Day: April 21, 2015

The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) announced that Anne Paradis, Chief Executive Officer for MicroTek Inc. in Chicopee, has been named the PWC 2015 Woman of the Year. The award, given annually since 1954, is presented to a woman in the Western Mass. area who exemplifies outstanding leadership, professional accomplishment, and service to the community. A celebration in Paradis’s honor will be held on May 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern in West Springfield. “We are thrilled with this year’s honoree — a truly inspiring and accomplished woman like Anne Paradis,” said Janet Casey, PWC board president. “She is a domestic trailblazer among women in the high-tech industry, and the opportunity that she has provided to people with disabilities speaks so deeply to her sense of compassion. Her achievements are spectacular and her generosity admirable.” Microtek was founded in 1983 with the mission of integrating individuals with disabilities into the workforce. The company provides custom cable and wire configurations, control panels, and enclosures for customers in the medical equipment, scientific test and instrumentation, life sciences, industrial, and retail industries. Paradis was tapped to lead the organization in 1987. Under her guidance, the company has grown an average of 15% each year, expanded its product lines and client base, and created more than 80 jobs. As well, Paradis has led the organization through construction of a new 22,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, obtained industry certifications as well as ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003 registrations, and has been awarded the Massachusetts quality-of-service certification with distinction for employment services every year since 1996. Prior to joining MicroTek, Paradis served as a management and training consultant, served as the marketing director and employment design specialist for New England Business Associates, and spent nearly 10 years in the mental-health field. She is a member of the Baystate Health board of trustees and vice chair of its audit committee, past president of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts board of directors, corporator of the Wentworth Institute of Technology, and former president of the National Assoc. of Supported Work Organizations board of directors. She also served on the reference services advisory board for UMass and the electronic advisory committee for Chicopee Comprehensive High School. She is also active in the Social Enterprise Alliance, the Wire Harness Manufacturer’s Assoc., the Women Presidents’ Organization, and the Human Right Campaign, and in 2009 was named to the 21st Century Women Business Leaders Hall of Fame at Bay Path University. Tickets for the May 19 celebration, sponsored by BusinessWest, are $55. To register, visit www.myonlinechamber.com or e-mail [email protected].
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Paul Kleschick has joined American International College (AIC) as its new Registrar. Kleschick recently performed consulting work for a variety of colleges and universities. Prior to working as a consultant, he was registrar at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He previously served as the associate registrar at Georgetown University and Temple University. Kleschick graduated from Cabrini College in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He earned his master’s degree from Temple University and his MBA from Philadelphia University.
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The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield announced that Eastfield Mall and Auburn Crossing General Manager Melinda Graulau has been chosen as its 2015 recipient of the Leadership Community Service Award. The award will be presented at the Leadership 2015 graduation ceremonies on April 16 at the Springfield Sheraton. Leadership 2015 is a unique collaboration between the ACCGS and Western New England University (WNEU) to teach middle- and upper-level managers the crucial thinking and problem-solving skills needed to prepare participants to be effective leaders in service to the community and their workplaces. Since 1990, the award has been presented annually to a citizen or organization that exemplifies the program’s values of leadership in the workplace and in the world and a commitment to community service. A 2012 graduate of the program, Graulau moved to Western Mass. in 2009 to take on the role of general manager at the two shopping malls for Mountain Development Corp. She leads a team of 40 and is responsible for temporary and permanent leasing, expense control, personnel development, contract negotiations, and community relations.
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J. Polep announced the promotion of Adam Kramer to vice president of Purchasing and Food Service. Kramer has been with J. Polep since 2006, most recently as director of Food Service. Over the past nine years, he has also been a field sales representative, district manager, and president of Grote & Weigel (a division of J. Polep).
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Country Bank’s annual meeting was held at the Worcester Art Museum last month. The evening’s agenda included the election of trustees, corporators, and officers, as well as a report of 2014 highlights and financials. The 10 new incorporators are: Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, Sheila Cuddy, Brian D’Andrea, Robert Dik, Mary Falardeau, Janice Kucewicz, Lauren Miller, Timothy Murray, James Paugh III, and Richard Poissant.
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The Westfield-based engineering firm Tighe & Bond announced the following:
• The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) named Christina Jones, a project engineer in the company’s Westfield office, the recipient of the 2014 ACEC/MA Young Professional of the Year Award. The recognition took place during ACEC/MA’s Engineering Excellence and Awards Gala on March 18 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. Each year, this competitive award recognizes the accomplishments of one engineer, 30 years old or younger, based on their work and its societal impact. Jones, who is a licensed engineer in Massachusetts, was recognized for achieving significant successes within just five years of launching her civil- and environmental-engineering career. For the city of Chicopee, she provided construction administration and observation, research, and analysis for the first paving project in Massachusetts to implement cutting-edge intelligent-compaction technology. The result was a more streamlined, cost-efficient paving process, and better-quality pavement that is slated to have a longer life. Jones is also developing an integrated management plan for Chicopee, which will include working with regulators to advance green infrastructure as an alternative approach to separating combined sewer overflows. In addition, she is developing a unidirectional flushing plan for cleaning water-distribution pipes that will improve water quality and pressure throughout Chicopee. For two of Connecticut’s major water suppliers, Jones has developed hydraulic models of critical water reservoirs to assess the impact of new fish-habitat-friendly stream-flow regulations on reservoir management. This research enabled her to assist with reservoir-management decisions. Jones earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and environmental engineering, as well as her master’s degree in environmental engineering, from UMass Amherst. Her professional affiliations include the American Water Works Assoc., the New England Water Works Assoc. (where she is a programs committee member), and Engineers without Borders. She also previously served as a student activities committee member for the New England Water Environment Assoc; and
• Michael Toto has been hired to manage the company’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) team. A senior electrical engineer with more than 21 years of experience, Toto has managed a wide range of commercial, industrial, and institutional engineering projects. He has provided engineering services to numerous well-known industry giants and prominent institutions. His expertise includes the study, design, permitting, construction management, construction administration, and startup of numerous building and infrastructure facilities. His portfolio of projects includes all phases of engineering for electrical infrastructure. As a project manager, he has led many project teams during various phases of projects simultaneously, and has been the leader on several jobs with multiple owners during his professional experience. Toto earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical power engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His professional affiliations include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power Engineering Society, the National Fire Protection Assoc., the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the Assoc. of Energy Engineers.
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The regional law firm Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Attorney Kenneth Albano was recently appointed to the board of directors of the New England Chapter of the March of Dimes. Albano is also currently serving a second term as board chair of Massachusetts’ Western Division Chapter. The March of Dimes is a national organization whose primary mission is to reduce birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Upon learning of his appointment to the New England Board, Albano noted that “I am very pleased to continue my service to the important mission of the March of Dimes. The good work of the March of Dimes improves the health of Massachusetts babies and provides support to their families.” Albano is a senior partner with Bacon Wilson and a member of the firm’s corporate, commercial, and municipal practice groups. Bacon Wilson is one of the largest firms in Western Mass., with a total of 40 lawyers and approximately 60 paralegals, assistants, and support staff.
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Beloved Earth, the Pioneer Valley’s first ‘green’ cleaning company, hired Andrew Sbrega of Chicopee as its first residential services manager for Hampden County. Over the past four years, Sbrega worked for Tropical Smoothies in Holyoke and oversaw a team of employees while keeping the shop space clean and building customer relations. Beloved Earth owner Terra Missildine said Sbrega’s leadership experience will positively influence his work as a services manager. As a residential services manager, Sbrega will oversee a cleaning team designated to the Springfield area. Since beginning the position in January, Sbrega has gained residential and office clients in West Springfield and Longmeadow. He and Missildine are currently in the process of hiring Sbrega’s team. Beloved Earth’s current teams focus on clients in Hampshire County and book an average of 250 hours of cleaning per week. Missildine wants to expand into Hampden County, and she sees Sbrega as an ideal leader to begin that outreach. “Andrew is committed to green living. He really walks the walk,” she said.
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The Dowd Insurance Agencies announced that Nadine West has joined the organization as a commercial-lines account manager. “We are very excited to have Nadine join our team of insurance professionals,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies. “She has a great deal of industry experience and brings a lot of enthusiasm for customer service.” West has been specializing in property and casualty insurance since 1998. She is a licensed property and casualty producer and holds the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation. Prior to joining Dowd, West was employed by Borawski Insurance of Northampton. As a commercial-lines account manager, West will manage a roster of insurance clients at Dowd’s Holyoke office and support producers with business-development initiatives. She has a strong focus on customer service and is dedicated to continuing education opportunities as the industry advances. “I consistently challenge myself to stay on top of industry trends and learn all I can about my competitors and carriers to strengthen my industry relationships,” said West. “I have extensive training in sales, management, and customer service, and I look forward to applying these skills for the benefit of our customers at the Dowd Insurance Agencies.”
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Molding Business Services (MBS) announced it has taken on a new partner, Jonathan Soucy of Plymouth. He joins forces with partners Terry Minnick, Joel Minnick, and Andrew Munson, and will help bolster the firm’s M&A advisory and recruiting efforts. Soucy has more than 25 years of experience in precision injection molding and manufacturing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering UMass Lowell and an MBA from Suffolk University. For the past six years, Soucy served as the CEO of Plainfield Precision, a multi-national manufacturer of injection-molded components, metal stampings, and complex assemblies. During his tenure with Plainfield, he led a corporate-wide turnaround, developed and executed a strategic plan to build value, and successfully sold the various Plainfield companies to maximize shareholder return. Soucy’s move to MBS coincides with a Jan. 30 transaction that saw Plainfield Precision sell its final production facility — a precision automotive injection molder in San Luis Potosi, Mexico — to the U.S. subsidiaries of Nissha Printing Co. Ltd. Based in Japan, Nissha is a global manufacturer of printed films and owns Eimo Technologies, a Michigan-based manufacturer of decorative, injection-molded components. MBS advised Plainfield in the transaction. Soucy also spent nearly two decades with a Plainfield predecessor company called Pixley Richards. Pixley was a custom plastic-injection-molding company specializing in tight-tolerance parts. During his tenure there, Soucy held various roles in engineering and operations management until eventually leading a management buyout of the company and assuming the role of owner and CEO.
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The Springfield Falcons announced that Corey Cowick has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to the Springfield community during the 2014-15 season. The Falcons’ left winger has gone above and beyond with his efforts to give back to the community. He constantly takes part in appearances and volunteer opportunities, meeting fans and doing his part to help improve the local area. The Falcons have a strong dedication to bettering quality of life in the Springfield community by promoting awareness of education, exercise, and health along with donating time and resources. Cowick has been at the forefront of these initiatives, making countless appearances in schools, libraries, and community centers. He became the main speaker for the Falcons’ Stick to Reading program presented by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the Teamwork program presented by TD Bank, and the Play It Forward program. Cowick has spoken to numerous students and young fans around the Greater Springfield area about the importance of literacy, ways to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle, and the qualities of leadership and anti-bullying. Cowick also frequented Friends of the Homeless and served meals to clients along with personally donating winter and toiletry items during the holidays. He visited patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children and donated his time to answer phones at the 14th Annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital. He also participated in the sale of team-signed ornaments and green mystery pucks with proceeds donated to Toys for Tots and Baystate Children’s Hospital, respectively. Additionally, Cowick visited the Pioneer Valley PSO, where he visited with military families and spent a great deal of time conversing and getting to know each family. Cowick is now one of 30 finalists for the American Hockey League’s 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the AHL later this month.
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Florence Bank announced that Stephen Bourgeois Jr. of Amherst has been named to the President’s Club for 2015. The President’s Club affords employees opportunities to nominate their peers for the honor, which recognizes superior performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank. Bourgeois was nominated by numerous colleagues at Florence Bank. He is a senior teller and customer-service representative at the bank’s King Street office, and joined the bank in 2012. John Heaps Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank, said, “we received so many comments about Stephen — everything from ‘he is the first to volunteer to take on projects or help in any way’ to ‘he maintains the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness with our customers.’ His commendable work ethic and genuine desire to contribute make Stephen an outstanding member of the President’s Club.”
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Praised for her leadership and for using her skills in geriatrics and palliative care to help Spanish-speaking and other immigrant populations in Springfield, Dr. Laura Iglesias Lino has been named a recipient of the 2015 Hastings Center Cunniff-Dixon Physician Award. Iglesias Lino, medical director for Geriatrics and Palliative Care at Baystate Brightwood Health Center/Centro de Salud and associate medical director for Hospice at Baystate Medical Center, is one of five physicians nationwide recognized with the award. The awards program honors leaders who advance palliative care in underserved areas and forge ties with various medical specialists to help people with cancer. “This cohort of physicians demonstrates that compassion, competency, and a healing presence are cherished by patients and their families and admired and respected by their colleagues,” said Dr. Richard Payne, chairman of the selection committee and the Esther Colliflower Professor of Medicine and Divinity at Duke University and the John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics at the Center for Practical Bioethics. “The awards will make a difference for their careers, and will assist them in building palliative-care programs in their communities.” Each of the five recipients was noted as being exemplary in one or more of four areas: medical practice, teaching, research, and community. Awards were made in three categories: senior, mid-career, and early-career. Recognized in the early-career category, Iglesias Lino will receive $15,000 to further her work in palliative care in Springfield. “Although I was her teacher and am decades older, I hope to match her dedication to patients one day,” said Dr. Maura Brennan, chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Palliative Care & Post-acute Medicine at Baystate Medical Center, and hospice medical director for the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. & Hospice. “Dr. Iglesias Lino has an unassuming, gentle nature and is more likely to design programs for patents in need than write scholarly articles for publication. She has a beautiful soul and is precisely the type of physician our aging society needs. Dr. Iglesias Lino combines the best parts of a geriatrician and a palliative-care physician and is eminently worthy of this prestigious award.” Iglesias Lino received her medical degree from the Universidad Nacional San Agustin de Arequipa in Peru. She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital/Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, followed by a geriatrics fellowship at Baystate Medical Center. She is board-certified in both geriatrics and palliative care. While at Baystate Brightwood Health Center, Iglesias Lino has developed a team-based program to ease caregiver stress and provide quality of life for patients with advanced dementias. Her knowledge and diagnostic abilities put her in high demand as a physician and consultant. Her teaching and caregiving skills have generated culture change in a clinic with little previous experience in geriatric or palliative care. The Cunniff-Dixon Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the doctor-patient relationship near the end of life, funds the awards. The Hastings Center, a bioethics research institute that has done groundbreaking work on end-of-life decision-making, co-sponsors the awards. Duke University Divinity School’s Program in Medicine, Theology, and Culture oversees the selection process.