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Month: February 2009

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Outlook 2009

The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield sponsored its annual Outlook event at Chez Josef in Agawam on Feb. 9. Left: Keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Jim Tanner (D-Tenn.) cautioned of the dangers of a soaring national debt, yet issued his support for the $800 billion federal stimulus bill. Top right: Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said strong education and public safety are at least as critical to healthy communities as economic development. Bottom right: Among the hundreds of attendees were Sue Mastroianni (left) a principal with Fitzgerald & Mastroianni, and Mary DeLiso of ABC 40.

Black History Month

Honorees at the Black History Month opening event at Springfield Technical Community College on Feb. 4 included, from left, Massachusetts Electoral College delegation President Ray Jordan Jr.; Jordan’s wife, Donna; Ron Copes, chairman of the STCC Board of Trustees; and Myra Smith, STCC’s Vice President for Human Resources and Multicultural Affairs.

OPINION

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Opinion
Infrastructure Needs a Bill of Its Own

President Obama is the first urbanite in the White House since Teddy Roosevelt. He certainly knows the vital role that cities play in America. Yet despite the Chicagoan on Pennsylvania Avenue, infrastructure spending in the House stimulus bill follows a business-as-usual pattern that discriminates against density.

The only way to break that pattern is to take non-repair-related infrastructure spending out of the stimulus, and craft a separate bill that looks beyond the current recession. Major infrastructure projects, especially in cities, cannot be done quickly.

Per-capita transportation spending in the House stimulus package, including transit, is more than 50% higher in the 10 least-dense states than in the 10 densest states, including Massachusetts. Yet America’s highways and rails already make it easy to move goods and people across America’s open spaces. The hard slog is getting across dense downtowns.

Other elements in the stimulus package also favor farm over city. The subsidies for broadband infrastructure are unnecessary in already-connected cities. Access to the latest technologies is, after all, one reason for cities’ economic success. The $6 billion for weatherizing homes will surely do more for rural America than for apartment dwellers. There is urban spending in the bill, but money spent rehabilitating public housing is not the transformative investment that will make cities more productive.

Infrastructure is the skeleton on which the economy hangs. In the 19th century, America built a great transportation network of rails and canals that enabled the wealth of the land to make its way east. America’s 19th-century cities — Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh — were nodes on that network that grew along with it.

In the 20th century, Americans built a highway system that decentralized urban areas. The resulting exodus from cities to suburbs reminds us that infrastructure can have far-reaching consequences.

A visionary infrastructure strategy cannot fit into a stimulus package. For stimulus, speed is vital. The Big Dig took 21 years. Working in cities is particularly slow because it takes time to tunnel, and because community opposition holds up urban mega-projects. A need for speed will always create an anti-urban bias.

America needs both a stimulus package and new infrastructure, but combining the two in one bill is a mistake. Congress should eliminate any pretense that the stimulus plan is addressing long-run infrastructure needs, and leave in only those infrastructure expenditures, like rehabilitating decaying roads and bridges, that require minimal planning, public approval, and time to implement.

A separate infrastructure bill would take cost-benefit analysis seriously, and direct spending to the projects with the highest returns. This means breaking the infrastructure spending status quo. As the Office of Management and Budget’s expectmore.gov Web site notes, highway infrastructure “funding is not based on need or performance and has been heavily earmarked.” To reduce boondoggle projects, localities, particularly wealthier ones, should provide a significant share of the funding. Requiring locales to pony up their own cash helps ensure that new projects are really valued.

The role of cities is vital. According to County Business Patterns, 56% of America’s wages are earned in the 22 mega-metropolitan areas with more than 2 million people each. A serious infrastructure bill would aid metropolitan areas, but ask for sacrifice in return for subsidy.

The cities that stand at the center of the economy need new infrastructure, but that can’t be built in two years. To ensure an infrastructure plan that does not shortchange metropolitan America, major infrastructure needs to come out of the stimulus package and get a bill of its own.-

Edward L. Glaeser, a professor of Economics at Harvard University, is director of the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston. This article first appeared in the Boston Globe.

Impact Statements

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Features
BusinessWest Will Celebrate the Difference Makers at March 26 Gala

Mark your calendar!

BusinessWest recently chose its first class of Difference Makers — four individuals and one group of young people who are all improving the quality of life in Western Mass. — and will celebrate their accomplishments at a gala set for March 26 at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke.

Details of the event are falling into place, and the gala is shaping up as a not-to-be-missed gathering that will blend networking with some well-deserved recognition for people who are making a difference in the community.

“Our first Difference Makers have different roles, different backgrounds, and different ways to channel their generous donations of time, energy, and imagination to the community,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “But there are many common denominators, starting with a desire to connect people and businesses with resources.

“These resources vary,” she continued, “and include everything from library books to outfits women can wear to a job interview; from capital for sustainable energy projects to programs designed to help make individuals workforce-ready. In each case, these connections make the region a better place in which to live, work, and play, and they create a ripple effect that can be felt across the Valley.”

And this focus on the Western Mass. region has generated a theme, if you will, for the March 26 gala. Indeed, this will be a celebration of not only the Difference Makers, but the Pioneer Valley itself, with food and beverages produced locally and entertainment music provided by area artists.

“There is going to be an incredible amount of energy in the room that night,” said Campiti. “BusinessWest wants to invite all its readers to attend, celebrate excellence, and recognize all that is special about this region.”

Tickets for the inaugural Difference Makers Gala are $50 per person, and may be ordered by calling (413) 781-8600, ext. 10, or via E-mail at[email protected].

The Difference Makers for 2009, as profiled in the Feb. 2 edition of BusinessWest, are:

  • Doug Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, emphasizes a strong philanthropic platform — the bank ranks among the leading charitable contributors among Massachusetts businesses, giving well over $3 million over the past five years — as well as a solid leadership position in lending to ‘green’ businesses and sustainable-energy-related ventures. He has also steered the bank to strong profitability, while balancing his own time with service to a number of civic and charitable organizations.
  • Kate Kane, managing director of the Springfield office of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, has used her platform in a variety of service roles, from mentoring young entrepreneurs to helping steer the Sisters of Providence Health System through a time of uncertainty for health care providers, to serving on the board of Friends for the Homeless. She co-wrote the original business plan for the Western Mass. chapter of Dress for Success, an organization that has become an international phenomenon.
  • Susan Jaye Kaplan founded GoFIT, which introduces young people to the importance of fitness and provides them with not only running shoes but a game plan to stay in shape. Later, she co-founded Linked to Libraries, which collects new books and donates them to elementary schools across the region that serve children of low-income families. In both roles, she has started kids on the path to good habits, both physical and intellectual, that will hopefully last a lifetime.
  • Bill Ward, as executive director of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, has worked to create access to employment, especially for minorities, young people, and underskilled individuals. The REB’s latest project, Building a Better Workforce — Closing the Skills Gap on the Road to Economic Resurgence, brings together businesses and colleges in an effort to establish universal kindergarten, improve young education proficiency and career awareness, increase adult literacy, and boost technical training in high-growth industry sectors.
  • The Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield, in just two years, has grown to include more than 200 members. YPS creates professional-development programs, educates members on economic and other issues of the day, and provides reasons for young professionals to plant roots in the Pioneer Valley and become valuable contributors to its long-term progress. It also conducts events intended to connect young people with the arts, promote mentoring, and facilitate efforts to give back to the community.

    • Take It with You

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    Sections Supplements
    On-the-go Convenience Defines Today’s Technology

    You can hold it your hand or slip it in your pocket. You can take it wherever you go. And it doesn’t matter where you go, because wherever you go, it’s like you never left.

    Today’s technology is all about convenience. It’s measured in ounces, not pounds, and is often no larger than a deck of cards. It’s designed to keep you connected and amused.

    It lets you check E-mails from all corners of the globe or watch your home TV program from a hotel room in India. Miniature camcorders and cameras let you document your life in pictures. And multi-purpose smart phones do it all — take pictures, play music, and let you surf the Net.

    BusinessWest has pulled together a list of some of the most-talked-about new gadgets of 2008. From a tiny photo printer that doesn’t use ink to a Bluetooth stereo that fits in your hand, here’s what’s creating the buzz.

    Call It Like It Is

    Smart phones in 2009 are stylish and multifunctional with a host of features that keep you connected. In many instances, virtual touch keyboards replace physical ones, and QWERTY keyboards enable faster typing.

    As the first smart phone to run Google’s new Android operating system, T-Mobile G1 ($179) is a key addition to the mobile market. Android puts programs like Gmail, Blogger, and Google Maps at your fingertips. The software is better than what’s on most phones and will improve with new releases over time. A physical QWERTY keyboard that slides out from underneath the phone adds thickness, but makes the G1 ideal for text messaging.

    If you’ve been contemplating getting an iPhone, now is the time. The new Apple iPhone 3G ($199 to $299) supports faster 3G data speeds and sports a price that’s finally within reach for most consumers. Lag time has always been an issue with smart phones when browsing the Internet, but according to Apple, Web pages load up to 2.8 times faster on the 3G. However, it comes at a cost: you’ll also pay about $10 extra per month for the 3G service.

    For E-mail addicts, RIM Blackberry Curve ($179 to $599) is the smallest and lightest full-QWERTY Blackberry available to date. As compact as a cell phone, it has a wider body and a full keyboard for fast messaging. Cutting-edge multi-media capabilities separate the Curve from the earlier Blackberry Pearl and 8800 models. But keep in mind that, overall, this model is more about style than new features.

    If the Blackberry and the iPhone are more money than you care to spend, then check out Peek ($99). Strictly an E-mail checker, Peek offers a sleek design with a full QWERTY keyboard for comfortable typing. Monthly service cost is only about $20 for unlimited access to your E-mail messages. Peek supports Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL, but doesn’t work for corporate E-mail yet.

    Capture the Moment

    Cameras today are so portable you can take them anywhere to document your life in pictures. But why stop there? Tiny camcorders now let you capture moments in video, and you can even print on the go.

    The Flip Mino HD ($230) is a pocket-sized camcorder that shoots high-definition (HD) video for an image crisp enough to view on your HDTV. This portable video emphasizes one-button simplicity and comes with its own onboard editing software. It has four gigabytes of internal memory, enough for one hour of video, and a rechargeable battery that provides two hours of shooting. If you don’t need the HD, the standard Mino is a good bet at half the price, but doesn’t come with the editing software.

    If you’re looking for something to match your style—or even your outfit — the Nikon CoolPix S60 ($349) is a tiny camera that comes in six different colors. It’s small and convenient enough to take on weekend trips or a long hike. In fact, there’s no reason to be caught without this 10 megapixel camera. Its key feature is an impressive 3.5-inch touch-screen LCD display and graphical user interface that puts shooting and playback controls at your fingertips.

    If you miss the magic of Polaroid, you’ll enjoy this new toy. Polaroid’s PoGo Instant Mobile Printer ($150) is a sleek, black, 8-ounce photo printer that lets you print on the go. Its unique ZINK technology prints without ink. The ink is in the photo paper in the form of color dye crystals that react when heated. You can print directly from your cell phone or digital camera via Bluetooth or USB cord. Print quality is decent enough for casual prints.

    But if you want a virtual way to share photos of your travels, the Eye Fi Explore ($130) is the answer. It’s a 2-gigabyte wireless SD card that pops into your digital camera. Snap away, and when you near a public wi-fi access point, the Eye Fi automatically delivers your photos to the photo-sharing Web site of your choice. Eye Fi intelligently handles your photos behind the scenes taking care of log-ins and passwords and even resizing photos if necessary. It also features a cool geotagging capability that records the exact location each photo was taken.

    Now That’s Entertainment

    If you are an audiophile or a TV addict on the road, these unique gadgets may appeal to you.

    No larger than an eyeglass case, the Dahl Audio FoxL Bluetooth Speaker ($249) is a tiny sound system powered by an onboard rechargeable battery. It transmits sound wirelessly from your cell phone or MP3 player. You can take it with you while traveling or tether it to your cell phone and use it as a speaker phone while driving. (The Bluetooth version has a microphone hidden behind the front speaker grille.) Although not particularly loud, the FoxL’s two 1-inch speakers (dubbed ‘Twoofers’) produce impressive sound at reasonable volumes.

    Glued to the TV has just taken on new meaning. Thanks to Slingbox SOLO ($179), you can now watch your home TV from anywhere in the world through your laptop or mobile phone. You can watch regular TV or any cable subscription or sports packages you may have. The SOLO connects to equipment such as your DVR, satellite system, or cable box to deliver TV signals to wherever you are. Now you can relax and enjoy your local news program from a hotel room in Bangladesh or from your office at work.

    If you like the features of the Apple iPhone but don’t need the mobile phone capabilities, you can opt for an Apple iPod Touch ($229). This nifty gadget has everything the iPhone has except for the calling (and monthly service and data fees). You can use your iPod Touch to check and reply to E-mail, surf the Web, check the weather, download songs from iTunes and even create Microsoft Word documents. It also includes a unique feature not found on the iPhone: a Nike program that tracks how far you’ve jogged.

    Notebook Computers

    No gadget list is complete without some mention of laptop computers. They come in all shapes and sizes, but two ultra slim ones really stand out.

    Weighing in at just over 4.5 pounds, the ultra-portable HP TouchSmart tx2z ($1,200) is light enough to take anywhere. It’s a true Tablet PC, meaning that you can fold the display flat for writing and drawing using the stylus pen included in the system. It’s a ‘multi-touch’ laptop, meaning you can use one or two fingers to navigate applications or surf the Internet.

    The stylish, 3-pound Macbook Air ($1,799) is touted as the world’s thinnest notebook. To reduce the size and weight, Apple omitted certain features, so don’t expect it to replace your everyday laptop. It has a single USB port, and the latest version features a 120-gigabyte hard drive. If you can afford the luxury, it might be worth the fun.

    And fun is a good thing to carry around.

    Social Media Marketing and Web 2.0

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    Sections Supplements
    What Are They, and How Can They Help You Bring in More Business?

    Simply put, social media, or Web 2.0, is a communications tool. Wikipedia, the Internet’s most popular encyclopedia, describes Web 2.0 as a means to “…enhance creativity [and] communications, secure information-sharing, [and augment] collaboration and functionality of the web.” It encompasses several online tools that help you develop relationships that may facilitate new business opportunities.

    These tools include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, and a host of others. They are the online version of working the room, and can potentially spread your brand message to many people for free.

    Social media provides tools that can introduce you to people who may become valuable resources. These people can be tapped for advice, assistance, or collaboration. It also helps professionals build relationships that can evolve into business opportunities that may not have presented themselves otherwise.

    Let’s be clear right from the start: social media does not replace face-to-face interaction. It augments and creates new opportunities to meet people and demonstrate your expertise, and it may position you as the solution to your prospects’ problems by raising awareness. It can open new doors and put you in front of a whole new potential client base.

    But social media marketing may seem a bit too new and foreign, and some professionals may be uncomfortable about experimenting. They may fear that their reputations could be compromised. Perhaps it would help to review the most popular social media tools.

    LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is an environment where people display online resumes that detail what they can offer to employers and people in need of someone with their skills. The basic premise behind LinkedIn is to connect with a diverse group of professionals with varying skill sets, so when someone searches for an individual who does what you do, they will find you. In-network results (those of your connections) display first, so it is to your advantage to have as large a network as possible.

    Your LinkedIn profile provides an opportunity to display the best resume you could possibly draft. It is much more powerful than any traditional paper resume because it is readily available for anyone in the world to view 24/7. In fact, the more progressive job applicants are now providing a PDF of their LinkedIn profile instead of a traditional resume because it contains much more information and includes recommendations from people familiar with their capabilities.

    The strongest LinkedIn profiles thoroughly detail your skill sets, employment history, educational background, recommendations, interests, and activities. They present this information in a way that makes you appealing to a potential employer or business prospect. The best LinkedIn profiles use words that are chosen carefully to convey not only what you do, but what potential customers can get when they hire or engage you.

    LinkedIn also provides an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise by answering questions in your field and contributing to group discussions. The possibilities are virtually without limit and can really set you apart when a potential employer compares you to a competitor.

    Facebook

    Facebook is a more socially oriented environment than LinkedIn. While LinkedIn presents an opportunity to establish professional connections, Facebook presents a platform to reconnect and interact with friends. It helps to re-establish relationships. According to iStrategyLabs, “Facebook’s 35- to 54-year-old demographic segment not only continued to grow the fastest, but it [accelerated] to a 276% growth rate over the past 6 months, [from June 18, 2008 to Jan. 4, 2009.] That demo is doubling roughly every two months.” Currently there are about 7 million Facebook users in that demographic.

    Facebook is very personal. It has a communications component that allows instant messaging, space to write public messages, and an opportunity to post photos. It also includes many silly applications, such as the ability to pass virtual drinks to your friends. Facebook makes it easy to search for long-lost friends by your specific high school and college, sorted by year, and it is not uncommon to reconnect with people whose names you haven’t uttered since graduation.

    A word of caution, though — think very carefully before meshing your professional network with your personal life on Facebook. You may regret having professional connections read something from your college roommate about, “Remember that time when we…?” It is possible to segment groups and hide information from particular group members, but that may be more work than you are willing to undertake.

    Twitter

    Twitter is a micro-blogging application that allows 140 characters to get your entire message across. It teaches you how to condense your thoughts and compress your words to economize precious space. Most of all, Twitter provides an incredible opportunity to build relationships with people who you would probably never meet in any other circumstance. But how can that happen in 140 characters?

    On Twitter, you follow and are followed by fellow Tweeters. That makes Twitter unique in the fact that it is a 100% permission-based marketing tool. People make personal decisions to follow you based on the quality and variety of your Tweets (messages), and they can ‘unfollow’ you with a click of a button.

    People use Twitter to share news and ideas, collaborate, ask advice, and build professional and personal relationships. However, it is not acceptable on Twitter to soapbox about your own company, product, or service. In fact, that is the quickest way to be unfollowed. Generally, people publicly Tweet a mix of information from their industry, current events, and breaking news, re-Tweets of other people’s information, and personal information. They also Tweet messages directed to specific individuals on the public timeline for all to see, as well as private messages when discretion is needed.

    An additional benefit is that many companies are on Twitter. This is rapidly becoming one of the most efficient means to monitor chatter about your brand. Comcast has done this very successfully. When someone Tweets a complaint, @ComcastCares knows about it and takes appropriate action. Ford, Dell, and Lands’ End are additional examples of companies that have recognized the incredible potential to build, repair, and maintain their brands by monitoring and responding to Twitter chatter. Twitter is becoming a powerful customer-service tool.

    At first glance Twitter may appear confusing, but when you jump in and start engaging in conversations with people, you will probably find it to be a fun way to build relationships with people you wouldn’t have an opportunity to meet in any other way.

    Blogs

    A blog is an online publishing tool. It provides an opportunity to communicate ideas, passions, or interests. Search engines love blogs because, in contrast to static Web sites, blog content is constantly updated and continually fresh. Blogs allow a platform for people to demonstrate professional expertise, share information about their interests, collaborate, and report about their own lives.

    It is possible to have a Web developer design a custom blog that is integrated right into your Web site, but there are several alternatives that make it easy for do-it-yourselfers to get going. Blogger.com is a free, Google-owned blogging platform, and TypePad is a popular paid blogging platform. WordPress is a very popular open source platform, and there are plenty of people who specialize in developing custom blogs in this format.

    There is no best solution that suits everyone’s needs, so it is advisable to do a little research and/or tap into your LinkedIn or Twitter network for advice.

    One of the really great things about blogs is that, like Twitter, their readership is permission-based. Unlike E-mail marketing, of which much is considered spam by the receiver, blogs can be subscribed to and syndicated, so readers can regularly receive updates that they may read at their leisure. This can be done through an E-mail feed or an online tool that keeps blog posts separate from E-mail.

    Podcasting

    Podcasting is simply adding audio or video files to your Web site, blog, or other electronic distribution method. It gives people the opportunity to hear your voice and experience your expressions and eloquence rather than just read your words. A podcast can be subscription-based, syndicated, and downloaded automatically when new content is added, so it is a convenient means of distributing information. Podcasts can then be played on iPods and other MP3 players, making it very convenient for listeners and viewers to hear your message on the go.

    YouTube

    YouTube’s tagline is “Broadcast Yourself,” and that is an accurate description of what it is. YouTube has taken the world by storm and created instant cyber-celebrities out of ordinary people. It is an online space where anybody can upload any video for the entire world to see.

    An interesting, evolving use of YouTube in this challenging economy is for uploading video resumes. People are creating mini-documentaries of themselves that highlight their skills and expertise. These range from simple homemade versions to elaborate, professional productions. It is becoming increasingly common for job seekers to link to their YouTube video resumes from their LinkedIn profiles. This offers potential employers additional insight into the creativity, eloquence, and skills offered by candidates.

    One of the most significant advantages of social media is the viral potential. People tend to share information that they find appealing, helpful, amusing, or educational, so social media offers many free branding opportunities for yourself and/or your business. People communicate daily through various social-media tools with others that they perceive to be valuable members of the professional community. They build relationships and share resources. They regularly hire from within their social-media networks because they feel a confidence and trust.

    Social media can be perceived to be a brave new frontier or intimidating and confusing. There are many advantages to sampling the above tools as a means of expanding your professional circle. It is possible to develop relationships virtually, and millions of dollars of business is initiated daily through these tactics.

    How much longer can you afford to let your competitors use these tools while you sit on the sidelines?

    Christine Pilch is a partner with Grow My Company and a social-media marketing strategist. She trains clients to utilize LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social-media tools to grow their businesses, and she collaborates with professional service firms to get results through innovative brand strategies; (413) 537-2474;

    linkedin.com/in/christinepilch;twitter.com/christinepilch;growmyco.com; “Miracle Growth for Your Company.”

    Ahead of the Curve

    By
    Calvin Ellis, left, and Tim Haas say business customers appreciate the high Internet speed and network security of fiber-optic technology.
    Sections Supplements
    Holyoke Gas & Electric Expands Its Fiber-optic Internet Service Once Again
    Calvin Ellis, left, and Tim Haas say business customers appreciate the high Internet speed and network security of fiber-optic technology.

    Calvin Ellis, left, and Tim Haas say business customers appreciate the high Internet speed and network security of fiber-optic technology.

    Richard Carnall sees a bright future in fiber optics — and a municipal utility ahead of its time.

    Specifically, he sees the fiber-optic Internet network built and maintained by Holyoke Gas & Electric as the model of the future — even though it was first installed in 1997, when the Web was still in its relative infancy.

    “All communications will eventually be fiber optics,” said Carnall, a sales rep for HG&E.

    “We just happened to be here a little earlier,” added Tim Haas, the utility’s senior telecommunications engineer.

    Over the past 12 years, HG&E has expanded its fiber-optic Internet and business-networking service to schools, municipal offices, and companies throughout Holyoke, as well as expanding into Chicopee and downtown Springfield, including its latest site, at 1441 Main Street, also known as the TD Banknorth building.

    Calvin Ellis, marketing coordinator at Holyoke Gas & Electric, noted that many municipal utility companies across the country have gradually gotten into the Internet business, but in 1997, such cities could be counted on one hand.

    “This was before everyone realized they needed the Internet to do business and to connect multiple sites together,” he continued, noting that industries from banking to health care make this a matter of routine today — and need to do it securely, and at high speeds.

    “Over time, customers began asking about it,” he said. “And as the Internet has become an important part of business, you’ll find multiple utilities around the country also getting into this business.”

    Full Speed Ahead

    Fiber-optic Internet, Ellis explained, utilizes thin strands of glass over which lasers are flashed at high speeds. Such an infrastructure, as opposed to one run over phone or cable lines, allows limitless bandwidth with no disturbances due to moisture or electrical interference, as well as easy scalability. “The customer calls us with his needs, and we can change his line in as little as 48 hours.”

    “That’s not something you can do in a traditional telecommunications environment,” Carnall added.

    A fiber-optic connection, the utility asserts, is the best form of Internet service available, in that it is more secure than a cable-modem connection, more reliable than DSL, and less expensive than a T1 line. Even its lowest-priced fiber-optic service, it claims, boasts upload speeds that are over 10 times faster than a cable modem.

    If, as Carnall predicted, fiber-optic becomes the dominant Web medium of the future, Holyoke Gas & Electric can take some pride in its foresight more than a decade ago.

    “That was the infancy of the Internet,” Ellis said. “Originally, we provided services to the city and schools, and then it grew to include businesses on the path.”

    In the years that followed, the utility expanded the fiber-optic service to tenants in two high-rises — Tower Square and Monarch Place — in downtown Springfield, and two years ago it struck a deal with Chicopee Electric Light to run fiber-optic service in that neighboring city as well. Late last year, the Springfield service area expanded to include tenants in the TD Banknorth building.

    Yet, Ellis said there are no plans in the works to expand HG&E’s Internet offerings to residences.

    “It’s something we have looked at and continue to do so, but expanding the business model makes sense now,” Ellis said.

    “We’re focused on the footprint we have at the moment, and within that, we’ve greatly expanded our equipment and capacity,” he added, noting that the company offers speeds up to 1 gigabyte per second.

    “We can connect multiple business sites together at faster speeds. We have the technology to allow them to speak faster to each other.”

    That’s important, Carnall said, because of the way businesses are increasingly connected digitally these days. “The Internet links organizations together,” he said. “A hospital will have separate medical centers, and a bank has multiple branches, of course.”

    “There’s nothing else at this speed to connect those sites. We connect at ethernet speeds,” Ellis said, referencing the term for a computer network that connects workstations within a single physical site. “We can get these buildings to communicate like they’re one complex; there’s really no one else that can do this.”

    The security of the network is also crucial, Haas noted, referencing the sensitive financial information that bank branches share, as well as medical information that is now governed by strict federal privacy laws. “These compliance issues are a major factor these days.”

    Indeed, the network has a redundant design which guards against interruptions, and it has also passed several quality and confidentiality audits, meeting or exceeding the privacy standards set forth by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

    Close to Home

    But while Holyoke Gas & Electric touts the speed and security of its expanding fiber-optic service, Ellis said, just as important to customers is the location of its headquarters.

    “Being locally owned is a plus,” he said. “Our customers know that, if there’s an issue, they can knock on our door, and the problem will be addressed. With a lot of cable and telephone companies, those calls often go overseas. That isn’t the way it’s supposed to be, but it’s true.”

    “One thing that sets us apart is how we service and support it,” Haas said. “It has a community identity.”

    Joseph Bednar can be reached at[email protected]

    For All the Marbles

    By
    The leadership team at Entré Computer, from left, Bob Bellamy, Andi Aigner, Robert Braceland, Liz Soticheck, and Norm Fiedler.
    Sections Supplements
    Entré Computer Rolls Out an Aggressive Growth Strategy
    The leadership team at Entré Computer, from left, Bob Bellamy, Andi Aigner, Robert Braceland, Liz Soticheck, and Norm Fiedler.

    The leadership team at Entré Computer, from left, Bob Bellamy, Andi Aigner, Robert Braceland, Liz Soticheck, and Norm Fiedler.

    The landscape in the computer sales and service realm has changed considerably over the past quarter-century, with ever-improving technology and an evolving field of competitors. Through it all, Entré Computer Center has remained a constant, enjoying steady growth fueled by a strong focus on the customer. As the company marks 25 years in business, it is embarking on an aggressive growth strategy, one that seeks to add customers to the portfolio and expand the roster of services provided to existing clients. President Norm Fiedler says the key to success is simply doing more of what the company has always done — provide solutions, not merely products and services.

    Norm Fiedler has been working in the technology field since around the birth of the personal computer. As president of the West Springfield-based Entré Computer Center, he works, and in many respects lives, in a world of bytes and hard drives, servers and high-speed printers.

    And while he’s well-versed in all that, naturally, what he really likes to talk about is … marbles.

    He has a large bowl full of them on the credenza in his office, along with a yellow polishing cloth. A booklet called The Marbles — which he wrote, had published, and now distributes to customers and seemingly everyone else who might want a copy — explains it all.

    “Life,” he writes, “is an accumulation of treasure, and the more abundant and brighter the treasure, the more rewarding and successful the life.” Treasure, in this case, means marbles, with each one representing someone that an individual has met in his or her life, he continued, listing family, friends, a next-door neighbor, a first girlfriend or boyfriend, schoolmates, and teachers.

    “These marbles, these relationships need to be polished,” he said, noting that co-workers and clients are also marbles, and the fact that he treats them as such explains the solid, consistent growth of this company over the past quarter-century.

    “This is the basic philosophy that has defined this company, and my life really,” said Fiedler. “We’re all about relationships … and that’s what differentiates us from our competitors.”

    And now, as the company celebrates that milestone quietly, Fiedler and his leadership team are preparing to grow that marble collection in a figurative, if not literal, sense, through aggressive expansion plans laid out over the past several months.

    That plan calls for 20% to 25% annual growth (and those are conservative estimates) over the next several years, and to meet those goals, Fielder is relying on strong teamwork and a core of leaders — specifically an expanded sales team charged with acquiring new business and essentially turning it over to account managers and customer-service representatives who will work to not only retain these additions to the portfolio but provide them with a evolving, expanding roster of services.

    Leading the team will be Robert Braceland, vice president of sales and marketing, who came to the company about two years ago. He told BusinessWest that his job boils down to customer acquisition, and he intends to do so across a wide spectrum of business sectors.

    Other members of the team are vice president Andy Aigner, accounts manager Bob Bellamy, and Liz Soticheck, director of administration and human resource management, who Fiedler described as the “glue” of the company. They all have key roles in the relationship-building process, and for this issue, they talked with BusinessWest about where they want to take this company and how they intend to reach that destination.

    Crafting a Game Plan

    Braceland called it a ‘SLED’ business.

    That stands for ‘state, local, and education,’ he explained, meaning, essentially, public-sector entities that comprise a significant niche in the technology-solutions-providing business.

    And it’s just one of many targets identified in Entré’s growth strategy. Others include the health care sector, the retail (or point-of-sale) segment of the market, large companies — meaning those with more than 500 employees — and many others.

    Adding business, or marbles, in each of these sectors, essentially comes down to taking market share from the many types of competitors in this market, said Braceland, listing everything from small technology solutions companies to national office-supply chains such as Staples. Entré will approach this exercise with an eye toward heavy emphasis on its strong customer-relations work, which he says comes down to partnering with the client to meet as many of its needs as possible.

    “‘Partner’ is an overused term these days,” Braceland acknowledged, “but that’s the best way to describe what we are and what we do. We partner with our clients to help them make the most of the opportunities that today’s technology offers them.”

    It’s been this way since Fiedler and business partner Kirk Barrell ended their search for a new, joint entrepreneurial venture back in 1983 by becoming part of a then-fledgling chain that eventually grew to 350 locations across North America (Fiedler’s was No. 53). The West Springfield facility, located on Memorial Avenue, is just one of 11 remaining privately held entities that still have the Entré name, and the only one in this region.

    “I was looking for a new opportunity,” said Fiedler, who worked for many years in sales and marketing for companies in the abrasives field. While with Bendix Corp., he met Barrell, and when the two found themselves unemployed after the company was sold, they invested significant time and energy deciding where to take their careers.

    “We were looking for something for the long term,” he explained, “and decided that the personal computer was where we wanted and needed to be.”

    Much has changed since 1983, said Fiedler, noting that many of the chains and individual companies that Entré competed against back then, such as Computerland and MicroAge, are long gone, and technology continues to improve and evolve. Meanwhile, the scope of Entré’s mission has changed as well; it began as a retail company and has evolved into a business-to-business entity focused much more on service. What remains constant, however, is the company’s resolve to be not merely a provider of products and services, but a deliverer of solutions.

    And what has fueled success has been that focus on relationships, he said, adding quickly that these come with both clients and employees, and both are equally important — and also intertwined.

    “Most of our employees have been with us for a number of years, and our philosophy has always been employees first,” he explained. “Because if employees are happy and motivated and feel good about themselves and their company, they’ll take good care of the customers.”

    It is this solid operating platform that Fiedler and other members of his team believe will support the company through its growth initiative and help it meet or exceed some aggressive goals.

    Taking Their Best Shot

    As he outlined that growth strategy for taking Entré to the next level, forged late last year, Braceland said it will have two main thrusts — acquiring new customers across all those sectors he mentioned, and providing more services to those clients, as well as to a strong core of 200 existing customers.

    These services include everything from installation to network issues; parts to printer repairs; supplies to something called ‘end-of-life’ work, meaning environmentally friendly disposition of equipment, a growing concern for ‘green’-conscious businesses of all sizes and an emerging opportunity for ventures like Entré.

    “As companies come out of older technologies, including PCs, servers, printers, and empty toner cartridges, they’re faced with the question of what to do with it,” said Braceland, adding that helping them find an answer is a relatively recent addition to Entré’s roster of services. “The worst thing they can do is take it to the landfill, first because this equipment is hazardous to the environment, and secondly, because there’s potentially confidential data sitting on those devices.

    “What we do is provide corporations with options as far as protecting their data and disposing of what’s called E-waste,” he continued, adding that Entré has been successful in adding this work on to other services ranging from hard-drive sweeping to print management.

    Describing the latter, he said it comes down to helping companies reduce their printing costs across the board and make the most effective use of the technology they’re invested in.

    Overall, said Aigner, who brings many years of experience in the food-service industry to his role at the company, Entré has shown the willingness over the years to make what he calls “investments” in the customer and service to same, and this won’t change as the company grows. What will change, though, if all goes expected, is the number of investments being made.

    Bellamy said that the main goal, and the primary challenge, for Entré is to get that proverbial foot in the door at companies and public entities like school departments. Once it does so, he’s confident that the company can get all the way in.

    “If people give us the opportunity to show what we can do, we make the most of that opportunity,” he explained. “If we get a chance, we perform, and we win. That’s how we’re going to win market share.”

    Braceland concurred. He said Entré and its sales team has been cultivating new customers and relationships for the past year or so — this is a lengthy process that usually takes several months — and that this work is starting to bear fruit. Once the company gets its foot in the door, he continued, it goes about the process of gaining the trust of the client.

    In this business, as in all others, trust must be earned, and this is accomplished by meeting and exceeding expectations, anticipating client needs, and then devising strategies to meet them.

    “Our aggressive goals for growth will be met through what I call efficient customer life-cycle management,” he explained, adding that this comes down to consistently adding services for existing customers while efficiently managing the client base.

    Time to Shine

    Summing up where Entré stands with implementation of its growth strategy, Fiedler said, “we’re at the 10-yard line, with 90 yards to go.”

    But there is no shortage of confidence that this team will reach the end zone, because of the expertise and determination it brings to the assignment.

    Not to mention that philosophy that has propelled Fiedler and other team makers for a quarter century — the notion of marbles, continually polishing them, and growing the collection.

    If all goes as planned, Fiedler may need a bigger bowl for that credenza.

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

    A Case of Supply and Demand

    By
    The SIMS Medical Center at Springfield Technical Community College, which uses more than a dozen patient simulators, will be a key component in efforts to raise awareness of opportunities in health care and what’s involved with various careers.
    Sections Supplements
    $1.6 Million Grant Will Fund Efforts to Build Awareness of Careers in Health Care
    The SIMS Medical Center at Springfield Technical Community College, which uses more than a dozen patient simulators, will be a key component in efforts to raise awareness of opportunities in health care and what’s involved with various careers.

    The SIMS Medical Center at Springfield Technical Community College, which uses more than a dozen patient simulators, will be a key component in efforts to raise awareness of opportunities in health care and what’s involved with various careers.

    Facing spiraling demand for workers in many health care careers — as well as a recognized lack of awareness concerning the many opportunities in this field — a host of partners will take a $1.6 million federal grant and put it to work in ways designed to put more employees in the pipeline.

    Mike Foss says that Springfield Technical Community College tries to do what he calls “exit interviews” with individuals who decide to leave the school’s various health programs before graduating.

    “There are several reasons why they might do so,” said Foss, STCC’s dean of the School of Health and Patient Simulation, who told BusinessWest that the college has been charting responses, unofficially at least, for some time now. “Sometimes it’s finances, other times there are personal issues, and they need to drop out. And sometimes they just disappear and don’t give a reason.”

    “But many times, people will say that they just had no clue about what they were really getting into,” he continued, adding that often this means they found themselves in over their heads, and other times that they were preparing for work that simply didn’t intrigue or challenge them to the extent they thought it would.

    And while dropping out is certainly a setback for the student in question, career-wise and otherwise, he continued, it is for the health care community as well, because it means there will be one fewer person entering a field such as nursing, physical or occupational therapy, or radiology, at a time when the industry is desperate for qualified people in those and many other professions.

    Thus, reducing the number of people who might someday say they didn’t know what they were getting into when they enter a health program is one of many outcomes Foss and a host of others will work to achieve through a $1.65 million, three-year grant from the U.S. Labor Department. The grant was given to STCC, but it is intended for what Foss calls an “unprecedented collaboration” involving no fewer than 16 partners.

    These range from the three other community colleges in Western Mass. (Holyoke, Berkshire, and Franklin) to several regional employment boards; from major employers, including several area hospitals, to The World Is Our Classroom; from Springfield Public Schools to the Mason Square Veterans Outreach Center.

    Together, all those involved with the Community Based Job Training Grant, as it’s called, will work to make people of various age and demographic groups more aware of the many career paths that can be taken in health care, and also the academic preparation needed to get into specific fields and the rigors of the courses of study.

    Such insight is necessary, Foss told BusinessWest, because despite widespread focus in the press on shortages of personnel in several health care fields, many people are simply not aware of what opportunities exist beyond becoming a physician or a nurse.

    “When people come to us and say, ‘I want to be a fill-in-the-blank,’ usually a nurse,” he explained, noting that by ‘us’ he means area colleges, health care providers, and other constituencies, “we’ll ask, ‘what other fields in health have you considered?’ And they’ll look at you like they don’t know what you’re talking about, because all they know is nurses and doctors.”

    Jean Jackson agreed. As vice president of Workforce Planning for Baystate Health, she will be one of those developing strategies for filling an estimated 10,000 positions (new and created through retirement and attrition) over the next 10 years or so, and she knows this will be an extreme challenge in many fields, due in part to that lack of awareness when it comes to options and opportunities in this sector.

    “Unless you’re in health care or know someone who works in health care and you’re exposed to it, you’re probably not aware of all the different opportunities that exist,” she said. “Someone can apply to nursing school, not get in, and not be aware that there are many other attractive alternatives.”

    Kelly Aiken, project manager with the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, said there are a number of quantifiable and qualifiable goals with regard to the grant-funded initiatives, including an across-the-board increase in applications for health care programs at area colleges; reaching full capacity for these programs — or getting much closer to that mark; increasing graduation rates in many programs; and, in general, producing graduates that are able to meet the needs of area health care providers.

    When asked when the region could or should expect to see progress in these realms, Aiken told BusinessWest that it would be difficult to give a more scientific answer than ‘as soon as possible.’ But she and others certainly hope to see recognizable improvement by 2015. That’s the date many experts have identified as a critical point, when the region and nation will certainly be feeling the impact from a wave of retirements in nursing and other fields, as well as soaring needs for the huge (and aging) baby boom generation.

    “It will be a perfect storm of conditions,” she said of that not-so-far-off time. “And we need to be ready for that storm.”

    Course of Action

    Aiken told BusinessWest that the various initiatives to be spawned through the Community Based Job Training Grant will dovetail with other health care workforce-building efforts created and funded through a host of programs with some serious acronyms.

    For example, there’s ‘Collaborating for the Advancement of Nursing: Developing Opportunities,’ or CAN DO, a program funded through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that is designed to put more nurses in the pipeline and provide incentives for those in the field to pursue advanced degrees so they can teach the subject and thus help bolster the ranks.

    There’s also a broad initiative to put more health care workers in the flow that is part of the region-wide program called Building a Better Workforce — Closing the Skills Gap on the Road to Economic Resurgence. That project is designed to clear pathways for lower-skilled incumbent workers by providing certified nursing assistant (CNA) and acute-care training.

    Motivation for these various endeavors is supplied by trends and statistics clearly indicating growing demand for workers in a number of fields across health care — and hard questions about just how all this demand is going to be met. For example, projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics concerning the fastest-growing jobs between 2006 and 2016 show a list dominated by careers in health care.

    Among the top 30 are specialties ranging from personal and home care aides (with projected growth in need of just over 50% by 2016) to physical therapist assistants (32.4%); from pharmacy technicians (32%) to medical assistants (35.4%).

    Familiarizing young people (and some who are maybe not so young) with these professions and detailing how one can enter such fields is the broad goal of the Labor Department grant, said Foss, who drew a parallel between this collaborative effort’s mission and a spike in interest in the emergency medical technician (EMT) field, and others, after 9/11.

    “There was a lot of press given to EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police,” he said of the days, weeks, and months after 9/11. “From what we understand, there was a sudden surge in EMT and paramedic programs across the country; the media was making people aware that this was a career possibility.

    “We want to do the same thing with some of these other careers,” he continued, “because if a student doesn’t really know what the opportunities are, it’s very difficult for them to make a reasoned and rational decision like ‘maybe I shouldn’t be in nuclear medicine; maybe I should be a respiratory therapist.’”

    But individuals need to know more than what the opportunities are, he said, adding that many current applicants for programs are not aware of what they’ll need in terms of preparatory course work to be accepted into a program. “And that’s extremely frustrating.”

    To address all this, the grant has many provisions. They include:

    • Two educational programs to be offered at all four community colleges; one will be a half-day, intense ‘medical encounter’ for high-school students, while the other will be a semester-long course — Introduction to Patient Skills — that will promote understanding of what it’s like to work in health care. The Springfield Public Schools and the regional employment boards will assist in recruiting students for these experiences.
    • One full-time counselor will be hired at each of the colleges to provide targeted, individual counseling to guide the students into academic programs and careers, as well as follow-up assistance. Counselors from each of the colleges and hospital partner sites will receive academic advising training from the National Academic Advising Assoc.; high school guidance counselors will also have an opportunity to attend a medical encounter.
    • Funding will be provided to revamp the existing Web site healthprograms.org, which gives information and contacts for health programs at the four Western Mass. community colleges.

      • Study in Contrasts

      To execute many of these initiatives, especially the ‘medical encounter’ and the semester-long course, STCC will make broad use of its SIMS Medical Center (SMC), which uses more than a dozen patient simulators to closely replicate the medical workforce environment of today, said Foss. The center includes a four-bed acute care unit, trauma room, surgical suite, basic care unit, and the two-bed Berkshire Bank Critical Care Unit.

      “Such exposure will likely eliminate much of the students’ ‘not knowing what they’re getting into,’” said Foss, adding that work with the simulators offers first-hand, almost-real-life experience with what it takes to be a health care provider. “They’d be working on these patients as if they were in charge of them.”

      And the situations that participants will find themselves in should introduce them to a number of different health care professions, he continued. “They get to touch the patients and work with them — change bandages, check vital signs, do documentation, and learn communications skills. And there’ll be some blood and gore as well.”

      All this will hopefully create not only awareness, but interest, said Jackson, noting that, with many health care professions, current supply doesn’t meet demand, and demand is only going to increase.

      She hopes and expects that the ‘medical encounter’ and especially the first-year, semester-long course at each community college will help prompt many students who are undecided about which career path to take — and many freshmen fall into that category — to take a hard look at health care and take that road.

      Direct exposure to specific careers and the work involved could help open people’s eyes in ways that literature or even a Web site cannot, she continued.

      “Instead of just reading or hearing about what a surg-tech (surgical technician) does, people can get a flavor for what the work is really like,” Jackson explained, adding that such direct contact will likely help increase graduation rates in various programs down the road.

      Meanwhile, there must be simultaneous efforts to build awareness among younger people (in high school and even earlier) so that, when they do graduate, they have the prerequisites needed to pursue health careers in college.

      This is where The World Is Our Classroom, which works with area employers to exposes young people to careers in everything from manufacturing to environmental engineering, will play a role, said Aiken, adding that involvement of a host of diverse groups to advance workforce-development strategies is part of a nationwide trend toward what she called “sector-based partnerships.”

      The region is developing several of these partnerships, she told BusinessWest, citing others involving precision manufacturing and early-childhood education, and early-stage work for one in ‘green’ jobs, for example.

      “That’s a workforce-development trend,” she explained, “and one that will help us put our ducks in a row and make us more attractive for more federal funding.”

      Close Encounters

      Summing up the many goals set by the partners involved with the Labor Department grant, Foss said STCC and the other players obviously want to compel more people to explore health care careers and, when the fit is right, pursue one of them.

      But beyond that, he said the ultimate goal is to help those who contemplate such moves to make the “right decisions and be prepared to be a competent and dedicated health care worker.”

      If all goes as planned, he’ll be doing fewer of those exit interviews, and encountering far fewer people who didn’t have a clue about what they were getting into.

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

      By
      Departments

      PeoplesBank in Holyoke announced the following:
      • Lynne A. Gino has been promoted to Vice President, Compliance and Security. Gino previously served as Assistant Vice President, Compliance and Security for PeoplesBank, and has more than 29 years of banking experience;
      • Nadine M. Maggi has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, Consumer Lending. Maggi currently serves as a Loan Service Manager for PeoplesBank and has more than 15 years of banking experience;
      • Brian J. Smith has been promoted to Vice President, Loan Review. Smith previously served as the Assistant Vice President, Loan Review for PeoplesBank, and has more than 30 years of banking experience, and
      • Lauren E. Tabin has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Tabin currently serves as Branch Officer of the Elmwood office in Holyoke, and has more than 10 years of banking experience.

      •••••

      Michael Paysnick has been named Executive Director at the Springfield Jewish Community Center. Before his appointment, Paysnick served as Assistant Executive Director for 20 years at the center.

      •••••

      Ronald I. Gross, MD, FACS, has joined the Department of Surgery at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. He will serve as Chief of the newly formed Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. He will also see patients who are candidates for surgery as a member of Baystate Surgical Associates. Gross earned his medical degree at New York University School of Medicine and completed his general surgical residency and cardiovascular research fellowship at New York University/Bellevue Medical Center, where he also served as chief resident.

      •••••

      Cinda Jones has been named 2009 President of the Massachusetts Forest Landowners Assoc. based in Leverett. Jones is President of the ninth-generation, North Amherst-based Cowls Land and Lumber Co.

      •••••

      William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance, LLC in Longmeadow announced the following individuals have joined the agency as Realtors and will work out of the sales office at the Shops at 36 Center Square, East Longmeadow: Roberta Orenstein, Linda Fiore, Bill Fiore, Marthe Beauchamp, Moira Murphy, Anita Taylor, Christine Swanson, Tim Tufts, and Ken Corbett.

      •••••

      MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division in Springfield has appointed Tom Cremona to Vice President of Client Relationship Management.

      •••••

      Olivia S. Moson has been promoted to Contact Center Supervisor in the Direct Banking Department at TD Banknorth in Springfield. She is responsible for providing quality feedback to team agents concerning aspects of their overall work performance, and coaching, inspiring and motivating individuals to deliver a positive banking experience to telephone banking customers.

      •••••

      Gary Miville, branch manager of the Springfield office of Securitas Security Services, USA Inc., has been named Assistant Regional Vice President of ASIS International, the largest organization for security professionals, with more than 36,000 members worldwide. Miville, who served as chair of the Western Mass. ASIS chapter for two years, will now cover that chapter as well as the one in Connecticut.

      •••••

      The Polish National Credit Union announced the following:
      • Carol A. Desrosiers has been named Branch Manager of the new full-service branch on College Highway in Southampton;
      • Heather Huot has been named Assistant Manager of the Southampton branch, and
      • Sarah Harrington has been named Head Teller at the Southampton branch.

      •••••

      Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. of Springfield and Northampton announced the following lawyers have been selected for inclusion to the New England and Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2008: Stephen A. Shatz, Steven J. Schwartz, Gary S. Fentin, Timothy P. Mulhern, Ann I. Weber, Steven Weiss, and Carol Cioe Klyman. Weber has also been recognized by Boston magazine as one of the top 50 women lawyers in Massachusetts.

      •••••

      Karen C. King of the Karen King Group in Wilbraham recently represented the United States in Toronto at a Remax Real Estate conference on the state of the global real-estate market. King spoke to 3,000 agents regarding the U.S. market over the past two years. King is the top Remax agent in the Pioneer Valley and among the top 5% nationwide.

      By
      Departments

      The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

      AGAWAM

      JEH Inc., 485B Springfield St. Agawam, MA 01001. Joseph E. Herring Jr., same. Bar and grill.

      AMHERST

      Optegen Incorporated, 433 West St., Suite 8B, Amherst, MA 01002. Jeannie E. Williams, same. Technology development.

      Stakeholders Capital Inc., 216 Lincoln Ave., Amherst, MA 01002. Andrew Bellak, same. Investment Advisory activities.

      Travel Financial LTD., 56 Hop Brook Road, Amherst, MA 01002. Elizabeth Travel, same. Consultant.

      CHICOPEE

      Gritty Entertainment Inc., 22 John St., Chicopee, MA 01013 Andre Johnson, same. To teach and develop individuals skills on producing professional records.

      John B. Duncan Construction Inc., 20 Mount Carmel Ave. Chicopee, MA 01013. John Duncan, same. To educate consumers about construction trade and techniques.

      HOLYOKE

      RDM Freight Consultants Inc., 323 Sargeant St., Holyoke, MA 01040 David V. Mathes, same. Freight consulting.

      LEE

      Arcus Inc., 75 Orchard St., Lee, MA 01238 John N.S. Philp, same. To design software and to sell, service, fabricate, produce, manufacture, repair, alter, design, engineer, or refine products and components of all kinds, with material of all kinds.

      		  

      LONGMEADOW

      Cote Personal Training Inc., 66 Dwight Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Nathan Cote, same. Personal fitness training.

      SPRINGFIELD

      Caban Orthodontics, P.C., 1797 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Michael D. Caban, 19 Oak Hollow Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. To engage in the practice of
      Orthondontics/dentistry and such ancillary services.

      Dennis 2008 Inc., 1391 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103 Thomas P. Dennis, Jr., same. Providing construction service and related engineering.

      SOUTHWICK

      McGarrity Inc., 6 North Pond Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Mark M. Garrity, same. To operate an ATM franchise and deal with the purchase and sale of real estate.

      SOUTHAMPTON

      Pease Plumbing & Heating Inc., 62 Brickyard Road Ext., Southampton, MA 01073. Daniel Jason Pease, same. Installation and repair of plumbing and heating.

      WILBRAHAM

      Practical Design Inc., 18 Westwood Dr. Wilbraham, MA 01095 Thomas F. Langevin, same.To engage in the business of tool and drafting services, machine design and controls, robot integration, tooling and fixturing of automated machines, and provide consulting services regarding the same.

      By
      Departments

      The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the months of January and February 2009.

      AGAWAM

      Juelies Fashion
      1325 Springfield St.
      Han D Hoang

      J & H Headquarters Grill
      485 Springfield St.
      Joseph Herring

      Northeast Real Estate Investments
      417 Springfield St.
      Scott Monson

      Pandolfi Landscape Construction
      31 Maple St.
      Nocholas Pandolfi

      AMHERST

      Amherst Nails
      9 East Pleasant St.
      Xuan H. To

      Jones Property & Limited Partnership
      15A Pray St.
      Gerald L. Jones

      Reflexology for Health
      180 Mechanic St.
      Edward Kalen

      CHICOPEE

      Certified Homecare
      333 Front St.
      Jeffrey Tunstall

      Pelikon
      10 Center St.
      Keith Smith

      EASTHAMPTON

      Evolv Fine Art Printing
      116 Pleasant St.
      Robert Caswell

      P. J. Home Improvements, Etc.
      27 West St.
      Stanley Fondakowski, III

      EAST LONGMEADOW

      Perfect in Print
      212 Vineland Ave.
      Mary Indomenico

      Pizza Shoppe
      134 Shaker Road
      Ralph and Anthony Giuggui

      Suprena Oil
      47 Avery St.
      John & Rosemarie Czupryna

      GREENFIELD

      Greenfield Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine
      164 High St.
      Baystate Affiliated Practice, LLC

      Hair It Is
      42 Franklin St.
      Wendi Jenene Rose

      Yellow Hawks Journey
      2A Bradford Dr.
      Christopher Williams

      HOLYOKE

      Capri Pizza & Restaurant
      18-20 Cabot St.
      Fiore Santaniello

      Classic Custom Muffler
      54 Commercial St.
      Anatoliy Purshaga

      Dwight Market
      910 Dwight St.
      Oliver Quirde

      Mama’s Pizza & Restaurant
      420 High St.
      Mohammid Tahir

      Rainmaker Consulting
      231 Madison Ave.
      Laurie Herrick

      NORTHAMPTON

      Back Alley Artist
      30 North Maple St.
      Peita R. King

      Florence I.T.
      86 Florence Road
      Matt Lampiagi

      Just Up the Road Shin Care & Waxing
      150 Main St.
      Diana M. Cerutti

      PALMER

      McDonald’s Restaurant
      1184 Thorndike St.
      Roger & Pamela Facey

      Paula’s Housekeeping & Home Making Service
      60 Randall St.
      Paula Ann Perry

      Stephen’s Tree Service
      1022 Chestnut St.
      Shane Stephens

      SOUTH HADLEY

      Hadley Mart
      2098 Memorial Ave.
      Ashfa Shafiq

      Jocy’s LLC
      60 Bridge St.
      John Brower

      The 4th Dimension
      8 Spring Meadows
      Kenneth R. Schubert II

      Yardhouse Food & Spirits
      3 Hadley St.
      Scott Marshall

      SOUTHWICK

      Infinity Builders
      204 Hillside St.
      Jeffrey Dargi

      		  

      NE Bass Anglers
      329 Garden St.
      Willard Penny

      SPRINGFIELD

      Lucky Nails, LLC
      415 Cooley St.
      Chau K. Tu

      M & C Remodeling
      80 Chapin Terrace
      Mark R. La Rose

      Magee Remodeling Group
      496 Bridge St.
      Magee Construction

      Optical Expressions LLC
      1514 Allen St.
      Shelia Gibbs

      Phones-N-Such
      121 Hartford Terrace
      William Randall Clow

      Pine Street Market
      194 Pine St.
      Jose Angel Saez-Natal

      Princess Nails
      1385 Liberty St.
      Tram Thi Nguyen

      Refrixcentro
      1129 State St.
      George Carrasquillo

      Robert Montgomery Photography
      284 Nassau Dr.
      Robert Montgomery

      Super Brush, LLC
      800 Worcester St.
      Cathy Marie Desorcy

      The City Church
      60 Sherman St.
      Anthony C.L. Wirth

      The Handy Helper
      12 Arcadia Blvd.
      LHS Enterprises LLC

      The Service
      25 Mattoon St.
      Jason Cardona

      The Traveling Toolbox
      107 Carver St.
      Alan G. Jarvis

      Voicebox
      1160 Main St.
      Jamie Kalagher

      WESTFIELD

      American Nails
      78 Elm St.
      Thai H. Truong

      A Time To Grow
      6 Mainline Dr.
      Cheryl Ouelette

      BD Enterprises
      1128 Western Ave.
      James Waversak

      DB Services
      32 Linda Dr.
      Donald Burrage

      LHQ Danceforce
      1029 North Road
      Lynn Hadden-Quinn

      Kosinski Farm
      336 Russellville Road
      Gene Kosinski

      Real China
      116 Elm St.
      Shou Qi Liang

      The Basement Guy LLC
      31 Harvest Moon Lane
      David Metcalf

      Watchdog Consulting Services LLC
      12 Blueberry Ridge
      Brendan Wilson

      Yola’s Caring Touch Massage
      32 Main St.
      Jolanta Abramczyk

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Boiler Emission Research
      900 Riverdale St.
      Kevin W. Gielser

      Fran Johnson Inc.
      21 Myron St.
      Cindy Johnson

      Gilbert & Handyman Service
      65 Paulson Dr.
      Norman S. Gilbert

      Human Services Training Consultant
      425 Union St.
      Barbara Pummell

      Memorial Pizza
      1140 Memorial Ave.
      Mohammed Alkhabi

      Pension & Benefits Associates Inc.
      131 Wayside Ave.
      Mark F. Shea

      Pioneer Valley Chimney Sweeps
      362 Amostown Road
      Thomas J. Cowell

      Viper’s Nest Ink
      1446 Riverdale St.
      Stephen Sepke

      Yarrows Construction
      55 Prospect Ave.
      Kevin Yarrows

      By
      Departments

      The following building permits were issued during the months of January and February 2009.

      CHICOPEE

      Charter Communications
      354 Sheridan St.
      $9,400 — Install new shingles

      CVS
      235 Center St.
      $1,203,900 — Construction of a new pharmacy

      Dimeo Properties
      70 Broadway
      $140,000 — Structural repairs from fire

      G.K.R.R. Associates
      305 Broadway
      $8,400 — Strip and re-roof

      Lorraines’s Soup Kitchen
      170 Pendexter Ave.
      $175,000 — Construction of soup kitchen and pantry

      EASTHAMPTON

      Lisa L. Fusco
      95 Main St.
      $90,000 — Renovate first floor and basement in food establishment

      GREENFIELD

      Greenfield Corporate Center LLC
      143 Munson Road
      $850,000 — Interior fit up for office use

      HOLYOKE

      Holyoke Mall Company, LP
      50 Holyoke St.
      $259,000 — Remodel existing Foot Locker store

      Holyoke Mall Company, LP
      50 Holyoke St.
      $137,000 — Remodel existing Kid’s Foot Locker store

      LUDLOW

      Don Cameron
      148 Carmelinas Circle Bldg. #1
      $90,000 — New construction

      Don Cameron
      148 Carmelinas Circle Bldg. #2
      $90,000 — New construction

      NORTHAMPTON

      Ann Marie Moggio
      238 Bridge St.
      $5,000 — Replace with rubber roof

      		  

      Colwell-Lafleur, LLC
      191 Main St.
      $27,000 — Non-structural interior renovations

      Gordon Thorne
      126 Main St.
      $33,000 — Install solar electric system

      Northampton Brewery
      11 Brewster St.
      $80,000 — Dormer renovation

      Northampton Brewery
      11 Brewster St.
      $80,000 — HVAC and roof insulation

      PowerTenInTwo, LLC
      21 Conz St.
      $34,000 — Install solar array system

      Thornes Marketplace LLC
      150 Main St.
      $80,000 — Replace roof

      SOUTH HADLEY

      Intellicoat
      28 Gaylord St.
      $300,000 — Interior renovations

      SPRINGFIELD

      Five College Radio WFCR
      15-19 Hampden St.
      $204,000 — Interior renovations of existing space for new office and radio station

      Gulmohur Corporation
      550 Sumner Ave.
      $10,000 — Repair damage to front entry caused by car

      Sarmento J Paixao
      496 Bridge St.
      $4,500 — Repair weather related damage

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Aldo Bertera FLP
      499 Riverdale St.
      $375,000 — 3,480-square-foot renovation to existing auto dealership

      Tenant Engineering Design Associates
      11 Central St.
      $16,000 — Tenant fit out includes painting, carpeting, and electrical

      By
      Departments

      Car Sales Tumble in January

      NEW YORK — Rental car companies pulling back on purchases was the latest problem plaguing the auto industry in January, with sales plunging 38%. The auto-sales drop last month was the worst since 1982. Auto executives attribute the decline in fleet sales to a decline in demand for travel and rental cars. Ford inventories were 420,000 vehicles at the end of January, which is 156,000 vehicles lower than a year ago.  During the past 12 months, Ford’s inventories were reduced by 27% — consistent with the company’s sales decline (22%) during this same period. Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury sales totaled 90,596 in January, down 39% versus a year ago. Retail sales to individual customers were down 27%. Fleet sales were down 65% including a 90% decline in sales to daily rental customers. Ford and industry sales in January were consistent with Ford planning assumptions. Ford expects new, recent, and future fiscal and monetary actions to help improve conditions in the second half of the year. Driven by an 80% reduction in fleet sales, General Motors dealers in the U.S. delivered 129,227 vehicles in January, down 49% compared with a year ago. Retail sales were off 38%, but retail market share held steady compared with December. GM’s retail share performance was assisted by reduced-rate APR financing capacity through GMAC and a GM loyalty cash offer. GM January total car sales of 43,943 were off 58%, and total truck sales of 85,284 were down 42% compared with a year ago. GM has announced reductions in first quarter production to adjust inventories for marketplace demand. For Toyota, January sales of 117,287 vehicles represented a decrease of 34.4% from last January, on a daily-selling-rate basis. The Toyota Division posted January sales of 102,565 units, a decrease of 34.9% from last January. The Lexus Division reported January sales of 14,722 units, a decrease of 30.3% from a year ago. The sales results were all worse than Edmunds.com, a sales tracker, had predicted. For the year, Edmunds.com expects a 30% decline in year-over-year sales for the auto industry.

      Easthampton Plant Sheds Jobs

      EASTHAMPTON — Berry Plastics officials have been mum about the exact number of workers it recently laid off, but estimates range from 100 to 150, according to Thomas W. Brown, chairman of the city’s Economic Development Commis-sion. Berry Plastics is the largest employer in the city, and Brown estimates the layoff represented nearly 30% of its workforce. The factory on O’Neil Street makes tubes for the cosmetic and food industries. Current production figures were unavailable at press time. Brown noted that the company had been shedding jobs for years, both as Berry Plastics and under previous owners. Berry Plastics is owned by an investment firm based in New York City, and has announced an $80 million expansion plan for its Evansville, Ill., plant that could translate into 150 new jobs. The expansion project will allow the company to make plastic cups and similar products. On a related note, since Berry officials did not lay off more than 33% of its active work force, they were not required to give 60 days notice to employees and to local, state, and federal governments under the Worker Readjustment and Training Act. U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., is among the federal lawmakers who are working to change the law which would call for 90 days notice and require notification for any layoff of more than 100 and any layoff of 50 to 99 if it equals a third of the work force. Town officials and regional business leaders are currently working together in the hopes of securing a tax-incentive program or workforce-training grant that will assist Berry in keeping the remainder of the jobs in Easthampton.

      Friendly Axes 13

      WILBRAHAM — Thirteen office workers from Friendly Ice Cream Corp. headquarters were recently laid off. Company officials noted that field staff and restaurant workers were not affected by the layoffs. Since 1935, when the first Friendly’s Ice Cream shop in Springfield was opened, the company has grown to 505 corporate owned and franchised restaurants.

      UMass Forms Task Force on Reorganization

      AMHERST — A task force of department chairs and faculty has been formed by UMass Chancellor Robert C. Holub to advise the administration on a proposed academic reorganization that calls for eliminating four colleges and creating two new ones. In an all-campus E-mail sent Feb. 3, Holub said the Task Force on Reorganization (TFR) will include representatives from the colleges of Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Resources and the Environment, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The panel is being led by Jane Fountain, professor of Political Science and Public Policy. Holub is asking the task force to examine the idea of creating a new College of Arts and Sciences, a model that was suggested at the general faculty meeting on Jan. 29. The panel will deliberate on the proposed actions and respond to the chancellor by March 6. Under the chancellor’s proposal, the colleges of Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Resources and the Environment, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences would be reconstituted into two new units, which Holub is referring to as the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and the College of Natural Sciences. Holub is also proposing that Resource Economics shift to the Isenberg School of Management and that the School of Nursing retain its autonomy and have an associate dean or an executive director from among its current faculty, but that it be administered through a renamed College of Public Health and Health Sciences. On the financial side, Holub said various models project potential savings of $1.3 million to $1.5 million per year. The chancellor added he does not want to cause undue panic among individuals working in the current colleges about their jobs. “As you may know, I have promised the unions on campus that I will not announce any layoffs until the campus has more information on fees and federal money, both of which will be essential in determining how we move forward this year and next year,” he said.

      January Job Losses Worst in 34 Years

      NEW YORK — Both the number of unemployed people (11.6 million) and the unemployment rate (7.6%) rose in January, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed people has increased by 4.1 million, and the unemployment rate has risen by 2.7 percentage points. The unemployment rate continued to trend upward in January for adult men (7.6%), adult women (6.2%), whites (6.9%), blacks (12.6%), and Hispanics (9.7%). The jobless rate for teenagers was unchanged at 20.8%. The unemployment rate for Asians was 6.2% in January, not seasonally adjusted. Among the unemployed, the number of job losers and people who completed temporary jobs increased to 7 million in January. This measure has grown by 3.2 million during the last 12 months. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little-changed at 2.6 million in January. Over the past 12 months, the number of long-term unemployed was up by 1.3 million. The number of people unemployed less than five weeks rose to 3.7 million in January. The number of people who worked part-time for economic reasons was essentially unchanged in January at 7.8 million; however, this measure was up by 3.1 million over the past 12 months.

      Judd Wire Cuts Staff

      MONTAGUE — Less than a year after its celebration of 20- and 55-year anniversaries with employees, Judd Wire Inc. laid off 15 of its 275 workers in early February. In a company statement, Judd Wire noted that the layoffs were due to declining demand for cars and trucks. The company manufactures wire for Ford F-150 trucks, Hondas, Hyundais, and products including iPods. In addition, Judd Wire makes wire for B-2 bombers and other aircraft. In 2008, Judd Wire celebrated its 55th anniversary of Thomas Judd founding the firm in Turners Falls, as well as the 20th anniversary of Judd becoming a member of its parent company, Sumitomo Electric Industries. In addition to the 15 workers, Judd Wire had previously terminated its temporary employees.

      By
      Departments

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

      Adams, Timothy W.
      12 Farren Ave.
      Turners Falls, MA 01376
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Allen, Derwood W.
      Allen, Donna L.
      203 Granby Road,Apt. #37
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/05/09

      Arnold, Michael R.
      1063 South Main St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/02/09

      Baker, Stanley S.
      1502 Allen St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Barnes, Bradley S.
      Barnes, Ambert M.
      a/k/a St. Amour, Amber
      837 Partridgeville Road C
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Bertrand, Lynn S.
      101 Peachstone Glen
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/13/09

      Bessette, Andrea F.
      32 Lavender Lane
      Springfield, MA 01129
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/07/09

      Bosak, Kevin J.
      Bosak, Angela L.
      a/k/a Gingras, Angela L.
      39 Starling Road
      Springfield, MA 01119
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Breault, James
      31 Kendall St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/08/09

      Bunn, Gerald E.
      33 Bradford Dr., Apt. 3
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/13/09

      Burns, Jason Albert
      Burns, Erica Rae
      a/k/a Johnson, Erica
      8 Hall Ave.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Cadieux, Joanne J.
      P. O. Box 123
      West Springfield, MA 01090
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Chalue, Ronald F.
      Chalue, Nancy A.
      6 Miles Morgan Court
      Wilbraham, MA 01095
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Crickenberger, James Edward
      Crickenberger, Donna Marie
      a/k/a Laprade, Donna Marie
      14 Matthew Dr.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Diaz Rivera, Maribel
      129 Champlain St.
      Indian Orchard, MA 01151
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Doucette, Brenda Lori
      337 Montcalm St., Apt 1
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      El Karim, Felipe
      15 Main St.
      Brimfield, MA 01010
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Ferrindino, Gerald V.
      Ferrindino, Carrie D.
      72 Waid Road
      Monson, MA 01057
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Forgette, Thomas R.
      Forgette, Ursula
      32 Cottonwood Lane
      Springfield, MA 01128
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/13/09

      Gagliardi, Sharon A.
      14 Roanoke St.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Galarneau, Shawn
      93 South Maple St.
      Westfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Garcia, Geraldo
      56 White Birch Ave.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Gaughan, David M.
      Gaughan, Sheree L.
      76 Roosevelt Ave.
      Westfield, MA 01085-1056
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Guiel, James
      82 Jamrog Dr.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/08/09

      Hartwell, Brian E.
      96 Monson Road
      Wales, MA 01081
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/05/09

      Hashem, Mohamad N.
      Hashem, Marcia A.
      40 McGregory Road
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Holmes, Donna L.
      6 Bridge St.
      Monson, MA 01057
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Hoyt, Scott
      110 Frontenac St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Katralis, David N.
      Patria, Leslie A.
      126 Fish St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Kenefick, Rolande M.
      483 Dickinson St
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Klein, Brendan R.
      P.O. Box 527
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/02/09

      Kumor, Tracy Lee
      151 Slater Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01119
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Lander, Jennifer S.
      a/k/a Phair, Jennifer
      a/k/a Pafenbach, Jennifer
      P.O. Box 848
      Pittsfield, MA 01202
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/07/09

      		  

      Lavallee, Sherry L.
      244 Church St.
      Ware, MA 01082
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/14/09

      LaViolette, Carol A.
      81 Andersen Road
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Lepoer, Sithra C.
      6 Belanger St.
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/04/09

      Marvici, Anthony
      89 Kensington St.
      Agawam, MA 01030
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/03/09

      McLain, Thomas I.
      McLain, Linda M.
      31 Alquat St.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Metras, Lester R.
      57 Harwich St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Meyers, Edward R.
      307 Chestnut St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Miller, Michael Joseph
      Paradis-Miller, Kimberly C.
      265 Prospect St.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Mitchkoski, Linda Ann
      23 Potyrala Cross Road
      Sunderland, MA 01375
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Muhammad, Alamin
      Muhammad, Fadilah
      158 Victoria Ave.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Murray, Kim M.
      a/k/a Pappaceno, Kim
      a/k/a Campbell, Kim
      10 Crescent Hill
      East Longmeadow, MA 01028
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/08/09

      Noble Freighlines, LLC
      McCoy, Scott Wallace
      McCoy, Krina S.
      44 Verde Dr.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      Norris, Brian A.
      Rule, Catherine
      a/k/a Rule-Norris, Catherine
      PO Box 23
      Leeds, MA 01053
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/13/09

      Nyanjui, Damaris
      183 Middle St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/15/09

      O’Neill, Michael W.
      204 Silver St.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Parenteau, Lorie M.
      a/k/a Hamel, Lorie M.
      70 Riley Switch Road
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Pasini, Amy K.
      104 Belvidere St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/07/09

      Pchelka, Vladislav A.
      Pchelka, Zhanna
      4 Eagle Dr.
      South Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Penn, Jennyffer E.
      30 Myrtle St., Apt. D2
      Springfield, MA 01105
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/07/09

      Perry-Cooney, Anna Mae
      316 Hadley St.
      South Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Praise and Glory Church
      Praise and Glory Ministry
      339 State St.
      Springfield, MA 01105
      Chapter: 11
      Filing Date: 01/13/09

      Price, Ludlow A.
      Price, Gail E.
      46 Delaware Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01119
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/03/09

      Quinlan, James D.
      Quinlan, Lozia A.
      1760 Westover Road
      Trailer 29
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/08/09

      Russo, Chester W.
      Russo, Caroline E.
      83 McArthur St.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Slater, Henry Clive
      161 Pelham Road
      Amherst, MA 01002
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/06/09

      Tierney, Joanne M.
      19 State St.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 12/31/08

      Walbridge, Jason A.
      311 Wilbraham Road
      Hampden, MA 01036
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/14/09

      Wallace, Ronald
      Wallace, Linda M.
      256 Boston Road
      Spingfield, MA 01109
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/12/09

      Walter, Christina A.
      81 Bairdcrest Road
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Whitley, David W.
      5 Berkshire Circle
      Ware, MA 01082
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/09/09

      Wright, Aretha M.
      25 Shawmut St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 01/05/09

      Wright, Christopher J.
      Wright, Teri L.
      7 Quinn Dr.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 01/02/09

      By
      Departments

      Boston Wine Festival

      Thru April 3: Hosted by the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf, the Boston Wine Festival offers more than 50 wine and food pairing events. The schedule of events includes a variety of evening receptions, wine seminars, dinners and themed Sunday brunches. For details on the festival, visit www.bostonwinefesival.net.

      Managing Customer Satisfaction

      Feb. 24: The New England Performance Excellence Initiative will present “Managing Customer Satisfaction Performance” from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Scibelli Enterprise Center, 1 Federal St., Springfield. The lunchtime workshop will acquaint participants with Enterprise Performance Management, a unifying management approach that drives one’s business to the next level. In addition, the workshop will provide focus and context to all customer-satisfaction initiatives across one’s organization. The event is co-sponsored by the Springfield Business Incubator at Springfield Technical Community College. Participants will also be able to take the Performance Self Analysis Scorecard free of cost and find out the score in less than five minutes. A registration fee of $5 includes a bag lunch. To register, call (413) 737-6712.

      Women and Retirement

      Feb. 26: Shelly Colville, a registered representative of the National Planning Corp., will present a lecture titled “Women and Retirement: Are You Saving Wisely?” as part of the Kaleidoscope lecture series at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. Colville will lead women and men of all ages in an Oppenheimer Funds workshop to guide them to a better understanding of planning for the future. The free event is open to the public and will be conducted in Breck Suite in Wright Hall. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

      Ann Hood Lecture

      March 5: Bestselling, New England-based author Ann Hood will present a free lecture at 7 p.m. in Empsall Hall at Bay Path College in Longmeadow as part of its Kaleidoscope series. Winner of the Best American Spiritual Writing Award, her last two novels (Comfort and The Knitting Circle) have received wide acclaim. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

      Innovative Voices

      March 10: The MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield will be the setting for a capacity-building conference, co-presented by the Women’s Fund of Western Mass. and Bay Path College. Titled “Innovative Voices: Crafting a New Agenda for Leadership,” the daylong conference will feature guest speakers Sara Laschever and comedienne René Hicks. Workshop topics offered throughout the day will include: “New Faces in Leadership I: Generations & Cultures,” “New Faces in Leadership II: Strategies for Change,” “Wikis, Twitter, and Blogs – Oh My!,” “Learning to Ask: Negotiation Basics,” “The Art of Politics: Navigating the Political Waters,” and “Making Yourself Memorable: Personal Branding from the First Handshake.” Workshops will also include “Expanding Our Capacity: Energizing Our Spirit,” “Balancing Mission and Money: How Nonprofits Can Do Both,” and “Finding Your Voice and Changing the World: Passion, Emotion, and Leadership.” Registration is $70 for the first organizational attendee, and $60 for each additional organizational attendee. The deadline to register is March 2, with early bird registration closing on Feb. 13. For more information, visit www.womensfund.net.

      Casino Royale Fundraiser

      March 14: For persons who enjoy gambling for a great cause, consider CityStage’s annual fundraiser, Casino Royale, at the Sheraton Hotel in Springfield. Highlights of the affair include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, live entertainment, prizes, a live auction, a 50/50 raffle, and a mystery raffle. Single tickets are $100, which includes $400 in gaming money. There are also special rates for groups of 10 or more, as well as VIP tickets for $150 each. Casino Royale begins at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call (413) 788-7646. Pit Boss sponsors are Berkshire Bank, Hampden Bank, MassMutual Financial Group, Mercy Medical Center, and United Bank.

      Rock ‘n’ Roll & Management Styles

      April 15: “Everything I Learned About Management, I Learned From Rock ‘n’ Roll” will be presented by James M. Wilson, III, Ph.D., assistant professor of Business at Bay Path College; and Gregory Jones, director of Cannes Associates Production Management. Wilson and Jones have been conducting research for three years on the production of live rock ‘n’ roll concerts featuring Metallica, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, among others, with a focus on how event management contributes to organizational theory. The free lecture at 7 p.m. will take place in the Breck Suite in Wright Hall at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. The event is part of the Kaleidoscope lecture series. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

      Women’s Professional Development

      April 30: Bay Path College in Longmeadow will host the 14th annual Women’s Professional Development Conference from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. For more information, call (413) 565-1293 or visit www.baypath.edu.

      Susan Jaye-Kaplan

      By
      Class of 2009 Difference Makers

      Founder of GoFIT and Co-founder of Linked to Libraries

      Susan Jaye Kaplan, right, with Janet Crimmins, with whom she partnered to create Linked to Libraries.

      Susan Jaye Kaplan, right, with Janet Crimmins, with whom she partnered to create Linked to Libraries.

      Susan Jaye-Kaplan had been on a first-name basis with Reebok Founder and CEO Paul Fireman, but she had to introduce herself to his successor, Uli Becker.
      At least she thought she did.
      Kaplan called Becker a few months ago (and several months after Adidas acquired Reebok, prompting changes at the top) because she needed a donation — a big donation — of sneakers for the nonprofit group she founded in 2005 called GoFIT. When she got him on the phone, she started telling him about herself and GoFIT, but quickly stopped. “I told him that, if he needed to, he could go into the files and look me up,” she told BusinessWest, adding that she was informed that such research wasn’t necessary; at that company and many others, the name, the organization, and the mission are well-known.

      “I told him I needed 1,000 pairs of running shoes, and gave him specific sizes,” said Kaplan. “All he said was ‘when?’ I told him a week. He said, ‘you’ll have them.’ Not bad for someone he’d never spoken to before.”

      Indeed, but then again, few people have ever really said ‘no’ to Kaplan. That’s because, when she calls or writes requesting something, there is good reason and a good cause — or causes — to which she has devoted time, energy, money, and imagination.

      All of this, plus a unique ability to inspire others to find and carry out ways to give back to the community, makes her a Difference Maker.

      In the case of GoFIT, the cause, as the name suggests, is fitness and introducing young people to that concept. The children are given sneakers, caps, T-shirts, and, more importantly, a game plan and some inspiration for getting into shape and staying in shape, through programs that convince participants that they have to walk before they can run — literally.

      Thousands of area young people have taken part in GoFIT programs, which remain popular, despite the fact that many other organizations have borrowed from the concept, in what Kaplan considers the proverbial ‘greatest form of flattery.’

      By early last year, the organization’s scope and reach had grown to such an extent that Kaplan considered it necessary to turn the reins over to an entity that had the resources and drive to handle the operation.

      She and other board members found one in Square One, the Springfield-based but regional early-childhood education provider, which ‘acquired’ the GoFIT name and assets last year in what has been called a classic win-win scenario.

      Kaplan remains active with GoFIT as board member, chief fund-raiser, and liaison to Reebok and other corporate supporters, as detailed earlier. But she apparently had some free time on her hands.

      To fill it, she and a friend, Janet Crimmins, partnered to create another program that’s making a difference. It’s called Linked to Libraries, which collects new books and donates them to elementary schools across the region that are populated largely by the children of low-income families.

      It all started when she read a story in the local paper about how Springfield’s White Street School in Springfield might have to close for — among other reasons — the fact that there weren’t enough books in the library. “I thought to myself, ‘I can fix this, in some small way,’” said Kaplan, adding that she E-mailed every member of a group she formed called the Good Reads Book Club (an organization for people too busy to join a traditional book club) and asked for donations of specific books — those recommended by Crimmins, a speech and language specialist for the city of Springfield.

      “This is no exaggeration … in 11 days I had 51 hard-cover books sent to my house,” she said, adding that she and Crimmins, inspired by this success, expanded the mission. “I thought, this is a no-brainer. I can get people and corporations to donate books and help ease the problem — not solve it, just make it easier to solve.”

      The program, which distributes 100 new books twice a month and will expand to three times a month this spring, has caught the attention — and won the support — of area businesses and institutions ranging from a karate school in Suffield, Conn. to Wilbraham Monson Academy; from Meyers Brothers Kalicka to Rediker Software; from Bank of Western Mass. to area high-school key clubs.

      Which is good, because the demand for books is great.

      “We’ve been inundated with requests from schools,” she explained, listing a number of area communities. “We’re spinning as fast as we can, but we’re not spinning fast enough; there are so many organizations and schools that need books.”

      When asked what drives her in these various ventures, Kaplan returns to her youth. An orphan, she told BusinessWest that she knows what it’s like to be underprivileged; she was on her own and on the streets before graduating from high school.

      She said her life was changed by a mentor named Lippman Hart Geronimus, a bacteriologist at Beth Israel Hospital who gave her a job, but also something ultimately far more valuable — a philosophy to live life by.

      “He made me say the same thing every day — that I can do anything and be anything I want to be as long as I remain focused, hard-working, challenged, and honest.”

      Those are the traits still propelling her today. And while Kaplan’s various endeavors have enriched the lives of thousands of young people, they’ve also enriched hers as well.

      “I’m far from a millionaire, but I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot,” she told BusinessWest. “I have a good life, I’m in good health, and I have an opportunity to give back to the community.”

      And while she doesn’t seek out attention or recognition for efforts, she’s reached a point where she’s become one of those individuals who really doesn’t need an introduction — not with Uli Becker, or with most of the business and civic leaders in Western Mass.v

      — George O’Brien

      By
      Departments

      Attorney Richard T. O’Connor has joined Bacon Wilson P.C. in Springfield. O’Connor is a member of the Health Care Department and will focus on matters involving medical groups, regulatory compliance, and managed-care agreements.

      •••••

      Douglas J. De Leo has been elected to the Board of Trustees at the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton. De Leo and his family participate in the Parent-Infant Program at Clarke’s Family Center, and recently hosted a reception in Westfield to introduce the community to Clarke’s outreach efforts. De Leo is the founder of NWS Corp., providing business and academic telecommunications networks to corporations, college campuses, and military complexes across the United States.

      •••••

      Marilyn Ghedini has joined Masslive.com in Springfield as an Account Executive specializing in real estate. Ghedini has 28 years of real estate experience, and served as president of the Greater Springfield Assoc. of Realtors in 2002.

      •••••

      Morgan Stanley in Springfield announced the following:
      • Michael D. Ravosa has been promoted to Associate Vice President, Financial Advisor, in the firm’s Global Wealth Management Group office, and
      • John S. Bonatakis has been promoted to Associate Vice President, Financial Advisor, in the firm’s Global Wealth Management Group office.

      •••••

      MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division in Springfield announced the following:
      • Karen Buoniconti has joined MassMutual’s TPA service organization, supporting the western region;
      • Jim Keating has been named Relationship Manager for MassMutual’s TPA service organization, serving the northeast region, and
      • Eric Sarrazin has joined MassMutual’s TPA service organization.
      The new TPA relationship managers are focused on assisting advisors with plan reviews, investment-change processing, product and service education, and other valuable support for TPA-serviced plans on MassMutual’s platform.

      •••••

      Country Bank of Ware has named Denise D. Hawk as First Vice President and Director of Retail Lending. She has more than 20 years of experience in the lending industry and will manage the origination functions of the bank’s residential and consumer loans, and direct the lending team’s efforts.

      •••••

      lia sophia in Chicopee announced the following:
      • Tammy Biller has received top honors for the Excellent Beginnings Program for outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism;
      • Brittany Burtness has received top honors for the Excellent Beginnings Program for outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism, and
      • Lynn Lafrennie has received top honors for the Excellent Beginnings Program for outstanding sales accomplishments and professionalism.

      •••••

      Sean Wandrei, CPA for Meyers Brothers Kalicka of Holyoke, has been named a member of the Board of Directors of the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield. He will serve a two-year term as Treasurer. Wandrei has more than 12 years of experience in public accounting with a focus on taxation.

      •••••

      Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas of Springfield announced the following:
      • Jenelle C. Dodds has been named a Partner;
      • Vanessa L. Smith has been named a Partner;
      • Daniel M. Rothschild has been named Counsel, and
      • Eric D. Beal has been named an Associate.

      •••••

      Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced the following:
      • Ralph F. Abbott, Managing Partner, has been named a Super Lawyer by Boston magazine. Abbott’s practice is in the area of labor relations, helping companies manage union negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, and labor arbitrations, as well as working with companies that want to remain union-free.
      • Jay M. Presser, Partner, has been named a Super Lawyer by Boston magazine. Presser heads the Litigation Department, which focuses on preventing and defending employment-related litigation, including employment discrimination and wage-and-hour matters as well as other legal matters brought by employees against their employers.
      • John H. Glenn, Partner, has been named a Super Lawyer by Boston magazine. Glenn’s practice is predominantly in labor relations, helping companies manage union negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, and labor arbitrations, as well as working with companies that want to remain union-free.
      • Marylou V. Fabbo, Partner, has been named a Super Lawyer by Boston magazine. Fabbo’s practice concentrates in employment-related matters, defending lawsuits in state and federal court and before administrative agencies, such as the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination. Fabbo also assists employers with preventative measures that avoid such litigation, including handbook and policy review and development, performance management, and disciplinary issues.
      • Susan Fentin, Partner, has been named a Super Lawyer by Boston magazine. Fentin’s practice concentrates in employment-related matters, defending lawsuits in state or federal court and before administrative agencies, as well as assisting employers with preventative measures that avoid such litigation.
      The firm, which practices exclusively labor and employment law and represents only management, has offices in Springfield, Worcester, and Meriden, Conn.

      •••••

      Tastefully Simple Inc. in Agawam announced the following:
      • Kelly Jendza has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Kristin Gagnon has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Jennifer Denault has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Amber Fazio has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Judy Koralik has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Andrea Hartin has joined the firm as an independent Consultant;
      • Kathryn Callahan has joined the firm as an independent Consultant, and
      • Erin Burke has joined the firm as an independent Consultant.
      As consultants, the women offer the company’s gourmet foods and beverages to guests at home taste-testing pa

      By
      Departments

      The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

      BELCHERTOWN

      Belchertown Unit 239 Inc. Chauncey D. Walker American Legion Auxillary, 66 State St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Elizabeth E. Whidden, 400 Stebbins St., Belchertown MA 01007. Aid for Veterans, children and community.

      EASTHAMPTON

      GMTBP Inc., 71 Main St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Walter Pacheco, same. Restauraunt ownership and management.

      GRANVILLE

      Devine Construction Inc., 20 Hartland Hollow Road, Granville, MA 01034. Forrest Devine, same. Real estate.

      SOUTH HADLEY

      Griffin Online Solutions Inc., 333 Granby Road, South Hadley, MA 01075. Rita Griffin, same. E-Commerce.

      SOUTHAMPTON

      First Trans. + Repairs Inc., 4 Geryk Court, Southampton, MA 01073. Robert Demagistris, same. Transportation.

      		  

      SPRINGFIELD

      D.I.V.A.S. Ministries, 1155 Liberty St. Springfield, MA 01104, Leslie S. Smith, same.
      To assist and empower women from incarceration and/or substance abuse centers to transition back into their families, housing and gainful employment.

       

      First Aid Inc., 1 Crescent Hill, Springfield, MA 01105 David Allan Mech, same. Raise funds to help troops and their families in times of need.

      Gifted Threads Inc., 2047 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01129. Matthew Hood, same. A clothing company.

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      39 Neptune Avenue Corporation, 39 Neptune Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Sean
      Mansfield, same. Food service — bar and restaurant.

      CMP Inventory Management Company Inc., 136 Wayside Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089 James Pollard, same. Management company.

      Goffer Construction Inc., 16 Healy St., West Springfield MA 01089. Aleksandr Salagornik Sr., same. Bar and grill.

      OPINION

      By
      Opinion
      Go Green, but Be Smart About It

      Economists say we are facing a long recession. The Patrick administration offers a response: investing in the ‘Green Economy’ — primarily energy efficiency, renewable energy, and grants to encourage green companies to grow here — as good for the environment and the economy. And they’re right — if we do it correctly. However, in our exuberance to do the right thing, there is the potential to spend money needlessly, and residents may not get all the benefits they should expect.

      Let’s start with the basics. The proposed investments are not funded by taxes but rather through surcharges and tariffs collected on customers of utilities — totaling about $175 million in 2009. This money supports utility-operated energy-efficiency programs and grant programs at quasi-government organizations such as the Mass. Technology Collaborative to build renewable power installations and provide seed money to green industries.

      In addition, the Green Communities Act would allow utilities to invest ratepayer money to subsidize more renewable-power projects, with the financial risk and higher costs borne entirely by the ratepayer. This is all on top of an existing law that subsidizes renewable power to the tune of $125 million per year, and the approximately $75 million allocated to energy efficiency from recent auctions of carbon allowances as part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

      All this adds up to billions of dollars over the next few years alone, a huge wealth transfer from electricity users (many of whom are struggling in the economic downturn) to favored industries and programs. As a result, the administration and the Legislature have a heightened obligation to make sure the programs are cost-effective, transparent, and coordinated, and to monitor the overall program costs.

      At present, that is not the case. Since responsibility for these programs spans different agencies and arises from separate legislation, regulation, and administrative actions, it is not clear that anyone except perhaps the attorney general, as ratepayer advocate, is adding up the combined impact of all these programs on ratepayers’ bills or gauging the economic impact of raising electricity rates on one sector of the economy to give incentives to other sectors. While some of the charges that fund these programs are separately identified on ratepayers’ bills, others are not, making them invisible to consumers.

      That is not only unfair, but unwise. Without more coordination and cost control, and a hard look at their cost-benefit, these investments will be a patchwork of government and non-government programs operating in their own silos, resulting in redundancy and wasted money.

      The fact that something raises costs or does not have an immediate payback, of course, does not mean we shouldn’t do it. Manageable higher prices today are an appropriate trade-off to free ourselves of fossil fuels, for environmental, social, and security reasons, as well as for the potential economic boost of more jobs.

      But we must be smart. An economic crisis like this should open the door to innovative thinking and bold actions. The desire for expediency should not absolve the administration from spending the money efficiently and providing information in a transparent and accessible way. At a minimum, this means all the programs should be separately itemized on ratepayers’ bills. Also, the Legislature should maintain vigilant oversight of these programs.

      Massachusetts can be the leader it wants to be and turn economic anxiety into economic advantage by committing to build or upgrade our ‘green infrastructure.’ Energy efficiency, distributed generation, wind farms, solar installations, new natural-gas-fired power plants, mass-transit projects, ‘smart’ electric meters, and plug-in stations for electric cars should all be in the mix.

      But let’s do something that works, not something that just sounds good. The current crisis will be the catalyst for positive environmental and economic changes only if we resist the urge to spend unwisely.-

      Robert Rio is senior vice president of Government Affairs at Associated Industries of Mass. Roger Borghesani is chairman of the Energy Consortium.

      Age-old Question

      By
      Sections Supplements
      When Should You Begin Receiving Social Security Benefits?

      More than 91% of current retirees receive monthly benefits from the government program known as Social Security. The program is very important to seniors, as nearly three out of five retirees receive at least half of their income from Social Security.

      Furthermore, pensions and other related safety nets that were once commonplace have and continue to disappear from the workplace. As such, it is imperative that individuals understand their options as to when they should commence receiving Social Security retirement benefits.

      Individuals must wait until their full retirement age in order to draw non-reduced Social Security benefits. For Baby Boomers (defined as those born between 1943 and 1954), full retirement age is at age 66. The threshold is increasing gradually until it hits 67 for workers born in or after 1960. However, an individual may elect to receive Social Security retirement benefits at age 62, which is what approximately one-half of workers do elect. But if an individual elects to receive benefits at age 62, there will be a permanent reduction in the amount of monthly benefits the individual can receive.

      For example, if your full retirement age is 66, and if you file for benefits at 62, your monthly check will be reduced about 25% from your full benefit; file at 63, the reduction is about 20%; file at 64, the reduction is about 13.3%; file at 65, and the reduction is about 6.7%. But in the event that a person delays receiving Social Security benefits until after full retirement age, the retiree gets a bonus in the form of delayed retirement credits. These annual increases apply for each year that a retiree delays retirement, up until the age of 70 years old.

      Pros and Cons

      There are several factors that an individual should weigh prior to deciding the proper age to receive Social Security benefits.

      One such factor is whether or not they have other sources of income. If an individual has sufficient income, then it may be wise to defer the benefits until full retirement age or later. Even if an individual must retire at age 62, it might be a good idea to delay receiving benefits if he or she has other savings and investments to cover living costs.

      In the event that an individual elects to receive early benefits at 75% of the full benefit, to come out ahead, the four-year investment return on those benefits would have to be about 8% a year. Therefore, Social Security is providing a guaranteed 8% return for waiting. If possible, it may be more beneficial to delay receiving benefits and use other investments for that four-year period.

      Another factor is whether or not a person wishes to continue working. An individual is not required to stop working to receive benefits. However, if a person elects to continue working and to receive benefits before full retirement age, then that individual faces a potential reduction in benefits.

      Specifically, for every two dollars a person earns over $14,160 annually in 2009, there is a $1 reduction in the Social Security benefit. Many people would prefer to continue working as long as possible. However, for those who continue to work, this may make taking benefits early an unwise decision. For individuals not working, the reduction may not apply.

      As the U.S. employment market turns toward service jobs and away from labor-intensive jobs, that preference might become easier to meet. A laborer who has a physically demanding job may not have the luxury of working beyond age 62 because he or she is not physically able to do so, while an individual in an office or other non-labor-intensive job may not face the same physical impediment to continue working.

      Still another factor is an individual’s health. If an individual is in poor health, which may reduce their life expectancy, then electing an early benefit may be a wise decision.

      For example, someone in poor health at age 62 may not live to be age 77, the statistical break-even point. Due to poor health, this individual may no longer be able to work and would need Social Security payments at age 62 to survive financially.

      Yet another factor is an individual’s marital and family status. A spouse can receive the greater of his or her own benefit or one-half of the spouse’s benefit. Individuals can receive a spouse’s benefit only when their husband or wife has also begun collecting benefits. Your children may also be eligible for a benefit on your work record if they are under age 18 or if they have a disability that began before age 22. For them to receive benefits, you must be getting benefits too.

      The Medicare Factor

      Another important and often overlooked concern is the payment of Medicare premiums. Currently, individuals become eligible for Medicare benefits at age 65, regardless of when they elect to receive Social Security benefits.

      Typically, Medicare Part B premiums are automatically deducted from an individual’s monthly Social Security benefit. For those who elect to receive their benefits later than age 65, they must pay their premiums by other means until they begin drawing Social Security.

      Unfortunately, some individuals forget to pay these premiums, and their Medicare benefits lapse. They may re-enroll, but they are penalized and have to pay a higher premium.

      In sum, determining the best age to receive Social Security benefits is a complicated endeavor. It is best to recognize that the decision about when to commence receiving Social Security benefits is highly personal and depends upon individual circumstances. An estate-planning attorney and other financial professionals can assist you in navigating this process.v

      Todd C. Ratner is an estate-planning, business, and real-estate attorney with the Springfield-based law firm of Bacon Wilson, P.C. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and recipient of Boston magazine’s 2007 and 2008 Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars award; (413) 781-0560;[email protected];bwlaw.blogs.com/estate_planning_bits

      Lessons in Financial Literacy

      By
      Sections Supplements
      What You Don’t Know May Hurt You

      Most of us get the basics of financial management. While it may not be our favorite pastime, we generally know the gist of balancing our checkbook, paying credit-card bills, and identifying retirement funds. But for many, that’s the extent of our financial comprehension.

      In fact, most Americans fail to make the grade when their financial knowledge is tested beyond the ABCs of financial literacy. According to a 2006 study commissioned by Northwestern Mutual, Americans have little grasp of important — and relevant — financial matters that can affect their financial futures. In response to the study’s questions, which test financial knowledge, the vast majority of the more than 1,000 study participants failed to get 60% correct — that’s an F in school terms.

      The study found that Americans score well when they’re presented with a list of answers to questions that ask them to identify terms like asset allocation, diversified portfolio, and IRA. However, when asked questions that delve a little deeper, Americans don’t make the grade with issues such as:

      • Bonds vs. stocks. Most Americans erroneously say bonds provide better long-term protection against inflation and other adverse market conditions as opposed to stocks.
      • Group Insurance. Six in 10 wrongly believe they will be able to take their group life or disability policies with them should they leave their job.
      • Nursing-home costs. Most underestimate such expenses; while the average yearly cost is approximately $75,000, most estimate the cost to be less than $60,000. In addition, few protect themselves against these costs.
      • College savings programs. Fewer than half know 529 plans are savings vehicles for funding education.

        • Yet these results raise another important concern that must be addressed: our children’s knowledge of financial matters. Most parents know the importance of teaching their children how to manage money. In fact, two-thirds of teenagers look to their parents, not teachers or peers, to learn how to make money and manage it. Yet according to a 2004 study by Northwestern Mutual on kids and money, nearly half of the parents surveyed admitted that they did not believe they were good financial role models for their children. So how’s their financial future looking? Not good.

        Kids and Money

        The Jump$start Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has conducted national research underscoring that the average high-school graduate also lacks basic personal finance skills and, therefore, struggles with everyday earning, spending, saving, and investing.

        The coalition’s most recent biennial survey, released in April 2006, shows that nationally, 12th grade students are in trouble.

        Though they also understood fundamentals like asset allocation, at large, they correctly answered only 52.4% of the questions — or the equivalent of an F — a sure sign that students’ lack of financial literacy remains an issue that affects all Americans.

        The fact is that, in today’s complex world, it’s not enough to know only the basics, and this holds true for both parents and kids. There is so much to understand about retirement, college saving, protecting our families with the right kind of insurance, and more that it’s up to each of us to stop this cycle.

        So, where does the answer lie? If we aren’t grasping financial knowledge beyond the basics, how will our children ever learn it?

        Investing in Education

        The answer lies in education — both at home as well as at school. For Americans who want to take a proactive approach to building financial knowledge and change the cycle, utilize the wide array of financial resources available to get you on track. Look at financial statements on a monthly basis to better understand and track investments.

        Reading reliable financial publications, such as the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and Investor’s Daily, can also grow one’s financial knowledge base. And don’t forget to include your kids in the conversation so you can learn together.

        The Web also offers a variety of resources: Northwestern Mutual offers a Learning Center at www.nmfn.com, which features articles on a range of topics, as well as a glossary of financial terms and calculators to help gauge financial well-being. Moreover, parents and teachers can access information on teaching young kids about earning, saving, investing, and owing at www.themint.org, www.jumpstart.org, and www.mymoney.gov.

        Your children’s school can also play a role, though it’s best if they are learning the foundation at home from you. However, encouraging school officials to consider classes and curriculum on the importance of being money-smart shouldn’t be overlooked. There are plenty of free resources available to teachers through organizations like the National Council on Economic Education and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation to help get them started.

        It also may be eye-opening to gauge your own financial knowledge by taking the Money Maladies Test at www.moneymaladiestest.com, a condensed, 14-question version of the 2006 study. See where you are strong, and also identify some areas you may want to address.

        While some may be born into money or great wealth, no one is born knowing how to save and invest. Building a financially secure future depends on learning the basic principles of earning, investing, and saving. As Benjamin Franklin once said: “an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”v

        John Joyce is a network representative with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., based in Milwaukee, Wis., its affiliates and subsidiaries, and is based in Springfield; (413) 748-8744;[email protected].

        Doug Bowen

        By
        Doug Bowen
        Class of 2009 Difference Makers
        President and CEO of Peoples Bank
        Doug Bowen

        Doug Bowen

        Carol Katz says Doug Bowen possesses what she calls a “strong moral compass.”

        By that, she meant that the president and CEO of PeoplesBank in Holyoke has a sound sense of direction when it comes to giving back to the community and the manner in which those contributions are carried out — by the bank and by Bowen himself.

        And, as president of the Holyoke-based Loomis Communities and one who is very active in that city, Katz should know.

        Bowen has served on her board for years and was a corporator before that, and she now sits on the bank’s board. Meanwhile, they’ve served together on the board of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. Thus, Katz has seen the time, energy, and insight that Bowen brings to a host of nonprofits he serves personally — Holyoke Community College and the Economic Development Council of Western Mass. are on that list, among others. And she’s also seen first-hand the tone he sets at the bank — one that takes a number of forms.

        These range from a strong philanthropic platform — the bank ranked 52nd among all state businesses in the Boston Business Journal’s list of largest charitable contributors — to a strong leadership position when it comes to lending to ‘green’ businesses and sustainable-energy-related ventures. And then, there’s simply the direction he’s providing the bank in terms of growth and profitability.

        “He has his priorities straight,” said Katz, summing things up neatly and with conviction. “He feels strongly about his responsibilities and the bank’s responsibilities to be a leader within the community — and you don’t always see that among business people and in the banking industry today.”

        It’s been this way since Bowen joined PeoplesBank 33 years ago as a teller in its management-development program soon after graduating from college. He remembers working at the High Street main office, cashing checks for hundreds of uniform-clad factory workers and giving them back large sums of cash.

        “That was back in the days before direct deposit, ATMs, and debit cards,” he said. “People would just come and cash their checks.”

        Holyoke — and the banking industry — have changed considerably over the past three decades, as have the titles on Bowen’s business cards (“I think I’ve had every position in the place”), but his moral compass hasn’t. And that no doubt played a role in his ascension to president two and a half years ago, succeeding Joe Lobello.

        “I’ve been very fortunate … I’ve had a number of careers, but all with the same organization,” he said. “I’ve been on the finance side, the lending side, and the retail side. That’s kept it interesting and challenging.”

        Bowen’s community-focused business philosophy prevails at the bank, said Katz, as does a management style she says is grounded in the tenets detailed by Jim Collins in his popular business book Good to Great.

        “He’s the kind of leader who puts the organization first,” said Katz. “He builds consensus with his team; he respects his team, and the team respects him. He does what’s right.”

        Recently, Bowen has steered the bank toward that leadership position with regard to ‘green lending,’ for lack of a better term. There is even something called a green team.

        Membership includes virtually every department in the bank, and, from a business perpesctive, efforts range from recently approved loans for small-scale wind-power projects (the bank has by far the largest wind-power portfolio in the region) to a partnership with the Holyoke Gas & Electric Department to develop and expand hydro-electric facilities, and lending to parties working to develop brownfield sites in the region. Internally, the team is working to reduce energy consumption, curb the use of paper, and take other steps that would fall under the category of ‘going green.’

        Meanwhile, the tone he’s set has enabled PeoplesBank to move steadily higher on the BBJ’s largest-charitable-contributors list. The institution donated $412,376 in 2007, just one slot below Friendly Ice Cream Corp. In 2008, the number was $700,000, which should move the bank way up on the chart because, while it gave more over the past 12 months, many other businesses scaled back in response to a worsening economy.

        “The bank views its contributions to the community as an expression of its core values,” said Bowen. “It’s also part of a strategic business initiative we call ‘community spirit.’ Over the past five years, we’ve given $3 million to charitable and civic organizations, and that doesn’t include the $700,000 we gave last year.”

        Beyond the numbers, however, is a commitment to giving in ways that will make the most profound impact on overall quality of life in the Pioneer Valley.

        “The charitable giving by the bank is focused on putting dollars where they can help the most people and have the greatest impact on the community,” he explained, citing recent donations (coinciding with expansion in the Springfield market) ranging from Rachel’s Table to the Springfield Falcons; from the Springfield Symphony to American International College.

        “My overall vision, or sense, is that a community bank has a responsibility to be a stable financial institution — but also be a trusted neighbor. And as the largest community bank in the region, we take those responsibilities quite seriously.”

        The Loomis Communities has a nine-year term limit for board members, said Katz, and Bowen has just a few years left to serve.

        Thus, there will be a big leadership void to fill for her organization, but she suspects that Bowen will no doubt fill the void in his schedule when it comes to giving back to the community.

        That’s the direction his strong moral compass compels him to take.

        — George O’Brien

        Kate Kane

        By
        Kate Kane
        Class of 2009 Difference Makers
        Managing Director of the Springfield Office of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
        Kate Kane

        Kate Kane

        Kate Kane was talking about Worcester, and, more specifically, her efforts to help create an extension of the program Dress for Success, which provides a set of clothes to underprivileged women for a job interview or their first day on a new job, in that city.

        “It was a huge chore,” said Kane, managing director of the Springfield office of the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. She was born in the Worcester area and worked there for some time, and her father was a “Worcester boy.” But she still found herself treated like an outsider in this endeavor, which made it hard to get things done.

        “It’s a very closed community … people are very suspicious of those who did not grow up there,” she said, proffering the theory that this attitude likely results from that city’s historic competition with Boston. “I was out there for five years trying to start this charity — I was trying to give something away, and they made it so hard.

        “It’s a very interesting experience trying to break through in that market, which is not at all like Springfield,” she continued. “Here, from the get-go, it’s been very easy to meet people, very easy to get involved; people welcome your help.”

        For persevering in Worcester (that Dress for Success facility is finally slated to open in a few months), and for taking full advantage of the opportunities she’s been given to give back to the community in Western Mass., Kane has been named to the inaugural class of Difference Makers by BusinessWest. And it’s not just the long list of groups she serves — from Dress for Success to the Sisters of Providence Health System; from the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts to the Andrew M. Scibelli Enterprise Center at the Technology Park at STCC — but also the attitude she brings toward that work that has brought her this distinction.

        “What I’ve tried to do is have a consistent orientation to the things I do,” she said. “One of those things is a sense of economic justice and helping people who haven’t been given the tools to learn about money and finances, and really try to provide them access to those tools.”

        She says that people in her capacity and who possess her skills have a moral responsibility to find ways to utilize those skills to help those less fortunate. She told BusinessWest that she gives — time, energy, and expertise — but also receives back.

        “To me, it’s about the gift,” she explained. “I’m giving the gift of my time, but in return for that I’m getting the gift of all these lessons that I get to learn.”

        Kane was still planning to pursue a career in teaching when, soon after graduating from Vassar, she took a job in the Worcester office of Northwestern Mutual in 1986. But she adjusted her career plans in only a few short months.

        She would still become a teacher, in a number of ways, but the setting and the actual work would be much different. She’s in the financial-services sector, not academia, and instead of English literature, she’s teaching sales professionals how to reach their maximum potential. She does so by taking them out of their comfort zone and imploring them to continually seek new and greater and challenges.

        This, in a nutshell, is what her predecessor in Springfield, Paul Steffan, did with her several years ago, when he coaxed her into trading her position as ‘field director,’ in which she was quite comfortable, for the managing director’s seat. In that capacity, she recruits, develops talent, mentors rising stars, and sets a tone for the office. She describes herself as an able listener and, ultimately, a “doer.”

        And it is these talents that she brings to the many kinds of work she does within the Western Mass. community, and also Hartford and, most recently, Worcester, where she tapped into more than a decade of experience with Dress for Success, which is now a national and international phenomenon. She co-wrote the original business plan for the Western Mass. chapter of Dress for Success — the first one in the Bay State — which now outfits, or ‘suits,’ nearly 500 women a year through a boutique located at the Mass. Career Development Institute in Springfield.

        In recent years, she’s broadened the scope of her work to include everything from mentoring young entrepreneurs as they work to reach that proverbial next level to serving at the board at the SPHS and helping steer that system through a time of extreme challenge and uncertainty for all health care providers, to taking a board seat with Friends for the Homeless and assisting that group to find long-term solutions to one of nation’s most perplexing societal issues.

        She’s also served as president of the Women’s Partnership, been part of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, and been a long-time board member and Governance Committee member with the Women’s Fund, which administers a $3 million endowment and donates tens of thousands of dollars each year to area nonprofits.

        These groups have different missions, but there are common threads that Kane says appeal to that sense of economic justice she described. Meanwhile, she says each assignment allows her to grow professionally and personally.

        “I try not to get stuck just doing the things I’m good at,” she said, referring specifically to her work with the Women’s Fund. “I’m an action person, a ‘do’ person — ‘let’s just do it.’ So it’s been good for me to be on a committee that’s all about process.

        “I try to find ways to have the community-service work to teach me things,” she continued. “Such work can not only provide life lessons, but also help you run your businesses better; there’s a lot of things you can learn from the nonprofit environment and take back to your business.”

        Returning to the subject of Worcester and trying to do charitable work there, Kane said that if more people had that experience, they would have a greater appreciation for working in Springfield. “It’s like night and day.”

        Kane hasn’t merely worked in both cities, she’s broken through in both, and especially in the Pioneer Valley, where’s she’s been a learner and a teacher.

        — George O’Brien

        Bill Ward

        By
        Bill Ward
        Class of 2009 Difference Makers
        Executive Director of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County
        Bill Ward

        Bill Ward

        Woody Allen once joked, “I’m not afraid to die … I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

        The quote has been borrowed and bastardized in countless ways over the years, mostly by people addressing the subjects of death and dying.

        Bill Ward, executive director of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, has put it to a different use.

        He summons it when he talks with people about confronting business and societal matters that maybe they don’t want to confront, but must. It takes a definite lack of fear — and generous amounts of determination — to prevail in such situations, he said.

        And those are the qualities that have guided Ward through a career in which he has been motivated largely by two other quotes, these from his mother — well, sort of.

        “She was always saying that there’s no justice in this world,” said Ward, who told BusinessWest that this annoyed him because he was an idealist. “She always said that justice isn’t something that’s there, that you participate in — it’s something that you have to build.

        “She also said that I could be part of the solution or contribute to the problem,” he continued. “And if you’re part of the solution, you must be engaged, and that’s been a philosophy that’s guided my life and my work.”

        Indeed, Ward has spent the bulk of his professional life engaged — specifically, he has helped create and carry out solutions — and also working to create some justice, or access, in the form of employment opportunities, especially for groups that have historically encountered hurdles and roadblocks in their attempts to secure meaningful employment. Those constituencies include the minority populations, those lacking basic skills, and the traditionally underemployed.

        “There are a lot of places where we have to create justice,” he said, “and I found mine in jobs.”

        As one example, he cited the Minority Employment Program, created in the mid-’80s. “That was the first big initiative we took, raising money from banks, foundations, and other sources; we placed 480 minorities into jobs.”

        This was followed some years later by a private-sector summer-jobs program that created opportunities for hundreds of young people across the region. Other success stories have included recent efforts to put more qualified machinists in the pipeline, and a merger of the REB and the Hampden County Employment and Training Consortium, which has streamlined workforce initiatives and saved more than $400,000 in administrative costs.

        Not everything has gone smoothly, and some programs haven’t worked as well as their architects might have hoped, but that merely brings to mind another Woody Allen quote: “If you’re not failing now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything innovative.”

        There has been plenty of innovation in Ward’s work, especially with regard to the one-stop career centers FutureWorks and CareerPoint, established in 1996 and soon thereafter winning awards and attracting visitors from across the country trying to duplicate their success and uniqueness; they were the first competitively bid one-stops in the nation.

        “Over the first four years, people from more than 30 states came to see the design of these one-stops,” he said. “Why? Take the system that existed in the typical unemployment office … it was dysfunctional and not business-friendly; our centers are private, not-profit operations that were designed to replace the government entity. Today, these two centers are still outpacing all other centers across the state in terms of service, etc., and it’s not by accident.”

        The latest example of innovation and solution-finding is a broad effort called “Building a Better Workforce — Closing the Skills Gap on the Road to Economic Resurgence.” The REB is a lead player in the initiative, along with the George and Irene Davis Foundation; groups like the National Tooling and Machining Assoc.; institutions such as Square One, the Mass. Career Development Institute, and area community colleges; and a host of employers, including Baystate Health and Mercy Medical Center.

        The first steps in the program were announced last year, and they were crafted to achieve some momentum with regard to the workforce plans’ four main strategic goals: establishing universal kindergarten, improving young education proficiency and career awareness, increasing adult literacy education services, and increasing technical training in high-growth/high-demand industry sectors.

        As he talked about the REB’s work and its successes, Ward never used the word ‘I,’ always opting instead for ‘we,’ because he noted that the progress made isn’t the result of one person or one organization.

        “It’s taken teamwork to achieve all that we’ve done over the years,” he said, adding that he’s been blessed to be able to work with talented individuals — from grant writers to program administrators; from elected leaders to business executives who have not only served on his board but mentored him along the way. “I’ve been very fortunate to have great people to work with on these programs, all of which have been models that have implemented the concept of access and creating that sense of justice that would give a chance to people who might otherwise not have that chance.”

        In summary, Ward has never been afraid of trying to bring a little justice to the world, and he’s always been there to make sure it happens.

        Which means he’s made a mockery of still another of Woody Allen’s quips: “70% of success in life is just showing up.”

        Ward has never just shown up. And for that, his mother would be proud.

        — George O’Brien

        YPS

        By
        Class of 2009 Difference Makers
        The Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield

        Alyssa Carvalho described it as a “good problem to have.”

        She was talking about April 14, and a scheduled ‘CEO Luncheon’ to be hosted by MassMutual Chairman and CEO Stuart Reese. The Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield (YPS) started the luncheon series last year as another way to carry out its broad mission to “engage, involve, and educate” its members.

        The problem? Well, seats to the monthly luncheons are limited in number, said Carvalho, the group’s current president and, during the day, membership manager for the Greater Springfield Conventon & Visitors Bureau. The typical count is 20 to 30, to ensure intimacy and the opportunity for one-on-one dioalogue, but Reese and MassMutual will likely find a way to accommodate many more than that. Still, not everyone will be able to go.

        “And everyone will want to go,” she told BusinessWest, adding that she and other officers will have to contrive some method of determining which members will be able to circle that date on their calendars. As she said, that’s a good problem to have, and it’s a scenario that shows just how far this organization has come in two years.

        From quasi-humble beginnings, YPS has grown to more than 200 members, expanded and diversified its program offerings, and garnered enough respect to prompt Reese to donate a few hours of his precious time to impart some “words of wisdom,” as Carvalho called them, to this young, diverse audience.

        “We worked very hard to get him, and we’re thrilled that he would take the time to speak to our group and open it up to more people than we would normally have,” she said. “Our members are excited about the chance to be sitting in the same room with that caliber of speaker; the fact that he’s willing to do so speaks to the importance of our work — these are the emerging leaders in the community.”

        This higher profile has earned YPS a place in this first class of Difference Makers, along with some sky-high expectations for the future — which Carvalho and other officers are determined to meet in what might be considered another good problem to have.

        “We’ve done very well so far,” she said, “but we know we have to keep building, doing more in the community, and providing more value for our members.”

        YPS got its start in Springfield in late 2006, when a small group of younger professionals — all graduates of the Leadership Institute, a partnership between the ACCGS and Western New England College to teach mid- and upper-level managers the skills needed to become effective leaders — conceptualized a group that could handle a number of assignments. They would range from giving people something to do to providing programs on professional development; from helping to educate members on the issues of the day to providing some reasons for young professionals to stay in the Pioneer Valley and become valuable contributors to its progress and livelihood.

        The overriding goal, said Carvalho, is to help members “plant roots,” and develop lasting connections to the region and its business community.

        While the group’s founders were ambitious and had lofty expectations, even they might be surprised by how quickly and profoundly the group has become a real force in the community. In addition to the 200 members, there are 900 ‘subscribers,’ those who have a connection to the group and attend some of its events.

        Since its start, the organization — which takes a name similar to other groups in the region, including young-professional societies in Northampton, the Berkshires, and Hartford, but is different from these groups because it is independent — has been consistently adding programs, forming collaborative partnerships with other groups, and, in general, making its presence and influence felt.

        It’s making a difference.

        In addition to the CEO lunches, which have featured leaders and business owners ranging from ACCGS President Russell Denver to Springfield Falcons General Manager and co-owner Bruce Landon, the group has staged monthly networking events called Third Thursdays. It has become involved with the Division II college basketball tournament staged in Springfield each March, and last fall it partnered with Rock the Vote and other groups to encourage young people to register to vote and understand the issues involved with the presidential election.

        YPS also conducted a number of events and programs to connect young people with the arts, promote mentoring, and facilitate efforts to give back to the community. It even created an award — the Young Professionals Society of Greater Springfield’s Excellence in Leadership Award — which is given to a graduate of the Leadership Institute who has distinguished him or herself through community involvement, civic leadership, and professional excellence. The first winner was Elizabeth Cordona, director of Gov. Patrick’s office in Springfield.

        For 2009, the goal is simply to build on the momentum created over the past two years by continually looking for new ways to meet and expand the group’s mission, as expressed in one of its slogans: ‘live, work, play, and stay,’ said Carvalho, who told BusinessWest that her work as president has become what she called “a second full-time job.”

        “I’m putting in maybe 30 or 40 hours a week toward this,” she said, adding quickly that other officers are logging similar time handling YPS affairs. “And I need to, because there’s so much happening and so much to do.”

        Sounds like another one of those good problems to have.

        — George O’Brien

        Meet the Difference Makers

        By
        Cover
        Class of 2009 Cover Story Difference Makers
        They lead — and inspire
        Cover

        Cover

        Their contributions vary, from helping to improve the quality and diversity of the region’s workforce to providing books for local school libraries; from donating time, energy, and know-how to area nonprofit agencies to spearheading efforts to engage, involve, and educate the Valley’s young professionals. The common denominator is that these individuals are all making a difference in Western Mass. They’re not the only ones, certainly, but their stories reflect the work of countless others to make this a better region in which to live, work, and run a business.

        Spread Thin

        By
        William Hogan Jr.
        Sections Supplements
        Economic Stresses Threaten Bank Profits
        William Hogan Jr.

        William Hogan Jr. says tough economic times tend to magnify the profit pressures banks deal with all the time.

        Banks have plenty to worry about as they navigate the current choppy economic waters. The ongoing lending crisis, caused by some $1 trillion in losses due largely to defaults on risky mortgage loans, is an ongoing story, to be sure. But banks are also dealing with decreased profit margins due to a historically narrow net interest spread. While the region’s financial institutions remain relatively healthy, the profitability issue is yet another obstacle to overcome — in a year that has posed far too many already.

        How does a bank not make money?

        It’s a question plenty of Americans have certainly asked. One answer can be found on the margins.

        At issue is something called ‘net interest spread,’ which is essentially the difference between the interest yield that banks earn on loans and other assets, and the interest rates they pay on funds they borrow from the government and other banks.

        That spread gives a good idea of how profitable the industry is at any given time, and right now, the margin is razor-thin — another wrench at a time when many banks are struggling simply to remain afloat.

        “The federal funds rate today is as low as it’s ever been,” said William Hogan Jr., president of Easthampton Savings Bank. “But deposit rates have fallen as lending rates have fallen, and the difference between the two is tight today.”

        “The spread is the difference between the cost of funds and earning assets,” explained Richard Collins, president of United Bank. “The rates go down and up all the time. Our job as bankers is to do our best to balance the impact and make a profit. But the yields on earning assets stayed flat this year, and that’s now starting to affect our portfolio. That puts pressure on the margins for a lot of banks.”

        It’s pressure many executives say they don’t need right now, in the midst of a banking crisis that saw some two dozen institutions go under last year, and credit markets seize up after banks took more than $1 trillion in writedowns and credit-market losses since 2007, driven largely by record subprime loan defaults.

        “I’m always an optimist, but a careful one,” said David Glidden, regional president of TD Banknorth, adding that he believes the economy will worsen, at least in the short term. “I think we’re going through historic times, and really uncharted waters, so to speak.

        “I’m optimistic that the economy is resilient, and the credit markets are resilient and will come back,” he continued. “But I do not think we’ve hit bottom, and we’re going to see things get worse before they get better.”

        Profits and Loss

        Hogan said a whole host of factors can put unusual pressures on bank profitability, but they tend to be more apparent during a recession.

        “When times are good, you can overlook some of these factors,” he said. “But there’s a cumulative effect from all the issues that the financial-service business is dealing with today, from the economy to the new and increased regulations.”

        One such factor, said Hogan, is suddenly increased premiums from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), which protects consumers’ deposit and savings accounts, due to the rash of bank failures over the past several months.

        “The problems of Wall Street are reaching Main Street, so to speak, and we’re all painted with the same brush. In a lot of ways, we’re paying for the sins of our financial brothers; FDIC insurance premiums are up dramatically because of the need to clean up bank failures. We’ve got to kick in to help fund that.”

        It doesn’t help that banks are facing a significant loss of confidence, said Glidden, which makes him even more relieved at the relative health of his own institution.

        “We are still actively lending,” he said. “Fortunately, we avoided a lot of the credit problems that have plagued the larger money-center banks.

        “Like anybody, we’re being prudent because of the economy and what’s going on in the market,” he added. “Nationally, lending overall is clearly still restricted. But hopefully, some of the things the federal government is doing will unclog the financial system, which is really clogged up.”

        One key obstacle, he explained, is bank-to-bank lending, a generally robust activity during better economic times. “There’s just none of that going on right now,” Glidden said, “because banks don’t trust other banks’ balance sheets. There’s no confidence in the system.”

        That’s understandable, said Collins. “A lot of banks are taking writedowns on securities they hold. Other banks hold these exotic mortgage-backed securities — toxic securities — and if you own those, your major problem is profitability. A few bad securities can wipe out a lot of interest margin.

        “That continues to be true all over,” he added, “but we haven’t seen that story here. Our bank has not been hurt by subprime loans and toxic securities.”

        That’s a trend that’s true throughout Western Mass., in fact, as many regional banks tout their freedom from the sort of bad loans that have sent so many banks reeling.

        “We’re very busy, and the message we’ve been telling people is that we have money to lend — and, by and large, we’re doing that, and at the same terms and conditions we were years ago,” Hogan said. “We really haven’t tightened our restrictions or made it more difficult, generally, for people to get loans, and we have an active pipeline of loans in process right now, from home mortgages to consumer loans to commercial real estate and lines of credit for businesses.”

        The main reason, he explained, is that the bank is not only well-capitalized — its capital ratio is 11.3%, more than twice the level suggested by the FDIC — but, like other Western Mass.-based banks, totally unencumbered by toxic securities.

        “We’ve never made a subprime loan; we never did these wild and crazy loans with no documentation or income certification, with little or no down payments,” he said. “We’ve never ventured into those, and we haven’t swayed from business as usual.”

        Back in the Saddle

        Confidence in the financial-services industry has affected consumers in more ways than one. Consider, for example, the yield spread when it comes to mortgages.

        At press time, the spread between 30-year mortgages and 10-year Treasury notes was the largest in two decades, even though the average 30-year fixed-rate home loan was below 5%, the lowest in at least 40 years.

        Spreads are even wider for adjustable-rate mortgages; the average 1-year ARM is almost 5.8% above three-month Treasury bill yields, almost three times the typical spread.

        Those trends have given rise to consumer calls for further mortgage rate reductions, but economists say banks are skittish after taking that aforementioned $1 trillion in credit losses.

        “Underwriting criteria have been tightened considerably, and that is a real issue,” said Douglas Duncan, chief economist at Fannie Mae, in Finance and Commerce, an online business news source. “Mortgages could well be close to 4% if they reflected traditional spreads. It’s not greed or things like that. It’s the real risks the banks see.”

        Even a healthy bank like TD Banknorth — it’s one of only four AAA-rated banks worldwide, when only recently there were 27 such institutions in the U.S. alone — isn’t immune to such anxieties, Glidden said, but neither is it time to panic.

        “We have plenty of liquidity and strong capital. We’re a profitable company, but in this marketplace, we’re trying to focus on our customers, our core franchise, and prudent growth,” he said.

        “In this environment,” he continued, “you can still grow, but I think you have to be very measured in finding your opportunities and executing a plan, because it’s the furthest thing from business as usual right now — and some boats are going to be lost in this tide.”

        Many already have. For those that remain afloat, maximizing profits remains a delicate balancing act, as they wait for the economy — and industry confidence — to return.

        Joseph Bednar can be reached at[email protected]

        By
        Departments

        Selecting a Tax Preparer
        By Kristina Drzal Houghton, CPA, MST

        1. If you will be paying someone to do your return, choose the tax preparer wisely. You are legally responsible for what is on your tax return even if it is prepared by someone else.

        2. Obtain an estimate of what the service fee will be before your return is prepared. Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the amount of your refund or who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers.
        3. Only use a tax professional that signs your return and provides you with a copy for your records.
        4. Avoid preparers who ask you to sign a blank tax form.

        5. Choose a preparer who will be around to answer questions after the return has been filed.

        6. Ask questions. Do you know anyone who used this tax professional? Were they satisfied with the service they received?
        7. Check to see if the preparer has any questionable history with the Better Business Bureau, the state’s board of accountancy for CPAs, or the state’s bar association for attorneys.
        8. Determine if the preparer’s credentials meet your needs. Does your state have licensing requirements for paid preparers? Is he or she an enrolled agent, certified public accountant, or attorney? If so, the preparer can represent taxpayers before the IRS on all matters including audits, collections, and appeals.
        9. Before you sign a return, review it. Ask questions of the preparer if you do not understand something.

        10. A reputable preparer will request to see your records and receipts and should ask you multiple questions to determine your total income and qualifications for expenses, deductions, and other items. By doing so, you will know they have your best interest in mind.

        Kristina Drzal Houghton, CPA, MST is the partner-in-charge of Taxation at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., with specialties in taxation planning for individuals, closely held corporations, partnerships, multi-state entities, and tax-exempt organizations; (413) 536-8510.

        By
        Departments

        Boston Wine Festival

        Through April 3: Hosted by the Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf, the Boston Wine Festival offers more than 50 wine and food pairing events. The schedule of events includes a variety of evening receptions, wine seminars, dinners, and themed Sunday brunches. For details on the festival, visit www.bostonwinefesival.net.

        ACCGS Breakfast Club

        February 4: Stephen Sanzone, vice president, GRC Solutions, Crafty Systems Inc., will be the guest speaker for the 7:15 a.m. Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s Breakfast Club at the Sheraton Springfield Hotel at One Monarch Place in Springfield. Sanzone’s lecture topic is “Identity Theft and Its Impact on Business.” James Morton, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, will serve as chief greeter. Businesses scheduled to be saluted include Fran Johnson’s Golf & Tennis for its new location, Health New England for achieving the highest rating in customer service, and Nuvo Bank as a new bank. HAP Inc., is the nonprofit salute, celebrating its 35th anniversary. Tickets are $20 for ACCGS members and $25 for nonmembers, and reservations must be made in writing and in advance. Reservations may be made through Diane Swanson, events manager, Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield Inc., 1441 Main St., Suite 136, Springfield, MA 01103-1449, or via E-mail to [email protected] or at the ACCGS Web site, www.myonlinechamber.com.

        The Aging Brain

        Feb. 5: A lecture titled “The Aging Brain: The Agile Mind” will be presented by Posit Science of San Francisco, Calif., as part of the Kaleidoscope lecture series at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. The lecture, beginning at 7 p.m., includes a post-discussion demonstration of a ‘brain exercise’ to learn how to make the aging brain more agile. The free event is open to the public and will be conducted in Breck Suite in Wright Hall. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

        Rick’s Place Benefit

        Feb. 7: “Heart to Heart,” the first fund-raising event to benefit Rick’s Place Inc., is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Kids’ Village at 35 Post Office Park in Wilbraham. Rick’s Place Inc. provides support groups for children ages 5 to 18, including a suicide survivor group, support groups for parents, and community outreach. Established in memory of Rick Thorpe, who died in the World Trade Center in 2001, Rick’s Place Inc. was created to provide a supportive, secure environment where families can remember their loved ones and avoid the sense of isolation that loss can produce. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $40 per person and include appetizers, spirits, and chocolate. Door-prize tickets are $50 each. For more information about tickets, donations, or becoming a sponsor, contact Shelly Bathe Lenn at (413) 348-3120, or visit www.ricksplacema.org.

        Biological Illustration

        Feb. 9: Biological and medical illustration is back in vogue as electronic graphic information is critical to the health and science fields. Colleen Champ, BS, CLSp, a local scientific artist and owner of Concise Image Studios and MicroscopicClassics.com, will share her current portfolio and discuss her international award-winning art, at 7 p.m. in Breck Suite in Wright Hall at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. The free lecture is open to the public and is part of the college’s Kaleidoscope lecture series. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

        Women and Retirement

        Feb. 26: Shelly Colville, a registered representative of the National Planning Corp., will present a lecture titled “Women and Retirement: Are You Saving Wisely?” as part of the Kaleidoscope lecture series at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. Colville will lead women and men of all ages in an Oppenheimer Funds workshop to guide them to a better understanding of planning for the future. The free event is open to the public and will be conducted in Breck Suite in Wright Hall. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

        Innovative Voices Conference

        March 10: The MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield will be the setting for a capacity-building conference, co-presented by the Women’s Fund of Western Mass. and Bay Path College. Titled “Innovative Voices: Crafting a New Agenda for Leadership,” the daylong conference will feature guest speakers Sara Laschever and comedienne René Hicks. Workshop topics offered throughout the day will include: “New Faces in Leadership I: Generations & Cultures,” “New Faces in Leadership II: Strategies for Change,” “Wikis, Twitter and Blogs — Oh My!,” “Learning to Ask: Negotiation Basics,” “The Art of Politics: Navigating the Political Waters,” and “Making Yourself Memorable: Personal Branding from the First Handshake.” Workshops will also include “Expanding Our Capacity: Energizing Our Spirit,” “Balancing Mission and Money: How Nonprofits Can Do Both,” and “Finding Your Voice and Changing the World: Passion, Emotion and Leadership.” Registration is $70 for the first organizational attendee, and $60 for each additional organizational attendee. The deadline to register is March 2, with early-bird registration closing on Feb. 13. For more information, visit www.womensfund.net.

        Rock ‘n’ Roll & Management Styles

        April 15: “Everything I Learned About Management, I Learned From Rock ‘n’ Roll” will be presented by James M. Wilson III, Ph.D., assistant professor of Business at Bay Path College; and Gregory Jones, director of Cannes Associates Production Management. Wilson and Jones have been conducting research for three years on the production of live concerts featuring Metallica, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, and Willie Nelson, among others, with a focus on how event management contributes to organizational theory. The free lecture at 7 p.m. will take place in Breck Suite in Wright Hall at Bay Path College in Longmeadow. The event is part of the Kaleidoscope lecture series. For more information, call (413) 565-1066 or visit www.baypath.edu.

        Women’s Professional Development Conference

        April 30: Bay Path College in Longmeadow will host the 14th annual Women’s Professional Development Conference from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. For more information, call (413) 565-1293 or visit www.baypath.edu.

        By
        Departments

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

        Alban, Orly A.
        2118 Wilbraham Road
        Springfield, MA 01129
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Allis, Earle Charles
        Allis, Shirley May
        777 Pine Meadow Road
        Northfield, MA 01360
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Blair Sarlan, Marla S.
        18 Letendre Ave.
        Ludlow, MA 01056
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Book Your Life Publishing
        Hayes, Thomas Patrick
        Hayes, Kelli Ann
        428 Michael Sears Road
        Belchertown, MA 01007
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Bouchard, Gloria J.
        6 Ross St.
        Indian Orchard, MA 01151
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Bourdon, Marion C.
        223 Greystone Ave.
        West Springfield, MA 01089
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Bradeen, Carol A.
        434 Crescent St.
        Athol, MA 01331
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Briggs, Gerard H.
        51 Brookfield Road
        Brimfield, MA 01010
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/30/08

        Britt, Karen M.
        22 Rachel St.
        Springfield, MA 01129
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Cheney, Dorine A.
        a/k/a Perez, Dorine A.
        a/k/a Cheney-Toole, Dorine
        a/k/a King, Dorine
        81 South Maple St.
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/30/08

        Cheney, Jonathan A.
        P.O. Box 185
        Agawam, MA 01001
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/30/08

        Chouinard, Darlene D.
        a/k/a Seigiel, Darlene D.
        P.O. Box 253
        Agawam, MA 01001
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/31/08

        Cigal, Kimberly J.
        a/k/a Walsh, Kimberly J.
        480 Pochassic Road
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Cody, Dorothy M.
        61 Harvey St.
        Springfield, MA 01119
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Cohen, Amy L.
        167 Hopkins Place
        Longmeadow, MA 01106
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/22/08

        Cruz, Edith B.
        35 Dwight Road
        Springfield, MA 01108
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Cruz, Victor
        Cruz, Daisy E.
        36 Jimmy Court
        Springfield, MA 01104
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Dawson, Christopher Michael
        670 McKinstry Ave.
        Chicopee, MA 01020
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Delvental, Ceil E.
        86 Cheney St.
        Orange, MA 01364
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/24/08

        Dulude, Maureen D.
        a/k/a Flanagan, Maureen D.
        6 Meadowood Dr.
        South Hadley, MA 01075
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Edge, Emma M.
        45 Dunmoreland St.
        Springfield, MA 01109
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Edwards, Debora
        6 Cycle St., Apt. D
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Edwards, Felicia M.
        44 Carnavon Circle
        Springfield, MA 01109
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/22/08

        Foster, Matthew Edward
        3 Charron St.
        Turners Falls, MA 01376
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Gaudette, Steven P.
        Gaudette, Carrie A.
        a/k/a Gramarossa, Carrie Ann
        1521 Parker St.
        Springfield, MA 01129
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Gomez, Joel
        Gomez, Iveth A.
        29 Kendall St.
        Springfield, MA 01104
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/24/08

        Hackett, Kevin W.
        P.O. Box 64
        Goshen, MA 01032
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Henley, Lloyd
        22 Salem Place
        Amherst, MA 01002
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Hubbard, Jeffrey A.
        138 Crane Ave.
        Pittsfield, MA 01201
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Hughes, Cheryl A.
        a/k/a Menendez, Cheryl Ann
        43 Prospect St.
        Ludlow, MA 01056
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Hunter, Melinda Ann
        182 Northampton St., A
        Easthampton, MA 01027
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Illingsworth, Megan Lee
        a/k/a LaFountain, Megan Lee
        411 Westhampton Road
        Florence, MA 01062
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        J&S Cleaning Service
        Yelinek, Sheryl Anne
        Yelinek, James Jeffrey
        27 Rising St.
        Feeding Hills, MA 01030
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Johnston, Jean M.
        290 East St., Apt. 7
        Ludlow, MA 01056
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Kelley, Cynthia E.
        470 North Farms Road
        Florence, MA 01062
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Kenyon, Bruce D.
        82 Grover St.
        Springfield, MA 01104
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Kirchner, Dominic N.
        Kirchner, Sarah J.
        15 Princeton St.
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/31/08

        Kuruca, Ali Ihsan
        821 East St.
        Ludlow, MA 01056
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Lausier, Mark A.
        Lausier, Catherine A.
        21 Fairfield St.
        Pittsfield, MA 01201
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Le, Binh H.L.
        Nguyen, Vanessa
        15 Dow St.
        Springfield, MA 01108
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08        		  

        LeBlanc, David L.
        LeBlanc, Karen L.
        111 Brickyard Road
        Athol, MA 01331
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Liebenow, Charles A.
        3 Jones Ave.
        Pittsfield, MA 01201
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Lueb, Adam P.
        29 Lester St.
        Chicopee, MA 01020
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Lyons, Barbara L.
        106 Stony Hill Road
        Wilbraham, MA 01095-1036
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Martinez, Blanca E.
        1060 Liberty St.
        Springfield, MA 01104
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Martino, John
        Martino, Colleen
        a/k/a Adams, Colleen C.
        22 Abbey St.
        Chicopee, MA 01013
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Mitchell, Jill A.
        32 Fairfield St.
        Pittsfield, MA 01201
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Molloy, Stephen L.
        Molloy, Michele P.
        a/k/a Bilquez, Michele P.
        69 College St.
        Chicopee, MA 01020
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Moore, Jeanne E.
        887 Homestead Ave
        Holyoke, MA 01040
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Murphy, Scott T.
        28 Joseph Ave.
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Nicely, Danny L.
        Nicely, Catherine M.
        64 Agnes St.
        Springfield, MA 01118
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Parker, Breon L.
        546 Tinkham Road
        Springfield, MA 01129
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Pelletier, Wayne John
        16 Ridge Hill Road
        Sturbridge, MA 01566
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/30/08

        Petell, Paul P.
        Petell, Allegra E.
        a/k/a Hayes, Allegra
        24 Viviani St.
        South Hadley, MA 01075
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Peterson, Gary Allen
        948 Dwight St.
        Holyoke, MA 01040
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Pirrone, Michael F.
        57 Mellinger Lane
        Chicopee, MA 01022
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Provost, Tara Ann
        154 Canon Circle
        Springfield, MA 01118
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Rae, Albert H.
        99 Farnum Dr.
        Holyoke, MA 01040
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Reilly, Sean T.
        101 Granby St.
        Springfield, MA 01108
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Rivera, Elizabeth
        453 Tokeneke Road
        Holyoke, MA 01040
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/31/08

        Rivera, Francisco Daniel
        163 Groveland St.
        Springfield, MA 01108
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Rood, Sean C.
        34 Bates Road
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        Rossetti, Louis A.
        1491 Westfield St.
        West Springfield, MA 01089
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/24/08

        Rubin, Bruce G.
        Rubin, Susan M.
        45 Sherman Hill Road
        Ware, MA 01082
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Ryan, Beth A.
        243 Nonotuck Ave.
        Chicopee, MA 01013
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Sahler, Martin
        Sahler, Talia B.
        145 Holyoke St.
        Easthampton, MA 01027
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/30/08

        Scott, Brian Elvin
        82 King St., Apt. 2
        Westfield, MA 01085
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Shannon, Charlene M.
        18 Villa Lane
        Chicopee, MA 01013
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Shcherbachuk, Vera Ivanovna
        152 Nonotuck St.
        Holyoke, MA 01040
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Singer, Gary L.
        65 Greylock Ave.
        North Adams, MA 01247
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Slakteris, John Janis
        198 North Main Road
        Post Office Box 547
        Otis, MA 01253
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Slattery, Margaret J.
        121 Maybrook Road
        Springfield, MA 01129
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/16/08

        Stack, Branden James
        10 Colorado Ave.
        Greenfield, MA 01301
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/18/08

        Stoeckard, Michael James
        Stoeckard, Virginia Frances
        1390 Memorial Ave., Apt. D
        West Springfield, MA 01089
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/17/08

        Sullivan, David
        Sullivan, Luz Eneida
        69 Redlands St.
        Springfield, MA 01104
        Chapter: 13
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Vallieres, Gerard A.
        Vallieres, Dianne L.
        4 North Hoosac St.
        Adams, MA 01220
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/24/08

        Wadsworth, Earl John
        Wadsworth, Elle
        69 Belmont Ave.
        Northampton, MA 01060
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/29/08

        Walker, William S.
        Walker, Antonette P.
        118 Everett Road
        Barre, MA 01005
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/23/08

        Weber, Christopher W.
        Weber, Teresa R.
        172 Newhouse St.
        Springfield, MA 01118
        Chapter: 7
        Filing Date: 12/19/08

        By
        Departments

        State Foreclosures Soar 62% in 2008

        BOSTON — Foreclosure activity in Massachusetts surged 62.4% in 2008 compared to 2007 and was nearly four times the level seen in 2006, according to the Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. A total of 12,430 foreclosure deeds were recorded last year, up from 7,653 in 2007 and 3,130 in 2006. In December, there were 936 foreclosure deeds, a 5.4% increase from November’s 888 deeds and a 37% increase from the 683 deeds in December 2007. December marked the fourth consecutive month in 2008 that foreclosure deeds fell under 1,000. The bulk of the foreclosures — nearly 60% — occurred from March through August, when more than 1,000 foreclosure deeds were recorded each month. In Hampden County, there were 1,040 completed mortgage foreclosures, up 41.7% compared with the 734 foreclosures noted in 2007. Foreclosure petitions, the first step in the foreclosure process, ended the year below the level reported in 2007. Lenders filed 21,804 foreclosure petitions in 2008, down 26.3% from 2007, when there were 29,572 foreclosure petitions. The dropoff is linked to a law that went into effect last year that requires lenders wanting to initiate a foreclosure to give delinquent borrowers 90 days to pay off mortgage-loan defaults. The Warren Group also tracked 19,270 auction announcements in 2008, a 32.5% increase from 14,546 in 2007, and 189.4% higher than the 6,659 auction announcements reported in 2006. Auction announcements in December climbed 6.3% to 1,206 from 1,134 in November and 11.6% from 1,081 during the same month a year earlier.

        Ad Club Seeks ADDY Award Entries

        SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Mass. (ACWM) is now seeking entries for the 2009 ADDY Awards. The annual competition recognizes creative excellence in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties in all media, including print, broadcast, interactive, out-of-home, and public-service advertising. The competition is a three-tier national contest conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation. Entry in the ACWM ADDY competition is the first step toward winning a national/international ADDY. A panel of advertising experts will select winners in Springfield on Feb. 19. To be eligible for consideration for an ADDY, all work must have first appeared in the media between Jan. 1 and December 31, 2008. All ACWM ADDY entries must be registered online, submitted in person, and paid in full by 5 p.m. on Feb. 12 to Insurance Center of New England, 246 Park St., West Springfield. For mandatory online registration, rules, categories, and entry information, visit www.adclubwm.org. All ADDY award winners will be recognized at the 2009 ADDY Awards Red Carpet Gala on March 12 at CityStage in Springfield.

        Yankee Candle Restructuring, Closing Stores

        SOUTH DEERFIELD — The Yankee Candle Co. recently announced a restructuring plan that will result in the termination of approximately 330 employees, as well as the closing of its 28 Illuminations stores and the discontinuation of the related Illuminations consumer-direct business. The company acquired the Illuminations business, which was primarily located on the West Coast, in 2006. Chairman and CEO Craig W. Rydin noted in a release that decisions like these affect employees “are very difficult ones.” He added that company officials believe that the actions being taken, while difficult, are in the best interests of the company, its employees, and equity holders.

        Connecticut River Byway Grant Awarded

        WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has been awarded a National Scenic Byways grant of $976,000 for work to protect scenic lands along the Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway in Hadley and South Hadley. The grant, which was provided by the Federal Highway Administration, was the only National Scenic Bylaws grant awarded in Massachusetts and the fifth-largest grant in the U.S., out of 221 grants awarded. The total project funding will be $1,220,000, including matching funds provided by communities, state agencies, and land trusts. The project was supported by the Hadley and South Hadley boards of selectmen and conservation commissions, Congressman John Olver, and the Porter Phelps Huntington Foundation. The Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway follows Route 47 from South Hadley center through Hadley, and continues north through Franklin County and into Vermont and New Hampshire, traversing a historic pastoral landscape with views of the Connecticut River. The grant funds will be used to work with landowners who volunteer to protect important scenic land parcels along the byway through selling agricultural preservation restrictions or conservation restrictions. PVPC has also applied, with the support of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and the towns of Hadley, South Hadley, Sunderland, Montague, Northfield, and Erving, to have the scenic farm byway designated as a National Scenic Byway. The designation would extend to state Routes 47 and 63, which are already designated as state scenic byways. The national designation would improve opportunities for grants to protect the byway, but would not impose any new regulations along the byway.

        State Officials Off on January Tax-collection Projections

        BOSTON — Through Jan. 15, month-to-date tax collections totaled $857 million, down $248 million from the same period in January 2008, with the full-month January benchmark projecting a decrease of $434 million from January 2008, according to the state Department of Revenue. The month-to-date decline through Jan. 15 was primarily attributed to the drop in income-tax estimated payments, which were down $253 million from the same period in January 2008, most likely caused by a decline in tax-year 2008 capital-gains taxes. A decline in capital-gains taxes was reflected in the revised January 2009 benchmark, which projects a $308 million drop in income-tax estimated payments for the full month. Historically, most of the change in January estimated payments has occurred in the first half of the month, as the department processes payments mailed by Dec. 31. Month-to-date withholding taxes through Jan. 15, 2009 totaled $438 million, down $9 million from the same period a year ago, compared to the revised benchmark estimate that projects a withholding decline of $104 million for the full month. Department officials note that Jan. 15 was too early in the month to make any judgments regarding January sales-tax collections, which are due on Jan. 20 of each month and reflect December sales. For the full month of January 2009, sales-tax collections are projected to decline by $27 million from January 2008 due to expected weakness in holiday-season sales as well as one fewer deposit day this month. January is not a significant month for corporate and business taxes, as there are no estimated payments with final tax returns due for most corporations, according to department officials.

        By
        Departments

        The following building permits were issued during the month of January 2009.

        CHICOPEE

        Callaway Golf Ball Operations
        425 Meadow St.
        $31,000 — Room addition

        Chicopee Rest Home
        12 Dallaire St.
        $27,000 — Roof repair

        Padgette Street LLC
        140 Padgette St.
        $95,000 — Tenant fit-up for office spaces and warehouse area

        Service Net
        724 McKinstry Ave.
        $10,000 — Roof repair

        Tabernacle Baptist Church
        603 New Ludlow Road
        $6,200 — New roof

        Valley West School
        269 Moore St.
        $6,000 — Construct greenhouse

        EASTHAMPTON

        Autumn Properties, LLC
        247-251 Northampton St.
        $5,200 — Repair wall and replace siding

        Midura & Szostak Dental Offices
        5 Campus Lane
        $15,300 — Renovate office building

        GREENFIELD

        A. R. Sandri Inc.
        400 Chapman St.
        $15,000 — Remove existing shingles from fascia and replace with asphalt

        New England Learning Center
        479 Main St.
        $11,900 — Re-roof

        HOLYOKE

        701 Kelly Way, LLC
        707 Kelly Way
        $1,460,000 — Build a 13,214-square-foot pre-engineered metal building

        Laundro Max – 556 High Street, LLC
        556 High St.
        $20,000 — Build foundation only for new retail building

        LUDLOW

        John Chaves
        80 Sroka Lane
        $10,000 — Alterations

        United Development Group LLD
        562 Holyoke St.
        $80,000 — Alterations

        		  

        NORTHAMPTON

        Central Chambers Realty Trust
        16 Center St.
        $10,000 — Remove two non-bearing walls and install suspended ceiling

        Cooley Dickinson Hospital
        30 Locust St.
        $36,000 — Interior renovations

        Cooley Dickinson Hospital
        30 Locust St.
        $6,500 — Strip and shingle roof

        Lathrop Community Inc.
        680 Bridge St.
        $237,000 — Reside buildings 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, and16

        Mananto Holdings LLP
        36 King St.
        $6,000 — Erect roof structure

        Marianne Dunn
        39 Carlon Dr.
        $11,000 — Construct six office/room spaces

        Smith College
        123 Elm St.
        $225,000 — Install air conditioning system and replace windows in ground-floor offices

        Smith College
        17 Prospect St.
        $184,000 — Lamont House dining room renovations

        SPRINGFIELD

        Baystate Medical Center
        759 Chestnut St.
        $50,000 — Renovate office space

        Beacon Company LTD Partnership
        401 North Branch Pkwy.
        $60,000 — Interior and exterior fire restoration

        Northgate LLC
        1985 Main St.
        $70,000 — Interior commercial remodel

        WESTFIELD

        KJK Wireless
        15 Washington St.
        $25,000 — Antenna addition

        WEST SPRINGFIELD

        DDRM Riverdale Shops, LLC
        935 Riverdale St.
        $110,000 — Fit out 3,667 square feet of space as dental office

        John Richard
        54-56 Bridge St.
        $128,000 — Restoration of building after fire

        By
        Departments

        Horizon Solutions Breaks Ground in Holyoke

        HOLYOKE — Horizon Solutions, an electrical/industrial distribution company, recently broke ground for a Northeast regional office at 701 Kelly Way in Holyoke, in the Crossroads Business Park. Formal groundbreaking ceremonies were staged on Jan. 30. The Southampton-based O’Leary Group acquired the property from the O’Connell Development Group, and will build a 12,814-square-foot office and training facility for Horizon Solutions. The newest tenant in Crossroads was formed in 2000 through the merger of Holmes Distributors of Portland, Maine, Oakes Electric of Holyoke, and RERO Distribution Group of Rochester, N.Y. Approximately 25 employees will work at the Holyoke location. The development is the first project within the city’s Chapter 43D Priority Development Site that was designated by the state Legislature a year ago. Chapter 43D guarantees an applicant a decision on permitting reviews within 180 days. The city completed all approvals within 69 days for the project.

        College Consulting Firm Launched in State

        FEEDING HILLS — Researching and applying to colleges is one of the biggest challenges of a student’s life, and a new business aims to make that process run smoothly. College CoPilot Inc. will offer students and their families a consulting and project-management resource to assist in the areas of test registration, major selection, college choice, application completion, scholarship searching, and campus tours. The same services can also be extended to those finishing community-college programs or students seeking to transfer to a new college. For more information, call (413) 237-3654 or visit www.mycollegecopilot.com. President Cori Rolland notes that spring SAT deadline registration is just around the corner, and colleges need to be chosen to receive the scores. Rolland added that now is the time for high-school juniors to start planning for college.

        STCC Receives $1.6M from Labor Department

        SPRINGFIELD — Efforts to expand the pool of potential health care employees in Western Mass. will get a boost from a recent federal grant. Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has received a $1.65 million grant to create a partnership among Western Mass. colleges, medical institutions, community-based organizations, and economic development agencies, with a goal of increasing the number of potential health care workers in the region. The $1,655,957 award was announced recently by the U.S. Department of Labor, as part of the President’s Community-Based Job Training Grants program. STCC was the only Mass. institution selected in this round of the highly-competitive grants program. “If the Western Mass. economy is going to grow, we will need a well trained workforce. This important grant will provide community colleges and community-based institutions with the resources they need to train and educate local workers. I believe this federal assistance will help our region compete in the new global economy,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal. Michael Foss, dean of Health and Patient Simulation at STCC, said, “This is an unprecedented collaboration, and while the primary impact will be in Western Mass., we feel certain this will become a model for the nation.”

        The 16 partners in the Community-Based Job Training Grant project are Baystate Health, Berkshire Community College, Berkshire Health System, Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, Franklin/Hampshire County Regional Employment Board, Greenfield Community College, Health Careers Opportunities Project, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke Medical Center, Mason Square Veterans Outreach Center, Mass. AHEC Network (Area Health Education Center), Mercy Medical Center, Regional Employment Board of Hampden County, STCC, Springfield Public Schools, and The World Is Our Classroom. As part of the three-year grant project:

        • Two educational programs will be offered at all four community colleges; one is a half-day, intense medical encounter for high school students; the other is a semester-long Introduction to Patient Skills course, which will promote understanding of what it’s like to work inhealth care.
        • The Springfield Public Schools and the Regional Employment Boards will assist in recruiting students for these experiences.
        • The three partner community colleges will receive approximately $200,000 each to expand their capacity to deliver the patient care experience.
        • One full-time counselor will be hired at each of the colleges They will provide targeted, individual counseling to guide the students into academic programs and careers, as well as follow-up assistance.
        • Counselors from each of the college and hospital partner sites will receive academic advising training from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA.) High school guidance counselors will also have an opportunity to attend a medical encounter.
        • Funding will also be used to revamp the healthprograms.org Web site that gives information and contacts for health programs at all four Western Mass. community colleges.

        By
        Departments

        The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

        FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

        April May v. Country Wide Home Loans
        Allegation: Fraudulent foreclosure of home: $395,000
        Filed: 12/30/08

        Orica USA Inc. v. Pioneer Supply Corp.
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $119,914.46
        Filed: 12/18/08

        GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

        Turtle Fur Company v. Tucker Sports, Inc. d/b/a Trail’s Inc.
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $3,843.99
        Filed: 12/24/08

        HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

        Andrew Morrisette v. Dynamic Duck & Door, et al
        Allegation: Negligence, breach of implied warranty, and product liability: $386,000
        Filed: 12/15/08

        Environmental Compliance Services Inc. v. Pete’s Sales & Services Inc. and PJB Realty, LLC
        Allegation: Non-payment of environmental services rendered: $164,796.87
        Filed: 1/06/09

        Instar Services Group, L.P. v. Pinocchio’s, LLC
        Allegation: Non-payment of cleaning emergency and restoration services: $29,882.11
        Filed: 12/31/08

        Isabel S. Hannant v. Agawam Family Physicians & Frank J. Stirlacci, M.D.
        Allegation: Medical malpractice: $750,000+
        Filed: 1/09/09

        HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

        Michael & Patricia Stoddard v. Izzy’s Garage & Shop Inc. and Isaiah Salloom
        Allegation: Motor vehicle/pedestrian collision causing injury: $50,000+
        Filed: 1/06/09

        R & R Window Contractors Inc. v. Bacon Construction Co. and Continental Casualty Co.
        Allegation: Non-payment of labor and materials for aluminum window work: $173,419.61
        Filed: 1/14/09

        NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

        Nikon Inc v. Ware Gun Shop
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,037.39
        Filed: 12/22/08

        Northeast Hardscapes v. Northampton Nursing Home
        Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered including labor and materials: $10,253
        Filed: 12/17/08

        PALMER DISTRICT COURT

        Amanda Beaumier v. Service Connection
        Allegation: Wrongful termination and defamation: $14,580
        Filed: 12/12/08

        East Street Baking Company v. Tebo’s Mini Market
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $3,364.07
        Filed: 1/20/09

        Northern Land Clearing, Inc. v. MRJ Enterprises Inc.
        Allegation: Non-payment of disposal, excavation, and land-clearing services: $13,502.10
        Filed: 12/04/08

        SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

        Autopart International Inc. v. Brake King
        Allegation: Breach of credit application and non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $3,556.75
        Filed: 11/10/08

        Baystate Gas Company v. P. Gioioso & Sons Inc.
        Allegation: Damages for violations of Dig Safe Law: $5,140
        Filed: 11/21/08

        Highland Laundry Co. v. Bill’s Restaurant
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $3,259.82
        Filed: 11/21/08

        Jonathan Goldsmith, Chap. 7 Trustee of Affiliated Plumbing Corp. v. Callahan, Inc.
        Allegation: Non-payment of materials sold and services rendered: $188,450.18
        Filed: 11/06/08

        Sunset International Trade, LLC v. Mr. B’s f/d/b/a Nite-N-Day
        Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $23,377.91
        Filed: 11/10/08

        United Rentals Inc. v. All-Pro Masonry Inc.
        Allegation: Non-payment of materials, goods, and services provided for a construction project: $7,988.95
        Filed: 11/06/08

        By
        Departments

        The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of January 2009.

        AGAWAM

        Azon Cigars Inc.
        378 Walnut St.
        Michael Beaudry

        JFBH Holding Company
        54 Colonial Ave.
        James Hansmann

        Paris Nails
        336 North Westfield St.
        Tuget Thi Vo

        V & R Photography Designs
        55 Rosie Lane
        Vanessa Rossini

        AMHERST

        Moriarty Woodworking
        145 Glendale Road
        Mark Moriarty

        Oak Pond Associates
        15 Lady Slipper Circle
        Toivo Tammerk

        Sankofa Home for Children
        121 Pondview Dr.
        Fanny B. Efua-Dontoh

        CHICOPEE

        Design & Machine Services
        31 Broad St.
        Craig A. Goebel

        Genoa Pizzeria
        159 Grove St.
        Daejoon Cho

        EASTHAMPTON

        Sharon Kimble Realty
        8 Button Road
        Sharon Kimble

        Tiznit Valley Cab
        5 Arlington St.
        Mohamed Keffas

        EAST LONGMEADOW

        Body Works Unlimited Inc.
        347 Elm St.
        Antonio J. Bordoni

        DLT Educational Consulting
        65 Westernview Circle
        Whitney Hebert

        GREENFIELD

        Affordable Cleaning
        12 Vernon St.
        Lisa Ann Vega

        China Gourmet
        78 Mohawk Trail
        Hsien F. Chang

        Chong’s Alterations & Tailoring
        10 Federal St.
        Chang Yu

        HOLYOKE

        Beauty Supply & Variety
        362 High St.
        Justina Torres

        Desert Moon
        50 Holyoke St.
        Koang Yam

        Hernandez Furniture
        433 High St.
        Miguel Hernandez

        Holyoke Sporting Goods
        1584 Dwight St.
        Elizabeth A. Frey

        Messier Funeral Home
        1944 Northampton St.
        Frank Forastiere

        Tony’s Auto Sales
        800 High St.
        Anthony Trabal

        NORTHAMPTON

        Napa Auto Parts
        348 King St.
        Adam Tebaldi

        New Light Solutions
        104 Main St.
        Reed Schimmelfing

        Pioneer Valley Nutritional Therapy
        94 King St.
        Craig Fear

        The Valley Bowl
        51 Olive St.
        Adam Corriveau

        PALMER

        Dave’s Auto & General Repair
        346 Wilbraham Road
        David J. Karpinski

        Diamond Junction Bowling Lanes Inc.
        1446 Main St.
        Charles Hood III

        DPN Investigative Background & Security Services
        2023 East St.
        Daniel P. Narreau

        SOUTH HADLEY

        Advanced Global Realty
        498 Hadley St.
        Edward Alford

        Hampshire Food & Beverage, LLC
        322 Newton St.
        Nicholas Yee

        Jen’s Haircare
        491 Granby Road
        Jennifer Moser

        		  

        White Wing Service
        568 Newton St.
        Frank J. Strzempko

        SOUTHWICK

        Hairworks Salon
        320 College Highway
        Chantal Nadeau

        SPRINGFIELD

        Aqui Me Quedo Restaurant
        13-15 Locust St.
        Santo M. Diaz

        C & M Cleaning
        340 Cooley St.
        Charade Cardova

        Denmor Security LLC
        1 Monarch Place
        Martha L. Mahoney

        Field Engineering Service
        1260 Bay St.
        Garry Roy Dumas

        Fresh Cutz Barber Shop
        494 Central St.
        Ricardo Diaz

        Gifts From Prison
        181 Hampshire St.
        Jo-Ann Theresa Miller

        Gould’s Building and Remodeling
        235 Birchland Ave.
        Mark S. Gould

        Harry Vanwart Painting
        160 Cambria St.
        Harry M. Van Wart

        Ho Mei Chinese Restaurant
        852 Main St.
        Ya Rong Zheng

        Infinite Interpretations
        17 N. Chatman St.
        Melanie Jana Daly

        J & J Home Improvement
        338 Oak St.
        Juan A. Burgos

        Junk Stop
        402 King St.
        Leslye Marshall

        KMJ Transportation
        101 Mulberry St.
        Kayshawn T. Jacobs

        Long Construction
        18 Baywood St.
        Joe C. Long Sr.

        WESTFIELD

        Affordable Technologies
        24 Green Pine Lane
        Sharon Menard

        Angela’s Aesthetics
        41 Court St.
        Angela Centracchio

        Belco Construction Co. Inc
        385 Southampton Road
        Jeanne Marie Dr.

        Billy C’s Jerky, LLC
        236 Elm St.
        William Chaoush

        Franklin Auto Body
        11 Dwight St
        Paul Mancino

        Hedges Electrical Services
        216 Notre Dame St.
        Chad Hedges

        Lombardi Associates
        63 Kittredge Dr.
        Kenneth P. Lombardi Sr.

        MC Snow Plowing
        542 West Road
        Michael Gogol

        Second Company
        92 Little River Road
        Patricia A. Castro

        WEST SPRINGFIELD

        Advantage Staffing Associates Inc.
        131 Elm St.
        Patricia A. Connors

        Professional Acoustics
        2119 Riverdale St.
        Professional Drywall Corporation

        Rental Remarketing Inc.
        74 Baldwin St.
        Michael M. Gentile

        Sonny’s Convenience
        2260 Westfield St.
        Sunil R. Patel

        Sorcinelli Real Estate
        29 Sikes Ave.
        Antonio Sorcinelli

        Technical Tool Supply
        5 Barnard St.
        Pioneer Supply Co. Inc.

        The Kid’s Place, Inc.
        915 Memorial Ave.
        Scott L. Petersen

        Thrifty Car Rental
        74 Baldwin St.
        Michael Gentile

        Westside Auto Sales
        194 Baldwin St.
        Anthony Lafromboise

        A Stimulus Plan: It’s All About Job Creation

        By
        Opinion

        The business news is pretty bleak these days, and on a number of fronts.

        There have been scary headlines concerning the restaurant sector, hotels, retail, the auto industry … and just last week came the stunning news that Brandeis University, facing a huge hit to its endowment and calamitous losses from the Madoff scandal, is actually selling the collection in its art museum for more than $300 million.

        But the most disturbing news concerns jobs.

        Analysts called Jan. 26 “Bloody Monday,” because more than 70,000 jobs were lost on that day alone. Another 11,000 cuts were announced the following Tuesday. Locally, the jobless rate in the Greater Springfield area climbed to 7.2% for the month of December, up a full percentage point from November.

        Job losses are critical because when people are out of work — or fear that they soon will be — they become more cautious and conservative in their spending. This leads to reductions in production in factories, the closing of restaurants and hotels, and shrinkage among some major retail chains.

        This leads to more layoffs, which puts more people out of work and prompts even more to fear that they may face a similar fate, which leads to reductions in production in factories … you get the idea.

        All this underscores why the stimulus plan being discussed on Capitol Hill must create jobs right now, this quarter.

        However, some early details about what’s in the plan show that only a small percentage of the money in the package will be spent this year

        Specifically, of the $30 billion the House bill allots for highway projects, for example, less than $4 billion would be spent before 2011. And of the $18.5 billion earmarked for renewable energy, less than $3 billion would actually be spent within two years.

        While there are widespread questions about the relative worth of any stimulus package of this type, one has to doubt whether one with such delayed action will help stem the tide of job losses — and resulting negative impact on virtually every sector of the economy.

        Instead, proceeding with such a package would amount to simply throwing money at the problem, which every analyst has warned against — especially when one considers the sky-high levels of debt the nation is absorbing — and President Obama insists is not the case.

        It’s not too late to retool this plan and forestall more of the announcements like the one Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick made recently. He unveiled a $1.1 billion round of emergency budgets — including large reductions in local aid — that will lead to reductions in service, tough times at public colleges and universities at a time when applications to those institutions are soaring, and, most importantly, thousands of layoffs.

        As we wrote recently, giving Patrick a check for $2 billion today will do a lot more good than putting $2 billion into a troubled bank that will likely keep it in the vault, or targeting $2 billion for a ‘green’ energy development that won’t put anyone to work for two years, when the recession will presumably be over.

        At a time when colleges are selling their art collections to raise cash, drastic steps must be taken to restore confidence, keep people working, and put people laid off on Bloody Monday back to work.

        Time is of the essence when it comes to a stimulus package, but it’s more important to get it right than to get it done fast.

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