BusinessWest

Chris Thompson

Age 29: Director of Sales & Service, Springfield Falcons Hockey Club

Chris Thompson has a large collection of hockey memorabilia in his office at the MassMutual Center, from assorted pucks and sticks to a framed copy of that famous photo of Bobby Orr flying through the air as he scored the winning goal to cap off the Boston Bruins’ dramatic charge to the Stanley Cup in 1970.

Maybe his favorite, though, is an old hard hat with the Springfield Falcons logo. It’s a leftover from a strange chapter in the team’s history — the renovation and expansion of the old Springfield Civic Center and the resulting hardships for fans. Those season-ticket holders who made a two-year commitment to the team during that trying time five years ago were made members of the so-called Hard Hat Club and given one of the collector’s items.

Thompson found one of the hats while going through some old boxes in Falcons headquarters, kept it, and gave it a place of honor in his office. He says it speaks to his general job description — “building relationships” — better than maybe any words could.

“That’s essentially what I do,” he told BusinessWest, adding that he takes what might be considered an unusual title in sports management (director of sales and service), but this line on his business card says it all. “Service is just as important, if not more important, than sales. I make sure people enjoy the overall experience.”

This service is provided to fans, sponsors, and other types of clients, said Thompson, and constitutes the ideal job for someone who loved sports while growing up, and wanted to make this field his career.

While not working for the Falcons, the energetic Thompson is involved with a number of community activities, especially the Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield, which he serves as a board member, and the West Springfield Park and Recreation Department.

With those groups, as with the Falcons, his job is to build relationships.

—George O’Brien

Karl Tur

Age 24: Co-owner, Ink & Toner Solutions, LLC

It was the spring of 2007, and Karl Tur wasn’t slacking through his senior year at Bryant University. He was thinking.

“I was beginning to research what I would get into,” said Tur, one of the youngest-ever 40 Under Forty honorees. “I knew I didn’t want a typical job coming out of college. I wanted to go out on my own. And I came across a great opportunity.”

That was Ink & Toner Solutions, a printer-supply shop opened by Serges Lariviere in Amherst the previous year. Tur partnered with Lariviere, and the pair opened a second store in Northampton — and are getting ready to announce a third location soon.

“We supply printer cartridges of all types to households, schools, government offices, and and businesses of all sizes,” Tur said. “We also do printer service and repair.”

But it’s the recycling aspect of the business that has gotten the most … well, ink.

“We recycle old, used cartridges and supply compatible or remanufactured products,” Tur said. “We offer customers a substantial price savings.”

Indeed. For example, an HP color cartridge that might cost $54.99 at Staples or Office Depot costs $20.99 when remanufactured at Ink & Toner Solutions. Considering how much ink companies run through in a year, the savings can really add up — while putting a small dent in the 800 million cartridges being tossed into landfills each year.

The partners also launched Ink Link, an initiative that benefits the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. “Chamber members can take advantage of our discount and learn more about what they can do to create a more sustainable office environment,” Tur said. “At the same time, when chamber members purchase products, we give money back to the chamber as a donation.”

In just six months, the program has raised close to $2,000 for the Northampton chamber, leading to similar partnerships with the Amherst and Quaboag Hills chambers.

Because good ideas get recycled, too.

—Joseph Bednar

Michael Weber

Age 29: Owner, Minuteman Press

Michael Weber knows a secret about how to succeed in business.

“It’s such a cheesy statement,” said the 29-year-old, who owns and operates Minuteman Press in Enfield, Conn. with his wife Lindsey. “It’s the more you give, the more you get. Givers gain. If you want to succeed, you have to help out and contribute something.”

The formula has worked — the Webers have increased sales by 450% in the five years since they purchased the business.

Weber takes his volunteer work seriously. He is vice president of the North Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, a director of the Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield, and a member of the Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. and the Affliliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield.

He joined these organizations immediately after moving from Boston to Connecticut and taking over the Minuteman franchise. His motivation was to make friends, make a difference, and form relationships that would result in business accounts.

Although his approach has worked, Weber’s intent is always focused on the greater good. “I want to do my part by helping people out and genuinely contributing,” he said, adding that he has supported beneficial initiatives even when they were not good for his business.

Many of his volunteer activities involve working with people who are much older, so Weber especially enjoys his affiliation with the YPS.

“It’s refreshing to be on board with so many like-minded people. I truly have good intentions and try to contribute,” he said.

His background is in information-management systems, and his wife was an assistant buyer for Filene’s Corp. prior to their venture with Minuteman, but both know the value of networking.

“We don’t wait for people to come in,” said Weber. “You have to get to know people. We set quality standards, volunteer, and participate on committees. You have to get involved, and if you show up to help, you get to know everyone.”

—Kathy Mitchell

Brenda Wishart

Age 36: Director of Recruiting, Aspen Square Management

Brenda Wishart has played many roles over the past several years, with one clear streak running through all of them: entrepreneurship.

For example, at Bay Path College earlier this decade, she developed the college’s Entrepreneurial Program, not only mentoring students in how to start their own businesses, but also forging educational partnerships between the college and area companies.

“Rather than lecture them about entrepreneurship, we wanted to get them out visiting local entrepreneurs,” she said. Students were directed to examine actual challenges those companies faced and develop ‘living case studies’ to tackle them.

From there, Wishart directed the Entrepreneurship Institute for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation in 2005, leading a committee of faculty advisors from 13 area colleges with the goal of advancing entrepreneurship education and activity in the Pioneer Valley. The following year, she launched Wishart Associates, an executive-search and project-management-consulting business.

“An unintended consequence of my role at Bay Path is that it gave me the inspiration to jump off a cliff and go out on my own,” she said. “We spend an extraordinary amount of time at work — probably more than with our families. So I’ve always been passionate about helping people find the right match for them.”

Wishart returned to Bay Path in 2007 to launch a satellite campus in Eastern Mass. After studying possible locations and leading a comprehensive marketing campaign, she oversaw the opening of the Burlington campus that fall.

These days, she’s taking a break from working for herself, leaving the company she started to become director of recruiting for Aspen Square Management. But her work with Wishart Associates lives on.

“I’m in the process of phasing out of that and passing the baton along so a new director can run with it,” she said.

Meaning that, because of Wishart’s efforts, at least one more person found the right job.

—Joseph Bednar

Edward Cassell

Age 36: President, Owner, and Sales Manager, Park Square Realty

Ted Cassell jumped right from college into his mother’s family business, joining Park Square Realty in 1994 as a sales agent. Apparently, he was a quick learner.

“After about seven years,” he said, “I purchased the company from them with the idea of taking it to the next level.”

For starters, Cassell moved the Westfield office from East Silver Street to Elm Street, effectively doubling its space and increasing visibility and traffic, while also recruiting more agents and building market share. Then, at the end of that first year, he got a call from one Barry Boccasile, who had worked with a local Coldwell Banker office before it was sold off.

“He liked the idea of working with a locally owned company, so together we opened up an office in Feeding Hills,” said Cassell. “Overnight, we doubled from 12 to 24 people. At the time, I was still wearing a lot of hats — I was an owner, active in the field, managing … it was a hectic time.”

That’s when he made a key decision to be a non-selling manager-broker-owner, with Boccasile playing a similar role managing the Feeding Hills site.

“I think that’s been fundamental to our growth,” said Cassell. “We’re not competing against our own agents; we help problem-solve, grow the company, recruit, train, and manage the direction of growth and development.”

In doing so, Cassell saw Park Square grow from a $10 million company to $138 million between 2000 and 2005. He attributes part of that success to his enthusiasm for his work.

“It’s a great field because it’s always challenging, and every day is different,” he said. “We really enjoy helping people accomplish their real-estate needs. Right now, it seems like the market is starting to pick back up. Interest rates are low, and first-time buyers get an $8,000 credit from the government. We’re seeing a lot of activity. It’s an exciting time.”

—Joseph Bednar