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Cradles to Crayons

Comcast’s Western New England Region is a lead sponsor of the Cradles to Crayons (C2C) Backpack program. Through Comcast’s support, C2C delivers back-to-school backpacks throughout Western Mass. to children in key communities. C2C volunteers were recently in Springfield for a drop-off event at Square One’s Faith Church Children’s Center. Following a short speaking program, Comcast and C2C volunteers presented 140 backpacks to children. At left, Doug Guthrie, senior vice president of the Western New England Region, and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One, are presented with a thank-you gift from the children at Faith Church, Elizabeth Diaz (left) and Karaun Taylor. Above, everyone is all smiles as Jen White, director of development for Cradles to Crayons, shows Quah’mar Hazel Todman, left, and Christina Brazoban their new backpacks.


Memory Stroll

A purple pathway of balloons framed a parade of 90 seniors, caregivers, volunteers, and staff led by Jewish Geriatric Services Board of Directors Chairman Michael Hurwitz on the recent JGS Alzheimer’s Memory Stroll around the JGS campus. Hurwitz was the grand marshal of the Third Annual Stroll and is pictured here with Ginny Sinkoski of the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts. The Memory Stroll is held to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease and generate support for the Massachusetts Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk later this month.

Sections Supplements
That’s How to Get More of What You Want From Your Financial Institution

In the movie Caddyshack, Ty Webb (played by Chevy Chase) offers a piece of sage advice to his caddy: “Danny, there’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.” Ty then blindfolds himself, walks up to his ball, and sticks it stiff to the pin.

In the spirit of that famous line, when you want to score a great deal and cultivate a longstanding business relationship with your banker, be the banker. Think like a banker. If you were the banker, what would make you sleep like a baby or give you nightmares?

As a certified public accountant, I advise my clients that there are several important characteristics a banker evaluates before lending you money. These characteristics can be broken down into three categories: financial, management, and environmental.

Financial characteristics include cash flow, collateral, and the availability of liquid assets to cover unanticipated losses. Management issues take into account the integrity, history, and reputation of the management team, as well as the ability to include additional guarantors on the note and the existence of a compelling strategic business plan. Environmental characteristics could include national and local economic conditions and legal and regulatory issues impacting the financial health of the business.

Let’s start with financial characteristics, and your first opportunity to be the banker. What do cash flow, collateral, and the availability of liquid assets have in common? They determine a business’s ability to repay a loan. Now, can you really blame a banker for being concerned about your ability to repay a loan? Any viable business needs to ensure that their customers can pay their bills. Banks are the same way.

In a perfect banking relationship, the banker lends money; the customer lives by the covenants of the loan and repays the loan. But sometimes the banking relationship becomes less than perfect, and the customer defaults on the loan. In the event of a default, the banker will want to sell the assets that were used to collateralize the loan.

So put on your banking shoes and say to yourself, “I don’t really want to get stuck with a bunch of assets that are valued less than the loan … I don’t really want to get stuck with any assets at all. I just want my customer to repay their loan. On the other hand, I’d sleep better knowing that if my customer defaulted, I’d have some way to recover my losses and make my bank whole.” Valuable, saleable collateral and back-up sources of liquid assets make bankers happy.

With a focus on management issues, be the banker again. As a banker, why would you be so interested in the integrity, experience, history, and reputation of the management team? The management team makes most all of the decisions impacting day-to-day and long-term operations. If the management team makes well-thought-out decisions, the business will probably be successful and have the ability to repay its debts. If the management team makes poor decisions, the business will suffer — it may fail — and be unable to repay its debts. If I’m the banker, I’d feel a lot better lending money to an experienced management team with a good track record.

Moreover, the ability to add additional guarantors to the banking relationship helps your banker sleep at night. Additional guarantors provide another safety net for a banker. If you and your business are unable to meet the obligations of the loan, the bank would have another option to seek repayment. That being said, an individual would only agree to be a guarantor if they believed in you and your business. Guarantors are typically stockholders of the company or family members. Many times, you’ll need to present your strategic business plan to potential guarantors to persuade them to sign their name on the dotted line. This is yet another reason to write an intelligent strategic business plan.

A good management team alone does not make for an attractive customer to a banker. It’s easier for a banker to lend money to a management team with a compelling strategic business plan than to lend money to a management team with scribbles written on Post-it Notes. A talented, experienced management team armed with a clear, compelling strategic plan is a winner in the eyes of most bankers.

So how can you get more of what you want from your bank? As a business leader, think as a banker thinks and make decisions as a banker makes decisions.

  • Before initiating conversations with a banker, I advise my clients to take some of the following steps:

  • Strengthen your cash position. Start now, as this may take time;
  • Build a solid management team. Be prepared to talk about their track record;
  • Dust off and update your strategic business plan. Make sure it’s presentable;
  • Carefully examine your operating environment. Be ready to talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats;
  • Plan for the unknown. Aggressively project expenses and conservatively project revenues;
  • Conduct a valuation of your assets. You may have to hire a business-valuation professional;
  • Line up additional guarantors who believe in you and your business model; and
  • Retain earnings in the business or personally to protect the business in challenging times. It’s good business sense, and bankers really like seeing that cushion.
  • Want a great deal from your banker? Of course you do. A banker wants to reduce the risks associated with writing a deal. A banker wants you to repay your loan. A banker wants to protect himself if you default on the loan. If you think your business will need access to funds sometime in the future, start preparing it now. And think like a banker. n

    Umberto Santaniello is a member of the firm and the quality control group at Kostin, Ruffkess & Co., LLC, a certified public accounting and business advisory firm. Beyond traditional accounting, auditing, and tax consulting, the firm also specializes in employee benefit plan audits, litigation support, business valuation, succession planning, business consulting, forensic accounting, wealth management, estate planning, fraud prevention, and information technology assurance; (413) 233-2300;www.kostin.com

    Sections Supplements
    Shielding Your Estate from Taxes Using Annuities and Life Insurance

    The growth of IRA funds accumulated for retirement now exceeds more than $4.75 trillion in the U.S. This figure is sure to increase over the coming years as age and retirement planning come to the forefront for a larger segment of the population.

    In many cases, people who have no use of an IRA account for retirement income may have the intention of passing these funds onto their heirs, but are unaware of the tax consequences that may ensue.

    While the initial contributions and earnings growth are tax deferred, the distribution is another matter entirely. Because the money used to create the IRA was never taxed, an IRA distribution is subject to income tax and, as a large portion of a person’s estate, may also be subject to estate taxes, increasing the tax burden. This is where a knowledgeable adviser can be a real asset.

    Additional Advantages with

    Life Insurance

    The easiest way to pass wealth on to the next generation is through the use of life insurance. This vehicle carries two main advantages in the transfer of wealth; first, life insurance benefits are tax-free to the beneficiary, and second, the increase of cash value is tax-deferred.

    Taking Advantage of Your IRA

    One way in which you can pass more of your estate on to your heirs is by using your IRA. You can use the funds in the IRA to purchase a fixed annuity, and then use the income stream from the annuity to purchase life insurance. The annuity is set up for guaranteed lifetime income in order to assure the ongoing maintenance of the life-insurance policy.

    Calculate the amount of income needed to purchase the insurance, taking into account the affects of taxation. The after-tax income is used to pay the policy premiums, with the heirs named as the beneficiary for the life-insurance policy.

    At the time of death, the annuity has no value; therefore there are no taxes due. The death benefits are paid to the beneficiary tax-free. Compare this to a situation with no planning, and the IRA being fully taxable at death, and it’s easy to see the benefits.

    You will, of course, be paying income taxes on the annuity income, but with the estate taxes eliminated, the end result should be a tax burden much lower than the combined income tax and estate tax that would be in effect without the proper planning.

    Create a Trust Account

    Finally, the establishment of the insurance policy should be done within a trust in order to avoid the inclusion of the death benefits as part of one’s estate.  There are additional tax and legal issues that should be considered.

    If you are interested in this concept, you should consult an attorney and tax advisor specializing in estate planning to ensure that your financial plan is structured to meet your particular situation and objectives.

    Marco Amato is the President of Dowd Financial Services, LLC and has been in the financial-service business for more than 30 years. Dowd Financial Services is a full-service financial division of the Dowd Agencies, with more than 50 years of combined monetary experience. The Dowd Agencies has four offices in Western Mass. Amato can be reached at (413) 538-7444;[email protected]

    Sections Supplements
    Fully Digesting What the Terms ‘Ordinary,’ ‘Necessary,’ and ‘Reasonable’ Mean

    It is early one evening, and you’re finishing a great dinner at a local restaurant with a colleague. The waitress brings the check, and you reach for your wallet. As you ponder which credit card to put it on, business or personal, you probably don’t realize the complex, sometimes contradictory rules that apply to deducting business meals and entertainment expenses.

    These rules go far beyond the IRS limitations which allow only a 50% deduction for meals and entertainment expenses. There are many rivers to cross before that bridge.

    The deductibility of any cost incurred for business entertainment or meals is governed by the long-established requirement that the expenditure be an ‘ordinary,’ ‘necessary,’ and ‘reasonable’ expense bearing a proximate relation to the taxpayer’s business or income-producing activity. Under an equally well-embedded principle, however, no deduction is allowed with respect to personal or family expenses.

    Over the years the courts have struggled to balance these countervailing principles by attempting to distinguish those expenditures that are business-related and deductible from those that are personal in nature and thus non-deductible.

    The term ‘ordinary and necessary’ does not lend itself to a ready definition. Countless cases that have attempted to determine whether an expense was in fact ‘ordinary and necessary’ with respect to a particular taxpayer have considered whether a hard-headed businessman would have incurred it under the circumstances. This common-sense test lends a degree of objectivity to the statutory formula, and is helpful in rationalizing the occasionally inconsistent results reached by the courts. If the taxpayer is an employee and incurs unreimbursed entertainment costs to benefit his employer, the expenditure, to be deductible on the individual level, must be an ‘ordinary and necessary’ expense of the taxpayer’s earning his salary as an employee. In general, this requires a showing that the employer required or expected the employee to bear these expenses himself and that the expenditures were not reimbursable by the employer.

    With respect specifically to promotional costs, including those for entertainment or meals, the case law recognizes as a general proposition that providing amenities of this nature to customers, clients, or business colleagues of a taxpayer is generally conducive to bettering the taxpayer’s business, and that this is not an unusual or uncustomary occurrence. Nevertheless, the taxpayer must be prepared to demonstrate that, with reference to the particular business conducted by the taxpayer, the expense was ‘ordinary.’ For an employee, generating goodwill falls short of the necessary requirements.

    The term ‘necessary’ means that the expenditure must be appropriate and helpful for the development of the taxpayer’s business. Under this definition, the expenditure need not be indispensable to one’s business, but it must be made with the intention of securing a business benefit. If the taxpayer can demonstrate that a business benefit was intended or resulted from the expenditure, any incidental personal benefit is disregarded; conversely, if the expenditure was primarily of personal or social benefit and only incidentally business-related, it is not deductible. Since expenditures for entertainment or meals are usually of mixed business and personal benefit to the taxpayer, they are especially susceptible to attack as lacking a business relationship.

    Perhaps you are feeling positive that the expense passes the ‘ordinary and necessary’ requirements. You are not yet insured a tax deduction. To be deductible, the expense must be not only ‘ordinary and necessary’ but also be either ‘directly related’ to or ‘associated with’ the active conduct of the taxpayer’s trade or business.

    Directly related entertainment usually involves a business discussion that should result in income or some other business benefit at some specific time in the future. This discussion can take place during the entertainment or in a clear business setting.

    ‘Associated with’ requires that a substantial business meeting must have taken place before, between, or after the entertainment activities and that the entertainment was associated with the active conduct of a trade or business.

    IRS rules state that entertainment or food and beverage expenses incurred in a ‘clear business setting’ directly in furtherance of the taxpayer’s trade or business are deemed ‘directly related.’

    IRS rules provide for an objective, rather than a subjective, standard to determine whether there was a clear business setting for the entertainment or meals. Thus, entertainment occurring in distracting circumstances is presumed not to have occurred in a clear business setting and is deemed socially, rather than commercially, motivated. IRS guidance cites the following examples of settings which might not be a clear business setting:

    • A meeting or discussion taking place at a nightclub, theater, or sporting event, or during essentially social gatherings such as a cocktail party; or

    • A meeting or discussion, if the taxpayer meets with a group that includes persons other than business associates, at places such as cocktail lounges, country clubs, golf and athletic clubs, or vacation resorts.
    • However, the Congressional Committee Reports indicate by way of illustration that Congress intended to allow the deduction of entertainment expenses as ‘associated with’ the active conduct of a trade or business if the taxpayer conducts substantial negotiations with a group of business associates and that evening entertains them and their wives at a restaurant, theater, concert, or sporting event. In this case, the entertainment expenses are considered ‘associated with’ the active conduct of the business, and are deductible, even though the purpose of the entertainment is to promote goodwill.

      So, having that said, a sporting event or theater would not be ‘directly related’ but would be ‘associated with.’ No wonder taxpayers get lost in these rules.

      IRS rules create a rebuttable presumption that the ‘active conduct of trade or business’ is not the principal character or aspect of combined business and entertainment activity on hunting or fishing trips, or on yachts and other pleasure boats, and requires the taxpayer to clearly establish to the contrary, to meet this test under those circumstances.

      Assuming a taxpayer meets the threshold tests of demonstrating that the entertainment or meal cost represents an ordinary and necessary business expense and then shows that the expense satisfies (or is excepted from having to satisfy) the ‘directly related’ test or the ‘associated with’ test, it must still meet the rigorous substantiation requirements. In essence, the rules bar any deduction for an expenditure on the basis of the unsupported testimony of the taxpayer or on the basis of his approximations.

      Accordingly, to secure any portion of the deduction, the taxpayer must substantiate all entertainment and meal expenses by adequate records or sufficient evidence corroborating his own statement as to (1) amount, (2) time and place, (3) business purpose, and (4) business relationship of the person entertained. The substantiation requirements are strictly construed, and the taxpayer’s failure to satisfy their particulars entails complete disallowance of the deduction.

      All this said, don’t forget that most meals and entertainment expenses, if deductible, are limited to a 50% deduction. Additionally, expenses related to an entertainment facility or membership are not deductible at all, but the cost of separately stated expenses incurred at such a place may be deducted subject to the above limits including the 50% rule.

      Kristina Drzal-Houghton, CPA, MST is partner in charge of Taxation at Meyers Brothers Kalicka in Holyoke; (413) 536-8510.

      Sections Supplements
      Pioneer Valley Christian School Provides a Unique Perspective
      Timothy Duff (left) and Gary Coombs

      Timothy Duff (left) and Gary Coombs say Pioneer Valley Christian School adopts a unique and effective philosophy on education.

      When Timothy Duff stands before his sociology class for the first time each year, he takes two sets of glasses out of his pocket, asking his students to think about how they view the world.

      “You can see it as a world created and controlled by God, using your Christian faith as the lens through which you view life,” he says, wearing one set of glasses.

      Then he switches to the second set, adding, “or, you can view it as a world of chance, devoid of any faith.”

      Duff is the headmaster at the Pioneer Valley Christian School on Plumtree Road in Springfield, a private educational institution with 265 students in preschool through grade 12.

      Housed in the former Ursuline Academy, PVCS is a partnership between families and staff members who want students exposed to a Christian worldview in a setting where faith trumps doubt in every arena of life.

      “Some people think a Christian school shortchanges students,” Duff said. “Our school does not. Students analyze all views, including evolution.”

      Parents make a strong commitment to the school, and many are graduates. They drive their children to PVCS from cities and towns that include Southwick, Granville, Westfield, Brimfield, Hadley, South Hadley, Enfield, and Somers, Conn. to follow in the footsteps of past generations.

      For this issue, BusinessWest takes a close-up view of the mission of PVCS and its ambitious plans for growth despite a turbulent economy.

      Setting a Course

      The school was conceived by a group of concerned parents at First Baptist Church in East Longmeadow in 1970, and opened its doors to 50 students in 1972 as the East Longmeadow Christian Day School.

      “These parents wanted an alternative where God could be at the foundation of learning, as they felt faith should be an integral part of the learning process,” said Duff.

      In its early years, the school was housed within the church. But in 1975, a new church was built, the old 1840s building was designated as a high school and renamed the Pioneer Valley Christian School, and younger students were moved to the new church building on Parker Street.

      By 1983, the population had outgrown the space, so for one year, kindergarten through grade 4 was taught in Church of the Nazarene on Wilbraham Road in Springfield, and grades 5 through 8 were housed in Bethesda Lutheran Church on Island Pond Road, a short distance away.

      Although it presented a challenge, administrators and parents remained committed to PVCS, and in the spring of 1984, negotiations began with the Ursuline Order of Nuns to purchase the well-kept Ursuline Academy, set on 25 acres at 965 Plumtree Road.

      At first, it appeared financially impossible, but parents pledged $300,000 annually over a three-year period, and in August 1985, PVCS made the $900,000 purchase.

      That year, enrollment increased from 135 to 225 students, and a preschool was added. The population continued to grow, and during the next three years the school received prestigious accreditations and added staff and administrative positions.

      During the ’90s, enrollment stabilized, fund-raising efforts continued, the second mortgage was paid off, and the first mortgage was reduced.

      In 1999, PVCS instituted a long-range, four-phase strategic plan for growth. The first phase, completed in 2003, was an elementary wing with six classrooms.

      Phase two kicked off late in 2007, and ground was broken in May 2008 for a 20,000-square-foot, $2.5 million, state-of-the-art Center for Science and the Arts, along with 12 new classrooms that include a chemistry and computer technology lab and visual arts space.

      The addition increased the size of the building by 50%, and volunteers pitched in to defray costs, saving the school about $250,000.

      Duff says donor generosity is a cornerstone of PVCS, and parents have built four tennis courts, the soccer and baseball fields, and repaved and enlarged the parking lot.

      School officials are excited about the addition, and Director of Development Gary Coombs says it will enhance the quality of the courses offered and allow for continued growth. With the added space, PVCS can accomodate 450 students. “We built it that way, as we expect to grow,” Coombs said.

      It will be at least three years before phase 3 is initiated. It calls for a $3 million new gymnasium with lockers, showers, a weight room, and additional classrooms. Down the road, phase 4 will expand the cafeteria, as the present ‘cafetorium’serves as both lunchroom and gymnasium.

      Study in Commitment

      PVCS suffered a drop in enrollment this fall, reducing the number of students from 315 to 265. It’s a loss of about $400,000 in tuition, but no reductions in staff were made, and the student-to-teacher ratio stands at 15-to-1 or lower.

      Tuition ranges from $4,000 for two half-days of preschool to $9,300 for high-school students, with optional programs available for students with cognitive and learning disabilites.

      Many students receive financial aid from a fund fed by donors. “Tuition reductions are based on financial need,” said Coombs. If families still can’t meet the cost, they can apply for scholarships.

      Five years ago, MassMutual included the school in its scholarship program, and 10 students were given full, four-year scholarships. That program has ended, but Duff and Coombs hope other companies will come forward to assist them.

      Although the drop in enrollment is a cause for concern, “we expect when the economy gets better, our enrollment will increase,” Coombs said.

      Principles of Christian faith are built upon in every class and incorporated into the curriculum. But Duff is quick to explain that students receive a quality, rounded education and are exposed to every side of the issues they study. Still, they are constantly reminded they have the choice of viewing things from a Christian tradition.

      That suits their parents. “Parents find harmony between what is taught at home, at school, and in their houses of worship,” Coombs said, referring to morals and the faith elements of Christianity.

      Every student takes a Bible class each year, and all subjects are viewed from both a secular and Christian perspective. “We teach both, but use the values and virtues taught in the Scriptures to analyze even subjects like literature,” Duff said. “The principles of the Bible serve as a backdrop to how we look at life.”

      Christian beliefs are put into action, and every high school student has to complete 20 hours of community-service work to graduate. Elementary students host clothing and food drives and collect soda-can tops for the Ronald McDonald House, as well as supporting children in third-world countries and needy area families. “It goes back to the biblical belief that we must love our neighbors as ourselves,” said Coombs.

      Academics are stressed, however, and high-school foreign-language offerings embrace French and Spanish, while advanced-placement courses include mathematics and sciences. English students enter a variety of competitions in science, art, music, spelling, mathematics, athletics, creative writing, and speech, bringing home awards.

      Last spring, every graduate went on to college, and the school’s graduates have attended a prestigious line of educational institutions, including the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

      That generates pride, but the biggest graduation gift they receive is knowing they have a choice of viewing their lives, sorrows, and joys through a lens which shines with faith — or one which simply shows things as they are.

      Sections Supplements

      If you are one of the many millions of Americans who are responsible for your own personal financial needs, as well as supporting and caring for your own children, in addition to your elderly family members, you are part of the Sandwich Generation (SandGen).

      Approximately 44% of Americans between ages 45 and 55 are stuck right there in the middle of two generations who are both financially and emotionally dependent for their well-being. According to a recent AARP report, there are nearly 20 million Baby Boomers in this situation. This SandGen must look at planning from many different angles in order to ensure that they can secure their own financial future as well as provide for those they care about.

      Common expenses and responsibilities that you may face if you’re a part of the SandGen are college tuition, wedding expenses, helping with housing for your children, caretaker responsibilities, health care costs and cost-of-living expenses for your adult parents, all the while still trying to save for your own retirement. Despite the fact that advanced planning is usually best, attacking the issues at any time will bring more success than a do-nothing approach.

      The SandGen parents in this situation must first have an open conversation about the importance of financial planning and solid money-management skills with their children — the younger the better, as this conversation can jump-start planning for future education expenses as well as other major lifetime expenses. Although many parents crack into their retirement nest egg in order to finance college education, children should be encouraged to look into other financial resources that may be available. They may be able to access education savings plans, scholarships, grants, money earned from part-time employment, and student loans in order to offset the financial strain on their parents.

      A low-interest loan for a college education seems a better choice than the invasion of principal and the associated taxes and penalties that may result from using retirement savings. If the SandGen continues to deplete assets on college as well as the other caring responsibilities, they will likely extend their working years on average an additional 10 years.

      There are also luxury expenses — for example, helping with weddings or assisting with the purchase of homes for their children. Here, the SandGen needs to take into consideration that these financial outlays are going to dramatically affect their retirement and lifestyle. Children need to understand the implications that these requests may have on their parents as well, so the SandGen must find a way to discuss with their children what is necessary and what is luxurious. Those who give in and offset major purchases and expenses for their children may need to adjust their estate plans to account for disproportionate distributions during their lifetime between their children.

      An aging parent, grandparent, or other elderly relative who is dependent upon this generation comes with major potential financial needs. Assisted-living facilities that help a relative with the activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, and personal care can cost on an average $48,000 yearly. Nursing-home care costs over $100,000 annually.

      The average household is not in a position to absorb these types of extraordinary expenses, and the average household is not equipped to take in an elderly family member or provide at-home care in the family member’s home. The decision to bring an elder family member into one’s home often results in a major home renovation. This can be funded by the elder’s money, but although it is often much less expensive than what an elder would spend on nursing-home or assisted-living care, it still may become cost-prohibitive if the elder requires a level of care greater than family members can provide, as in-home care costs can be daunting. Also, down the road, the elder may require a level of skilled care that cannot accomplished at home.

      One way to prevent these types of expenses is through the ownership of a long-term care insurance policy that begins to pay when a policy holder suffers from a chronic condition and needs constant care. The policy can pay for in-home assistance, assisted-living facilities, as well as nursing-home care, depending upon the level of need. The most affordable premiums are quoted to people in their early 50s who are in good health. Although the premiums are often expensive, especially for older applicants, it still is less expensive than the annual costs of privately paying for the care.

      Families should discuss sharing these premiums if an elderly person can’t afford the expense alone. Siblings sharing in the cost can dramatically reduce the financial burden to a single household.

      In the event that a parent cannot qualify for long-term care insurance, Medicaid, a state’s health care system for individuals who meet a predetermined poverty level, can be accessed. Bear in mind however, that in order to qualify, the applicant must be devoid of nearly all assets and the family will be spending assets on the private-pay costs of care.

      Families should consult with an elder law attorney who can advise on the development of an asset-preservation plan that may reduce the cost to the family or benefit them by determining what can be protected from Medicaid recovery and prevented from being spent on care.

      A reverse mortgage is another option for individuals who desire to remain in their own home. For many elderly people, this is of paramount concern; however, they may not have the day-to-day resources to afford to remain there. In the absence of assistance from their children to pay the monthly carrying costs of real-estate taxes, hazard insurance, water, sewer, utilities, maintenance, and any debt service, there would be no feasible way for the parent to remain in the home. A reverse mortgage allows the elder to access the equity in their home for expenses for as long as they continue to live in their home. This loan is then paid back upon the death of the elder, or the sale or refinance of the property. A reverse mortgage may deplete the potential inheritance to be received from a elderly family member; however, balanced against the financial security of not having to invade one’s retirement and savings, as well as giving the elder the peace of mind of remaining at home, it seems a win-win option.

      During this time of determining housing options, it is a good idea to speak with the elder about the need for a proper estate plan, creating one if no plan exists or updating an outdated existing plan. What may often be a touchy subject among children and parents or elderly relatives may be broached more easily when working together to reach health care, housing, and lifestyle decisions. In any event, a SandGener who is taking on the financial obligations and/or personal care responsibilities of an elderly relative must ensure that the relative has at least a health care proxy, durable power of attorney, and last will and testament in place in order to stave off problems in future decision-making.

      All in all, the SandGen is one that still needs to save for themselves in addition to saving for their children’s education and paying to support the expenses of their elder family members. They can’t ignore their own needs while succumbing to the pressure of meeting everyone else’s needs. Proper planning for this generation includes not only their own individual retirement and financial and estate planning, but that for their children and elder relatives as well. This can include, but not be limited to, the use of traditional savings vehicles, life insurance, long-term care insurance, qualified retirement funds, 529(c) plans and other available college savings plans, as well as a good old-fashioned budget and proper estate planning to ensure that everyone’s needs are met. With proper planning, there should be plenty of eggs left in the nest to go around. n

      Julie A. Dialessi-Lafley, Esq. is a partner with the law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C. She focuses her practice in business, real estate, estate planning and administration, elder law, and family law; (413) 781-0560;bwlaw.blogs.com/familylawbits;[email protected]

      Sections Supplements
      Hampden Bank Continues Its Growth Pattern
      Tom Burton

      Tom Burton says tough times have chased people from investments markets and toward safer options like a strong community bank.

      Last year was a rough one for financial institutions everywhere, but a good one for Hampden Bank, which was well-capitalized following its conversion to a publicly traded company in 2007 and, like most local banks, free of the toxic loans weighing down the industry on the national level. After turning a slight profit in 2008 (no small feat), the bank continues to thrive, looking for further growth opportunities — and further ways to brighten each customer’s day.

      As part of its current marketing campaign, Hampden Bank says it wants to brighten each customer’s day. Thomas Burton’s day is brightened just by thinking about the timing of its transformation to a publicly traded company in 2007.

      “Obviously, our timing was very good,” said Burton, the bank’s president and CEO. “When we first decided to go public, in late 2005, we were at a point where we needed capital to continue to grow the bank — and we raised a lot of capital, more than we really needed.” In fact, the first initial public offering in 2007 netted about $50 million.

      “So we ended up with a lot of capital going into a period of time, last year, when the capital markets essentially collapsed, and you couldn’t get capital if you wanted to,” he continued. “We were very fortunate that we continued to grow, and we went through this difficult time in very, very good shape. We actually made a small profit last year.”

      Hampden Bank has more than weathered the storm; well-capitalized and free of the toxic assets that have cripped many national banks, the institution saw its deposit accounts grow tremendously last year, and commercial loan volume increase by 8% — a remarkable figure at a time when the recession has dissuaded many companies from expanding and making capital investments.

      “I have satellite radio in my car, and I hear these national ads from loan brokers saying that banks aren’t lending,” Burton told BusinessWest. “Well, we’ve been lending. Our underwriting standards haven’t changed, and 8% growth is a good year when there hasn’t been a lot of economic expansion. I think it’s unrealistic for people to think they can’t get a loan in this day and age; certainly we’ve been lending on a consistent basis.”

      In this issue, BusinessWest examines why, at an uncertain time for the economy as a whole and especially financial services, Hampden Bank’s future is looking bright.

      Successful Surge

      In rocky financial times, people gravitate toward local institutions they trust, said Rick DeBonis, senior vice president of marketing at Hampden Bank. While any bank can bring in money by raising CD rates, he explained, Hampden significantly raised its core deposits over the past year because people felt like that’s where their money should be.

      “This past year, we saw one of our largest deposit growth years ever,” Burton said. “There’s been a flight to safety, with taking money out of the markets and going back to their local banks, and we benefited from this. We need the deposits to continue to grow.”

      “It was a remarkable year, and that came from a cross-section of checking accounts, money markets, and some CDs,” added DeBonis. “We employ what is called a ‘surge marketing’ technique and focus on a two- to three-mile radius around each branch, and that seems to be working well for us. Of course, you’ve got to have the right products, too.”

      Burton said the bank’s marketing efforts have focused on Hampden’s position as a local, community bank, “where you have access to real people, where you can call in during business hours and not get an answering machine, but get a real person. My office is right off the lobby, and I certainly expect to see customers — and, believe me, they don’t hesitate to drop in.”

      But that community emphasis extends beyond mere courtesies and carries a tangible economic benefit for Greater Springfield, he explained.

      “It’s what we call our ‘circle of prosperity,’” he told BusinessWest. “We’re getting these local deposits, and they are lent back into the community — whereas, if you put your money into a national bank headquartered somewhere else, like Charlotte, or Canada, those deposits may or may not stay local.”

      “We say that deposits made here go to work here, which is an important distinction,” DeBonis said. “Also, an important focus of our advertising starting last year has been to use Tom as the key spokesperson. We feel that’s important in this environment, that peole want to know the president of the bank, that he’s accessible to them. He’s always had an open-door policy, and that gives people an added measure of comfort and peace of mind, knowing the president of the bank is right here, addressing their issues.”

      One of those issues, Burton said, is simple customer anxiety — specifically, the fear last fall that their deposits weren’t safe as bank failures dominated the news. Like other area institutions that remained essentially healthy (in large part because they had not abandoned basic underwriting standards to take on risky loans), Hampden Bank was proactive in getting the word out that, between the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. increasing coverage from $100,000 to $250,000 of each bank account and Massachusetts guaranteeing the rest, people’s money was safe.

      Then there’s the bank’s marketing slogan of the past year: “How can we brighten your day?”

      “Our people answer the phone that way, and they mean it,” DeBonis said. “It’s not just a slogan, but something we’re trying to live,” whether that means easing someone through the mortgage process or helping someone to their car with an umbrella when it’s raining. “It’s going above and beyond and brightening a customer’s day.”

      Burton said customers want that kind of treatment given the economic turmoil of the past year. “It’s been the worst of times and the best of times,” he noted. “We’ve done well capturing new customers, especially from the larger banks, and that has allowed the bank to continue to grow. Word of mouth is the best advertising, and not a week goes by when I don’t get a letter from someone who had a pleasant experience doing business here. That’s encouraging, that people would take the time to write about their experience. It makes my day when that occurs.”

      Branching Out

      Burton said Hampden Bank has been growing by about a branch a year on average; its latest addition, on Shaker Road in Longmeadow, is that town’s second branch, but one that’s more accessible to residents of East Longmeadow as well as Suffield and Enfield, Conn., giving Hampden a foothold across the border.

      “We look for opportunities where we see weaknesses in the industry,” he said. “We’re always looking for opportunities to grow the bank, both geographically and in lines of business, and we have our eyes open and ears to the ground. Right now, coming out of a recession, is the best time to expand and make moves.”

      The bank’s online presence has also seen consistent growth, Burton said. “People recogize it as a convenience, and it becomes part of their life. You can pay bills and transfer funds wherever you have a computer and Internet. Look at me — I work a few feet from the tellers, and I rarely go there.”

      He doesn’t expect online banking to replace physical branches any time soon, though, or even reduce the need for them very much. “People go to the bank for a variety of reasons — to transact business, yes, but for some it’s a social experience. People are always welcome here, and they’re welcome online; we’re glad to have all these channels open to our customers.”

      Those efforts to brighten people’s day, wherever they choose to conduct business, is paying off, Burton said, as evidenced by the influx of new business as well as a high percentage of customers who have been with Hampden Bank for at least a decade.

      “Our focus now is on continuing to grow and leverage the capital we have, while making sure we don’t make any mistakes in the process,” Burton said. “We’ve seen that happen to too many banks that went from mutuality to stock ownership in the late ’80s, and we don’t want to make the same mistakes some of those made.”

      That means seeking out growth opportunities slowly and deliberately and reaping the rewards of greater lending power — the bank can make commercial loans up to $10 million — but also refusing to compromise its underwriting standards to make a quick buck.

      “We had one foreclosure this year — a condo that wasn’t even inhabited — and have another one in process, and that’s the extent of our foreclosures,” he said. “There’s two reasons for that. One, we correctly underwrote the loans in the first place, and two, those customers who have had financial problems or lost their job, we try to work with them to modify their loans to make them affordable or at least help them through the temporary difficulties in their household income.”

      It all goes back to developing lasting connections with the people to come through the front door seeking financial assistance.

      “We’re not transaction-oriented; we’re relationship-oriented,” Burton said. “We don’t just care about giving you a mortgage; we want customers to be with us for a long time, for their deposits, car loans, investment services, whatever. We’d like to be their financial institution of choice.”

      It’s a bright strategy — one that’s paying dividends even in uncertain economic times.

      Joseph Bednar can be reached at

      [email protected]

      Sections Supplements
      60 Congress St. Gets a Facelift and a Clean Slate
      Bob Greeley, left, and Zane Mirkin

      Bob Greeley, left, and Zane Mirkin say the accessibility of 60 Congress St. should help fill the building, even in a down economy.

      While speculative building is certainly risky in this economy, Zane Mirkin and Jerry Gagliarducci thought they were on solid ground when they acquired 60 Congress St., aka the ‘Hooters Building.’ They’re off to a strong start with the signing of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission as lead tenant, and believe they can fill what’s left quickly due to the building’s great location and a facelift that is making its past use a distant memory.

      Bob Greeley calls it “changing the mass.”

      That’s a development industry term (sort of), he said, that is used to describe the process of dramatically altering a building’s appearance so that no one will know what it was before — or care.

      To say that the mass has been changed at 60 Congress St. in Springfield would be a real understatement, at least in light of some the anecdotes shared by Greeley, president of the R.J. Greeley Co., who helped orchestrate this highly visible project.

      60 Congress St. — before, during, and after.

      “I’ve had a lot of people ask me if this a new building,” he said of the structure, which was built nearly a century ago and has seen a number of uses, including, most recently, home to a certain chain restaurant noted for its provocatively dressed waitresses. “And one person said to me recently, ‘this was the Hooters building?’”

      That’s exactly the kind of comments Greeley and the two partners/developers in this endeavor, Zane Mirkin and Jerry Gagliarducci, had in mind when they demolished one section of the four-story structure, completely gutted what was left, built a small addition, and put on a new façade.

      Actually, the real goal was and is to remove the phrase ‘Hooters building’ from the local lexicon — and sooner rather than later.

      “We certainly don’t use that term anymore,” said Greeley, referring to those at his firm who call it simply, ‘60 Congress St.’ He believes that with time, and perhaps not much of it, that will become the name commonly used in Greater Springfield. And to help move matters along, the developers have affixed the numeral 60 (five feet high) to all four sides of the building.

      They can be seen by a great many people, said Mirkin, president of Associated Building Wreckers, who, while offering a tour of the facility along with Greeley, gestured with his hand while looking out huge windows facing south, west, and north. With that view, people can see cars traversing Routes 91 and 291, as well as Main Street and other major arteries. “This is a very visible, very accessible site.”

      It is this attractive location that inspired Mirkin and Gagliarducci to undertake what amounts to speculative development at the height of the worst recession in 70 years, and it prompted optimism from Greeley as he discussed the task of filling the remaining space.

      The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has taken the first two floors, or roughly 60% of the 30,000 square feet available, and Greeley says there’s been a good deal of interest in floors three and four, which can accommodate one or several tenants each within their 6,000 square feet.

      “We’ve had some interest from the medical sector,” he said, noting that there are many medical offices within a few blocks of the building, as well as the close proximity of Baystate Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center. “But we’re seeing it from many other sectors as well; I’ve had a lot of calls.”

      New Lease on Life

      Recalling his Springfield history, Greeley told BusinessWest that 60 Congress St. was long home to the American Linen Supply company and was the only building in a three- or four-block area of the North End not to be razed during what became widely known as the ‘bulldozer era’ of urban renewal in the early and mid-1960s.

      “It managed to survive all that somehow,” he explained. “It was a solid building, in pretty good shape — so they let it stand.”

      More than four decades later, it’s still there, although no one would recognize it — which is exactly the point of the exercise undertaken by Mirkin and Gagliarducci, president of Gagliarducci Construction, with a little coaxing from Greeley.

      He has worked with those businessmen on several commercial real estate developments in Greater Springfield, and saw, in 60 Congress St., what he considered another excellent opportunity.

      Greeley told BusinessWest that he had been “chasing” the building for some time, meaning that he had been monitoring the situation — the building had been vacant for some time after Hooters and another restaurant on that site closed down — and watching for circumstances to come together for practical reuse.

      He approached Mirkin and Gagliaducci to discuss what he considered to be vast potential at the site, but said he really didn’t have to sell them on the idea.

      “Instead, it pretty much sold itself,” he continued, adding quickly that, despite some structural challenges and the softened economy, the property had what he called “all the right ingredients” for success, including visibility, accessibility, and abundant on-site parking.

      Together, these provided more than enough selling points for Mirkin and Gagliarducci, who prevailed at the second of two auctions on the property roughly a year ago.

      This would become latest in a string of real-estate endeavors for the two partners. They came together for a development of an office complex on Dwight Road at the Longmeadow/East Longmeadow line, and also on a property on Brookdale Drive in Springfield that became home to Branford Hall. They also worked together on a project involving a former Peter Pan bus-repair facility on Arnold Avenue in Springfield.

      What the two saw in 60 Congress St. was a chance to breathe some life into a North End landmark that had somehow fallen into dormancy, and they took what amounted to a considerable risk given the economy and a soft real-estate market that has flooded the region with vacancies and ‘for-lease’ signs.

      But they were helped tremendously by the plight of the PVPC. The agency had been located on the top floor of the municipal office building in West Springfield for more than 20 years, but was informed in 2007 that the city needed that space. It was only a few months after Mirkin and Gagliaducci purchased the building when talks commenced about the agency about moving to that address.

      By then, the partners had already engaged the architectural firm Caolo & Bieniek and Saloomey Construction Co. to design to execute this “changing of the mass” that Greeley described.

      A small portion of the original structure was demolished, and a new entrance element, featuring an elevator, stairwell, and common space, was added. A number of structural changes were made to bring the 99-year-old edifice up to modern building codes (earthquake-proofing it, for example), said Mirkin, and the property was essentially gutted to its four walls.

      The signing of the PVPC as the primary tenant provided a real sense of urgency and moved matters along very quickly, said Greeley, noting that the developers set and met an aggressive timetable to have the agency moved in by Sept. 1.

      As for the task of filling the remaining space, Greeley told BusinessWest that he had been reluctant to show prospective tenants a work in progress or architects’ renderings of what a renovated 60 Congress St. would look like. But now that the work is essentially completed, he’s making up for lost time.

      “I wanted to wait until it was finished,” he explained. “It’s hard to sell people on a drawing. Now that people can see what’s been done, it will be much easier to sell them on this address.”

      Success Stories

      As he walked across the fourth floor of 60 Congress St., admiring the views of downtown Springfield that it provides, Greeley conjectured that it wouldn’t be long before the top two floors of the building — which have gone virtually unused for two decades — would again be teeming with activity.

      And by then, the phrase ‘Hooters Building’ should be that much closer to being a term out of use.

      That’s what happens when a building’s mass is changed — not to mention its fortunes.

      George O’Brien can be reached at

      [email protected]

      Sections Supplements
      New Central Heating Plant at UMass Sets the Standard for Energy Efficiency
      John Mathews

      John Mathews shows off UMass Amherst’s new, $133 million central heating plant.

      The new, $133 million central heating plant, or CHP, at UMass Amherst has been drawing plenty of attention — and winning its share of accolades from the industry trade publications — since opening last year. The reasons are simple: the new standards it is setting for efficiency and low emission levels, and the manner in which it builds a bridge of sorts between older technologies and the future of renewable energy.

      John Mathews nearly wore out the phrase ‘state of the art’ as he talked about the new central heating plant (CHP) at UMass Amherst.

      He used it to describe nearly every facet of the gleaming, $133 million facility, the building of which has been Mathews’ primary focus for more than a decade now.

      Indeed, while standing on the roof of the glass and steel structure, Mathews pointed out the aesthetic refinements of the building, from smokestacks sheathed with a metal mesh scrim to south-facing high-tech windows, to that soaring roofline echoing the neighboring Mullins Center.

      Mathews, assistant director of the Facilities Planning Division at UMass Amherst, has been the project manager for the $133 million CHP, and after 12 years, he’s happy not only to see the project finally finished, but to have it recognized as a standard-bearing example of the future for district energy facilities.

      Dedicated this past April, the CHP is the latest example of UMass leading the way in providing responsible answers to the energy needs of the 21st century. The technology utilized throughout the facility, from mechanical to architectural, has helped contribute to a 30% reduction of the school’s carbon footprint. Overall, the CHP has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions at UMass by approximately 75%.

      Mathews gave BusinessWest a tour of the facility recently, and described the innovations that have made this power house the latest word in efficient energy production.

      Steam of Consciousness

      The CHP replaces a power plant that was completed in 1910. Mathews joked that the campus technology had been a contemporary of Teddy Roosevelt as he stormed Cuba during the Spanish American War. The university was then in its heyday as an agricultural college.

      “That technology had been added onto in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s,” he continued, “but you need the reliable and quality power today to function as a modern research facility, which in so many ways UMass has become.”

      Financed by the UMass Building Authority (UMBA), a separate state agency from the university, the facility was first blueprinted in the 1990s, when the school decided that the time had come to finally replace the old coal-fired power plant, which over time became close to the hub of the growing campus.

      The UMBA is responsible for all facets of university capital construction, from financing to design and construction. Upon completion, the buildings are then turned over to the campus physical plant operations. In the case of the CHP, the decision was made to use the same architectural firm, Cambridge Seven, that designed the Mullins Center.

      The 1,400-acre Amherst campus has more than 10 million square feet of space in more than 200 buildings. More than 25 miles of steam lines bring power to these buildings, and the CHP is at the core of it all.

      The primary energy needs for the university are steam and electricity. Steam is used throughout the year, for hot water, heating in the winter, but also used to run absorption chillers in warmer months. “As steam cools, it contracts by 1,000%,” Mathews explained. “That vacuum allows us to generate cold water that is then put into air conditioners.”

      The heart of the CHP is a 10 megawatt gas turbine powered by a jet engine. The process is called combined-cycle technology, and while the machinery looks high-tech, Mathews’ description makes it seem pretty simple.

      “We fire natural gas or oil into the jet engine, and that spins an electric turbine generator which makes electricity,” he said. “It has an air compressor, with rows of fan blades that compress the air to 450 pounds per square inch, where we inject gas into a combustion chamber. Gas expands as it combusts, and it spins the fan blades, spins the rotor, and makes electricity.

      “The heat from that process exhausts at 900 degrees Fahrenheit,” he continued, “and that exhausts into a heat recovery boiler. There’s an additional duct firing natural-gas burners like a backyard barbecue, but in an industrial size, 72 burners, and that fires the temperature in the boiler up to about 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.”

      Thus, the two demands for the campus, electricity and steam, are met. According to the CHP’s specs, the gas turbine produces 10 million watts of electricity at 13.8 kilovolts. An additional 4.5-megawatt steam turbine generator adds to the electrical output.

      While most people would think that a state-of-the-art and efficient district energy facility would incorporate some form of renewable fuel source such as solar, geothermal, or wind, Mathews explained that for the requirements of this power plant, fossil-fuel consumption is still the best possible way to meet the energy needs of the university community.

      “The CHP is an important bridge between the older technologies and the future of renewable energy technologies,” he said. “Solar is still very expensive per kilowatt hour, and so are fuel cells, which are 10 times the cost of energy from fossil fuels. Nuclear power is hard to site. Renewable energies just need more time to develop. In the meantime, we have these technologies available to us that will have a significant contribution in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

      So what the CHP does do incredibly well is use existing methods of fuel consumption and make them more efficient than ever before. Traditionally, a power plant utilizing steam turbines for the production of electricity captured about 35% of the available energy in their fuel, wasting the other 65% into the atmosphere and the environment as ash. The CHP uses over 80% of the available energy in the fuel.

      “Almost close to optimum use per pound of fuel is captured here,” Mathews continued. “Per pound of fuel, we are generating twice as much electricity as a traditional power plant, plus half the greenhouse gas emissions of a power plant. This facility was responsible for significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions for all state-owned facilities in the Commonwealth. This one facility. And there’s not a solar cell in the place.”

      He said that state agencies have wanted a power plant of this sort to be built for a long time. The Massachusetts DEPA, along with those of California and New York, has been pushing the industry to do better and be more efficient.

      “The permits they issued for this facility were stricter than those for the facility they did before ours,” Mathews said, “and the permits after this will be even stricter. They’re pushing the vendors to further develop their technology, to lower total emissions.

      “We are meeting the most stringent air-pollution-control standards in the country,” he continued. “There is no other facility of this kind, of this size, in the country that has such low emission limits as we have. So it has really challenged the manufacturers to meet those low limits. They are trying to use these technologies to make the higher limits around the country meet these limits.”

      But the emissions aren’t the only aspect of the CHP that make it a model for efficiency.

      Waste Not, Want Not

      In the past, steam traveling from the power plant to the campus was lost in the process, and not successfully recirculated back to the source. Mathews estimated that the older facility would get on average of 80% to 90% of the steam returned.

      To make up for that loss, additional water was pumped in from the Amherst town water supply. “We were using about 150,000 to 250,000 gallons per day of make-up water for steam,” he said.

      But in true fashion for a model of efficiency, the CHP uses so-called gray water, non-industrial wastewater, from the nearby Amherst town wastewater treatment plant. “We treat it through two different treatment processes, sterilizing it and also reducing the suspended materials and minerals,” he explained. “By doing so, we are diverting about 11% of its flow to the Connecticut River.

      “Recycling the water saves something in the neighborhood of 65 million gallons per year taken from the drinking water supply,” he continued.

      But it’s not just the state agencies that have recognized the CHP as a standard bearer for regional energy facilities.

      Combined Cycle Journal, the industry’s leading trade publication, gave the UMass facility one of its highest recognitions for 2008, the Pacesetter Plant Award. The International District Energy Assoc., a non-profit with goals of energy efficiency and environmental quality, gave UMass Amherst an award at the CHP’s opening for leading sustainable campus in America. Mathews said that he is currently seeking federal recognition, with an award from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection for Combined Cycle Technology.

      But the CHP is just one example of the school taking the lead with regard to its own environmental impact.

      “As a campus, environmentally, we have just instituted about 40 energy-conservation measures,” said Mathews. “We replaced 12,000 light fixtures on campus, about 5,000 plumbing fixtures, modernized our chillers and air-conditioning equipment. We have effectively reduced our steam and electrical demand by over 20% during the design of this project” — such a reduction in demand, in fact, that the CHP was able to eliminate one of the large boilers from the facility’s array.

      The CHP may be the tip of the spear for central power plants, but for the school also. UMass will further its green commitment with two new buildings in the pipeline. As Mathews puts the finishing touches on this building, he mentioned a new police station just out to bid now which is designed to be a LEED gold structure, and a $144 million science building, with a LEED level to be determined.

      With the power plant designed to meet the school’s energy demands for the coming decades, Chancellor Robert Holub said, “this first-rate building advances UMass Amherst’s leadership in higher education with development of one of the nation’s most efficient and environmentally friendly energy facilities. It also will contribute significantly to meeting the governor’s goals for reducing the carbon footprint of state facilities.”

      Mathews said that he’s given tours of the CHP to organizations facing similar projects, and he’s happy to use the plant as a model of what could be. “This is a public facility, so we’re not here to make a profit,” he said. “But there are private-sector developers for district power plants throughout the world who are struggling to make this viable for them. Cities and towns and state agencies need to provide more incentive for the construction of these kinds of facilities.”

      While the university continues to be on the front line for alternative energy sources, its own needs are met for the coming decades by this example of efficient operation. UMass, in more ways than one, is proving again to be a powerhouse in efficient energy answers.

      Departments

      Ten Points About : The Newly Amended Identity Theft Regulations

      By AMY B. ROYAL, Esq.

      1. On August 17, the state Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulations announced a new round of revisions to the identity theft regulations that are intended to be less onerous on smaller businesses and more consistent with federal law.

      2. The regulation’s new effective date is March 1, 2010. This is the third time that these regulations have been extended.
      3. The most dramatic change to the newest proposed set of regulations is the adoption of a “risk-based” approach to information security.
      4. With the new risk-based approach, size matters. Under this new approach, businesses are permitted to take into account their particular size, scope, amount of resources, nature and quantity of data collected or stored and the need for security when creating and implementing their information-security program.

      5. The changes in the regulations are especially important to small businesses that do not handle and store large amounts of personal information.

      6. The regulations soften the requirements for businesses that only store personal employee information as opposed to those businesses that also store personal customer information.
      7. The regulations clarify that they apply to “those engaged in commerce,” meaning those who collect and retain personal information in connection with the provision of goods and services or for the purpose of employment.
      8. The computer security requirements of the new regulations apply to a business if they are technically feasible. This means that if there is a reasonable means through technology to accomplish the required result, then those reasonable means must be used.
      9. Whether your business is small or large, your information security program must be in writing.

      10. The regulations require encryption of portable devices where it is reasonable and technically feasible. The definition of encryption has been amended to make it technology neutral.

      Although the regulations have again been delayed, it is still important to begin planning for compliance now, especially since the information security program must be developed, written and implemented, which includes training employees in the program, by March 1, 2010.

      Amy B. Royal, Esq. is a partner in the law firm of Royal & Klimczuk, LLC. She specializes in management-side labor and employment law; (413) 586-2288 or [email protected].

      Departments

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

      Ablicki, Jonathan S.
      Ablicki, Jennifer L.
      PO Box 177
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Algozer, Lorraine
      99 3rd St. #1
      Turners Falls, MA 01376
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/27/09

      Andrews, James J.
      Andrews, Debra S.
      42 Homestead Ave.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/01/09

      Arena, Luis A.
      Arena, Carmen L.
      75 Lyman St.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Arnold, Gary B.
      Arnold, Linda D.
      a/k/a Lewis, Linda D.
      847 South West St.
      Feeding Hills, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/07/09

      Atayan, Svetlana
      a/k/a Mnatsakanyan, Svetlana
      67 Manor Court
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Auto Test World
      LaPorte, Judy M.
      LaPorte, John J.
      30 Westbrook Ave.
      Ware, MA 01082
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Axas, Theodore D.
      47 Oakwood Dr.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Bailey, Lisa M.
      482 Leyden Road
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Bauer, Robert B.
      11 Anderson Ave.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Bergeron, Adam J.
      36 Charles St.
      Orange, MA 01364
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/01/09

      Bergeron, Jeremy D.
      32 Lewis St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      Bergeron, Kyle E.
      89 Union Road
      Wales, MA 01081
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Berry Construction
      Berry Transportation
      Berry, David W.
      106 Coes Hill Road
      Southwick, MA 01077
      Chapter: 11
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Bird, Deborah A.
      323 East St., Apt. E
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Blais, Eric C.
      Blais, Tracy L.
      340 Montcalm St.
      Chicopee, MA 01022
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Boothe, Barbara A.
      a/k/a Ruelle, Barbara A.
      297 Morgan Road
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Bouchard, James A.
      Bouchard, Karla A.
      586 Roosevelt Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Bourdeau, Gyslain M.
      Bourdeau, Sheila M.
      20 Sterling St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Bowers, James L.
      Bowers, Tammy A.
      a/k/a McDonald, Tammy A.
      79 Laurel St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Boyd, Christopher Stephen
      Brown-Boyd, Roxanne
      831 South East St.
      Amherst, MA 01002
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Boyd, Tracie H.
      60 Allen Road
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Brown, Eric
      16 West Summit St.
      South Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/03/09

      Brozo, Nancy Jean
      154 Cutler Road
      Warren, MA 01083
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Bruno, Arianna Koren
      11 Katelyn Way
      Southampton, MA 01073
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Buah-Miezah, Lydia
      a/k/a Ampong, Lydia
      17 Berkshire Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/07/09

      Calderon, Celines
      115 Ranney St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Calkins, Jennifer L.
      a/k/a Platt, Jennifer L.
      146 Reynolds St.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Camilleri, Richard P.
      14 Upland Road
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Carlson, Paul
      Carlson, Doris L.
      137 Warren Road
      Brimfield, MA 01010
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Carmon, Paul M.
      Carmon, Michelle L.
      a/k/a Strauch, Michelle
      58 Euclid Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Carnahan-Gavin, Prudence A.
      182 Silver St.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Carrasquillo, Jr., Roberto
      8 Eddy St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Carrero, Seleida
      a/k/a Candelaria, Seleida
      70 Broadway St., Apt.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Cassella, Albert J.
      172 Windsor St.
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Castro, Luis A.
      Santiago, Ruth I.
      a/k/a Castro, Ruth I.
      18 Leyfred Ter.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Cat, Buff Charlie
      Kowaleck, Elizabeth A.
      a/k/a Kowaleck, Becky A.
      42 Park Road
      Sunderland, MA 01375
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/14/09

      Cavanaugh, Dawn M.
      224 Mill St.
      Agawam, MA 01001
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/27/09

      Chandler, Ruth E.
      18 Duclos Dr.
      Feeding Hills, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Charbonneau, Ruthann C.
      8 Ruel St.
      Adams, MA 01220
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Choinski, Stanley R.
      145 Little Alum Road
      Brimfield, MA 01010
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Clapp, Susan Emerson
      Clapp, Brian E.
      109 Pixley Road
      Great Barrington, MA 01245
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Clark, Walter L.
      179 Wells St.
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      CMiel, Jason Luke
      245 Greystone Ave.
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Coburn, Kathleen
      102 Ohio Ave.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Coffey, Ginger
      a/k/a Silva, Ginger
      31 Grove St.
      Wilbraham, MA 01095
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Comiskey, Michael P.
      43 Dickinson St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Connor, Lisa M.
      PO Box 118
      Feeding Hills, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Courchesne, Alan M.
      8 Chudy St.
      Three Rivers, MA 01080
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/25/09

      Cox, Bernard
      PO Box 91211
      Springfield, MA 01139
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Creamer, Guillermo David
      1 Ladd Road
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Cuesta, Ricardo
      140 Union St., Apt. D64
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Cuevas, Eligio L.
      Cuevas, Aida
      9 Bradford Dr., Apt. B9
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Cusson, Kathleen Ann
      a/k/a Parrott, Kathleen A.
      156 Old Amherst Road
      Sunderland, MA 01375
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Cusson, Paul Edward
      156 Old Amherst Road
      Sunderland, MA 01375
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Damato, Carlo P.
      826 East St., Unit #13
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Davila, Nelson
      44 Governor St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Dawkins, Ann M.
      a/k/a Forrester, Ann M.
      23 Miller St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      DeFlumere, Gloria L.
      125 Silvin Road
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/27/09

      Dellagiustina, Sharon
      253 School St.
      Agawam, MA 01001
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Dolinski, Steven
      Dolinski, Jane
      57 Garfield Ave.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Doney, Michael George
      Doney, Lisa Ellen
      109 Cottage St.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Doyle Trucking
      Doyle, Dennis Shawn
      Doyle, April Dawn
      a/k/a Houle, April D.
      1282 1/2 South Main St.
      Palmer, MA 01069
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Duprey, Matthew R.
      Duprey, Laura M.
      114 Brainard St.
      South Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Duquette, William G.
      91 Mulberry St.
      Springfield, MA 01105
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Dyer, Dana R.
      a/k/a Dyer, Dana Ross
      Dyer, Saramarie H.
      390 Montgomery Road
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/14/09

      Elfman, Jeremy J.
      833 Riceville Road
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/18/09

      Ellis, Donald W.
      Ellis, Roxann
      2 Greystone Ave.
      Granby, MA 01033
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/18/09

      Elmer, Jennifer L.
      25 Westerly Circle
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Emken, Jeffrey
      146 North Longyard Road
      Southwick, MA 01077
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Emken, Julie
      32 Denise Dr.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Ercolino, Richard Joseph
      1139 Westfield St., Apt. 23
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Fabbri, Julie Anne
      108 Washington Road
      Brimfield, MA 01010
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Fellows, Michael J.
      205 State St.
      Northampton, MA 01060
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Finch, Henrietta M.
      21 Bringham St.
      Springfield, MA 01105
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Gagne, Gerard L.
      Gagne, Linda L.
      36 Josephine St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Gamble-Eddington, Brandi
      42 Thompson St.
      Springfield, MA 01109
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Garbiel, Michael J.
      Garbiel, Brenda L.
      28 Newcomb Lane
      Greenfield, MA 01301
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/27/09

      Garcia, Heriberto
      760 Memorial Dr.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Garcia, Tammie J.
      760 Memorial Dr.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Gaudreault, Jeffrey M.
      Gaudreault, Lisa A.
      147 Central St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Germain, Robert E.
      410 Meadow St.
      Agawam, MA 01001
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Gignac, Maryanne E.
      283 Whitney Ave.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/07/09

      Godere, Tara M.
      15 Felix St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Goodreau, Beth Anne
      1391 Parker St.
      Springfield, MA 01129
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Goyette, Wallace A.
      Goyette, Loretta T.
      582 East Main St.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Green, Shanard M.
      Cordeira, Carlie
      a/k/a Green, Carlie
      a/k/a Cordeira, Carlie A.
      342 Southwick Road #85
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Greene, James R.
      43-45 Ringgold St.
      Springfield, MA 01107
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Grogan, Doreen Ann
      a/k/a Mallett, Doreen A.
      185 Call Road
      Colrain, MA 01340
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Hahn, Petrina E.
      c/o George R. Hahn
      34 Jefferson St.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Hall, Nancy Norwood
      383 East River St.
      Orange, MA 01364
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Hamdan, Sonya Ree
      23 N. River Road
      Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Hanssen, Elizabeth S.
      9 Winter St.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Hart, Francis J.
      Hart, Cheryl L.
      936 South Athol Road
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/18/09

      Hastings, Jon P.
      3 Mineral Springs Ave.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Hennessey, Michael W.
      140 Chestnut St., Apt. 602
      Springfield, MA 01103
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Hickling, Linda A.
      a/k/a Rosazza, Linda Anne
      321 Wolf Swamp Road
      Longmeadow, MA 01106
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Hodges, Donna J.
      a/k/a Martin, Donna J.
      61 South Westfield St., Apt. 30
      Feeding Hills, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Hoffman, Yael
      214 Woodlawn St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Houle, Sandra I.
      1439 Worcester St.
      Springfield, MA 01151
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Howard, Matthew A.
      Howard, Tammy J.
      3 Pine Meadow Dr.
      Southampton, MA 01073
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Hurley, David J.
      282 Beauchamp Ter.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Ingersoll, Michael R.
      Ingersoll, Melissa L.
      229 B Amherst Road
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Jackson, James R.
      Kuzmeski-Jackson, Joanne M
      PO Box 1463
      Belchertown, MA 01007-1463
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/03/09

      James, Kate Theresa
      2 Childs Cross Road
      Deerfield, MA 01342
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Jeff’s Lawn & Landscaping
      Bellefleur, Jeffrey A.
      Bellefleur, Donna A.
      340 Poplar St.
      Feeding Hills, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/27/09

      Jessie’s Roofing & Siding
      Vazquez, Efrain
      83 Prospect St.
      Springfield, MA 01107
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      JIT Manufacturing, Inc.
      Croteau, Paul Francis
      Croteau, Elizabeth G.
      517 Ideal Lane, Unit 306
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Joubert, Richard H.
      110 Saffron Circle
      Springfield, MA 01129
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Juda, Thomas E.
      Juda, Mellissa R.
      1085 South Main St.
      Palmer, MA 01069
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Kacoyannakis, Kenneth J.
      Kacoyannakis, Susan A.
      292 Porter Road
      East Longmeadow, MA 01028
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Kampew Trucking
      Kampew, Jean-Claude
      4 Cypress Road
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Kampew, Albertine T.
      a/k/a Mwandjombi, Albertine T.
      4 Cypress Road
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Kassel, Elizabeth A.
      1450 North St., #404
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Keaton, Amy Theresa
      43 Juliette St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Kendall, Scott M.
      a/k/a Kittredge, Scott M.
      Kendall, Tiffanie V.
      195 Oakham Road
      Barre, MA 01005
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Kenney, John J.
      Kenney, Eleanor M.
      43 Plinn St., Apt. #2
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Kibler, Anthony John
      Kibler, Tammy Ann
      2358 Wilbraham Road
      Springfield, MA 01129
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      King, Sherrie A.
      573 Plumtree Road
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Kingsley, Shawn J.
      Kingsley, Tiffany A.
      1055 Fairview St.
      Lee, MA 01238
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

       

      Kostanski, Brenda E.
      36 Fabyan St.
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Kristek, Stephen P.
      66 Lapa Farm Road
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Kustra Real Estate Trust
      Kustra, Walter E.
      Kustra, Cynthia L.
      121 Washburn Road
      Barre, MA 01005
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/15/09

      Landry, Bonnie
      16 Roy St.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Landry, Paul H.
      Landry, Wanda L.
      17 Sunrise Ter.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Langevin, Robert A.
      64 Shepard Road
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      LaPlante, Roberta J.
      169 Bates Road
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/07/09

      Le, John B.
      88 Brunswick St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Levesque, Philip J.
      Bosques-Levesque, Nancy
      653 Roosevelt Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Lewis, Randy J.
      26 1/2 Crown St.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      MacKinnon, William Gordon
      MacKinnon, Maureen Margar
      t
      a/k/a Faust, Maureen M.
      46 Brittany Road
      Indian Orchard, MA 01151
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Maher, William M.
      73 Donna Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/14/09

      Mailloux, Robert J.
      645 Warren Wright St.
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Maio, Ernesto Manuel
      Maio, Christine Marie
      Maid, Christine M.
      Burne, Christine
      9 Clover Ave.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Marini, Heather E.
      87 West Akard St.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Martinez, Jennifer A.
      105 West Main St.
      North Adams, MA 01247
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      McAuliffe, William T.
      18 Water Lane
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      McCorkindale, Jeffrey C.
      McCorkindale, Carrie L.
      18 Wareham St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      McCormack, Edward J.
      McCormack, Mary R.
      57 Old Farm Road
      Sturbridge, MA 01566
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      McCoy, Sarah L.
      a/k/a Kunda, Sarah L.
      6 David St.
      Southampton, MA 01073
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      McCullough, Lori A.
      a/k/a Webster, Lori A.
      42 Day St.
      Agawam, MA 01030
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      McDonough, Paul E.
      McDonough, Karen A.
      208 E. Quincy St.
      North Adams, MA 01247
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      McNaughton, Howard D.
      McNaughton, JoAnn
      203 Roosevelt Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Mcneice, Joseph F.
      Mcneice, Jennifer B.
      a/k/a Mangano, Jennifer
      110 Columbia St.
      Adams, MA 01220
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Mello, Kimberly I.
      71 Lincoln Ave.
      South Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      Mendel, Mark H.
      Mendel, Jennifer A.
      26 Reuter Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Mercier, Rachel M.
      PO Box 1125
      Warren, MA 01083
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Messer, Bart Douglas
      Messer, Laurie Marie
      341 Monson Turnpike Road
      Ware, MA 01082
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      Mills, Joshua C.
      52 Lindsay Road
      Springfield, MA 01128
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Moreno, Denise L.
      a/k/a Jemenez, Denise
      181 South St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Moresi, Robin T.
      47 Forest Place, Apt. 4
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Murphy, Kevin W.
      Murphy, Patricia A.
      49 Field St.
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Nee, Patrick J.
      Nee, Patricia L.
      26 Greensleaves Dr.
      Amherst, MA 01002
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Nicoletti, Nicholas T.
      Nicoletti, Kathleen S.
      a/k/a Coleman, Kathleen S.
      54 West. River St.
      Orange, MA 01364
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Nunes, Thomas J.
      54 Saint James Ave.
      Holyoke, MA 01040-2321
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      Ocasio, Gilbert Michael
      Ocasio, Candy Lynn
      98 Turkey Hill Road
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      O’Donnell, Peter K.
      O’Donnell, Nancy E.
      32 Chickering St.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      On the House Builders
      Van Iderstine, Bruce
      176 Hawk Hill Road
      Charlemont
      Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Opalenik, Daniel
      108 Camden St.
      S. Hadley, MA 01075
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Pagan, Alba N.
      112 Marble St.
      Springfiled, MA 01105
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/06/09

      Palmer, Christofer A.
      Palmer, Cynthia M.
      a/k/a Palmer, Cindy M.
      a/k/a Marinello, Cynthia
      32 Birch St.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Pape, Kathleen H.
      74 Common St.
      Barre, MA 01005
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Parker, Jeremiah J.
      Parker, Debra E.
      20 Michigan Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Peirce, Herbert J.
      152 East Road
      Orange, MA 01364
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Pereira, Candace Ann
      a/k/a Driscoll, Candace Ann
      639 Fuller St.
      Ludlow, MA 01056
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Perez, Lena A.
      Perez, Hector L.
      12 Longwood Court
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Peterson, Kurt E.
      473 Wilder Hill Road
      Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/13/09

      Peterson, Kurt Ernest
      473 Wilder Hill Road
      Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Phommasith, Bounleung
      1448 State St.
      Springfield, MA 01109
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Pickard, Elizabeth
      59 Factory St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Placanico, Anthony J.
      131 Breckinridge St.
      Palmer, MA 01069
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/03/09

      Place, Ransom Y.
      94 Summer Dr.
      Southwick, MA 01057
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Powell, Russell M.
      Powell, Jennifer L.
      1954 Main St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Preston, David
      1159 River Road
      Agawam, MA 01001
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Quick Tan
      Gubala, Mary M.
      311 Hillside Ave.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Rachmaciej, Deborah J.
      a/k/a Hatt, Deborah Jean
      170 Rocky Hill Road
      Florence, MA 01062
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Raines, Patricia A.
      424 Michael Sears Road
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Rapport, Pamela I.
      a/k/a Sutowski, Pamela I.
      10 Sumner Ave.
      Apt. 17
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Rarick, David F.
      Rarick, Grayce E.
      1 Mark Lane
      North Adams, MA 01247
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Raymond, James M.
      3 Cypress Road
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Reynolds, Courtney T.
      95 Creamery Road
      Great Barrington, MA 01230
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Richards, Donna M.
      21 Chantilly Ave.
      North Adams, MA 01247
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Riether, Cathy J.
      59 Mandaley Road
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Rivas, Herlyn Jessica
      a/k/a Simon, Herlyn Jessica
      35 Hadley Road, #205
      Sunderland, MA 01375
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Rizzo, Georgina
      6 Crestwood St.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Robert, Danielle M.
      176 Hampden St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Roberts, Delmore A.
      31A Church St.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Robinson, Craig M.
      142 Oak Grove Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01109
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Rock, Michael J.
      34 Olmsted Dr.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Rodriguez, Elier
      124 Westfield Road
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Rood, Thomas J.
      Rood, Diane L.
      41 West Silver St.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Rosa, George J.
      805 East Guinea Road
      Williamsburg, MA 01096
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Roy, Brett G.
      299 Grattan St., #3
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Rupprecht, Delia
      92 Cummings Ave.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Rutherford, Joseph W.
      Rutherford, Marylouise
      202 Gilbert Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01119
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Rydzak, John P.
      Rydzak, Linda L.
      13 Edward Dr.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Sakowicz, Jeffrey M.
      Sakowicz, Angela M.
      350 River Bend St., Unit 8
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/18/09

      Santos, Luz B.
      40 Summit St., Apt. 6
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Saulsberry, Leslie A.
      990 North Pleasant St.
      Amherst, MA 01002
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Shaughnessy, Patrick J.
      170 West King St.
      Holyoke, MA 01040
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Shephard, Paul James
      Shephard, Stephanie Marie
      31 Eldridge St.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Sierra, Gladys
      112 Pembroke St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Skowera, Paul C.
      28 Riverside Ave.
      Agawam, MA 01001
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/10/09

      Smith, Diane K.
      155 Marble St., Apt 47
      Lee, MA 01238
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Sousse, Heidi Lynn
      a/k/a Kellogg, Heidi L.
      81 Conz St. #628
      Northampton, MA 01060
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Spence, Katherine M.
      22 Lessey St., Apt 102
      Amherst, MA 01002
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Spong, Elizabeth A.
      10 Trumbull Road
      Northampton, MA 01060
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Staton, Phoebe Cherrie
      100 Forest Hills Road
      Springfield, MA 01128
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 08/07/09

      Stephenson, Henry H.
      Stephenson, Kathleen A.
      a/k/a Davenport, Kathleen A.
      26 Westview Ter.
      Easthampton, MA 01027
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Stibolt, Kirsten J.
      36 Buena Vista Plaza
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Styckiewicz, Sheri L.B.
      955 McKinstry Ave.
      Chicopee, MA 01020
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/18/09

      Sunnyside Up Restaurant
      Nunes, Gerald E.
      Nunes, Karen A.
      179 Carver St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/05/09

      Swanner, James M.
      Swanner, April M.
      37 Apremont St.
      Adams, MA 01220
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Talbot, Vanessa D.
      549 Russell Road, Unit 11-C
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Thompson, Barry S.
      Thompson, Carolyn A.
      46 McClellan Farm Road
      Deerfield, MA 01342
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Thornton, Carol D.
      45 Washington St.
      Monson, MA 01057
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Toporowski, Kenneth Lee
      30 Old Holyoke Road
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/04/09

      Torres, Jose E.
      Vazquez, Mariel
      80 Harkness Ave.
      Springfield, MA 01118
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/22/09

      Torres, Rosa
      117 Sanderson St.
      Springfield, MA 01107
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Truong, Thuy
      88 Brunswick St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/31/09

      Vacirca, Joseph W.
      Vacirca, Marsha Y.
      29 Carlton St.
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/03/09

      Vega, Richard
      21 Cyman Dr.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Vennert, Daniel D.
      316 South Main St.
      Monson, MA 01057
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/21/09

      Vera, Jose A.
      421 Nottingham St.
      Springfield, MA 01104
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Wadman, Carol L.
      510 South Barre Road, Apt. 1
      Barre, MA 01005
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/28/09

      Washburn, Trinity Marie
      Washburn, Shimon
      104 Dunphy Dr.
      Northampton, MA 01060
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/11/09

      Waters, Mary A.
      109 Oak Ave.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Watkins, Mark A.
      221 Cloverdale St.
      Pittsfield, MA 01201-8526
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/17/09

      Weaver, Minette C.
      245 Main St.
      PO Box 202
      Ashfield, MA 01330
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Wentworth, Dennis E.
      Wentworth, Kathleen N.
      7 Reed Hill Road
      Wales, MA 01081
      Chapter: 13
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Weselovs, Shannon Leigh
      7 Eddy St.
      Orange, MA 01364
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      White, Bertha L.
      47 Alden St.
      Springfield, MA 01109
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/20/09

      Whittaker, Karen S.
      a/k/a Bergeron, Karen S.
      77 Overlook Dr.
      Florence, MA 01062
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/23/09

      Wilde Bonzek, Jeffrey
      Wilde Bonzek, Andreya
      16 Juckett Hil Dr.
      Belchertown, MA 01007
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Willhite, Gary
      Willhite, Candace
      440 Twichell St.
      Athol, MA 01331
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/16/09

      Wood, Eric S.
      Wood, Elizabeth L.
      a/k/a Popp, Elizabeth L.
      219 Saratoga Ave.
      Chicopee, MA 01013
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/29/09

      Woodward, Cynthia I.
      124 Washington Road
      Springfield, MA 01108
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 08/12/09

      Wright, Regina
      117D Ashley Ave.
      West Springfield, MA 01089
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/30/09

      Yacovone, Leia C.
      28 Orange St.
      Westfield, MA 01085
      Chapter: 7
      Filing Date: 07/24/09

      Departments

      Health Insurers Expect to Raise Rates by 10%

      WASHINGTON, D.C. — Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose to $13,375 annually for family coverage this year — with employees on average paying $3,515 and employers paying $9,860, according to the benchmark 2009 Employer Health Benefits Survey recently released by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET). Family premiums rose about 5% this year, which is much more than general inflation (which fell 0.7% during the same period, mostly due to falling energy prices). Workers’ wages went up 3.1% during the same period.  Since 1999, premiums have gone up a total of 131%, far more rapidly than workers’ wages (up 38% since 1999) or inflation (up 28% since 1999). For the past few years, the annual rise in premiums has been more moderate than the double-digit growth experienced earlier this decade. As Congress considers health reforms building on the existing employment-based system, the annual Kaiser/HRET survey provides a detailed picture of private health insurance coverage and costs. The survey found that 60% of firms offer health benefits to any of their workers this year. As in the past, the smaller the firm, the less likely it is to offer health benefits — with fewer than half (46%) of the smallest employers (three to nine workers) offering health benefits. Among those firms offering benefits, 21% report they reduced the scope of health benefits or increased cost sharing due to the economic downturn, and 15% report they increased the worker share of the premium. The survey also reveals that a growing number of workers who are covered by their employer are facing high deductibles in their plans in addition to contributing to the premiums for their coverage. In 2009, 22% of covered workers must pay at least $1,000 out of pocket annually for single coverage before their plan generally will start to pay a share of their health care bills, up from 18% last year and 10% in 2006.

      Retail Sales Top Expectations

      WASHINGTON — The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that retail sales rose 2.7% in August, well above the increase of 2.0% private analysts had expected. Motor vehicle sales jumped 10.6%, while sales excluding motor vehicles increased 1.1%, and sales excluding motor vehicles and gasoline rose 0.6%. Also, the Census Bureau announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $351.4 billion, an increase of 2.7% from the previous month, but 5.3% below August 2008. Total sales for the June-through-August 2009 period were down 7.6% from the same period a year ago.

      Initial Unemployment Claims Decrease

      NEW YORK — In the week ending Sept. 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 545,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 557,000. The four-week moving average was 563,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week’s revised average of 571,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.7% for the week ending Sept. 5, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week’s unrevised rate of 4.6%. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Sept. 5 was 6,230,000, an increase of 129,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 6,101,000. The four-week moving average was 6,180,250, a decrease of 5,500 from the preceding week’s revised average of 6,185,750. The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 5.636 million. Extended benefits were available in several states, including Massachusetts. The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending Aug. 29 were in Puerto Rico (6.8%), Oregon (5.7%), Pennsylvania (5.7%), Nevada (5.5%), Michigan (5.2%), Connecticut (5.1%), New Jersey (5.1%), California (5.0%), Wisconsin (5.0%), North Carolina (4.8%), and Rhode Island (4.8%). The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Sept. 5 were in Washington (+2,620), Pennsylvania (+2,573), Massachusetts (+1,565), North Carolina (+1,332), and Illinois (+1,218), while the largest decreases were in California (-2,751), New York (-2,479), Wisconsin (-1,149), Texas (-809), and New Jersey (-700).

      Holyoke Establishes Energy Committee

      HOLYOKE — As the city pursues its goal of reduced reliance on fossil fuels, a new Holyoke Energy Committee will work together with Mayor Michael J. Sullivan to further the efforts being done to capitalize on Holyoke’s green assets. A primary goal will be to reduce the energy consumption of the municipality as well as improve the overall level of sustainability of Holyoke through programs to encourage residents and businesses to be more green on a day-to-day basis. Committee members serving on the new board are William Fuqua, superintendent of public works; James Lavelle, director, Holyoke Gas & Electric; Kathleen Anderson, Office of Planning & Development; Fire Chief David Lafond; Melinda Lane, Police Department; and Whitney Anderson, maintenance administrator, Holyoke School Department. The first task of the committee will be to satisfy the requirements of the state’s Green Communities Act to be considered a Green Community. The city was recently awarded a Green Communities Technical Assistance Grant from the Mass. Department of Energy Resources, Green Communities Division, to assist in the completion of these requirements. Once considered a Green Community, Holyoke will qualify for portions of a $10 million grant and have higher priority in some grant rounds in the state.

      Output Figures Give Economists Bright Outlook

      WASHINGTON — Industrial output rose 0.8% in August, following an upwardly revised increase of 1.0% in July. Production in manufacturing expanded 0.6% in August, and the index excluding motor vehicles and parts increased 0.4%. The gain in July for manufacturing was revised up 0.4 percentage point, to 1.4%; in addition, factory output for April through June is now somewhat less weak than reported previously. Production at mines moved up 0.5% in August. The output of utilities gained 1.9%, as temperatures swung from an unseasonably mild July to a slightly warmer-than-usual August. At 97.4% of its 2002 average, total industrial production was 10.7% below its level of a year earlier. In August, the capacity utilization rate for total industry advanced to 69.6%, a level 11.3 percentage points below its average for the period 1972 through 2008.

      Bernanke Sees Difficult Challenges Ahead

      WASHINGTON — A year ago, the expression “systemic risk” became the new clarion call for policy-makers and regulators as they took unprecedented steps to avoid a collapse of the global financial system. On Sept. 15, one year after the Lehman Brothers collapse, the Brookings Institution hosted a forum to explore the tumultuous events of last September, where financial markets stand today and the status of regulatory reforms to prevent the next financial crisis. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave the keynote address, noting that during the past year the world has “been through the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression.” Bernanke added that the crisis in turn sparked a deep global recession from which we are now only beginning to emerge. He noted that although the country has avoided the worst, “difficult challenges” still lie ahead. Bernanke said we must work together to build on the gains already made to secure a sustained economic recovery, as well as to build a new financial regulatory framework that will reflect the lessons of the crisis and prevent an occurrence of the events in the past two years. He concluded that he “hopes and expects” after reviewing developments a year from now, the country will be able to claim substantial progress toward both objectives.

      Departments

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

      AGAWAM

      Frank Ferrentino
      1676 Main St.
      $14,000 — Install 4-foot foundation under existing cement pad

      Riverbend Medical, LLC
      230 Main St.
      $32,000 — General renovations to expand IT/telephone and data room

      Town of Agawam
      760 Cooper St.
      $7,000 — Renovations to the high school

      AMHERST

      Jones Properties, LTD
      15A Pray St.
      $8,000 — Renovate interior of hair salon

      CHICOPEE

      AHH Inc.
      10 David St.
      $20,000 — Interior renovations

      Daniel O’Connell’s Sons Inc.
      275 Meadow St.
      $175,000 — Replace existing shed

      LTL, LLC
      14 Duncan St.
      $10,000 — Repair porch, exterior doors, and windows

      EAST LONGMEADOW

      Berg Family Trust
      130 Shaker Road
      $25,000 — Renovate office space

      Meadowbrook School
      607 Parker St.
      $61,000 — Install new alarm system

      GREENFIELD

      Fair Business, LLC
      74 Fairview St.
      $52,000 — New roof

      Franklin Medical Center
      164 High St.
      $13,000 — Installation of two-hour fire separation partition and ’90-minute’ doors

      Roman Catholic Church
      221 Federal St.
      $7,000 — Roof renovations

      Town Of Greenfield
      1 Lenox St.
      $4,500 — Remove and replace existing guard/hand rails at high school

      HOLYOKE

      Holyoke Machine Inc
      514-522 Main St.
      $21,000 — New roof and insulation

      O’C Ingleside LLC
      361 Whitney Ave.
      $719,000 — Construction of new laboratory for Baystate Health

      LUDLOW

      Big Y Trust
      433 Center St.
      $54,000 — Partitions

       

      NORTHAMPTON

      Crocker Building Company Inc.
      296 Nonotuck St.
      $30,000 — Install metal siding by loading dock

      John Scott
      52 Round Hill Road
      $35,000 — Interior renovations at Clarke School

      Sackrey Construction
      30 Crafts Ave.
      $114,000 — Construction of handicap ramp and bathrooms

      SPRINGFIELD

      Baystate Medical Center
      471 Chestnut St.
      $12,000 — Reline chimney

      Block Realty
      504 St. James Ave.
      $9,000 — New roof

      Diocese of Springfield
      155 Eddywood St.
      $240,000 — Minor classroom renovations and construction of new vestibule enclosure

      Falcon Management
      One Monarch Place
      $100,000 — 8th-floor build out

      Hampden County Physicians
      300 Stafford St.
      $259,000 — Interior renovation of 3,000 square feet of space for doctor’s office

      Holyname Parish
      37 Alderman St.
      $153,000 — Interior renovations

      Javal, Inc.
      1801 Page Blvd.
      $39,500 — New roof

      O’Connell Oil
      570 Sumner Ave.
      $41,000 — Remodel existing building

      Yellow Brick Property
      270-272 Center St.
      $30,000 — Repair front and side porches

      SOUTH HADLEY

      PVPA School
      15 Mulligan Dr.
      $57,000 — Renovations

      WESTFIELD

      Berkshire Bank
      31 Court St.
      $370,000 — Interior renovations

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      SUK Realty Trust
      1144 Elm St.
      $18,000 — Re-roof apartment building

      Departments

      Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield
      (413) 787-1555 www.myonlinechamber.com

      Oct. 2: Hampden/Wilbraham Golf Classic, hosted by the Country Club of Wilbraham. Registration at 10 a.m., lunch at 11 a.m., shotgun start at 12:00 noon. Tickets: $110 for golf entry, $440 for a golf foursome. Sponsorships available.

      Oct. 7:  ACCGS Breakfast, hosted by the Springfield Marriott, 7:15 to 9 a.m. Tickets: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

      Oct. 14: ACCGS After 5 Table Top Exhibit, hosted by the MassMutual Center in Springfield, 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets: $125 for members, $175 for non-members.

      Oct. 15: West of the River Legislative Breakfast, hosted by Chez Josef in Agawam, 7:15 to 9 a.m. Guest speaker is Dolores Mitchell, executive director of the Group Insurance Commission. Tickets: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

      Oct. 23: Super 60, hosted by Chez Josef in Agawam, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $45 for members, $65 for non-members.

      Oct. 27: West of the River Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, hosted by Captain Charles Leonard House, 7:30 to 9 a.m.

      Oct. 28:  Executive Power Networking, hosted by TD Banknorth Conference Center,7:30 to 9 a.m. Tickets: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

      Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield
      www.springfieldyps.com   

      Oct. 4: Hike for Habitat, Mt. Tom, Holyoke, 10 a.m. Join the YPS team for the annual Hike for Habitat to benefit Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. The hike features two courses: a leisurely, 90-minute hike, or a more difficult, three-hour route to the summit. To register, hikers must raise a minimum of $25 per person, due on the day of the hike. To join the YPS team, contact Maureen Picknally at [email protected]  or Nicole Williamson at (413) 739-5503 or [email protected].

      Oct. 15: Third Thursday, hosted by Hofbrauhaus restaurant in West Springfield.

      Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
      www.amherstarea.com

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
      (413) 594-2101 www.chicopeechamber.org

      Oct. 1: BusinessWest Speed Sales, hosted by the Bartley Center at Holyoke Community College, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Program Sponsors include the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., Kittredge Center, HCC, Marcotte Ford, and First American Insurance Agency Inc. Cost: $350 for members, $450 for non-members.

      Oct. 7: CheckPoint ’09, hosted by Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, 12 noon to 2 p.m. Keynote speaker is  Robert A. DeLeo, speaker of the state House of Representatives. Sponsors include Our Dentist, Future Works, Westmass Area Development Corp., and Health New England. Tickets: $30 for members, $35 for non-members; tables of 8: $200 for members, $240 for non-members.

      Oct. 27: 12th Annual Table Top Meeting, hosted by Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Presented by South Hadley/Granby, Chicopee, Greater Holyoke, and Greater Westfield chambers of commerce. Exhibitor tables cost $90; reserve online at www.chicopeechamber.org or call (413) 594-2101. Admission; $5 for members, $10 non-members

      Franklin County Chamber of Commerce (413) 773-5463
      www.franklincc.org

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Greater Easthampton Chamber Of Commerce (413) 527-9414
      www.easthamptonchamber.org

      Oct. 14: Networking by Night Business Card Exchange , hosted by Nini’s Ristorante, 124 Cottage St., Easthampton, 5 to 7 p.m. Sponsored by Greater Easthampton Jr. Miss Program. Event will include door prizes, hors d’ouevres, and a cash bar. Tickets: $5 for members, $15 for non-members.

      Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce  (413) 534-3376
      www.holycham.com

      Oct. 1: BusinessWest Speed Sales Business Event, hosted by the Bartley Center at Holyoke Community College, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Sponsored by BusinessWest, First American Insurance Agency Inc., Holyoke Community College, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., Log Cabin and Delaney House, and Marcotte Ford.

      Oct. 14: Fall Salute Breakfast, hosted by the Delaney House, Country Club Road, Holyoke, 7:45 a.m. Sponsored by Holyoke Medical Center. Tickets are $18. Tables reserved for parties of eight.

      Oct. 21: Chamber After Hours, hosted by Holiday Inn, 245 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, 5 to 7 p.m. Sponsored by Yellowbook. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members. 

      Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce (413) 584-1900
      www.explorenorthampton.com  

      Oct. 7: Arrive@5 Open House at the Chamber, 5 to 7 p.m. Sponsored by Crocker Communications Inc., Innovative Business Systems Inc., and Pioneer Training. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for guests.

      Oct. 8: Northampton Area Young Professionals Party with a Purpose, hosted by dani. fine photography in the Eastworks building in Easthampton, 5 to 8 p.m. Cost: free for members, $5 for guests.

      Oct. 16: Chamber Information Session, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 12 noon to 1 p.m. Considering membership? Come to an information session.

      Northampton Area Young Professionals
      www.thenayp.com

      Oct. 8: October’s Party with a Purpose, hosted by dani. fine photography in the Eastworks building in Easthampton.

      Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce (413) 283-2418
      www.qvcc.biz

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      South Hadley/Granby Chamber of Commerce (413) 532-6451
      www.shchamber.com

      Oct. 20: Beyond Business, hosted and sponsored by Olde Hadleigh House & Patio, 5 to 7 p.m. No guest speaker. Cost: $5 members, $10 for general public, who are welcome. RSVP at (413) 532 6451 by Oct. 16.

      Oct. 27: 12th Annual Table Top Meeting, hosted by Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Presented by South Hadley/Granby, Chicopee, Greater Holyoke, and Greater Westfield chambers of commerce. Cost: $5. To reserve a table, call (413) 532-6451. 

      Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce  (413) 283-6425
      www.threeriverschamber.org

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce (413) 568-1618
      www.westfieldbiz.org

      Oct. 9: Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce Annual Fall Breakfast, hosted by the 104th Fighter Wing, Dining Hall, 175 Falcon Dr., Westfield. Guest speaker will be  Rick Forgay, president of the Rich Forgay Leadership Institute. Sponsors include Noble Health Systems, Westfield Gas & Electric, NewAlliance Bank, FieldEddy Insurance, and the Carson Center for Human Services Inc. Cost:  $20 for members, $25 for non-members. For reservations, call (413) 568-1618, e-mail [email protected] , or register at www.westfieldbiz.org . The deadline for reservations is Oct. 5.

      Oct. 21: Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce WestNet After Hours Networking, hosted by East Mountain Country Club, 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield, sponsored by Sovereign Bank. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. For reservations, call (413) 568-1618, e-mail [email protected] , or register at www.westfieldbiz.org .

      Oct. 27: 12th Annual Table Top Meeting, hosted by Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Presented by South Hadley/Granby, Chicopee, Greater Holyoke, and Greater Westfield chambers of commerce. Display tables cost $90 for members. For reservations, call (413) 568-1618, e-mail [email protected] , or register at www.westfieldbiz.org.

      Departments

      Springfield College Receives $1.6M AmeriCorps Grant

      SPRINGFIELD — A new AmeriCorps grant of $1,606,527 will enable Springfield College to continue to help Greater Springfield schools and nonprofit organizations meet human needs for the next three years. The grant will support 85 students per year who become AmeriCorps members, with each contributing 900 hours of community service. Mostly graduate students, they will provide services consistent with their fields of study that are targeted to community needs. Their services will help school children, individuals, and families receiving physical and mental health services, and organizations recruiting, training, and managing volunteers. Springfield College AmeriCorps services for school children include academic coaching for 600 students; counseling, advising, and outreach for 300 students; and out-of-school leadership development programs for 185 youth. Springfield educational sites served include the four city high schools; William N. DeBerry, German Gerena, and White Street elementary schools; Duggan and Van Sickle middle schools; the Renaissance School; and the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence. AmeriCorps members assigned to health counseling and case management also will provide health screenings and wellness guidance. They serve 2,500 individuals and families annually at Sisters of Providence Health System, Mercy Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center, Square One, Behavioral Health Network, and other sites. The new grant will also allow the Springfield College AmeriCorps Program to expand services to organizations outside of Springfield that serve Springfield residents. AmeriCorps was created in 1993 as part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency.

      ‘Outstanding’ Ratings Achieved by Hospital

      WARE — Baystate Mary Lane Hospital has received ‘outstanding’ scores in recent H-CAHPS (Hospital-Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey results. The surveys, required by the federal government, gauge how well physicians and nurses communicate, whether patients believe they received help in a timely manner, and whether they would recommend a hospital to others. Christine Shirtcliff, president, noted that the hospital received outstanding scores in several categories including overall quality, communication with doctors and nurses, responsiveness of hospital staff, communication about medicine, and discharge information.

      Mohawk Communications Partners with Falcons

      SPRINGFIELD — Mohawk Communications has become the official communications provider of the Springfield Falcons for the 2009-10 season, according to Falcons Vice President of Business Development Chris Thompson. As part of the partnership, Mohawk Communications will receive maximum exposure inside of the MassMutual Center for all 40 Falcons’ home games, including in-ice signage, a corporate ticket package and web site exposure on www.falconsahl.com. In other news, the Falcons are currently accepting deposits on full and partial ticket packages for the 2009-10 season. For more information, call the Falcons office at (413) 739-3344.

      Westfield Bank Opens New Branch

      AGAWAM — A New Orleans-style grand opening recently ushered in the latest Westfield Bank branch at 241 South Westfield St. The Feeding Hills location is the bank’s 11th branch and has 15 employees. Westfield Bank also has branches in Westfield, Agawam, East Longmeadow, Holyoke, Springfield, Southwick, and West Springfield.

      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.

      CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

      Allied Fire Protection Inc. v. Delancey Clinton Associates, L.P.
      Allegation: Non-payment for services rendered: $5,900
      Filed: 8/10/09

      FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

      The Yankee Candle Co. Inc. v. Changing Paradigms, LLC et al
      Allegation: Breach of agreements relating to electric fragrance diffuser products, conversion of property, and unfair and deceptive conduct: $200,000+
      Filed: 8/10/09

      GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT

      Country Oil Inc. v. River Maple Farm Inc.
      Allegation: Balance due on heating oil and service delivery: $5,685.75
      Filed: 8/12/09

      HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

      Dorene M. Vadnais v. Karen E. Kupner, M.D., Chanel G. Bouchereau, M.D., and Mercy Medical Center
      Allegation: Medical malpractice: $2,080,000
      Filed: 8/19/09

      Lutron Electronics v. Bottaro-Skolnick, LLC
      Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $29,927.05
      Filed: 8/7/09

      HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

      Ace Fire and Water Restoration Inc. v. Village at Hospital Hill, LLC and The Community Builders Inc.
      Allegation: Non-payment of restoration and repair services rendered: $36,820.37
      Filed: 8/18/09

      Kemper Insurance Cos. v. Five Colleges Inc.
      Allegation: Action for insurance premiums unpaid by defendant: $356,304.04
      Filed: 8/7/09

      Mark L. and Pamela Linnehan v. Caracas Construction Corp. and Luis P. Gomes
      Allegation: Police officer struck by excavator, while on duty, resulting in head trauma: $10,586.31
      Filed: 8/10/09

      NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

      TBF Financial LLC, assignee of GE Capital Corporate v. Somatic Systems Institute Inc.
      Allegation: Damages for lease of a business lease agreement: $8,149.47
      Filed: 7/22/09

      The Darcy Co. v. Northampton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
      Allegation: Non-payment of refrigeration goods and services rendered: $4,844.87
      Filed: 7/27/09

      PALMER DISTRICT COURT

      Fetch Logistics Inc. v. Quaboag Transfer Inc.
      Allegation: Failure to pay freight charges for transportation of goods: $5,825
      Filed: 7/21/09

      SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

      Bradco Supply Co. v. Copperworks Inc. and Ronald McGowan
      Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $5,115.60
      Filed: 8/5/09

      Capital One Bank, N.A. v. Ty Lucia Plumbing and Heating, LLC
      Allegation: Monies owed for credit advanced: $5,020.22
      Filed: 7/28/09

      Carrier Sales & Distribution, LLC v. All Phases Mechanical and Yvette & Paul Tucci
      Allegation: Non-payment of freight services rendered: $15,564
      Filed: 8/13/09

      Departments

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

      AGAWAM

      Beaver Camper Service
      721 Springfield St.
      Thomas L. Beaver

      Gurukrupa’s Subway, LLC
      840 Suffield St.
      Navin Patel

      Hair Spectrum
      303A Springfield St.
      Eloise Anderson

      Poggi Transport
      27 Howard St.
      Lee J. Poggi

      Smart Start Pre-School
      21 North Westfield St.
      Robin Jensen

      Stellato Brothers Inc.
      19 Losito Lane
      James Stellato

      AMHERST

      Amherst Nails
      9 East Pleasant St.
      Thu T. Hoang

      Citadel Studios
      161 Thatcher Way
      Thomas Quinn

      One Metaverse Engineering
      401 Main St.
      James Triplett

      Persona
      236 N. Pleasant St.
      Doreen St. John

      CHICOPEE

      Fiona’s Spa
      1888 Memorial Dr.
      Fenghua Yu

      HSF Cleaning
      20 Park St.
      Hugo Ferreira

      Just Windows
      36 Mercedes St.
      Robin Campbell

      Sport It Now
      74 Skeele St.
      Joel Rios

      EASTHAMPTON

      Bermudez Auto Repossession & Transport
      3 West St.
      Aneudi Bermudez

      EAST LONGMEADOW

      Ciao Bella Salon
      128 Shaker Road
      Deanna Hansen

      Vanle’s Hair & Nails
      613 North Main St.
      Mina Tran

      GREENFIELD

      MetLife Home Loans
      22 Mohawk Trail
      Clayton J. Herbert

      HADLEY

      Befit
      245 Russell St.
      Holly Leonard

      Readings by Margurite
      249 Russell St.
      Margurite Miller

      S & M Builders
      75 Lawrence Plain Road
      Carl Johnson

      HOLYOKE

      ABC Sales and Services
      621 S. Canal St.
      Rober J. Celi

      Button It
      540 County Road
      Terry A. Paquin

      CCO Investment Services Inc.
      28 Lincoln St.
      Xiomara Corral

      Massachusetts Academy of Ballet
      4 Open Square Way
      Charles Flachs

      Pet Pillows
      50 Holyoke St.
      Shashi Sharma

      Tic Toc Jewelry and Watch Repair
      50 Holyoke St.
      Diane Oliveras

      NORTHAMPTON

      Amedisys Home Health
      320 Riverside Dr.
      Celeste Peiffer

      Dolphin Daycare
      33 Hawley St.
      Elizabeth Cole

      Overlook @ Northampton
      222 River Road
      Pamela Jones

       

      National
      72 King St.
      Mary K. DeLassus

      Studio 112
      9A Bankroft Road
      Ethel Poindexter

      The Mirage Group
      16 Market St.
      Mirage Management Inc.

      Universal Kids
      33 Hawley St.
      Elizabeth Cole

      PALMER

      Fire Fighting Equipment
      2146 North Main St.
      Alan P. Fateux

      American Ecological Services
      124 River St.
      Kal Thiphavong

      Paramount Pizza
      1620 North Main St.
      Aydin Oflu

      The Retro
      3031 Main St.
      Damon Johnson

      SPRINGFIELD

      Jam Tock Restaurant
      17A Rutland St.
      Michael R. Marshall

      Mackenzie Landesign
      30 Carroll St.
      Joel Mackenzie

      Miracle
      187 Monrovia St.
      Miguel A. Cruz

      Pioneer Valley Yard Service
      332 Naismith St.
      Zachary Macutkiewicz

      Pure Freedom
      55 Meadow St.
      Daniel J. Kudla

      Solunas Communications
      101 Mulberry St.
      Patricia A. Truitt

      Springfield’s Finest Cuts
      427 State St.
      Angel Luis Castillo

      Stanpak Company
      19 Forbes Circle
      Mohammed Tanvir

      Sullivan’s Pool Service
      387 Main St.
      Brian Glenn Sullivan

      Technical Certification
      125 Paridon St.
      Wayne P. Liggan

      The Tag Sale Store
      157 Main St.
      Tracey B. Hines

      WESTFIELD

      Countryview Primitives
      71 Elm St.
      Tanya Rogalski

      Izzy’s Barber Shop
      243 Elm St.
      Isidro Acosta

      Party Patrol Rental
      869 North Road
      Daniel M. Gagnon

      Pignatare & Sagan, LLC
      6 Main St.
      Andrew J. Pignatare

      Westfield Computer
      24 Old Holyoke Road
      Michael Patton

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Bart Truck Equipment Company Inc.
      358 River St.
      Martin Tourtelotte

      Bay State Instrument Repair
      248 Elm St.
      Carl Ippolito

      C-Mac
      136 Riverdale St.
      Craig McCarthy

      Kia M. Brokos, L.M.T.
      425 Union St.
      Kia Marie Brokos

      Lubanski Construction Company
      57 Hill St.
      Brandon Lubanski

      Mamma Mia’s Pizzeria
      60 Park St.
      Maria Alfarone

      Pioneer Valley Hobbies Inc.
      54 Myron St.
      Dennis A. Gamelli

      Departments

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

      AMHERST

      People’s Acupuncture Clinic Inc., 228 Triangle St., Amherst, MA 01002. Benjamin F. Feeley, 222 East St., Amherst, MA 01002. Acupuncture and other health issues.

      CHICOPEE

      Complete Restoration Solutions Inc., 165 Front St., 4th floor, Chicopee, MA 01013. Joseph M Gillette, 6 Shady Lane, West Simsbury, CT 06092. Fire restoration.

      D-N-D Construction Inc., 299 Columba St., Chicopee, MA 01020. George E. Doup, same. Construction.

      SMV Construction Inc., 148 Labelle Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Stephen M. Vitorino, Same. General contracting and residential home improvements.

      EAST LONGMEADOW

      New England Mezzanine Inc., 100 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. John Maybury, 215 Prospect St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Manufacturing and construction of office parts fabricated from steel or other material.

      GRANBY

      The Granby Firefighter’s Association Inc., 250 State St., Granby, MA 01033. Matthew Bail, 10 Summit Road, Belchertown, MA 01007. To provide entertainment.

      HOLYOKE

      A&B Tax and Bookkeeping Service Inc., 326 Appleton St., Suite 10, Holyoke, MA 01040. Armando Santiago, 80 West St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Tax and bookkeeping services.

      Applied Light Manufacturing Inc., 48 Commercial St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Kathleen M. Macy, same. Manufacturing laser job shop-equipment fabrication.

      NORTHAMPTON

      16 Main Street Inc., 16 Main St., Unit 2, Northampton, MA 01060. Thomas Chow, same. To own and lease rental property and manage real estate.

       

      Daley Clinical Research Consulting Inc., 34 Warburton Way, Northampton, MA 01060. Charles Daley, same. Consulting.

      SOUTH HADLEY

      Gestation Miracles Corporation, 62 McKinley Ave., Apt 1 RT, South Hadley, MA 01075. Kelly Marie Mojica-Pozo, Same. To provide financial assistance for in-Vitro Fertilization and certain necessary medications to couples, families, and individuals through the United States.

      SOUTHWICK

      Campari’s Inc., 784 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077. Tracy V. Mountain, 35 Woodlawn Way, Russell, MA 01071. Restaurant.

      SPRINGFIELD

      El Probocon Restaurant Corporation, 152 Rifle St., Springfield, MA 01105. Maria Celeste Pacheco, 4 Langdong St., Springfield, MA 01104. Selling cooked food, specializing in fried chicken.

      Meche Beauty Salon & Spa Inc., 894 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Ana M. Cortes, 104 Melha Ave., Springfield, MA 01104. Beauty Salon.

      TNM Enterprises Inc., 1038 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01109. Mark Bajek, 118 Lincoln Park, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Retail sales of beer, wine, and spirits.

      WESTFIELD

      Bandjo Enterprises Inc., 571 Granville Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Brian D. Cook, Same. Personal fitness training.

      WILBRAHAM

      Gravel Partners Company, 2660 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Nancy Schechterle, 14 Rice Dr., Wilbraham MA 01095. Truck and equipment leasing.

      Opinion
      A Step to Manage Health Costs

      Massachusetts’ managed care organizations lead the nation in quality of care and consumer satisfaction. So it is no surprise that the percentage of people in the Commonwealth’s private health insurance market who use managed care is the highest in the nation.

      But 325,000 of the 750,000 Massachusetts residents receiving full benefits under the federal Medicaid program are not enrolled in managed care plans. These individuals are enrolled in a fee-for-service plan, called the Primary Care Clinician plan. Moving enrollees from the Primary Care Clinician plan into managed care plans would achieve two important outcomes: improve their care and, according to three recent studies, save the Commonwealth anywhere from $600 million to $1 billion over five years, easing the fiscal pressures of paying for health care reform.

      Medicaid will cost the Commonwealth $8.6 billion this year, and the costs are increasing much faster than either economic or overall budget growth. Between 2001 and 2006, costs grew at an average of 8 percent annually. The result was that 35 cents of every new tax dollar went to pay for Medicaid. Clearly, the status quo is unsustainable.

      With a deep recession making new revenue a pipe dream, Massachusetts faces a clear choice. We must either find a way to make Medicaid more efficient, or choose from among a slate of unappealing options like eliminating coverage for some, limiting services or cutting provider reimbursements.

      Under the Commonwealth’s landmark 2006 health care reform law, almost 240,000 formerly uninsured residents have signed up for state-subsidized health insurance, either through Medicaid or the Commonwealth Care program. Finding a way to pay for that coverage makes the need to improve the efficiency of Medicaid service delivery even more urgent.

      Managed care provides efficient, high-quality care by aligning financial incentives with clinical outcomes. It combines prevention and wellness services with programs to help individuals address specific conditions like obesity, diabetes, asthma and smoking that drive up health care costs. Patient outcomes are carefully tracked.

      Massachusetts organizations have proven adept at combining access to quality care and cost control. Their quality outcomes are among the best in the nation as measured by prevention data, patient satisfaction and outcomes. In 2007 and 2008, Fallon Community Health Plan was rated the country’s top Medicaid health plan by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

      Despite high quality and the overall acceptance of managed care, Massachusetts has lower managed care penetration among Medicaid recipients than most other states do.

      Eliminating the Medicaid PCC plan would yield an additional $40 million in savings over two years by foregoing the cost of infrastructure and program enhancements needed to bring the plan up to par with existing managed care programs. It suffers from limited accountability and lacks a reliable mechanism for ensuring coordination among various providers. It also would appear to support the efforts of the Commonwealth’s Payment Reform Commission to move away from fee-for-service reimbursement arrangements.

      Savings wouldn’t come at the cost of patient care, as the Commonwealth’s Medicaid Managed Care providers consistently outperform the fee for service plan on many quality of care measures.

      Massachusetts’ goal of universal coverage requires that we maximize the efficiency of services offered under Medicaid. Dismantling the Commonwealth’s fee-for-service Primary Care Clinician plan and moving all recipients of full Medicaid benefits to a managed care model would do just that. Even more importantly, it would improve the quality of care for some of our most vulnerable citizens.

      Eric Schultz is president and chief executive officer of Fallon Community Health Plan. Jim Stergios is executive director of Pioneer Institute.

      Opinion

      It’s encouraging to see the state and this region taking such a keen interest in young people these days. Among the many other pressing matters at hand, elected officials and economic-development leaders have made the younger populations — and the challenge of keeping them within the confines of the Bay State — a top priority.

      Which is good, because as we’ve said many times, they are one of the keys to the relative health and well-being of both Western Mass. and the state as a whole.

      The focus on young people has manifested itself in a numbers of ways — from a video produced earlier this year to promote this region (it touts everything from the low cost of living to a high quality of life), to a new Web site— www.massitsallhere — that trumpets the Commonwealth and all it offers, to a series of forums designed to pick the brains of young people to find out what they like and don’t like about this state.

      The first of these forums was staged in Springfield last week, and a small group of area young people turned out to listen and offer some feedback.

      All this, as we said, is well and good, but the efforts to date seem to be focusing almost exclusively on marketing — putting a good face on both this region and state and reminding everyone of all the good things we have in Massachusetts, from fine colleges and culture to mountains and the seashore, separated by only a few hours.

      Marketing is important, but from our perspective, the way to plug or at least control the brain drain in this state comes down to one simple thing: jobs.

      It’s a fact that people don’t stay where they grew up like they did a generation or two ago, but the reason for this isn’t necessarily the cost of living or the quality of life (although those certainly play a role), Rather, it comes down mostly to job opportunities.

      People don’t flock to North Carolina for the weather or the school systems or the golf courses or the beaches or the health care facilities. They go there because that’s currently where the jobs are. People aren’t leaving places like Boston or Buffalo, or many other older industrial cities (yes, like Springfield and Holyoke) because they don’t like it there. They’re leaving because there are fewer opportunities.

      This is the message that people in government and economic development need to hear, and they’re not going to hear it from people who have decided to stay. That’s why they need to talk to the people who are leaving, as well.

      And they need to borrow a page or two from the script followed by North Carolina and other states that are seeing their populations increase, not decrease. They need to find ways to make this state and this region more business-friendly and create more opportunities.

      There are some opportunities in several fields, from health care to the biosciences, from education to sustainable energy, but simply not enough of them, and not across the broad spectrum of education and training levels.

      The proposed high-performance computer center, a decision on which is due from state and Holyoke officials in a few weeks, is an example of the type of job-creation work that the state needs to see more of in the years to come if it is keep more of its vital resource — young talent — within the Commonwealth.

      In the final analysis, marketing is good, and it’s no doubt a necessary part of this equation, but marketing won’t keep young people here or attract them to the Bay State from other regions.

      Only good, solid job opportunities can do that.

      Sections Supplements
      Recent Discrimination Developments in Employment Law Provide Poignant Lessons

      Over the past year, there have been several decisions in Massachusetts employment law that may have an impact on how business owners and managers hire, terminate, or address an accommodation. And they offer some practical, and important, lessons.

      It is important to note that, while the facts outlined below may be very similar to circumstances regarding your employees, every employment-based decision is unique and must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

      The following two cases were decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC), the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They deal directly with issues of accommodation and religious discrimination.

      In Massachusetts Bay Trans. Auth. v. Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, the court addressed the issue of whether an employee must engage in an interactive process with a prospective employee to determine a reasonable accommodation for religious beliefs. In this case, the complainant applied for work as a part-time bus driver with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Despite being qualified in all other aspects of the job, the MBTA refused to hire the complainant because he could not accept shifts that interfered with his religious observation of the Sabbath.

      When the MBTA refused to hire the employee, he filed a complaint with the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) alleging discrimination based on religion. The employee demonstrated that he had a religious belief and that he was a piquant in his church. The MCAD found in favor of the employee because the MBTA failed to introduce any evidence it engaged in any effort to accommodate the employee, and that the MBTA was required, without exception, to engage in an interactive process with the employee.

      The MCAD’s ruling in favor of the employee was ultimately upheld by the SJC. However, the SJC stated that “there is no obligation to undertake an interactive process if an employer can conclusively demonstrate that all conceivable accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the course of its business.” The SJC stated that such a demonstration would be extremely difficult without interacting with the employee.

      The SJC also addressed the issue of undue hardship in accommodating a religious belief. In Brown v. F.L. Roberts, an employee worked for an oil/lube service/car-repair center. He was a devoted Rastafarian, and as part of his religious practice, he neither shaved nor cut his hair. His employer was aware of his religious beliefs. The employee’s job responsibilities included working in the bay under the car as well as in the facility greeting customers and performing various sales duties.

      Several years after the employee started working at the location, a new vice president of operations implemented a personal-appearance policy requiring that all employees remain clean-shaven with their hair trimmed. The employee informed the manager that he was unable to comply with the personal-appearance policy. In response, the manager told the employee that he would not be permitted to have any contact with customers and would work solely in the lower bays, away from the customers. The conditions in the lower bays were significantly worse than anywhere else.

      Based on these facts, the lawsuit began in the MCAD and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and then ultimately found its way to the SJC. The SJC was asked to address whether an employer can claim an undue-hardship defense when it is not engaged in an interactive process with the employee and whether granting an exception to a grooming policy would pose an undue hardship on the business. The SJC held that an employee’s initial request for an exemption to the grooming policy did not relieve the employer of its obligation to attempt to provide the employee a reasonable accommodation. The SJC also held that an exemption from the employer’s grooming policy could not constitute an undue hardship as a matter of law.

      The second-highest court in Massachusetts addressed an issue relating to race-based discrimination.

      In Thomas O’Connor Construction Inc. v. MCAD, the complainant was an employee of a subcontractor. The complainant filed a charge with the MCAD alleging that the job superintendent of the general contractor had discriminated against him and a coworker by using offensive and explicitly racist comments and epithets when referring to them.

      After the hearing, the MCAD found in favor of the complainant and ordered that the general contractor pay $50,000 in emotional distress damages and a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000, and was required to conduct annual training sessions for five years regarding race-based discrimination.

      The general contractor appealed on the premise that it was not liable to the complainant because the complainant was an employee of the subcontractor. The Court of Appeals held that the general contractor could be liable under Massachusetts law for the hostile work environment created by its job superintendent where it had notice of the allegations, corroborated some of the allegations, and failed to take corrective action.

      Employers should take caution because this case demonstrates that, when an employer is aware of a possible hostile work environment, it should take steps to investigate and otherwise remedy the situation.

      There were also cases in the Massachusetts Superior Court where the court addressed various issues relating to employment law including age and handicap discrimination.

      In Woldemariam v. Pilgrim Parking, the complainant was an assistant manager of a parking company. During the course of his employment he sustained a work-related injury and was subsequently laid off. The complainant alleged that when the employer terminated him after he sustained the work-related injury, he was discriminated against based on a handicap.

      Ultimately, the case found its way to the Massachusetts Superior Court. The court found in favor of the employer because the employee was unable to demonstrate that the suspected reasons for his layoff were in fact the cause. The employer had alleged that the employee was a poor worker and that his termination was an economic necessity. While the complainant was able to demonstrate a solid case for discrimination, the employer was able to demonstrate that there was a work-related reason for termination outside of the complainant’s injury.

      In Somers v. Converged Access Inc., the complainant alleged that he had been discriminated against based on age. The employee had been asked to be considered for two open positions within the company. When the employer filled the positions with other individuals, the complainant believed he had been passed over by the employer because of his age.

      The Superior Court ruled in favor of the employer because it maintained that it had selected other individuals based upon qualification and experience, and also because the complainant was unable to demonstrate that either hiring decision was the result of discrimination, and had failed to demonstrate he possessed the skills for the position.

      In Fischer v. Pres. & Fellows of Harvard College, the complainant alleged that she had been discriminated against based on age because she was terminated and replaced with a younger employee. The Superior Court was not persuaded by the plaintiff offering statistics that older employees were not hired as often as younger employees.

      In addition, the court was not persuaded by a few stray remarks regarding the complainant’s age, because those remarks did not create a sufficient basis for a discrimination claim. However, the court denied the employer’s motion to dismiss because it found that her successor had been given a higher rate of pay despite having less experience, and the number of complaints made by the plaintiff against her supervisor were potentially indicative of a vendetta.

      These cases clearly demonstrate that every employment decision made by an employer must be reviewed carefully. The facts and circumstances surrounding a hiring or firing must be made for reasons related to the business.

      Kevin V. Maltby, an associate with Bacon Wilson, P.C., is a former prosecutor for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office with extensive jury trial and courtroom experience; (413) 781-0560; linkedin.com/in/kevinmaltby;

      baconwilson.com.

      Sections Supplements
      How to Prevent a Potential Disaster for Your Heirs

      If you pay bills and bank online, and handle much of your financial activity there, your agents under your durable power of attorney, or the executor of your will, or the administrator of your estate must have access to that information in order to manage your financial affairs when you are no longer able to do so.

      Even something so seemingly simple as canceling a deceased person’s account on a social-networking site such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter may be extremely frustrating and heartbreaking for a fiduciary who doesn’t have the username and password combination to access that account.

      Most security officers of Web sites will allow access with proper documentation, such as a certified death certificate and certificate of appointment from a probate court, appointing someone as the fiduciary of the decedent’s affairs. However, when someone becomes incapacitated, the guardian or conservator who needs access to the information is often blocked by the Web site’s privacy officer, who may require a specific order from a judge. In fact, some credit-card companies and other vendors will also not allow a fiduciary to have access without a specific court order.

      The entire process can be quite frustrating and expensive, and it may also require the filing of separate documentation with the court. Very often, the executor or power of attorney spends countless hours tracking down information and attempting to locate and obtain access to the Web sites holding accounts of the deceased or incapacitated person.

      This may all be prevented by taking a few simple steps right now.

      In this day and age, most individuals with Internet access have login names and passwords. In fact, it is likely that you may have several passwords and/or usernames for various Web sites, as some require a combination of capital and lowercase letters as well as numbers or symbols.

      All is well so long as you are alive and healthy. Unfortunately, a problem is likely to occur upon your incapacity or death if access to your login names and passwords is not available to the person functioning as your durable power of attorney, executor, or administrator.

      Think about this. It is likely that you perform all or many of the following functions online: banking, booking flights, paying bills, and purchasing goods and services. Even Web-based e-mail programs like AOL, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. may contain vital information that will be necessary once you can’t handle your own finances any longer.

      You may not wish to share this private information with anyone during your lifetime, but in the event of incapacity or death, it is vital that this information is available to those who will handle your affairs. Certainly, with the significant issues of fraud and identity theft so prevalent, you don’t wish to share your passwords; however, it is prudent to have them documented so they can be accessed upon your death or incapacity.

      This information may remain private simply by telling whoever will be responsible for your financial affairs the login name and password for access to your computer and that there is a document there with all of the necessary information. In this manner, if passwords are changed routinely and often, then the person who will act on your behalf knows how to access the information when it is required.

      The person who is trusted with this information may be the agent under a durable power of attorney and/or the executor of your will. Often, the same person is nominated to serve as your fiduciary. If there are two separate individuals or entities serving, then both may receive it, or one could be given the information, and the other may be provided with the knowledge as to who is in control.

      Some people choose to keep this information in a safe place, such as a safe in their home or a safe-deposit box. However, when you pass away, what happens if no one knows where the key is or the combination to your safe? It is critical to trust at least one person with your sacred information regarding passwords. An often preferred option is to place this information in a sealed envelope and keep it with your original will and durable power of attorney at your attorney’s office. Because passwords are changed and new sites are added to the list, this envelope may be updated or substituted.

      In the past, when a person completed an estate-planning questionnaire for their lawyer, it required information such as names, addresses, and financial accounts. In this day and age, it is important to also have access to an individual’s e-mail, because many clients prefer to communicate through that channel, so it likely contains vital information.

      In addition, if you are self-employed, access to your Web site, personal, and business e-mail, customer service departments, orders, marketing, etc. may not be available without password knowledge. This information is private, but crucial to have available if and when you become incapacitated or die.

      Naturally, this problem is providing an opportunity for businesses to provide solutions. One such entity that will provide private storage and access to this information is Legacy Locker. This company provides family members or fiduciaries safe and secure access to account information in time of need. It maintains information including e-mail addresses, photo-sharing accounts, online auction access, and all other online information. It even allows other private information to be stored, such as memoranda regarding the ultimate distribution of tangible personal property and any special information regarding end-of-life decisions, funeral arrangements, etc.

      When opening the Legacy Locker account, you designate the ‘verifiers’ who will have access to the information upon your death or disability. This provides peace of mind regarding personal information privacy while living. Confidential information will be preserved in one place and distributed only under emergency circumstances. Fees are generally charged annually or as an upfront lump sum for your lifetime.

      It is likely that safeguarding this private information is going to be an integral part of preparing an estate plan in the future. This will provide peace of mind so you can be assured that your personal information will remain confidential until it must be accessed by someone responsible for handling your affairs. n

      Attorney Hyman G. Darling is chairman of Bacon Wilson, P.C.’s Estate Planning and Elder Law Departments. His areas of expertise include all areas of estate planning, probate, and elder law. Darling is a past president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc., teaches Elder Law at Bay Path College, and is an adjunct professor at Western New England College School of Law (the LLM program), where he teaches elder law. He is a frequent lecturer on various estate-planning and elder-law topics at both the local and national levels, and he hosts an estate planning blog at bwlaw.blogs.com; (413) 781-0560;[email protected]

      Features
      Summit Will Shine a Spotlight on the Importance of Literacy
      Chris Matthews

      Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s Hardball, will speak about the importance of literacy at the Oct. 4 event.

      Gianna Allentuck calls it “the snowball effect.”

      She’s referring to research that shows that, when communities implement successful literacy programs, businesses, families, and society reap real benefits that boost the economy.

      Allentuck is an adjustment counselor at Elias Brookings School in Springfield and the person who gave birth to the upcoming literacy-based event, “United in Hope: A Community Comes Together.”

      On Oct. 4 at 2 p.m., national media personality Chris Matthews will convene a free, inspirational program about literacy programs in the area. It will be staged at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield in collaboration with WWLP-22 News, and will include an address by Matthews as well as compelling stories.

      “We hope to encourage people in the audience to volunteer and become involved in the literacy effort as they hear stories of success,” Allentuck said. “More volunteers means more services can be offered. And if more students graduate from high school, more will go to college or into the work force, which will make Springfield stronger economically. Then, businesses from other parts of the state or other states will pay attention to this city.”

      The afternoon will begin with a talk by Matthews about the importance of education in maintaining America’s standing in the world.

      The author, international journalist, and political commentator is host of the MSNBC show Hardball with Chris Matthews as well as a weekly syndicated news program.

      Allentuck worked as a nanny for his children years ago and invited him to lead the conference. “His job is to educate people and make them think about issues and pay attention to them,” she said.

      There will also be presentations about five successful Springfield-based literacy programs. The event will be conducted in a town-hall-meeting style to allow people to interact with presenters.

      Maura Geary, project manager for the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County’s LiteracyWorks initiative, says literacy and education is a continuum.

      “It’s a fundamental part of the health and vitality of our community,” she said. “The business community consistently tells us they depend on a literate and skilled workforce. It can influence whether a business locates or remains in an area. We know literacy begins at birth and continues through school years and into adulthood.”

      The first presentation will focus on the importance of exposing children to reading and books at a young age. It will be given by Bonnie McCain from the Early Childhood Center of Greater Springfield. “She is a really excellent teacher who has done a lot of training in the community,” said Geary. “She has also had a lot of success in helping children learn to read and helping parents implement strategies at home to improve the literacy of young children.”

      The second presentation, by representatives from the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative, will focus on the importance of summer programs.

      Research from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation shows that children in low-income families start school with a pronounced literacy gap. Although they may catch up during the school year, the gap remains and increases every summer. “There is a two-month gap when they enter kindergarten, which increases to a two-year gap by fifth grade,” said Geary.

      Hasbro runs a very effective program to reduce this gap that involves 3,500 children in 40 programs in Greater Springfield. It operates via a theme-based approach that includes options ranging from hip hop and drumming to theater and a hands-on Connecticut River Watershed program.

      “Hasbro’s program was developed by local experts and is aligned with the Massachusetts School Curriculum Framework,” said Geary.

      BusinessWest’s Difference Makers class of 2009 raised money to purchase 350 books for a component of the Hasbro program in which teachers work with children identified as struggling readers. Also, the magazine has committed to making literacy an ongoing focus for future classes of Difference Makers.

      The third success story comes from the Big Y Youth Employment Mentoring Program. It’s a partnership with Springfield Public Schools to reduce the high school dropout rate, which stands at 60% in Springfield and Holyoke.

      Although this statistic, combined with the poverty rate, educational gaps, and budget cuts can paint a negative picture, Geary said the program will make people aware of the “incredible things going on in our community.”

      Leslie Lawrence is a shining example of the difference an individual can make. The Springfield Schools volunteer has succesfully recruited hundreds of volunteers and mentors. She and her mentee will talk share their experiences and what it takes to make a difference in the life of a young person.

      “Research shows that in order to be successful in school and in life, children need a significant or meaningful relationship with an adult. But there are many children who don’t have that,” said Geary.

      The afternoon program will also include a focus on adult-literacy programs. Geary said 17% of adults over the age of 25 in Hampden County don’t have a high-school diploma, and 22% of the population age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home.

      “We know that adults need to have access to language and literacy programs to become productive citizens, better workers, and good members of the community,” said Geary. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, more than 1,200 adults are desperately waiting for spots to open in literacy progams in Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee.

      Angelica Bay, who came to the U.S. from Russia in 1992, will share the story of how literacy programs helped her soar to success. The 19-year-old couldn’t speak a word of English when she arrived here, but thanks to local programs, she earned a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst, is working towards a master’s degree, and is personally responsible for helping 16 people learn English and find employment.

      Event organizers include Literacy-Works, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation’s READ! Reading Success by Fourth Grade program, Springfield Public Schools, and WWLP-22 News.

      Features
      The Town’s Torrid Residential Expansion Slows, Providing Time to Think and Plan
      G Brougham and D Albertson

      G Brougham and D Albertson say that, with the slowdown in Belchertown residential development, attention can focus again on their towns next steps.

      Doug Albertson says he can finally take a breath.

      After close to two decades of rapid residential growth in Belchertown, the nation’s sagging economy slowed the pace of further expansion for one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the Commonwealth. And a break, while it brings hardship to several sectors — from homebuilders to home sellers — was probably needed.

      “I think that the building lull has given us a chance to catch up and regroup a little bit,” said Albertson, the town’s chief planner. “It’s always good to have a rest, especially after being frantically hurried over the last decade. It’s given us a chance to do some real planning.”

      A town with a rich history, Belchertown was first settled in 1731, and retains much the same boundaries where Jonathan Belcher first took deed in the early part of that century. The October town fair is one of the oldest of its kind continuously operated in the nation, and the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir, mostly within those borders, is one of the Bay State’s most documented municipal projects of the 20th century.

      These days, Belchertown is most noted for that once-enviable pace of robust residential development, what Town Administrator Gary Brougham calls the town’s “single largest industry.” But the community has been in the headlines for the past few years over the fate of the former Belchertown State School.

      While the town has been active in seeking ideas for the property, there have been some setbacks. It has contended with both a developer whose ideas were bigger than his checkbook, and a site with millions of dollars in overdue cleanup costs presenting more than a minor challenge for any potential development.

      But town leaders remain confident. The Belchertown Economic Development & Industrial Corp. is managing oversight of the state school property, and it is getting ready to propose some new findings to the Board of Selectmen this month. “That’s when the rubber really hits the road, ” said EDIC chair Bill Terry.

      In the latest in its ongoing series of community profiles, BusinessWest takes an indepth look at Belchertown — past, present, and (potential) future.

      Leaps and Bounds

      According to town records, Belchertown’s population grew, on average, 2% annually for its first 200 years. In 1970, the population was just under 6,000, and by 2000, there were close to 13,000 people in town. The U.S. Census estimates Belchertown’s population to be close to 16,000 people now, and projections range to 25,000 in the next 20 years. Between 1990 and 2000, the rate of growth was 22%, more than four times the regional average of 5%.

      Despite such an influx of new residents, Albertson said that what the community lacks is density.

      “We are 50 square miles — that’s one of the largest geographical towns in the state,” he said. “If you look at the core of the town, out of the town’s 15,000 people, Belchertown’s center has maybe half that. Everybody else is closer to Amherst, Ware, Palmer, and Ludlow.”

      What that translates to is a bit of a challenge for a homegrown business district. Belchertown’s center is an historic village green, but it lacks the presence of a commercial destination. Instead, business districts are pocketed in areas on Routes 9 and 202.

      “In terms of new growth, we’re always trying to attract new business,” said Albertson. “But one of the challenges we have here is zoning. We don’t have a lot of land that is zoned for business, and changing that can be difficult. Once a residential neighborhood is established, people don’t like the idea that business can show up in their neighborhood. Everybody wants new business in town, but they want it ‘over there.’ And there really isn’t any ‘there’ here.”

      Jim Phaneuf agrees. He’s the owner of Bell & Hudson Insurance, a business that can trace its roots back to the Civil War. For 23 years he has been located close to the downtown area, but doesn’t find the widely spread population to be a drawback.

      “It’s a rural economy, sure,” he said. “For the people who live here, though, my sense is that people want to do their business locally. They tend to make a strong effort.

      “One reason I think is that the business community does a great job of supporting local causes,” he continued. “If you look in our weekly paper, you see thank-you notes to the local businesses for supporting things at the high school, or local fund drives to donate money to cancer research. I don’t think that a week goes by where you don’t see a letter of some kind like that.”

      Brougham said the town’s business population might not be highly visible for the outside visitor, but it is there, and strong.

      “There’s a pretty equal mix of small mom-and-pop shops and larger businesses,” he said. “Two lumber companies, Northeast Treaters and Universal Forest Products, are both significant employers in town, and the construction sector, the way it is, hit them hard. But they are still in good shape.” Another manufacturer of construction materials, National Fiber, is also holding its ground.

      With the residential boom in Belchertown, that construction sector has been an important facet to the town’s economy. And when turmoil hit Wall Street, it also hit Belchertown’s Main Street.

      “The builders, tradesmen, landscapers, Realtors, bankers, lawyers, everyone has a stake in construction here,” said Brougham. But that pace has slowed significantly.

      “From more than 100 or more housing starts per year we were down to 13 last year and 12 as of Aug. 1 this year,” he said, adding that, with such a slowdown in activity, the time is perfect for people wanting to make a move.

      “There is still activity out there,” he said. “A new subdivision was recently approved, and there’s a multiple-year backlog of available property. Lots that had been selling for $160,000 could be had for much less today.”

      For Albertson, the focus on town development in the residential market isn’t a drawback at all. “We’ve been growing at a manageable pace, really, and financially we’re sound. That might be one of the advantages of having a primarily residential tax base. People complain about it all the time, but when businesses suffer, we aren’t stuck with a lot of empty properties.”

      Back to School

      The 70-plus acres of the former Belchertown State School have been a concern since Beacon Hill decommissioned the facility in 1992.

      Currently zoned for light industrial use, the property had a brief flicker of hope when a developer sought to bring a large-scale resort spa and wellness-related businesses to the site. The concept, though supported in principle, never got off the ground. Albertson credits the EDIC with solid vision, and said it has been great at “focusing on what can be done there.”

      “We got a grant under Mass State Law 43D,” he continued, “which states that a town can designate an area a priority development, and we received $100,000. Looking at the site, we’ve hired the engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill to do site and conceptual planning. There’s been a marketing firm, RKG Associates, to do a feasibility analysis to find out where the market is, and to get a realistic and sober view of what we have there.

      “So, instead of casting a line out and seeing where it blows,” he continued, “it’s a much better way of looking at our site objectively, and looking at what our assets and disadvantages are.”

      Cleanup at the site has proven to be a big, lingering disadvantage. Old buildings (some in terminal deterioration), asbestos, and old steam tunnels all have conspired to keep most developers at bay. While the town has succeeded in gaining approval for a $10 million bond specifically to address those conditions, the bond market hasn’t hasn’t been very inviting of late, and cleanup continues to wait. “But the law is there,” Albertson said, “so once the money has been raised we should get up to that amount.”

      Terry is one of those people who remains confident that, when it comes to effective reuse of the site, it’s a matter of when, not if, it will happen. Since 2000 he has been actively seeking answers for the property. While there is the main campus of just over 70 acres, other neighboring school parcels have been successfully developed. The new Hampshire County Courthouse and Sheriff’s Office, Easthampton Savings Bank, and TSC Tractor Supply Warehouse, all at the intersection of Routes 202 and 21, sit on one of those parcels.

      “Sure, we’ve only delivered some $78,000 dollars to the town in taxes, and we’ve only developed slightly under $20 million in private investment,” he said. “And we’ve only delivered around 150 full-time jobs. This doesn’t sound like much, but when you consider that there was nothing … it’s not too bad.”

      At the selectmen’s meeting scheduled in September, Terry said that there are two feasibility plans that will presented. While nothing could be made official at press time, he did say that “they are two solid approaches.”

      “One of them is, as we have done since 2002, one property at a time,” he explained. “The second concept that I know is to consider a mixed-use type of development. However, that would require some retail/commercial-type space, and you would have to identify who would take advantage of that. Where are those customers going to come from?”

      Terry has some thoughts for what he believes would be successful at the property. “We’ve been dancing around a bit with an assisted-living developer,” he said. “A project with 90 units … I absolutely believe that would be a slam dunk, because all those younger people moving into town have mom and dad to think of in the near future. Sooner or later, they’ll need assisted-living types of housing. There’s no reason, in my opinion, why that couldn’t be successful.”

      Albertson also looks ahead, rather than dwelling on the past pitfalls. “I think there’s a lot of potential, but I think it has to be done in a way that will grow with the community. Rather than something imposed on the town, something that just shows up and buries us … do it in a way that improves the community and adds to our employment base. I think it can be done right. It’s not going to happen in a year, but it’s already been 15, so we do want to do this right.

      “The New England Small Farm Institute is on the other side of the property,” he continued, “and we keep thinking about UMass, because an institutional connection seems to me like a perfect thing. We’ve got the UMass farms and orchards already in town, and it would not be much of a stretch at all if the university had a further presence here. It’s all about using the site, providing employment and activity in town without adding a lot of extra traffic.”

      Speaking personally, Phaneuf said that he’d just like to see more jobs created in the town. “We employ 14 people here (at Town Hall), and while that’s small, that’s a similar size for many businesses in town.

      “What I would like to see is a place to create jobs within the community so that people wouldn’t have to leave,” he continued, noting that 75% of the population currently travels out of town for work.

      Plan Be

      Devising ways to lower that number appreciably is just one of the things that town officials can do with that breathing room that comes with the lull in residential expansion.

      That lull won’t last forever, or even another year or two, as the economy begins to improve and developers again eye ways to develop more of this community’s wide, open spaces. Challenges like the fate of the Belchertown State School property remain, but, overall, the forecast remains bright for a community with the room — and the imagination — to keep on growing.

      Sections Supplements
      How They Can Impact Gift- and Estate-tax Planning Strategies

      The Applicable Federal Rates (AFR) established by the Internal Revenue Service have a substantial impact on various gift- and estate-planning strategies. Each month the IRS determines the interest rate that must be used to measure the present value of annuities, income interests, and remainder interests for gift-tax purposes. This is known as the ‘Section 7520 rate.’

      Low AFR rates are particularly beneficial to certain gift- and estate-tax planning strategies, and thus create opportunities for transferring assets to the next generation without, or with fewer, gift- and estate-tax consequences. This article discusses strategies for realizing these benefits.

      Intra-family Loans

      An example of an intra-family loan is when a parent loans money to a child and the child issues the parent a promissory note evidencing the loan. The then-applicable AFR rate is the minimum interest rate the parent must charge on such a loan to avoid potential gift-tax problems. Another example is a similarly structured loan from a grandparent to a grandchild. However, with respect to the intra-family loans, it is important that the payments required under the note actually be paid to the lender. Moreover, any forgiveness of debt by the lender will constitute a gift to the borrower, which could lead to gift- or income-tax consequences.

      Generally, the loan proceeds are invested by the borrower with the expectation that the return on those invested assets will be greater than the interest rate on the promissory note. Thus, the net effect of such a loan should be that the future appreciation of the invested assets in excess of the interest rate on the promissory note will go to the borrower as a tax-free gift.

      Loan to Grantor Trust

      A loan by a parent, for example, to an irrevocable trust that the parent established is also very effective. However, such a trust should have some other assets to repay the loan that is made to the trust. Otherwise, the IRS might contend that the lender retained an interest in the trust for estate-tax purposes.

      If it is a ‘grantor trust,’ it will provide even greater benefits. If the trust is properly drafted and administered, the trust assets will not be subject to estate taxes upon the death of the grantor. Additionally, because of grantor trust status, all the net taxable income of the trust is reported by the grantor on his or her own personal income tax return. This results in the trust being able to grow faster since the income taxes attributable to the trust’s taxable income are paid by the grantor and not by the trust.

      From an income tax point of view, it’s as if the grantor had made the loan to himself. The intra-family loan to the grantor trust should have no income-tax consequences since the interest is not taxable to the grantor. The tax laws do not treat the income-tax payment made by the grantor as an indirect gift to the trust. The promissory note from the trustee of the trust should use the minimum AFR rate.

      Sale to Grantor Trust

      Another type of intra-family loan involves the sale of appreciated assets to a grantor trust in exchange for a promissory note from the trustee of the trust using the minimum AFR rate (unless the lender wants a higher rate). Because of the grantor trust status, there is no income tax on the difference between the value of the asset sold to the trust and its cost basis.

      The payment of interest by the trust to the grantor has no income-tax consequences. It is neither deductible by the trust nor treated as interest income by the grantor. With respect to this type of sale, it is very important, however, that the promissory note be paid in full to the grantor before his or her death. Otherwise, the non-recognized gain at the time of the original sale to the trust might be recognized in the event that the trust still has a debt to the grantor at the time of his or her death.

      This type of sale can be leveraged if the sale involves a fractional interest in an asset rather than the entire asset. The value of a fractional interest in an asset should be less than its percentage value of the entire asset because a bona fide purchaser would insist on a discount for purchasing a fractional interest.

      Grantor Retained Annuity Trust

      A Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) provides an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to pass wealth to his or her next generation and minimize transfer taxes (e.g., gift or estate taxes). The GRAT is an irrevocable trust for a term of years to which the grantor makes a one-time transfer of property. The grantor retains the right to receive a fixed payment at least annually from the GRAT for the specified term of years.

      At the time of the transfer, the grantor makes a gift calculated on the present value of the remainder interest. At the end of the term of years, the trust property is distributed to or held for the benefit of the remainder persons named in the trust.

      The grantor-beneficiary of the trust must outlive the term of years in order for the GRAT to remove the trust assets from the grantor’s estate. As with many of the techniques, the successful use of a GRAT calls for a balance of factors. The longer the term and the larger the annual payment, the lesser the amount of the gift that reverts to the next generation. On the other hand, the longer the term, the greater the risk that the grantor-beneficiary of the trust will predecease that term, in which case the then-value of the GRAT is includable in the deceased grantor’s estate. However, if the grantor dies during the term of the GRAT, the estate of the deceased grantor is no worse off than if that grantor had never used the GRAT (except for the cost of having set up the GRAT).

      Private Annuity

      Private annuities provide various tax advantages. In a typical transaction, a parent transfers property to his or her child, and the child gives an unsecured promise to pay the parent a fixed amount of periodic income for life. To avoid a gift, it is important to structure the private annuity so that the value of the assets transferred to the child equals the present value of the annuity to be paid. With a lower AFR rate, the amount the child has to pay as an annuity to his or her parent is less.

      The private annuity is a good strategy when the parent has a short life expectancy. This is due to the fact that the private annuity automatically terminates upon the annuitant’s death. If the parent is deemed to be terminally ill, then the mortality component of the IRS valuation tables cannot be used to determine the present value of the annuity. A person is deemed to be terminally ill if there is at least a 50% probability that he or she will die within one year.

      However, a private annuity certainly becomes disadvantageous if the annuitant lives beyond his or her life expectancy since the payments must be made for the annuitant’s lifetime. Moreover, it is important to note that the payer of the private annuity does not get a tax deduction for any of the payments made, which would be the case if the transaction had instead involved a loan by the parent.

      Charitable Gift Annuities

      An increasingly popular method of benefiting a charity, but with the donor receiving regular payments from the charity, is through a charitable gift annuity. Many charities offer these annuity opportunities. With a low AFR rate, the potential income-tax charitable deduction for the gift annuity will be less, but a lower AFR rate permits a higher portion of the annuity payments to be received income tax-free. This would be particularly valuable to an individual who does not itemize his or her deductions.

      Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)

      A charitable lead trust (CLT) is a trust that pays income to a charity for a period of years, after which the trust assets revert back to the grantor. If the CLT is established upon the grantor’s death, then the reversion would be to the individuals and/or trust designated to receive the trust assets upon the expiration of the time period. If the CLT is set up as a grantor trust, the grantor will be taxed on the trust income each year but will receive, in the first year that the trust is funded, a charitable deduction for the present value of the charity’s interest over the specified period of years. A low AFR rate results in a lower present value of the reversionary interest to the grantor or other beneficiaries, and thus increases the grantor’s charitable deduction.

      Using a non-grantor CLT, there is no initial charitable deduction, but the grantor is not taxed on the CLT income each year. Instead of the trust assets at the end of the term reverting to the grantor, the assets are distributed to named family members, other third persons, or trusts. The low AFR rate increases the present value of the charitable interest and thus reduces the value of the remainder interest for determining whether there is a gift subject to a gift tax (if the CLT was funded during the grantor’s lifetime), or whether the value of the remainder interest is subject to an estate tax (if the CLT was funded upon the grantor’s death).

      Charitable Remainder Interest in Personal Residence

      An individual can make an outright gift of his personal residence to charity but retain a life estate to continue to use and occupy the personal residence during his or her lifetime. The residence may be the primary or secondary residence. When a low AFR rate is applied, the present value of the charity’s remainder interest is higher, and thus the donor receives a larger income-tax charitable deduction.

      When a Low AFR is Detrimental

      A low AFR rate makes it more difficult to properly structure a charitable remainder trust (CRT). The typical CRT is funded by the grantor and provides for a fixed percentage payment each year to the grantor during the grantor’s lifetime or for a specific term of years. On the grantor’s death or the expiration of the term of years, the CRT’s assets are distributed to charity. The grantor should get a partial income-tax charitable deduction when he or she funds the CRT. Additionally, appreciated assets can be used to fund a CRT, and the trust in turn can then sell the assets without any tax on the gain. If the payout rate to the beneficiary is greater than the income of the CRT, however, then some of that non-taxed gain will be considered distributed to the beneficiary for that year and thus taxable to the recipient as a capital gain.

      A low AFR rate complicates the use of a CRT because it is more difficult to satisfy two of the code requirements for the CRT to be qualified. One requires that the remainder interest to the charity cannot be less than 10% of the initial value of the assets transferred to the trust. Second, the possibility for exhausting the CRT assets before the end of the CRT cannot be more than a 5% probability at the time the trust is funded. Despite these difficulties, there are certain ways to design a CRT to be able to satisfy these percentage requirements even when a low AFR rate is applied.

      Qualified Personal Residence Trust

      A qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) generally involves an individual transferring his or her personal residence (either a primary or secondary residence) to a trust for a fixed term of years. The consequences are similar to that of the GRAT discussed above. If the grantor survives the term of years, then the residence in the QPRT is transferred to the designated beneficiaries. If the grantor does not survive the term of years, then the value of the residence is includable in his or her estate for estate-tax purposes.

      When the QPRT receives the residential property, a gift to the remainder beneficiary is deemed to have occurred. The value of that gift is based on the value of the retained right to occupy the residence by the grantor during the term of years, the applicable AFR rate, and also the age of the grantor. With a low AFR rate, the value of the retained right to occupy is lower, thus increasing the present value of the gifted remainder interest for gift-tax purposes. Nevertheless, the use of a QPRT can be an effective way to transfer a residence with a lower gift value then an outright gift of the property to that remainder beneficiary. This can be especially effective if the gift involves a fractional interest in the residential property.

      Conclusion

      With interest rates still low, there are substantial wealth-transfer opportunities available for parents, grandparents, and others who wish to transfer assets to the next generation or beyond and, in the process, minimize or eliminate transfer taxes, whether they be gift or estate taxes. Current economic conditions have resulted in depressed asset values, but when combined with the attractive growth-shielding tools discussed in this article, now is the time to be calling your estate-planning attorney.

      As Steven Leimberg, a nationally recognized estate planner, wrote in his April 2009 newsletter, estate planners are witnessing a “rare convergence” of events favorable to their clients. These events include depressed value of assets, low AFR rates, and significant valuation discount techniques. As with many issues surrounding tax-centered estate planning, however, these factors are vulnerable to economic and legislative change. It is therefore important to take advantage of these opportunities while they are available.

      Richard M. Gaberman, Esq. is of counsel to the Springfield law firm Robinson Donovan, P.C. He specializes in estate and trusts, tax and estate planning, corporate and business transactions, and commercial real estate; (413) 732-2301.

      Sections Supplements
      Abundant Wellness Center Offers a Healing Touch
      Debee Boulanger

      Debee Boulanger turned this house in Chicopee into a multi-faceted center for holistic healing.

      Debee Boulanger was trained as a nurse, but it took her two decades to figure out how best to apply her skills and desire to help people. After returning to school to learn therapeutic massage, she launched her own business in Chicopee. Apparently, she tapped into a need; after only a few years, the Abundant Wellness Center boasts some 25 practitioners in therapies ranging from massage and yoga to acupuncture and Reiki — and much more. For Boulanger, it’s all about helping people who are beaten down by the stresses of life and showing them how to heal.

      Debee Boulanger comes from a family with more than a dozen nurses, so it was natural for her to pursue that field.

      But after a short time working in a nursing home in New Hampshire, she became disillusioned with how care was delivered — so she switched gears completely and went into retail instead. But the need to care for other people eventually nagged at her again.

      “After more than 20 years, I knew I needed a change,” she told BusinessWest. “I had a lot of experience in management and sales, but I loved helping people, and I wanted to get into a field where I could truly help somebody.”

      She considered becoming a yoga instructor, but instead felt drawn to massage, so she scouted out area schools, settled on the Boston Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, and enrolled in a two-year program, commuting every weekday from Northampton to study the art of therapeutic massage.

      That was the late 1990s, and back then, Boulanger couldn’t envision what that decision has led to: the Abundant Wellness Center, her own business in Chicopee, which now houses some 25 therapists — most of them independent contractors — under one roof, professionals who specialize in not only massage, but a palette of other holistic health services, from acupuncture, Reiki, and yoga to hypnosis and classes aimed at both emotional and spiritual well-being.

      It’s been a successful business model, and one that — perhaps surprisingly, but perhaps not, depending on one’s perspective — has not been dented by the ongoing economic downturn that has companies of all kinds struggling.

      “Our business has increased. We’ve gained lots of new clients,” Boulanger said frankly. “Whether someone has lost a job or not, they’re coming in here because they’re stressed out and worried, and we’re a place of peace. We can offer them healing.”

      She emphasized that, while no one is happy about a recession that costs jobs and increases stress, the silver lining may be that people are starting to look inward at what’s important in their lives.

      “It’s forcing people to tap into the true value of themselves, and the biggest investment one can make is in their own health — not their house or their car or their boat, but their health,” Boulanger explained.

      “I think, in our society, people feel guilty about taking care of themselves, but that’s changing. At one time, people were saying, ‘I’ll treat myself.’ Now they’re saying, ‘I need this therapy.’ They recognize that it’s important to their health. They’ve been running their children here and there, spending very little time on themselves, and then, all of a sudden, they get sick or they’re in pain, and they’re forced to take care of themselves. That’s when we see them coming to us, whether it’s taking a yoga class or getting a massage or acupuncture.”

      In this issue, BusinessWest pays a visit to Boulanger’s holistic emporium to learn how an interest in massage turned into an abundant passion for wellness.

      Pressing the Flesh

      In 2000, after completing her training in Boston, Boulanger shared space with another massage therapist in Chicopee while she built up her clientele, aggressively marketing her services with special offers, holiday gift certificates, and connections with the city’s Chamber of Commerce and other networking groups; soon she had put together a consistently full schedule.

      Not long after, she struck out on her own, recognizing a need for holistic health services and envisioning a multi-disciplinary health center that went well beyond massage. She purchased a run-down two-story house on Route 116, alongside Interstate 391 and WWLP TV-22, and went to work renovating it.

      She opened in 2004 with a handful of massage therapists and one yoga instructor, and has grown the business from there. Many clients first find the center when passing by on the road; between cold calls and word of mouth (and a detailed Web site), Boulanger said the client base has grown steadily without much in the way of marketing.

      “People read up on everything we have to offer, and they’re definitely comfortable calling here,” she said. “And once they’re here, they feel they’re going to be in great hands.”

      Her own hands benefited from training in a wide range of massage therapies, and learning many modalities was one of the keys to building an early client base, she said. Even now, Abundant Wellness Center offers Swedish massage for stress reduction, deep-tissue massage for injury rehabilitation, and hot stone treatments to ease stress and tension and promote relaxation. There are also massage options for couples, pregnant women, even newborns, who reportedly reap benefits such as more restful sleep, improved digestion, and better immune function.

      Acupuncture clients also have options. The treatment in its basic form elicits a response from the nervous and immune systems, directing the body’s life force or energy (qi) to return the nervous system to a balanced state. It can reduce muscular spasms and tightness the occur after an injury, and produces a general feeling of relaxation.

      But the center also offers something called a tui na massage, which acts as an adjunct to acupuncture and involves pressing, kneading, and rolling techniques to increase circulation along acupuncture pathways. Meanwhile, a facial-rejuvenation acupuncture treatment uses points on the face and beck to increase the flow of qi and blood to the face, staving off premature aging and reportedly aiding with other health issues, including allergies and digestive problems.

      The center also offers one-on-one sessions and/or group classes in reflexology (which employs pressure on the feet and hands), as well as detoxification, yoga, Pilates, and even belly dancing.

      There’s also a host of energy work, including Reiki and craniosacral therapy (which taps into the cerebrospinal fluid to enhance the body’s healing capabilities), as well as hypnotherapy and spiritual-growth sessions. Many services at the center have a spiritual side — including meditation and prayer-writing — for those seeking that, Boulanger said.

      “Many clients want to seek out a more spiritual path,” she told BusinessWest. “We don’t try to sway people from their religion by any means. But many therapies connect the mental to the physical, and now they want to take the next step.”

      It’s all about a holistic approach to well-being, she explained, one that encompasses body, mind, and often spirit, and recognizes the connections between each. “Many of our clients will read our flyers and be curious about some other class or workshop.”

      Lay Your Burdens Down

      Most of the treatments offered at the Abundant Wellness Center target stress in some form, because that’s either the cause or symptom — perhaps both — of many health-related complaints, Boulanger said.

      “Stress can cause chronic pain, headaches, digestive problems, poor posture, anxiety, depression, emotional issues,” she ticked off, noting that each of these conditions in turn leads to further health problems — and more stress. “It creates a big ball of stress, and if people don’t know how to handle it, they’ll never get rid of those problems.

      “Not all stress is the same, though, so we have to look and see what’s going on,” she continued. “It could be stress from an accident or a lost job. It could be any number of things. If someone came in for massage and we felt they needed acupuncture, we’d send them in that direction. If I recognize that someone needs a chiropractic adjustment, I won’t hesitate to recommend that” — even though her business doesn’t offer that service.

      Boulanger said some people go to a spa to de-stress, but she wasn’t aiming for a spa feel when she set up the center. Neither did she want a doctor’s-office environment, but instead a homey feel, which her customers — about 60% of whom are female — appreciate.

      Ensuring that people are comfortable is key. For some, making the leap from something familiar, like massage, to a practice like acupuncture, which to many people seems more exotic, can be daunting, but Abundant Wellness offers a free consultation to determine whether someone is a good candidate. It’s all about matching each client to the right service, Boulanger said, which is why the sheer range of holistic services she offers is so crucial.

      “It’s very important to have that consultation because they don’t feel like they have to commit to something that maybe they’re not sure about,” Boulanger said.

      She finds that her chair-massage service, which costs just $1 per minute and involves no clothing removal at all, is a good way to get people comfortable with the types of stress-reducing services available to them.

      “We’ve done that at companies,” she said. “It’s very relaxing. Some make a comment that they don’t want to go back to work, but I know for a fact that they’re clearer and have a better work attitude afterward. They’re more productive after a chair massage, and they appreciate that the company invests in them in that way.”

      Again, it all comes back to investing in one’s health. In these troubled times, it’s something people are seeking — in abundance.

      Joseph Bednar can be reached at

      [email protected]

      Departments

      Identity-theft Seminars

      Sept. 22, Oct. 13: Representatives of Royal & Klimczuk, LLC, of Northampton and Springfield, in conjunction with Whalley Computer Associates, will present several seminars on revisions to the identity-theft regulations that will impact businesses. The regulations will be effective March 1, 2010, according to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. The most dramatic change to the new regulations is its adoption of a ‘risk-based approach’ to information security. Both seminars will be held at Whalley headquarters, One Whalley Way, Southwick. For more information on registration, call (413) 586-2288 or e-mail at [email protected].

      Exhibition Opening and Reception

      Sept. 14-Oct. 2: The Augusta Savage Gallery at UMass Amherst will host an art exhibition titled “My Journey Through Line: Paintings and Drawings by Carolyn Mae Lassiter,” beginning with an opening reception Sept. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. Lassiter, a self-taught Santa Fe artist, was inspired by the art she observed in the early 1970s while living in Mexico with a family of indigenous Nahuatl artists. Her current works include recurring themes of soulful and thoughtful female energy, as well as of dreams, spirituality, life in the country, family, and animals. The Augusta Savage Gallery is located at 101 New Africa House, 180 Infirmary Way. For more information, call (413) 545-5177. The event is free and open to the public.

      Dinner Forum

      Sept. 15: For individuals feeling trapped in a family business, a lecture planned by the UMass Family Business Center may be the answer. The lecture will be presented as part of a dinner forum from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Clarion Hotel & Conference Center in Northampton. For complete details, visit www.umass.edu/fambiz  or call (413) 545-1537.

      Lecture on Debt as Venture Capital

      Sept. 22: Darian Ibrahim, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, will launch the fall speaker series at the Western New England College Law and Business Center for Advancing Entrepreneurship on Wilbraham Road, Springfield, at noon. Ibrahim specializes in corporate and securities law and its application to entrepreneurial activity. He is interested in the legal and economic issues involved in financing rapid-growth start-up companies, which he examines in recent work on angel investors, venture debt, and the geography of entrepreneurship. Ibrahim teaches courses in business associations, securities regulation, law and entrepreneurship, and corporate governance. The lecture is free and open to the public; lunch will be provided. For more information, call (413) 796-2030 or e-mail [email protected]. For details on upcoming programs, visit www.law.wnec.edu/lawandbusiness.

      Breakthrough Executive Board Luncheon

      Sept. 24: Noah Berger, executive director of the Mass. Budget and Policy Center, will be the speaker at the quarterly business luncheon of the Breakthrough Executive Board. The meeting is planned from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Red Rose Restaurant in downtown Springfield. Berger will address issues concerning the state budget, including an overview of the state fiscal crisis, the role of federal stimulus funding in Massachusetts, and state budget transparency. The fee for the luncheon is $20 per person, payable at the door. All members and sponsors can invite guests to attend the luncheon.

      Charity Auction

      Oct. 2: The fifth annual Charity Auction to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Chicopee is planned at the club’s gymnasium at 580 Meadow St. Festivities get underway at 6 p.m. with both a silent and live auction. Admission is free. New this fall is an online auction feature at www.bgcchicopee.cmarket.com. The event will also showcase a mini Taste of Chicopee with local restaurants highlighting signature dishes. Items available for bid include gift certificates to area restaurants, sporting event tickets, jewelry, golfers’ packages, fitness club memberships, and much more. The Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation is the auction’s presenting sponsor. Donations are still being accepted, and a variety of sponsorship levels are available. For more details, call (413) 206-4110.

      Realtor Assoc. Trade Show

      Oct. 14: The Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley Inc. will host its 16th annual Education Fair & Trade Show from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Springfield Sheraton. The annual affair combines educational opportunities and a trade show for realtors and affiliates. Highlights include speakers on real estate education, a continental breakfast and luncheon, networking opportunities, and a wine and cheese party. For more information, contact Catherine V. Hannum at (413) 785-1328.

      Oktoberfest

      Oct. 14: An After 5 & Tabletop Expo is planned from 4 to 7 p.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, sponsored by the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield. Exhibitors are still sought for the business-to-business event. The general price to exhibit is $175, $100 for Chamber members. Parking is $5 at the MassMutual Center Garage. General admission is $20 and $10 for Chamber members. For complete details, visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

      YPS New Year’s Celebration

      Dec. 31: The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield has once again chosen downtown Springfield for its New Year’s Eve celebration. Only 300 tickets will be available for the affair at the Marriott Hotel in Tower Square. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsorship of the event should visit www.springfieldyps.com  for more details. For ticket information, call Jill Monson of YPS at (413) 219-9692.

      Departments

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

      AGAWAM

      Bob Wilcox
      1100 Springfield St.
      $246,000 — Renovate existing site for a new insurance office

      AMHERST

      Jones Property LTD Partnership
      553 Main St.
      $8,900 — Take off and replace roof

      Town of Amherst
      603 East Pleasant St.
      $18,900 — Relocate one overhead bay door at town hall

      CHICOPEE

      Waycon Inc.
      28 Ward St.
      $60,000 — Renovations

      GREENFIELD

      Edward Wierzbowski
      285-291 Main St.
      $59,500 — Installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system

      Franklin Medical Center
      164 High St.
      $11,000 — Installation of lead lined drywall and lead-lined door

      HADLEY

      48 Bay Road LLC
      48 Bay Road
      $15,000 — Replace siding

      220 Russell Street LLC
      220 Russell St.
      $4,700 — New roof

      Jennifer Snyder
      216 Russell St.
      $40,000 — Interior and exterior renovations

      LaComb Holdings
      189-191 Russell St.
      $10,500 — Tenant build-out for new curtain shop

      Leon Markowski
      226 Russell St.
      $73,000 — Convert part of building to show room, office and shop

      Peter Grandonico
      102 Russell St.
      $1,000 – Repair existing ramp

      Steve Volpe
      291 Russell St.
      $5,800 — New vinyl siding

      HOLYOKE

      City of Holyoke Schools
      596 South Bridge St.
      $7,000 — Fill in sunken areas with concrete

      Dennis Walsh
      195 High St.
      $10,000 — Repoint brick and repair cornice

      Holyoke Public Library
      335 Maple St.
      $25,000 — Install protection fence from falling limestone panels

      McDonald’s USA, LLC
      2194 Northampton St.
      $15,000 — Install new arches and fascias

      PBHQ Whitney Inc.
      330 Whitney Ave.
      $15,500 — Upgrade finishes and fixtures

       

      LUDLOW

      Town Of Wilbraham
      558 Miller St.
      $600,000 — New construction

      Walter S. Wood, LLC
      32 East St.
      $39,750 — New roofing system

      NORTHAMPTON

      College Church Inc.
      58 Pomeroy Ter.
      $6,000 — Rebuild existing 7-by-12 porch

      Lawrence & Mary Cadorette
      417 Westhampton Road
      $14,000 — Install vinyl siding

      Mauro & Claire Aniello
      96 Main St.
      $1,500 — Install three rear replacement windows

      Northampton Brewery
      11 Brewster Court
      $4,500 — Re roof

      William & Evelyn Mock
      108 Damon Road
      $7,000 — Install vinyl siding

      SOUTH HADLEY

      All Saints Church
      14 North Sycamore Knolls
      $10,000 — New windows and siding

      Mt. Holyoke College
      50 College St.
      $2,000 — Fire suppression

      SPRINGFIELD

      American International College
      963 State St.
      $202,000 — Create computer lab and offices

      Baystate Medical Center
      3300 Main St.
      $26,000 — Create two new exam rooms

      City of Homes Association
      908 Wilbraham Road
      $9,500 — New roof

      Salvation Army
      840 Boston Road
      $219,000 — Miscellaneous repairs

      Springfield Day Nursery
      947 Main St.
      $25,000 — New roof

      WESTFIELD

      Ron Schortmann
      170 Lockhouse Road
      $25,500 — Renovations

      Roots Youth Facility
      209 Root Ave.
      $331,000 — Commercial addition

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Century Park, LLC
      171 Park Ave.
      $12,650 — New roof

      Departments

      Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield
      www.myonlinechamber.com

       Sept. 14: Ludlow Golf for Kids, hosted by Ludlow Country Club. Registration and lunch from noon to 1 p.m.; shotgun/four-person scramble at 1 p.m. The cost is $110 per person or $400 for a foursome. Sponsorships are available.

      Sept. 22: West of the River Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 7:30 to 9 a.m., hosted by Captain Charles Leonard House in Agawam.

      Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
      www.amherstarea.com

      Sept. 23: Chamber After Five, 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by the Emily Dickinson Museum, sponsored by Amherst Insurance Agency/The Nathan Agencies. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for guests.

      Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
      www.chicopeechamber.org

      Sept. 16: Salute Breakfast, 7:15 to 9 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. The cost is $18 for members and $25 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org

      Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
      www.franklincc.org

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce
      www.easthamptonchamber.org

      Sept. 18 and 19: Electronic Recycling Collection, hosted by Red Rock Shops, College Highway, Rte. 10, Southampton. Sponsored by Duseau Trucking LLC, Autumn Properties, and Greater Easthampton Chamber. Event allows people to responsibly dispose of their old computers, monitors, TVs, stereos, and small home and office appliances.

      Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce
      www.holycham.com

      Sept. 16: Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Annual Outing, 5 to 7:30 p.m., hosted by Holyoke Country Club, Country Club Road, Holyoke. Featuring a chance to win $1,000. Tickets cost $25. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 for tickets or to become a sponsor, or visit www.holycham.com for more information.

      Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
      www.explorenorthampton.com

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce
      www.qvcc.biz

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      South Hadley/Granby Chamber Of Commerce
      www.shchamber.com

      Sept. 22: Premier Beyond Business, 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by the Sycamores. The guest speaker will be Ken Williamson of the South Hadley Historical Society, who will speak on the Sycamores’ history and renovations. Sponsored by Premier members Berkshire Bank, Chicopee Savings Bank, Easthampton Savings Bank, Florence Savings Bank, Jubinville Insurance Group, PeoplesBank, and Private Financial Design. The cost is $10 at the door for chamber members. Reservations are necessary; RSVP at (413) 532-2480 by Sept. 18.

      Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce
      www.threeriverschamber.org

      Visit the chamber online to learn more about upcoming events.

      Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce
      www.westfieldbiz.org

      Sept. 19: 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, 5 p.m. to midnight, hosted by Tekoa Country Club, Route 20, 459 Russell Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Berkshire Bank. The theme for the evening is ’50s Diner. A Cruise Night will be set up in the parking lot. Bands include the Drifters and Corey and the Knightsmen. Tickets cost $35 through September 13, and $45 thereafter. For reservations, call (413) 568-1618, E-mail [email protected],  or sign up at www.westfieldbiz.org.

      Sept. 23: Mini Trade Show, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., hosted by Westfield State College, Ely Campus Center, Main Lounge Area, 577 Western Ave., Westfield. The event aims to acquaint the college community, faculty, and students with local businesses and their goods. Call (413) 568-1618 with any questions, or E-mail [email protected].

      Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield
      www.springfieldyps.com   

      Sept. 17: Third Thursday, 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by Café Lebanon in Springfield. Relax after work and socialize with other area young professionals.

      Departments

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

      AGAWAM

      A V Tech
      205 Barry St.
      Richard Weld

      Maid to Impress
      230 School St.
      Jamie Pavelcsyk

      Pheasant Hill Village Associate
      25 Pheasant Hill Dr.
      Earnest A. Gralia Jr.

      Parks Photoz
      118 Hendom Dr.
      Robert Parker

      Valenti Properties
      1138 Main St.
      Joseph Valenti

      AMHERST

      Amherst Computersmiths
      948 North Pleasant St.
      Andrew Berg

      Sherwood Trunks
      85 Mt. Holyoke Dr.
      Kaye Dougan

      Super Clean
      40 Palley Village Place
      Chunling Zhu

      CHICOPEE

      Advanced Seemless Gutter
      44 Blanche St.
      Konstontin Tkochenko

      Dishin’ it with Alexis
      397 Front St.
      Alexis Miller

      Extreme Excavating
      42 Oriole Dr.
      Eric Krusz

      Source Diamonds
      15 Carriage Road
      Christopher Plewa

      EASTHAMPTON

      David Adler Consulting
      18 Pepin Ave.
      David Adler

      EAST LONGMEADOW

      G & S Commercial Services
      81 Brynmawr Dr.
      Ari Delgado

      Marx Entertainment
      21 Amy Lane
      Mark Ashe

      GREENFIELD

      Budget Blinds of Amherst
      336 Log Plain Road
      David Senecal

      Designs by Monique
      227 Colrain Road
      Monique Richardson

      HADLEY

      Peter’s Nails
      458 Russell St.
      Dhuong Dinh

      Show Your Marbles
      105 East St.
      Melanie Poole

      Split Excavating Inc.
      8 Mill Valley Road
      Brenda Fydenkevez

      HOLYOKE

      Angela Gerhard Jewelry
      62 Main St.
      Angela Gerhard

      Cayey Social Club
      273 Main St.
      Angel L. Saez

      Megan’s Treasures
      50 Holyoke St.
      Nancy A. Oles

      The Right Touch
      1069 Main St.
      Ramon Ortiz

      Willie Wonka’s Candy Shoppe
      50 Holyoke St.
      Amid Alimuradov

      Wuglyees
      34F Maplecrest Circle
      Deborah Malloy

      NORTHAMPTON

      Common Threads
      4 Barrett Place
      Georgia Barwick

      Cooper Green Design
      102 Bridge Road
      Erin Nunes Cooper

      Dare to Dream
      33 Hawley St.
      Nadine Sterste

      Jane’s Cleaning Service
      32 Day Ave.
      M. Jane Rogers

       

      Mineral Hills Winery
      592 Sylvester Road
      Lawrence Goddard

      Sarah Did It
      24 Elizabeth St.
      Sarah Margaret Hougen

      Spectrum Painting
      151 Riverside Dr.
      Ramona Madzunovic

      PALMER

      April Eve Images
      4329 High St.
      April Eve Jasak

      Palmer Foundry
      22 Mount Dumplin Road
      Robert Logan

      Palmer Variety Country Store & Deli
      1365 Main St.
      James Carvalho

      The Turtle Road Tavern
      349 Wilbraham St.
      Karl M. Benware

      SPRINGFIELD

      Affordable Airport Car Service
      16 Malcolm Rd.
      Ervin Earl Carelock

      Amara’s Dressmaking & Alterations
      677 Newbury St.
      Paula D. Alrutz

      Ananda Hair Extensions
      26 Dearborn St.
      Manuel Reyes

      Bling Blings By Val Val
      148 Chalmers St.
      Valerie A.S. Munyon

      Café Divang
      405 Dickinson St.
      Tay Huynh

      Dexom Mobile Corp.
      390 Dickinson St.
      Hai V Le

      Discount Deli
      158 Island Pond Road
      Thomas Libiszewski

      Double A Construction Company
      60 Silver St.
      Anthony W. Albano

      GDH Property Management
      156 Brewster St.
      Gary Dwayne Hunter

      Gina’s Hair Salon
      111 Clearbrook Dr.
      Gina M. Grassetti

      Imani’s Candy Store
      423 State St.
      Melissa Garnett

      WESTFIELD

      Aging at Home
      57 Franklin St.
      Bethany Corbett

      Caldwell Banker Residential Broker
      48 court St.
      NRT New England, LLC

      Eagle’s Nest Roadside Grill
      600 Southampton Road
      Tina Ritchi

      Laurinda’s Bird Services
      136 Sunset Dr,
      Laurinda E. Pudlo

      Mokan Floors
      190 Pontoosic Road
      Eduard Mokan

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Baystate Family Chiropractic
      364 Main St.
      Filomena Larroca-Strobel

      Diamondhead Designs
      44 Allston Ave.
      John DeLuca

      Dot’s Hair Care
      975 Elm St.
      Dorothy Dougherty

      Estilo Isla Barbershop
      61 Century Way
      Jorge Perez

      New England Printers
      191 North Blvd.
      Pari Hoxha

      Practical Computer Solutions
      126 Jeffrey Lane
      Joanne Frank

      Steven’s Jewelers Inc.
      2068 Riverdale St.
      Joseph Stevens

      Thermotech Heating & Cooling
      40 Fairview Ave.
      Julian Mecher

      Departments

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

      AGAWAM

      Felicita Food Service Inc., 71 Cooley St., Agawam, MA 01001. Oleg Fronchkevich, 71 Cooley St., Agawam, MA 01001. Mobile food service.

      CHICOPEE

      Edward J. Chapdelaine Inc., 356 Front St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Edward J. Chapdelaine, 120 Maximilian Dr., Chicopee, MA 01033. Surveying, civil engineering, developing site plans.

      IP portfolio administration Inc., 525 Suffield St., Agawam, MA 01001. Barbara Thibodeau, same. Providing custom software to regulate IP portfolio.

      INDIAN ORCHARD

      Esmanur Corp., 565 Main St., Indian Orchard, MA 01151. Ayse Karaarslan, 556 Grattan St., Apt. 1, Chicopee, MA 01020. Pizza Restaurant.

      NORTHAMPTON

      Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra Inc., 41 Valley St., Northampton, MA 01060. Peter Donald Blanchette, same. Exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes.

      SOUTH HADLEY

      R-Adapt Corporation, 65 Brigham Road, South Hadley, MA 01075. Robert Melanson, Same. Engineering.

      SPRINGFIELD

      E-Z Bagger Corporation, 106 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. Diane Saia, 502 Frank Smith Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Will exploit the patent applied for a transporter/barrel system.

       

      The International League of Muslim Women Inc., 28 Southern Road, Springfield, MA 01129. Doretha Guess, Same. Exclusively for charitable, educational, and social services.

      Irene E and George A Davis Foundation, 1 Monarch Place Suite 1450, Springfield, MA 01144. John H. Davis, Same. Private grant-making foundation.

      North End Towing and Auto Repair Inc., 1655 Main St., Suite 504, Springfield, MA 01103. Julio C Feliciano, same. Towing and auto repair.

      Secure Energy Auto Leasing Inc., 146 Chestnut St., Suite 400, Springfield, MA 01103. Kevin Mattson, 44 Letendre St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Motor vehicle leasing.

      The Life You Save May Be Mine, 650 Belmont Ave., Springfield, MA 01108. Matthew B. Harrison, same. Operates for charitable, educational, religious and/or scientific purposes.

      WEST SPRINGFIELD

      Fuel First Front Inc., 592 Birnie Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Sanjay Patel, same. Gas station and convenience store.

      WESTFIELD

      Eagle Construction Group Inc, 24 Sylvan Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Sergio Bonavita, Springfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Construction company.

      Departments

      Attorney Franklin L. Baxley has joined the Springfield law firm Robinson Donovan, P.C. Baxley specializes in employment-law counseling and litigation.

      •••••

      The Forest Landowners Assoc. has announced the appointment of Cinda Jones as the new Massachusetts State Coordinator. As President of W. D. Cowls Inc., Jones oversees the timberland management, lumber manufacturing, and real-estate divisions of her family’s ninth-generation business in Amherst. State coordinators work with other volunteer leaders from their region to oversee membership and outreach efforts.

      •••••

      Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County has appointed Joel Morse to its newly created position of Director of Partnership Development. In his role, Morse will be responsible for driving strategic growth through cultivation, recruitment, stewardship, and support of corporations, colleges, and other organizations that can provide sustained volunteer resources.

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      The public accounting firm of Gomes, Dacruz & Tracy, P.C. of Ludlow has named Mark A. Germain, CPA as Manager.

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      Vanessa Van Stee, M.D., has joined Fred Mudawwar, M.D., and Jonathan Bayuk, M.D., of Hampden County Physician Associates, LLC, Westfield, in the practice of allergy and immunology. Van Stee specializes in the treatment of allergic diseases, asthma, and other diseases of the immune system.

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      Avon Products Inc. recently recognized Linda Shea for being a top Avon Leadership/Sales Representative during the President’s Recognition Program Celebration on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. The annual event brings together the nation’s top-achieving Avon representatives who have distinguished themselves as top performers in sales or leadership.

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      Samuel J. Nutter has been named New England Business Development Director of the Conservation Services Group in Westborough. He is a native of Longmeadow. He will represent the company’s interests at regulatory proceedings, advisory council meetings, and other industry forums in the region. Nutter will also be responsible for monitoring state energy legislation.

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      Ashley L. Mickiewicz, a Project Manager at O’Reilly, Talbot and Okun Associates in Springfield, has become a licensed professional Engineer. She specializes in providing geotechnical services including the design of foundation systems, temporary earth-support systems, basements, retaining walls, pavements, vapor-intrusion-mitigation systems, and general earth work. Mickiewicz is also involved in the evaluation of seismic considerations on construction projects.

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      Juliet Locke of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin recently earned her professional Traffic Operations Engineer certification. She is a Transportation Engineer in the firm’s Springfield office. To earn the designation, engineers must demonstrate knowledge, skill, and ability in the specialized application of traffic operations engineering.

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      Quality Printing Company Inc. of Pittsfield announced the following winners in its 2010 “A Closer Look at the Berkshires” Photography and Art Contest:
      • Daniel Morgan was awarded the top prize for his image of the Hoosac Tunnel in Florida. Morgan also won the third prize for his image of Outlook Summit in Florida.
      • Ruth Pierce won second prize for her image of a Cheshire lake.
      • Runner-up winners included Anne Kotowicz, Nancy Choquette, Mick Garrold, David Stein, Jane McWhorter, Debbie Storie, and Jerry Christopher.

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      The Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross announced the following:
      • Brenda Brouillette has been promoted to Deputy Director of Chapter Services.
      • Mary Nathan has been named Director of Disaster.

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      Lisa K. Baltronis has been appointed a Mortgage Consultant at PeoplesBank.

      •••••

      Wing Memorial Hospital in Palmer announced the following:
      • Dr. Philip Cohen, a board-certified surgeon, now performs general, bariatric and minimally invasive surgeries using the laparoscopic technique.
      • Dr. A. Daniyal Siddiqui now provides oncology and hematology services to cancer patients.
      • Dr. Vijay Kasturi now performs oncology and hematology services to cancer patients.

      Departments

      Work of Arts

      Wendy Rosen of the Rosen Agency presents the 2009 Niche magazine Top Retailer Award to Don Muller, owner of the Don Muller Gallery in Northampton. The award recognized 30 craft retailers who are committed to growing and strengthening the North American crafts community.


      Moving In

      On Sept. 1, Springfield officials and those involved in the project to renovate 60 Congress St. gathered to mark the completion of those efforts and the pending arrival of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) as lead tenant. In 2008, local businessmen, Jerome Gagliarducci and Zane Mirkin purchased the foreclosed property and invested just under $4 million in renovations. Full-scale gutting and restoration transformed the building into Class A office space. From left are Gagliarducci; Mirkin; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; Tim Brennan, director of the PVPC; Richard Butler, PVPC chairman; and Bob Greeley, president of RJ Greeley Co., which handled leasing efforts.

      Opinion

      It was Kermit the Frog who immortalized the words “it’s not easy bein’ green.”

      There are some entrepreneurs who can relate, and perhaps alter the lyrics slightly and offer that it’s not that easy being in the ‘green’ business world.

      There are opportunities in that sector, certainly, but, as the stories in this issue’s focus on green energy will attest, there are some serious challenges as well. Many are common to those in practically every business sector — such as the hurdles being faced by George Huber as he attempts to raise capital and complete the other steps necessary to take what looks like a dramatic breakthrough — a development some call ‘grassoline’ — from the laboratory to the marketplace (see story, page 21).

      But there are other challenges that would have to be considered unique, or at least unique to this sector. Specifically, there’s the inconsistent nature of this broad industry and the nagging reality that, while people often want to do the right thing when it comes to their carbon footprint, they often need to have some real incentive. For some businesses and instituitions, such as colleges and universities, public relations is enough of an incentive. But for most, it comes down to dollars and cents.

      Consider the case of Justin Carven, the young entrepreneur who has made the term Greasecar a household name — sort of. Actually, it’s a household name among those who read Car & Driver and the New York Times. These are just a few of the dozens of regional and national publications that have chronicled his success in developing technology that will enable diesel-powered vehicles to also operate on common kitchen grease — hence the name.

      The technology works extremely well, but that’s not the big concern anymore. At issue is the nerve-wracking manner in which consumers respond to the technology. In short, when diesel prices go through the roof, Carven can’t keep up with orders. When they fall or stabilize, he’s challenged to keep his people busy. Such fluctuations make it nearly impossible to plan long-term or even short-term and to even remotely gauge cash flow.

      This would be enough to drive any business owner crazy, and Carven is at that juncture.

      Consider also the plight of solar-array installers and others in this sector. Given all the attention solar is getting, the economic advantages, and the growing tendency to ‘go green,’ one could say that these business owners are in the right place at the right time.

      But for some, it’s taken many years to get to this point, because it’s taken awhile for many individuals and businesses to warm to the notion of solar power. And now that more of them have, the economy has softened to the point where interest is cooling off, making the ‘right time’ portion of this equation a moving target.

      But it appears that it will come, and perhaps quite soon. As for Carven, well, he recognizes that such wild swings on the ledger sheet can’t continue. The good months and years have been really good, but the inability to know if and when they will come again has prompted Carven to revisit his business plan with the goal of fine-tuning it to gain much-needed measures of consistency and control over his own destiny.

      In the end, there appear to be better days ahead for those in this sector, and some very good days for this region and the country if ‘grassoline’ and the so-called Q microbe, being developed by another area firm called Qteros, become reality.

      It may not be easy to thrive in the green sector, but we’re certainly happy that dozens of entrepreneurs are persevering. Their determination is not simply creating jobs and the potential for many more of them, but it is fueling the imagination of others — both literally and figuratively.