| Business Market Show 2006 The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce staged its 2006 Business Market Show Conference and Exhibition on April 5 at the MassMutual Center. The event featured more than 200 exhibitors and drew hundreds of visitors. Some scenes from the show:
Blazing a Trail Cecelia Gross, right, a history professor at Springfield Technical Community College, was recently awarded the 13th annual Dorothy J. Pryor Award, presented to “living treasures in the Greater Springfield community,” for her work to create an African American Heritage Trail in the city. Gross (seen here with Pryor and STCC President Ira Rubenzahl) and several of her students have been researching sites in Springfield that became part of a critical link along the Underground Railroad. Rubenzahl recently announced that, in an effort to commemorate those individuals who helped slaves reach freedom, the college is promoting a self-guided walking tour with permanent markers in Springfield, beginning in the downtown area. At right is a sample marker.
|
Month: April 2006
Getting the Job Done
Merger of Workforce Training Agencies Will Create New Efficiencies
Bill Ward says discussions about merging Hampden County’s Regional Employment Board and Employment and Training Consortium had been waged for years.
Evidence of overlapping services was mounting, Ward, executive director of the REB, told BusinessWest, adding that the word redundant was being used with increasing frequency as the agencies and their roles were referenced.
What was lacking, he explained, was the political will to fold the consortium, essentially a city department, into the REB, a quasi-public nonprofit corporation. Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan filled that void, said Ward, and, in the process, led the drive to a merger of the entities that will take effect July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.
The merger, or absorption of the consortium into the REB, will result in a direct savings of more than $200,000 annually — through consolidation of the administrative structure, reductions in rent, and other steps — money that will be re-deployed, as Ward put it, to direct services for the REB’s many types of customers in Hampden County.
But there will be other benefits, as well, he continued, noting that the merger creates a single point of contact for funders, vendors, and customers, as well as unified accountability of performance, which will result in a reduction in contracting and payment processing time of at least 75%.
And beyond that, the new agency — and the region as a whole — will gain some respect among government agencies and other funding sources for workforce development initiatives, he told BusinessWest.
“We’ll be showing people that we’ve got our act together,” said Ward, noting that there are 14 other regional employment boards across the Commonwealth, and all or most of them still have redundant public agencies such as the consortium. “We’re going to be more efficient now, and we’re going to be able to serve clients better, and people are going to notice that.”
Hire Ground
As he talked about the merger and how it finally came to be, Ward described the consortium as an agency that had a specific purpose when first formed more than 30 years ago — administration of programs and contracts that were part of the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) — but remained in existence long after that need was gone or being addressed by other organizations.
“In business, and especially in government, programs come up and new entities emerge to address the needs of those programs,” he explained. “What happens over the years is that these things just continue to pile on top of one another and you create a situation where nothing ever goes away.
“Some things just get a life of their own,” he continued. “Even in business that happens, and when it does, you have to step back and say ‘where did these structures come from?’ and ‘is this the best way to be organized?’
That’s the conversation that began about five years ago with regard to the REB and the consortium, he said, adding that, in addition to the redundancies in services between the two entities, the consortium was going through a tumultuous period marked by scandal involving top administrators.
The agency’s former director, James Asselin, and its former compliance officer, James Krztofik, were both sentenced to prison terms after pleading guilty to swindling more than $600,000 in bogus consulting fees and travel from a taxpayer-funded, non-workforce-development-related loan fund.
Still a number of factors, but primarily politics, kept matters from moving beyond the discussion stage, said Ward, adding that talks were renewed when Ryan took office in January, 2004. What the new mayor wanted was a sound case for melding the agencies and deciding which should be the surviving entity.
So Ward made one.
In a proposal presented in late March, he petitioned for a restructuring of the workforce development system in Hampden County, one that would create a single administrative entity for workforce development by merging all consortium administrative functions into the REB, which would serve as the consolidated fiscal, planning, and oversight organization for the county.
The plan also called for moving the 25 consortium employees off the city payroll, with 11 transferring to the REB and another 12 to the area’s two one-stop career centers, Future Works and CareerPoint, and leaving two vacant positions unfilled.
Keeping current staffers employed was a key consideration in the proposal, said Ward, noting that an agency focused on workforce development and job retention can’t endorse proposals that put people out of work.
Still, the new entity to result from the merger will be much more efficient than the two-headed monster that will exist for another 10 weeks, he said.
Savings to be derived from the merger, as outlined in a line-item budget comparison include a reduction in total salaries from the current $1.6 million for the two separate entities to $896,506; a reduction in employee benefits from $468,557 to $256,286; a drop in total rent payments from $115,067 to $75,067 (the REB, now located in the Regional Economic Development Center within the TD Banknorth building, will move into larger quarters there, while the consortium’s offices will close); and a reduction in auditing, legal, and insurance costs from $36,000 to $26,000.
Factoring in the additional cost of consortium personnel to be transferred to the career centers ($765,000), as well increases in phone, parking, chamber management fee, and other expenses, the net savings is $200,000, said Ward, adding that this money will still will coming to Hampden County, but will be directed toward services, not salaries and administrative costs.
“There are a lot of things we can do with $200,000,” he explained. “We can train many more people and provide more services; there are some very real benefits to this beyond saving money on rent.”
And the overall gains in efficiency and value from state and federal funding will eventually turn some heads in those circles, he explained.
“We’ll be sending a message across to funders that we’re operating with sound management principles and efficiency,” he continued. “We won’t just be saying, ‘give us more money’; we’ll be saying, ‘give us more money because we know how to spend it in the most efficient manner.’”
Survival of the Fittest
Summing up the merger of the two workforce development entities and the benefits to the region, Ward referenced management guru’s Peter Drucker’s philosophy of ‘organizational abandonment.’
In a nutshell, the management strategy, first introduced in the ’80s and endorsed by GE’s Jack Welch, among others, calls for businesses and non-profit entities to become more efficient — and more profitable — by not trying to be all things to all people. It calls for eliminating, or abandoning, those products or programs that do not move an organization forward, and becoming more efficient by being smaller and more focused.
“That’s what we’re doing here,” said Ward, adding that by essentially abandoning the consortium, or at least the redundant services it provided, Hampden County will receive better, more efficient workforce training services.
In many ways, the history of what is now The Williston Northampton School has been inexorably linked to Easthampton’s manufacturing sector — it was created by a fortunate button maker based in the mill town. Its early function was to provide educational opportunities for the common working man. Times, the fortunes of the mills, and the school’s demographic reach have all changed (it is now co-ed) but the basic mission hasn’t.
The story goes that Emily Graves Williston had a houseguest from Europe sometime in the early 1800s.
She noticed the buttons on his waistcoat were covered in bright fabric, and when evening fell, she crept into his room, snipped one of the buttons from the vest, and took it apart to see how it was made. She shared the discovery with her husband Sam Williston, an Easthampton-based button manufacturer whose business had begun to struggle.
The introduction of what became known as the Williston fabric button was the boon he needed to revive his finances — and part of his fortune went to found the Williston School, now known as Williston Northampton, in 1841.
The school’s current headmaster, Brian Wright, Ph.D. explained that Sam Williston wanted to provide educational opportunities to the ‘average working man,’ the types of men working in his then-bustling factory. In that way and many others, the history of the school is intertwined with Easthampton’s business community, he continued, adding and both have had many ups and downs.
Easthampton, for one, is seeing massive change demographically, only recently changing its distinction from a town to a city.
But more importantly, the school’s history mirrors the community-based model for education and collaboration that has become the hallmark of Williston Northampton, as well as the specific challenges that small, private schools face in today’s world.
Community Fabric
Wright said Williston controlled the school throughout his life, and consequently, its success rose and fell with his own finances. It flourished when Williston began producing those fabric-covered buttons, but it also suffered when the manufacturing heyday of Easthampton and of Western Mass. as a whole drew to a close.
“By the late 19th to early 20th century, the manufacturing sector in Easthampton started to decline, and he was no longer the force he had once been,” Wright said. “The school began to decline along with the town, and there was no institutional framework for fundraising because it was Williston’s school, and for a very long time he wanted to do things his way. This school has never been a wealthy one.”
In the 1950s, the Williston homestead was donated by the Williston family to the school, which, under the direction of then headmaster Phillip Stevens, soon became the new home to the school on Payson Ave.
“Stevens was charged with devoting much of the school’s resources to that moving of the school from the center of town to the Williston family property,” explained Wright. “When he started, the school was already somewhat behind the eight ball. After the move, it had virtually no endowment.”
Wright said Williston continued to struggle financially throughout the ’50s and ’60s, as did the nearby women’s school, the Northampton School for Girls. In 1971, Wright said Williston and Northampton followed a national trend among boarding schools and small colleges and merged to become one co-educational institution, still located on the Williston grounds.
“Like many schools, it was time for us to go co-ed,” he said, noting that while such mergers can solve some financial issues, they can create others. “It can spur setbacks in terms of the financial model. Northampton brought with it some debt, and we maintained a minimal endowment well into the 1980s.”
Indeed, even today the school remains largely tuition driven, while still offering substantial scholarship and financial aid packages to 40% of its 500-plus students. Those students are enrolled as boarders from 15 different countries and 26 states, and as day students from Massachusetts and Connecticut, in grades 7 through 12, with about a dozen post-baccalaureate students. He said the school has maintained its focus on providing a “triple-threat” education – academics, athletics, and the arts – to a wide range of students hailing from various socio-economic backgrounds and cultures, in keeping with Sam Williston’s original goal of providing education to the masses.
“We try to provide depth and strength in all areas of education,” Wright said, “and try to avoid giving students a narrow focus on any one discipline at an early age, which is actually a trend in many boarding schools today.”
While all types of students are still encouraged to apply to the school, Wright did note that admission policies are more stringent today than ever before at Williston Northampton, due in part to the school’s commitment to providing aid to a large percentage of students balanced against tuition costs. A boarding student now pays $37,000 in tuition, and the school’s day program, which includes about 135 local students, costs $26,500 (middle school enrollment is slightly lower). Both aid and admission are based largely on a student’s overall merit.
“Our job is to continue to offer top-notch programs, but to do that, we need to make every dollar dance,” he said.
Climbing Times
Wright, who took on the headmaster’s post six years ago, said his predecessor, Dennis Grubbs, managed the school’s finances very carefully, in an effort to stabilize and grow its endowment, and currently it’s Wright’s challenge to build on that base.
He’s spearheaded a $36 million fundraising campaign, focused largely on strengthening that endowment and procuring unrestricted gifts to boost financial aid packages and faculty salaries, as well as funding for some capital improvements on campus.
“When I arrived (in 1999), the school’s endowment stood at about $30 million, and it declined somewhat in 2000 and 2001. We are at about $38 to $39 million right now, and that’s still inadequate.”
Wright said similar, established boarding schools across the country such as Phillips Academy in Andover and Phillips Exeter in Exeter, N.H., often have endowments in excess of $300 million, and that’s a level Williston has never reached in its 165-year history.
“It’s a little daunting. We also don’t have a hugely wealthy alumni base, so fundraising becomes a dance in which we are constantly making far-reaching plans that will move us ahead steadily.”
One way the school is doing that is by drafting specific plans for improvement ahead of time, in order to provide to potential contributors a menu of choices when considering financial gifts. Williston Northampton recently completed a master plan, for instance, which details several goals for fundraising, construction, and programming in the coming years.
Wright cited a long-range plan to centralize the school on one side of Main Street to alleviate safety and traffic issues students now face when crossing the increasingly busy street to come and go from dormitories. “There’s no set date for that, we need a donor first. But that’s one major reason for the master plan – we all need a good, clear picture in our minds and real, concrete plans to get people excited enough to give money.”
The excitement seems to be growing; Williston just passed the half-way mark in terms of that $36 million goal, and has also secured a handful of grants for programming improvements, including a $50,000 matching grant from the E.E. Ford Foundation that has been used to augment the school’s writing center.
“The school has come a long way,” Wright told BusinessWest. “When we look at those schools that are our competition, we don’t compare in terms of endowment. But when we look at ourselves in terms of being part of the Western Mass. and the Easthampton community, it’s a different story. We’re one of the largest employers in town, and the community still has a very deep connection to the school. Some people still see us as ‘the wealthy school in a manufacturing town.’ We don’t see it that way, but we are careful to work closely with the city in ways that are appropriate.”
Educating the Public
Charles McCullagh, chief financial officer at Williston, said the school tries to remain as transparent and accessible to the town and the region as possible to continue to foster relationships. As a private school that does not pay property taxes, McCullagh said it’s doubly important to ensure residents, especially in a city growing and changing as quickly as Easthampton, that Williston Northampton takes its role in the community seriously.
“We try to be deliberate in making sure that the local community knows that we are working diligently with the town, not just within the town,” he said, noting that one of those deliberate actions to underscore what he calls the “town and gown” cooperation is an annual letter detailing various partnerships, contributions, and other financial data that impacts the area.
As of March 2005, for instance, the school employed 176 full-time and 50 part-time employees. That produced a payroll of $7,090,318, 74% of which went to Easthampton residents. Of the current student body, 33 hail from Easthampton, and were awarded a total of $522,300 in financial aid. The school also logged $577,000 in purchases of goods and services from businesses in Easthampton.
“Like most non-profit organizations, Williston Northampton has to be very mindful of multiple budget pressures,” added McCullagh. “Our health insurance increases, escalation in utility costs, and constrained income from the school’s endowment have made the last few years extremely challenging. Nevertheless, given the extensiveness of an operation such as this, there is bound to be some economic impact to Easthampton and the surrounding area.”
McCullagh listed a number of upcoming and ongoing programs taken on by the school to foster stronger relationships with the city, including a program that will donate 50 to 60 lap top computers, valued at $30,000, to the city every three years, beginning in 2007. The school also routinely donates or discounts the use of various athletic facilities and fields to the Easthampton Public School system, parks and recreation, and other departments. It also assists with the plowing and policing of roads that run through campus, and provides upkeep services for a portion of the Manhan Rail Trail.
“To remain community-minded without an incredibly wealthy donor base and not affect the quality of our programs is challenging, but also critical,” he said, noting that while partnerships between the city and the school often benefit the community, the school has been able to glean support – and, in some cases, shave expenses – through those collaborations.
McCullagh said one recent example was the renovation of Easthampton’s Whitebrook Middle School track, taken on by both the city and Williston Northampton at a cost of about $14,000. The renovation will provide a new track for the school, but also a practice space for Williston Northampton runners while the school’s Galbraith Field is renovated. In turn, Galbraith will be open to the public for a number of uses, from fundraisers to athletic events to use for the city’s annual fireworks display.
Buttoning Down
“That happens a lot,” he said. “There is a community reaction to financial realities, and subsequent constructive suggestions that are made to solve problems creatively, saving money, time, and energy.”
The school and the city in which it stands are no longer snipping buttons to make a dime, but the metaphor is not lost on many: bright ideas are often found in the most unlikely of places, large and small.
Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]
Engineering the Future
Tighe & Bond Continues to Grow in a Changing Environment
The last time BusinessWest visited with Tighe & Bond, the Westfield-based civil and environmental engineering and consulting firm, was almost five years ago. When this month’s interview came around to current projects, company President David Pinsky had to smile – because many of them were also current jobs back in 2001.
“In this business, projects can take a long time to complete, from conceptualization, planning, and funding through preliminary design, final design, and ultimately beneficial use,” Pinsky said.
He cited a large project for the city of Chicopee that will create a new wastewater treatment facility to handle combined sewer overflow (CSO) – an issue many municipalities deal with when their outdated sewer pipe systems are taxed during storms. “That’s a $30 million program that might span 20 years or so,” he said.
In that kind of business, relationships with customers is crucial, because they can be long-term marriages. And over the past 95 years, Tighe & Bond has built plenty of those relationships – which are perhaps among the only constants in this fast-moving business synonymous with a complex, constantly changing regulatory landscape.
Even Pinsky represents a change. The 18-year veteran of the company, who specializes in water supply, distribution, and treatment, was appointed to succeed David Healey, the recently retired president of the previous seven years. But Pinsky said the company’s culture of service will not change.
“It’s something we continue to stress with our employees – the importance of not only meeting clients’ expectations, but exceeding them,” he said. “I think we do a terrific job of that, and our ability to retain those clients and attract new ones is testimony to the service we provide.”
Proud History
Tighe & Bond was founded in 1911 to consult on broad-based civil engineering projects. Over the years, the company came to specialize in environmental engineering, focusing on water, wastewater, solid waste, and hazardous waste issues.
In those 95 years of engineering history in New England, the firm has measured its growth not only in numbers – it now boasts 170 employees and seven offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire – but in its technical and regulatory expertise.
Some two-thirds of Tighe & Bond’s work arises from municipal needs, from engineering sewer lines and treatment plants to resolving issues involving drainage and landfills. The company also helps developers to mitigate brownfields – properties saddled with groundwater contamination – a process that can involve anything from building demolition to preparing soils for redevelopment.
“It’s about taking old sites that have been either abandoned or forgotten, and working to develop them into desirable places to live or work,” Pinsky said. “We also assist local cities and towns in procuring brownfields grants. We’ve had success in that arena.”
While Tighe & Bond has become a larger name in environmental engineering, government regulations involving brownfields, wetlands, and other environmental concerns have become more complex – a potential minefield for municipalities and developers that Tighe & Bond is expected to help them navigate smoothly.
“There’s an onslaught of new regulations that communities have to comply with,” Pinsky said. “So we look upon ourselves as providing a benefit to society. We can provide the technical guidance to improve public health in the services we provide to water suppliers and others.
“Things have to be done right,” he continued. “There are more hurdles today, more hoops, more challenges.” And as the available pool of undeveloped sites shrinks across Massachusetts, many development efforts are met with more public opposition than in the past.
In addition, “there are typically more stakeholders involved in projects, so the ability to communicate effectively with all of them is important,” he said.
“So, yes, at times it takes longer to get things done, but in the end, the successful projects are those that are well-planned, well-thought out, and address the needs of society. And we think we do an exceptional job of navigating the more complex projects through the regulatory hurdles, whether it’s local permits or state and federal requirements.”
As an example, Pinsky cited a large water treatment plant in Southern Connecticut, a $50 million project to replace an older, slower sand filtration plant built more than 100 years ago.
“There were a great many stakeholders, ranging from neighbors to environmentalists to towns and park groups – the list goes on and on,” he said. “At the end of the day, the plant was constructed and is now online, and all the stakeholders are very pleased with the outcome. But along the way, there was a lot of handholding and a lot of communication.”
What’s Your Specialty?
In addition to its municipal work – such as the Chicopee project and an effort to add sewers to the southwest corner of Agawam – Tighe & Bond boasts a lengthy roster of private site development. The former Northampton State Hospital property is a good example of that, Pinsky said.
“We spearheaded the special permit portion of that project, provided demolition service, and are working toward the development of a planned urban village on that site,” he said.
“It’s rewarding when we can bring multiple skills to the table on a given project, whether it’s structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, wetlands scientists, hydrogeologists, environmental engineers, or civil engineers. That’s one benefit Tighe & Bond offers – we have so many capabilities under one roof.”
Over the years, Pinsky added, the company’s engineers have become more specialized.
“When some of the engineers joined the firm, it was important to be a jack of all trades, and we still have some of those,” he said. “But more and more, because of the complexity of the regulations and the technology that’s used to comply with those regulations, it’s important that we have a number of people on our staff who are truly experts in one area or another.”
Such flexibility is helpful when introducing new technology, such as geographical information systems, or GIS, which is a way to take data – such as water quality or water and sewer rates – and relate it spacially to a physical map. “It’s another tool we have to assist us in a great variety of projects,” Pinsky said.
Another shift at Tighe & Bond has been an increase in traffic and parking work, including traffic-impact studies, signalization designs, and plans for road improvements and parking garages.
“We’re doing a lot of that work for health care and educational facilities,” he said, citing Yale-New Haven Hospital and Deerfield Academy as two recent examples.
Still, “our bread and butter is the work that we do for longtime clients, including municipalities in this region,” Pinsky said. “It’s true that there are fewer new facilities being built in New England, but there’s always a tremendous need to improve and upgrade the existing infrastructure, whether we’re talking about roads, sewers, water mains, or treatment facilities.
“Most of what we have in New England is very old, and the fact that pipes are below ground, where we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they’re fine and in the same condition as when they were installed,” he continued. “We need to improve the infrastructure to meet today’s needs, because things don’t last forever, no matter what we’d like to think.”
In that sense, Tighe & Bond continues to make a significant impact on the landscape of New England – both literally and figuratively.
What is now the Hampshire Hospitality Group started small, with a Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge on Route 9 in Hadley. It has grown over the past 40 years into one of the largest hotel groups in the region with six — soon to be seven — properties and nearly 500 rooms. The philosophy guiding the company now is the same one employed in 1966 — smart, conservative growth.
Curt Shumway says the Hampshire Hospitality Group has owned the parcel on the south side of Route 9 in Hadley — home over the years to a driving range, restaurant, tire outlet, and the Hangar nightclub — for more than 20 years.
Since acquiring the parcel, the group’s plan has always been to put a higher-end hotel there, Shumway, HHG’s chief operating officer, told BusinessWest. “But whenever we asked ourselves if the local economy was ready for something like that, the answer was always ‘not quite.’”
In his view, that’s still the answer, but HHG is moving ahead anyway with plans for a 96-room Courtyard by Marriott, the seventh property in the group’s inventory and in many ways its most intriguing venture, and calculated risk, to date.
“We just decided that since there would be never be a perfect time to do this, we might as well do it now,” said Shumway, adding that ground was broken for the project last week, and the new hotel should open its doors for business in about a year — a time chosen to coincide with commencement at the area’s colleges.
When the Courtyard does open, the HHG will have more than 500 rooms at a collection of sites in Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst, a corridor that includes the Five Colleges, a number of cultural and tourist attractions — and a highly competitive hospitality sector.
The portfolio includes a Clarion Hotel and Autumn Inn in Northampton, a Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Econo Lodge, and Howard Johnson’s hotel in Hadley, and the University Lodge in Amherst.
The breadth and depth of that stable of facilities gives HHG a competitive edge in that in that it has virtually all segments of the market covered, providing options for corporate and leisure customers, Shumway explained. And an edge is needed, because while there has been some growth in the region’s tourism sector, the business market has remained fairly stagnant and a number of new hotels have come onto the market over the past several years.
“I would say the Springfield market is over-saturated and the Hampshire County market is nearly saturated,” said Shumway, who left a career in banking to join the venture started by his father, Robert, and two other partners in 1994. “It’s very competitive out there right now.”
In such an environment, companies looking to continued growth must be aggressive and entrepreneurial, said Shumway, noting that HHG is doing so in several ways, including the new Marriott, but also the recent hiring of Michelle Boudreau, most recently director of convention center sales for the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, to a position as director of Sales and Marketing.
In that capacity, she will lead a team tasked not only with filling hotel rooms and booking meeting and banquet room dates for the Marriott, but positioning the entire roster of HHG properties for continued growth, said Shumway.
“This was a real coup for us,” he told BusinessWest. “She’s knows this market and the players in it, and she’s going to help us get where we want to go.”
BusinessWest looks this issue at how the HHG continues to expand its portfolio and succeed in a challenging hospitality market by responding intelligently to the laws of supply and demand.
Pillow Talk
Shumway told BusinessWest that the Marriott has long been intrigued by Hampshire County, and specifically the stretch of Route 9 that connects the bustling college communities of Amherst and Hadley.
But the company has long adhered to strict guidelines about the look of its hotels, and didn’t want to acquiesce to Hadley officials’ insistence on an old New England/Colonial look that defines many of the properties in the old farming community. Eventually, however, the promise of the Amherst-Northampton market, coupled with HHG’s prodding, compelled Marriott to “bend,” as Shumway put it.
Thus, the Maryland-based chain’s flag will soon fly over a Courtyard hotel depicted in a large sign erected in what was the parking lot of the former night spot/restaurant/driving range.
As he talked about the Marriott and the decision to bring more rooms into what most consider to be a saturated market, Shumway said the decision-making process was influenced by the same principles that guided his father, Ray Vincunas (now deceased) and Ed O’Leary, when they built a 60-room Howard Johnson’s motor lodge on Route 9 in Hadley in 1966.
“Each project has to make sound business sense,” he said, adding that the partners certainly thought their first acquisition fit that criteria. Likewise with their next venture, purchase of the 20-room University Lodge on North Pleasant Street in Amherst in the early ’70s, and with a 40-room expansion of the Howard Johnson’s in 1994.
A year later, the partners rolled the dice on a tired property off I-91 in Northampton known then as the Quality Inn. Originally a Hilton, the facility had deteriorated to the point where it lost its franchise, said Shumway, who joined the company just prior to that acquisition.
The partners gave the property a new name, the Inn at Northampton, undertook extensive renovations, and eventually became part of the Clarion chain of hotels in 2002.
“It’s still a challenging property,” said Shumway, adding that it has seen several renovations over the past several years, and has been a solid performer with room nights, banquets, and meetings.
The growth process continued with the construction of a 100-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites on Route 9 in Hadley in 2000, and the purchase of the 32-room Autumn Inn in Northampton (what Shumway described as a cross between a large bed & breakfast and a small hotel) in 2001.
By this point, the company decided an umbrella group to properly manage the growing collection of properties was needed, and thus the Hampshire Hospitality Group was created.
That entity continued its expansion initiatives with the purchase of the Country Bell hotel on Route 9 in Hadley in 2002. That property was then torn down and replaced with a 63-room Econo-Lodge in 2003, giving HHG more than 430 rooms, a variety of banquet and meeting facilities, and locations near all five colleges in the area.
No Reservations
But there was room for additional expansion, said Shumway, noting that the decision to add the Marriott Courtyard also fits the basic tenet of ‘making sense,’ although some say the Route 9 corridor was already packed with hotels — a 90-room Hampton Inn was opened on Bay Road in early 2005, making it the latest addition to the inventory.
There was, and is, a need in the marketplace for a higher-end room, a small step over the Holiday Inn, he explained, noting that the Marriott name is very popular among travelers and business people alike.
“We thought there was a small gap in the market that we could fill — we had many people calling us looking for a nicer hotel,” he told BusinessWest. “My first reponse to that has been that the Holiday Inn is a much nicer hotel. Some agreed and said they really like that brand, but there were continued comments to the effect that they wanted something even nicer. I think the Marriott flag will be very popular.
“I’ve heard some people say we’re growing too fast and moving too quickly,” he continued. “Actually, we’re being fairly conservative and growing in a controlled fashion.”
With the addition of the Marriott, HHG could attract more banquets and meetings, especially from the colleges in the area, he said, and also take better advantage, from a room nights perspective, of the seven-month season (May to November) when all area hotels must make hay.
And the group can do so without taking business away from its other properties, he said.
“We believe we’re going to be generating new business with the Marriott, while also giving people more options for their stay here,” he explained. “The market is a little saturated, and we know we’ll be pushing the limit with the Marriott, but we see an opportunity for growth and we’re definitely thinking long term.”
He told BusinessWest that most hotels in the Pioneer Valley are averaging occupancy rates of about 60% to 70% annually (they go higher in peak periods) and that HHG’s properties are right in that ballpark and won’t trend downward with the addition of the Marriott.
Boudreau agreed. She said she left the GSCVB and a position selling the new convention center because she was impressed with HHG’s track record and aggressive approach to further growth.
“It’s an exciting company, and this is a great opportunity for me,” she told BusinessWest, adding that in her newly created position she hopes to create more awareness of HHG and its various facilities — and then move those products.
In the Marriott, she sees a vehicle for seizing more of the opportunities presented by area businesses and colleges.
“Many of the colleges have meetings and conduct professional-development programs off-campus,” she said, adding that the Marriott will have a number of function rooms to handle such events. “And there are many businesses in this area that do a lot of business in Amherst and Hadley and just haven’t had the facility in this part of Hampshire County to conduct meetings and events.
“Our goal is to fill every facility within the hotel, from the sleeping rooms to the meeting rooms to the banquet hall,” she continued. “And we have an exciting game plan to do that.”
Staying the Course
Reflecting on the fact that it took what is now HHG two decades to move ahead with its plans for a hotel on the former Hangar sight, Shumway returned to the laws of supply and demand in the hospitality industry.
“The time just never seemed right to do it — and it’s still not really right,” he explained. “But we know this market better than anyone, and we decided that this time was as good — or bad — as any other.
“I’ll let you know if we made the right decision in a few years,” he told BusinessWest with a laugh. “In this business, you do your homework, gauge the market, and make what you believe are smart choices.”
That’s a game plan has served HHG well for its first 40 years in business.
George O’Brien can be reached at[email protected]
What’s in Store?
Additional Retail Proposed for Holyoke’s Ingleside Section
Jeff Hayden says there is an unofficial policy in Holyoke not to locate retail centers on the west side of I-91 in the Ingleside area of the city.
The four-lane boundary line, spelled out on city zoning maps, essentially divides two zones — one called IG (Industrial-General) and the other IP (Industrial Park). The former, defining much of the property east of the highway, is quite broad, allowing nearly every type of commercial venture, including the Holyoke Mall. The latter, however, limits development to industrial ventures, offices, or, with a special permit, a hotel, said Hayden, director of the Holyoke Office of Economic and Industrial Development, who cited traffic concerns and a desire to maintain the residential nature of that area as the reasons why.
Thus, a zone change will be needed if the Holyoke-based O’Connell Development Group is to move forward with preliminary plans to transform the site of the former Atlas Copco air compressor manufacturing facility into a specialty retail center. Specifically, the company is exploring creation of a facility similar to Holyoke Crossing, home of Barnes & Noble, Circuit City, and several other stores, only a few blocks away on the other side of the interstate.
O’Connell developed the Holyoke Crossing project, and Andy Crystal, the company’s vice president, believes a similar retail center will likely represent the best re-use of the 29-acre Atlas Copco property.
“We think that would be the best alternative for that site,” he said, adding quickly that what a zone change will provide is options for redevelopment — and O’Connell intends to explore all of them.
That’s good, because additional retail in that corridor may be a tough sell.
There is already considerable traffic moving on and off I-91 and other roads in that area, with the Holyoke Mall and Holyoke Crossing being common destinations. Adding more retail to the mix would exacerbate that situation, some argue.
But Crystal told BusinessWest that a retail center could actually generate less traffic than a manufacturing operation — and certainly less truck traffic. Meanwhile, a venture similar to Holyoke Crossing would generate roughly $650,000 in annual tax revenues, about four times the amount yielded from Atlas Copco, and a retail center would generate more than 100 full- and part-time jobs.
“And these would be ‘new’ jobs to the region,” said Francesca Maltese, development manager for O’Connell, noting that manufacturing positions generated at the site would likely be relocated to that address from other area communities.
There are many, similar arguments that will be made in what could become a compelling debate in Holyoke. BusinessWest looks this issue at what’s at stake for the Atlas Copco property — and the Ingleside section as a whole.
Space Exploration
As he talked with BusinessWest about the parcel at 161 Lower Westfield Road, Crystal gestured toward the large, nearly empty parking lot of the plant, and then well beyond it, to the corners of Ingleside.
“We understand this area, and we have a big stake in it,” he said, with the we being O’Connell, which, in addition to Holyoke Crossing, has also developed the Crossroads Business Park off Bobala Road. “As a local company, we recognized the importance of what happens on this corner, and that’s why we wanted to be the ones to redevelop this site.”
Such desire eventually led O’Connell to form 161 Lower Westfield Road, LLC, the venture that acquired the property last summer for $4 million, and is now actively engaged in finding a new use for it.
Once agricultural land, the property, adjacent to Tannery Brook, had been home to Atlas Copco since the mid ’60s. The company, which expanded its operations several times over the years, relocated its manufacturing operations to South Carolina in 2004, and moved administrative and sales employees to Westfield last year.
It is the site’s location, only a few hundred yards from interchanges off I-91 and only a few blocks from the mall and Holyoke Crossing, that intrigued O’Connell, said Maltese. She told BusinessWest that a specialty retail center – also known within the retail community as a lifestyle center – on the site could make the Ingleside area a larger, even more vibrant shopping destination.
Elaborating, she said there are many national chains of retail stores and restaurants that would be attracted to such a location. And a mix could be generated, she believes, that would not compete with the mall or Holyoke Crossing, but instead complement and benefit them.
“A specialty retail center would give people from a wide area more reasons to come to Holyoke,” she explained, noting that the mall attracts shoppers from several New England states and New York. “And that would benefit the city and the region as well.”
Both the merits and potential problems to be generated by such a retail hub will be debated over the next several weeks, said Hayden, who told BusinessWest that there are many issues to be weighed. These include traffic, job creation, tax revenue, and, overall, crafting a re-use plan that works for both Ingleside and the community as a whole.
He acknowledged that traffic concerns will be at the center of debate (which will ensue at a public hearing later this month), but they should be just part of the discussion.
He said city officials have been working diligently in recent years to diversity the city’s job base, and the future of the Atlas Copco property will play a role in such efforts. Holyoke has been hurt by the closing or relocation of several large manufacturers in recent years, including Atlas Copco, Ampad, Kodak Polychrome, and others, he explained, adding that while many new jobs in manufacturing have been created, more diversity is desired.
“Our economy is much different now than it was 20 years ago,” he said. “Back then, people would say of Holyoke, ‘if it loses any of those manufacturers, it’s in big trouble. That’s not the case anymore because we have been able to diversity our jobs base.
“We have a strong base in health care, in retail, in other types of commercial services, and even in government,” he continued. “We have to continue moving in the direction of greater diversity.”
Maltese said O’Connell has looked at a number of options for the Atlas Copco property and concluded that specialty retail makes the most sense for that site — and the community itself.
She told BusinessWest that large manufacturing operations such as the Atlas Copco plant are not being drawn to the Pioneer Valley; instead, they are leaving it. Holyoke’s manufacturing base remains strong, she said, but it is now dominated by smaller shops, many of them now located in the paper and textile mills that gave the city its heritage.
The Atlas Copco site — specifically, the roughly 15 acres that can be developed — could, theoretically, be subdivided into smaller parcels for manufacturing or office use, she said. However, there is already a sizable inventory of existing facilities and land designated for such uses.
This includes the Crossroads business park, which currently houses a 22,000-square-foot office building for American Honda Financial Corp. and another parcel currently under contract.
“We can accommodate these smaller manufacturers at Crossroads and other locations,” she said. “We could, and we should, put this site (Atlas Copco) to a different use.”
The End Zone
Like Crystal, Hayden said the requested zone change, if approved, will provide O’Connell, and Holyoke, with greater flexibility as it creates a re-use plan for the Atlas Copco site.
Whether retail emerges as that best option remains to be seen, he said, but such a venture would help the city further diversify its economy while also gaining additional tax revenue and jobs.
“This property is an asset for the city,” he continued. “And any redevelopment plan should focus on making the best use of that asset.”
George O’Brien can be reached at[email protected]
Understanding the Cap Rate
Know the Risks Before You Invest in Commercial Real Estate
You are an investor who recently sold a small income-producing property. To defer capital gains, you want to re-invest in another income-producing property. But where is the best place for your investment?
Should you pay more for a newer property to enjoy an established tenant such as Walgreens or should you pay less for an older property and take on a less-established tenant like XYZ Plumbing Supply? To answer this question you have to think about — and understand — the capitalization rate, or cap rate.
A much misused and misunderstood method for judging the value of a property, the cap rate, put simply, is the net operating income divided by the sales price, or the value of the property expressed as a percentage. The lower the selling price, the higher the cape rate, and, conversely, the higher the selling price, the lower the cap rate.
The cap rate is based on rates of return that are typical in the marketplace for similar properties and is intended to reflect the investment risk associated with a particular property — investors expect a larger return when investing in high-risk income-producing properties.
Determining a property’s value using its cap rate seems like an easy process – divide the cap rate it into an income stream and get an indication of the property’s value. But it’s not as simple as that.
Let’s look at an example. Let’s say the owner of a relatively new, Class A investment property has Walgreen’s paying $350,000 per year to lease the space. With a cap rate of .07%, the indicated value would be $5 million. Now, compare that to a 30-year-old Class C office building with the same income stream. With a cap rate of .15%, that property has an indicated value of only $2.3 million.
Why such a big difference for identical income streams? Because risk is rate.
The rate of capitalization is determined by the amount of risk associated with that income stream such as:
• Financial strength (credit worthiness) of the tenant;
• The length of firm term on the lease by the occupant;
• Future marketability of the property (sale or re-lease)
• The residual value of the property at the end of the firm term — will there be a renewal and if so, at what rate? How does that compare with the market? What is the sale-ability of the property at the end of the firm term?
• Age and condition of the physical assets.
By applying these risks to the earlier example, it’s obvious which property is the better investment.
By owning a building with Walgreens as the tenant, the investor has a lower cap rate for a property in better physical condition, which limits landlord expense. Just as important, the physical condition of the building will be in better shape at the end of the holding period than the Class C building.
Investors need to understand the cap rate so they don’t apply the same cap rate for a national tenant in a new building in a super location and a 16-unit apartment building in an older part of the city. The investor wouldn’t be comparing apples to apples.
Cap rates should come from the market and need to be extracted from extremely similar situations in order to be an appropriate method of valuation for a property.
Bob Greeley is owner of R.J. Greeley Company, LLC., a full-service real estate firm with extensive experience across the spectrum of commercial, industrial and telecommunication real estate transactions; (413) 734-792
Some might look at the price tag and says it’s way too much for a city on the brink of receivership, a community where hard-working municipal employees have-n’t had raises in years.
But the $120,000 that Springfield will soon commit to an economic development study to be undertaken by a panel from the Urban Land Institute might be the best money this struggling city has spent in years.
The institute, or ULI as it’s called, has undertaken hundreds of similar studies through its Advisory Services department in cities in every region of the country. In the Northeast, they’ve been conducted in Lowell, Mass., Bridgeport, Conn., and others. These communities are, in many ways, like Springfield, and sought help from the ULI to gain some fresh perspective on how to move forward, attract jobs, and improve quality of life.
What they were given was a sense of direction on subjects broad and specific, and a road map for achieving progress.
Springfield could definitely use one of those.
Indeed, while there some business success stories to record and signs of encouragement in the Control Board’s efforts to pull the city back from the economic abyss, the economic development picture looks chaotic at best.
Despite claims to the contrary, it would seem that the city has no real plan (or plans) for economic development. Instead, its leaders have goals.
They want to expand development of the riverfront area, for example. They also want to find a new use for the York Street Jail, determine the best way to utilize the industrial park to be built near Smith & Wesson to attract new jobs to the city, and turn long-vacant Union Station into some kind of transportation/retail center.
pringfield also wants a downtown hotel to complement the recently opened Mass-Mutual Center, and it desires some way to turn the tide downtown and develop market rate housing that will balance, or replace, the thousands of subsidized units there.
But there is no real plan for doing any or all this, or even affirmation that these are the directions in which the city should be moving.
There are many voices — this magazine among them — who believe the city is wasting precious time, money, and energy trying to convert Union Station into something it can’t be — a destination. Meanwhile, the ‘Jail for Sale’ sign facing I-91 has become a permanent part of the downtown landscape, and there seems little hope for re-using the landmark. The downtown hotel project is stalled, and efforts to make Springfield into a telecommunications or biotechnology hub have yet to get off the ground.
For all these reasons, some assistance from the ULI couldn’t hurt — and it may very well help.
From what BusinessWest has gathered from Urban Land Institute spokespeople and officials in Lowell, the ULI process is not a master plan or a vision plan. Rather, it is an intense, week-long effort to gain perspective on where a community is and where it could, and should, go.
Springfield’s leaders will be able to set the agenda for the ULI panel and pinpoint specific areas of concern and opportunity. Volunteer panels, staffed with professionals across a broad spectrum of land use and development disciplines, will generate a dialogue about Springfield and, hopefully, create a consensus for how best to move forward.
Some in Springfield are undoubtedly worried that the Control Board is spending $120,000 that the city doesn’t have to hear a group of experts tell people here some things they already know. Meanwhile, others are concerned that the ULI report will become yet another document to gather dust on shelves in the Planning Department office.
While these are legitimate fears, we will take the optimistic view that the study process will yield some positive benefits that will take the city and its development leaders out of neutral and into a higher gear.
The ULI has a proven track record for success, and the city should take full advantage of this opportunity.
Government often finds itself in a position of outlining parameters in which businesses and individuals must operate. For the most part, government does this well. Legislation dictating safe working conditions, limits on hours and days of work, speed limits, exposure to chemicals and other elements, are all good examples of this.
But when government puts itself in the position of dictating very specific aspects of businesses and individuals, it often finds itself incapable of success and instead inviting disaster. ‘Acceptable’ styles, food, drink, prices, are all better set by the marketplace.
Individuals will gravitate to those areas — and numbers — they are comfortable with.
So why would government feel it should dictate the wage a person must receive without taking into consideration all factors associated with jobs: Skills, level of complexity, opportunities for advancement, and other benefits associated with the position?
The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce’s position is that setting a minimum wage is done through the marketplace in the private sector. A worker is judged by his or her ability and how well he or she can compete with other candidates for the job. The vast majority of the chamber’s members pay wages above that set by the government as a minimum wage. They do this for many reasons, not the least of which is the people they employ have a value above that minimum wage level, and they want to retain the employees. To do so they must offer competitive wages and benefits.
The state Legislature is contemplating increases to the minimum wage. The current hourly rate is $6.75, compared to the federally set wage of $5.15. One part of the chamber’s position is that a state-set wage puts Massachusetts businesses at an unfair competitive position. If a minimum wage level was to be set by government, it should be set at the federal level, putting every business in every state at the same starting point.
Currently, 29 states use the federally set minimum wage as their own. Only 11, including Massachusetts, have a minimum wage higher than the federal wage. If the proposed increases in Massachusetts become law, Massachusetts would have the highest minimum wage level in the country.
The strongest disagreement the Cham-ber has with the proposal concerns a provision that would guarantee yearly increases using some cost-of-living index. Common sense alone should dictate what a bad idea this is. Only two other states have such a provision.
Imagine a scenario we have all seen and probably will again, with high inflation and a very competitive marketplace. During this period, if the automatic increase provision is accepted, the minimum wage would dramatically increase. Because wages are one of the largest cost factors for any business, in order to stay competitive companies would have to reduce costs. Therefore, the very jobs that advocates for increases say they are fighting for would no doubt be the jobs eliminated due to high costs.
In summary,
• the marketplace works; let it work;
• a minimum wage should not be forced upon the private sector by government;
• if government disagrees with this premise, to ensure fair competition state to state, the federal government should take control with this issue;
• automatic increases in this minimum wage are counter-productive to ensuring better wages, and could indeed cost the jobs of these lower-level workers.
Legislators could soon vote on this issue. It is up to business owners to inform legislators of the level of wages they pay, the benefits that go with those jobs, and the competitive pressures they are facing. With this message, maybe we can get government back to what it should be doing and let businesses do what they do;
rovide our residents with a quality way of life and create more jobs for more people.-
Jeffrey Ciuffreda is vice president of Governmental Affairs for the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield; (413) 755-1312.
Government often finds itself in a position of outlining parameters in which businesses and individuals must operate. For the most part, government does this well. Legislation dictating safe working conditions, limits on hours and days of work, speed limits, exposure to chemicals and other elements, are all good examples of this.
But when government puts itself in the position of dictating very specific aspects of businesses and individuals, it often finds itself incapable of success and instead inviting disaster. ‘Acceptable’ styles, food, drink, prices, are all better set by the marketplace.
Individuals will gravitate to those areas — and numbers — they are comfortable with.
So why would government feel it should dictate the wage a person must receive without taking into consideration all factors associated with jobs: Skills, level of complexity, opportunities for advancement, and other benefits associated with the position?
The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce’s position is that setting a minimum wage is done through the marketplace in the private sector. A worker is judged by his or her ability and how well he or she can compete with other candidates for the job. The vast majority of the chamber’s members pay wages above that set by the government as a minimum wage. They do this for many reasons, not the least of which is the people they employ have a value above that minimum wage level, and they want to retain the employees. To do so they must offer competitive wages and benefits.
The state Legislature is contemplating increases to the minimum wage. The current hourly rate is $6.75, compared to the federally set wage of $5.15. One part of the chamber’s position is that a state-set wage puts Massachusetts businesses at an unfair competitive position. If a minimum wage level was to be set by government, it should be set at the federal level, putting every business in every state at the same starting point.
Currently, 29 states use the federally set minimum wage as their own. Only 11, including Massachusetts, have a minimum wage higher than the federal wage. If the proposed increases in Massachusetts become law, Massachusetts would have the highest minimum wage level in the country.
The strongest disagreement the Cham-ber has with the proposal concerns a provision that would guarantee yearly increases using some cost-of-living index. Common sense alone should dictate what a bad idea this is. Only two other states have such a provision.
Imagine a scenario we have all seen and probably will again, with high inflation and a very competitive marketplace. During this period, if the automatic increase provision is accepted, the minimum wage would dramatically increase. Because wages are one of the largest cost factors for any business, in order to stay competitive companies would have to reduce costs. Therefore, the very jobs that advocates for increases say they are fighting for would no doubt be the jobs eliminated due to high costs.
In summary,
• the marketplace works; let it work;
• a minimum wage should not be forced upon the private sector by government;
• if government disagrees with this premise, to ensure fair competition state to state, the federal government should take control with this issue;
• automatic increases in this minimum wage are counter-productive to ensuring better wages, and could indeed cost the jobs of these lower-level workers.
Legislators could soon vote on this issue. It is up to business owners to inform legislators of the level of wages they pay, the benefits that go with those jobs, and the competitive pressures they are facing. With this message, maybe we can get government back to what it should be doing and let businesses do what they do;
rovide our residents with a quality way of life and create more jobs for more people.-
Jeffrey Ciuffreda is vice president of Governmental Affairs for the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield; (413) 755-1312.
Community Profile: Easthampton
| DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION | |
| Year Founded : | 1785 |
| Type of Government: | Mayor/City Council |
| County: | Hampshire |
| Area: | 13.60 square miles |
| Population: | 15,537 |
| Population Density: | 1,159 per sq. mile |
| Households: | 6,854 |
| Median Household Income: | $39,826 |
| Owner-occupied Housing Units: | 60.7% |
| Labor Force: | 8,570 |
| Registered Voters: | 8,526 |
| Commercial Tax Rate: | $13.63 |
| Residential Tax Rate: | $13.63 |
| Avg. Residential Tax Bill: | $2,385 |
| Residential Tax Bill State Rank: | 264 |
| Median Sales Price of a Single-family Home: | $200,005 |
| KEY ELECTED/APPOINTED OFFICIALS | |
| Mayor: | Michael Tautznik |
| City Council President: | Daniel Rist |
| State Representative: | John Scibak |
| State Senator: | Michael Knapik |
| School Superintendent: | Deborah N. Carter |
| City Planner: | Stuart Beckley |
| City Solicitor: | John Fitz-Gibbon |
| City Clerk: | Barbara LaBombard |
| Bulding Inspector: | J. Richard Oleksak |
| Collector: | Elizabeth Gendron |
| Chamber of Commerce Director: | Eric Snyder |
| TELEPHONE DIRECTORY (area code 413) | |
| Mayor’s Office: | 529-1470 |
| Assessor’s Office: | 529-1401 |
| Planning Department: | 529-1406 |
| Building Department: | 529-1402 |
| Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce: | 527-9414 |
| MAJOR EMPLOYERS* | |
| Tubed Products | 728 |
| Easthampton Public Schools | 266 |
| Williston Northampton School | 212 |
| National Nonwovens | 193 |
| October Company | 154 |
| Riverside Industries | 140 |
| Stevens Urethane | 90 |
| Easthampton Savings | 87 |
|
*Data from the 2003 Major Employers Inventory, prepared by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commmision |
| Arlene Putnam, Vice President and General Manager of the Eastfield Mall, Springfield, has been named the 2006 Woman of the Year by the Women’s Partnership of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield Inc. An active member of many prominent organizations, Putnam has made a significant impact in the business and public community. She began her career at Eastfield Mall in 1978 and rose within the company to achieve her present position in 1998. She is also Vice President and Director of Retail Operations of the Eastern Hills Mall in Buffalo, N.Y. Both companies are subsidiaries of the Mountain Development Company. She is also co-chair of the Boston Road Business Association, an organization she helped start in 1999. Her community activities include serving on the board of directors of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and the Spirit of Springfield. She also serves on the executive committee of the Springfield Chamber and Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau and is a member of the Women’s Partnership. ••••• The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau has appointed Michael P. Egan as Director of Convention Center Sales for the MassMutual Center. Egan will be responsible for implementing strategies to promote and sell the MassMutual Center and the Pioneer Valley to conventions, meetings, and trade shows.
••••• Rep. Sean F. Curran has been chosen as the 2005/2006 Legislator of the Year by the Western Mass. Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association.
Mary K. Fallon, a Media Analyst at Garvey Communications Associates Inc. in Springfield, was recently accepted as an Associate member of the Public Relations Society of America. At GCAI, Fallon’s responsibilities include media relations, copy research and writing, Internet marketing and campaign implementation, and management. ••••• GSB, MHC and its subsidiary Greenfield Savings Bank announced the election of two Corporators at its recent annual meeting. They are: • Daniel F. Graves, a Partner of Curtiss, Carey, Gates and Graves, where he specializes in commercial and residential real estate, and ••••• Shawana Perry of WSFB-TV in Hartford has been promoted to Executive Producer of the 11 p.m. newscast. Country Bank for Savings in Ware announced the following: • Robert R. Paulsen Jr. has been named Vice President of Commercial Loans; | Evan Israelson has joined Sovereign Bank’s asset-based lending group as Vice President, Commercial Relationship Manager. He will be based at the bank’s Boston office, but will also work in Springfield. ••••• Craig W. Kaylor has been promoted to Vice President and General Counsel for Hampden Bank in Springfield. Kaylor has worked for the bank since 1999, most recently as vice president and compliance officer. ••••• Darlene Tebaldi, an Account Executive with Mass One Insurance Agency in Greenfield, has been awarded the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation by the American Institute for CPCU. ••••• Food author/instructor Betty Rosbottom has been hired as the Culinary Coordinator for Lamson & Goodnow Cutlery & Kitchen Tools in Northampton. •••••
• Deborah A. Basile of Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy; •••••
• P. Anandan ’87 Ph.D., is Managing Director of Microsoft Research India, which conducts research in computing and engineering sciences, with a focus on technology for emerging markets, underserved communities, multilanguage computing systems, and geographical information systems; • Mark E. Russell ’85 MS, is Vice President of Engineering for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Tewksbury. He is responsible for leading all engineering activities, including the management of technology, strategic initiatives and product development; • Patricia Reid Ponte ’76 RN, DNSc, FAAN, is Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Director of Oncology Nursing and Clinical Services at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Reid Ponte has conducted research on empathy and distress in cancer patients, advance practice nursing, and hospital practices; • David M. Korins ‘99 is a theatrical set designer and the founder of David Korins Design Inc., based in New York City. His work has been seen on and off Broadway and throughout the country in regional theatres; • David McLaughlin ’84, ’89 Ph.D., is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UMass Amherst and Director of the Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA). CASA is a national-scale research project that involves networks of small, low power radars that can be affixed to rooftops and cellular telephone towers, and • Ed Klekowski joined the UMass Amherst faculty as an Assistant Professor in 1968 and is now Emeritus Professor of Biology, having retired in 2005. His research area is evolutionary genetics in which he has published more than 80 scientific papers and two books. Since 1955 the Alumni Association has bestowed the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of alumni and faculty who have demonstrated distinguished service in the areas of public, business or professional service, community service, or service to the university. |
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
| CHICOPEE | INDIAN ORCHARD |
| Altoros Systems Inc., 195 Meadow St., 2nd floor, Chicopee 01013. Renat Khasanshyn, same. Software engineering services, IT consulting, systems integration. | Global Logistics |
| Alykat Inc., 766 Memorial Dr., Chicopee 01020. Brenda A. Guiel, 161 Wilson Ave., Chicopee 01013. Jewelry store. | J & J Architectural Inc., 34- |
| Lilybugs Inc., 10 Woodcrest Circle, Chicopee 01020. Crystal C. Kane, same. Manufacture and sale of baby products. | Marty’s RE 528 Main St., |
| EASTHAMPTON | LUDLOW |
| Mt. Tom Plastics Inc., 142 Pleasant St., Easthampton 01027. Richard Prucnal, 104 Perry St., Easthampton 01027. Manufacturing and printing of plastic bags. | Brazilian Cultural |
| RJL The Curtain Shop Inc., 36 Ashley Circle, Easthampton 01027. Jill C. LaFleur, same. To operate a retail curtain shop. | NORTHAMPTON McAire Co. Inc., 76 Crescent |
| EAST LONGMEADOW | SOUTH HADLEY |
| Next Systems Inc., 22 Deer Park Dr., East Longmeadow 01106. Steven R. Torres, 500 Park Dr., Springfield 01106. Distribution and resale of scales and load cells. | Ishah ‘El Theatre Arts |
| FLORENCE | |
| Crossroads Accessories Inc., 221 Pine St., Suite 145, Florence 01062. Dmitri Robbins, 16 Myrtle St., Northampton 01060. Wholesale and retail sale and distribution of jewelry and accessories. | Joshua Generation Fellowship, 186 East St., South Hadley 01075. Edward J. Lemelin, same. (Nonprofit) To establish a church congregation to promote the work of God and the ministry of his word, etc. |
| HOLYOKE | SPRINGFIELD |
| House Bidders Inc., 76 Eastern Promanade St., Holyoke 01040. James Fernandes, same. Consulting services to homeowners engaged in home renovation and improvements. | Peak Performance Chiropractic Inc., 1 Stafford St., Springfield 01104. Michael M. Levesque, D.C, same, president, treasurer and secretary. Chiropractic/ physical rehab. |
| The Turn Group Inc., 824 South Bridge St., Holyoke 01040. Gary Silva, 29 Pleasantview St., Ludlow 01056. To effect the association of American citizens and others of Germanic ancestry, to operate club facilities, etc. | ZMP Inc., 473 State St., Springfield 01109. Martin P. Zebrowski, 122 Main St., South Hadley 01075. Bar and restaurant. |
| HUBBARDSTON | WESTFIELD |
| Wide Angle Marketing | Proudly Landscaping Inc., 37 Janelle Dr., Westfield 01085. David S. Prouty, same. General landscaping, yard restoration and gutter cleaning. |
| HUNTINGTON Gateway Family Center | Residential Tree Service |
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the months of March and April 2006.
| AGAWAM Arrow Precision Company Canterbury Café Crown Marketing Dan & Nancy’s Antiques Gem Products Hair Craft MRG Remodeling Productions AMHERST Blair, Cutting & Smith Confidential Design Elite Home Health Agency J. Shefftz Consulting MRC Auction Co. Shadlin Kung Fu Fitness Simple Gifts Farm CHICOPEE Glass Mass LLC (Glass Dr.) Jan’s Auto Service Lussier Construction & Noah’s Ark Workshop EAST LONGMEADOW Earth Angel Herbals Meadows Medical Associates Peter Brasin’s Hairstyles Shapes A Salon Styles A Salon HADLEY The Emporium Steve Alban Inc. Wall Financial HOLYOKE Bittersweet Baskets & Gifts Gil’s Mobile Welding LONGMEADOW Enchanting Designs The Grout Crew LeDuc Racing NORTHAMPTON Bidwell Advisors Fotes Glorious Fabrics | Joel Minsky Furniture The Zen Peacemaker Circle SOUTH HADLEY Kaspir’s LLC Maura Cullen Robot Monkey SPRINGFIELD American Exterminating Co. CDC Staff Management FR Deliveries Giovanni’s Auto Sales HNR Studios Immortal Graphics Joe’s Remodeling Kitchen Open Lawson’s Home & Office Lozada Auto Repair N.E. Duct Cleaning Pro Nails Ramos Real Estate Splash N.E. Painting Co. UC Writing with Flair WEST SPRINGFIELD Balise Toyota Scion The Book Rack Comfort Inn & Suites Empire Buffet GKCOO Majestic Theater Paramount Store Professional Roofing & Roberts Dental Search Scuderi Group LLC Super 8 Motel WESTFIELD Dalaar Studio Destination Organization Lou Annino Property Service North-East Services R.T.S. Distributions Twilight PC Repair |
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Service Mold Inc. v. Pro-Corporation Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods and services: $24,200
Date Filed: March 17
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Silver Dollar Optical Corp. v. Ashtkale Inc. d/b/a Conway Spectacle Shop
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $2,034.98
Date Filed: March 20
CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Arnold’s & Eddie’s Foods Inc. v. JPNV Co. Inc. d/b/a Williams House Inc. and Nancy J. Venne
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $1,996.94
Date Filed: March 13
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
R.P.S Inc. d/b/a Hampden/Zimmerman Electrical Supply Co. v. Integrated Energy Solutions Inc., Marc Trepanier a/k/a Marc D. Trepanier
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $20,376.46
Date Filed: March 6
Graham’s Check Cashing Inc. v. Powell Home Improvement Corp.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to honor checks: $4,266.78
Date Filed: March 7
Czaplicki Drywall Inc. d/b/a S. Czaplicki Drywall Inc. v. Donald N. Chartier d/b/a Chartier’s General Co.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for services: $18,213.42
Date Filed: March 16
Tighe & Bond Inc. v. Modern Aluminum Anodizing Corp. a/k/a Modern Aluminum Anodizing Corp.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $14,845.67
Date Filed: March 16
PVTA Administrator’s Contract Won’t Be Renewed
SPRINGFIELD — The advisory board of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority recently declined to renew the contract of Gary Shepard, suspended administrator of the PVTA. Shepard will continue to receive his $114,000 annual salary until June 2007, when his contract expires. Under the 2001 agreement, the board has to give at least one year’s notice to Shepard if it chooses not to renew the contract. Shepard has been on paid leave since Feb. 23, following a raid by federal agents of the PVTA’s Main Street offices. A grand jury investigation is ongoing into possible bid-rigging. The PVTA provides van and bus service to 24 communities throughout Western Mass.
Mass. Hospitals’ Operating Costs Below National Average
BURLINGTON — Dispelling the myth that Massachusetts hospital care is the most expensive in the nation, a new report by Ingenix Health Intelligence/Center for Healthcare Industry Performance Studies shows that most hospitals across the state are operating at costs significantly below national medians. Also, hospitals in the Commonwealth are treating patients with more complex conditions, according to the ‘patient case mix index,’ which, at 1.2337 is much higher than the national median of 1.0800. The report also reveals that, relative to national averages, Massachusetts hospitals tend to be more efficient, with lower inpatient costs and higher inpatient occupancies. The study compares FY 2004 Massachusetts median hospital financial and operating indicators with national medians and incorporates data from the Almanac of Hospital Financial and Operating Indicators. The Mass. Hospital Association provided operating indicator data for 67 hospitals. The report illustrates that median Massachusetts hospital costs are significantly lower than national averages, with Massachusetts median cost per discharge at $5,406 and the national median cost per discharge at $6,459. On the other hand, the report illustrates concern that the state’s acute care hospitals are falling behind the nation with regard to capital maintenance and investment. The report also shows that Massachusetts hospitals are far less profitable than is the norm for the nation’s hospitals, but there’s been an improvement in total margin for the Massachusetts hospitals. The median rose from .3% in 2002 to 1.9% in 2004, while the national median rose from 2.6% in 2002 to 3.3% in 2004.
New Pioneer Valley Tourism Guide Available
SPRINGFIELD — The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau’s 2006-2007 Guide to Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley is now available. The guide will be distributed at hotels, attractions, and restaurants, as well as key highway information centers, the downtown Springfield brochure rack network, and the William C. Sullivan Visitor Information Center. The guide is also available by calling (413) 755-1351 or E-mail at [email protected].
Mass. Hotels Anticipate Strong Comeback
SPRINGFIELD — During a recent two-day Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism at the Sheraton Springfield, an optimistic spin on the lodging industry was delivered by Mark V. Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research. Lomanno noted that while the state’s growth is lagging behind the rest of the country, he sees the promise of catching up in the next six months to a year. Lomanno also said that, despite modest growth in the inventory of hotel rooms across the state, the average daily room rate grew by 4.2% to $121.37, and total room revenue grew by 5.3%, to $1.9 billion. Parts of Hampden, Hampshire and southern Berkshire counties averaged 56.4% last year in occupancy rates, compared with the national average of 63.4%. In northwestern Massachusetts, the average occupancy rate was 48.2%.
Unemployment Rate Increases to 6%
SPRINGFIELD— Despite an increase in the number of jobs posted in the region, the unemployment rate for Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties was 6% in February, according to the state Division of Unemployment Assistance. The seasonally adjusted statewide rate for February was 5.0%. Sectors that have seen an increase in jobs during the past year include natural resources, mining and construction, financial activities, and professional and business services. Educational and health services have also seen an upswing in hiring over the past 12 months. Sectors losing jobs during the past year include transportation, utilities, leisure and hospitality, and government. February unemployment rates in local cities and towns include Chicopee, 6.8%; Greenfield, 5.5%; Holyoke, 7.9%; Northampton, 4.0%; Palmer, 7.0%; Springfield, 8.1%; Ware, 6.3%, and Westfield, 5.5%.
CFOs Concerned about Rising Insurance, Health Care Costs
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Employee health care expenses top the list of worries for financial executives today, according to a new survey conducted by Robert Half Management Resources. Nearly half (49%) of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled recently cited the rising cost of insurance and health care as one of their three most pressing concerns. When asked how they are addressing it, more than half (53%) of respondents said they are cutting spending in other areas of the company.
The following building permits were issued during the months of April and March 2006.
| AGAWAM Microtest Properties Inc. Sacred Heart Parish AMHERST Amherst Shopping Center Cook Block Associates Elysium LLC Elysium LLC Loomis Communities National Yiddish Book Center South Congregational Church Town of Amherst Trustees of Hampshire College CHICOPEE Riverbend Medical Group LLC | HOLYOKE Paul Amaral NORTHAMPTON Bermor Limited Partnership City of Northampton Daniel and Gail Yacuzzo Lan Ran LLC Star Northampton Inc. SPRINGFIELD Baystate Health City of Springfield David Cordero Eastfield Association WEST SPRINGFIELD Morgan Road Realty |
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
| Barton, Amanda E. Bilodeau, Patricia A. Carlacci-Grettenberg, Anna Clark, Frank M. Curran, Mary T. Curran, William E. Davidson, Laura Drug Assist Health Franck, Mindy A. Hamel, Nora K. Hanley, Edith H Kohl, Jacob W Kohl, Leonora S Lareau, Robert F. Larro, Jeanette | Mahdi, Keturah Y. Markham-Warren, Soroya Marrier, A Robert Matarazzo, Diane Elizabeth Monopoli, Bartholomew F. Nault, Angela Nault, Paul J. Paquette, Bernice C. Rodriguez, James E. Sena, Gilbert M. Sulikowski, Susan E. Vazquez, Migdalia Warren, Kevin B. Williams, Dianne M. Young, Bonnie L. |
‘Building Business’ Workshop
April 25: The Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship will host guest speaker Laura Gordon at 5:30 p.m. in the S. Prestley Blake Law Center on the college’s main campus, 1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield. Gordon will speak on Building Business from a Base of Strength. The free event is open to the public. Gordon is a licensed CPA in California and founder and owner of Gordon & Associates. Her mission is to provide professional business management and accounting services based on sound business practices and biblical principles. A UCLA graduate, Gordon also became a licensed minister in November 2002. She is enrolled at Kings Seminary, completing a Masters of Divinity. For more information on the program, call (413) 736-8462 or visit www.law.wnec.edu/lawandbusiness.
Auxiliary Fashion Show
April 30: Fashions from Talbots and Yale Genton will be featured at the Mercy Medical Center Auxiliary’s Spring Fashion Show at Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke, beginning at noon. Brenda Garton will host the event. Tickets are $25 and reservations may be made by calling (413) 748-9745. Proceeds raised from the fashion show will fund patient-oriented programs and enhancements at Mercy Medical Center.
ACS Gala
May 13: The American Cancer Society will honor Sr. Mary Caritas, S.P., former president of Mercy Medical Center, at its 2006 Omar T. Pace, M.D., Gala at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The black tie affair, beginning at 6 p.m., will feature a silent auction, formal dinner, and an evening of dancing to the tunes of the Floyd Patterson Band. For more information or to make a reservation, call (413) 734-6000, option 3.
‘State of the Region’ Conference
May 5: The Hartford Springfield Economic Partnership will stage its 5th Annual ‘State of the Region’ Conference at the MassMutual Corporate Center in Enfield., from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by TD Banknorth, the event will address the question: Is Hartford-Springfield Positioned for Success? The keynote speaker will be Michael Gallis, a principal with Michael Gallis & Associates, considered the country’s leading expert in large-scale metropolitan regional development strategies. To register, call (860) 728-2280; or visit www.HartfordSpringfield.com.
Some might look at the price tag and says it’s way too much for a city on the brink of receivership, a community where hard-working municipal employees have-n’t had raises in years.
But the $120,000 that Springfield will soon commit to an economic development study to be undertaken by a panel from the Urban Land Institute might be the best money this struggling city has spent in years.
The institute, or ULI as it’s called, has undertaken hundreds of similar studies through its Advisory Services department in cities in every region of the country. In the Northeast, they’ve been conducted in Lowell, Mass., Bridgeport, Conn., and others. These communities are, in many ways, like Springfield, and sought help from the ULI to gain some fresh perspective on how to move forward, attract jobs, and improve quality of life.
What they were given was a sense of direction on subjects broad and specific, and a road map for achieving progress.
Springfield could definitely use one of those.
Indeed, while there some business success stories to record and signs of encouragement in the Control Board’s efforts to pull the city back from the economic abyss, the economic development picture looks chaotic at best.
Despite claims to the contrary, it would seem that the city has no real plan (or plans) for economic development. Instead, its leaders have goals.
They want to expand development of the riverfront area, for example. They also want to find a new use for the York Street Jail, determine the best way to utilize the industrial park to be built near Smith & Wesson to attract new jobs to the city, and turn long-vacant Union Station into some kind of transportation/retail center.
pringfield also wants a downtown hotel to complement the recently opened Mass-Mutual Center, and it desires some way to turn the tide downtown and develop market rate housing that will balance, or replace, the thousands of subsidized units there.
But there is no real plan for doing any or all this, or even affirmation that these are the directions in which the city should be moving.
There are many voices — this magazine among them — who believe the city is wasting precious time, money, and energy trying to convert Union Station into something it can’t be — a destination. Meanwhile, the ‘Jail for Sale’ sign facing I-91 has become a permanent part of the downtown landscape, and there seems little hope for re-using the landmark. The downtown hotel project is stalled, and efforts to make Springfield into a telecommunications or biotechnology hub have yet to get off the ground.
For all these reasons, some assistance from the ULI couldn’t hurt — and it may very well help.
From what BusinessWest has gathered from Urban Land Institute spokespeople and officials in Lowell, the ULI process is not a master plan or a vision plan. Rather, it is an intense, week-long effort to gain perspective on where a community is and where it could, and should, go.
Springfield’s leaders will be able to set the agenda for the ULI panel and pinpoint specific areas of concern and opportunity. Volunteer panels, staffed with professionals across a broad spectrum of land use and development disciplines, will generate a dialogue about Springfield and, hopefully, create a consensus for how best to move forward.
Some in Springfield are undoubtedly worried that the Control Board is spending $120,000 that the city doesn’t have to hear a group of experts tell people here some things they already know. Meanwhile, others are concerned that the ULI report will become yet another document to gather dust on shelves in the Planning Department office.
While these are legitimate fears, we will take the optimistic view that the study process will yield some positive benefits that will take the city and its development leaders out of neutral and into a higher gear.
The ULI has a proven track record for success, and the city should take full advantage of this opportunity.
Manpower: Positive Job Market for Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield-area employers expect to hire at a steady pace during the second quarter of 2006, according to the recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. From April to June, 27% of the companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while 10% expect to reduce their payrolls. Another 53% expect to maintain their current staff levels, and 10% are not certain of their hiring plans. For the coming quarter, job prospects appear best in wholesale/retail trade, education, and services. According to the national seasonally adjusted results of the survey, U.S. employers show no signs of changing their healthy hiring pace in the second quarter. Of the 16,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 30% foresee an increase in hiring activity for the second quarter of 2006, while 6% expect a reduction in payrolls.
Cities Receiving River Cleanup Grants
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), in cooperation with the Connecticut River Clean-Up Committee, recently announced that Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee will receive U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding totaling $1.5 million for cleanup of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to the Connecticut River. Springfield will receive $1,178,551 for the correction of CSOs in the Clinton Street/Washburn Street area, while Chicopee will receive $50,449 for sewer separation in the Jones Ferry/McKinstry Street area and $114,286 for sewer separation in the Fairview Street area. Holyoke will receive $175,871 for sewer separation in the Jones Ferry Road area.
Baystate Health Replacing Garage
SPRINGFIELD — A three-level parking garage will soon be under construction by Baystate Health at 280 Chestnut St. to replace its current aging structure. Visitors and vendors are asked to park across the street at the Holiday Inn on Congress Street. Signage will designate the parking spaces for Baystate patrons. The new garage is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Officials Back Off Hotel Project
SPRINGFIELD — Developers will revise their proposal for a riverfront hotel project off West Columbus Avenue after Mayor Charles V. Ryan and David B. Panagore, deputy executive director of the Springfield Finance Control Board, recently rejected their bid. Both Ryan and Panagore instead have chosen to put the riverfront project out to bid. Ryan and Panagore cited several demands by Connecticut River Development LLC and NYLO Partners LLC that were too demanding for the city to consider at this time. Among the developers’ demands cited by Ryan included a 10-year period free of property taxes and freedom from sales tax on construction costs.
Tavern Restaurant Slates Summer Opening
SPRINGFIELD — The former owner of the Tavern Restaurant on Mill Street will once again take the helm this summer and reopen the popular eatery which was shut down last fall when the current owner, Frank L. D’Agostino, fell behind on rent payments. John J. Bonavita of East Longmeadow had owned the Tavern for almost 24 years until he sold it to D’Agostino in 2004. Bonavita had still owned the building that housed the restaurant and hired sheriff’s deputies on Oct. 7 to close the restaurant because D’Agostino was $5,625 behind in rent payments. Bonavita also reported to the License Commission that D’Agostino had let the insurance on the restaurant lapse. In a 5-0 vote, the License Commission granted a liquor license to Bonavita as part of his plan to reopen the restaurant.
State Rep. Wagner Seeks Tighter Control over Transit Authorities
SPRINGFIELD — With 15 regional transit authorities across the state, state Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee, would like to see stricter state oversight since all are run by local advisory boards. In light of the recent fallout from the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority’s corruption probe, a legislative committee will soon begin seeking answers to increasing management and legal issues. A meeting of the Committee on Transportation was conducted March 27 at 4 p.m. in Room 303 at Holyoke Community College. Wagner stressed that the authority has far more independence on spending public funds and too little accountability to the Legislature. In addition, Wagner said that the transit authorities tend to run annual budget deficits, which forces the state to pick up as much as 75% of the additional costs.
Podcasting Teaching Communications Technology
SPRINGFIELD — Gordon Snyder, a professor of Electronic Systems Engineering Technology at Springfield Technical Community College, and Michael Qaissaunee, department chair for Engineering and Technology at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, N.J., have begun recording weekly podcasts on communications technology for listeners worldwide to download. Their conversations have ranged from ‘2006 Technology Predictions’ to ‘Security 101: What Every Employee Should Know.’ Snyder and Qaissaunee said their listener base – at approximately 850 — grows each week as the site becomes better known. They use Skype in recording their podcasts, which can be downloaded free, or subscribed to through RSS (Really Simple Syndication). The podcasts can be played on an iPod or through a personal computer at any time that’s convenient for the user. The podcasts are available free at Apple iTunes and at www.nctt.org. Snyder is also executive director of the National Center for Telecommunications Technologies (NCTT), and Qaissaunee is director of the Mid-Atlantic Institute for Telecommunications Technologies, a regional partner of the NCTT.
| Grand Opening Pazzo Risotorante, the newest addition to the Basketball Hall of Fame complex, staged a grand opening and VIP cocktail reception on March 27. The event drew hundreds of area dignitaries, including many from the business community. The restaurant, which features Sicilian-inspired cuisine, opened to the public on March 29.
|
The printer’s shop in Old Sturbridge Village tells the story of how newspapers were produced during the 1830s. Among its artifacts are an antique manual typesetting apparatus, several pieces of vintage furniture, reproductions of 19th-century printed documents, and a large, flat-screen television mounted to a wall.
That’s right. A TV screen.
While many of the structures in the outdoor village still use “interpreters” — staff members or volunteers dressed in period attire who demonstrate New England life in the early 1800s — the facility’s management has been shifting toward something a little more high-tech in other areas.
For example, the wide-screen TV plays short videos throughout the day, filmed inside the print shop, that, in effect, perform the interpreter’s job. In OSV’s indoor museum area, visitors can access information about what they’re seeing using touch screens on computer kiosks. The mixture of old and new can admittedly be jarring to some patrons.
“Museums like ours are facing a cultural change,” said Ed Hood, director of research and collections. “People love the antiques, the infrastructure, the historic buildings. The question is, how do we change the bathwater while keeping the baby?”
The challenge of how to keep Old Sturbridge Village relevant at a time of declining attendance for all living history museums led to the resignation of the center’s executive director, Beverly Sheppard, last month, over the pace of progress at the village. A national search is underway for a replacement.
Those now in charge at one of New England’s most notable tourist attractions say that the course being plotted is a strong one, and Sheppard simply wanted to take a faster, more aggressive path to the same ends. But they also concede that the village stands at a crossroads — and not just the one at Interstates 90 and 84.
“The world is changing around us, and we have to keep it relevant,” said Bruce Moir, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “But we also have to keep doing what makes us special, and do it well. You can’t just chuck that out. So it’s a delicate balancing act.”
This issue, BusinessWest takes a trip into the past, and also examines what the future holds for Old Sturbridge Village.
Bad News All Around
In the heyday of Old Sturbridge Village — the late 1970s through the 1980s — it was not uncommon for annual attendance to approach 600,000 visitors. In 2004, that number had declined to 288,000, and it dropped again in 2005 to 265,000. It’s a phenomenon being felt at other living museums across America.
Moir said many theories have been offered to explain the decline, but two in particular ring true with him.
“First, one of our big visitor groups is families with children, and young people, compared to 30 years ago, have a lot more going on in terms of afterschool and weekend activities, like soccer, theater, and ballet,” he said. “Families have become so highly programmed in terms of time that there’s not as much free time anymore. They used to say, ‘it’s the weekend — let’s go to the Village; let’s go to Mystic Seaport.’ But today, even if families want to do things like that, they have trouble finding the time.”
He added that vacation patterns have shifted as well. While it used to be common for families from outside New England to take lengthy car trips to the region and visit several sites over seven or 10 days, the trend now is to find a good deal online and fly somewhere for a weekend.
School groups still make up a large portion of OSV’s patronage, totaling about 80,000 tickets per year, but even that number is lower than it used to be, said Eric White, director of education and public programs. Oddly, the numbers from Connecticut haven’t dropped much; most of the decrease has come from inside Massachusetts.
“The curriculum has changed in Massachusetts, and early American history, which used to be introduced in fifth grade, is now taught in middle and high school, and those students don’t tend to go on field trips,” White said, adding that fiscal restraints in many school districts have also cut into off-campus excursions.
Such shifts often spell doom to tourist attractions that fail to detect them and counter them. At what she called “a critical juncture in the life of this institution,” Sheppard felt that the board wasn’t making enough progress on reshaping its goals, so she resigned.
“The view I bring to the institution and the course I believe it should follow are at odds with those proposed by and supported by the leadership of the Board of Trustees,” Sheppard said in a statement.
Money is a key factor in how quickly new features can be added to the village and museum. However, while the village’s budget did fall from $9 million in the last fiscal year to $7 million this year, much of that drop is attributable to the close of the Oliver Wight Tavern, a former eatery that is being converted into an education and crafts center for both adults and children.
In with the New
In fact, that center is merely one example of how OSV is reinventing itself from a living museum into more of a history education center. The craft house will allow visitors to participate in hands-on seminars in cooking, textiles, woodworking, printing, and other early-American trades, using vintage and replica equipment.
White said such a program helps to reinforce the village recreation experience that remains OSV’s hallmark by allowing visitors to take part in activities that they could only watch interpreters perform in years past.
“We’re also incorporating several learning styles,” he explained. “Some people like to stand back and watch, while others like the hands-on aspects.”
“This is not meant to replace what’s already here,” Hood added. “It’s an exciting addition that gives additional context.”
Other changes affect the outdoor portion of the village. This spring, a trail system will open that will allow visitors to experience woodland, pasture, and river walks — and learn from signage how each type of land was important to New Englanders in the 1800s.
“It’s another leg on our stool,” said Bill Reid, vice president for external affairs. “It will deal with environmental history and how man’s impact on the land changed with time. We know people like walking outdoors in a bucolic environment, so this adds something important to their walk-through experience.”
Meanwhile, the Small House, a 420-square-foot clapboard structure, is the first building added to the village since the mid-1980s — and the first ever to be built from the ground up in period fashion; all the other buildings are historic properties relocated to Sturbridge. Unlike the middle-class houses in the village, this one will tell the story of how the lower classes of the time — including African-Americans and Native Americans — lived.
“It’s based on a lot of research and built with hand-hewn timbers,” said Susana Bonta, public relations manager. “Many people who haven’t visited recently will be surprised to see a new house.”
A Different Road
Of course, they might also be surprised to see the shift in education techniques. The village still boasts plenty of interpreters, demonstrating crafts from quill writing to wool dying, but the TV screen in the printer’s shop speaks to a definite sea change.
“The village has always been noted for the quality of its interpretation, and obviously we want to preserve that,” Moir said. “But, although we have good supporters in terms of fundraising and grants, a large part of our budget still comes from people walking through the door, and when you have such a dramatic change in attendance, you just can’t afford to have so many people out there.”
In the Fitch House – set up as the well-appointed residence of the village printer – the interpreters are also gone, but visitors are now allowed a much more active experience – they may try on period clothing, play with replica game pieces, and handle kitchen implements in areas that used to be roped off.
White noted that the variety of learning styles now in play, from traditional interpretations to the hands-on quality of the Fitch House, help patrons avoid what is referred to as “museum fatigue.” But everyone admits that budget constraints have contributed to the changes as well, and have created an additional challenge at a time when the facility is trying to reinvent itself for the 21st century.
“All along, our thrust has been to determine what programs we can add to enhance the visitor experience while keeping the living museum at the core,” Moir said.
“We’re trying to determine what’s right for our audience – for families with kids, adults without children, and students,” Hood added. “We have to make it relevant and accessible to a changing audience, while recognizing that plenty of people liked it the way it was.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about selling tickets and giving people a reason to not only visit once, but multiple times. Moir and the museum staff hope additions like the craft house and the walking trails can help reverse what has been a disheartening slide.
“We’ll keep doing what we do best, but keep asking what we can add around the edges to get people to return,” he said. “We always hear people say, ‘I came here as a kid.’ We want to give them reason to say, ‘I was just there last year, and now I’m going back.’”
If Old Sturbridge Village can manage that feat, it really will be a success story for the ages.
For most people, their home is their most prized possession. This is often true from both a financial standpoint and a sentimental one. Both aspects of your attachment are key factors to consider when planning to undertake a major home improvement, and there are things you can do to help assure your project satisfaction.
Know Your Contractor
When undertaking a major home improvement, you are placing a considerable amount of trust in your contractor. At a time when you can get medical advice, purchase real estate, and even obtain a college degree online, it can be tempting to surf the net to find a contractor. If possible, this should be avoided.
The best and most honest contractor advertising is previous customers. Ask your friends, family, and neighbors who they used. Check out the contractor’s work, and speak directly to the other homeowners. If you are unable to get a recommendation, and you speak to contractors found online or in the Yellow Pages, ask for references of jobs they have completed. If the contractor has performed well in the past, those homeowners will often be pleased to show off their own projects.
Check the Records
Every home improvement contractor must be registered with the Com- monwealth. Once you have tentatively selected a contractor, you should visit www.mass.gov/bbrs/hic.htm. This Web site allows you to confirm that your contractor is registered. If the one you have selected is not, a red flag should go off in your mind, and you should select another contractor.
The most important aspect of hiring a registered contractor is your future ability to access the Guaranty Fund. Should the project sour and a lawsuit follow, the Guaranty Fund will pay a judgment in your favor up to $10,000. In many cases, this represents the only ability you will have to collect on a judgment.
The Contract
Every contract between a homeowner and a contractor should be reduced to writing. Actually, by law, all contracts over $1,000 must be in writing. In most cases, the contractor provides a contract, and a homeowner simply looks at the price and services, then signs it. Most do not read or give weight to other provisions.
For example, one common provision is the recovery of attorney’s fees in the event that the contractor must file a lawsuit against the homeowner. While this may seem reasonable, it doesn’t permit you to recover your own attorney’s fees if you must file a lawsuit against the contractor as a result of poor workmanship. You should insist that reciprocal language be included with respect to any attorney fee provision.
The Payment Schedule
It is just as important how and when payments are going to be made as how much the entire project will cost. While you always hope that the project will go smoothly, even though careful precautions have been taken, problems can arise. If they do, and the contractor either decides to walk off the job or is terminated, it is critical that the payments made to date have not exceeded the value of the work done. While it is standard practice to make payments under a contract in thirds (one-third as a deposit, one-third in the middle of the project, and one-third at the end of the project), tenths are preferable.
For example, if the contract is for $60,000, in the first scenario you are paying $20,000 before any work is performed and then an additional $20,000 with half the project left to unfold. After each payment is made, you expose yourself to a $20,000 loss. In the second scenario, only $6,000 is paid at a time, limiting the amount of money paid for future services. If the project ceases at any time, you will be less underwater.
Keep Records
Undertaking a home improvement should be a pleasurable experience that provides fond memories. In this respect, taking photographs at various stages of the project and keeping a contemporaneous journal can be a nice keepsake. These can also be powerful tools should future litigation arise. In this event, you will need to articulate your claim, and it is true that a picture is worth a thousand words.
The ability to show a jury pictures of defects throughout all stages of construction can be extremely persuasive. In addition, by referring to a journal, exact dates and times of events and conversations can be testified to. This also makes the claims more persuasive.
Lien Waivers
Even if you are satisfied with the quality of the home improvement, you will still not want to pay twice for it. If payments to the general contractor are made before lien waivers are received, this is a possibility. In Massachusetts it is illegal to require a contractor or subcontractor to execute a blanket lien waiver prior to performing his or her services. Although a homeowner cannot require a contractor or subcontractor to agree that they will not file a lien upon your property at the onset of a project, this can be required at the time of payment.
In most construction contracts, especially ones for new construction, payments are made to the general contractor at different intervals throughout the project. Prior to tendering any funds to the general contractor, the homeowner should require that the general contractor and all subcontractors who will perform services on the project execute a lien waiver.
The Punch List
A punch list is created toward the end of a project. It lists items that that you and the contractor agree need to be finished or repaired. These are usually small items that are mostly ‘fit and finish’ issues. All too often, by the end of the project the punch list has many individuals’ scribbles on it, is illegible, and perhaps torn and coffee-stained.
Should your relationship with your contractor break down, you will look to the punch list as a basis for refusing to pay the remaining balance due on the contract.
To restore the value of the punch list, a computer can be of immense value. A list of items that need to be finished or corrected can be generated, then you and contractor can both sign it. This is evidence of what both parties agreed were the issues. As items are finished or repaired, both parties should initial them. Should a dispute arise in the future, your relationship will be unambiguously documented. And in the event that litigation ensues, the punch list will allow the disputed items to be clear-cut and well-defined, making litigation streamlined and less expensive.
As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This certainly holds true when undertaking a construction project. By following these steps, you can increase your chances of success.
Adam J. Basch, Esquire, is an associate with Bacon & Wilson, P.C. He is a member of the Litigation Department with expertise in the areas of construction litigation, personal injury, general litigation, and creditor representation; (413) 781-0560;abasch@ bacon-wilson.com.
Western Mass. Hospital had a patient not too long ago that several staff members remember clearly. Determined to fulfill a simple last wish – finish a plate of turkey and stuffing at the Thanksgiving table – she worked diligently with physicians, nurses, and therapists until November rolled around … and when she got home, she was well enough to stay there.
That story debunks the notion that patients enter Western Mass. Hospital and never leave, and it’s a success story that speaks more to the norm than the exception at the hospital. While not every patient will see as dramatic a recovery, many improve in ways both small and large, and lead long lives.
Western Mass. Hospital, a state facility that operates under the Department of Public Health (DPH), has been in existence for nearly a century, beginning in 1909 as a tuberculosis sanitorium. It has since evolved to offer one of the most comprehensive suites of care for chronically ill patients in the state. Despite those advances, however, Jill Turomsha, director of Admissions, said the stigma surrounding state-run hospitals like Western Mass. – a place of last resort – is a hard one to shake.
“It’s a stigma that began in the early 1900s, and in many ways, it persists,” she said. “But over the years, the hospital has changed and shifted dramatically to meet the needs of the community.”
Turomsha noted that in 1937, Western Mass. Hospital opened a wing for the treatment of cancer, and by 1960 had begun to open its doors to patients with other forms of chronic disease, changing its name from the Westfield State Sanitorium to Western Mass. Hospital two years later. She said educating the public on the breadth of services available at the facility is a particular challenge for all public hospitals, not only in the effort to erase negative perceptions, but also to underscore the importance of long-term and specialized care.
A Deep Breadth
Today, for instance, Western Mass. Hospital includes an Alzheimer’s and dementia unit, reserved for those patients unable to be treated in other facilities due to aggression or other issues.
It also boasts a neurological disorders specialty unit that treats patients with a number of diseases, including ALS, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington’s Disease; a respite care unit, which welcomes patients living at home for five days to two weeks at a time, up to four times a year; an end-of-life unit; an outpatient dental clinic for individuals with no insurance (the clinic is currently not accepting new patients due to the high number of patients); and a respiratory unit that opened in 1996 for ventilator-dependent patients and those with chronic respiratory disease.
Monica LeBlanc, RN, clinical liaison, said the respiratory unit is the latest example of the hospital’s ongoing evolution to meet specific needs within the Commonwealth’s health care landscape.
“Very few places will take patients on vents,” she explained, noting that the cost and staff proficiency level can often be prohibitive. “Up until very recently, these patients were literally living in acute-care hospitals, because right up until the early ’90s, there was nowhere else to go.”
There are health care delivery benefits, she said, that are unique to state hospitals, especially in an increasingly cash-strapped health care industry that is also seeing severe shortages nationwide in skilled health care jobs, and therefore a growing inability to provide comprehensive, specialized long-term care for patients with demanding needs.
“I always tell people to tour the facility before they make a decision,” said LeBlanc, noting that due to its specialized repertoire, Western Mass. Hospital welcomes patients from all over the state, not just the local region. “They need to see what goes on here to understand. Once they do, they’re generally supportive of our work.”
Dr. Ted King, a pulmonologist at Western Mass. Hospital, added that clinically, there are a number of treatments offered at the hospital that acute care and long-term care facilities can’t offer.
“Operated through the DPH, we’re a not-for-profit,” he said, “and in several ways that frees us from the constraints that acute-care hospitals face. Our mission has become to fill the niches that other facilities can’t.”
King explained that, for many acute-care hospitals, ventilator patients must be moved from the facility after about 28 days – respiratory patients consume a large amount of care and resources, he said, beds are often needed for more critical patients, and reimbursements begin to run out. But since Western Mass. Hospital’s state-appointed role is to provide what is officially termed Long Term Acute Care (LTAC), the facility’s goals can be that much more long range.
“Our philosophy is different,” he said. “We’re able to think in terms of weeks and months, not hours or days. We’re able to take the time for physical, occupational, and speech therapy, to wean people off ventilators when we can, to advance people’s diets gradually, and to deal with families much more often.”
Patients, a Virtue
The unit also helps to negate the idea that hospitals like Western Mass. are reserved for the treatment of the elderly or those at the end of their lives. The only state hospital of its kind in Massachusetts and one of only two facilities in the area with a long-term respiratory unit (Parkview Specialty Hospital in Springfield also has one), Western Mass. Hospital has carved a niche for itself in the care of long-term, chronic, or ventilator-dependent patients. Some are as young as 30, such as identical twins Matthew and David Gonyea, who occupy the only double room on the floor; the rest are private.
James Moran, respiratory manager, said a major goal of the hospital is to help patients achieve as high a level of independence as possible. For some, that means living at the hospital but leaving for day trips. The Gonyeas are out regularly, attending baseball games, pizza parties, and concerts; they’re currently planning a trip to see the popular hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas.
“It’s a myth that people with breathing machines can’t do those things,” Moran said, adding that for other patients being treated in the respiratory unit, independence means eventually returning home, armed with new skills and the benefit of long-term therapy to keep them healthier. For others, it means regaining the ability to eat, or to communicate.
“That sounds small, but for someone who can’t do either, it’s paramount,” he said, noting that speech therapy will be incorporated for patients who may be able to regain the ability to talk, but for those who can’t, staff will turn to developing new communication skills, such as using physical therapy to learn to write messages, or even a series of eye blinks to answer questions.
“It’s very labor-intensive, hands-on care,” said Moran. “We’re also constantly serving as advocates for patients, who sometimes can’t speak for themselves.”
Still, King noted that part of the reason that stigmas surrounding chronic care persist is a lack of understanding or even acceptance of the reality. It makes a lot of people uncomfortable, he said, prompting them to turn a blind eye to what goes on behind Western Mass. Hospital’s walls.
This lack of understanding can lead to additional challenges, including staff shortages and financial strains. In the respiratory unit, a respiratory therapist must be on the unit at all times. There are 11 on staff now at Western Mass., but Moran said he’s short on every shift, reflecting a national shortage in the profession. Springfield Technical Community College, the only local college with a respiratory therapy program, currently has six students enrolled, but Moran fears that’s not enough — especially when, as a public hospital, Western Mass. can’t offer the attractive sign-on bonuses that many private facilities are currently offering.
“It’s a hard sell,” he said, “and not the happiest topic. People think that sick people should either die or get well. They don’t want to think about the long term, literally.”
Giving Thanks
But the tide is slowly turning, with the help of the stories of patients like Matthew and David Gonyea.
And there are other stories, such as those perhaps told around the dinner table — of the year a family member came home from the hospital, focused on little more than some Thanksgiving trimmings, and got to stay a little while longer than she’d even hoped.
Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]
Executive coaching is hardly a recent phenomenon, but it is gaining growing acceptance within the business community as a way to help managers improve everything from time management to public speaking to delegation skills.
Professionals are forever searching for ways to maximize everything from their time to their profits, all the while struggling to remain true to their beliefs, their values, and the reasons they got into their career of choice in the first place.
The savvy ones realized long ago that a fan base telling them how great their last decision was isn’t going to get them very far. They don’t want scores of fans in the bleachers and a team of cheerleaders boosting their spirits at every turn.
A coach, however, is a different story.
Executive coaches, also known as personal coaches and business coaches, hail from a diverse set of backgrounds and employ a number of different tactics to help their clients. However, coaches all have one common goal: to help individuals achieve their personal bests in corporate arenas.
They also face a common set of challenges, especially a lack of familiarity with the concept of executive coaches among many business owners and managers, and little understanding of exactly what this new breed of professional does.
Lynn Turner, a coach and president of the Ironweed Business Alliance based in Palmer, recalled a client who rose from his desk when she entered his office, only to move to the side of the room, under the impression that Turner had been hired to organize his desk.
This lack of understanding is complicated by the many different approaches coaches take to their work. Most specialize in specific areas of performance development, among them entrepreneurship, media relations, time management, revenue growth, employer/employee relations, work/life balance, sales, leadership, and countless others.
Coaches are quick to note that their job is not to hand-hold or offer quick fixes, nor is the process disruptive to normal routines. In the interest of maximizing time with clients, much of the coaching process takes place over the phone. Guidance and feedback are given in real time, as problems or questions arise, and that is part of the appeal to major national corporations utilizing the coaching process.
But with the majority of U.S. businesses employing fewer than 50 people, translating the value of business coaching to new audiences is still a hurdle that coaches must clear before going any further with their work.
“Part of our job becomes educating the general public on what a coach is and how we differ from consultants and even therapists,” Turner said. “Consultants are hired to answer the ‘what’ — to answer questions and provide solutions. Often, a consultant will make a series of recommendations, and nothing is ever done.”
She said coaches attempt to eliminate that end point, at which many executives lose their way.
“Coaches work with clients to find various ways that lead to solutions,” she said. “We ensure that their business decisions, everything from hiring new staff to making a career change, fit within their core value system. We break down potential barriers and pull the answers out of the individual. That way, people are more apt to follow through, with the understanding that recommendations from corporate training exercises that are not applied translate into wasted dollars.”
Drafting the Play
The practice of using coaches to improve productivity, work ethic, or the bottom line is becoming increasingly accepted in the national marketplace. Ravi Kulkarni, a business coach and engineer, explained that it’s a phenomenon that has filtered down from some of the largest and most successful companies in the country.
“Large corporations have embraced coaching simply because it’s effective,” he said. “They’ve seen the statistics and the proof, and now others are following suit.”
That proof includes a study completed through the Harvard Business School, which reported that businesses with so-called ‘performance-enhanced cultures’ spurred substantial growth in revenue, employment, stock price, and net income when compared to those with no such enhancements. The study, conducted in 1992, reported, for instance, a 756% improvement in net income growth in performance-enhanced workplaces over those with no such interventions in place.
Some major corporations even have coaches on staff or long-term retainer; IBM, for instance, employs more than 60 executive coaches.
That alone lends credibility to the practice of coaching, which differs from other types of consultancy in that it takes a one-on-one approach to promoting change, whether coaches are hired independently by an individual or by a company to work with its employees.
It also helps to disprove the myth that coaches are used primarily to help poorly-performing managers or work with individuals who perceive themselves to be lagging behind on their career paths. On the contrary, says Kulkarni.
“I often coach people who have been enormously successful, and they have reached a plateau or are stretched so thin that they’re spinning their wheels,” he said. “When they reach a certain level in their careers, they recognize the need to try something new in order to move forward, and that’s where coaching often comes in.”
Kulkarni, an entrepreneur himself who built a manufacturing business in his native India 29 years ago and then moved to the U.S. to do the same, added that he often works with company founders and presidents who are three to 10 years into their business and looking to move to the next level in terms of size, reach, services, or financial goals.
He said he employs a four-step process to assist his clients, which begins with clarification — essentially, nailing down where a client is professionally, and where he or she wants to go. Second, Kulkarni moves on to simplification, which focuses on eliminating tasks that don’t effectively contribute to the overall mission of a company and the goals of the client. Third, that base becomes the jumping off point for maximization, which helps an individual identify his or her core talents and use them to achieve objectives and improve their overall work experience. And finally, clients are urged to move on to networking — sharing their talents with others and capitalizing on those of others.
“I work with people to help them discover what the real issues are within themselves and their businesses, to create benchmarks, and to help them think outside of the box,” Kulkarni said. “But essentially, we’re working toward what they really want, and that’s to make money and keep money.”
One of Kulkarni’s clients, Walt Shanaman, owner of Home Helpers and Direct Link, a home-based assisted living company based in Connecticut, spoke to the results he’s gleaned from his coaching experience.
“I have substantial business and management experience,” he said. “However, the one piece of the business puzzle I was missing was sales and marketing. Coaching guided me through the process with instructions and ideas, yet made me do the ‘heavy lifting’ rather than just giving me the answers.”
Shanaman added that in addition to addressing the issues he saw as slowing his company’s growth, he also made what he termed some “personal breakthroughs” through coaching.
“I feared cold calling, and public speaking made my voice crack,” he said. “Now, I look forward to public speaking. Cold calling is still not something that I look forward to, but I don’t need to fear it, and I am able to compartmentalize frequent rejection into the ‘they just don’t need my services now’ box. And I am able to move forward.”
Go Team
Turner, who works frequently with women in leadership positions and clients hoping to improve work/life balance, agreed that coaching reinforces positive behaviors, rather than dwelling on the negative. She added that coaching doesn’t only help people look inward to promote change, but also helps managers and business owners cultivate strengths within their employees, with the same emphasis on the positive aspects thereof.
“There is a misconception that managers should look at those employees who aren’t doing well first, but leaders need to focus on the people who are thriving, because they’re the producers,” Turner explained. “There’s a good deal of positive psychology involved; the process is generally focused on what is right, not wrong, and instead of dealing with the past, coaching tends to focus on the present and the future.”
Susan Bellows, president of Susan Bellows and Assoc., based in Hampden, said coaching also lends itself to that trickle-down effect because clients tend to be high-level executives or hold management positions.
“Those are the people who get it first,” she said. “The really smart executives have been using coaching for years.”
Bellows specializes in improving time management and work satisfaction, often working with clients with extreme constraints on their time or those who have identified unorganized work habits as a primary obstacle, including people with attention deficit disorder. She said that, regardless of their specific barriers, successful professionals are generally more ‘coachable,’ meaning they’re receptive to feedback, change, or new approaches to business development. Conversely, those who are more coachable are more likely to succeed.
“There are plenty of people who have some real performance or behavior issues that should be addressed, but if they’re not going to hear or accept what you have to say, it’s just not going to work,” she said. “There needs to be enough pain involved that they want to do something to change their current habits or the habits of their employees, and there needs to be a willingness to expend time and money to do so.”
Private Practice
Further, coaching is a personal experience that must be entered wholeheartedly by both the coach and the client. There are three terms that consistently come up in discussions about the business of executive coaching — accountability, rapport, and confidentiality — and it becomes the responsibility of a coach to ensure that a match can be made with a potential client through an initial consultation.
“Accountability between the coach and the client is a key factor that must be built in,” Bellows said. “Most people would rather complain about problems than act on them, and most don’t have strong personal accountability — they’re more likely to follow through with something if it will negatively affect someone else if they do not. A coach takes on that role, and a set of consequences and rewards for making changes is put into place.”
In many ways, that personal relationship is what defines coaching as a career and sets it apart from other types of consultancy, added Turner.
“People come to us for all types of leadership development,” she said, “and even if I’m hired for something specific, we touch on other things. Everyone wears many different hats, and coaches are accountable for each.
“Inevitably,” she added, “that leads to some personal things being discussed, and confidentiality, trust, and rapport become paramount. At times, people are telling me things their spouses don’t even know. For those reasons, coaches can’t brag about their successes with clients in the same way that people in other professions can.”
That’s just one hurdle coaches need to clear as self-employed practitioners. Because they can’t market their successes in the same ways other consultants can, coaches must be diligent in getting their name out in the appropriate circles while constantly educating the public on their profession.
Turner and Kulkarni, along with Nina Berman and Gail Sterner, founded the Western Mass. Business Alliance, which not only helps get the word out regarding coaching’s role in corporate development, but also assists the coaches in referring clients amongst themselves, depending on the clients’ needs.
Similarly, Bellows said she relies heavily on referrals from clients and networking opportunities to spread the business coaching message.
“At the beginning, I would go to the opening of an envelope,” she joked, noting that a natural momentum has begun to build as a greater number of people become aware of coaching and of the measurable benefits it can create.
The End Zone
“People learn through experience,” Bellows said, “and as more people realize that we’re not trying to give them the answers, just the tools and guidance necessary to find them on their own, the more they are seeing the value.”
And the proponents of business coaching say it indeed has helped to put them at the top of their game. At the very least, they’re no longer standing on the sidelines.
Jaclyn Stevenson can be reached at[email protected]
Industry Leaders Work to Put More Machinists in the Pipeline
An ongoing, well-documented shortage of qualified machinists is stunting the growth of many area shops and leaving business owners in that sector greatly concerned about the future. To address the problem, industry leaders are coming together to forge a multi-faceted strategy to improve the image of precision manufacturing and create better awareness of the job opportunities now available.
Al Nickerson calls it the ‘sweet spot.’ That’s a phrase he applied to the workforce at Berkshire Industries in Westfield and, specifically, its demographic profile.
The average age of those comprising the 160-person corps of machinists is approximately 47, said Nickerson, the company’s vice president of Finance, which means the workers are experienced, many with more than 20 years in the business, but still several years from retirement.
That’s the good news, he told BusinessWest, noting quickly that it is the size of the staff that concerns him — it would be considerably larger if Berkshire’s management team could find more qualified help — and the fact that he is focused on the future, when the workforce will be well out of the sweet spot.
And he’s hardly alone.
Indeed, shop owners across the region and the country are facing a shortage of machinists that can only be described as critical. At a time when the aerospace industry is booming, with Boeing and Airbus taking record numbers of orders for new planes and replacement parts, area shops like Berkshire that serve that sector are turning down work because they don’t have the capacity to fill the orders.
“I’ve turned down several jobs,” said Mark Dilorenzo, president of Tell Tool, another Westfield-based maker of parts for the aerospace industry. “It’s because we don’t have the bodies. We have to do something, anything, to get more people into the pipeline.”
To increase the flow, area manufacturers are working collaboratively in an effort aimed at improving the image of machining and, ultimately, providing a steady workforce for years to come.
They know this will be a tall order, in large part because public perception holds that manufacturing, especially in the Northeast, is in sharp decline and that in time — and not much of it — most of the work being done in the Pioneer Valley will move offshore. And manufacturers themselves have done little to dispel this notion.
“I remember one shop owner addressing a group of people and saying he was in a dying industry,” said Larry Maier, president of Westfield-based Peerless Precision, another supplier to the aerospace industry. “How are you going to attract young people to the business when you say things like that?”
To wage an effective fight, the Western Mass. Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Assoc. (NTMA) is partnering with the Hampden County Regional Employment Board (REB) and area legislators in an organized, multi-faceted effort to not merely state the problem but do something about it.
The NTMA and REB have jointly applied for a $150,000, two-year grant from the John Adams Innovation Institute, a division of the Mass. Technology Collaborative. Called Regional Networks, or RENEW, the project outlined in the grant request calls for the hiring of a sectoral market manager to coordinate capacity-building efforts within the high technology precision machining industry in Western Mass.
These efforts will include everything from public relations-oriented steps des-igned to generate positive attitudes about the sector to lobbying state and federal officials for funds needed to expand high school and college programs that will train the next generation of machinists.
Word on the grant request should be received soon, said REB executive director William Ward, who told BusinessWest that he is encouraged by the level of organization displayed by local NTMA leaders and their commitment to finding long-term solutions to their labor problems.
“There is a solid core of leadership addressing these issues, and that is something new and different,” he said. “They see the threats to their industry down the road, and they’re responding in a proactive way.”
BusinessWest looks this issue at the scope of the labor challenges facing the precision manufacturing sector, and how companies intend to work together to fill the pipeline.
Not the Usual Drill
They call it “lights-out manufacturing.”
That’s an industry term used to describe production that is, to one degree or another, automated, or hands-off. It’s often done at night or on weekends, when a plant is otherwise shut down — hence the name.
Dilorenzo says his firm has turned to lights-out manufacturing for a few hours each weekend, mostly out of necessity. Price is one of the motivations, he told BusinessWest, noting that, with foreign competition mounting, his 40-year-old company must be thorough and imaginative in its approach to minimizing the cost of production.
But there is another, more ominous reason for letting machines do the work, he said — there simply aren’t enough qualified machinists to work those shifts.
Lights-out manufacturing has become part of the landscape in precision manufacturing — most area firms have implemented it to at least some degree — but machines will never be able to do it alone, said Dilorenzo. Acknowledgement of this fact has led a group of area manufacturers to come together in what is considered an unprecedented display of unity and determination to craft a game plan.
The urgency is real because the problem is certainly real, said Nickerson, who referred BusinessWest to a report conducted in 2005 to lay the groundwork for something called the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative in the Aerospace Industry. The document lists a number of workforce challenges, ranging from an aging workforce to the failure of the nation’s K-12 education system to properly equip students with the math, science, and technological skills needed to advance the U.S. aerospace industry.
“The industry is confronted with a graying workforce in science, engineering, and manufacturing, with an estimated 26% of industry employees available for retirement within the next five years,” the report states, noting that the average production worker is 53 years of age and the average engineer is 54.
Those numbers keep trending up, said Maier, in part because employees are working longer — some don’t want to retire, and others can’t afford to — and because there are fewer people entering the field at a young age, meaning right out of high school or college.
This is not a recent phenomenon, but certainly a trend moving in the wrong direction for the precision manufacturing sector, he said, noting that there are other challenges beyond the aging of the workforce. These include the outmigration of individuals from Massachusetts, ongoing image problems and concerns about the future of manufacturing in the Northeast, and state budget cutbacks that have limited the growth potential of area vocational high schools while also forcing the closure three years ago of the Western Mass. Precision Institute.
Meanwhile, press coverage of plant closings and layoffs creates the perception that manufacturing is declining and that this is a field to be avoided, said Maier, when, in reality, most of those displaced workers find other opportunities in the sector quickly.
These factors have collided to create a situation that must be addressed by a coalition of industry leaders, legislators, and educators, said Maier, who was one of several area machine shop owners in attendance at the NTMA’s March meeting, staged at the Enterprise Center at Springfield Technical Community College. The agenda included an overview of a new Mechanical Engineering Technology CNC Machining certificate program the college will roll out in the fall (more on that later) as well as a general discussion of the state of the industry and its workforce challenges.
There have been many similar meetings in recent months, staged at area colleges, vocational high schools, and machine shops, said Maier, adding that they serve to provide a forum in which concerns can be addressed, solutions proposed, and assistance solicited in what will ultimately be a very broad initiative to attract more people into the industry.
At the March NTMA meeting, attendees focused on several common concerns, including the need to expose more people to the precision manufacturing sector and its job opportunities, while also working to dispel notions about the industry, its past, and its future.
Some proposed steps to address the situation include more job fairs at both area schools and machine shops; a television commercial that could correct misperceptions about modern precision manufacturing, its pay scales, and prospects for the future; and vehicles for changing the opinions held on manufacturing by parents, teachers, and guidance counselors.
“We have to educate the educators,” said Maier, who told BusinessWest that he has heard several anecdotal stories about guidance counselors steering young people away from manufacturing for reasons that he and others in this sector consider invalid.
The Die Is Cast
Educating the educators will likely be one of many duties that would be assigned to the sectoral market manager, said Ward. He told BusinessWest that this individual will have the broad assignment of facilitating industry efforts to tell its story.
And this is one of the keys to increasing capacity, he said, because it’s a story that needs to be told — to young students (starting in middle school if not before), and also to parents, educators, and legislators.
All those constituencies need to be told (or reminded) that the precision manufacturing sector is still an important economic engine in the Bay State, especially Western Mass., with its high concentration of shops. And they need to be told that today’s manufacturing scene is much different than the one that existed 100 or even 20 years ago.
It is cleaner, safer, and highly computerized, said Nickerson, adding that conditions in most precision shops are worlds removed from the picture of the dirty, noisy manufacturing plants of years ago. And the work is more specialized and imaginative.
Indeed, as he talked with BusinessWest, Nickerson took a quick trip to his car and returned with a part for Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster transport plane. The part, one of six manifolds that, when assembled, control the plane’s flaps, ailerons, and rudders, was created from a solid block of forged aluminum and has more than 5,000 characteristics.
It is typical of the high-end, “top-of-the-food-chain” work being done at Berkshire and other shops, said Nickerson, adding that it’s not work that can be sent overseas, and thus brings a strong sense of stability to the sector — if the right people can be found to produce it.
To recruit more individuals into the sector, said Maier, the NTMA, working in conjunction with the REB and area educators, will work to create awareness about the good jobs at good wages available across the sector — and other benefits that come with jobs in this industry.
Elaborating, he said qualified machinists can earn $15 or more an hour only a few years after graduating from high school, with a chance to earn much more with overtime. That’s a scale that many recent college graduates can’t match, Maier continued, adding that most machinists do not face the stress and long hours that many of those in business now encounter.
Despite what seems to be a great volume of evidence in support of careers in precision manufacturing, those in the industry know it will be difficult to change long-held attitudes about the manufacturing sector.
One study conducted recently in Pennsylvania, for example, revealed that 90% of the 335 students surveyed said they would not want to work in a manufacturing setting. More alarmingly, 79% of the students surveyed who had actually toured a plant said they would not want to work in that plant.
Meanwhile, when students were asked how they would feel if they went back to their 10th high school reunion and were employed in manufacturing, 121 said they would feel unsuccessful, and 93 said they would feel embarrassed.
Overcoming such attitudes will be a stern challenge, said Maier, who noted that one key will be getting people exposed to the environment, its wage scales, and the ability to leave work and not take it home at night.
STCC’s new certificate program may help in that regard, said Gary Masciadrelli, chairman of the school’s Mechanical Engineering Technology Department. He told BusinessWest that the program is geared toward individuals looking for a career change and is designed to provide skills needed to land some entry-level positions at area shops.
While doing so, however, it will hopefully expose more people to the machining industry and perhaps inspire them to pursue STCC’s two-year degree program in Mechanical Engineering Technology or other avenues to more specialized work in the industry.
“Overall, this sector needs to be more visible to the public,” said Masciadrelli, adding that if the region can provide exposure — through job fairs, television commercials, informational CDs, Web sites, and other vehicles — it will attract more individuals to the industry.
The second part of the equation, of course, is having the infrastructure to train those people, and this is where additional support from state and federal officials is needed.
Plane Speaking
Looking forward, Nickerson says there is reason for optimism.
There are programs in place in other parts of the country — Pittsburgh’s Manufacturing 2000 program, for example, is training upwards of 250 entry-level machinists and welders annually — that provide glimmers of hope for all regions confronted by the shortage of qualified help.
By working together, area shop owners and educators believe they can change the current equation in the precision machining sector and create a large, stable workforce.
And that will keep the staff at Berkshire Industries in the sweet spot.
George O’Brien can be reached at[email protected]
In 1999, the state Supreme Judicial Court codified the legal industry institution known as pro bono work — providing services to individuals or groups free of charge. Most lawyers didn’t need the so-called ‘aspirational’ rule, which recommends 25 hours of pro bono work per year, to inspire them to give back to the community — they’d already found many important, imaginative ways to do so.
In Hampden County Housing Court, Thursday is ‘Eviction Day.’
Hundreds of cases involving claims made by landlords and tenants are heard, and many of them end with an individual lacking a roof over their head.
In many instances, that result comes about because the individual was indigent and simply could not afford legal representation, said Dorothy Varon, an attorney with the Springfield firm Robinson Donovan, who was one of architects of a program designed to change that equation.
Called the Hampden County Housing Court Pro Bono Project, the initiative has put together a volunteer corps of area lawyers, each of whom report for duty a handful of Thursdays a year and represent both landlords and tenants who would otherwise be representing themselves.
The project has succeeded in producing many positive outcomes that would be unlikely, if not impossible, if the litigants were handling matters pro se, said Varon, noting that the Thursdays spent in Housing Court bring rewards for the volunteer lawyers as well.
“This is something you can really wrap your arms around,” she said, referring to the personal satisfaction she takes from helping someone involved in such important matters. “When you’re in court and housing is the issue, the stakes don’t get much higher than that.”
The Housing Court initiative is just one example of the pro bono work undertaken by area lawyers — meaning legal services provided free of charge or at substantially reduced rates for groups and individuals in need. Such work takes a number of forms, from helping a young writer by reviewing a publishing contract to assisting a non-profit group by drafting a set of bylaws to representing underprivileged individuals in civil rights cases.
Pro bono work is encouraged by virtually all firms and professional organizations, and it is also legislated — sort of.
Rule 3:07 of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct and Comments Public Service, as written by the Mass. Supreme Judicial Court and put into effect in early 1999, states: “A lawyer should provide annually at least 25 hours of pro bono publico legal services for the benefit of persons of limited means.”
This ‘aspirational’ rule, as it’s called, further stipulates that such services should be provided without compensation or expectation of same to persons or to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, and educational organizations “in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means.” It also states that in lieu of such pro bono work, lawyers should contribute from $250 to 1% of their annual taxable professional income to one or more of the organizations described above.
Most lawyers don’t need the SJC to tell them to donate time and energy to worthy groups and causes, said Archer Battista, a partner with the Holyoke firm Lyon & Fitzpatrick, LLP and current president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc., who noted that Rule 3:07 met with considerable controversy when it was adopted.
“The great majority of lawyers who recognize the responsibility to provide pro bono work recognized it long before the SJC codified it,” he said, adding quickly, however, that the aspirational rule may well raise individual and collective consciousness among those who didn’t feel the need to donate some of their time.
Battista told BusinessWest that most area lawyers contribute far more than 25 hours of their time per year, and have a lengthy list of groups they support.
Such is the case for A. Craig Brown, a partner with the Springfield firm Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury, and Murphy, who lists education, workforce development, and the sport of lacrosse among his passions and, thus, beneficiaries of his pro bono work
He has donated time and considerable energy to groups ranging from Springfield School Volunteers to the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County to the Urban League of Greater Springfield. Meanwhile, he officiated hundreds of high school and college lacrosse games during a lengthy career carrying a whistle (cranky knees eventually forced him to stop) and is currently chairman of U.S. Lacrosse, a group committed to advancing the sport.
“I was a lacrosse official for 18 years, and was very active at both the high school and college levels — and that means that probably four days a week I would leave the office early to go officiate games,” said Brown, who told BusinessWest that the key for him — and most lawyers — is finding pro bono work that will have an impact in the community and bring deep personal satisfaction.
“You find time for what you need to find time for and what you want to find time for,” he said, speaking for many in his profession.
At Home with the Idea
Donna Wexler remembers her traditional holiday season vacation in 2004, spent in upstate New York with family.
It was similar to others, except for a logistical bump in the middle — a quick trip back to Springfield to handle a real estate closing, in this case a home being acquired through the regional Habitat for Humanity program.
Wexler could easily have handed off the assignment to another lawyer at Bacon & Wilson, the Springfield-based firm for which she has been a partner since 2001, but she thoroughly enjoys being part of the process of placing Habitat families in homes.
“I get such a charge out of doing it … these people are so thrilled to be getting into a home,” she told BusinessWest, noting that the closings — she’s handled several over the past few years — comprise only a small portion of the part of the pro bono work she performs.
Working through the Volunteer Lawyers Service, a program of the Mass. Justice Project, Wexler has provided pro bono services to qualified individuals (usually low-income women) in areas including divorce, child support, paternity, and others. It is rewarding work, she said, and continues a tradition of community service at the firm.
“It’s really part of our culture here … the partners are all great role models when it comes to pro bono work,” she explained, adding that lawyers at the firm are encouraged to meld their particular specialties within the law with their specific interests within the community to make a positive impact.
Work with Habitat for Humanity is a natural fit, she continued, because it enables her to take her skills in residential real estate and apply them to a program that has helped dozens of area families achieve the American dream.
Meanwhile, her work with the Volunteer Lawyers Service addresses the fundamental mission of all pro bono work, she explained — making the justice system more accessible to all people, no matter their income level.
This was the motivation behind the Housing Court project, said Varon, noting that judges serving on that court, Hank Abrashkin and Dina Fein, and staff recognized a critical need to provide legal representation for those who find themselves at the court on Thursday.
“The court had identified a terrible, terrible need because the stakes are so high,” said Varon, adding that in her capacity with the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Women’s Bar Assoc., she and others started an initiative to address that need.
“There was great interest in helping, because when the court identifies an issue, you want to pitch in,” she explained. “There was so much pro se representation because a significant portion of that population simply cannot afford a lawyer, and it is a very technical area of the law.”
Elaborating, she said many tenants facing eviction due to non-payment are not aware of all their rights and possible counterclaims with regard to habitability. Meanwhile, many landlords are not sufficiently legally literate to prevail over what Varon called “nightmare tenants.”
After soliciting dozens of volunteers from area firms and solo practices, the Pro Bono Subcommittee of the Women’s Bar Foundation enlisted the Springfield firm of Heisler, Feldman, McCormack & Garrow (experts in this speciality) and specifically partner Suzzanne Garrow to provide training to those volunteer lawyers.
The program will celebrate its first year of service later this month with a pizza party, said Varon, noting that it has succeeded in placing volunteer lawyers in Housing Court almost every Thursday, and their presence has been felt by litigants and court personnel alike.
“It’s definitely having an impact — we’re getting a great response from the attorneys and the court,” she said, adding that in most, if not all, of the specific cases she has been involved in, the result would have been different if a lawyer was not involved.
Case in Point
This difference-making quality is what attracts most lawyers to pro bono work, said Battista, adding that the majority of those in the legal profession provide assistance that far exceeds the SJC-recommended levels.
That’s because there is great demand for such legal assistance, he explained, as well as a desire on the part of the local legal community, including local bar associations, to help lawyers meet their pro bono responsibilities.
In Hampden County, for example, there is a wide array of pro bono programs, similar to the Housing Court initiative, that target constituencies ranging from troubled youths to the elderly, from the homeless to AIDS patients.
And the work is not always done in the courtroom or behind a desk, said Battista, noting that lawyers have volunteered time to local soup kitchens by serving food, not drafting contracts.
“We have a number of programs that enable lawyers to find pro bono work,” he explained, listing as just one example an initiative within the bar association’s new lawyers section that helps match such individuals — those with less than 10 years in the profession — with volunteer opportunities.
Brown told BusinessWest that he has never had to look for pro bono work — it has often found him. That was the case with his lacrosse officiating and also with his work with several groups like the Urban League, REB, and the Springfield school system.
He said the work often takes two forms — specific legal services, such as helping to draft contracts or bylaws, and service on a board or commission. Brown has spent the past several years on the Urban League board, for example, and makes that agency’s annual presentation before the United Way.
Brown, like Battista, said lawyers bring more than just legal expertise to a board. Their training in the law, solid public speaking skills, and ability to problem-solve often facilitate debate and move agendas forward.
“Lawyers can help organize board decision-making and also help move things along,” he explained. “They can bring issues into focus and really make solid contributions to the work those boards do.”
Like Wexler, Brown said he has worked in a culture that greatly encourages pro bono work — he is only the latest lawyer at Doherty Wallace to win the Community Service Award presented by the Mass. Bar Assoc. — and that support system has enabled him to contribute in so many areas.
However, one challenge for lawyers is to find the right types of pro bono and an adequate volume, he explained, noting that some find it hard to say ‘no.’
“There are some times when I feel I have too much going on, but you get through those periods,” he said. “Squeezing everything in is hard, and it makes for a busy career — but it also makes for a rewarding career.”
Final Arguments
Reflecting back on her career in law, Varon, whose next scheduled Thursday in Housing Court comes later this month, said her pro bono work has taken a number of forms — from helping young artists with contracts to assisting seniors with health insurance issues, such as understanding coverage and maximizing benefits.
The common denominator was a simple desire to take the skills she acquired and use them in ways that would benefit individuals and the community as a whole, she said, noting that most area lawyers have similarly lengthy lists of benefactors.
“Sometimes you get a call from someone, and you know they don’t have the ability to pay you, but they have a compelling story,” she said. “You want to help, because you’re supposed to and because you can. It makes being a lawyer very satisfying when you’re in a position to help someone who needs your help.”
George O’Brien can be reached at[email protected]
Those interested in participating in the Hampden Court Housing Court pro bono project can call Suzanne Garrow at (413) 788-7988, or E-mail;[email protected]
Attorneys Begley and Moriarty Make a Firm Commitment
Michelle Begley was afraid the phone simply wasn’t going to ring.
“That was my biggest fear,” she told BusinessWest, reflecting on her thoughts in the days before she and partner Tanya Moriarty opened their law firm. “I had visions of myself staring at the phone all day long, saying ‘please ring, please ring.’”
“Instead,” she continued, “there are days when I look at the phone and I feel like yelling, ‘stop ringing!’”
That’s a mild exaggeration, said Begley, who dutifully answered the phone several times in the course of her interview with BusinessWest. But both she and Moriarty agree that their first three months as a team have far exceeded the expectations spelled out in a business plan they know they must revise.
“I was a little apprehensive, too,” said Moriarty. “I pictured myself sitting at my big desk tapping my fingers and thinking, ‘now what do I do?’ But it certainly hasn’t been that way.”
Indeed, the two have melded their specialties — Begley handles personal injury, employment law, divorce, collaborative law, and Social Security disability, while Moriarty focuses on residential real estate, landlord/tenant issues and other Housing Court matters, immigration, and family law — into a venture with promise, fueled thus far by solid word-of-mouth referrals.
That’s not to say that there haven’t been some transition issues for the principals of Begley & Moriarty Attorneys at Law (the two let the alphabet dictate the name), especially for Begley. She left Bacon & Wilson, a large firm (for this market), and is making the adjustment from having a large support staff handle many tasks to doing everything herself.
“Before, if I was handling a personal injury case, the paralegals would handle all the administrative work on it,” she explained. “Now, I have to take care of all those things, like requesting medical records on individuals. I was amazed at how little I knew about those things — but I’ve learned quickly.”
The adjustment has been easier for Moriarty, who was an associate for a smaller firm — Johnson & Sclafani in West Springfield — before opting to put her name over her own door.
“As an associate with a firm that size, you have to do a lot of different things,” she explained. “I was the first point of contact with most clients; that experience has made it easier for me to make this transition.”
Solid Evidence
As she talked about her decision to leave Bacon & Wilson and start her own firm, Begley said there were several factors that went into the move, both personal and professional.
She said she has three young children, and desired a situation that provided greater flexibility. On the professional side, meanwhile, she told BusinessWest that, while she enjoyed her eight-year stay as an associate with the Springfield firm, there was an element missing from the equation — a sense of ownership.
“I considered myself at a crossroads in my career,” she told BusinessWest. “I was getting pulled in a number of directions and wasn’t really sure how to deal with it.”
At one point, she considered changing professions and becoming a teacher. But Moriarty, who had already been there and done that — she taught elementary school in England before attending law school at Western New England College — offered another option.
It was over dinner at Pintus in West Springfield about a year ago that the two, who knew each other because their husbands were lifelong friends, first started talking about creating their own firm. Over the next several months, the talks became more serious, and by last fall they concluded that they had the chemistry and shared vision needed to turn the talk into action.
On Jan. 1, the firm opened its doors on Park Avenue in West Springfield.
Both Begley and Moriarty retained many of their clients from their previous places of employment, giving them a solid base on which to build. They said they intend to grow by adding to their client list, but also by cross-selling, as they put it, to those for whom they’ve already provided services.
“When you complete a real estate closing for someone, you’re done with that work, but that individual may also need a will or a health care proxy,” Moriarty explained. “And with a divorce, often there’s the sale of a house, and most people need to have their wills reworked; we can provide a lot of different services for clients.”
Begley concurred, and said the practice of cross-selling is part of her transition process.
“Before, when I would handle a divorce for a client, that would usually be the end of it,” she said. “Now that I have my own business, I’m more focused on looking to provide additional services to clients beyond what they hired us for.”
Moriarty told BusinessWest that while the two partners do collaborate on a few cases, for the most part they manage their own workloads. In that sense, Begley & Moriarty is essentially two separate practices under the same roof.
But some decisions and business strategies must be made from the firm’s perspective, she continued, adding that these are handled at regularly scheduled Friday “board meetings” between the partners.
Among the subjects discussed recently is how the volume of work has greatly exceeded projections laid out in that business plan, a situation that presents both challenges and opportunities.
“We want to be careful, and make sure we can handle the business that is coming in,” said Begley, adding that the two partners are firmly focused on smart growth and quality service to the growing list of clients.
The two partners say they are somewhat surprised, but also pleased, that the current volumes of phone calls and business have been achieved without any real marketing beyond the phone book, word of mouth, and a recently activated Web site:www.BegleyMoriarty.com.
Moving forward, the two will continue to rely on that formula, while also working to become increasingly visible in the community through participation with various non-profit groups such as the Women’s Partnership, the Pioneer Valley American Red Cross, the YMCA of Greater Springfield, and others.
As for the partnership itself, both principals said they did a considerable amount of work preparing for their venture, taking full advantage of programs, seminars, and materials offered by the Mass. Bar Assoc. and other professional groups.
“We looked at it as a marriage — something you have to work hard at to make it work,” said Moriarty. “We have to get along personality-wise to survive; we also know there will ups and downs, good times and bad, but we believe we have the attitude to succeed through all that.
“We knew that it was going to be a challenge, and that it was going to be rough,” she continued, “but that’s part of what makes it exciting.”
Final Arguments
Returning to the subject of her ongoing transition from a large firm to a small one she co-owns, Begley said there have been some adjustments she’s had to make.
“Before, I would sign things and they would magically get filed with the court,” she said, referring to the large support staff at Bacon & Wilson. “Now, I have to handle all the forms and do a lot more things myself.”
Like answering the telephone, which, thankfully, hasn’t stopped ringing.
George O’Brien can be reached at[email protected]
Collins Electric: A century of making connections
Larry Eagan, Bill Collins, and Joseph Collins say their company has the size and experience to respond quickly to the most demanding projects.
Wiring the Valley
Collins Electric Marks 100 Years of Making Connections
Bill Collins wants you to look at the Springfield skyline some night.
Note the buildings you see — Monarch Place, Tower Square, One Financial Plaza, the Marriott and Sheraton hotels, City Hall, and the Hampden County Hall of Justice. Collins Electric Co. has installed electrical systems — from lighting and alarms to phone and data lines — in all of them.
That’s an impressive resume for a company that began 100 years ago converting Springfield homes from gas light to electricity.
“In those days, the materials were delivered to the job by horse and buggy, and the workmen got to the site by trolley car,” said Collins, the company chairman who first joined his family’s operation in 1950.
A lot has changed since 1906, both in Greater Springfield and in the business of electricity overall. But Collins Electric, now headquartered in Chicopee, has endured as a family business now boasting four generations of history.
“How does a company stay in business for 100 years?” Collins asked. “It’s rather simple: we give our customers excellent service, and we have awfully good people who are very dedicated. We’ve had some customers for 80 years. Many other companies would like to have those customers, but our service is so good that people are delighted to have us as part of their team.”
This week, BusinessWest sparks up a conversation with a company that has been plugged into success for a century — with no sign of switching off the lights anytime soon.
Century of Change
Collins’ grandfather, John Collins, was the man who first loaded up the buggy and brought electricity into Springfield homes. “He was a good salesman, but not a good businessman,” Bill Collins said, so he persuaded his brother, Timothy, to help run the fledgling business in 1911.
In 1919, Collins Electric became a multi-generational family business, when John Collins’ son, William, joined as general manager.
“He felt there was a great opportunity in having a retail electric store, which he started during the Great Depression,” Bill Collins said. “There was no construction happening at that time, so the store really carried the company through the Depression.” After those years, in the buildup for World War II, construction began booming again, and Collins, now a long-established contractor, was well-positioned to take advantage of the momentum shift.
Over the next several decades, Collins Electric gradually expanded its range of services and scale of projects, becoming a full-service contractor offering both design-build and subcontracting services, depending on the needs of its clients.
The design-build element is especially important, said Larry Eagan, co-president of the company along with fellow fourth-generation officer Joseph Collins.
“We can truly give the best value to the customer by partnering with the owner and working on budgeting even as the construction is going on,” Eagan said. “We can make changes to stay on budget or make additions to the budget; either way, we give them the best value because we’re the installer as well as the designer.”
Not many electrical contractors have licensed engineers in-house to allow for the design-build option, Bill Collins added.
“Design-build work has some real advantages,” he said. “It allows the job to be done faster and at less cost than going with a conventional outside designer and a bidding routine.”
The facilities that have used Collins Electric in this capacity over the years — dozens of major names including the Berkshire County and Hampden County jails, the Wall Street Journal, MassMutual, Mercy Medical Center, Yankee Candle, and many of the Springfield skyline structures — speak to the company’s reach.
“We do work in Connecticut, and on occasion we go to New York, Vermont, or New Hampshire,” Collins said, “but our concentration is primarily in Western Mass.”
Built for Speed
As the largest employer of electrical tradespeople in Western Mass., Collins boasts a definite edge in its ability to respond quickly to large or difficult jobs, Collins said. And make no mistake: the industry has sped up, and customers have heightened their expectations on timelines.
“We find that the fast-tracking of jobs has actually helped our business because, being large, we have the manpower and resources to allocate to jobs,” Eagan noted. “We feel like we’re more responsive than many other contractors, which helps us perform better on a tight schedule when others would be hard-pressed to manage it.”
Bill Collins noted one recent school project in which another company was the low bidder, but could not commit to meeting the tight deadline, and Collins won the job instead.
“Everything is like that nowadays,” Joseph Collins added. “At some colleges, we’ll get an entire dorm renovation that has to be done in two months. Everything has sped up dramatically.”
Eagan said the company also separates itself from its competitors in its knowledge of electrical products on the market — some of it learned from experience. When T5 lights, a high-efficiency form of fluorescent lighting, appeared on the market several years ago, Collins installed them in its own warehouse for six months before determining that it was a reliable new technology for its customers.
“We know firsthand what products are best, and we’re up to speed with product reliability,” Eagan explained, “so we can recommend and install something that’s not only efficient but will also work well.”
A commitment to keeping abreast of industry trends has led Collins to several firsts, including the first fluorescent lighting system in the world, at the Springfield Armory in 1939 — a development so significant in energy efficiency that it helped many abandoned factories return to service to assist the World War II effort.
Bill Collins should know his history — he’s well into his sixth decade with the company. But he’s not the only one. Two employees who had joined Collins Electric out of high school recently retired in their 60s, and the company boasts other, similar lifetime relationships.
“We’ve got a loyal group of people,” Collins said. “They know they’re part of a good operation, and we pay them well. It’s a win-win situation.”
High Ground
Bill Collins noted that the company’s headquarters, at the east end of Interstate 291, is on geographically high ground, reflecting the fact that Collins Electric has, on several occasions over the past century, been able to help area businesses that were knocked out of service by floods.
But that elevated location also signifies the company’s position in the field of electrical contracting, and a reputation that has grown with each generation of the Collins family that oversees its legacy —even in times when the overall economic health of Western Mass. has ebbed.
“The economy does affect us a little bit; we’ve been through some pretty lean years, and we’ve been able to adjust very well,” Bill Collins said. “Even in those lean years, we’ve always been in the black.”
They’ve done that by keeping the Pioneer Valley in the light.
Hispanic Marketing Seminar
April 5: Bauza & Associates, a full-service Hispanic integrated marketing agency, will present a Regional Hispanic Marketing Seminar at 2 p.m. during the 2006 Business Market Show at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The seminar will include best practices for effectively communicating to Hispanics. Interested participants are asked to call Francisco J. Sole at (413) 536-1110 or e-mail him at [email protected].
How to Use/Find/Avoid a Lawyer
April 12: How to Use/Find/Avoid a Lawyer will be sponsored by Western New England College’s Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship from 4 to 5 p.m. in the teleconference room at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The free workshop will teach participants how to communicate one’s issues to an attorney and how to take steps to avoid litigation as a small business person. The workshop is open to the public; however, seating is limited, and participants should arrive early for best seating. For more information, contact Aimee Griffin Munnings, director, at (413) 736-8462 or e-mail [email protected].
Workshop for Nonprofits
April 19: The ABCs of Nonprofits will be presented by Western New England College’s Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship from 4 to 5 p.m. in the teleconference room at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. A discussion will include the nonprofit entity, including the writing of bylaws and articles of incorporation, as well as a review of legal issues involved in the creation of nonprofits. The workshop is free and open to the public; however, seating is limited, and participants should arrive early for best seating. For more information, contact Aimee Griffin Munnings, director, at (413) 736-8462 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Green Roof Design Workshop
April 20: The Springfield Technical Community College Assistance Corpora-tion will host a workshop titled “Green Roof Design” from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Center for Business and Technology, One Armory Square, Springfield. Workshop topics will include vegetative and living roofs, rooftop gardens, drainage techniques, and structural considerations for green roofs. David Bixby of Bixby Architects of West Stockbridge and Chris Kilfoyle of Berkshire Photo Voltaic Services will present the workshop. The workshop is free and open to the public; however, reservations are required. For more information, contact Sandy T. at (413) 536-8048.
Region Goes ‘Dutch’
April-August: Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley has launched a six-month, Valley-wide celebration of all things Dutch. From artistic expression to culinary delights, the Valley will be donning its Dutch shoes, planting tulips, and sharing its Dutch spirit with visitors now through August at more than 20 mostly arts-related attractions. For more information on the GoDutch! promotion, call (413) 787-1548 for a brochure or visit www.valleyvisitor.com and click on the GoDutch link.
Humor Incorporated
May 5: Bay Path College will present its 11th Annual Women’s Professional Development Conference at the MassMutual Center. The day-long event will show how humor can be an effective tool to help get a message across and improve workplace communication. Keynote speakers include: noted journalist, novelist, screenwriter, playwright, and director Nora Ephron, who directed the hit movies Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail; philosopher/comedian Emily Levine; and Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves and Talk to the Hand. In addition to the keynote speakers and their focus on the effective use of humor, the conference will feature several breakout sessions. This year’s offerings are: The Change Before the Change: Laura Corio, MD will address the subject of perimenopause, an important and highly misunderstood biological phase of womanhood; Reading Between the Lines: Jo-Ellen Dimitrius, considered the nation’s leading jury consultant, and author of the book Reading People, will offer insight into how individuals can decode the hidden messages in appearance, tone of face, facial expression, and personal habits to predict behavior and attitude; The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life: Therapist and painter Rosamund Stone Zander will lead a workshop based on the book The Art of Possibility, which she co-authored with her husband, Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic. Zander advocates that art can be a springboard for creating innovative ways to reach personal and professional fulfillment; and Unfinished Business: a Democrat and a Republican Take On the 10 Most Important Issues Women Face, featuring Julianne Malveaux, a Democrat and featured columnist, and Deborah Parry, a Republican and political commentator.To register online, visit www.baypath.edu. For more information, call (413) 565-1293 or (800) 782-7284, ext. 293.
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
| Anderson, Duane Arguello, Ana Beckett, Jesse Bissaillon, Mary Kathryn Boucher, Dennis J. Boudrau-Anderson, Alicia J. Braak, Colleen Ann Caceres, Carmen I. Cardinal-Greaney, Patricia Ann Curtis, Cynthia L. Delisle, James J. Figueroa, Esther Franconeri, Jason M. Gladkowski, John F. Graveline, Michael J. Graveline, Sharon A. Hadley, Karen M. Hall, David | Harvey, Sophia J. Lovering, Shirley M. Melendez, Tricia D. Messenger, Susan Diane Moreau, Michael J. Morin, Steven J. Murphy, Kevin W. Murphy, Patricia A. O’Brien, Thomas L. O’Connor, Deirdre Lynn Orr, James J. Pardee, Stephen H. Remillard, Raymond Seabrooks, Cleveland Segel, Jonathan Eric Simpson, Diane Mary Thompson, Woodrow W. West, Jennifer A. White-O’Brien, Debora A. |
The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2006.
| AGAWAM Six Flags New England Six Flags New England AMHERST Amherst Housing Authority Cres Development Lucky’s Tattoo & Piercing Luke Zbylut Mathews Properties Peter Sylvan Stavros Foundation Inc. Western Mass Electric Co. CHICOPEE A. E. Jodoin EAST LONGMEADOW Westbank | HOLYOKE Holyoke Mall Co., L.P. Stiebel Properties Inc. NORTHAMPTON Babbott-Bryan LLC Professional offices PDMG LLC SPRINGFIELD Baystate Health 87 State St. Derf Realty 1 Carando Road Lido Restaurant WEST SPRINGFIELD Morgan Road Realty WESTFIELD |
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Vistar Corporation v. Todd Denis d/b/a Pizza, Wings & Things
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $5,563.20
Date Filed: Feb. 22
WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Spencer White and Prentis Foundation Corporation v. A.J. Virgilio Construc-tion Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for service, labor and materials: $18,745.85
Date Filed: March 3
CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT
Allied Waste Services Inc. d/b/a BFI Waste Services v. Advanced Drain Systems Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Liquidated damages. Did not have exclusive rights to waste and recycle materials as contract stated: $23,172
Date Filed: Feb. 17
Pro-Tech Waterproofing Solutions Inc. v. Michelson Properties Inc. and Samjay Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for work, labor, supplies, and materials: $2,515.50
Date Filed: March 2
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Zurich American Insurance Co. v. Daniel Ransom d/b/a Five Star Towing
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay insurance premiums: $16,070.73
Date Filed: Feb. 22
The Southern New England Telephone Co. v. Robert Hawley d/b/a Environmen-tal Airtechs
Allegation: Failure to pay judgment of $5,300.39 entered October 2005: $5,096.51
Date Filed: Feb. 28
Langeveld Bulb Co. Inc. v. Phildante Inc. d/b/a Fini’s Plant Farm
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $4,121.17
Date Filed: March 3
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2006.
| AGAWAM Agawam Music The Buccaneer Errand Professionals D & D Remodeling Earthly Designs Mowin’ n Blowin’ Premium Landscape Tan Factory AMHERST Ben & Jerry’s Brazilian Fashion Style Diana Ditmore Ink Solutions Louis J. Manfredi Consulting Quiznos Sub Short Story Press Yoga Center Amherst CHICOPEE DC Property Management J & B Property Maintenance Johnson Interiors Monkeys with Hammers EAST LONGMEADOW Beauty Skin & Hair Studio J & E Contractors Operational Success LLC Premier Limousine Spartan Sport Shots Tranghese Auto Detailing HADLEY Emjoca HOLYOKE AOK Improvements LONGMEADOW Angel Feathers Kristine Kulesa Dineen Nancy J. Miller-Sanborn CLU Strategic Property Solutions NORTHAMPTON Baystate Medical Practices | Direwolfe PC German Automotive Jacobs Auto Transport What Do You Need? SOUTH HADLEY Cumberland Farms #6718 Lawns R Us Landscaping Olde Time Service SPRINGFIELD Alley Graphics Brown’s Painting Diva Fashion 413 Video Productions HLW Consulting Imagination Entertainment K.P. Bennett Trucking L.A. Construction Lia Sophia Med Law Analysts N.E. Auto Loans Quick Cargo Services Reyroso Construction Sullivan Factory Outlet Vibrations Hair Salon WEST SPRINGFIELD Affiance-Events Wedding Baystate Medical Practices Darlene Kurman Gwendolyn Mirisis Megan Landry Rizwan Ahmed Roberts Executive Search Serguei Morozov Trucking V.R. Construction WESTFIELD Crystal Childs Design Davenport Flooring Frequency Deleted Records Millwrite Machine Inc. Quality Consultant Stop & Go |
Baystate Health Inc. in Springfield announced the following new Trustees:
• Elaine A. Sarsynski, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, MassMutual Financial Group;
• Richard B. Steele Jr., Managing Member, Longmeadow Capital Partners LLC; and
• Dr. Howard G. Trietsch, Managing Partner, Baystate OB/GYN Group Inc.
••••• Rebecca Bouchard has been named an Associate at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy P.C. in Springfield. She will concentrate her practice in education and employment law as well as other civil litigation matters. ••••• Dr. Andrew M. Scibelli, President Emeritus of Springfield Technical Community College, has been named Chairman of the Steering Committee for the 2006 Western Mass. Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. ••••• Maryanne Rooney has joined Elms College in Chicopee as Vice President for Institutional Advancement. •••••
David P. Fontaine, President of Fontaine Bros. Inc., has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Springfield Technical Community College. As a 1983 graduate of STCC’s Civil Engineering Technology program, Fontaine was honored in 2001 with the STCC Distinguished Alumni Award, which is given annually to recognize outstanding achievement by a graduate of the college. ••••• Southbridge Savings Bank announced the following:
• Thomas Dufresne has been promoted to Vice President-Chief Technology Officer;
• Todd Tallman has been promoted to Vice President-Chief Financial Officer; and
• Susan Gunnell has been promoted to Vice President-Director of Human Resources.
••••• James M. Lavelle has been elected Corporator of PeoplesBancorp, MHC, the mutual holding company of PeoplesBank. Lavelle serves as General Manager at Holyoke Gas & Electric. ••••• Karolina M. Sadowicz recently joined American International College in Springfield as Assistant Director of Public Relations. ••••• Friendly Ice Cream Corp. in Wilbraham announced the following: • Robert Sawyer has been named Vice President and General Counsel of Friendly’s Restaurants Franchise Inc. ••••• David Chandler, an employee of Western Mass. Electric Company, was recently honored by Northeast Utilities with its NU Chairman’s Lifesaving Action Award, the company’s highest honor. Chandler was honored for his role in saving the life of Steven Peters, a 22-year-old Gill firefighter, on Oct. 9. ••••• Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Central New England announced the following: • Karen King has been recognized for her ranking of 41 among 3,500 Coldwell Banker sales associates in Massachusetts for her achievements in real estate in 2005. King works out of the Wilbraham office; • Priscilla Harman and Ann Turnberg received the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage International President’s Elite Award. Harman and Turnberg received the award for placing within the top 4% of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales associates and representatives internationally; • The following employees received the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage International President’s Circle Award: Bridget Donato, Carol Roy, Peg Ryan, Debbie Taylor, and Kathy Wallis-McCann. The award recognizes sales associates for their listing and selling excellence in 2005; and • The following employees received the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage International Diamond Society Award: Tammi Adair, Ray Authier, Lisa Catrett, Shannon Donohue, Shawn Mitchell, Lisa McGrady, Marge Thibodeau, Roger Trombly, Barbara Vaughn, and April West. The award recognizes sales associates for their listing and selling excellence in 2005. ••••• Rene “Pete” Ledoux has joined Westbank in West Springfield as a Senior Vice President in the newly formed Financial Services Division. •••••
James Lee of Inspiria Salon & Day Spa in West Springfield has been promoted to Lead Massage Therapist.
••••• The American College of Bankruptcy in Washington, D.C., announced that Joseph B. Collins, a shareholder of Hendel & Collins P.C., of Springfield, will be inducted as a Fellow of the College. Collins is one of 22 nominees from the United States and abroad being inducted in the 2006 Class of College Fellows. All are being honored and recognized for their professional excellence and contributions to the fields of bankruptcy and insolvency. ••••• Susan Gay, Administrator at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., has been elected President of the Association of Legal Administrators (Nutmeg) Chapter for the Western Mass. and Northern and Southern Conn. regions. ••••• Robin Olejarz has joined Kostin, Ruffkess, Themistos & Dane LLC as a Manager, specializing in business valuation and litigation support. ••••• William H. Booth has been named Chief Executive of Country Curtains. ••••• Dr. Robert L. Matthews has opened a new facility, The Kids’ Dentist, on Park Street in West Springfield. ••••• Thomas R. Creed has joined Sovereign Bank as Senior Vice President and Regional Executive in the Connecticut and Western Mass. market. ••••• Benjamin J. Garvey has been appointed Senior Account Executive in the Commercial Insurance Division for the Insurance Center of New England in West Springfield. ••••• The Mass. Association of Realtors announced the following: ••••• Dr. Andrew L. Karanas has been appointed to the Department of Surgery at Noble Hospital, Westfield. He has joined the practice of Dr. L. Willis Roberts, also a surgeon at Noble Hospital. ••••• Aimee Griffin Munnings, founder of the New England Black Chamber of Commerce, has been named the 2006 U.S. Small Business Administration Massachusetts Minority Small Business Champion award winner. Munnings went on to win the New England competition for the award as well. |
