Date: 09/14/15

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

870 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Margaret A. Riley
Seller: Patrick J. Sullivan
Date: 09/11/15

BELCHERTOWN

317 Chauncey Walker St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Pamela A. Letendre
Seller: Lynn R. Bauer
Date: 09/14/15

24 Ledgewood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Sarah Fournier
Seller: Matthew R. Benoit
Date: 09/08/15

71 Maple St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Karla J. Ewig
Seller: Kathleen A. Cambo
Date: 09/18/15

30 Maplecrest Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $244,500
Buyer: Daniel Cousin
Seller: Michael L. Casement
Date: 09/18/15

515 Michael Sears Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Bernard
Seller: Joyce C. Leitl
Date: 09/18/15

21 Old Sawmill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: David P. Fellion
Seller: Arthur A. Wentworth
Date: 09/11/15

26 Plaza Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Josh E. Dufresne
Seller: Daniel N Neville
Date: 09/11/15

54 Pondview Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Matthew R. Benoit
Seller: Walter G. Pacheco
Date: 09/08/15

26 Spring Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: James F. Holden
Seller: Danny J. Schnell
Date: 09/15/15

500 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Joseph P. Hession
Seller: Patricia J. Hanecak
Date: 09/10/15

CHESTERFIELD

80 South St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $201,620
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Jeremy P. Scully
Date: 09/10/15

CUMMINGTON

29 West Main St.
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Geoffrey S. Arthur
Seller: Nina S. Zimm TR
Date: 09/15/15

33 Potash Hill Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Alexis Schneeflock
Seller: Robert T. Sippel
Date: 09/08/15

68 West Main St.
Cummington, MA 01026
Buyer: Timothy McCune
Seller: Montague FT
Date: 09/17/15

EASTHAMPTON

12 Button Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $373,334
Buyer: Kelly M. Machado
Seller: Kevin R. Wagar
Date: 09/18/15

26-28 Chapman Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Andrea R. Zax
Seller: Gebo, Jack H., (Estate)
Date: 09/09/15

20-32 Cottage St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Cheharkrupa Inc.
Seller: Young K. Lee
Date: 09/14/15

63 Maple St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $304,000
Buyer: John J. Voci
Seller: Alexis Schneeflock
Date: 09/08/15

95-97 Maple St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $219,500
Buyer: William J. Schalk
Seller: Edmund G. Menard
Date: 09/15/15

23 O’Neil St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: A-Z Storage & Properties
Seller: Stephen C. Robinson
Date: 09/09/15

12 Prospect St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $278,900
Buyer: Pablo A. Garcia
Seller: Joseph P. Fahy
Date: 09/08/15

33 Reservation Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $631,000
Buyer: Damien L. Ober
Seller: John Vadnais
Date: 09/10/15

131 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Shannon Doyle
Seller: Ilene Berezin
Date: 09/16/15

GOSHEN

28 Dresser Hill Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $168,250
Buyer: Barton Gage
Seller: Todd D. Haskell
Date: 09/18/15

GRANBY

13 Ken Lane
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Curran
Seller: Daniel Long
Date: 09/17/15

114 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $120,006
Buyer: Beneficial Mass Inc.
Seller: Lee A. Mercure
Date: 09/11/15

161 West State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: LSR&DDS Associates Inc.
Seller: Martin A. Merrill
Date: 09/16/15

HADLEY

170 Bay Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Jean L. Siano
Seller: Nancy L. Huntley
Date: 09/10/15

456 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Justin D. Killeen
Seller: New City Properties LLC
Date: 09/11/15

HATFIELD

33 Elm St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Rosemarie A. Sullivan
Seller: Northeast Ent. Realty Partnership
Date: 09/14/15

HUNTINGTON

66 Littleville Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Russell Calabrese
Seller: Richard E. Dugre
Date: 09/15/15

NORTHAMPTON

8 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Meghan McCormick
Seller: Kevin Brigham
Date: 09/08/15

384 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: Thomas E. Dawson-Greene
Seller: Paula M. Benoit
Date: 09/15/15

42 Franklin St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $494,000
Buyer: Eric Danton
Seller: MacDonald, Marian L., (Estate)
Date: 09/18/15

107 Front St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Carol J. Patterson
Seller: Lawrence S. Schiffman
Date: 09/17/15

6 Jewett St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Nicole Hamer
Seller: Virginia M. Lebeau
Date: 09/17/15

83 Laurel Park
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Lydia Cornier
Seller: Florence Savings Bank
Date: 09/15/15

24 Nutting Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Joanna C. Napolitano
Seller: Casie A. Smith
Date: 09/08/15

62 Sandy Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Jodi Page-Lacoff
Seller: Mary E. Belge
Date: 09/11/15

92 Spring St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Jean A. Alward
Seller: Mary Watroba
Date: 09/09/15

410 Spring St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Golossi
Seller: Mark Eckstein
Date: 09/18/15

2 Tara Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Kristina W. Windt-Baldwin
Seller: Cheryl Howe-Nelson
Date: 09/16/15

1095 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Christopher Meyer
Seller: Blake E. Simmons
Date: 09/18/15

PELHAM

51 Buffam Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: David L. Slovin
Seller: Christopher E. Pariseau
Date: 09/11/15

SOUTH HADLEY

19 Ashfield Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Garth H. Schwellenbach
Seller: Andrew Lass
Date: 09/08/15

275 Brainerd St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Michelle D. Trim
Seller: Rondeau, Constance J., (Estate)
Date: 09/16/15

37 College View Heights
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Tina L. Thompson-Sullivan
Seller: Susan B. Stockman
Date: 09/11/15

SOUTHAMPTON

38-R Coleman Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Todd R. Zuzula
Seller: Richard W. Riel
Date: 09/18/15

34 Lead Mine Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Trista Nadloski
Seller: Maxine E. Brodeur
Date: 09/18/15

WARE

2 Desantis Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $224,500
Buyer: Juan J. Ayala
Seller: Christopher Proulx
Date: 09/11/15

1 Greenway Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Douglas B. Dulak
Seller: Robert L. Wilson
Date: 09/18/15

20 Highland St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Kathryn J. Heymann
Seller: Karen A. Rice
Date: 09/08/15

21 Highland St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Palladino
Seller: Robert L. Hollis
Date: 09/15/15

29 Highland St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Kristin Trudel
Seller: Melissa A. Soja
Date: 09/18/15

4 King Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: David Desabrais
Seller: William H. Dame
Date: 09/11/15

96 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Kim A. Hatch
Seller: Christine A. Buchanan
Date: 09/16/15

332 Palmer Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Michael T. Huse
Seller: June E. Henrich
Date: 09/10/15

20 Westbrook Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Jesse Baker
Seller: John H. McCarthy
Date: 09/14/15

WESTHAMPTON

Pine Island Lake
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John C. Derosier
Seller: Jerard M. Derosier
Date: 09/14/15

WORTHINGTON

63 Old Post Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Joshua Drawe
Seller: Maria Solomon TR
Date: 09/14/15

DBA Certificates Departments

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

CHICOPEE

DJ’s Home & Move
659 Prospect St.
William Oldershaw

TJR Insurance & Financial
65 Cabot St.
Todd Togosin

GREENFIELD

Adhikara Yoga School
16 Federal St.
Molly Kitchen

Cohn & Company Real Estate
117 Main St.
Robert Cohn

CopyCat Print Shop
180 Main St.
Amanda Shafii

Core Brilliance
34 Glenbrook Dr.
Katherine Golub

Greenfield Bicycles Unlimited Inc.
322 High St.
Robert Perry

Lucky Nails
130 Main St.
Tuyet T. Huynh

HOLYOKE

Archetype Painting
284 West Franklin St.
Nathan Jacques

Atlas Chiropractic
1353 Dwight St.
James W. McCann

BZO Dental Associates
610 South St.
BadrizDebian

Cosmo prof
2269 Northampton St.
Kevin Oldham

El Sabor Caribeno
351 High St.
Norma I. Martinez

Holyoke Butcher Shop Inc.
502 Westfield Rd.
David Amedeo

Kingdom Master Jewelers
2020 Northampton St.
Gabriel Serrano

Piercing Pagoda
50 Holyoke St.
Zale Delaware Inc.

Ponce Family Store
319 High St.
Efrain Resto

Randy’s Home Improvement
2 Howard St.
Randy Courtemanche

Victorio Containers
514 South St.
Eguenio Bermudez

PALMER

EJ Development
1 Belchertown St.
Guy Libiszewski

Prestige Vehicle Repair
21 Wilbraham St.
Ivan Serwecki

Top Notch Abatement Inc.
21 Wilbraham St.
Russell Orcutt Jr.

Vicious Fortune
312 Burlingame Road
Cliff Dacruz

SPRINGFIELD

Neal Home Improvement
91 Aspen Road
Michael Neal

Nexus Apartments
39 Catalpa Terrace
Damian Cieszkowski

Nice Ride Motors
1304 Worcester St.
Garrett George

Oby’s Appliance Service
224 Chapin Terrace
Obed Rosario

Pioneer Valley Home Care
32 Spruceland Ave.
Anne M. Ferraro

Ratell Funeral Home
200 Main St.
Carriage Funeral

Rental Property Management
41 Hartford Terrace
Ferdinando Basile

Roman Marketing Group
115 State St.
John P. Roman

Speedway
453 Cooley St.
Speedway, Inc.

Spirit Halloween Superstore
1719 Boston Road
Barry Susson

Stone Concepts
1655 Main St.
Pablo A. Morales

Tedeschi Food Shops
376 Boston Road
Peter D. Tedeschi

The Seven
18 Carver St.
Shavon Kelly

The Fish Bucket
58 Champlain St.
Shaheed Harris

The Gilded Lily
1926 Wilbraham Road
Brian Grisel

Tu Casa Restaurant
17 Rutland St.
Ramona Romero

Jane Schneeloch
54 Ellsworth Ave.
Vera Schneeloch

We are the World Learning
75 College St.
Lourdes Pabon

Western Mass Veterans
16 Beaumont St.
Anthony Michael

YMM Services Inc.
259 Allen St.
Yasir Osman

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Becker’s Drain Cleaning
203 Circuit Ave.
Anthony Becker

Jae Trucking
29 High St.
Jonathan A. Edwards

Price Rite of West Springfield
1106 Union St.
Corporation PRRC Inc.

Wireless Solutions of New England
242 Memorial Ave.
Afaq Ajmeri

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Abbott, Robert Gordon
205 Templeton
Phillipston, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/15

Archambault, Joan M.
643 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/15

Barrett, Cheryl A.
a/k/a Newland, Cheryl A.
a/k/a Archambo, Cheryl A.
140 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/05/15

Berthiaume, Mark L.
Berthiaume, Hazel B.
27 Marlene Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/15

Bridges, Royal M.
115 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/01/15

Casey, Elaine
80 Brush Hill Ave.
Unit #73
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/15/15

Coakley, Nicole D.
P.O. Box 572
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/15/15

Condino, Kimberly A.
6 McDowell Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/15

Costa, Linda A.
a/k/a Wright, Linda A.
P.O. Box 15
Monterey, MA 01245
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Coughlin, Jennifer L.
19 Healy St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/15

Cowher, Timothy A.
Cowher, Kerry A.
11 Lakeshore Dr.
Sturbridge, MA 01518
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/15

Dart, Richard L.
212 Savoy Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/04/15

Garcia, Luis R.
P.O. Box 5126
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Gosciminski, Anthony J.
11 Florence St., 2nd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/15

Hitchcock, Yvette Duval
a/k/a Duval, Yvette M.
1449 County Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/02/15

Houle, Gary J.
87 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/09/15

Irizarry, Lizette
43 Leslie St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/11/15

Kasperowski, Trista L.
a/k/a Valego, Trista L.
23 Laurel St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/15

Kimotho, Rosemary
256 Tremont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Kosla, Edward W.
95 High St.
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/15

Lapointe, Steven
Lapointe, Sinoun
14 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/05/15

Lenville, John J.
Lenville, Susan M.
58 Sunrise Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/15

Maiore, Rachel A.
392 Chesterfield Road
Leeds, MA 01053
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/15

McCarthy, Sylvester
McCarthy, Louise A.
92 Marengo Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/15

Morel, Victoria D.
430 Tokeneke Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/15

Napoli Pizzeria
Mario’s Pizzeria
DCS Security
M G A J S, Inc.
Liquori, Mario J.
70 Wayside St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/15

Nisbet, John H.
Nisbet, Meta S.
146 Smead Hill Road
Colrain, MA 01340-9631
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Olson, Eric W.
Olson, Jane
98 Pheasant Hill Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/15

Paris, Tomas
450 Hancock St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Perez, Tracy R.
93 Grochmal Ave. #68
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/15

Pierson, Mark A.
104 Leona Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/04/15

Pippin, Daniel C.
1 Robbins Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/15

Podmore, Brian M.
35 Felicia St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Politis, Thea A.
15 Maud St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/04/15

Provost, Paula E.
355 Springfield St
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/11/15

Reynolds, Timothy G.
392 Chesterfield Road
Leeds, MA 01053
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Rodriguez, Patty A.
a/k/a Gubelman, Patty
11 Jayne Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/04/15

Seremet, Veaceslav
Seremet, Olesya S.
a/k/a Buchachaya, Olesya S.
91 Woodmont St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/15

Taylor, Bruce C.
Taylor, Lynda L.
99 Hildreth Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/15

Torres, Santiago
323 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/15

Tuttle, Robert E.
P.O. Box 481
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/04/15

Wilkinson, Gail M.
8 Day St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/15

Briefcase Departments

Difference Makers Nominations Due Nov. 20

WESTERN MASS. — Do you know someone who is truly making a difference in the Western Mass. region? BusinessWest invites you to nominate an individual or group for its eighth annual Difference Makers program. Nominations for the class of 2016 must be received by the end of the business day (5 p.m.) on Friday, Nov. 20. Nominations can be completed online by visiting HERE and clicking ‘Our Events.’ Difference Makers was launched in 2009 as a way to recognize the contributions of agencies and individuals who are contributing to quality of life in this region.

East of the River 5 Town Chamber Goes Independent

LONGMEADOW — The East of the River 5 Town Chamber of Commerce (ERC5) officially become an independent organization last month, following the merger of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, now known as the Springfield Regional Chamber (SRC). The leadership of the ERC5 decided that dissolving its board and sharing its financial resources with a Springfield-based organization was not in the best interest of its membership. Instead, the 24-person board voted unanimously to maintain its independence and continue as a business association serving the towns of Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Hampden, and Ludlow. “When the ERC5 board met, all options were considered. In the end, it was clear that the businesses of our member towns needed and deserved direct representation,” said Dennis Lopata, ERC5 president. The ERC5 will continue its long-standing partnerships with the Western Mass. Economic Development Council and the newly formed SRC. For instance, the ERC5 will maintain a position on the SRC board and continue its partnership with the SRC on its three large regional events: Operation Outlook, the Beacon Hill Summit, and Super 60. Additionally, the ERC5 will hold three seats on the SRC legislative committee and offer a regional discount to its membership for those who would like to enjoy memberships with both organizations. “Our board has worked hard to strike a balance between independence and maintaining a partnership with the Springfield Regional Chamber,” said Lopata. “Although it’s important that our membership get direct representation in their respective towns, it’s also important that we continue to support efforts at the regional level. We believe our arrangement … does just that.” Added First Vice Chair Edward Zemba, “there has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the ERC5. This will be the first time in over 20 years that the ERC5 membership will have its own executive director. The membership will now have someone working exclusively on their behalf to ensure that they share in all of the benefits coming from the economic development taking place within our region.”

UMass President Praises Legislators for Funding Contracts

BOSTON — UMass President Marty Meehan praised the Massachusetts House for approving funding for UMass labor contracts when it passed a supplemental budget this week. “We appreciate the strong support that the University of Massachusetts continues to receive from the House of Representatives and commend Speaker Robert DeLeo, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brian Dempsey, and all members of the House for making a critical difference for the university that makes a difference in the lives of so many of our citizens,” Meehan said. The $360 million supplemental budget approved by the House includes $10.9 million in funding of labor contracts with faculty and staff working in the UMass system. “This kind of support allows us to recruit and retain faculty members who are among the very best in their fields and who make us the world-class academic and research institution that the Commonwealth deserves and needs,” Meehan added. The House action comes at a time when enrollment throughout the UMass system continues to rise, reaching a record 73,700, according to fall 2015 projections. Meanwhile, recent Thomson Reuters rankings place UMass as the 57th-most innovative university in the world, and the new World University Rankings rate UMass as the number-one public university in New England, the 24th-best public university in the U.S, and among the best universities in the world. The $10.9 million approved by the House would fully fund the first year of three-year contracts, covering 6,500 faculty and staff across the UMass system, the terms of which were prescribed by the Patrick administration. The salary increases were to have gone into effect during the 2014-15 fiscal year, but were delayed until Meehan authorized their payment last month, saying he intended to seek offsetting funding in the budget bill pending before the Legislature. The supplemental budget containing the funding for UMass now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Company Notebook Departments

ESB to Partner with Hometown Bank

EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of ESB Bancorp Inc., and Hometown Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Hometown Community Bancorp Inc., jointly announced they will form a strategic partnership through the merger of their holding companies. After this transaction is completed, the combined mutual holding company will have more than $1.7 billion in assets and more than $180 million in equity capital, with a branch network of 23 offices located throughout Central and Western Mass. and Northeast Conn. ESB and Hometown will merge mutual holding companies, but will continue to run their banks independently and autonomously. The announcement follows ESB’s 2015 acquisition of Citizens National Bank in Putnam, Conn.

Center for EcoTechnology Hosts Blue Jean Ball

SPRINGFIELD — More than 50 contractors, builders, and green specialists filled EcoBuilding Bargains in Springfield on Oct. 2 for the first-ever Blue Jean Ball. The event, which featured food, beer, a raffle, and live entertainment, was created to thank partners who have helped the Center for EcoTechnology build a greener community. “We wanted to have a space to genuinely thank all of our partners who help us save energy and reduce waste,” said Green Building Sales Manager Susan Ash. “It’s because of them that we are able to have such an impact on this community.” The Center for EcoTechnology offers a host of services to new-construction contractors who want to build green. Services include HERS ratings, LEED certification and LEED AP services, passive-house certification, code testing, infrared scanning, Energy Star certification, energy-performance design consultation, modular-plant Energy Star certification, and more. Details can be found at www.cetonline.org.

Green Earth Computers Relocates, Expands

NORTHAMPTON — Kiernan Gulick-Sherrill, owner of Green Earth Computers, recently announced that the business is expanding by two technicians and moving from Amherst to Northampton in order to better serve clients in a much larger office space. The move to 20A Crafts Ave. will provide a more central location for many customers and make it easier for Green Earth staff to schedule on-site visits with clients across the Valley, Gulick-Sherrill said. The location is also more spacious, allowing for additional retail space for refurbished laptops, cables, and accessories. Green Earth has also welcomed two new technicians to the team in response to the growing demand. Greg Schwartz has previous experience at a variety of tech companies, including TechCavalry and College Pro Computers, where he worked alongside Gulick-Sherrill. Daniel Cottle is a Hampshire College graduate with more than 10 years of experience in computer and small-electronics repair. He previously worked in the Hampshire College Information Technology Department. Green Earth Computers was created in 2009 and offers on-site and drop-off computer repair services as well as remote assistance. The business promotes sustainability and offers computer-recycling services. It also specializes in repair and replacement of computer screens and charge ports, as well as batteries. For more information, call (413) 282-8324 or visit www.greenearthpc.us.

NUVO Shareholders OK Merchants Merger

SPRINGFIELD — The shareholders of NUVO Bank & Trust Co. overwhelmingly voted to approve the merger agreement between NUVO and Merchants Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Merchants Bank, and the related bank-merger agreement between NUVO and Merchants Bank pursuant to which Merchants Bank will acquire NUVO. The shareholders of NUVO approved the merger agreement by the affirmative vote of the holders of 84.5% of the outstanding shares of NUVO. Of the shares voted, approximately 97.6% of the shares were voted in favor of approval of the transaction. Consummation of the merger, which is subject to regulatory approval and the satisfaction of the other conditions of the merger agreement, is expected to occur on or about Nov. 30.

Farmington Bank Opens First Branch in Region

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Farmington Bank opened its first branch office in Western Mass., located at 85 Elm St. in West Springfield. “Farmington Bank’s new office in West Springfield will offer a complete line of consumer and commercial banking products,” said John Patrick Jr., chairman, president, and CEO of Farmington Bank. “In addition, we look forward to partnering with the Western Massachusetts community through the philanthropic activities of the Farmington Bank Community Foundation and the volunteer efforts of our Farmington Bank employees.” The West Springfield facility is the new home of Farmington Bank’s Commercial Services office, led by Michael Moriarty, senior vice president, commercial team leader, and regional executive, and its Western Mass. Mortgage Sales department, led by Brian Risler, assistant vice president and mortgage sales manager. Farmington Bank’s West Springfield office will be managed by Nikki Gleason, assistant vice president and branch manager. Gleason is a 15-year local banking professional, and comes to Farmington Bank from Hampden Bank, where she served as branch manager of its West Springfield branch. Gleason studied at Springfield Technical Community College and is a graduate of the New England School for Financial Studies.

Departments People on the Move
Lisa Pack

Lisa Pack

Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) announced that Lisa Pack has been named Nurse of the Year by the March of Dimes Massachusetts Chapter in the category of Labor and Delivery. This is the third consecutive year a Holyoke Medical Center nurse has received this elite distinction. “Lisa is highly deserving of this prestigious recognition,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of HMC and Valley Health Systems Inc. “Holyoke Medical Center prides itself on its exemplary team of professionals such as Lisa, who demonstrate consummate skill and deep compassion in providing critical nursing care.” Added Pack, “I am humbled to be recognized by the March of Dimes to be chosen for this award. I feel blessed to be a member of the Birthing Center staff, where I have now worked for 22 years since it opened. It is a job I love and where we work as a team to support and empower women to have the birth they desire. I am also deeply committed to MotherWoman and postpartum depression, for which I facilitate a weekly support group at Midwifery Care of Holyoke.” Pack will be honored at a reception in the Holyoke Medical Center lobby on Monday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m.

•••••

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. announced the promotion of Richard Marotta to president of Berkshire Bank and Sean Gray to chief operating officer of the bank. Marotta will be responsible for all aspects of administration, risk, and infrastructure, including people and systems, compliance, and credit. He has been serving Berkshire as executive vice president, chief risk and administrative officer since 2013. Gray will be responsible for the operating teams of the bank, including retail, commercial, small business, home lending, wealth management, and insurance. He has been serving Berkshire as executive vice president, retail banking since 2010. “Richard and Sean are results-driven, high-integrity leaders that have been integral to the growth of this company, and this promotion reflects their contributions. As we continue to execute on our strategic vision, their leadership and ability is increasingly important to our success,” said Michael Daly, CEO of the bank and the company. Additionally, the bank promoted three executives — George Bacigalupo, Josephine Iannelli, and Linda Johnston — to senior executive vice president, while promoting eight others to the executive team, broadening the responsibilities of these leaders and creating a more effective operating structure. They are Michael Carroll, executive vice president, chief risk and credit officer; James Curran, executive vice president, regional commercial leader, Central Mass. and Connecticut; Mark Foster, executive vice president, regional commercial leader, Eastern Mass. and ABL; Tami Gunsch, executive vice president, retail banking; Scott Houghtaling, executive vice president, regional commercial leader, New York; Allison O’Rourke, executive vice president, investor relations and financial institution banking; Deborah Stephenson, executive vice president, compliance and regulatory; and Gary Urkevich, executive vice president, IT and project management.

•••••

Miranda Rowe

Miranda Rowe

United Personnel announced the promotion of staff member Miranda Rowe. Formerly an administrative coordinator in United Personnel’s main office in Springfield, Rowe has been promoted to a recruiter. In her new role, she will be assisting United’s Light Industrial and Professional divisions in sourcing and interviewing candidates. She will also oversee community-outreach activities including off-site recruitment, attending job fairs, and working with training programs to place graduates.

•••••

St. Germain Investment Management announced the hiring of Richard Bleser as vice president and portfolio manager, and Thaddeus Welch as portfolio manager. Bleser manages investment portfolios, assists with trading, and performs analytical duties on both the fixed-income and equity sides. He brings experience and knowledge in fund analysis and portfolio management. He was previously the chief investment officer at Berkshire Bank in Pittsfield. While
at Meridian Capital Partners Inc., he was responsible for macroeconomic, S&P 500, and hedge-fund analysis. Prior to Meridian, Bleser was an equity analyst with Paradigm Capital Management Inc., where he generated long- and short-investment ideas in the small-cap specialty retail, leisure, and technology-distribution sectors. He began his career as a client analyst with Ayco Co., a Goldman Sachs Company. Active within the community, he has been involved with nonprofits and is also a trustee for the Berkshire Housing [401(k)] Plan. He holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and business administration from the State University of New York at Albany. Welch is responsible for managing trading activities and performing fundamental economic and sector research to assist in investment strategy development. He comes to the firm from Berkshire Bank in Pittsfield, where he managed portfolios in addition to providing analysis and research on market, corporate, and economic activities. Prior to Berkshire Bank, Welch was an assistant portfolio manager and a member of the investment committee at Spinnaker Trust in Portland, Maine. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Bowdoin College. He has completed all three levels of the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) program.

•••••

Beetle Press, a public-relations and communications firm in Easthampton, recently welcomed Ruby Dillon to the team to serve as an editorial assistant. Dillon earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations this year from Champlain College in Vermont. While in college, she served as a PR intern for a mission-driven nonprofit that provides respite for cancer patients by giving them a therapeutic sail on Lake Champlain. Through this experience, Dillon realized her passion for standing behind a cause and has since worked to promote various nonprofits. Janice Beetle, principal of Beetle Press, said Dillon is a key Beetle Press partner, handling the development of press releases and overseeing internal writing and web projects as well.

•••••

Leesa Wallace

Leesa Wallace

Kevin Matheny

Kevin Matheny

The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast announced that Leesa Wallace has joined EANE as its new director of Learning & Development, and Kevin Matheny will serve as the new controller. Wallace will spearhead the EANE learning and development offerings, designing and customizing a diverse array of more than 500 substantive training programs each year. She replaces Susan Miller, who served in the role of director of Learning & Development for more than 18 years. Wallace is a learning strategist, guiding individuals, teams, and organizations to help them identify their most critical needs and create solutions that have real impact. She helps strengthen the capacity of individual contributors, creates clarity and collaboration on teams, and teaches leaders how to engage and tap into the potential of their people. Matheny has more than 15 years of progressive management experience across a broad range of business functions and industry segments including manufacturing, property management, financial services, and not-for-profit. He guides EANE with a combination of talent, technical knowledge, and business acumen in all reporting, operations, internal controls, and compliance areas. He replaces Paul Correia, who will assume full-time responsibility for membership as the new director of Member Relations. With a focus on maximizing revenues via budgeting and other strategic initiatives, Matheny, a certified public accountant, is known for his ability to manage costs through improved efficiencies and the elimination of redundancies. He has increased profitability by seeking out lower-cost solutions, implementing stricter purchasing protocols, and reducing overhead costs.

•••••

Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) recently named Beth McGinnis-Cavanaugh the recipient of the Anthony M. Scibelli Endowed Chair and Gary Masciadrelli and Paul Thornton recipients of the Joseph J. Deliso Sr. Endowed Chairs. Each year, STCC faculty are nominated for an endowed chair by their colleagues and then invited to apply. Applications are reviewed by an award-selection committee composed of faculty and staff. Winners are then selected by the STCC Foundation executive committee. The awards include a $3,000 grant given to each recipient, half of which is applied to professional development for the recipient and half of which is given to the recipient’s academic department. The Anthony M. Scibelli Endowed Chair was established in 1992 to recognize and foster faculty excellence. McGinnis-Cavanaugh, professor of Physics and Civil Engineering, will donate her funds to STCC’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) to fund service projects and cover event costs. She is the faculty advisor to the chapter, which she created last year. Established in 1993 by the family of industrialist Joseph J. Deliso Sr., the Deliso Endowed Chair is awarded annually by the STCC Foundation in recognition of excellence in teaching. Masciadrelli, a professor and department chair in Mechanical Engineering Technology, will use the award funds to update software in his department to an industry standard product called PC-DMIS for coordinate-measuring machines. Thornton, professor and tri-chair of Business Administration, said award funds will be used to purchase a new printer and flip charts for his department as well as a set of multi-walkers which will be used in team-building exercises with his students.

•••••

Dani Klein Williams, owner and lead photographer at Dani Fine Photography, was approached earlier this year by Amherst Media Publications about creating a book, set to be released in early 2016, focusing on the art and business of boudoir photography. Covering an array of topics in keeping with this theme, the book will comprise practical business advice as well as the step-by-step photographic techniques used by a successful professional photographer. For updates and more information on the progress of this project, follow the studio on Instagram and Facebook.

•••••

The Gilded Lily Florist, a Sixteen Acres business for more than 30 years, announced a new owner, Brian Grisel. A Springfield resident, Grisel began working in a flower shop during his teens and is currently a floral designer with more than three decades of experience. Previous clients include Katherine Hepburn, Andy Williams, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, Barbara Bush, Conan O’Brien, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolph Nureyev, Lee Radziwill (sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis), the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Princess Maria Trubetskaya, Princess Irina Bagration, Countess Sophia Cheremteff, the Baroness Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, as well as several previous governors of Connecticut and local politicians and corporate heads.

Chamber Corners Departments

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• Oct. 21: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley.

• Oct. 28: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Loomis House, 298 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• Nov. 4: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Join the Greater Easthampton, Greater Northampton, and Amherst Area chambers along with our host, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, for a networking extravaganza. Sponsored by Duseau Trucking.

• Nov. 6: 
CheckPoint 2015 Legislative Summit. Registration and networking, 11 a.m.;
 welcome, lunch, and keynote speaker, noon to 1:30 p.m.; Chamber View
Dialogue with chamber executives, followed by legislative response, 1:30-3 p.m.; cocktail reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres, 3-4 p.m. Keynote speaker: state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. Also hear from Tim Wilkerson, regulatory ombudsman of Economic Policy Development at the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development. Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions to invited legislators.

• Nov. 7: 15th Annual Greater Easthampton Chamber Viva Las Vegas Bowl-a-Thon, at Canal Bowling Lanes, 74 College Highway, Southampton. Two sessions: 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. A night of fun, laughs, music by DJ Jay Paglucia, and pizza as you help support funding this season’s holiday lights.

• Nov. 11: Monday Morning with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., Burger King, Easthampton.

• Dec. 3: Holiday tree lighting and visit from Santa, 6:30-8 p.m., at Pulaski Park, Easthampton.

• Dec. 4: Greater Easthampton Chamber Snow Ball, 6-11 p.m., at the Garden House, Look Park. An old-fashioned, elegant, holiday affair. Sit-down dinner featuring Meyers Catering, live music, and dancing featuring Maxxtone. Dress in style, black tie optional.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376

• Oct. 21: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Northeast IT Systems Inc., 777 Riverdale St., West Springfield. Business networking event. Refreshments, 50/50 raffle, and door prizes. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for all others. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to sign up, or visit holyokechamber.com.

• Oct. 22: Leadership Holyoke/Meet at Wistariahurst Museum, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A leadership series with HCC faculty members participating as instructors and facilitators. Community leaders will participate as speakers. Sponsored by PeoplesBank and Holyoke Community College.

• Oct. 28: Murder Mystery Dinner, 6-9 p.m., at the Yankee Pedlar, 1866 Northampton St. Networking cocktail hour at 6-7 p.m., with full-course dinner to follow. Sponsored by Meyers Brothers Kalicka and Baystate Restoration Group. During “Mystery at the Masquerade,” trade clues with other guests and solve the crime at this night of masks and murder. Cost: $49.95 for members, $52.95 for non-members and at the door.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• Nov. 4: November Arrive @ 5 Open House, 5-7 p.m. Hosted by Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust St., Northampton. Cost: $10 for members.

• Dec. 2: December Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., at Hampshire Council of Governments, Northampton. Sponsored by Applied Mortgage. Cost: $10 for members.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• Oct. 19: Long-term-care Planning, 4:30-5:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Renaissance Advisory. Cost: free for chamber members, $30 for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618

• Nov. 2: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Amelia Park Children’s Museum, 29 South Broad St., Westfield. Event is free and open to the public. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Nov. 6: CheckPoint 2015 Legislative Symposium, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, Holyoke. Cost: $50 for chamber members, $60 (paid in advance) for non-members. For sponsorship opportunities, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Nov. 9: Eat & Educate: Business Insurance Options, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Westfield Bank, 141 Elm St., Westfield. Presented by Shawn Torress & Kevin Green of Westfield Wealth Management and Westfield Bank. Cost: free for chamber members, $30 for non-members; $75 to attend all three Eat & Educate workshops. RSVP required. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Nov. 12: November After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Ezra’s Mercantile, 34 Elm St., Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310

• Nov. 4: PWC Headline Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., co-located at the Western Mass Business Expo, MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. “New England’s Skills Gap in Advanced Manufacturing,” featuring Alison Lands, senior manager of Deloitte Consulting, LLP. Cost: $40. Reservations may be made online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com. The Professional Women’s Chamber is a division of the Springfield Regional Chamber.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER
www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.
(413) 787-1555

• Nov. 4: Springfield Regional Chamber Business@Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., co-located at the Western Mass Business Expo, MassMutual Center, 1277 Main St., Springfield. Pull up a bar stool for a casual conversation with Harpoon Brewery CEO and co-Founder Dan Kenary. Cost: $30 in advance, $35 at the door). Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Nov. 12: Springfield Regional Chamber After 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., 9th Floor, Springfield. Cost: $5 for members, $10 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Nov. 19: Springfield Regional Chamber Government Reception, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Meet socially with your local, state, and federal officials. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Nov. 24: Springfield Regional Chamber Pastries, Politics and Policy, 8-9 a.m., hosted by TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. Featuring Hampden Country District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. Sponsored by the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. Cost: $15 for members, $25 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• Oct. 28: Food Fest West, 5:30-8 p.m., at Chez Josef, Agawam. The event will feature the foods of area restaurants, including Chez Josef, Classic Burgers, Crestview Country Club, EB’s, Hofbrau Joe’s, Murphy’s Pub, Partner’s Restaurant, Pintu’s, and more. 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, $30 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online atwww.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

Agenda Departments

Warm Up the Night

Oct. 22: The Family Outreach of Amherst will host its fourth annual Warm Up the Night event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Lord Jeffery Inn, 30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst. The tent at Lord Jeffery Inn will be transformed into a strolling culinary extravaganza. Enjoy delicious small bites, sips, and tastes from an eclectic mix of local food vendors, including 30Boltwood, Bistro 63 at the Monkey Bar, the Blue Heron, Bread and Butter, Carr’s Ciderhouse, the Alvah Stone, Jasper Hill Farm, Sun Kim Bop Food Truck, and more. Features this year include a pig roast, live music by musicians the Winterpills and Roger Salloom, and a special appearance by local guitar legend J Mascis. Tickets are $45 per person. Visit www.chd/familyoutreach for more information or to register, or contact Rachel Condry at (413) 548-1272 or [email protected].

Survivor Journeys Halloween Gala

Oct. 30: Survivor Journeys invites the community to its first annual Halloween Gala at 6 p.m. at Storrowton Tavern Carriage House. The cost of the gala is $50 per person and includes dinner, music, and dancing. A cash bar will be available. Entertainment includes psychic mediums Nicky Taylor and Drianna Buonaducci, as well as practitioners from the Feeding Hills Wellness Center. Costumes are optional. Survivor Journeys provides social and emotional support services to cancer survivors, families, and caregivers. Services are built on collaboration with local providers and cancer survivors, along with regional and nationally recognized cancer organizations. Survivor Journeys, which serves adults, young adults, and pediatric cancer survivors, was co-founded by Dr. Jay Burton, founder and medical director of the Primary Care Cancer Survivorship Program of Western New England, and Maryann Palealogoupolus, a licensed independent clinical social worker. Survivor Journeys also announced that the organization will benefit from the generosity of S. Prestley and Helen Blake, who have offered a $25,000 matching grant challenge to the organization. The Blakes will match all funds raised by the end of year, up to $25,000. Visit survivorjourneys.org to register for the gala or for more information about support groups and developing programs.

Western Mass.Business Expo

Nov. 4: Comcast Business will present the fifth annual Western Mass. Business Expo at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News in partnership with Go Graphix and Rider Productions. The business-to-business show will feature more than 100 booths, seminars and Show Floor Theater presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social (see the special section in this issue for details). Current sponsors include Comcast Business, presenting sponsor; Health New England, Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, MGM Springfield, and Wild Apple Design, director-level sponsors; the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst, education sponsor; 94.7 WMAS, media sponsor; and Peerless Precision, robotics and manufacturing sponsor . Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $750. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Spirit of Skiing Award

Nov. 7: Cal Conniff will be honored by the New England Ski Museum (NESM) at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The event is open to the public. NESM’s Spirit of Skiing Award is given to honor a skiing notable who manifests the motto, “skiing is not just a sport, it is a way of life,” attributed to ski pioneer Otto Schniebs. Previous winners include Olympic medalists Stein Eriksen and Penny Pitou, U.S. Olympians Tom Corcoran and Tyler Palmer, Killington Ski Resort founder Preston Smith, renowned ski instructor Herbert Schneider, and ski-show impresario Bernie Weichsel. Conniff spent his professional life working for the betterment of the ski-area industry, managing the Mt. Tom Ski Area from 1968 to 1973. He put the small facility on the national map by developing extensive night skiing and one of the earliest snow-making systems in the country in the 1960s, two innovations that were soon emulated throughout the resort industry. During his tenure at Mt. Tom, Conniff targeted the youth market, introducing thousands to the thrill of downhill skiing through numerous school programs. Conniff took over leadership of the National Ski Areas Assoc. in 1973, moving its offices from New York City to West Hartford, Conn. and ultimately downtown Springfield in 1978, where it remained until his retirement in 1990. He was inducted into AIC’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011, and to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1990. Tickets to the Nov. 7 event, which starts at 5 p.m., cost $75 and are available by calling the NESM at (603) 823-7177 or visiting www.skimuseum.com/events.

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

City of Chicopee Fire Department v. Duane Equipment Corp.
Allegation: Failure to pay for fire-watch services: $8,205.20
Filed: 7/16/15

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

James Sikora v. Scuderi Group Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing: $39,200
Filed: 9/10/15

Kate Campbell, a minor, through her next friend, Brian Campbell v. Six Flags New England Inc.
Allegation: Negligence in property maintenance and failure to warn causing injury: $304,000
Filed: 9/8/15

Michael Potito v. Frank Raschilla Landscaping Inc.
Allegation: Breach of written contract: $73,728
Filed: 9/9/15

Theresa M. Charette-Smith v. Healthcare International Inc. and Philadelphia Insurance Co.
Allegation: Personal injury resulting from negligent operation of gym facility: $750,000
Filed: 9/9/15

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

A & G Inc. v. Jim Doyle Heating
Allegation: Failure to pay for equipment received: $15,692.79
Filed: 7/16/15

Consumer Product Distributors d/b/a J. Polep Distribution Services v. JK Healey Inc. d/b/a West End Package and Variety and Kelly Healey
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $4,661.13
Filed:7/14/15

Environmental Contractor Supply Inc. v. Baystate Homeguard Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $13,263.48
Filed: 7/23/15

O’Reilly, Talbot & Okun Associates v. Tyree Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of professional services rendered: $18,300.31
Filed: 7/16/15

Russell T. Cable II v. Diamond Chevrolet Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and fraud: $8,106.88
Filed: 7/28/15

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Lori Jorgenson v. Cardinal Logistics Management Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of wages: $16,000
Filed: 7/10/15

Departments Picture This

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

Focus on Manufacturing

Focus on Manufacturing
State Sen. Eric Lesser (D-Longmeadow) recently hosted a visit to Western Mass. by the Commonwealth’s Joint Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, which Lesser co-chairs. The group toured Menck Windows in Chicopee, Excel Dryer in East Longmeadow, and Hasbro/Cartamundi in East Longmeadow. Pictured at Menck Windows are Lesser and company Chairman Bodo Liesenfeld (left and right), flanked by state Rep. Brian Ashe and state Sen. James Welch (far left and far right).

Designs on Reading

Designs on Reading
The West Springfield Public Library announced a $10,000 capital-campaign contribution from Caolo & Bieniek Associates, the lead architectural firm for the library’s renovation and expansion project. The firm’s donation will be permanently recognized in a section of the new library’s greatly expanded children’s area. The campaign has now received more than $1.4 million in contributions and pledges, about 70% of its $2 million goal. Pictured, from left, are capital campaign committee representative Katie Harrington, West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan, library Director Toni Golinski-Foisy, architect Curtis Edgin of Caolo & Bieniek Associates, library trustee Carol Hegeman, and campaign committee member Karen Simpson.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society has appointed Kimberly Hannah and Brendan Wood to serve three-year terms on its board of directors, according to interim Executive Director Nancy Creed.

Hannah currently serves as office manager and executive assistant to the president and CEO for the Sisters of Providence Health System. Prior to that, she was the office manager and executive assistant to the president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Hospital and worked at Baystate Health for several years. She has volunteered for animal-rescue organizations including FACES and the Westfield Animal Shelter, and is a graduate of Bay Path College.

Wood is a wealth-management advisor with the Foundation Management Group at Merrill Lynch. He previously taught at independent schools in Santa Barbara, Calif., and is a graduate of Princeton University.

Dakin Humane Society delivers services that improve the lives of animals in need and the people who care about them from its two locations in Springfield and Leverett. The organization shelters, treats, and fosters more than 20,000 animals each year and has performed more than 62,000 spay/neuter surgeries since 2009. For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that eight attorneys have been selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list, and three attorneys have been selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the honor, while no more than 2.5% of attorneys in Massachusetts are selected as Rising Stars.

• Shareholder Michele Feinstein concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law, probate litigation, health law, and corporate and business planning, including all aspects of planning for the succession of business interests, representation of closely held businesses and their owners, and representation of physicians in their individual and group practices. She was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of closely held business.

• Shareholder Gary Fentin concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and real-estate finance and development, industrial revenue bonds, affordable housing, estate planning, business law, and business foreclosures and workouts. He manages the firm’s tax-exempt bond practice and has acted as bond counsel and/or purchaser’s counsel in hundreds of such issues since 1978. He was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of government finance.

• Shareholder Carol Cioe Klyman concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, estate planning and administration, special-needs-trust planning, estate settlement, guardianships, and trust and estates litigation. She was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of elder law.

• Managing Partner Timothy Mulhern concentrates his practice in the areas of family-business planning, taxation, corporate law, commercial real estate, and estate planning. He was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of tax law.

• Shareholder Steven Schwartz concentrates his practice in the areas of family business planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and estate planning. His practice involves representation of principals in family-business planning (including exit planning for business owners), representation of individuals and corporations in the purchase and sale of business enterprises, strategic planning for the future of clients’ businesses, and providing advice on alternatives in financing through loans and venture capital. He was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of business and corporate law.

• Shareholder James Sheils concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial finance law, creditors’ rights, banking law, and telecommunications siting matters. He was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of banking law.

• Shareholder Ann Weber concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, probate, and elder law. She has a particular interest in creative estate planning for authors, artists, farmers, and landowners. She was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of elder law.

• Shareholder Steven Weiss concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, reorganization, and litigation. He supervises the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganization and workout practice, and represents creditors, debtors, and others in both commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases throughout Massachusetts. He was selected to the 2015 Super Lawyers list in the field of bankruptcy and business law.

To be selected as a Rising Star, an attorney must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for no more than 10 years.

• Attorney Michael Fenton concentrates his practice in the areas of business planning, commercial real estate, estate planning, and elder law. He represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects, and high-net-worth individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. He was selected to the 2015 Rising Stars list in the field of business and corporate law.

• Attorney L. Alexandra Hogan concentrates her practice primarily in business, litigation, and bankruptcy law. She was selected to the 2015 Rising Stars list in the field of bankruptcy and business law.

• Attorney David Webber practices in the areas of business transactions, estate and succession planning, taxation, and nonprofits. He was selected to the 2015 Rising Stars list in the field of closely held business.

Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced that Alison Shilinsky has been named senior vice president of Human Resources.

With 10 years in the industry, Shilinsky is an experienced human-resources professional. She earned her master’s degree in management from UMass Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in English and communications from Assumption College.

Shilinsky’s previous work at Brown Rudnick LLP, a prominent Boston law firm, has had a significant impact on her approach to human resources and business. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the New England Human Resources Assoc., the New England Employee Benefits Council, and the Mass. Bankers Assoc.

“Alison is an exceptional example of what a human-resources professional is supposed to be,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank. “Not only is she knowledgeable and dedicated, she demonstrates compassion and empathy to all employees. We are thrilled to have her join our team, as we know she will be a valued resource for Country Bank and its employees.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin, P.C. announced that attorneys James Chadwell and Bruce Devlin have been selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List, and attorney Antonio Dos Santos has been selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the honor, while no more than 2.5% of attorneys in Massachusetts are selected as Rising Stars.

Now in its 12th year, the Super Lawyers list recognizes area attorneys who have distinguished themselves in their legal practice through a rigorous selection process and third-party validation of their professional accomplishments. To be selected as a Rising Star, an attorney must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less, and must be nominated by other lawyers who have personally observed them in action, either as opposing counsel or co-counsel, or through other firsthand courtroom observation.

• Chadwell was selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List in the field of workers’ compensation. He focuses his practice on consulting with and representing insurers, self-insurers, and employers throughout Massachusetts, and has experience advising his clients regarding workers’ compensation claims, safety programs, cost-control programs, insurance coverage, and disability and employment-related issues. He has lectured extensively and participated in numerous seminars on Massachusetts workers’ compensation issues.

• Devlin was selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers List in the field of estate and probate. He has worked in both the legal and accounting professions. He founded the law firm of Frankel Devlin, LLC, where he worked from 2007 to 2014, when he joined Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin, P.C. He has effectively incorporated his tax background into his legal expertise, focusing on business law, wills, trusts, and other aspects of estate-planning probate, estate administration, taxation, and elder law.

• Dos Santos was selected to the 2015 Massachusetts Rising Stars list in the field of real estate. He specializes in all facets of commercial real estate, commercial finance, and general business law. He has significant experience representing developers, investors, and lenders regarding complex commercial real-estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financing, zoning, and permitting. Additionally, he represents many closely held businesses regarding entity formation, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, and financing.

Daily News

HADLEY — The Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament announced it has raised $103,000 to support Dr. Patrick Wen and his team of researchers in the Neuro-Oncology Department at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In the last seven years, the tournament has raised more than a half-million dollars.

Due to the tremendous support that this year’s tournament attracted, the event was expanded to Crestview Country Club and Oak Ridge Golf Club. The four-player scramble drew 220 golfers and 250 banquet guests. It included a full day of golf, dinner, and a silent and live auction in the evening. AutoTrader was the event’s platinum sponsor.

“This tournament was created in memory of our father, who passed away from a glioblastoma brain tumor. Whether you were a sponsor, a golfer, a donor, or a volunteer, we would like to thank everyone for their participation,” said Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group. “We are extremely proud to support Dana-Farber’s world-class researchers’ work to reduce and ultimately eliminate the burden of cancer.”

For more information on the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, visit www.tomcosenzidrivingforthecure.com.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Tonight, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. in the Carriage House at Wistariahurst, Libby Franck will discuss the life and work of Harold Friermood, perhaps best known as the individual who got volleyball into the Olympics, but also the man whose volleyball collection would eventually become the seed for the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke.

Friermood was a man who succeeded by doing what he loved and sharing his expertise and skills with others. Franck is his daughter and a gifted storyteller. Admission cost is $7 for the general public, $5 for museum members, and free for all students (with ID).

For more information about Wistariahurst or to view a schedule of upcoming events, visit www.wistariahurst.org.

Daily News

WESTFIELD — A Plus HVAC of Westfield is one of nine New England-based contractors to receive a 2015 COOL SMART award. The firm, led by owner and President Nathan LeMay, has received this honor for three consecutive years.

The honors were presented recently at the annual golf tournament of the Air Conditioning Assoc. of New England. Sponsored by the Massachusetts/Rhode Island COOL SMART program, the awards are given out during the sporting event held in Stow. The winning contractors specialize in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and are recognized for quality installation of energy-saving equipment and their overall contributions to the program.

COOL SMART is a high-efficiency heating and cooling rebate program for residential customers of National Grid, Eversource, Unitil, and the Cape Light Compact. These program administrators sponsor the awards and the tournament to recognize contractors in Massachusetts and Rhode Island for outstanding service and an ongoing commitment to energy efficiency. Launched in 2004, COOL SMART promotes the purchase and installation of Energy Star-qualified and high-efficiency air conditioners, heat pumps, and water heaters. Awards are distributed annually to recognize outstanding contractors for leadership, quality work, and active program participation.

“For the past decade, we have witnessed more and more contractors participating in COOL SMART,” said Kevin Parse, Unitil program coordinator. “This program is important to public health because greenhouse-gas emissions and pollution are reduced by up to 30% as a result of their outstanding work. On behalf of Eversource, we are proud to be affiliated with the program and its committed contractors throughout the region. We applaud A Plus HVAC for its third consecutive win and hope to see even more participants next year.”

To learn more about becoming a COOL SMART contractor, or for general program information, visit www.masssave.com or call (800) 473-1105.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Webber and Grinnell Insurance Agency announced several recent changes at its North King Street office in Northampton.

Mat Geffin has been named vice president and equity partner at Webber and Grinnell. He started at the agency in 2009 as vice president of business development in the commercial-lines department, and quickly established himself as a leader at the agency. Geffin leads the sales efforts at Webber and Grinnell, in addition to managing a large book of business encompassing the construction, habitational, manufacturing, and nonprofit market niches. He is an active board member for the United Way of Pioneer Valley, Tech Foundry, and the philanthropic services committee at the Community Foundation.

Jenna Rodrigue has been promoted to commercial lines supervisor. She leads a team of eight business-insurance specialists and is responsible for the day-to-day service of the agency’s commercial clientele. She began her career at Webber and Grinnell 12 years ago as a commercial lines customer-service representative.

Kathy Cusson has been named personal lines supervisor. Part of the Webber and Grinnell team since 1989, she leads a staff of nine and is responsible for the day-to-day servicing of the agency’s personal-lines clients.

In addition, Webber and Grinnell recently unveiled a new look and logo. “We felt it was time to contemporize things at the agency,” said President Bill Grinnell. “We wanted a logo that reflects our progressive culture and makes a statement to current and future clients.”

Webber and Grinnell has been serving personal and business insurance clients throughout the Pioneer Valley for more than 100 years. For more information about its services, call (413) 586-0111 or visit www.webberandgrinnell.com.

Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — Aaron Smith, P.C., a certified public accounting firm serving individuals and businesses in the Pioneer Valley, supplied 10 volunteers for the United Way of Pioneer Valley Day of Caring last month.

The Day of Caring is the largest day of service in the Pioneer Valley, bringing more than 1,000 people together to complete community-service work throughout the region. Aaron Smith employees participated in the Day of Caring by working with a local YMCA to close up a summer camp for the season. Camp Weber, part of the West Springfield YMCA, has been serving young people for more than 150 years. Generations have enjoyed the 75 acres of wooded property located on Dewey Street, which needs a thorough cleaning at the beginning and end of each season.

“It was a pleasure working with Camp Weber as part of the United Way Day of Service,” said Joanna Smigiel of Aaron Smith. “We helped by sweeping out the various buildings at the camp and cleaning refrigerators, sinks, cabinets, and washrooms. We also moved picnic tables inside for the winter, moved various supplies into an indoor storage unit, and generally cleaned up the grounds.”

The Day of Caring was established to promote the spirit of volunteerism, increase awareness of local human-service organizations, and demonstrate how people working together for the common good can accomplish great things.

“It’s such a rewarding experience to help an organization that brings joy, education, and life skills to our area youth,” said Scott Betsher, certified public accountant and director at Aaron Smith. “We pride ourselves on our relationship with the United Way of Pioneer Valley, knowing that what we do together really makes a difference in the communities we serve. We are not afraid to roll up our sleeves to get the job done. This is how we approach our volunteer work and how we work on your business.”

Daily News

BOSTON — Should a landlord’s mistake handling a security deposit give a tenant a defense against eviction? That is the question the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) will decide after hearing oral arguments on Thursday, Nov. 5, a decision that could have major ramifications for landlord-tenant law and rents in Massachusetts. On Tuesday, the court received an amicus brief from Amherst attorney Peter Vickery on behalf of the statewide group MassLandlords.net.

“The short answer is no,” says Vickery. “A security-deposit mistake does not give a tenant a defense against a landlord’s claim for possession.”

The question came up in the case of Meikle v. Nurse, where the landlord had not followed all the rules regarding security deposits. The judge allowed the tenant’s security-deposit counterclaim, but — because the dollar value of the counterclaim was outweighed by the rent the tenant owed — the judge granted the landlord possession. The tenant, represented by the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, appealed, and the SJC opted to take it up from the Appeals Court’s docket.

“It’s about the distinction between a counterclaim and a defense,” said Vickery, whose practice focuses on civil litigation, particularly in the areas of landlord-tenant and employment law. “Nobody disputes that, if a landlord who is suing for rent and possession has violated the security-deposit laws, then the tenant can raise that as a counterclaim. The statute makes that clear. The statute also says that some claims and counterclaims can also serve as defenses. There’s a list of them in Chapter 239, Section 2A. Security-deposit violations are not on that list.”

According to the brief filed by the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, the counterclaim is also a defense because another part of Chapter 239 (Section 8A) says that a tenant may raise any claim “by defense or counterclaim.” But, Vickery argues, the word ‘or’ really matters.

“The word ‘or’ is disjunctive,” he noted. “Colloquially we use it to mean ‘and/or,’ but in statutes and other legal documents, it means ‘one but not both.’ If the Legislature had intended to abolish the distinction between counterclaims and defenses, it would have done so. But instead it used the word ‘or.’ And it could have included security-deposit violations in the list of defenses in section 2A, but it chose not to.”

Security deposits are supposed to help a landlord guard against the risk of property damage. But many landlords are already reluctant to take security deposits because the rules about them are complicated and it is easy to make a mistake.

“We routinely receive requests for help where either the landlord or in some cases the bank has messed up compliance with the complicated security-deposit law,” said Doug Quattrochi, executive director of MassLandlords.net. “It’s not surprising Harvard Legal Aid is confused.”

Even a simple mistake can lead to the landlord paying the tenant treble damages (three months’ rent) plus legal fees. This encourages landlords to refuse security deposits and lower risk through higher rents. If the SJC decides that security-deposit violations do give rise to a defense against possession, even fewer landlords will ask for security deposits, and rents will rise accordingly.

MassLandlords.net was launched in February 2014 as the first professionally staffed trade association for landlords in Massachusetts. Vickery is a a graduate of Boston University School of Law and a former member of the Governor’s Council.

Daily News

GREENFIELD — Michael Tucker, President and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced that April Healey has joined the bank as a mortgage originator at the bank’s main office, 63 Federal St., Greenfield.

Healey has more than 14 years of experience in real estate, most recently at a local, regional bank. She will be responsible for originating residential mortgage loans in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

She attended Holyoke Community College and has held various positions with the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, including director and chairperson of its Realtor Public Image Committee.

Greenfield Cooperative Bank and its Northampton Cooperative Bank division is a community-based institution with more than $525 million in assets and $60 million in capital reserves. The bank provides residential mortgages, commercial loans, and deposit products at 10 offices in Western Mass.

Daily News

BOSTON — Continuing a series of initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic, Gov. Charlie Baker unveiled legislation to provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients suffering from addiction, control the spread of addictive prescription opioids, and increase education about substance-use disorder for providers and in the community.

The bill, titled “An Act Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education and Prevention,” contains several additional provisions developed by the Governor’s Opioid Working Group to address prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.

“Combating the opioid epidemic in the Commonwealth calls for a comprehensive approach, and filing today’s landmark legislation is a critical step toward creating more effective treatment pathways and better controlling opioid-prescribing practices for first-time patients,” Baker said. “Our administration has already implemented a series of the working group’s recommendations to tackle this epidemic from every angle, ranging from prevention to recovery support.”

This bill calls for new requirements for practitioners, educators, and communities and amends the civil-commitment statute to specify that women committed for substance-use treatment may be sent to new secure treatment units approved by the departments of Public Health and Mental Health, and ends the practice of sending women to MCI Framingham for treatment.

Further, medical professionals will be granted the authority to involuntarily commit an individual for treatment for 72 hours if they pose a danger to themselves or others. Currently, individuals suffering from substance-use disorders can be held for treatment only through an order from the courts, which are not always in session, limiting access for families and patients in need of a 24-hour ‘front door’ to treatment for a substance-related emergency.

To better control opioid-prescribing practices, the legislation contains a provision limiting patients to a 72-hour supply the first time they are prescribed an opioid or when they are prescribed an opioid from a new doctor. Practitioners will also be required to always check the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) prior to prescribing an opioid to a patient, and will be required to fulfill five hours of training on pain management and addiction every two years.

“Our administration is utilizing every tool in the toolbox to fight the opioid crisis tainting every corner of the Commonwealth,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, adding that the bill “serves as the latest call to action to execute a dynamic strategy, and we look forward to working with the legislature to enact meaningful laws to help our citizens.”

A full update on the progress of the Governor’s Opioid Working Group can be found at www.mass.gov/stopaddiction.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Museum School at the Springfield Museums is currently offering courses and experiential learning opportunities for both children and adults. Spaces are still available for fall courses and trips. Gift certificates are also available, and make unique and memorable gifts during the holidays.

All courses are led by experienced and supportive instructors, in topics tied to the museums’ collections and special traveling exhibits. Fall courses for young people include explorations in astronomy and health science, and courses that feature parental involvement, like ‘candy chemistry’ and a creative-writing workshop for home-schooled children and their parents.

Offerings for adults during the fall session include lectures in “Art & Architecture in the Year 1500: Italy, Inca & Asia,” as well as drawing, painting, and sculpting classes. There are also holiday-themed courses in the culinary arts (“Harvest Festivals”), floral design, and classes in the use of origami to create ornaments and gift boxes. Many courses are one-day offerings, allowing even the busiest adults to participate.

Adult travel opportunities are also being planned, including excursions to see the ancient ruins of Peru, the national parks of the Old West, and the French Riviera and Provence.

For complete course descriptions, travel itineraries, fees, and to register, visit springfieldmusuems.org under the ‘Learn and Travel’ tab, or call (413) 263-6800, ext. 377 or 382.

Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% in September, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday.

The preliminary job estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Massachusetts lost 7,100 jobs in September. The job losses occurred in the education and health services; trade, transportation, and utilities; construction; and manufacturing sectors. However, year-to-date, Massachusetts has added 46,900 jobs.

The preliminary estimates show 3,406,700 Massachusetts residents were employed in September, and 163,100 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,569,800. The labor force decreased by 21,900 from 3,591,700 in August, as 17,200 fewer residents were employed and 4,600 fewer residents were unemployed over the month.

The statewide unemployment rate in August was 4.7%. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 1.0% from 5.6% in September 2014. The September state unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 5.1% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“The Massachusetts unemployment rate continues to decline. Although the state experienced job losses in September, the overall jobs picture is strong,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker II said.

The state’s labor force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — decreased 0.4% to 64.9% over the month. The labor-force participation rate over the year has decreased 0.6% compared to September 2014.

September 2015 estimates show that 3,406,800 residents were employed, and 163,100 were unemployed. There were 35,400 fewer unemployed persons over the year compared to September 2014.

The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in professional, scientific, and business services; leisure and hospitality; and education and health services.

Daily News

AGAWAM — Tim Irwin and Chris Mader of OMG Inc., have been named in the annual 30 Under 30 Awards given jointly by Young Fastener Professionals and the Fastener Industry Coalition.

“To be recognized by this prestigious group is certainly a high honor for these two outstanding individuals, and also for OMG,” said Hubert McGovern, president of OMG. “We are very proud of their accomplishments and for this great industry recognition.”

The 30 Under 30 Awards are given annually to young industry professionals who are making a difference in the fastener industry. Ideal candidates are leaders who are driven, motivated, and passionate about their jobs and the future of the fastener industry. Individual nominations are selected based on several criteria, including their contribution to measurable results in the form of cost savings, sales increases, and design-efficiency increases.

Irwin is a product manager with FastenMaster, where he is responsible for the LOK line of structural wood fasteners. He was cited for his team leadership as well as significant contributions he has made on the success of the FlatLOK, the ThruLOK, and the FastenMaster business as a whole. In his role as product manager, he has been able to significantly impact sales revenue and profits and has demonstrated a keen ability to drive product development based on end-user needs.

Mader is a codes/approvals support engineer for OMG’s Roofing Products division, responsible for helping evaluate new products, as well as developing and maintaining technical product specifications, maintaining code approvals, and keeping abreast of technical changes and advancements in the commercial-roofing industry. He has been instrumental in helping OMG understand critical compliance standards and requirements for products sold in various international markets and for his work with products designed to secure solar PV racking systems to commercial roofs.

The winners from this year’s 30 Under 30 Awards will be recognized at the National Fastener Industrial & Mill Supply Expo in Las Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Headquartered in Agawam, OMG Inc. is North America’s largest manufacturer of specialty fasteners and products for commercial and residential construction applications. The company operates two business units: OMG Roofing Products and FastenMaster.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Advanced manufacturing in New England and the skills gap will be discussed as part of a national report produced by Deloitte Consulting, LLP and the New England Council at the Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) Headline Luncheon at the Western Mass. Business Expo on Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.

Alison Lands, senior manager for Deloitte Consulting’s Strategy and Operations practice and co-author and editor of “Advanced to Advantageous: The Case for New England’s Manufacturing Revolution,” will present highlights of the report as well as the strength of this backbone industry and the skills-gap challenges facing it.

According to the report, the industry sector has evolved to encompass aerospace and defense, medical devices and biotechnology, complex electronics, precision machining and optics. Despite the difficulties of the recession, advanced manufacturing has proven to be a resilient sector of the economy and is poised for a revolution.

However, it faces numerous challenges. It no longer relies on unskilled labor but rather requires a workforce skilled in technology, innovation and information. In addition to a generation of workers facing retirement, there exists a dearth of skilled workers qualified to work in manufacturing as well as an underskilled labor pool to fill available job vacancies within the industry. In addition, the report notes, the industry “suffers from a lack of brand awareness that keeps talent at arm’s length from meaningful employment opportunities.”

Lands will discuss the evolution of the industry, the challenges associated with such a skills gap, and the opportunities that New England can capitalize on to serve as accelerators for growth.

With a background in economics and more than 15 years of experience in public administration and professional services, Lands partners with leaders of state, local, and regional agencies to achieve results in the areas of health and human services, economic and workforce development, disaster recovery and resiliency, and transportation.

She holds a master’s degree in public and economic policy with a concentration in urban policy from the London School of Economics, a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in urban policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University.

Prior to joining Deloitte Consulting, she served as the senior economic-development specialist for the city of San Antonio, Texas.

James Brett, president and CEO of the New England Council, will join Lands for the presentation, made possible by the office of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal.

Advance registration for the luncheon is suggested, the cost is $40 per person. While this luncheon is included in the PWC Headline Luncheon Season Pass, season pass holders are required to pre-register. Registrations may be made online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com or by e-mailing [email protected].

Daily News

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker has proclaimed October Cyber Security Awareness Month in Massachusetts in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month, to engage and educate the public and private sectors about preparedness for issues related to cybersecurity.

“This month is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity for the people of Massachusetts, our businesses, and state government,” Baker said. “The cybersecurity field also represents a great opportunity for Massachusetts to utilize the multi-disciplinary collection of assets and capacities in our universities, our industries, and our government to be a leader globally in cybersecurity services.”

Added Kristen Lepore, secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, “MassIT’s Enterprise Security Office is essential to ensuring the security of the state’s data. Their collaboration with the federal government and national groups like the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) allows the state to share best practices about cybersecurity with our partners at the local level.”

According to Kevin Burns, the Commonwealth’s chief information security officer, “we recognize that the single most important element of cybersecurity for constituents is safeguarding their private, personal information. Ensuring privacy and security to the greatest possible extent is central to our work, and to help us in that endeavor, we are fortunate to actively collaborate and partner with the nation’s most critical players in this space — from the Department of Homeland Security and the Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center to industry-leading private-sector organizations.”

To raise awareness throughout the month of October, MassIT will post new content on the state’s cybersecurity homepage, www.mass.gov/cybersecurity. A digital cybersecurity awareness campaign using billboards will also run throughout the state as part of the state Department of Transportation’s Public Service Announcement Program.

Daily News

AMHERST — Author and dance educator Sakina Ibrahim will facilitate a workshop for parents and their children using her acclaimed book Big Words to Little Me, an event sponsored by Clinical & Support Options Inc. and taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bridge Family Resource Center, 101 University Dr., Amherst.

This workshop is for caregivers and their children (ages 9 and older) and serves as a creative approach to self-development and communication that focuses on addressing personal and collective challenges in order to discover the power of choice and determination. Using movement, dramatic arts, and Ibrahim’s book, each parent and child are guided toward methods of empowerment, self-discovery, and bonding. Free dinner and free child care will be provided

This workshop is free, but space is limited, and pre-registration is required. For information, call Bridge Family Resource Center Director Kristal Cleaver at (413) 549-0470.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Beloved Earth, the Pioneer Valley’s first green cleaning company, has promoted Lynn Moynahan to the position of assistant vice president in charge of the residential services division.

Beloved Earth co-founders David and Terra Missildine serve as company president and vice president, respectively. David oversees commercial services, and Terra oversees general operations.

Moynahan has been with Beloved Earth for three years and previously served in the role of residential services manager for Hampshire County only. In her new position, Moynahan will oversee the entire residential services team, including managers in other counties.

Beloved Earth employs a total of 12 staff members in its two divisions. The business primarily serves Hampshire County, but also Hampden and Franklin counties. To learn more about the company’s products and services, visit belovedearthcompany.com.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts secretary of state has given final approval to the merger between the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce to officially form the Springfield Regional Chamber.

At a meeting of both the ACCGS and the Springfield Chamber, the membership of the ACCGS and the Springfield Chamber voted in person and by proxy to unanimously approve the merger and create the new organization. The creation of one unified organization was the result of more than two years of discussions, comprehensive analyses, reviews of best practices, and benchmarking against chambers across the country.

Under the previous model, the ACCGS served as an umbrella organization providing services and benefits to a collective of affiliate chambers: the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Professional Women’s Chamber of Commerce (PWC), and the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce (ERC5). The new organization reflects the merger of the ACCGS and Springfield into one organization.

“Our region is one economic marketplace,” said chamber President Jeffrey Ciuffreda. “This merger better reflects the regional thinking of our membership, and, as a result, we have a clearer and strengthened vision, stronger collaborations with existing regional partners, and greater opportunities for new ones. It enables the chamber to grow so that its members can grow, too.”

He added that the move “also allows us to have a stronger, more unified voice to better shape policy on Beacon Hill and in Washington,” and noted that the merger also allows the chamber to have an increased regional presence to help drive growth, a more cohesive structure, operational efficiencies, and more effective and impactful use of resources. “In the end, this merger should provide for an increased level of service to our members so that we can maximize their financial investment in us.”

While the ERC5 voted not to merge, the Springfield Regional Chamber will continue to provide services to these members through the remainder of their membership term. “We continue to work with the ERC5 and its leadership to identify mutually beneficial ways to work together to strengthen the region as a whole,” said Ciuffreda.

image001Meanwhile, the Springfield Regional Chamber has debuted its new logo. According to Nancy Creed, the chamber’s vice president of marketing and communications, the new logo has a more modern look. “We wanted the logo to better reflect what we do rather than who we are,” she said. “Many still don’t understand what a chamber does, but this logo, specifically the words ‘Connect to Commerce,’ clearly reflect our purpose.”

The logo, created by Creed with assistance from consultant Gary Czelusniak, centers around the number two because, as Creed noted, “partnerships take two for success — the chamber and a business, the chamber and the region, the chamber and its members, not to mention the businesses and consumers, businesses and employees, and the list goes on. Success is all about working together and building relationships.”

She said the choice of colors also are significant, noting that orange represents enthusiasm, creativity, success, strength, and endurance, and is a color highly accepted among the younger generations. “Believe it or not, seeing the color orange actually increases the oxygen supply to the brain and stimulates mental activity, and people associate orange with good value.”

She said grey, on the other hand, is associated with power, strength, authority, prestige without being overly formal, reliability, and stability. “Grey is also perceived as long-lasting and classic. That holds true for us since we have been connecting people to commerce for more than a century.”

Springfield Regional Chamber members in good standing can use the new logo on their websites as a means of communicating to consumers their commitment and investment in the chamber.

The chamber is also working on a new website, www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, and chamber staff have all transitioned to the new domain name for their e-mail addresses.