2014 - Page 8 of 36 - BusinessWest

Basketball Hall of Fame, Rotary  Fete ‘Service Above Self’ Honorees

By BusinessWest Staff November 5, 2014

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Basketball Hall of Fame and the Rotary Club of Springfield have announced their honorees for the fifth annual Basketball Hall of Fame/Springfield Rotary “Service Above Self” Luncheon on Dec. 5 at noon on the Hall of Fame’s Center Court. This year’s honorees — who live out the Rotary motto “service above self” — are local residents York Mayo and Bob Perry, and national honoree Bob Delaney.

Mayo is a long-time community volunteer and has served as chairperson of a $1 million capital campaign for ReStore Home Improvement. He is CEO and president of the Roger L. Putnam Technical Fund. He has served on the advisory board of ROCA and is co-founder of the Millbrook Scholars Program. He is the co-founder of the Springfield Unity Festival, which was held the week of Oct. 12. He currently mentors five people. In addition, he serves on several boards and committees regionally and nationally.

Mayo has been the recipient of several prestigious service awards, including an honorary degree from Springfield Technical Community College, the 2010 William Pynchon Award, the 2010 United Way Spirit of Caring Award, the Western New England University Presidential Medallion, and the National Conference for Community and Justice Human Relations Award. He is active in the Christ the King Lutheran Church congregation in Wilbraham.  

Mayo graduated from Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y. in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. After six years with Mobil Oil and Carborundum Abrasives, he joined American Saw and Manufacturing Co. as a Lenox sales representative in Baltimore, Md. Over the course of his 30-year career with American Saw, he served in many capacities, including sales representative, sales manager, vice president of International Sales, and senior vice president of Sales and Marketing.

Perry has always been involved in the community. A few of the organizations he has been involved with include the Exchange Club, the Greater Springfield YMCA, the Western Mass. Lacrosse Officials Assoc., the Roger L. Putnam Technical Fund, the Children’s Chorus of Springfield, and Ronald McDonald House, as well as being a platelet donor at the American Red Cross. His greatest passion has been Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. Recruited by Mayo in 2000, Perry became committed to the organization. He is currently the board president, a position he has held for 10 of the 14 years he has been involved. He and his wife celebrated their 35th anniversary with a groundbreaking of the local Habitat’s 35th house, for which they were the major sponsors.

In 2011, he co-founded, with Mayo and Dr. Mark Jackson, the Millbrook Scholars program, which provides housing, tutoring, and life-skills mentoring to graduating seniors from Springfield area high schools.  Perry was named a 2011 Hometown Hero by Reminder Publications and a 2011 Difference Maker by BusinessWest magazine, and earned the William Pynchon Medal from the Ad Club of Western Mass. in 2012.

 Perry is a 1973 graduate of Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He started his career in public accounting with Grant Thornton in Boston, where he became a CPA in 1976. He later worked for Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull and Bitsoli, where he became partner of the Springfield office in 1987 after five years with the company. He had his own consulting practice from 1991 to 1995, providing business-planning services to closely held companies. In 1995, Perry joined Meyers Brothers and became partner in 1998. He retired as an active partner of the firm in 2008, but continues to provide technical and consulting services to the firm on a part-time basis.

National honoree Delaney is a dedicated and hard-working NBA referee and crew chief, consultant, public speaker, and founder of two basketball-officiating academies. He has a background in law enforcement and worked with the New Jersey State Police. In a joint operation between the New Jersey State Police and FBI, his years of undercover work and testimony led directly to the conviction of more than 30 Mafia criminals.

Tickets to the luncheon are $50. For more information on sponsorships or to purchase tickets to the luncheon, contact Jason Fiddler, director of Museum Sales, at (413) 231-5540 or [email protected].

Jean Deliso Named to New York Life’s Chairman’s Council

By BusinessWest Staff November 5, 2014

Daily News

AGAWAM — Jean Deliso has been named a member of the 2014 Chairman’s Council of New York Life. Members of the elite Chairman’s Council rank in the top 3% in sales achievement among New York Life’s elite sales force of more than 12,000 licensed agents.  Deliso has accomplished this level of achievement after 30 years in the financial-services industry. Her passion for finance and strategic planning led to the creation of Deliso Financial and Insurance Services in 2000.

Deliso began her career in corporate accounting in Tampa, Fla., where she consulted with small-business owners on financial operations and maximizing performance. She has been a New York Life agent since 1995 and is associated with New York Life’s Connecticut Valley General Office in Windsor, Conn. She serves on many boards in her community, including the Pioneer Valley AAA Auto Club and Pioneer Valley Refrigerated Warehouse, and is currently chairman of the board at the Community Music School of Springfield. She is a past chairman of the board at the YMCA of Greater Springfield and a past trustee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and the Bay Path College Advisory Board.

Massachusetts Voters Say Yes to Baker, Casinos, Paid Sick Leave

By BusinessWest Staff November 5, 2014

Daily News

BOSTON — Running on a platform aimed at providing tax relief for small businesses and increasing state aid to cities and towns, Republican Charlie Baker rebounded from his 6-point loss to Gov. Deval Patrick four years ago by defeating Democrat Martha Coakley in this year’s governor’s race. The tally was 48.4% for Baker and 46.6% for Coakley. The remaining 5.0% of the vote was split between three independent candidates, Evan Falchuk (3.3%), Scott Lively (0.9%), and Jeff McCormick (0.8%).

On the campaign trail, Baker laid out an economic plan that would lower taxes for small business while increasing the earned income tax credit. He also stressed the need to increase state aid to communities, improve education, connect schools with job-training programs, and lift the cap on charter schools. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey bucked the national wave of Republican victories by easily dispatching challenger Brian Herr, 62.01% to 37.99%.

The other high-profile vote of Election Day determined the fate of casinos in the Bay State. Voters turned back a measure that would have barred gaming resorts from the state, 60% to 40%. That means already-approved projects in Springfield (by MGM Resorts International) and Everett (by Wynn Resorts) will move forward, as well as a slots parlor in Plainville. MGM, which is developing an $800 million resort casino in Springfield’s South End, will now pay an $85 million licensing fee and move forward with the project, expected to open in 2017.

In other ballot questions, Massachusetts voters approved, by a 59.5% to 40.5% margin, a measure allowing workers at companies with at least 11 employees to earn paid sick time. When the law goes into effect in July, employees whose companies do not offer sick time as a benefit will be able to earn it incrementally. Workers at companies with fewer than 11 employees will be able to earn unpaid sick time. The measure was opposed by restaurant and retail associations.

Meanwhile, voters repealed, by a 52.9% to 47.1% margin, a law that automatically indexed the state’s gas tax to inflation. Going forward, gas-tax increases may be raised only through legislation. Finally, voters overwhelmingly rejected a measure to expand recycling fees to non-carbonated drinks. The vote was 73.4% to 26.6%.

Do You Know a Difference Maker?

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Features

Nominations Sought for BusinessWest’s Recognition Program

When BusinessWest launched its Difference Makers program in 2009, it did so with the sentiment that there are many different ways in which an individual or a group can make a difference in the region.

Since then, the various groups of winners have proven that such thoughts are merely an understatement, and the class of 2014 did that perhaps better than any other.

The honorees were Paula Moore, a school teacher who started the Youth Social Educational Training (YSET) Academy to help keep young people off the streets and out of trouble; the Gray House, a nonprofit that provides a host of programs and services ranging from a food pantry to adult education to its Kids Club; Michael Moriarty, an attorney and director of Olde Holyoke Development Corp., who has been passionate about childhood literacy; Colleen Loveless, who has expanded the reach and the impact of Rebuilding Together Springfield in dramatic ways; and the Melha Shriners, a fraternal organization that changes lives in many ways, but especially through its efforts to help fund the many Shriners Hospitals for Children.

“The class of 2014 showed that difference makers come in many forms and take on a wide range of missions,” said Kate Campiti, associate publisher of BusinessWest. “In each case, though, the overriding goal is to improve life for the people who live in this region.”

And there are many more stories still to be told, she went on, adding that BusinessWest is now accepting nominations for the Difference Makers class of 2015.

The nomination form on page 13 explains essentially how this process works, said BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien, who noted that the phrase ‘Difference Maker,’ as the class of 2014 proved, is a truly subjective phrase with a number of meanings.

“Since Difference Makers was launched, we’ve recognized business executives, nonprofit managers, college presidents, a crusading police chief, and a woman who founded a program to fill the shelves of school libraries,” he explained. “All these stories are different, but the common thread is people — and organizations — stepping up to improve quality of life here in Western Mass.”

“Since the beginning, the readers of BusinessWest have helped its staff with the difficult task of selecting honorees by relating these remarkable stories of how individuals and groups are making a difference,” he went on. “And we’re seeking your assistance again.”

As with another BusinessWest recognition, 40 Under Forty, Difference Makers is a nomination-driven process, Campiti said, urging those who propose an individual or group for consideration to be thorough with their nomination and, in simple terms, effectively answer the question ‘why is this nominee a Difference Maker?’

Nominations, which can also be completed online here, are due at the end of the business day (5 p.m.) on Dec. 15. The winners, as chosen by a review panel comprised of BusinessWest writers and editors, will be profiled in the magazine’s Feb. 9 edition and saluted at the annual Difference Makers gala, to take place in late March.

Questions about the program and the nomination process can be forwarded to [email protected], or call (413) 781-8600, ext. 102.

Previous Difference Makers

2009
• Doug Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank
• Kate Kane, managing director of the Springfield office of Northwestern Mutual Financial/the Zuzolo Group
• Susan Jaye-Kaplan, founder of GoFIT and co-founder of Link to Libraries
• William Ward, executive director of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County
• The Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield

2010
• The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation
• Ellen Freyman, attorney and shareholder at Shatz Schwartz and Fentin, P.C.
• James Goodwin, president and CEO of the Center for Human Development
• Carol Katz, CEO of the Loomis Communities
• UMass Amherst and its chancellor, Robert Holub

2011
• Tim Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
• Lucia Giuggio Carlvalho, founder of Rays of Hope
• Don Kozera, president of Human Resources Unlimited
• Robert Perry, retired partner/consultant at Meyers Brothers Kalicka
• Anthony Scott, Holyoke police chief

2012
• Charlie and Donald D’Amour, president/COO and chairman/CEO of Big Y Foods
• William Messner, president of Holyoke Community College
• Majors Tom and Linda-Jo Perks, officers of the Springfield Corps of the Salvation Army
• Bob Schwarz, executive vice president of Peter Pan Bus Lines
• The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts

2013
• Michael Cutone, John Barbieri, and Thomas Sarrouf, organizers of Springfield’s C3 Policing program
• John Downing, president of Soldier On
• Bruce Landon, president and general manager of the Springfield Falcons
• The Sisters of Providence
• Jim Vinick, senior vice president of Investments at Moors & Cabot Inc.

2014
• The Gray House
• Colleen Loveless, executive director of the Springfield chapter of Rebuilding Together
• The Melha Shriners
• Paula Moore, founder of YSET Academy and a teacher at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Training Academy
• Michael Moriarty, attorney, director of Olde Holyoke Development Corp., and supporter of childhood-literacy programs

Meeting Expectations

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Features

Professional Service Providers Must Hone Networking Skills

Networking is a key business-development tool and is often the best method of building new connections and expanding your influence in the business community.

Kristi Reale

But as professional service providers, our education and training is often focused on technical skills, leaving little or no room for soft-skills training on subjects like networking or business development. Further, networking can put many of us outside of our natural comfort zone. In the end, however, the gain is worth the pain, and by building a plan and following the tips below, your next networking experience might just be a little more enjoyable and productive.

In reality, networking should be exciting, fun, and a path toward advancement. Remember that people, not companies, make decisions; therefore, it is imperative that, as professionals, we expand our referral sources. People do business with and refer business to people they know, like, and trust. Networking allows us to expand our circle of influence and develop and cultivate new relationships. Our professional network can open doors for us that would have otherwise remained closed.

If you are new to the networking process or looking to improve your networking capabilities, the following tips may help you achieve your goals.

Plan ahead. Time is very valuable, so you want to make sure the events you attend are of good quality, with the type of people you want to do business with. You want to meet and establish relationships with other referral sources and decision makers. There are various organizations that specialize in business networking as well as industry-specific organizations. The more relevant your target audience is, the more relevant your meetings and referrals will be.

Set goals. Before you attend a networking event, do your best to set concise and attainable goals. For example, ‘I am going to speak with three people in the manufacturing industry.’ Having clear goals allows you to focus your efforts and determine success based on a measurable outcome.

Observe. If you are just getting started with business development, try to watch others closely. See how the experts are working the room. Determine if there is an experienced team member in your organization whom you can ask to take you under their wing and show you how they make connections. Not only can this be helpful in the learning process, it will also help you build a reputation within your own organization as someone focused on and committed to networking.

Be prepared. Networking opportunities can happen anywhere, often when you least expect it. You should always have your business cards readily available and be prepared to make an effective introduction of yourself and your company. Sometimes this is referred to as an elevator pitch. In less than two minutes, you should be able to introduce yourself and your company and provide a very brief explanation of what sets you apart from the competition. Get to the point quickly; you can always delve into detail later at a follow-up meeting.

Listen. When you are meeting a referral source, let them speak. People are passionate about their businesses and are usually willing to tell you about them. They will also appreciate when you take a genuine interest in what they are saying. Do not hesitate to ask open-ended questions, such as, ‘what separates you from your competition?’ This expands the conversation, shows you are engaged and sincere about learning more about their business.

Be a giver. As you are listening, you should be asking yourself, ‘how can I help this person?’ and ‘What can I do for them?’ Listen for their pains and see what relief you can offer. If their concern is outside of your expertise, whom can you recommend? By having a giving mentality and not expecting anything in return, you establish trust, while at the same time strengthening the relationship with the connection you have now recommended. This can turn into a win-win for everyone involved.

Take notes. Before leaving a networking event, take notes on the back of the business cards you received. List your topics of conversation with those individuals and any notable facts or other interesting items. This will help tremendously with follow-up. Additionally, when you take the time to remember small details about people, they appreciate it. Just as when you were in school, retention comes from taking good notes.

Be patient. When networking, you need to think long-term; networking is much more than an exchange of business cards or connecting on social media. Just as with a personal relationship, it takes time to establish trust. The point is to make long-lasting valuable relationships that are mutually beneficial to both parties. Having connections can open doors, but relationships can close deals.

Follow up. Hold yourself accountable; having a pile of business cards is not going to make relationships. Follow up with either a personalized e-mail or telephone call, and make sure you mention something you discussed at the event. Invite this person to lunch or for coffee. If you are reading a publication and see an article that would interest them, forward it. This shows you are sincerely interested in their business and in building a relationship.

Be prepared for rejection. Not every connection made when networking will turn into a relationship. You will have e-mails and telephone calls ignored, meetings cancelled and, inevitably, people who forgot they even met you. Keep this in mind: it is better to strike out then never get up to bat, and if you keep trying, you will eventually knock it out of the park.

By preparing for a networking event, having a plan, executing the plan, and following up, you will inevitably find more success in your professional networking efforts. Remember that people, not companies, make decisions, and people do business with and refer business to people they know, like, and trust.

Kristi Reale, CPA, CVA is a senior manager with Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. in Holyoke. In addition to the tax, accounting, and consulting services she provides clients, she is also a certified valuation analyst; (413) 536-8510.

Employee or Subcontractor?

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Insurance Sections

The Line Is Blurry, but Employers Must Be Careful Not to Cross it

By BILL GRINNELL

Bill Grinnell

As business owners, our quest for increased efficiency and cost-effective solutions has led many of us to hire subcontractors. It often makes sense to subcontract for work outside of your expertise or for extra work during abnormally busy times of the year.

From an insurance standpoint, subcontracting work has advantages. A sole proprietor with no employees is not required to have workers’ compensation insurance in Massachusetts. Thus, this cost is eliminated by subcontracting work within the law.

But subcontracting work within Massachusetts law is much easier said than done.

Massachusetts Is Tougher Than the IRS

The laws governing subcontracting are much more complicated and stringent in Massachusetts than they are on a federal level. The IRS is the government agency that determines whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, due to the tax implications of the determination.

The IRS has a list of 20 factors it uses to determine a worker’s status. The factors pertain to how, when, and where the work is performed. Some of these factors include:

• Whether a worker must comply with the employer’s instructions for the work;
• Whether the employer provides specific training;
• Whether the worker must comply with hours set by the employer; and
• Whether the worker is on the job full-time.

In Massachusetts, the law presumes that everyone you hire is an employee until proven otherwise. You’ve heard of innocent until proven guilty? Well, in Massachusetts, every freelancer you hire is an employee until proven an independent contractor.

Misclassification Is Costly

Misinterpreting the laws can have unexpected and costly consequences. Employers found to have misclassified an employee as an independent contractor may be subject to income-tax liability for withholding that should have occurred with wages that should have been paid, FICA and FUTA contributions, state unemployment-contribution payments, potential overtime and other wages owed, workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and civil and criminal liability.

Non-willful violations of the law can incur fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for up to six months for a first offense. For violations found to be willful, the fine can rise to $25,000, and imprisonment can last up to one year for a first offence.

To steer clear of these landmines, ensure that your subcontractors qualify as independent contractors.

Three Critical Tests for Independent Contractors

In Massachusetts, there are three critical tests workers must pass to be deemed independent contractors: They must be free from the employer’s control, they must work outside the employer’s usual course of business, and they must do the same work regularly for other companies.

Freedom from Control
A worker must be free from the presumed employer’s control and direction in performing the service, both under a contract and in fact. To be free from an employer’s direction and control, a worker’s activities must be carried out with independence and autonomy. For example, workers should provide their own tools, set their own hours, and take their own approach to completing a job.

In the old days, paper-delivery boys and girls were deemed independent contractors. Today they are considered employees, and we no longer see young kids delivering papers door-to-door.

Work Must Be Outside the Usual Course of Business
To qualify as an independent contractor, the worker’s job or service also must be performed outside the usual course of business of whothat performs work that is part of the normal service delivered by the employer may not be treated as an independent contractor.

Here’s where the lines get sketchy. I have seen nightmares created by insurance-company auditors. If a home builder hires a plumber, is that outside of his usual course of business? Some insurance auditors interpret this law very strictly and take the position that any construction activity performed for a general contractor is in the same course of business. Thus, the auditor makes a charge for any uninsured subcontractors.

Work Must Be Done Regularly for Others
Third, an independent contractor must represent himself or herself to the public as being in business to perform the same or similar services. Furthermore, an independent contractor often has a financial investment in a business that is related to the service he or she is currently performing for the employer.

For example, if a restaurant were to hire the same driver to pick up meats and fresh produce every day and that driver only drove for that one restaurant, an employee relationship would exist.

Make sure your subcontractors pass all three tests to ensure that you will not be hit with penalties and saddled with a higher head count than you wish.

If you have questions about your subcontractor relationships, contact an insurance professional.

Bill Grinnell is president of Northampton-based Webber and Grinnell Insurance Agency; [email protected].

Policy Statement

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Insurance Sections

At AXiA Insurance, Creating Value Is the Rule — Literally

AXiA Insurance Services President Michael Long

Everyone who works for Michael Long follows what he refers to as his “Always Rules.”

They are part of a vision he created long before he opened AXiA Insurance Services Inc. and are the cause and reason behind the laughter that peals frequently from meeting rooms and cubicles in his Springfield headquarters, the smiles on the faces of employees, and the myriad perks, rewards, and awards they receive that range from engraved crystal wineglasses and decanters to unusual birthday gifts they are given at employee-appreciation events.

Their happiness translates into superb customer service, which falls precisely in line with Long’s belief system. “You can’t create value for your customers if you don’t create it for your employees first,” he said, explaining the reasons behind the eight rules he originally created and two he added later.

“I had been in the insurance business for 30 years before I launched this company, and during that time, I saw many valuable employees leave,” he said. “So I realized, if I wanted to be the best agency — not necessarily the biggest — I had to train my employees well and create an environment where they felt valued.

“I consult with my employees about where the agency is going and what is coming next. I also allow them to map their own careers and chart their own destination,” Long went on, adding that he posts the courses and/or certifications needed to move from one position to another and gives employees paid time off to get the education they need to move up in the company.

“What difference does it make to my employees if I am doing well, but they are not moving up with me?” he asked rhetorically. “People want to know what will happen to them.”

The majority of employees work four days a week on a rotating schedule, although they can work five instead if they prefer to do so. But longer workdays result in benefits to clients because it allows AXiA to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There are also three ‘snow teams,’ and if there is a blizzard, two of the teams can work from home. In addition, every employee is given two paid days off to volunteer for any charitable organization they choose.

Long’s belief that employees who feel appreciated provide better customer service has led to measurable success, and he has achieved every goal he outlined in the 10-year plan he created before he opened his full-service insurance agency in October 2001. “We’ve averaged more than 15% growth every year,” he said.

AXiA began as a one-man operation in a rented room in Market Place in Springfield. Today the business has 32 employees in six locations that include Springfield, Easthampton, Natick, North Kingston, R.I., and two offices inside MassMutual.

Long makes it a point to understand his employees’ strengths and weaknesses and avoids delegating any duty to an employee that he or she doesn’t truly enjoy or excel at.

“I’ve seen agencies that failed and others that were very successful,” said Long. “But I also saw many skilled and talented people fail because they were told to do things they were not good at. They should be allowed to become great in the areas they enjoy.”

He learned this lesson as a child and said it remained with him as he matured. Long said his mother and teachers did so many things to try to improve his poor spelling that it robbed him of time that would have been better spent focusing on subjects he enjoyed.

“So, what I bring to the table is a different view. I believe everyone has unique abilities, so I try to structure job duties so people are using those abilities,” he said. “The things they don’t do well are passed off to someone else who is great at those tasks and enjoys them.”

Natural Consequences

Long said the rules he created and the happiness of his employees has a direct relationship on the way customers are treated. A positive attitude must start at the top, he said, as he listed his rules, which are:

• Always create value for employees, customers, and vendors;
• Always plan toward the future with reasonable deadlines and objectives;
• Always support the people you work with;
• Always treat everyone with great respect;
• Always seek out education and growth;
• Always keep a positive attitude and outlook;
• Always work with the strengths of others;
• Always look for lessons from mistakes, not blame;
• Always look for and take advantage of opportunities; and
• Always work within your strengths and unique abilities.

“These principles allow us to provide the best service possible at the best price,” Long said, noting that, whenever the cost of someone’s insurance policy goes up by 10% or $100, they are contacted and given alternative options, which is possible because AXiA represents 20 insurance carriers.

Agents also analyze each client’s policies on a regular basis. “Customers are not insurance experts, and sometimes people are paying for things they don’t need, but lack coverage in other areas they should have,” Long said.

He told BusinessWest that the company began conducting annual team reviews for commercial clients two years ago to make sure their policies do not have any gaps or overlaps. They also do a full review of each personal insurance policy every two years, and clients receive a letter about any areas of concern, which are typically sent via e-mail.

“We have 80% of our clients’ e-mail addresses; the average in the industry is only 20%, and we also text information,” Long added. “It’s very important to our clients to communicate with them this way because they are busy.

“But everything we do comes back to my theory and the name of the company,” Long said, explaining that AXiA is a Greek word which translates to “value, capability, merit, worth, and worthiness” in English.

Director of Operations Alana Sambor said the approach makes a difference. “We have already reviewed the policies of more than 2,500 of our clients this year,” she said. “We want to make sure they have the right coverage at the right price, and we publish information we think they need to know.”

Alana Sambor says AXiA goes out of its way to regularly review clients’ coverage to make sure it reflects their needs.

One thing Long believes sets AXiA apart from other insurance agencies is its approach to new clients. “We don’t just ask to see a copy of their current policy and provide them with a quote,” he said. “We analyze it and ask them a series of questions, such as whether they own more than one piece of property, then come back with a report or recommendation about how their policy should look. It’s not an apples-to-apples quote; it’s based on what the person really needs.”

For example, a person may have a $250 deductible on their homeowner’s insurance policy. “But since it’s unlikely they will turn in a small claim, we may advise them to take out a larger deductible and purchase other coverage for things such as backed-up sewers or drains with the money they save,” Long said.

The company also continuously works to improve communications with clients. Two years ago, AXiA put an emergency phone number in place so customers can contact a representative 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “And we are looking at creating a mobile app as well as an interactive website, which we hope to launch next year,” Long said, explaining that it will give clients instant access to their claim history and premiums, so they can see what they paid for a policy years ago.

The new website will also allow commercial clients to issue certificates of insurance for themselves around the clock by logging into the system. “Many contractors, who range from painters to landscapers to truck drivers, need a certificate when they arrive at a new job site, and they often start work at 6 a.m., before we are in the office,” said Sambor. “We have had truck drivers who found they couldn’t leave California without a new certificate, which can be problematic due to the time difference. This will allow them to print whatever they need, any time of day or night.”

Caring Atmosphere

Long promotes his company by having the name AXiA emblazoned on special vanity license plates that are issued to all of his employees. He also purchases shirts, sweaters, and other articles of clothing that display the company name and logo.

But he believes it is his positive attitude and the gratitude passed on to clients by satisfied employees that most accounts for his growth and success.

Sambor noted the company is growing so fast that it interviews at least one new job applicant every month, but added they are very choosy about who works for them.

In fact, before Long hires someone, he spends a great deal of time making sure he or she will fit in well and comply with the company’s rules. “We always want to do what is right for the customer, so our employees must show up on time, finish what they start, and say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to every client,” he said.

“When I began my company, I laid out everything that I wanted to do for clients and told prospective employees about my value plan, and the majority of them are still with me today,” he went on. “But it’s a fast-paced environment, so we screen candidates carefully.”

That extends to making sure their unique abilities fit the role they will play in the business. “For example, our receptionist is not only very pleasant, she has real empathy for people. It’s important because she is the first person people talk to, which sets the stage for further transactions,” Long said.

Sambor agrees. “The atmosphere at AXiA makes it a place that is fun to work at, and even the small perks, such as a hot cookie machine and cappuccino/espresso machine, make a difference to employees. We spend more time together every day than most people do with their families, so we need to enjoy our jobs,” she said. “We have a team-oriented environment, and if one person is struggling or engrossed in a project, another person will cover for them while they complete what they need to do.”

Long also publishes jobs on the company website that don’t yet exist, but will be available in the future, as well as pay grades and levels so people know how much money they can expect to make as they advance through the ranks.

He feels that’s important because it helps him retain employees. “I sit down with each of my employees once a year and go over their individual goals,” he said.

The company is dedicated to going green, which has provided employees with additional perks and also resulted in benefits to clients.

“Eight years ago, we began going paperless, so we don’t have rows and banks of file cabinets. We e-mail policies to customers, unless they ask for a hard copy, and we plan to install solar panels in the building,” Long said. He added that allowing employees to work four days a week provides additional fuel savings and reduces emissions.

The company also recently began giving employees partial subsidies for gas if they drive vehicles that get high mileage. “And next year, we plan to do something smaller for the balance of our employees,” he added. “We don’t do things halfway.”

Bottom Line

Long identifies himself as a problem solver, and said it’s the approach he used when he began formulating the principles that would become the cornerstone of his insurance agency.

“I spend time identifying things that could hold us back, and look at situations and find resolutions other people wouldn’t think of,” he said. “I often tease my employees, but I believe people are supposed to laugh at work. If they are having a good time, they are more effective and efficient, and if they like their jobs, they do better at them, which leads to happier clients.”

Cover Story

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Insurance Sections

Homeowners’ Liability Often Extends Beyond the Home

By JOHN E. DOWD Jr.

John E. Dowd Jr.

One misconception about homeowners’ liability insurance coverage is that it covers only incidents in the home. In actuality, the comprehensive personal liability (CPL) coverage under a homeowners’ insurance policy is really not associated with any location, other than the limitations and exclusions on the policy.

Here are some examples of what probably would be covered by CPL:

• Sports incidents: for example, you are playing golf and you drive a ball that hits someone in the head and disables them. If you are found liable, as long as you were not doing it professionally, your policy will likely provide coverage.

• After shopping at your local market, you accidentally drop a bottle of olive oil in the parking lot, and it shatters and bleeds the oil onto the pavement. Another shopper comes along, slips, and seriously injures herself on the pavement. While the assumption is that the injured party will take action against the market, the typical practice of attorneys is to go after everyone associated with the incident.

• You are on vacation at a hotel, and you are so excited to leave the room to enjoy a sightseeing tour that you forget to turn off the faucet. The running water causes significant damage to the hotel structure. The hotel decides to go after you for damages. Your CPL will defend you and may pay out damages if you are deemed liable.

• Your kid lends his skateboard to a friend, and the friend, who may not be experienced with the skateboard, gets seriously injured trying to make a maneuver. Parents can be held liable for this injury, and there is a very good chance this will be covered by the CPL coverage.

• If your dog bites a stranger at the park, your CPL will cover you as the owner and responsible party for the dog, as long as the policy does not exclude coverage for your dog breed. Some homeowners policies exclude coverage for breeds deemed dangerous, such as pit bulls.

Additionally, the CPL coverage will usually extend coverage for the following items, even if an incident happens away from the insured premise:

• Trailers that are not attached to a motor vehicle;

• Motorized golf carts;

• Watercraft that does not have a motor or is not more than a specified amount of horsepower;

• Sailboats below a certain length;

• A vacation residence (however, certain conditions may apply, so you also may need to schedule it); and

• Non-motorized bikes.

Here are examples where coverage does not exist and is excluded by nearly every homeowners’ insurance policy:

• Your cars, which are clearly excluded if registered for road use. This is exactly why you need to get a separate auto insurance policy;

• Motorized recreational vehicles, especially if they are off the premises;

• Any incident related to business; and

• Intentional acts.

Policies vary, so it is important to review your policy to see what may be covered and what may not be covered. Additionally, some policies allow you to endorse a coverage that may not be on the policy. This is why it is so important to sit down with your agent to address additional risks you may have and make sure coverage for those risks is addressed.

Liability coverage is perhaps the most important coverage you should have, simply because most of these cases involve attorneys, and if coverage exists, the insurance companies provide for your defense, as well as any settlement up to the limits of your policy. Again, an annual review of your personal risk exposure with your agent is essential. It could be a very short conversation with your agent from year to year if nothing has changed in your life, but more often than not, changes do occur that could expose you unnecessarily to a potentially uninsured loss exposure. Ignorance is never a good defense.

One thing that you should carefully note is that, if you are involved with any activity where you charge a fee of some kind, there is a good chance that the insurance company will deem this to be a commercial exposure and will therefore not cover the activity under your CPL. Your agent or broker is always available to answer these questions, and you should never hesitate to put him or her on the spot.

John E. Dowd Jr. is the fourth-generation president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies. The Dowd Agencies is a full-service agency, founded by his grandfather in 1898, which provides personal, commercial, and financial-planning needs. The Dowd Agencies has six offices in Western Mass.; (413) 538-7444; [email protected]

War Machines

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Sections Technology

High-tech Gadgets Battle for Market Supremacy

As religious wars go, this one’s fairly bloodless.

“Cellphones are deeply personal,” David Pogue writes at Yahoo Tech. “When you buy a phone, you’re making an expensive bet. You can’t easily switch between the Google and Apple worlds; you’ve invested a lot in accessories, you’ve bought apps, you’ve learned that company’s software conventions. And you never want to think your phone is inferior, because then you might feel inferior. So you wind up taking a side in this phone duopoly. You join a very silly — and unwinnable — religious war.”

That may rank among the more intriguing analogies to the decision Americans make between iPhone and Android culture, but it may not be too much of a stretch; smartphones have become an omnipresent part of our lives, and the war between the industry leaders is increasingly heated with each new release. So that’s where we’ll begin this year’s overview of what’s new, hot, and well-reviewed in the world of technology and gadgets.

The iPhone 6 ($199 with a two-year contract) has received mostly rave notices from the tech press, and made waves because of a jump in size from the iPhone 5. (The iPhone 6+, released around the same time, is even larger.)

“There is explosive demand for bigger smartphones. A 4-inch smartphone feels small now; somewhere around 5 inches is the new normal,” notes David Pierce at The Verge. “Yet, too many large-screen phones are cumbersome, awkward, and often just plain bad. And Apple has a long history of taking good ideas with obviously huge markets and being the first manufacturer to really nail the execution.”

The result is impressive, the site notes, but not revolutionary. “There’s nothing truly ambitious here, no grand vision of the future or of a new way of living in the present. Apple doesn’t have better ideas about how to make use of more display real estate, or how to help users navigate a bigger device.”

Still, “for a variety of reasons, from the camera to the app ecosystem to the hardware itself, the iPhone 6 is one of the best smartphones on the market. Maybe even the best. But it’s still an iPhone. The same thing Apple’s been making for seven years. A fantastically good iPhone, but an iPhone through and through.”

Ewan Spence at Forbes is slightly more critical, noting that the phone gets the job done, but it feels more like a necessary step to keep Apple’s marketing machine moving than a purposeful step forward.

“The iPhone 6 does not feel ‘magical’ to me. It does not feel like ‘something only Apple could do.’ It feels like Apple has done the bare minimum to update the handset for late 2014, but has not committed to any major changes,” he writes. “That said, the iPhone 6 is still one of the easiest smartphones to use.”

Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 ($199), its 2014 upgrade for the Android crowd, features a bright, striking display, a very fast processor, and an excellent camera experience, writes Jessica Dolcourt at CNET.

“Here’s why the Samsung Galaxy S5 should grab your attention: it looks good, it performs very well, and it has everything you need to become a fixture in nearly every aspect of your life. But, like a candidate running for re-election, the GS5 gets where it is today based on experience and wisdom, not on flashy features or massive innovation,” she notes. “The S5 is more of a Galaxy S4 Plus than it is a slam-the-brakes, next-generation device; it makes everything just a little smoother and faster.”

So, in all, there were no truly game-changing advances among the top two names in smartphones. But adherents of both don’t seem to mind.

“Celebrate the iPhone’s excellence, even if you’re not in the Apple fold. And celebrate the best work of Samsung, HTC, and LG, even if you’re not part of the Android family,” Pogue writes. “Because, in the end, competition is what will make your phone better this time next year, or the year after that. The perpetual refinement of ideas, and the necessity to think up new ones, will benefit you — no matter which army you march with.”

Tablets, Laptops, and Printers

Smartphones are far from the only tech battlefield, however. Tablets are becoming more sophisticated and hotly contested as well. Engadget considers Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 ($379) the current best choice, buoyed by a crisp screen, considerably bumped-up processing power, a rear-facing camera, slimmer hardware, and strong tech support. “It’s a pretty big splurge for a holiday gift,” reviewer Brian Heater notes, “but it’s a reasonable sum to ask for a tablet that hardly cuts any corners.”

Apple is deeply invested in the tablet game as well, of course, and the iPad Air 2 ($499) gets an improved processor, better rear and front-facing cameras, an even thinner and lighter design, an anti-reflective screen, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and more built-in storage at higher configurations than last year’s model, according to CNET’s Scott Stein.

The Bad The Air 2 isn’t a big change from last year’s iPad in terms of overall function; battery life remains the same, although its battery life is already pretty good. Audio playback via speakers makes the thin metal body resonate more than before

“The iPad Air 2 is a nice refinement and finesse of last year’s model, with a bevy of tweaks, enhancements, a much faster processor, and the welcome addition of Touch ID. Simply put, it’s still the gold standard for tablets.”

Today’s laptop computers — sleek, lightweight, and powerful — are constantly advancing as well. Laptop Magazine give its highest marks this year to the Toshiba Chromebook 2 ($329), praising its “stunning” display, “boisterous” sound, and compact design, while conceding that its graphics could be better.

“If you want a lightweight, stylish laptop that’s easy to use and tote around, this is a solid choice,” reviewer Valentina Palladino notes. “The Toshiba Chromebook 2 refreshes the original with a slimmer design, a gorgeous 1080p IPS display, and powerful speaker.”

In the windows category, PC World has plenty of praise for the Dell XPS 13. “It’s a bit pricey at $1,299 as configured, but that buys a sharp, nimble, and durable laptop with a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, an SSD, and a 13.3-inch touchscreen display,” Bryan Hastings notes, while offering a demerit for its dearth of slots and ports, and battery life that leaves him looking for a wall outlet more often than he’d like. “But on the whole, it’s a terrific little machine.”

If laptops are available in a wide range of prices, the same is true of printers. PC Magazine gives top honors this year to the Dell B3465dnf Multifunction Laser Printer (now there’s a mouthful), which, at $970, is meant for a small to medium-size offices or workgroups.

“That said, if you have any doubts about its suitability for heavy-duty use, the rated maximum monthly duty cycle for printing, at 150,000 pages with a recommended maximum of up to 15,000 pages, should tell you everything you need to know,” writes reviewer David Stone. “Add in the fast speed on our tests, the reasonably high quality output, the 7-inch color touch-screen control panel, and the low cost per page, and it’s a compelling pick.”

For something less pricey, CNET is sticking with the HP Officejet 8600 Plus ($179), which has been around for two years but still tops the site’s ratings. “It prints professional-quality photos and documents quickly with versatile connectivity options and robust features like an auto-duplexer, cloud printing, and a legal-size scanning bay,” Justin Yu notes. “If you can find a desk to accommodate its large size, the … printer serves up top-shelf output quality at rapid print speeds, suitable for offices, home users, and photo enthusiasts hunting for an upgrade.”

Sights and Sounds

Whether for work or play, most Americans own a digital camera of some sort, but which to choose from the myriad options on the market?

PC Magazine especially praises the Olympus Tough TG-3 ($349), a mid-priced model it calls the best recreational camera it has tested, praising its wide-aperture lens, microscope macro mode, quick focus, burst shooting, waterproof capability, and more. Despite demerits for battery charging and audible zoom and focus on the soundtrack of videos, Jim Fisher writes, “the TG-3 is a worthy successor to its predecessor, and follows it as our editors’ choice for rugged compact cameras.”

For those with a significantly higher budget, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III ($799) is hard to beat, Fisher says, praising its high-ISO performance, a large image sensor, sharp wide-aperture lens, burst shooting, customizable controls, and large, tilting LCD.

“Sony’s RX series of compact cameras have wowed us with their small size and excellent image quality since the introduction of the original RX100. But that type of quality doesn’t come cheap, especially in a pocketable form,” he notes. “If you’re not quite willing to pay $800 for a pocket camera, the RX100 and RX100 II remain in the lineup and deliver similar image quality at a lower price.”

Finally, how about a personal soundrack for that photo shoot? News has been fairly quiet on the MP3-player front in 2014, although Apple is getting ready to unveil the sixth-generation iPod Touch in the coming months. Until then, the fifth-generation Touch remains a solid option, writes Tim Stevens at Engadget.

“The iPod touch is a comprehensively better package than the previous-gen unit, but at $299 to start, it certainly doesn’t come cheap,” he notes. “If you’re reasonably content with your fourth-gen, this is probably not worth the upgrade, but if you have an older iPod that’s ready for retirement, or are indeed just jumping on the iOS bandwagon for the first time and are happy with your current phone, this is a great place to start.”

For more reviews, just look them up on your smartphone. And give peace a chance.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Opinion

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Opinion

Is Marijuana Medicine? Questions Remain

By ALAN EHRLICH, M.D. and KEVIN HILL, M.D., M.H.S.

Despite a federal ban, little research into its effectiveness, and lack of approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the use of marijuana for medical purposes has been approved in 23 states and the District of Columbia as of August 2014. More are likely to follow.

In Massachusetts, citizens overwhelmingly approved a ballot question in 2012 permitting marijuana use by patients with ‘debilitating medical conditions.’ With 63% of voters saying yes to the initiative, marijuana was declared medicine by plebiscite, a departure from the nation’s traditional way of testing and approving medications through controlled scientific clinical trials and subsequent FDA review and approval.

With regulations in place for the state’s medical-marijuana program that commenced in January 2013, and as marijuana dispensaries prepare to open, here’s a snapshot of the existing evidence on marijuana as medicine and what we believe patients should think about if they’re considering using it as such.

First, some background. Prompted by its potential abuse, the federal government initially banned marijuana in the 1930s. The U.S. Controlled Substances Act, passed in 1970, now lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug, regarding it as having a high potential for abuse and no medical benefit. With growing public acceptance of the drug, however, the federal government has effectively ceded regulation of marijuana to the states. Because of the federal classification, few studies exist of marijuana’s medical value, making it hard to draw sound conclusions about its medical benefits.

Available research shows that marijuana has benefits for symptoms associated with some conditions, among them spasticity (spasms) from multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, pain from neuropathy, nausea or vomiting from chemotherapy, and inflammatory bowel disease. It also stimulates the appetite of patients with cancer-associated anorexia and in HIV patients with significant muscle wasting. Many patients believe it also helps with glaucoma because it lowers the pressure in the eyes, but there is no evidence that marijuana helps with the symptoms of glaucoma, and newer medicines are more effective for the condition.

Dosage and concentration remain major concerns. No guidelines on dosage exist for any condition, and different marijuana plants have different concentrations of THC, the drug’s active ingredient that gives it its narcotic and psychoactive effects.

While marijuana appears to have some benefits, research shows that clear harms are associated with its chronic use. It may worsen anxiety and depression, induce psychosis, and cause cognitive difficulties because of its effects on the brain. Cognitive effects are especially worrisome in adolescents and young adults whose brains are still developing. Chronic users trying to stop may also experience withdrawal symptoms, much like those of nicotine withdrawal.

The majority of people who use marijuana do not become addicted, but 9% of adults and 17% of teenagers do. Those percentages may be low, but considering that marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S., with more than 18 million users, a small fraction of a large number can still be a very large number.

Patients considering marijuana as medicine should first talk with a physician who knows them well. We suggest starting with your primary-care doctor. If you’re under the care of specialists, such as a pain-management physician or oncologist, talk with him or her, too. All physicians treating you should know if you’re using marijuana for medical reasons, as it could interact with other medications.

It’s important to understand that physicians in Massachusetts will not be prescribing marijuana for patients. Rather, they will be certifying that a patient has a ‘debilitating medical condition’ eligible for medical marijuana according to state regulations. Also, physicians who are generally opposed to smoking are not required to certify any patient, and some may decline to do so because of the federal ban or limited clinical evidence.

Whatever role marijuana may have as medicine, we believe it should be a supplement to standard treatment. There isn’t any condition for which it should be the first line of therapy.

Dr. Alan Ehrlich is senior deputy editor of DynaMed, a clinical reference tool that examines medical articles for clinical relevance and scientific validity. Dr. Kevin Hill is director of the Substance Abuse Consultation Service in the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse at McLean Hospital in Belmont. This article is a service of the Mass. Medical Society.

Building a Pipeline of Innovation

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Entrepreneurship Sections

Institute for Applied Life Sciences Bridges Academia, Industry

Peter Reinhart says the mission at the IALS is to accelerate life-science research and advance collaboration with industry.

Peter Reinhart acknowledged that the acronym IALS (pronounced ‘aisles’), short for the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at UMass Amherst, hasn’t yet become part of the national or even the regional lexicon.

And it’s an unofficial component of his job description to change that.

Reinhart, a veteran biopharmaceutical executive and researcher, was recently named founding director of the institute, which was created in 2013 with $150 million in capital funding from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) and additional contributions from the university. Its mission is to accelerate life-science research and advance collaboration with industry to effectively shorten the gap between scientific innovation and technological advancement.

And Reinhart, a native of Australia whose résumé includes a number of intriguing stops, most of them in the sector now known as ‘large pharma,’ is excited about this latest career opportunity and bullish about its prospects for carrying out that assignment.

“This is really intriguing to me; professionally, this is really what I want to do — take innovative ideas and turn them into meaningful products, things that people can use,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal is to create a pipeline of leading-edge products at various stages of development.

The IALS will do this through the creation of three translational centers:

• The Center for Models to Medicine, which identifies and validates new therapeutic pathways and clinical development candidates, focused on areas of expertise such as protein homeostatis;

• The Center for Bioactive Delivery, which seeks to discover a new paradigm for the discovery of optimized delivery vehicles for drugs and nutriceutical compounds; and

• The Center for Personalized Health Monitoring, which is developing nanotechnology and large-dataset management to improve healthcare through low-cost, wearable, wireless sensors that analyze patient data continuously in real time.

Reinhart comes to the university from Alzehon, a Lexington, Mass. company where he most recently was the head of corporate development and new products for the firm, which is focused on brain health, memory, and aging and development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Prior to that, he was chief scientific officer and then president at Proteostasis Therapeutics, and head of neurodegeneration at Wyeth/Pfizer. He has also been an adjunct associate professor of Neuroscience at the Duke University Medical Center for the past decade and was a tenured professor at the center for nearly 13 years prior to that.

He told BusinessWest that he became interested in leading the IALS because he considered it a logical next step in a career that has blended academia, cutting-edge industrial-biomedical research, development of startup companies, and work with major pharmaceutical corporations.

“Having spent significant time in large pharma, biotechnology companies, as well as academia allows me to understand the strengths and needs of each of these organizations,” he said. “This experience will be useful both in advancing alliances across the UMass campuses to combine assets and capabilities and in utilizing such assets to develop industry partnerships.”

For this issue, BusinessWest talked at length with Reinhart about the IALS, its ambitious goals, and how he intends to meet them.

Down to a Science

As he discussed the circumstances that brought him to the Amherst campus and, more specifically, its new Life Sciences Laboratories, Reinhart referenced one of a series of talks (this one was in Boston) he gave while he was at Pfizer.

“These talks were about how to combine the best aspects of academic innovation with the ability of industry to take an idea and turn it into a product on a timeline and on a budget,” he told BusinessWest. “While I was at Boston, someone from UMass contacted me and said, ‘I heard you give this talk … and we’re about to start something fairly similar in this space; it’s called the Institute for Applied Life Sciences, and the vision really is to have a more product-focused, outward-looking directionality to some of the basic research we’re doing, with the idea that this would become a number of translational programs that could partner with industry, which would lead to creation of a local infrastructure surrounding UMass.’

“And I thought ‘this is amazing — this is exactly what I pitched to the CEO at Pfizer,’” he recalled. “The difference is, I pitched it with the idea that we could run this within large pharma and reach out to academia. And what UMass was doing is exactly the same concept, but they were running it from within academia and reaching out to industry. And I could easily see that you could run this concept from either side.”

Fast-forward through several rounds of interviews and visits to the campus with his wife, who soon became sold on the university and Amherst in general, and Reinhart is now one of the point people in the Commonwealth’s ambitious, $1 billion initiative to become even more of a national and global leader in the life sciences.

He started on Oct. 1 and is still in the process of fitting out his office (his printer arrived he day he talked with BusinessWest), hiring staff, and meeting with representatives of many constituencies who will be involved with the center.

As he talked about its prospects moving forward, Reinhart said he thought all the ingredients were in place to translate that concept he discussed while giving those talks for Pfizer into reality.

Listing these ingredients, he mentioned everything from the faculty at UMass, which he said had the willingness (generally not common in academia) to embrace something new and fundamentally different, to the infrastructure at UMass, meaning both the physical facilities and the leadership team, to a firm vision for what those involved want to accomplish.

And when he looked at how those ingredients might come together, he decided that this was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Elaborating, he said the IALS represents a unique concept within the broad life-sciences universe, something that he’s excited about bringing to fruition.

“On paper, there are other institutes that call themselves translational,” he explained. “But translational is a word that has many different meanings depending on who’s using it. And in the way I see translational — where you’re combining the best of academic innovation and industry know-how, I don’t think there’s another facility like this.”

Not Lost in Translation

Reinhart said some of his initial projects at the IALS include creation of a strategic plan for the facility — there exists a broad concept, but he wants something more detailed and comprehensive — as well as development of both an operational structure and an operational philosophy.

Overall, he wants to take the team approach that is so common, and successful, in industry and incorporate it on the academic and research sides, where it is far less prevalent.

“Industrial science, by definition, is a team sport, because once industry engages on a project, there are more than 50 people working on it, and the way you get real progress in a short period of time is to have people with different expertises coming together and working together,” he explained. “This is something that I want to achieve in the institute; it wouldn’t be individual programs run by single PIs (principal investigators) that advance a concept, but rather groups of people coming together that have related, but not overlapping, areas of expertise working together on a project to advance it toward commercialization and toward commercial partnerships.

“What I’m really trying to do is have multiple different laboratories and, frankly, even other sites, such as UMass Medical Center, participate in specific projects,” he went on.

Elaborating, he said he envisions the institute working in a way similar to a large technology company or large pharmaceutical corporation, with a number of initiatives ongoing at the same time, with the goal of creating that aforementioned pipeline of innovative products.

“Some of these are closer to commercialization, and others are further away,” he said. “We have some that are much closer to commercialization today — exactly how close is still to be determined — and, of course, we have others that are more embryonic and earlier-stage. But the concept is to develop a pipeline, the leading edge of which should start creating products and partnerships with academic entities in a three- to five-year time frame.”

Referencing the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring specifically, Reinhart said there are several products in or approaching the prototype phase, and some may be ready for potential development in a few years, giving the institute an opportunity to play a lead role in a rapidly emerging sector within the life-sciences industry.

“The world is realizing that wearable devices and electronic monitoring is a real growth area,” he explained. “Right now, it’s either at the stage of small entrepreneurial companies or, occasionally, large enterprises such as Google, which is becoming more and more interested in areas like that; they’re pushing the envelope in this area.

“There are not very many, if any, academic centers that are trying to combine the innovation coming out of individual research labs with an ability to translate that into a device or monitoring equipment or a compound that can be advanced into the clinic,” he went on. “Bringing these concepts together within an academic setting is something quite novel.”

And if this novel facility can become successful at providing a steady flow of products through that pipeline, then Rinehart shouldn’t have any trouble making IALS an acronym known across the region, and perhaps around the world.

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

Serve and Protect

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Insurance Sections

A chart of the region’s Insurance Agencies

Click here to download the PDF

Community Spotlight: Stockbridge

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Community Spotlight Features

Stockbridge Broadens Its Palette of Offerings

Chuck Gillett and Jorja Ann Marsden say town officials and residents alike are adamant about maintaining the historic character of Stockbridge.

In 1967, artist Norman Rockwell told the editors of McCall’s magazine that they could not showcase his work titled “Main Street” unless they let readers know the scene depicted Christmas Eve in Stockbridge, where he lived and had his studio.

Today, the painting is of one of Rockwell’s masterpieces that reflect life in small-town America, and Stockbridge has become a destination for tourists who appreciate its history and character.

“Some people view Stockbridge as the quintessential New England village and come here just to see that,” said Selectman Chuck Gillett.

Jorja Ann Marsden agrees. “A woman from Virginia recently stopped in my office just to tell me how nice it is that we don’t have a single stoplight,” said the town administrator. “She said we should keep things that way.”

Town officials are well aware of the importance of maintaining the town’s charm, and it’s something the Board of Selectmen keeps in mind when making decisions.

“We see ourselves partly as a travel destination,” Gillett said, as he named a list of things to see and do, and spoke about them in detail. They include the Norman Rockwell Museum; Tanglewood (its entrance is in Lenox, but 90% of the grounds are in Stockbridge); the Berkshire Theater Festival; the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Wellness; Chesterwood, the 144-acre summer estate and studio owned by renowned American sculptor Daniel Chester French, who is best known for his statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.; Naumkeag House & Gardens, a 44-room Gilded Age estate built by 19th-century attorney Joseph Choate; and the National Shrine of Divine Mercy.

“Many people drive here purposefully just to go to our museums, see a play, or visit an historic site,” Gillett said, adding that, in addition to attracting tourists, 64% of the town’s residents are second homeowners from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

Although they all enjoy the town’s ambience and cultural attractions, tourists are often dismayed to discover there is no cell-phone service downtown.

However, the problem is being addressed by the selectmen, and Gillett said it’s important to resolve this dilemma, because, in addition to being an inconvenience, the lack of service poses a significant safety issue. “Our downtown is only one block, but it’s a big problem for people who stay at the Red Lion Inn because they expect to be able to use their phones. But more importantly, we have had situations where police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians needed to communicate via cell phones and were unable to do so.”

Historic Preservation

Gillett and Marsden agree that town officials and residents are adamant about maintaining the historic character of Stockbridge.

That principle was one of the major reasons why the selectmen voted unanimously in September to issue a special permit to allow Denver-based Travassa Experiental Resorts & Spas to add a four-story wing to Elm Court on 310 Old Stockbridge Road.

Gillett explained that Travassa plans to preserve the historic integrity of the palatial, Gilded Age mansion, which it purchased for $9.8 million in 2012, with plans to transform it into an elaborate, high-end resort/spa with a restaurant. The estate, which sits on close to 90 acres and is situated in the northeast corner of town, hearkens to a time when wealthy families built cottages in the Berkshires and used them as summer homes.

“Andrew Carnegie and George Westinghouse lived here, and there are about 15 similar homes in Stockbridge and Lenox,” Gillett said, noting that Elm Court was built in 1885 by William Douglas Sloane and Emily Thorn Vanderbilt.

The estate remained in the family until 2012, but Gillett said it was unoccupied from the early ’70s until 2002, when Vanderbilt descendants Robert and Sonja Berle began restoring it. “They ran a bed and breakfast there,” he noted.

But when the couple put the estate on the market, many townspeople feared it would be torn down, which has been the fate of several similar cottages. Although Gillett said the Berle family was committed to finding a buyer who would use it for an appropriate purpose, the property was on the market for about five years before it was sold.

Still, the proposal to turn it into a hotel evoked some controversy. “About 200 people attended a meeting held by the selectmen to discuss the proposal. They didn’t think we should grant the permit because they believed the hotel would be too big and would create too much traffic,” Gillett said.

After much consideration and three separate hearings over a four-month period, however, the selectmen agreed to issue Travassa the permit it was seeking.

“The majority of residents felt it was a positive project. They wanted to see the cottage saved and hoped to prevent it from being turned into multi-housing units. But we had to create a special, cottage-era estate bylaw so they can build the annex,” Gillett said, noting that 16 of the resort’s rooms will be inside Elms Court and 80 will be in the new building.

The project is expected to cost $50 million, and Travassa still needs to seek approval from Lenox officials, because the driveway and about 50 feet of the road in front of Elms Court are located in that town.

“We see it as another business in Stockbridge that will be significant,” Gillett noted. “The hotel and spa will bring new tax revenue to the town and will also generate economic activity for Stockbridge and Lenox because it will create jobs and bring tourists here who will frequent our shops and restaurants and visit our cultural attractions.”

Other efforts to improve Stockbridge include $500,000 of infrastructure work to enhance the downtown area.

“Last year, Main Street was repaved and a bike lane was added along two blocks that run from Route 7 and Route 102 to the Red Lion Inn,” said Marsden. “This year the other end of the street is being repaved. The area extends from the Red Lion Inn to the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge.

“The town also invested $150,000 of taxpayers’ money in new sidewalks because the ones downtown were dangerous,” she went on. “They had been undermined by frost heaves and tree roots, and we felt it was an important safety issue.”

And then, there are the ongoing efforts to bring cell-phone service downtown. Lack of it has become a safety issue in the community, said Marsden, who cited two recent examples.

“In one instance, a man fell off a roof and hit his head on a rock; his co-workers had to run a block to get to the police station because they couldn’t use their cell phones to call for help,” she said, adding that a similar scenario occurred when a driver hit a bicyclist near the fire station.

“We have also had power outages which had the potential to create problems for our elderly citizens who rely on their cell phones to get help if they have an emergency,” she went on.

In the past two years, Gillett said, town officials have contacted cell-phone service providers and encouraged them to install a tower that would provide service to the downtown district. They also hired an engineer to examine a portion of the town landfill to determine if it would be a suitable location. Since there is no electricity on the property, National Grid was brought to the site, and a representative told town officials it will cost $400,000 to install underground electric lines, which are needed for the tower to operate.

But the site has been deemed appropriate, and on Oct. 8, the selectmen passed an article that will allow a tower to be built on the property.

“We’ve put out a request for proposals; they’re due Nov. 19, and we hope to have service downtown by the end of next summer,” Gillett said. “The tower won’t be visible and will have a positive effect on the health and safety of our residents, as well as the tourists who shop downtown.”

Marsden added that expanded cell-phone service will also benefit home-business owners who need to stay in touch with their clients during a power outage.

However, this is not the only step the town has taken to promote safety. Last year, officials purchased a $470,000 rescue vehicle that is fully equipped with the Jaws of Life, as well as medical and stabilization equipment, including foam to extinguish fires.

“We put aside money for four years until we could afford to purchase the vehicle,” Gillett said, adding the selectmen believe it is important to be proactive in matters that affect the health and safety of residents. “We owned some rescue equipment before we made the purchase, but it was kept at a number of different sites,” he explained. “Now it’s all in one place, and the rescue vehicle has already been put to use.”

Continued Progress

Marsden said town officials are determined to preserve the historic charm of Stockbridge, while taking steps to keep up with the times.

“We are a very small community and want to maintain our small-town feel as well as the historic integrity that exists here. But we are looking toward the future,” she said.

Gillett agreed. “It’s important to us to maintain our reputation as the quintessential New England village in a typical New England setting. But we will continue to do all we can to maintain the safety of our residents, as well as the visitors who come to our town.”

Stockbridge at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1739
Population: 1,947 (2010) 
Area: 23.7 square miles 
County: Berkshire 
Residential Tax Rate: $11.12 
Commercial Tax Rate: $11.12
Median Household Income: $48,571 (2010) 
Family Household Income: $59,556 (2010) 
Type of government: Open Town Meeting
Largest Employers: Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, National Shrine of Divine Mercy, Red Lion Inn

* Latest information available

Editorial

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Opinion

Another Triumph for Springfield

When it was first announced that CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., a manufacturer of urban mass-transit vehicles based in China, was interested in building replacement subway cars for the MBTA’s Red and Orange lines in Springfield, the news was greeted with a large dose of skepticism.

And why not? Things like that just haven’t happened in Springfield in recent years— or decades, for that matter. They’re talked about, but the talk rarely translates into anything substantive. The $565 million contract to build nearly 300 subway cars was the kind of development that simply went somewhere else.

The fact that it didn’t, and that the subway cars will be built in the former Westinghouse complex in East Springfield, is perhaps the best aspect to this encouraging story, although there are many positives to take from it.

First and foremost are the jobs — a projected 100-plus new construction jobs from the building of a 150,000-square-foot plant, and more than 200 new manufacturing positions — as well as the quality of those jobs. Indeed, at a time when many of the jobs coming to the region are in service, distribution, or call centers, these are manufacturing positions, the type that every region covets.

There’s also the prospect for more manufacturing coming to Springfield and this region in general if all goes as well as expected with these subway cars in terms of providing this company with a qualified workforce. This state and this region cannot sell themselves as being low-cost (at least when compared to southern states and foreign countries like Mexico), and they can’t market themselves as being business-friendly, because, by and large, they are not. But a quality, well-trained workforce is a strong selling point.

And then, there’s the needed boost the city gains with regard to its image. Newspapers in Boston and elsewhere were placing ‘Springfield’ in stories that had nothing to do with poverty, crime, or high dropout rate. And it had probably been some time since they’d done that.

But, as we said, maybe the best thing to come from this may well be a needed jolt of confidence — or another jolt, as the case may be. There is a growing sense that things can be done in this city, because they are being done.

This list includes the three colleges that now call downtown Springfield home — UMass Amherst, Bay Path University, and Cambridge College — as well as Union Station, a project that many thought they’d never see come to fruition; an emerging innovation district; and even the successful effort to keep the Student Prince restaurant (the Fort) from becoming merely a part of the city’s past.

And if voters do the right thing and vote ‘no’ on Question 3 on Election Day, there will be yet another boost in confidence, in the form of an $800 million resort casino that will rise in the city’s beleaguered South End.

Springfield still has a number of challenges to confront, including its high poverty rate and equally high dropout rate, but there is some real momentum in the city now, a sense that things are possible, that good things can happen here.

And with that momentum will hopefully come a change in attitude, so the next time a company announces its intention to bring jobs to the city, the news won’t be greeted with that same level of skepticism.

For the Long Haul

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Features

Springfield Welcomes a New Industry — and a Brighter Economic Outlook

A few hundred new jobs in Springfield is always cause for celebration. But city leaders are thinking much bigger than that.

For instance, David Cruise recalled his first meetings with representatives of CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles, the Chinese-based rail-car manufacturer that announced a $565 million deal last month to build at least 284 new subway cars for the MBTA, and to base its operations at the former Westinghouse site in Springfield.

“We were very excited about the opportunity to have CNR Changchun here in the area — it’s a very unique opportunity to bring sustaining wages and career opportunities to people of all ages,” said Cruise, president and CEO of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County (REB). “We believe they’re very, very committed — not only to fulfilling this contract with the MBTA, but using that contract to expand their business in other parts of the country, while keeping their corporate offices and manufacturing facility here in Springfield.”

Kevin Kennedy, Springfield’s chief development officer, said he and Mayor Domenic Sarno have the same idea.

“In our discussions, what really intrigued the mayor and me the most is that they immediately said to us, ‘we want to make this our American manufacturing headquarters,’” Kennedy told BusinessWest. “Their goals went well beyond the MBTA contract, and it says to us that they plan to have prolonged growth, sustained growth, both from a jobs point of view and and from an ecomomic-development point of view … from every point of view we could think of.”

In other words, the world’s largest rail-car maker setting up shop in Springfield could represent far more than the expected initial 100 to 125 construction jobs and 225 to 250 jobs at the plant.

David Cruise says he was impressed with CNR Changchun’s commitment to growing in Springfield.

“They are very serious about getting into the American rail-car market,” Kennedy continued. “After the original contract, they’re looking at other opportunities, and we could see significant job growth. And I think the key right now — the thing everyone in political and private life is talking about — is jobs.”

Sarno agreed. “The impression I get from them is, this is really going to blossom for them,” he said. “Increased jobs are going to come from this — good-paying jobs, hundreds of jobs — and will solidify and strengthen the tax base. But I think this is something even bigger. This will be their North American hub; they’re already looking at secondary projects in the Springfield area.”

In other words, CNR Changchun’s decision to set up shop in Springfield, catalyzed by the MBTA’s decision to award the company the contract to manufacture almost 300 new cars, could lead to many more economic benefits down the road — or the track, as the case may be.

Mass Appeal

The saga that eventually brought CNR Changchun to Springfield began late last year, when the MBTA first announced the project.

“We’re always looking for different opportunities, and when we came across the MBTA advertising for the bid, we contacted them and got the list of bidders who had taken out bid specs, and we contacted all of them to talk about Springfield, how Springfield would be very receptive to them coming here,” Kennedy said. “As it turned out, potential bidders had already looked at Springfield. We ended up with two that already had half a stake down in the ground here, and we met with both over a period of months.”

Those companies were CNR Changchun — which bought the former Westinghouse site from Pinnacle Entertainment — and Hyundai Rotem, which aimed to build a plant on Progress Avenue. Both companies met extensively with city officials and learned about potential workforce-training initiatives involving Springfield Technical Community College, Holyoke Community College, Western New England University, and Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, as well as the region’s two one-stop career centers, CareerPoint and Future Works, and entities like the REB and the Economic Development Council.

“One of my first questions for the CNR folks, when they indicated they had taken an option on the property from Pinnacle, was ‘why Springfield?’” Kennedy said. “They said to me, ‘you’ve got a great workforce, a great location, great transportation system. We think this would be a really good place for workforce development and for our employees to work.’”

The city’s appeal would only be heightened, he added, by the MGM Springfield resort casino to be built in the South End if a ballot measure aimed at barring casinos in Massachusetts is defeated this Tuesday. “A number of Millennials are interested in quality-of-life issues, and we’re not talking about gambling; we’re talking about entertainment.”

Meanwhile, the entire Page Boulevard corridor around the Westinghouse site could see a bump in quality of life, Sarno added.

“The restaurants in that area are ecstatic. Now we’re going to get spinoff businesses — people are going to want to eat, get their hair cut, need this, need that,” the mayor said. “We also have great housing stock there. Someone may say, ‘hey, I work here; if I buy a house in the area, I can walk to work.’ There’s tremendous potential there for the long haul.”

Cruise also used that term ‘long haul’ when describing his interactions with CNR Changchun over the past several months.

“We would have been pleased with whomever was selected if they were coming into the area, but we’re particularly pleased by this selection,” he said. “In the discussions we were part of, it was pretty evident to us that this company was committed to being in the area for the long haul — that the MBTA contract to provide rail cars in Boston was critical to them, but they were going to use this as a platform for additional business around the country.”

In addition, “our impression was that they were committed to making certain that local residents were hired for their production and assembly positions, and that was really important to us,” Cruise said. “Their reputation as the largest builder of railway cars in the world certainly wasn’t lost on us. I was impressed by a number of things they had to say. This could be very, very significant.”

Sarno said the company appreciated the way the city seamlessly brought together players from the business, political, and workforce-development realms to craft a vision of what the city and its environs could offer.

“They really liked the red carpet we rolled out for them here in Springfield,” the mayor said. “CNR Changchun is very good with grassroots, with reaching out, and had meetings with Putnam, WNEU, workforce-development people, the media, vendors, the employment base. They really wanted to touch every base they could here in Springfield, and we helped facilitate that.”

Added state Sen. Gale Candaras, at the recent press conference where Gov. Deval Ptrick announced the MBTA deal, “their level of engagement with people here was amazing. Right from the beginning, they wanted to be here; they were committed to this site.”

Engine for Growth

Like Kennedy, the mayor said the city’s greatest appeal to CNR Changchun — which will do business here under the name CNR MA — is its worker pool and, more importantly, the infrastructure already being built to train it for what are expected to be well-paying precision-manufacturing jobs.

For the REB’s part, Cruise explained, it will take a three-pronged approach. It will coordinate with the CareerPoint and Future Works career centers, the Department of Veterans Services, and area vocational high schools to identify existing candidates for jobs; help develop training programs at Putnam, STCC, and WNEU to increase that pool; and work closely with labor unions whose members have the required skills associated with rail-car assembly, as well as the REB’s network of advanced-manufacturing firms to connect CNR MA with area companies that can manufacture required parts and components.

“When trying to build a workforce of this size, you have to have educational outreach programs to make certain the community as a whole is aware of the positions that will be available — primarily production opportunities, but I suspect some in the corporate office in Springfield as well,” Cruise told BusinessWest.

“It’s critical that companies assist CNR in their efforts to get the workforce,” he continued, “but also make certain, as the workforce is selected, that we have an infrastructure in place to continue to provide skills to their incumbent workforce. In my opinion, this area has the educational infrastructure to be able to respond to workforce needs, which is not something you find in too many areas. I suspect one of the reasons CNR chose Springfield as a location for their facility was that they saw the resources available here, and I think that was important to them.”

CNR MA expects to break ground on its new, $60 million plant sometime in 2015, just as planned worker-training programs begin to gear up. The initial project to build 152 Orange Line cars and 132 Red Line cars — replacing vehicles that have been in use for between 35 and 45 years — is set to continue until a planned delivery date of 2021, but by then, the company is hopeful that an expanded workforce will be busy with other projects well into the future.

“This is huge,” Cruise said, “not only for the whole issue of job creation, but also for some of the smaller companies, sheet-metal companies, and the labor unions here in the area, who can be suppliers and partners in this work.

“We think it will have a ripple effect on other companies,” he continued. “Whenever you bring a manufacturing facility of this magnitude in the area, there will be some spinoff for some of the smaller companies that provide goods and services to them. That’s critical.”

Richard Davey, secretary and CEO of the Mass. Department of Transportation, recognized the importance of this project to the people of Springfield.

“The governor has talked about transportation not being about just trains and buses, but lifting communities, about jobs and economic development,” he said.

Added Patrick, “they’ve been thoroughly vetted; they’ve constructed these kinds of cars all over the world, and they’re very well-respected. One condition of this deal is that they do the assembly and manufacturing here in Western Mass., and they have chosen to do that right here in East Springfield.”

Springfield Bound

Sarno suspects that most people didn’t consider his city a front-runner, yet, after CNR Changchun officials visited about 50 sites along the Northeast corridor, it settled on Springfield.

“Even though the region’s manufacturing base has eroded since the old days, dating back to the ’70s, it’s still a hotbed for precision machining,” he told BusinessWest. “And they liked what they saw here. They liked the supports from the city and state, they liked the workforce development we have here, our farm system, and they really loved the property.”

The mayor also believes the rise of a new industry in Springfield could be a catalyst to attract other manufacturing firms of all types. “I think it’s the best advertisement to come to Springfield.”

Kennedy said a manufacturer of this size and reputation locating in Western Mass. is unheard of these days, but in a way, it fits in perfectly with the other positive changes happening in Springfield, from MGM Springfield and Union Station to the area colleges procuring a presence downtown and the development of an innovation district plan.

“All these pieces of the puzzle are coming together — it’s happening,” he said. “There’s certainly enthusiasm happening in the business community, recognizing what’s happening here. What we need now is to translate this into a real marketing effort for Springfield, so the general public can see it.”

And other businesses, of course.

“We really are at a pivotal moment in the city’s history,” Sarno said, citing not just potential new jobs, but planned improvements in public safety and education. “We’re moving in the right direction, though obviously we always want to do more.

“I’m bullish on Springfield,” he concluded, “and I think people are starting to be bullish on Springfield as well.” Including, in CNR Changchun, one more large firm that’s betting big on the City of Homes.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

2014 Western Mass. Business Expo

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Events Features WMBExpo

Scenes From the Fourth Annual Event

The fourth annual Western Mass. Business Expo, produced by BusinessWest and again presented by Comcast Business, was staged Oct. 29 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. More than 2,000 attendees passed through the doors, and they had the opportunity to visit more than 150 exhibitor booths, stroll the new Retail Marketplace, take in more than a dozen educational seminars, and watch several presentations on the Show Floor Theater, ranging from a discourse on overcoming one’s fear of public speaking to an update on the next-generation space telescope. The day’s programming started with a keynote address from Gov. Deval Patrick at the ACCGS kickoff breakfast. Later, Patricia Diaz Dennis, retired senior vice president for AT&T, presidential appointee to the Federal Communications Commission, and member of the MassMutual board of directors, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon program presented by the Professional Women’s Chamber. The day was capped off with a pitch contest by Valley Venture Mentors and the popular Expo Social. Below is a photographic look back at the Expo. Watch the video here.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

All names left to right:
Tim Paige, Stephanie Dumont, Laurie Deyette, Paul Salvos, Matt Strong, Robert Cortes, Charlene Johnson, and Kyle Wills from presenting sponsor Comcast Business;

Dolly Werenski of Hampden Bank and Jamina Scippio-McFadden and Dr. William Davila of UMass Springfield;

the Expo Retail Marketplace;

Rachel Elliott from Baystate Children’s Hospital photographs Laurie Deyette from Comcast Business with Mr. Potato Head;

Amanda Gagnon and Anita Bird from MGM Springfield greet visitors to the company’s booth;

Tia Allen, Sharon Marshall, and Tim Steffen of Northwestern Mutual chat with Ryan Bouvier of Pioneer Valley Indoor Karting and Wilder Gulmi-Landy and Justin Roberts of American International College.

Barbara Perry of Envision Marketing, Dawn Creighton of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, and Kristi Reale of Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.;

Jennifer Meunier and Judith Miller of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst with Mychal Connolly of Stinky Cakes;

Trecia Marchand of Pioneer Valley Federal Credit Union chats with Andrea Hill-Cataldo, Jill Tower, and Peggy Popp of Johnson & Hill Staffing Services;

Glenda DeBarge and Eric Harlow of Health New England share a moment with Alysia Cosby from the YMCA of Greater Springfield;

Alfonso Santaniello of Creative Strategy Agency with Ed Nunez, Meaghan Parker, and Bill Russo-Appel from Freedom Credit Union;

Kenneth Anderson from HazCommpliance, LLC and Joanne Gruszkos from MassMutual Financial Group.

The Expo featured a wide range of seminars and special presentations on the Show Floor Theater, as well as lively breakfast and lunch programs that gave attendees plenty to see, learn, and do.

Jeremy Casey, vice president of Small Business Banking at First Niagara, presents a seminar “The Path to Building Name Net Worth.”

From left: Gov. Deval Patrick, the breakfast keynoter, with BusinessWest Publisher John Gormally and his son, Hunter;

Peter Rosskothen, co-owner and president of the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, gives his Show Floor Theater presentation titled “The Entrepreneurial Process”;

Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group, presents the seminar “How to Delegate and Empower Your Management to Drive Employee Success”;

Thom Fox, business advisor, philanthropist, and host of The Engine on NewsRadio 560 WHYN, gives his Show Floor Theater presentation titled “Nope, No Way, Never! How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking.”

Isa Deloge, area director of Best Buddies Massachusetts, presents a seminar titled “What Does Your Billboard Say”;

Dana Barrows, JD, CLU, ChFC, AEP with Northwestern Mutual, presents his talk titled “Essential Strategies for Business Owners in the Current Environment”;

Meghan Rothschild, co-founder and director of PR and marketing for chikmedia, presents a seminar titled “Public Relations 101: How to Get Your Message Heard”;

Delcie Bean, founder of Paragus Strategic IT, presents a seminar titled “Win-Win Thinking”;

Patricia Diaz Dennis, retired senior vice president for AT&T, presidential appointee to the Federal Communications Commission, and member of the MassMutual board of directors, presents the keynote address at the luncheon program presented by the Professional Women’s Chamber.

Brian Comber, NASA thermal engineer, gives his Show Floor Theater presentation titled “NASA Is Alive: Building the Next-generation Space Telescope.”

Kirk Smith, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, gives his Show Floor Theater presentation titled “Righteous Leadership.”

Valley Venture Mentors and BusinessWest invited VVM alumni and members of the current class to apply for a spot in the second annual Pitch Contest and Demo Day. The participating startups — Artifact Cider Project, Caswell Communications, CloudContacts, Nudger, and Piddx — made two-minute pitches to a panel of judges who offered immediate feedback.

VVM Executive Director Paul Silva speaks at the event;

contestants (left to right) Jake Mazar, Jan Caswell, Ian Ricci, Spiro Marangoudakis, Mike Mullen, and Brian Lobdell;

Pitch Contest winner Jake Mazar, developer of Artifact Cider Project.

Plenty of folks stuck around for the annual Expo Social (all names left to right):

Sarah Calabrese and Darcy Fortune of ABC 40 / Fox 6 with Mike Sarage of Valley Venture Mentors;

Evan Plotkin of NAI Plotkin, Justin Roberts of American International College, Alfonso Santaniello of Creative Strategy Agency, Jeremy Casey of First Niagara, Peter Ellis of DIF Design, and Tim Steffen of Northwestern Mutual;

Mike Mullen chats with Dianne Doherty of the UMass Small Business Development Center;

Amanda Gagnon and Kelley Tucky of MGM Springfield, Seth Stratton of Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law, and Ed Marin and Mark Stolarczyk of MGM Springfield;

Harry Georgiades and Bob McNamara of McNamara Waste Services with Chris Thompson of the Springfield Falcons.

View all the photos from the 2014 WMBExpo below:

[Show slideshow]

Springfield Museums Announce Major Grants to Fund Renovations

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have received two major grants to fund exterior renovations to the William Pynchon Memorial Building (formerly known as the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum).

Through $120,000 from the Cultural Facilities Fund of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and another $50,000 from the Beveridge Family Foundation Inc., the Museums will be able to repair and restore the building’s slate roof, replace its gutters, rebuild its shutters and dormers, and paint the building in accordance with historical-preservation standards. Renovations to the building have already commenced, with completion targeted for the spring of 2015.

The ultimate goal of the renovation is to reclaim the museum’s aesthetic appearance and prepare it for the installation of an exhibition honoring the life and work of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Working in close collaboration with community leaders and educators, the museums plan to design and build a literacy-based, interactive exhibition titled “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss” that will make his works come alive for children and their families, while also helping to boost Springfield’s profile as a regional and national destination.

“The Pynchon Memorial Building is an integral component of the architectural landscape of the Quadrangle and cultural life of downtown Springfield, and we’re deeply indebted to the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Beveridge Family for their help in reviving this elegant building,” said Springfield Museums Vice President Kay Simpson.

Named after the founder of Springfield, the William Pynchon Memorial Building was built in 1927 to house the extensive collections of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society. Designed by Springfield architect Max Westhoff, the building exemplifies the Georgian Colonial Revival style that was popular in the early 20th century and reflected the prevailing attitudes about the importance of preserving and interpreting America’s colonial past. The central doorway has a ‘broken scroll’ pediment, pineapple centerpiece, and flanking pilasters, all characteristic hallmarks of Connecticut Valley homes of the 18th century.

The Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund is a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Let’s Make a Deal

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Sections Technology

Negotiating a Telecom Contract Is a High-stakes Poker Game

By GREG PELLERIN

Greg Pellerin

The IT department at Company A signs a new three-year contract renewal for local, long-distance, and data-network services, providing for a 25% discount off published rates. The contract is expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars over the current agreement, and the chief technology officer is commended for his hard-nosed, take-no-prisoners approach to negotiations.

Fast-forward six months. Company A’s CFO is having dinner with his counterpart at Company B. The subject of rising technology costs comes up in discussion, and Company A’s CFO is shocked to learn that Company B has just contracted to pay thousands of dollars less on its monthly telecom bill for essentially the same services, with the same provider.

A call is placed to the telecom company, and the conversation goes something like this.

“You told us if we signed this contract, we’d save 25%, but you didn’t tell us other companies were getting even bigger discounts, even though they spend less than we do.”

(Long pause)

“Uh…. yeah. Well, you have two and a half years left on your contract, and we’ll see what we can do at that point.”

Company A will end up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars more than Company B for the same services even though they are a larger client.

Scenarios like this are playing out for businesses of all sizes across the country as skilled, in-house salespeople for the nation’s major telecommunications companies are front-loading renegotiated offers in an effort to lock businesses into new, long-term deals.

“The carriers do this for a living, day in and day out,” says technology expert Darren DeMartino. “It’s a high-stakes poker game, and they’re dealing the cards. IT executives negotiate new telecom agreements only once every two or three years. It’s unrealistic to expect they’ll be as effective as someone who does it day in and day out. Carrier representatives are trained to maintain as much margin as possible and directed by a compensation plan that penalizes them for lowering prices.”

The typical telecom contract covers three years, and much can change over the course of that term. If the past few years are any indication, pricing will continue to go down as new technology, features, and functionality become mainstream. DeMartino offers the following tips for approaching any telecom renegotiation process.

• Insist on eliminating auto-renewal language. Most telecom contracts (as well as some other agreements) have an auto-renewal clause that will lock you into another term period unless you notify the carrier within a predetermined window of time. Push for a month-to-month extension (guaranteed at the same rate), or accept removal of this language altogether.

• Look for agreements that provide significant revenue-commitment flexibility. If guaranteeing more than 70% of your current spend, you could be locking yourself into a situation that the carriers will take advantage of down the road.

• Shop around. The big boys (Verizon, Comcast, ATT) are not the only games in town, and, in fact, there are literally hundreds of telecom providers in the U.S. Universally, telecom costs have been decreasing more than 20% a year. The compounding effect over the course of a three-year agreement is significant, yet many businesses re-up at the first offer they get from their incumbent provider, leaving significant savings on the table.

• Negotiate co-terminous agreements wherever possible. It’s always to a company’s advantage to have the various types of service agreements terminate at the same time. Be leery of subcommitments (i.e. an overall commitment, and then a smaller commitment for each different service type). Failure to fulfill a small commitment in one category could result in significant penalties overall.

• When in doubt, hire an expert to handle negotiations. Bring them in from the start of negotiations or after you’ve done the heavy lifting. In most instances, they can evaluate an offer within 48 to 72 hours and ensure the absolute best deal is on the table.

You don’t have to wait until your contract is up in order to renegotiate better terms. The telecom world is more competitive than ever, and it may be easier to strike a deal well before a contract expires. It’s always easier for a provider to keep a current customer than find a new one. Use that knowledge to your advantage.

On the old Let’s Make a Deal show, contestants were always hesitant to take Monty Hall’s first offer for fear of getting ‘zonked.’ In today’s complex telecom environment, that fear is well-founded indeed.

Greg Pellerin is a 15-year veteran of the telecommunications and IT industries and a co-founder of VertitechIT, a Holyoke-based business and healthcare IT networking and consulting firm; (413) 268-1605; [email protected]

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Chamber Corners Departments

ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
• Nov. 5: ACCGS Speed Networking Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Make 50 connections in an hour. Sponsored by United Personnel. Cost: $20 for members in advance, $25 for members at the door. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• Nov. 12: ACCGS After 5, 5-7 p.m., at the Community Music School, 127 State St., Springfield. Enjoy great jazz, food, cash bar, and networking. Sponsored by Berkshire Bank, Heartfelt Fine Gifts, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and the Republican/MassLive. Cost: $5 for members, $10 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• Nov. 12: ACCGS Super 60 Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Chez Josef, 176 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. Celebrate the top privately held, fastest-growing companies in our region, featuring a keynote address by Friendly’s CEO John Maguire. Sponsored by Health New England, Hampden Bank, WWLP-TV 22, and Zasco Productions. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Reservations must be made by Nov. 7, and may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• Nov. 19: ACCGS Government Reception, 5-7 p.m., at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Seize this opportunity to meet with your local, state, and federal delegation in an informal setting. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• Nov. 25: ACCGS Pastries, Politics, and Policy, 8-9 a.m., at the UMass Center at Springfield, 1500 Main St., 2nd floor. Featuring MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones discussing “New Programs for Gateway Cities and the Effect on the Region.” Cost: $15 for members, $25 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• Nov. 5: Chamber Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Applewood at Amherst, 1 Spencer Dr., Amherst. Guest speaker: Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. Cost: $15 for members, $20 for non-members.
• Nov. 7: Lunch with the Chamber, noon to 1:30 p.m., at Johnny’s Tavern, 30 Boltwood Walk in Amherst. Join the chamber staff, a number of board members, and some fellow Amherst-area businesses for a complimentary networking lunch. This is a no-pressure way to get to know some of the benefits of joining the chamber. Join the chamber now, and receive $75 off 2014 membership rates. RSVP to (413) 253-0700.
• Nov. 13: Social Media Pros and Cons, 12:30-2 p.m., at the Jones Library, Woodbury Room. For more information, contact the chamber at [email protected]. Free and open to the public. Bring your own bag lunch.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
• Nov. 7: CheckPoint 2014 Legislative Symposium, 11:30 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, Holyoke. The Greater Westfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and South Hadley/Granby chambers of commerce will bring legislative leaders from Washington, D.C. and Boston to Western Mass. State House Speaker Bob DeLeo, state Senate President-elect Stan Rosenberg, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal have agreed to participate, along with the entire House and Senate delegations from the chambers’ cities and towns. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for non-members. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., with lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 3 p.m., a panel discussion will ensue with the state delegation, with questions from the audience, followed by a cocktail reception, which area mayors and town administrators will also attend. To register, call (413) 568-1618.
• Nov. 13: Workshop 5 — Is Your Website Working For You?, 9-11 a.m. at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. “Learning to Read the Stats — Your Front Page — Relevant Content.” Cost: $20 for chamber members, $30 for non-members.
• Nov. 19: November Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. Cost: $20 for members, $26 for non-members.
• Dec. 4: Holiday Open House, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Chamber Office, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee. Sponsored by Charter Business. Free to attend for all members. RSVP requested.
• Dec. 11: Workshop 6: “Strategic Networking: Networking to Increase Profitability,” 9-11 a.m., at Days Inn, 400 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.
• Dec. 17: December Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Cost: $20 for members, $26 for non-members.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• Nov. 4. GRIST (Get Real Individual Support Today) meeting, 9-10 a.m. at the chamber office. Are you a business of one? Are you a small-business owner without your own marketing department? Do you ever wish you had someone to toss around some ideas with about growing your business? The GRIST group can help. It’s a new chamber member benefit, an ongoing small group for folks who want to meet regularly to share ideas and get advice on the daily challenges of running a successful business. Call Fran at (413) 529-1189 or Derek at (413) 282-9957 to find out more. In this session, Ruth Griggs of RC Communications will present “Marketing Planning 101.” No fee. RSVP requested.
• Nov. 5: Small Business Information Security Forum, 6 p.m., at Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton (first floor, community room). A reception will precede the panel discussion from 6 to 6:30, and light refreshments will be served. This event is free to any business owner or someone interested in starting a business. The purpose of the forum is to educate local merchants on best practices for protecting business information as well as customer information. Three panelists will give 15-minute presentations in their respective fields. The presentations will be followed by a question-and- answer period. Robert Bukowski of Capital Bankcard will cover topics relating to credit-card safety, including PCI compliance, protecting customer information, and protecting your business from stolen cards. Kurt Shouse, cybersecurity administrator from Florence Savings Bank, will present on the subject of cybersecurity, which refers to protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unintended or unauthorized access, change or destruction. William Judd, vice president and cash management officer from Easthampton Savings Bank, will present on corporate account takeover, or CATO, an electronic crime to obtain credentials to online banking accounts. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of the panel and will be provided with handouts with best techniques to stop cybersecurity attacks. RSVP via Facebook or contact the chamber office.
• Nov. 13: Networking by Night Business Card Exchange, 5 p.m. Tickets: $5 for members, $15 for future members. Contact the chamber at (413) 527-9414 or [email protected] for additional details.
• Nov. 18: GRIST (Get Real Individual Support Today) meeting, 9-10 a.m. at the chamber office. No fee. RSVP requested.
• Dec. 11: Holiday Dinner Dance 2014, 6 p.m. Details to follow. Comedy show, dinner, and the big raffle drawing for $5,000. Call the office to sign up for a table at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376

• Nov. 5: “How to Start and Maintain Your Business: Insurance,” 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the executive conference room at the Holyoke Chamber, 177 High St., Holyoke. Series Sponsors: PeoplesBank, Common Capital, Mass Cultural Council/the Artery, in partnership with Holyoke Creative Arts Workshop. Learn what you need to know about liability, workers’ compensation, disability, health and unemployment insurance, automobile insurance, and property and loss of income. Led by Michael Regan of Goss & McLain Insurance. Cost: $20. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Nov. 7: CheckPoint 2014 Legislative Symposium, 11:30 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, Holyoke. The Greater Westfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and South Hadley/Granby chambers of commerce will bring legislative leaders from Washington, D.C. and Boston to Western Mass. State House Speaker Bob DeLeo, state Senate President-elect Stan Rosenberg, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal have agreed to participate, along with the entire House and Senate delegations from the chambers’ cities and towns. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for non-members. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., with lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 3 p.m., a panel discussion will ensue with the state delegation, with questions from the audience, followed by a cocktail reception, which area mayors and town administrators will also attend. To register, call (413) 568-1618.
• Nov. 18: “How to Start and Maintain Your Business: Financing Your Business,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the executive conference room at the Holyoke Chamber, 177 High St., Holyoke. Series sponsors: PeoplesBank, Common Capital, Mass Cultural Council/the Artery, in partnership with Holyoke Creative Arts. This workshop will explore loans, grants, and other types of funds; property and loss of income; and full-spectrum lending. Cost: $20. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Nov. 19: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Slainte Restaurant, 80 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke. Great food, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, and the popular Ambassador Bake Sale. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 2: “How to Start and Maintain Your Business: Accounting and Taxes,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the executive conference room at the Holyoke Chamber, 177 High St., Holyoke. Series Sponsors: PeoplesBank, Common Capital, Mass Cultural Council/the Artery, in partnership with Holyoke Creative Arts. This workshop with touch on what you need to save, how often taxes have to be filed, quarterly withholdings, accounting and bookkeeping, software, personal assets versus payroll management, and tax-increment financing. Cost: $20. To sign up, call the Holyoke Chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 10: Holiday Business Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by Holyoke Gas & Electric, Health New England, Holyoke High School Madrigal Choir, and Bresnahan Insurance. Business networking while enjoying a hearty breakfast and sounds of the season. Cost: $22 for members in advance, $28 for non-members and at the door. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 17: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at the Delaney House. Business networking event includes a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, and money (scratch ticket) tree. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for the public. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• Nov. 5: November Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Food Bank of Western Mass., 97 North Hatfield St., Hatfield. Sponsor: Homeward Vets. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
• Nov. 12: “Creating an Online Marketing System,” 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., hosted by Greenfield Savings Bank, Community Room, 325 King St., Northampton. Sponsor: Tina Stevens 470. Speaker: Tina Stevens. Topics will include maximizing your online messages, effectively using calls to action, understanding the flow of search, setting goals and expectations, understanding the return on investment of online marketing, and developing a plan. Cost: $20 for members, $25 for non-members.
• Nov. 14: “Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts,” 9-11 a.m., hosted by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Sponsored by Pioneer Training. Speaker: Don Lesser. This workshop will present our favorite tips, tricks, and shortcuts that we have collected and developed over 15 years of teaching and using Microsoft Excel. Cost: $20 for members, $25 for non-members.
• Dec. 10: Joint Chamber Mixer for Greater Northampton and Amherst Area chamber members, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Lord Jeffrey Inn, 30 Boltwood Walk, Amherst. Sponsored by Florence Savings Bank. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
• Dec. 15: New Member Orientation, 3-4 p.m., hosted by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. This is the chance to tell us more about your business and how the chamber can best serve you. Cost: free.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• Nov. 3: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. For more information, Call Pam at the Chamber office, (413) 568-1618.
• Nov. 7: CheckPoint 2014 Legislative Symposium, 11:30 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, Holyoke. The Greater Westfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and South Hadley/Granby chambers of commerce will bring legislative leaders from Washington, D.C. and Boston to Western Mass. State House Speaker Bob DeLeo, state Senate President-elect Stan Rosenberg, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal have agreed to participate, along with the entire House and Senate delegations from the chambers’ cities and towns. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for non-members. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., with lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 3 p.m., a panel discussion will ensue with the state delegation, with questions from the audience, followed by a cocktail reception, which area mayors and town administrators will also attend. To register, call (413) 568-1618.
• Nov. 10: Speaker Series: “Common and Costly Employment-law Mistakes Made by Small Businesses” (part 2), 8-9:15 a.m. at the Genesis Spiritual Life & Conference Center, Westfield. Presented by Royal LLC. Cost: free to chamber members, $25 for non-members. For more information, call Pam at the chamber office, (413) 568-1618.
• Nov. 12: After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Riverbend Medical Group, 395 Southampton Road, Westfield. Additional information to be posted as the event draws closer.
• Nov. 19: Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at East Mountain Country Club, Westfield. Event Sponsor: United Bank. Cost: $50 for chamber members, $60 for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office, (413) 568-1618.

SOUTH HADLEY/GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.shchamber.com
(413) 532-6451

• Nov. 7: CheckPoint 2014 Legislative Symposium, 11:30 a.m., hosted by the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, Holyoke. The Greater Westfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, and South Hadley/Granby chambers of commerce will bring legislative leaders from Washington, D.C. and Boston to Western Mass. State House Speaker Bob DeLeo, state Senate President-elect Stan Rosenberg, and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal have agreed to participate, along with the entire House and Senate delegations from the chambers’ cities and towns. Cost: $50 for members, $60 for non-members. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., with lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. From 1:30 to 3 p.m., a panel discussion will ensue with the state delegation, with questions from the audience, followed by a cocktail reception, which area mayors and town administrators will also attend. To register, call (413) 568-1618.

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Agenda Departments

Speed-networking Event
Nov. 5: Back by popular demand, the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s (ACCGS) Business@Breakfast will feature a speed-networking concept at the Carriage House at Storrowton Tavern in West Springfield. The breakfast will take a wide departure from the salutes-and-speakers format of the traditional breakfasts and will provide attendees with a quick and entertaining opportunity to introduce themselves and pitch their company to the other attendees. The core concept to speed networking is the ‘elevator speech,’ a short summary of an individual, business, organization, product, or service — a summary that a person could deliver in the time span of a short elevator ride. Attendees will be divided into groups A and B. Members of each group will be seated across from each other. Each member of Group A will have 60 seconds to give his or her elevator speech to a member of Group B. A bell will ring, signaling the 60-second time is up, and each member of Group B will then get a chance to speak. The facilitator will signal when the 60 seconds are up again, and members of Group A will then move one seat to the right, and the process will begin again with a new partner. The round-robin format of networking will continue until the breakfast is over. The event will begin with networking and breakfast at 7:15 a.m. To accommodate the speed-networking portion, breakfast will not be served after 7:45 a.m., and no admittance will be allowed after 7:55 a.m. Reservations are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and only members of the ACCGS or the Springfield or East of the River Five Town chamber of commerce are eligible to participate. Reservations may be made online in advance at www.myonlinechamber.com or by contacting Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

One-year Birthday Party at Heartfelt Fine Gifts
Nov. 5: Heartfelt Fine Gifts, which carries the work of local artisans, is celebrating its one-year anniversary in Tower Square with a birthday party from noon to 6 p.m. The event will include a free gift for the first 200 people to stop by. Last November, Mischa Epstein and Jackie Griswold got together and decided to open a pop-up shop for the holiday season, intended to showcase their art, as well as the work of other artists. Soon after, Elaine Shepard joined the pair, and Heartfelt Fine Gifts became a full-fledged, year-round business. “It has been so wonderful to be able to share the talents of local artists with the rest of the community,” Griswold said. “The downtown Springfield community has been so supportive throughout our first year, and we are very excited to continue being a part of downtown.” Heartfelt Fine Gifts carries the work of 50 (and counting) local artisans, including jewelry, pottery, painted glassware, hand-dipped chocolates, bath luxuries, upcycled furniture, floral arrangements, and more. One area of expertise is corporate gift giving, and the store offers customizable options on most products.

GradNation Summit
Nov. 6: United Way of Pioneer Valley and Stay in School, a community initiative launched by United Way designed to increase student attendance in Springfield schools, will host the Springfield GradNation Community Summit 2014, a conference for youth, parents, and members of the community, from 3 to 7:30 p.m. in the Judd Gymnasia at Springfield College, 263 Alden St., Springfield. The summit’s focus is “middle school success = pathway to graduation.” Educators say better school attendance and engagement in middle school leads to higher high-school graduation rates. Summit leaders will share what they have learned from youth, parents, educators, and the community, with a call to action to become part of the solution to increase the graduation rate in Springfield. Youth and community panels will take part in the conference. The event will be preceded by a pre-summit luncheon for Springfield community and business leaders. Michael Smith, former director of the Social Innovation Fund for the Corp. for National & Community Service and senior director of Cabinet Affairs for the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, will be the keynote speaker. Smith is a Springfield native. The Stay in School campaign was launched in 2013 in partnership with the Springfield Public Schools to increase school attendance, which is a key ingredient to academic success and graduation from high school. Those interested in attending the summit should RSVP to Shyreshia Perry at [email protected] or (413) 737-2691, ext. 200. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required to attend the conference.

HMC Receives $3.9M for Behavioral Health, ED Enhancements

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) has been awarded $3.9 million by the Mass. Health Policy Commission (HPC) for an innovative project to enhance behavioral healthcare services for patients. The two-year project has an aggressive completion deadline of January 2017.

The funds awarded by HPC are Phase 2 of the Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization, and Transformation (CHART) investment program, dubbed “Driving System Transformation.” HPC awarded $60 million for projects throughout the Commonwealth, for which they received requests of more than $117 million. HMC’s award was the highest award for a single hospital and reflects the recognition of the need for improved conditions as well as the vital role HMC plays in the community. The award also came with the expressed support from many local and state officials, including state Reps. Aaron Vega, Joseph Wagner, and John Scibak and state Sen. Don Humason.

“This funding will allow us to create significantly improved conditions for all our patients, especially those with behavioral-health needs. Programmatic changes and designated treatment space for behavioral-health patients in the Emergency Department will help to avoid unnecessary hospitalization and reduce re-hospitalization of behavioral-health patients,” said HMC President and CEO Spiros Hatiras.

Approximately half of the funds awarded by HPC, nearly $2 million, are designated to assist in a designated treatment space in the ED for behavioral-health patients, of which the total cost is estimated to be between $6 million to $7 million. Holyoke Medical Center will organize a capital campaign and invest in the balance of funds needed to complete the Emergency Department redesign project.

The HMC Emergency Department serves more than 45,000 patients per year and will continue to serve the community through the redesign and construction phase of the project. The renovations of the ED will provide a designated treatment area needed to deliver safe, comprehensive behavioral-health services to a wide range of patients.

The renovations are expected to begin in early 2015 and be completed by the end of the same calendar year. This initiative will also introduce robust care navigation in partnership with community organizations to ensure that patients receive targeted interventions, are referred to the ‘right’ services, and successfully follow through on their care plans to achieve optimal short- and long-term health outcomes.

“This project is an amazing opportunity to provide specialized emergency care for people with mental-health and substance-abuse issues,” said HMC Director of Behavioral Health Baxter Chandler. “Not only will we more effectively address a patient’s emergency behavioral-health needs, we will also enhance our ability to connect patients with appropriate treatment and community services, reducing the need to return to the ED.”

People on the Move

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Departments People on the Move

The Springfield-based regional law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that six attorneys have been named to the 2014 New England Super Lawyers list, and four attorneys have been named to the 2014 New England Rising Stars list. Only 5% of New England’s lawyers were honored as Super Lawyers. They were identified for their background, experience, professional achievement, and peer recognition. Rising Stars are under 40 years old or have been practicing law for less than 10 years. Fewer than 2.5% of New England lawyers were named Rising Stars. The following Bacon Wilson attorneys were honored as Super Lawyers:

Gary L. Fialky

Michael B. Katz

Paul H. Rothschild

Stephen Krevalin

Hyman Darling

Gina Barry

Adam Basch

Todd Ratner

Kevin V. Maltby

Spencer Stone

• Gary Fialky, business/corporate;
• Michael Katz, bankruptcy and business;
• Paul Rothschild, general litigation;
• Stephen Krevalin, real estate;
• Hyman Darling, estate planning and probate; and
• Gina Barry, estate planning and probate.
The following Bacon Wilson attorneys were honored as Rising Stars:
• Adam Basch, construction litigation;
• Todd Ratner, estate planning and probate;
• Kevin Maltby, employment and labor; and
• Spencer Stone, business/corporate.
•••••

Donna George-Ebbeling

PeoplesBank has announced the appointment of Donna George-Ebbeling as First Vice President and Credit Risk Manager. She brings more than 32 years of banking experience to her new position. George-Ebbeling’s responsibilities include all aspects of credit and loan administration as well as the development of loan policies and procedures. She also manages the credit-analysis function and oversees the commercial-loan administration area. George-Ebbeling received a bachelor’s degree in English from Fairfield University. She also holds a master’s degree in finance from UMass Amherst.
•••••
Robinson Donovan, P.C., announced that eight of its attorneys have been named to the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list. In addition, three attorneys were named Rising Stars, a designation for attorneys 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or fewer. No more than 5% of lawyers in a state are named to Super Lawyers, and no more than 2.5% are named to Rising Stars. “Super Lawyers is proud to provide visibility to outstanding attorneys,” said Julie Gleason, director of research for Super Lawyers. Added Jeffrey Roberts, the firm’s managing partner, “the number of attorneys receiving this award at Robinson Donovan highlights the quality of the firm’s lawyers and their dedication to the practice of law.” Robinson Donovan attorneys on the 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, and the practice areas in which they are recognized, are as follows:
• Jeffrey Roberts, partner, estate planning and probate;
• Jeffrey McCormick, partner, general litigation;
• James Martin, partner, closely held business;
• Nancy Frankel Pelletier, partner, civil litigation: defense;
• Patricia Rapinchuk, partner, employment litigation: defense;
• Carla Newton, partner, family law;
• Richard Gaberman, of counsel, estate planning and probate;
• Kevin Chrisanthopoulos, associate, general litigation;
• David Lawless, associate, state, local, and municipal (Rising Star);
• Jeffrey Trapani, associate, general litigation (Rising Star); and
• Michael Simolo, associate, estate planning and probate (Rising Star).
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented, multi-phase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
•••••
The Springfield-based law firm Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn announced the following:

Meghan Sullivan

• Meghan Sullivan, managing partner, has been selected for inclusion in the 2014 New England Super Lawyers magazine. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Sullivan has extensive knowledge in the areas of employment law, discrimination law, labor relations, affirmative action, OSHA compliance, personnel policy, and training. She has represented employers in numerous judicial proceedings, administrative hearings, and arbitrations in both the public and private sectors; before the National Labor Relations Board; and before state anti-discrimination agencies, the U.S. Department of Labor, in state courts, and in federal District Court. She has also conducted numerous seminars, supervisory training sessions, and management-development programs, and is a sought-after speaker for numerous organizations and entities on topics ranging from discrimination to wage-and-hour laws.

Layla Taylor

• Attorney Layla Taylor, a partner with the firm, has been selected to the 2014 Massachusetts Rising Stars list. Taylor, a partner at Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn, LLC, joined the firm in 2004. She is experienced in assisting clients with human-resource management and policy development, as well as advising both private- and public-sector clients on legal compliance and best practices in the workplace. She routinely assists employers in workplace immigration matters and in negotiating employment contracts and separation agreements;

Alice Pizzi

• Attorney and Alice Pizzi has been selected to the 2014 Massachusetts Rising Stars list. Pizzi, a graduate of Western New England College School of Law, joined Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn, LLC in 2009 and has focused on the defense of discrimination and wrongful-employment cases filed against employers, employment litigation, employment benefits, and public-sector labor relations. Pizzi is listed on the Mass. Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) panel of sexual-harassment and prohibited-discrimination trainers who have successfully completed the MCAD’s certified program for workplace trainers.

MassMutual Approves $1.6 Billion Dividend Payout

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced that its board of directors has approved an estimated dividend payout of $1.6 billion for 2015, marking the third consecutive year the company has paid a record dividend to eligible participating policy owners and members.

The dividends to be paid in 2015 reflect a dividend interest rate of 7.10% — maintaining the same rate as 2014 — for eligible participating permanent life and annuity blocks of business. The approved estimated payout represents an increase of $92 million — or 6.2% — over 2014, and reflects updated investment, mortality, expense, and other experience, as well as the distribution of other business earnings from the company’s asset-management and non-participating businesses.

The 2015 MassMutual dividend payout marks the 17th consecutive year that it exceeds $1 billion. MassMutual has paid more than $21 billion in dividends over the last two decades, and although dividends are not guaranteed, the company has paid dividends to eligible participating policyowners consistently since the 1860s.

The estimated record payout comes at a time when MassMutual maintains one of the highest financial-strength ratings in its industry and is reporting strong levels of surplus of approximately $14 billion and total adjusted capital of $16 billion, both of which are key indicators of the company’s overall financial strength.

“Our enduring financial strength, excellent operating fundamentals, long-term investment strategy, and diverse mix of businesses have all contributed to our long history of paying competitive dividends to our participating policyowners,” said Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO of MassMutual. “At a time when economic growth is slow and consumers need to take greater accountability for their financial future, our policy owners can take comfort knowing that they’ve chosen a company that can help them secure their future and protect the ones they love.”

Of the estimated $1.6 billion dividend payout, an estimated $1.55 billion has been approved for eligible participating policy owners who have purchased whole life insurance. In 2013, MassMutual realized its eighth consecutive year of growth in whole life insurance policy sales — $347 million — and demand continues to be strong through the first three quarters of 2014.

“Whole life insurance continues to be a sound choice for consumers, as it provides a sense of stability in any economic environment,” said Michael Fanning, executive vice president and head of MassMutual’s U.S. Insurance Group. “In addition to the guaranteed premiums, death benefits, and cash values, the potential to receive dividends is yet another of the many benefits of whole life insurance ownership.”

The Super 60

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Sections Super 60

Program Marks 25 Years of Honoring the Top-performing Companies

It started a quarter-century ago.

The program was smaller — it was known as the Fabulous 50 back then — and was conceived as a fund-raising event for what is now the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS), and also as an opportunity to celebrate the top-performing companies that characterized the region’s diverse economy.

Along the way, it has become a fall tradition, and the phrase ‘Super 60 company’ has become a bragging right for businesses large and small, said ACCGS President Jeff Ciuffreda, as he referenced the class of 2014.

It will be celebrated on Nov. 14 at Chez Josef in Agawam, which has traditionally been sold out for the Super 60 luncheon, and should be this year as well.

And, as in the previous 24 years, the Super 60 lists are characterized by diversity — in a number of forms (see snapshots below). First, geographically. Nearly 20 cities and towns in Western Mass. are represented by the companies in the Total Revenue and Revenue Growth categories, including both the larger cities, such as Springfield, Holyoke, and Westfield, but also the smaller towns, such as Ware, Belchertown, and Southwick.

There’s also diversity in terms of the industrial sectors represented on those lists. There are winners from the financial-services sector, retail, manufacturing, education, healthcare, technology, service, distribution, construction, and the region’s large nonprofit realm. And there’s diversity in terms of size, with some of the region’s largest employers on the Total Revenue list, and some of its smaller rising stars on the Revenue Growth compilation.

Add it all up, and this year’s winners provide ample reason for optimism as the region continues to battle its way back from the prolonged recession that began in 2007.

“Small business is the backbone of our region,” said Ciuffreda, “and the success of this year’s winners is a clear indication that our regional economy is strong.”

This strength is reflected in the numbers posted by this year’s winners. The average revenue of the companies in the Total Revenue category exceeded $35 million, with combined revenue of more than $1 billion. Meanwhile, one-third of the companies in the Revenue Growth category posted growth in excess of 50%, with the average growth of all honorees in that category at more than 49%.

Topping the Total Revenue category is West Springfield-based Balise Motor Sales, which now boasts more than 20 facilities (new- and used-car dealerships, collision-repair shops, and car washes) in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Placing second is the Stavros Center for Independent Living, with NUVO Bank & Trust Co. placing third.

In the Revenue Growth category, Springfield-based City Enterprise Inc., a woman-owned commercial and residential builder, finished on top, followed by Troy Industries Inc. and Chemex Corp.

Also, 16 companies qualified for both categories. They include the Dennis Group, Gandara Mental Health, Joseph Freedman Co., Maybury Associates, M.J. Moran, Northeast Treaters, NUVO Bank & Trust Co., PC Enterprises (Entre Computer), Pioneer Valley Concrete Services, Premier Source Credit Union, Tighe & Bond, Troy Industries, Universal Plastics Corp., and Whalley Computer Associates. Each was placed in the category where it finished highest.

The winners will be saluted at the annual luncheon, which this year will feature Friendly Ice Cream President and CEO John Maguire as keynote speaker.

Maguire is credited with engineering a strong turnaround at the company, which began with a single shop in Springfield in 1935, grew into a regional powerhouse, but struggled through the ’90s and the first part of this century, eventually filing for bankruptcy.

The celebration luncheon is presented by Health New England and sponsored by Hampden Bank, Zasco Productions, and WWLP-TV22.

Reservations for the luncheon are required and can be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com or by e-mailing Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected]. Tickets are $50 for ACCGS members, $70 for non-members. The deadline for reservations is Nov. 7.

Fast Facts:

What: The Super 60 Luncheon
When: Nov. 14, 11:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Chez Josef, Agawam
Keynote Speaker: John Maguire, president and CEO, Friendly’s
For more Information: Visit www.myonlinechamber.com

TOTAL REVENUE

1. Balise Motor Sales
122 Doty Circle, West Springfield
(413) 733-8604
www.baliseauto.com
Jeb Balise, President and Dealer
Now one of the largest retailers of new and used automobiles in New England, Balise Motor Sales, which traces its roots back to 1929, operates more than 20 dealerships, collision-repair shops, and car washes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Brands sold and serviced include Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The company now employs more than 1,000 people at its various facilities.

2. Stavros Center for Independent Living
210 Old Farm Road, Amherst
(413) 256-0473
www.stavros.org
Jim Kruidenier, Director
The Stavros Center for Independent Living, founded in 1976, is one of the oldest independent-living centers in the country. It is the goal at Stavros to give people with disabilities the tools to take charge of their life choices, act on their own behalf, and overcome situations that reduce their potential for independence. The company operates three offices, in Amherst, Springfield, and Greenfield. Offerings include deaf and hard-of-hearing services, housing services, building services, options counseling, a transition-to-adulthood program, personal-care-attendant services, and many others.

3. Nuvo Bank & Trust Co. *
1500 Main St., Springfield
(413) 787-2700
www.nuvobank.com
Dale Janes, CEO
NUVO Bank is a locally owned, independent small-business bank located in downtown Springfield. NUVO provides loans, deposits, and cash-management services for personal-banking and business-banking needs.

The Assoc. for Community Living
220 Brookdale Dr., Springfield
(413) 732-0531
www.theassociationinc.org
Barbara Pilarcik, R.N., Executive Director
For 60 years, the Assoc. for Community Living has been creating opportunities, building relationships, and improving lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. The agency’s caring and experienced workforce empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to live with dignity, bringing fulfillment, community, and valuable relationships into their lives.

Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co.
330 Whitney Ave., Holyoke
(413) 374-5430
www.charteroakfinancial.com
Peter Novak, General Agent
A member of the MassMutual Financial Group, Charter Oak been servicing clients for 127 years. The team of professionals serves individuals, families, and businesses with risk-management products, business planning and protection, retirement planning and investment services, and fee-based financial planning.

City Tire Company Inc.
25 Avocado St., Springfield
(413) 737-1419
www.city-tire.com
Peter Greenberg, President
Brothers Peter and Dan Greenberg, the third generation of a family-owned business founded in 1927, have grown the business to 11 locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The company offers one-stop shopping for tires of all shapes and sizes and a full compliment of maintenance and repair services.

Commercial Distributing Co. Inc.
46 South Broad St., Westfield
(413) 562-9691
www.commercialdist.com
Richard Placek, Chairman
Founded in 1935 by Joseph Placek, Commercial Distributing Co. is a family-owned and -operated business servicing more than 1,000 bars, restaurants, and clubs, as well as more than 400 package and liquor stores. Now in its third generation, the company continues to grow through the values established by its founder by building brands and offering new products as the market changes.

The Dennis Group, LLC *
1537 Main St., Springfield
(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 specializing in the implementation of food-manufacturing processes and facilities.

Environmental Compliance Services Inc.
588 Silver St., Agawam
(413) 789-3530
www.ecsconsult.com
MARK HELLSTEIN, PRESIDENT AND 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.

Gandara Mental Health Inc. *
147 Norman St., West Springfield
(413) 736-8329
www.gandaracenter.org
Dr. Henry 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.

Joseph Freedman Co. Inc. *
115 Stevens St., Springfield
(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. Inc.
100 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 304-4100
www.kittredgeequipment.com
Wendy Webber, President
Founded in 1921, Kittredge Equipment Co.is one of the nation’s leading food-service equipment and supply businesses. It boasts 70,000 square feet of showroom in three locations — Agawam, Williston, Vt., and Bow, N.H., making it the largest total showroom in New England, with in-stock inventory of equipment and smallware consisting of more than 7,000 different items. The company also handles design services, and has designed everything from small restaurants to country clubs to in-plant cafeterias.

Marcotte Ford Sales
1025 Main St., Holyoke
(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 Associates Inc.*
90 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow
(413) 525-4216
www.maybury.com
John Maybury, President
Since 1976, Maybury Associates Inc. 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.

Northeast Treaters Inc./Chemical Wood Treaters *
201 Springfield Road, Belchertown
(413) 323-7811
www.ntreaters.com
David Reed, President
Northeast Treaters, founded in 1985 in Belchertown, is a manufacturer of pressure-treated lumber. In 1996, an additional facility was added in Athens, N.Y. to produce fire-retardant treated lumber.

Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. Inc.
10 Maple St., Ware
(413) 967-6281
www.quabbin.com
Paul Engel, President
Quabbin Wire & Cable Co. is a privately held corporation that manufactures a variety of thermoplastic shielded and unshielded cables that are sold through distribution. Cable applications and markets include local area networks (LANS), industrial LAN systems, telecommunications systems, control and Instrumentation, process-control interconnect, computer peripherals, low-capacitance data, point-of-sale equipment, sound and audio instrumentation, fire alarm and security systems, medical devices, and custom-designed signaling applications.

Rediker Software Inc.
2 Wilbraham Road, Hampden
(800) 213-9860
www.rediker.com
RICHARD REDIKER, PRESIDENT
Rediker software is used by school administrators across the U.S. and in more than 100 countries, and is designed to meet the student-information-management needs of all types of schools and districts.

Sarat Ford Lincoln
245 Springfield St., Agawam
(413) 789-5400
www.saratford.com
Jeff Sarat, President
Founded in 1929 by John Sarat Sr., Sarat Ford has become the largest Ford dealership in Western Mass., and today, grandson Jeff Sarat leads the company. The full-service dealership includes a state-of-the-art body shop, and a new, 10,000-square-foot expansion offers a 24-bay service center that houses a $1 million parts inventory featuring Ford, Motorcraft, Motorsport, and a variety of other specialty manufacturers.

Specialty Bolt & Screw Inc.
235 Bowles Road, Agawam
(413) 789-6700
www.specialtybolt.com
Kevin Queenin, President
Founded in 1977, Specialty Bolt & Screw (SBS) is a full-service solutions provider of fasteners, vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs, and c-class commodities. Based in Agawam, it has locations in Valcourt, Quebec; Juarez, Mexico; Queretaro, Mexico; Rovaniemi, Finland; and Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Spectrum Analytical Inc.
11 Almgren Dr., Agawam
(413) 789-9018
www.spectrum-analytical.com
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
(413) 748-3000
www.springfieldcollege.edu
Mary-Beth Cooper, President
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
(413) 562-1600
www.tighebond.com
David Pinsky, President
Having celebrated 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.

United Personnel Services Inc.
1331 Main St., Springfield
(413) 736-0800
www.unitedpersonnel.com
PATRICIA CANAVAN, 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.

University Products Inc.
517 Main St., Holyoke
(413) 532-3372
www.universityproducts.com
John Magoon, President
University Products is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of materials for conservation, restoration, preservation, exhibition, and archival storage. The company’s catalog includes thousands of paper and plastic enclosures, specialty tapes and adhesives, preservation framing supplies, and archival storage boxes. In addition, it distributes furnishings, tools, equipment, chemicals, and other materials that contribute to the field of preservation.

Valley Fibers Corp.
75 Service Center Road, Northampton
(413) 584-2225
www.yarn.com
Steve Elkins, CEO
Valley Fibers Corp., operating as Webs Amera’s Yarn Store, was founded in 1974, and ships products for knitters, weavers, and spinners in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, the continental U.S., and internationally. Products consist of all forms of natural and man-made fibers for clothing and accessories in addition to crochet accessories, tools, and more.

Valley Opportunity Council Inc.
35 Mount Carmel Ave., Chicopee
(413) 552-1554
www.valleyopp.com
Stephen Huntley, Executive Director
The Valley Opportunity Council (VOC) is the largest and most diverse community-action agency in the region. It has a network of support and collaborative services that include energy assistance, nutrition, early education and childcare, adult education, senior services, housing, money management, and transporation.

WestMass ElderCare Inc.
4 Valley Mill Road, Holyoke
(413) 538-9020
www.wmeldercare.org
Priscilla Chalmers, Executive Director
WestMass ElderCare is a private, nonprofit agency with a mission to “to preserve the dignity, independence, and quality of life of elders and disabled persons desiring to remain within their own community.” The agency offers a variety of services for elders, their families and caregivers, and persons with disabilities. Programs and services include supportive housing, home care, options counseling, adult family care, nutrition programs, adult foster care, and group adult foster care.

Whalley Computer Associates Inc. *
One Whalley Way, Southwick
(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 ’70s and ’80s 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
275 Chestnut St., Springfield
(413) 739-6951
www.springfieldy.org
Kirk Smith, President and CEO
The YMCA of Greater Springfield, established in 1852, is the fourth-oldest Y in the world, second-oldest in the country, and third-oldest in North America only to Montreal and Boston. The Y provides services annually to more than 115,000 members, and the program participates in 14 cities and towns across the region. Facilities include the Downtown Springfield YMCA Family Center, the Scantic Valley YMCA Family Center in Wilbraham, the Agawam YMCA Wellness & Program Family Center, and the Dunbar YMCA Family & Community Center in Springfield.

* Indicates company qualifed in both categories

REVENUE GROWTH

1. City Enterprise Inc.
38 Berkshire Ave., Springfield
(413) 726-9549
www.cityenterpriseinc.com
Wonderlyn Murphy, president
City Enterprise Inc. offers skilled general-contracting services to the New England region. The company prides itself on custom design and construction of affordable, quality homes and the infrastructure surrounding each project.

2. Troy Industries Inc. *
151 Capital Dr., West Springfield
(866) 788-6412
www.troyind.com
Erhan Erden, president
Troy Industries is a leading U.S. government contractor that designs and manufactures innovative, top-quality small-arms components and accessories and complete weapon upgrades. Many iconic firearms manufacturers incorporate Troy products into their weapons, including Smith & Wesson, Sturm Ruger & Co., Viking Tactics, POF-USA, LaRue Tactical, LWRC International, Noveske, and HK Defense.

3. Chemex Corp.
11 Veterans Dr., Chicopee
(413) 331-4460
www.chemexcoffeemaker.com
Liz Grassy, president
The Chemex coffeemaker was invented in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm. Made simply from non-porous, borosilicate glass and fastened with a wood collar and tie, it brews coffee without imparting any flavors of its own. Chicopee-based Chemex Corp., a family-owned company, manufactures Chemex coffeemakers, bonded filters, handblown water kettles, and accessories for worldwide distribution.

American Pest Solutions Inc.
169 William St., Springfield
(413) 781-0044
www.413pestfree.com
Robert Russell, president
For about a century, American Pest Solutions has been taking care of families and business owners to keep their properties free from ants, bedbugs, rodents, roaches, termites, and other harmful pest infestations. By utilizing products and pest-treatment solutions designed to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment, American takes an ecologically sensitive approach to pest control for the environmentally concerned client.

Boys & Girls Club Family Center Inc.
100 Acorn St., Springfield
(413) 739-4743
www.bgcafamilycenter.org
O’Rita Swan, executive director
The Boys & Girls Club Family Center, featuring a regulation-size gym, a full-size indoor swimming pool, and rooms where kids study and play, is devoted to the idea that children need a place where they are nurtured, protected, and loved. The center offers a variety of activities for children and teens, at all times of the day and early evening. Open year-round, its programs include a pre-school program, after-school program, teen drop-in program, and summer camp.

CanAm Fibers
100 State St., Ludlow
(413) 525-9018
www.canamfibers.net
Peter Meuiner, president
CanAm Fibers has established itself as a well-known and highly respected supplier of varied and specialty-grade paper products to export markets, particularly third-world countries, a segment that allows CanAm to offer domestic suppliers a feasible and economically advantageous avenue in which to dispose of excess material.

Convergent Solutions Inc.
9501 Post Office Park, Wilbraham
(413) 509-1000
www.convergentsolutions.com
Arlene Kelly, CEO
A healthcare 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 healthcare.

Dietz & Co. Architects Inc.
17 Hampden St., Springfield
(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, healthcare, 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.

FIT Solutions, LLC
25 Bremen St., Springfield
(413) 733-6466
www.fitsolutions.us
Jackie Fallon, president
Since 2004, FIT Solutions has been partnering with clients, from small-business owners who have only a few IT needs to large companies that have small IT departments, to provide the best candidates for a variety of IT positions. Serving both the Massachusetts and Connecticut markets, FIT Solutions determines the exact qualifications and skills needed, as well as the personality traits desired, in order to find candidates that fit an array of technology-based positions.

The Gaudreau Group
1984 Boston Road, Wilbraham
(413) 543-3534
www.gaudreaugroup.com
Jules Gaudreau, president
A multi-line insurance and financial-service agency established in 1921, the Gaudreau Group combines the traditional service philosophy of an agency with the talents of a dynamic marketing organization. With the expertise and resources that enable clients to respond to an ever-changing economic environment, the agency offers a broad range of insurance and financial products from basic life, home, and auto insurance to complex corporate services, employee benefits, and retirement plans.

GMH Fence Company Inc.
15 Benton Dr., East Longmeadow
(413) 525-3361
www.gmhfence.com
Glenn Hastie, owner
Serving the Western Mass. area for more than over 20 years, GMH Fence Co. is one of largest and most respected fence companies in the region. The fencing contractor offers quality service and fence installations from a selection of wood, aluminum, steel, and vinyl fencing that are durable and virtually trouble-free for residential, commercial, and industrial fencing requests.

Haluch Water Contracting Inc.
399 Fuller St, Ludlow
(413) 589-1254
Thomas Haluch, president
For 30 years, Haluch Water Contracting has served the region as a water-main construction and excavation contractor specializing in water, sewer, pipeline, and communications and power-line construction.

Hampden County Career Center / CareerPoint
850 High St., Holyoke
(413) 532-4900
www.careerpointma.com
David Gadaire, executive director
Since 1996, Hampden County Career Center Inc., d/b/a CareerPoint, has been serving the workforce and economic-development needs of individual job seekers, social-service agencies, and the business community throughout Hampden County and beyond. The center transforms the maze of complex, bureaucratic employment and training programs into one seamless service-delivery system for job seeking and employer customers alike.

Holyoke Community College Foundation Inc.
303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke
(413) 552-2546
www.hcc.edu/the-hcc-foundation
Erica Broman, executive director
The Holyoke Community College Foundation was created four decades ago to help the college meet the needs of the region’s citizens and workforce, by raising both funds and awareness and supporting programs and activities in keeping with the mission of the college.

Innovative Business Systems Inc.
161 Northampton St,.  Easthampton
(413) 584-4274
www.for-ibs.com
Dave DelVecchio, president
For a quarter-century, IBS has provided information-technology solutions designed to meet the stated business objectives of its customers through a process-oriented, consultative approach, with services including exchange conversions, data-replication solutions, disaster recovery and business continuity, and much more.

Janice Yanni, DDS
180 Westfield St., West Springfield
(413) 739-4400
www.yanniorthodontics.com
Dr. Janice Yanni, owner
Dr. Janice Yanni specializes in orthodontic treatment for children, teens, and adults with offices in West Springfield as well as Tolland, Conn., using the latest in technology and a variety of treatment options, including Invisalign, Invisalign Express, Incognito, Six Month Smiles, and traditional braces.

M.J. Moran Inc. *
4 South Main St., Haydenville
(413) 268.7251
www.mjmoraninc.com
James Moran, CEO
The M.J. Moran company was formed in February of 1978 and has steadily grown in size. Services include plumbing, HVAC systems, process piping systems, high-pressure gas and steam systems, medical-gas systems, design/build services, and mechanical construction management. Repeat customers include Top Flite/Callaway Golf, Milton Bradley, Suddekor, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Amherst College, Eaglebrook School, Northfield Mount Hermon, and the Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Market Mentors, LLC
1680 Riverdale St., West Springfield
(413) 787-1133
www.marketmentors.com
Michelle Abdow, principal
A full-service marketing firm, Market Mentors handles all forms of marketing, including advertising in all mediums, media buying, graphic design, public relations, and event planning.

Netlogix Inc.
181 Notre Dame St., Westfield
(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.

Northeast Security Solutions Inc.
33 Sylvan St., West Springfield
(413) 733-7306
www.northeastsecuritysolutions.com
George Condon, president
Northeast Security Solutions takes a unique, integrated approach to security by bringing together locks, access control, alarms, safes, camera systems, and door-replacement systems to enhance clients’ security.

O’Connell Professional Nurse Service Inc.
14 Bobala Road, Holyoke
(413) 533-1030
www.opns.com
Francis O’Connell, president
For more than two decades, O’Connell Professional Nurse Service has grown to deliver a range of home-health and staffing services across the Pioneer Valley. Services range from nursing care and geriatric healthcare management to advocacy and transportation.

Paragus Strategic IT
84 Russell St., Hadley
(413) 587-2666
www.paragusit.com
Delcie Bean IV, president
While still in high school, Delcie Bean founded Paragus IT in 1999, first under the name Vertical Horizons and then Valley ComputerWorks. Under the Paragus name, it has grown dramatically as an outsourced IT solution for area clients. From information technology solutions to CMR-17 compliance to EMR implementation, Paragus provides business computer service, computer consulting, information-technology support, and other proactive services to businesses of all sizes.

PC Enterprises / Entre Computer *
138 Memorial Ave., West Springfield
(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 continues to evolve and grow as a lead provider for many businesses, healthcare providers, retailers, and state, local, and education entities.

Pioneer Valley Concrete Service Inc. *
66 North Chicopee St., Chicopee
(413) 534-8171
Dan Smith, owner and president
Pioneer Valley Concrete Service is one of the largest open-shop concrete contractors in New England with experience in warehouse, industrial, institutional, foundation, flatwork, and mass concrete construction, with single-limit bonding capacity in excess of $12 million and aggregate bonding capacity in excess of $20 million, and more than 80 field personnel in addition to a fully staffed office.

Premier Source Credit Union *
232 North Main St., East Longmeadow
(413) 525-2002
premier-sourcecu.com
Bonnie Raymond, CEO and president
Premier Source Credit Union (formerly Kelko Credit Union) was founded in 1941 by the employees of Kellogg Envelope Co. Kelko merged with Twin Meadows Federal Credit Union in 2000, with Spalding Employees Credit Union in 2001, and with Embeco Credit Union (Hasbro Games) in 2006. Combining the resources of these credit unions has allowed it to continue providing personal attention, while expanding its products and services.

Topato Corp.
14 Industrial Parkway, Easthampton
www.topatoco.com
Jeffrey Rowland, president
Topato Corp. is a widely recognized online retailer of webcomic and related merchandise established around 2004 by artist Jeffrey Rowland. Its services are exclusively for established, original, independent Internet creators with a proven record of solid updates and a considerable existing audience.

Universal Plastics Corp. *
75 Whiting Farms Road, Holyoke
(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.

V&F Auto Inc.
443 Springfield St, Agawam
(413) 789-2181
www.vfauto.com
Frank Palange, owner and president
Since 1988, V & F Auto Inc. has been a local, family-owned and -operated auto-repair center servicing Agawam and neighboring areas. As an approved AAA auto-service shop, its ASE-certified technicians have years of experience working on both domestic and import vehicles of all makes and models and can work with customers to find cost-effective repair and maintenance alternatives.

Valley Home Improvement Inc.
340 Riverside Dr., Florence
(413) 517-0158
www.valleyhomeimprovement.com
Steven Silverman, owner
Valley Home Improvement has specialized in home improvement, renovations, and remodeling service in Leeds, Hadley, Amherst, Sunderland, Florence, and Northampton since it was founded in 1991. Home-improvement and remodeling services include kitchen design, bathrooms, additions, sunrooms, screen porches, basement finishing, weatherization/insulation services, garages, and custom cabinetry and countertops.

Westside Enterprises Inc.
1004 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam
(413) 786-1414
www.westsideenterprises.com
Gary Mitchell, president
With a proven track record for project management and superior craftsmanship, Westside Enteprises is a general contractor offering project management, consulting/site management, project estimating, contract negotiations, quality-control management, subcontractor coordination, material purchasing and handling, site work, interior fit-up, and in-house craftsmen. Other specialties include all types of landscaping, retaining walls, snow removal, and emergency construction.

* Indicates company qualifed in both categories

Berkshire Hills, Hampden Bancorp Announce In-market Merger

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. and Hampden Bancorp Inc. announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement under which Berkshire will acquire Hampden and its subsidiary, Hampden Bank, in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $109 million. Berkshire’s total assets will increase to $7.1 billion, including the $706 million in acquired Hampden assets.

This in-market merger is expected to create efficiencies, strategic growth, and market-share benefits for the consolidated operations of the two banks in the Springfield area. Hampden operates 10 branches in the Greater Springfield area and reported $508 million in net loans and $490 million in deposits as of Sept. 30, 2014. Berkshire operates 11 branches with $627 million in deposits in this market. Berkshire will have a pro forma market cap of approximately $740 million and 100 branches serving customers and communities across New England and New York. Pro forma tangible equity to tangible assets is expected to improve to 7.4% when the merger is completed.

“We are pleased to welcome Hampden customers and employees to America’s most exciting bank,” said Michael Daly, president and CEO of Berkshire. “This in-market partnership will create a strong platform for serving our combined customers, while producing attractive returns for both our existing shareholders and the new shareholders from Hampden joining us in this transaction. We will move into the top-five position in deposit market share and plan to use this opportunity to further capitalize on our strong product set and culture of customer engagement. This merger complements our expansion initiatives in Central Massachusetts and Hartford, a combined market area that is the second-largest in New England.”

Added Glenn Welch, president and CEO of Hampden, “we are delighted to be joining the Berkshire franchise. Our two banks share rich histories, consistent core values, and a strong commitment to customers and communities. I’m proud of our 162 years of serving customers in our markets and believe the combination created by our two companies will benefit our clients, communities, and shareholders.”

Under the terms of the merger agreement, each outstanding share of Hampden common stock will be exchanged for 0.81 shares of Berkshire Hills common stock. The merger is valued at $20.53 per share of Hampden common stock based on the $25.35 average closing price of Berkshire’s stock for the five-day period ending Nov. 3, 2014. The $20.53 per-share value represents 133% of Hampden’s $15.49 tangible book value per share and a 6.0% premium to core deposits based on financial information as of Sept. 30, 2014.

“This is a solid business combination with efficiency benefits,” Daly said. “Hampden is a well-run company with an attractive core deposit base and a significant presence in the community. After integration, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Berkshire’s earnings per share, return on equity, and capital. We have a strong track record of execution, and our collective teams are positioned to complete this integration flawlessly.”

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Departments Incorporations

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

CHICOPEE

Cruz & Gallagher Insurance Agency Inc., 1643 Memorial Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Jeff Cruz, 124 Mulberry St., Springfield, MA 01105. Insurance Agency.

Elek-Holz Inc., 165 Front St., Suite 3407, Chicopee, MA 01013. Jennifer Yanyuk, 148 Telegraph Ave., Chicopee, MA 01020. Woodworking and electronics manufacturing.

EASTHAMPTON

Bethlehem House Inc., 33 Knipfer Ave., Easthampton, MA 01027. Pamela Hibbard, same. Provides a wide range of services and resources to parents facing pregnancy.

Easthampton Precision Manufacturing Inc., 16 Arthur St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Jeremy Segal, same. Manufacturing machine/fabrication shop.

FLORENCE

Brick and Feather Brewery Inc., 221 Pine St., Suite 140, Florence, MA 01062. Lawrence George, same. Beer brewery.

HADLEY

Body Spa Inc., 367 Russell St., Hadley, MA 01035. Yu Pei, 4170 Main St. B3357, Flushing NY 11355. Body Spa.

NORTHAMPTON

Dr. Kate Klemer Inc., 86 Moser St., Northampton, MA 01060. Katherine Pastrich-Klemer, same. Chiropractic and nutritional services.

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Innovation Center Inc., 81 Kellogg St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. B. Stephen Boyd, 24 Glendale Road, West Stockbridge, MA 01266. Provides facilities and educational programs that enable and accelerate innovation and growth of existing businesses in Berkshire County.

Cat Construction Inc., 70 Downing Parkway, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Michael Walsh, same. Construction services.

SOUTH HADLEY

Curran-Jones & O’Brien Inc., 33 Lamb St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Timothy O’Brien, 27 Hilltop St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Funeral Home.

SPRINGFIELD

EB Homes, 1670 Parker St., Springfield, MA 01128. Evan Willard, same. Real estate redevelopment, investing.

WESTFIELD

ABA Transport, 121 A Otis St., Westfield, MA 01085. Aleksandr Bunin, same. Operating specialty and dedicated services of transporting foods, commercial goods, vehicles, and other commodities via flatbed, container, and heavy hauling trailers on a for-hire basis.

Alessio’s Pizza Inc., 16 Kelly Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Alessio Calabrese, same. Pizza restaurant.

Craig Smith Joins Berkshire Community College in Dual Role

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Craig Smith has joined Berkshire Community College (BCC) as vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the BCC Foundation. In this dual role, Smith is responsible for developing, directing, and implementing internal and external fund-raising for both the college and the foundation as well as advancing community initiatives that promote BCC’s mission, direction, and goals.

Smith, who has extensive experience in capital-campaign fund-raising as well as annual and planned giving programs, previously served as managing director of the Berkshire Theatre Group in Pittsfield. Prior to that, he was the development director at the Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA in Becket.

“Craig’s years of fund-raising and management experience will be a true asset to our institution, the advancement division, and the BCC Foundation,” said BCC President Ellen Kennedy. “His knowledge, coupled with his ties to the Berkshires, will certainly help him forge relationships not only with our donors and alumni, but also with our students, faculty and staff, and the community at large.”

He earned a master’s degree from Assumption College in Worcester, and a bachelor’s degree from Eastern University in St. Davids, Penn. A long-time resident of Berkshire County, Smith is a member of the Berkshire County Development Alliance and is active in a number of local and regional not-for-profits.

Court Dockets

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Court Dockets Departments

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

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Dwayne St. Marie v. Michael Nelson d/b/a Franklin County Pumpkin Fest
Allegation: Negligence, trespass to land, and nuisance causing personal injury: $1,261,201.54
Filed: 10/10/14

Mutual Casualty Co. d/b/a Quality Inn, et al v. Western Mass. Electric Co. and Hanna Electric Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract and negligence in the installation of a heater/AC unit causing fire: $200,000
Filed: 10/2/14

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Diane Hebert v. Brinker Restaurant Corp. d/b/a Chili’s Restaurant and Baystate Medical Center
Allegation: Service of food not fit for consumption causing illness and resulting in serious infection while at Baystate Medical Center: $100,000+
Filed: 9/25/14

Ryder Transportation Services v. Bucklin Office Furniture, LLC, f/k/a D.D. Bucklin Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract: $57,731.51
Filed: 9/26/14

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
ValuMail Inc. v. J.D. Wal Inc. d/b/a Dino’s Pizza Restaurant
Allegation: Non-payment of advertising services rendered: $3,983.64
Filed: 9/24/14

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Lydia Rucks-Smith, a minor, by and through her mother, Olivia Watter v. Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services
Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $24,000
Filed: 9/27/14

Monson Companies Inc. v. Lansal Inc. d/b/a Hot Mama’s Foods
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $7,998.70
Filed: 9/17/14

Springfield Plumbing Supply Co. v. Adriano Punis d/b/a Associated Plumbing and Heating
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $18,083.73
Filed: 10/6/14

U.S. Foods Inc. v. 4 Our Fathers, LLC d/b/a The Islander and Joseph Dunn II
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,707.12
Filed: 9/26/14

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Departments Picture This

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]

Celebrating a Century of Caring

It has been 100 years since the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice was founded in 1914 as a baby-feeding association to help immigrant mothers care for their newborns. Since that time, the BVNAH has adapted to the times and the needs of the community, including being one of the first in the nation to adopt hospice care in 1988. On Oct. 23, Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice celebrated 100 years of caring for the community with a special celebration at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Wood, whose late wife Merrie received care from the BVNAH hospice service, served as chair of the 100th-anniversary celebration, and spoke at the program along with Maura McQueeney, president of the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice and post-acute executive for Baystate Health, and Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health. Top, Keroack addresses the audience; middle, Keroack and his wife, Ann Errichetti, and Lyman Wood and his wife, Leslie; at Bottom, VNA staff members.

Cutting the Cable

On Oct. 24, technology-solutions provider VertitechIT staged a ‘cable cutting,’ a slight twist on the traditional ribbon-cutting, to mark the grand opening of its new corporate headquarters in Holyoke’s Open Square complex. Pictured, from left: John Aubin, Open Square architect; Greg Pellerin, VertitechIT principal; Michael Feld, VertitechIT CEO; Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse; Kathleen Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce; and State Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, holding his 11-month-old son Odin.

HRU Awards

Human Resources Unlimited staged its annual recognition and fund-raising event on Oct. 23 at Springfield Country Club. From top to bottom: Carol Tourangeau and Edward Sokolowski, right, financial advisor with Pioneer Valley Financial Group, LLC, the event’s table sponsor, present Timm Marini of FieldEddy Insurance with HRU’s 2014 Armand Tourangeau Volunteer of the Year Award; from left, Sokolowski, guest speaker Danielle Goodwin, operations coordinator from Pioneer Valley Financial Group, LLC, and Donald Kozera, president of Human Resources Unlimited; HRU’s 2014 Rookie Employer of the Year Award winner Dave Zononi, left, managing director of Total Cleaning Plus, with Dan Flynn, senior vice president and market manager with People’s United Bank, the event’s silver sponsor; Marc Criscitelli, left, vice president of Employee Benefits for FieldEddy Insurance, the event’s gold sponsor, presents HRU’s 2014 Employer of the Year Award to Christopher Crean, vice president of Safety and Security, Peter Pan Bus Lines.

Briefcase

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Briefcase Departments

Decision Reduces Electric Transmission Profits, Benefits Consumers
LUDLOW — New England electricity consumers will get a roughly $60 million refund and pay less for transmission service in the future due to a federal ruling reducing the profit that power-grid owners are allowed to earn on their investments. The Massachusetts portion of the refund is expected to be about $28 million, with Massachusetts municipal utilities receiving a refund of approximately $4 million. The decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reduces the allowed rate of return on equity (ROE) for transmission owners from 11.14% to 10.57%. In a 2011 complaint to the FERC spearheaded by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC) and others claimed the 11.14% profit margin was too high, given changes in economic conditions and interest rates since 2006, when the ROE was established. Utility regulators and consumer advocates from throughout New England, as well as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, also supported the complaint. The Oct. 16 FERC decision found the higher rate to be “unjust and unreasonable,” set the new rate at 10.57%, and ordered refunds of overpayments for the period from October 2011 through December 2012. Litigation is continuing at the FERC to secure additional refunds. “This is an important and positive decision for all New England consumers, and it’s gratifying to see these years of effort coming to a close with a large net benefit for our customers,” said MMWEC CEO Ronald DeCurzio. “We are pursuing additional refunds of overpayments made in 2013 and 2014 and will continue our work to ensure that transmission investments are justified and beneficial to consumers.” DeCurzio said the refunds certainly are welcome, but the benefit increases as the lower rate of return is applied in years ahead to long-term transmission investments. The current $7 billion invested in New England transmission facilities is expected to increase to $11 billion by 2017, and the costs avoided with a lower rate of return will increase as the transmission investment base grows. The FERC has ordered New England’s transmission owners to file a refund report within 45 days of the Oct. 16 order. The transmission companies include National Grid, Northeast Utilities, NStar, Unitil, and Fitchburg Gas & Electric. MMWEC, a nonprofit, public corporation and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the joint action agency for public power in Massachusetts, providing a variety of power-supply, financial, risk-management, and other services to the state’s consumer-owned, municipal utilities.

Massachusetts Employment Numbers Up 9,400 in September
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported that preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show Massachusetts added 9,400 jobs in September, for a total preliminary estimate of 3,425,000. The September total unemployment rate was 6.0%, up 0.2% over the August rate. Since September 2013, Massachusetts has added a net of 64,100 jobs, with 62,000 jobs added in the private sector. The total unemployment rate for the year is down 1.2% from the September 2013 rate of 7.2%. BLS also revised its August job estimates to a 4,900-job loss from the 5,300-loss previously reported for the month.

Construction Employment Increases in 39 States
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Construction firms added jobs in 39 states between September 2013 and September 2014 while construction employment increased in 34 states and the District of Columbia between August and September, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the construction job gains come as more construction firms report having a hard time finding qualified workers to fill key positions. “Construction firms in most states have been expanding during the past year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But as those firms expand, they have to work harder to attract their skilled craft workers and key construction professionals.” Florida added the most construction jobs of any state (41,900 jobs, 11.2%). Ten states shed construction jobs during the past 12 months, with construction employment unchanged in D.C. and New Mexico. Association officials said the new employment figures show that the industry continues to add new workers after its years-long downturn. But they cautioned that more and more firms are reporting labor shortages. “Hard as it is to imagine, given what this industry has been through the past few years, but many firms are very worried about their ability to find, recruit, and retain qualified workers as the industry continues to rebound,” said Stephen Sandherr, the association’s CEO.

MMS Urges Adoption of Regulations Governing Licensure, Health IT
WALTHAM — The Mass. Medical Society recently urged the state Board of Registration in Medicine (BRM) to adopt a set of proposed regulations that would satisfy a statutory requirement that physicians demonstrate proficiency in health information technology as a condition of maintaining their license to practice medicine. Testifying before the BRM, society Vice President Dr. James Gessner said the requirement is a provision of Chapter 224, the state health-reform law on cost control and quality enacted in August 2012. Chapter 224 required the BRM to establish as a condition of licensure regulations that physicians “demonstrate proficiency in the use of computerized physician order entry, e-prescribing, electronic health records, and other forms of health-information technology, as determined by the board.” The law further specified that, to demonstrate such proficiency, physicians must establish the skills to comply with federal meaningful-use requirements for health information technology. The requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2015. According to the Massachusetts eHealth Institute, however, only 15,000 physicians who practice in the state have met or are expected to meet federal meaningful-use requirements. The state currently licenses more than 40,000 physicians. “Most of the remaining physicians are, under the law, ineligible for meaningful-use incentives and could lose their license if this statute were interpreted to require meaningful use as a standard for licensure,” said Gessner, adding that this situation would severely affect patient access to care across the Commonwealth, as physicians are prohibited from practicing medicine without a license. “The board has been left to interpret this statutory requirement on its own in a logical manner that is productive and serves the interests of the public. The Massachusetts Medical Society strongly supports the proposed regulatory approach the board has taken in compiling a thoughtful way to implement this requirement.” Among the BRM’s proposals are a provision that applicants may demonstrate skills through their employment with, credentialing by, or contractual agreements with an eligible hospital or critical-access hospital with a federally certified meaningful-use program; by being either a participant or authorized user in the Massachusetts Health Information Highway; or by completing three hours of continuing medical education in electronic records and meaningful use. The BRM also proposed several exemptions from the requirement, including those not engaged in the practice of medicine, such as researchers; medical residents and interns who are experienced with electronic records; those holding an administrative license and not engaged in direct patient care; those with a volunteer license, as these physicians often provide care to the most vulnerable and needy patients; and those on active military duty called into service during a national emergency. Another provision has been proposed to allow physicians coming to Massachusetts who have never been exposed to such a requirement to have the opportunity to be licensed and complete the requirement either through their employment site or other categories after arrival. Gessner, while indicating that large numbers of physicians will be able to comply with the statutory requirement by participating in one of the proposed categories, also cautioned BRM members that, “should any of these categories be eliminated or substantially changed, the impact would be profound on physicians, patients, and the board itself to process such denials of licensure.”

Regional Children’s Hospitals Begin Clinical Collaboration  
SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Children’s Hospital and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center have launched a new collaboration addressing potential ways to improve access to high-quality and high-value healthcare for children in Western Mass. and Connecticut. The two organizations, which both provide high-level inpatient pediatric and neonatal care as well as comprehensive outpatient services for children and adolescents, will work together to determine whether they can increase the availability, sophistication, and coordination of pediatric services throughout the Connecticut River Valley, and collaborate with community pediatric providers to improve the overall health and wellness of children in the region. Both have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report among the top U.S. children’s hospitals. “We recognize that an opportunity exists to bring together the talent, vision, and expertise of some of the leading healthcare providers in Western and Southern New England,” said Dr. Fernando Ferrer, chief physician executive at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. “As the pediatric healthcare environment becomes more complex, the responsible approach is to consider what is in the best interests of our children and families. We are committed to working together with this in mind.” Added Dr. John Schreiber, chief physician executive of Baystate Health, “our two organizations have a lot in common: similar cultures of placing the patient at the very center of our focus and strong commitments to the health of our communities in the broadest sense. In these common traits, we see the foundations of a very successful collaboration.” Examples of areas where both organizations agree that a collaborative approach could improve access and quality of care include pediatric neurosurgery, ophthalmology, pulmonology, and urology, all areas where current provider shortages can make getting care difficult for patients and families. The proposed collaboration may extend beyond clinical-care delivery as the organizations will also jointly explore the potential for expansion of a new pediatric accountable-care organization (ACO) that is now being developed in Western Mass. by Baycare Health Partners, Baystate’s affiliated physician-hospital organization. The goal of an expanded children’s ACO will be to improve the coordination of care between pediatric primary-care providers, specialists, and hospitals throughout the Connecticut River Valley; support the continuing development and implementation of healthcare-quality measures specific to caring for children; and continue the paradigm shift in the provision of care, from treating children when they’re sick to focusing on keeping them well. Another area of potential will be developing research collaborations between the organizations in order to expedite discovery and treatment of pediatric conditions. Both facilities are Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

Building Permits

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of October 2014.

AGAWAM

Riverbend Medical Group
230 Main St.
$60,000 — Interior renovations

Sarat Ford
221 Springfield St.
$1,166,000 — Construct new dealership

CHICOPEE

Behavior Health Network
41 Woodlawn St.
$6,000 — New siding

Chicopee Housing Authority
128 Meetinghouse Road
$94,000 — Replace 108 windows

GREENFIELD

Baystate Franklin Medical Center
164 High St.
$17,000,000 — New commercial addition

Bete Inc.
50 Greenfield St.
$303,000 — New roof system

Jeffrey Coulson
1385 Bernardston Road
$15,000 — Exchange three existing antennas on tower

Steven Schechterle
402 Federal St.
$4,300 — Exterior renovations

SOUTH HADLEY

Top Tier Site
50 College St.
$3,000 — Replace antenna at Mount Holyoke College

SPRINGFIELD

Commonwealth Academy
105 Central St.
$30,000 — New roof

Harrison Properties, LLC
625 Carew St.
$95,000 — Installation of rooftop photovoltaic array

MFG Group, LLC
150 Brookdale St.
$25,000 — Rework loading dock

Springfield Post Road Corporation
1400 Boston Road
$45,000 — Renovate store front

Springfield Teachers Credit Union
145 Industry Ave.
$89,000 — Renovation of lobby and teller area

Verizon Wireless
1 Federal St.
$275,000 — Erect equipment shelter on rooftop

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Peter Plantinites
1615 Riverdale St.
$20,000 — Re-roof

UPS
120 Wayside Ave.
$8,000 — Renovate two offices

West Springfield Boys and Girls Club
593-657 Main St.
$17,500 — Interior renovations

Doing Business as Certificates

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2014.

AGAWAM

Autokraft Service
119 Walnut St.
Douglas Thies

CDP Automotive
33 River Road
Noel Rosario

Stick Time Express
153 Springfield St.
Sean Provost

Suzette Donald Photography
65 Kathy Terrace
Suzette Donald

The Beast Inc.
16 Walnut St.
Derenik Vartanyan

CHICOPEE

Memorial Drive Dental Association
1176 Memorial Dr.
Timothy Rusiecki

My Indians, My Yemaga, My Niccan Pagan Way of Life
90 Fernhill St.
Miguel A. Roldan

Nunez Tax Service
28 Montgomery St.
Sonia Torres

GREENFIELD

Hutchinson Daycare
7 Willow St.
Jamine Hutchinson

Magickal Moments
39 Leyden Road
Robert G. Cross

Old Tavern Farm
817 Colrain Road
Gary Sanderson

Stiles Lake Investments, LLC
1135 Bernardston Road
Maureen Hanlon

Sugar Rush Studio
327 Chapman St.
Linda Mullaney

HOLYOKE

Caretenders
330 Whitney Ave.
Michael Guarnieri

Hi-Shine Nails
246 Westfield Road
Thuy V. Tran

J & C Enterprise
100 Nonotuck St.
John Hurley

Nuestras Raices Community Kitchen
329 Main St.
Hilda Roque

Sam’s Food Store
515 High St.
Munazia Akbar

Stop & Shop Gas
28 Lincoln St.
Mark Puza

T.J. Maxx
33 Holyoke St.
Kate Titus

Undefeated Cuts
134 High St.
Marcos J. Alvarado

SPRINGFIELD

Knowledge, LLC
122 White St.
Fernando Massey

L-A Auto Sales and Repair
118 Armory St.
Wassim A. Elkadri

LD Green Artist
31 Old Farm Road
Lawrence D. Green

Little Store
285 Belmont Ave.
George Mudachi

Los Bandoleros Barber Shop
616 Belmont Ave.
Ramon J. Rios

Medina Odd Jobs
63 Langdon St.
Joselito Medina

Melkor Inc.
1242 Main St.
David Melnichuk

Nailistix’s
22 Arnold St.
Yvette Parker

Nathan Doctor Sofrito
57 Miller St.
Jonathan Ortiz

NCB Siding
23 Crosley St.
Nathan C. Barraso

Neo MA Inc.
296 Cooley St.
Heewoo Han

NSA Market
2760 Main St.
Hipolito Abreu

P.J.R. Remodeling
195 Middle St.
Pablo J. Rios

Progressive Soccer Club
81 Monrovia St.
Dwayne N. Brown

Ritchie’s Handyman Service
230 El Paso St.
Ritchie Nebar

Santiago’s Recycling
91 Pinevale St.
Daniel Santiago

Smash Cleaning Services
85 Westford Ave.
Tanyika Scott

Sos Clothing Brand, LLC
45 Willow St.
Marlon G. Hudson

Star Nails
1130 State St.
Edward Ly

Tony’s Pizza and Restaurant
106 Boston Road
Aniello Gisolfi

Verwin Janitorial Service
30 Bissell Ave.
Verona E. Lamonth

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Carter’s
935 Riverdale St.
Carter’s Retail, Inc.

People’s Choice Real Estate
387 Riverdale St.
Richard Harty

ST Plumbing & Heating
67 Fairview Ave.
Vyatcheslav Tsukanov

T-Mobile
935 Riverdale St.
Erin Pinno

Bankruptcies

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Alves, Melissa A.
a/k/a Ablondi Alves, Melissa Lynn
15 Forest St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/14

Arts Block LLC
59 Shearer Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 09/21/14

Basamania, Paul Walter
263 Bridge Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/29/14

Bates, Philip L.
69 Hillcrest St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/28/14

Bedson, Jeremy T.
212 Main St., Apt. 2
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Belisle, Donald W.
1098 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/18/14

Bonanza, Kirsten Anne
1 Solar Circle
Haydenville, MA 01039
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/29/14

Brasee, Jack G.
Brasee, Gail M.
P.O. Box 625
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/24/14

Brenner Remodeling Corporation
Life Source Products
Brenner, Jay M.
274 State Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/14

Briggs, Bradley R.
PO Box 192
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Broughton, Arlene J.
a/k/a Broughton-Burgos, Arlene J.
44 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Burgos, Javier
44 Meadow St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Bushey, Jason A.
Bushey, Crystal K.
a/k/a Thurmond, Crystal K.
P.O. Box 295
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/20/14

Butler, Betty M.
75 Commercial St., Apt. A227
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/22/14

Coakley, Nicole D.
P.O. Box 90534
Springfield, MA 01139
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Crane, Diane W.
44 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Danehey, Amybeth
183 Stapleton Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Devenitch, Brittney H.
156 Carol Ann St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Dunn, Timothy Michael
Dunn, Marjorie Love
65 Lover’s Lane
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Eitel, Paul K.
29 Salem St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/19/14

Emerson, Richard A.
Emerson, Danielle S.
a/k/a Bramucci, Danielle S.
8 Juniper Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/23/14

Fay, Aimee
97 Columbia Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/24/14

Fedora, Andrew S.
Fedora, Erin C.
112 Quartus St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Goff, Tracey A.
28 Red Bridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/22/14

Goldman, Richard I.
159 Green Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/25/14

Guiel, Annette Mabel
29A Paul Revere Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/16/14

Hastings, Josephine F.
74 Forest Park Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/14

Huard, Richard D.
Huard, Susan E
5 Woodland Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/19/14

James, Jimmie R.
134 Catherine St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/16/14

Jones, Sherry L.
103 Huron St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/23/14

Karapetyan, Miran V.
26 Wilbert Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/14

Kohlenberger, Vernon
15 Anita Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/22/14

Laguerre, Liznayda
374 Linden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/16/14

Larimore, Tami S.
16 Delaware Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/20/14

Leger, Gary Michael
77 Valley View Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/24/14

Marcous, Lauren M.
15 Parsons St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Marof, Andrew R.
1196 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/14

Martinez, Roberto
419 Montcalm St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/24/14

Martins, Fernando G.
23 #B Darling St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Niquette, Gary L.
250 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/20/14

Northampton Therapeutic Massage
Zajkowski, Kathryn Carol
99 Island Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Orzino, Megan Marie
389 Trafton Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/19/14

Padgett, Matthew J.
Markwith-Padgett, Sara A.
284 Dewey Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/20/14

Paroli, Lisa A.
87 Coronet Circle
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/14

Passidakis, Nicholas M.
229 Green Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Pavone, Marianne
274 State Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/14

Pelkey, John C.
Pelkey, Denene
786 East St.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/20/14

Podmore, Judith E.
30 Clinton Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/19/14

Purcell, Melissa A.
143 Pendexter Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/19/14

Reardon, Patricia
33 Price St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/22/14

Regish, Catherine M.
1 Victoria Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/14

Rivera, Jacqueline
79 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/19/14

Sanders, Dawn Marie
a/k/a Sanders-Whalley, Dawn
a/k/a Gormley, Dawn
P.O. Box 329
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Sheret, Kenneth R.
Sheret, Leslie Ann
152 Metacomet St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Shoum, Krystle M.
27 Lathrop St., Apt. 3
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/14

Smith, Gregory T.
62 Pinedale Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/29/14

Spafford, David H.
484 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/17/14

Staples, Victoria A.
174 New Boston Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/27/14

Stasiowski, Dorothy D.
47 Allen Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Stevenson, George
149 Benedict Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/14

Tejeda, Iris
760 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/23/14

The Pushkin, LLC,
332 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 09/21/14

Theoclis, Thomas K.
60 Quaboag Valley Co-op
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14

Torres, Rosa
a/k/a Guerra, Rosa M.
36 Amherst Ave.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/16/14

Tranghese, Pasquale William
1 Springfield St., Apt. #306
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/24/14

Villar-Salce, Jessica
15 Bruce St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/29/14

Warner, Kent A.
Warner, Susanne M.
36 Cedar St.
Greenfield, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/18/14

Yard, Mario Alejandro
Yard, Somalia Eleua
33 Barton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/26/14

Real Estate Transactions

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Departments Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

1452 Hawley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Anna Westley
Seller: Eleanor Lazarus LT
Date: 09/29/14

BERNARDSTON

474 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Gunnison
Seller: Perry J. Brulotte
Date: 09/30/14

102 Charlemont Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Andree M. Duval
Seller: Bear Ridge RT
Date: 09/30/14

123 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: William J. Knittle
Seller: Brenda M. Spofford
Date: 10/03/14

BUCKLAND

124 North St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Mauricia Alvarez
Seller: Anna J. Rice
Date: 09/26/14

CHARLEMONT

37 Schaefer Way
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Russell E. Perkins
Seller: Larry J. Lemek
Date: 09/30/14

Warfield Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $972,700
Buyer: 133 Warfield Realty LLC
Seller: Jeffrey W. Glaze GST TR
Date: 09/22/14

COLRAIN

158 East Colrain Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Martin D. Driggs
Seller: Kasky LT
Date: 09/22/14

CONWAY

149 Whately Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Robbie J. Edwards
Seller: Heather D. Truelove
Date: 09/30/14

DEERFIELD

3 Hadfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Daniel F. Graves
Seller: Nicole Bernier
Date: 09/30/14

49 King Philip Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Richard B. Reeves
Seller: Richard H. Barnes
Date: 10/03/14

256 Lower Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Shao Z. Kuo
Seller: Robert S. Douglass
Date: 09/22/14

31 South Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: David Wolfram
Seller: Rita J. Powers
Date: 09/22/14

9 West St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $450,900
Buyer: Beth E. Malloy
Seller: James B. Sinclair
Date: 09/30/14

ERVING

88 Old State Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael T. Rau
Seller: Jeffrey P. Kaminski
Date: 09/26/14

GREENFIELD

100 Barton Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $167,900
Buyer: Timothy K. Dowd
Seller: Robert E. Knower
Date: 10/02/14

15 Camp Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $124,500
Buyer: WTE Recycling Inc.
Seller: John E. Miner
Date: 09/30/14

27 Cooke St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Allen W. Woods
Seller: Levitch, Gerald I., (Estate)
Date: 09/26/14

43 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: David E. Moscaritolo
Seller: Richard E. Rodman
Date: 09/30/14

398 Deerfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Meadows Café & Golf Center
Seller: 5&10 Entertainment LLC
Date: 10/01/14

80 Elm St.
Greenfield, MA 01376
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Luz M. Oyola
Seller: David F. Markley LT
Date: 09/30/14

261-265 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: James W. Renaud
Seller: Brian J. Matteson
Date: 09/26/14

46 Hastings St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Marion B. Griswold
Seller: Amy S. Moscaritolo
Date: 09/30/14

191 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $213,500
Buyer: Kathy A. Proudy
Seller: Lamar B. Gore
Date: 09/30/14

65 Lincoln St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Michael A. Phelps
Seller: Diana L. Constantine
Date: 10/03/14

18 Linden Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Jessica D. Gordon
Seller: Michael E. Ellis
Date: 10/02/14

24 Raingley Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Richard L. Welch
Seller: Lawrence P. Roy
Date: 09/30/14

20 Washburn Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: John E. Miner
Seller: Rose B. Caouette
Date: 09/30/14

LEVERETT

95 Amherst Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $384,000
Buyer: Anne K. Schuyler
Seller: Anne K. Schuyler
Date: 09/25/14

293 Shutesbury Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Terence F. McCue
Seller: Richard H. Roberts
Date: 09/22/14

MONTAGUE

25 Coolidge Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Doreen Kamansky
Seller: Lisa J. Mackenzie
Date: 09/26/14

32 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Reller Group LLC
Seller: Carol L. Cameron
Date: 09/30/14

464 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Robert W. Laffey
Seller: Tracy L. Bartus
Date: 09/22/14

71 Park St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Ryszard Brynda
Seller: Douglas R. McNamara
Date: 09/30/14

21 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01301
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Stuart Warner
Seller: Colonial Gardens RT
Date: 09/26/14

NEW SALEM

27 Millington Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Dixie L. Paquin
Seller: Dana K. Crosby
Date: 09/26/14

ORANGE

73 East Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $138,557
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Dong N. Dam
Date: 09/30/14

SHUTESBURY

Leonard Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $118,400
Buyer: Northwest Realty LLC
Seller: Potyrala, Chester J., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/14

121 Leonard Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Rui Fernandes
Seller: Amelia G. Vieira
Date: 09/22/14

SUNDERLAND

236 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $318,500
Buyer: Susan H. Clatworthy
Seller: Robert M. Wojtowicz
Date: 09/25/14

61 Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Zhiqiang Chu
Seller: Erick S. Burnett
Date: 09/24/14

WARWICK

922 Orange Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $154,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Chapin
Seller: US Bank
Date: 09/26/14

WHATELY

38 Conway Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Wayne G. Cournoyer
Seller: Wayne A. Cournoyer
Date: 09/30/14

145 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Kevin A. Wrisley
Seller: Linda M. Theriault
Date: 09/29/14

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

328 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $311,500
Buyer: Brandon J. Donovan
Seller: Farid R. Faruqui
Date: 09/26/14

29 Kensington St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Joseph A. Renaud
Seller: Damon Hristopoulos
Date: 09/26/14

6 Lango Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Roberto Nieves
Seller: Melody A. Alvarado
Date: 10/01/14

1178 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $156,500
Buyer: Oleg Adzhigirey
Seller: Martin M. Radewick
Date: 09/24/14

608 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Myron W. Littlehale
Seller: Bethany Assembly Of God
Date: 09/24/14

42-44 Mark Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Almeiro Serna
Seller: Langone Realty Corp.
Date: 09/25/14

623 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Andrey Iodlovskiy
Seller: Alfred T. Ingham
Date: 09/30/14

94 Roosevelt Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Scott B. Silvia
Seller: Wongab Seo
Date: 09/26/14

268 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Roberta Zupcich
Seller: Margaret A. Clark
Date: 09/26/14

214 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: JK Real Estate LLC
Seller: Edward T. Mish RET
Date: 09/30/14

89-91 Sunnyslope Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Stanislav Gvinter
Seller: Langone Plumbing & Heating
Date: 09/30/14

16 Tanglewood Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: George Mulry
Seller: FNMA
Date: 10/02/14

35 Western Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Marcia C. Hamel
Seller: Keith R. Senecal
Date: 09/26/14

BLANDFORD

6 Beulah Land Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Laurie A. Kline
Seller: Stephen C. Poteat
Date: 09/30/14

BRIMFIELD

31 7th St.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Seth Mitchell
Seller: Robert Kenevan
Date: 09/25/14

10 Adams Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Brian G. McDonald
Seller: Nicolas J. Hebert
Date: 09/22/14

32 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Beaudry
Seller: Dennis M. Maheux
Date: 10/03/14

84 Tower Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $372,000
Buyer: Kenneth A. Lind
Seller: Cameron L. Holland
Date: 09/26/14

36 Washington Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Kenneth G. O’Keefe
Seller: Kenneth E. Stearns
Date: 09/30/14

CHESTER

53 Middlefield Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: William J. Clark
Seller: George E. Skwirz
Date: 10/03/14

463 Route 20
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: James J. Nodwell
Seller: Joseph A. Kurtz
Date: 09/26/14

Skyline Trail
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Michael T. Starr
Seller: Jules S. Gimbrere
Date: 09/23/14

CHICOPEE

54 Artisan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: 54 Artisan St. Chicopee LLC
Seller: Joanne H. Darcy
Date: 09/23/14

17 Barre Circle
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Diane M. Casa
Seller: Garvin C. Headley
Date: 09/26/14

174 Beauregard Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Kenneth M. Mills
Seller: Jason Chew
Date: 09/25/14

203 Blanchard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Luis Builders Inc.
Seller: Jamroth LLC
Date: 10/01/14

23 Bonneville Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Garvin C. Headley
Seller: Allen D. Donofrio
Date: 09/26/14

52 Casey Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Julie A. McCusker
Seller: Michelle A. Mathieu
Date: 09/26/14

137 Champagne Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Marian E. Bergeron
Seller: Janet Dipietro
Date: 09/22/14

33 Chapel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Ahmed Mustafa
Seller: Abbas M. Hamdan
Date: 10/01/14

26 Claire St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jacqueline R. Paul
Seller: Kevin F. Trombley
Date: 09/29/14

72 Farmington St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Paula D. Drown
Seller: Ronald F. Ritter
Date: 09/23/14

39 Fernwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $196,261
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Theresa C. Belisle
Date: 09/24/14

30 Harrison Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Eric J. Laflamme
Seller: Theresa V. Pete
Date: 10/01/14

197 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Amanda M. Godbout
Seller: Kathleen P. Boucher
Date: 09/30/14

61 Langevin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Mitchell
Seller: Jill A. Nawskon

68 Lariviere Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Loon Hill Plaza LLC
Seller: Michael F. Curtis
Date: 09/29/14

90 Loveland Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Robert L. Hall
Seller: James J. Joe
Date: 09/22/14

46 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Nunez
Seller: Miguel Pedrosa
Date: 09/25/14

554 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Jordan
Seller: Thomas S. Gajowski
Date: 09/26/14

56 Nye St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Jeffrey W. Brochu
Seller: Retha J. Dawson
Date: 09/30/14

Saint James Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,312,500
Buyer: Vista Estates LLC
Seller: Jaleo LLC
Date: 09/26/14

30 Saint James Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: JJS17 Acquisition Co LLC
Seller: Ammar & Fotoun LLC
Date: 10/01/14

258 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $205,700
Buyer: Andrew R. Prats
Seller: Victor J. Morando
Date: 09/23/14

434 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $331,150
Buyer: Victor J. Morando
Seller: Thomas S. Minerich
Date: 09/24/14

15 Thaddeus St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Michael Stoeckard
Seller: Gregory Bertsch
Date: 09/30/14

119 Wheatland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Sandra Rivera
Seller: Davidian Co. LLC
Date: 10/03/14

EAST LONGMEADOW

20 Anne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Mary S. Christensen
Seller: Hickman, Ann M., (Estate)
Date: 09/24/14

19 Harris Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: National Equity Inc.
Seller: David H. Clark
Date: 09/25/14

11 Juniper Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: Lauren A. Capobianco
Seller: Diane M. Johnson
Date: 09/26/14

5 Lester St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: Olivia M. Schnorf
Seller: Aaron F. Smith
Date: 09/30/14

276 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $422,600
Buyer: Kevin M. Gaboury
Seller: Vernon Meyer
Date: 10/03/14

128 Mountainview Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Stanley R. Shaw
Seller: Vladislav M. Beznos
Date: 10/03/14

Pondview Dr. #10
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Mary Jo Christy
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 10/01/14

280 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $251,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Danos
Seller: Raymond J. Kallaugher
Date: 09/30/14

18 White Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Tracey Krol
Seller: Ryan Ogowan
Date: 09/30/14

12 Wisteria Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Ram S. Patath
Seller: Andrea Pereira
Date: 09/26/14

GRANVILLE

881 Beech Hill Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Matthew Ripley
Seller: Stephen A. Gladding
Date: 09/30/14

HAMPDEN

25 Maple Grove Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Dunn
Seller: Carolyn L. Rodgers
Date: 09/25/14

HOLLAND

137 East Brimfield Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Derek Mott
Seller: Marivani A. Guarda
Date: 09/25/14

HOLYOKE

33 Dicsal Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Glanville
Seller: William R. Chagnon
Date: 09/25/14

695 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: John W. Powers
Seller: Ryan D. Hamel
Date: 09/25/14

20 Jefferson St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Christine J. Bell
Seller: Emily A. Edwards
Date: 09/30/14

1010 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Gary Rome Holyoke LLC
Seller: Tobias, Stanley T., (Estate)
Date: 09/23/14

243 Oak St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Brunelle
Seller: Timothy W. Purington
Date: 09/29/14

183 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Betty Kaplowitz
Seller: Timothy V. Daniels
Date: 09/29/14

30 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Gabriel Rodriguez
Seller: Thomas J. Cammilleri
Date: 09/26/14

535 South Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Sparrow Holdings LLC
Seller: Louis J. Luchini
Date: 09/23/14

23 Wellesley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Rachael M. Hougen
Seller: William Cubi
Date: 09/30/14

LONGMEADOW

452 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Xiuyun Zhang
Seller: Mary W. Palmer
Date: 09/25/14

118 Blueberry Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Bernadette E. Dunnirvine
Seller: Earlon L. Seeley
Date: 09/30/14

259 Blueberry Hill Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Patrick M. Sullivan
Seller: Li Zhang
Date: 10/03/14

160 Ellington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $529,900
Buyer: Wesley L. Oakford
Seller: Shaun P. Gaus
Date: 09/26/14

215 Hazardville Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Jason C. Chew
Seller: Gerald H. Tober
Date: 09/25/14

91 Longfellow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Jacqueline E. Mackechnie
Seller: Eric Lundberg
Date: 09/30/14

221 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Stuart D. Weissman
Seller: Lawrence F. Marquis
Date: 09/26/14

60 Merriweather Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: John R. Ketcham
Seller: Sen Li
Date: 09/29/14

47 Normandy Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: William F. Peffer
Seller: Amy W. Wistreich
Date: 10/02/14

483 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Thanh T. Vo
Seller: Giuseppina M. Camerota
Date: 09/26/14

1280 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Pearson Williams Development Co.
Seller: Alliance Of Orthodox Congregation
Date: 09/30/14

LUDLOW

44 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Chun J. Kim
Seller: Sandra A. Shooshan
Date: 10/02/14

449 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Michael Paine
Seller: Clyde Snow
Date: 10/03/14

32 Elaine Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: Kevin F. Trombley
Seller: Robert B. Showalter
Date: 09/29/14

75-77 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $127,825
Buyer: Gervasio Crespo
Seller: Adelina Crespo
Date: 10/01/14

20 Gamache Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $301,000
Buyer: Jason Mourao
Seller: Gerald E. Dubour
Date: 09/30/14

230 Kendall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $223,900
Buyer: Paul T. Carr
Seller: James M. Quill
Date: 10/02/14

132 Pondview Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Timothy Hnatow
Seller: Paul W. Hibbard
Date: 09/30/14

60 Posner Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Meagan Y. Belanger
Seller: Tourtellotte, Joanne M., (Estate)
Date: 10/01/14

465 State St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Michael J. Almeida
Seller: Jose R. Sa
Date: 09/26/14

18 Warwick Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $217,500
Buyer: Joseph B. Lanucha
Seller: Jazab LLC
Date: 09/30/14

MONSON

85 Main St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $243,786
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Michael Mun
Date: 10/03/14

128 Maxwell Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Eric A. Berman
Seller: Lindsay E. Huot
Date: 09/29/14

PALMER

45 Converse St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Lenoard E. Deshais
Seller: Rollande T. Salois
Date: 09/26/14

3175 Foster St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Kevin G. Chapman
Seller: Kim A. Gettens
Date: 09/29/14

9 Homestead St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,900
Buyer: Anthony E. Arventos
Seller: Nathan Nye
Date: 09/26/14

N/A
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Armand T. Madelle
Date: 10/02/14

61 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: John Michael Dean
Seller: Amy B. Schulze
Date: 09/26/14

19 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Crystal A. Floyd
Seller: Anthony E. Arventos
Date: 09/26/14

SPRINGFIELD

1325 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kristin A. Pancotti
Seller: Theresa K. Geier
Date: 10/03/14

Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $31,007,400
Buyer: 5 Town Station LLC
Seller: Urstadt Biddle Properties
Date: 09/29/14

110 Audubon St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Yahaira Dejesus
Seller: Jimmy J. Linch
Date: 09/29/14

35 Bennington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Brianna L. Laporte
Seller: Steven C. Barnett
Date: 10/01/14

130 Berkshire Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Jasvinder Arora
Seller: Edward J. Walsh
Date: 09/24/14

95 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $118,500
Buyer: Gregory J. Heffernan
Seller: Donald R. Scott
Date: 09/29/14

1344 Bradley Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Nicholas M. Brown
Seller: Kotowski, Henry I., (Estate)
Date: 09/30/14

276-280 Bridge St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Develop Springfield Corp.
Seller: BSC Realty Inc.
Date: 09/26/14

46 Bronson Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Ronald G. Senez
Seller: Batya Cohen
Date: 09/25/14

16 Burt Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $164,044
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Charles F. Moberg
Date: 10/03/14

111 Clydesdale Lane
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: PNC Bank
Seller: Madeline Alicea
Date: 09/22/14

135 Emerson St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Tek Gautam
Seller: Roberta W. Twining
Date: 10/03/14

342 Forest Park Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Louis W. Harm
Seller: Joan P. Flahive
Date: 09/26/14

41 Garfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Stacy M. Sheard
Seller: Peter J. Tivnan
Date: 09/24/14

55 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Joshua L. Messer
Seller: Brian J. Maloney
Date: 09/30/14

33 Greenleaf St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Alexis Vergara
Seller: Richard W. Tyminski
Date: 10/03/14

41 Hampden St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $339,900
Buyer: Silver P. Serra
Seller: Helder F. Nunes
Date: 10/02/14

240 Jeffrey Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Robert F. Gayle
Seller: Paul E. Jerusik
Date: 09/26/14

38 Kittrell St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $127,500
Buyer: Laura Landry
Seller: Leo Norkin
Date: 09/22/14

34 Marmon Court
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Curtis Miarecki
Seller: Gary D. Poehler
Date: 09/26/14

59 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: Anthony Cicero
Seller: Kyle Anderson
Date: 09/26/14

110 Melha Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Raefat Tleis
Seller: Gilbert R. Barton
Date: 09/30/14

62 Midway St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: Zachary Cortis
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 09/30/14

162 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $181,997
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Robert Burgess
Date: 09/25/14

40 Ogden St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Thomas Day
Seller: Frank D. Roda
Date: 09/25/14

50 Orange St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Precious Williams
Seller: Bert V. Wright
Date: 10/03/14

130 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Justin D. Anstett
Seller: Christopher R. Driscoll
Date: 09/29/14

8 Redstone Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Andrea Lopez-Jones
Seller: Gina M. Ferrera
Date: 09/30/14

50 Steuben St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Ermer A. Cruz
Seller: J. B. Camerlin Real Estate
Date: 11/30/12

372 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Bhanu Tiwari
Seller: Gladys Wolmart
Date: 09/30/14

832-834 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Kinjal Vyas
Seller: Minh H. Bui
Date: 09/29/14

5 Town Plaza
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $31,007,400
Buyer: 5 Town Station LLC
Seller: Urstadt Biddle Properties
Date: 09/29/14

205 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Concepcion Morales
Seller: Michael W. Bush
Date: 09/23/14

SOUTHWICK

35 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Paul E. Jerusik
Seller: Robin A. Gardner
Date: 09/26/14

107 Coes Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Witchwood Realty LLC
Seller: Karen B. Legace
Date: 09/26/14

31 Deer Run
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Richard C. Rigazio
Seller: Gary M. Grosso
Date: 09/30/14

2 Iroquois Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Robert E. Slattery
Seller: Jane D. Widun
Date: 09/26/14

17 Lake Shore Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: Lace Twins LLC
Seller: Borrowed Time Realty LLC
Date: 10/01/14

141 Mort Vining Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jane D. Widun
Seller: Ernest R. Lempke
Date: 09/26/14

1 Pauline Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Allison E. Leavitt
Seller: Richard R. Winiarski
Date: 09/30/14

30 Powder Mill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Kara K. Jorud
Seller: Patricia S. Sambo
Date: 09/25/14

5 Reservoir Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Robin A. Gardner
Seller: Jeffrey Imbriglio
Date: 09/26/14

WESTFIELD

17 Adams St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Curran
Seller: Christina K. Crow
Date: 09/26/14

Ascutney Ave. (rear)
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael G. Kosinski
Seller: Atlantic Tree Nursery
Date: 10/02/14

151 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Castanera
Seller: Marcial Otero
Date: 09/24/14

11 Cleveland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Stephen R. Slater
Seller: Michael A. Denardo
Date: 09/30/14

47 Colony Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $270,550
Buyer: Richard P. Saloomey
Seller: Leonard F. Latour
Date: 09/23/14

14 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Buyer: Travis K. Lucia
Seller: Cheryl A. Denardo
Date: 09/30/14

East Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael G. Kosinski
Seller: Atlantic Tree Nursery
Date: 10/02/14

58 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Victoria D. Reed-Britt
Seller: Veniamin Solokhin
Date: 10/01/14

50 Flynn Meadow Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Aaron F. Smith
Seller: RSP Realty LLC
Date: 09/30/14

25 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: E. R. Donovan
Seller: High, William H., (Estate)
Date: 09/29/14

133 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Gladding
Seller: James F. Florek
Date: 09/30/14

6 Hawthorne Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Crist C. Roussi
Seller: Matthew T. Vanheynigen
Date: 09/26/14

154 King St., Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Don P. Marks
Seller: Rebecca L. Lannon
Date: 09/30/14

27 Laurel Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $231,400
Buyer: James Ramistella
Seller: Robert F. Field
Date: 10/03/14

147 Main St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Donald Robert
Seller: Robert N. Holmes
Date: 09/26/14

33 Mill St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Shakedown Properties LLC
Seller: Rosemary S. Fortier
Date: 10/02/14

45 Miller St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: John E. Wood
Seller: Regina A. Mullens
Date: 09/29/14

90 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Wesley Shewchuk
Seller: Rosemary J. Nevins
Date: 09/30/14

61 Murray Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Roy
Seller: Matthew C. Marchesi
Date: 10/01/14

Neck Road #28
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael G. Kosinski
Seller: Atlantic Tree Nursery
Date: 10/02/14

259 Notre Dame St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: David M. O’Connell
Seller: Cindy T. Lacoste
Date: 09/30/14

60 Old Farm Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $229,700
Buyer: Jeffery E. Popoli
Seller: Richard L. White
Date: 10/03/14

24 Ridgeview Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Nicholas M. Mobrice
Seller: Artur Lech
Date: 09/26/14

54 Riverside Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Evan V. Serella
Seller: Matthew Bishop
Date: 09/26/14

514 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Christopher F. King
Seller: Kenneth Mitchell
Date: 09/29/14

Union St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Michael G. Kosinski
Seller: Atlantic Tree Nursery
Date: 10/02/14

914 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Richard J. Gogal
Seller: Richard J. Gogal
Date: 09/25/14

23 Wieser Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Angela J. Larke
Seller: FNMA
Date: 09/29/14

27 Woodcliff Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Cathy M. Martin
Seller: David M. Woelper
Date: 09/30/14

WILBRAHAM

16 Highmoor Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Kristopher T. O’Connor
Seller: Kevin M. Gaboury
Date: 10/01/14

2 Kensington Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Manuel Bernardo
Seller: James R. Wawrzyk
Date: 09/26/14

137 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Crystal L. Morin
Seller: Nicholas Fazio
Date: 09/30/14

24 Maple St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Charles J. Haunton
Seller: Denise Tessier-Brown
Date: 09/24/14

252 Monson Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Kenneth R. Knodler
Seller: Gilda M. Balboni
Date: 09/25/14

29 Pineywood Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Pamela Sergienko
Date: 09/25/14

277 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Steven C. Barnett
Seller: Richard K. Lovell
Date: 10/01/14

328 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Katelyn Bortolussi
Seller: Michael Teixeira
Date: 10/03/14

8 Surrey Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Daniele
Seller: John Kiah
Date: 09/29/14

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Matthew Stetson
Seller: Lucia, Joseph T., (Estate)
Date: 10/02/14

137 Ashley St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: John J. Ryan
Seller: Justin W. Glaze
Date: 09/30/14

69 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Tariq Rahmat
Seller: Brian McNally
Date: 09/23/14

70 Butternut Hollow Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Tracy L. Bartus
Seller: John E. Wood
Date: 09/29/14

30 Chestnut St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Michael G. Piccin
Seller: Justin D. Tisdell
Date: 09/30/14

68 Elmwood Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jeremy A. Keough
Seller: Wesley D. Shewchuk
Date: 09/30/14

33 Harbey Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Valentino
Seller: Mark D. Lussier
Date: 09/30/14

116 Herrman St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Stephen Muller
Seller: Erwin J. Luippold
Date: 09/26/14

1219 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Harry Melendez
Seller: Equity T Co.
Date: 10/01/14

1321 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Mark Ryaboklyach
Seller: Lavigne, Lionel O., (Estate)
Date: 10/03/14

263 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Ian B. Shute
Seller: William J. Ahern
Date: 09/24/14

173 River St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: MLSZ Properties LLC
Seller: Buddy Realty LLC
Date: 09/26/14

45 Rochelle St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $154,600
Buyer: Regina R. Ranstrom
Seller: Richard S. Harty
Date: 09/26/14

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

27 Country Corners Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Linda L. Fijol
Seller: Sheralyn Bechtold
Date: 09/22/14

69 Dennis Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $407,500
Buyer: Roger A. Magnus
Seller: Allan F. Hershfield
Date: 10/03/14

144 Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $425,900
Buyer: Jungwoo Lee
Seller: Joslad & Associates PC
Date: 09/30/14

199 Northampton Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Shou Hu
Seller: Sung, Young J., (Estate)
Date: 09/23/14

124 Summer St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Andrew S. Neuman
Seller: Kscbj Properties LLC
Date: 09/24/14

172 Summer St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Frank Flaherty
Seller: Pascoe, Dorothy B. C., (Estate)
Date: 09/29/14

BELCHERTOWN

478 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: William H. Allan
Seller: Frank L. Ives
Date: 09/24/14

60 Daniel Square
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $210,050
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jamie G. Vousineau
Date: 09/26/14

223 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Buyer: Laurie M. Shea
Seller: Utama Abdulwahid
Date: 10/03/14

570 North Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $120,500
Buyer: Property Edge LLC
Seller: Coyer, Alice E., (Estate)
Date: 10/01/14

7 Overlook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Senecal
Seller: C. G. Weaver
Date: 09/25/14

Rural Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Stephanie M. Tremblay
Seller: Robert E. Cote
Date: 09/25/14

CUMMINGTON

54 Lilac Ave.
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Julielyn P. Becker
Seller: John M. Stevens
Date: 10/01/14

104 Porter Hill Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Ana E. Toth
Seller: Jean B. Mazeau TR
Date: 09/26/14

EASTHAMPTON

16 Arthur St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: Segal Property Mgmt. LLC
Seller: RLRW LLC
Date: 09/25/14

36 Campbell Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Christopher B. Shattuck
Seller: Shelley M. Daughdrill
Date: 09/23/14

3 Carillon Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $197,400
Buyer: Gertrude E. Hooks
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 09/30/14

15 Center St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $242,900
Buyer: Bruce A. Andrew
Seller: Jeffrey W. Ketcham
Date: 09/26/14

28 East Green St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Dunn
Seller: Laurie A. Kline
Date: 09/30/14

5-7 Lincoln St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Cory A. Staples
Seller: Keith D. Powers
Date: 09/24/14

1 Park Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $268,800
Buyer: Robert A. Canon
Seller: Thomas E. Downie
Date: 09/26/14

11 Silver Lane
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Thomas E. Downie
Seller: Eugene S. Picard
Date: 09/26/14

33 Treehouse Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $342,500
Buyer: Phebe B. Sessions
Seller: EH Homeownership LLC
Date: 09/29/14

10 Truehart Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $272,500
Buyer: Nathan W. Adams
Seller: Tammy L. Kaleta
Date: 09/26/14

GOSHEN

12 Lilly Pond Lane
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Lucas A. McCraw
Seller: John B. Rustico
Date: 09/30/14

82 Shaw Road
Goshen, MA 01026
Amount: $259,500
Buyer: John F. Bienz
Seller: Jonathan R. Funk
Date: 09/26/14

44 West Shore Dr.
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Philip W. McArthur
Seller: Susan Fortgang
Date: 10/03/14

HADLEY

85 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Dirgha B. Gurung
Seller: William H. Allan
Date: 09/24/14

216 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Amir Mikhchi
Seller: Jennifer L. Snyder
Date: 10/01/14

HATFIELD

15 North St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Margot C. Lacey
Seller: Thomas J. Wickles
Date: 09/26/14

168 Pantry Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Walter K. Feldman
Seller: Carol S. Dryzgula
Date: 09/29/14

HUNTINGTON

62 Old Chester Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Ashley J. Spear
Seller: Jamie Desormier
Date: 09/24/14

NORTHAMPTON

69 Barrett St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Christopher Mereschuk
Seller: Patricia A. Mullady
Date: 09/26/14

69 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01039
Amount: $740,000
Buyer: 69 Bridge Street LLC
Seller: All Smiles LLC
Date: 09/22/14

307 Damon Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Isaac Chow
Seller: Kubasek, Laura S., (Estate)
Date: 09/26/14

53 East Center St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jacob N. Masenior
Seller: Susan F. O’Neill
Date: 09/30/14

22 Forest Glen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Peter L. Galvagni
Seller: Marguerite A. Hewes
Date: 10/02/14

68 Hatfield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: L. P. Audette Builders Inc.
Seller: David J. McCutcheon
Date: 10/01/14

20 Linden St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Grace A. Bianciardi
Seller: Timothy H. McNerney
Date: 09/26/14

90 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $543,605
Buyer: Karen L. O’Brock
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 09/25/14

100 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Kozuch
Seller: Bodin, Richard L., (Estate)
Date: 09/30/14

256 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Maura F. Bradford
Seller: Deacon, Joan, (Estate)
Date: 10/03/14

358 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Earl R. Illingsworth
Seller: Joel I. Schulman
Date: 10/01/14

82 Stone Ridge Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $457,000
Buyer: Randy S. Kaplan
Seller: Keith H. Davis
Date: 10/01/14

645 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kara B. Mcmahon
Seller: Annette O’Leary TR
Date: 09/26/14

946 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $177,500
Buyer: Charles W. Baranowski
Seller: Christine K. Barry
Date: 09/26/14

PLAINFIELD

9 Mountain St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: 9 Mountain Retreats RE
Seller: David A. Danielson
Date: 10/02/14

SOUTH HADLEY

502 Amherst Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Pamela J. Doyle
Seller: John N. Thibbitts
Date: 09/26/14

15 Applewood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: James R. Brady
Seller: Helene S. Grunes
Date: 10/03/14

333 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Brian S. McClaflin
Seller: Griffin, Michael A. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 10/01/14

2 Hillside Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Angela Belieu
Seller: Christine M. Germain
Date: 10/03/14

Jacobs Way #1
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Mary L. Pigott
Seller: Home Improvement Assocs.
Date: 09/24/14

11 Lois Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Cornelius J. Debeer
Seller: Paul E. Horne
Date: 09/24/14

25 McKinley Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Genti Lagji
Seller: Donna-Lou Fournier
Date: 10/01/14

33 Queen Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Caleb M. Machak
Seller: Douglas M. Bernstein
Date: 09/30/14

11 Saybrook Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,500
Buyer: Robert C. Wallace
Seller: Barbara D. Keegan
Date: 09/25/14

118 Willimansett St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Kobus
Seller: Mark D. Griswold
Date: 09/26/14

SOUTHAMPTON

3 Beccari Lane
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Suzanne McElroy
Seller: Michael A. Cosgriff
Date: 10/02/14

8 Nicholas Lane
Southampton, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: F&G Development Corp.
Seller: Chester J. Kellogg
Date: 09/25/14

30 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $387,000
Buyer: Mark Daughdrill
Seller: Philip M. Westerman
Date: 09/23/14

WARE

5 Gareau Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Russell Kularski
Seller: Catherine E. Koczur
Date: 09/25/14

19 Oakridge Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Robert P. Beaulieu
Seller: Eric A. Ellison
Date: 09/24/14

43 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Michael S. Soja
Seller: Kevin Chapman
Date: 09/29/14

6 Pleasant St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $263,456
Buyer: Flagstar Bank
Seller: John Williams
Date: 09/26/14

WESTHAMPTON

334 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $435,000
Buyer: Maren E. Buck
Seller: Jason A. Doktor
Date: 09/26/14

WILLIAMSBURG

22 High St.
Williamsburg, MA 01062
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Anna R. Lawrence
Seller: Elizabeth M. Huntley
Date: 09/23/14

31 Hyde Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Elizabeth M. Filson
Seller: Gerald D. Lashway
Date: 10/03/14

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff November 4, 2014

Company Notebook Departments

United Financial Bancorp Posts Solid Third Quarter
GLASTONBURY, Conn. — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, announced results for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2014. These results represent the first full fiscal quarter as the combined United Financial (merger of legacy Rockville Financial Inc. and legacy United Financial Bancorp Inc.) Rockville was the legal acquirer in the merger of equals with legacy United, in a transaction that closed on April 30, 2014, and Rockville changed its name to United Financial Bancorp Inc. at that time. The company had net income of $10 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to Rockville’s net income of $4.6 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2013. Operating net income for the third quarter of 2014 was $10.5 million (non-GAAP), or $0.20 per diluted share, adjusted for $4.5 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger, $3.8 million (pre-tax) net positive impact of the amortization and accretion of the purchase accounting adjustments (or fair-value adjustments) as a result of the merger, and $430,000 (pre-tax) net gains on sales of securities. Operating net income for the quarter ending June 30 was $5.8 million (non-GAAP), or $0.13 per diluted share, adjusted for $21.3 million (pre-tax) of expenses related to the merger, $4.9 million (pre-tax) net impact of the amortization and accretion of the purchase accounting adjustments (or fair-value adjustments) as a result of the merger, and $589,000 (pre-tax) net gains on sales of securities. Operating net income for the third quarter of 2013 was $4.6 million (non-GAAP), or $0.18 per diluted share, adjusted for income of $29,000 (pre-tax) from net gains on sales of securities. “I am pleased to announce that, during United Financial Bancorp, Inc.’s first full quarter as a merged entity, the company reported strong organic earning asset growth, highlighted by 10% annualized commercial loan growth and record residential mortgage loan production, while maintaining superior asset quality,” stated William Crawford IV, CEO of United Financial Bancorp Inc. and United Bank. “While this is a difficult operating environment for banks, the company will continue its strategy of organic growth and commitment to enhancement of long-term shareholder value through operational and capital efficiency.” Other financial highlights:
• Third-quarter net income of $10.0 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, and operating net income of $10.5 million, or $0.20 per diluted share;
• A 12% increase in operating revenue, compared to linked quarter;
• A 22% increase in operating expense, compared to linked quarter;
• A 3.56% GAAP tax-equivalent net-interest margin, compared to 3.86% in the linked quarter. On an operating basis, the third-quarter tax-equivalent net-interest margin was 3.23%, compared to 3.34% in the linked quarter; and
• Operating non-interest expense/average assets decreased to 2.32% from 2.38% in the linked quarter.

Freedom Launches ATMs in Rite Aid Pharmacies in Western Mass.
SPRINGFIELD — Freedom Credit Union and Welch ATM announced that Freedom Credit Union-branded ATMs are now available in Rite Aid pharmacies in Agawam, Chicopee, Easthampton, Holyoke, Lee, Monson, Pittsfield, Southwick, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield. Freedom will also provide its members with surcharge-free access to all 224 Rite Aid pharmacy locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In addition to custom branding, Welch ATM is providing new, fully compliant ATM machines and complete management. “We are excited to provide Freedom Credit Union with ATM branding at Rite Aids in Massachusetts,” said Adam Hobelmann, senior vice president at Welch ATM. “Our company strives to provide customer satisfaction, and we look forward to offering easy cash access and consistent ATM service to Freedom Credit Union’s members.” Over the past 11 years, Freedom Credit Union has grown from one branch to 10. The newest branch opened in September in the Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy on State Street in Springfield.

Florence Bank Sets Grand Opening at Hadley Branch
HADLEY — Florence Bank, a mutually owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nine branch locations, will celebrate the official opening of its new Hadley location at 377 Russell St. on Nov. 8 between 10 a.m. and noon. The public is invited to help celebrate the important milestone by joining officials from the bank for a grand-opening ceremony that includes a ribbon cutting, a weathervane dedication in memory of John Devine, refreshments, and entertainment. The opening of this branch culminates a construction project that began in the spring. The bank’s new home is only a few doors down from where it has been serving the town for nearly 20 years. “The bank owns the real estate at its new location, whereas we rented our previous space at 335 Russell St. It made sense for us to own the space and have control over renovations and upgrades as needed,” said John Heaps, Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank. “Plus, this is a truly state-of-the-art facility that we believe will be very well-received and appreciated by our customers and friends.” Amenities and features of the new, 3,150-square-foot branch include direct access from Route 9; a full-service teller line with state-of-the-art technology for quick cash handling; walk-up and drive-up ATMs with smart technology for easy depositing; three drive-up lanes, including a drive-up ATM; expanded private offices and a private conference room; an energy-efficient building to minimize the carbon footprint; and a comfortable waiting area with a coffee bar and free wi-fi. Wright Builders Inc. and HAI Architecture worked on the design and construction of the new building in close cooperation with officials from the bank. Toby Daniels, vice president and branch manager of the Hadley branch, will continue in that role in the new location.

Paragus Ranks Among ICIC and Fortune’s Inner City 100 Winners
SPRINGFIELD — The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and Fortune announced that Paragus Strategic IT was selected for the 2014 Inner City 100, a list of the fastest-growing inner-city businesses in the U.S. This year, for the first time in the list’s 16-year history, the Inner City 100 consists of 10 fast-growing businesses from 10 industry categories: construction, manufacturing, professional services, food and beverage, retail, media and communications, software and information technology, transportation and logistics, healthcare and biotechnology, and arts, entertainment, and recreation. Applicants ranked according to revenue growth against their industry peers, as well as overall. Paragus Strategic IT ranked sixth in the software and information-technology category, and 35th overall on the list of 100. The Inner City 100 program recognizes successful inner-city businesses and their CEOs as role models for entrepreneurship, innovative business practices, and job creation in America’s urban communities. Paragus Strategic IT, an outsourced IT-solutions business and a nonprofit that trains high-school students in IT, reported 2013 revenues of $3.54 million and a gross growth rate of 328% from 2009 to 2013. The full list of winners can be viewed at fortune.com. Preceding the Oct. 16 awards celebration, winners attended a two-day small-business symposium designed exclusively for urban firms. The 2014 Inner City 100 winners represent a wide span of geography, hailing from 53 cities and 23 states. The winners grew at an average compound annual growth rate of 39% and an average gross growth rate of 336% between 2009 and 2013. Collectively, the top 100 inner-city businesses employ 8,276 people and created 5,119 new jobs between 2009 and 2013. Not only are the winners powerful job creators in their communities, they also help develop their employees — 73% provide business-skills training, and 69% provide professional-development training to all full-time employees.

Baystate Partners with VertitechIT on IT Infrastructure Project
SPRINGFIELD — Looking to maintain its role as one of the largest and most technically advanced health systems in New England, Baystate Health has launched a new IT infrastructure-redevelopment effort to be managed by Holyoke-based VertitechIT. Baystate Vice President and Chief Information Officer Joel Vengco announced the initiative, which includes updates to critical IT technologies and migration to a new, advanced data center. “Our doctors, nurses, and clinicians need access to critical records at all times, in all of our facilities, and on multiple platforms,” said Vengco. “This initiative, including our data-center move to a new facility in downtown Springfield, will allow our more than 10,000 employees to better serve more than a million patients every year and fully utilize the technology that has made us a keystone of the Western Mass. community.” Vengco has called on VertitechIT, one of the fastest growing healthcare-technology consultancies in the country, to manage the project. “Baystate is among the most respected institutions of its kind in the nation,” added VertitechIT CEO and founder Michael Feld. “It’s our job to make sure they have the infrastructure to continue to provide seamless care between the academic medical center, two community hospitals, and numerous outpatient and primary-care facilities. And from a purely selfish standpoint, it’s nice to have such a prestigious client in our own backyard.” VertitechIT formally opened its new national headquarters at Open Square on Oct. 17.

Executech Sold to Dan Serrenho and Partners
AGAWAM — Executech, one of the area’s leading providers of office supplies and equipment, recently announced the sale of its business to Vice President of Sales Dan Serrenho. Serrenho and employees Hilary Leclair, William Walsh, and Greg Nivison jumped at the chance to acquire the business from owner David Centracchio when Centracchio decided to sell. According to Serrenho, “our goal is to let the community know that we are here to continue providing excellent service to our customers. The transition will be transparent in terms of service.” Added Kathleen Anderson, president of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce, “we congratulate Mr. Serrenho and all the Executech employee owners on their new roles as small-business owners. Small businesses are the backbone of the community’s economy, and the Holyoke chamber is fully committed to supporting our local businesses.” Executech, located at 53 Ramah Circle South in Agawam, offers a full range of sales, leasing, and service of office supplies and business machines and equipment. “We’ve learned that local ownership is key to meeting the needs of the business of our community,” said Serrenho.

Berkshire Community College Receives 2014 Trendsetter Award
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) has received the 2014 Trendsetter Award for Growing and Advancing the Berkshire Economy by 1Berkshire, an independent not-for-profit corporation charged with strengthening and growing the economy in Berkshire County. The award, which was presented last month at 1Berkshire’s Celebrate the Berkshires event, is presented annually to an individual or organization with “a project that attracts new residents or new jobs or enhances the current workforce attributes for a single employer, targeted employee segment, or the region as a whole.” BCC was recognized for its unique collaborative partnership with the vocational schools in the Berkshires, in particular Taconic High School. The partnership between BCC and Taconic to produce the new advanced-manufacturing employee program was launched in October 2013 with the unveiling of a new, state-of-the-art lab. The lab is housed at Taconic and provides both BCC and Taconic students with the advanced technical skills that are needed in the new high-tech manufacturing workplace. BCC’s investment, along with matching funds from the state’s 2013 Vocational Equipment Grant Program, yield a $250,000 capital infusion into the new manufacturing lab. The lab includes a learning system consisting of two programmable computer numerical control (CNC) machines with a material-handling robot, hardware, simulation software, and other cutting-edge CNC equipment. This learning system was provided by funds from the Massachusetts Community Colleges & Workforce Development Transformation Agenda (MCCWDTA), a statewide Department of Labor grant. The kickoff event celebrated new manufacturing and BCC’s participation in MassDevelopment’s AMP (Advanced Manufacturing Program) it up! initiative. In addition to the investment into the manufacturing lab, BCC utilized funding from MCCWDTA and AMP it up! to promote manufacturing as a livelihood through the use of billboards and other advertising displayed throughout the county celebrating October as ‘manufacturing month.’ Presentations were also made to targeted audiences to promote advanced manufacturing as a career. BCC then offered its new advanced-manufacturing training certification program in partnership with Taconic High School to a pilot group of unemployed and incumbent workers at no cost. This 10-week, 66-hour, Level 1 program launched a statewide certified curriculum and employer-led training initiative developed by the Mass. Extension Partnership (MASSMEP) called MACWIC, (Mass. Advancement Center, Workforce Innovation Collaborative.) Following the Level 1 program, a 16-week, 115-hour, Level 2 program was established to build upon the Level 1 programming and meet the needs of the paper and plastic manufacturing companies in the Berkshires. The overall mission of the program is to preserve manufacturing knowledge and to execute the transfer of knowledge, all while meeting the needs of local employers. In addition to the programming at Taconic High School, BCC also assisted with a special manufacturing program offered at McCann Vocational Technical High School in North Adams.

Mullins Center Hosts Toy Drive to Benefit Less-fortunate Children

By BusinessWest Staff November 3, 2014

Daily News

AMHERST — The Mullins Center and Global Spectrum Charities have partnered with Toys for Tots to host the Holidaze Toy Drive, starting today and running through Saturday, Nov. 29. The goal of the drive is to collect new toys for less-fortunate children during the holidays.

Gearing up for the “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” performance at the Mullins Center on Thursday, Dec. 11, the venue is hosting this toy drive to tie into the performance. Members of the public are urged to drop items off at the Mullins Center box office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Everyone who donates a toy will receive $5 off their ticket to see “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” on Dec. 11.

Berkshire Community College Names Richard Felver Library Director

By BusinessWest Staff November 3, 2014

Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) has named Richard Felver director of the Jonathan Edwards Library. In his new role, Felver will provide leadership and direct, organize, and oversee all areas of library operation.

“We are pleased to have Richard join BCC,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Frances Feinerman. “His creativity, adaptability, and technology know-how will benefit the institution as we embrace continuing change in our facilities and technology, but also student needs and our desire to transform the library into a place that goes well beyond serving as a place to only access information.”

Felver joins BCC from Dartmouth College, where he served as a reference librarian for the Tuck School of Business and the Thayer School of Engineering. Prior to that, he worked as a distance-, adult-, and online-education librarian with Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. He holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the University of Windsor in Ontario, a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and an MBA from Southeastern University.

Holding Up the Fort

By BusinessWest Staff November 3, 2014

Cover Story

New Owners Change the Face of a Landmark

Andy Yee, left, and Peter Picknelly, two of the partners resurrecting the Student Prince.

Andy Yee remembers hearing his phone ring, recognizing the number as Peter Picknelly’s … and then grabbing a chair.

That’s because he had a pretty good idea why the chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines was calling, and therefore he also knew that this was unlikely to be a short conversation.

He was right.

By the time it was over, the two business executives and serial entrepreneurs hadn’t actually finalized a deal to become partners in a plan to reopen and revitalize the Student Prince restaurant (a/k/a the Fort) in downtown Springfield, whose owners, the Scherff family, had announced their intention to close and hopefully sell the establishment. But they were well on their way.

It would take only a few more meetings to seal a deal that would eventually involve some other players as well, said Yee, a principal with the Bean Group, which operates three establishments in the area, most notably the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee. And this was because all those involved recognized the importance — to them personally, but also to the region — of bringing back a restaurant that they described not with that noun, but instead with a host of others, including landmark, institution, icon, and ‘home.’

“The Fort is just a part of Springfield’s DNA,” said Picknelly, finding yet another phrase to describe the property at 8 Fort St. “I’ve been going there since I could walk, and now I bring my kids, and I want them to be able to continue going there.”

He now owns 50% of the business, with the other half split between Yee and Kevin and Michael Vann, the father-and-son principals of the business consulting group the Vann Group, who became involved early on in the process of sizing up if and how the Fort’s fortunes could be reversed — and by whom.

In interviews with the media just after it was announced that he would lead a team to acquire the Student Prince and reopen it, Picknelly used the word “tweak” early and often to describe what needed to be done with regard to everything from the décor to the menu.

But as Yee and Picknelly looked more closely at matters, they decided that tweaking wasn’t going to be nearly enough.

The partners are planning a major overhaul, but one they insist will not change the character of the establishment, but merely make it more appealing to a wider and deeper audience, especially the younger generations.

“We’re enhancing the charm of the Fort,” he said, adding that the beer-stein collection will remain — and be expanded — while other qualities of the landmark, such as the carolers during the holiday season, will be preserved. “Our design team says we’re bringing back old Germany, we’re bringing back old Boston, we’re bringing back old New York. The wonderful work that that the Scherff family did for eight decades will only be enhanced and improved upon.”

An artist’s rendering of the layout of the bar area at the new Student Prince.

The partners are putting in a new kitchen, tearing down the wall between the two bars that existed previously and installing a new one, and putting in new furniture, among other steps. But mostly, they say they’re opening things up and “connecting people” in ways the old configuration couldn’t.

As they discussed what’s happened since they got started with the project in late summer, both Yee and Picknelly said it’s been a labor of love for them, one that has revealed to all those involved just how revered the Student Prince was and how no one wanted to see talk of it restricted to the past tense.

They told BusinessWest that constituencies ranging from Springfield city officials to beer distributors to individuals they passed in the aisle at the supermarket have praised their efforts and said, in essence, ‘what can we do to help?’

“I was at an event recently, and I got surrounded by people saying, ‘thank you for saving the Student Prince,’” said Yee. “It’s been great hearing those kinds of comments — the message of us saving this brand is huge, not just in Hampden County, but Hampshire County as well.”

Picknelly agreed. “There’s an enormous sense of pride in bringing this iconic restaurant back. As I told my wife, it’s the right thing to do.”

For this issue and its focus on entrepreneurship, BusinessWest talked with those involved with revitalizing the Student Prince about their efforts and the passion that drives them.

Art of the Deal

As he searched for ways to explain the importance of the Student Prince to his family — and the region as a whole, for that matter — Picknelly decided that he could best tackle that assignment by recalling a question — and especially the answer to it — that he put to his father, Peter L. Picknelly, on his 70th birthday, just a few years before he passed away.

“I asked him, ‘what are some of the most memorable things in your life?’” he recalled. “And one of the first things he mentioned was getting off the train after the Korean War and walking down Main Street toward the bus terminal, which was on Bridge Street back then. He came up to Fort Street, looked down, and saw Ruppert [Rupprecht Scherff] standing there. And he said, ‘I knew I was home.’

“I don’t know why he took the train instead of the bus,” he went on with a laugh, adding that he still gets emotional when he tells that story, which he has often over the past five months, since Scherff’s son, Rudy, told him his family — including his brother, Peter, and sister, Barbara Meunier — were looking to sell and asked whether he knew someone who might be interested in taking over.

Scherff made similar calls to others who had been friends and long-time customers, including Steven Roberts — president and CEO of F.L. Roberts and, like all the others involved in this project, a long-time patron of the Fort — who would help set in motion a chain of events that would bring a new ownership team together.

“I always saw the Fort as a symbol of Springfield,” said Roberts, who recalls going to restaurant shows with both Rudy Scherff and his father, Ruppert. “There were businesspeople that I had relationships with who came to Springfield once a year at least, to go the Fort restaurant — they loved it.

“I saw the possible disappearance of the Fort as an arrow in the heart of Springfield and its sex appeal, and I could not imagine that happening,” he went on. “I had to do something to help Rudy out of his dilemma.”

Roberts said his primary contribution was suggesting people that Scherff might turn to for assistance, and one of the first names he gave him was Kevin Vann, a consultant to many in the restaurant sector who described himself as a “first responder” in this rescue effort.

“Steve knows us and knows our history with hospitality and restaurants as far as consulting and business advice, and asked if I would take a peek under the hood,” Vann told BusinessWest, adding that he talked at length with Scherff about the situation at the Fort and gained a full appreciation of the financial situation.

Vann didn’t get into any specifics or provide any numbers, but summed things up this way: “Rudy sensed it was time for the Fort to get some help.”

So Vann and others set about getting him some.

With Picknelly ready to step in, the search commenced for a restaurant-sector veteran with whom he could partner to orchestrate the turnaround effort. One of Vann’s first calls was to the Yee family to gauge its interest in expanding its hospitality-sector influence into downtown Springfield.

“The Vanns had been counsel to the Yee family for many, many years,” he noted. “We looked around and wondered who we could bring in that knows how to operate restaurants, plural, successfully, and I thought of them immediately. Before you know it, we were all sitting at the table; it was kind of meant to be.”

Andy Yee stands in the new kitchen at the Fort, one of many steps taken to revitalize the Springfield landmark.

The Yee family brought more than a half-century of restaurant experience to that table. It was Andy’s father, Johnny, who started the Hu Ke Lau on Memorial Drive in Chicopee in 1965. He would eventually go on to operate several restaurants around the country before selling them off one by one.

Andy Yee and his siblings, Anita, Edison, and Nick, as well as several of their children, now operate three establishments — the Hu Ke Lau, Johnny’s Tavern in Amherst, and Johnny’s Bar & Grill in South Hadley (the latter two named after Johnny Yee, who passed away in 2003).

In all three establishments, the family has learned how to cater to the needs of various audiences, including the younger generations, said Yee, adding that this is a skill set that will be needed at the Fort.

Landmark Decisions

When asked about what he thought happened to the Fort over the past several years, Picknelly chose his words carefully, not wanting to be critical of the family that kept the landmark open all those years.

He said, in essence, that the establishment had not kept up with the times and was not doing all it could to appeal to younger audiences. “They were not as agile as they needed to be,” he explained.

Bringing much more agility — and responsiveness to the wants and needs of younger constituencies — is the unofficial mission for the new leadership team, and Picknelly and Yee said they will carry out that assignment in a number of ways.

Indeed, as they talked about their plans moving forward and a slated reopening on the night before Thanksgiving, Picknelly and Yee noted that there is considerable work to be done at the Student Prince — starting with replacing the hundreds of items that grew legs between the time Rudy Scherff announced his intention to shutter the restaurant and when the doors actually closed.

“People took beer mugs, they took silverware, they took plates — at least a third of their plates are gone; people were putting them in their pocketbooks,” said Picknelly, referring to long-time patrons who wanted to bring a piece (or several pieces) of the Fort home with them when they left for what some felt might be the last time. “They were coming out with plastic utensils toward the end because they had no silverware left.”

Turning serious, the two said the task they’ve undertaken is to maintain the restaurant’s character, or “what made the Fort the Fort,” said Yee, while also modernizing it, creating that aforementioned connectivity, and making the landmark a preferred venue for the younger generations who have not supported it to the extent their parents and grandparents did.

Inside, the partners are giving the Fort a new, more open, more contemporary look, while still maintaining the old-world charm that patrons coveted.

Steps include a new kitchen, the revamped bar area, improved traffic flow for patrons and staff alike, new woodwork and chandeliers, and a much larger ladies room, something Picknelly mentioned as a real priority.

Meanwhile, there will be some changes to the menu as well.

“German food is very heavy,” said Yee, adding that many people, especially the younger generations, prefer lighter fare, and the new Fort will respond accordingly.

The key to long-term success — the partners, and most observers, are expecting a very strong start and holiday season — is getting the younger professionals to make the Fort one of their destinations, said Yee.

“We want to make sure that young professionals are frequent fliers at the Student Prince,” he told BusinessWest. “This has always been a venue for conducting business — personally, I’ve made a number of deals at those tables — and now we want this to be a place where these emerging young professionals can do business.

“We want them to come and see for themselves, and we’re going to be accommodating to their palates,” he went on. “They have certain likes that we’re attuned to and that we’ll provide.”

Fare Game

As they relayed memories of visits to the Fort decades ago, both Yee and Picknelly recalled the restaurant’s legendary glassware known as a boot — because that’s what it was shaped like.

A boot held nearly 30 ounces of beer, said Yee, adding that is now illegal to dispense brew in such quantities.

However, the partners say they will likely introduce a smaller, street-legal version of the glass, something that will honor the traditions and the charm of the landmark, but also work in this different era.

In a way, that’s what’s happening with every aspect of this turnaround effort, from the design of the bar to the items on the menu.

If it all meshes as Yee, Picknelly, and the other partners believe, then this critical part of Springfield’s DNA will have a chance to write much more history and create many more memories.

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

Hampden County Physician Associates Shutters All Offices

By BusinessWest Staff November 3, 2014

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — As part of its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, Hampden County Physician Associates (HCPA) closed down its offices Friday and cancelled all appointments. The next step in the network’s request to move from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation and cease operations is a hearing this morning at the U.S. District Courthouse in Springfield. The move could leave 50,000 patients without healthcare.

Hampden County Physician Associates filed for bankruptcy protection on Sept. 29, citing physician departures and declining revenues. Court documents say the organization has $3.3 million in assets and $5.4 million in liabilities, while gross income at its 16 practice locations has fallen from $39 million in 2013 to $25 million so far in 2014.

The liquidation procedure could allow Noble Hospital in Westfield and the Sisters of Providence Health System to take over many HCPA operations. Currently, Noble Hospital plans to hire seven primary-care doctors and about 20 support staff from HCPA, taking on 18,000 to 20,000 patients and doubling the size of Noble’s primary-care practice. Meanwhile, five former HCPA allergists have created their own group practice, called Allergy and Immunology Associates of New England.

Citizens Bank Cited by Money Magazine for Customer Convenience

By BusinessWest Staff November 3, 2014

Daily News

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — For the second year in a row, Money magazine has selected Citizens Bank for its 2014 list of “the Best Banks in America.” Citizens Bank was recognized in the November issue for its level of customer convenience available through its customer-contact center, access to banking specialists via instant messaging, and its “robust physical presence,” with approximately 1,200 locations and approximately 3,200 ATMs.

“We are proud to once again be recognized by Money magazine as one of the best banks in America,” said Brad Conner, vice chairman of Consumer Banking for Citizens Bank. “Our customers choose to bank with us because of how easy it is to access their accounts when and how they want, through local branches, ATMs, and online and mobile banking.”

Citizens’ extended hours, which include seven-days-a-week supermarket branches, also were noted by Money. Citizens has invested significantly in delivering convenience for customers through recent enhancements to its mobile-banking apps. Mobile deposit offers customers the ability to deposit checks quickly by using the mobile device’s video camera, eliminating the need to tap a button and making check deposits quick and simple. The industry-leading ‘Fast Balance’ feature allows busy, on-the-go customers to view account balances without needing to log into their mobile-banking app account.

These features join other recent enhancements, including one-deposit checking, where just one deposit of any amount each statement period waives the monthly maintenance fee. In addition, the bank’s ATMs enable customers to make deposits as late as 10 p.m. local time on a business day and still have the deposits post the same day.