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It is said that a two-term president becomes a lame duck the moment the votes are counted in his second election.

Indeed, second terms are often trying times, when a president is working to shape his legacy, or place in history, and when members of both parties almost immediately turn their attention to who the next president will be.

Second terms are often survival tests, when administrations, challenged by inevitable changes in the Cabinet, are often concerned more with making sure nothing goes wrong than with trying to do something right.

But President Bush has been given a unique opportunity as he prepares for his second term; Republicans control not only the White House, but the Senate, where they will enjoy a 53-to-44 edge; the House, where they will have 230 members and the Democrats 200; and in governors’ offices, where they hold 28 seats and the Democrats 21.

This statistical advantage puts the party in a position to affect real, positive change, and there is work to be done in many areas, especially after an election during which the critical issues were put aside in favor of dialogue on swift boats and Air National Guard service; missing munitions and a left-leaning press.

Let’s start with the economy and, specifically, jobs.

During the campaign, John Kerry made much of the fact that hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost over the past several years. Bush’s defenders countered that a president — any president — has little control over the nation’s overall employment health. Both sides have valid points.

Yes, there are many things that are simply outside the control of a sitting president, such as innovations in the workplace that increase productivity but, in the process, may also eliminate jobs. There are also global factors, such as the fiscal health of individual nations, and even natural disasters that can affect a region’s vitality.

But the numbers of lost jobs are staggering, and it is time for the president, his administration, Congress, and the nation’s governors to find ways to gain more control over these statistics.

Many of the lost jobs in this country have gone overseas, especially to China, India, and Mexico, where the cost of labor is but a fraction of what it is here. Here in Western Mass., manufacturers of all sizes have seen contracts they’ve had for years lost to outfits in China that can make a part and ship it for the same amount that companies here spend on raw materials.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of service-sector jobs have been lost to India and other countries because technology enables people thousands of miles away to handle requests for technical assistance or take an order for a credit card.

Basic economics is one of the factors involved in this phenomenon, but it is also becoming increasingly apparent that the United States is losing the edge it has held historically in the broad realms of innovation and quality. The rest of the world has caught up in some areas, and it’s getting much closer in many others.

To get the edge back, elected leaders must put the focus squarely on education, at both the primary and secondary levels, to ensure that this country has a population of educated, entrepreneurial individuals who can function in an increasingly challenging workplace.

Another priority is the nation’s urban centers, like Springfield. These once-proud cities continue to struggle as people and jobs move into suburban areas. Springfield’s current fiscal problems represent an extreme, but virtually all cities are struggling to regain vibrancy.

This is not a problem for individual states or even Bill Cosby, but for the nation as a whole, and what is needed are far-reaching programs that create opportunities for individuals that can break the cycle of poverty.

There are other priorities — health care, the war on terror, and finding a workable solution to the situation in Iraq. These problems can only be attacked through a unified effort involving those on both side of the aisle, one that can narrow the ever greater divide between red states and blue states. And the time to start is now.

Looking at the balance of power in American government, it is clear that the Republicans are in control. It is our hope that President Bush can do something with this statistical advantage and take steps that will make the nation stronger economically and more competitive globally.

That would be quite a legacy.

Features
Recently appointed Holyoke Community College President William Messner is a firm believer in the community college mission of inclusion, not exclusion. But that assignment is becoming increasingly challenging at a time when the commitment to public higher education is waning.

William Messner says it wasn’t that long ago when community colleges were considered schools of last resort.

"If you couldn’t get in anywhere else, or if you didn’t know what to do with yourself, you went to a school like this," said Messner, who recently succeeded long-time Holyoke Community College President David Bartley. He noted that times have changed, however, and today the schools are often a first choice for people looking to enter some fields, and an attractive alternative for individuals and families suffering from sticker-shock when considering private institutions.

But community colleges must still serve those who don’t have the grades or wherewithal to attend most other schools, he explained, and they must also cater to those who need some time to figure out what they want to do professionally. And this is one of the many challenges facing community colleges in this day and age.

"We’re not a selective institution and we shouldn’t be — we’re a community college," he explained. "You can’t be closing the door on half the community and effectively carry out your mission. But being an open-door institution means you’re bringing in students at all levels of the preparedness spectrum, and you’re expected to deal with all those students at all those levels.

"That’s an incredible challenge," he continued. "And it’s made even moreso by the fact that the state has disinvested in the public higher education system over the past several years."

Messner, who has a deep background in public higher education, comes to HCC from the University of Wisconsin Colleges, where he served as chancellor and was responsible for the management of a 13-campus institution that served as the transfer arm of the university system.

He desired to return to a campus setting, however — he was former president of SUNY Orange in Middletown, N.Y. and held other administrative posts at individual schools — and chose HCC, which is at an intriguing time in its 58-year history.

The school remains in an expansion mode — in terms of both enrollment and campus infrastructure — and is currently building an $18 million business center that will bear the name of Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge.

As construction of the center continues, Messner is focusing his efforts on making it a true community resource, not a classroom building.

"One of my priorities is to more effectively connect the college to the community … we’ve done a good job of that historically, but much more needs to be done," he said. "And the best example is the business center. Our challenge is to make it a center for the community and not physical structure.

"It should be a manifestation of a programmatic outreach on the part of the college to better serve the needs of the community," he said. "We’re calling it a business center, and while in some respects that’s accurate, it’s a center not just for businesses, but for individuals, groups, and organizations that are about the business of the region."

While he is focused on his new school, Messner said he is also looking at collaborations with other area institutions, especially Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and Greenfield Community College (GCC), in an effort to maximize the region’s public higher education resources.

The goal, he said, is not to squander any of those facilities’ resources by unnecessarily duplicating programs, especially when two of the schools, HCC and STCC, are only a few miles apart.

BusinessWest wraps up its series of stories on new college presidents in the Pioneer Valley with a wide-ranging discussion with Messner, who has dedicated much of his career to community colleges and fully understands their value to the cities and towns they serve

Grade Expectations

Since arriving in Holyoke, Messner has been "getting around," as he put it, in an effort to gain a full appreciation of the school, the city of Holyoke, the Pioneer Valley, and region’s higher education infrastructure.

He ran down a recent day’s calendar of events to illustrate the variety in his travels.

"I started off at a chamber breakfast, and ate lunch at a homeless shelter in downtown Holyoke," he said. "That night, I was at the 25th anniversary celebration for the Holyoke Mall, followed by an event at Heritage State Park — a poetry reading and the unveiling of a mural that 3- and 4-year-olds had created."

The next day, Messner spent the bulk of his morning at a program dedicated to improvement of workforce-development initiatives in the region. "These are the sorts of things a community college and its president should be involved in," he said. "That’s how we extend ourselves beyond our walls and into the community."

Messner told BusinessWest he enjoys handling the day-to-day challenges at a school, and also being actively involved in the community — elements that were missing from his duties as chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Colleges.

Prior to his work there, he served as vice provost of the State University of New York (SUNY) in Systems Administration. That assignment followed a 10-year stint as president of SUNY Orange, formerly Orange County Community College. There, he led development of a diversity program for the college resulting in a tripling of minority student enrollment and faculty hiring, completed the school’s first capital campaign, and established a marketing office and campaign that resulted in record student enrollments for two consecutive years.

Messner transitioned into college administration after a five-year run as a history instructor at Keystone College in La Plume, Pa. He later served that school as dean of the college and later a vice president before moving to SUNY Orange, where he served as vice president of Academic Affairs before becoming president.

At HCC, he said there are a number of items on his preliminary to-do list — which he described as a work in progress — and that many of them reflect challenges he confronted in New York and Wisconsin. He told BusinessWest that while enrollment at HCC is up, the number of what he called ’new’ students, those starting their college education rather than continuing it, has been fairly stagnant, and he plans to address that concern.

Part of the solution may be continued work to convey the message that HCC is truly a regional school. "I think we still struggle with that in some ways — some people think we’re just an institution for Holyoke," he explained. "We’re not; we attract students from across the region, including many from Springfield."

Another priority for Messner and all state and community college presidents in the Commonwealth is rebuilding the faculty and staff in the wake of cutbacks and early retirement. Like other schools, HCC has been forced to make greater use of adjunct faculty and part-time staff, who simply don’t have the same commitment to the school or its students as their full-time counterparts.

"At some of the schools I’ve worked at, adjuncts were some of our best instructors," he explained. "But what they don’t do, and what you can’t expect them to do, is everything outside the classroom that we expect and have delivered by full-time faculty.

"You also don’t get the continuity in terms of programming from semester to semester that you get from full-time faculty, nor the development of the curriculum that you get from full-time faculty," he continued. "You’re constantly in a mode of getting these adjuncts up to snuff, only to have them walk out the door the following semester or the following year," he continued. "We’re in the process of setting priorities for the school, priorities that will drive the budget. And I’ll be surprised if a commitment to improving the numbers of full-time faculty and staff is not at the top of that priority list."

A Stern Test

Meanwhile, another stated goal is to expand the school’s presence in the city of Holyoke — from both a cultural and economic perspective — and form additional partnerships with the city’s large Hispanic community.

"There’s a perception on the part of some that even though it’s only two miles from the center of Holyoke to our campus, those two miles loom large in some people’s minds relative to their willingness to avail themselves of our services," he said, adding that, conversely, some believe the college is too far from from the city’s center to have any real economic impact. "If you’re a Latino businessman in the center of Holyoke, do you perceive the community college as a resource to be taken advantage of, or do you perceive it to be a cluster of buildings out there on the perifery of town that has little if any relationship to what you’re about on a daily basis?"

To ease these perception problems, many have suggested that the school create a physical presence in the city’s downtown. Messner understands that sentiment, and told BusinessWest there may be some opportunities for the school to be visible and to have that presence, but not necessarily with a satellite campus.

"I believe the college needs to increase its presence in the downtown area of Holyoke, but I am dubious that this would involve a campus in the traditional sense that people use that word," he said. "I have used the term ’educational incubator,’ rather than campus, to describe the type of physical entity with which the college might be involved."

A downtown center could be used for a variety of programs, including adult basic education, high school equivalency test preparation, English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, and others. It would thus become an asset for both the city and the school.

Messner said that such an incubator might involve several institutions offering a variety of programming that would help local residents further their educational goals and subsequently connect to the broader array of programming offered by those educational facilities on their campuses.

One venue for such a facility could be an intermodal transportation center that would be created in a now-abandoned four-story fire station on Maple Street. A number of uses are being considered for the facility, including transportation, retail, and hospitality, said Messner, adding that one of the floors could be used to create classrooms and other learning facilities.

"Since I’ve arrived here, I’ve been impressed with Holyoke in terms of the vibrancy and the spirit of ’we can advance’ — we just need to do it together," he said. "I’m pleased that the college is part of that, but just one part. No group can do it themselves; we really need to do it together."

The Kittredge Center will play a role in this process, he said, adding that he is seeking input from institutions as diverse as the Springfield Urban League and Holyoke Medical Center to gain direction on the center’s function in the Pioneer Valley.

"Having dialogue with groups like that is critical before we decide which programs to pursue and what the overall business plan for the center will be," he said.

Aggressive Course

Like other public school presidents BusinessWest has profiled this fall, Messner has noticed a weakening in the commitment that has been made to public higher education.

At the University of Wisconsin, he said, a budget that was $1 billion a few years ago, has but cut by 25%. "That’s happening across the country," he explained. "Spending on public higher education has been reduced in 49 of the 50 states."

Economics have played a big part in this phenomenon, he said, but there are other factors at play, including a lack of recognition — on a national and regional level — of the importance of public higher education, and the profound impact on communities when a college education is put out of the reach of even small segments of the population.

"What makes public higher education particularly susceptible to the knife is the perception that we have an alternative source of revenue that the highway department or the correctional department doesn’t have — it’s called students and student tuition," he explained. "The state believes it can simply cut its support and pass on its share to the students in the form of higher tuition; every state has done it.

"The only problem is, when you raise tuition, especially in communities like Holyoke and Springfield, where we’re drawing on people at all levels of income, you’re going to price some students out of the market," he continued. "And many states — Wisconsin is one of them — have seen dramatic declines in the numbers of students of color and those who are low-income."

HCC strives to keep tuition as low as possible, he said, but it also committed to quality education, and therein lies a catch-22.

While working to strengthen the commitment to public higher education and thus ensure that community colleges can continue their practice of inclusion, Messner said he will help promote the regional approach taken to economic development and education in the Pioneer Valley.

He said he is encouraged by the new, recently unveiled Plan for Progress, which takes a decidedly regional philosophy and lists as one of its priorities a more-effective leveraging of its 14 colleges and universities.

He said it is unusual to have community colleges as close together geographically as HCC and STCC, a situation he believes poses both challenges and opportunities. He said he has had discussion with new STCC President Ira Rubenzahl and his counterpart at GCC, Robert Pura, about what he called a "regional strategy" that will also involve Westfield State College and UMass.

"The needs in this area are so acute in terms of education, human resource development, workforce development, or whatever label you want," he said. "No single institution can handle all that alone. The challenge is to effectively leverage the resources of our schools and not squander them, not duplicate, and not needlessly compete."

Final Exam

As he surveys the public higher education landscape, Messner can clearly see the progress that community colleges have made in the past few decades — in terms of public perception and the role they play in educating all elements of society.

The task at hand, he said, is to staunchly defend the ground that’s been gained and to make additional progress.

"Community colleges don’t face the same uphill battle they did when I started with them … we’re no longer considered the school of last resort," he said. "We’re more viable now, but we have some new challenges. v

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

Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of November 2004.

AMHERST

Bank of America
1 South Pleasant St.
$42,800 — Roof replacement

Echo Hill Townhouse Condo
15 Bedford Court
$25,000 — Replace roofs at 15-20 and 27-32 Bedford Court

Florence Savings Bank
381 College St.
$49,850 — Renovate existing space for attorney’s office

Reynold Gladu
46 Belchertown Road
$5,000 — Add office, waiting area and bathrooms to auto repair shop

Sandra M. Southwick
7 North Pleasant St.
$140,000 — Reconfigure office space

CHICOPEE

New Beginning Church of God in Christ
17 Quarry Ave.
$146,000 — Erect church

HOLYOKE

Holyoke Hospital
575 Beech St.
$19,700 — New floors, ceilings. Walls resurfaced

Holyoke Hospital
575 Beech St.
$114,200 — Remove CT scanner and remodel

NORTHAMPTON

Bruce Macmillan
243 Main St.
$5,000 — Replace awning with lettering for Fresh Pasta Co.

Chamisa Corporation
25 Main St.
$4,850 — Replace awning with lettering/Fitzwilly’s

City of Northampton
221 Riverside Dr.
$137,600 — Interior remodeling

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$3,500 — Install wall and doorway in existing locker room to surgical day care

Florence Savings Bank
176 King St.
$5,000 — Replace interior and exterior doors

Hampshire Franklin & Hampden Three County Fair
54 Fair St.
$6,000 — Re-roof Youth Exhibitor’s Hall

Hampshire Franklin & Hampden Three County Fair
54 Fair St.
$8,000 — Replace/repair siding on sheep barns

Levee LLC
163 Conz St.
$40,000 — Frame new entrance roof, re-roof, gutters, and patch siding

Lloyd Tarlin & Jacob Rabinov
238 King St.
$13,000 — Erect new Stop & Shop wall sign

Lloyd Tarlin & Jacob Rabinov
238 King St.
$6,000 — Erect departmental signs

New England Deaconess Association
25 Coles Meadow Road
$39,890 — Renovate existing commercial kitchen

SPRINGFIELD

AT&T
351 Bridge St.
$19,000 — Office alterations

BSC Realty Inc.
350 Worthington St.
$13,050 — Addition

The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints
376 Maple St.
$136,097 — Cosmetic upgrade

Dr. Chein Duong
586 Belmont Ave.
$56,000 — Interior remodel

Eastfield Associates
1655 Boston Post Road
$14,999 — Alterations

Ellen Boynton
666 State St.
$15,000 — Remodel restaurant

Marjorie Bianchi
925-933 Belmont Ave.
$17,500 — Create three offices

786 Three Partners Inc.
130 Walnut St.
$30,000 — Interior renovations for Kennedy Fried Chicken

WP Realty
1355 Liberty St.
$50,000 — Add antennas to roof

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bob Simins
171 Dody Circle
$7,500 — Renovate office space

Clark Paint & Varnish Co. Inc.
966 Union St.
$5,000 — Erect partitions in store

LPUE Corp.
174 Brushill Ave.
$110,000 — Pour foundation

Walter and Leslie Lailer
1446 Riverdale St.
$10,000 — Renovate for tattoo parlor

WESTFIELD

Hussein Kobeissi
21 Southwick Road
$1,600,000 — Erect building to house convenience store, car wash and gas station

Sections Supplements
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Tim Brennan says the overhauled Plan for Progress is an important step forward for the economic vitality of the region.

And he’s right.

Why? Because the Pioneer Valley, unlike other areas of the state, has penned a detailed road map to achieve economic growth and prosperity. While other regions of the Commonwealth may have similar goals and ambitions — for job creation, infrastructure improvement, workforce training, leveraging higher education assets, and creating vital industry clusters, few have mapped out a plan for getting it done.

The Pioneer Valley has, and late last month, amid much fanfare and on the 10th anniversary of the creation of the original plan, the new document was unveiled. Its highlights include:

ï An emphasis on nurturing small businesses and creating more of them;

ï Ensuring an adequate workforce for the future;

ï Elevating the status of UMass to that of a world-class research university and taking better advantage of the 14 colleges in the Valley;

ï Improving and enriching pre-K‚12 education;

ï Enhancing both conventional and high-tech (broadband) infrastructure; and

ï Championing statewide fiscal equity.

The plan was introduced at the Basketball Hall of Fame, and there was a decidedly sports-oriented theme to the festivities. Lead speakers (including plan creators, Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan, and Ranch Kimball, secretary of the state Executive Office of Economic Develop-ment) were introduced as a starting lineup, and all of these players invoked sports phrases and metaphors.

Ryan, reiterating his belief that the city is not getting its fair share of state aid, said the playing field on which the state’s 351 cities and towns compete is not level. Meanwhile, Paul Tangredi, director of business development for Western Mass. Electric Company and one of the plan’s architects, borrowed a quote from the late Herb Brooks, coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, when he said that athletes should play for the name on the front of their jerseys, not the back.

This was another reference to the need for area players (meaning individual communities) to play as a team, and this theme was at the heart of the original Plan for Progress. That document was crafted at a time when the region was struggling. Companies and jobs were leaving the area, and in their zeal to lure new jobs, cities and towns competed aggressively against one another, often to the detriment of the region as a whole.

The original Plan for Progress laid the groundwork for formation of the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., which has succeeded in creating a regional focus, not regional rhetoric. The plan has also played a part in formation of the Hartford-Springfield Economic Partner-ship, and in the formation of the Regional Technology Alliance (now the Regional Technology Corporation), which is spearheading efforts to bring more technology jobs to the Valley.

The re-tooled Plan for Progress has identified some new priorities, and we hope the plan’s implementers, as Brennan calls them, can achieve some measurable success with each one.

The first is the nurturing of small businesses. We’ve said on many occasions that this area is not going to grow by luring 1,000-employee companies to Western Mass. That might happen in Spartanburg, S.C., but not here. Instead, the Valley should be focused on growing by taking small businesses, nurturing them, and helping a few of them become 1,000-employee companies.

Meanwhile, the region must focus on making sure those businesses it nurtures have the quantity and quality of workers they will need years down the road. All area business owners remember the worker shortage of 1999-2001. Companies seizing on a white-hot economy were desperate for good help and fighting one another for what talent was available.

Things will be much worse in a decade or so when the Baby Boom generation reaches retirement age — unless plan implementers can find ways to keep those Boomers in the workforce longer, and also develop more and better strategies for keeping college graduates in Western Mass.

Another priority is what is being called non-conventional infrastructure, meaning broadband. The Berkshire Connect project brought reliable, high-speed broadband to an area desperate for it. The challenge now is to build on that model and make sure all areas of the Valley are properly wired for growth.

The roadmap for future prosperity in the Valley has been created. Now, it’s up to area leaders to follow that map and execute the game plan.

Uncategorized
Over the past 20 years, Westfield has transformed itself from a once-thriving manufacturing mecca into a distribution hub. Several national retailers and wholesalers have facilities in the city, and now, Minneapolis-based Target Corp. has come forward with a plan to build a 1.6 million-square-foot distribution center in the city’s north side. As the proposal moves forward, there are questions to be answered, specifically: does the city need more trucks — or distribution jobs?The numbers are staggering.The distribution center proposed by the Minneapolis-based retailer Target Corp. would cover 1.6 million square feet. That’s about the size of the Holyoke Mall, which is built over multiple floors. The ’L’-shaped, single-story distribution center would cover 38 acres (or the equivalent of perhaps 80 standard home building lots), while the accompanying parking lot would cover another 83 acres.The facilities would cost $52 million to build, and would generate about $1 million in annual property taxes. The one-time building fees alone would be $600,000, according to current estimates. That’s more than was generated in the city — which has seen a surge in both residential and commercial development — over the past two years combined!The number Westfield officials are most intrigued by, however, is 800. That’s the current estimate on the number of jobs the distribution center would bring to the area, making it the city’s largest non-municipal employer and one of the top 20 in the region. And the jobs come with decent wages and benefits, said Westfield Community Development Director James Boardman, citing a projected range of $15-to-$18 per hour."These are good jobs at good wages," said Boardman, noting that while technically they are not manufacturing jobs, they come close to matching positions in that sector for overall compensation.In just about any other area community, the proposed Target facility would be a virtual slam dunk, a welcome infusion of jobs and tax dollars. But no other area municipality has the available land for such a structure, nor the highway access, and the one that does already has a handful of large distribution centers and more on the way. Which means that in Westfield, there are questions about whether the city wants or needs Target’s massive project.Specifically, some question whether the city should commit such a large tract of land to a facility that will generate distribution jobs, which are generally on a lower wage scale than manufacturing positions. Meanwhile, others wonder whether the city can handle more trucks on its roads.To the first question, Boardman says its been nearly a decade since Digital Equipment Corp. left the city, and more than 20 years since the company hit its high-water mark in the community, when it employed more than 2,000 people in mostly white-collar jobs. In the interim, the city has not seen anyone come to the table with jobs of that quantity or quality — and he doesn’t think it’s fruitful to wait and hope that someone will."You can’t make the possible the enemy of the perfect," Boardman explained. "That school of thought says to hold, hold, hold, and wait for the next DEC to come along. As I look out on the national economy, I don’t see another DEC."As for the trucks, Boardman and Westfield Mayor Richard Sullivan believe the city can handle more — if some steps are taken to minimize their impact. Such steps include set truck routes that take vehicles off residential roads; some infrastructure improvements, especially at the turnpike exit; and possibly creation of a truck park, a facility that would take trucks off city streets and into a designated area.Such a facility would be equipped with devices that would enable drivers to heat and cool their cabs, and also operate a computer or watch a small television set without having to keep the truck idling.Sullivan says the Target proposal faces a long, hard road. It must clear environmental hurdles — part of the parcel lies within an aquifer recharge area — and also strong opposition from neighbors and what will likely be a very close zoning vote in the City Council. But he believes the city would be negligent if it did not give the plan a hard look."Target would become one of our largest employers and the largest taxpayer in the city overnight," said the mayor. "That will take some pressure off our budget and help balance all the residential growth we’ve had and the added municipal expenses that go with it. There are simply too many benefits for us to let this go without giving it our best shot."What’s in Store?Target’s proposed distribution center underscores Westfield’s transformation from a manufacturing town to a distribution hub. The city was once the home to dozens of buggy whip manufacturing companies, and after the invention of the automobile decimated that industry, it hosted bicycle maker Columbia, as well as a host of paper and textile manufacturers and machine shops.Some of that manufacturing base remains — Columbia still exists, although it now focuses on school furniture and employs a fraction of the workforce it did in its heyday, and several machine shops are still operating. But over the past 10-15 years, the city has put its inventory of developable land and its easy access to the Turnpike and I-91 to good use as a home to a number of distribution facilities, with more on the way.In the mid-’90s, C&S Wholesale Grocers built a 500,000-square-foot frozen foods distribution center on a 100-acre parcel that formed roughly half of the Summit Lock Industrial Park. After Digital left the city, a series of national retailers have used the retrofitted former DEC plant for distribution. First, it was Caldor, then Ames. Home Depot began leasing roughly two-thirds of the building’s 600,000 square feet earlier this year, and Yankee Candle is also using a portion of the property. Meanwhile, Lowe’s is poised to break ground on a new distribution facility in the city’s north side. In all, there are currently more than 1,300 distribution-sector jobs in Westfield.With this backdrop, the Target proposal is being viewed as the next major distribution facility in Westfield, and the last, said Boardman, noting that there will be no large, contiguous pieces of land left after this one absorbed, and the city will probably reach its saturation point with trucks if Target goes forward."This would be the last one," he said. "We’ll be getting out of the distribution center business after Target’s project."Target officials were not available for comment on their plans, but Allan Blair, president of the Economic Development Council (EDC) of Western Mass., told BusinessWest that the company, eager to expand in the Northeast, has been looking for a site for a New England-region distribution center for some time, and has been considering options in Western Mass. for more than two years.In keeping with its regional approach to economic development, the EDC considered Target’s plans from a Valley-wide perspective, and worked to find a site that would make the most sense for the company and the region. It didn’t take long to identify Westfield as the only area community that could realistically handle the assignment, said Blair, adding that, eventually, focus turned to an assembled parcel near DEC and Barnes Municipal Airport that is owned by the airport and Equity Industrial Properties.The proposed facility would be similar in size, scope, and design to a Target distribution center in Wilton N.Y., said Boardman, noting that the model in question offers numbers — in terms of jobs, wages, trucks, and square footage — that are in attractive proportions.Elaborating, he said the city has dismissed other distribution center proposals that called for fewer jobs, less-attractive wages, more trucks, or any combination of the above."Target’s proposal has the package we’re looking for," he explained. "This plan calls for more jobs than trucks, while some people were offering more trucks than jobs. It will enable us to have our cake and eat it, too."The more we find out about the Target plan," he continued, "the more we like it."Thinking Outside the Box?When asked whether paving nearly 130 acres of Westfield’s north side was a sound economic development strategy, Blair and Boardman uttered the exact same words; "We need those jobs."Elaborating, both officials said Westfield, and the Valley as a whole, has lost a number of minimum-skilled and semi-skilled jobs in recent years as manufacturers have left the area. Westfield’s recent influx of distribution jobs has helped fill that void, but more jobs in that category are needed, said Blair."This is a good use of that property … maybe not the best use, but certainly a good one," he told BusinessWest. "If this was a highly automated plant of that same size but with few jobs, we wouldn’t be saying that."Boardman acknowledged that some believe the parcel in question should be saved for better-paying, technology oriented jobs. He countered by saying that the city hasn’t received any proposals for such operations in recent years. And if it does, there are many smaller parcels available for such use, including the nearby 120-acre industrial park being developed by Braintree, Mass.-based Campanelli Companies."Looking down the road, I don’t see growth in manufacturing — the trend is clearly toward outsourcing," he said. "Things are not going to be made in this country; that’s not where we’re going with our national economy, and if we think we’re an island and somehow different, I think we’re delusional."Echoing Westfield’s mayor, Blair said that when the benefits from the Target proposal and put in one column, and the drawbacks in another, the first list will be much longer than the second."Think about the spin-offs from this," said Blair, adding that in addition to jobs and tax dollars, the Target facility and its 800 employees will certainly help area businesses and perhaps spur creation of new service companies. "I think this will provide a huge boost for businesses in that area, and become a real asset for Westfield."Road GameSome city residents would probably use other, less-positive words to describe the proposal and its impact. "Now, where I see trees, I’m going to see a monstrosity," said one resident at a recent preliminary hearing on Target’s proposal. "[The city] should have said ’no’ to this a long time ago."The city didn’t say ’no,’ said Sullivan, because there are simply too many benefits — from tax dollars to jobs to all those building fees — to dismiss the proposal without looking at it from all sides."Target would give 700 to 800 people a chance to earn a decent living," he said. "We have an obligation to look closely at this and make a decision that is in the best interests of the largest number of people."Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at [email protected]
Uncategorized
Trade Show Organizers Add New Dimensions to EventThe 14th edition of the annual Commerce trade show, staged by the Chicopee and Holyoke chambers, is set for Oct. 28 at the Big E. Organizers, who are expecting record turnout of both exhibitors and visitors, have added some new features designed to bring additional value to both of those constituencies.

After last year’s Commerce trade show, organizers of the popular event enlisted the help of a focus group to ensure that, as the show moves forward, it continues to bring value to exhibitors and attendees.

Participants in that focus group said that, in addition to gaining leads on new business and renewing acquaintances with existing customers, they wanted something more — something they could take back to the office with them the day after the show.

In a word, they wanted more information, said Doris Ransford, long-time president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. And this year’s event, the 14th Commerce show, is designed to provide more of it, with ’how-to’ attractions.

Slated for Oct. 28 at the Young Building at the Eastern States Exposition, the Commerce show will include two additional features designed to help businesses of all sizes. The first will be a day-long program devoted to helping individuals understand today’s rapidly advancing technology; and to make more and better use of it.

Called Techno-Rama, the new addition will be a business technical center, as Ransford called it, and it will include displays of some of the latest technology — computers, hand-held devices, cell phones, and more — and have IT experts on hand to answer questions and help people make full use of it.

The second new feature is a panel discussion, called Meet the Business Press. As the name suggests, it is intended to be an informative session featuring area business writers, including BusinessWest editor George O’Brien, who will provide insight into how businesses can establish and maintain solid working relationships with the business press.

"Everyone wants press," said Chicopee Chamber President Gail Sherman. "But there’s more to it than that. Companies need to know how to establish a real relationship with the press. We want to help them do that."

People Power

When asked what makes a trade show successful, Sherman uttered one word: ’people.’

By that, she was referring to both the exhibitors behind the booths, and the visitors — business owners, purchasing managers, job seekers, and random opportunists — who walk the aisles and hopefully stop at a few attractions.

The mission for any trade show organizer is to provide both quantity and quality of exhibitors and visitors, said Sherman, adding that without such a critical mass, a show won’t be successful, especially at a time when there are many marketing alternatives and business owners are becoming increasingly savvy about promotional spending.

Trade show attendance is down nationwide, said Ransford, and one prevailing theory as to why surrounds organizers’ ability to keep a show fresh and effective — or, in many cases, a lack thereof. It was this need to keep the show from becoming stale and ineffectual that led to the focus groups conducted earlier this year. And it was the desire to achieve record turnout that led to this year’s theme, a call to action, if you will: "Be the Difference. Be There."

Jim Fiola, president of Chicopee-based Westwood Advertising, which was hired to promote the Commerce show, told BusinessWest that while there were different opinions expressed by focus group participants about what they liked and didn’t like about the event (especially the 2003 edition), there was consensus on one point. "People wanted more information," he said. "They wanted something of value to take back to the office with them."

This was the inspiration behind Techno-Rama, said Fiola, who told BusinessWest that some business owners and managers are intimidated by technology, and many of them fail to take full advantage of what the latest equipment has to offer.

Dean Leclerc, director of emerging technologies for Whalley Computer Associates, and one of those organizing Techno-Rama, concurred. He said the program is designed to take some of the mystery out of technology, and also give business owners and managers a sense of how technology can help them do whatever it is that they do better.

"We want people to look upon technology as an investment," said Leclerc, "and not something you just spend money on."

Leclerc said the day-long exhibit will likely feature short presentations on the latest in information technology, as well as meet-and-greets with manufacturers’ representatives. He said a number of companies have expressed interest in attending, including Apple, Cisco, EMC, and Polycom. Products on display should run the gamut, from the latest phones to videoconferencing equipment.

He said the exhibit is geared toward IT directors, but even moreso toward the owners of small-to medium-sized businesses who would like to learn how effective use of technology can benefit their operations.

Those same individuals can benefit from the Meet the Business Press program, said Fiola, noting that many small business owners are too wrapped up in the day-to-day operations of their ventures to know or practice the ins and outs of media relations.

The press seminar, which will feature several members of the print and electronic media, is designed to be informative and educational, he said, but business owners and managers can also make some introductions.

"Some business owners think that all you have to do is put a press release in the mail or the fax machine," said Fiola. "In reality, there’s much more to it."

Stock and Trade

Ransford told BusinessWest that, nationwide, trade shows have tried a number of things to provide that critical mass of people that makes an event successful. Some have tried food to lure visitors, while others have turned to special events or high-profile breakfast speakers.

There is no magic bullet, she said, noting that event organizers must continually try to anticipate the needs of business owners and then try to address them. It is ongoing process, she noted, one that Commerce show officials face on an annual basis as they try to keep their show fresh and relevant.

"Times change, and shows like this one have to keep pace," she explained. "If you don’t keep up, you’ll be left behind."

For more information on the show, or to reserve booth space, call the Greater Holyoke Chamber at (413) 534-3376, or the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, (413) 594-2101

Departments

Acevedo, Elisa
30 Morgan Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Acevedo, Manuel
Acevedo, Zenaida
309 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089-2972
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

Afonso, John J.
19 Ranger St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Almeida, Lisa A.
53 Elmdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Alshenwah, Ahmed S.
27B Bliss St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/04

Alvaro, Joseph M.
88 Booth St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Avila, Ruth M.
99 Barber St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Beaupre, Carrieann L.
46 Calvin St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/04

Bennett, Treagan
5 Sargeant St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Benoit, Roger M.
Benoit, Ann Marie
27 Asselin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Bessette, Francis Thomas
Bessette, Shirley Adeline
47-B Taylor Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Blasotto, David P.
PO Box 33
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Boardway, Kyle
189 Heywood Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/04

Bolduc, Angela S.
Bolduc, Jamison A.
868 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Bonafe, Eddie A.
54 New Bridge St.
W. Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/04

Bowler, Brian P.
1653 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Bozek, John T.
Bozek, Anna M.
23 Abbey St.
Chicopee, MA 01023
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Breault, Richard
25 Heritage Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Brown, Mildred A.
37 Stanley St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/04

Browning, Arlene Ann
137 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Bruso, John D.
24 Dwight St., Apt 20
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Bruso, Stacy M.
24 Noble Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Burlin, Kimberly A.
386 Hermitage Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/04

Burry, Martin E.
Burry, Amanda M.
24 Gaylord St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Bush, Faye Ellen
6 Gardner Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Campbell, Steven P.
Campbell, Jane A.
64 Clark St., Apt. 2
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Capellan, Pilar
3 Barrett St., Apt. 6206
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Caraballo, Efrain
Caraballo, Lourdes
73 Lynch Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/18/04

Carey, Andrea K.
32 Leahey Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/04

Carrano, Michelle Lynn
219 East St., Apt. A
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Clarke, Thomas C.
623 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Conroy, Kevin J.
Conroy, Martha E.
17 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Cooper, Ricky R.
93 Charles Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Corriere, Ronald R.
72 Wellington Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Cosgrove, Christopher J.
44 Riverview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/04

Costigan, Melissa
1723 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/18/04

Cotter, Anna L.
334 St. James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Cotto, Carmen M.
56C Bay Meadow Rd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Cottrell, Elizabeth F.
60 Stanley Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Craik, Ian W.
20 Call St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Craven, Fay D.
20 Pelham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Cummings, David R.
52 Vadnais St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Cusson, Jay R.
11 Blodgett St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Dacosta, Sonia C.
27 Morgan St., Apt. 1
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

DeMars, Edward E.
221 Corcoran Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

DeMars, Nancy Lee
1111 Westfield St., Ap
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Dempsey, James J.
92 Columbia St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Draper, John P.
43 Washington St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Dubois, Julie A.
4 Sunset Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Eger, Jeffrey R.
395 Rock Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/16/04

Ezold, William J.
1163 B-L Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Felton-Stephenson, Betty
125 John St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Flynn, Mark E.
25 Pleasant St., Apt. D
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Forry, Robert J.
137 Root Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Foss, David L.
118 Woodland Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/04

Friedman, Edward
202 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Garcia, Radames
44 Carver St., Apt. 1
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/18/04

Golash, Stanley P.
129 Pleasant St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Gonyea, David P.
153 Atherton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/24/04

Gonzalez, Jesus M.
141 Locust St., Apt. 1
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Gore, Richard W.
95 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/10/04

Goshea, John F.
129 Muzzy St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Grandbois, Roland Joseph
140 Blanchard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Granger, Michael F.
Granger, Kathleen
25 Roanake St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/08/04

Greaney, Elaine M.
11 Columbus Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Harrington, James E.
Harrington, Michelle D.
9 Perennial Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Himmelreich, Philip J.
149 Kendall St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/04

Hogan, Daniel J.
1475 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Hoynoski, Edward R.
Hoynoski, Jane E.
213 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Iglesias, Anthony
14 Livingstone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

Jalbert, Angela E.
80 Highland Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/17/04

Jimenez, Margarita
20 Prouty St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Kantor, Marc David
32 Meadowlark Lane
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Killeen-Seipel, Margaret M.
63 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/24/04

Kissee, Susan C.
3 Palmyra St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Klipstand Manufacturing Co.
288 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Kornilieff, Lorri
1286 Granby Road, Lot 72
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Kuzdzal, Joseph P.
Kuzdzal, Deborah A.
20 Stephanie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/24/04

LaCrosse, Norman D.
56 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/03/04

LaPointe, Roland E.
81 Polaski Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

LeBlanc, Normand P.
49 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Lewis, Stephen D.
309 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/27/04

Lockwood, James Brian
13 Cosgrove Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/24/04

Louder, Sandra S.
100 Lockhouse Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/27/04

Lowell, Alan R.
Lowell, Karen J.
86 Independence Road
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

MacInnis, Robert J.
959 Berkshire Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Mariani, Chad V.
Mariani, Serena M.
395 Cold Spring Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Marquez, Esperanza
485 South St., Apt. 117
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Martinez, Lana
28 Larone Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Martino, Lynne A,
29 Bill St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Maspo, Madge Irene
35 Call St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

McCurdy, Kimberly
51 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/04

McDonald, Rose
16 Cosgrove St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

McLane, Louis H.
McLane, Phyllis B.
265 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Merchant, Michael S.
626 McKinstry St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Milillo, Katie J.
190 North Westfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Milillo, Kenneth J.
190 North Westfield Stree
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Miller, Michael
Miller, Diane
84 Valley View Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Moore, Dawn
13 Northampton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Moquin, Sherri L.
32 Malibu Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Morgado, Maria M.
5 Connolly St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Mulvenna, Thomas J.
13 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Neil, John D.
34 Nantasket St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/27/04

Nickless, Maureen L.
416 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Ocasio, Omayra
58 Howes St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Ortiz, Benigno
3 Barrett St., Apt. 6206
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/19/04

Ortiz, Jessica Paige
617 Bay St., Apt. C
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Pagan, Yvette
55 Maple St., Apt. 6
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Palazzi, Lisa M.
108 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Parenteau, Peter L.
97 Celebration Cir.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Passo, Jillian I.
447 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Paul, Linda A.
111 Blanan Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/27/04

Pellegrino, Nancy L.
79 Warren St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/30/04

Perreault, Roger N.
Perreault, Linda S.
233 Acrebrook Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Poirier, Steven A.
51 George St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/03/04

Pouliot, Melissa A.
89 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Provost, Donald L.
114 Wilno Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/08/04

Quinones, Samuel
44 Bruce St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Reyes, Mary M.
18 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/04

Riopelle, Lewis George
Riopelle, Raquel
87 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Rivera, Eddie
663 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/04

Robert, Annette M.
95 George Hannum Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

Sanchez, Benjamin J.
24 E. Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/06/04

Sanchez, Jovanni A.
30 Morgan Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/04

Sawyer, George T.
Sawyer, Annette
243 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/18/04

Seibold, Marshall A.
P.O. Box 2202
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/25/04

Seiffert, Gregory J.
Seiffert, Lindsey L.
74 Meadowbrook Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Seipel, Roy B.
63 Pequot Point Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/24/04

Shields, James S.
12 Wawel St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Slowik, Theodore A.
Slowik, Martha A.
31 Coronet Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Smith, Joseph
146 Fair Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Tangredi, Bethany A.
193 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Tardy, Arthur William
34 Country Club Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/23/04

Vega, Herodita
141 Locust St., Apt. 1
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/04

Vilanova, Sarah Lee
569 South Canal St., Apt. 113
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/20/04

Villanueva, Roberto
97 Merrick Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/03/04

Watt, Adrion I.
Watt, Robin J.
42 Ruskin St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/16/04

Wegiel, Patricia L.
32 Depot St., Apt. 1
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/04

Whalen, Kevin T.
6 Maplecrest Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/04

Wildes, John S.
Wildes, Lela M.
P.O. Box 437
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/04

Williams, Denise M.
39 Royal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/26/04

Williams, Lula L.
P.O. Box 91104
Springfield, MA 01139
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Wilson, Timothy H.
PO Box 4513
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

Woodworth, Amanda A.
1
0 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/04

Wrubel, Ilana B.
50 Franklin Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/04

Yusko, John T.
3 Golden Court
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/31/04

Zerwitz, Lisa R.
35 Geenacre Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/24/04

Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of September 2004.

AGAWAM

Silver Street Associates
104 Silver St.
$205,000 — Interior construction of warehouse and offices

United Methodist Church
454 Mill St.
$25,000 — Vinyl siding

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
Kirby Theater
$13,000 — Install steel to support scenery-rigging equipment

Amherst College Trustees
Kirby Theater
$21,300 — Install acoustical material on walls

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
170 University Dr.
$9,000 — Repair retaining wall, add guardrail

Hampshire College
Greenwich House
$19,998 — Extend roof overhang

Paul C. Shumway
330 College St.
$6,000 — Interior renovations

Trustees of Hampshire College
Music and Dance Building
$7,483 — Renovate recital hall

CHICOPEE

Mcork Realty Trust
510 Front St.
$521,925 — Erect First American Insurance building

EAST LONGMEADOW

East Longmeadow Center Village for Walgreens
31 Maple St.
$1,160,000 — New building

Maybury Association
90 Denslow Road
$1,898,891 — New building

HOLYOKE

Benderson Development Co.
375 Whitney Ave.
$6,148,410 — Erect five-story hotel

Homestead Grocery
625 Homestead Ave.
$125,000 — Interior renovations and addition

Joseph Miller
56 Jackson St.
$4,000 — Interior renovations — prefab spray booth

Nicholas Sierros
1735 Northampton St.
$7,200 — Modify to operate Domino’s Pizza

Sisters of St. Joseph
34 Lower Westfield Road
$246,903 — Modify offices and bedrooms

NORTHAMPTON

Birch Hill LLC
4 Lawn Ave.
$10,000 — Interior renovations

City of Northampton
274 Main St.
$95,000 — Construct handicap ramp

Hampshire Property Management
51 Clark Ave.
$40,000 — Strip and shingle roof

Levee LLC
163 Conz St.
$67,000 — Reconfigure two rooms, repair sidewalk

Locust Professional Condo
51 Locust St.
$23,500 — New roof

Matthew Pitoniak and B. Feeney
21 Main St.
$99,800 — Interior renovations for bar/tavern

Rockwell Management Corp.
17 New South St.
$22,000 — Interior renovations

Trustees of Smith College
15 Arnold Ave.
$30,000 — Demolish fire-damaged structure

Ten Main Street Florence LLC
10 Main St.
$112,865 — First-floor interior renovations

SPRINGFIELD

Charter One Bank
296 Cooley St.
$120,000 — Interior and exterior remodeling

First Park Memorial Baptist Church
4 Garfield St.
$90,750 — Remove and replace roof

WNEC D’Amour Library
1215 Wilbraham Road
$1,222,441 — Three-story addition

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bank of America
225 Memorial Ave.
$27,145 — New roof

Discount Office Furniture
2131 Riverdale St.
$51,800 — New roof

WESTFIELD

Elm Development
40 Court St.
$6,000,000 – New building

Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire Counties between mid-August and mid-September, the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

All Tek Builders Inc., 105 Edward St., P.O. Box 662, Agawam 01001. Wayne Albrecht, 939 Granby Road, Chicopee 01020. General contracting, remodeling, roofing, etc.

Lazkani Corp., 51 Riviera Dr., Agawam 01001. Mustapha Lazkani, same, president and treasurer; Samar Lazkani, same, secretary. To own and operate a laundromat business.

Pananas Realty Inc., 1673 Suffield St., Agawam 01001. Leonidas Pananas, same. A real estate holding company.

AMHERST

Medsource Solutions Inc., 6 University Dr., Suite 206-232, Amherst 01002. Alan Tomasko, 36 Greenleaves Dr., #57, Hadley 01035. Medical consulting/education related equipment sales and services.

BELCHERTOWN

57 Sheffield Inc., 14 Maplecrest Dr., Belchertown 01007. Gail M. Flood, same. Retail & wholesale business, related manufacturing.

LC Sand & Gravel Inc., 21 Summit St., Belchertown 01007. Claude Whitman, same. Material removal. Material removal.

CHICOPEE

A.H.H. Inc., 1195 Granby Road, Chicopee 01020. Craig R. Authier, same. General contractor, real estate improvement.

Network Employment Services Inc., 1036 Chicopee St., Chicopee 01013. Luz A. Velez, 126 Peace St., Chicopee 01013. Employment staffing and placement.

SE Holidays Inc., 9 Stanley Dr., Chicopee 01020. Ming Sum Kwan, same. Chartered bus.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Bonneville International Inc., 20 Deer Park Dr., East Longmeadow 01028. Christopher Southey, 274 Duchesnay St., Skte. Marie, Quebec CAN. CT Corporation System, 101 Federal St., Boston 02110, registered agent. (Foreign corp; NH) Manufacture and sale of windows and doors.

Vehicle Inspections Inc., 200 North Main St., Ste. 6, East Longmeadow 01106. David W. Townsend, 227 Farmington Road, Longmeadow 01106. Electronic vehicle inspections.

FEEDING HILLS

On-Hold Marketing & Communications of Western New England Inc., 97 Columbia Dr., Feeding Hills 01030. Laurie Fay, same. To create and provide personalized marketing messages and hardware for businesses to help retain callers, increase sales, etc.

HADLEY

Valley Vodka Inc., 20 Maple Ave., Hadley 01035. Paul Kozub, same, president, treasurer and secretary. Distiller and distributor of spirits.

HAMPDEN

Elegant Creations Inc., 5 Bayberry Road, Hampden 01036. Pamela M. Clark, same. Retail fruit arrangements.

HOLYOKE

Bijou Bijou Inc., 50 Holyoke St., #G301, Holyoke 01040. In Jae Lee, 631 Division Ave., #1st Fl., Carlstadt, NJ 07072. In Jae Lee, 50 Holyoke St., #G301, Holyoke 01040, registered agent. Retail fashion jewelry.

MD2 Inc., 30 Holyoke St., Mrs. Fields Store, Holyoke Mall, Holyoke 01040. Samir N. Dave, 91 Beacon Terr., Springfield 01119. To operate a Mrs. Fields Original Cookies store, etc.

Sunoco of South Street Inc., 580 South St., Holyoke 01040. Adib Mohsen, same. Retail gas.

LONGMEADOW

Advanced Contracting Enterprises Inc., 658 Converse St., Longmeadow 01106. Brian J. Walker, same. General contracting.

Race Aviation Inc., 70 Warren Terrace, Longmeadow 01106. John T. Race, Jr., same. Professional pilot services, aircraft management, and aviation consulting services.

LUDLOW

Brad Willard Professional Painters Inc., 89 Woodland Circle, Ludlow 01056. Jonathan B. Willard, same. Arranging of painter to provide painting services to the public.

SOUTHWICK

Southwick Foodmart Corp., 610 College Hwy., Southwick 01077. Sunil R. Patel, 80 Mill St., North Easton 02356. A general convenience store.

SPRINGFIELD

AA Glass & Mirror Inc., 62 Tremont St., Springfield 01105. Michael A. Romanelli, same. Glass and mirror sales and services.

Biff-Bam-Boom Inc., 92 Parallel St., Springfield 01104. Anthony Rivera, same. Comic sales.

Branch Street Realty Management Inc., 417 Springfield St., Ste. 139, Agawam 01001. Michael P. Margiotta, 7 Forest Hill Road, Feeding Hills 01030. Realty management.

Crown Fried Chicken Inc., 1208 Main St., Springfield 01103. Mohammed Asif, same. Fast food restaurant.

E J Bara and Son Plumbing Contractors Inc., 8 Raymond Circle, Westfield 01085. Edward J. Bara, Jt., same. Plumbing.

Eman Corp., 1324 Boston Road, Springfield 01119. Maqsood Cheema, 55 Rosewood Dr., Rocky Hill, CT. 06067. Muhammed H. Warasat, 30 Wyndward Road, Longmeadow 01106, treasurer. Restaurant business.

The Falls Fruits and Vegetables Inc., 1003 St. James Ave., Springfield 01104. Ahmet Akin, 29 Manitoba St., Springfield 01108. Fruits and vegetables.

Falls Pizza Inc., 103 Main St., Springfield 01020. Ilyas Yanbul, 59 Cedar St., Ludlow 01056. Pizza shop/food service.

Feeds Inc., 95 State St., Ste. 1100, Springfield 01103. David V. Bloniarz, 33 Atwater Road, Springfield 01107. (Nonprofit) To assist the community at large, including the minority community, in entrepreneurial and business endeavors.

Sisters in Struggle Inc., 76 Amherst St., Springfield 01109. Sabriyya Abdur-Rauf, same. (Nonprofit) To holistically develop individuals, families, and the community in compliance with the Qur’an, etc.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Miten Mart Inc., 50 Morgan Road, West Springfield 01089. Kaushik D. Patel, 109 Raffeale Dr., Waltham 02454. To carry on a general mercantile business.

Uncategorized
Paul McDonald is right. The various groups working to develop the old Basketball Hall of Fame building can’t simply put something there and then hope it works.

"We have to make sure this dog will hunt,î said McDonald, chairman of the Springfield Riverfront Development Corp. (SRDC), as he referred to an intriguing plan to locate a public market at the old Hall, along with office space, a restaurant, and an IMAX theater.

The proposal, pieced together by the Springfield Business Development Corp. (SBDC), was the favored submittal from among a handful of entries generated in response to a request for proposals for the site. The short list of responses resulted in part from the limitations presented by the old Hall. The building was built for a specific use, and won’t be easily converted for something else. The best option — and the one that might make the most sense economically — may be to tear it down and give developers a blank canvas with which to work.

For now, though, SRDC officials want to work within the framework of the old Hall — literally. They believe the public market concept has potential, and so do we.

A public market is the type of feel-good initiative that people hear about and almost immediately think, ëthat’s a great idea.’ And it is. A public market is an appealing venture — one that holds vast potential for area farms and food producers, and consumers as well. The question isn’t whether this is a neat concept, but whether it is economically viable. And at this point, we’re not sure. Several recent studies of the public market concept have said that it could work in Springfield — if a number of things go right.

There would have to be a good deal of support from a number of constituencies to make a public market successful in Springfield. These include local residents, including the many ethnic groups that, as SBDC president Michael Graney points out, are familiar with the public market concept and are comfortable in such an environment. The list also includes residents of the surrounding area, from Hartford to Northampton, as well as tourists and commuters.

The old Hall does have one thing going for it — location. Situated just off Interstate 91, it is easily accessible, and the recent improvements by the Commonwealth to this stretch of interstate will make it even more so.

The public market proposed for the old Hall is modeled, in many ways, after a similar facility in Portland, Me. That market was built largely through the generosity of late philanthropist Elizabeth Noyce, who was dedicated to rejuvinating a struggling neighborhood in Portland, and wrote a blank check for the public market as part of that effort. Springfield won’t be as fortunate. It will have to build its public market with a mix of foundation grants, some public money, and traditional bank financing — and this is where the other components of the project come into play.

Indeed, because a public market is not a highly profitable venture, the other businesses involved in this initiative must be, and we see some strong potential in what has been proposed.

The office component appears to be a logical fit. The site’s ample free parking should make it attractive to a wide range of businesses that would like to be in Springfield, but don’t have to be downtown and don’t want to deal with the parking challenges there.

Meanwhile, another restaurant on the riverfront would give both Hall of Fame visitors and area residents additional choices, and would help create a critical mass of visitors necessary for all of the various components of the riverfront complex to succeed.

As for the IMAX theater, like the public market and the office space, it would appear to make sense. Such facilities seem to work when they are in close proximity to family-oriented attractions such as Six Flags — or a sports shrine. And an IMAX would give the riverfront another attraction to lure families from across the Valley — and across the Northeast.

Worcester learned a critical lesson from the failure of its common outlets; something that looks good on paper doesn’t always work. Springfield must avoid making the same mistake on its riverfront. A public market is an exciting, intriguing concept. But will it work? The SRDC must try to answer that question before proceeding.

Opinion
With the retirement of founder and artistic director Richard Rescia, the Florence-based Commonwealth Opera is entering a new era. Its leadership team, comprised of Artistic Director Alan Schneider and Executive Director Kara Noble, has ambitious goals to bring opera to new and wider audiences, and thus create new opportunities for the institution as it approaches its 30th birthday.

Kara Noble says many people have preconceived notions about opera — assumptions that often keep them from experiencing something wonderful.

"They have it in their head that ëthis is what opera is,’ but they don’t really know what it’s about,î she told BusinessWest. "When they come to opera and actually see it, they are absolutely blown away by the real experience — by the pageantry, the theater, the acting, the music, and simply by how much fun it is.î

Bringing this experience, which blends music and theater, to new and wider audiences is one of Noble’s primary goals as she takes a leadership role with the Florence-based Commonwealth Opera (CWO). She and recently named artistic director Alan Schneider, who succeeds founder Richard Rescia, will usher the 28-year-old regional opera company into a new era.

They plan to build on the solid foundation laid by Rescia and an active board of directors and expand the company’s reach — and its horizons.

"The company is in a very exciting place right now,î said Noble. "It’s really starting to grow, and it has chances to develop new audiences, new partnerships with area organizations, and to re-enliven an already rich cultural community.î

Schneider, a tenor who has sung in five of the CWO’s productions and with a number of other companies as well, agreed.

"This is an exciting time for the Commonwealth Opera,î he said. "We want to take full advantage of the opportunities in front of us, and make this company more visible and relevant.î

As they talked about their plans for the CWO, both Schneider and Noble drew many comparisons to the business world. Managing an opera is much like directing an actual business, they said. It requires both short- and long-range planning, a focus on continued growth, good customer service, effective marketing — and new product development, which, in the case of an opera company, is an intriguing assignment.

"What we’ve been presenting up to this point has been the classical repertoire, both in terms of what we choose for an opera — things that are well-established and have been performed for centuries in many cases — and for our musical theater component, where we lean toward the popular shows,î said Noble. "We would like to open up opportunities to have some new productions; a lot of people don’t realize that new opera is being composed right now.

"We’d like to have some opportunities to present some of the newer works, and even to commission artists to write works expressly for us,î she continued. "We’ve done some of this, and we’d like to do much more.î

Tenor of the Conversation

Schneider told BusinessWest that an opera company is much like a business — a successful one, at least — in that its managers must keep one eye on today and the other on tomorrow.

Indeed, while he is busy with details of the two upcoming performances of Bizet’s classic Carmen (Nov. 19 and 21 at the Fine Arts Center at UMass), Schneider is already planning for what will be the CWO’s 30th season next fall — and well beyond.

The Barber of Seville has been scheduled as the opera for that anniversary season, he said, while Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte is on tap for 2006 to mark the composer’s 250th birthday. Such a long-range focus is necessary, he said, because top opera singers are booked years in advance and it takes several months of planning to pull together the myriad details and subtle nuances that make a performance successful.

"You have to be a visionary and look well down the road and make sure you have all the resources you need for a performance; you need to choose the works to be done four or five years out, and then focus on how you’re going to do them,î said Schneider, adding that it was the opportunity to become involved in all aspects of operatic production — and to flex his creative muscles — that drew him to the CWO. Like Noble, he brings a diverse resume to the opera company.

A native of Westfield, Schneider later relocated to Conway. He studied music and theater at UMass, in the early ë90s, and became versed in set design, costume, and lighting, talents that helped him emerge from a field of 60 candidates to succeed Rescia, who will still play an active role with the company and assume the title artistic director emeritus.

Schneider started performing for the CWO a decade ago, while he was still a student at UMass, and he has worked with the company off and on over the years. After graduating, he went to Boston, where he performed with several opera companies. After six years in the Hub, he and his wife relocated to the Pioneer Valley. He still sings with a number of companies, including Opera Boston, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Florida Grand Opera, and others.

When asked to offer a job description for a company’s artistic director’s role, he laughed, and said the role defies description.

"What I do is essentially choose the repertoire that is to be produced, and I do so based on a lot of considerations, including personal taste, operas that I think we can do well, and variety, which is important for us because we produce both an opera and a musical theater piece every year,î he said. "Within the course of a season I want some variety — a tragedy for one, a comedy for the other, different historical time periods, and different musical styles.î

After choosing the works, the artistic director will, in time, run auditions, hire singers, conductors, and stage designers, and facilitate the entire process. "It’s taking a performance all the way through, from start to finish,î he said. "And that’s what attracted me to this job.î

Noble, who assumed the director’s position in early July following the departure of Dara Lewis, brings a background in publishing and the music industry to the CWO.

Her husband, Clifton, is a well-known professional pianist who has performed with the Commonwealth Opera, providing her exposure to the group and its broad mission. Professionally, she worked for a number of years with Merriam-Webster, first as an editor, and later as director of electronic product development.

She then started her own business, Artisttec, which brought technical support to musicians and other musicians. Services included Web page design, digitizing music, type-setting score electronically, and computer consulting. Through that venture, Noble began working with several area colleges and universities, especially Smith College, where she became facilities manager for the music department.

She was in that role when she heard about the pending opportunity at CWO, a position that affords her the chance to utilize many of her acquired skills.

"I was very interested in working with a company that was in a transition state and in a place where I could help it grow and move in new directions,î she said. "Because both Alan and I are new, there are a lot of opportunities to set a new course; this gives me a chance to try some new things and to use some of the talents I have to help the company.î

Orchestrating Growth

Schneider and Noble inherit a rich tradition of quality performances, one they want to continue and enhance.

The CWO was founded by Rescia in 1972 as Project Opera, and was designed as a vehicle for area singers interested in grand opera. Its first endeavors were concerts of arias, ensembles, and operatic scenes for small audiences in mainly the Project Opera studio on the third floor of the building at 160 Main St. in Northampton.

The company produced its first fully staged opera in 1976, a production of Carlyle Floyd’s Sussanah, conducted in conjunction with the Pioneer Valley Symphony as part of celebrations for the nation’s bicentennial. A year later, the opera undertook its first solo, in-house production, Die Fledermaus, with Rescia as artistic director and conductor. It also launched its annual Messiah sing-alongs.

Over the years, the opera developed an educational component. It has coordinated a number of in-school productions, conducted workshops, and introduced students to the world of opera. Last year, for example, the company bussed more than 1,000 students to the Calvin Theater for performances of Hansel & Gretel.

In 1989, the company changed its name to Commonwealth Opera. As Schneider explained, the group’s productions had grown in professionalism, to the point where it was auditioning people from hundreds of miles away. The name Project Opera did not convey permanence or stability, he said, so the name was changed so singers would feel comfortable with putting the opera on their resumes.

The road has not always been smooth for the company. Twice over the past 25 years it found itself without enough money to produce a scheduled opera. On both occasions, the general public helped the institution get out of debt.

For the past several years, the CWO’s season has featured four main performances; an opera in the fall; a Broadway musical in the spring — this season, it will Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate; two Messiah sings each December, one in Northampton and the other in Springfield; and a Guild Concert each spring.

Looking forward, Schneider and Noble want to bring opera to a wider audience and bring different types of performances to area theaters and schools — and grow as a business in the process.

One priority is to expand the company’s base, which is the Northampton-Amherst area. "We’re starting to see people come down from the Greenfield-Brattleboro area and discover the company,î she said. "We’re also trying to increase our visibility in Springfield and Holyoke, so that people there are more aware of what we have to offer, and also how we can help them and enrich their communities.î

Noble said the CWO’s leadership, working in conjunction with its board, is engaged in strategic planning initiatives.

"Like any business, you need a long-range plan and a day-to-day plan to make things happen,î she explained, adding that the group plans an in-depth study of its fund-raising activities, repertoire of shows, and educational programs with an eye toward improving both the quality and quantity of each one.

"I think this market will support more shows, and that’s one of things we’re going to be looking at, "she said. "We want to reach more people and conduct more educational programs as well.î

Among the planned new initiatives is an apprenticeship program for singers, to be coordinated with UMass, that will involve several students with this fall’s production of Carmen. It’s part of the CWO’s broader mission to introduce people, especially younger populations, to opera and then provide them a place to get started.

"There are a lot of singers in the area who don’t have a place to perform,î said Noble, "especially young singers who want to try it and see if opera is a career opportunity for them. Right now, there’s no place for them to go; if you’re a young person who plays the violin, there are young people’s symphonies and community orchestras — there are performance opportunities that help you determine if you can pursue this as a career. For singers, there is nothing.î

Schneider concurred, and noted that performing an opera involves much more than singing. "To be an opera singer requires more skills — acting, working on stage, working with costumes — and we want to help people acquire those skills.î

While planning for the future, Schneider and Noble are immersed in Carmen, a four-act drama set in early 19th century Spain, that is based on the novel by Prosper Merimee. It is, as Schneider described it, "the story of an independent and self-destructive woman (Carmen) and a very violent man that ends badly.î

The basic storyline can be adopted in a number of ways, he said, and the CWO will look to puts its own mark on a story that has stood the test of time.

Carmen is a very special work that can be played in so many ways,î he explained. "It doesn’t depend on a particular setting or musical style. And it’s got love, jealousy, betrayal — all the biggies; there’s a lot of stuff there.î

It’s a show that people should come see, said Noble, whether they are opera fans or, like many, think they know what opera’s about — but don’t really know.

Curtain Call

Schneider joked that the planned 2005 opera, The Barber of Seville, should be familiar to many people. There was a famous Bugs Bunny episode that borrowed the story and music, and a Seinfeld episode that did the same — sort of.

By the time the CWO is done with its performances, he hopes hundreds of area residents have a better, more grounded understanding of the story.

Exposing more people to the drama, the music, and the fun, as Noble put it, is at the top of the to-do list for the company’s new leadership team. Doing so will be an accomplishment of note, in more ways than one.

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

Uncategorized
Program organizers say the Affiliated Chambers’ Super 60 list shows the strength and diversity of the local economy — and portrays the entrepreneurial spirit that prevails in the Valley. This year’s list is deep with health care businesses, financial services providers, retail operations, including several car dealerships, and even two area colleges.

Russ Denver says the Greater Springfield Chamber’s Super 60 program, which began life as the Fabulous 50, was never intended to be a scientific compilation of the region’s top-performing companies.

After all, there are thousands of businesses in the Pioneer Valley, and only a few hundred are nominated for the honor. "Some companies are shy," said Denver, president of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS), explaining why some businesses don’t participate. "And some simply don’t want people to know how well they’re doing."

But the annual list is nonetheless a very accurate barometer of what’s happening with the region’s economy, said Denver, who said he examines each list closely for trends and signs. In recent interviews, Denver said that, despite a somewhat soft economy and the severe fiscal challenges facing Springfield, the local business community has produced a number of success stories. Bright spots of note include the health care sector, financial services, retail, and higher education.

These trends have been verified with this year’s list, said Denver, noting that there are more than 10 health care-related companies on the roster, as well as several financial services businesses — from benefits providers to a few insurance companies. Meanwhile, there is a wide variety of retail operations, including several car dealerships, a boat seller, a power equipment operation and a Harley Davidson dealership (see the full list of companies, page 26).

There are even two private schools on the list — Western New England College and American International College (AIC).

"Looking over this list, two things stand out in my mind," said Denver. "First, the fact that consumer product companies have done quite well, which would defy all the media coverage about a perceived lack of consumer confidence."

Denver also noted the proliferation of health care companies, a sign of that sector’s emergence as an economic engine.

"This the largest number of the health-care related companies that we’ve had on our list," he said. "This shows that we not only have a strong base of businesses in that sector, but that they’re doing very well."

While the Super 60 has become an economic barometer, said Denver, it has also become a brand. Indeed, a number of area businesses make use of their inclusion on either the total revenue or revenue growth list in their advertising, he said, and the phrase "Super 60 company’ has become part of the local lexicon.

"The program provides great recognition for employees — that they’ve contributed to the success of the company," he said, adding that Super 60 serves as a vehicle for communicating business success stories in the Valley. "We started this to highlight the importance of business to our region, to highlight the fast-growing companies, and to inform the public that a lot of really good things are going on in the business community."

The Super 60 companies will be feted at a luncheon on Oct. 29 at Chez Josef in Agawam. The keynote speaker for that event will be Arthur J. Rolnick, senior vice president and director of marketing for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, who will speak on the economics of early childhood development.

In Good Company

Change was the order of the day with this year’s Super 60 list, especially in the revenue-growth category. Half the list, 15 companies, is new from last year, and the top five has only two repeats, the day care center Giggle Gardens, which was the runner-up for the second year in a row, and Thrifty Financial Services, which placed fifth.

At the top of the revenue-growth list for 2004 is Agawam-based U.S. Tank Alliance (USTA), an underground storage tank solutions company that has recorded average growth of 160.9944% over the past three years.

Company President Joel Hershey said there have been a number of state and federal regulations passed over the past 15-20 years regarding underground and above-ground tanks, and U.S. Tank Alliance was created four years ago to take advantage of opportunities presented by that legislation.

The company, which covers roughly the eastern half of the country, has regional facilities in Columbus, Ohio, Tampa, Fla., Baton Rouge, La., and Cinnaminson, N.J., in addition to the corporate headquarters in Agawam.

USTA provides a number of services for commercial clients, residential property owners, and municipalities, including tank cleaning, inspection, compliance programs, system training, project management, and consulting. That diversity, coupled with its geographic reach, has enabled the company to achieve strong growth each year since its inception, said Hershey.

"We put a number of services under one roof, and that makes us fairly unique," he explained, adding that USTA counts a number of global petroleum dealers, area cities and towns, and individual homeowners on its client list.

Rounding out the top five are two newcomers to the revenue growth, Focus Business Supplies Inc. and Northstar Recycling Group (Northstar previously qualified for the total-revenue list).

Other newcomers to the growth list are Baystate Dental, P.C., Baystate Ob-Gyn Group, Brookdale Associates, Diamond RV Center (a previous qualifier for total revenue), Elm Industries, Falcetti Music Inc., First American Insurance Agency, Firtion Adams Funeral Service Inc. (see related story, page 25), Healthcare Resource Solutions, Micro-test Laboratories, and Ten Novembre Group, Dba The Bordeaux Co., and United Personnel Services.

Alta Stark, communications director for the ACCGS said the threshhold for making the growth list was 26% over the past three years, with average growth of just over 65% for the 30 companies that qualified.

On the total revenue side of the ledger, there were four newcomers, AIC, The Center for Human Development and its subsidiary, Behavioral Health Network Inc., and Kittredge Equipment Corp. (see related story, page 23).

Topping the revenue list is Bertera Enterprises, which has been a frequent Super 60 qualifier and a family business that has grown steadily over the years.

Company President Aldo Bertera said it all started with a gas station on Route 20 in West Springfield that was operated by his father. Aldo and his brother, Robert, eventually opened a Subaru dealership on Riverdale Road in 1973. The Bertera family of auto sales and service businesses continues to grow, and now includes eight dealerships and two collision centers.

The corporation includes four dealerships on Riverdale Road — Subaru, Lincoln Mercury, Chrysler, and Suzuki — as well as Bertera Metro Jeep Chrysler Plymouth and Auto World by Bertera, both in Springfield, and Bertera Chevrolet Oldsmobile Pontiac in Palmer. The latest acquisition came this past summer, when the company acquired Balise Chrysler Jeep and melded it with Bertera Dodge in Westfield.

Rounding out the top five in total revenue were newcomer, Sarat Ford Enterprises — another of the four auto dealerships on the revenue list — and Peter Pan Bus Lines and Pride Convenience Inc., and Western New England College.

Stark said that the average annual revenue for the 30 companies on the list was more than $48 million. Total revenue for all companies on the list exceeded $1.4 billion.

Four companies on the revenue list also qualified for the revenue-growth chart — Camfour Inc., Louis & Clark Drug Inc., OK Pet Supply, Peter Pan, and Pride. Meanwhile, four revenue-growth winners also qualified for total revenue — Brookdale Associates, Diamond RV, Environmental Compliance Services Inc., and Northstar Recycling.

For more information on the Super 60 and awards lunchon, visitwww.myonlinechamber.com

Features
Jack Wilson has some ambitious goals for the five-school University of Massachusetts system he now leads. He wants UMass to be more visible and much more of a force in economic development initiatives across the state. In a word, he wants the school to be indispensable to the Commonwealth.

Since being named president of UMass this past spring, Jack Wilson has been busy, as he put it, "telling our story.î

He has spoken to business and civic groups from one end to the state to the other. He’s penned op-ed pieces for publications ranging from The Republican to Mass High Tech magazine. And he’s appeared before editorial boards at most of the state’s major publications.

The blitz has a purpose, Wilson told BusinessWest: making a distinct connection between the five-campus university and economic development efforts in the Commonwealth. The connection has always been there, he said — thousands of jobs have come out of research at the university and thousands more have been retained through various workforce initiatives — but more people need to understand it and take part in it.

"The path to economic and social development in the state goes through UMass,î he explained, using phrases he would repeat often. "We see the university as an indispensable partner in economic development of the Commonwealth.

"When you look at economic development across the United States, you quickly discover that it goes best in an area around outstanding university research universities,î he continued, citing Research Triangle Park in North Carolina and Silicon Valley as just two examples. "The same holds true in Massachusetts; if you took UMass out of the picture, 90% of the research that took place outside of Route 128 would disappear.î

As he pushes his message, Wilson is also taking steps to see that the rhetoric becomes reality. To make UMass the economic development engine he envisions, it must have more and better partnerships — with business, government, non-profits, other colleges and universities, and its own alumni.

Such partnerships have led to success stories involving all five campuses, he said, citing the collaboration between UMass-Amherst and Baystate Health System in the creation of a biosciences research center as just one example.

"We want to partner will all sorts of community groups,î he said. "This could be industry giants like Raytheon, or it could be entities like the Boston public schools, which we’re joining in a math/science partnership that’s part of a $12 million externally funded program high-quality match and science opportunities,î he said. "We have another one called the Urban Scholars Program, in which we’re partnered with community groups focused on minority groups and providing them with educational opportunities.î

While the partners and the specific missions vary, the common denominator is economic development, said Wilson, noting that efforts in this realm include everything from new job creation to making sure the state’s workforce can take on the jobs of today — and tomorrow.

Wilson said he has a number of specific and general goals for the university. For starters, he wants to double the amount of public and private research grants received by the university — from the current $300 million to $600 million, perhaps within five years. He also wants to take the school’s endowment, currently at $170 million, to new heights.

Meanwhile, he wants to create what he called a "unified brandî for the university. By this, he meant that current students and faculty members, as well as alumni of the five schools in the UMass system will think of themselves as part of a larger entity, rather than graduates of a specific school.

With new strategic alliances, and an increasingly entrepreneurial approach within the university itself, UMass can emerge as one of the nation’s premier public university systems, said Wilson, adding that he is committed to making this happen.

"We want to be a willing partner in social and economic development most broadly construed,î he said, "not narrowly construed.î

Degrees of Progress

After he was named interim president of UMass following the resignation of William Bulger in September 2003, Wilson said he had to think long and hard about whether he wanted to pursue the job on a permanent basis.

"To be honest, if they had offered me a permanent position at that time, I would have declined, because it wasn’t clear to me that we had the support it would take to be successful,î he said, referring to both public and private constituencies. "It wasn’t until I worked three and four months and I felt that the situation was coming together nicely and that we were going to have the support from the business community and we were going to have the support from the governor’s office, the Legislature, and the alumni, that I decided to become a candidate.î

That support came in a number of forms, he explained, noting the Legislature made a strong commitment in the budget, especially with an appropriation for long-unfunded contractual raises for faculty and staff, and the governor included a number of capital projects. Meanwhile, Wilson noted a strong measure of support from members of the business community, many of whom he worked with during creation of report titled Choosing to Lead: The Race for National R&D Leadership and New Economy Jobs.

Touted as the Massachusetts Technology Road Map, the report was organized by Mass Insight Corp., a Boston-based public policy firm, and Batelle, an Ohio-based economic development consulting firm. It concluded that UMass is one of the state’s key economic drivers, a resource that should be exploited for new business development and job creation.

"I sat down with many different constituencies, and had some rather frank discussions about where they want this university to be, and how it fits in with development strategies in the Commonwealth,î Wilson said. "I was very pleasantly surprised to find that there was a great deal of bi-partisan support for a strong state university.

"These things are like a snowball,î he went on. "It starts small and it keeps getting bigger and bigger, and at some point you say, ëthis is going in the right direction, let’s keep it going.’î

With such commitments, Wilson said the university can proceed with confidence in its efforts to take a larger role in economic development efforts across the Commonwealth. And as he moves ahead with his plans, Wilson can call on many of his own experiences for inspiration.

Indeed, Wilson knows what it takes to bring a concept through the university research stage, the venture-capital-raising stage, into development, and then through the process of going public. He did just that at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. While working there as the J. Erik Johnson ’22 Distinguished Professor of Physics, Engineering Science, Information Technology, and Management, he spun off a software development company called ILINC.

The company was built through three rounds of venture capital from Exponential Investors, Intel Corporation, the New York State Science and Technology Foundation, and GeoCapital Investors. The venture, known later as LearnLinc, eventually merged with Allan Communications and Gilat Communications to form the publicly traded Mentergy Corporation.

That business venture came as Wilson was filling his resume with achievements in academia, in both the classroom and administration.

Wilson earned a degree in Physics from Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., and his Ph.D. from Kent State University. He taught physics at Sam Houston State University, and eventually served as chairman of the Physics Department and director of the Division of Chemistry, Physics, and Physical Sciences.

He then moved to the University of Maryland, where he taught physics and science, and later to Rensselaer, where he served in a variety of positions. These included acting provost, acting dean of Faculty, dean of Undergraduate and Continuing Education, director of the Lois J. and Harlan E. Anderson Center for Innovation in Undergraduate Education, and co-director of the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship.

He exited LearnLinc in 2000, at the height of the tech market and just before the sector turned south. He pocketed more than enough to retire, but wasn’t ready to do so. Instead, he went looking for a new challenge, and found one when he came to UMass to bolster its fledgling online education initiative.

He took a program with only a handful of courses and students and guided it to exponential growth. When he become interim president, the online program served nearly 15,000 students and involved 40 different degree and certificate programs.

It was this diverse background, including many levels of work in academia and business over a 35-year career, that made Wilson a logical choice for interim and then permanent president at the university. And it is this mix that he believes will help in the process of creating the strategic alliances he says are crucial to the school’s continued growth and development.

Stern Test

There are five schools in the UMass system — Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and Worcester (UMass Medical) — and Wilson says each one has made significant contributions to their respective regions — and the state as a whole — and will look to increase its involvement in the years to come.

The day he spoke with BusinessWest, Wilson also addressed business groups in the New Bedford-Fall River region of the state, now known collectively as the South Coast. The message delivered there was similar to the one being sent across the state.

"I told them that we’re here to do our part; we’re willing to be your partner,î he said, adding that this same message is being across the state.

When asked how partnerships come together, Wilson cited the case of a $40 million research center created out of work at the Amherst campus. This was an initiative where all the pieces to the puzzle — university research and both public and private participation — fell into place.

Known as CASA, the Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere, was inspired by the work of UMass-Amherst professor David McLaughlin, who devised of method of using low-level radar to radically improve weather-forecasting capabilities and also provide new tools for monitoring airborne toxins generated by pollution or terrorism.

The initiative was moved forward thanks to a $1 million gift from Amherst philanthropists John and Elizabeth Armstrong, which helped trigger $5 million in seed money from the Commonwealth and support from Massachusetts businesses. This multi-faceted support eventually led to a $17 million engineering research center grant from the National Science Foundation.

"That’s an example of what can happen when the necessary components come together,î Wilson said. "CASA shows how effective partnerships can make things happen.î

With $320 million in public and privately funded research and development, UMass ranks third in that category in Massachusetts (behind Harvard and MIT) and fourth in New England (behind Yale). It also has a faster R&D growth rate than the national average. But Wilson believes it can be doing much better, and the Mass. Insight/Battelle report echoes that sentiment.

"We want to double our research — the questions are: how fast can we get that done and do we need to do to get it done?î he said, adding that while there is no how-to manual on such initiatives, the university will start by focusing on what Wilson called its "core businesses,î while developing new ones.

"There are a number of factors involved — we want to focus on the areas where we have expertise, but also on what the specific community needs are,î he said. "We know the biomedical business is going to be very big, so we have to figure out how we’re going to play in that. We know that the marine sciences and ocean engineering are also going to be big, and we know that information technology and telecommunications will continue to be a strength. We have to gauge all our opportunities and make the most of each one.î

Wilson said there has been a gradual shift in the research arena from private schools to public schools and especially what he called the "super publics.î This has coincided with huge growth in the scale of research and, recently, a loss of market share in the Bay State.

To get those research dollars back, and to fully capitalize on the shift from private to public schools, he said, UMass must focus on strategic alliances such as the one with Baystate involving bioscience.

While endeavoring to boost research, Wilson also wants to grow the school’s endowment. He said UMass has been lagging behind other state universities in this arena, and he and UMass/Amherst Chancellor John Lombardi are forwarding plans to help the school catch up.

"Other institutions, like Michigan and Penn State have been after this a lot longer than we have,î he explained. "In fact, it’s only been in the last five years that there’s been any focus on this at all. So we have a long way to go.î

Meanwhile, he wants to strengthen the UMass ëbrand.’ He said each of the five schools has, and must maintain, its own identity, but they must work together to promote the larger entity.

Wilson drew parallels to a family.

"Siblings compete with one another,î he explained. " But they also work together for the benefit of the family, and that’s what we have here, a family.î

Overall, Wilson wants the university to become more entrepreneurial in its approach to all its ventures, and to set the bar higher in pursuit of its goals.

"We don’t want to set our sights on being average,î he said. "We want to set our sights on being one of the world’s great public universities. That means we shouldn’t be striving for national averages in anything we do. Instead, we should be comparing ourselves to the top schools and then competing with them — and we have a ways to go to get there.î

Class Act

When asked to describe his role as president of the UMass system, Wilson said it’s his job to set an overall direction for the system and provide it with the resources it needs. To do this effectively, he must keep the school in the public eye or, as he put it, continually tell its story.

This explains why Wilson has used the airwaves and publications’ op-ed pages with such frequency in recent months.

"If we don’t step up and tell our story, it’s our fault,î he said, adding that with strong visibility the school can position itself for continued support.

"It’s all about partnerships,î he stressed repeatedly. "We want people to know that we’re here and ready to work with them. That how we can reach our goals — and that’s how we can become indispensable.î

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

Departments

Adams, Eleanor B.
52 Albermarle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Aguayo, Gladys
20 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Albert, Leanna M.
350 Meadow St., Apt. 66
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Alicea, Nelson
41 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

All American Concrete Inc.
82 Front St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Allen, Charles A.
235 State St., Unit 43
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Almiron, Rosa E.
37 Fairview Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Alves, Hugo
5 Dewey St.
chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Andrews, Jewell Yvonne
75 Greene St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Bahadur, Sean J.
151 Locust St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Bailly, Danielle
30 Elizabeth St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Baker, Franklin A.
Baker, Susan L.
23 Tracy Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Barker, Jeffrey Dean
Barker, Jody Lynn
36 Alfred St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Barre, Cynthia L.
1087 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Bassette, Matthew W.
Bassette, Diane E.
475B Corey St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Bazzurro, JoAnn M.
60 East Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Beach, Dede A.
146 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Bennett, Mark
109 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Beroth, Chad W.
211 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Berthiaume, Roland F.
585 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Bessette, Jeannette C
87 Senator Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/06/04

Bigelow, Jessica L.
71 High St., Apt. 17
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Blanchard, Todd T.
30 Marlborough St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Brenes, Bryand E.
60 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Brown, Christopher Van Lee
81 Davis Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Brumley, Brandi
646 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Brunelle, Steven
46 Columbia St., Apt. 6B
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Bryant, Edward C.
535 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Buell, Richard
760 McKinstry St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Burnett, Ami R.
16 Monson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Cameron, Lucretia D.
122 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Camerota, Deborah A.
6 Boxhill St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Camilleri, Donna M.
22 Tina Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Canavan, Phillip J.
8 Gaylord St., Apt. C
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Carver, Angela
74 Front St., Apt. 3L
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Catalano, Valentino
Catalano, Wanda Evon
97 Leo Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Chan, Jimmy M.
127 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Chene, Anthony D.
21 Grattan St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Cinq Mars, Peter N.
3 Miller St., Apt. 1
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Coleman, Jeffery
Coleman, Elizabeth M.
24 Meredith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/29/04

Colli, David J.
151 Bowdoin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Collier, Brian G.
Collier, Carin M.
74 Sun Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Colon, Carmen M.
70 Broadway St., Apt.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Colon, Victor M.
21 Grove St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Converse, Patricia A.
115 Dwight St., Apt. 904
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Corcoran, Thomas E.
33 Elmwood Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Cordero, Luis A.
Cordero, Maria V.
392 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Correa, Elena
70 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Costella, Raymond A.
Costella, Michelle L.
73 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Covington-Hairston, Tangela
101 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Danenza, William U.
Danenza, Barbara T.
109 Olka Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Deprey, Olivia
22 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/04

Desclos, Jason D.
90 Ridgeview Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Desrochers, Linda M.
55 North Main St., Unit 24
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/06/04

Diaz, Jose A.
8 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Dore, Christine A.
15 Rhodes Ave.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Dubay, Wilfred
146 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Dunne, Pamela
89 Jarvis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Dusza, Melissa A.
562 Alden St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Emery, Deborah May
P.O. Box 452
Northampton, MA 01061
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Emery-Ferrero, Denice L.
27 Emerson Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Falken, Zoe
53C Saint Koble Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Ferrero, Michael J.
27 Emerson Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Figueroa, Jose A.
70 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Flatt, Dawn E.
15B Taylor Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Flores, Vivian
41 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Forcier, Michael P.
99 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Fountain, Douglas J.
185 Prospect St., Apt. 2
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Fountain, Joseph R.
30 Santa Barbra St.
Springfield, MA 01004
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Gelinas, Sandra I.
45 Mercury Ct. R-1
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Gleason, Kevin P.
80 Rhodes Ave.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Gloth, Harvey W.
112 Barbara Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Glynn, Roy C.
Glynn, Paula D.
32 Stuart Place
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Gomez, Carlos Miguel
93 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/20/04

Goncalves, Amaro
24 Barberry Lane
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/06/04

Gonzalez, Antonio
245 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Goyette, Robert R.
Goyette, Amy M.
342 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Gray, Kevin F.
64 Sherbrooke St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Gray, Ruth
76 Hazen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Gruska, Matthew J.
126 Florida Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/21/04

Guyotte, Kenneth J.
Guyotte, Christine A.
4 Cottage St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/20/04

Hall, Beverly J.
308 Main St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Hallock, David J.
Hallock, Gabriele
58 Pasco Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Haney, Morris A.
Haney, Linda A.
28 Pinecone Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/29/04

Harbert, Joseph E.
Southwood Acres
342 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Harvey, Richard J.
6 Sobieski St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Hawk, Tiffany K.
34 Canal St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Herbele, Robert Loring
Herbele, Jonna Ann
30 White St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Hernandez, Linda I.
298 Elm St., Apt. 3A
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Herrera, Jacqueline
131 Ashley Ave., Apt. M1
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Heywood, Julie A.
17 Glenwood Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Hibbard, Franklin D.
12 Aliceburk Way, Apt. 211
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Hobert, Mary R.
190 Great Plains Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Isham, Clark G.
12 Maplecrest Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Jackson, Tawanda A.
201 Tyler St.
Springfield, MA 01139
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/23/04

Jessup, Deborah Joyce
26 Haskin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Jones, Joseph L.
58 Pearl St., Apt. 3A
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Kalmar, Elaine Ruth
521 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Kantianis, Constandina L.
55 Highalnd St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Keil, Eleanor M.
223 Western Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Kim, Thu
47 Plain St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Koksnsky, Thersa J.
1109 Worcester Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Koroski, Sharon F.
67 Stockbridge St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Krawiec, Walter L.
129 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Kulas, John P.
Kulas, Wendy B.
35 Chmura Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Lajewski, Jason
Lajewski, Tracie Lyne
79 Franklin St., Apt. 12
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/04

Lama, Khunga
84 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Lampson, Donna J.
48B West School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Lampson, Jonathan M.
PO Box 2193
7 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Langevin, Denise Gail
20 Bush St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Lannon, Earl D.
Lannon, Christina M.
61 Dartmouth St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Lataille, Phyllis A.
42B Jabish St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Lauder, Karen J.
33 Kellogg Ave., Apt. 1
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Leak, Charles A.
27 Delmore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/04

Libian, Joseph
568 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Lowell, Ellen A.
20 Exeter St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Lucia, Robert M.
4 Marie St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/17/04

Luciano, Catalina
44 Byers St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/21/04

Luu, Le G.
19 Niles St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/21/04

Lynge, Carl H.
32 Wildwood Glen
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/04

Mailloux, Cheryl-Ann
116 Bostwick Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/23/04

Martinez, Jorge Luis
1721 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Martinez, Jose L.
5 Harrison Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Matos, Ramonita
296 Franklin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Maxton, Timothy S.
205 Southwick St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Mays, Raymond S.
37 Julia Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/28/04

McCluskey, David D.
874 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

McCullough, Kevin
24 West State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/04

McDonald, Jessica M.
189 Hampshire St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/04

McKenzie, Laura L.
142 W. Canton Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Medeiros, Kathleen M.
8 Woodside Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Mitchell, Eyvonne
101 Lowell St., Apt. 111
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Mock, Avery K.
46 Elmore Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Mogue, Evelyn E.
20A Stillbrook Lane
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Mongeau, Yvon E.
Mongeau, Cecile A.
27 Erline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Nadler, David A.
12 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Nadler, Judith M.
12 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Nally, David F.
11 Naomi St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Negron, Marilyn
1877 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/08/04

Nieves, Jessica
72 Patten St., Apt. 4B
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Nieves, Radames
Nieves, Lucia
141 Locust St., Apt. 2
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Nimchick, Matthew J.
27 Hampden St.
Wesfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Pachot, Valentin
Pachot, Patricia A.
10 West School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Paquette, Tracy L.
16A Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Paradise, Dennis A.
Paradise, Rose E.22 Eloise St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Parent, Constance M.
Parent, Paula
130 Brookfield Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Piaga, Elleen S.
61 Farnsworth St., 2nd Fl.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Provost, Sean S.
99 Hendron Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/04

Provost, Tania M.
11 Sylvia Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Pryor, Melanie R.
32 Truman Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/03/04

Ramirez, Eliezer F.
97 Martin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Reilly, Megan K.
437 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Rhodes, Diane L.
49 Blaine St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/06/04

Rios, Faustine N.
3 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Rivera, Wallis L.
Rivera, Enrique
9 Humeston Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Rivera, Julio
52 Boyer St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/23/04

Rocke, Jeanne L.
126 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Rodriguez, Cherie Anne
1 Maxine Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Rodriguez, Hiram
1 Maxine Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Rodriguez, Migdalia
10 Chestnut St.
Apt. 1602
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Ross, Gregory Allen
91 Raymond Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Ross, Karen Kristine
91 Raymond Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Rouse, Christina B.
45 Willow St., Apt. 30
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Rousseau, Eva M.
97 Lapa Farm Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/04

Saalfrank, Darrin J.
491 Bridge Road, Apt. 100
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Sacco, Stephen J.
Sacco, Vicki-Lynn
135 Almira Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/04

Sanchez, Eddie S.
42 Embassy Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Sanchez, Elba
53 Ridgeway St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/04

Scott, Sandra L.
53 Meadow Lark Lane
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Sell, Janet L.
20 Arnold St., Apt. 2
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/04

Serrenho, Nancy F.
16 Olivine St., 3rd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/29/04

Sevastyanova, Nataliya
448 Allen Park Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Sherman, Judith
56 Lewis Road
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/23/04

Shufelt-Scott, Rose S.
119 Bacon Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Sienkiewicz, Edward M.
25 St. Paul St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Smith, George E.
95 Park Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Spadea, Joseph G.
Spadea, Justine L.
160 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Spencer, Larry W.
Spencer, Deborah L.
9 North Main St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Steinbock, Kyle D.
27 Lyman Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Stevens, Harriet E.
39 Chapel St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/22/04

Stevenson-Pope, Christina Ann
202 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/20/04

Summers, Sarah Dorothy
Independent House
1475 Roosevelt Ave., A
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/16/04

Taylor, John
Taylor, Angela C.
322 Peekskill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Tebbetts, Carolyn L.
15 Kylie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Terlecky, Lisa M.
60 Churchill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/04

Torres, Jose
169 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Turek, Marjorie Ann
25 Otis St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Utterback, Thomas D.
77 Cottage St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/04

Velazquez, Samuel
37 N. East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/04

Vercauteren, Keith
260 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/04

Wahrmann, Courtney L.
27 Hide Away
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/04

Walsh, David Emil
Walsh, Lynnette Ellen
22 Penncastle St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Ward, Danny E.
Ward, Nadine
138 Summer Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/04

Wemyss, William F.
Wemyss, Dianne C.
50 Lavender Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/06/04

Wheeler, Linda M.
55 Spring St., Apt. 18
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Williams, Allie V.
145 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Wills, Katrina Marie
72 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/20/04

Withee, Mark
Withee, Linda
218 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Woods, Gary L.
88 Tompkins Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/27/04

Wright, Beatrice B.
20 Cooley Ave.
E. Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/04

Young, Melissa A.
95 Birch Park Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/04

Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of August 2004.

AGAWAM

Steven Richter
104 Gold St.
$242,000 — Build steel structure

Town of Agawam
760 Cooper St.
$540,000 — Remodel office area

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
College St.
$7,810 — Create new exam room at Alumni Gymnasium

Amherst College Trustees
81 Lessey St.
$45,000 — New roof

Boyden & Perron Garage Inc.
41 South Whitney St.
$249,358 — Construct shell only — pre-engineered steel building with concrete foundation

Peter Grandonico
19 North Pleasant St.
$19,000 — Renovate for Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Shop

Tofino Associates Inc.
43 Kestrel Lane
$15,000 — Foundation

Trustees of Hampshire College
Health Services
$30,000 — Addition for two bathrooms;
Prescott House 97
$13,500 — Repair water damage in dormitory;
$9,600 — Install three pre-manufactured Gazebos

CHICOPEE

BJ’s Wholesale
650 Memorial Dr.
$525,000 — Expand tire center, renovate existing building

First Congregational Church
302 Chicopee St.
$35,000 — Vinyl siding

Memorial Drive Association Inc.
1976 Memorial Dr.
$150,000 — Renovate Freedom Credit Union

HOLYOKE

Bear Properties
108 Whiting Farms Road
$90,000 — Partial re-roof

Pyramid Co. of Holyoke
50 Holyoke St.
$138,500 — Remodel Torrid Store

NORTHAMPTON

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$26,520 — Alter third-floor office 222A

Eric Suher
84 Pleasant St.
$2,100 — Erect awning for Luna Pizza

Hampshire Property Management
351 Pleasant St.
$2,000 — Repair water damage to front overhang

Hampshire Regional YMCA
286 Prospect St.
$75,000 — Renovate locker rooms, fitness room, new front desk

Northampton Terminal Assoc.
1 Roundhouse Plaza
$9,190 — Office renovation

SOUTH HADLEY

Mount Holyoke College
Newhall Admissions
$650,000 — Addition

Mount Holyoke College
Porter Hall
$140,000 — Convert to office space

Mount Holyoke College
Stafford Hall
$30,000 — Interior and exterior alterations

SPRINGFIELD

Banknorth
1441 Main St.
$40,000 — Interior renovations

Baystate Medical Center
354 Birnie Ave.
$429,473 — Interior renovations

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$1,800,000 — Interior renovations

CAMAR
180 Avacado St.
$137,500 — Renovate landing dock

Francis Rosso
896 Allen St.
$70,000 — Renovate package store

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$15,000 — Alter office space

Orchard Auto Wrecking
420 Oak St.
$47,800 — Renovate buildings for storage

Plimpton & Hills
25 Mill River Lane
$5,000 — Add loading dock

The Republican
1860 Main St.
$8,000 — Renovate conference room;

Western New England College
13A Breck Place
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

16A Breck Place
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

17L Park Place
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

22A Park Place
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

30L Park Place
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

47A Breckwood Circle
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

53L Park Lane
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

133L Breckwood Circle
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

1206L Wilbraham Road
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

1212A Wilbraham Road
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

1220L Wilbraham Road
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

1224A Wilbraham Road
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

1232L Wilbraham Road
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

5R Park Lane
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

116L Gateway Dr.
$12,000 — Bedroom addition;

9R Gateway Dr.
$12,000 — Bedroom addition

WEST SPRINGFIELD

30 Capital Inc.
30 Capital Dr.
$25,000 — Interior and exterior renovations

1150 Union St. Corp.
1114 Union St.
$50,000 — Renovate retail space

1150 Union St. Corp.
1136 Union St.
$86,000 — Renovate retail space

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave.
$10,000 — Erect circus tent

Lower Pioneer Valley
Educational Corp.
784 Amestown Road
$80,000 — Renovate school

WESTFIELD

Applebee’s
441 East Main St.
$94,839 — Interior renovations

Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties between mid-July and mid-August, the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

Agawam Family Physicians, P.C., 141 Main St. Agawam 01001. Michael J. Jawitz, 17 Wyman St., Agawam 01001. To practice medicine.

Atlas Founders Inc., 36 Hampden Lane, Agawam 01001. Peter J. Carras, 28 Powder Hill Road, Middlefield, CT 06455. George L. Vershon Jr., 36 Hampden Lane, Agawam 01001, treasurer. A foundry manufacturing products of tin and other metals, etc.

Deluxe Limousine Inc., 81 Ramah Circle, Agawam 01001. Edward Dersarkis, same. Limousine service.

P & G Realty Holding Corp., 36 Hampden Lane, Agawam 01001. Peter J. Carras, 28 Powder Hill Road, Middleton, CT 06455. George L. Vershon Jr., 36 Hampden Lane, Agawam 01001, treasurer. A real estate holding company.

Sports Performance Inc., 11 South Bridge Dr., Agawam 01001. Steven J. Hurwitz, 467 Laurel St., Longmeadow 01106. To enhance performance in sports and sport-related activities for children and adults.

Vallid Laboratories Inc., 295 Silver St., Agawam 01001. Debra Vallides, same. (Foreign corp; CT) To test food and portable water, acquire related instruments, etc.

AMHERST

Artshow Amherst Inc., 409 Main St., c/o Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Amherst 01002. March Lambert, 83 North Whitney St., Amherst 01002. Nonprofit) To attract visual artists to the area, provide related services, etc.

Tiancheng International Inc., 345 Lincoln Ave., #511, Amherst 01002. Wai Ning Chan, same. Import and export agent.

CHICOPEE

Cardinal Complete Door Distributor Inc., 38 Wheatland Ave., Chicopee 01013. Francis D. Cardinal, same. To sell and install doors, hardware,
security products, etc.

Chicopee Storage Inc., 1981 Memorial Dr., #187, Chicopee 01020. Barbara E. Donahue, 105 Hampshire Ct., Deptford, NJ 080965. John J. Santanielle, 134 Carol Ann St., Springfield 01128. To provide warehousing.

Multiline Warehousing and Transportation Inc., 181 Kendall St., Chicopee 01020. Stanislaw Borawski, 1221 Dundix Road, Unit 153, Miississaugo, On Lay 3Y9 CAN. Agnes Ruszczyk, 181 Kendall St., Chicopee 01020, registered agent. Warehousing and transportation.

Pauly Whally Inc., 205 Chicopee St., Chicopee 01013. Paul L. Boyd, same. To operate a restaurant.

FEEDING HILLS

Agawam Alexander’s Inc., 660 North Westfield St., Feeding Hills 01030. Barry Szymojko, 373 North Westfield St., Feeding Hills 01030. To operate a restaurant and bar.

FLORENCE

Easthampton Mortgage Company Inc., 28 Sylvan Lane, Florence 01062. Anthony Andersen, same. Mortgage brokerage.

Parent-Teacher Organization of John F. Kennedy Middle School Inc., 100 Bridge Road, Florence 01062. Cathleen E. Santosus, 73 Barrett St., #2098, Northampton 01060. (Nonprofit) To provide resources to support an excellent, well-rounded education for JFK Middle School children, etc.

GRANBY

Granby Grain Inc., 108 West State St., Granby 01033. Paul E. Grenier, 29 1/2 Sczygiel Road, Ware 01082. To sell, at retail, grain and other farm products.

Stony Falls Mini Golf Inc., 84 East St., Granby 01033. Stephen Douglas McCray, same. Leisure time activities.

HADLEY

Asian International Imported Food Market Inc., 206 Russell St., Hadley 01035. Ry B. Som, 447 Amherst Road, Belchertown 01007. Retail sale of groceries.

Western Massachusetts Gymnastics Association Inc., 200 Old Lyman Road, South Hadley 01075. Marie Boucino, 86 Sabin St., Belchertown 01007. (Nonprofit) To improve the sport of gymnastics in Massachusetts, foster national and international amateur sports competition, etc.

HAMPDEN

Radharaman Corp., 63 Somers Road, Hampden 01036. Prahaladbhai V. Patel, 4308 Newkirk Ave., North Bergen 07047. To operate convenience stores-gas stations.

HOLYOKE

Certified Real Estate Appraisers Inc., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite 232, Holyoke 01040. Chris E. Monalakis, 219 Christopher Terrace, West Springfield 01089. Real estate appraisals.

Gangster Enterprises Inc., 245 Stafford Road, Holland 01521. John Reed, same. Manufacturing, selling, franchising of motorcycles, etc., related goods and restaurant related thereto.

Lean On Me Inc., 48 Franklin St., Suite 1, Holyoke 0040. Yvonne Garcia, 361 Chestnut St., Holyoke 01040. (Nonprofit) To educate and improve the lives of young people and their families living around the intersection of Franklin and Chestnut St., in Holyoke, etc.

Patriot Towing and Recovery Inc., 81 Brook St., Holyoke 01040. Roselee T. Williams, same. Towing of vehicles.

School Based Services Inc., 72 Front St., Holyoke 01040. John A. Foley Jr., 1308 Northampton St., Holyoke 01040. To provide a complete range of administrative and financial services to educational entities, etc.

LONGMEADOW

Saillant Realty Corp., 908 Shaker Road, Longmeadow 01106. Eduardo A. Saillant, 34-10 84th St., Apt. H, Jackson Heights, NY 11372. Donna Taylor, 908 Shaker Road, Longmeadow 01106, registered agent. Real estate investment.

LUDLOW

Big John Inc., 60 Ravenwood Dr., Ludlow 01056. John P. Green, P.O. Box 115, Ludlow 01056. Machine shop and metal works.

Leonard Enterprises Inc., 17 Deponte Dr., Ludlow 01095. William B. Leonard, same. To purchase, renovate and sell renovated houses.

Starlight Entertainment Inc., 83 Church St., Ludlow 01056. Charles J. Stagnaro, same. Sales and service of vending machines.

NORTHAMPTON

The Breast Form Fund Inc., 14 Center St., Northampton 01060. Judith Pine, 28 Perkins Ave., Northampton 01060. (Nonprofit) To provide breast prosthesis and/or post-mastectomy bras to uninsured or under-insured women, etc.

Class Action Network Inc., 245 Main St., #207, Northampton 01060. Felice Yeskel, 137 State St., Amherst 01002. (Nonprofit) To educate people about issues of social class and money, publish related literature, etc.

Comprehensive Life Coaching Inc., 349 Coles Meadow Road, Northampton 01060. Cheryl L. Pascucci, same. To address health and wellness of individuals by self-assessment, self-management, etc.

ESD Electronics Inc., 64 Gothic St., Suite 6, Northampton 01060. Wilfried Voss, 158 Log Plain Road, Greenfield 01301. Software and hardware development and sales.

Harlow Inc., 196 Main St., Northampton 01060. Robert G. Burdick Jr., 67 Cherry St., North Adams 01247. To deal in leather and silver items.

James E. Clayton Jr., DMD, P.C., 243 King St., Suite 112, Northampton 01060. James E. Clayton Jr., 63 Prospect St., Northampton 01060. To provide dental services.

MMY Associates Inc., 41 Main St., Northampton 01060. Teh-Jing Sun, 40 Appalossa Lane, West Springfield 01089. To operate a bar and restaurant.

Northampton Aeronautics Inc., Old Ferry Road, Northampton 01060. Robert J. Bacon, 22 Overlook Dr., Westfield 01085. To operate an airport.

Precision Audio Inc., 376 Easthampton Road, Northampton 01060. Jose R. Fernandez, 89 Edgewood Ave., Chicopee 01013. To operate an automobile accessories business.

R.G. McGee Inc., 76 Crescent St., Suite 1, Northampton 01060. Richard G. McGee, same. Planning, development and restoration of historical structures.

The Western Massachusetts Library Club Inc., 20 West St., Northampton 01060. Dorothy O. Carmody, 281 Chauncey Walker St., #22PVP, South Hadley 01007. (Nonprofit) To promote library services and librarianship in Western Mass.

PALMER

Shree Vallabha Krupa Corp., 1458 North Main St., Palmer 01069. Virendrakumar Dahyabhai Patel, 37 Whytleville Road, London E7 9LP, England. Ashokkumar Dahyabhai Patel, 1040 North Pleasant St., Apt. 518, Amherst 01002, treasurer. Restaurant and food service.

SPRINGFIELD

Hands for Change Outreach Inc., 38 Hunter Place, Springfield 01109. Lawrence Johnson, 39 Lamont St., 2nd Fl., Springfield 01109. (Nonprofit) To provide various outreach programs to benefit the residents of Hampden County, etc.

Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal, Un Nuevo Renovacion Inc., 758 Main St. West Springfield 01089. Luis A. Baes, 30 Laurel St., Springfield 01107. (Nonprofit) To provide for the civic, social and educational welfare of people in need of supportive services, etc.

Laravee Builders Inc., 83 Pilgrim Road, Springfield 01118. David B. Laravee, 65 Woodbridge Circle, Chicopee 01020. Residential construction.

Last Frontier of Springfield Inc., 477 State St., Springfield 01105.
Charles Burlingham, 238 River Road, Agawam 01001. (Nonprofit) To own and operate a general restaurant, cafe, lounge.

NACCE Inc., 1 Federal St., Springfield 01105. Thomas A. Goodrow, 33 Cynthia Place, Feeding Hills 01030. (Nonprofit) To foster economic vitality for local communities through entrepreneurship education programs in community colleges, etc.

Paramount Pizza Inc., 1626 Main St., Springfield 01105. Halil Turan, 49 Lancashire Road, Springfield 01104. A restaurant business.

Salsakids Inc., 1242 Main St., Suite 301, Springfield 01103. Nector Garcia, 120 Oak Grove Ave., Springfield 01109. (Nonprofit) To improve the lives of at-risk children, teens and their families, etc.

Sergey Inc., 1725 Page Blvd., Springfield 01104. Sergey Privedenyuk, same, president, treasurer and secretary. Catering.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., 2100 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield 01102. Roy C. Cuny, same. (Foreign corp; NY) Manufacture of firearms and related products.

Springfield School Volunteers Foundation Inc., 195 State St., P.O. Box 1410, Springfield 01102. Robert Bolduc, 49 Woodsley Road, Longmeadow 01106. (Nonprofit) To assist and carry out the purposes of Springfield School Volunteers, Inc., etc.

TMS Cartunes and Electronics Inc., 100 Verge St., Springfield 01129. George A. Romano III, 17 Aldrew Terrace, Springfield 01119. Auto electronics sales and installation.

Universal Kitchen & Bath Inc., 113 Harkness Ave., Springfield 01108. Craig S. O’Connor, same. General contracting.

Western Medical Supply Inc., 1500 Main St., Suite 2308, Springfield 01115. Bradford A. Miller, 6 Valley Ln., Garrison, NY.10524. Jerry B. Plumb, 1500 Main St., Suite 2308, Springfield 01115, registered agent. To supply durable medical equipment.

Worthington Associates Inc., 21 Prescott St., Springfield 01108. Michael E. Chagnon, 52 DePalma St., Feeding Hills 01030. To deal in real estate.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ashley Management Inc., 117 Park Ave., Suite 201, West Springfield 01009. Donna M. LaFond, 27 Hilton St., Chicopee 01020. To deal in real estate.

Pioneer Valley Enterprises Inc., 209 Main St. West Springfield 01089. Kristin L. Salha, same. Financial and consulting services.

Power Seal Inc., 80 Wilder Terrace West Springfield 01089. William D. Berte, same. Cleaning, maintenance, pressure washing.

WESTFIELD

Diversified Restaurant Concepts of Westfield Inc., 15 Knox Circle, Westfield 01085. George Flevotomos, same. Restaurant and related services.

K & B Lumber Inc., 100 Apremont Way, Westfield 01085. Keith B. Cressotti, 60 Piper Road, West Springfield 01089. To deal in construction materials and supplies.

Motorsports Policy and Prevention Network Inc.,
60 Lindbergh Blvd., Westfield 01085. Michael G. Pease, same. (Nonprofit) To engage in any civic, educational, charitable and benevolent purpose.

Piper Green Estates Inc., 60 Cardinal Lane, Westfield 01085. Mark T. Bergeron, same. To deal in real estate.

Opinion
This has been a truly trying time for Springfield.

Under former mayor Michael J. Albano, the city became a poster child for poor municipal management, economic malaise, and wide-spread corruption. It’s image has taken some serious hits as well from the recent headlines concerning murders, scandals, the homeless, and a control board, and some locally have started to wonder whether it’s a matter of ’if,’ and not ’when,’ things will get better for this proud community.

Here’s where we borrow Dave Glidden’s term to describe Springfield’s current state of affairs: temporary.

Glidden, regional president for Banknorth, believes Springfield has started to turn the corner, and we agree. There are certainly some painful times ahead as the city grapples to close its huge budget deficit and address its large block of poverty, but we can sense that there are better days ahead, and not merely from a public relations perspective.

Our optimism is grounded in leadership, specifically in the person of Mayor Charles Ryan. He is the type of leader Springfield needs at the moment — one who will confront the problems and not ignore them or leave them for someone else as the former mayor did. He won’t sugarcoat matters, and he won’t give up until the problem is solved. Our optimism is also fueled by a commitment on the part of many in the business community, led by the local chamber of commerce, to work with the administration to help Springfield conquer the myriad challenges it is facing.

Just what are those challenges?

At the top of the list is the budget crisis. The Albano administration spent more than it took in for years, and when state aid — the lifeblood of communities throughout the Commonwealth — was cut by the governor and Legislature due to budgetary shortfalls, the city paid a heavy price in terms of layoffs, canceled programs, and, ultimately, the loss of fiscal autonomy to a control board.

That panel will now run things in the city until June, 2007. The mayor can still sign contracts, but neither he nor the City Council has much influence over how and where money can be spent.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. While it is never good to lose local control of your budget — that’s what we elect people to do, don’t forget — we see a real opportunity in the years ahead to change the way this city functions and make it more efficient and responsive. At the very least, a large dose of politics will be removed from the budget-management equation, and this can only lead to more effective spending.

As the city tackles its budget woes, it must also address the social and demographic challenges — as well as the lack of economic development — that have contributed to the fiscal crisis.

Springfield has become a ward of the state because a large percentage of its residents live at or below the poverty line and are thus dependent on some (usually many) forms of government assistance. Breaking the cycle of poverty is a job that is truly national in scope, and it starts with a focus on young people and the education they receive, starting with pre-school.

Locally, there is a genuine desire to confront these issues, not walk away from them, through programs like the Davis Foundation’s Cherish Every Child and the Step-up Springfield initiative, which works to involve the entire community in the task of preparing children for the workplace of tomorrow.

As for economic development, the city needs tax revenue, and this means private, not public, development, which, with a few rare exceptions, is all Springfield has mustered in recent years.

The Economic Development Council of Western Mass. has adopted a truly regional focus to its task, with the thinking that development anywhere in the Pioneer Valley helps communities across the region. This mindset should continue, but we feel it is incumbent on development leaders to stretch their imaginations and their resources to bring new jobs and new tax dollars to Springfield.

This includes both new business development, which is happening in many neighborhoods in the city, and the attraction of employers from outside the region, which isn’t happening for reasons that remain the subject of much debate. Image may be part of the problem, which brings us full-circle.

Indeed, for Springfield to become healthy again — something that everyone agrees is critical for this region to thrive — it must fix its finances, improve its image, and attract new jobs. The assignments are all intertwined, and the relative success enjoyed with each one will go a long way toward determining how temporary temporary is.

Opinion
Perhaps the most intriguing marketing story of the year comes in the form of a dancing, old (at least he looks old), bald man with oversized glasses wearing a black tuxedo. He’s Mr. Six, and while his true identity may be a mystery, his ability to capture the imagination certainly isn’t.

Debbie Nauser says it’s way too early to even think about quantifying the bottom-line impact of Six Flags’ new branding icon, a mysterious dancing sensation known only as Mr. Six. The character was introduced only a few months ago, she explained, and his influence on attendance and revenues cannot yet be gauged at parks that opened seven days a week on Memorial Day.

But if success can be measured in press clippings, appearances on network talk shows, sales of bobblehead dolls, look-alike contests, and home videos featuring 9-year-olds emulating their new hero, then Mr. Six, a character created by the ad agency Doner/Detroit, is an unqualified hit, said Nauser, vice president of public relations for Oklahoma-based Six Flags.

And she has another early measuring stick — the amount of her time spent answering reporters’ questions about who this guy is, what his message is, and what it all means for the corporation. "It seems as if that’s all I’ve been doing,"she said, adding quickly that she is certainly not complaining. "He is generating press that we could not have imagined, and that’s great for Six Flags."The success of the character and the promotional materials that involve him has been attributed to a number of factors, including Mr. Six’s ability to stir the imagination with his dancing routines, done to the strains of the Vengaboys’ "We Like to Party."But there’s also his clear message about the need for overworked people to get out and have some fun, and especially that all-important element of mystery.

Indeed, while no one seems to care who plays Ronald McDonald or who wears the Mickey Mouse costume, there is widespread conjecture about who is behind the man in the tux. The Internet has been alive with theories about who is behind the mask — guesses range from Martin Short to Paris Hilton — but the corporation has been reluctant, and apparently wise, to dance around those inquiries, no pun intended.

"He is Mr. Six,"said Nauser, using phrases that appear carefully scripted. "He’s the spirit of Six Flags; he’s our official ambassador of fun who shows the general public and, hopefully, our guests the fun and excitement they can enjoy at a Six Flags theme park. And he beckons them to join in a day of fun."Yeah, but who is he? And are we talking about a he?

"He is … Mr. Six. He’s the spirit of Six Flags; he’s our official ambassador of fun who shows the general public…"That’s all anyone, including David Letterman and the team at Good Morning America, is going to get. And that’s enough, said Nauser, who spoke with BusinessWest this month about the character, how he came to be, and what he means to the corporation and individual parks like Six Flags New England.

The Ride Stuff

Nauser said Doner/Detroit, a new agency for Six Flags, was given no specific charge when it was hired to be the corporation’s full-service advertising agency. The broad assignment, however, was to create a new message that would help propel the chain, which operates 30 theme parks and water parks across the country, out of the protracted slump that has engulfed the entire amusement industry since 9/11.

Instead of just a message, the corporation has an icon, something it never had before.

"This is a break from what we’ve done previously, because we have created a brand icon,"Nauser explained. "It’s also a departure from what our competition has done, be it other theme parks or other entertainment venues that we compete with for the time and interest of our guests."The new character complements other marketing vehicles used by the chain, including Looney Toons characters — several of which greet visitors to the individual parks — and DC Comics characters whose names and /images grace many of the rides at Six Flags parks, including Superman Ride of Steel and Batman the Dark Knight.

The Mr. Six character — now used in print and television ads, as well as billboards and in-store displays — was one of several concepts created by Doner/Detroit, the largest independently owned ad agency in North America, with more than $1.5 billion in combined billings. The firm does work for companies in 30 countries, and its client list also includes Mazda, Minute Maid, Blockbuster, Dupont, and the May department stores.

Mr. Six was test-driven in several cities before a number of different audiences, Nauser explained, and it scored well across the board. "He appealed to children, he appealed to adults, he appealed to teens … everyone liked him."Despite those encouraging test scores, Mr. Six has easily surpassed even the most optimistic of projections, she said. "We expected it to be popular, but we had no how popular."For starters, television commercials he’s appeared in have soared near the top of Advertising Age’s most recent rankings of most-recognized ads (it was third in a mid-July poll, ranked just behind a KFC spot). Meanwhile, the press has attacked the story, yielding more of the so-called ’free’ press than Six Flags executives could have imagined.

Feature pieces on the character have appeared in USA Today, The Washington Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, and scores of other papers. Meanwhile, Mr. Six made an appearance on Good Morning America early in July and taped an appearance with Letterman (air date unknown) later in the month.

"The response he has gotten has simply blown us away,"said Nauser. "We’ve had calls and letters to corporate and all of our parks; we’ve been in papers across the country; when we went to do Good Morning America, there was paparazzi that came to take his picture outside the studio. It’s been incredible."Locally, Mr. Six has generated a good deal of attention, said Mary Ann Burns, marketing director for Six Flags New England in Agawam. She told BusinessWest that the park has received a number of calls and letters about the character and the ads in which he appears. At the same time, sales of merchandise bearing the character’s image — everything from T-shirts and watches to mugs and mousepads — have been strong sellers.

"He’s definitely created a buzz,"said Burns who, like Nauser, did not want to speculate on what the character has meant to attendance and revenue. "He’s given Six Flags a face."Mr. Six’s vintage bus started making personal appearances at Six Flags parks last month, and it made a week-long visit to Agawam at the end of July. Burns said the park marked the visit with dance contests and a look-alike contest that drew a number of contestants.

When asked why Mr. Six fascinates the public as he does, Nauser said the mystery surrounding his identity is part of it, as is the contrast between his appearance and his dancing ability.

But perhaps the biggest reason is his message — that people need to stop working so hard and instead find the time to enjoy themselves.

"His energy and his appetite for fun is contagious,"she said. "He makes people smile, and he gets their feet moving."But are those feet then propelling people to the chain’s theme parks? Nauser said she has no hard numbers yet, but she is confident that the campaign will translate into stronger attendance figures.

"I think Mr. Six has been very effective in showing people, young and old, that they need to put some fun in their lives,"she explained. "That’s his message — fun — and I think people are getting that message."Positive Steps

The Mr. Six campaign has done more than give Six Flags a new corporate image. It has put "We Like to Party"into the American consciousness.

Indeed, the song has been among the most-requested tunes at radio stations in several markets. Locally, Rock 102 plays it as DJs Bax and O’Brien deliver the sports in the morning. At ballparks in Atlanta and New York, the song is played after a member of the host team hits a round-tripper.

And while it remains to be seen whether Mr. Six will give Six Flags a home run at the gate, it appears that he has already become a pop-culture icon — one that can dance.

Ronald McDonald couldn’t dance.

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

Sections Supplements
Massachusetts does not use public elections to decide who holds judgeships. Some say it should — even though attorneys close to the system say that there’s no way the average citizen could understand all the complexities that go into sentencing decisions.

Earlier this summer, the proprietor of a Holyoke Dairy Mart was shot to death at his store. The assailant was the same man who had robbed the store only a week before.

"Let’s look at this individual more closely,"Holyoke Police Chief Anthony Scott told BusinessWest. "A year prior, he was arrested for armed robbery, and on a recommendation from the district attorney and the defense attorney, he was given three years probation for armed robbery and one year in a house of corrections for possession of stolen property — and a judge went along with that."And last September, Scott said, a man was arrested by Springfield police three times in one week, two of those for possession of firearms, and was released on his personal recognizance each time.

"Who gets the blame for that?"he asked. "The police — but they didn’t release him. The judge’s excuse is that ’I was just going along with recommendations,’ but whose court is it? It’s not the district attorney’s court or the defense attorney’s court — it’s the judge’s court."Alarmed by what he feels is a rash of leniency in the courts, Scott has been crusading to establish a certification system by which voters would affirm or deny a judge’s further service after a set term in office.

In doing so, he has shed a spotlight on the way that judges are now installed in Massachusetts — a system that does not involve elections or other public input, yet one that has seen a number of changes over the past several years.

Streamlining the Process

The significant difference between the current system of selecting judges and the one used prior to Gov. Mitt Romney’s administration is a more centralized, less regional approach, said Nancy Frankel Pelletier, a civil trial lawyer with Robinson Donovan in Springfield.

Under previous administrations, Pelletier served on a group of attorneys representing Western Mass.; other committees were appointed for other regions of the state.

"We were responsible for supplying names to the governor for the district court and any clerks or clerk magistrate positions, and the initial interviews were done by the regional committees,"she told BusinessWest. "There was a group based in Boston with attorneys from all over the state that would do the same thing on the superior court and appellate-level court; there was no regional committee for that."Each county bar also had a representative to review applicants, while other bar associations, such as the Women’s Bar Association, were allowed to weigh in during the process as well. Eventually, a slate was submitted to the governor’s chief legal counsel for final approval.

"Although it was an honor to serve on the committee, it took an inordinate amount of time,"Pelletier said. "We reviewed every application that came in ‚ literally hundreds of them — and we’d narrow it down multiple times until we got a slate together. And that’s after doing at least one round of live interviews at the regional level."When Romney took office, he wanted to streamline and centralize the process, so he dismantled the regional committees and established one statewide, 21-member Judicial Nominating Commission to perform the same task. Jeffrey McCormick, an attorney with Robinson Donovan, now serves on that committee as a Western Mass. representative.

According to the current system, the committee begins with an initial ’blind’ review of applicants, then invites a number of them for interviews, followed by deliberations about their strengths and weaknesses and whether they would adequately meet current judicial system needs. A candidate must receive 13 votes from the panel to have his or her name sent to the governor’s office for final review.

"They’ve cut a layer in terms of active participation at the district court level,"Pelletier said. "There’s also no more participation from the bars in the manner that used to exist.""I thought former Gov. Cellucci had an interesting way of managing the process,"John Sikorski, another Robinson Donovan attorney, said of the previous, regionalized approach. "Romney said he wanted to take politics further out of the process and set up one panel. And Jeff is the only person from the Pioneer Valley on that committee."In the Public Eye

Scott sees a flaw in that system — the fact that the public has no say over a judge’s activities once he or she ascends to the bench.

"Judges should be certified by the people,"Scott said, stressing, however, that this concept is much different than demanding that judges be elected.

"When you say elected, that means a judge has to go out and campaign, raise money, put up signs, shake hands, all that,"he said.

Under his idea, judges would still initially be appointed by the governor to a set term — perhaps six years, he said.

At the end of that term, on Election Day, the judge’s name would automatically appear on a ballot in the county in which he or she serves. In addition, the judge’s sentencing record for major crimes, as well as his or her bail-setting record for those offenses, would be published in newspapers and distributed via public-access television using public funds.

"Then the people will make a decision when they go into the voting booth — should this judge be retained, yes or no?"Scott said. "If more than 50% of the voters say yes, they retain their job. If more than 50% say no, they’ll have to get another job.

"They would be running against themselves — their record and their service to the community,"he continued. "At the present time, judges are not accountable to anyone, which violates Article 5, Part 1 of the Massachusetts constitution, which states that elected officials and judges are accountable to the people — that means us. And right now, they’re not accountable to anyone."Pelletier disagrees, saying the present appointment system provides plenty of checks and balances, and subjecting judges to what amounts to a politicized process would not result in the best candidates serving on the bench.

"There’s a distinct difference between the understanding of a judge and that of a layperson or even a chief of police,"she told BusinessWest. "A judge may be forced, because of legal problems, to release people. We see it all the time, and it’s not the judge’s fault. It’s easy to attack that judge if there are problems that result in an appearance to the outside world of being ’soft’ on crime, but it’s much more complex than that."Pelletier said that, during the Cellucci administration, four vacancies arose on the Supreme Judicial Court. Because it was impossible to seat four judges quickly within the confines of the system, the governor created, by executive order, a committee to facilitate the process, one that Pelletier was called to serve on.

"We interviewed every individual who applied, and the level of legal sophistication was extraordinary,"she said. "Many of these people were brilliant attorneys or jurists, or appellate judges seeking to go to the top level, but they were not political beings. We would not have been fortunate enough to have the four judges that were appointed had the process not been apolitical."Doing Their Duty?

Such talk doesn’t appease Scott, who had legislation filed last year to get the state to conform to his interpretation of its Constitution. But he said the bill was reworded in a Senate committee to the point that nothing would change; he’s now working with local lawmakers to file an amendment.

"People rely on judges to protect them, along with police and the district attorney. Judges have failed in their responsibilities,"he said, returning to the convenience-store murderer. "The perpetrator should have been sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison (for the original robbery), and the guy wouldn’t have lost his life.

"I’ve got many stories like that, and it all boils down to accountability. Some of the judges’ defenders say I’m using anecdotal examples, but it isn’t anecdotal to those people who are the victims, is it? The bottom line is that judges are not accountable."Pelletier said that opinion would not be widely held in the legal community, and that it’s easier for an outsider to attack a judge without knowing the complexities of the system. Even though Scott is not calling for a system that requires judges to campaign, she still worries about anything that would politicize the process.

"I certainly would not favor it,"she said. "Doing that would not allow a person without a political personality — but who has a great legal mind — to get on the bench."For some, however, what constitutes a great legal mind — and what process should be used to determine that — remains an open case.

Sections Supplements
Several buildings are under construction and more are planned for an industrial park in East Longmeadow, which is filling quickly thanks to a combination of factors ranging from a more favorable economy to low property taxes in the rapidly growing community. The pace of progress has a downside, however, as it demonstrates just how little buildable land is available in Western Mass.

Veritech Corp. owner Steve Graziano says he started thinking years ago about taking the facilities that were spaced over three floors in an office on Prospect Street in East Longmeadow and moving them into a more efficient, more professional-looking one-story structure.

He told BusinessWest he would often get such thoughts while driving past the new buildings going up in the East Longmeadow Industrial Park on his way to and from the post office.

"We’ve been looking at that industrial park for a while … but it seemed that we always got distracted by the business at hand or the recession at hand, one or the other,"said Graziano, founder of the interactive multimedia and video solutions company. "But this year, we got serious about it."Thus, he’s part of an ongoing building boom in this community, and his new, expandable, 16,000-square-foot facility, to be built at the corner of Benton Drive and Denslow Road, will be part of a growing commercial and industrial base that is providing much-needed balance to a surge in residential building here.

And he’s helping to give Westmass Area Development Corp., the Chicopee-based, non-profit industrial park developer that is affiliated with the Economic Development Council of Western Mass. (EDC), a quick return on its investment on the purchase of more than 100 acres of former tobacco fields on the southwest corner of the town.

Two projects are already underway — construction of a 12,000-square-foot building for a company specializing in design and installation of trade show displays, and a 30,000-square-foot facility that will be subdivided for industrial tenants. And more building is planned, including Graziano’s facility (groundbreaking is set for this fall); a new, 41,000-square-foot home for Maybury Material Handling that will be located just down the street from its current location; and a 100,000-square-foot plant that will be built by the German-owned papermaker Suddekor LLC in the nearby Deer Park Business Center.

EDC President Allan Blair said the spate of new building is the product of several converging factors, including an improving economy, interest rates that remain favorable (although they’re rising), and the town’s very attractive commercial tax rate — $20.73, which is much lower than surrounding communities such as Springfield ($34.54), Chicopee ($33.16), and Westfield ($29.58). Also, there’s East Longmeadow’s location, with easy access to I-91 to the south. "This is a great place to do business if you don’t need to be in an urban setting."But the primary reason people are building in East Longmeadow, said Blair, is because that’s where much of the permitted commercial property happens to be at the moment.

And that’s the only downside to an otherwise positive story, he said, noting that the East Longmeadow property is on pace to be absorbed much faster than originally projected, which means that while developing this parcel, Westmass is also scouring the area looking for new business park sites.

"We’re filling this park quickly — that’s the good news, and I guess it’s the bad news as well,"said Blair, adding that as the inventory of buildable land dwindles, Westmass will have to become more imaginative and look toward revitalization of brownfield sites as well as raw, undeveloped land.

"That’s the next big challenge — where do we go next?"he said. "Where do you go where you already have road access, utilities, the right infrastructure, and a community that’s receptive? It gets harder to find locations, but we have to if we want to bring more jobs here."Right Place, Right Time

As he stood at the entrance to what will soon be a road into the 60-acre Deer Park site, Blair, the long-time president of Westmass, said there are inherent risks with the acquisition and assembly of any industrial site.

One need look no further than Westmass’ purchase of farmland in Westfield for the Summit Lock Industrial Park in 1988 (see related story, page 18) to see what can go wrong. The purchase came just as the region was going into a deep recession, and the economic tailspin, which brought new building to a virtual standstill, precipitated the corporation’s fall into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Additional evidence can be found with the creation of the Chicopee River Business Park, a facility that straddles the Chicopee- Springfield line. More than two decades in the making, the park came on line in 2001, just as the technology sector was crashing to earth. Only one parcel has been sold in the park, which has yet to capture the attention or imagination of the high-tech businesses it was created to host.

There were and still are risks with the East Longmeadow acquisition as well, said Blair, adding quickly that the agency felt very good about that transaction, negotiated with the Wetstone family, which had been farming the property for more than a century. Westmass eventually acquired about 40 acres off Denslow Road that abut an industrial park that has developed over the past 30 years, as well as another 70 acres adjacent to the Deer Park Business Center, a small cluster of office buildings developed by the Wetstones.

"We were confident that this was going to be a sound investment for us,"said Blair. "All the right conditions were in place — an improving economy, companies looking for places in which to expand, the zoning, the tax rate … it was all there."
Blair’s confidence in the East Longmeadow property has proven well-founded. Within months of the acquisition in late 2002, there was building underway and the promise of several other deals.

The RTH Group, a British-based trade show display-design company, has moved into its facility, which represents an effort to expand and consolidate operations that had been run out of leased offices in East Longmeadow and warehouse facilities in Connecticut.

Expansion and consolidation are also what Graziano and Maybury President John Maybury have in mind.

Graziano said his company, which specializes in the production of educational CDs, was looking to build a new facility that was more efficient, but that would also reflect the changing nature of the company’s client list.

"Our patient-education business, which involves work with many of the nation’s largest health care providers, is growing rapidly,"he explained. "We will be hosting some of the top Fortune 500 health care provider companies, and we want to be more conducive to their expectations from an image point of view.

"That’s why we’re making this move now,"he continued. "Our business has taken a big step on a national strategic alliance basis, and as their executives come to visit us and talk about relationships and expansion of alliances, we want them to feel that we’re in their league."Meanwhile, Maybury Material Hand-ling, which distributes fork trucks, shelving, catwalks, and other products for moving and storing materials, will break ground later this month on a 41,000-square-foot facility that will house all its operations. The company has been cramped in its present, 28,000-square-foot facility, said Maybury, and it has seen enough encouraging news from the nation’s still-struggling manufacturing sector to act on expansion plans.

"We need to expand again … we’re limited in terms of growth by our current building,"he said, noting that while the existing facility is expandable, the company opted to build a new plant and lease out the present site.

Maybury will build on a 15-acre site, adjacent to its current location, that includes a small pond. "We really like this parcel,"said Maybury, "as opposed to an open field."That open field is the 70 acres Westmass acquired from Wetstone behind the Deer Park Business Center, and it will soon become the home of Suddekor’s new $15 million paper-treating facility.

The company, which located its first area plant at the Westmass park built on the site of the former Bowles Airport in Agawam, plans to break ground later this month. The plant, expandable to 300,000 square feet, will be built on a 22-acre parcel.

There have been other inquiries about the Deer Park parcel, said Blair, who expects that real estate and the 10 acres remaining off Benton Drive and Denslow Road to be absorbed over the next three to five years, well ahead of the original timetable of seven years or more.

That’s good for East Longmeadow, he said, which needs to balance its residential growth with new industrial and commercial development, and, in many ways, good for the EDC and Westmass. But the pace of building also underscores the need to bring more property on line.

Westmass will stick to its guns on the Chicopee River Business Park, Blair said, and continue to pursue high-tech companies for that site rather than merely filling space with local companies looking to expand.

"We’ve been stubborn in our dedication to the original design principles there — that this park, because of its location, should be reserved for the highest-value companies that we can attract to the market,"he said. "So we have turned away opportunities that would otherwise be appropriate in a light-industrial setting.

"That’s frustrating for Chicopee,"he continued, "but in the end, I think our patience will be rewarded."
Fielding Inquiries

Maybury told BusinessWest that back in 1981, when his family built the company’s current home, it was one of the few businesses on Denslow Road.

"Benton Drive didn’t even exist then,"he said, referring to the street running perpendicular to Denslow that has seen widespread development. "There’s been a lot of change here that has been very good for the community."And more changes to the landscape are in the works, development that promises more jobs, more tax revenue, and new opportunities for the companies engaged in expansion. The rapid absorption of the real estate might be a problem, said Blair, but for now, it’s a good problem to have.

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

Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of June and July 2004.

AGAWAM

Agawam Silver
630 Silver St.
$110,000 — Convert warehouse to clean-component assembly

BankNorth
40 Springfield St.
$40,000 — Renovate interior

Microtest Lab
630 Silver St.
$110,000 — Renovate interior

Palatium Realty
1359 Springfield St.
$400,000 — Bank with drive-thru

Palatium Realty
1349 Springfield St.
$100,000 — Construct building

Raymond Lucia
777 Silver St.
$100,000 — Build showroom

AMHERST

Amherst College Trustees
Jenkins Dormitory
$150,000 — Demolish south section and rebuild south wall

Amherst College Trustees
Chapin Hall
$288,494 — Renovate Room 101 creating two classrooms, renovate Room 210

Amherst College Trustees
Chiller Plant
$500,000 — Construct addition to existing plant. Phase 3 expansion

Amherst College Trustees
James Dormitory
$7,850,500 — Construct new dormitory

Amherst College Trustees
Stearns Dormitory
$7,850,500 — Construct new dormitory

Amherst College Trustees
New Geology
$18,000,000 — Construct New Geology, academic building and museum

Cooley Dickinson Hospital
170 University Dr.
$112,000 — Renovate existing rooms

Filion Leasing Inc.
150 College St.
$22,330 — Replace roof

Jeffrey Eisman
650 Main St.
$90,000 — Construct addition to dental office

Trustees Hampshire College
Enfield House 63 & 64
$175,780 — Renovations

Trustees Hampshire College
Dakin House
$14,000 — Renovations

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Falls Lodge 1849
244 Fuller Road
$20,000 — Build enclosed pavilion with storage

Chicopee Savings Bank
229 Exchange St.
$30,000 — Construct three offices

City of Chicopee/Telecom Facility
816 James St.
$112,600 — Re-roof

Diocese of Springfield
30 College St.
$10,400 — Exterior repairs

Litwin Elementary/City of Chicopee
165 Litwin St.
$350,00 — Re-roof

Stefanik Elementary/City of Chicopee
720 Meadow St.
$300,000 — Re-roof

Streiber Elementary/City of Chicopee
40 Streiber Dr.
$239,000 — Re-roof

The Westmoreland Co.
140 Lonczak Dr.
$2,482,000 — Build Fedex facility

EAST LONGMEADOW

Peoples Bank
201 North Main St.
$603,000 — Erect building

HOLYOKE

Cruz Rosario
497-499 High St.
$9,000 — Install handicap bathrooms in tavern

O’Crossroads LLC
600 Kelly Way
$1,390,000 — Erect office building

Pyramid Co. of Holyoke
50 Holyoke St.
$42,000 — Alterations to security offices

Pyramid Co. of Holyoke
50 Holyoke St.
$20,000 — Remodel Nailque

West Holyoke Plaza LLC
250-274 Westfield Road
$33,500 — Construct office partitions

Westfield Bank
1642-1650 Northampton St.
$19,000 — Repairs to drive-up

NORTHAMPTON

Chamisa Corporation
29 Main St.
$82,000 — Interior renovation for restaurant

City of Northampton
178 Florence Road
$83,600 — New roof

City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$6,000 — Renovations

City of Northampton
274 Main St.
$473,847 — Install new heating system and upgrade sprinkler system

Continental Cablevision
790 Florence Road
$65,000 — Erect pre-fab building, remove dishes

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$16,000 — Convert shower area to office

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$70,115 — Relocate switchboard & volunteer space, create new offices

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$20,000 — Install 3 temporary above-ground seated trailers

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$607,243 — Renovate lab, first-floor buildings C&D

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$1,191,883 — Install two generators

Easthampton Savings Bank
297 King St.
$14,000 — New roof

First Congregational Church
129 Main St.
$37,350 — Renovations

Florence Savings Bank
81 Main St.
$21,000 — Canopy revisions

The Fugo Group
32 Industrial Dr.
$83,007 — Interior and exterior renovations

Hampshire Regional YMCA
286 Prospect St.
$75,000 — Renovate first and second floors

Hess Realty Corporation
215 King St.
$21,700 — Renovate interior for Blimpie Sub Shop

James and Maureen Cahillane
375 South St.
$260,320 — Renovate showroom and office areas

Laurel Ridge Realty Associates
312 Hatfield St.
$22,000 — New roof, buildings 2 & 3

Norma Lee Realty Trust
90 King St.
$30,500 — Sheetrock and replace ceiling tiles

Northampton Co-operative Bank
67 King St.
$12,000 — Install footing drain

Northampton Co-operative Bank
67 King St.
$35,000 — Install replacement windows

Northampton Housing Authority
96 Bridge St.
$18,800 — New roof

Northampton Terminal Associate
Old South St.
$10,865 — Interior partitions

Pramukh Corp.
117 Conz St.
$57,560 — Construct indoor pool and spa

Service Properties Inc.
82 Conz St.
$54,889 — Expand showroom

Smith College
College Lane
$25,000 — Demolish walls, new interior windows

Smith College
33 Prospect St.
$765,741 — HVAC replacement and upgrade

Star Northampton Inc.
36 King St.
$12,000 — Repair front stairs

State Street Twenty-Five Inc.
31 State St.
$53,500 — Replace existing roof, renovate

State Street Twenty—Five Inc.
31 State St.
$50,000 — Complete repairs and alterations

Stephen Cahilland and W. Wood
267 Locust St.
$154,101 — New walls for medical offices

Trident Realty Corp.
76 Main St.
$105,000 — Interior renovations for
ice cream parlor

Valley CDC
3 North Main St.
$1,298,000 — Renovate structure

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center
759 Chestnut St.
$39,060 — Renovations

Clark & Demosthenais
490 Page Blvd.
$48,500 — Remodel for office and bathroom

Cobalt Realty Trust
155 Maple St.
$53,900 — Expand office, renovate

Final Markdown Inc.
88 Birnie Ave.
$90,725 — Renovate

Greater New Life Christian Center
1323 Worcester St.
$49,800 — Interior renovations

Keystone Seniors LLC
942 Grayson Dr.
$185,000 — Foundation for three-story residential building

Laundry Capital LLC
315 Boston Road
$135,000 — Renovate, new washers and dryers

Maria Ricardo
906 Carew St.
$17,000 — Repair sagging foundation

Mark Simonds
1219 Parker St.
$92,400 — Interior and exterior renovations

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$20,000 — Alterations

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$98,811 — Alterations

P & P Realty
235 Chestnut St.
$72,000 — Demolish and build out first and second floors

Pearson Liberty Dev. Co.
95 Liberty St.
$25,000 — Renovate office space

Picknelly Family LLC
1 Monarch Place
$55,470 — Renovate for new tenant

Praise & Glory Church of God in Christ Inc.
145 State St.
$63,800 — Renovations

Realty Income
65 Sumner Ave.
$69,500 — Interior and exterior renovations

Sprint Spectrum L.P.
1060 Wilbraham Road
$50,000 — Ad antenna

WP Realty
1377 Liberty St.
$32,000 — Install handicap bathroom, split space

Warren Smith
90 Memorial Dr.
$57,000 — Renovations

WEST SPRINGFIELD

C’Jack Realty Assoc.
1053 Riverdale St.
$50,000 — Renovate facade of commercial property

Fountain Prospect Realty Corp.
492 Prospect St.
$943,597 — Addition

Kam Mistri
1329 Riverdale St.
$30,000 — Renovate interior of Subway

Louise Noel
87 Norman St.
$325,000 — Erect building for dance studio

McDonald’s Corp.
352 Riverdale St.
$325,000 — Construct restaurant

Pearson Group
138 Memorial Ave.
$22,000 — Renovate office space

West Springfield Council on Aging
128 Park St.
$12,000 — Addition

WESTFIELD

Bargain Outlet ’B’
101—103 East Main St.
$209,994 — New store interior renovations

Daniel B. Peters
131 Servistar Lane
$146,000 — Building renovations

Dollar Tree Space ’C’
101-103 East Main St.
$85,196 — New store interior renovations

Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June and July 2004.

AGAWAM

A & J Drywall
583 Springfield St.
Andre and Jean Turgeon

AAA Signs & Rentals Div. of
Advertising Products
33 Tom St.
Inge Henderson

Aardvark Tent Rentals
96 Strawberry Road
Mark Thomas

Advance Telemessage Service Inc.
850 Springfield St.
Morando DeFronzo

Agawam Landscaping
396 Main St.
Walter Meisser III

American Classics Restaurant
740 Springfield St.
Carlos Silva

Annalees’s Sweet Creations
339 North Westfield St.
Laurie Fountain

Bambi Nursery School
22 Vernon St.
Sylvia Molta

Blackwells Beds & Borders
10 Stillbrook Lane
Robyn Kononitz

Bob Lareau Remodeling
115 South West St.
Bob Lareau

brivers.com
426 North Westfield St.
William Rivers

Business Promotional Ideas
390 North St.
William Gowdy

Chicago Hair Company Inc.
674 Springfield St.
David Strange

E. Wayne Smith Used Cars
1016 Springfield St.
Wayne Smith

Easterntronics
312 Springfield St.
Dang VanHuynk

Five Star Transportation Inc.
384 Shoemaker Lane
Theresa Lacrenski

Gail’s Cleaning Service
221 Regency Park Dr.
Gail Richard

The Homeowner’s Handyman
6 Hope Farms Dr.
Patrick Devine

J.R. Sweeping Service
28 Moylan Lane
James Rico

Jay Morin Liner Replacements
258 North West St.
Jason Morin

Joslad & Associates
15 Marlene Dr.
Joseph Aimua

Kit and Kaboddle Inc.
152 South Westfield St.
Lyle Pearsons

Leaflitter of New England Inc.
1325 Springfield St.
Robert Bushey Jr.

Low Temp Refrigeration
332 Regency Park Dr.
Michael Robertson

M & S Painting
23 Katherine Dr.
Jeff O’Keefe

Malkoon Motors
1039 Springfield St.
Paul Malkoon

Maria’s Pizza & Restaurant
605 Silver St.
Maria Cuccovia

Nemil’s Subway
840 Suffield St.
Navin Patel

Park Place Realty
545 School St.
Carl Breyer Jr.

Patriot Marketing Services
21 Patriot Lane
Suzanne Schutt

Poolman Pools
297 Springfield St.
Kelly Peucker

R C Construction
80 Howard St.
Ryan Kane

Royal Air/Rainbow Vacuum
46 Suffield St.
Peter Moskvitch

S.G.M. Quality Products
103 Valentine St.
Sherrie McKinnon

Shear Illusions
497 Springfield St.
Valerie Mulka

Silver Leasing Associates
325 Silver St.
Philip Chmura

Six Flags New England
1623 Main St.
Riverside Park Enterprises Inc.

Six Flags New England
1477 Main St.
Riverside Park Food Services Inc.

Southgate Liquors
842 Suffield St.
Agawam Liquors

Suff Telephone &
Communications
195 Clover Hill Dr.
James Safarik

Super Models Unlimited
1 South End Bridge Circle
Kim Lawrence

Top Shelf Entertainment
112 Monroe St.
Jeffrey Schumann

Yankee Mattress Factory
314 Springfield St.
Joseph Noblit

AMHERST

Amherst Nails
9 Pleasant St.
Hang Le Thi Nguyen

Amherst Nutrition Center
800 Main St.
Lorraine Chavinard

Amherst Office Park
463 West St.
Donald Verdiere

Atlas Computer
22 Harlow Dr.
Brian Sloffer

Atticus Glass
211 Grantwood Dr.
Atticus Robbins

Christine Enterprises
Village Park Road #109
Christine LaFountain

Direct Financial Aid Professional Services
19 Jason Court
Paul Baker

The Early Childhood Center for Teaching & Learning
867 North Pleasant St.
Dotty Meyer

Fat Lady Productions
38 Trillium Way
Loren Christiansen

Hair East
103 North Pleasant St.
Dawn Eichorn

Hawkins Meadow Apartments
370E Northampton Road
Amherst Association

Helping Hands
120 Pulpit Hill Road
John Porcino

Law Office of Patricia A. McChesney
22 Ussey St. #37D
Patricia McChesney

Market America
95F Southpoint Dr.
Chunlung Zhu

Mary Miller Baskets
84 Chestnut St.
Mary Miller

Massachusetts Space Exploration Systems
15 Blue Hills Road
Robert Hyers, Abhijit Deshmukh

Middle Ridge Design
902 North Pleasant St.
Diane Russell

Old Friends Farm
416 Bay Road
Melissa Bahret

Random Element Music
488 South East St.
Gregory Aldrich

Roy Young Interior/Garden
998 East Pleasant St.
Roy Young

Smart Cat Media
1040 North Pleasant St. #248
Gordon Morehouse

Twinkle Import & Export
153 Village Park Road
Xiauchuan Hu

ZX Inc.
135 Belchertown Road
Xiasda Xias, Xiasyang Tang

CHICOPEE

A-1 Pizza
486 Springfield St.
Ugur Kus

Bee Happy Homes
175 Beauregard Terrace
Kurt William Pressey

Berkshire County Enterprises
269D College St.
Colleen Coyte

C & C Lamination
34 Pajak St.
Carol Cataldo

Chicopee Food Saver
505 Front St.
Muhammad Sabir

Chicopee Wireless
245 Tolpe Circle
Scott Kerkhoff

Cruise Genies.com
52 Wheatland Ave.
Anne-Marie Williams

I.D. Gourmet Coffee House
137 Wheatland Ave.
Louise Ingram, Jodi Delude

Interstate Towing
1745 Donahue Road
Jeremy Procon

Jak-of-All-Trades
10 Atwater St.
Kieth Lussier, Jason Knightly

Lavender Nails Salon
196 East St.
Giang Thai

Lidiya’s Floral Creations
21 Grove St.
Lidiya Ionkin

Lukasik Construction
63 Goodhue St.
Timothy Lukasik

Marty’s Real Estate
23 White Birch Plaza
Martin Dietter

Multiline Warehousing & Transportation Inc.
181 Kendall St.
Agnes Ruszczyk

On Route Services
48 Rimmon Ave.
Kelly Conroy

PJT Productions
125 Chateaugay St.
Patrick Tobin

Penwise
71 Mary St.
Chanah Wizenberg

Print & Packaging Recruiting
295 Toplar Circle
Myron Sanford

Rivervalley Woodworking
253 Fairview Ave.
Karl Nawskon

Scissorsmith
974 Chicopee St.
Nicholas Diaz

TechDoneRight.com
98 Doverbrook Road
Scott Haselkorn

YourDentalTech.com
98 Doverbrook Road
Scott Haselkorn

EAST LONGMEADOW

A&L Holistic Health Spa
280 North Main St.
Alice Shabunin

Bosworth Landscaping
6 Maynard St.
Richard Bosworth

Civil Engineering Association
10 Crane Ave.
Robert Cafarilli

Ferrero Property Management
333 North Main St.
Joseph Ferrero

Lussier & Sons Construction
43 Breezyknoll Road
Steven Lussier

White Stone Marketing Group
246 Canterbury Circle
James White, Gary Stone

HADLEY

Dwight Home Improvements
27 Maple Ave.
Thomas Dwight

Fancy Nails
Hampshire Mall
Buu Van Trinh

Mojoe’s
48 Russell St.
David Faytell

Old American Antiques and Renovation
36 Lawrence Plain Road
Glenn Paquette

HOLYOKE

Al’s Daily Grind Cafe
415 Main St.
Nathaniel Davis

Commercial Auto Sale
52 Commercial St.
Antonio Espiritu Santo

Contemporary Auto Sales
63 Shawmut Ave.
Stephen Stathis

D & M Painting
42 St. James Ave.
Douglas Riel

Dean’s Mini Mart
848 Main St.
Majid Nizam Din

Fashion Nails
223 Maple St.
Kieu Dao

Greenfield Stamp & Coin
1 Martin St.
T. David Heffron

Ingleside Gift Baskets
1781 Northampton St.
Jane Lefebvre

JMC Auto Detailing
184 Suffolk St.
Claudio Perez, Joshua Acevedo

Kirkland’s
50 Holyoke St.
KirklandÌs Inc.

Lechonera Bavamon
107 High St.
Luis Perez

Lucky Footwear Inc.
354 High St.
Han Kang

Manny’s Auto Sales
736 High St.
Elisandro Cuevas

MA Career Development Institute Inc.
100 Front St.
Gaetano DeNardo

Mr. Bill’s Parts & Cycle Service
2 Cabot St.
William Wohlers

T & T Variety
362 High St.
Margarita Herrera

Tony’s Radiator Shop
84 North Bridge St.
Alan and Carol Barthelette

NORTHAMPTON

Accurate Dispersions
312 King St.
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

AkiAnn LLC
46 Columbus Ave.
Camille Nelson

Baboon Productions & Chaffee Weddings
96 Coles Meadow
Rufus Chaffee

Bobbie Turnbull
204 Fairway Village
Barbara Turnbull

Carla A Bernier, MA, CCC-SLP and Abigail B. Jaffee, MA, CCC-SLP
1 Roundhouse
Carla Bernier and Abigail Jaffee

Century Message
16 Center St.
Tora Swinchatt

Conco Paints
312 King St.
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Cornerstone Builders
25 Phillips Place
Colin Hoffmeister

Correctional Billing Services
Hampshire Jail, 205 Rocky Hill Road
Evercon Systems Inc.

Delong Construction
76 Bancroft Road
Edmund Lennihan

Essentials
88 Main Street
Jin-Kyoo Inc.

Glidden Drywall
23 Plymouth Ave.
Mark Glidden, Sr.

Graphic Leesign
14 Strong Ave.
Sidney Lee

In Home Handyman Services
137A Damon Road
Ink Black Inc.

JB Auto
605 North King St.
Joseph Barker Jr.

Lia Honda
171 King St.
Lia Northampton Inc.

Luna Pizza
88 Pleasant St.
Luna Pizza Corp.

LV Style
1361 Westhampton Road
Lilian Valiunas

Nature’s Creations
176 Turkey Hill Road
David McCaflin

Northampton Home Improvement
61 Kensington Ave.
Henry Souza

Northampton Marketing
108 Main St.
Jonathan Podolsky

Northampton Oriental Rugs
92 King St.
Sweta Asghar

Northampton Veterinary Clinic LLC
227 South
Eleanor Shelburne, Lori Paporello

Nuva Medi Spa
163 Conz St.
Roger Allcroft

Quezno’s Sub
235 Main St.
Northampton Quez LLC

Pioneer Therapeutics
39 Main St.
Andrew Arneson

Roger Menard Insurance Agency
241 King St.
Rober Menard

Sew Good Tailoring
137D Damon Road
Sug and Soome Oh

Student Initiative Gallery of Hampshire College
114 Main St.
Lauren Van Haaeften-Schick, Christopher Madok, Cory Sahifi

T.W.C. Towing
52 Main St.
Juan Figueroa

The Townhomes at Hathaway Farms
73 Barrett St.
Hampton Associates Nominee Trust

Valley Fabrics
271 Pleasant St.
Francesca McClellan

VIA Development
87A Prospect St.
Joseph Brescia

Yankee Matress Factory
104A Damon Road
Thomas Parnell

Zoomshot
49 Williams St.
Cory Barnes

SOUTH HADLEY

NBP Roofing, Siding & Windows
77 Hildreth Ave.
Nick Peters

Superior Shed Works
4 Doane Terrace
John Mielnikowski

SPRINGFIELD

A & P Computer Design
30 Scott St.
Ernest Audet Jr.

Abrantes Remodeling Kitchens & Baths
82 Lyons St.
Antonio Abrantes

AC Siding
88 Biltmore St.
Alecsei Cherkashin

Accurate Despersions
67 Boston Road
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Acres Dental Care
1954 Wilbraham Road
James Maslowski, D.M.D.

Adam’s New Age Construction &
Home Remodeling
101 Samuel St.
Adam Bousquet

Advanced Nutrition
451 Dickinson St.
Sean Mulka

Affordable Home Improvements
21 Eloise St.
Mike Wilson, Greg Flechsig

American Construction Co.
14 Mazarin St.
Jennifer Bradley

Arzola Cleaning Co.
52 Wait St.
Jose Arzola

Balance Massage Therapy
1739 Allen St.
LeeAnn Williams

Bass Pond Press
1305 South Branch Parkway
P. Ann Pieroway

Bella’s Massage
1039 Worcester St.
Anabela Canvalito

Bongos Studio
140 Chestnut St.
Ilan Amouyal

Branch Security Co.
48 Parallel St.
Calvin Branch, John Muise

CSR Wire LLC
250 Albany St.
Emilio Sibilia Jr.

Chestnut Park Dairy
135 Dwight St.
Farman Elahi

The Church of Jesus Christ Inc.
24 Eastern Ave.
Donovan and Marcia Hart

Cindy’s Modern Style
90 Parker St.
Cynthia Diaz

Conco Paints
670 Boston Road
The Sherwin-Williams Co.

Cost Less Electronics & Machinery
20 Florence St.
Marcel Smith

Crown Fried Chicken
1208 Main St.
Mohammed Asif

D. Melody Records
62 Bacon Road
Dulee Gumlow

Dad’s Variety Store
1081 State St.
Earl Watson

Dallas & Sons Automotive Center
118 Armory St.
Anthony Dallas

Devon Farrell Association
154 Westford Circle
Devon Farrell

Drive USA
510-520 Boston Road
Drive USA2 Inc.

El Campo Market
288 Locust St.
Aris Planco

First Time Hospitality
137 Albemarle St.
Kristie Hosey, Brenda Clark

Forest Park Mini Flea Market
451 Dickinson St.
Bridget Finn

Freedom Wireless
83C Mill St.
Scott Lubarsky

G & J Home Improvements
32 Palmyra St.
Jose Colon

Gold Coast Market
253 Bay St.
Nana Dark LLC

Have Not Entertainment
170 Buckingham St.
Kalord Lee, Lamont Stuckey,
Richard Henry, Chris LeValle

Hong Kong Garden Restaurant
475 Breckwood Blvd.
Zhou Hua Ni

Hummingbird Restaurant
347 Orange St.
Errol Campbell

Industrial Control Solutions
48 Olmstead Dr.
Daniel Mattoon

J & B Woodcrafters
15 West Laramee Green
James Brown

Jan Reynolds Design
1 Greenleaf St.
Jan Reynolds Ziter

Jantize of Springfield
69 Andrew St.
Michael Lambert

Joy’s Creations Lawncare
24 Moebeth St.
Miguel Franqui

Just B.
878 Sumner Ave.
Banca Jackson

K.C.’s Vac All
93 Grochmal Ave.
Kenneth Cross

Law Offices of Jonathan R. Goldsmith, Esq.
1350 Main St.
Jonathan Goldsmith

Lee Nails
8 Orange St.
Chuong Nguyen

Line Up Barbershop
72 Bankcroft St.
Hairol Tejada

Little Angels Child Enrichment
153 Savoy Ave.
Melissa Petreshock

Lopez Multiservice
247 Central St.
Jose Lopez

Los Monchys
906 Carew St.
Angelique and Bienvenido Lopez

Martinez Towing
279 Main St.
Agapito Martinez

Meadowbrook Lane Capital
250 Albany St.
Emilio Sebilia Jr.

Media Copiers
43 Flower St.
Scott Noyes

Media Group International
26 Hanson Dr.
Vadim Valnikov

Merit Security
155 Woodland Road
Robert Martin

Millennium Nails
1655 Boston Road
Rhung Cao

Monique Heavenly Braid Shop
344 Bay St.
Delia Brown

Mortgage Services
671 Dickinson St.
Reuben Hudson

Nancy’s Transportation
26 Huntington St.
Wanda Figueroa

One Shrimp
889 Carew St.
Thomas Bertz, Tom Grassetti

PD Auto Sales
26 Redden Road
Pierre Dovesius

Palm Tech
23 Cindy Circle
Jason Palmeira

Paradise Pizza
30 Ft. Pleasant St.
Ilyas Koc

Professional Handyman Service
25 Barnet St.
Robert Tyler Jr.

RYJ Enterprises
197 Florida St.
Rosemary Sandlin, Yasir Osman,
Jody Wright

Rapid Locksmith
433 White St.
Morris Reid

Reggae Vibes
8 Parker St.
Alfraido Wray

SK Stores
145 Manchester Terrace
Svetlana Korobkov

Smile Hair Plus Beauty Supplies
1232 Main St.
Young Man Kim

Smily’s Handy Variety Store
477 Boston Road
Darshak Convenience Inc.

TLC Vending
108 Carol Ann St.
Robert and Christine Cooley

Timmak Clothing Company
140 Chestnut St.
Timothy Thomas

Tom James of Springfield
191 Chestnut St.
Lewis and Thomas Saltz Inc.

Traveling Hands Massage
116 Westminster St.
Susan Cadwell

The Underground
172 Main St.
Tonya Claiborne, Deadrea Williams

Uniquely Gifted
439 White St.< R>Betel Arnold, Joy Quinn-Mavredakis

Victor Carpet Cleaning
537 Main St.
Victor Carmenatty

Waynerworks
357 Roosevelt Ave.
Suzanne Wayner

Zhen Bo House
762 Boston Road
Gao Fei Lin

WEST SPRINGFIELD

AJ Kendall
49 River St.
Andrea Ruest

Able Caning
15 Highland Park Dr.
Alice Zuvers

Abound Inc.
34 Fox St.
Joseph Werner

All About Va
1096 Memorial Ave.
Tania Neff

Andrey’s Home Painting
40 Windor St.
Andrey Gut

Beautiful Rooms
42 Myron St.
Gary Okun

Breast Care of Western
Massachusetts
371 Park St.
Nancy Weiss

The Car Place
47 Bradford Dr.
Anthony Ricco

Champ Computers
96 Garden St.
Tony Champagne

Countrywide Home Loans Inc.
138 Memorial Ave.
Countrywide Home Loans Inc.

The Cozy Cricket
148 River St.
Linda Vigliano

Dana’s Cleaning Service
1230 Morgan Road
Svetlana Zhuk

Di’s Daycare
39 Bonnie Brae Dr.
Diane Bonneville

East Coast Tooling
283 Elm St.
Michelle McCarthy

First Emmanuel Assembly of God Church
664 Union St.
Cicero DeSantiago, Albertina DaPenna

FishFrenzy.net
2001 Riverdale St.
Edward Pecord

Flower Design
100 New Bridge St.
Irina Lapik

Game Hunters II
683 Riverdale St.
Tuyet Diep

Hair East Inc.
8 Chestnut St.
Jennifer Gamelli

Hiland Group Inc. of
Massachusetts
23 New Bridge St.
Anthony Hill, David Saenz

Katrina’s Flowers and More
62 Union St.
Katrina Vasilchenko

The Loft
201 Westfield St.
Ann Marie Walts

Mama Mias Pizzeria
60 Park St.
Mama Mias Pizzeria Inc.

Mike Gentile Auto Sales
74-80 Baldwin St.
Michael Gentile

Murphy’s Carpentry
22 Worcester St.
Michael Murphy

Murphy Construction
22 Worcester St.
Michael Murphy

Northern Granite
380 Union St.
Vgachesav Katko

Patriot Towing and Recovery
77 Windsor St.
Rosalee Williams

Paul’s Auto Repair
17 Bosworth St.
Paul Traska

Quality Inn
1150 Riverdale St.
Shubham LLC

R. Hudson Painting
84 Day St.
Raymond Hudson Jr.

St. Jean’s Plumbing & Heating
28 Squassick Road
Arthur Jean

Town Line Flea Market
260 Westfield St.
Town Line Flea Market LLC

Venckai Consulting
43 Russell St.
Genevieve Saxton

Western Mass. Compounding Center & Palliative Care
138 Memorial Ave.
Janina Cirillo

Zykan Distribution
1596 Memorial Ave.
Kelly Doull, Arsen Dzhavadyn

WESTFIELD

Affordable Flooring
66 Montgomery St.
David Minchuk

Belleview Billing Services
55 Belleview St.
Deborah Beaudry

Brian S. Whitehall
42 Loomis Ave.
Brian Whitehall

Century 21 Home Town Associates
350 Elm St.
Victoria Minella

Colors Galore
416 North St.
Timothy Morin

Colors of the Future
93 South Maple St.
Daniel Dionne, Diana Cruz

Cummings & Cioch Home Inspection Inc.
559 Montgomery Road
Daniel Cioch

Electronics to the Max Corp.
30 Schumann Dr.
Brian Plante

European Headlines
190 East Main St.
Heli Withrow

G & E Seafood
241 East Main St.
Gregory Ramos

Hartwell Concrete & Masonry Systems
38 Ridgecrest Dr.
Bill Hartwell

Ken’s General Repair
1198 East Mountain Road
Kenneth Gamelli

King’s Cleaners
282 Southampton Road
Sook Kyung Kim

L & L Pools
26 East Glen Dr.
Terrence Lamb

L.J. Electric
1198 East Mountain Road
Louis Ganelli

Linda Nails
205 Elm St.
Nguyet Nguyen

MA Career Development Institutes Inc.
102 Elm St.
Gaetano Demardo

Musical Beginnings
16 High St.
Donna Omega Liese

Nu-Style Records
81 Main St.
Jose Bergollo

Professional Freight Carrier
43 Apple Orchard Height
Joseph McCarthy

Sara’s Organizing Solutions
41 Maple Terrace
Sara Hampton

Sneakel Jam
51 Union St.
German Flex

Specials Inc.
103 Mainline Dr.
Robert Silver

Useful Things
205 Elm St.
James Valentine, Armand Beaumier

White Services
404 Granville Road
Leslie White II

Zanto
190 East Main St.
Z3W Inc.

Uncategorized
Twenty years.

In the long course of human history, that’s not much time at all — not even the blink of an eye.

But when one looks at the advances in technology and medicine that have taken place in that time, it seems like an eternity.

Twenty years ago, hardly anyone had a cell phone, and if they did, it was the size and weight of a brick. Now, we simply can’t imagine getting through a day or even a round of golf without one. Two decades ago, the fax machine was revolutionizing the way people communicated in the workplace. Now, while not obsolete, it is considered slow and somewhat backward.

E-mail is the way to send and receive information now. At times, we wonder how in the world we ever conducted business without it. Then again, when we stare at several dozen pieces of spam each morning, we think that maybe we’d like to try.

Yes, some things have certainly changed in the past 20 years. BusinessWest, which made its debut in the spring of 1984, is devoting this issue to looking back at what has transpired — or not transpired — over that time. This issue is packed with stories (some of them reprinted from years ago) and photographs that tell a story of change, progress, and perseverance. We hope you like this retrospective, and offer this quick synopsis of the publication’s lifetime.

BusinessWest got its start in 1984, a year that is also the title of a book. George Orwell’s classic warned of the dangers of totalitarianism and institutions like the Thought Police and ëBig Brother.’ And while the world Orwell portrayed doesn’t exist even 20 years after the fact, we are, by some estimates, photographed a dozen times a day as we go to work, the bank, and the Turnpike toll booth.

Technology has been the biggest story of the past 20 years. It has changed how we work and how we live. It has given rise to new industry groups and hundreds of new businesses in the region. It has also played a large role in the fortunes of the economy.

Another sector that has seen significant change is health care. Advances in technology, procedures, and pharmaceuticals have made things that seemed impossible a generation ago very possible. However, other forces, especially managed care, falling state and federal reimbursements, and non-physician-friendly trends such as soaring malpractice insurance rates have made it difficult for hospitals and doctors to stay in business.

Looking at the region’s economy as a whole, we can say that, in many ways, the Valley is certainly better off than it was 20 years ago. While it’s true that the area has lost a number of large employers and its manufacturing base is much smaller, its economy is more diversified, and thus more resilient. Tourism is now a driving force in the economy, health care remains strong despite the many challenges facing the industry, and the technology sector is gaining a small foothold, especially in Hampshire County.

Some communities have flourished over the past 20 years. Northampton has experienced a true renaissance and has become a nationally recognized center for arts. Meanwhile, Easthampton, once a thriving mill town, has been reborn into a vibrant, eclectic community now home to a wide range of artists.

Some suburban areas have witnessed explosive residential growth, These include South Hadley, Westfield, East Longmeadow, Belchertown, and others. And in many of those communities, there has been a corresponding business boom.

But while surrounding areas have seen significant progress over the past two decades, Springfield, the largest city in the region and the seat of Western Mass., has not.

Indeed, with the notable exceptions of Monarch Place and the new Basketball Hall of Fame, the Springfield skyline looks much as it did in 1984, while in the 20 years prior to that, the city took on a completely new appearance with several new office towers, the building of I-91, and other developments.

Like other New England urban centers, Springfield has been largely stagnant in recent years, waiting for that proverbial ënext big thing,’ while trying to lure jobs. Twenty years ago, people were talking about Springfield’s vast potential and how it was an attractive, more affordable option to Boston. Today, they’re still talking about it.

There are some projects in various stages of development in greater Springfield — Union Station, a new federal courthouse, and the new convention center, already under construction. But these are mostly publicly funded initiatives, and Springfield desperately needs some private investment.

Maybe by the time BusinessWest celebrates its 25th, there will be some to write about.

Departments

Alves, Jose C.
96 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Bahre, Maureen M.
8 Monroe St., Apt. F
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Banerjee, Gautom
Banerjee, Melissa A.
505 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Baptiste, Dierdra A.
36 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Barna, Stephen P.
116 North Lake Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Batalha, Deborah A.
68 Coakley Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Bazinet, Roland L.
Bazinet, Mary A.
32 Leo Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Beaupre, Melissa A.
77A Mosley Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Bermudez, Jose A.
435 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Black, Amelia J.
414 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Blaxland, Gloria J.
894 Beacon Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Blyther, Cornelius L.
Blyther, Jeanette
25 Pomona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Boileau, Lisa M.
41 North Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Borchers, William Richard
25 Fairview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Bosse, Audrey
770 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Boudreau, Stephanie A.
215 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Boulanger, Jason T.
167 Pondview Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Bowens, Frederick A.
Bowens, Shelly M.
1535 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Brooks, Lisa A.
33 Brewster St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Brown, William H.
37 Stanley St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Burns, Michael J.
132 Goodwin St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Burnup, Robert D.
89 Fairfield Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Campbell, Clifford
11 Hawley Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/11/04

Campbell, Eletha
145 Groton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Chalfin, James A.
6 University Dr., Suite 206
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Champagne, Paul H.
Champagne, Lynda D.
148 Franklin St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Chase, Andrew M.
80 Pine Grove St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Chevalier, John F.
1740 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Cignoli, Ronald C.
307 Chestnut St., Apt. 425
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/04

Cimino, Frank J.
c/o Terri Cimino
18 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Cobb, Steven D.
Cobb, Mary Alice B.
74 Whiteloaf Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/07/04

Coffin, Amy
81 South Maple St., Apt. 34
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Collins, James W.
44 Yvette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Concepcion, Adela
163 Pineywoods Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Connell, Joann
40 Sheri Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Cook, Lisa M.
195 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Cortez, Ruben
Cortez, Wanda I.
246 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Cotto, Wilfredo
305 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Couture, Claude L.
69 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Couture, Marcia L.
42 Arnold St., Apt. A5
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Craven, John A.
190 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Cruz, Ricardo R.
Cruz, Carmen B.
31 Worcester Park Ave., Apt. 1L
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Daly, Bennie M.
52 Camden St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

De Souza, Erica Sue
1031 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

DeMontigny, David W.
73 Berkshire Ave
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/15/04

Deprey, Rickey
398 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Despres, James J.
29 Linden St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Diaz, Angel G.
10 Francis St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Drenning, Ellen M.
137 Union St., Apt. 2
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Duclos, Nathan P.
20 Carol Ann Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Dulude, Mark A.
581 S. Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Durocher, Michael J.
342 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Dyer, Gary W.
Dyer, Lori A.
33 Rabideau Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/04

English, Brian M.
40 Everett St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Fallis, Bessie J.
58 Feltham Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Famiglietti, Bernardo
Famiglietti, Lisa A.
48 East Drumlin Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Feliciano, Milton L.
5 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/11/04

Fletcher, Ralph J.
81 Riverboat Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Flowers, James J.
Flowers, Kathy A.
44 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Fountain, Robert B.
1049 Berkshire Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/04

Freitag, Richard F.
192 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/04/04

Gabriel, John
Gabriel, Alonzetta
68 Lorenzo St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Gallo, Thomas J.
Gallo, Linda L.
37 Cabot Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/17/04

Gilmartin, John T.
Gilmartin, Lori J.
89 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Ginman, Sheila M.
160 Eddywood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Gobeille, Suzann
50 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/04

Gomez, Earnest
11B E Main St.
P.O. Box 197
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/24/04

Goodhue, Delevan
Goodhue, Mary Ellen
18 Perry Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Goolsby, Hattie Mae
46 Rochelle St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Gore, Sean D
Gore, Melissa P.
65 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Gower, Eric James
Gower, Michelle Marie
55 Valier Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Green, Brian K.
33 Bradford Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Green, Richard S.
Green, Gail
34 Hawthorne St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Green, Lori-Beth
31 Union St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Gregoire, Richard A.
315 Water St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/11/04

Griswold, Marc C.
P.O. Box 632
West Springfield, MA 01090
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/04

Grucci, Charles T.
293 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Guarnera, Jessica L.
34 Bridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/04

Guttierres, Rosita
7 Bush St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Hathorne, Timothy J.
Hathorne, Melissa M.
150 Beekman Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/07/04

Higgins, Debra Ann
17 Hawley Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Holland, Julie A.
17 Grandview Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Hughes, James E.
579 Main St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Hunter, Diana M.
94 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Jabri, Charles E.
122 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Johnson, Owen Edward
813 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Jones, Thurman S.
184 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Keyes, Linda A.
107 Plain St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/21/04

Lacas, Wilfred Joseph
Lacas, Donna Lee
47 Arlington St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Lamothe, Mark
2073 Memorial Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

LaVertue, Jennifer Lee
49 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Lecca, Matthew M.
46 Rivers Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/11/04

Lenville, John J.
98 Pinevale St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Leonard, Carol G.
58 Davis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Leroux, Louis
94 Cuff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Lyszchyn, Carol A.
118 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Macomber, Jane A.
380 H Riverglade Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Maiers, Victoria L.
348 Montcalm St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Manzi, Salvatore A.
215 Fort Pleasant Ave., Suite E-4
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Marchese, John L.
373 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Marquez, Rafael
21 Bowers St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Massey, Virginia G.
83 Shady Knoll Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

McKane, John T.
446 PLeasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Mendez, Luciano
319 State St., Apt. B27
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Messier, Raymond
23 Belanger Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Miller, Mark A.
Miller, Cassandra L.
91 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Miller, Erin Elizabeth
59 Broad St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Mills, Harry V.
151 Bondsville Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Mitchell, Penny
25 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Mojica, Melissa
30 Chester St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/04

Monet, Richard
54 St. James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/07/04

Monks, John L.
45 Malden St., 1st Fl.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Moorash, Marc J.
20 Rockland Heights Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Moran, Mark J.
Moran, Gloryvee
6 Home St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Morris, Roger L.
Morris, Brenda A.
86 Beacon Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Moulton, Stuart D.
Moulton, Suzanne G.
P.O. Box 991
Southwick, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Nally-Ribeiro, Gloria
22 Leroy Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

New England Granite Works, Inc.
104 Court St.
P.O. Box 178
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Nguyen, Tai G.
3A Hampshire Heights
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Nivers, Joshua
29 North Main St.
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Odierna, Giuseppe
Odierna, Luigina G.
400 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Ortiz-Nieves, Doris
456 Maple St., Apt. 4L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Parker, Jacob D.
2149 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Parsons, Herman B.
Parsons, Nancy Helene
465 South Branch Parkway
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/04

Patrick, Chris Scott
Patrick, Cynthia Marie
46 Sikes Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Pellerin, Patricia A.
13 Partridge Lane
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Pelletier, June M
24 Acker Circle
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Platner, Jessica L
235 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Pluta, Linda J.
121 North Main St.
Apartment D-3
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Poteat, Charles S.
Poteat, Joan M.
25 Thomas St
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Redfield, Eurius L.
15 Girard Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Redin, Frederick C.
Redin, Sylvia A.
185 Mapleshade Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Reed, Earl
11 Elizabeth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Richardson, William A.
33 Clayton Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Rivera, Andre
159 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Rivera, Carmen Maria
52 Patton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Rivera, Davis
23 Memorial Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Rivera, Maria Magdalena
278 Plainfield St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Rivera, Michelle
159 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Rivers, Robin L.
744 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/23/04

Roberts, Wayne A.
55 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Rodrigo, Mark Anthony
54 Laskowski Lane
Chicopee, MA 010
0
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Rodriguez, Roberto
7 Worthy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Rodriguez, Robin D.
99 Park Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/16/04

Roldan, Blanca A.
56 Maple St., Apt. 209
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/05/04

Rolo, Jacalyn E.
1158 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Rooney, Eugene E.
Rooney, Lorretta Ann
103 Edbert Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/07/04

Rosado, Ruben
38 Sterns Ter.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Rosario, Vicky J.
97 Kane St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Rostam-Abadi, Gita
76 Granby Heights
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Ruon, Rady L.
P.O. Box 3335
Amherst, MA 01004
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Russo, Debora E.
55 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/27/04

Sacco, Debbi L.
15 Ballard St., Apt. C
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Sampson, Judith C.
269 Stony Hill Road, G6-101
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Sassi, Evelyn M.
54 Michigan St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Secor, David B.
45 Willow St., Apt. 510
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Shaw, Rollin C.
Shaw, Martha A.
53 Mountain Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/20/04

Shea, Catherine E.
342 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Shea, Tami J.
73 Bither St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Sicard, Nelson E.
15 Annies Way
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Sikes, Dorothy A.
21 Mitchell Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Silva, Carlos A.
Silva, Jessica L.
522 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

St. John, Mark A.
82 Moulton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/07/04

St. Pierre, Frank H.
57 Mechanic St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/19/04

Starodomsky, Pamela A
34 Bates St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/10/04

Suglia, Charles A.
37 Fanwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Suscietto, Marieanne
7 Pleasant St., Apt. B
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Tanhauser, Mary J.
28 Tyrone St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Taylor, Tina L.
14 Bernard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Tetreault, Laurie A.
55 Lyman Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Thomas, Kevin
Thomas, Migdalia E.
3 Burns Way
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Tobiasz, Jeffrey P.
Tobiasz, Michelle J.
8 Lavoie Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Torres, John
238 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Touw, Margaret H.
7 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Trites, Yolanda M.
269 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/04

Urban, John B.
71 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/11/04

Westbrook, Davita J.
108 Hitchcock St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Whitacre, Christopher A.
67 Chapel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

White, Constance A.
195 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/21/04

Wiggins, Victoria L.
469 Westfield St., Apt
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Wilcox, James B.
P.O. Box 1057
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/12/04

Wilkins, Enid L.
276 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/29/04

Wills, Katrina Marie
72 Whittier St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/20/04

Windoloski, Tommy R.
Windoloski, Karen M.
64 Enfield St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/30/04

Wojcik, Robert E.
Wojcik, Judy V.
70 High St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/28/04

Wyckoff, Kerry Elizabeth
65 Rosie Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Wyckoff, Timothy Stewart
65 Rosie Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/22/04

Yannikos, Larry
Yannikos, Georgia
117 San Miguel St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/04

Yell, Randall S.
26 Townhouse Dr., Apt. C
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/04

Young, Tanya
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/26/04

Zapata, Jorge
165 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/06/04

Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of April 2004.

AGAWAM

Bondi’s
188 M St.
$25,000 — Prefab building

Perry Lane Park
108 Perry Lane
$5,000 — Repair bridge

AMHERST

Amherst Associates Inc.
370 Northampton Road, Bldg. 5
$24,848 — Replace 120 windows

Amherst College Trustees
Heating Plant – Old
$25,000 — Remove existing roofing, install new

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
170 University Dr.
$34,285 — Re-roof

Pauline Lannon
1151 West St.
$15,000 — Convert portion of existing storage area into ice cream shop and sales area

PPG Nominee Trust 1
17 Kellogg Ave.
$11,500 — Change two existing restaurants into one, alterations

Warren Hall
252 West St.
$12,000 — Re-roof

CHICOPEE

WalMart Stores Inc.
545 Memorial Dr.
$7,708,000 — Build store

EAST LONGMEADOW

Big Y Foods
433 North Main St.
$165,000 — Renovate interior

HOLYOKE

OC Ingleside LLC
360 Whitney Ave.
$518,000 — Rebuild interior walls

SPRINGFIELD

Family Dollar Stores
1070 St. James Ave.
$37,500 — Interior renovations

Gregory Bonneau
33 Amity Ct.
$30,000 — Install spray booth

MEG LLC
1350 Main St.
$130,500 — Interior renovations and electric

Mohammad Sohail
471 Carew St.
$200,000 — Convert service bays and store

Pioneer Valley Discount Liquor
28 Verge St.
$7,000 — Interior renovations

St. Anthony’s
1579 Island Pond Road
$18,000 — Remodel prayer room

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Pearson Daggett Development Co.
45 Daggett St.
$200,000 — Build out 2,400 square feet to accommodate dentist’s office

WESTFIELD

City of Westfield — Headstart
390 Southampton Road
$10,000 — Addition

Sections Supplements
Like the company he leads, Tom Dennis is successful, but decidedly low-key. His engineering firm, The Dennis Group, offers planning, architectural, process engineering, and construction management services to the food and beverage industries, and is among the world’s leaders in that highly competitive field. Meanwhile, Dennis and a partner have become successful players in the Springfield real estate market, having purchased and renovated several landmark office buildings. Getting him to talk about these successful ventures is difficult, however — he’d rather spend his time tending to his often-demanding clients.

It’s a script right out of central casting — a storyline that must have been written by the regional economic development commission. Tom Dennis is a local guy — he’s from Feeding Hills. After graduating from college with a degree in Engineering, he went to work in Boston. When he grew frustrated with the path his employer was on and made the decision to start his own venture, he came ëhome’ to do it, because he liked the area, and the cost of doing business was much cheaper than it was inside Route 128. And he really liked the airport that was only a few miles down the road in Windsor Locks, one that you could get in and out of without losing half a day.

He started in the attic of his home on Fairfield Street in Springfield, and eventually bought a struggling downtown landmark, Harrison Place, renovated it, and put his offices there. His company, The Dennis Group, which designs food-processing facilities and counts a number of Fortune 500 companies on its client list, doesn’t do much business locally and could be located anywhere. But Dennis — and those who have helped him build this venture — want it here.

He even lives in Springfield.

Yes, it’s a story that Allan Blair and other leaders at the EDC could turn into a promotional piece as they try to market the Pioneer Valley and the Knowledge Corridor. But it’s a story you almost have to pry out of Dennis.

Like the company itself, he is very low-key. His venture now employs more than 100 people, 70 in Springfield, and has four offices scattered across the country. But because of the unique nature of its work and the quiet nature of its leader, it flies under the radar screen. Also low-key are his real estate ventures. Dennis and a partner, William Stotler, have bought and renovated a number of Springfield office buildings, including Harrison Place (later sold to the Picknelly family) and the former Wesson Hospital. Dennis is quite active in his real estate pursuits and takes great pride in those ventures — there’s a framed picture of Harrison Place on his credenza — but he says he directs most of his energy to The Dennis Group and its continued growth.

"This business is my first priority," he said. "There are a lot of hardworking, performance-oriented people who deserve nothing less than that from me."

Dennis will give you that same answer when you ask about community involvement and participation with area non-profits and various development groups. He’d love to — but at the moment, and for the foreseeable future, he’s focusing on his clients and how to provide them quality service and, most importantly, value.

Indeed, as he talked with BusinessWest, Dennis, the subject of this month’s CEO Profile, was interrupted several times by calls from customers and potential customers. "It’s the nature of the business," he said at one juncture. "I’m here for my customers."

In a wide-ranging but fast-moving interview, Dennis talked about how he has blueprinted success for his company — although he rarely uses the word ëI.’ He credits a group of young, entrepreneurial-minded engineers — many of whom are now partners in this venture — with the firm’s steady growth over the years.

"Our guideline here has been to hire anyone who will make this a better company," he explained. "We know that if we have the right talent within our organization and create an environment that lets individuals apply their craft, then work will come our way, and it has."

Progress, by Design

Dennis, 48, told BusinessWest that he had no intention of putting his name on the company that he started in the fall of 1987. Several possibilities — most of which he can’t remember — didn’t pass muster with the state Secretary of State’s office (they were too close to existing business names), so he eventually settled on The Dennis Group — only it wasn’t really a group, just Dennis and some engineers he subcontracted work to.

He knew there would be a group, though, and that quiet confidence is part of his business philosophy and management style.

As a youth, Dennis was drawn to mathematics and science, and at Rutgers University, he earned degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology. The biotechnology field was still in its developmental stages at that time, he said, so he focused his attention on project engineering. He eventually took a job with a Boston-area construction management company called Carlson Associates, and worked on a number of projects in this country and overseas, many in the food-processing industry.

"I was really attracted to project management work — taking an assignment from start to finish," he said. "As project manager, you get your arms around a whole project and understand it from the inside out, which to me was fulfilling and appealing."

He enjoyed the work and living in Boston, but when Carlson was bought by a French conglomerate, he would soon decide to make the shift from employee to entrepreneur, although he is still not really comfortable with the latter term.

"The French company sent a bunch of accountants over to run a design and construction-services business," he explained. "Very early on, I decided that this wasn’t compatible with my philosophy, so I decided to leave."

His decision to come back to Springfield was grounded in familiarity and, to a large extent, economics.

"My wife was pregnant at the time, and I knew that the cost of living was much less out here," he said. "Also, there was a major airport nearby, which was a necessity, and I thought that I might be more readily able to attract people as a startup company if I was here, as opposed to Boston, which was much more expensive."

He set up shop in his attic — "it was an old Victorian, and the attic was huge; it’s better than it sounds" — and got started only a few weeks before the stock market collapse in October of 1987. That event served to slow the start for The Dennis Group, but not for long.

Through contacts he had made earlier his career, Dennis was able to win a number of domestic projects, and he used that work to develop a reputation in the multi-billion-dollar food-processing industry and build a portfolio.

Food for Thought

Then, as now, the company had no salespeople and did comparitively little marketing, he explained, adding that its reputation for quality work and relationship-oriented approach to doing business have been its best selling tools.

"There are no salespeople Ö we rely on doing good work and having it lead to more work," he explained. "If we’re not developing relationships, we’re out of business. And if people don’t like what we’ve done, then we’re out of business as well."

Over the years, the company has undertaken more than 2,000 projects and enjoyed what Dennis calls controlled, or smart, growth, taking a conservative approach to business. Its main strength has been its diversity, he explained, noting that the firm can handle $5,000 consulting projects and also oversee $100 million new-plant-construction ventures.

The company has managed projects for some of the most recognizable names in the food industry, including Kraft, Smuckers, Dreyers, Lender’s, Dole, Sara Lee, Poland Spring, Campbell’s, and others, and some that are less well-known, such as the Haverhill, Mass.-based company Hans Kissle, a pioneer in the development of pre-packaged salads, desserts, and other deli items.

Recent projects include three plants, all more than 200,000 square feet, that the company built for Dole in Soledad, Calif., Springfield, Ohio, and Yuma, Ariz. to produce packaged salads; an 86,000-square-foot plant built for Heinz, Ireland in Dundalk, Ireland to produce frozen-ready meals; a 50,000-square-foot plant built for Stockpot Soup in Woodinville, Wash.; and another plant for Dole in Hulsingborg, Sweden.

"We’re efficient and very flexible, so we can handle all-sized projects," he said, noting that the firm will design and build 1 million square feet of production and warehouse facilities a year. "That diversity is very helpful to us."

This is a highly competitive industry, said Dennis, adding that competition comes from firms as large as Bechtel and as small as a two- or three-person local construction company.

Over the years, the size and scope of projects has varied, from plant design to creation of new packaging processes, said Dennis, noting that the wide geographic range of the firm has necessitated creation of another large office in Salt Lake City and smaller facilities in Toronto and San Diego.

The headquarters will remain in Springfield, however, he said, because the Pioneer Valley, with its many amenities, is a large asset for the company. "There’s a quality of life here that I enjoy and everyone here enjoys."

Dennis returned repeatedly to the subject of Bradley Airport, and said that for a business owner who spends as much time in the air as he does — 50 trips a year by his count — it is an invaluable resource.

"Logan is better now than it used to be, but it’s still hard to fly in and out of," he explained. "Some people may not realize it, but Bradley is a great asset for companies in this region."

As he talked about the firm and its consistent growth, Dennis focused consistently on the word Group in the company’s name. "There are a lot of people who are responsible for the success of this company Ö I didn’t do this myself."

Dennis told BusinessWest that, while he was sole owner at one time, he has made long-term associates partners, in a structure similar to that used by most law firms.

"There’s not a lot of vertical growth in this company," he explained. "So where people grow is in responsibility, the opportunity to become a partner and have some ownership in the firm."

Governance is shared, he said, adding that there is little of what he would call ëmanagement’ in his day-to-day activities.

"Maybe what makes us work is that we don’t have any management," he said. "What we do have is a lot of talented people. We have an administrative group, and we’re very structured in our projects, but we have none of the traditional management layers."

When asked for his own job description, Dennis said he still leads a number of projects himself, and will continue to do so.

"Last year, for example, I ran three projects, and I use that format to train people, improve our systems, develop relationships with our clients, and help grow the talent here," he said. "I could never be a full-time administrator; first of all, I don’t think I’d be very good at it, and second, I get a lot of fulfillment out of what we do."

Dennis’s approach to business — a blend of passion and conservatism — is mirrored by his philosophy with regard to commercial real estate.

He told BusinessWest that he has a fondness for old buildings, and has collaborated with Stolter to purchase several of them in downtown Springfield, including the Stearns Building, the former W.F. Young building on Lyman Street, and the old Wesson Hospital, which the partners are converting into a center for technology-based ventures.

His favorite project, however, was Harrison Place, the 10-story downtown office tower that was half-vacant and in very poor condition when the partners bought it in 1995. The two made a major investment in the property, and Dennis took the first two floors and the basement for his engineering firm.

"I really like this building, and we really enjoy being here," he said, noting that he had to be talked into selling the property, now named the Bank of Western Mass. Building, to the Picknelly group in 1999. "There’s some history here."

Producing Results

Thinking back to those early days in his attic on Fairfield Street, Dennis said he couldn’t have predicted then that his company would grow to its current size and stature.

But he knew he had the necessary ingredients for a successful venture. Listing them again, he mentioned people, location, diversity, and a firm focus on quality and price — "those are the keys to any business."

Putting that package together has provided Dennis with a career that’s been rewarding on a number of levels. And it’s given the Pioneer Valley’s economic development leaders a script they would like others to follow — a true blueprint for success.

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

Opinion
When asked recently about the fiscal health of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns — or, in many cases, the lack thereof — Gov. Mitt Romney hinted strongly that many communities are in trouble simply because they spent too much money, especially on municipal employees.

Hearing those remarks, Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan replied, "the governor must be talking about someone else — I haven’t spent a dime since I got here."

The two sets of comments show exactly where the city’s at with its finances — a current mayor having to cope with the mistakes of his predecessor, and a governor talking in generalities about municipal workers making too much money and unions holding cities and towns hostage.

Soon, we hope both sides can come together and find some real solutions for Springfield and avoid receivership, a situation that would be regretful for the city, its business community, the state, Romney, and everyone else. In other words, it’s time to stop focusing on how Springfield got into this mess — the many indulgencies of the Albano administration — and to turn our attention on how it is going to get out.

At issue is the matter of a $14 million to $22 million shortfall projected in the budget for the fiscal year that will begin July 1. This is a big number, one that will not be made up through collecting overdue property taxes, tightening the proverbial belt, or putting consultants from MassMutual to work on ways to create more efficiencies in how the city operates. Making up that deficit will involve pain, lots of it, and quite possibly require receivership.

That step, which essentially strips city officials of their decision-making authority when it comes to the community’s finances, is now being talked about more as a probability, rather than a possibility, as it was during last fall’s election, during which Ryan was criticized for using the word and accused of trying to scare residents. Now, receivership is very real because the city is showing visible signs of not being able to meet some of its financial obligations, most notably the raises that have been owed to city workers for two years now.

That word receivership scares people, and it should, because it is never good when the people who have been elected to make fiscal decisions for a community lose that responsibility. In reality, though, few will actually notice any difference in day-to-day life if it does happen. Those most affected will be city employees who will have to live with a wage freeze for the foreseeable future — and thus may be tempted to explore other employment options — and individual departments that won’t have the money to take on new programs or continue some existing ones.

Instead, much of the damage that will be done by receiv-ership will be psychological. This city’s reputation has already been heavily scarred by the scandals of the Albano administration and recent convictions of several city officials, including the managers of a city-operated entrepreneurial fund. Add the stigma of receivership to the equation, and it will be even more difficult for economic development leaders to attract new businesses to the area.

This is why the state must step to the plate and work with the city to steer it out of the current whitewater. A $20 million bailout would be a nice gesture, but it is not likely to materialize. Doing so would be tantamount to rewarding fiscal irresponsibility, and Gov. Romney isn’t about to do that.

There are things the state can do, however. It can further adjust its aid formulas to assist cities like Springfield, Lowell, Lawrence, and others that have high percentages of lower-income individuals. The state could also provide oversight that assists the city with the process of moving forward, but without the trauma of actual receivership.

The bottom line here is that the city doesn’t need receivership, and the state doesn’t need to have its third-largest city humbled in this way. On the campaign trail in 2002, Romney talked about an economic development strategy grounded in making each of the Commonwealth’s regions more competitive. He was talking in terms of education, health care, workforce, and entrepreneurialism when he used that word, but fiscal health is also an important consideration, and Springfield will be far less competitive if it is burdened with the humiliation of receivership.

There are no easy solutions to Springfield’s fiscal woes, and it is clear to us that the city and state will have to work together fix the problem and, as we said, focus not on the past, but on the future.

Sections Supplements
Indian Orchard, or The Orchard, as residents call it, was once a thriving mill town. In recent years, however, the former Indian settlement and home to groves of plum trees (hence the name) has deteriorated and, in many ways, lost some of its identity. A recently unveiled master plan for the Springfield neighborhood creates a blueprint for bringing new life to the area and creating what is being called a "21st-century mill town." Optimism abounds, but the challenges facing residents, planners, and business owners are considerable.

01151. That’s the zip code for Indian Orchard, Mass., and a number that people in this blue collar neighborhood of Springfield are quite proud of.

ëThe Orchard,’ as they call it, is the only neighborhood in the city with its own postmark, and residents will usually correct parties that put ëSpringfield’ on items sent to them. "It’s an immensely proud community," said Katie Stebbins, the city’s senior planner, who long ago learned the proper way to address mail to people in this section by the Chicopee River. "The residents are proud of their history, their diversity, and their uniqueness."

This pride explains why more than 200 people turned out for an unveiling of a new master plan for the community, an important document that has created an outline for what Stebbins and others call a "21st-century mill town." That phrase was chosen to convey the need to blend the past with the future, she said, noting that the community is at a crossroads of sorts.

Its stock of residential and commercial properties is aging, and before more of them are lost to parking lots, the neighborhood wants to make a concerted effort toward becoming a destination, she explained. The plan for achieving that end is multi-faceted, and calls for connecting Main Street with the currently underutilized riverfront; making facade improvements to a number of the century-old buildings in the downtown area; attracting new small businesses, especially restaurants and other entertainment venues; and finding a new life for an old industrial complex that essentially bisects the neighborhood.

Fred Andrews, executive director of the Indian Orchard Main Street Partnership, believes all that is doable, although he acknowledges that putting goals down on paper and making them happen are two completely different things, especially at a time when the level of public funds for such endeavors is dwindling and no one can really be sure of the appetite for private investment.

But, like Stebbins, Andrews sees progress and senses both the requisite optimism and energy needed to achieve more over time. He points to several facade improvements that have already taken place downtown as movement in the right direction. And he notes a considerable uptick in the number of calls from people exploring possible investments in the neighborhood.

"There is some vibrancy downtown," he said. "We’ve had some faÁade improvements and also the hoped-for result — people in neighboring buildings seeing that progress and deciding to become part of the movement."

Charles Brush, owner of the massive Indian Orchard Mills, a home to more than 100 small businesses and artists, and a member of the panel that pushed through the master plan, sees both the vast potential in The Orchard and the challenges facing the community. Mostly, he sees enthusiasm.

"People were lined up out the door the night we unveiled the plan; people came to see what was happening," he said. "Now, we need to tap that energy and move forward. We can turn Indian Orchard into a destination — we have all the components in place."

Beyond the predictable rush of optimism that accompanied the release of the plan, however, lies the obvious question: what now?

Stebbins says she isn’t sure, and told BusinessWest that much depends on the residents and business owners who turned out to see the plan unveiled. She equated creation of the master plan to sketching an outline in a coloring book — it can be colored in any number of ways.

"What happens next is not a passive approach — waiting and hoping for something to happen — but a very active approach," she explained. "We want to be open to every opportunity that comes our way, pursuing it with the neighborhood and seeing where it leads. You treat everything as a possibility until it’s not.

"It’s like a patchwork quilt," she continued. "You keep piecing things together, and eventually you have something."

Fruits of Their Labor

The name Indian Orchard is derived from the area’s past life as both an Indian settlement and, later, a home to groves of plum trees.

In an attempt to reflect that past, street signs, building facades, Andrews’ business card, and even the back cover of the master plan’s executive summary have incorporated the color purple. And soon, new plum trees may be growing in the downtown and elsewhere in the community. Andrews said planners have done some research, and believe they’ve found a hearty variety of tree that can stand up to the climate and congestion of a Northeast urban center.

But planners also want to breathe new economic life into a community that has most often been described as ëtired’ in recent years. Indeed, the vibrancy that existed years ago has been lost due to a number of factors, including the exodus of the textile makers and many other manufacturers, the emergence of Boston Road as a major retail center, which sucked life from Main Street, and the flight of many working class residents into the region’s suburbs.

The vision for a retooled community — one that will be called ëThe Village of Indian Orchard, a neighborhood of Springfield’ — is that of a destination, said Stebbins, an area rich with shops, restaurants, artists, antiques, bike paths, walking trails, and other features that would attract people from across the region and perhaps well beyond it.

She calls it the "strolling effect."

Many communities have an area in which people can stroll, she said, noting that this activity blends recreation with window-shopping, actual shopping, and dining. Northampton is this area’s best strolling center, she noted. Springfield doesn’t have such an area at present — downtown comes close, but it lacks the requisite variety of shops, she said — and The Orchard could someday fill that role.

To make The Orchard a destination, a place to stroll, however, many things have to happen, said Stebbins, especially the link between Main Street and the riverfront. She told BusinessWest that the community’s downtown is in many ways unremarkable and similar to countless others in this area and across the country, for that matter. The scenic Chicopee River does give the neighborhood a chance to do some things that other cities and towns can’t, however.

"If we can’t get the river opened up and established as a destination point with the downtown, then Main Street is going to have a much longer road to travel."

One stated goal for planners is to create a riverfront park that would stretch from a parcel near the tip of Main Street to the Indian Orchard Mills, and construct bike trails and walking paths along that strip. Much of that property is owned by Consolidated Edison — it was sold to that corporation by Western Mass. Electric Co. as part of a divestiture of assets forced by restructuring of the energy industry — and some talks have taken place between the city and that company, said Stebbins.

Brush, whose mills have become home to a number of noted artists, believes those galleries could become a key component in making The Orchard a destination, especially if his mills can be more effectively linked to Main Street stores and restaurants and a cluster of antique outlets.

"We have 43 artists here now, and our open studios bring hundreds of people down to the mills," he said. "We need more events and attractions like that; we need to create more reasons to bring people to Indian Orchard."

Planting Seeds

While offering a quick tour of the downtown area, Andrews stopped at one of a collection of new bus stop benches. The colorful, tile-covered benches were created by artists at the Indian Orchard Mills, he explained, and are one of the many small initiatives in that area creating some enthusiasm in the community.

There are other, similar examples of progress, he said, pointing out comprehensive facade improvement projects at Indian Orchard Glass and Orchard Variety, which sit on opposite sides of Main Street. There have been other faÁade initiatives, and more are being planned, he said, adding that they give the downtown a cleaner, more modern look, one that will hopefully spur additional investments in that area.

Andrews said The Orchard is perhaps Springfield’s most culturally diverse neighborhood, with a mix of Portuguese, Polish, Hispanic, and Armenian residents, among other groups. He envisions a number of ethnic restaurants and cultural attractions in the downtown. He says there are entertainment opportunities as well, including a new life for the old Grand Theater and perhaps a much larger home for the cramped Titanic Museum.

"There’s a lot that can happen, and a number of very positive things have already happened," he said. "I think it’s a matter of getting things moving and having people want to become part of something special."

Stebbins agreed, and said that while there are several vacant storefronts downtown, this should be viewed more as an opportunity than a concern. "In many ways, it’s like a blank canvas."

She cited Red Rocket Records on Main Street, a business that draws music enthusiasts, especially heavy metal fans, from far and wide, as the type of destination attraction that The Orchard needs in much greater numbers, and she believes it can happen.

"Why not? People will find Indian Orchard to come to Red Rocket Records," she said. "If these people can find it, then other people can — if we give them a reason."

She told BusinessWest that much of her optimism stems from the amount of interest being expressed in The Orchard, from both existing business owners and some from outside the region expressing interest in living or doing business in the neighborhood.

"Every day, I get a call from someone about Indian Orchard, either someone already in The Orchard who wants to figure out how to make it better, or someone outside The Orchard who wants to find out more about it — and that’s either businesses or potential homeowners," she said. "Some of the calls are from existing business owners, some who say that they’ve been thinking about sprucing up their site, but didn’t because they didn’t think anything was happening. Now that they see things going on in the building next door, they want to do something themselves."

But is there funding available for such projects?

Stebbins paused when asked that question, and admitted that there’s never as much money as planners and entrepreneurs want or need. But she said that some money remains from a $160,000 facade improvement grant, and there are some pockets of money to tap into.

The bus stop benches were the result of a grant, she said, noting that planners will have to be diligent and imaginative in their pursuit of resources. "We’re going to turn over every rock."

Building Momentum

While exploring links between Main Street and the riverfront and trying to expand the cultural offering downtown, planners will also address a number of other issues. Some, like the benches, trees, and street signs, are smaller in scope and designed to build visibility, enhance the community’s image — it is still viewed as many as a high-crime, low-income area — and improve traffic flow.

Meanwhile, there is the matter of the former Chapman Valve/Crane site, a 52-acre strip of land that has plagued the neighborhood for decades.

Old renderings of the Indian Orchard neighborhood show a small downtown area dwarfed by the massive Chapman Valve complex, where workers, mostly immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Poland, and other European countries, made valves for various industries.

The site expanded and evolved over the years — the Navy built a foundry there in the 1940s, and the complex was actually a satellite site for the Manhattan Project — and the neighborhood grew up around it. Homes now crowd a site that is largely abandoned and overgrown.

Residential development is planed for a portion of the parcel, said Stebbins, and some construction has already begun, but the fate of the building that housed the Navy foundry is still to be determined, and there are environmental hurdles to be cleared before anything can be done on the site.

In fact, it was Stebbins’ work on the Chapman Valve site — she is the city’s brownfields coordinator — that got the ball moving toward creation of a master plan for the neighborhood. "We said to ourselves, ëwhat are we going to do with this beast?’" she said.

"We worked with the neighborhood to figure out what would be a good use for the site, and eventually, the focus shifted to the whole neighborhood."

It will likely be several years before the fate of the industrial site can be resolved and a new life for that property found, said Stebbins, adding that the long view must be taken on many elements contained in the master plan.

It could be 10 to 15 years or more before many of the visions are realized, she said, noting quickly that areas like Northampton and Alexandria, Va., both great strolling areas, took years to reach their potential.

She doesn’t know how The Orchard’s mostly blank canvas will be colored in, but she is very confident that the neighborhood’s master plan won’t gather dust on a shelf, like so many before it in a number of area communities.

"It’s the enthusiasm of the residents that will keep this from getting dusty," Stebbins said, holding the document aloft. "People are very proud of this community, and they want to see something happen with it."

Branching Out

Stebbins, 33, told BusinessWest that many people her age look at The Orchard and see the ëdestination’ potential that she does. For many older residents, however, there is more skepticism. "For many of the older people who grew up here, it’s a lot harder to see what this neighborhood can be."

For the concepts outlined in the master plan to become reality, planners must get all those in the community on the same page, literally and figuratively, and begin to create some momentum for moving forward.

Progress will come a piece at a time, said Stebbins — just like that patchwork quilt.

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

Departments

Aiken, Raymond J.
163 Bosworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Alexander, David B.
Alexander, Pauline D.
164 Upper Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Amell, Jason J.
799 Southwest St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Auclair, Paul M.
153 East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Avery, Eric P.
Avery, Amanda M.
4A Sunflower Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Banning, Joseph E.
739 James St., Apt. C
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Bartlett, Judith T.
69 Westbrook Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Bartley, Nancy A.
622 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Baskerville, Ruby J.
69 Andrew St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Bates, Danielle B.
16 Carol Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Benoit, Melany Lynn
PO Box 1393
Northampton, MA 01061
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Bergeron, Monique R.
249 St. James Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Bessette, Yvon J.
359 Hampden St., 3rd Fl.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Black, Robin E.
36 Tremont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Blaney, Douglas J.
Blaney, Darlene M.
42 Manning St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Bliss, Margaret J.
4 Inward Commons
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Bourque, David A.
Bourque, Kathleen S.
15 Granger Place
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Brady, Barry H.
54 Lincoln St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Brazee, Jason A.
5 Long Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Breton, John P.
96 Channell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Brisbois, Daniel L.
210 Pearl St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Brohman, Richard D.
Brohman, Tina M.
108 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Brown, Angilene S.
22 Wellesley St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Brown, Paul A.
562 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Burke, Donna Marie
23 Saint Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Butler, Wayne E.
Butler, Crystal L.
518 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Calabrese, John P.
30 Bel-Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Camacho, Evelyn
16 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Centeno, Crusita
134 Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Chabot, Lori A.
342 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Chartier, Julie T.
269 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Christie, Donald S.
40 Smyrna St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Cichon, Mary Lou
33 Guyotte Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Clapp, Angela M.
685 Elm St., Apt. B
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/04

Clemons, Susan E.
90 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Cleveland, Florence Mary
77 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Comtois, Jane M.
49 McCarthy Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Connors, Steven C.
39 Old Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Cookish, Richard F.
Cookish, Margaret A.
3 Canton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Coombs, Carrie
373 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Courchesne, Robert R.
Courchesne, Ellen M.
1604 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Courtney, Howard W.
Courtney, Diane M.
483 Union St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/04

Craig, Michael J.
1106 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Cranson, Ralph S.
Cranson, Sharlene A.
16 West Lake St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/04

Cruz, Manuel A.
Cruz, Jaime
37 Orange St., 1st Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Cruz, Maria D.
100 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Cruz, Patricia A.
65 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Cruzado, Juan
Cruzado, Sonia
25 Talcott Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Curtis, Randall J.
Curtis, Linda M.
6 Phillip Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

DeGennaro, Regina M.
1 Woodside Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Desjardins, Nathan V.
43 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Discawicz, Dennis E.
Discawicz, Monique M.
54 West Orchard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Dodge, Billy J.
Dodge, Marrianne S.
47 St. James Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Doming, Cheryl Ann
303 Hatfield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Doming, Rene A.
303 Hatfield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Dominique, Ross J.
Dominique, Kimberly A.
478 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/24/04

Dougherty, James M.
42 York Town Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Douglas, Florence E.
73 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Downey, Scott
Downey, Mary T.
21 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Driscoll, Cheryl
52 Emmet St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Dube, Lucille M.
53 Roosevelt Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Duque, Jose H.
30 Portland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Duquette, John L.
Duquette, Heather L.
405 South St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Duval, Bruce A.
Duval, Karen E.
2 Birch Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Dwight, Kathleen M.
204 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Dwight, Tori F.
204 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Egan, John M.
44 Edward Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Feliciano, Margarita
178 Meeting House Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Ferrara, Christine A.
98 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Flathers, Linda L.
10 Pelham St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Fronrath, Roberta J.
214 Parkerview St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Gallup, Edward C.
Gallup, Suzanne L.
1557 E. Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Gamelli, Elizabeth P.
88 Smyrna St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Garcia, Carmen
253 Suffolk St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Gilbert, Nancy M.
735 Memorial Dr.
Harmony Homes
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Giordano, Edward H.
21 Gardner St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Gonzales, Henry Joseph
69 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/23/04

Gonzalez, Adilia
Gonzalez, Ernestor
346 Maple St., Apt. 3L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Gonzalez, Raul
170 Grayson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Gordon, Peter L.
Gordon, Kelly A.
40 South Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Granger, Arthur L.
Granger, Pauline A.
189 Springfield Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Gravelin, Louis J.
Gravelin, Jeanne M.
84 Bridle Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/04

Green, Chester Anthony
309 Park Ave., Apt.1R
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/04

Griffin, Kenneth J.
Griffin, Beth I.
165 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Guthrie, Lorraine E.
832 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/04

Guyette, Herbert C.
2575 Boston Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Guyton, Cindy D.
183 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/04

Hampton, William
90 Northridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Hannum, Peter D.
PO Box 129
Whately, MA 01093
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Hansmann, James F.
Hansmann, Gail G.
54 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/07/04

Harris, Linda P.
26 Groton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Hendricks, Edward D.
Hendricks, Christel A.
1421 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Hernandez-Martinez, Rita
142 Cherry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Hiltbrand, Amy L.
69 Pochassic St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Ho, Tuequang
116 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Hulla, Virginia
35 Beston St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Iwanicki, Joan M.
431 Parker St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Jackson, Cheryl L.
52 Gillette Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Jedziniak, Robert F.
Jedziniak, Linda M.
370 Mill Valley Road
Trailor 3B
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Jordan-Bivins, Sally S.
35 Prospect St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Joyce, John T.
52 Echo Valley Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Karowski, Joan Ann
6 Appletree Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Kellogg, Patricia A.
289 Lower Sandy Hill Road
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/04

Kendall, Donald P.
114 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

King, Grace B.
10B Kasper Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Krueger, Karl G.
98 Riverboat Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Kuzmeski, Melissa N.
32 Emerald Place
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Labrecque, Kathryn Marie
49 Day St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Labrecque, Peter Girerd
37 Day St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Lacasse, Douglas T.
5 Cottage Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

LaFleur, Robert E.
LaFleur, Diane L.
38 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/04

Lafrance, Thomas A.
30 Greenleaf St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Lage, James M.
Lage, Cynthia S.
35 Sunset Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Lagimonier, Robert R.
Lagimonier, Christine P.
12 Melvin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Lamontagne, Stella L.
86 Cuff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Landry, Phyllis J.
805 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Ledesma, Julian P.
11 High Meadow Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Lucio, John A.
Lucio, Charlene M.
181 Sewall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Lusignan, Yvon J.
33 Homer Ave., Apt. 7
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Maciolek, Thomas S.
66 Walsh St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Malanson, Virginia Marie
89 Alfred Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Maldonado, Ramon
42 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Mangold, Cheryl L.
236 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Marshall, Alden E.
97 Grape St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Martinez, Nansy
62 Worcester Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Maynard, Leah K.
221 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Mayo, Wayne R.
27 Clayton Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

McCarthy, Charles
44 Alvord Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/14/04

McGoldrick, Robert S.
127 Rugby Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

McIntyre, Kathleen J.
155 Pearl St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Mead, Melany L.
432 South Branch Parkway
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Mecteau, Wayne L.
Mecteau, Denise D.
45 Partridge Lane
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Medina, Israel
200 Oak St., 1st Fl.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Melendez, Ruben
164 Maynard St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Menard, Terry
18 Johnson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Messier, Frank W.
Messier, Colleen A.
174 Southwick St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Milar, William T.
Milar, Lynn A.
44 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Molin, Michelle M.
164 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Monette, Aimee Phyllis
77 Hanover St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Montalvo, Carmen M.
1447 Dwight St., Apt. 2L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Moody, Nelson M.
840 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Moore, James K.
Moo
e, Glenn C.
PO Box 80415
Springfield, MA 01138
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Moore, Linda G.
80 Yorktown Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Moran, Kimberly A.
79 Malibu Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Morin, Paul J.
Morin, Lisa Ann
107 Norman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/04

Morin, Phillip J.
Morin, Susan M.
23F Castle Hills Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Morith, Bradford J.
71 South Prospect St., Room 10
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Moye, Daniel
55 Pleasant St.
Granby, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/23/04

Nareau, Lawrence L.
4 Clinton Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/19/04

Neale, Marie Doris Beatri
26 Meadow St., Apt. 1
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Nieves, Eunice J.
81 Washburn St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Nieves, Jose E.
51 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Orren, Ellen B.
26 Tioga St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Osgood, Richard M.
Osgood, Nancy J.
36 Duclos Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Otero, Luis H.
Otero, Maria I.
37 Spring St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Ouellette, Beverly J.
P.O. Box 237
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Ouellette, Theresa
21 Scantic Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Owens, Ruth
25 Queen St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Paez, Pablo
128 Mill St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Page, William C.
741 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Pandolfi, Andrew J.
PO Box 574
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Papuga, Donald
Papuga, Karen V.
59 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Parker, Mary G.
16 Washington St., Apt. 210
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Passidakis, Nicholas M.
452 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Patel, Maheshwari
27 Lyman St., Apt. 609
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Perez, Jose A.
13 Yvonne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Petrucci, Kelly L.
73 Barrett St., Apt. 3076
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Pike, Sarah
50 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Pinero, Juana
98 Division St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Provo, Diane Marie
53 Highland Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Quesnal, Brian R.
350 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Quintier, Rita A.
225 Fairlawn St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Rice, Marcus W.
311Main St
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Richard, Jason Philip
70 Burford Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Rivera, Angel L.
Rivera, Juana
102 Lowell St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Rivera, Luis A.
Rivera, Lizette
48 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Rivera, Ramon L.
424 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Rivera, Rosa E.
215 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Rivers, Michelle L.
744 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Robert A. Koch Industries Inc.
115 Williamsburg Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Roberts, Carol J.
12 Meadow St., Apt. 2
Wesfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Roberts, Cecile E.
46 Loretta St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/04

Roberts, Jo-Anne R.
27 Silver St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Robinson, Lisa A.
30 Williams St., Apt. A
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Rodriguez, Juana
2295 Main St., Apt. 36
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Rodriguez, Marilyn
844 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/18/04

Roe, Deborah A.
83 Vann St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Rogers, Evelyn L.
PO Box 952
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/04

Rogers, Kimberley A.
55 Maple St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Rogers, Nancy R.
PO Box 952
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/26/04

Roldan, Brant D.
245 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/09/04

Rollins, John K.
114 Hampden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Romani, Thomas D.
Romani, Lisa A.
26 Merrick St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Salazar, Olga
46 Orange St., 1st Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Salicrup, Emma N.
2 Northern Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Sanchez, Marilu
136 Sargent St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Santana, Carlos
16 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Santiago, Edwin Medina
253 Suffolk St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Savides, Gena M.
59 New Ludlow Road
Apt. 16C
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Scarfo, Paula J
3 Scarfo Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Scavotto, David R.
Scavotto, Katerina V.
45 Cricket Road
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Scholpp, Lizbeth A.
97 Ashley St., 2nd Fl.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Sears, Michelle M.
241 Pheland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Semb, Krisinda S.
61 Kensington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Shah, Javed A
104 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Shattuck, Jason T.
73 School St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Shetty, Shekar T.
25 Arlington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Siano, Anthony
110 Whittum Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/02/04

Silva, Ana L.
43 Van Buren Ave., Apt. A
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/31/04

Smigiel, Shawn P.
1169 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Son, Raith P.
60 Lovell St., Apt. 2
Worcester, MA 01068
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Soto, Joseta
55 Empire St., Apt. 36
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Starks, Waleska
54 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Streeter, Candice Y.
22 Lessey St., Apt. 101
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Stuart, Jennifer C.
174 Hendrick St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Sullivan, Thomas C.
Sullivan, Suzanne P.
15 Julia Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Swayger, Thomas C.
153 Pleasant St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Tessier-Brown, Denise
562 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Tetreault, Mary Ann
5 Muzzy St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/04

Thibodeau, Ralph L.
Thibodeau, Alice C.
187 Theroux Dr.,12B
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Thomas, Beverley N.
4 Daytona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/14/04

Vanzant, Charles
42 Sycamore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Vargas, Edgardo L.
178 Pendleton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/16/04

Vera, Eduardo
46 Orange St., 1st Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Villani, Elizabeth A.
18 Ledgewood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/25/04

Vivenzio, Terri A.
370 Mill Valley Road
Lot 49-45
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/22/04

Vo, Sean T.
90 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/01/04

Walker, Bertha
42-44 Sycamore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Wall, Scott D.
Wall, Gail M.
166 Haven Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/04

Weibel, Mia R.
151 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/14/04

White, David B.
White, Kimberly L.
19 Rogers Ave.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Williamson, Eddie J.
45 McKnight St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/29/04

Wilson, Curtis
Wilson, Alice
76 Hood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/17/04

Wood, Larry Allan
Wood, Sheila Gail
49 Taylor Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Yergeau, Richard J.
Yergeau, Theresa A.
151 Kerry Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/04

Young, Ruth A.
East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/04

Zayas, Elizabeth
14 Clantoy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/12/04

Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2004.

AGAWAM

Advanced Tactics & Firearms
14 Twoifby St
James Markowski

Car Perfections
74 Regency Park Dr.
Christopher Rollin

Colcord Coatings
585 South West St.
Christopher Colcord

Fortune 500 Group
743 Suffield St.
David Bonice Jr.

Muttis Sheet Metal
224 North St.
Gary Mutti

R. Holmes Construction
1004 Shoemaker Lane
Randy Holmes

Scott Mitchell
67 Coyote Circle
Scott Mitchell

Town Motors II
393 Main St.
Richard Melloni Jr. and Sr.

AMHERST

Danielle’s Accessing
155 Summit St.
Danielle Dillon

Espresso Time
162 Wildflower Dr.
Thomas Suchodolski

Herbal Commerce, LLC
1261 East Main St.
David Roy

Music Awareness
256 North Pleasant St.
Paul Bennett

Webmaster Commerce, LLC
1261 South East St.
David Roy

CHICOPEE

B & D Couriers
618 Chicopee St.
Warren Patridge

Bill of All Trades
543 Montgomery St.
William Glinka Jr.

CCA Painting Service
16 Nelson St.
Charles Arsenault

Country Kettle Cafe
129 Broadway St.
Joan Masaitis

DSD Carpentry
13 Alden St.
Sergey Durnev

Health Claim Billing
Services
956 Granby Road
Brenda Bacon

Jennifer Nail
151 Broadway St.
Ngo Hieu

MJ Nails
1893 Memorial Dr.
Chau Quach

Paradise Pizza
67 Springfield St.
Sezgin Turan

Sweetwater Cycles
66 Willmont St.
Daniel Kandilakis

Twins Variety
112 Ducharme St.
Amir Papacha

EAST LONGMEADOW

Americare Inc.
174 North Main St.
Gail Tori

Employment Essentials
94 Tanglewood Dr.
Carol Martin

Mary-Jane Kelly
143 Shaker Road
Mary-Jane Kelly

Panera Bread
450 North Main St.
P.R. Restaurant LLC

Subway
24 Shaker Road
Jim Ho Inc.

Vulcan USA
31 Lomox St.
Joseph Reale

HADLEY

Blades Lawnmower Services
122 Middle St.
Thomas Waskiewicz

Lean Business Services
77 Lawrence Plain Road
Richard Brighenti

Little Bird Daycare
341 River Road
Stacey Mushinski

Pioneer Valley Upholstery
3 Railroad St.
Jeffrey Kris

River Valley Realty Services
114 Bay Road
Timothy Murphy

HOLYOKE

McDermott’s Soft Serve
49 Ely St.
James McDermott

Neoteric Ventures
18 Manorhouse Road
David Peters

Piercing Pagoda
50 Holyoke St.
Mary Curington

Racing Mart
183 West Franklin St.
Bhikkbbai Patel

Revon Management
155 Beech St.
Antoine Kennedy

Shell Gas
225 Whiting Farms Road
Neil Tierney

SKDL Design
257 Homestead Ave.
Debra Ragoonanan

Tony’s Auto Sales
800 High St.
Anthony Trabal

Tony’s Shop
153 Sargeant St.
Virgen Lopez

Whitley’s Fitness Center
354 High St.
Dwayne Whitley

LONGMEADOW

AMS
23 Duxbury Lane
Andrew Sherman

Caren & Company
682 Bliss Road
Caren DeMarche

Coughlin’s Concrete & Masonary Inc.
1066 Frank Smith Road
Jeffrey Coughlin

North Star Benchmark
362 Converse St.
Michael Batchelor

The Sports Connection
55 Cambridge Circle
Penny Sotiropoulos

Zap Electric
785 Williams St., #181
James Jaron

NORTHAMPTON

Butcher & Briggs
100 Ryan Road
James Butcher

Doomsday Promotions
161 South St.
Katherine Livingston

Gems & Jewelry by Bobs
167 South St.
Robert Marston

Good Thyme Deli
186 Main St.
Dar V. Cote-Houghton

Homeworks
18 Ridgewood Ter.
Lori Steiner

Inspiration Soaps
38 Coolidge Ave.
Victoria Munroe

Kosmo Enterprises
53 Middle St.
Michael Koramiersky

Lisa Scollan Fine Art/Illustration
221 Pine St.
Lisa Scollan


New York Shop Exchange
26 Stronge Road
Marcia Hawkins

Noema Development
47 Pleasant St.
Shannon Baily

Northampton Medical Spa
163 Conz St.
Roger Allcroft

Sid Vintage
18 Crafts Ave.
Alix Westburg, Jill Boyce

Signs & Such
2 Easthampton Road
Gregg Lambert

Sparkles Cleaning Service
25 Finn St.
Carmen Santiago

Two Joys!
2 Mountain Laurel Path
Susan Martins

Valley Free
285 Pleasant St.
Joshua Whiting

Whiting Energy Fuels
3004 Park St.
Richard Whiting Jr.

SOUTH HADLEY

Choice Property
Enhancement
15 Harvard St.
Sheri Green

Liberty Installations
240 Brainard St.
Richard Liberty

SPRINGFIELD

ADT Specialties
75 Westbrook St.
Alan Welch

Amsterdams
172 Main St.
Ken Davis

A Touch of Class Remodeling
14 Irvington St.
Eddie Alicea

Brad Convenience Store
494 Central St.
Chantel Kouoh

Chinese Gift Shop
249 Belmont Ave.
Life Science Corp.

Creative Remodeling
61 Canal Road
Stanley Glad

Gray Enterprises
419 St. James Ave.
McGuire LLC

Heavenly Home Care
327 Franklin St.
T. Dixon

JC’s Enterprises
159 Partyka St.
Joseph Cleereman

Jasran Construction
1080 Worcester St.
Randy Wilson

MTR Auto Detailing
58 Montgomery St.
Matthew Rogalski

NJ Rehab
112 Belvidere St.
Ismael Medina

Nuevavida Systems
1655 Main St.
Gilberto Amedor

Picture Perfect
51 Lumae St.
Michael Parent

Subway
374 Cooley St.
JJSKD Inc.

UBC Surface Specialties
750 Worcester St.
Surface Specialties Inc.

US Transit Co.
34-40 Front St.
Steven Burnham

Unique Ryders Motorcycle Club
64 Joseph St.
Gary Alvarez

Wounded Lamb Ministries
77 Parkside St.
Rafael Riviera

You Body Spa Salon
1655 Main St.
Rebecca Ruiz

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Barbara Belz
2260 Westfield St.
Barbara Belz

Cori’s K9 Clip
242 Elm St.
Cori Napolitan

Custom Railing Tech. Inc.
117 Allston Ave.
Armand Cote

e Biz Opz
24 Glenview Dr.
Robert Clark

Euroimage
1616 Riverdale St.
Edward Korol

Guyette Framing & Home Improvement
76 Lombra Road
Christopher Guyette

Hampden County Cycle
117 Allston Ave.
Bryan Cote

I-Deal Solutions
39 Larone Ave.
Carl Theriault

Jobber’s Auto Electric
26 Mulberry St.
John Phillips

North Garden Inc.
42 Myron St.
Gilbert Lee

PPI Professional Pool Installations
249 Westfield St.
Patrick Durham

Ron’s Income Tax Service
454 Main St.
Roland Navone

St. Pierre Enterprises
174 Robinson Road
Robert St. Pierre

Sorrento Pizza of West Springfield Inc.
600 Kings Highway
N. Albano

Soundworks Mobile Disc Jockeys
27 Park Ave., Apt. 17
Sean Callahan

Tomas Stanelis
178 River St., Apt. 3
Tomas Stanelis

WESTFIELD

A & G Transport
241 East Main St.
Andrey Krasun

Bodysmart
48 Elm St.
Colleen Campbell, Thomas Keenan

Celebrations
24 Western Ave.
Ammeris Riviera, Tiffany Kingsley

Cheryl’s Trucking
567 Pochassic Road
James Treadwell

Diver Down Computers
25 Highland Dr.
Joe Popielzrczyk

EZ Tech Group Inc.
39 Cranston St.
Jason Gates

Estate Accents
370 Southwick Road
Jane Watras

Everest Communications
33 Plantation Cir.
Molly Watsol

The Gavel Dili
243 Elm St.
Edward Tyburski

Home Grown Art
26 Cedar Lane
Michellene Cyr, Peter Cyr

Joe’s Mobile Auto Repair
5 City View Blvd.
Joe Martin

Old Time Auto Body & Repair
932 Russell St.
Mary Johnson

Simple Treasures
95 Pineridge Dr.
Marilia Santos

Westfield Variety & Deli
57 Southwick Road
Pravinbhai Patel

Features
Since he arrived at Baystate Medical Center 12 years ago and assumed the title of president, Mark Tolosky has made it a habit to attend the facility’s twice-monthly new-employee-orientation sessions. He says he does so to "put a face" on the massive health care system, and share with the newcomers his thoughts on the values and goals he considers most important. It’s part of a personal approach to management that Tolosky, now CEO of Baystate Health System and the subject of this month’s CEO Profile, owes to a childhood spent in a tiny mining town in upstate New York, and the lessons he learned from the people who carved out a life there.

Baystate Medical Center is the second-largest health care facility in the state. More than 5,000 people work there, and 1,000 physicians administer care to the thousands of people who visit the complex every day.

This is a city unto itself, one that is a world — make that several worlds — away from the place where Mark Tolosky, CEO of the Baystate system, grew up and eventually developed a special interest in health care.

That place is Lyon Mountain, N.Y., an iron-ore-mining town in the Adirondacks near the Canadian border. Its claim to fame is that the cables in the Golden Gate Bridge were made with ore from the Republic Steel mine that gave the community its identity. When Tolosky grew up here in the ’50s, the town’s population was 900, and dominated by Poles, Lithuanians, and other Eastern Europeans who worked hard to support their families.

"Everybody knew everybody, and life was really simple," said Tolosky, who would become an Eagle Scout and an athletic star at the town’s tiny high school. "It was very close-knit, and everyone looked out for each other. I could walk down the street and tell you who lived in every house."

Tolosky, the subject of this month’s CEO Profile, takes the same approach to his responsibilities within the Baystate system, where he succeeded longtime CEO Mike Daly in January. He practices what he calls a very personal style of management, despite the size of the facility and the scope of his responsibilities.

For example, Tolosky often hand-delivers complimentary letters he receives about employees from patients and reads them to the individual in front of his or her co-workers. Meanwhile, he still attends many of the company’s bi-weekly new-employee- orientation meetings.

"I like to meet and greet the new employees and talk about values … I want to put a face on the organization," he said, noting that he started attending the sessions soon after he arrived at Baystate in 1992. "I also want to let them know that the leaders that are making decisions about this organization live and work in the community, and you can see them, touch them, and converse with them."

Tolosky assumes the helm of the Baystate system at a very challenging time for this industry. He told BusinessWest that providers are being stretched to the very limits of their capabilities and imaginations, and he doesn’t believe the health care system can maintain itself much longer without meaningful reform.

"I know people have been saying that for the past several years, but it’s clear to me that we can’t keep going in this direction," he said. "There is a fundamental belief among people who know this business well that the course we’re on is not sustainable.

"There are 600,000 uninsured people in this state now — that’s equivalent to the population of the city of Boston," he continued. "The data is looking continually troublesome, and when you factor in the aging population, the Baby Boomers who are reaching retirement age, and the unbelievable advances coming in technology and interventions in pharamaceuticals, and there’s a mismatch between what our capabilities are going to be and what society may want to commit to."

The problems facing health care are so acute and so numerous that, when asked what he would do if he had a proverbial magic wand, Tolosky said leaders in this industry have pondered that very question, and have come to the conclusion that there are no easy answers or quick fixes.

He said that, if possible, the process would begin with a national dialogue about what people expect from the nation’s health care system, and whether they’re willing to pay for that care.

"In the absence of the war on terror, health care will be, over the next five to seven years, the single biggest state and national political issue," he said, adding that while the presidential candidates have been relatively quiet on the subject to date, that will soon change. "I’m very frustrated with some elected officials who have a very short-term view and are simply not dealing with the very predictable long-term consequences of the track that we’re on."

In a wide-ranging interview, Tolosky talked about the challenges facing the health care sector, his short- and long-term goals for Baystate, and how his upbringing shaped his leadership style.

Lessons in Caring

Tolosky told BusinessWest that he was first drawn into health care, and first considered it as a profession, after listening to the stories told by a longtime friend of his father who managed a small hospital in Southern New York.

"Our families would see each other in the summertime … I would listen to him talk about health care and became intrigued," he said. "When I finally went to visit his hospital, I was absolutely fascinated by what was behind the walls.

"Until that time, when I thought of hospitals, I thought of doctors and nurses," he continued, "but this visit really opened my eyes; I was fascinated by all the different types of people, the different disciplines, how complex the processes were, and the overall business aspect of a hospital. It caught my attention."

Tolosky attended schools in Lyon Mountain (there was one building for all 12 grades) before his father was transferred to another community in New York after the mine closed in the late ’60s in the face of heavy foreign competition. He later went on to attend State University of New York in Binghampton, and then Xavier College in Cincinnati, where he earned a master’s degree in Hospital and Health Care Administration.

After serving as an administrative resident at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Tolosky took his first job at Franklin Square Hospital in Baltimore. He started as assistant director, moved up to associate director, and later to senior vice president.

During his stint at Franklin Square, Tolosky devoted three summers and countless nights to pursuit of a law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law, and at one time had a small private practice.

"I always enjoyed law, and I think it really helped me develop my analytical skills and my writing and speaking," he said, adding that while he considered joining a large law firm and specializing in health care, he ultimately decided that he would stay in hospital administration. "I enjoyed management, and I enjoyed being part of an organization and leading it, and in 1980 I made a very deliberate decision to stay the course."

From Franklin Square, Tolosky moved on to Faulkner Hospital in Boston, which he served first as chief operating officer and later as president and CEO. In 1987, he took a job as executive vice president of Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge.

Tolosky told BusinessWest that he greatly enjoyed his work at Mount Auburn, and had no intentions of leaving there. But Daly and others actively recruited him for the position of CEO of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president of the Baystate system.

In the end, it was an opportunity to work at a bigger system and a chance to stay close to his family in New York, and thus it was an offer he didn’t want to refuse.

"I wasn’t going to go to Texas or Florida or California," he said. "My whole family is from Albany north, and my wife’s family is also in New York, and our families are very important to us."

And while Tolosky was soon on a track to succeed Daly, he wasn’t thinking that far ahead when he made the decision to come to Springfield. "You never go somewhere for the next job, because something can, and often does, go wrong," he said. "I came here for the job I was hired for."

Getting Personal

That job evolved considerably over the years, he said, noting that, while he was charged with administering Baystate Medical Center, he also had a system role. He was involved, for example, in the broad care delivery system that includes Franklin Medical Center, Mary Lane Hospital, and the Visiting Nurse Association. He was later assigned academic affairs, research, and information technology.

"The scope of my role kept getting more pervasive — bigger, broader, deeper — and that happened over a period of many years," he said, adding that the depth of his responsibilities left him well-positioned when, about three years ago, Daly initiated the process of selecting a successor.

That search process morphed into what became a lengthy transition period that Tolosky described as "remarkably smooth," in part because of the careful planning that went into it, but also because the two leaders share many of the same visions and management philosophies.

When asked for a job description for the CEO of a system of Baystate’s size, Tolosky said that individual obviously helps to shape a vision for the institution and is intricately involved with putting together the business plans for meeting goals and objectives. But the bigger assignment, perhaps, is setting a tone for how work will be carried out and how care will be delivered.

"I think that’s an important role — determining what this leadership team stands for, and what kind of organization we’re going to be," he said. "Are you going to be driven purely by the numbers, or are you going to be a compassionate organization?

"The CEO puts the stamp on the values of the organization and answers the question: what do you stand for?" he continued. "And how do you, as a CEO, project that in real life, on an hourly basis, in how you conduct your work?"

Tolosky answered his own question by saying that he takes a decidedly personal approach to what he does. Attending new-employee-orientation meetings is part of the equation, but the work continues after the individual is hired.

"I make a deliberate, concentrated effort, which I thoroughly enjoy, of making phone calls to thank people for things," he said. "I send notes, and I hand-deliver complimentary letters to staff members. Those are just some of the ways that I like to personalize my work and not be remote; I think it’s very important to be visible."

As for Baystate’s short- and long-term future, Tolosky said he will work in conjunction with the system’s board and other members of the management team to shape a strategic plan. Long-term planning is more difficult than ever given the current climate in health care, he said, but health care systems can project a few years out and plan accordingly.

"You can’t stop thinking mid- to long-term, but you can wait on your specific commitments as long as you can to make sure you have the best sense of the environment," he explained. "We’re always thinking out and looking at demographic trends; we have a five- to seven- to 10-year look, and we keep translating that back into three-year goals and then one-year objectives. We have a multi-layering of how we look at the world.

"Overall, we need to evolve," he continued. "That’s because there’s a natural migration of procedures and technology to community hospitals and physicians’ offices. We need to keep climbing up the sophistication scale, so that we’re differentiated. If we just sat back and we didn’t change over the next eight to 10 years, a lot of our business would go right out the front door."

Critical Condition

As he talked about the situation facing health care providers today, Tolosky spoke as both the CEO of Baystate and the immediate past president of the Mass. Hospital Assoc. In that role, he pressed the case for all the hospitals in the Commonwealth, and became keenly aware of the political, economic, and logistical challenges facing those now seeking reform of the current system.

"The bigger view of the industry is very troubling," he said, "and it doesn’t appear that the political ambition to take this on is there — at either the state or federal level. We learned with the Clinton administration that a wholesale change in the health care system is not something that is embraced by most Americans."

Summarizing the problem facing the health care industry today, Tolosky said medicine is advancing at a phenomenal pace. New technology and new pharmaceuticals are improving the quality of care that can be provided and, in most cases, the quality of life of individuals receiving that care.

The big problem, of course, is how to pay for it all. Americans want and expect the best, but they are also reluctant or, in many cases, unable to pay for it, said Tolosky, and neither the government nor private insurance companies are moving to pick up that cost.

Reimbursements from public and private payers continue to fall, said Tolosky, while, in the case of insurance companies, double-digit increases in premiums have been placed on individuals and businesses.

There are other problems, as well, starting with shortages of many health care professionals, especially nurses, and lack of any real solution to the problem. In fact, in many areas, including Western Mass., there are more people trying to get into nursing programs than there are seats in the classrooms.

Meanwhile, the environment for physicians has become increasingly uninviting, especially in Massachusetts, said Tolosky. They face reimbursement problems of their own, coupled with skyrocketing malpractice rates that are driving them out of the state or into retirement.

And for facilities like Baystate, there is another issue to contend with — capital, or lack thereof. "When we look at some of the great things that are coming to the marketplace, as well as our need to rebuild some of our facilities, our tremendous need for information technology, and capital equipment to take care of patients, it’s going to be a real challenge to afford all that — and we’re one of the three strongest organizations in the state," he said. "Some smaller institutions just have no access to capital."

Add it all up, and it’s not a pretty picture, he said, adding that many in the industry have trouble even deciding where and how to begin fixing the system.

"When you talk about waving a magic wand, or asking people what they would do to solve the problem, that’s the question that causes the best and the brightest people to glaze over," he said. "What should we do? That question is so big, so interdependent, so complex, no one can take three minutes and say, ’this will fix our health system.’"

Tolosky told BusinessWest that, while waiting for that larger solution, elected leaders should refrain from quick fixes, which is how he categorized the national drug legislation that was recently passed.

"I think there’s going to be a revolt in this country by seniors when they figure out what this national pharmacy benefit is and what it isn’t," he said. "The average American thinks it’s first dollar, every dollar that’s covered by this proposal, and that’s not what it is — that’s nowhere near what it is, and that’s why I think that issue will get revisited, and soon."

Healthy Approach

Tolosky admitted that he certainly doesn’t know everyone at the Baystate Medical Center, let alone the rest of the system, on a first-
ame basis. But he knows many of them, and can usually recognize people by face and the department they work in.

He’s delivered letters from patients to some of these employees, and he’s met hundreds of others at new-employee-orientation sessions. When asked how and why he takes such a personal approach, Tolosky replies simply, ’that’s me … that’s how I was brought up."

It’s a style of management that has put Tolosky at the helm of the largest Massachusetts health care facility west of Boston, and one of the Top 100 hospitals in the country. It’s also made him Lyon Mountain’s other claim to fame, besides the cables in the Golden Gate Bridge.

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

Opinion
Richard Goyette was sworn into office as Chicopee mayor in January after surviving a close (350-vote) race with former mayor Joseph Chessey. He assumes the corner office at a time when Chicopee remains in an expansion mode, with a new high school nearing completion, a new city library set to open, and Wal-Mart planning to come to Memorial Drive. These are all projects set in motion during the administration of Richard Kos, who is credited with taking Chicopee, the region’s second-largest city, out of the doldrums and putting it on the road to sound fiscal health and economic vitality. Goyette, who served on the Board of Aldermen during the Kos years, says his predecessor built a solid foundation. Now, he wants to build a house on top of it. BusinessWest talked with the new mayor about his goals for the city, his strategies for reaching them, and his thoughts on everything from Wal-Mart to a planned women’s prison.

BusinessWest:Before we get into a deep discussion about business, economic development, and your vision for Chicopee, tell us why you wanted this job, and at this time in your life and career.

Goyette:"This is something I’ve always had an interest in. I told my wife this, and when Mayor Kos announced that he was not going to run, she and I sat down and had a long talk about it. I didn’t want to look back 20 years from now and say, ’would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.’ Being mayor is something I always wanted to do, and this was my opportunity."

BusinessWest:You’re following Kos, a man who is credited with having not only vision, but the ability to make that vision reality. Is he a hard act to follow?

Goyette:"He is. He did a wonderful job for the city. He built a wonderful foundation — not only with the city’s finances but with a number of projects across the city — and now I’m hoping to build a house on top of that foundation."

BusinessWest:What did you do in the private sector, and do you believe any of those experiences will help you handle the duties of being mayor?

Goyette:"I was sales manager at the Springfield Sheraton for a few years, and before that I was in the aerospace industry; I was in charge of manufacturing at a company called Fountain Plating in West Springfield. After Sept. 11, things in the aerospace industry took a real nosedive, so I took a career change. And I really think my job as a sales manager will help me here. When you’re in the hospitality industry, customer service is important — you have to deal with people on a one-to-one basis. It’s very similar when you’re mayor; I’m basically the salesman for the city.

BusinessWest:How else would you define your responsibilities in this position? Give us your job description.

Goyette:"The mayor is the chief executive officer, so obviously, you have to make a number of financial decisions. Beyond that, though, the mayor sets the agenda and tries to move forward with a vision for the city and what it should be. I’ve lived in Chicopee most of my life — I’m the fourth generation of my family living in the same house in Aldenville — and I have a vested interest in this city. I want businesses to locate here, I want to see investment in my community, and I’m the point person for that."

BusinessWest:Speaking of moving agendas forward, what are your priorities when it comes to economic development in Chicopee?

Goyette:"Like every community in the area, we want to attract companies that are going to bring good-paying jobs. We’ve had some good success stories in the past few years — Channel 22, Williams Distributing, MassMutual’s conference center, and some businesses in the Westover industrial parks. We want to build on that. We have an attractive location, and we have some places for companies to go. There are some lots left in the Westover parks, and we have the Chicopee River Technology Park, as well.

"In addition to attracting new, larger companies, we want to take in some smaller companies and give them the space to get to that next stage. There is room in Cabotville for this type of development. I know Springfield has been successful with very small businesses in the STCC incubator; we’re looking at trying to market Cabotville and some of our other old mills as the place to take the next step — when a company outgrows its space in a smaller facility, we want it to think about Chicopee."

BusinessWest:Wal-Mart is coming to town in the former Fairfield Mall complex. What does this mean for Chicopee and for Memorial Drive?

Goyette:"I think this is going to work out very well for this city. One of the biggest complaints that I hear from people is that they live in the second-largest city in the region, but they have to go to Holyoke or Springfield to do their shopping. There are no major stores here. Wal-Mart is just going to be the start. There is room at the site for six small boxes, and I think you’ll see a lot of interest on the part of major retailers — our first national chain, the Ninety Nine, is going into the spot in front of the old mall.

"This development is also going to bring more people into Chicopee; it’s going to be a huge boost for the businesses currently there. Because of its location just off the Turnpike, it’s very accessible, and people will be coming to Memorial Drive who haven’t come that way in the past. I think this will develop the same way Riverdale Road did — first you had Home Depot, and then Costco, and it took off. Now, you have Chili’s, an Outback, and a lot of other restaurants. We’re expecting similar things.

BusinessWest:Is that good or bad? Can Memorial Drive handle the kind of development that’s being talked about? Are there fears that you could have traffic problems similar to those seen on Riverdale Road?

Goyette:"I think it’s good. People want to spend their dollars in their own community. As far as the traffic goes, I think we have a better arrangement than Riverdale Road — there’s better access and better traffic flow. Once Wal-Mart is in place and those box stores fill up, things are really going to take off; it will be great for our tax base and great for our residents, and it will provide jobs.

BusinessWest:Chicopee is an industrial city that has many large employers. But is fast running out of developable land. What does this mean, and how can the city continue to attract jobs with this apparent handicap?

Goyette:"As our land gets filled up, we’re going to look at redevelopment of existing buildings and underutilized parcels. One site we’re looking at for the long term is the former Uniroyal complex and the adjacent Facemate property (see related story, page 22). There are some environmental concerns, but down the road, this will become space that we can utilize."

BusinessWest:Plans to build a women’s prison at the site of the former canine control center are now on hold due to the state’s budget problems. Most people don’t think of a prison as economic development, but you and your predecessor both believe this is an opportunity for Chicopee. Why?

Goyette:"It does represent economic development — it’s going to bring jobs, probably 100 or more, into the city. And that project brings a number of infrastructure improvements with it. There are plans for a major reconstruction of Center Street from the Springfield line to downtown. That project is on a separate track from the jail, but, realistically, it won’t happen until the jail does."

BusinessWest:Is there a new timetable for the jail?

Goyette:"Not that I’m aware of. The state is currently conducting a needs assessment of its correctional facilities, and doesn’t want to spend money on projects like this if it doesn’t have to. Obviously, we’re hoping this project gets back on track."

BusinessWest:Unlike many cities and town in this region, and especially Springfield, Chicopee is in good fiscal health. How did it get that way, and how will you keep the city on that course?

Goyette:"Four or five years ago, the mayor and the Board of Aldermen worked on a lot of things, and while many communities were just handing out things and creating new jobs — like Springfield adding 100 new police officers — we were tightening our belts and looking at the situation and saying, ’the good times aren’t going to last forever — we need to save for a rainy day and put some money away.’

"When I took office as an alderman, the stabilization fund had $5,000 in it. Now, it’s got $10.5 million. Obviously, we worked very hard to do that, and now that times are tougher, we may not be able to save a lot of money. We may have to continue to scale back, but at least we have that cushion."

BusinessWest:What else do you have on your to-do list?

Goyette:"One of the projects in front of us is redevelopment of the old (current) Chicopee High School. When we move into the new one this fall, we’re going to have a very large, vacant building on our hands. We’re looking at combining some city departments in there, or perhaps a senior center, or even moving the school administration offices in there. There’s a lot of consolidation that can take place, and a lot of options for us to look at.

"Ultimately, I think we’re looking at mixed uses for that building, and there are a lot of things we have to take a look at. That’s why the city is paying to have a facilities study done of all city buildings, including the schools, City Hall, any municipal building. Once we get that back, then we can determine what our options and priorities are, and decide where and how to spend money on these buildings. To this point, we’ve never had something like this; we’ve traditionally waited until something is broken and then found the money to fix it."

BusinessWest:You’re wrapping up those proverbial ’first 100 days in office.’ What has the experience been like? Is being mayor about what you expected when you decided to run for the seat?

Goyette:"It was a real advantage to me to be on the Board of Aldermen for six years, two years as president. I had a chance to work with a lot of the department heads and cope with the issues the city was confronted with; I was part of the process, and as a result I had a pretty good handle on things.

"That said, there’s a lot to do, and much of it is things that people don’t see or fully appreciate. People don’t see the nights, the weekends, and the events you’re expected to attend — the Boy Scouts, the banquets, the church services … there’s so much, and people expect to see the mayor there; it’s part of the job, and an important part.

BusinessWest:How long do you think you want to do this?

Goyette:"I just got here, so it’s really hard to say how long I might want to keep this job. I hope it’s a while. I very much enjoy the job, but it puts some constraints on how much time I can spend with my wife and family — I have two children and five stepchildren. We’ve tried to make this experience fun for the kids. During the campaign, they would come out and hold signs … it was a learning experience for them in how government works; it’s one thing to go in the classroom and talk about how people get elected, but it’s another thing to be part of the process."

BusinessWest:One more question: You’re one of the very few Republican mayors in this state. Is that going to help you or the city in any way?

Goyette:"The governor and I are on a first-name basis, but I’m not sure being a Republican is going to be a big help. But at the moment, it doesn’t hurt, either."

Departments

Abdow, Joseph J.
314 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Adorno, Miguel A.
75 Braddock St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Albano, Carl
50 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Alicea, Eddie
14 Irvington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Alicea, Yasmin L.
14 Irvington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Altimo, David
67 Euclid St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/29/04

Alves, Francisco M.
621 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Amato, Jamie L.
305 Main St., Apt. 4
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/24/04

Annino, Charles J.
31 Mill St., 2nd Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/04

Annino, Louis J.
Annino, Denise J.
107 Farnham Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Antonuzzo, Deborah Lynn
PO Box 418
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/04

Arbelaez, Carlos A.
31 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Arnold Ward, Kathleen M.
26 Luden St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Arroyo, Braulio
57 Bevier St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Barnes, Tammy L.
577 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/04

Barry, Robert K.
Barry, Beth A.
82 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Bass, Eric M.
127 Emerald Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Belton, Wynter P.
10 Home St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Beyer, David Robert
31A Cottage Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Binkley, Kathleen A.
95 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Birriel, Carlos
8 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Bolduc, Brandon J.
10 Welland Road
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Bonzagni, Francis A
12 Herrick Place
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Boucher, Donna J.
93 Hewitt St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Bragg, Stephen W.
113 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Brinkmann, Holly A
2F Mansion Woods Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Brodeur, Donald A.
Brodeur, Kristin A.
13 Picard Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Buck, Joann S.
280 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Bui, Kevin Khoa
34 Russell St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Burgess, Dana E.
359 Beacon Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Butler, Wayne E.
Butler, Christine T.
36 Manos Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Buxton, Scott T.
196 Louis Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Byrum, Susan F.
2 Windpath West
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Caceres, Josefina R.
41C Church St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Candido, Kathleen M.
34 Laurelwood Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Card, Thomas A.
60 South St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Carroll, Sonja M.
120 Amherst Road
PO Box 1205
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/18/04

Chartier, Johanna Lea
523 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Cintron, Michael A.
46 Maplehurst Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Cole, Milton R.
Cole, Mona L.
52 Stebbins St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Colon, Osvaldo
Colon, Esther
22 Ringgold St., 2nd Fl.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Comforte, Judith A.
71 Austin St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Concepcion, Hector L.
987 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Connor, Donald
37 Alderbrook Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Cortina, Rocco
Cortina, Brenda Lee
199/201 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Costigan, Michele Lee
400 North King St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/04

Cruz, Felix R.
65 Adams St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Curtis, Lucille Yvette
2191 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Dart, Daniel J.
Dart, Elizabeth A.
10 Goddu St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Davis, Linda M.
16 Hudson St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Davis, Marilyn
95 Ashley St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Dean, Alden L.
Dean, Christine M.
221 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Demers, Mary Ellen
14 Curry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Dodge, Garvin
81 Old Amherst Road, Apt. 1
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Duca, Jacqueline K.
12 Edgewood Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Eberlein, Christopher Robert
142 Grove St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/04

Engelson, Christine M.
639B Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Falcon, Lois
Falcon, Paulino
33 Daniel St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Fasolino, Giovanna N.
172 Oak St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Fields, Dwayne R
Fields, Lesenia A
60 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/28/04

Figueroa, Eric
Figueroa, Linda
90 Paramount St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Fischer, Blanche Lauria
8 Cottage Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Fitzpatrick, Betty L.
124 C. Druids Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Flores, Federico
61 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Flynn, Barbara A.
66 Pasco Road
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Fondakowski, Sandra J.
241 Main Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Forrester, Rose C.
69 Sanderson St., Apt. 504
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/24/04

Francis, Lucien J.
132 Myrtle St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Gadreault, Lisa K.
78 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Garrigan, Duane C.
Garrigan, Kristine M.
530 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Gendron, Ellen J.
1286 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Glancy, Cheryl M
40 Paramount St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/24/04

Glasgow, Robin K.F.
91 Thornfell St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Golenski, Amy Beth
22 Deer Run
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/04

Gonzalez, Rafael
Gonzalez, Maria O.
53 White St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Goyette, Katherine A.
122 Celebration Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Graham, Terri
64 Harmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Graveline, Barbara J.
380 Meadow St.
Agawam, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Grigsby, Joseph T.
71 Bircham Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Guilbault, James J.
Guilbault, Joan M.
7 Bradlind Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Guzman, Luis A.
Guzman, Sandra M.
11 Williams St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Hamilton, Jeffrey C.
8 Marlborough St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/03/04

Harris, Ronald C.
Harris, Linda G.
125 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/18/04

Hart, Joseph P.
137 Hubbard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/06/04

Haynes, Sandra
223 Fernbank Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Healy, John S.
157 South Martin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Hebert, Scott Allen
PO Box 418
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/16/04

Hemminger, Sylvia Ann
188 Main St.
Haydenville, MA 01039
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Herring, Claire
77 Fisher St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Hetu, Lionel
2 Valley View Court, Apt. 2
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Howell, Ann V.
292 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Hundley-Slater, Lisa
168 Artisan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Hunting, Brandi K.
62 Craig Road, Apt. A-8
West Springfiled, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Hutchinson, Aimee E.
62 Chestnut St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Johnson, Russell E.
Johnson, JoAnn
97 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/04

Johnson, Tammie M.
38 Intendale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Jordan, Toni
130 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Keenan, Julie
104 Spring St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Kelley, Deborah
16 Merrimack Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/07/04

Kelley, Todd W.
Kelley, Gwendolyn R.
1151 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/18/04

Kenney, Wallace A.
85 Princeton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Kindness, Christopher J.
Kindness, Seanna M.
1277 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Smith, Frances
121 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Staltare, Paul E.
51 Van Deene Ave., Apt. L5
W. Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Stanley, Kenneth H.
Stanley, Sheila H.
21 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Stasiak, Thomas Francis
Stasiak, Elizabeth J.
619 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Stasiowski, Gary Steven
Stasiowski, Jennifer Rae
20 Brunelle St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/04

Sullivan, Joanne M.
28 Wesson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Surian-Villalvazo, Yissel
67 Northbridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Szklarz, Linda B.
60 Riverboat Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/04

Taft, Beverly M.
63 Central Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/24/04

Talbot, Paul A.
Talbot, Jayne A.
26 South Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Texidor, Carmen A.
987 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Thomas, Tracey Monique
35 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Tierney, Timothy N.
170 East Hadley Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Tobiasz, Nancy
44 Bell St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Tomasauckas, Todd Raymond
689 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Tomolillo, Richard David
Tomolillo, Linda
1286 Granby Road, Trl. 35
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Torres, Elizabeth
33 Bowdoin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Vanderpool, Jean M.
455 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Verdejo, Celestino
67 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Washington, Patricia R.
133 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/26/04

Wawrzyniak, Evelyn L.
31 Manor Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/18/04

Williams, Nathaniel
201 Rosemary Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Wilson, Nangwaya K.
187 Acorn St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Young, Kerry Ann
24 Pendelton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Young, William G.
Young, Nicole
226 Coventry Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Zades, George C.
Zades, Felixa T.
67 Sunflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Kuphal, Denise M.
78 Lawnwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Kurzeski, Jason M.
35 Oxford St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Ladouceur, Joylene
191 Davis St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Lamagdelaine, James E.
Lamagdelaine, Heather Haen
100 Odion Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Langley, Caroline Joan
121 N. Main St., Apt. A4
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Larussa, Rose A.
57 Manor Ct.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Lavalle, Robert W.
Lavalle, Tracy A.
14 Marian St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Lavigne, Francis Paul
82 Cherry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/18/04

LeBlanc, Dennis W.
21 Haumont Terr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

LeClair, Raymond E.
LeClair, Patricia L.
30 Smith Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Lenkowski, Farilyn
25 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Lipinsky, Edward K.
563 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Liverseidge, Jay M
Liverseidge, Tracy E.
120 Wildwood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Lopez, Hector L.
93 Gresham St.
Springfield
MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/04

Lucey, Dorinda Kerns
93 Chapel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Lyden, Raymond J.
58 Steuben St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Lynch, Christopher M.
10 Spring St., 3rd Flo
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

MacDonald, Bruce R.
39A Hadley Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Madru, Brian Keith
Madru, Lisa Marie
76 Boivin Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Magurn, Brian W.
Magurn, Maria T.
P.O. Box 4283
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Malcolm, Walter F.
222 Beekman Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Maleshefski, Richard T.
116 White Birch Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Mancini, Rosemary B
50 Kirkland St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Manuel, Dean A.
Manuel, Dolce H.
84 Miller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Marcano, Hector J.
102 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Mathieu, Richard J.
38 Forest St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

McAlpine, Jennie T.
42 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

McCray, Diane M.
35 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

McCullough, Diane G.
125 Summit St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

McGovern, Mark R.
108 Pine St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Meara, William R.
Meara, Elaine A.
94 South Park Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Medina, Elizabeth
320 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/26/04

Mendez, Alejandro
Mendez, Evelyn
193 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/18/04

Miller, Jennifer L.
1477 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Montes, Abigal
67 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Moorman, Jennifer E.
22 Highland Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Murry, Melvin
25 Gladstone St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Nareau, Jason A
Nareau, Rebecca L.
164 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Nolan, Thomas James
30 Hampden St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Norton, Frank E.
26 Belmont St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Otero, Thelma Joy
98 Groton St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/26/04

Palsa, Richard H.
102 Cass Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Parzych, John R.
639 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/04

Paul, Erin H.
39 Connor Ave., Apt. 3L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/04

Pelletier, Peter J.
8 Lyric Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/04

Pena, Carlos Ramon
33 Bowdoin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Pendergrast, Damien A
39 Bell St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Perez, Jesus
Perez, Ivette L.
6 Tracy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Phelan, Deborah J.
54 Oregon St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Phillips, Herman L.
110 Florence St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Powers, Jennifer Dawn
111 Champlain St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Price, Sylvia A
128 Newfield Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/19/04

Redfern, Christopher
17 Chase Ave
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/04

Ripley, Debra Jean
26 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/20/04

Roberts, Roy E.
27 Concord Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/17/04

Robinovitz, Daryl
64 Harmon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Rodriguez, Jacqueline
1264 Page Boulevard
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/04

Rowell, William E.
Rowell, Nancy M.
12-B Quirk Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Rudzik, David P.
238 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Ryan, John J.
Ryan, Melissa S.
20 Lyman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/26/04

Ryan, Robert E.
1753 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Sadlowski, Mark A.
18 Chmura Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/04

Sample, Randy W.
Sample, Kathy M.
2467 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/08/04

Sanchez, Ana I.
41 Pomona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Sanchez, Miguel A.
Sanchez, Evelyn
91 Lowell St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Sanderson, Todd N.
34 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Santana, Juan
Santana, Elizabeth
16 West School St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/27/04

Santerre, Robert E.
Santerre, Susan M.
56 Ogden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/04

Santiago, Adelaida
119 Franklin St., 2nd Fl.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04

Santiago, Elsa
88 Enfield St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/25/04

Savoy, Brenden T.
10 Home St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/04

Schools, Heather C.
160 Point Grove Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/04

Scibelli, Mary T.
323 Tinkham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/11/04

Scott, Gregory Anton
Scott, Janice Colleen
27 Martin St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 02/23/04