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Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — FieldEddy Insurance announced that Maria Koutroubila has joined the firm as a personal lines account manager. She brings more than 10 years of insurance-related experience to the position, and is a member of the National Alliance, holding the CISR designation and working toward CISR Elite designation. Koutroubila will be responsible for educating and ensuring that clients have the proper insurance coverage. As part of the personal lines team, she will work to implement daily opoerations and ensure that that standard working procedures, key performance indicators, and other account metrics are achieved on a regular basis.

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced the renaming of its mortgage- lending division to Berkshire Bank Home Lending. The line of business includes a home lending call center, operations, servicing, and a team of mortgage loan originators. This business line will transition Berkshire’s current mortgage lending affiliate, Greenpark Mortgage, into the Berkshire Bank Home Lending brand. Along with its new home-lending call center and loan-servicing operations, Berkshire Bank Home Lending includes more than 90 mortgage loan originators located in offices throughout New England and New York. These offices and teams enable Berkshire Bank Home Lending to have a significant market presence while providing portfolio lending with competitive rates and fees to consumers with hands-on service and fast decision-making. Included in the business unit roll-out was the launch of a new consumer lending web site, BerkshireBankHomeLending.com. The new web site features areas to get pre-approved for a mortgage, apply for a mortgage, and login to check on an application’s status. It also includes helpful information on topics including: mortgage application checklists; calculators; glossary of terms; and homeowners insurance. “Berkshire Bank Home Lending’s goal is to provide individualized home mortgage solutions because we know no two customers are alike,” said Kevin Inkley, senior vice president, Retail Lending. “With our network of local loan originators, competitive pricing, home lending call center and web site, we partner with our customers to keep them informed ensuring the highest-quality service and long-term satisfaction.”

Daily News

PALMER — The Republican reported today that Mohegan Sun is ending its 99-year lease with Northeast Realty for the former casino site off Thorndike. The casino giant sited an inability to find a major retailer to anchor a proposed development there as the reason for its action. In a prepared statement, Northeast Realty said the move comes as no surprise and “confirms Northeast’s position that Mohegan Sun never intended to legitimately pursue non-gaming development” at the site. Former town councilor Paul Burns agreed with that sentiment. In a strongly worded statement e-mailed to BusinessWest, he said, “the statement today from Mohegan Sun regarding their desire to abandon Palmer is hardly surprising to those of us who have followed the trail of broken promises and misstatements since Mohegan entered into negotiations with Suffolk Downs in October, well before Palmer’s voters had even had their say.” He continued, “the premise, however, that Mohegan Sun has spent any significant amount of time trying to find a tenant is laughable. As recently as April Mohegan Sun reps, in response to a request from three Palmer town councilors, indicated that they simply did not have time to pursue development in Palmer as they were busy with the Revere project. Now barely three months later they have somehow completed an extensive search for a partner and came up empty? Clearly Mohegan Sun had no interest in developing this site for any purpose other than a casino. I believed when they initially claimed interest in non-gaming development that they were simply attempting to hold onto the site to prevent another company from building there should MGM not be awarded the Western Mass. license. Now barely 30 days after MGM secures that license Mohegan Sun’s actions speak loud and clear. From where I sit it is clear, they had no intention of building here. Obviously Mohegan Sun is not the ‘good neighbor’ they claimed to be.”

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Gun maker Smith & Wesson has agreed to pay $2 million to settle civil charges by federal regulators that it bribed foreign officials to sell firearms in other countries. The Securities & Exchange Commission said Monday that the company violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by making improper payments as it sought to sell guns overseas to police and military groups from 2007 to 2010. In 2008, according to the SEC, Smith & Wesson hired a third-party agent in Pakistan to help secure a sale with a Pakistani police department. Company officials also authorized the agent to provide more than $11,000 worth of guns to Pakistani police officials as gifts and to make additional cash payments to them. Smith & Wesson eventually won a contract to sell 548 pistols to the Pakistani police for a profit of $107,852, the SEC said.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Tuned by Tuna today announced that the 30th anniversary of the legendary Tuned By Tuna Car and Bike Show will take place Aug. 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held on the grounds of Smith & Wesson on Roosevelt Avenue in Springfield, rain or shine. Proceeds from the show will benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield, which delivers care to children with a host of orthopedic and neuromusculoskeletal disorders and diseases, as well as cleft lip and palate, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. Sponsored by Genden’s CARQUEST Auto Parts and powered by Sarat Ford, the Tuned By Tuna Car and Bike Show will open at 8 a.m. for show cars and 10 a.m. for spectators. Cost for admission is $3 for individuals age 13 and up. Children under 12 are free. Anyone wearing a previous Tuned By Tuna T-shirt will be admitted free. A parade to Shriners Hospital, located on Carew Street, will step off at 2 p.m. and an awards ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. For more information, visit tunedbytuna.com.

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — MassDevelopment has issued $9 million in tax-exempt and taxable bonds on behalf of Hillcrest Educational Centers Inc., a Pittsfield-based nonprofit that provides clinical, psychological, and special education services to children, adolescents, and families in Berkshire County and the northeast. The organization is using bond proceeds to build a 5,000-square-foot dormitory building, demolish an existing dormitory building, and build a 10,000-square-foot academic building to accommodate increased enrollment in Hillcrest’s Autism Spectrum Disorders Program. Bond proceeds will also refinance previous debt. MassDevelopment enhanced the financing with a mortgage-insurance guarantee. Berkshire Bank purchased the bonds. “This low-cost financing will help Hillcrest provide more options for students seeking clinical, psychological, and special education services,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. “Human service agencies are vital to the Commonwealth’s citizens and economy, and we’re pleased to support their capital projects from Boston to the Berkshires.” Founded in 1985, Hillcrest provides educational and residential treatment programs for students with complex psychiatric, behavioral, or developmental disorders. The organization serves up to 150 students a year from Berkshire County and the northeast and is nationally recognized for working with difficult students who have been turned down by group homes and institutions. “Through the years, Hillcrest has collaborated with MassDevelopment to secure financing that has allowed the organization to maintain a sound infrastructure by enhancing and expanding the facilities at its various locations,” said Hillcrest Chief Financial Officer Mark A. Placido. “The projects, past and future, are vital to addressing the programming needs of the students we serve.” MassDevelopment, the state’s finance and development agency, works with businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, and communities to stimulate economic growth across the Commonwealth. During FY2013, MassDevelopment financed or managed 350 projects generating investment of more than $2.4 billion in the Massachusetts economy. These projects are projected to create more than 7,000 jobs and build or rehabilitate 800 residential units.

Daily News

WESTFIELD — Westfield Financial Inc., the holding company for Westfield Bank, reported net income of $1.3 million, or 7 cents per diluted share, for the quarter that ended June 30, compared with $1.6 million, or 8 cents per diluted share for the same quarter in 2013. For the six months ended June 30, net income was $3 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, compared with $3.4 million, or 16 cents per diluted share, for the same period a year ago. The bank also announced a quarterly dividend of 6 cents per share. The dividend is payable on August 20 to all shareholders of record on August 6.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Mall, which changed the region’s retail landscape when it opened its doors in 1979, recently celebrated its 35th birthday with a host of events and announcements about future improvements. The mall staged a family friendly customer-appreciation event on July 26. Entertainment was provided by Forest park’s ‘Zoo of the Go,’ the Springfield Science Museum, the Valley Blue Sox, and others. There were also give-aways and a host of prizes. The mall also marked the occasion by announcing a series of enhancements, including new floor tile throughout the common area, restroom remodels, new directional signage, refinishing the oak paneling with a deeper color, and energy efficient lighting upgrades. Construction is projected to be completed this fall.

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital was named among the top 10% of the hospitals evaluated as providing outstanding performance in gynecologic surgery, as measured by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

Cooley Dickinson, Cape Cod Hospital, and Good Samaritan Medical Center were the only Massachusetts hospitals to receive the award. This is the third consecutive year Cooley Dickinson has received this recognition. Gynecologic surgery includes surgery on the female reproductive system to treat benign tumors, cancer, infertility, incontinence, and various other conditions. Hysterectomy accounted for 75% of all procedures evaluated.

To help consumers evaluate and compare hospital performance in gynecologic surgery, Healthgrades analyzed patient outcome data for all patients provided by 17 individual states for years 2010 through 2012. Healthgrades found that there is a significant variation in quality for gynecologic surgery. From 2010 through 2012, patients treated in hospitals receiving five stars for gynecologic surgery have, on average, a 57% lower risk of experiencing complications than if they were treated in hospitals receiving one star. From 2010 through 2012, if all hospitals performed similarly to hospitals receiving five stars in gynecologic surgery, 17,760 in-hospital complications may have potentially been avoided.


For the methodology for selecting the award recipients, see the complete “Healthgrades Women’s Health Report 2014” at www.healthgrades.com/quality.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society has received a 2014 grant from the Massachusetts “I’m Animal Friendly” license-plate program. Funds will be used towards Dakin’s low-cost spay and neuter services.

According to Dakin Executive Director Leslie Harris, “this grant, in the amount of $13,000, will be an immense help in our ongoing efforts to curb unwanted pet overpopulation and will be put to good use at our community spay/neuter clinic.”

The “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates are a program of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition. Funds are dispersed annually to organizations that demonstrate a need for — and provide — low-cost spay and neuter services.

Dakin Humane Society provides shelter, education, advocacy, and assistance for animals and people in need from its two locations in Springfield and Leverett. The organization shelters nearly 6,000 animals every year and provides low-cost spay/neuter surgery and vaccinations to 12,000 more. Dakin is a local, private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses that care about animals to bring its services to the community. For more information, visit www.dpvhs.org.

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced that Thaddeus Welch III has been hired as portfolio research analyst and trader, joining its Wealth Management team.

In this position, Welch will be responsible for managing all trading activities and performing fundamental, economic, and sector research to assist in generating overall investment strategies. In addition, Welch will work with clients to customize their portfolios for appropriate risk-reward allocations and to achieve their long-term goals. His areas of specialization are trading, equity research, and portfolio management. Welch will be working out of Berkshire Wealth Management’s office at 25 Main St. in Lenox.

Prior to Berkshire Bank, Welch worked for Spinnaker Trust in Portland, Maine, where he was a member of the investment committee and helped manage sophisticated portfolios. Welch received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Bowdoin College and is a CFA level II candidate.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Barry Crosby, president and CEO of Freedom Credit Union (FCU), announced the promotion of three officers within the credit union and the appointment of a new mortgage loan originator.

• Karen Chauvin Katsanos has been promoted to vice president of Human Resources at FCU. She will continue to manage the human-resource and training activities for the credit union, which employs a staff of 130. Katsanos joined the credit union in 2012 and has 20 years of HR experience in several industries, including healthcare and manufacturing. She has held a number of senior management positions throughout her career. Katsanos earned her bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and has earned two master’s degrees — one in psychology from Westfield State College and the other in business administration from Western New England College. She holds an SPHR designation that she earned from the Human Resource Certification Institute. She is a board member for the Human Resource Management Assoc. of Western New England and the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield.

• Cheryl Podgorski has been promoted to vice president of Operations. She joined the credit union in 2012 and has more than 26 years of operations experience in both the banking and credit-union industries, holding several senior management positions throughout her career. In addition to her responsibilities in the credit union’s Operations department, Podgorski has been managing Freedom’s Loan Servicing department for the past year. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from Western New England College and holds a Six Sigma Green Belt certification. She is a past certified treasury professional through the Assoc. for Financial Professionals.

• Lisa Astley has been promoted to branch officer of Freedom’s Ludlow Branch. In her new position, she oversees the financial and lending operations of the branch, develops new business opportunities with individuals and businesses, and promotes financial literacy at area schools. Astley has been employed at Freedom for five years and has 12 years of experience in the banking and financial-services industries. Prior to joining Freedom, she was customer service supervisor at Randall’s Farm in Ludlow for 15 years. Astley is currently working toward a financial services degree with the Center for Financial Training.

• Antonio Sanches has joined Freedom as a mortgage loan originator and is responsible for real-estate origination throughout Hampden and Hampshire counties. As he helps expand Freedom’s mortgage services to its members in Hampden and Hampshire counties, he will offer his expertise in conventional, FHA, MassHousing, Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s One Mortgage, and USDA loans. He has 10 years of experience in the finance industry, including expertise in residential mortgage origination, first-time homebuyer assistance, and secondary market sales. Most recently, he was assistant vice president at Florence Savings Bank. Currently, Sanches is president of the Rotary Club of Ludlow and a corporator at the Randall Ludlow Boys and Girls Club. In June, he was named Affiliate of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. Sanches is working at the Freedom branch on Center Street in Ludlow.

Freedom Credit Union was chartered in 1922, and anyone who lives, works, or attends a college or university in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire county can become a member. Freedom consists of nine branches throughout the Pioneer Valley in Chicopee, downtown Springfield, Easthampton, Feeding Hills, Greenfield, Ludlow, Northampton, Sixteen Acres in Springfield, and Turners Falls. Freedom’s 10th branch — in the Roger L. Putnam Technical Vocational Academy — is slated to open in September.

Daily News

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN), the statewide organization that unites and strengthens the nonprofit sector through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity building, announced that it has appointed James Ayres, CEO and executive director of United Way of Hampshire County, to its board of directors.

“We are honored to welcome Jim Ayers, whose passion and considerable experience at the community and state level will help strengthen our state’s vast nonprofit sector,” said Rick Jakious, CEO of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network. “MNN’s board of directors reflects the rich geographical and organizational diversity of the state’s nonprofit sector and is the voice of a strong, united nonprofit sector in Massachusetts.”

Said Ayers, “the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network is an invaluable organization for promoting public policy, support, and public understanding of the not-for-profit sector. A vibrant and well-equipped nonprofit sector, in turn, profoundly impacts quality of life thoughout the Commonwealth. I’m excited to join the MNN board and to work with other statewide leaders to shape the direction of the organization.”

Prior to his role at United Way of Hampshire County, Ayers served for 12 years as executive director of the Northampton-based Center for New Americans, an education and resource center for immigrants, refugees, and other limited-English speakers in Western Mass. In these roles, he has worked extensively with local and state governments, community coalitions, workforce boards, and NGOs to develop policy and programming. Ayres holds master’s degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst.

Daily News

WARE — Baystate Mary Lane Hospital welcomes Dr. Harbir Sawhney to its medical staff. A gastroenterologist, he specializes in the diagnoses, treatment, and management of digestive-system disorders in men and women.

“We are pleased to announce that Dr. Sawhney is joining us, providing care through Baystate Medical Practices – Mary Lane Gastroenterology,” said Dr. Shafeeq Ahmed, acting president, chief operating officer, and chief medical officer at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital.

Sawhney earned his medical degree at Seth G.S. Medical College in Bombay, India, and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Health Sciences Chicago Medical School and a fellowship in infectious disease at Boston University Medical Center. Board-certified in internal medicine, he completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at UMass Medical School in Worcester.

A member of the Infectious Disease Society of America, the Mass. Infectious Disease Society, Mass. Medical Society, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the Indian Medical Board, Sawhney is skilled in advanced diagnostic procedures and treatment options for patients with problems in the esophagus, stomach, large and small intestines, rectum, gallbladder, liver, or pancreas. He is also an infectious-disease physician who specializes in the care of HIV and Hepatitis C.

Sawhney is accepting new patients. For more information or to make an appointment, call (413) 967-2800.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center’s Mini-Medical School, which begins its fall session on Sept. 18, is now accepting registrations for the eight-week health-education series.

Offered in a relaxed atmosphere in the hospital’s Chestnut Conference Center, the special program is designed to help the public make more informed decisions about their healthcare while receiving insight on what it is like to be a medical student — minus the tests, late-night study sessions, interviews, and admission formalities.

Mini-Medical School, designed for an adult audience, features a different aspect of medicine each week. Classes this fall will include sessions on various medical topics including surgery, pathology, psychiatry, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, thoracic surgery, and osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Each class is taught by Baystate Medical Center faculty who explain the science of medicine without resorting to complex terms.

All classes are held Thursday nights starting at 6 p.m. No basic science knowledge is needed to participate. Each participant is required to attend a minimum of six out of eight classes in order to receive a certificate of completion. Among the topics and speakers slated for the fall semester are:

Sept. 18: “Hey, I Finally Got into Medical School!” with Dr. Michael Rosenblum, director, Internal Medicine Residency Program, Baystate Medical Center (includes a general tour of the hospital).

Sept. 25: “Anesthesiology” with Dr. Michael Bailin, chair, Department of Anesthesiology, Baystate Medical Center.

Oct. 2: “Surgery” with Dr. Richard Wait, chair, Department of Surgery, Baystate Medical Center (includes a tour of the Simulation Center and Goldberg Surgical Skills Lab).

Oct. 9: “Psychiatry” with Dr. Benjamin Liptzin, chair, Department of Psychiatry, Baystate Medical Center.

Oct. 16: “The Lungs, Smoking, Cancer, Anatomy, and Surgery” with Dr. Rose Ganim, thoracic surgeon, Baystate Medical Center.

Oct. 23: “Emergency Medicine” with Dr. Joseph Schmidt, vice chair, Emergency Medicine, Baystate Medical Center.

Oct. 30: “Pathology” with Dr. Richard Friedberg, chair, Department of Pathology, Baystate Medical Center (includes a tour of the lab).

Nov. 6: “Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Hip” with Dr. Jordan Greenbaum, attending surgeon, New England Orthopedic Surgeons (includes a graduation ceremony).

Tuition is $95 per person and $80 for Senior Class and Spirit of Women members. Register for the fall session by calling Baystate Health Link at (800) 377-4325 or (413) 794-2255 or by visiting baystatehealth.org/minimed.

Daily News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s largest retail trade group has lowered its annual sales forecast because of slower-than-expected growth during the first half of the year tied to winter storms and some lingering economic woes. The National Retail Federation said Wednesday that it now expects retail sales to rise 3.6% this year to $3.19 trillion, instead of its original projection of a 4.1%, released in early February. The figures include sales in stores and online, but exclude automotive sales and sales at gas stations and restaurants.

Daily News

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, announced results for the quarter ended June 30. These results include one month of the pre-merger Rockville Financial Inc. net income, and net income of the combined entity beginning on May 1.

Rockville was the legal acquirer in the merger of equals with legacy United Financial Bancorp Inc., in a transaction that closed on April 30, and Rockville changed its name to United Financial Bancorp Inc. at that time.

The company had a net loss of $5.6 million, or $(0.13) per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, compared to Rockville’s net income of $3.3 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. Operating net income for the second quarter of 2014 was $5.8 million (non-GAAP), or $0.13 per diluted share, adjusted for $21.3 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger, $4.9 million (pre-tax) net impact of the amortization and accretion of the purchase-accounting adjustments (or fair-value adjustments) as a result of the merger, and $589,000 (pre-tax) net gains on sales of securities.

Operating net income for the quarter ending March 31 was $2.2 million (non-GAAP), or $0.08 per diluted share, adjusted for $1.8 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger of equals between Rockville Financial Inc. and United Financial Bancorp Inc., as well as income of $268,000 (pre-tax) from net gains on sales of securities. Operating net income for the second quarter of 2013 was $4.0 million (non-GAAP), or $0.15 per diluted share, adjusted for $809,000 (pre-tax) for the impact of a branch lease-termination agreement and $561,000 (pre-tax) for termination expense related to position eliminations, as well as income of $329,000 (pre-tax) from net gains on sales of securities.

“During the second quarter, Rockville Financial Inc. and United Financial Bancorp Inc. successfully completed their merger of equals. Organic earning asset growth and operating earnings results for the quarter were strong, despite including only two months as a combined organization,” said William Crawford IV, CEO of United Financial Bancorp Inc. and United Bank. “The team is intensely focused on integrating the two companies and is on target to complete the data conversion in the fourth quarter of 2014.” Earnings in both 2014 and 2013 were affected by non-operating income and expense.

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The HCC Gateway to College program, which takes high-school dropouts and puts them in college classes, leads the nation in both retention and graduation rates.

The Spring 2014 report from the National Network of Gateway to College lists the program at Holyoke Community College number one in both fall-to-fall persistence rate (87%) and graduation rate (80%) out of all 43 Gateway to College programs for the 2011-12 academic year. The network average was 53% for persistence (otherwise known as retention) and 27% for graduation.

The Gateway to College program gives second chances to high-school students who have either dropped out of school or are at risk for dropping out by enrolling them in college classes. Students earn both their high-school diplomas and college credit.

HCC’s largest Gateway class ever graduated on June 9, with 26 students from Amherst, Palmer, Holyoke, and Springfield receiving their high-school diplomas. Along the way, the class of 2014 also amassed a total of 387 college credits. Since 2010, 142 students have earned their high-school diplomas through the HCC Gateway to College program.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts is awarding more than $1.2 million in competitive grants to local nonprofit organizations. A total of 99 Pioneer Valley projects will receive funding, with awards ranging from $2,000 to $52,500.

The Community Foundation awards competitive grants each year, with funds targeting projects addressing community needs inclusive of arts and culture, education, the environment, health, housing, and human services for residents of Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties. More than 60 of the projects funded were supported by trusts administered by Bank of America. The Community Foundation receives and reviews grant applications on behalf of Bank of America for four charitable trusts for which the bank serves as a trustee. Examples of grant awards include:

• $10,000 to Kestrel Land Trust to help preserve 1,170 acres of land in the Mount Holyoke Range in collaboration with the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation and the towns of South Hadley and Belchertown. This is part of a comprehensive multi-year plan to conserve the remaining 6,000 acres that comprise the 16,000-acre Mount Holyoke Range.

• $5,000 to Birthday Wishes Inc. to provide children living at homeless shelters in Springfield with birthday celebrations. Each party includes decorations, cake, and presents celebrating and recognizing a special day in a child’s life.

• $30,000 to the Northwestern Children’s Advocacy Project Inc. to help furnish its new Greenfield site that will provide services to abused children.

“This substantial investment in our community is made possible through the generosity of our donors, the commitment of our many volunteers, and the hard work and dedication of the nonprofits that we are privileged to support,” said Community Foundation Vice President for Programs Nancy Reiche. =

Funding for the competitive grant program comes from distributions from 47 funds established by various individuals and groups committed to supporting local nonprofits. These donors rely on the Community Foundation’s volunteers and staff to focus their funds for effective use by nonprofit agencies in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin county communities. Thirteen volunteer members of the Community Foundation’s distribution committee and 21 project reviewers carefully evaluated 109 applications for funding requests totaling nearly $1.5 million.

Daily News

AMHERST — UMass Amherst geoscientist Julie Brigham-Grette has been named the new chair of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ Polar Research Board (PRB), with the responsibility of promoting excellence in polar science and providing independent scientific guidance to federal agencies and the nation on science issues in the Arctic, Antarctic, and cold regions of the world.

Brigham-Grette, who is currently in the Arctic co-leading a research project for undergraduate students studying tidewater glaciers, begins her three-year renewable PRB appointment on Aug. 1. Previously, she co-chaired the U.S. National Research Council’s 2012 synthesis of reports from thousands of scientists in 60 countries who took part in the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-08.

Brigham-Grette is an expert in climate evolution and sea-level history in the Arctic over the last 3.6 million years, and has participated in nine field expeditions there over the past three decades. Among other techniques, she and colleagues use stratigraphy, sedimentology, and chronology of geologic systems to document the global context of paleoenvironmental change in the area of the Bering Land Bridge and adjacent seas between Alaska and the Yukon and Northeast Russia.

Brigham-Grette said she is particularly excited about a couple of upcoming opportunities for the PRB. First, the U.S., with leadership from the State Department, will become chair of the intergovernmental body of the Arctic Council in 2015, so there will be opportunities for the PRB to have input with federal agencies on the goals and deliverables for the three-year U.S. chairmanship, especially in the area of climate change. The Arctic Council, established in 1998, includes representatives from Canada, Denmark (which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the U.S. Further, she added, the PRB will have a role, along with federal agencies, in framing future research directions for the U.S. Arctic and Antarctic research programs, including partnerships at the international level.

The board attempts to ensure that the U.S. polar-research community participates in critical international planning activities and encourages international cooperation. Brigham-Grette has been a PRB board member for six years. Overall, the board’s goal is to “make research in the polar regions more productive and responsive to the needs of the United States, maintain U.S. awareness of and representation in international science programs, and enhance understanding of issues in the polar regions.” It is unique in covering both Arctic and Antarctic science. Working closely with a large number of federal agencies and committees on polar matters, it serves as the U.S. National Committee for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and for the International Arctic Science Committee.

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Michael Roy, vice president and compliance officer at Easthampton Savings Bank, has been named governor of Rotary International District 7890. His term began July 1 and ends June 30, 2015. Roy is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for the 2,300 members in the 60 clubs in Western Mass. and Northern Conn. that encompass District 7890. He also seeks to raise the visibility of Rotary International and advance the organization’s main goal of eradicating polio globally.

Roy, who is also an attorney, first joined Rotary International in Florida in 1989 and rejoined in 2005 after moving to Massachusetts. He served as president of the Northampton Rotary Club from 2009 to 2010 and also served as chair of the International Committee during that time. In 2010, Roy led a district group study exchange to Japan.

“I got involved with Rotary to make a difference,” said Roy. “By participating in service projects and fund-raisers, you get a first-hand look at the impact that you’re having on peoples’ lives locally and internationally. Serving as district governor is the next natural step in moving the organization forward.”

Established in 1905, Rotary International is a global service organization that brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services locally and worldwide. As district governor, Roy seeks to ensure that clubs in the district, and their members, remain active and relevant in the community.

“It’s important that our clubs continually assess the needs in their communities, because those needs may be different from four years ago or 75 years ago,” he said. “Are clubs providing members with a mix of opportunities to give back locally and participate in international projects? We want to be mindful of our backyard while staying true to our roots by helping out with projects around the world.” Rotarians take on projects that range from providing coats for needy children in their own communities to sending members to Nigeria to help immunize children against polio.

However, he added, “it isn’t only about service. It’s about fellowship. We want to be an exciting, relevant, and welcoming place for anyone looking to effect positive change, whether he or she is an established business leader or someone new to the area.”

Roy has a bachelor’s degree from Palm Beach Atlantic College and a juris doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School. He was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in December 1999. Roy also serves on various compliance and real-estate-related boards and committees in Massachusetts.

Daily News

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — United Bank announced the promotions of four individuals who work for the bank in their West Springfield and Worcester markets:

• Jennifer Boyle, who currently holds the title of marketing information officer, has been promoted to assistant vice president. She joined United Bank in 2005 and is the administrator of the bank’s new marketing customer information system, Harland Touché Analyzer. She is responsible for all aspects of market research and strategic use of customer data to achieve deposit and loan growth and manage the Marketing Department’s customer-communication programs. She reports to Dena Hall, Western Mass. regional president and CMO.

• Jennifer DeBarge, who currently holds the title of marketing officer, has been promoted to assistant vice president. She joined United’s Marketing Department in 2003, where she has held the roles of marketing assistant, marketing specialist, and marketing manager. She is the day-to-day marketing administrator providing support to business-line managers. She manages the relationship with United’s marketing agency and other vendors, working closely with them to execute marketing campaigns and media plans. She also holds the title of vice president, grants officer for the United Bank Foundation.

• Lisa Rood, regional manager for the Worcester and Northern Conn. branches, has been promoted to vice president. She joined United Bank in 2006 as branch operations supervisor, became a retail bank specialist in 2007, and was named retail trainer in 2009. As a regional manager, she is responsible for the administration and efficient operation of managing branches, including operations, product sales, customer service, and security and safety.

• Darilynn Nardi, regional manager for the Springfield region branches, has been promoted to vice president. She joined United Bank in 2006 as branch administration officer. In September 2012, she was promoted to regional manager of the Springfield region, where she is responsible for the administration and efficient operation of managing branches, including operations, product sales, customer service, and security and safety.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — It’s near that time when local families begin preparing for the school year ahead by visiting local stores for their supplies. However, for some students in the area, financial hardships make it difficult for them to start the year with the right tools. To address this need, ABC40 has created the 40 Force School Drive.

From markers, crayons, and pencils to rulers, notebooks, and even backpacks, the station will be collecting school supplies at its studios at 1300 Liberty St. in Springfield from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donations will help students in Springfield get a great start to the new school year.

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Shawmut Design and Construction, an $860 million national construction-management firm, announced the hiring of Jeffrey Niland as senior project manager in the company’s West Springfield office. In this role, Niland will oversee the management of large and complex construction projects for educational, institutional, and commercial clients.

“I was drawn to Shawmut for its reputation and impressive client roster,” said Niland. “I’m looking forward to getting started on some exciting projects in both Western Mass. and Connecticut.”

Prior to joining Shawmut, Niland was a project manager for several other leading New England contractors and worked on renovations and new construction for public and private educational facilities. Niland is 30-hour OSHA-trained and graduated from the University of Scranton with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

“Jeffrey’s 20 years of experience in the industry is going to be a great asset to the Shawmut team,” said Michael Kearns, project executive and regional manager. “He has already brought a fresh perspective to the projects he’s managing.” The West Springfield office is currently working on projects at Greenfield High School, UMass Lowell, and College of the Holy Cross.

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SPRINGFIELD — The first Caring for the Caregiver Conference will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at LaQuinta Inn and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. This symposium was established to celebrate and educate caregivers who often neglect themselves as they care for others.

The keynote speaker is elder-care and aging advocate Jacqueline Marcell, and the day promises to bring insight, support, advice, and camaraderie to those who are taking on the important task of caregiving. Marcell will share her experience as a caregiver to her challenging elderly father and ailing mother, who both suffered from Alzheimer’s which went undiagnosed for over a year.

After fighting through an unsympathetic medical system, endless tears, and depleting her parents’ life savings and much of her own, Marcell determined to figure everything out medically, behaviorally, socially, legally, financially, and emotionally. Passion to save others from a similar experience resulted in her bestselling first book, Elder Rage, the Coping with Caregiving radio show, and her current role as an international speaker. The morning will kick off with a continental breakfast.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to frequent a number of tabletop exhibitors, spa treatments, and resources. At noon, participants will assemble for lunch while Marcell facilitates a panel discussion and question-and-answer session featuring Marcia McKenzie, Alzheimer’s Assoc. director of diversity for Western Mass., and attorney Gina Barry of Bacon Wilson, P.C. Tickets cost $35. To reserve a spot, call (413) 886-2325.

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SPRINGFIELD — At its annual meeting in June, the Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC), an affiliate of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, elected Janet Casey president of its board of directors, serving a two-year term.

Casey is the principal at Marketing Doctor in West Springfield, a marketing and advertising agency. Before establishing Marketing Doctor, she served as a senior sales account executive for LIN Media and advertising account executive for Guy Gannett Broadcasting. She is a Massachusetts delegate to Vision 2020, a national coalition of organizations and individuals united in the commitment to achieve women’s economic and social equality, and is a corporate committee member for the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts.

She is a graduate of the UMass Isenberg School of Management. Casey has served on the PWC board since 2007 and most recently served as its vice president.

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SPRINGFIELD — Kandace Kukas has joined Western New England University School of Law as the assistant dean and director of Bar Admissions Programs. Kukas will design, administer, and oversee the law school’s bar examination preparation efforts and activities, including teaching classes, counseling bar applicants, and working with students on an individual and group basis.

“We’re thrilled to have Kandace Kukas join the School of Law community,” said Dean Eric Gouvin. “With her impressive experience in student bar-preparation strategies, I’m confident Kandace will make a significant contribution to the success of our graduates.”


The director of Bar Admissions Programs position was created to assist Western New England School of Law students with the increasingly complex process of applying to and preparing for the bar examination. Working closely with faculty, staff, and commercial bar-preparation companies, Kukas will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive bar-passage program commencing in a student’s first year of law school and continuing throughout the law-school program.


Kukas has worked in test preparation for the Kaplan and PMBR (Pre-Multistate Bar Review) organizations for 18 years, specifically focusing on bar review for nearly 10 years. She has created curricula for bar-preparation courses, taught bar-review programs at several law schools, and tutored and lectured in commercial bar classes. She practiced law for five years before moving into academic-support roles. Kukas received her J.D. with honors from Suffolk University School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in social work, also with honors, from Salem State University.

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TURNERS FALLS — The board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County (BBBS-FC) is organizing a Wine & Canvas event, the second one this year. The first event was a sellout.

Participants in this fun-filled evening, to take place on Friday, Aug. 8 at the Montague Elks Lodge in Turners Falls, can learn to paint a take-home work of art. The agency has teamed up with Wine & Canvas, a leading art-entertainment company. An art teacher from Wine & Canvas will lead the group in creating a rendering of the Bridge of Flowers. The $45 cost includes dinner, all the art supplies, and the donation to BBBS-FC. Dinner will include Hillside Pizza, salad, and dessert, sponsored by HitPoint in Amherst. Door prizes will be sponsored by Absolutely Fabulous Hair in Greenfield. A cash bar will be available at the event.

The first such event was held on June 19, and the sold-out crowd of 100 painters created a cherry blossom scene. “We were overwhelmed by the interest. It was great to see so many new faces coming out to support our agency,” said board President Laurel Guy.

To sign up, visit www.wineandcanvas.com/private-events-calendar-springfield-ma.html, and click on Aug. 8. You can also sign up by calling the BBBS-FC office at (413) 772-0915. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and sales will run until Aug. 1 or the event sells out, whichever comes first. Proceeds from this event will fund Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County programs, which serve children facing adversity in Franklin County and the North Quabbin towns of Athol, Royalston, Petersham, and Phillipston.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Construction firms added jobs in 38 states and the District of Columbia over the past 12 months, but they reduced headcount in 27 states between May and June, according to a recent analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA). Association officials said the employment gains help, but that construction employment remains below peak levels in every location except North Dakota.

“The overall trend in construction employment remains favorable, with three-fourths of states adding jobs on a year-over-year basis,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But the recovery remains choppy, not steady. In June, monthly gains occurred in fewer than half the states, and the nation added just 6,000 construction jobs.” Florida led all states in percentage and total gains in construction employment (11.5%, 41,700 jobs) between June 2013 and June 2014. Twelve states shed construction jobs during the past twelve months, with New Jersey losing the highest percent and total (down 8.1% and 11,200 jobs).

AGCA officials noted that the number of states adding new construction jobs for the month declined compared to the prior month. Uncertainty around the future state of federal infrastructure funding prompted some construction firms to put expansion plans on hold, officials suggested. They urged the Senate to enact a House-passed bill that keeps federal transportation funding at current levels through May of next year and act on unfinished appropriations bills to fund other infrastructure measures.

“It is hard for firms to grow when they don’t know how much work will be available in just a few weeks,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO. He added that a series of measures designed to make it easier for states to attract funding for infrastructure, announced recently by President Obama, should help boost construction employment.

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SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have been selected to participate in the Museum Assessment Program (MAP), a program funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and administered by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Last year, the Springfield Museums received full accreditation from the AAM, a milestone that only 6% museums in America have achieved.

As part of the IMLS National Leadership Program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums. Museums of all types and sizes are eligible to participate in the program, including those focused on art, history, science and technology, children, and natural history, as well as historic houses, nature centers, botanical gardens, and zoos.

MAP is a self-motivated program; application to and participation in MAP is initiated by each local institution, and those accepted invest considerable human and institutional resources into the assessment. The main steps in the MAP process include a confidential process of self-study, peer review, and implementation. Museums use the assessment process to strengthen operations, build capacity, and enhance communication throughout the organization and in response to community needs. Participant museums choose one of three categories for its assessment: collections stewardship, organizational, and community engagement. The Springfield Museums will take part in the collections-stewardship assessment process.

Kay Simpson, vice president of the Springfield Museums, supervised the two-year accreditation process and will serve as the project manager for the MAP process. “We’re proud and excited to participate in the MAP program,” she said, “as it will serve to emphasize the national significance of our collections and our standing as a cultural treasure for the region.”

Choosing to be part of the MAP program is indicative of the commitment to civic involvement, public service, and overall excellence on the part of Springfield Museums, said Ford Bell, president of AAM. “Studies have shown America’s museums to be among the country’s most trusted and valued institutions. MAP is designed to make them even better.”

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FLORENCE — Florence Savings Bank, a mutually owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nine branch locations, was one of three recipients of the Cutchins Good Neighbor Awards, presented to area organizations that have made a difference in the lives of the people served by the Cutchins Programs for Children & Families.

Florence Savings Bank was recognized for its long-time support of the organization’s programs, in particular the bank’s employee-driven program to supply holiday gifts to Cutchins children; FSB is now in its 14th year of supporting Cutchins programs. The award was presented at the Cutchins Hand in Hand Neighborhood Barbeque staged last month.

For 35 years, families have come to Cutchins for hope and healing to help them deal with issues of trauma, severe emotional and behavioral challenges, and mental illness. In 1977, Cutchins Programs for Children & Families was formed as Northampton Center for Children and Families, serving as an alternative to Northampton State Hospital. Concurrently, New Directions School, a Department of Education-approved special-education day school, was established to serve NCCF children.

In 2001, the agency was renamed for its founding director, Carl Cutchins. Cutchins Programs for Children & Families is recognized at the state and national level for creative and powerful work in the field of children’s mental health. It provides treatment for children experiencing behavioral challenges brought on by abuse, neglect, and trauma.

“The importance of the good work that the Cutchins Programs for Children & Families provides for the people of Western Mass. cannot be overstated,” said John Heaps Jr., president and CEO of Florence Savings Bank. “They provide a much-needed service, and we always consider it a privilege to assist them in whatever ways we can.”

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BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, citing preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported that Massachusetts added 3,700 jobs in June for a total of 3,409,500 jobs, and the total unemployment rate edged down one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.5% from the May rate. The rate is the lowest since August 2008.

Since June 2013, Massachusetts has added a net of 48,900 jobs, with 49,400 jobs added in the private sector and 500 jobs lost in the public sector. The total unemployment rate in June was down 1.6% from the June 2013 rate of 7.1%.

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HATFIELD — James Beard Award-winning Chef Sanford D’Amato and his wife, Angie D’Amato, are getting ready to teach cooking classes in the newly built kitchen in their Hatfield home later this month.

After 24 years of owning and operating Sanford Restaurant, Coquette Café, and Harlequin Bakery in Milwaukee, the D’Amatos moved to Hatfield, on the banks of the Connecticut River. The large, custom-designed kitchen, where the classes will be held, includes a wood-burning pizza oven, a Tuscan-style cooking fireplace, and a 48-inch, eight-burner BlueStar range. Just under two acres of land on the couple’s Good Stock Farm will help supply the classes with vegetables, fruit, and berries, and the couple will also draw from the bounty of neighboring farms and artisanal producers.

The informal cooking classes are for everyone from the beginner to the most experienced cook. Three cooking experiences will be offered: Hands-on, Demonstration, and Demo Dinners. The first class is a Hands-on Dinner Summer Grilling class on July 26, and the classes for 2014 — listed at www.goodstockfarm.com/classes — will run through November. A new class schedule for 2015 will be posted later in the year.

Sanford D’Amato has been cooking and teaching for more than 40 years in New York City, France, Italy, and Mexico City. He was one of 12 chefs chosen by Julia Child to cook for her 80th birthday in Boston, and in Madison, Wis., he prepared lunch for the Dalai Lama. He has taught classes as a guest chef on bike tours and cruise lines all over the world, and between 1991 and 2012, he conducted cooking classes at the D’Amatos’ restaurants in Milwaukee. His skills range from homestyle to professional. Although he is a French-trained chef, his dishes are influenced by cuisines worldwide. At the cooking classes, he will draw from his repertoire of more than 1,000 recipes, including those from his memoir, Good Stock: Life on a Low Simmer.

Reservations may be made for classes by calling (413) 247-6090 and leaving a name, phone number, e-mail address, and credit-card payment.

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NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced that Gov. Deval Patrick recently appointed Lisa Chamberlain, managing partner of the Chamberlain Group, based in Great Barrington, as the newest member of the MCLA board of trustees.

According to Tyler Fairbank, board chair, the Chamberlain Group is an integral part of the innovation economy in the Berkshires. “Lisa Chamberlain brings with her specialized experience and management skills that blend artistry with technology. As such, she is the perfect person to join this university at this time in our history. I look forward to working with Lisa, and am thankful for her commitment, not only to MCLA’s mission, but also to public higher education in the Commonwealth. She will be a great addition to our board.”

Added Chamberlain, “I’m honored to be asked and delighted to accept. MCLA is a jewel in the education crown of Massachusetts. As an alumna parent, I have watched the dynamic stewardship of the college by President Mary Grant with profound admiration. It will be a joy to participate from the inside in the future of MCLA and all it brings to the region and the broader community.” She succeeds outgoing trustee Steve Crowe, who recently completed his term of service.

Founded in 1999, the Chamberlain Group is a Massachusetts-based studio that designs and builds mimetic organs for surgical and interventional training. It is a collective of sculptors, designers, fabricators, engineers, and model makers who work collaboratively with medical-device manufacturers, leading surgeons, and teaching hospitals worldwide.

A graduate of Princeton University with graduate work at Yale, Chamberlain later joined the Academy-Award-winning, New York City-based design and effects studio R/GA, where she met and collaborated with Eric Chamberlain. Together, they were instrumental in building R/GA’s reputation for work in feature films, graphic design, computer graphics, and digital video. Their combined film credits include effects, opening titles, and feature campaigns for Superman, The World According to Garp, Zelig, Predator, Predator II, The Big Chill, Tootsie, Gandhi, Body Double, Ghostbusters, Judge Dredd, Eraser, and The Matrix.

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SPRINGFIELD — David Pickart, senior environmental scientist at Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, has relocated to the firm’s Springfield office. In his role, he will continue to manage projects that address the identification and assessment of natural resources.

Pickart will oversee the preparation and processing of permit applications to local, state, and federal environmental regulatory agencies. Additional responsibilities include growing and leading a team of environmental scientists to service existing and new clients located in Western Mass. and Central Conn. Pickart has 28 years of experience working on complex projects throughout the Northeast.

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WESTERN MASS. — Valley Gives, the highly successful fund-raising event launched in 2012, has opened registration to nonprofits in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties.

Set for Dec. 10, Valley Gives is a 24-hour e-philanthropy program that encourages supporters of nonprofits based in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties to log on and contribute via www.valleygivesday.org — a centralized, web-enabled, mobile giving platform.

The initiative is organized and hosted by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Joining the effort as partners are eight of the leading funding organizations in Western Mass., including the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, the Jewish Endowment Foundation, the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, United Way of Hampshire County, United Way of Franklin County, United Way of Pioneer Valley, the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, and the Beveridge Family Foundation. In its first two years, Valley Gives has raised more than $3 million from more than 15,000 donors.

“This year’s goal is to encourage as many people as possible to donate to their favorite group or groups. Our survey last year indicated that an overwhelming 99% of participants that completed our survey want to donate again this year,” said Kristin Leutz, vice president of Philanthropic Services for the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. “Could we get to 20,000 participants this year? We think this is a realistic and exciting goal.”

Nonprofits that participate this year will find some changes with the way the event is organized. Based on suggestions of past participants, nonprofits will find a more flexible sign-up period with easier registration, a new prize-pool structure making it easier for nonprofits of all sizes to win, and even more training opportunities that will be provided on an expanded schedule both in person and online.

Nonprofit organizations that serve Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties have until Nov. 14 to register to participate. Interested nonprofits may register at www.valleygivesday.org. Nonprofits that register by Sept. 1 will be eligible to win one of three randomly selected $500 awards donated by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

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LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc., a plastics manufacturer specializing in extrusion blow molding and injection stretch blow molding, announced the addition of Drew McNary as director of engineering at the Ludlow-based manufacturing facility.

McNary has more than 30 years of broad-based industry experience driving the development of highly successful, market-leading consumer products, packaging, and medical devices. In his new role at Meredith-Springfield, he will oversee all technical functions and staff.

“We are pleased to welcome Drew to our team of plastics professionals and trust that he will apply his knowledge of manufacturing technologies to allow Meredith-Springfield to offer both new and existing customers high-quality and sustainable packaging,” said Mel O’Leary Jr., president and CEO of Meredith-Springfield. “Since manufacturers today are cognizant of the environmental benefits that sustainable packaging offers, it is imperative that, as we grow, we increase our talented team of engineers, all of whom have hands-on experience and problem-solving capabilities.”

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SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment-law firm serving the Greater Springfield area, announced that partner Susan Fentin will host a webinar on July 22 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. titled “Bipolar and Other Mood Disorders, Asperger’s, and ADHD: Keys to Legally Managing Productivity.”

Human-resource professionals and supervisors alike will benefit from the webinar, which highlights how to spot and address performance triumphs and the challenges workers with these conditions may experience — without violating increasingly broad laws.

“One emerging concern surrounds the fact that some of those individuals entering the workforce right now may have grown accustomed to being treated differently under special-education requirements in school,” said Fentin. “Many human-resource professionals question whether they need to provide similar accommodations in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

The live webinar will address managing employees with increasingly common mental conditions and best practices for day-to-day performance and example scenarios that arise from mood, concentration, and social-skill challenges. Under the ADA, employers have a duty to grant reasonable accommodation to an employee with a covered disability, and given the broad expansion through the ADA Amendments Act, more mental conditions now qualify employees for protection than ever before. Attendees will learn:

• Symptoms employees with mood disorders and other mental conditions may exhibit, including bipolar disorder, depression, ADHD, and Asperger’s syndrome;

• When an employee with one or more conditions may be entitled to an ADA accommodation;

• What accommodations might be required for employees who suffer from one of these conditions;

• What a supervisor should do if an employee can’t seem to stay organized or fails to meet deadlines;

• How to draft an agreement laying out clear expectations, any applicable accommodations, and the consequences of not meeting specific performance standards;

• How to master day-to-day challenges from an employee’s difficulty in handling stress or keeping their emotions in check;

• Attendance issues that come to light when a mood disorder or other mental condition is present and how to respond;

• Strategies for managing co-worker interactions and tips on how to recognize harassment and eradicate bullying that may be occurring against affected employees; and

• What supervisors and managers can do to help manage compliance risks under the ADA, FMLA, and HIPAA.
To register for the webinar, visit store.hrhero.com/events/audio-conferences-webinars/adhd-bipolar-employees-072214.

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NORTHAMPTON — Royal LLP, a management-side-only labor and employment-law firm, announced some recent additions to the staff. Channez Rogers, Esq. has joined the firm as an associate attorney, and Crystal Boateng has joined the firm as a law clerk.

Prior to joining Royal LLP, Rogers worked in the General Counsel’s Office at Western New England University, handling employment matters. In her role at Royal, she represents companies in myriad employment-law cases in state and federal court and before administrative agencies. She also counsels companies on the multitude of state and federal employment laws impacting them, including employment discrimination and harassment, wage and hour, disability and leave, workplace safety, OSHA, affirmative action, and contract negotiations. Her other preventive work includes drafting employee manuals; preparing non-disclosure, non-solicitation, and non-compete agreements; and conducting management training. Rogers is a summa cum laude graduate of Western New England University and a cum laude graduate of Western New England University School of Law.

Boateng is a cum laude graduate of Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor’s degree in French and political science. She is in her final year of studies in a four-year program for obtaining her juris doctor at the University of Connecticut School of Law and her MBA at the University of Connecticut School of Business.

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SPRINGFIELDU.S. News & World Report has again ranked Baystate Medical Center among the nation’s top hospitals. In the 2014-15 U.S. News rankings, released Tuesday, Baystate is nationally ranked for its care in the areas of diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose, and throat; and gynecology.

Baystate is considered high-performing by U.S. News in nine other areas of medical specialty: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology, and urology. For the second year in a row, Baystate was named among the top three hospitals in Massachusetts.

“I’m very proud of the hard work, compassion, and commitment of the caregivers who make such an honor possible,” said Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health and CEO of Baystate Medical Center. “Every day, they’re saving lives and changing lives for the better. I congratulate them on this wonderful recognition of the outstanding service they provide for our community, in support of our mission.”

Keroack added that the honor is also a testament to the collaboration that exists among medical providers all over the region. “Without an outstanding, dedicated network of primary-care providers, without community physicians with whom we have strong and mutually supporting relationships, none of this is possible for our patients and our community.”

For 2014-15, U.S. News evaluated hospitals in 16 adult specialties and ranked the top 50 in most of the specialties. Just 3% of the nearly 5,000 hospitals that were analyzed for Best Hospitals 2014-15 earned national ranking in even one specialty.

“Several years ago, we committed as an organization to achieve the very highest levels of quality in the care we provide,” said Dr. Evan Benjamin, senior vice president of Healthcare Quality for Baystate Health. “This is a point of pride and an affirmation of our efforts, and we’ll continue working hard to do even better for our patients and their families.”

Objective measures such as patient survival and safety data, adequacy of nurse-staffing levels, and other data largely determined the rankings in most specialties. The specialty rankings and data were produced for U.S. News by RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Using the same data, the magazine produced state and metro rankings. The rankings are available at health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals 2015” guidebook, available in August.