A chart of area computer network/IT Services
Click here to download PDFComputerNetworkITservicesBW1011b
Year: 2011
Colleges Form Partnership on Workforce Training
SPRINGFIELD — Businesses throughout Hampden and Hampshire counties can now access custom-designed workforce training through a partnership between Holyoke Community College (HCC) and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). TWO — Training & Workforce Options — is a joint endeavor that provides a single source for customized workforce development and training in the region. HCC President Bill Messner noted that the colleges have offered extensive workforce training and development for decades, but now there is one telephone number and easy Web access for this business resource. STCC President Ira Rubenzahl added that TWO will offer a wide range of training, from computer software and certification preparation to manufacturing; from management skills to ESL in the workplace. “Our goal is to make Western Mass. a more desirable place to grow your business,” said Rubenzahl. Messner added that “both colleges have a long-term track record; it makes sense for us to combine and offer greater efficiency.” Classes will be scheduled at the need and desire of the customer, whether immediately or at some preferred time in the future. TWO can also provide distance classes online if that’s more convenient for the individual employees, or provide an instructor at the business address. Debbie Bellucci, dean of the STCC School of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, noted that contract training can be designed based on an individual company’s specific needs and desired outcomes. For more information on TWO, call (413) 755-6100.
UMass Wins Grant to Host $7.5 Million Northeast Climate Science Center
AMHERST — U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recently announced that UMass Amherst has been chosen to lead a consortium of seven universities and host a major new endeavor, the Northeast Climate Science Center, through a five-year, $7.5 million grant. It will support federal, state, and other agencies by studying the effects of climate change on ecosystems, wildlife, water, and other resources in the region. UMass Amherst and partner institutions in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, and Massachusetts will together receive $1.5 million core funding each year for five years, with more project-specific funds available. The Northeast CSC is one of eight established by the Interior Department since Salazar founded the program in 2009. The region includes New England and states west to Minnesota and south to Maryland. “Selecting the locations for the final three of our eight climate science centers is a major milestone in our efforts to implement our department-wide climate-change strategy,” Salazar said. “The nationwide network of climate science centers will provide the scientific talent and commitment necessary for understanding how climate change and other landscape stressors will change the face of the U.S., and how the Department of the Interior, as our nation’s chief steward of natural and cultural resources, can prepare and respond.” Specific challenges could include climate impacts on water resources, agriculture and grazing, fish and wildlife responses to climate change, forest resilience, invasive species, protecting migratory fish and waterfowl, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, flood management, and water quality. Funded research is only one benefit of being named a CSC. The designation also positions the university for a future leadership role in regional and national climate research, according to Michael Malone, UMass Amherst vice chancellor for research and engagement. Principal investigator of the new CSC at UMass Amherst is Richard Palmer, head of Civil and Environmental Engineering, with co-principal investigators Raymond Bradley, distinguished university professor and director of the Climate System Research Center; Curt Griffin, professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and co-director of the Environmental Sciences Program; and Keith Nislow, wildlife and fish team leader of the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. Bradley noted there is a pressing need for information on how climate change will affect conditions at the local level, which requires studies using high-resolution climate models. “Most studies so far provide broad-scale assessments at the national level,” he said, “but resource managers need more detailed information that is relevant to their specific problems. One of our goals for the new center is to develop this capability.” Palmer said that, to win this major federal recognition, UMass Amherst and its partner institutions demonstrated that they offer unparalleled research strengths and established multi-disciplinary collaborations spanning the Northeast region needed to carry out research on specific regional climate-change effects. Graduate students from many UMass Amherst departments and undergraduates in the Commonwealth Honors College will be involved in the Northeast CSC, including a possible exchange program with other regional centers. In addition to UMass Amherst, other Northeast CSC members are the University of Wisconsin Madison, the University of Missouri Columbia, the University of Minnesota, the College of Menominee Nation in Keshena, Wis., the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Mass., and Columbia University in New York City. According to the Department of the Interior, the eight regional climate science centers extend from a hub at the National Climate Change and Wildlife Center at the U.S. Geological Survey national headquarters. In addition to Interior Department bureaus such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, other federal cooperating agencies taking part in the CSC program are the U.S. Forest Service and NOAA. State, tribal, landowner, and non-governmental organization interests also will be engaged in identifying science priorities for the CSCs. Other climate science centers are located in Alaska, the Pacific Islands, and the Northwest, Southwest, North Central, South Central, and Southeast regions of the U.S.
UMass Amherst Cops $3M Grant for Science, Math Teacher Development
AMHERST — The School of Education at the UMass Amherst has received a six-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a network that helps train and retain science and mathematics teachers for middle and high schools in Western Mass. The project addresses the critical need for middle- and high-school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers through collaboration between UMass Amherst educators — and researchers from the School of Education and the colleges of Natural Sciences and Engineering — and mathematics and science administrators from regional school districts. The participating schools include the Springfield, Holyoke, and Greenfield public schools and the Mahar Regional School District in Orange. The Amherst-based Hitchcock Center for the Environment, a nonprofit organization focused on the professional development of teachers and the education of young people in the sciences, is a key partner in this project. The program is designed to encourage talented students and professionals to pursue teaching careers and develop long-term commitments to teaching students in high-needs secondary schools. This grant was accompanied by $1.5 million in matching contributions from the university and project partners. UMass Amherst faculty involved in the grant are Kathleen Davis, Sandra Madden, and Barbara Madeloni, all of the School of Education’s department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies; Stephen Schneider, head of the department of Astronomy in the College of Natural Sciences; and Paula Sturdevant Rees, from the Water Resources Research Center and the College of Engineering. The six-year project supports an engaged community of 20 master teacher fellows — teachers with master’s degrees and demonstrated excellence in teaching currently working in the partner districts — and 20 teaching fellows who are post-baccalaureate students and professionals holding STEM degrees who will earn a teaching credential and teach in a high-needs district. It provides these science and mathematics teachers with community support, licensure, graduate degrees and certificates, and salary supplements while they teach.
Massachusetts Public Higher Ed Enrollment Hits All-time High
BOSTON — The Mass. Department of Higher Education recently released data showing that the state’s public colleges and universities continue to experience substantial enrollment growth, hitting a 10-year record high in 2011. The 2011 Early Enrollment and Long-term Trend Comparisons, presented to the Mass. Board of Higher Education this morning, show a 23% increase in undergraduate enrollment at the state’s community colleges, state universities and University of Massachusetts campuses between fall, 2001 and fall, 2011. The report also shows that selected colleges and universities have witnessed dramatic fall-to-fall enrollment increases in the past year. Framingham State University’s enrollment increased 15%, while Worcester State University’s enrollment grew by 9%. These increases occurred despite a smaller pool of high school graduates across the state due to various demographic changes. “The data tell an important story, namely that our public colleges and universities continue to play a decidedly more important role in educating the future citizens and workforce of the Commonwealth,” said Richard M. Freeland, Commissioner of Higher Education for Massachusetts. “While the numbers are not as dramatic as in recent years, this new analysis shows that our enrollment growth remains consistent and our role in educating the state’s future citizenry and workforce continues to expand.” While the greatest growth in enrollment over the past few years has been at the community college level, this past year saw the highest enrollment increases in the state university segment. Framingham State University President Timothy Flanagan attributes the increase to the university’s own growth plan, accommodation of transfer students, and current economic realities. “Families are seeking value, which they define as high quality academic programs and world class faculty to prepare students for careers and further study,” said Flanagan.
School of Public Health Wins $2.5M Grant, National Recognition
AMHERST — Training to improve the nation’s public health system by strengthening the technical, scientific, managerial, and leadership competence of current and future public-health workers will soon be under way in Springfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, and the Berkshires, supported by a four-year, $2.5 million grant to the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS) at UMass Amherst. Dean Marjorie Aelion, with lead faculty investigators Dan Gerber and Stuart Chipkin, recently announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services award to the SPHHS at UMass Amherst, which creates a Public Health Training Center on the campus. Similar awards were also given to Yale, Columbia, and Johns Hopkins universities. Through the center, training will be available to 30 current community health workers in Springfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, and the Berkshires each year over the next four years. Concurrently, 30 UMass Amherst SPHHS undergraduate student interns will be placed in some of the communities to help administer new programs each year.
Region’s Business Successes Will Be Feted on Oct. 28
Formerly called the Fabulous 50, the Super 60 — a celebration of successful and growing businesses — has become an annual tradition in Western Mass. This year’s Super 60 lunch, slated for Oct. 28 at Chez Josef, will honor individual companies, but also recognize the diversity and vibrancy of the entire local business community — a worthwhile message as the economy continues its slow recovery.
Jeffrey Ciuffreda says the annual Super 60 luncheon is more than a recognition of individual achievement in business, although it is definitely that, too.
It’s also a celebration of Western Mass. as a whole.
“I believe this program is a great showcase of our region and truly shows the diversity of our employment base, our businesses, which is our strength,” said Ciuffreda, president of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, which sponsors the event. “The list of winners includes human-services providers, manufacturers, institutions of higher education, technology, environmental firms, insurers, and more.”
And that’s a positive message at a time when the economy continues to slog toward some semblance of forward momentum. The Super 60, Ciuffreda said, is an opportunity to honor some of the success stories being written across Western Mass. during these uncertain times.
For 23 years now, the luncheon at Chez Josef in Agawam has toasted the chamber’s top 30 companies in the total revenue and revenue growth categories (there are actually 53 businesses being honored this year, as seven overlap both lists). This year’s event is scheduled for Oct. 29, and will feature as a keynote speaker Paul Kozub, president of V-One Vodka.
“The two categories allow one to see businesses in a couple of important ways,” Ciuffreda said. “Revenue speaks for itself oftentimes in the size of a company or in its longevity. The Revenue growth category oftentimes includes newer companies who have solidified their base and are beginning to show real growth, or companies that have been around for some time and continue to do the right things and therefore grow in our area.
“The program has always been well-received and attended by more than 500 people,” he added. “Oftentimes the winners use this award in their marketing and advertising, and the public realizes the significance of it.
The companies being honored represent virtually every sector of the economy, from financial services to education; from human services to manufacturing; from health care to retail.
The top finisher in the total revenue category is Savage Sports Corp. in Westfield, followed by Springfield College (which made the top three last year as well) and Hannoush Jewelers. NUVO Bank & Trust, chartered four years ago, is the top company in the revenue growth category for 2011, followed by Convergent Solutions in Wilbraham (last year’s top growth company) and Samuel’s in Springfield. Those six companies alone demonstrate the diversity of the Super 60.
Average revenue for the top 30 companies in total revenue exceeded $28 million in 2010. In the growth category, the average growth for the top 30 companies was 23%, and half of them recorded revenue growth in excess of 30%.
The luncheon will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The keynote speaker, Kozub, is a classic example of the entrepreneurial spirit running through the Pioneer Valley. His father ran a successful family business, and his grandfather produced and distributed his own vodka during the 1930s. Inspired by those stories, Kozub started making vodka at home, visiting Poland several times to perfect the recipe.
Six years ago, V-One Vodka made its debut in 10 liquor stores and five restaurants. In the first year, Kozub spent all of his time visiting restaurants and liquor stores with samples of his product. Today, V-One is widely distributed and considered one of the top vodkas in the world.
Ciuffreda called Kozub “a businessperson who fits the mold of an entrepreneur and started his own company within the last 10 years and has met with great success, not just regionally but nationally and internationally. It is safe to assume that many of the award winners started as Paul did: with an idea, with a product, and with great determination.”
For more information on the Super 60 luncheon or to order seats ($50 for chamber members or $70 for non-members), call (413) 787-1555. n
TOTAL REVENUE
American International College
1000 State St., Springfield, MA 01109
(800) 242-3142
www.aic.edu
Vincent Maniaci, President
Launched in 1885, AIC is a private, co-educational, four-year institution in the geographic center of Springfield. Liberal arts serves as the core in all its academic offerings, and the college is organized into schools of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Business Administration; Health Sciences; and Continuing and Extended Studies.
Associated Electro-Mechanics Inc.
185 Rowland St., Springfield, MA 01107
(413) 781-4276
www.aemservices.com
Elayne Lebeau, CEO
Associated Electro-Mechanics Inc. is the largest independent industrial service center in the Northeast, providing industry with services that cover electrical, mechanical, machining, welding, and field services. Its multi-faceted field service crews and a staff of electrical and mechanical engineers complement the departmentalized staff operations.
City Tire Co. Inc.
25 Avocado St., Springfield, MA 01101
(413) 737-1419
www.city-tire.com
Peter Greenberg, President
With 11 locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire, City Tire offers quality tires from a number of top brands, while its service department specializes in alignments, oil changes, brakes, suspension, and more.
Delaney Restaurant Inc. / The Log Cabin
500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke, MA 01040
(413) 535-5077
www.logcabin-delaney.com
Peter Rosskothen, President
The Delaney House restaurant offers 13 private-themed rooms for any special occasion, with seating for up to 260. It offers two dining options — fine dining and the more casual Mick. The Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House offers quality banquet facilities for weddings, showers, anniversaries, engagement parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, business meetings, holiday parties, and more.
The Dennis Group, LLC
1537 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 746-0054
www.dennisgrp.com
Tom Dennis, CEO
The Dennis Group offers complete planning, design, architectural, engineering, and construction-management services. The firm is comprised of experienced engineering and design professionals dedicated to excellence in the implementation of food-manufacturing processes and facilities.
Disability Management Services Inc.
1350 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 523-1126
www.disabilitymanagementservices.com
Robert Bonsall Jr., President
Founded in 1995, DMS is an independent, full-service third-party administrator and consulting firm, specializing in the management of individual and group disability products. DMS is headquartered in Springfield, with an additional office located in Syracuse, N.Y., and employs more than 200 professional associates.
Environmental Compliance Services Inc.
588 Silver St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-3530
www.ecsconsult.com
Mark Hellstein, CEO
For more than 25 years, ECS has specialized in environmental site assessments; testing for asbestos, lead, indoor air quality, and mold; drilling and subsurface investigations; and emergency response management.
Hannoush Jewelers Inc.
1655 Boston Road, Unit B7, Springfield, MA 01129
(888) 325-3935
www.hannoush.com
Norman Hannoush, CEO
Since it opened its first store in 1980, Hannoush Jewelers has grown its network to more than 50 company-owned and franchised locations throughout the U.S. The chain operates under a philosophy of family ownership and personal attention to detail, and boasts more than 400 professionally trained employees.
Insurance Center Of New England
1070 Suffield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 781-2410
www.icnegroup.com
Dean Florian, President
In operation since 1866, Insurance Center of New England Group (ICNE Group) is a locally owned, independent insurance agency, providing full-service insurance solutions for individuals and businesses. It operates six locations throughout Massachusetts.
Jet Industries Inc.
307 Silver St., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 781-2010
Michael Turrini, President
Jet Industries manufactures aircraft engines, parts, and equipment, as well as turbines and turbine generator sets and parts, aircraft power systems, flight instrumentation, and aircraft landing and braking systems.
The Gaudreau Group
1984 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(800) 750-3534
www.gaudreaugroup.com
Jules Gaudreau Jr., President
The Gaudreau Group is an insurance and financial-services agency serving neighboring families and businesses since 1921. It offers a consultative approach to assessing needs and risks and then offering a custom solution.
Joseph Freedman Co. Inc.
115 Stevens St., Springfield, MA 01104
(888) 677-7818
www.josephfreedmanco.com
John Freedman, president
Founded in 1891, the company provides industrial scrap-metal recycling, specializing in aluminum, copper, nickel alloys, and aircraft scrap, and has two facilities in Springfield — a 120,000-square-foot indoor ferrous facility, and a 60,000-square-foot chopping operation.
Kittredge Equipment Co.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, CEO
Serving a variety of establishments and institutions for more than 80 years, Kittredge is a one-stop, full-service equipment and supplies dealership for the food service industry, with three showroom locations — in Agawam, Natick, and Williston, Vt.
Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
Bryan Marcotte, President
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade.
Maybury Material Handling
90 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(413) 525-4216
www.maybury.com
John Maybury, President
Since 1976, Maybury Material Handling has been designing, supplying, and servicing all types of material-handling equipment throughout New England. Maybury provides customers in a wide range of industries with solutions to move, lift, and store their parts and products.
Mental Health Association Inc.
995 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 734-5376
www.mhainc.org
Linda Williams, Executive Director
The Mental Health Assoc. Inc. provides residential and support services to enhance the quality of life for individuals challenged with mental impairments. Affordable quality housing, advocacy, and public education are part of the agency’s dedication to empowering individuals to develop their fullest potential.
Rocky’s Hardware Inc.
40 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 781-1650
www.rockys.com
Rocco Falcone II, President
With locations throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, the family-run business founded in 1926 is a fully stocked, convenient source for not only typical hardware-store items but also a line of goods for the home, yard, and garden.
Sarat Ford Sales Inc.
245 Springfield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(888) 254-2911
saratford.dealerconnection.com
John Sarat Jr., CEO
Founded in 1929, Sarat has grown to become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass. The third-generation business sells a wide variety of new and used vehicles and boasts a 24-bay service center with a $1 million parts inventory, and has received Ford’s Distinguished Achievement Award for excellent customer service multiple times.
Savage Sports Corp.
100 Springdale Road, Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 568-7001
www.savagearms.com
Albert Kasper, President
Founded in 1995, Savage Sports Corp. designs and manufactures center-fire rifles, rim-fire rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders for the hunting and shooting sports industries. It also offers firearms, ranges, bullet traps, and accessories.
Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc.
235 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-6700
www.specialtybolt.com
Alan Crosby, CEO
Founded in 1977, Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc. is a distributor of innovative fastener solutions. The company has engineering resources on staff to help determine the optimum fastener for each application, and utilizes state-of-the-art technology along with more than 30 years of experience to help clients achieve their objectives.
Spectrum Analytical Inc.
11 Almgren Dr., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-9018
Dr. Hanibal Tayeh, CEO
For more than a decade, Spectrum Analytical Inc. has provided quantitative analysis of soil, water, and, more recently, air samples, as well as petroleum products. Consulting firms, industries, municipalities, universities, and the public sector are among the constituencies that make up the client list.
Springfield College
263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Dr. Richard Flynn, CEO
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.
Tighe & Bond Inc.
53 Southampton Road, Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 562-1600
www.tighebond.com
David Pinsky, President
Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011, Tighe & Bond specializes in environmental engineering, focusing on water, wastewater, solid-waste, and hazardous-waste issues, and provides innovative engineering services to public and private clients around the country and overseas.
Titan USA Enterprises Inc.
140 Baldwin St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(888) 482-6872
www.titanman.com
Ralph Colby, CEO
For almost four decades, Titan USA Enterprises has served industrial distributors as a manufacturer of premium-quality, solid-carbide, high-speed steel, and cobalt cutting tools.
United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
Mary Ellen Scott, President
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.
Universal Plastics Corp.
75 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 553-0120
www.universalplastics.com
Joseph Peters, CEO
Since 1965, Universal Plastics has been a leading force in the custom thermoforming industry. It specializes in precision custom thermoforming, a plastic-manufacturing process that converts a sheet of plastic into a highly detailed finished product with less tooling investment than other plastic molding processes.
Valley Communications Systems Inc.
201 First Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 592-4136
www.valleycommunications.com
Edward Tremble, President
Valley is a diversified communications company serving New England with broadband TV distribution systems, satellite-dish installations, data and voice cabling, computer interactive whiteboards, data/video projection equipment and systems, videoconference room design, telephone systems, sound systems, security systems, and AV equipment.
W.F. Young Inc.
302 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(800) 628-9653
www.absorbine.com
Tyler Young, CEO
This family-run business prides itself on offering a variety of high-quality products that can effectively improve the well-being of both people and horses with its Absorbine brands.
Whalley Computer Associates Inc.
One Whalley Way, Southwick, MA 01077
(413) 569-4200
www.wca.com
John Whalley, President
WCA is a locally owned family business that has evolved from a hardware resale and service group in the 1970s and 1980s into a company that now focuses on lowering the total cost of ownership of technology and productivity enhancement for its customers. Whalley carries name-brand computers as well as low-cost performance compatibles.
YMCA of Greater Springfield Inc.
275 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 739-6951
www.springfieldy.org
Kirk Smith, CEO
The YMCA focuses on youth development, with child-care, educational, and enrichment programs; on healthy living, with programs in exercise, fitness, and nutrition; and on social responsibility, with scholarships and social-services programs. Also includes the Scantic Valley Y Family Center in Wilbraham.
REVENUE GROWTH
ABIDE INC.
P.O. Box 886, East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(800) 696-2243
www.abideinc.com
Frank Tilli, CEO
With more than 14 years of experience, Abide is an environmental contracting and restoration firm using the latest equipment and technology. It provides abatement services to remove environmental hazards, as well as general contracting services to rebuild and restore facilities following remediation.
Acme Metals & Recycling Inc.
64 Napier St., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 737-3112
www.acmerecycling.com
George Sachs, President
For more than 70 years, Acme Metals & Recycling has been a leader in state-of-the-art recycling services, offering consultations, on-site evaluations, plant dismantling, demolition services, and more. It also provides steel mills, paper mills, foundries, and overseas markets with valuable materials recycled from its facilities.
American International College
1000 State St., Springfield, MA 01109
(800) 242-3142
www.aic.edu
Vincent Maniaci, President
Launched in 1885, AIC is a private, coeducational, four-year institution in the geographic center of Springfield. Liberal arts serves as the core in all its academic offerings, and the college is organized into schools of Arts, Education, and Sciences; Business Administration; Health Sciences; and Continuing and Extended Studies.
Benchmark Carbide
572 St. James Ave., Springfield MA 01109
(413) 732-7470
www.benchmarkcarbide.com
Paul St. Louis, President
A manufacturer of carbide end mills and reamers, Benchmark (a division of Custom Carbide Corp.) sells its products to distributors throughout the continental U.S. and Canada. Its extensive line of products includes its best-selling aluminum series and its patented variable-helix end mills.
Braman Chemical Enterprises Inc.
147 Almgren Dr., Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 732-9009
www.braman.biz
Gerald Lazarus, President
Braman has been serving New England since 1890, using state-of-the-art pest elimination procedures for commercial and residential customers. The company has offices in Agawam, Worcester, and Lee, as well as Hartford and New Haven, Conn.
Complete Healthcare Solutions Inc.
1497 North Main St., Palmer, MA 01069
(800) 250-8687
www.completehealthcaresolutions.com
Michael Penna, CEO
Founded in 1994, CHS provides affordable software solutions for small to mid-sized health care practices. The company helps customers with electronic medical records, practice-management software, medical billing, document management, data security, and a host of other services.
Consolidated Health Plans Inc.
2077 Roosevelt Ave., Springfield, MA 01104
(413) 733-4540
www.consolidatedhealthplan.com
Kevin Saremi, President
Established in 1993, Consolidated Health Plans is a leader in providing third-party claims administration of medical, dental, disability, flex, accident, and life insurance programs for employees and college students throughout the country.
Convergent Solutions Inc.
9501 Post Office Park, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(413) 509-1000
www.convergentsolutions.com
Arlene Kelly, CEO
A health care billing solutions provider founded in 2006, Convergent Solutions provides hardware and software products that help eliminate human error in medical billing processes, thus helping bring down the cost of health care.
Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.
17 Hampden St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 733-6798
www.dietzarch.com
Kerry Dietz, CEO
Dietz & Co. provides a full range of architectural services in the public and private sectors, including work in housing, education, heath care, commercial facilities, historic preservation, and sustainable projects. The firm seeks to bring the benefits of integrated design into all its projects, from individual buildings to entire neighborhoods.
Duval Precision Grinding Inc.
940 Sheridan St., Chicopee, MA 01022
(413) 593-3060
Ronald Duval, CEO
Since its inception in 1988, Duval Precision Grinding has specialized in precision grinding, metal coating, and engraving.
EOS/Proshred
75 Post Office Park, Suite 7401, Wilbraham, MA 01095
(413) 596-5479
www.proshred.com
Joseph Kelly, CEO
Proshred is a paper-shredding company providing secure on-site document shredding and recycling services for safeguarding private information, maintaining legislative compliance, and protecting public image.
The Futures Health Group, LLC
136 Williams St., Springfield, MA 01105
(800) 218-9280
Peter Bittel, CEO
The Futures Health Group provides special education and clinical services and management to 25,000 students and individuals. Bittel has more than 35 years of clinical and executive leadership experience in the areas of special education, rehabilitation, and developmental disabilities.
Gandara Center
147 Norman St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 736-8329
www.gandaracenter.org
Dr. Henery East-Trou, CEO
Focusing on the Latino/Hispanic community, Gandara Center provides substance-abuse recovery, mental-health, and housing services for men, women, children, adolescents, and families throughout the Pioneer Valley.
Kittredge Equipment Co.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, CEO
Serving a variety of establishments and institutions for more than 80 years, Kittredge is a one-stop, full-service equipment and supplies dealership for the food service industry, with three showroom locations — in Agawam, Natick, and Williston, Vt.
Litron Inc.
207 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001
(413) 789-0700
www.litron.com
Mark Plasso, President
Litron was founded in 1997 as a laser welding and laser systems company, but has grown to incorporate four distinct, yet interrelated, divisions: open-air laser welding, laser systems, microwave electronic packaging, and glovebox hermetic sealing. The company services the aerospace, medical, and industrial markets.
Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke, MA 01040
(800) 923-9810
www.marcotteford.com
Bryan Marcotte, President
The dealership sells new Ford vehicles as well as pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, and features a full service department. Marcotte has achieved the President’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors given to dealerships by Ford Motor Co., on multiple occasions over the past decade.
The Markens Group
1350 Main St., Suite 1508, Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 686-9199
www.markens.com
Ben Markens, President
Markens has guided hundreds of businesses toward excellence since 1988. It provides services in strategic management, profit planning, sales and marketing, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
Moriarty & Primack, P.C.
One Monarch Place, Springfield, MA 01144
(413) 739-1800
www.mass-cpa.com
Jay Primack, CEO
While audit and tax services continue to be a dominant aspect of the accounting firmís business, practice professionals also provide a wide range of services in the areas of tax-planning and tax-compliance services.
NetLogix Inc.
181 Notre Dame St., Westfield, MA 01085
(413) 586-2777
www.netlgx.com
Marco Liquori, President
NetLogix offers a wide range of IT services, including equipment sales; managed network services and remote monitoring; network design, installation, and management; network security and firewalls; disaster-recovery and business-continuity services; VoIP; wi-fi; and more.
NUVO Bank & Trust Co.
1500 Main St., Springfield, MA 01115
(413) 787-2700
www.nuvobank.com
M. Dale Janes, CEO
Chartered in 2007, NUVO is an independent, locally owned bank that provides loans, deposits, and cash-management services for both personal-banking and business-banking needs.
O’ConnelL CARE AT HOME & HEALTHCARE STAFFING
14 Bobala Road, Suite 1B, Holyoke, MA 01040
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, President
For more than two decades, O’Connell Care at Home and Healthcare Staffing has grown to deliver the a wide range of home health care and staffing services across the Pioneer Valley. Services range from nursing care and geriatric health care management to advocacy and transportation.
PC Enterprises / Entre Computer
138 Memorial Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 736-2112
www.pc-enterprises.com
Norman Fiedler, CEO
PC Enterprises (d/b/a Entre Computer) assists organizations with procuring, installing, troubleshooting, servicing, and maximizing the value of technology. In business since 1983, it and continues to evolve and grow as a lead provider for many businesses, health care providers, retailers, and state, local, and education entities.
Pioneer Spine & Sports Physicians
271 Park St., West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 785-1153
www.spinesports.com
Dr. Scott Cooper, CEO
The practice specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders. While best-known for expertise in sports medicine and spine care, it treats a wide variety of conditions. In addition to routine non-operative care, the practice also provides the latest in minimally invasive and reconstructive surgery of the spine.
Robert F. Scott Co., Inc.
467 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow, MA 01106
(413) 567-7089
Leonard Rising III, President
Robert F. Scott Co. Inc. (known as Longmeadow Garage) is a locally owned and operated full-service gasoline and automotive service station. Its staff includes ASE-certified technicians well-versed in all makes and models.
Samuel’s
1000 West Columbus Ave., Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 732-7267
www.samuelstavern.com
Edward Grimaldi, CEO
Located at the Basketball Hall of Fame, Samuels is a sports bar that takes as its motto “It’s better to eat in a bar than to drink in a restaurant,” and backs it up with a menu strong on new American cuisine, seafood, tapas, and an extensive selection of wine and other drinks.
Sarat Ford Sales Inc.
245 Springfield St., Agawam, MA 01001
(888) 254-2911
saratford.dealerconnection.com
John Sarat Jr., CEO
Founded in 1929, Sarat has grown to become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass. The third-generation business sells a wide variety of new and used vehicles and boasts a 24-bay service center with a $1 million parts inventory, and has received Ford’s Distinguished Achievement Award for excellent customer service multiple times.
Springfield College
263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Dr. Richard Flynn, CEO
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is a private, independent, coeducational, four-year college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs with its Humanics philosophy — educating students in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.
United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
Mary Ellen Scott, President
United provides a full range of staffing services, including temporary staffing and full-time placement, on-site project management, and strategic recruitment in the Springfield, Hartford, and Northampton areas, specializing in administrative, professional, medical, and light-industrial staff.
Valley Communications Systems Inc.
201 First Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020
(413) 592-4136
www.valleycommunications.com
Edward Tremble, President
Valley is a diversified communications company serving New England with broadband TV distribution systems, satellite-dish installations, data and voice cabling, computer interactive whiteboards, data/video projection equipment and systems, videoconference room design, telephone systems, sound systems, security systems, and AV equipment.
YWCA Of Western Massachusetts
One Clough St., Springfield, MA 01118
(413) 733-7100
www.springfieldy.org
Mary Johnson, Executive Director
The YWCA is a worldwide organization seeking to bring women of diverse backgrounds together to work toward a common vision of peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. The YWCA of Western Massachusetts is a private, not-for-profit charitable corporation and a certified woman-owned business.
Idea Mill Points Way to a Vibrant Holyoke
“Being down at the bottom gives you the chance to come back.”
That was one of the many messages that John Geraci, who has launched several Internet-based startups, left with participants at Idea Mill (see cover story, page 38). He was addressing an audience of entrepreneurs, business leaders, city-planning experts, and others interested in seeing Holyoke make exactly that kind of comeback.
‘Down at the bottom’ may have been a harsh way to put it, but it’s undeniable that this unique community — one of the nation’s first planned industrial cities, with a central manufacturing district built along a series of canals — has seen better days; it still ranks among the poorest cities in Massachusetts, and many of those formerly bustling mills have been vacant for decades.
But change is in the air.
Local economic-development officials have been talking about the rise of an Innovation District along the canals, and city leaders are buoyed by the ongoing development of the high-performance computing center that won’t produce many jobs, but will surely raise the city’s profile in attracting other high-tech businesses.
Idea Mill, which brought together a few dozen visionaries to discuss Holyoke’s potential, further focused those goals by emphasizing, throughout the day, the concept of ‘entrepreneutial density,’ the idea that many innovative companies, startups and established firms alike, working in one area raises the bar for all of them — not just through competition, but collaboration as well.
The idea of CEOs discussing current projects and future ideas among one another wasn’t the paradigm 20 years ago, said Baer Tierkel, another serial entrepreneur, but that kind of shared passion can be the lifeblood for a growing economy — in this case, one that could spring up in the old mill buildings along the canals.
That’s why another recurring theme at Idea Mill was promoting those buildings themselves, and convincing entrepreneurs to see them not as relics from a long-ago past, but living real estate with a palpable sense of history mingled with a modern, funky vibe. Many businesses have already caught on — the success of Open Square, where the conference was held, speaks to that — but event organizers believe the Innovation District can be so much more.
There’s plenty to be excited about in the Paper City these days, from the high-performance computing center to the possibility of a large resort casino. But what the speakers at Idea Mill made abundantly clear is that the city’s fortune won’t rise on technology itself, or any individual building project, but on people with passion and a vision, competing with each other while collaborating on something greater: a new, vibrant Holyoke.
We’ve said many times that economic development and job growth in this region will come organically. It will happen the same way it happened 200 years ago, with entrepreneurs taking concepts for new products and turning them into businesses. There are many ways to foster entrepreurship, and one of them is to relate success stories that happened here (complete with the challenges and struggles that are part and parcel to each of those stories) with the hope that they will inspire others who want to choose that path, and convince them that they don’t have to move to Cambridge or Silicon Valley to achieve those dreams.
That’s what Idea Mill is all about, and we consider it an exciting addition to the many endeavors taking place in the Valley to inspire the vision and entrepreneurial daring it will take to transform Holyoke and the entire region.
And that’s an idea worth developing.
New UMass President Says That’s a Big Part of His Job Description
UMass President Robert Caret at the site of the high-performance computing center in Holyoke.
Robert Caret said he was repeating a joke, and while his comments drew many laughs, overall, he finds little humor in what he was saying.
He was talking with business leaders in Greater Springfield about the medical school in Worcester, how it carries the name UMass in front of those two words, and wondering, sort of, why that’s the case.
“The medical school’s budget is almost $1 billion, and only 4% is state-supported,” Caret, the recently installed president of the five-campus University of Massachusetts, told his audience over breakfast at the Springfield Sheraton. “I joked to the governor’s team that I could get more than 4% if I sold the name to Gillette or EMC or Peter Pan. Why do we have Massachusetts on the label if Massachusetts isn’t paying for it?”
Obtaining better support from the Commonwealth is just one of the many goals and aspirations Caret brings with him to his office in Boston as he takes the helm at a public institution ranked as the 19th-best university in the world in the Times of London 2011 World Reputation Rankings, but one that has historically received much less respect (in the form of funding) from the state in which it plays such a key role in economic development and job creation — $5 billion annually, by his estimates.
Overall, only 23% of the roughly $2.6 billion for the system comes from the state, he went on, adding that options for the rest are few, with tuition being the primary source. And as tuition rises, which it has steadily over the past few decades, public schools must devote more resources to student aid, said Caret, while also contributing more to new capital projects and relying more on endowments to meet the bottom line.
“We’re becoming a private institution,” he explained, adding a pause for effect. “That’s the model of a private university — high tuition, high aid, build your own buildings, raise your own money, 70% of your revenue comes from tuition. That’s a private university, and that’s where we’re all going.
“And the problem if we all go private is we’ll all provide high quality,” he continued, “but a lot of people aren’t going to get in, because you can’t run a 70,000-student enterprise using that model. You can run Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Amherst using that model, but not a school this large.”
Efforts to change that equation and improve such numbers are part of a complex job description that Caret attempted to simplify down to a few overriding tasks, with “telling and selling” being perhaps the most important. “That’s a big part of what I do,” he explained. “It’s all about getting out and telling the story.”
He would add another action verb to that list — listening, which he says is an important attribute and a big part of the process of making the university more of the force that economic-development officials statewide, and especially in the regions near the five campuses, want and need it to be.
Caret did copious amounts of telling, selling, and listening on a recent four-day, 400-mile bus tour of the state that took him from Adams to Buzzards Bay. Called “On the Road Together,” so-named to drive home the point that the state and university must travel together if they intend to get where they both want to go, the bus tour made stops locally in Pittsfield, downtown Springfield, the Smith & Wesson facility on Roosevelt Avenue, the high-performance computing center and intermodal transportation center, both in Holyoke, and the Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) on the Amherst campus.
BusinessWest rode on the bus for several legs of the junket, seizing an opportunity to talk with Caret about this latest stop on a 30-year career in higher education (all of it spent in the public arena), his vision for the university, and the strategic plan he’s creating to better tell the university’s story and drive home his points about the ominous trends unfolding.
“We need society to understand that they’re closing the doors to education,” he said. “If government doesn’t step up, we’ll continue to build quality, but as we build quality, we’ll become more privatized, and as we become more privatized, access becomes the thing that suffers, and we just don’t want that to happen.”
Back to His Routes
Caret calls it the “Rodney Dangerfield effect.”
That’s the phrase he summoned to describe the situations he’s found himself in at the three stops on his résumé, including the latest.
Elaborating, he said that, at Towson University in Maryland, which he served in many capacities and lastly as president for eight years, the school operated in the very large shadow of Johns Hopkins University, just 20 miles away. And at San Jose State University in California, which he served as president from 1995 to 2003, Stanford was just down the road.
In Massachusetts, Harvard is the iconic private institution, but there are more than a dozen other major private colleges vying for students, media coverage, research money, and the attention of the public.
At Towson and San Jose, Caret said he learned early on that the best strategy wasn’t to try to compete with those institutions, but to complement them. And he intends to take the same approach in the Bay State.
“We want to be in a state of complementation; society needs public, private, two-year, four-year, state universities, community colleges, and universities to handle all its economic and social needs,” he explained. “What we all need to do is decide what piece we do, and how we can do it with high quality.
“And if you look at schools like Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, and MIT, only about 20% or less of their graduates stay in the state in which those schools reside, because they’re playing largely to an international audience; they take people from all over the world, and they go back all over the world,” he continued. “The University of Massachusetts takes 80% of its students from the state of Massachusetts and 80% of them stay here; we graduate 13,000 or 14,000 new citizens a year who go into the workforce and pay taxes. And all those campuses I’ve been involved with … you may get more startups out of Hopkins, MIT, and Stanford, but 20 years from now, UMass graduates are going to be running those companies because we’re going to permeate the ranks of those companies.”
Beyond these complementation efforts, Claret presided over periods of significant growth at both of his previous stops, career-wise, and gained national acclaim for eliminating race-based graduation disparity at Towson.
Indeed, under his leadership, the six-year graduation rate for all Towson students rose from 60% in 2003 to 75% in 2010. What’s more, the six-year graduation rate for African-American students rose from 48% in 2003 to 76% in 2010.
Caret wasn’t necessarily looking for a new job — although he’s always been receptive to new challenges — when UMass commenced its search for a successor to Jack Wilson last fall. He said he was lured by the opportunity to lead a system, and especially one with a strong research component, something he hadn’t experienced previously. Meanwhile, Boston was also an attraction; he did his undergraduate work there and grew up in New England.
Road Map for Progress
Starting back in the interviewing process, Caret said he’s been doing a lot of “reading, Googling, and learning” about the university, its five campuses — Amherst, Worcester, Boston, Lowell, and Dartmouth — and specific initiatives at those campuses and the communities that surround them. That process has only accelerated since he was hired in July.
“I was given three briefing books on an iPad that were probably a total of 450 pages of briefings on every piece of the UMass system — from campuses to budgets to the high-performance computing center, the stem-cell bank, everything we were doing,” he said. After he was hired, he complemented this reading and learning with roundtable meetings on the various campuses with faculty senates, unions, vice chancellors, deans, student groups, and other constituencies.
The bus trip, which included 24 stops, was, in many ways, a continuation of those research efforts, while also serving as a vehicle — literally and figuratively — for doing more of that telling and selling.
At Smith & Wesson, for example, he learned not only about that company’s expansion initiative and the adding of more than 200 jobs, but also about the many challenges facing area manufacturers — recruitment of talent topping the list — and the university’s efforts to address them while also spurring innovation.
In Holyoke, he spent time with city leaders at the high-performance computing center — a prime example of the university partnering with both private colleges (MIT and Boston University) and the business community — and also learned of that community’s efforts to create an Innovation District and use public transportation to help achieve growth.
Other stops on the tour included the Emerging Energy Technology & Innovation Center at UMass Lowell, a biomanufacturing facility in Fall River, Venture Development Center at UMass Boston, and the medical school itself.
What has he learned?
“There are a lot of similarities in what people are looking for from UMass,” he explained, referring to just the first few legs of his trip in Western Mass. “In North Adams, Pittsfield, Lee, and Springfield, they want more help with economic development, especially with technology transfer; if they have startup companies, they want a workforce to continue to feed those ventures, especially in the new technologies areas like biotech, life sciences, IT, and clean energy. But the further you are away from the main campuses, the harder it is to maintain those relationships.
“The other piece we see is the educational piece itself, which also feeds into workforce,” he continued. “But it also feeds into advanced manufacturing. And the third one is basic quality of life; Springfield, for example, would like to have much more of a cultural linkage with Amherst, and have more of the kinds of things that happen on the campus — like plays and other kinds of performances — in Springfield.”
Moving in the Right Direction
At most of the stops on the tour there was at least one meeting with the local business community, which Caret described as one of the constituencies with which the university must build relationships — and draw support.
Indeed, as he wrapped up his remarks at the Springfield Sheraton, Caret asked those assembled for advocacy in several different forms.
“We’d like some financial advocacy,” he said, meaning monetary support. “But we also need political advocacy, which can be almost as important as financial advocacy. And we’d also like a little emotional advocacy; every once in while, give us a pat on the back or a hug — we’d like to feel good every day about what we’re doing.”
When asked to elaborate on what he wants to accomplish at UMass, Caret listed several of the things he’s achieved at Towson and San Jose State, everything from higher graduation rates to stronger partnerships with business, other colleges (public and private), and the state itself. He also listed stronger linkages between the individual campuses, the regions surrounding them, and individual cities.
Which brought the conversation to the link between the flagship campus in Amherst and Springfield, and efforts in recent years to bolster that relationship and leverage the university’s many assets in a city trying to revitalize and reinvent itself.
“I will be a strong advocate for all of our campuses being aggressive with their local regions — but then you have to define ‘region,’ which becomes more complex,” he explained. “But I do think Amherst and Springfield are a logical pairing.
“If you look at studies from the Brookings Institute and other groups, you’ll find that, in most instances, for a vibrant city, you need a university at the core of its economic focus,” he continued. “And we want to play that role.”
And when asked how he would measure his success rate with his many goals, he again referenced his previous stops and said, “when I’m done here, I want to be able to say the same things I’ve said at the other two campuses.”
Elaborating, he said that, at both Towson and San Jose State, he presided over a number of capital projects that changed the faces of both schools. “I’ve probably done $2 billion worth of infrastructure at the two schools, and more than $1 billion at the last one (Towson), and they hadn’t had a new building in 30 years; it was a transformational change.”
But he is more proud of his success with improving the image of both schools, both in their respective regions and globally.
“At both schools, I raised the image of the campus, I raised the sense of pride among the people working there and graduating from there, and got the world excited about those campuses again; these were schools that were among the best of their breed, but they just weren’t getting the recognition they deserved.
“The biggest thing I’ve done is to revitalize a school, make people feel good about it, and energize the campus,” he continued. “And I’d like to say that about UMass, because if I can do that, then all those other things will happen; the rankings will improve, the funding will improve, the political advocacy will improve, and all the rest will happen.”
Next Stop?
There is no simple strategy for energizing a campus, he told BusinessWest as the bus was pulling into downtown Holyoke for its next stop. But a big part of that equation is that ‘telling-and-selling’ component of his job description.
But it’s also the next step in that process — delivering.
“After the telling and selling, you come back and you produce something and you get people excited,” he said. “You do put your money where your mouth is.”
That’s something both the university and state need to do, adding that sometime soon he’d like to be able to stop making jokes — if that’s what they are — about selling the name on the medical school in Worcester.
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
Westfield Scores Big with Planned Corporate Expansion at Barnes Airport
From left, Mike Burns, Richard Sullivan, former Westfield mayor and current state secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and Gov. Deval Patrick.
With a couple of gleaming white jets as a backdrop, the event in Hangar 2 had all of the customary dignitaries in attendance, from Gov. Deval Patrick, who remembered fondly his use of a G5 while working in the private sector, to U.S. Sens. Scott Brown and John Kerry. And there was good reason to celebrate: the planned new facility will be a $20 million, state-of-the-art service hangar, adding 100 new jobs to the company’s operations in Westfield, a nearly 80% increase in its current workforce.
Talking to BusinessWest after the event, Knapik said that Gulfstream had been looking at their other existing locations throughout the U.S. as possible sites, and he said that he was at times fearful of losing out to Appleton, Wis., the location of another Gulfstream service center.
“If you look at that location on Google Earth,” he said of the company’s facility at Outagamie County Regional Airport, “you just see how much geographic space there is there.”
But, as every one of the speakers at the ceremony mentioned, it was the existing local workforce that was the ultimate factor in Gulfstream’s decision to choose Westfield.
Also joining the mayor and governor to address the attendees were Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream Product Support; Fran Ahern, general manager of the Westfield facility; state Sen. Michael Knapik, and State Reps. John Olver and Don Humason, the latter of whom is also the chair of the Mass. Legislative Aviation Caucus.
Ahern credited his staff for their commitment to a job well done, with customer service as an equal priority. And the executives at Gulfstream had also taken notice.
“This is one of the strongest facilities that we have,” Burns said that day. “It is because of our employees. Our employee team is customer-committed to continuous improvement, and that has been a key factor in our decision to expand here.
“Throughout our product-support network, our team has continued to build and grow,” he continued. “And our customers tell us repeatedly that this team of people, and our others that service and support them every day, is the number-one product-support organization in all of business aviation.”
It isn’t often that the strength of a company’s workforce can tilt the scales in such a way, but with such sentiments as those from Gulfstream’s brass, and the tireless efforts of Westfield’s politicians, the future at Barnes just got an all clear for takeoff.
Up, Up, and Away
As a company, Gulfstream itself is ready for liftoff. The Savannah, Ga. headquarters is currently undergoing a seven-year expansion plan, estimated at $500 million, with a proposed 1,000 new jobs, increasing its size by 15%.
What started out in the late 1950s as Grumman Aircraft Engineering — with a new name inspired by the current that flows along the coast of Florida, a favored spot of then-company executives — Gulfstream jets are considered the last word in aviation. As of last year, Gulfstreams are in operation with one-quarter of all Fortune 500 companies.
Constantly updating the technical prowess of its aircraft means that Gulfstream is moving at nearly sonic speed. Actually, its two newest models, the G280 and the G650, are capable of Mach .85 and Mach .925, respectively. The company has more than 2,200 jets in service presently, Burns said, adding that that there are already 200 orders for the G650, the company’s largest, fastest, and most expensive craft.
The need for the expansion in Westfield is a direct result of this stratospheric success and the need for service for those latest models. “And simply put,” Burns said to the crowd, “we need more space. We need more hangars to work on these airplanes. And we need more technicians — highly skilled employees to help us keep these airplanes flying each and every day.”
In a printed memo from the company, Burns explained how the expansion is in direct response to the company’s high-flying success. “In the second quarter,” he wrote, “we had the largest number of orders for new aircraft since the economic downturn began. At the same time, flying hours have increased, resulting in record-setting service demand. This expansion is part of our long-range plan to ensure our service network remains well-positioned to serve our customers and our growing installed fleet.”
Groundbreaking for the new, 100,000-square-foot facility, to be built adjacent to the existing 85,000-square-foot Gulfstream branch in Westfield, is slated for next April. Burns said that the hope is for the hangar to be fully operational by early 2013, and the company is already in the process of hiring for those new jobs.
“The new 100 jobs that we’ll be adding are high-quality, high-paying jobs,” he said. “These are the kinds of jobs that lift up communities. These are the types of jobs that add to the economic base of a community — not just here in Westfield, but the surrounding communities.”
Net Jets
This latest good fortune at Barnes improves upon an already-solid operation. The Mass. Statewide Airport Economic Impact Study states that the airport generates $69 million of total economic output for the region.
In addition to everyone who was given credit for their efforts, and rousing rounds of applause on the day of the ceremony, Westfield city officials have been tireless in their quest to bring this expansion to the Whip City. After securing a $1.4 million Economic Development Incentive Program tax credit from Beacon Hill, Westfield passed a $4.2 million tax-incentive financing plan for Gulfstream with the goal of bringing this project to fruition. While the company will save money throughout that 15-year time period, the city can still expect to receive $4 million in new property taxes.
Additionally, Patrick announced a $3 million grant from the state DOT’s aeronautics division to the city of Westfield to, in his words, “support Gulfstream’s growth through improvements in the roadways along the airport perimeter and a new parking apron.”
And while the event in Hangar 2 had all the trappings of the standard ribbon-cutting ceremony, the VIPs and politicians were outnumbered by the men and women wearing Gulfstream uniforms. As all the men on the panel said, the city worked hard to get the new facility, as did the State House. But one of the biggest reasons for the expansion in Westfield was due to the track record that this workforce can boast.
Ahern summed up his comments at the podium by mentioning the 13 years that Gulfstream has been at Barnes, and the excellent working relationship with the city and airport managerial staff. “Our values, our internal culture of continuous improvement, our employees’ continued desire to exceed our customers’ expectations,” he added, “have all allowed us to be here today.”
In response to the jet-set brass seated next to him, Knapik finished his remarks by noting, “mostly, what I want to say to the men and women who perform the work up here is thank you. One of the consistent messages that I’d always heard from Fran and the folks at Gulfstream is how well you do your job. It is because of you that we are here today.”
A listing of available commercial real estate
Click Here for PDF download
CommercialRealEstateBW1011b
The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2011.
AGAWAM
Coopers Commons, LLC
159 Main St.
$77,500 — Interior and exterior renovations
Southgate Properties, LLC
830 Suffield St.
$200,000 — New roof and steel decking
Suffield Street Partners, LLP
62-64 Gold St.
$32,000 — Interior upgrade for warehouse use
CHICOPEE
Curry Realty, LLC
765 Memorial Dr.
$3,819,000 — Construction of a 12,454-square-foot addition and renovation of existing
Jeffrey J. Campbell, Inc.
649 Meadow St.
$21,000 — Storage addition
John Salema
751 Meadow St.
$85,000 — Renovate interior of sales area and restrooms
Main Street Property
340 McKinstry Ave.
$13,500 — Interior renovation for new tenant
LUDLOW
Oak Tree Inn
782 Center St.
$5,000 — New deck
NORTHAMPTON
Billmar Corporation
330 North King St.
$104,000 — Addition and renovations
Leachate Treatment Facility
170 Glendale Road
$30,000 — Mount radiator and reinstall engine
SPRINGFIELD
Diocese of Springfield
405 Boston Road
$148,500 — New roof
Humra Nseem
806 Main St.
$3,000 — Exterior repairs
Robert Flanagan
67 Allen St.
$42,000 — New roof
Mark Patel
154 Island Pond Road
$15,000 — New roof
Phoenix House of New England
15 Mulberry St.
$54,000 — Install replacement windows
SHA
20 Lafrance St.
$100,000 — Renovate community room at Moxon Apartments
Tom McCarthy
357 Cottage St.
$20,000 — Install 35 replacement windows and roof repairs
WEST
Aldo Bertera F.L.P.
40 Larone Ave.
$625,000 — Erect a 7,140-square-foot auto detailing shop
380 Union Street Inc.
380 Union St.
$105,000 — New roof
United Methodist Church
802 Main St.
$150,000 — Repair tornado damage
Mercy Joins HNE’s Medicare Advantage Provider Network
SPRINGFIELD — Health New England (HNE) recently announced that Mercy Medical Center has become a part of its Medicare Advantage provider network. Any HNE member, regardless of product, can now access the services available at Mercy Medical Center. The hospital and physicians of the Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS), which Mercy is a part of, have been in HNE’s commercial and Mass Health product networks for several years, and HNE is the health-insurance provider for the employees of SPHS. “HNE is excited about the extension of our partnership with SPHS,” said Peter Straley, HNE president and CEO. “We know that one of the most important components of any health-insurance product is the network of hospitals and physicians available to the members. This addition to our Medicare Advantage provider network enables us to be a viable option for all Medicare beneficiaries in our region.” Daniel Moen, SPHS president and CEO, echoed those sentiments. “Mercy Medical Center welcomes this opportunity to further our relationship with HNE,” he said. “Mercy’s participation as a member of the HNE Medicare Advantage provider network ensures that Medicare beneficiaries in our region are able to access the high-quality, high-value care at Mercy, no matter which Medicare plan they choose for health care coverage.”
Hampden Bank Offers Second Chance Mortgage
SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank has announced the availability of a new mortgage product specifically designed for those whose credit has been adversely affected by the recession. Robert Michel, senior vice president of retail lending, noted that the Second Chance Mortgage is a viable solution for those deemed ‘not bankable’ during these difficult economic times but who are working conscientiously to rebuild their credit. “Whether it’s directly due to the recession, job loss, bankruptcy, reduction of income, or other life events, such as divorce or illness, we know there are many good, hardworking people out there who, for one reason or another, have taken a serious hit in recent times,” he said. “We also know that many of these same people have been working hard to re-establish their credit, and we feel they at least deserve a second look and perhaps a second chance.” Michel added that the Second Chance Mortgage “could be the solution to get them back into home ownership.” Specific underwriting criteria must be met, and qualification will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with previous strong credit history and current ability to repay being major considerations.
Monson Savings Bank Wins SBA Award
MONSON — The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced that Monson Savings Bank has won the Lender of the Quarter Award for the third quarter of fiscal year 2011. The award was given to the bank in recognition of its “excellent” SBA activity for the quarter, according to Steven Lowell, president of Monson Savings. The bank had six SBA loan approvals from April 1 through June 30, which ranked it in the ‘Top 15 SBA Lenders in the State’ category. Additionally, the bank tripled its overall SBA activity since 2010 with 18 loans through the first three quarters of the SBA fiscal year. “We are very pleased to be able to help so many customers by leveraging the SBA lending programs,” said Lowell. “I’m not surprised we are ahead of so many larger banks statewide in this arena, because we specialize in working with small and mid-sized businesses.”
Companies Partner to Provide Cobiax Product for Miami Art Museum
LUDLOW — Meredith-Springfield Associates Inc. recently announced its partnership with Barker Steel, LLC to provide high-tech materials for the new, $220 million Miami Art Museum (MAM). Meredith-Springfield is a plastic-extrusion blow-molding manufacturing and engineering company that manufactured thousands of spheres from recycled plastic which were set into steel wire cages for Barker Steel, the licensed distributor for the Cobiax voided concrete system, headquartered in Milford. The wire cages and spheres were shipped in tower-crane-ready bundles for use in concrete slabs in the construction of the MAM. With Cobiax building units, the building slabs are up to 35% lighter than solid flat concrete slabs, and present up to 15% less load on foundations, which allows increased freedom for structural conception. “This type of building system also allows for up to 20-meter spans with no obstructing beams, which amounts to 40% fewer columns,” said Mel O’Leary, president and CEO of Meredith-Springfield. “By using spherical-resin products, strategically encased in concrete with reinforcing steel, one can leave out as much concrete as possible while maintaining the full flexural strength of the slab and allowing a biaxial load transfer. The result is overall weight reduction, increased seismic performance, cost reduction, and environmental sustainability.” The MAM design involves large spans of floor and ceiling without the typical number of columns so that the view from sea to land or vice versa is not completely obstructed. The museum building itself, totaling 120,000 square feet at the core, includes a wide stair connecting the platform to the sea and a promenade. The hanging gardens from ceiling to floor are not interrupted by numerous columns, and the building becomes part of the shoreline and helps visitors gradually transition from Miami’s tropical climate to the museum’s more regulated interior.
Study Rates MassMutual #1in Satisfaction
SPRINGFIELD — In Boston Research Group’s 2011 Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) Retirement Advisor Satisfaction and Loyalty Study, MassMutual’s Retirement Services Division earned the number-one overall satisfaction rating from retirement-plan advisors among all 17 record keepers in the study. MassMutual scored 13 points higher than its nearest competitor and 28 points above the industry average overall. MassMutual placed in the top quartile in every category ranking and garnered the most number-one ratings among all record keepers in the study, clinching the top rating in each of the following: overall satisfaction, wholesaler accessibility/availability, wholesaler expertise in the retirement services industry, thought leader in the 401(k) industry, partners with you (advisor) for success, marketing assistance (proposals, presentations, seminars), internal wholesaler ability to resolve problems, and making it easy to do business with them. The nationwide survey of retirement advisors was conducted from February to April 2011, and the results of the recordkeeping portion represent 17 leading defined-contribution retirement-plan providers. Findings are based on the percentage of advisors who were ‘very satisfied’ with the record keeper.
Baystate’s Hospital of the Future Set for Spring Opening
The facade of the soon-to-be-opened expansion along Chestnut Street.
When the Hospital of the Future opens to the public in March, only about half of the newly constructed building will be usable.
But without the hundreds of thousands of square feet of shell space included in the project, Baystate Medical Center might as well dub it the hospital of today, said Stanley Hunter, project executive. And that would miss the point.
“We call it the Hospital of the Future because we’ll be able to respond to the changing needs of health care in the coming years,” he said while taking the BusinessWest on a tour of the floors that will be bustling with patients this spring.
“The building itself is 640,000 square feet, which we’re fitting out in phases,” Hunter explained. “The first phase, just under half the building, will house our Heart and Vascular Program.”
Stanley Hunter, outside what will eventually be the hospital’s new main entrance, says heart and vascular employees will start moving into the expanded space this fall.
“We’re excited that we’re on schedule,” he added. “We’ve always had that [March] date in mind, so it’s exciting that we’ll be able to keep to that. Construction started in mid-2008, and now, just over three years later, construction is still on track.”
What will follow, in late 2012, is the creation of a much larger, state-of-the-art Emergency Department in the new building, replacing a current ER that was designed to handle much less traffic than it does. Beyond that is deciding what will come of that aforementioned shell space.
But that’s a discussion for down the road. For now, Baystate officials are excited to unveil the results of this ambitious, quarter-billion-dollar investment in the hospital’s — and community’s — future.
Heart of the Matter
As Hunter walked through the new Heart and Vascular space — an ICU floor for more serious patients, two regular inpatient floors, space for outpatient procedures, and a spacious operating suite — he pointed out technology such as the large monitors that loom above the surgical tables.
“Recent technology has improved our ability to do procedures on heart and vascular patients, and that includes a lot of image-guided surgery, which is being able to see the images on the screens as physicians are doing the surgery itself,” he explained.
Most people, however, will first notice the patient rooms, all of them single-occupancy.
“Our current rooms are all double-occupancy,” Hunter said. “But studies show that single-occupancy rooms create an environment for better care and promote patient healing, so that’s going to be one large advantage for patients.
“There are also a lot more opportunities for family interaction with patients, family involvement in care, and making that transfer of care from the doctor and the clinical team to the family, so that when they leave they’re able to have a lot more insight into the care of the patient. There’s also a family area in each room, and family members will be able to stay overnight.”
The hospital is also installing the latest in telemetry and monitoring equipment, as well as the advanced electronic systems already in use to streamline drug prescribing and reduce medication errors.
Outside those hallways, Hunter said, “another thing we’re doing is remodeling the entry to the hospital. It’s sized and configured in a way that, when people come into the hospital, it’s a much clearer entry,” one that funnels patients from a central information desk to either the Daly building or the new structure. Parking has also been reconfigured, with much of Baystate’s north-side employee parking moved off-site to make room for more spaces for patients and visitors.
The second phase of the Hospital of the Future expansion, set to open in the fall of 2012, is a new Emergency Department.
“That was really a response to what our senior leadership heard from the community, from donors, and from staff — that the Emergency Department was greatly in need of upgrading,” Hunter said.
“We’ve been working with clinicians to design a contemporary space that meets the needs of patients,” he continued, adding that the hospital is also working to upgrade the technology and telecommunications systems used in that space.
“The Emergency Department will be three times bigger than it is now, with a dedicated children’s area and new trauma rooms where the most severe patients will be handled right away,” he explained. “The current Emergency Department was built in the ’80s for a much lower patient volume than what they’re experiencing now, so this will be built to the current patient volume.”
Baystate is still trying to determine what to do with space in the current hospital that will be vacated when the Heart and Vascular Program, ER, and other services move to the new building. In addition, the Porter building, which had been used most recently for administrative offices, was torn down to make room for the Hospital of the Future expansion, which looms over Chestnut Street.
Lean and Green
The new building is modern in more ways than one. In addition to how it meets the needs of patients, Baystate engineered several ‘green’ touches. Skylights will bring plenty of natural daylight to interior spaces, reducing energy requirements.
In addition, energy-efficient lighting will be used. Sensors will rely on daylight wherever possible, and lower lighting levels at night. Patient rooms and family areas will be located along exterior walls to maximize access to natural light.
Meanwhile, high-quality window systems will assist with insulation, and the building’s cooling and air-handling systems will be energy-efficient. Baystate has also scheduled large tree plantings along the main road and is constructing a green roof accessible at the third floor but visible from dozens of rooms on higher floors as well.
“It’s an outdoor space between the buildings with a walking trail and benches so that patients, family members, and staff can get outside and get refreshed,” Hunter said. “It’s an amenity to be able to get out there in the sun on nice days.”
Even for those rooms that only overlook the area, “it’s an attractive feature to look out on instead of having a black rubber roof,” he noted. “And there are also environmental aspects; it helps us with temperature control and water conservation, because we collect the water for irrigation.”
Hunter said the project has injected some green of another kind into the area’s construction industry, with between 250 and 300 workers on site daily — about 70% of them based in Springfield or the Pioneer Valley.
“We’ve been able to keep these jobs local because, especially in these times, we know there’s an interest in keeping work local in such an important project for the area.”
That work will eventually slow down, however, and a brand-new building will begin to fill with furniture, equipment, and hospital staff — and the future of Baystate Medical Center will begin in earnest.
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
• Nov. 2: Business @ Breakfast, 7:15 to 9 a.m., The Cedars, Springfield. The monthly breakfast pays tribute to individuals, businesses, and organizations for major contributions to civic and economic growth and for actions which reflect honor on the region. The breakfast gives your company exposure to business owners, upper management, and salespeople. To register, contact Cecile Larose at [email protected]
• Nov. 9: ACCGS After 5, 5 to 7 p.m., Fran Johnson’s, 1050 Riverdale St., West Springfield. Network, build relationships, and forge strategic partnerships. The After 5 offers business professionals from diverse industries an opportunity to exchange business leads while socializing in a casual atmosphere. To register, contact Cecile Larose at [email protected]
• Nov. 9: PWC November Meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield. Speaker: Jamie Williamson, MCAD Commissioner, presenting “Up the Ladder, The Public Sector.” To register, contact Lynn Johnson at (413) 755-1310 or [email protected]
Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700
• Nov. 16: After 5, 5 to 7 p.m., Chandler’s Restaurant at Yankee Candle Village, South Deerfield. Cost: $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Register online at www.amherstarea.com
Chicopee Chamber of Commerce
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
• Nov. 16: November Salute Breakfast, 7:15 to 9 a.m., Summit View Banquet & Meeting House. Cost: $19 for members, $26 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org
Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414
• Nov. 2: Taming the Social Media Beast, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., UMass Amherst Campus Center, Room 1011. To register, contact Heidi at [email protected] or (888) 865-1244.
Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900
• Nov. 2: Arrive @5, 5 to 7 p.m., Northampton Brewery, 11 Brewster Court, Northampton. A casual mix and mingle with colleagues and friends. Register online at www.explorenorthampton.com
Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618
• Nov. 2: WestNet After 5 networking event, 5 to 7 p.m., Westfield Bank, 300 Southampton Road, Westfield. Great networking opportunity, so bring business cards. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
• Nov. 7: Coffee Hour with Mayor Daniel Knapik, 8 to 9 a.m., Tiger’s Pride, Westfield Vocational & Technical High School, 33 Smith Ave., Westfield.
• Nov. 17: Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, 6 p.m. cocktail hour followed by dinner and award presentations from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., School Street Bistro, 10 School St., Westfield. Awards include: Large Business of the Year, Westfield State University; Small Business of the Year, Pioneer Valley Railroad; Businesswoman of the Year, Cathy Gendreau, owner of Peppermill Catering, LLC; Businessman of the Year, Bruce Turcotte, CFO of Columbia Manufacturing, Inc.; Don Blair Community Service Award, John Whalley III. Cost: $45 for members, $50 for non-members.
Yuki Cohen
•••••
Attorney Karina L. Schrengohst has joined Royal LLP, based in Northampton, focusing her practice in labor law. She will represent unionized employers in court, defending them against unfair labor practice charges, and before administrative agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board. Also, she will assist clients at arbitrations in matters involving contract interpretation and employee discipline or discharge and advise non-union clients on developing the best practices for maintaining a union-free workplace.
•••••
Shefali Desai has been appointed National Sales Leader of Emerging Markets for MassMutual’s Retirement Services division, based in Springfield. Desai is responsible for leading the division’s 15 sales directors, as well as third-party administrator channel managers targeting small-market retirement plans.
•••••
Ralph F. Abbott Jr.
•••••
Heather Bosworth has joined Park Square Realty’s Westfield office as a Sales Associate.
•••••
Johanna M. LaClair has joined the Insurance Center of New England as a Personal Lines Sales Representative.
•••••
James E. Vinick has been named Treasurer of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.
•••••
Chicopee Savings Bank announced the following:
• Martha M. Rickson has been named Branch Officer of the West Springfield branch office; and
• Maribel Torres has been named Assistant Vice President of Retail Lending.
•••••
Western New England College in Springfield announced the following:
• Nuno C. Alves has been named Instructor of Electrical and Computer Engineering;
• Anthony E. English has been named Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering;
• Joe A. Riofrio has been named Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering; and
• Brian K. Smith has been named Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering.
•••••
Joseph DaSilva has been named Vice President of Administration at Springfield Technical Community College.
•••••
Florence Savings Bank announced the following promotions:
• Susan A. Pepin-Phillips has been named Vice President of Marketing;
• Shelley M. Daughdrill has been elected Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager;
• Michele Z. Lawrence-Bennett has been named Assistant Vice President and Security Officer;
• Sharon C. Malouin has been elected Audit Officer; and
• Robert E. Teto has been elected Virtual Branch Manager.
•••••
Western New England University in Springfield recently appointed new members of the faculty at the College of Arts and Sciences:
• Eric L. Clark has been named Assistant Professor of Mathematics;
• William R. Force has been named Assistant Professor of Sociology;
• Jacob L. Krans has been named Assistant Professor of Neuroscience;
• Sean P. McClintock has been named Assistant Professor of Chemistry;
• Alexander S. Rosas has been named Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Law and Society program; and
• Heather Stassen-Ferrara has been named Assistant Professor of Communication.
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Alvarado, Nancy I.
a/k/a Fleury, Nancy I.
17 Adams St., Apt. 1R
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Avery, Judith
156 South Road
Peru, MA 01235
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Barrett, Jayme E.
89 Midway St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/13/11
Basile, Diane M.
7 Orchard St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Belanger, William J.
6 Kenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/11
Berkshire Environmental
Cinescape The Winter Palace
Gray, William H.
Gray, Carol J.
19 Bishop Estate Road
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Bertera, Debra A.
a/k/a Peet, Debra Ann
34 Gladsworth St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Brunelle, Joel David
10 Ridge Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Bucchiere, David
139 Union St., Unit 18
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Caribe, Maria E.
175 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/11
Carr, William Michael
Carr, Megan Kathleen
a/k/a Murphy, Megan Kathleen
102 Clark St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Cartagena, Maria T.
1335 Dwight St., Apt. 2R
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/11
Chernock, Barry S.
Chernock, Debra E.
82 Merriweather Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/11
Chofay, James J.
Chofay, Marianne E.
a/k/a Hines, Marianne
a/k/a Cirelli, Maryanne E.
84 Riverboat Village Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Christie, Nancy J.
16 Joyce St., Apt. 20
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Davis, Nathaniel T.
Davis, Dawnelle
a/k/a Bolden, Dawnelle
144 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
DeSantis, Kathryn Marie
38 North St., Apt. 1
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Deyo, Floyd T.
5 Christian Hill Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Deyo, Karin A.
a/k/a Kell, Karin A.
5 Christian Hill Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Dipietro, Fallon
192 Benedict Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/11
Easthampton Travel
Tessier, Richard J.
14 Arrowhead Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Engley, Ann M.
7 Ave. C
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/11
Feen, Mark D.
Feen, Cynthia J.
46 Wilmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/11
Ferreira, Michael A.
491 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Flagg, Henry E.
45 Quail Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/11
Forcier, Connie M.
a/k/a Miller, Connie
55 L St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Fotiadis, Dimitrios
10 Wrentham Road, Apt. 21
Worcester, MA 01602
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Gladu, Jeffrey D.
Gladu, Melissa J.
55 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Gonzalez, Jesus
750 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Gonzalez, Jose M.
14 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/11
Gonzalez, Pamela B.
a/k/a Bongiovanni, Pamela
118 Maple St
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/11
Greene, Barry L.
Greene, Lana M.
7 Victorian Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/11
Grimaldi, Juliann Elizabeth
56 Cherry St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Hemingway, George Warren
Hemingway, Denise Faye
39 Montague St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Henry, Vicki M.
2007 Palmer Road
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Hooker, John
139 Union St., Unit 18
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Jones, Brian W.
Jones, Tiffany B.
116 Hampton Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/11
Laflamme, Francis M.
1154 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/02/11
Lapierre, Rena Dianne
31 South St., Apt. B
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Leboeuf, Colleen M.
7 Park Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/11
McGale, Terry A.
13 Charpentier Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/11
Medina, Mireya
89 Longhill St., Apt. 4
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/11
Mimitz, Kasandra L.
491 Bridge Road, Apt. 1401
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Mitchell, Donald E.
698 Mill St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Mitchell, Guilia L.
a/k/a Rovinski, Guilia L.
698 Mill St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Motta, Darlene B.
47 Shearer St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Ordonez, Philip T.
50 Marengo Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/11
O’Rourke, William
O’Rourke, Joanne
473 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/01/11
Pannozzo, Lori A.
11 Maple Lawn Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Parrish, Jeffrey S.
87 Saint James Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/12/11
Perkins, Christopher S.
Perkins, Magaly C.
50 Baldwin Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Phillips, Richard E.
31 Old Post Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Pinnock, Kurt
50 Campechi St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/02/11
Prue, Kevin A.
512 Pinedale Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/13/11
Roberts, Nelson C.
38 South Longyard Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Rock, MaryAnne F.
47R Thomas St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/13/11
Rzeszutek, Randall J.
3 Gross Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Sanchez, Carlos A.
Sanchez, Rosibel
a/k/a Mejia, Ursula R.
42 Pine St.
ittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/11
Shepardson, Kevin B.
Shepardson, Mary L.
139 Appleton Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/08/11
Skala, Lois B.
7 Ridgewood Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Smithies, Hector I.
PO Box 221
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Sperlonga, Torey A.
3 Pinnacle Dr.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/06/11
Sutton, Joseph L.
Sutton, JoAnne
12 Oriole Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Trow, Mary Lou
31 Village Park Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/14/11
Warren, Diane M.
59 Stearns Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/09/11
Western Mass Shipping, Inc.
BF, Inc.
Goin Postal
Brooks, Frank C.
Brooks, Fumie
282 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/15/11
Whalen, Michael C.
23 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/07/11
Westfield Bank Keeps the Focus on Community
Westfield Bank President and CEO James Hagan
Early in the year — well before the unexpected summer of storms in Massachusetts — the American Red Cross was soliciting donations for an emergency-response vehicle to serve communities in and around the Pioneer Valley.
“They came to us and talked about a particular need in Western Mass. — a medical facility on wheels,” said James Hagan, president of Westfield Bank.
It’s not an ambulance, he noted. Red Cross volunteers man this vehicle and use it to support disaster victims in several ways — for example, providing them with credit cards to help purchase food, clothing, shelter, and bedding, as well as temporarily housing and feeding disaster victims and volunteer responders alike.
“Volunteers go out, often in the middle of winter, with different provisions to help folks who may have suffered a fire or flooding from ice melting, that kind of thing, when they were out of their house and out in the cold,” Hagan said. “The Red Cross came up with a traveling medical facility which people could utilize to come out of the cold, have a warm meal, do paperwork, deal with their emotions, and have some immediate counseling, if you will — to let them know somebody cares about them.”
It was precisely the type of community need that appealed to Hagan and bank employees who make decisions about charitable giving.
“With the economic climate, the Red Cross was falling short with what they needed to secure the vehicle,” he explained. “We thought we should support them in this endeavor. They asked us to fund a certain dollar amount, and we said, ‘what if we just give you the rest of the money you need?’
“That’s just being part of the community,” he continued. “And we can make those decisions independently; we don’t have to go a board. We just said, ‘this is a great cause; let’s support it and get the vehicle on the road for them.’”
Obviously, the rest of the weather year — which saw everything from persistent ice damage in the winter to tornadoes and tropical-storm flooding in the spring and summer — demonstrated the need for what the Red Cross does, and Westfield Bank, like most of the area’s financial institutions, poured plenty of money into its disaster-relief work. In the case of the tornado, again, “we were able to act quickly,” he said. “Being a community bank, we can make those decisions right here in the office.”
It’s all part of being a true community institution, Hagan said, but that ethic goes beyond donating money to worthy causes. In this issue, we’ll examine how WB has strived to weave itself into the fabric of the cities and towns it serves, and how it’s marketing some innovative products to attract more business and remain a significant entity on the regional financial scene.
Stepping Up
According to Cathy Jocelyn, Westfield Bank’s marketing manager, being a community bank means actively working to improve the environment, economic and otherwise, in the towns under the bank’s umbrella.
To that end, she said, Hagan recorded a commercial with Westfield’s mayor promoting the massive town green project and other improvements that will benefit the city, targeted at residents who right now see only construction and traffic when they drive through downtown.
“And we put our money where our mouth is, too, when we opened our consumer loan center right here,” Jocelyn added. “We took a vacant building directly across the street from the bank and redeveloped the property. That helps with economic development in the business corridor. So, yes, we did the ad, but we also took a building; it wasn’t just lip service.”
The bank itself, while it hasn’t added any new branches in the past three years, is clearly riding high, with developments such as a $56 million increase in loans from August 2010 to August 2011, an 11.5% increase.
“That’s tremendous growth,” Hagan said. “We’ve seen growth in commercial real-estate loans and residential loans, and we’re still lending. We have a lot of capital — we’re extremely strong in terms of our capital base — and we’re looking for ways to deploy that in the community.”
While he credits the bank’s well-capitalized status, he says that success also reflects its simple position as a high-profile community lender.
“I think it reflects the fact that people are coming back to community banks,” he told BusinessWest, and moving away from the national institutions that were pummeled by the toxic-loan crisis of 2008 and 2009.
“People want to work with someone they trust in the local community,” he continued. “And we’ve worked really hard from a marketing and advertising perspective, and also created seminars for people to attend. We’ve gotten the word out that we’re ready and able to lend — it’s a combination of our strength and being in the local communities and having the positive reputation we have.”
Deposits tell a similar story, with volume up by $40 million over that same August-to-August period.
“One of the things we’ve done over the past year is, we’ve taken a look at all our products and services and repackaged them, and added some free products, so we can meet the needs of all customers,” Jocelyn said.
The bank has aimed many of its services at specific demographics; for instance, a product called WB 18-25 Checking is targeted to that age group and features free checking and savings accounts and rebated ATM fees. There’s also a basic free checking account, as well as the interest-bearing WB Investment Checking and WB Performance Checking, which adds a few extra services for customers who can keep a higher balance.
Mobile banking, accessible on smartphones and other devices, has taken off as well, Hagan said.
“I think mobile banking is great for the 18-to-25 generation, and we’re seeing a lot of activity from them,” added Jocelyn. “It can give them balance alerts; if their checking or savings account gets down to a certain amount, they get a text on their mobile device.
“It’s the wave of the future,” she continued. “People want to be able to see information very quickly. Instead of calling a number, they can check a mobile device to check their balance, or do account transfers if they’re signed up for that. We’re told that most banks have been slow to do this, but we’re putting so much energy into establishing relationships with people that age, and the results are starting to show.”
This emphasis on youth — from continued support of bank-at-school programs to teach financial literacy to kids to more ATMs at Westfield State College and American International College to make the bank’s services more accessible there — is part of an overall effort to attract and cater to younger customers and strengthen WB’s future.
“A lot of wealth is going to be transferred from the aging Baby Boomer population to the up-and-coming generations,” Hagan said, “and we want to make sure Westfield Bank has products and services to meet their needs as they continue to evolve.”
Hitting Their Targets
The bank’s specialized services continue on the commercial side, with accounts targeted specifically for municipalities and nonprofits, among other customers with specific needs. And the targeted products have paid off.
“There’s a comfort level in having their accounts here; it’s much easier to work with us than a large institution,” Hagan said. “Our commercial checking and consumer checking are up 18% combined; we’ve been able to grow in the categories we wanted to grow in.”
Meanwhile, the bank will continue its emphasis on community involvement, particularly focusing on education and youth development through its nine-year-old Future Fund. WB has supported organizations such as the Westfield High School band, the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club, East Longmeadow libraries, and other youth-oriented endeavors, as well as launching a scholarship program two years ago. This year, the bank gave out 10 such scholarships, covering all the communities where it has a presence.
As for its own future, branch expansion is always a possibility. “We’re looking at a number of sites as we speak, and we’re certainly looking to grow our branch network. There are a number of communities we’re looking at and evaluating,” Hagan said.
“The good news,” he added, “is that all community banks in our region continue to thrive and do well, and we’re proud to be a part of that.”
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
The Region’s Show of Force
A few weeks back, we referenced how long and difficult this year has been for the region and its business community given all the natural disasters and near-disasters, as well as the lingering recession and its many effects.
Despite all that, we said, there is still much to be proud of and to look forward to as we gauge the strength and diversity of the region’s economy and its prospects for the future. And we’ll get a chance to prove it on Oct. 18 at the MassMutual Center, when the curtain rises on the first Western Mass Business Expo.
Technically, this gathering is a trade show, a business-to-business event featuring the exhibits of more than 130 companies, as well as informational seminars and presentations designed to inform and entertain, and a day-capping networking social. But in reality, it is a celebration of the region’s business community, and we hope that you’ll take part in that celebration.
That’s because, while BusinessWest is producing the expo and the MassMutual Center is hosting it, the event really belongs to the business community, and it will be responsible for providing the energy in the room and, ultimately, the momentum that can be taken from it.
But let’s back up a minute. BusinessWest made the decision to produce this event — and also change its name and character — as part of its ongoing and ever-evolving mission to turn a mirror on the region’s business sector and spotlight the people and the individual companies that define it.
For the better part of two decades, this was done via the printed word, in a monthly and then twice-monthly publication. In recent years, we’ve added special events such as the 40 Under Forty and Difference Makers recognition programs, which salute, respectively, the rising stars and individuals who find new and compelling ways to give back to the community and contribute to quality of life in Western Mass. We’ve also become an active partner with the region’s chambers of commerce, working with them in many ways to bring benefits to members and enable area businesses to become more competitive in today’s global, ultra-competitive marketplace.
The Western Mass Business Expo takes our mission a step further and to a different medium, if you will. We’re still shining a mirror, in many respects, but going much further as well, with informational seminars and programs, and the creation of the networking events aimed at helping area businesses make the all-important connections needed to grow and get to the next level.
As we said, this is a BusinessWest production, but it is really an event owned by the business community. And, ultimately, the success of a trade show isn’t measured by how many companies are exhibiting, but by how much those in attendance can take home with them and how much positive energy the event creates.
We’ve spent the spring and summer creating programs that will provide a number of take-aways for all those in attendance. They feature decision makers and they are designed for both design makers and those who carry our their decisions. But that positive energy? Well, that’s up to all those work and do business in this region.
We hope that everyone who is able will be at the MassMutual Center on Oct. 18. It’s an event that promises to be time well-spent — and it just might help people forget what a trying year this has been and focus on how great next year can be.
A chart of the region’s banquet facilities
Click here to download the PDF: BanquetFacilitiesBW1011a
Many Alternative and Supplemental Financing Sources Exist for Business
Gary G. Breton
There are several non-traditional avenues of obtaining needed business capital that can be complementary to any existing financing that you may already have in place for your business. These alternative sources may include quasi-public bond financing, several federal and state tax-credit programs, and private financing. They each have certain advantages, but in order to receive them, you must relinquish something in return.
In the area of quasi-public bond financing, the Mass. Development Finance Agency (MassDevelopment) has a number of available programs that can be utilized to provide financing for both for-profit and not-for-profit business entities. For example, tax-exempt bonds, which are exempt from federal taxes and, in certain cases, state taxes, can provide the lowest-interest-rate option for certain types of projects, including real-estate development and new equipment purchases. In better economic times, these bonds were traditionally bundled into large-denomination packages and sold on Wall Street to institutional investors.
The more likely scenario in today’s marketplace is that such bonds would be purchased directly by your company’s current bank or possibly another area financial institution. The fact that the interest income received by the holders of these bonds is exempt from federal and (in many cases) state tax allows for a lower-than-market interest rate to be offered, which, depending on the amount of such bonds, can provide a substantial savings over the life of the bond.
According to information contained on MassDevelopment’s Web site, such financing must be eligible for tax-exempt financing under the federal tax code, which can include 501(c)3 nonprofit real estate and equipment, affordable rental housing, assisted living and long-term-care facilities, public infrastructure projects, manufacturing facilities and equipment, municipal and governmental projects, and solid-waste recovery and recycling projects.
Additionally, MassDevelopment has other available loan and guaranty programs, as well as specialty programs, that include financing for companies that either currently export or will be exporting their products or services internationally, and technology companies that may be commencing or expanding their business operations in Massachusetts; visit the Web site for further information.
A second alternative source of non-traditional financing is in the area of available federal and/or state tax-credit programs, which are available for certain projects and industries. For example, Low-income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) are dollar-for-dollar tax credits benefiting developers undertaking affordable-housing investments. This program was created under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which provided incentives for the utilization of private equity in the development of affordable housing aimed at low-income Americans, and it accounts for the majority of all affordable rental housing created in the U.S. today. Tax credits are more attractive than tax deductions because they provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction in a company’s federal income tax, whereas a tax deduction provides only a reduction in its taxable income. In Massachusetts, LIHTCs are administered by the state Department of Housing & Community Development.
A second type of tax-credit program that has seen increased activity over the past several years is the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program, which was established in 2000 as part of the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000. The goal of this tax-credit program is to spur revitalization efforts of low-income and impoverished communities across the U.S. The NMTC initiative provides tax-credit incentives to business investors for equity investments in certified Community Development Entities, which have a primary mission of investing in projects located in low-income communities. The scope of the NMTC program can include the development of projects that could provide funding for project components, including real-property acquisition, building construction, and machinery and equipment purchases.
A third type of tax-credit program, which has provided fertile ground for available alternative financing, is the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, which has been the largest, most successful, and most cost-effective federal community-revitalization program in recent memory. It seeks to preserve historic buildings, stimulate private investment, create jobs, and revitalize communities. This program has leveraged more than $58 billion in private investment to preserve and reuse more than 37,000 historic properties nationwide since 1976. This program is administered by the National Park Service and the Internal Revenue Service in conjunction with the Mass. Historical Commission.
Each of the above programs can provide either needed alternative financing or real incentives that will attract the necessary funding to undertake various types of projects. These projects, by their very nature, will generate activity for a multitude of allied businesses, such as general contractors, subcontractors, equipment vendors, insurance agents, accountants, attorneys, appraisers, and so on.
Finally, a company can seek the infusion of private capital, which will generally be provided as a mezzanine-type loan or equity investment. Depending on the nature of your business, you can seek out and, in many instances, obtain a private investor or group of investors that will provide what is essentially a commercial business loan normally secured by a junior lien position on certain specific collateral behind the company’s primary senior lender. Since taking a junior position results in a greater degree of risk for such investors, the rates of interest charged on such credit facilities is generally higher than a commercial business loan from a conventional bank lender, and any applicable financial covenants are more stringent.
Alternatively, such a private investor may elect to contribute its funds by way of an equity injection into your company so as to provide additional working capital, in return for which the investor will require an equity/ownership interest in the company. This equity interest may require certain perquisites, such as a preferential return on its investment to be made prior to any distribution to the holders of non-preferential equity interests; or perhaps take the form of a stock option, which will allow the investor, in its discretion, to convert such options to an equity/ownership interest at a future date; or an option whereby the investor has the right to require the company to repurchase its equity/ownership interest at a time of its choosing, based on an agreed-upon repurchase price formula.
The bottom line in undertaking such private financing is that it traditionally results in your relinquishing a certain degree of sovereignty in your control of your company.
One final suggestion is that, while it behooves you to research and fully evaluate any number of possible sources of alternative financing, once you have determined which you feel would be most beneficial for your company, you need to ask for it. Many times, business owners are reluctant to initiate a request for credit based on what they perceive are insurmountable obstacles to obtaining a favorable response, when in fact many such alleged obstacles may be able to be satisfactorily addressed and overcome by working in concert with professional advisers who can provide you with sophisticated counsel and bring both creative and fiscally responsible alternatives to the table.
Gary G. Breton, Esq. is a partner with Bacon Wilson, P.C. and a member of its banking and finance department. His major emphasis of practice includes representation of financial lending institutions, as well as both individual and business borrowers. He also represents numerous business clients in startup and ongoing business operations as well as the purchase and sale of businesses; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]
Bottlenecks Across the System Are Limiting Access to Justice
A perfect storm of conditions, but especially a hiring freeze within the state’s judicial system and a still sagging economy that has many people seeking various forms of relief through the courts, has created a huge bottleneck that is in many ways limiting access to justice across Western Mass. The planned closing of Westfield District Court, a step being fought by judges, lawyers, and state legislators, would make a difficult situation much worse, but even if that facility stays open, there appears to be little light at the end of this tunnel.
Diana Sorrentini-Velez says the bottlenecks in the area’s courts force justice seekers into a waiting game she compared to purgatory.
And she managed to find several poignant ways to qualify the problem.
“People are being held in purgatory,” she said in reference to the weeks- or sometimes months-long waits for resolution of issues. “You don’t know which direction you’re going in, and you don’t know how to plan as a result. You know the rug is going to be pulled out from under you at some point; you just don’t know when it’s coming.”
And not knowing is the worst.
“District Court is the peoples court,” she continued. “Everybody goes to District Court, whether it be for personal issues, criminal law, civil issues, or whatever. And when you have individuals who are seeking justice and can’t even get before a judge, what does that do for their confidence in the judicial system? If they can’t be educated as to the alternatives, then they feel they have none, and they’re essentially stuck where they are.”
Tom Kenefick says the region’s courts are in crisis, and will continue to be in that state until they are adequately funded by the state.
With those and other colorful statements, area attorneys tried to put into words their sentiments about a judicial bottleneck fueled by state budget cuts, a hiring freeze within the judicial system, and economic conditions that are only making the courts that much busier. Things are as bad as most people can remember, and the situation is almost certain to get worse before it gets any better.
Especially if the Westfield District Court is closed, as Robert Mulligan, chief justice for Administration & Management (or CJAM, as he’s called), intends. The closing is being fought on many levels and by many people, said Kenefick, adding that shuttering the facility will force people to drive longer distances to find justice and probably wait longer for it in the long run.
Kevin Maltby says judges are doing the best they can given the circumstances, but they can’t be in two places at once.
But even if the Westfield court remains open, the bottleneck created by unfilled positions and an unrelenting workload will impact people on a number of levels, said Kevin Maltby, an attorney with Springfield-based Bacon Wilson, who handles large amounts of probate work.
“The problem is there’s a bottleneck at the top,” he explained. “We have cases coming in, but we just don’t have enough judges, clerks, and support staff to move them through efficiently.”
In response to the crisis, the bar association and individual attorneys are stepping up through pro-bono work, much of it aimed at reducing the number of pro-se cases currently clogging the courts, said Kenefick. These efforts are making a small dent in the logjams, but significant steps are needed to bring a needed measure of relief.
Court of Opinion
All the attorneys who spoke with BusinessWest went out of their way to commend those who are still left working in courthouses across Western Mass. They used strong words and phrases to describe what they consider Herculean, but also Sisyphean efforts to keep the wheels of justice turning, albeit slower than most everyone would like.
“They’re being forced to do things with one hand tied behind their backs,” said Sorrentini-Velez. “There’s only so many hours in the day, only so many people who can look at a piece of paper, and so many hours a judge has to review motions and prepare for court hearings. And the consequences are always going to be felt by the general public, because no matter what, at 4:30 everyone’s gone, and people’s problems don’t go away at 4:30; their problems continue.”
Said Maltby, “everyone wants to be able to point the finger at the courts. But if they can’t hire the bodies they need to go through the amount of paperwork that gets filed there on a daily basis, there’re nothing they can do about it.
“Judges can’t be in two places at once,” he continued, adding that the cutbacks are forcing justices to often shuttle back and forth, with their commuting time further limiting their ability to get work done.
The situation is summed up in a recent CJAM edict concerning changes in the schedules for public office hours at the courts. The order to close those offices at 4 p.m. and use the time to catch up on paperwork is designed to help reduce delays, although those we spoke with are rather skeptical about that claim — and Thomas Moriarty, Hampden Register of Probate, is defying the order, noting that he won’t deny the taxpaying public access to justice.
“Our severe staffing reductions require an adjustment in some public office hours so that employees can more effectively serve those who depend on the courts,” Mulligan wrote in the missive. “Court staff have made remarkable efforts to deliver timely justice during three years of significant budget and staff cuts. However, almost one-third of courts now need some uninterrupted time to address backlogs and reduce delays, as already done by courts in other states.”
Quantifying the broad problem, at least from a dollars-and-sense standpoint, Kenefick noted that there has been an overall budget reduction of $85 million over the past three years, requiring implementation of a hiring freeze, among other steps. Overall, the Trial Court has lost 1,167 people statewide, which translates to a 15% reduction in staff.
There are currently 13 judicial vacancies statewide, and eight in Western Mass. alone, Kenefick continued, adding that the hiring freeze has put the remaining judges in a position where they’re often typing their own decisions because there are no clerks or secretaries able to do it for them.
“As people retire or get sick, they’re not being replaced,” he explained. “Staff members are trying to do the work of two or three people.”
Complicating matters further, he continued, is that the crisis comes at the same time legal aid programs are being slashed to the levels they were at 10 to 15 years ago, to roughly $300 million nationwide, said Kenefick, adding that the net effect of these various factors is a serious impact on overall access to justice.
And this phenomenon has a number of manifestations, said those we spoke to — from those agonizing waits for decisions to use of the clogged courts as leverage to gain desired ends.
This latter consequence can be seen in divorce cases, said Ellen Randle, an attorney with Springfield-based Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas Inc. and head of the firm’s Domestic Relations Department, noting that some attorneys and their clients are taking full advantage of the difficult circumstances.
“They put pressure on the spouse by shutting off the money,” she explained. “And that’s a real problem because of the length of time it takes to get even a child-support order.”
Taking a Long Recess
Meanwhile, the logjams in the courts are prompting more parties to look closely at alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options such as mediation and arbitration, as well as limited-assistance representation, in which an attorney takes part of a case — thus reducing the cost to the client — with the goal of moving matters through the process more quickly and easily.
However, many individuals, especially pro-se litigants, are often not aware that such programs exist, or have limited direction concerning them, which adds to the problem, said those we spoke with.
“I’ve had I can’t say how many calls from people saying, ‘I got your name from the court from the list’ — and that’s what it is, literally just a list with contact numbers of every attorney in Hampden County who’s certified to practice limited-assistance representation,” said Sorrentini-Velez. “So you have pro-se individuals who are already frustrated because they’re not in Probate Court for anything pleasant, and are emotionally taxed as a result of whatever is bringing them to the fourth floor [Family Court], and you add to that the fact that there’s not enough clerks because of the hiring freeze, and if they’re lucky enough to make it in front of a judge they’re not going to get a decision for a longer period of time because judges don’t have the staff they need to type up their decisions.”
In response to the growing bottleneck, bar associations and many individual lawyers are doing their part through limited-representation work and various forms of pro-bono work, said Kenefick, noting that these initiatives are having an impact.
“We try, as a bar association, to provide support services, and they are helping in many ways,” he said, adding that initiatives range from a panel dedicated to helping victims of the June 1 tornadoes to a host of legal-aid programs, to initiatives designed to help with the rising tide of pro-se cases, many of them spawned by the recession and its aftereffects.
Beyond such efforts, Randle, who’s taking part in many of them, offered the hope that attorneys across the region will recognize the scope of the problem facing the judicial system and those it serves and commit to putting their efforts toward mitigating the problem by working to revolve matters outside the courtoom.
“If they’re not the one that has control of the money, they need to get an order to get money flowing back into their household, and it’s difficult to tell them, ‘well, we can’t get into court for four weeks,’” she explained. “You hope that all the lawyers who do this kind of work on a regular basis are having this same experience, and so they’re going to be stepping up and being more cooperative in terms of working things out and staying out of court, which is always your first preference.”
Those who can’t stay out will likely wind up playing the waiting game, said Sorrentini-Velez, adding that the bottlenecks in the courts are essentially forcing people to put their lives on hold, and very much against their will.
“And as an attorney, there’s only so much comfort you can provide, because you’re in the same position,” she explained. “You’re also just waiting; you’re at the mercy of the court, and the court is at the mercy of whoever funds them.”
Final Arguments
Kenefick and others said efforts on behalf of many lawyers are helping to keep a bad situation from becoming even worse.
But all those we spoke with expressed real concern about the fact that there appears to be no relief on the horizon, and said the outlook for the courts, and the people served by them, looks very bleak unless lawmakers in Boston take steps to end the hiring freeze and properly fund the judicial system.
“It’s hard to know where this is going to go,” said Randle. “We’re down to two judicial case managers in the Hampden Probate Court for four judges. They’re the gatekeepers of the courtrooms; you have to go through them, and they just can’t keep the cases moving. And Hampshire County doesn’t even have a case manager.”
In other words, it may be some time before there’s anything approaching an end to the crisis in the courts.
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
Restaurants, Banquet Facilities Optimistic about Upcoming Party Season
Center court at the Basketball Hall of Fame provides one of the region’s unique party environments.
Early October is when things finally settle down on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield. For Jeffrey Daigneau, who’s busy booking holiday parties at his restaurant, Lattitude, they’re just heating up.
“We’re getting calls now. We probably have 15 or 20 parties already booked,” said Daigneau, who spoke with BusinessWest the day after the Eastern States Exposition — which dominates his street and hinders business for two and a half weeks — ended its 2011 run. “We haven’t gotten many calls with the Big E going on, but our busy season really starts today.”
Other restaurant owners and banquet-facility managers are reporting the same. So far, they say, business is looking up.
“Many companies feel parties are very important,” said Joe Stevens, owner of Hofbrauhaus in West Springfield. “They want to say thank you to their people who have been with them year-round — and we’re grateful to have them.”
He noted that the majority of companies that have booked parties have returned. “They want this certain Friday, this specific Saturday; usually, as they’re leaving, they say, ‘see you next year,’ and we just put them in the books.
Joe Stevens, with his wife, Liz, says his holiday-party business at Hofbrauhaus has been bolstered by repeat customers.
Newer venues are optimistic about a strong season as well, including Mill One at Open Square in Holyoke, which offers exposed brick, hardwood floors, and not much else in the way of permanent décor, allowing party planners to design their own night.
“It’s a beautiful facility from the 1800s,” said Michelle St. Jacques, property manager of Open Square. “It’s a blank slate, so we let people know that their event can be how they want it to turn out, without having the carpeting or wallpaper interfering with that.
“In addition, we have a selection of caterers to choose from, or you can choose your own, as long as they’re licensed and insured,” she continued. “We try to cater to individual wants. People can design their parties themselves in a very unique venue. They enjoy the fact that there are no set decorations that could interfere and conflict with their decisions. On the whole, people love it.”
For this issue, BusinessWest talks to several area dining facilities to get a feel for how they’re marketing the holiday season to area companies — and why they’re feeling good about the prospects so far.
They Shoot, They Score
“Right now, things are starting to pick up for the holiday season. We already have some bookings for December,” said Josh Belliveau, corporate event manager at the Basketball Hall of Fame.
That’s good news after a stretch of years in which employers across the U.S. have scaled back such late-fall, early-winter shindigs. According to Amrop Battalia Winston, a global executive-search firm that tracks a number of business trends, last year reflected the worst holiday-party slump in 22 years, with 79% of companies conducting some kind of celebration — lower than even the 81% figure recorded in both 2008 and 2009, at the peak of the recession.
Belliveau said it helps to be able to offer partygoers an uncommon experience.
“If you book your holiday party at the Hall of Fame, it’s a unique venue,” he said. “Our guests have many options — to tour the museum or do some additional fun things, like a scavenger hunt, shooting contests on center court, music, and dancing. We can even do [an electronic] sign outside the building, welcoming guests of that company. That makes it personal to employees who are attending. We think our facilities have the ability to provide that special atmosphere.”
Belliveau has booked a range of different groups, from formal sit-down dinner receptions to social receptions on the court, with hors d’ouevres, interactive play, and DJs and bands. “It’s a social atmosphere.”
Evan Mattson, controller at Tucker’s restaurant in Southwick, has seen the same variety of celebration styles.
“We do sit-down parties, we do station parties, we do buffets — we host all kinds of different parties,” said Mattson, adding that the facility handles gatherings of all sizes — “20 on up to 150” — and also conducts functions off-site when desired. Of all the options, he noted, “I think the station parties are becoming more and more popular.”
Stevens said there isn’t much Hofbrauhaus can’t do when it comes to party planning for groups ranging from less than 10 to more than 300. He noted that the facility hosts both formal sit-down services and cocktail parties with food stations and a cash or open bar.
“I’d say most people enjoy being served, getting waited upon, especially when it comes to the holiday season and businesses saying thank you to their staff,” he told BusinessWest. “Personally, I prefer a party where you can move around; I’m big into food stations and passed-around hors d’ouevres. I like to see people and circulate and not be confined to a certain table. But that’s just me.”
St. Jacques agreed, noting that many companies are getting away from sit-down dinners, and not just for budgetary reasons. “They realize there’s more interaction when people are getting up and getting food, passing by other guests, and that seems to be the trend, from what I’ve seen.”
She said Open Square is a good option for people who have very specific catering needs. “They can provide the food they like; some people like ethnic dishes and have to go to a certain caterer. You can’t get that at some facilities with their regular banquet staff.
“I think our venue is good because you can pick a theme and set the food choices,” she continued. “If you want to have an hors d’ouevres party, those are becoming popular. Cocktail parties are a nice holiday option without breaking the bank. That can be a good choice in this economy.”
Lattitude is making some improvements to enhance its party offerings, Daigneau added, including making the ‘wine room,’ where many functions are held for groups of 15 to 20, two to three times bigger; that renovation will be complete before the December rush of events.
But he said smaller parties are more common these days than large ones. “We do big Christmas parties, but what I’m seeing is parties of 25, 30.”
Looking Up?
That reflects the trends reported by Amrop Battalia Winston last year (this year’s survey won’t be released until November). In 2010, 28% of companies responding to the survey said their parties had become more modest — on the heels of the nearly half (49%) that downsized in 2009. Meanwhile, only 11% intended to hold more lavish parties.
In addition, company parties have increasingly become an employees-only zone. Only 26% of surveyed businesses planned to include family members, while 5% intended to invite clients and friends. The 69% of parties labeled employees-only was up from 52% just four years earlier.
Of those employers deciding to forgo having a party altogether, 55% said they did not consider it appropriate in tough economic times, compared to 27% who said a get-together just wasn’t within their budget. On the other hand, 37% of those having a holiday party said the primary reason was to celebrate a good year, 33% cited employee morale, and 29% said they wanted to project optimism about the future to clients and employees.
If holiday parties are, indeed, reflective of the economic mood, area restaurants and banquet facilities may be reporting some good news for the region overall.
“Some companies have done very well,” Stevens said. “Some have downsized their parties, but others have actually gotten too big for us; they can’t do their parties here anymore because they passed the 300 mark. It runs the gamut.”
Mattson said he’s optimistic about 2011 as well.
“They’re booking now. We have several booked already for December,” he told BusinessWest, noting that, even in a sluggish economy, many employers still want to thank their employees by making merry at what they hope will be the most wonderful time of the year.
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
What Employers Need to Know to Avoid Problems
There is no getting around it. We live in a social-media-driven world. People regularly tweet on topics ranging from global economic policy concerns to their favorite pizza toppings. A film about the founding of the social-networking Web site Facebook won three Academy Awards last year. Even President Obama is in on the act.
After hosting ‘town halls’ using Facebook and Twitter, the president recently teamed up with LinkedIn for another town hall-style event. The social media-savvy Obama is now the third-most-followed Twitter user in the world, according to Twitter Counter, which tracks the social network’s 14 million users (Justin Bieber currently ranks second on the list, with Lady Gaga taking the top spot).
With instant tweets and Facebook posts literally at an employee’s fingertips, it should be no surprise that social media-related labor and employment litigation is on the rise. Recently, the associate general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a report analyzing the board’s recent social-media enforcement actions. The report reviewed the facts and legal principles in more than a dozen unfair-labor cases involving employee use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
The issue most-commonly raised involved allegations that an employer unlawfully discharged or disciplined one or more employees over the contents of social-media posts. The board’s attorneys also addressed the legality of several social-networking corporate policies accused of being overbroad and restrictive of lawful employee social-media use. The report provides guidance to employers who want to ensure that their social-media policies appropriately balance employee rights and company interests.
Fired over Facebook
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects employees, both union and non-union, when they engage in “protected concerted activity” — the coming together to discuss working conditions. This is commonly referred to as an employee’s Section 7 rights (Section 7 of the NLRA protects the right of employees to engage in “concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection”).
But when employees complain about their jobs or their boss on Facebook, are they discussing working conditions with fellow co-workers in a ‘water-cooler’ setting, or are the postings unprotected individual gripes? The NLRB’s report demonstrates that this remains an important and difficult question to answer.
In one case referenced in the report, a luxury-car salesman was fired after criticizing his employer on Facebook following a promotional event that demonstrated a new car model. The employee posted photos and comments disparaging his employer for serving hot dogs, stale buns, bottled water, and other inexpensive items. Apparently, the employee felt that more upscale refreshments were called for. One picture comment mocked the dealership owner for going “all out” for the promotional launch by providing an atmosphere where “clients could attain an overcooked wiener and a stale bun.”
Several days later, the general sales manager called the employee at home and told him to remove the photographs and comments from his Facebook page. The employee complied but later was fired.
The NLRB concluded that the employee’s critical Facebook posts were legally protected. The employee, who worked entirely on commission, had legitimate concerns about the impact the employer’s choice of refreshments would have on his bottom line. The employee also had shared his frustrations over the refreshment display at a staff meeting before posting the pictures and commentary. The board’s attorneys considered the Facebook posts an extension of his earlier expressed displeasure.
Following the release of the NLRB’s report, an administrative-law judge agreed with the board’s attorneys, noting that “there may have been some customers who were turned off by the food offerings at the event and either did not purchase a car because of it or gave the salesperson a lower … customer-satisfaction rating because of it.”
Two restaurant employees were similarly fired after commenting about their employers’ tax policies on the web. After a former employee expressed frustration on Facebook over the employers’ tax-withholding practices, a current employee ‘Liked’ the post, and another posted a derogatory comment about the restaurant owner. Both were let go for not being “loyal enough.”
The board’s attorneys concluded that their discharge was unlawful because the employees’ Facebook conversation shared concerns about important terms and conditions of their employment — the employer’s administration of income-tax withholdings.
Not all employees were as fortunate. For example, a Wal-Mart employee went to Facebook to complain about management “tyranny,” and suggested that the store was in for a wakeup call because several employees were about to quit.
After co-workers responded to his comment and asked why he was so “wound up,” the employee complained that his assistant manager had been chewing him out for misplacing merchandise. The employee’s tirade continued, as he threatened that, if things did not change, the store could kiss his “royal” behind. The employee was subsequently disciplined for his conduct.
In this instance, the board’s attorneys concluded that the discipline was justified. The employee’s comments were an individual gripe, rather than an attempt to foster discussion about the workplace. The statements did not contain any language suggesting that other employees engage in group action, and were nothing more than a projection of personal frustration over a job.
Is Our Policy Unlawful?
A number of the cases reviewed by the board’s attorneys also addressed employers’ social-media policy provisions. In one case, the employer maintained a “blogging and Internet posting” policy that prohibited employees from posting any pictures on the Internet that depicted the company in any way. This included a prohibition on pictures that portrayed a company uniform or vehicle, or displayed the company logo.
The policy was deemed unlawfully overbroad because it prohibited employees from engaging in protected activity. For example, pursuant to the policy, an employee could not post a picture of workers carrying picket signs portraying the company logo, or wearing a company T-shirt in connection with a protest involving the terms or conditions of employment.
Another case involved a company policy that prohibited employees from using social media in a manner that compromised or disregarded another individual’s privacy rights. The policy also prohibited postings that embarrassed or damaged the reputation of other employees. Again, the NLRB indicated that the policy was overbroad because the rule provided no definitions or guidance as to what the employer considered to be private or confidential. Absent any limitations on what was covered, the rule could be interpreted as prohibiting protected employee discussion of wages and other terms of employment.
Where Are We Now?
It is clear from the NLRB’s report that the board considers a broad scope of social-media activity to be protected. Although ‘concerted’ activity typically involves two or more employees acting together to improve their conditions of employment, or at least a single employee seeking to initiate or to prepare for group activity, a lone employee’s social-media commentary likely will be protected when the statements express his or her sentiments about working conditions.
Follow-up comments or ‘Likes’ from other employees are not necessary to demonstrate that the social-networking activity is a concerted effort. Employers should also carefully craft all of the provisions in a company social-media policy. It is critical that the policy is free of ambiguity. Employees, union and nonunion alike, should not be led to believe that protected social-media activity is prohibited.
John H. Glenn has been a member of a member of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. since 1979. Prior to joining the firm, he was employed by the National Labor Relations Board in Cincinnati. He also has served as an adjunct professor of Labor Law at Western New England College School of Law. John S. Gannon, an associate at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., joined the firm in 2011. He is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Connecticut.
From the Editor and Publisher
For nearly 30 years now, BusinessWest has been shining a spotlight on the business community of Western Massachusetts and, at the same, serving as an invaluable resource for this large, diverse constituency. It’s been our mission to inform, educate, inspire, and make those all-important connections between area businesses and the communities they serve. And over the years, the methods for doing all this have evolved and expanded.
Indeed, we’ve moved beyond the printed word and also into electronic media and a host of events, including the hugely successful Forty Under 40 and Difference Makers programs, enabling us to say that we make connections in print, on line, and in person.
And this fall, BusinessWest takes things to an even higher level as producer of the inaugural Western Mass Business Expo, on Oct. 18 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. We decided to take the leadership role in making this event reality because we believe, first and foremost, that the business community truly deserves an event of this magnitude and quality. What’s more, we are dedicated to finding new and exciting ways to carry out that aforementioned mission, and the Expo is the perfect vehicle for doing so.
In conjunction with the event-planning firm Rider Productions, BusinessWest has assembled an all-star lineup of area business leaders, elected officials, and experts in several fields to lead more than two dozen seminars, panel discussions, and special presentations on the pressing issues confronting all business owners today.
We’ve also brought together more than 135 companies representing every sector of the economy — from health care to information technology; from higher education to ‘green’ energy.’ Together, they illustrate the strength and diversity of our business community and a wealth of talent and experience with which attendees should want to do business.
We’ve billed the inaugural Western Mass Business Expo as the “place to be” on Oct. 18, and it is exactly that. There, exhibitors and guests will be part of a large audience of decision-makers, contributing to a room filled with energy and excitement.
This is the event that business owners across our region have been asking for, and it is our privilege to be able to present it.
Enjoy!
George O’Brien, Editor
John Gormally, Publisher
Kate Campiti, Associate Publisher
Event Schedule
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011
Kickoff Breakfast
7 a.m.; Registration
7:30-8:50 a.m.; Program; keynote speaker,
John Morse, president, Merriam-Webster
Ribbon Cutting
9 a.m.; Show Floor Theater
Exhibition Hall
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On the Expo Floor:
• The Whalley Computer and Valley
Communications Technology Corridor
• The HealthcareNews Health Corridor
• The DiGrigoli Artistic Team
Show Floor Theater:
Session One: 9:15-10 a.m.
Thriving in a Wildly Changing Market Place
Session Two: 10:15-11:15 a.m.
The Forecast: A Look at What’s Ahead for the State and Regional Economy
Session Three: 11:30 a.m.-noon
The Anti Resume Revolution
Session Four: 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Laugh For No Reason
Session Five: 1-1:45 p.m.
Blood From A Stone: How to Get Motivated and Do More Business in Any Economy
Session Six: 2-2:30 p.m.
The 401(k) Coach
Session Seven: 2:45-3:15 p.m.
Empower Your Workforce
Session Eight: 3:30-4 p.m.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Great
Educational Seminars,
Meeting Rooms 1, 2, and 3
Continuously, from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ACCGS & BBB Torch Awards Luncheon
11:30 a.m.; Registration
Noon-1:30 p.m.; Program; keynote speaker,
Michael Kittridge II, founder and former chairman,
Yankee Candle Corp.
Special presentation: the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Awards honoring: • Baystate Dental P.C., Springfield;
• St. Germain Insurance Inc., Ware; and
• Amy Alaimo of Agawam, Student of Integrity Award Winner
2011 Expo Social
presented by Meyers Brothers Kalicka P.C.
4-6 p.m.; Atrium
Show Floor Presentations
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEshowFloorPresentationsBW1011a
Educational Seminar Schedule
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEseminarSchedulesBW1011a
Floor Plan and List of Exhibitors
Click Here to Download the PDF: WMBEFloorPlan
A listing of available commercial properties
Click Here: CommercialRealEstate BW0911b
Girls Inc. Benefits From Comedy Night
HOLYOKE — The Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley (WBOA) recently presented Girls Inc. of Holyoke with a check for $2,950, proceeds from a Women’s Night of Comedy. The spring fund-raiser featured comediennes Tina Giorgi, Julie Barr, and Jenny Zigrino. “We are delighted to receive this gift,” said Suzanne Parker, executive director of Girls Inc. “In addition to the generous donation from the WBOA, some members of our board of directors were so inspired at the check presentation that they made additional gifts of their own as well. These donations will help us to continue to offer the cutting-edge, educational, and fun programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”
United Bank Aids
Tornado Relief
WEST SPRINGFIELD — With its partnership in the ABC40/FOX6 Tornado Relief Fund as well as grants awarded by its foundation, United Bank recently announced that a total of $89,500 in donations has supported local tornado relief and recovery efforts. The amount is in addition to the bank’s earlier gift of $25,000 to the Red Cross immediately following the June 1 tornado. The ABC40/FOX6 fund raised $40,000. Individual grants of $10,000 each were awarded to the American Red Cross, Pioneer Valley Chapter; the Salvation Army, Springfield Corps; the Community Foundation of Western MA Tornado Relief Fund; and United Way of Pioneer Valley Tornado Recovery Fund. Also, the United Bank Foundation awarded $49,500 to nine organizations that were impacted by the tornado and those providing immediate relief to the community. The recipients were: Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, $2,000; DevelopSpringfield Corp., $10,000; Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, $4,000; Pioneer Valley Montessori School, $2,500; Rebuilding Together Springfield, $10,000; South End Community Center, $2,500; Springfield Rescue Mission, $2,000; Square One, $12,500; and Westfield Public Schools, $4,000.
Johnson & Hill Donates to Link to Libraries
PIONEER VALLEY — Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Link to Libraries Inc., have joined forces for its inaugural Welcome to Kindergarten “Read Together” Literacy Bag Project. The newest initiative for Link to Libraries is the donation of more than 2,000 literacy kits to children entering kindergarten in Springfield and Holyoke public schools. The literacy bags include new bilingual books, bookbags, bookmarks, and parent educational materials supplied by the Irene and George Davis Foundation. “It is most important that our local children have the tools they need to start the school year on the right foot and to help them achieve their intellectual potential,” said Susan Jaye-Kaplan, co-founder of Link to Libraries. “We hope that these literacy kits will stimulate interest in reading and provide books to begin their own home library. We greatly appreciate the support of Andrea Hill-Cataldo and the staff of Johnson & Hill Staffing. It is community partners like this that help us reach our goals.”
Big Y to Eliminate
Self-checkouts
SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. has announced it will eliminate all self-checkout lanes in all its stores by the end of the year. Big Y first implemented self-checkout lanes in 2003. After extensive research, Big Y noted that the self-checkout lanes not only do not save customers time, but usually take them even longer to check out than customers in standard checkout lanes. Big Y concluded that the self-checkout technology could neither improve nor replace the value of a friendly cashier who is able to personally help each customer in their lane, according to Michael Tami, vice president for information resources and technologies. “Our self-checkout technology could not deliver on the service needs of our customers,” he said. “In short, we were not able to provide the exceptional customer service through them that has made Big Y what it is today.”
ACC Bistro Open for Cooking Classes
ENFIELD, Conn. — Hands-on cooking experiences are available to students this fall at Asnuntuck Community College (ACC), led by chef Bill Collins. Collins, a personal chef in Western Mass. and a professional chef for more than 18 years, provides a variety of course options to students looking to enhance their culinary prowess at ACC’s Bistro. Experience in the kitchen is not a prerequisite for the classes. The only requirements are that students bring a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a dish towel, and storage containers to bring home leftovers. All classes will include copies of the recipes Collins will be teaching. Classes are being offered at a variety of lengths ranging from one to four evenings. For more information on classes, visit www.acc.commnet.edu or call (860) 253-3034.
TNR Global to Attend UMass Career Fair
AMHERST — Karen Lynn, director of business development, and Natasha Goncharova, co-founder and managing director of TNR Global, will be representing the firm at UMass Amherst’s Career Fair for Engineering, Natural Sciences & Technology students on Sept. 28. “The University of Massachusetts offers a comprehensive computer science program where students emerge strong candidates for the kind of technical work required of TNR software developers,” said Michael McIntosh, vice president of search technologies. TNR Global is a systems design and integration company focused on enterprise-search and cloud-computing solutions for publishing companies, news sites, Web directories, academia, enterprise, and SaaS companies.
Banks Announce
Merger Plans
ADAMS — Adams Co-Operative Bank and South Adams Savings Bank, both headquartered in town, have agreed to combine their two institutions to form a new community bank serving Berkshire County. A joint announcement of the plan was made recently by Joseph Truskowski Jr., president and CEO of Adams Co-Operative Bank, and Charles O’Brien, president and CEO of South Adams Savings Bank. The combined bank will consist of seven full-service offices located in Adams, Cheshire, Lanesboro, Lee, Williamstown, and North Adams. Truskowski and O’Brien emphasized that both banks are committed to creating jobs in Berkshire County, and no jobs will be eliminated as a result of the merger. The two bank headquarters, which bookend downtown Adams, will also remain fully used. The new bank will be formed under a Massachusetts savings bank charter, with Truskowski serving as president and O’Brien as CEO. The managing boards of the two banks will be merged to create a new board of trustees. In addition, all deposits will continue to be insured in full at the new bank through a combination of coverage from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Depositors Insurance Fund of Massachusetts. The merger is subject to approval by the depositors of Adams Co-Operative Bank, corporators of South Adams Savings Bank, and regulatory agencies. The merger is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2012.
United Rentals Supports Extreme Makeover
SPRINGFIELD — United Rentals in Ludlow worked around the clock in early September providing construction equipment and services to the latest project in Springfield chosen by the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (see related story, page 36). The build benefits Sirdeaner Walker, who has become a national voice against bullying in schools after surviving the loss of her son. The build is also part of United Rentals’ fifth year of partnership with the award-winning television show, which has relied on the company for equipment and volunteers on more than 80 new-home constructions. “Over 80 projects and more than 5,000 pieces of equipment, United Rentals has come through for us every time,” said Diane Korman, senior producer of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. “Even in remote locations, United Rentals always has a branch close enough to arrange all the equipment we need, ensure its reliability, and deliver it within a three-hour window. Most importantly, they share our ‘safety first’ philosophy.” The episode featuring the Walker family will air on ABC on a date to be announced.
There Are a Number of Financial Pros and Cons
Dennis G. Egan
So, under what circumstances might “green” not be an attractive option for a business owner? When might going green have you seeing red?
Budget Considerations
While green buildings can result in significant energy efficiency and corresponding cost savings down the road, the upfront cost of green building materials can be significant. While cost is commonly greater in a green building project than the same costs associated with a traditional building project, the average increase is often less than traditionally believed.
For example, one recent study by the U.S. Green Building Council puts the average green building cost premium at slightly less than 2%, or $3 to $5 per square foot. Those on a tight budget might not be able to afford this increase, however, despite the prospect of lower energy costs in the future.
Additionally, it has been found that, with an increase in the number of green building projects, there is a corresponding reduction in the green-building cost premium. Obviously, the green-building cost premium can be, and often is, offset by the increased energy efficiency of green buildings and resulting reduction in energy costs. So you’ll have to pay more upfront to see the payoff later on.
Tax Credits and Financial Incentives
Recently, several tax credits, deductions, and other financial incentives have become available. For example, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Commercial Building Tax Deduction, which provides an accelerated tax deduction aimed at reducing the initial cost of investing in energy-efficient building components. Under this program, owners of commercial buildings (or their tenants, if applicable) can deduct all or a portion of the cost of installing lighting, HVAC and hot-water components, windows, and building shell components in the year in which the new components are placed in service, up to a maximum of $1.80 per square foot.
Alternatively, partial deductions are available (up to a maximum of $0.60 per square foot) for improvements in any one of the energy-efficient components listed above. The deduction can be claimed for all qualifying projects as long as they are completed prior to January 1, 2014.
Additionally, the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expanded the business energy investment tax credit, which provides credits equal to 30% (with no maximum credit) of the cost of solar, fuel-cell, and small wind-turbine power systems, and 10% of the cost (with no maximum credit) for micro-turbines, geothermal power, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems. Minimum- and maximum-capacity requirements apply in some cases, so those wanting to take advantage of this credit should consult a professional to determine the project’s eligibility.
Alternatively, eligible taxpayers may receive a grant from the U.S. Treasury Department in lieu of taking a tax credit. Generally, to be eligible for the credit, the original use of the equipment must be made by the taxpayer, or the equipment must be constructed by the taxpayer. In addition, the tax credit is available only if the energy property is operational in the year in which the credit is taken.
For all of the above programs and incentives, you’ll have to shell out the money upfront, but if you can afford to do so, you may receive credits for the work and also enjoy reduced energy costs down the road.
Certification
One of the most recognized certifications that can be attained by builders, developers, building owners, and landlords is Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council, which awards points based on building specifications. LEED certification can be achieved in a number of different areas, including but not limited to existing buildings (operations and maintenance), commercial interiors (leases/tenant improvements), core and shell (design for new core and shell construction), schools (construction of K-12 schools), retail (retail design and construction), and health care (planning, design, and construction for health care facilities).
LEED certifications are being recognized and adopted as the green benchmark in ever-increasing numbers by federal, state, and local governments. As such, many government entities are requiring that government buildings, both new and existing, as well as owned and leased, comply with LEED standards.
LEED-certification programs are pricey, though. A recent check online resulted in several different programs ranging from $595 to $2,500 for specific certifications. In addition, there are registration fees and credential-maintenance programs that can add up significantly. But as LEED certification becomes more mainstream and expected, contractors may find themselves obligated to make the investment to fulfill credentialing requirements.
Another available certification is Energy Star for commercial buildings, which is a government program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. This certification differs from LEED certification in that Energy Star’s certification is relative to a building, rather than a person. The goal is to reduce the use of energy through energy efficient practices and products, and Energy Star uses a points-based system that awards points on a scale of 1 to 100.
Buildings must be verified by a professional engineer or registered architect, and associated costs must be paid, then buildings receiving a score of 75 or more receive the Energy Star designation. While there is no direct financial benefit from Energy Star certification, there is an implied status enhancement, and research shows that people generally prefer to do business with companies that are committed to doing their part to help the environment.
Dennis G. Egan Jr. is an associate with Bacon Wilson, P.C., concentrating in special education, business, and corporate law; (413) 781-0560; [email protected]
Nick Riley Builds His First House — in One Week
Nick Riley, president of N. Riley Construction, during the build week at Sirdeaner Walker’s home.
Kate Riley said her husband had a few goals when he planned his career — “to have his own business, to have his name get big, and to build houses. This is his first house.”
She — along with several other Riley family members and dozens of area builders and tradespeople, all volunteering their time — stood on Springfield’s Northampton Avenue, absorbing what had happened in the first few days since Ty Pennington and his team of designers from ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition knocked on the door of Sirdeaner Walker and informed her she would have a new house by the following week.
“The Extreme Makeover producer contacted me about four weeks before we started the project,” said Riley, president of N. Riley Construction in Chicopee, noting that he was recommended by the Home Builders Assoc. of Western Mass. and other contractors. “I ended up meeting with them the day after. I sat down and spoke with them, and they told me the story of this family.
“That’s when I made my decision,” he continued. “Being able to do this for this family … you never get a chance like this, to be able to do a project like this. It’s not too often that you can say you were able to gather an entire community to help one family.”
Walker is no stranger to the spotlight, but it’s a light she never would have asked for, obviously. Her 11-year-old son, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, took his own life in 2009 after being incessantly bullied by peers at the New Leadership Charter School in Springfield.
In the months following the tragedy, Walker became a strong advocate against school bullying, successfully pushing for anti-bullying legislation in Massachusetts, meeting with federal lawmakers and President Obama, and establishing a foundation in her son’s name that raises awareness of the bullying issue and scholarships for area students.
Nick Riley’s wife, Kate, and mother, Lisa, were among many family members pitching in with Extreme Makeover.
“We started planning about four weeks before the build week,” Riley said. “I approached a couple of good friends of mine in the trades to help me. I also started planning right away as far as gathering materials, manpower, and tradespeople. The Extreme team sent in a couple of project managers to help us do that, but it was ultimately my responsibility to provide the help.
“I had, at the beginning, some very good responses. I had a lot of people who wanted to participate, but didn’t think they could at the time because of how everything has been” with the economy, he told BusinessWest. “So it was a little bit of both: I had people who were very positive about it, saying, ‘yes, we’ll do it,’ and on the other hand some who wanted to do it but couldn’t afford to at the time, or were just too busy.”
Riley’s glad he wasn’t too busy, though, calling the experience one of the most rewarding of his life.
From the Ground Up
Riley corrected his wife’s first-house assertion to a point, noting that he’s currently building a house in Chicopee, and his company, which he launched about five years ago, has done some major home renovations that were very close to whole-home jobs. But this month’s makeover was, indeed, the first house he has completed from the ground up.
The build week itself was every bit as long and intense as viewers of the show might imagine. “On Sunday, we knocked on the door and surprised the family, and on Monday we ripped the house down. On Tuesday we started the foundation,” Riley said.
By midweek, a newly framed house had gone up in its place, followed by repaving of the driveway, complete landscaping of the yard, and of course, all those personal touches the designers are known for. “On Sunday, they brought the furniture in and surprised the family with their new home.”
The days, not surprisingly, were long. “We had 12-hour shifts set up, but the nighttime shifts started to roll into the daytime shifts,” said Riley. “The demolition of the house went really well, and when we dug out the foundation, that went really well,” he recalled. “Framing went pretty well, too. We had framers there for 40 hours, then we started losing them, and it was a challenge to get people back there.”
Inclement weather, always a concern on these one-week builds, wasn’t a factor; temperatures were mild all week, with a little rain passing through on Wednesday, but nothing to slow down the progress, as the house was weathertight by that point. But the occasional unexpected challenge emerged during construction.
For example, “when we started to set the concrete walls, we noticed that we hit a little bit of water. That caused a bit of a problem; we had to set up a pump and pump out the water while we were setting these concrete walls.”
But any problems encountered during the build paled in comparison to the joy the Walker family felt at receiving so much community support. In addition to the army of volunteers and dozens of companies — in the construction trades, home supplies, marketing, and other fields — who lent their time and resources, Walker had more surprises coming at the reveal. Notably, UMass presented her with four-year scholarships — tuition, room, board, and fees at any of the four campuses — for each of her youngest children, now age 7 and 8.
Details about the home’s interior will have to wait until the show airs, at the request of ABC. But Riley said the designers came up with some special touches to match the work he and his crew did on the house itself.
“Seeing people come together to help other people in such a big way, giving up their days and money to help people they don’t even know, it was an amazing experience,” he told BusinessWest. “It just shows how good people are. And just seeing the faces of the family when they moved that bus — it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
He said he was also fortunate to meet many people from different businesses he might not otherwise have met, and the participation of his own family members was another personal highlight.
“I asked a couple people in my family to help me out with the planning process, and before I knew it, the whole family was helping out in some way,” particularly helping at the various support tents set up around the neighborhood. “That was rewarding.”
His wife agreed. “This is unbelievable,” Kate said that afternoon midway through the project. “It’s amazing to be able to help a family like this.”
Making a Name
If Riley’s goal was to make a name for his business, he’s well on his way. He started out in the construction business working for his uncle, Andrew Crane, president of A. Crane Construction in Chicopee.
“I ended up leaving because I wanted to start my own company, and things have been great the whole time,” Riley said. “I haven’t had one minute of downtime — it’s been amazing.”
That’s a striking account of success in what has been a decidedly downbeat atmosphere for builders, many of whom have struggled to keep employees busy during the past few years of recession and sluggish recovery. But Riley, most of whose work is residential, has focused largely on home remodels and renovation work, one of the few sectors of construction that has consistently shown some life.
“Right now, because of the recent disasters, we’ve done a lot of insurance repairs, from the ice damage from the winter to work from the tornadoes and the microburst.”
And he’s looking forward to plenty more work as the economy improves — with the experience of that one-week build under his toolbelt.
Still, “we don’t want to grow too big,” he said. “We want to stay a smaller company and keep it personal, make sure we continue to provide a quality product.
“I like the hands-on work of going into someone’s home and putting a smile on the face of the owners,” Riley continued. “There aren’t a lot of other jobs where you can do that, where you can go in make an impact by changing their homes.”
Or, in extreme cases, their lives.
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
United Way Merits Strong Support
Our community is filled with people, companies, and organizations who’ve proven they’re willing to do what it takes to help improve the lives of those in need while also investing in our community’s future. Last year alone, countless lives were improved by the generosity shown throughout our community, with an amazing $6.1 million given to the United Way of Pioneer Valley Campaign. We asked for everyone to give 110%, and many of you stepped up to meet the challenge.
One year later, we’ve made a lot of progress together, but there is more to be done. Just a few months ago, residents in our area faced tragedy and devastation. On June 1, three tornadoes ripped through our area, leaving a trail of destruction, crumpling homes, businesses, and schools. United Way of Pioneer Valley immediately took responsibility for the coordination of local volunteer services and partnered with a national organization, All Hands Volunteers, to support regional volunteerism. We assisted local chapters of organizations such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army in the identification and matching of volunteers for immediate relief, and we continue to work with local organizations to provide volunteer support to recovery efforts.
Additionally, we established a tornado-recovery fund in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Western Mass. that has raised $300,000. To date, our allocation team has awarded more than $125,000 to local organizations assisting individuals impacted by the tornado, and will continue to focus its efforts on the unmet needs of local residents.
The reverberations from the tornadoes are still being felt in the Pioneer Valley and will forever change the landscape of our community. As we get ready to start up our 2011 campaign, we are committed to fulfill the long-term response strategy to the needs that will continue to emerge in the coming weeks and months.
At the same time, we must face the issues of our community that were present before our area was faced with natural disaster. We will face these issues with the same hope, optimism, and courage that we always have with a new conviction of determination.
Far too many families are in need of food and shelter, and too many of our children arrive unprepared for school and later struggle to make it to their high-school graduation.
We, as a community, are the only ones who can make a change for the better. Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a good life, a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health. UWPV supports a powerful network of agencies and programs that help people meet the essential human needs of life each day, and often they do it with too few resources.
We have a great challenge ahead, and we need your help to improve lives and our community. Your decision to give to the United Way is critical to the future of our community.
There are many ways to give — you can give your time, you can lend your voice and advocate for others, and you can give financially. You can find these opportunities on our Web site at www.uwpv.org. Your decision to get involved will impact the lives of the men, women, and children in our community that we pass on the street each day. So please give what you can, when you can.
If you’re someone who has given to us in previous years, thank you. If you’re just joining the United Way family, welcome.We need everyone, because we’re stronger together.
Dora D. Robinson is President and CEO of United Way of Pioneer Valley.
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Allard, Christopher J.
639 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Almonte, Ricardo B.
Almonte, Maria M.
55 Greendale Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Anderson, Stephen M.
49 Cherry St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Andrews, Jesicca L.
57 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Bergeron, Lawrence E.
Bergeron, Tammy J.
137 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bertini, Michael A.
129 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Blake, Sophia T.
87 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
Borden, Grover L.
582 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bou, Angel L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bouchard, Dennis Joseph
57 G St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Boutin, Michelle A.
40 Holyoke St., Apt 1
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Bruneau, Helga A.
3 Federal St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Bubar, John J.
119 White Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Candello, Antonio P.
Candello, Angela Dawn
506 Brattleboro Road
Bernardston, MA 01302
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Castonguay, Mark R.
Castonguay, Ruth A.
87 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/11
Christensen, Mildred Christine
#92 Village Park Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Clegg, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Paquette, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Boyle, Shannon Rose
228 River Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Colon, Wilberto
Colon, Sandra M.
1447 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Conniff, Robbin A.
a/k/a Ryan, Robbin A.
a/k/a Barlow, Robbin A.
153 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Cruz, Anna M.
a/k/a Bartley, Anna
61 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Deacon, Mark E.
11 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Demary, Karen M.
a/k/a Adler, Karen
1029 West St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Deraleau, Aaron D.
192 Brook Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Duffy, James B.
Duffy, Sandra J.
1094 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Durham, Glenn E.
Durham, Katie C.
427A Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Emery, John A.
Emery, Denise A.
84 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Ferreira, Maria A.
1031 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Fischer, Todd H.
442 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Gagne Brothers Home Improvement
Gagne Brothers, Inc.
Gagne, Brett R.
Gagne, Erin M.
638 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Gardner, Justine L.
16 Congress St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Gauthier, Margaretha F.
38 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Giza, Chester J.
134 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Glenn, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Hill, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Berube, Sherri-Lyn
68 Aster Ct.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Goodell, Sr. Douglas M.
Goodell, Andrea L.
227 Franklin St.
Building 13, Apt. D
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Graham, Dawn L.
Graham, Ian M.
218 Upper Valley Road
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Grenier, Eric A.
Grenier, Sara M.
570 Cottage St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Grosse, Danielle L.
29 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Hagelstein, Patricia Roxanne
104 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Hamer, Ann P.
55 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Hatfield, Thomas Ross
Hatfield, Dolores Carolyn
485 West Cummington Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Jacobs, Frankie Dale Vernail
Jacobs, Erica Naa Morkoh
121 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
James, Emma Jean
79 Crescent Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Johnson, James F.
260 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Kennedy-Cawley, Roxine M.
1087 South Washington St.
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Kohlenberger, Lee A.
Kohlenberger, Amy M.
a/k/a Bowman, Amy
P.O. Box 4221
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
LaPointe, Forrest Dale
LaPointe, Rosibel Maria
5 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Lester, John C.
23 Joanne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Lopez, Edgardo
Lopez, Norma I.
a/k/a Martinez, Norma I.
50 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Lynch, Stacy M.
143 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Macutkiewicz, Alec E.
129 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/11
Madden, Bridget
17 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Maiorino, Alfonse F.
6 Eagle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Martin, Gary S.
Tessier-Martin, Linda J.
270 East Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Martin, Mary W.
27 Morin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Mason, Albert R.
Mason, Dorothy E.
99 Elmar Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Matthews, Edward James
Matthews, Marie Alma
21 Franklin St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
McCann, Christy L.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
McCann, Thomas W.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Medeiros, Clifton
25 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Meehan, Mary J.
P.O Box 164
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Meyer, Kathleen Ann
a/k/a Rogers, Kathleen
52 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Miller, Starr A.
643 Newton St., Apt 9
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/14/11
Mitchell, Penny
25 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Montes, Carmen L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Morey, Jerry W.
Morey, Tina S.
221 Alum Hill Road
Ashley Falls, MA 01222
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Moson, Olivia S.
77 High St., Apt 4
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Mueller, Marie T.
P.O. Box 592
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Nelson, Christopher J.
1295 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Nepomnyashiy, Yuriy
189 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
O’Connor-Allyn, Kelly A.
2 Hawthorne Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Olson, Nancy E.
1389 West Housatonic St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Ortiz, Steve
Ortiz, Elizabeth Kristen
a/k/a Chapin, Elizabeth Kristen
871 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Papananias, George
16 Captain Lathrop Dr.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Pendergast, Sheila
114 Warren St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Pereira, Cesar M.
Pereira, Lisa M.
35 Redstone Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028-1244
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Perry, Russell
Clark-Perry, Celma
196 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Politis, Garrett A.
Politis, Nancy Q.
51 Willshire Dr.
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Pollard’s Tavern & Grill
Szydlo, David Walter
25 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Raymond, Timothy D.
202 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Raynor, Jamie K.
32 Ellington St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Rinault, Philip J.
242A State Ave.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Robitaille, Carol Ann
P.O. Box 874
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
Rokhkind, Dmitriy
Rokhkind, Yana
48 Braeburn Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Sevigny, Jean Louis
Sevigny, Carol E.
791 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Smith, Lakyna C.
207 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Smith, Nikki S.
a/k/a Smith-Skubel, Nikki
33 Mountain St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Soucie, Mark J.
Soucie, Ann M.
238 Dorset Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Spencer, Betty A.
739 Daniel Shays Highway
86 Earle Dr.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Stebbins, Gerald W.
P.O.Box 32
Bernardston, MA 01337
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Sunn, Michael G.
Sunn, Carol A.
1095 Mohawk Trail – Lot 2
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Surreira, Peter F.
135 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Talbot, Kathleen M.
287 Notre Dame St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Tharaldson, Shaun Edwin
159 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Tintin, Giovanny P.
54 Housatonic St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Vo, Kim Chi
a/k/a Le, Chi
14 Crystal St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Welch, Douglas E.
10 Rosedell Dr. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/07/11
White, Richard A.
73 Hall Road
P.O. Box 493
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
The following building permits were issued during the month of September 2011.
AGAWAM
Cumberland Farms Inc.
794 Springfield St.
$250,000 — Renovations to existing building
AMHERST
Jones Property Limited Partnership
15A Pray St.
$6,000 — Strip and re-roof
The Common School Inc.
521 South Pleasant St.
$9,800 — New roof
Yosrex Limited Partnership
266 East Hadley Road
$3,000 — Repair 1,000-square-foot roof
CHICOPEE
Curry Realty, LLC
765 Memorial Dr.
$3,819,000 — Construct 12,454-square-foot building and renovate existing structure
First Congregational Church
306 Chicopee St.
$16,000 –—Replace 21 windows
John Salema
751 Meadow St.
$85,000 — Renovate interior of sales area and restrooms
GREENFIELD
Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$4,800 — Remove existing doors and replace with fire-rated doors and frames
Jones Property Limited Partnership
21 Mohawk Trail
$8,000 — Interior renovations
HADLEY
Lacomb Holdings, LLC
191 Russell St.
$19,800 — New roof
Pearson Hadley, LLC
380 Russell St.
$120,000 — Tenant fit out of first floor tenant
Pyramid Mall of Hadley Newco, LLC
4 Clinton Square
$124,000 — Renovation of restaurant to “Chicken Now”
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter
317 Russell St.
$84,000 — Classroom renovation
HOLYOKE
Holyoke Gas & Electric
2 Bigelow St.
$52,102,000 — Construct a 90,300-square-foot research center
Sisters of St. Joseph
34 -38 Lower Westfield Road
$15,000 — Install cabinets, tile, and closets
LUDLOW
Town of Ludlow
181 South St.
$370,000 — Shed at Westover Golf Course
PALMER
Sherwood Lumber
24 Third St.
$166,000 — Enclose existing building
SOUTH HADLEY
Mount Holyoke College
50 College St.
$3,000 — Construct ramp at Wilder Hall
U.S. Industrial
7 Gaylord St.
$519,000 — Commercial renovation
SPRINGFIELD
American International College
963 State St.
$89,000 — Replace windows
Boston Road Realty, LLC
665 Boston Road
$63,500 — Build out for two tenants
FNMAE
422 Franklin St.
$15,000 — Replace roof
MassWest, LLC
122 Central St.
$18,500 — Interior renovations
WESTFIELD
Bank of America
10 Main St.
$120,000 — New roof
David Schenna
845 Airport Industrial Park Road
$58,000 — Construct new building
Silverstreet
6 Coleman Ave.
$12,000 — Alterations
Stacy Lavertu
53 N. Elm St.
$2,500 — New siding
WEST SPRINGFIELD
83 Worthen St. Inc.
657 Riverdale St.
$125,000 — Renovate 2,500-square-foot of retail space for an auto dealership
380 Union St. Properties
380 Union St.
$4,000 — New canopy over loading dock
Developers Diversified Realty
935 Riverdale St.
$150,000 — Renovate 2,114 square feet of existing space for a phone store
West Springfield Boys & Girls Club
615 Main St.
$17,000 — Roof repairs
Easy Access to Highways Drives Business Success
Kathy Miro says she was impressed by how supportive the business community is, and how loyal customers are, after opening a pizzeria in Enfield.
Several months ago, Michael “Monte” Monteforte and Jay Bellamo opened Bellmont Kitchen and Bath in Enfield, Conn.
“This location is perfect,” Monteforte said as he stood in their gleaming new showroom on Hazard Avenue, otherwise known as Route 190, explaining that they looked at sites in Windsor Locks, East Windsor, and Enfield before finding exactly what they wanted in the former Video Galaxy Plaza.
“This is a key location because we wanted to be right off a highway,” Monteforte said. “Enfield has four exits off of Route 91, there are plenty of stores and restaurants which draw customers here, and Route 190 gets all of the traffic going to and from Somers.”
Ray Warren, Enfield’s director of Development Services, agrees that the town’s location makes it an excellent spot to own and operate a business. Since it is bordered on the north by Longmeadow and East Longmeadow, it draws traffic from Massachusetts as well as from Somers to its east, East Windsor and Ellington to its south, and Suffield and Windsor Locks to its west.
“Enfield has a population of 45,000 people, which makes it a good-sized small town. We have more than 1,200 small businesses along with many large operations. Lego, Hallmark, MassMutual, and the headquarters for Brooks Brothers are all here,” Warren said.
The majority of the retail sector is located along two main corridors, although Route 5 also has its share of entrepreneurs. They are Hazard Avenue and Elm Street, thoroughfares that run parallel to each other. “Our retail sector is in a very concentrated area with shopping on both sides of the streets,” said Mayor Scott Kaupin.
The town’s biggest constraint in terms of new development is lack of land. “We have turned away businesses due to lack of space,” Warren said. But there are still a number of businesses under construction, and the many stores in Enfield Mall and the adjacent shopping centers represent substantial investments.
“This year, we issued more than $43 million in construction value of building permits,” Warren said. “In FY 2011, the town estimated it would take in $350,000 in building-permit fees. But we took in more than $700,000.”
New Horizons
Although the town has little commercial land available, there is space available for renovation of existing properties and property zoned for industrial development.
Enfield has also seen growth in the professional sector, and both Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital recently built medical offices there.
Michael Monteforte and Jay Bellamo say Enfield’s location alongside I-91 and Route 190 was a factor in locating there.
When Eppendorf moved to the town several years ago, it purchased a large campus. “They are just about to complete their first expansion, and we are already in conversation about a second expansion,” Kaupin said.
The company had access to a large, professional labor pool in New York, but executives have told Warren they found an equally capable and educated workforce here.
“We are part of what is known as the Knowledge Corridor,” Kaupin said of the stretch of land running from the Northampton/Amherst area past Hartford that contains a plethora of colleges and universities, which results in a large pool of well-educated people. In addition, Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield is a leader in the field of machine technology and has forged great relationships with local companies.
Warren said 30,000 people from Massachusetts work in Enfield, and most companies employ workers from the north and south. “The fact that there is a supply of labor which stretches from Springfield to Hartford in a two-state region makes this a very attractive place to do business.”
Enfield has been chosen as a stopping place on the proposed New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter-rail line. Its station will be located in the village of Thompsonville, an old mill area of Enfield which is in need of a great deal of revitalization.
Kaupin is hopeful that, when the project is complete, it will lead to a rebirth in the village, boosting demand for housing as well as for new businesses and restaurants that will be needed to provide service to commuters.
Helping Hands
Kathy and Michael Miro opened Mama Miro’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in January after spending $90,000 and eight months gutting and remodeling a building on Hazard Avenue that had sat empty for about two years.
Kathy said they have been impressed by how friendly other business owners have been since they opened their eatery. “Business owners here help each other,” she said, adding that the pizzeria is their first venture. They have also been surprised by how quickly they gained loyal customers. Although business was slow at first, their weekend breakfast offering has proved so popular, they recently expanded it to seven days a week.
The couple, who moved to Enfield from Brooklyn, N.Y. the fateful week of Sept. 11, 2001, said people come from as far away as Chicopee and Manchester, Conn. to enjoy their thin, New York-style pizza. “Our customers have become our friends, and we have made a lot of them since we opened. One woman comes here three times a day, three days a week, and we have a group of widows who met here and continue to come here for comfort,” Kathy said.
Although they could have located closer to the mall, they chose the site because it has its own parking lot and they will be able to hold fund-raisers there if and when they choose.
Kaupin said the Miros’ experience is not unusual, as the town has a very strong chamber of commerce which serves Enfield, Somers, Suffield, and East Windsor. “The North Central Chamber of Commerce is heavily weighted towards small business. Other chambers in the state are very large, but the members here are very good at networking and share their challenges as well as solutions to problems,” he explained.
Town officials are also doing all they can to encourage economic development, which has included freezing the tax rate for four years in a row. “This was a very deliberate effort which occurred without any reductions is essential services,” Kaupin said. “In the past, the town had been on the higher end of the tax structure, but now we are very competitive.”
The town also created an Administrative Review Team to expedite the permitting process. Team meetings bring everyone to the table who will be involved with a new business. “We meet with business owners, review their plans, and offer advice,” Warren said, adding that money and time are saved by identifying issues and addressing them in the planning stage. “And if they are on a tight timeline, they can go through the Land Review and Building Department simultaneously, which shortens the whole review process. It’s very important, as this is New England, where development is governed by a large body of rules, and we want people to succeed.”
Kaupin said their team approach provides “proverbial one-stop shopping” for new business owners, which is critical in this community, since there are five fire districts and a regional health district independent of the town. The retail arena continues to grow, and available space is always filled quickly. “First and foremost, we are known as a regional shopping area.”
And one that attracts businesses with a pitch that is very appealing — a location that literally drives customers right to their doors.
Understanding Older Generations at Work
Mandatory retirement has been illegal in most industries for decades, but some managers are still reluctant to hire and retain workers older than 65. Frequently workers in this age group are characterized as inflexible, slower, and reluctant to evolve with technology. But most employers find that today’s older workers challenge these stereotypes and can be real assets.
Biological and psychological changes occur as we get older. Each generation is also different sociologically from other age groups. Awareness of age-related differences can empower employers to capitalize on senior workers’ positive attributes and consider making workplace adaptations for their limitations.
Biological Age-related Changes
While most stereotypes about older adults are greatly exaggerated, many biological changes do take place both physically and cognitively. Nearly every organ and system in the body is a bit less efficient than it once was, but this does not mean inevitable disease or disability. The stereotype that seniors can’t hear or see well is false, but it is true that hearing and vision are not quite as sharp as they once were when we are younger. While Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are not part of the normal aging process, tip-of-the-tongue moments and slower reflex, reaction, and recall times are.
Due to changes in eyesight and hearing, consider moving an older worker’s seat at a meeting table to enable a better view of a projection screen. Recognizing normal changes that happen to the aging brain can help managers understand older workers’ behavior. For example, some older workers may be quiet during that meeting but submit great ideas a few hours later, after they’ve had time to process.
Sociological Age-related Changes
Sociologically, older workers are generally highly dedicated employees. Many seniors, particularly older women, are motivated by financial need. There are numerous advantages to deferring Social Security payments, so many seniors want to put off collecting for as long as possible. Most older adults have also witnessed steep declines in their retirement accounts, so there is a genuine need to supplement their income. Others simply did not adequately plan for retirement and require additional income from a full- or part-time job.
Generationally, workers older than 65 are known for a strong work ethic. Even if there is not a significant financial incentive, they were raised in an era that idealized hard work. They are team-oriented and unlikely to leave coworkers in a bind. This age group has likely finished raising their families so they can be open to working more hours when necessary. They are known for honoring commitments and respecting authority.
This age group also is typically good at interpersonal communication. Having worked for most of their careers without access to e-mail and texting, these workers have had to rely on their people skills to get things accomplished. They tend to also be more resourceful than younger generations who have come to rely only on the Internet for research and problem-solving.
Since this age group may have less computer experience than their younger coworkers, it is important to assess and respond to needs for training. Older workers are sometimes thought to be technologically challenged, but often it is because they have not had the opportunity to learn the appropriate skills.
Psychological Age-related Changes
Psychologist Erik Erikson believed that older adults experience a crossroads in their life: a stage he called “ego integrity vs. despair.” The concept of ego integrity is that, when a senior reviews his life thus far, he finds meaning in the way he has spent his time, which leads to wisdom and acceptance of his mortality. On the other hand, if a senior’s life review is focused on feeling resentful or disappointed about the way his time has been spent, he feels despair, which can sometimes even trigger depression.
Meaningful work often promotes increased self-worth in older adults, regardless of whether they are experiencing ego integrity or despair. In understanding this, managers can best motivate older employees by critiquing gently and praising publicly when it is earned. A manager singling out an older employee for a job well-done provides psychological benefits for the senior but also goes a long way to dispelling false stereotypes about older workers.
Tips for Accommodating and Embracing Older Workers
The best strategy in managing and accommodating older workers is the same as with employees of any age: observe , identify strengths and weaknesses, and work with that person to optimize performance. Nearly every employee requires some accommodations in order to do the best job possible. For example, a manager may have to spend time with a new college graduate explaining when, and if, it is appropriate to text customers. The same concept is true with older workers.
It is also important to re-evaluate a worker’s duties as he ages during employment with an organization. For example, a 70-year-old hotel shuttle driver who has been with a company for 20 years may be better-suited to a front-desk assignment if age-related changes are interfering with driving abilities.
Older workers have so much to offer: experience, work ethic, potential to mentor, and, frequently, fewer family obligations that will interfere with work. The key to maximizing value with older employees is recognizing and accommodating their differences.
Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C is an author, speaker, and educator. Founder of Jenerations Health Education Inc., she has more than 20 years’ experience in health care. She is a frequent speaker at national and regional conferences and was an adjunct instructor at Johns Hopkins University. Her new book, “Your 24/7 Older Parent,” is addressed to those dealing with the care of an elderly parent; www.jenerationshealth.com
Initiatives Strive for Success Far Beyond the Classroom
Bill Woolridge says the management curriculum at UMass has become more attuned to green issues.
Speaking to the ‘community’ component of her school, where she is also an associate professor, Jones said that “our economy in Greenfield and the surrounding area is a step ahead of many other areas with regard to sustainability and green thinking.
“But as an educator,” she continued, “I think the question I always go back to is, how does a community college contribute to job growth and economic development?”
GCC is one of the Pioneer Valley’s green beacons in developing student programs that strive for a role not just in the evolving green economy, but also in the much-needed pragmatism of job creation.
UMass Amherst has embraced sustainability on all levels, from the administration to the student body. The university has set a goal to become carbon-neutral by the year 2050, and over the last decade has reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 30%. Within the academic departments, a notable example is the Green Building program in the Department of Environmental Conservation, which has been actively involved with students and the region’s construction sector.
At the Isenberg School of Management, Bill Woolridge is the chair of the Management Department, and he told BusinessWest how the class he teaches has evolved over the years to become more attuned to the changing priorities of green consciousness.
He carefully stressed the Amherst campus’s thorough approach to sustainability. But his department is aware of what he called “the bigger picture.”
“In most schools’ management curriculum,” he explained, “there’s that course that speaks to the role of business in the broader social environment.
“I hadn’t taught that in quite a while,” he went on, “and about six years ago decided that I would. As I started to become reacquainted with that material, I realized that addressing sustainable issues is really the challenge of the current generation of students.”
Keith Hensley says green-business programs, at their most effective, will drive job opportunities in the regional economy.
HCC has partnered with two organizations to broaden the school’s certificate and training programs within a green economy — with both real-time results for jobs in the marketplace and opportunities for businesses to embrace sustainable practices that also help the bottom line.
For this article, BusinessWest asked people within these schools to explain their own green report cards. Jones was speaking of her own school specifically, but could just as easily been including the goals of her colleagues at other colleges, when she noted that “GCC, above all, serves as a convener for the community. We bring together diverse interests, talents, energies, concerns, ideas, and insights.” It’s that type of thinking that’s making this green curriculum as successful in the job market as it is in the classroom.
Certifiably Green
Hensley said that HCC’s current roster of green programs took root a few years back.
“About two years ago, we partnered with the Hampden County Regional Employment Board,” he explained. “They had applied for a workforce grant from the state for energy conservation — for certain types of training, such as weatherization and insulation, solar-boiler technician training, and energy-auditor training.”
The projected outcomes for the grant were job placements, he said. While the school charted the most success of any institution in the Commonwealth also receiving those funds, “it still wasn’t as much as I would have liked to see.
“What that told us, when everything shook out, is that there currently are not enough jobs in those particular occupations in the state,” he said. “And what we did was take a look at the entire sustainable, energy-efficiency, renewable-energy field as it stands right now, and we homed in on a few things.”
The Green Communities Program, from the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs, strives for signatory cities and towns to reduce their overall carbon footprint. Among 72 others, Holyoke and Springfield have signed on. Hensley cited that legislation, as well as an overall environmentally minded population in the Pioneer Valley, as two factors in HCC’s redesign of its green programming.
“And we also looked at the economy as it stands right now,” he said. “Unlike other parts of the country, our manufacturing base is still there. So, with decreased product demand that comes from a bad economy, it’s pushing manufacturing employers to think innovatively, figure out how they can cut costs.”
To meet these needs, HCC has forged partnerships with two organizations: HospitalityGreen LLC, a New York-based consulting firm, and the Energy Conservation Training Co., which specializes in numerous aspects of professional training and certification.
With HospitalityGreen, there are four short yet intensive courses: “Green Facilities Training for Managers,” “Introduction to Green Purchasing,” “Getting to Sustainability Through Changes in Waste Contracting,” and a “Green Custodial and Janitorial” course.
“Participants get a ton of online tools when they go back to their own facilities,” Hensley added. “And we also advise them on how to approach owners and managers of the company, to get their suggestions through.”
Also with HospitalityGreen are two full-day classes for the restaurant and hospitality industries. A core of information will tell participants what it means to be green, and how sustainability affects business.
“The attendees from the companies will get a few days of training, and they go back out to their employers and start doing their audit,” he said. “The bottom line here is to save the businesses money, but also to get a designation as a green restaurant or a green hotel. That has huge implications, especially in this area, where people are environmentally conscious.”
With ECONTC, Holyoke Community College has implemented a series of courses for the building trades. Using metrics set by the Building Performance Institute, a national organization for energy-efficient standards, the classes include “BPI Building Analyst/Envelope Training,” “BPI Heating Professional Training and Certification,” and “Residential Energy Services Network and Home Energy Rating Systems Rater Training and Certification.”
“For all this new programming,” Hensley said, “our mission is twofold. It’s to help companies save money, or make more money, in the case of green-lodging and green-restaurant certification. We expect that those companies who get certified will get more business. And on the other hand, it’s to help companies and homeowners who will be impacted by these trained people, to be included in what it means to be a green community in this region.”
Talkin’ ’bout an Evolution
Back in the 1970s, Woolridge said, when he was the age of his students now, environmental issues were an academic niche in business schools.
“We would talk about EPA rules and so forth,” he said. “It was seen as a compliance issue — an obligation. One of the costs of doing business was to adhere to these government strictures. But that has all moved to the front burner. It’s something we can’t put off anymore.”
Meanwhile, the class he has been teaching is constantly evolving. “The way I teach the course, and the way many others around the country do, is that it’s more an opportunity than an obligation,” he explained. “This is a challenge for this generation and the next generation of business leaders as to what is going to fuel economic growth over the next decades — solving our social and environmental problems on a global scale.”
When asked the name of the class, Woolridge laughed. “Even that’s in flux. It has officially this year been called ‘Social Responsibility and Sustainability.’ This semester on the syllabus, I’m tweaking it, though, looking for the right label. Some of us are calling this ‘Sustainable Enterprise.’
“It has some historic analysis,” he explained, “but it has more of what I would call an examination of sustainable business practices. We use something known as the Socrates database that has 2,500 large businesses profiled, and they have done pretty comprehensive analysis in many areas, particularly with regard to the natural environment, social issues, their governing structures, and so forth. So we look there to get a sense of how industries are doing, relative to these dimensions, and how specific businesses within those industries are doing.
The other important component in the class is to identify the business opportunities presented by these challenges, he added. “This is the challenge for the next generation of business leaders.”
Ideally, Woolridge envisions a certificate program in the undergraduate Business school for Sustainable Practices. “Fairly soon,” he said. “Maybe at the beginning of the next academic year.”
Add to that a class in social entrepreneurship. “This concept is generally about creating new enterprises to solve social issues. Overall, our goal here is to give students perspective, skills, and, for those students going on to small business or entrepreneurship, a sense of the opportunities that do exist.”
UMass Amherst has the critical mass of demand for classes in this field, he said, and a labor market which will support this in future job placements. “It’s impossible to quantify in any real numbers,” he said, “but I know, if we build it, they will come.”
Community Action Plan
An important aspect of GCC’s green classwork translating into actual jobs, Jones said, is that those same employers were part of the original team helping to create the program.
The RE/EE Program at GCC originally started as a $372,000 Workforce Competitive Trust Fund grant, in partnership with the Franklin/Hampshire Regional Employment Board. However, more than 40 regional organizations, from nonprofits to small businesses, also collaborated on the course design for certificate and degree programs.
“The businesses know the program intimately, but also the people that are coming through it,” she explained. “My husband is a small-business owner, and I know for a fact that this is absolutely critical. Here, a business knows who they’re getting, what they know academically, and what their capacities are. A lot of businesses in our area are pretty small, so in the hiring of even one employee, you want to make sure that the match is pretty good.”
Jones cited two examples of substantial outcomes from the GCC program. NorthEast Solar Design Associates in Hatfield started out, she said, with “a really smart husband-and-wife team.” They were one of the businesses involved in developing the school’s curriculum and, in short time, hired students from the program. In the last five years they have expanded to six full-time workers.
“Prior to their involvement here,” Jones said, “they were an established solar company, but not really growing. They are doing major commercial photovoltaic installations. And when in short time you grow to six employees, that is huge growth for a small company. Even though it may be small for some people, this amounts to a massive repositioning of their company.” And the business is expected to hire three more in the near future.
Another key partner with GCC has been the 82-year old Sandri Companies, based in Greenfield. A number of GCC students have gone on to work for Sandri, and Jones cited the company as an example of keeping up with the changing face of a traditional industry.
“They are adding whole new divisions to their enterprise, from wood-pellet burners, weatherization, and solar to energy audits,” Jones explained. “When a company of their size looks into the future to determine how they will continue to stay relevant, this is how you do it. You bring people into your company who know these technologies. You don’t just pay lip service, but get people who can manage these technologies and continue to expand your market.”
And that same logic, she said, applies to her department at GCC. “As we head into the future, it’s a much broader market than I think anyone could have thought.”
Expanding on the role her school plays in the realm of sustainable practices and green initiatives, Jones gives GCC good marks. But the work continues to evolve, and to stay successful and viable in the unfolding green economy, schools need to be as responsive as the business community.
“We listen for where there are places we might contribute directly, for ways that our faculty, staff, and administration can catalyze the creative and entrepreneurial energy that resides in our region,” she said. “Our program is a reflection of that vibrant energy, and continues to respond and change with the rapidly emerging green industries of the 21st century.”
Cooley Dickinson Cops National Award for Sustainable Practices
John Lombardi (left, with Assistant Director of Facilities Scott Johnson) says CDH has long made it a priority to promote healthy living and a healthy environment.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton has long taken what it considers a leadership position in terms of green practices and operating philosophies. And now, it has some paperwork to back up those claims.
Indeed, the Volunteer Hospital Assoc. (VHA), a national health care network, recently presented John Lombardi, director of Facilities and Engineering at CDH, with its 2011 Leadership Award for Sustainability. That term ‘sustainability’ means using a resource so it is not depleted or permanently damaged, and the hospital has proven it has a burning desire — exemplified by its wood-burning co-generation system — to protect the environment and the health of the community.
Cooley Dickinson was one of only 13 health care facilities across the nation recognized at VHA’s recent annual conference in La Jolla, Calif. with a Sustainability Excellence/Best in Class Individual Program award.
In fact, its system is so unique and successful that Lombardi was asked to speak about it the week before he accepted the award at the Sustainable Hospitals 2011 conference in San Diego, sponsored by Active Communications International. The purpose of that conference was to help hospital officials understand how creating a sustainable environment can reduce operational costs, improve staff retention, and enhance the patient experience.
“It’s always been a Cooley Dickinson initiative to promote healthy living and a healthy environment,” Lombardi said, adding that it is the first hospital in New England to use woodchips to heat and cool its facility. “Hospitals use a lot of energy and resources to keep up with patient care, and it would be easy to burn oil and use nasty plastics and not be conscious of ecology. But we have been ahead of the game since 1980.”
Firing Up
Cooley Dickinson has been burning woodchips to heat and cool its campus for 25 years. “The hospital applied for a grant to install its first wood-burning operation,” said spokesperson Christina Trinchero. It was approved, and in 1985, the federal government funded half the cost of a new woodchip plant. The chips are purchased locally and consist of scrap wood from milling operations or old trees.
“Our boiler was designed and installed to eliminate the need to burn high-sulfur fuel oil when oil cost less than 50 cents a gallon,” Lombardi said. “The design of the hospital’s power plant has been in the forefront of running on sustainable energy since the ’80s.”
In 1996, a 500-ton steam-absorption chiller was added to provide chilled water for air conditioning. Lombardi explained that the steam supply for the chiller comes from the woodchip plant and reduces the electrical power needed for air conditioning.
In 2006, hospital officials made the decision to continue to expand their green initiative. Before building a new 110,000-square-foot surgery center, they invested in a second woodchip boiler. It was designed with an efficient-emissions package approved by the Mass. Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Northampton.
Lombardi said this was no small investment, as the unit costs about $2.5 million. But it offers many benefits. The wood chips are purchased locally, and since much of the material comes from waste, it reduces the load on landfills. The operation also creates jobs that Lombardi says would not otherwise exist, and the ash produced by the boiler system been donated to farms for fertilizer.
In 2008, the hospital employed an agency to conduct an energy study. As a result, additional measures were implemented to help produce electricity and continue to reduce Cooley Dickinson’s dependence on energy from other sources. Modifications were made to the power plant, which included drilling a new well, and today CDH’s energy-saving measures benefit the environment and save the hospital approximately $450,000 each year.
Recent energy initiatives that began in January of 2010 include installing 4,600 energy-efficient light fixtures, along with new heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning controls, and upgrading the steam-distribution system. In addition, the hospital launched a food-waste composting program in February, which reduces costs by taking waste out of the trash system.
“We realize that waste is inefficient and there is a lot of waste in things we do. So, the right thing to do is to minimize our waste,” Lombardi said. “We also believe in a healthy environment, and wood is cleaner to burn than oil.”
The hospital operates its burner under an Environmental Protection Agency permit that requires it to remove dust particles from the smoke. “So the emission from the smokestacks is mostly steam,” Lombardi explained.
He told BusinessWest that the new clean-energy features, along with micro-turbines installed in 2009 and 2010, save approximately 825,000 gallons of fuel oil and prevent 1,534 metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
“That equates to 301 passenger cars not being driven for a full year, or 179 typical households being taken off the energy grid, or 469 tons of waste recycled,” he said.
Winning Idea
When he decided to fill out the application for the award, Lombardi never thought the hospital would win.
“It was a national competition, and there were a lot of other hospitals involved. I thought there would be bigger hospitals with bigger stories than ours at Cooley Dickinson,” he said. “Our story is simple — we burn wood and make electricity and heat and cool with it.”
So he was very proud when he was introduced at the gala. “We were honored to receive the award because it takes a lot of work on the part of our staff members and engineers to maintain the system. There are a lot of components and technology that affect many people at the hospital who have to coordinate their efforts to keep the system running at capacity and efficiently. So it was nice to be recognized nationally.”
During the conference, participants from other medical facilities expressed admiration and awe. “They didn’t understand how we could generate air conditioning out of wood. But to us, it’s easy,” he said.
Lombardi is proud of CDH’s system, and credits hospital officials for their support.
“Our senior leaders had confidence in the facilities team that the investment would pay off,” he said. “The old-school hospital mentality is to spend money on bigger machines and state-of-the-art technology. But that continues to waste energy, which is needed to run the machines. Instead, we are spending our money wisely in regard to sustainability and the environment, and it has paid for itself and also provided jobs for people.”
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of September 2011.
AMHERST
Center for Pelvic Physical Therapy
24 North Pleasant St.
Carolyn Bentley
Johnny’s Tavern
30 Boltwood Walk
The Amherst Restaurant Group, LLC
CHICOPEE
A.F. Carosella
485 Broadway St.
Michael Leary
Castle Properties
140 Leona Ave.
Michael Tarrant
Mechanical Expert Service
57 Clarendon Ave.
Yeugeniy Bukhantsov
GREENFIELD
Bicycles Unlimited
322 High St.
Robert G. Perry
Family Vacuum
28 Chapman St.
Tory Groth
Franklin First Credit Union
57 Newton St.
Martha Richardson
Frosted
43 Lincoln St.
Shelly A. Phillips
Greenfield High School Alumni Association
22 Bouker St.
Cynthia Bompastore
Maurice’s Inc.
233 Mohawk Trail
Ann Fleming
Treasure Mountain Mining
40 Church St.
Jeanne A. Greene
West Winds Inn
151 Smead Hill Road
Sandra L. Waskewicz
Woodland Forest Soap
99 Lunt Dr.
Catherine Couta
HADLEY
Cash in Rush
367 Russell St.
Bunyod, Inc.
Happy Valley Pet Service
108 East St.
Jennifer Parry
Here We Grow
123 Russell St.
Michael W. Lodge
Liquors 44
458 Russell St.
Andrew Morrison
Tj Maxx
454 Russell St.
TJX Companies
Valley Dentists
138 Russell St.
Peter Cinner
HOLYOKE
Arete Performance Solutions
28 Bassett Road
Debra Gerard
Auto Zone
2231 Northampton St.
Stephanie Forbes
Beaner Beer Company
108 Cabot St.
Jay Hebert
BZD Dental Associates
610 South St.
Badri Z. Debian
Solstice Marketing Concepts
50 Holyoke St.
John Judge
PALMER
Palmer Counsel Center
1085 Park St.
Margaret Warrington
Rising Tide Consultant
320 Flynt St.
Brian Kraft
VCA Palmer Animal Hospital
1028 Thorndike St.
Healthy Pet Corp.
SOUTHWICK
Fresh Fields Deli & Café
326 College Hwy.
Craig R. Samuelson
Prototype Services
10 Industrial Road
Vity Stankis
SPRINGFIELD
4DGlenns Consultancy
203 Wilbraham Road
Devere K. Glenn
A & U, Inc.
882 Sumner Ave.
Gazanfer Kurtulus
A to Z Auto Clinic
11 Front St.
Angel Zaragoza
Affordable Property Management
109 Pennsylvania Ave.
Franklyn E. Dailey
Aspen Contracting Inc.
784 Bay St.
Pat Nussbeck
Baystate Visiting Nurse
50 State St.
Ruth Odgren
Bella Luna Accessories
24 Olmsted Dr.
Nicole Ariekke
Beliz Ecotech Cleaning Services
185 Hickory St.
Vickie Denise
Best Decorative Concrete
82 Darling St.
Craig A. Miller Jr.
C & R Handyman Services
167 Longhill St.
Carmen B. Morales
CW Price
1522 Boston Road
Morris Cohen
Computech Solutions
47 Sumner Terrace
Jerrard Sylvester
Crystal Barn Interiors
124 Gillette Circle
Kerry L. Shorrock
Davila’s Auto Performance
279 Mill St.
Jose L. Davila
Elephant For a Dollar II
1690 Boston Road
Liselot Walker
Eli Clothing
318 Bay St.
Bernadina Ramirez
Finest Candy’s
400 ½ State St.
Angel L. Castillo
Gafney Real Estate
122 Santa Barbara St.
David P. Gafney
Gamestop 233
1655 Boston Road
Michael Nichols
Hbookz
12 Mattoon St.
Ibn-Husein Muhammad
High Class Society
74 Lamont St.
Kassim S. Manzi
Int Sabor Latino
17 Grimaldi St.
Rafael A. Dominguez
J. Lo Home Improvement
21 Standish St.
Jorge I. Lopez
J.T. Builders
278 Denver St.
Jack Tardy
Jahsette’s Hair Salon
63 Hollywood St.
Vinette Byfield
Jewelry Arch
141 Aldrew Terrace
Carol A. Gallagher
Johnny Mac Liquors
1949 Wilbraham Road
John J. McCarthy
Kool Smiles, PC
1070 St. James Ave.
Tu Tran
WESTFIELD
CADCAMZ
37 Florence St.
Peter Lupien
Creative Expressions
74 Putnam Dr.
Linda L. Coffin
L & M Construction
33 Gifford Ave.
Luis Morales
Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant
11 Heggie Dr.
Michal Harling
R.J. Amusements, LLC
11 Radisson Lane
Marc P. Herbert
Solid Ground
27 Susan Dr.
David L. Guilbert
The Groomer
77 Main St.
Tracy Durkee
Westfield Action Sports Photography
1417 East Mountain Road
John J. Sharon
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Bertera Collision Repair Center
160 Westfield St.
Bertera Chrysler Corporation
Discount Office Furniture Inc.
2131 Riverdale St.
Kenneth F. Wytas
Fringe and Flourish
7 Upper Church St.
Ashley Sovinski
Manchester Home Improvement
209 Rogers Ave.
Barry Manchester
Manners and More
7 Beauview Terrace
Dianne Provost
New England Estate Sales & Service
38 Neptune Ave.
Peter Zaitz
O & M
1658 Memorial Ave.
Marina L. Shah
Oleksii Delivery Service
261 Union St.
Oleksii Nerovnia
Parks Academy Tae Kwan Do Inc.
632 Kings Hwy.
Chong K. Park
S & P Deli
246 Elm St.
Hillenbrand, LLC
Salon Blue
470 Westfield St.
Shaun Drugan
Stop N’ Save Smoke Shop
2011 Riverdale St.
Muhammad T. Abbasi
Tomasko Electric
848 Elm St.
Green Energy Sol Inc.
West Side Hypnosis
12 Railroad St.
Louise E. Jahr
BANKRUPTCIES
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Allard, Christopher J.
639 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Almonte, Ricardo B.
Almonte, Maria M.
55 Greendale Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Anderson, Stephen M.
49 Cherry St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Andrews, Jesicca L.
57 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Bergeron, Lawrence E.
Bergeron, Tammy J.
137 Lancaster Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bertini, Michael A.
129 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Blake, Sophia T.
87 Maryland St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
Borden, Grover L.
582 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bou, Angel L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Bouchard, Dennis Joseph
57 G St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Boutin, Michelle A.
40 Holyoke St., Apt 1
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Bruneau, Helga A.
3 Federal St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Bubar, John J.
119 White Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Candello, Antonio P.
Candello, Angela Dawn
506 Brattleboro Road
Bernardston, MA 01302
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Castonguay, Mark R.
Castonguay, Ruth A.
87 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/13/11
Christensen, Mildred Christine
#92 Village Park Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Clegg, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Paquette, Shannon Rose
a/k/a Boyle, Shannon Rose
228 River Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Colon, Wilberto
Colon, Sandra M.
1447 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Conniff, Robbin A.
a/k/a Ryan, Robbin A.
a/k/a Barlow, Robbin A.
153 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Cruz, Anna M.
a/k/a Bartley, Anna
61 Beverly St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Deacon, Mark E.
11 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Demary, Karen M.
a/k/a Adler, Karen
1029 West St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Deraleau, Aaron D.
192 Brook Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Duffy, James B.
Duffy, Sandra J.
1094 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Durham, Glenn E.
Durham, Katie C.
427A Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Emery, John A.
Emery, Denise A.
84 Mattawa Circle
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Ferreira, Maria A.
1031 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Fischer, Todd H.
442 Warren Wright Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Gagne Brothers Home Improvement
Gagne Brothers, Inc.
Gagne, Brett R.
Gagne, Erin M.
638 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Gardner, Justine L.
16 Congress St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Gauthier, Margaretha F.
38 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Giza, Chester J.
134 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Glenn, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Hill, Sherri-Lyn
a/k/a Berube, Sherri-Lyn
68 Aster Ct.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Goodell, Sr. Douglas M.
Goodell, Andrea L.
227 Franklin St.
Building 13, Apt. D
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Graham, Dawn L.
Graham, Ian M.
218 Upper Valley Road
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Grenier, Eric A.
Grenier, Sara M.
570 Cottage St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Grosse, Danielle L.
29 Lehigh St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Hagelstein, Patricia Roxanne
104 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Hamer, Ann P.
55 Florida St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Hatfield, Thomas Ross
Hatfield, Dolores Carolyn
485 West Cummington Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Jacobs, Frankie Dale Vernail
Jacobs, Erica Naa Morkoh
121 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
James, Emma Jean
79 Crescent Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Johnson, James F.
260 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Kennedy-Cawley, Roxine M.
1087 South Washington St.
Becket, MA 01223
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Kohlenberger, Lee A.
Kohlenberger, Amy M.
a/k/a Bowman, Amy
P.O. Box 4221
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
LaPointe, Forrest Dale
LaPointe, Rosibel Maria
5 Gatewood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Lester, John C.
23 Joanne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Lopez, Edgardo
Lopez, Norma I.
a/k/a Martinez, Norma I.
50 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Lynch, Stacy M.
143 Wilbraham Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Macutkiewicz, Alec E.
129 West Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/05/11
Madden, Bridget
17 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Maiorino, Alfonse F.
6 Eagle St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Martin, Gary S.
Tessier-Martin, Linda J.
270 East Main St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Martin, Mary W.
27 Morin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/10/11
Mason, Albert R.
Mason, Dorothy E.
99 Elmar Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Matthews, Edward James
Matthews, Marie Alma
21 Franklin St.
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
McCann, Christy L.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
McCann, Thomas W.
40 High St.
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Medeiros, Clifton
25 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Meehan, Mary J.
P.O Box 164
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Meyer, Kathleen Ann
a/k/a Rogers, Kathleen
52 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Miller, Starr A.
643 Newton St., Apt 9
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/14/11
Mitchell, Penny
25 Abbe Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Montes, Carmen L.
1237 Burts Pitt Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Morey, Jerry W.
Morey, Tina S.
221 Alum Hill Road
Ashley Falls, MA 01222
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Moson, Olivia S.
77 High St., Apt 4
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Mueller, Marie T.
P.O. Box 592
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/01/11
Nelson, Christopher J.
1295 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Nepomnyashiy, Yuriy
189 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
O’Connor-Allyn, Kelly A.
2 Hawthorne Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Olson, Nancy E.
1389 West Housatonic St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Ortiz, Steve
Ortiz, Elizabeth Kristen
a/k/a Chapin, Elizabeth Kristen
871 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Papananias, George
16 Captain Lathrop Dr.
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Pendergast, Sheila
114 Warren St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Pereira, Cesar M.
Pereira, Lisa M.
35 Redstone Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028-1244
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Perry, Russell
Clark-Perry, Celma
196 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Politis, Garrett A.
Politis, Nancy Q.
51 Willshire Dr.
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/03/11
Pollard’s Tavern & Grill
Szydlo, David Walter
25 Florence Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Raymond, Timothy D.
202 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Raynor, Jamie K.
32 Ellington St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/02/11
Rinault, Philip J.
242A State Ave.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Robitaille, Carol Ann
P.O. Box 874
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/08/11
Rokhkind, Dmitriy
Rokhkind, Yana
48 Braeburn Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/11
Sevigny, Jean Louis
Sevigny, Carol E.
791 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
Smith, Lakyna C.
207 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Smith, Nikki S.
a/k/a Smith-Skubel, Nikki
33 Mountain St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Soucie, Mark J.
Soucie, Ann M.
238 Dorset Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Spencer, Betty A.
739 Daniel Shays Highway
86 Earle Dr.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Stebbins, Gerald W.
P.O.Box 32
Bernardston, MA 01337
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Sunn, Michael G.
Sunn, Carol A.
1095 Mohawk Trail – Lot 2
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Surreira, Peter F.
135 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/30/11
Talbot, Kathleen M.
287 Notre Dame St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/11/11
Tharaldson, Shaun Edwin
159 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/04/11
Tintin, Giovanny P.
54 Housatonic St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/15/11
Vo, Kim Chi
a/k/a Le, Chi
14 Crystal St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/09/11
Welch, Douglas E.
10 Rosedell Dr. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/07/11
White, Richard A.
73 Hall Road
P.O. Box 493
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 08/12/11
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
Daniel Leblanc v. Travelers Insurance of MA
Allegation: Refusal to pay benefits arising from motor-vehicle accident: $25,000
Filed: 7/28/11
Kathleen Riebesehl v. Elliot Beals & Sons General Contracting Inc.
Allegation: Defendant took payment from plaintiff for construction services and never performed: $15,000
Filed: 8/3/11
FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Ace Fire and Water Restoration Inc. v. the Box Car Restaurant
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered: $37,081.13
Filed: 8/11/11
Joann E. Rees v. D.H. Enterprises and Daniel Hescock
Allegation: Breach of contract for home improvement services: $400,000
Filed: 8/11/11
HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Kirk C. Bryant v. Crossglobe Transport, LTD
Allegation: Breach of employment contract: $100,000
Filed: 8/1/11
Laurie A. Vadnais, administratrix of the estate of Judith A. Moran v. Marc Linson, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice in the death of a 64 year-old woman following surgery: $25,000+
Filed: 8/3/11
Ted Ondrick Co., LLC v. Patriots Environmental Corporation
Allegation: Non-payment of services and materials: $52,496.07
Filed: 8/10/11
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Alberto Cruz v. Save-a-Lot
Allegation: Plaintiff sustained injuries while shopping when an employee transporting boxes of goods negligently caused boxes to fall on plaintiff: $4,405
Filed: 5/16/11
The Darcy Co. v. Prism Builders Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,310.10
Filed: 7/1/11
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
United Rentals Inc. v. Lunus Construction Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of materials, equipment, and services for a construction project: $12,135.74
Filed: 6/30/11
Vion Holdings LLC v. Mastex Industries Inc. and Jeffrey Stream
Allegation: Non-payment of monies loaned: $5,096.53
Filed: 7/13/11
Westfield Bank v. Protemps Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of monies loaned: $10,158.28
Filed: 7/14/11
WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Barbara A. Cohen v. Tip Top Nails
Allegation: Negligence in cutting the skin around a nail causing a fungus to be introduced in the bloodstream and subsequent hospitalization: $24,999.99
Filed: 7/19/11
Historic Building Has a New Lease on Life
Opal Real Estate Group and city officials want to turn a neglected space into a vibrant, mixed-use facility.
Hanging on the wall behind Demetrios Panteleakis’ desk is a large painting of 31 Elm St. in Springfield, a building that most know simply as Court Square.
This historic block across from City Hall and Symphony Hall has remained vacant for decades. While the city has been diligent in keeping the property secure, time and nature have taken their toll on the elegant structure. Two other smaller buildings, Byer’s Block and the brownstone on the corner of Elm and Main known as the Chicopee Bank Building, are also part of a larger project that in recent months has city officials excited for the future of Springfield’s center.
Panteleakis is the managing partner of Opal Real Estate Group, the preferred developer for the site. The company, owned by Peter Picknelly, was one of the finalists back in 2008 to redevelop the property, but lost the bid to Connelly and Partners from Boston.
However, when that developer’s plans fell through, only a couple months old and a fast and furious victim of the economy, Opal was asked if it would like a second chance at bat.
The property is owned by the Springfield Redevelopment Authority (SRA), and in June of this year, Opal was named the preferred developer at Court Square. It was granted 120 days to come up with plans for funding and redevelopment, by all accounts a comprehensive and laborious process which examines every system of the structures, their history, and their potential future.
It’s an interesting moment of happenstance how Panteleakis came upon that painting, by the same artist responsible for the murals in the elevator lobbies of the very same building. Because, in many ways, the chance encounter with that work of art in an antique store is a metaphor for the larger forces now underway in the revitalization of the property. It’s a story of the right people in the right place at the right time.
Recently, BusinessWest had a chance to sit down with both Panteleakis and Brian Connors, the city’s point person for the property from the Office of Planning and Economic Development. The story they told is not one that has an easy answer. As Connors said, “if this project were a simple fix, it would have been done long ago.”
The difference this time is that, for Picknelly and his partners at Opal, the building is more than just another real-estate redevelopment opportunity. “Court Square was once the most vibrant part of the city,” Picknelly told BusinessWest. “Today, this is the best of New England — the grandeur of the historic buildings married to the modern structures nearby. Springfield is our home, and this building is at its core. In order for our city to be revitalized, this building can’t be abandoned.
“I believe, if done correctly, Court Square can be an important part of our city’s future,” he added. “Springfield simply cannot completely rebuild itself with this grand building left vacant.”
Center of Attention
Connors called the location “one of the most significant civic spaces in the entire Commonwealth,” and of the Court Square buildings themselves he simply said, “buildings that look like this just aren’t built anymore.”
The SRA also owns Union Station just a few blocks away, and he called both these sites key properties for Springfield’s future. Opal had been committed to the Court Square project for months before their preferred status, he said, and meets with city officials on a weekly basis to hammer out the ongoing issues that arise with a project of this scope.
“You don’t just hand over the keys and start construction,” he said. “It’s really a lot of due-diligence work. Opal, meanwhile, is getting all their applications in, their historic tax credits, their financing. We’re very excited to have a private partner advancing this as quickly as they can, with the best of all their expertise. They know Springfield, and they’ve worked on historic redevelopment.”
Patting his hand on a ream of Opal’s paperwork, only a fraction of the documents and reports that will chart the project’s course, Connors added, “this is already making far more progress than ever before.”
But he acknowledged the hard work ahead for both his office and the people at Opal. Between environmental and structural assessments, neither of which is tossing any unforeseen obstacles, and the funding sources, all parties involved will be kept busy before a hammer or shovel hits the site.
Funding is a crucial piece of the puzzle. “A project like this requires every sort of alphabet soup of incentives that are possible — federal, historic, and state tax credits,” he said. “And these are all competitive funds, so those applications are going in now. In a financial environment like there is today, funding is difficult. Banks aren’t loose with their money. City governments don’t have a lot of money.”
Family Ties
Although Connors said that Opal’s preferred 120 days ends in November, if the SRA board is satisfied by the developer’s efforts, the agreement will be extended.
“I can say from our experience, on a staff level we’re working with Opal on a weekly basis, and we’re very satisfied with the progress that’s been made,” he added.
Right now, Panteleakis said, the biggest obstacle his office faces is time.
“We’re in a race to take all the knowledge we’ve accumulated and verify it,” he said. “Because there’s been an RFP for the last ten years, there’s been a lot of study on the building. But for our grant purposes we need to go back and reassess all of it — mechanical, electrical, environmental.”
Opal is no stranger to historic redevelopment; currently it is at work on an historic property in the center of Westfield destined to be student housing for the state university there. At Court Square, Panteleakis said that a careful look at the past success of the buildings can indeed map out a bit of their future.
“You have to look at it less than conceptually,” he said, “and realize that, 25 to 30 years ago, this building had a viable commercial population. And that has a lot to do with location, location, location.”
The plans as they exist now aren’t to reinvent the uses of the building. Although the top floor is presently envisioned as market-rate housing, with apartments of up to four bedrooms, the first floor will remain retail- or service-oriented, with amenities that would cater to a residential or professional population that lives and works in the area. Middle floors are to be mixed commercial use, and there has been great interest in that space, both Panteleakis and Connors said.
Panteleakis, in fact, said the response has been “tremendous.”
“The development process that takes place in a building this size clearly has a point before hammers start to swing where you get a minimum level of commitment in order to have an economically viable project,” he explained. “We are in those conversations now, and we’re trying to firm up some of those commitments by January.”
Responding to criticism of what some may perceive as a surfeit of vacant office space in the city, Panteleakis waved off the possibility to naysay. “There’s a larger philosophical issue that needs to be examined. Anyone can say, ‘there’s too much office and retail space already,’ but it’s the quality of the product that brings people to the downtown. The bottom line is that, when you improve the quality of the product and create competition in that product, it forces everyone to get better.”
Here, he credited the redevelopments that the Dennis Group has made downtown, and how they raised the bar for those sections of Springfield where their historic buildings have been renovated.
Like Picknelly, Panteleakis said that Court Square resonates in his own remembrance of Springfield’s history. And that connection to the past is an important aspect to rebuilding for the future.
“If you have any commitment at all to the city of Springfield, or if you’ve been in the real-estate business and owned property in Springfield,” he said, “you’d know how important this location is. To come to what is probably the most architecturally significant building in the heart of the city, and to see it in disrepair, it makes an immediate statement to visitors to the city, and that has to be reversed.”
This is the type of project that comes along once in one’s career, he said.
“This is Springfield’s legacy,” he went on. “If buildings like this aren’t preserved, future generations are only going to see them in photographs.”
Pointing to the painting over his head, he added, “this is one that will be saved.”
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
BECKET
Jacob’s Ladder Real Estate Inc., 2727 Jacob’s Ladder Road, Becket, MA 01223. John Conboy, 1515 Reservoir Road, East Otis, MA 01029. Residential and commercial real-estate broker.
GRANBY
NE Woods & Waters USA Inc., 87 Kendall St., Granby, MA 01033. Dianne Gordan, same. Advertising and publishing.
HOLYOKE
Nationwide Automotive Administrators Inc., 220 Linden St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Ilya Shnayder, same.
LEE
Red Apple Garden Inc., 23 Park Plaza St., Lee, MA 01238. Kong Liand Ni, same. Restaurant.
LENOX
Lenox Alliance for the Arts & Humanities Inc., 34 Church St., Lenox, MA 01240. Robert Romeo, 510 Walker St., Lenox, MA 01240. Performance space for a broad range of cultural and artistic presentations.
LUDLOW
Rosewood Meadows Inc., 187 East St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Suzie Ice, 9 Wandering Meadows, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Real-estate broker.
NORTHAMPTON
Meadow City Conservation Coalition Inc., 42 Phillips Place, Northampton, MA 01060. Jane Potter, same. Nonprofit organization designed to preserve the natural character of the flood plain of the Connecticut River and the nearby Northampton area.
SOUTH HADLEY
Prime Interstate Painting Inc., 65 Columbia St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Bradley Forbes, same. House painting and related services.
SOUTHWICK
KTI Aircraft Maintenance Inc., 41 South Loomis St., Southwick, MA 01077. Andrew Keenan Sr., same. Aircraft-maintenance service.
SPRINGFIELD
Jauna Gaita Inc., 21 Harvard St., Springfield, MA 01109. Juris Zagarins, same. Nonprofit organization designed to support Latvian culture, language, and literature.
Jumbo Supermarket Inc., 932 Worthington St., Springfield, MA 01105. Angel Pena, 15 Stedman St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Supermarket-grocery sales.
Keya Petroleum Corp., 491 Allen St., Springfield, MA 01108. Vasantlal Amrutlal Shah, 321 Longhill St., Springfield, MA 01108. Gas station with convenience store.
Law Office of William T. Walsh Jr., P.C., 83 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. William T. Walsh Jr., same. Law office.
Myids Inc., 51 Denton Circle, Springfield, MA 01104. Mohammad Ali Hazratji, 492 Hall Hill Road, Somers, CT 06071. Sales of ID tags for apparel.
Olympic Deli Restaurant Inc., 232 Chestnut St., Springfield, MA 01103. Francisco Rosario, same. Deli and restaurant.
Rivera & Rivera Act Against Foreclosure Inc., 44 Duryea St., Springfield, MA 01104. Marisol Feliciano, same. Nonprofit organization providing community assistance and services.
Royal Hair Design Inc., 101 Mulberry St., Apt. 113, Springfield, MA 01105. Liran Avital, same. Hair salon.
S.E.M. Convenience Store Inc., 248 Dickinson St., Springfield, MA 01108. Stamatios Moraitakis, same. Convenience store.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
LTG Inc., 41 Oleander St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Rachael Lynn Albee, same. IT services with focus of MSP.
Precision Install Inc., 11 Smith Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Eric Poirier, 115 Austin St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Kitchen installations and home improvements.
WESTFIELD
JPY Flooring Inc., 172 Meadow St., Apt. B, Westfield, MA 01085. Julian Yurtuc, same. Flooring sales and installation.
Real China Restaurant Inc., 116 Elm St., Westfield, MA 01085. Bizhen Zhu, same. Restaurant.
Send photos with a caption and contact information to: ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]
United Way Day of Caring
The United Way of Pioneer Valley recently conducted its annual Day of Caring, organizing volunteers from area businesses who performed needed projects around the region.
Below, from top: front to back, Diane Haggerty, Linda Vela, and Nicole Bryar of MassMutual volunteer at the West Springfield Council on Aging; from left, Rebecca Barlow, Tricia Parolo, Gail Couchon, and Sue Gendron of MassMutual work at Abner Gibbs Elementary School; from left, Narinder Kaur, Kathy Giordano, Jennifer Saltis, Cathy Lafortune, and David Woytowicz of MassMutual volunteer at Stanley Park; from left, Lauren Bouvier, Amy Martin, Andrew Conner, and Christine Landry of PeoplesBank pitch in at Chicopee Child Day Center.
Photos courtesy of Ed Cohen
More Caring
More from the United Way of Pioneer Valley Day of Caring, below from top: Christine Warren of the Davis Foundation volunteers at Wistariahurst Museum; Angel Diaz-Mangiafic of MassMutual lends a hand at the Children’s Museum of Holyoke; Donna Bernard of Jubinville Insurance pitches in at Wistariahurst Museum; Michelle White of MassMutual works at the Children’s Museum of Holyoke; Corey Tomlinson of MassMutual volunteers at the YMCA of Greater Springfield.
Photos courtesy of Joe Aberdale
