SPRINGFIELD — The REALTOR Assoc. of Pioneer Valley has launched a new web site, www.rapv.com, that allows the public to search for properties for sale in the Pioneer Valley, and also search for REALTORs, real-estate attorneys, and mortgage lenders. In addition, an entire section is devoted to consumer resources.
Month: April 2015
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank has announced that Gerard Nowlan of Boxford won its Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes. Nowlan and his wife, Linda, were awarded the grand prize of $12,000 — to assist with their mortgage for a year — by Mike Daly, Berkshire’s president and CEO, on April 4 during a NESN hockey-game broadcast. More than 3,000 consumers entered the sweepstakes.
At the beginning of the hockey season, Berkshire announced that, as the official sponsor of Boston Bruins coverage on NESN, it would be partnering with the network on the Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes. Through this partnership, the contest was featured during every professional hockey game on NESN. Network analyst Andy Brickley broke down game footage throughout the season during the Berkshire Bank Exciting Rewind segment to illustrate top plays. Viewers were encouraged to watch each Berkshire Bank Exciting Rewind on nesn.com/berkshirebank and vote monthly for their favorite to be entered for a chance to win.
“Winning the Exciting Rewind Mortgage Sweepstakes was a dream come true,” said Nowlan. “I celebrated my birthday, was able to watch a game from NESN’s studio suite, and my bank is helping me with my mortgage. The best part was, I kept it a secret from my wife — she didn’t know I had won $12,000 until Mike Daly presented us the check.”
BOSTON — The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released New England and state unemployment numbers for February 2015. These statistics are supplied by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program, which produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor-force data.
Among the key points, the New England unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.3% in February. One year ago, the New England jobless rate was higher, at 6.3%. Four New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from the U.S. rate of 5.5%. New Hampshire and Vermont (3.9% each) recorded lower-than-average unemployment rates. In contrast, Connecticut (6.4%) and Rhode Island (6.3%) had jobless rates that were significantly higher than the national average in February.
SPRINGFIELD — 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. “He is an amazing person with a permanent smile and easy laugh that comes off naturally.” To learn more about Beloved Earth and its services, visit belovedearthcompany.com.
SPRINGFIELD — Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer who lost her lower left leg in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, will be the keynote speaker at the 18th annual Rays of Hope Breast Cancer Survivors’ Day on Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.
“I refuse to be called a victim. I am not defined by what happened in my life. I am a survivor, defined by how I live my life,” said Haslet-Davis.
The former corporate manager recently returned to the dance floor after having to relearn her craft. Through her appearances on CNN, Dancing with the Stars, The View, and other television shows — as well as at personal appearances before corporate and private audiences both large and small — she hopes her emotional honesty has served as an example to others looking to overcome adversity in their lives.
Haslet-Davis has been honored with the 2013 Med Star Gala Victory Award and was recognized along with first responders from the bombing scene at the 2013 Schwartz Center Gala in Boston. She has also been honored with an On Cue Tribute Award and was named one of Cosmo’s Most Powerful Women of 2013. A CNN documentary detailing her first year after the marathon bombing, The Survivor Diaries, with Anderson Cooper, was recently nominated for an Emmy Award.
In addition to the keynote address by Haslet-Davis, participants will be able to select from two workshops on a number of topics, including “Breast Reconstruction,” “Hormone Therapy and Sexuality after Breast Cancer,” “Tai Chi – Regain 8 Years of Youth,” Safe and Effective Skin Care Products after Treatment,” “Why Laughter is the Best Medicine,” and others. There will also be two sessions offered in Spanish only: “Yoga en Movimiento” and “Cómo Enfrentar los Efectos Psicológicos y Emocionales del Cancer.”
This year’s event will again include an art display from the Rays of Hope-sponsored Art from the Heart program facilitated by Pat Hayes. Participants will also be able to choose from two interactive stations during the day. In “Paint Social Art!” a local artist will guide painters — no experience necessary — in creating their own mini-painting which they can display at home. At the “Creative Card Bar,” women from Life’s Memories and More will assist participants in a do-it-yourself card-making session.
There will also be networking opportunities throughout the day and the chance to visit with several exhibitors selling a variety of breast-related products and more. A continental breakfast and buffet luncheon will be served.
Registration is required. The cost is $35 per person, with the remaining expenses underwritten by Rays of Hope. Parking will be validated for the Civic Center Parking Garage only. For those unable to afford the fee, a limited number of scholarships are available for breast-cancer survivors by calling Sandra Hubbard at the Rays of Hope Outreach Office at (413) 794-9556.
For more information on the 18th annual Breast Cancer Survivors’ Day, or to request a registration form, call (413) 794-9556. For more information on Rays of Hope, visit www.baystatehealth.org/raysofhope.
GREENFIELD — The Nationwide Leadership Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America recently recognized Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) agencies who have achieved success in 2014. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County Inc. is one of 10 winners of the Gold Standard Award, given to 5% of agencies nationally.
The Gold Standard Award recognizes agencies that have not only met national criteria for demonstrating quality in their programs, but also increased their revenue by at least 5% and grew their overall annual number of children served in 2014.
According to Executive Director Danielle Letourneau-Therrien, “this award highlights how hard the staff works to provide quality mentoring to our area’s children. We already know the hard work is paying off when we see the children we serve. It’s a terrific honor to be recognized by our peers as well.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, Inc. joins felllow winners BBBS of Metropolitan Chicago, BBBS of Greater Kansas City, BBBS of Metro Milwaukee Inc., BBBS of Tampa Bay Inc., BBBS of the Bluegrass Inc., BBBS of Greater Pittsburgh Inc., BBBS of Santa Barbara County, BBBS of Southern Minnesota, and BBBS of the Greater Miami Valley.
For more than 45 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County has provided one-to-one mentoring to the children of Franklin County and the North Quabbin towns of Athol, Phillipston, Royalston, and Petersham. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is a full member agency of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, meeting more than 150 required standards and procedures for full member status, and is also a United Way of Franklin County partner agency and a quality-based member partner with Mass Mentoring Partnership in Boston.
As a Gold Standard Award winner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County has been invited to apply for both the Agency of the Year and Board of the Year awards at the national level. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County will be recognized at Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference being held on June 2 and 3 in Philadelphia.
To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, visit www.bbbs-fc.org or call (413) 772-0915.
WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a New England leader in civil and environmental-engineering consulting, recently hired Michael Toto to manage its 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.
“Michael is a welcome addition to our MEP team,” said David Pinsky, president and CEO of Tighe & Bond. “His wealth of electrical-engineering knowledge — and extensive involvement in the design and management of diverse projects — will benefit our clients greatly.”
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.
Founded in 1911, Tighe & Bond is one of the most experienced engineering firms in New England, with offices in Pocasset, Westfield, and Worcester, Mass.; Middletown and Shelton, Conn.; and Portsmouth, N.H. Engineering News Record annually ranks Tighe & Bond among the top design and environmental engineering firms nationally. ZweigWhite also has recognized Tighe & Bond several times as one of the best engineering firms to work for in the nation. With a team of more than 250 employees, Tighe & Bond provides engineering and environmental services for clients in the government, industry, healthcare, education, real-estate, energy, and water/wastewater markets.
HOLYOKE — Six local community banks will sponsor a live elevator-pitch competition at the 12th annual awards banquet for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. Representatives from each institution — Berkshire Bank, Country Bank for Savings, First Niagara Bank, PeoplesBank, United Bank, and Westfield Bank — will also serve as judges at the annual event planned for April 22 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.
An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a new business. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride. The term is used when an entrepreneur pitches an idea to a venture capitalist to receive funding.
The competition will feature a student representative from each of the participating local colleges: American International College, Amherst College, Bay Path University, Elms College, Greenfield Community College, Hampshire College, Holyoke Community College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Springfield College, Springfield Technical Community College, UMass Amherst, Western New England University, and Westfield State University. The judges will pick the top three students, who will receive cash awards, with the winner receiving $1,000.
Other features of the banquet include keynote speaker Aaron St. John, co-founder and CEO of Springfield-based HitPoint; entrepreneur and awardee exhibits featuring 76 student entrepreneurs from area colleges; and recognition of the Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Alumni Award winner, Bill Goldfarb of Lefty’s Brewery.
For more information about the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, visit hgf.org or contact Cari Carpenter at (413) 335-3535 or [email protected].
SPRINGFIELD — 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.
WESTFIELD — The Continuing Professional Education Forum, held at the Westfield Athenaeum, has announced its seven-week spring series. All programs are three hours in length and start at 3 p.m. on the following Tuesdays:
• April 21: “The Dollars and Cents of Divorce,” Attorney Julie Dialessi-Lafley, Bacon Wilson;
• April 28: “Social Security Questions Answered,” Tim Flynn, Edward Jones;
• May 5: “Dealing with IRS Collection Division,” Attorney Eric Green, Green & Sklarz;
• May 12: “Income T’s: Today, Tomorrow, and Taxes,” Garry Heiney, Income & Wealth Advisors;
• May 19: “Why Are We Afraid to Invest?” Michael Callahan, Retirement Plan Advisory Services;
• May 26: “Exchange-traded Funds in Retirement Planning,” Michael Callahan, Retirement Advisory Plan Services; and
• June 2: “Massachusetts Employment-law Update,” Attorney Karina Schrengohost, Royal LLP.
The CPE Forum was established in 1980 by Josephine Sarnelli, CPA. She continues to volunteer her services in organizing 40 hours of educational programming each year. “The CPE Forum’s mission is to provide high-quality educational programs at a low cost to business professionals, including certified public accountants, enrolled agents, and others seeking continuing professional educational credits for licensing purposes,” she said. “It is also open to the general community.”
The cost of attending the entire series is $50, which provides 21 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits. “Besides being an incredible value, the CPE Forum offers a place for business professionals to meet, exchange ideas, and network,” Sarnelli added.
All sessions are held at Lang Auditorium at the Westfield Athenaeum, 6 Elm St., Westfield. Payment to the CPE Forum is due at the time of attending. For more information, visit www.cpeforum.org or call (413) 746-9067.
EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International New England, formerly FieldEddy Insurance, a leading insurance brokerage firm, in conjunction with AIG, a leading international insurance organization, will host an upcoming seminar focused on cyber liability — everything businesses need to know about how to protect themselves, identify exposures, and handle liability and losses.
During this educational session on Wednesday, April 15, presenters from HUB and AIG will provide an overview of how the coverage works, how to identify exposures, trends in the marketplace, policy provisions that should be sought after, and what preventative measures can be taken. Presenters include Shiraz Saeed, AIG cyber product specialist, and Michelle Lopilato, director of Cyber and Technology Solutions at HUB International New England.
The two sessions — 8 to 10 a.m. (complimentary breakfast included) and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (complimentary lunch included) — will take place at the Basketball Hall of Fame in the MassMutual Room, 1000 West Columbus Ave., Springfield. Limited space remains. To reserve a seat, call Taryn Siciliano at (413) 224-7111.
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College will host a Credit for Life event on Thursday, April 16, starting at 8:30 a.m. in the college’s Bartley Center.
Credit for Life is a national, award-winning program for high-school students that was developed in response to the growing need for young people to understand the importance of financial literacy and to see the impact their financial choices and decisions have on the major aspects of their lives. Among high-school teens, only 51% know how to write a check, fewer than 29% know how credit-card fees work, and fewer than 34% can balance a checkbook.
An orientation session for the students is held prior to the fair. Basic financial-literacy information is presented to the students, after which they will choose a potential career from more than 75 career options. Credit for Life committee members take these choices and create a financial profile of their salary, tax deductions, student-loan payments, savings, and credit-card debt at age 25. They then must make financial decisions: live alone or with a roommate, buy or lease a vehicle, purchase furniture, save for retirement, etc. Students see how one financial choice impacts every other choice they make, especially on a budget. The goal is to reach more than 1,000 students this year.
This year’s fair sponsors include PeoplesBank, Chicopee Savings Bank, Freedom Credit Union, Honda Financial, Westfield Bank, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Nick’s Nest, Holyoke Machine, Holyoke Medical Center, the Cottage, John Ferriter, Triple A, United Water, Quantum Properties, Valley Green, Holyoke Rotary, E&C Services, and Aubrey, Dixon and Turgeon, just to name a few. The committee looks forward to working with the various high schools — Holyoke, Easthampton, West Springfield, South Hadley, Agawam, and Dean Tech — to continue to offer this experience to students.
WESTFIELD — The American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) named Christina Jones, a project engineer in Tighe & Bond’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.
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College will celebrate Tom Waddell Day on Friday, April 17 from 9 a.m. to noon in the Flynn Campus Union. The festivities will pay homage to Waddell’s life and commitment to humanics and diversity. The event is free and open to the campus community.
Waddell, who passed away in 1987, was an outstanding athlete, excelling in track and field, gymnastics, and football as a student at the college. He is best known as the founder of the Gay Games, started in 1982 and held every four years since. The Gay Games welcomes more than 8,000 athletes — regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender identity, religion, sex, ethnic origin, athletic ability, or political beliefs — from 47 countries to compete in an inclusive environment.
Waddell represented the U.S. in the decathlon in the 1968 Summer Olympics, where he placed sixth. He also was an infectious-disease specialist and provided medical service for many years in Africa, Asia, and Saudi Arabia, and served in the U.S. Army. He was inducted into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.
The celebration will include a film tribute featuring Waddell’s famous interview on ABC’s 20/20, a panel discussion led by his contemporaries, and the dedication of a plaque commemorating Waddell’s humanitarian contributions, including the creation of the Gay Games. Delivering the keynote address will be Springfield College graduate student Rob Kearney, a strongman champion and the first openly gay man to actively compete in his sport at the international level.
Joining Kearney for the festivities will be Jeffrey Pike, a member of the Federation of the Gay Games; Waddell’s fellow class of 1959 members Jack Savoia, Tom Johnson, and Owen Houghton; Springfield College faculty members Mimi Murray and Rick Paar; and Phyllis Plotnick, founder of the Springfield College Tom Waddell Fund.
For more information about Tom Waddell Day, visit springfieldcollege.edu/waddellday.
SPRINGFIELD — The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) has 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 Tuesday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., 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 Kara Cavanaugh at [email protected].
The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2015.
AGAWAM
Agawam Crossing
200 Silver St.
$360,000 — Build out first-floor space for medical office
Millwork Realty Associates, LLC
32 Century Ave.
$400,000 — Renovations at Fleet Pride
Six Flags
1623 Main St.
$39,000 — Construct Cyclone Photo Booth
AMHERST
308 College Street, LLC
308 College St.
$3,000 — Minor alterations
Woodgreen Amherst, L.P.
6 University Dr.
$40,000 — Interior renovations to create four offices
CHICOPEE
Houston Enterprises
1307 Memorial Dr.
$25,000 — Structural repair due to snow and ice
Lady of Elms College
147 Grape St.
$52,000 — Install ADA ramps and modify partitions
U-Haul of Western Mass
499 Montgomery St.
$23,500 — Renovations and ductwork
NORTHAMPTON
Continental Cablevision
790 Florence Road
$43,000 — Replace guide wires and foundation anchors
Florence Savings Bank
85 Main St.
$19,000 — Construct partition walls
Michelle Kersbergen
190 Nonotuck St.
$230,000 — Interior renovations at Modesto Family Dentistry
Gina Mazza
11 Village Hill Road
$19,000 — Add partition walls
Richard Webber
8 North King St.
$32,500 — Renovate two offices and replace store front windows
Smith College
44 College Lane
$164,000 — Construct observatory on rooftop at McConnell Hall
SOUTH HADLEY
Town of South Hadley
267 Granby Road
$17,000 — Install new fire protection
SPRINGFIELD
Anthony Shakes
24 Walsh St.
$33,000 — Install roof mounted solar panels
Melissa Manello
91 Prouty St.
$10,000 — Strip and install new shingles
Polman Realty, LLC
2001 Roosevelt Ave.
$130,000 — Renovations for charter school
WESTFIELD
North Elm Street Realty
58 North Elm St.
$1,000,000 — Construct a 9,950-square-foot addition
Pioneer Valley Baptist Church
265 Ponders Hollow Road
$140,000 — Addition to church
Rock Steady Real Estate, LLC
815 North Road
$15,000 — Renovations for new offices
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Andrew Mele
69 William Franks Dr.
$75,000 — Renovate existing space for new tenant
CJack Realty Associates, LLC
1053 Riverdale St.
$9,500 — Interior renovations
The Cup Restaurant
240 Westfield St.
$65,000 — Interior alterations
Berkshire East Positions Itself as Outdoor Adventure Center
Berkshire East’s new mountain coaster opened last October and has earned the distinction of being the longest alpine mountain coaster in North America.
Although it was failing, Schaefer was optimistic that he could bring it back to life, and he and a partner purchased it from Greenfield Savings Bank for $1, plus a debt of several hundred thousand dollars.
Schaefer renamed the resort Berkshire East, and although his hard work and dedication paid off, he dedicated only the fall and winter months to the operation.
“My father and his partner operated a ferryboat company in the summer on Mackinaw Island in Michigan, and when the ski area ended, all of their energy shifted there,” said Roy’s son, Jonathan Schafer, who co-owns Berkshire East Mountain Resort with his family.
However, Roy and his partner kept the area alive, and it became a place where generations of families learned to ski. But, because it was a seasonal operation dependent on weather, he battled Mother Nature for decades. However, his commitment and belief that outdoor recreation is a sustainable model for economic growth not only helped area businesses and provided seasonal employment, but was passed on to his four children.
Today, the resort is undergoing a $5 million transformation and is ushering in a bevy of recreational activities designed to transform it into a year-round destination that offers not only alpine skiing, but snow tubing, ziplining, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and the opportunity to ride North America’s longest mountain coaster.
The family also added overnight accommodations to the resort last September by purchasing the nearby, 530-acre Warfield House Inn and Farm, a bed and breakfast located just over a mile from Berkshire East that operates as a working farm complete with llamas, cattle, chickens, and gardens.
Jonathan has worked alongside his father for years, and says he and his brothers developed their own vision for expanding the family ski resort into a year-round retreat years ago.
“We were all ski racers who traveled the world, and due to our racing, we got to see a lot of things: bungee jumping in New Zealand, mountain biking, and other amazing activities,” he said. “We knew that we wanted to bring them to Charlemont and also realized that the Berkshires compare to any mountain range anywhere.
“We never had a written master plan, but we knew where we wanted to go with the resort due to our shared experience,” he went on, “and our goal now is to become the number-one family, four-season resort in Southern New England.”
The vision morphed into reality in 2008, when Jonathan’s brother, James, who lives in New York City, bought out his father’s business partner in Michigan.
Change began almost immediately, and in 2009, Berkshire East installed its first new recreational venue, Zipline Canopy Tours, that would change its status from a winter resort into one that offered year-round activities.
For this issue and its focus on travel and tourism, BusinessWest looks at the many changes and additions at Berkshire East, and how the resort is now at the top of its game — in more ways than one.
Reaching New Heights
The expanded venue has been a success, and people can choose three different zipline options that begin with a ride up the mountain on a chair lift that offers panoramic views of the Deerfield Valley. The descent is exciting, moving from platform to platform through mountainous terrain, and Zipline Canopy Tours was named by USA Today as one of the top 10 ziplines in the nation.
“The tours are guided and were built to fit in with the landscape. It’s a great adventure that lasts two to two and a half hours,” Jonathan said.
The Schaefer family has always strived to be in tune with nature, and in 2011 they installed a wind turbine, followed by a 10-acre solar field in 2012.
“We were the first ski area to produce all of our own electricity, and we remain the only ski area in the world to produce renewable energy on site,” Jonathan told BusinessWest.
Berkshire Whitewater will begin offering rafting trips in May, with a variety of excursions designed for people of different ages and abilities.
Another new attraction has increased business and added to the operation’s year-round status. It’s a 5,400-foot, all-season mountain coaster that opened last October on Columbus Day weekend.
“It was built as a diversification against the weather; ski weekends can be wiped out due to cold and snow, so we needed a way to drive business and give people a great experience,” said Jonathan. “The things we have done allow us to be open 365 days a year, and we built a 12,000-square-foot addition onto our lodge last year. It’s beautiful, as it’s made from hand cut timber.”
He noted that the lodge has two floors, two restaurants, and a bar, and has been a tremendous boost to the property. “Many couples book their weddings here, and now their guests will be able to enjoy the activities we offer year-round.”
The mountain coaster is one of them, and it’s a noteworthy attraction. “It is the longest mountain coaster in the nation and the third-longest in the world. It’s powered by our wind turbine and solar panels, and is an inviting way for people to enjoy the outdoors, as there are no fitness or skill requirements,” Jonathan said.
The coaster’s construction proved to be an extraordinary engineering feat, because each section had to be designed to adapt to the contour of the mountain with minimal impact to the landscape. The sections were installed in 10-foot lengths, and each car is towed up the mountain by a stainless-steel cable and strategically released when it reaches the top.
“Each car is independent of the others and has its own braking system, which allows people to slow down or speed up by pulling on the handles,” Jonathan said. “However, if one car gets within 80 feet of another going down the mountain, the brakes automatically stop it.
“The track twists and turns down a mountainside of cliffs and trees, so it’s a wild ride on a dynamic hillside,” he added. “Anticipation builds in riders who are going up, as they can see others coming down because the course crosses uphill four times.”
The new attraction has attracted coaster enthusiasts from across the nation, and groups have already booked trips there this summer.
Growing Venues
Berkshire East enjoyed a cooperative partnership with Moxie Outdoor Adventures for years, and recently acquired its Deerfield River rafting operation. It has been renamed Berkshire Whitewater, and although it kept most of Moxie’s river guides, Berkshire East purchased 10 new rafts designed exclusively for the river, along with other state-of-the art equipment.
“We have 60 spots on the river, plan to open in May, and will continue the rafting trips until it gets too cold to run them in the fall,” said Jonathan. “We can’t add 1,000 vertical feet to the ski area, so we are adding world-class activities to show off what a beautiful spot we have here.”
Trips will be available five days a week and will begin when the hydroelectric Bear Swamp Generating Station releases water, which is done on a regular, scheduled basis. Since it stores approximately 1.7 billion gallons of water almost 800 feet above the river, when it is released, it turns the river into an ideal spot for rafters, kayakers, and downriver canoeists.
A variety of adventures along different sections of the river are planned for different age groups and abilities, but all rafters will receive a 20-minute safety lecture before they leave. A picnic lunch is provided for people who opt for one of the easier excursions, while another, more advanced course ends with a barbecue.
Each trip lasts four or five hours, and there are options to satisfy everyone, including a leisurely, half-day float trip that families with children ages 5 and up can enjoy.
“They float along in a whitewater raft, and there are places for them to get out, splash around, and swim,” Jonathan noted.
In addition, guided kayaking trips will be offered daily, and children ages 5 and up can accompany an adult in a boat on the four-hour adventures.
Since some people have already rafted on the Deerfield River, Jonathan said, Berkshire Whitewater is offering trips on the Millers River, east of Greenfield, and the West River in Jamaica, Vermont. “But they all start here, and people are taken to those sites in vans,” he told BusinessWest.
Despite the resort’s all-season changes, skiing remains a major part of Berkshire East’s roster of offerings.
Meanwhile, because the Schaefers know that many people want to enjoy their resort for more than a day, the purchase of the mountaintop complex that contains the Warfield House Inn will allow them to offer overnight lodging.
“It was a logical move because there was no housing at the ski area and this was a beautiful facility that needed new life. We thought it would be a great complement to our business,” he said.
The bed and breakfast, which was recently renovated, contains a meeting facility, restaurant, and pavilion with mountaintop views. “It’s a gorgeous place to get married,” Jonathan said, adding that the farm is also known for its maple-sugaring operation, producing about 1,000 gallons of the sweet treat each year.
Endless Possibilities
Over the past few years, Berkshire East also installed a new Sky Trac Quad chair lift, with the help of a helicopter and an army of loyal employees, that can deliver 2,400 people an hour to the top of the mountain to ski, mountain bike, hike, and enjoy other outdoor activities.
“For many years, we were just a ski area, and we have continued to expand the skiing and offer a lot of learn-to-ski programs for children,” Jonathan said. “But it’s a sport that takes skill. There is a learning curve, and it requires equipment, so we wanted to add other year-round activities that would give families the experience of a lifetime.”
He added that his brother Bill, who lives in Iowa, is part-owner of the whitewater-rafting business and has purchased rental properties in the area; his brother Tom, who lives in California, has also purchased rental properties; and he, his brother James, and their father run the day-to-day operation of the resort and remain committed to providing healthy, recreational outdoor activities.
Today, the family is excited about the expansion, and their goal is for Berkshire East to become known as “New England’s Outdoor Adventure Center,” Jonathan said.
“We think it is possible,” he noted, “because we have added attractions that will drive business and give people a great experience here 365 days a year.”
Seuss Museum Expected to Provide Boost for Quadrangle, City
Top: an artist’s rendering of one of the scenes to unfold on the first floor of the planned Dr. Seuss museum, set to open in June 2016. Above: kids visit Ted Geisel’s statue in the outdoor sculpture garden.
There is a sculpture garden featuring Seuss characters, as well as the author himself, on the museum grounds, which helps explain all those inquiries, she said. Still, many assume there is a museum attached to that hugely popular attraction. Meanwhile, there’s also an image of the Cat in the Hat on the museums’ logo, creating additional expectations.
But another huge factor is simply the strong international pull of Theodor Seuss Geisel, the most famous children’s author of all time — an estimated 600 million copies of his various works have been sold in 95 countries around the world — and knowledge of his many connections to Springfield, his birthplace, said Smith-Bove, president of Springfield Museums. And thus it is with a good deal of relief — and anticipation — that such questions will now be given a different answer.
Specifically, that the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum will open its doors in June 2016 in the William Pynchon Memorial Building, which once housed the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum.
The new facility will be highly interactive and have a strong literacy component, said Kay Simpson, vice president of Springfield Museums, who spearheaded the Seuss museum project.
She told BusinessWest that the first floor of the Seuss museum, some 3,200 square feet of exhibition space, will house “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss,” a permanent, bilingual exhibit deigned to introduce children and their families to the stories of Geisel, promote joy in reading, and nurture specific literacy skills.
“The exhibit is really focused on Ted Geisel growing up in downtown Springfield, and how the sights that he saw and some of the characters he encountered later appeared in his books,” said Simpson, noting that there are many connections, including Mulberry Street, just a few blocks from the Quadrangle, which was the focus of his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
The second floor, meanwhile, which is due to open roughly a year later and is what Simpson called a “work in progress,” will house additional exhibits, including a planned re-creation of Geisel’s studio, an exhibition about the making of the sculpture garden, and other related displays.
“We’re calling it ‘Ted’s Room,’” said Smith-Bove. “It might include his writing desk — setting up his studio as if he just left it.”
The new museum is expected to generate perhaps a 25% boost in overall visitorship to the Quadrangle (currently about 400,000 annually), said Smith-Bove, adding that the attraction has strong potential to bring a number of economic benefits to the City of Homes, especially if the museum concept can be built upon in ways to include other city landmarks.
Holly Smith-Bove, left, and Kay Simpson say the new Dr. Seuss museum will bring many benefits, including a boost in sales of Seuss items in the gift shop.
They also envision packaging a Seuss experience with other facilities honoring artistic and literary figures, such as the Mark Twain Museum in Hartford, the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, and others.
For this issue and its focus on travel and tourism, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at plans for the Seuss museum and talks with those involved about how it might prompt visitors to explore not only the worlds Geisel created, but the city that inspired so much of what he drew.
Rhyme and Reason
Simpson told BusinessWest that discussions concerning a Seuss museum began in 2002, not long after the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden opened, and it became immediately apparent just how powerful a draw the children’s author and his famous characters were.
“It was a huge attraction the day it opened to the public, and it still is today,” said Simpson, noting that, because people don’t have to purchase admission to visit the garden, it is hard to keep an accurate account of visitorship, but she estimates at least 100,000 people a year.
From a qualitative standpoint, she said the sculpture garden has been a hit with people of all ages, and it has attracted cars bearing the license plates of nearly 50 states.
“When the kids come onto the Quad, the minute they see the sculptures, they immediately run toward them — it’s very meaningful for people,” Simpson noted, adding that, while it is mostly a spring and summer phenomenon, weather doesn’t stop many of the faithful.
“I’ve gone out onto the Quad even during the chilly autumn,” she noted, “and you’ll see someone in the middle of a rainstorm with an umbrella just reading the text from the sculpture that represents Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
And many of those visitors, as Smith-Bove noted, want to know where the Seuss museum is.
While there has long been a desire to create one and meet that recognized need, Simpson explained, many pieces had to fall in place for such a facility to become reality.
Such pieces included physical space, a problem that was solved when the various collections in the Pynchon building were moved to the new Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History in 2009, freeing up that square footage. Another was gaining the blessing of Geisel’s widow, Audrey, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, an organization that zealously promotes and protects the Seuss name and brand, while still another was funding.
In many respects, Simpson said, those challenges were woven together.
“We had a conceptual plan for the first floor of the Pynchon building, which had received approval from Dr. Seuss Enterprises, but they had a condition,” she explained. “And the condition was that we had to raise all the money that we needed to execute that conceptual plan before we started any construction or fabrication.
“It’s been like a patchwork quilt,” added Simpson of the efforts to create the museum, adding that a key stitch came from a $1 million appropriation from the state, which, when added to roughly $600,000 and other donations, including a $150,000 gift from the Institute of Library Services, gave the Museums more than the $1.5 million needed to greenlight the project and begin work.
Following an extensive RFP process that yielded responses from firms across the country, the Springfield Museums contracted with a design group comprised of 42 Design Fab, based in Indian Orchard, and 5 WITS Productions and Boston Productions Inc., both based in Norwood, to create the interactive elements for the first floor.
The new Seuss museum will focus on the many connections between the author and Springfield, including early vehicles produced in the city.
Character Witnesses
Overall, what’s planned for the two floors of the Pynchon Building, a Georgian Colonial Revival style structure, is a celebration of the author, his works, and his many connections to Springfield, said Simpson and Smith-Bove, adding that childhood literacy will be an important component of the facility.
That’s because one of Geisel’s primary motivations for his many children’s books was to get young people excited about reading, said Simpson.
Indeed, starting with The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957, he launched what became known as the I Can Read It All By Myself Beginner Book Series, which would also include The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, and many others.
“We’re going to be a resource for the community in terms of emphasizing reading and the importance of reading,” she said of the new museum. “And our exhibits will have literacy built into them.
“For example, the interactive displays will teach kids how to rhyme and have really fun rhyming games,” she went on. “They will teach letters of the alphabet, and they provide places where families can read together — little reading nooks. There will be a focus on vocabulary with a ‘word wall.’”
As for Springfield connections, there are many, said Simpson, noting that, while the author never lived in the city following a brief return after doing graduate work at Oxford, his birthplace was always important to him, and many of its landmarks, as well as the inventions and products with which the city is most identified, can be seen in his works.
It’s all explained in a number of informational panels on the author now on display in the history museum.
One cites the stunning resemblance between the towers in the armory building on Howard Street (set to become part of the MGM casino complex) that sat across the street from his maternal grandparents’ German bakery, and a tower in The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.
Another panel speculates on how the Knox automobiles and Indian motorcycles manufactured in the city early in the 20th century may have influenced vehicles presented in his books, while another cites how his paternal grandfather’s brewery, the Kalmbach & Geisel Brewery, may have inspired some of his drawings. And still another informs readers of how the animals in the Forest Park Zoo — which Geisel’s father served as superintendent after Prohibition torpedoed the family brewery — inspired the many creatures in his books.
“Ted grew up on Fairfield Street, which was not far from Forest Park; he used to go over to the park as a boy, and he always had his sketchbook with him,” said Simpson. “He would go to the zoo, and he would draw all those animals — he would spend hours doing that — and it’s believed that seeing all those animals inspired him to create all those crazy creatures you see in his books.”
These myriad connections help explain why the Seuss family and Dr. Seuss Enterprises determined that, if there was to be a museum devoted to the children’s author, it should be in Springfield, said Smith-Bove, adding that it will be the only facility of its kind dedicated to his life and work in the world.
And while it will be launched in the Pychon building, there are expectations that it may be expanded down the road, said Smith-Bove, adding that, in the meantime, the other facilities in the Springfield Museums could be utilized to provide a broader Seuss experience.
“We have five museums on our campus that can hold thousands of people,” she explained. “It’s up to us to make sure that we program each of the other buildings. In the art museum, we can have Seuss’s artwork; in the history, we can talk about his life; for the science museum, there’s the Lorax … there are many possibilities.”
These extend well beyond the Quadrangle itself, said Simpson, adding that Springfield Museums and city officials should work together to use those connections between Geisel and his hometown to bring more attention — and visitors — to the museums and the city as a whole.
“Ted really knew downtown Springfield — he went to Classical, he used the main branch of the city library [on State Street], and some of his books actually to refer to what was then called the municipal auditorium, Symphony Hall,” she explained. “So we were thinking that we could do a walking tour, which goes to the idea of cultural tourism.
“We’d be making connections between the museums and other sites in downtown Springfield,” she went on, “and would really get tourists walking around the city.”
When asked about the projected impact on the Quadrangle from the new museum, Smith-Bove and Simpson again flashed back to when the sculpture garden opened. The first few years it was open, it was a huge draw, they said, adding that visitorship to the museums grew by roughly 25% over that time.
A similar increase is expected from the new facility, along with a corresponding increase in the museums’ overall economic impact on the city, currently pegged at roughly $28 million.
And for the Springfield Museums themselves, in addition to the surge in visitorship, there is an expected trickle-down to facilities like the gift shop, where sales of Seuss-related items — from books to Cat in the Hat hats to plush toys — account for more than 25% of total revenues.
Chapter and Verse
The health and vitality of both the Seuss name and brand is evidenced by the coverage given the news of the planned Seuss museum, said Matt Longhi, the museums’ director of marketing and public relations, who tracks such things.
He said stories or notes have appeared in the Boston Globe, the New York Daily News, Time, Entertainment Weekly, and even the South African Art Times and Al Jazeera’s New York bureau.
More significant than the press is the manner in which the Seuss brand continues to grow — in scope and also in terms of revenue, said Simpson, adding that the Seuss name, and the books, have enormous staying power.
“Other book series just seem to fade out over time,” she explained. “But he just keeps getting more popular.”
In addition to staying power, it is expected that the celebrated author will have drawing power — in a figurative sense — which will bode well for the museums at the Quadrangle, the city itself, and all those who want to celebrate the life of Springfield’s most famous resident.
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
For the Agawam Cinemas, There Will Indeed Be a Sequel
By KEVIN FLANDERS
Kimberly Wheeler says she was pleasantly surprised by the level of enthusiasm she encountered from local movie fans who supported her Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to renovate and reopen the Agawam Cinemas.
The deadline had been looming for some time following the announcement that 35-mm film would no longer be used. The result was a difficult decision for many theater owners — initiate the costly conversion to digital projectors or close their doors.
Then-owner Sal Anzalotti, who had run the cinemas for nearly 20 years, elected to close the business, much to the devastation of many local families who frequented the cinemas. For a time it looked like the reign of movies at the 866 Suffield St. location was over; the price of bringing movies back to Agawam was seemingly too steep.
Fast-forward almost one year, and those very families once fraught with despair are now teeming with joy and excitement. The movies are indeed coming back to Agawam, with Kimberly Wheeler leading the way.
“This was an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up,” said Wheeler, a lifelong Agawam resident and movie buff who spent countless hours catching films at the theater with friends and family. “When it closed its doors, it was absolutely heartbreaking.”
Wheeler had no experience prior to this year in acquiring and operating local cinemas. An EMT for 13 years and also an instructor of emergency medicine, she might have been the last person one might have expected to embrace such a massive undertaking. There are many innate challenges to restoring a cinema and getting a business back on its feet — challenges that would have daunted most people.
But with a lifetime of movie memories and the desire for new ones serving as her inspirations, Wheeler excitedly took over the shuttered cinemas and hasn’t looked back since.
Total Team Effort
Having only rented the business — now called Agawam Cinemas — for 10 months, Wheeler has gone a surprisingly long way in a short period of time. Needing to raise about $150,000 in order to purchase digital projectors, it was a tall task to get the business off the ground again.
But Wheeler wasn’t alone with her aspirations. Hundreds of area residents and business owners, many with similar recollections of catching movies in Agawam, showed their support through $45,000 in donations during a month-long fund-raising effort on Kickstarter. Additionally, several individuals reached out to Wheeler to express their support of the project and congratulate her for bringing the movie tradition back to Agawam.
“I had so much support from Agawam residents and businesses. It was stunning — the most heartwarming thing I have ever seen,” Wheeler told BusinessWest. “I don’t know if I could have done this without all of the help I’ve gotten from the community. It really does take a village.”
Agawam Family Cinemas started life as the local Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas, and is set to reopen soon as a modern, fully digital theater.
Those costs are well worth it, Wheeler said, especially since the project has come as a pleasant surprise not only to Agawam residents, but to film fans throughout the area. Many people used to travel several miles to see movies in Agawam, passing up larger cinemas to experience the quaint environment.
“I got many letters and e-mails of encouragement,” added Wheeler, who hopes construction will be complete in time for a grand reopening in May or June. “It’s so important to know that the town and region are behind you 100% when you do something like this. People really missed this place.”
Residents and town officials alike are eagerly anticipating the reopening of the cinemas. From family events to nights out with friends, Agawam Cinemas will be ideal for people of all ages.
Wheeler, who has always enjoyed watching movies with her father, wants to give others a chance to experience the thrill of taking in movies with their families as well. She has seen countless movies in all genres over the years in Agawam, from Monsters University to Philomena. One of Wheeler’s fondest memories of the Agawam cinemas was seeing the film Django Unchained with her father. Theater policies at the time required at least four guests to be in attendance for the movie to run, but for a while Wheeler and her father were the only guests.
“We were sitting in the lobby, holding our breath to see if two other people would arrive to see this film alongside us, when finally one couple arrived,” Wheeler recalled. “We all let out a sigh of relief and laughed together. It was a team effort to get this film presented that evening, and we all enjoyed the film immensely.”
Town officials, meanwhile, have plenty of great memories of the place as well, many of their recollections dating back to the early days of the cinemas. Listening to their stories, one can easily understand how the cinemas have been stitched into the fabric of Agawam.
“I am both pleased and excited about the renovation and reopening of the Agawam Cinemas at the Southgate Plaza,” said Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen. “I remember when they originally opened as the Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas. We are fortunate that the town’s only movie theater will once again be offering first-grade services with a hometown atmosphere. I can’t wait for the ribbon cutting and the ability of watching movies once again here in Agawam.”
Showtime
Built in the late ’60s, Agawam Cinemas was originally part of a chain of Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas franchises that sprouted up across the country, with individual operators paying around $10,000 to operate a given cinema. The two auditoriums hold 175 and 250 guests, respectively, with the unique distinction of having tables in front of every seat. The theaters used to hold more than 400 each, and the decision to add tables reduced seating capacity but increased guest comfort.
Since taking over the business, Wheeler has placed an emphasis on creating the most comfortable and convenient atmosphere possible for her guests. Upgrades are currently in progress to make the building fully ADA-compliant, and the lobby has experienced a makeover as well. In addition to standard concession choices that will be made available for snacks, Wheeler is also thinking outside the box by offering guests gourmet chocolate creations from Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe in East Longmeadow. Now that movies are coming back to town, she wants other businesses to benefit as well.
On the topic of business, Wheeler praised New England Theater Co. of Connecticut for its construction work on the building, and she’s eagerly awaiting opening night.
“We want to make it a destination for people, from the atmosphere to the exceptional customer service,” Wheeler said. “This is something that will get people out of their houses and help them forget their troubles. It will provide a great family and group experience.”
Unlike large movie theater chains, Wheeler is striving to foster the same neighborhood feel the place has always been known for, a venue where people can build friendships on the foundation of a common bond. By intertwining modern technologies with nostalgic elements, the cinema will transcend the zeitgeist of its initial creation and usher in a new era of movie magic in Agawam.
To celebrate the building’s history, the lobby will feature several items of Jerry Lewis memorabilia and other hallmarks of the cinema’s past. Prior to entering the theaters, guests will get to experience the history that connects generations of Agawam residents.
“We want the lobby to be comfortable, with a focus on nostalgia. We are digging up everything we can find, from the groundbreaking of the cinema to current day,” Wheeler said.
She plans to show first-run movies at the theaters, perhaps in an alternating sequence that allows about four movies to play on a given day, two per theater. Though the details haven’t been fully ironed out, Wheeler said she will seek input from guests on what movies they would like to see and try to create a balance.
“We want to make it flexible and give them the opportunity to let us know what they want to see,” she told BusinessWest.
For many residents and town officials, it won’t even matter which movies are playing, as long as the big screens are bright again in Agawam.
Golf Industry Adjusts to a Changing Climate
While golf courses in the Pioneer Valley will certainly be opening earlier than those east of Worcester — where close to nine feet of snow fell in less than two months and temperatures have not induced much melting — they will be getting down to business later than what would be considered normal or desirable.
And that has Kevin Kennedy a little worried.
The head professional at Springfield’s two municipal courses, Franconia and Veterans Memorial, told BusinessWest that golf seasons have a tendency to reflect how — and often when — spring begins.
“I really believe that, if you get off to a good start in the spring, it trickles down to club sales and everything else — everyone’s raring to go,” he explained. “I’d rather have a good spring than a good fall; if they don’t excited about golf in the spring, some people may not get excited for the whole year. A good spring start is imperative.”
However, it looks like area courses won’t be getting that good start. As BusinessWest went to press on April Fool’s Day, the professionals we spoke with were predicting it would be at least another week and probably two before anyone would be putting a peg in the ground.
While many in the golf industry are content to whine about business, Kevin Kennedy says, he prefers to be optimistic about the present and future.
And a slow start certainly isn’t what courses need at a time marked by myriad and, in some cases, historic challenges for the industry — everything from the lingering effects from the recession, especially when it comes to discretionary spending, to an oversaturation of the local market when it comes to courses (although that’s certainly not a recent phenomenon); from continued discounting and price stagnation that has many consequences, to societal changes that have left many people, especially younger audiences, with little if any appetite for an activity that consumes five hours or more.
Yet, despite all this, there is optimism to be found among the pros we spoke with, who said they’re learning to adapt to this new environment.
E.J. Altobello, long-time professional at Tekoa Country Club in Westfield, said the course registered “minor growth” in 2014, another season that started later than what would be considered normal, a byproduct of predominantly solid weather during the summer and few lost weekend days. Overall, he said the golf market has stabilized somewhat after several challenging years immediately following the Great Recession.
“We’ve been pretty steady the past several years,” he said, referring to both Tekoa and the regional market in general. “I think we’ve managed to stop some of the bleeding from six or seven years ago. We’ve had minor growth — nothing off the charts — and that’s what we’re probably going to see this year.”
Mike Zaranek, head pro at Crumpin Fox, a higher-end course in the Franklin County community of Bernardston, agreed.
“We had a good year last year, with about the same number of rounds as we did in 2013, which I really can’t complain about in this golf world,” he said, adding that this was despite a similarly late start, April 19 to be exact. “Our membership has been hanging on — the numbers are steady, which, for our neck of the woods and this business climate, is pretty good.”
Even Kennedy, despite his apprehension about a late start, takes a decidedly glass-is-more-than-half-full attitude as he talks about the local market, the state of the sport, and the industry’s prospects for the future.
“I tend to be a little more optimistic than many,” he said. “There are some people in the industry, and not just locally, who prefer to sit around and whine about the golf industry and how bad it is. It’d definitely challenging, but I think the game is healthy, and we can grow it.”
Still, challenges abound, and for this issue and its focus on sports and leisure, BusinessWest looks at how they are forcing clubs to bring their A-games to the table in order to post some solid numbers.
Par for the Course
To summarize the state of the game and the environment in which clubs are operating today, Kennedy summoned some numbers to get his points across.
“In 1995, there were about 25 million golfers,” he said, noting that was the year before Tiger Woods joined the PGA tour and inspired people of all ages to not only watch the sport on TV, but take it up. “And in 2013 there were … about 25 million golfers.”
In between, or roughly around 2000, there were maybe 31 million or 32 million, he went on, noting that this surge, fueled by Woods and a strong economy, was greeted with a wave of new course construction that was country-wide and included Western Mass.
Indeed, this region saw the construction of several new tracts, including the Ledges in South Hadley, the Ranch in Southwick, and, most recently, Cold Spring in Belchertown.
“The overall supply of golf courses skyrocketed — every developer wanted to build 100 condos with courses around them,” said Kennedy, talking about the scene nationally, adding that demand is currently what it was two decades ago and much less than at the start of this century.
Mike Zaranek says courses like Crumpin Fox can’t compete on price, so they must focus on value and providing an experience.
But it hasn’t happened regionally, where the inventory has only grown.
And that has left clubs and their managers to take whatever steps they deem necessary to compete, he went on, adding that this means keeping prices stable (the two Springfield courses have not had an increase the past three years, for example), adding value wherever possible, focusing on good customer service, and, in many cases, marketing themselves far more aggressively than they did years ago.
Altobello agreed, and noted that the greater inventory of courses, even just a few new layouts, impacts everything from daily fee play to league play to the myriad outings and charity tournaments staged each year. And it all matters when there is already little margin for error.
“We’ve lost a few tournaments to some of the newer courses,” he said, noting the Ranch specifically because of its proximity. “Every new option out there hurts a little bit and dilutes the business for the rest of us.
“The real issue around here is saturation,” he went on. “It’s great for the consumer — this is a wonderful place to play golf — but not so great for course owners and operators.”
Using his own specific competitive situation, or “micro-climate,” as he called it, to illustrate his points, Altobello said that, although he’s competing against courses across the Pioneer Valley, the situation in his own backyard is especially intense.
Indeed, there are six public or semi-private courses in Westfield and neighboring Southwick alone — Tekoa, East Mountain, and Shaker Farms in Westfield; Southwick Country Club, Edgewood, and the Ranch in Southwick — along with two driving ranges and a par-3 course. And they serve only about 65,000 people, said Altobello.
“That’s a huge number — this is a tough environment to compete in,” he told BusinessWest, adding that a few of those courses are offering “ridiculously low” yearly rates to woo members and keep the daily time sheets full.
Given this competitive climate, Tekoa and other higher-end courses are forced to compete on quality, because they can’t compete on price.
“I certainly feel that our facility is a little better, and hopefully that wins out in the end,” he said, adding quickly that, while quality is important to some, increasingly, the golfing public is being motivated by rates and deals.
That’s because there are so many of them — available through coupon books, Groupon, Golf Now, and other online phenomena, and individual courses looking to drive traffic, especially on the slower weekdays, through golf-and-lunch specials.
“Some people are just looking to get out quick and get the lowest price available,” said Altobello. “It’s different strokes for different folks.”
Zaranek agreed. “People will ask, ‘what’s the special of the day?’ and ‘how much is this going to cost me?’” he said, adding that many will look to do better than the prices posted at the counter. “Everyone wants a deal — that’s the battle you fight.”
At Crumpin Fox, where daily rates average around $100, the club has to specifically focus on those for whom quality and excellent course conditions are a priority, he added.
“There are some places south of us where people can play three rounds for what it costs to play one at Crump,” he explained. “Our job is to get them to come up and understand the value attached to that high-end daily-fee golf course — how you’re treated, the experience you get, the golf holes you remember, the conditions you play under — and make it worth their trip once, maybe twice a year.”
Course Corrections
Meanwhile, there are many other challenges for club owners and professionals — everything from declining sales of clubs (generally, people are holding onto equipment longer than they did even a few years ago and buying last year’s models at a fraction of the cost of new sticks) to a younger generation that seemingly has no patience or passion for a game that takes so much of their time.
“The retail side of the business has changed considerably since the recession of 2008 and 2009,” said Altobello. “Guys aren’t spending money like they used to, and the equipment makers have trained people on when to buy; the 2015 driver is $400, but the 2014 driver is now $149. Is the 2015 driver $250 better than the 2014 model? Probably not. And when the next new driver comes out, people will know to wait it out.”
As for attracting younger audiences — and even those a little older who have similarly stiff competition for their time and attention — clubs are doing what they can to spark interest and hold it.
But it’s an uphill battle.
“Young kids want instant gratification — they want to pick up their phone and play a game, they want to go do this and then do that,” Kennedy explained. “Five hours? If I tell my daughter she’s going to have something good in five hours, she looks at me like I have seven heads. Five hours? How about five minutes? That’s what they have patience for.”
Despite those sentiments, clubs are being more aggressive with programs aimed at attracting younger audiences and, when possible, keeping them in the game, said Zaranek, noting that Crumpin Fox has pricing programs for families and juniors. Meanwhile, it is stressing options for time-strapped individuals, such as nine-hole outings or even playing a handful of holes.
Clubs are also working hard to keep younger individuals and families interested in golf through that challenging period when they are otherwise preoccupied with their career and their family.
Altobello said an all-too-common pattern is for young people to start playing the game in high school, maybe stay with it through college — although that’s challenging as well — but then drop the game when the responsibilities of parenthood and their career consume most all of their time.
“I don’t think the 17-and-under crowd is playing any less than they were 10 or 15 years ago,” he explained. “But I think that, as they get into business and get into their 20s, it seems like we lose them for about 10 to 12 years.
“The whole dynamic of the family has changed over the past 25 or 30 years,” he went on, adding that, while this isn’t a recent phenomenon, societal changes have amplified its impact. “Today, both parents are working, and kids are into more things — and parents need to be there, whether it’s a soccer game or practice or dance. It’s a time factor.”
The challenge for clubs is to try to keep people in the game, he went on, or at least make sure they get back into it when their children get older and time is more plentiful.
There are some positive developments, said the pros we spoke with, although the impacts are more likely to be felt down than the road than in the present.
One is the retirement and pending retirement of the huge Baby Boom generation, said Altobello, adding that this constituency has two things the golf industry requires — time and, generally speaking, disposable income. And many have the wherewithal to retire early.
“The real factor for most people is time,” said Altobello. “If you have a family and you’re working, you just don’t have a lot of time. Anyone who’s retiring early, people in their late 50s and early 60s — that really helps out, and we’re seeing more of those people, men and women, out there.”
Spring in Their Step
It will probably be at least mid-April before they’ll be out on many of the courses in this region.
That later start will only add to the many challenges facing golf-course owners today as they deal with changing societal patterns, lingering effects from the recession, a time-challenged population, and, yes, the weather.
In this climate, ‘steady’ is a reasonable goal and, in the end, a good number on the scorecard.
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
SJC Interprets Key Provisions of Alimony Reform Act
By KATHERINE E. McCARTHY
Katherine McCarthy
Over the past few years, attorneys, judges, and litigants alike have questioned whether certain provisions of the act permit relief to individuals seeking to modify or terminate alimony orders that predate the passage of the act. This question was answered in part by recent decisions rendered by the Commonwealth’s highest court, the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC).
Three cases were argued before the SJC, all relating to the effect of the act on separation agreements or divorce judgments that predate the act. The SJC determined that the only provision of the act that is applicable to separation agreements and/or divorce judgments that are dated prior to March 1 2012 is a section in the act that allows for the modification of alimony based on the length of the marriage.
One major change brought on by the act is that, under most circumstances, general-term alimony will end once the payor reaches full retirement age under Social Security, unless the divorcing parties agree to another end date or the court deviates from this rule. But the question remained whether that provision of the act would apply to alimony orders that entered before the effective date of the act — in other words, whether the new retirement provision could be applied retroactively, or whether it applied only to alimony judgments that were entered after the date of the act.
The SJC determined that the Legislature did not intend for the retirement provision to apply retroactively. Consequently, a payor under a separation agreement or judgment entered prior to March 1, 2012 may not seek to terminate his or her alimony obligation based solely on the fact that he or she has reached full retirement age under Social Security. Rather, the payor must establish that there has been a material change of circumstances since entry of the alimony order which would justify the termination.
Another issue addressed by the SJC was whether the cohabitation provision of the act applies to alimony orders that entered prior to the effective date of the act. Under the act, a payor may seek to terminate his or her alimony obligation if the recipient is cohabitating with another individual as that term is defined in the act. The SJC decided that this provision, similar to the provision regarding retirement, is not retroactive and applies only to alimony orders entered into following the enactment of the act.
Therefore, payors who entered into agreements to pay alimony or are subject to divorce judgments prior to the enactment of the act must establish a material change in circumstances in order to modify or terminate their alimony obligation.
But it is not all bad news for payors of alimony established in agreements or judgments dated prior to the act, at least not those who were married for fewer than 20 years. The new alimony law allows a payor with an alimony order that predates the passage of the act to seek a modification based solely on the length of the marriage. The act contains detailed guidelines dictating when a payor can seek a modification or termination of alimony on these grounds.
In sum, while these recent cases have clarified some of the limits of the act, they are just the beginning of what are likely to be more challenges to the interpretation of the language of the act and the legislative intent behind the law.
Katherine E. McCarthy is an associate with Robinson Donovan, P.C., where she concentrates on domestic relations; (413) 732-2301.
Recent Cases Should Serve as Wake-up Calls for Employers
By JOHN S. GANNON
John Gannon
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have been around for more than two decades, yet human-resource professionals still consider these laws to be among the most challenging to navigate.
When an employee requests medical leave, employers are left to ponder a multitude of questions. Do we need to grant this request? What can we do while the employee is out of work? What kind of documentation can we ask for? How long is too long?
To further complicate things, recent legal developments prove one thing: ADA and FMLA violations are fertile ground for both class-action and single-plaintiff litigation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, has taken aim at vulnerable employer medical leave-of-absence policies in two lawsuits. What follows is an overview of those suits.
Case #1: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. United Parcel Service Inc.
In this case, the EEOC claims that United Parcel Service (UPS) violated the ADA by denying medical leaves of absence for its employees with disabilities. The lawsuit contends that these medical leaves were required as a reasonable workplace accommodation.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, since 2002, UPS maintained a leave-of-absence policy that “administratively separated from employment” any employee who took more than 12 months of medical leave. UPS did not make exceptions to this policy based on the employee’s job or the nature of the disability.
For example, one employee took a 12-month leave of absence from work when she began experiencing symptoms of multiple sclerosis. After the leave, she returned to work for a few weeks, but started feeling negative side effects from her medication. The employee needed another two weeks off to receive therapeutic treatment, but instead of granting her request for additional leave, UPS fired the employee, citing its rigid 12-month leave policy. Other employees were also fired under UPS’ “inflexible” leave-of-absence policy after requesting leave for longer than 12 months.
The EEOC filed a class-action suit alleging that UPS violated the ADA by failing to accommodate its disabled employees. The ADA requires employers to provide employees (or applicants for employment) with reasonable workplace accommodations, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Common workplace accommodations can include an unpaid, job-protected leave of absence, in addition to job restructuring, modified or part-time scheduling, modified workplace policies, and transfer to vacant positions for which the employee is qualified.
Once an employer becomes aware of the need for a reasonable accommodation, the ADA obligates it to engage in an interactive process with the employee to identify and implement appropriate, reasonable accommodations. In the UPS case, the employer did not engage in any interactive process to determine whether it could accommodate its employees. Instead, the employer administratively terminated disabled employees as soon as they exceeded the 12-month leave-of-absence high-water mark. UPS filed a motion to dismiss the class action last year, but its motion was denied by the court, and the litigation is ongoing.
Case #2: Equal Employment Oppor-tunity Commission v. ValleyLife
Last month, the EEOC filed a lawsuit against ValleyLife, a disability-support-services company, alleging ADA violations, once again linked to the employer’s leave-of-absence policy. The lawsuit claims the employer discriminated against disabled employees by refusing to provide them with reasonable accommodations after they exhausted their available leave under the Family Medical Leave Act.
The FMLA provides eligible employees with 12 weeks of job-protected leave for a variety of medical and family reasons if they work for a covered employer. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, ValleyLife’s “inflexible” leave-of-absence policy called for automatic termination of employees who requested medical leave after exhausting all of their FMLA time. The EEOC claims that ValleyLife did not consider whether an extended leave of absence was a reasonable accommodation option and therefore failed to engage in the interactive process.
In one case, the EEOC alleges that ValleyLife forced out an employee who used up all available FMLA leave and needed another surgery. ValleyLife did not engage in any interactive process to determine whether any accommodations (including additional leave) were possible.
Another employee was unable to return to her job after her 12 weeks of FMLA benefits were used up. ValleyLife allegedly terminated her employment pursuant to its leave-of-absence policy without considering whether the additional leave would impact the business.
Tips for Employers
The EEOC has made it clear that an “inflexible” leave-of-absence policy calling for automatic termination after an employer-established medical leave threshold violates the ADA.
For instance, many employers put a hard six- or 12-month cap on the amount of medical leave available to employees. These policies will not pass muster under the ADA because of their rigidity. Instead, employers must engage in the interactive process with every leave request based on an employee’s disability to determine whether the request poses an undue hardship to the business. Often, a six- or 12- month leave of absence will have harmful staffing implications or impact customer satisfaction, particularly where the position is not suitable for temporary employment or backfilling.
Under those circumstances, the employer might be able to deny the request if it properly considers the business impact and discusses other options with the employee.
Bottom Line
Denying medical leave-of-absence requests without careful consideration puts employers at risk of costly and time-consuming litigation. If you need assistance reviewing and analyzing a medical leave-of-absence request, you should contact experienced employment counsel for assistance. n
John S. Gannon is an associate with Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., and practices in the firm’s Springfield office. Since joining the firm in 2011, he has defended employers against claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful-termination claims, as well as actions arising under the Family Medical Leave Act and wage-and-hour law. Gannon also has experience with lawsuits seeking to enforce restrictive covenants and protect trade secrets; (413) 737-4753; [email protected]
Steven Schwartz Looks Back at a Lifetime in Law
Steven Schwartz
“Some people, when they’re young, they have a dream of what kind of profession or job they would like to have when they grow up,” he told BusinessWest. If he had forgotten his childhood dreams, he was reminded when his parents were moving and uncovered a paper he had written in the sixth grade at Washington School in Springfield.
“It was a combination of autobiography and future dreams,” Schwartz recalled. “I wrote that I would like to go to Boston University Law School, which I did, and I would like to be a lawyer. When I saw this, I was very surprised because, even while going through law school, I had never expected to become a practicing lawyer, but to be a businessman.
“But,” he quickly added, “I’m so lucky that I decided to practice law, as I’ve had the most wonderful career, and had the pleasure to work with so many fabulous people in this firm, and other law firms, in pursuing my craft.”
Prior to launching the firm that bears his name — Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. — he and Stephen Shatz were legal-services attorneys working with a neighborhood program. “We were staff members, but in 1969, we decided to set up our own firm. For about two years, we had another experienced lawyer who joined with us. In January 1971, we established our own firm without him.”
Later that decade, Gary Fentin came on board and would eventually find his name on the door as well.
“At the beginning, we were in general practice,” Schwartz said. “When you start a firm, you want to eat, and you are not too selective in the areas you are going to represent — provided that your lack of experience is not a detriment to the people who come to you with problems. Fortunately, we had many friends who were experienced lawyers who we could call on to hold our hand and give us the guidance we needed to ably represent our clients.”
Eventually, however, the firm garnered more business, to the point where the partners began developing the niche work they most enjoyed.
“Steve Shatz was interested in real-estate development and finance and banking law, and I pursued a career as a business lawyer and an estate planner,” he explained. “Fortunately, after about five years, we could focus on these areas and become specialists in our field. Over the years, we’ve added other practice areas in our firm based on later hires and the interest those lawyers had in particular fields.
“Some of the areas we were engaged in over the years have been eliminated because of changes in tax laws,” he added. “But we have been able to attract people to our firm who are interested in the areas we were interested in, and we’ve expanded those practices substantially. We now have a bankruptcy practice, a tax practice, and a regulatory practice in the area of zoning and land use.”
Today, 13 attorneys specialize in a broad range of business-law work for both for-profit and nonprofit entities, including estate planning and elder law; probate and guardianships; real-estate development, permitting, land use, and zoning; telecommunications siting and permitting; affordable-housing development and finance; corporate and business planning; contract preparation and negotiation; business exit planning; bond financing; bankruptcy; litigation; and licensing.
It’s a different legal world than it was 45 years ago, Schwartz said, and not always for the better. But he can look back at that long-ago school assignment with gratification, recognizing that not everyone actually gets to live out their sixth-grade dreams.
Start to Finish
Schwartz, who graduated from Babson College in 1963 and earned his law degree at BU in 1966, concentrates his practice in the areas of family business planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and estate planning — a range of specialties that involves representing principals in family business planning, including exit planning; representing individuals and corporations in the purchase and sale of business enterprises; strategic planning for the future of clients’ businesses; and providing advice on financing alternatives through loans and venture capital.
It’s a mouthful, but it basically boils down to helping other people reach their goals like he reached his, and there’s satisfaction in that.
“I’ve always been very interested in business, and many of my clients have included me in discussions related to the future of their business — whether to do an acquisition or not, or how to finance the business’s future,” he explained. “This has been extremely rewarding, as I’ve always taken pleasure in the success of my clients. I also learned that I’m better-positioned to be a lawyer than a manager, which takes many skills which I lack.”
Schwartz’s skill at helping business owners steer their ships has been recognized regularly on annual lists of Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America lists.
“It turns out, when you represent a family-owned or closely held business, a basic knowledge — and, really, more than a basic knowledge — of estate planning is necessary to represent their interests,” he explained. “Over the past few years, as many of my clients have dealt with the issue of what to do with their business when they get to retirement age, we’ve been very busy — transitioning into issues of transferring the interests of the family business to the next generation, or establishing employee stock-option plans for the business to be transferred to its employees.”
What economists call ‘Great Transfer’ — a handover of about $12 trillion from those born in the 1920s and 1930s to the Baby Boomers — has been going on for some time. But that figure is expected to be dwarfed by an anticipated $30 trillion in assets that the Boomers will transfer to their heirs over the next 30 to 40 years in the U.S. alone.
For that reason, attorneys who work in business planning are doing so at an intriguing, and busy, time in the country’s history. “Transitioning is a hot topic,” he noted, “mostly for people who own businesses.”
And with some of his clients dating back decades, Schwartz, in some ways, has had a hand in the region’s economic development over the years by helping businesses form, grow, and transition.
Love of the Game
As for Schwartz, he has no plans to transition into retirement, although communication — he’s watched landline phones and faxes give way to smartphones, texts, and e-mail — makes it easier these days to conduct business remotely. “That’s given me the opportunity to work from a different place and not retire, and still be effective at my craft.”
What makes him effective, he told BusinessWest, isn’t just knowledge and almost five decades of experience, but also a sincere love for his calling.
When he started practicing, he said, “I always felt that lawyers were interested in making a living, but their love of what they did was more important to them than the financial rewards. Today — as in many fields — the fact that there are so many lawyers means more financial pressures, and that makes the business end of the practice more important.”
Which leads to developments that confound the old-school side of Schwartz, even as his own firm has acquiesced to the times.
“I cannot remember any law firms back then having a marketing staff on board, or hiring outside agencies to service the law firm in that capacity,” he said. “I think a lot of it has to do with technology. In the early days, our new clients would come from referrals from bankers and insurance agents. Today, we get referrals for new clients from media advertising, public relations, public seminars, social media — and still some traditional referral sources.”
He even took a self-deprecating swipe at his own attire, which today involved a turtleneck and sport jacket. “That’s one substantial change,” he said. “I would never come to the office without a jacket or tie. That wouldn’t have been the case in the ’60s.”
Plenty has changed since then, of course, and many companies Schwartz helped off the ground in those early days have closed or transitioned to new owners — or, in many cases, are still growing, still contributing to business life in the Pioneer Valley.
“A lot of my clients are older,” he said, “and at some point, I’ll be dealing with their estates, which is necessary but very sad for me. I have clients in their 90s still working.”
Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]
Olympics Numbers Just Don’t Add Up
By Andrew Zimbalist
The UMass Donahue Institute’s recent report on the economic impact of a 2024 Summer Olympics in Boston wasn’t surprising, given its assumptions and methodology — it projected gains of more than 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars.
While parts of the report are well-reasoned, the predicted impacts are suspect. That’s because the institute accepted the unrealistic assertions of the Boston 2024 organization regarding costs, revenues, and financing; used an inappropriate input-output methodology; ignored scholarly literature on the economic impact of hosting mega-sporting events; and misapprehended some items contained in the Boston bid.
In essence, the report’s results flow out of the assumptions that all operating costs will be covered by revenue from the Games, all construction costs will be covered privately, and the federal government will pick up 100% of the security costs (optimistically forecast at only $1 billion).
Consider each of these elements. The Boston 2024 bid shows operating costs and revenues at $4.7 billion. To get to this figure, Boston 2024 invokes $1 billion in “additional” or “other” revenue, the sources of which are not revealed. Boston 2024 also assumes it will take in $1.15 billion in ticket sales. London had an 80,000-seat Olympic Stadium, replete with luxury boxes and other revenue-generating accoutrements. Boston 2024 is planning a temporary, spartan, 60,000 seat stadium. London generated only $990 million in ticket sales. How will Boston top that by more than 16%?
Boston 2024’s operating costs include a $600 million payment to the U.S. Olympic Committee in recognition that some of the domestic sponsorship money will come from corporate relationships built by the USOC. Illogically, the new report figures $220 million of this money will go toward creating business and employment in Boston. This number is then multiplied by roughly 1.9 (the new employment generates new income, which brings new consumption, etc.), according to the IMPLAN model used in the report.
But this model is inappropriate for estimating the economic impact of mega-events. The sheer volume of construction around mega-events leads to the use of companies and workers from outside the hosting region, leading to much larger leakages out of the local economy and unrealistically high multipliers, among other problems.
It is noteworthy that most macro-economic models of the entire U.S. economy have multipliers of around 1.2. Since the Boston economy is only a small fraction of the U.S. economy, it is not feasible that it would have a multiplier that is more than 50% larger. Yet, that is what the report’s results depend on.
Although the institute expresses some skepticism, its report incorporates Boston 2024’s claim that all the venues will be built with private money. Why would a U.S. company build an Olympic stadium that will be torn down? Or a velodrome? Or a pentathlon stadium? Why has no company stepped forward and declared its intention to even explore this opportunity?
Based on its IMPLAN model, the report estimates that hosting the Olympics will generate more than 50,000 new jobs in 2024. It says these workers will spend some of the money they earn here, further boosting the local economy. But that makes no allowance for the fact that Olympic Games are notorious for relying on voluntary labor.
The Donahue report also examines the uncertainty of the impact of hosting on tourism, both during the games and after. It mentions that London tourism during the summer of 2012 was down by 8% compared with 2011. The report might have added that 2012 was one year further removed from the financial crisis of 2008-09, and, other things equal, we would expect higher tourism figures in 2012. The report neglects to mention that tourist arrivals in Beijing in 2008 were down 20%. Despite this evidence, and that from scholarly studies, the report curiously projects a substantial boost to Boston’s tourism.
If one builds an empirical model and simply assumes that all the investment will be private and that the investment won’t displace other investments, it is easy to show output and job growth. But these rosy projections are no more realistic than Boston 2024’s starry-eyed claim that no public money will be spent.
Andrew Zimbalist is a professor of economics at Smith College. His new book is “Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and World Cup.”
In Springfield, Now Is the Time to Dream
The event was called “Vision 2017: The Right Direction.”
Staged on March 24, it was the second edition of what will apparently become an annual get-together at CityStage, where city officials and others involved in the broad spectrum of economic development gather to talk about what’s happening and what might happen. And the focus is on a number — in this case $2.8 billion — that represents the sum of the public and private projects ongoing or in the pipeline.
This year’s presentation included a detailed breakdown of projects in progress — MGM Springfield, Union Station, and others — and those that will start soon, such as the expansion to the Sr. Caritas Cancer Center, the new Innovation Center, and the highly anticipated but also dreaded I-91 reconstruction project. There was also an entertaining update and look ahead concerning efforts to create an entrepreneurial renaissance downtown.
But easily the most intriguing aspect of the program was one titled “Dare to Dream.” It was a sequence of computer-generated images depicting what could happen in and around downtown Springfield in the years to come.
It’s amazing what one can do with the right software. Indeed, the Republican building was transformed into a minor-league baseball stadium and the so-called Steiger’s parcel, a.k.a. ‘a little park for a little while’ (it’s going on 20 years now, but who’s counting?), had been filled with, alternately, an ultra-modern, market-rate housing project or a beach populated with young entrepreneurs soaking up some sun (the beach concept garnered more crowd approval).
Meanwhile, the former Chestnut Middle School parcel was now home to a sparkling mixed-use facility, a new performing-arts center had been built in Mason Square, and Riverfront Park (complete with sailboats on Connecticut) had been given a serious makeover.
Kevin Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer, stressed repeatedly that all this was merely speculation and that people shouldn’t take any of those pretty pictures as givens or even firm possibilities.
But he also noted that it’s certainly OK to dream. And he’s right.
Indeed, years ago, and not that many years ago, people would have laughed at those computer-generated images and considered them unreasonable and not doable. And while some of those sentiments may linger to a certain extent, they are largely being replaced with feelings that all or certainly most things are not beyond the city’s reach.
An $800 million casino project becoming reality in the South End will help do that, and so will an official end to more than 40 years of roadblocks to the renovation of Union Station.
But there’s more to it than that. There are the three colleges now populating downtown Springfield in some manner. There’s TechSpring and the Innovation Center and the arrival of HitPoint Studios at 1350 Main St. There’s new market-rate housing like Silverbrook Lofts, and the promise of more to come. There’s an aggressive, results-oriented DevelopSpringfield already changing some neighborhoods.
There’s a palpable sense of momentum and a sense that, yes, things can happen here.
Of course, there are a number of challenges facing leaders as they strive to revitalize the city, from struggling public schools to sky-high poverty rates to lingering perceptions that the city and its downtown are not safe. But unlike years ago, there seems to be a sentiment that these systemic problems can be overcome. Because of that, this is a time to heavily promote Springfield, tell its story, and inspire private developers to invest here, because it is likely to be a sound investment.
We’re not sure how many of those computer-generated images will become reality — maybe none of them. What we do know is that now, perhaps more than at any time in the past 30 or 40 years, you don’t have to dare people to dream.
Just encourage them a little.
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
CONWAY
99 Orchard St.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Smith
Seller: Kirsten L. Chervinsky
Date: 02/27/15
2739 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Candida Canepa
Seller: Pixie J. Holbrook
Date: 02/27/15
304 South Deerfield Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $468,500
Buyer: Elizabeth Stowe
Seller: Heidi L. Hobby
Date: 03/02/15
DEERFIELD
62 Eastern Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Susan S. Lundrigan
Seller: Lacoille, Edward N. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15
155 North Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $226,500
Buyer: Amie L. Clark
Seller: Susan T. Hudyma
Date: 02/25/15
GREENFIELD
8-10 Grant St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: James E. Filipkowski
Seller: James E. Filipkowski
Date: 02/27/15
38-46 Greenfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,410,000
Buyer: Store Master Funding 7
Seller: Channing L. Bete Co. Inc.
Date: 02/23/15
252 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Michael H. Barnard
Seller: Daniel P. Field
Date: 03/05/15
229-231 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Rachael Seven LLC
Seller: Rooney & Sons Inc.
Date: 03/06/15
27 Smith St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Dorina Placinta
Seller: Stephen D. Gibowicz
Date: 03/02/15
33 Sunrise Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Austin
Seller: Lorraine C. Ferrante TR
Date: 02/27/15
LEVERETT
4 Number 6 Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jean Sherlock
Seller: Daniel McIntire
Date: 02/26/15
MONTAGUE
80 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $133,404
Buyer: 80 on 4th LLC
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/06/15
19 L St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kara Mulligan
Date: 02/26/15
18 High St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Gregory R. Haas
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/04/15
ORANGE
13 Dewey Conrad Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Sevigny
Seller: Reginald Haughton
Date: 02/26/15
SHUTESBURY
19 Weatherwood Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Shana Anolik
Seller: Susan J. Russell
Date: 02/23/15
SUNDERLAND
57 North Plain Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. Murphy
Date: 03/05/15
WHATELY
Christian Lane (SS)
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Caroline C. Pam
Seller: Ralph K. Farrick Funding TR
Date: 02/27/15
21 Poplar Hill Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Maxwell W. Bland
Seller: Pamela A. Dickinson
Date: 02/23/15
HAMPDEN COUNTY
AGAWAM
8 Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $328,500
Buyer: Judith A. Piper
Seller: Jaclyn M. Belland
Date: 02/26/15
44 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Patrick H. Cullen
Seller: Jeffrey J. Benoit
Date: 03/06/15
43 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: David W. Elliott
Seller: Jill M. Tower
Date: 03/04/15
35 Hayes Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Margaret J. Dane
Seller: John J. Negrucci
Date: 02/27/15
425 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alan W. Bozak
Seller: Carole J. Calabrese
Date: 02/27/15
209 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: David W. Hamel
Seller: Julie A. Fife
Date: 03/06/15
417 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ellis L. Langone
Seller: Langone Plumbing 7 Heating
Date: 03/04/15
129 Tobacco Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joseph T. Martin
Seller: Robert A. Desimone
Date: 02/27/15
CHICOPEE
54 2nd Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $785,000
Buyer: Keith Laflamme
Seller: Chicopee Partners LLP
Date: 03/05/15
40 Belmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $123,100
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: Tammy-Lynn Gadouas
Date: 03/06/15
107 Columba St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Todd N Beattie
Seller: David J. Guertin
Date: 02/25/15
296 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: City Of Chicopee
Seller: Peters Josephine, (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15
456 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Petros Mirisis
Seller: Lawrence A. Maziarz
Date: 03/05/15
18 Gagne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Alysha M. Lewis
Seller: Chase A. Standre
Date: 02/27/15
N/A
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,300
Buyer: Bank New York
Seller: Gayle Arsenault
Date: 03/03/15
104 Lauzier Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Rui M. Mendes
Seller: William T. Lavelle
Date: 03/06/15
274 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $120,389
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Raul Hernandez
Date: 03/05/15
7 Overlook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Aneta Temple
Seller: Roxanne Ferretti
Date: 02/25/15
24 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Coleen S. Nauman
Seller: Martha H. Shea
Date: 02/27/15
77 Westport Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Timofey Adzhigirey
Seller: Nancy R. Forni
Date: 02/25/15
EAST LONGMEADOW
97 Barrie Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Shawn G. Santanello
Seller: Shelby P. Marrin
Date: 03/06/15
330 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: M&A Longmeadow LLC
Seller: Modak LLC
Date: 02/26/15
119 Colony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Nicholas R. King
Seller: Kristin Blakeslee
Date: 02/27/15
37 Holland Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Marco Scibelli
Seller: Gioio Scibelli
Date: 02/27/15
N/A
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael D. Collura
Seller: John A. Collura
Date: 02/25/15
89 Rogers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Lloyd
Seller: China Access LLC
Date: 02/25/15
40 Shawmut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Steven Kofsky
Seller: Theresa J. Cloonan
Date: 02/24/15
30 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Odres Nuevos
Seller: Shiloh Church
Date: 03/05/15
HOLYOKE
37 Francis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Murray
Seller: Provident Funding Assocs.
Date: 02/27/15
37 Lindbergh Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Arrow Worrall
Seller: Elizabeth E. Barker
Date: 02/27/15
224-226 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Naviah Investments LLC
Seller: 4306 3rd Avenue LLC
Date: 02/25/15
254 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Caroline I. Cotto
Seller: John J. Hanley
Date: 02/26/15
430 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,750
Buyer: Stephen Parmenter
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 03/05/15
98 Ridgewood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Michael A. Chatel
Seller: James L. Mooney
Date: 03/06/15
20 View St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,261
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Marie Cintron
Date: 02/23/15
LONGMEADOW
63 Crestview Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jack V. Grassetti
Seller: Gloria I. Durpe
Date: 03/05/15
37 Greenwich Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Stewart A. Mackie
Date: 02/27/15
152 Hawthorne St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sandra Kenefick
Seller: Leonard Lotito
Date: 03/06/15
123 Homestead Blvd.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Lynn L. Wagman
Seller: Stephen P. Wagner
Date: 02/27/15
99 Silver Birch Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Bucknor
Seller: Joseph J. Egan
Date: 03/05/15
LUDLOW
27 Americo St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Atwater Investors Inc.
Seller: Roland P. Savoie
Date: 02/27/15
95 Coolidge Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $127,750
Buyer: Brenda L. Shields-Dean
Seller: Frank A. Murray
Date: 03/05/15
Parker Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: David Cote
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/24/15
269 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Kathleen E. Fleming
Seller: Michael A. Perry
Date: 02/27/15
MONSON
13 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Tracy L. Davis
Seller: Kristen Beaulieu
Date: 02/25/15
250 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Richard W. Lamb
Seller: Denning, Elizabeth F., (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15
PALMER
14 Rockview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Steeven Magan
Seller: Lynn M. Plotczik
Date: 03/04/15
23 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,790
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: William F. Murray
Date: 02/24/15
SOUTHWICK
70 Congamond Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Mark Provost
Seller: Norman H. Storey
Date: 03/06/15
129 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jaydub LLC
Seller: Eileen L. Horkun
Date: 02/27/15
SPRINGFIELD
416 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,500
Buyer: Everton G. Senior
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 02/26/15
281 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ronald J. Charles
Seller: Kerrian A. James
Date: 03/06/15
Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Buckeye Pipe Line Co. LP
Seller: Boston & Maine Corp.
Date: 03/02/15
93 Balfour Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Dion E. Barron
Seller: Richard Garcia
Date: 03/05/15
18 Beaufort Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Karen R. Waterman
Seller: Sabrina M. Gross
Date: 02/27/15
129 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $213,325
Buyer: Bank of America
Seller: Joan T. Byrnes
Date: 02/26/15
73 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: David A. Brehaut
Seller: Mya Realty LLC
Date: 03/03/15
Garland St. (ES)
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15
178 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,300
Buyer: Andrew J. Normand
Seller: Stephen M. Ellis
Date: 02/26/15
65 Glenvale St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Danette L. Krushel
Seller: USA VA
Date: 02/26/15
21 Herman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $129,500
Buyer: Joyce T. Ramos
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 02/27/15
280 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $119,012
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Luis F. Rodriguez
Date: 02/25/15
70 Martone Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: WBGLA Of Westfield MA LLC
Seller: Keith A. Laflamme
Date: 02/24/15
60 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Zachary E. Rec
Seller: Galin Joseph
Date: 03/05/15
23 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Heather M. Sanford
Seller: 855 Liberty Springfield LLC
Date: 02/27/15
488 Porter Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Merrill
Seller: Brian J. Wallace
Date: 02/26/15
27 Pratt St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Baystate Medical Center
Seller: Alfonso E. Acuna
Date: 02/27/15
Quebec St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Wilfredo J. Semprit
Seller: Vyacheslav A. Kuzmenko
Date: 02/26/15
980 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Dieu H. Pham
Seller: Stephen C. Lafever
Date: 03/02/15
1197-1201 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15
73 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $146,500
Buyer: Rosa I. Torres
Seller: Christopher Plewa
Date: 03/06/15
102 Tamarack Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,500
Buyer: Kenneth Ramos
Seller: Michael T. Wayner
Date: 02/26/15
WEST SPRINGFIELD
1228 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Inna Gargun
Seller: Joseph A. Brosseau
Date: 03/06/15
17 Angeline St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Melany Laroe
Seller: David J. Paier
Date: 02/27/15
71 Austin Lane
West Springfield, MA 01013
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Prasanth Prabhakaran
Seller: Frank J. Morassi
Date: 02/27/15
446 Brush Hill Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,150
Buyer: Daniel J. Deluca
Seller: Morganford Holdings LLC
Date: 02/26/15
714 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Whitney Salvatore
Seller: Elizabeth R. Clark
Date: 03/04/15
104 Hillcrest Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Aric A. Nunes
Seller: Angela M. Nunes
Date: 02/27/15
61 Homestead Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Ashleigh Chrusciel
Seller: Crossroads Property Investors
Date: 02/26/15
56 Kent St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Denise Dumont
Seller: Thaddeus S. Saj
Date: 03/06/15
182 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Ryan E. Finn
Seller: Charles D. Carpino
Date: 02/27/15
197 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: May E. Mangalili
Seller: John A. Perez
Date: 02/27/15
44 Pine St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Angela R. Stone
Seller: Laurie A. Cassidy
Date: 02/24/15
386 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jason R. Faucher
Seller: George C. Dziurzynski
Date: 02/27/15
30 Virginia Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Halli Hunderfund
Seller: Stephen A. Cloutier
Date: 02/25/15
464 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Great Bay Properties LLC
Seller: 3 Diamond Realty Corp.
Date: 02/27/15
WESTFIELD
25 Big Wood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Kelly J. Cieplinski LT
Seller: Kenneth K. Gordon
Date: 03/06/15
72 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Thomas Curran
Seller: James R. Hale
Date: 03/06/15
113 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Susan Norton
Date: 02/25/15
27 Woodland Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Mary P. Kadomoto
Seller: Elizabet Matthews-Sitnik
Date: 02/27/15
8 Woodside Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Pineview RT
Seller: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Date: 02/23/15
WILBRAHAM
4 Warren Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Guberow
Seller: FHLM
Date: 02/26/15
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
AMHERST
4 Barry Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $477,000
Buyer: Patrick P. Arguin
Seller: Paul A. Pierce
Date: 02/27/15
48 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Neal B. Patel
Seller: Reynold A. Gladu
Date: 02/27/15
Henry St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Scott Tundermann
Seller: Jean K. Canon
Date: 03/06/15
32 Hitchcock Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: Patrick L. Williamson
Date: 03/04/15
16-18 Main St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: LIJJM LLC
Seller: Russell, William F. 3rd, (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15
478 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $624,900
Buyer: Amy A. Crawley
Seller: Western Development Corp.
Date: 02/26/15
60 Sunderland Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Parks Coop LLC
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 03/06/15
84 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Brian W. Fitzgerald
Seller: Laura Cadonati
Date: 03/02/15
235 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Across Campus UMass LLC
Seller: Xavier A. Tondeur
Date: 02/27/15
BELCHERTOWN
491 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel McLane
Seller: FNMA
Date: 02/25/15
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jeffrey O. Duprey
Seller: Shannon D. Sligo
Date: 02/27/15
111 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lauren Clarke
Seller: Rocco J. Malaspina
Date: 02/27/15
46 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Daniel O. Sullivan
Seller: Burdge, Barbara J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15
22 Raymond Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Tyler D. Chambers
Seller: Dawn V. Waslh
Date: 02/27/15
44 River St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Bukola T. Okuwobi
Seller: Edward J. Pazik
Date: 02/26/15
36 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $342,900
Buyer: Brandon C. Dube
Seller: Patrick P. Arguin
Date: 02/27/15
90 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $141,083
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Conor R. McMillen
Date: 02/27/15
EASTHAMPTON
75 Glendale St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Roseanna M. Alves
Seller: Larose, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15
11 Keddy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Victoria E. Trudeau
Seller: Debra A. Smith
Date: 02/27/15
27 Knipfer Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Albert J. Finch
Seller: Jean Pierre Pasche
Date: 02/27/15
329 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: Ashtons Acquisitions LLC
Seller: Onewest Bank
Date: 02/27/15
85 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $183,750
Buyer: Mark A. Essa
Seller: Stacia S. Tabaka LT
Date: 02/25/15
21 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $268,782
Buyer: Dewayne A. Matthews
Seller: Tori B. Jennings
Date: 03/03/15
GRANBY
553 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $180,200
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Roger J. Rouillard
Date: 02/23/15
151 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Douglas A. Gray
Seller: Kevin D. Rolfe
Date: 02/26/15
255 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Richard Ordynowicz
Seller: Kathleen M. Lukasik
Date: 02/24/15
12-R Jackielyn Circle
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Castle Farm Enterprises
Seller: Richard J. Niedbala
Date: 02/27/15
HATFIELD
439 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Robert E. Slysz
Seller: Slysz, Robert E. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 03/03/15
112 West St.
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John D. Sabola
Seller: Claire Laliberte
Date: 02/27/15
NORTHAMPTON
12 Bedford Terrace
Northampton, MA 01063
Amount: $3,225,000
Buyer: Simple Abode LLC
Seller: Smith Collage
Date: 03/04/15
40 Bradford St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Robert E. Aldrich
Seller: Martha A. Merriam
Date: 02/23/15
5 Kary St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Lori Leistyna
Seller: Katharine R. Walmsley
Date: 02/27/15
216 Lovefield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wendy J. Allen
Seller: James W. Shea
Date: 02/25/15
46 Middle St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Katharine R. Walmsley
Seller: John Koleszar
Date: 02/27/15
111 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $551,660
Buyer: Lesley Peebles
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 02/23/15
244 North St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Marta P. Tom
Seller: Caraker, Reece G., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/15
119 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Cory E. Gatrall
Seller: Kathleen E. Silva
Date: 02/25/15
295 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Sarah E. Gibbons
Seller: Sandra E. Slanda
Date: 02/27/15
115 Willow St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $182,155
Buyer: Maria C. Govantes
Seller: Cindy Beebe
Date: 03/03/15
SOUTH HADLEY
293 Morgan St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Frederick M. Sard
Seller: Steven H. Harrington
Date: 02/24/15
1 Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexander V. Stepanov
Seller: Andrew B. Galik
Date: 03/03/15
148 Stony Brook Village
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $327,335
Buyer: Barbara Callan-Bogia
Seller: Whispering Pines At Root
Date: 03/02/15
SOUTHAMPTON
80 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Jonathan H. Marsh
Date: 02/27/15
9 Glendale Woods Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $288,304
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Charles J. Hubbard
Date: 02/27/15
WARE
86 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Judy C. Riggenbach
Seller: Anne W. Martin
Date: 02/27/15
120 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Keith W. Greiner
Seller: Donald P. Hebert
Date: 03/06/15
21-23 Morse Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Timothy Welsh
Seller: Roger Morrissette
Date: 03/06/15
5 Sczygiel Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Jaime A. Muche
Seller: Mark E. Richard
Date: 02/27/15
WILLIAMSBURG
66 Old Goshen Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: William B. Thomson
Seller: Michael E. McCabe
Date: 03/05/15
MGM Springfield Breaks Ground on $800 Million Resort
SPRINGFIELD — MGM Resorts International hosted the groundbreaking of MGM Springfield — an $800 million casino resort slated to open in fall 2017 in downtown Springfield — on Tuesday. The event marked the start of the construction phase of this unique urban mixed-use development, the Commonwealth’s first destination casino resort. Hundreds of people were in attendance at the groundbreaking celebration, emceed by Kathy Tobin, former local news anchor and current director of Program Development at Friends of the Homeless. With the Zanetti School — severely damaged by the June 2011 tornado that tore through Springfield’s South End — as a backdrop, speakers highlighted the history of Springfield, the rebirth of the South End neighborhood, and the energy and optimism that is filling the region. “With every licensing milestone and every campaign victory, we have honored the potential of MGM Springfield,” said Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International chairman and CEO. “Today is even more special, though, as we put shovels in the ground to officially celebrate what we came here to do: put people back to work and begin a rebirth of the once-thriving urban center of Western Massachusetts.” The crowd, which included many state and local elected and appointed officials, gathered to hear from Murren, MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis, Mass. Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and Revitalize CDC Associate Director Ethel Griffin. More than 30 construction workers representing various trades were at the site to honor the moment. Guests were treated to an interactive event, as they were asked to write their wishes for the future of the city of Springfield and Western Mass. Their wishes were then dropped into an MGM Springfield wishing well. MGM will put all the wishes into a capsule that will be placed in the resort foundation as construction begins. The outdoor event also featured a traditional first shovel of dirt as well as celebratory confetti blasts. In keeping with MGM’s commitment to engage local businesses, Springfield vendors Langone’s, AC Produce, and Palazzo provided décor and beverages. Zasco Productions of Chicopee provided the staging, risers, and sound and technical equipment. Taylor Rental of South Hadley provided additional tables and chairs. “The city of Springfield’s people welcomed us into their hearts and homes and trusted us with their hopes for the future,” Mathis said. “This property was designed with the input of residents who wanted more for their families and their community. Today is the day we start to realize that future as we activate the most robust construction site Springfield has ever seen.” MGM Springfield will bring 3,000 permanent jobs and 2,000 construction jobs to downtown Springfield. MGM has established a hiring goal of 35% of the workforce from the city of Springfield and 90% from a combination of Springfield and the region. Additionally, MGM Springfield has entered into surrounding-community agreements with neighboring communities providing for tens of millions of dollars.
WomenUpFront Launches Roundtable
SPRINGFIELD — In support of the growth and success of Pioneer Valley women presidents and the businesses they own, WomenUpFront is launching a new monthly roundtable for women business owners whose annual revenues have passed the $200,000 mark but have not quite reached $1 million. Sponsored by PeoplesBank and hosted at the Business Growth Center at Springfield Technology Park, WomenUpFront is looking for business owners from Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties for this newest program, set to begin on Wednesday, April 15. WomenUpFront is bringing its successful model piloted in Berkshire County to the Pioneer Valley because there is a need to support women business owners of growing businesses. “There have been conversations over the years about starting this, but none has materialized until now,” said Cathy Crosky, founder and facilitator of WomenUpFront. “Scaling a business has its challenges, and this is a proven model that helps women business owners succeed. They really appreciate this kind of facilitated peer mentoring, too.” Joan Leahy, vice president of Marketing for PeoplesBank, said the bank “is proud to sponsor WomenUpFront and bring this important opportunity to area women business owners. As an organization that runs on innovation and collaboration, we know the benefits of mentoring, teamwork, and the free exchange of ideas. We support WomenUpFront because it will provide these entrepreneurs with many of the same opportunities and successes that we have enjoyed.” The roundtable provides a learning forum for owners to get out of the weeds of the day-to-day and look at their businesses more strategically. The objective is to help women accelerate their businesses to the next level and place their companies in a better position to access new opportunities and continue to prosper. Lasting and meaningful relationships are formed among the participants. “I’m thrilled that the Business Growth Center is hosting WomenUpFront,” said Marla Michel, director of the center. “Women business owners are focused, dedicated, and strong, and often have overcome many obstacles to get to where they are. WomenUpFront can help them learn skills and get advice in a very collegial environment to accelerate further success.” Monthly roundtable meetings will be held at the Business Growth Center the third Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.
Tech Foundry Starts Recruiting New Class
SPRINGFIELD — Following a successful inaugural year, Tech Foundry has turned its focus to filling this year’s class of students, beginning with an open house on Wednesday, April 8 at its headquarters on the ninth floor of 1391 Main St., Springfield. The open house begins at 5:30 p.m., and prospective students and parents are encouraged to attend. In addition, the staff at Tech Foundry will be going into area schools and meeting with guidance counselors and other community influencers to drive as many applications as possible before the April 17 deadline to apply. Applications can be found at www.thetechfoundry.org. Founded by Paragus IT CEO Delcie Bean, Tech Foundry is a nonprofit education and job-placement program looking to transform underemployed and overlooked populations into a powerful and robust workforce in the information-technology field. With partners such as Mass Mutual, the Davis Foundation, UMass, and Baystate Health, it raised nearly $450,000 to get started. Tech Foundry aims to create a homegrown workforce for the many area businesses looking for tech professionals, and began the program this year with an inaugural class of high-school students. Upon completing the program and graduating high school, the goal is to place students in an entry-level IT job in the Valley in the $30,000-$40,000 salary range. In the long term, Tech Foundry aims to turn Western Mass. into a technology hub, attracting companies from all over the country to locate some of their high-tech jobs in the Pioneer Valley.
PVPC Receives Award from PolicyLink
SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), on behalf of LiveWell Springfield, is one of just six organizations across the country to receive an award from the Leadership Conference Education Fund and PolicyLink to advance affordable, accessible transportation policy. PVPC will use the funds to embed transit-equity principles into LiveWell Springfield, and will host local activities to engage, educate, and empower local leaders within communities of color to lift up the Equity Caucus agenda locally and federally. Specifically, PVPC is collaborating with Joseph Krupczynski and the Center for Design Engagement, Natalia Muñoz of Verdant Multicultural Media, and Evelín Aquino to expand the successful capacity-building sessions implemented in 2014 for emerging leaders in Springfield. (For a summary of this work, visit www.pvpc.org/content/new-video-building-skills-equity-and-engagement-planning). “When we completed our three-and-a-half-year, HUD-funded equity and engagement work last year, we knew we needed more funding to expand our capacity-building workshops,” explained Catherine Ratté, principal planner and section manager at PVPC. “Our civic-engagement goal is not just to engage individuals from under-represented groups, but also to create pathways for them into positions of power. Participation in democracy, especially from communities that are too often left out, brings important voices to the table and makes sustainable growth and development possible.” Equitable transportation investments are crucial to connecting people to jobs, educational opportunities, affordable housing, healthcare, and other basic needs. Through a coalition of more than 100 organizations, the Transportation Equity Caucus is charting a new course for transportation investments, focused on policies that advance economic and social equity in America. For more information, see www.equitycaucus.org. Live Well Springfield, a movement to promote healthy eating and active living, has been working for the last few years putting systems into action that support safe and friendly walking and biking. As part of LiveWell Springfield’s work in 2012-14, PVPC facilitated creation of the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Complete Streets Plan, implementation guide, Complete Streets policy draft, and Complete Streets buildout plan and map (www.livewellspringfield.org).
State Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.9% in February
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) released preliminary February 2015 estimates that show the Massachusetts total unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% from the January rate of 5.1%, a 0.2% decrease. Over the year, the unemployment rate fell by 1.1% from 6.0% in February 2014. The share of working-age residents employed or unemployed, also known as the labor participation rate, was 65.9%, an increase of 0.3% since January. Compared with February 2014, the labor participation rate increased a full percentage point over the year. February 2015 estimates show that 3,430,500 residents were employed and 177,300 were unemployed. Compared with February 2014, February 2015 had 34,400 fewer unemployed, the largest annual decrease in the number of unemployed since October 2011. Over the month, jobs were up 800, with a private-sector loss of 800. Since February 2014, jobs grew by 58,100, with 46,300 private-sector job gains. The sectors with the largest job gains over the year included education and health services and professional, scientific, and business services.
School Building Authority Announces Contest
BOSTON — State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, chair of the Mass. School Building Authority (MSBA), and MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy announced the 2015 “My Ideal School” contest. The goal of the contest is to promote discussion among students and teachers about how thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts support student learning. The contest is open to all first-grade students currently attending a Massachusetts public school. Regional winners will receive a prize donated by Santander Bank. One grand-prize winner will have his or her “My Ideal School” contest picture featured on the cover of the MSBA annual report. All winners will be honored at an awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on May 27. Contest submissions must be postmarked by April 24 for consideration. More information can be found on the MSBA website at www.massschoolbuildings.org. The Mass. School Building Authority partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective public-school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the authority has made more than 1,500 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due-diligence process, and has made more than $11.2 billion in reimbursements for school-construction projects across Massachusetts.
Most Patients Don’t Visit Nearest Emergency Room
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fewer than half of emergency-department (ED) visits are to the patient’s local emergency room, according to a new data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), FierceHealthcare reported. After analyzing data on ED visits between 2009 and 2010, Amy Brown and colleagues at the NCHS found the average visit involved an ED that was located 6.8 miles from the patient’s home, even though the nearest ED was on average only 3.9 miles from home. Overall, only 43.8% of visits were to the ED closest to the patient’s home. Researchers also looked at emergency visits within metropolitan statistical areas, which are regions that contain a core urban area with a population of 50,000 or more. Visits inside these areas were less likely than those outside to be to a different ED than the one closest to the patient’s home, according to Brown and her team. They also found that visits that took place at EDs further from patients’ homes occurred more often for older patients, at larger hospitals, and in EDs with longer waiting times within metropolitan statistical areas. Further study is needed to understand the determinants behind these statistics, Brown and her team wrote, particularly if demand for emergency care continues to increase, as it has since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Mercy Announces $1 Million Gift for Cancer Center Campaign
SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center announced that Cynthia and William Lyons have made a $1 million challenge gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. The Lyons’ gift will support the 26,000-square-foot expansion of the Cancer Center and is particularly significant because it reflects the largest single gift for the Capital Campaign from members of the community. “We have been inspired by the high level of care and compassion that runs throughout the Sisters of Providence Health System,” said Cynthia Lyons. “The work being done at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center is especially exciting.” Added Daniel Moen, president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System, “The tremendous support we have received from Cynthia and William Lyons is indicative of the importance and necessity of the services provided by the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. We are grateful for their generosity on behalf of the patients who will benefit from the expansion project.” Under the leadership of Dr. Philip Glynn, director of Oncology, the Sister Caritas Cancer Center staff has expanded significantly to meet patient need that continues to increase. By 2022, demand for outpatient cancer services is expected to grow by 26%. In addition to increasing treatment space, the $15 million expansion will bolster the cancer center’s already strong capabilities by enhancing communication among the oncology providers and facilitating ease of access to existing services. The design of new infusion bays will increase privacy for patients, as well as for a supporting family member or friend. “We are so impressed with the new leadership and forward thinking of Mercy Medical Center and its oncology center,” Lyons said. “The commitment and vision of the physicians directly involved with the growth of the cancer center speaks to the investment of the hospital community. The new plan unites state-of-the-art treatment, research, and clinical-trial opportunities with Mercy’s trademark mission-driven qualities of compassion and respect for the individual. “This expansion is important because, directly or indirectly, cancer touches all of us,” she continued. “People really do want to be part of something that is successful and meaningful. We sincerely hope our gift inspires others in our community to give as well.” To make a gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center, call (413) 748-9920 or visit www.mercycares.com.
Normandeau Receives Partner of the Year Award
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Normandeau Technologies (NTI) announced it has been awarded the 2014 Ericsson-LG Enterprise North American Partner of the Year Award at the Ericsson-LG Global Partner Conference held in Cancun, Mexico. The award celebrates the excellence Normandeau Technologies has achieved in helping to build the North American distribution channel for the iPECS communications platform and for its success in bringing IP telephony, unified communications, mobility, and call-center solutions to SMBs in industries such as manufacturing, insurance, realty, medical, education, government, and financial. Bob Rankin, general manager of Presence Management, the largest distributor of Ericsson-LG iPECS products in North America, noted, “NTI continues to expand sales of our award-winning iPECS LIK VoIP platform with the iPECS Unified Communications Solution (iPECS UCS) and iPECS Contact Center Suite Solution (iPECS CCS). We recognize and appreciate the continuous hard work NTI performs in their region, and we applaud their continued success with iPECS.” Successfully marketed worldwide with a dominant market share in South Korea, Australia, and South Africa, and significant market share in many other countries, the iPECS is a highly scalable and fault-tolerant platform that connects up to 1,200 endpoints per system and up to 300,000 endpoints with networking. It’s a versatile, premise-based IP phone platform with a competitive entry cost, five-year warranty, and one of the industry’s lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). The Ericsson-LG UCS is a collaboration platform for organizations of virtually any size that integrates voice, presence, video conferencing, and instant messaging on the IPECS platform. The Ericsson-LG CCS is a multi-channel call-center solution providing intelligent management of multiple communication mediums. “We’re honored to receive this recognition for our sales success with the Ericsson LG line of advanced communication applications in the Massachusetts area and for our success in bringing these new technologies to our clients,” said Brett Normandeau, president of NTI. “Solutions like the iPECS UCS and iPECS CCS offer a tightly integrated, next-generation communications environment for telecom resellers at a very compelling price point.”
Braman Termite and Pest Elimination Earns Award
AGAWAM — Braman Termite and Pest Elimination, a provider of pest-management services in Southern New England since 1890, has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to the local marketplace, according to the consumer-review site in 2014. “We are honored at Braman Termite and Pest Elimination to have once again earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award, especially this year as we celebrate 125 years in business,” said Jerry Lazarus, third-generation owner. “I am confident that we provide a superior level of customer service that our customers have come to expect. This service is the result of our entire staff, but also under the leadership of several dedicated members that have been with Braman for decades.” Only about 5% of the companies in the Greater Springfield market have performed consistently well enough to earn the Super Service Award, said Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks. Service-company ratings are updated daily. Companies are graded in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an ‘A’ rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review-period grade. The company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check, and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
BHS Partners with Ob/Gyn Practices
PITTSFIELD — In a move that will help to ensure long-term obstetric and gynecologic services throughout the region, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has announced that three key ob/gyn physician practices have joined together and formed Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC, which solidifies and stabilizes critical women’s health services for the community. The three practices joining under the Berkshire Health Systems Physician Practice Group are Berkshire Ob/Gyn Associates, located in Pittsfield and Lenox, and Northern Berkshire Ob/Gyn and Gyn Services of the Berkshires, located in Adams. This investment in ob/gyn stabilizes these essential physician services and supports consistent and reliable access to care. The partnership was partially precipitated by the 2014 closure of the former North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) and the community need to provide ongoing maternal-child healthcare for residents of North Berkshire. A former NARH physician practice, Northern Berkshire Ob/Gyn was able to continue to provide care without interruption of service when Berkshire Health Systems assumed responsibility for the practice, and Berkshire Ob/Gyn provided coverage for the North Berkshire physicians and their patients. Growing changes in healthcare policy and in the health insurance reimbursement system have challenged the viability of private physician practices, which was a major factor in prompting Berkshire Ob/GYn to join together with the two BHS practices to form one unified service under BHS. At the same time, healthcare systems like BHS are increasingly relied upon to ensure current and future access to critical services for the community by investing in physician practices and ensuring they have the necessary support systems and financial stability and investment to succeed in the long term. Working together, the physicians of Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC can provide 24/7 coverage for maternity and routine, surgical, and emergency gynecological care throughout the region. Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC includes Drs. Andrew Beckwith, Daniel Barraez-Masroua, Robert Benner, Herbert Kantor, Joan Lister, Charles O’Neill, Cassandra Service, Michael Shreefter, Lauren Slater, and Susan Yates. In addition, the practice features the expertise of three certified nurse midwives: Robin Rivinus, Lydia Kelly, and Evelyn Resh. The practice will continue to provide services throughout Central and Northern Berkshire County, with offices in Pittsfield, Lenox, and Adams. O’Neill and Yates will primarily work out of the Adams office, but will also provide services in Central Berkshire County. Lister will provide urgent-care gynecological services. “The strength of this combined physician practice will allow us to continue to provide comprehensive ob/gyn and women’s-health services for all who need this care in the Berkshires,” Beckwith said. “Healthcare has become increasingly complex, and private physician practices are faced with significant challenges that threaten their long-term viability. By becoming part of Berkshire Health Systems, we have preserved these practices, and, as one unified provider, we can assure access to our patients to the best physician and healthcare services possible.”
<strong>Loomis House Nursing Center Earns Top Scores
HOLYOKE — The Loomis Communities announced that the Loomis House Nursing Center has received perfect scores on surveys from the Mass. Department of Public Health (DPH) for the third year running. The DPH reviews all areas of care practices to make certain that all regulations are followed. These areas include resident rights, facility practices, infection control, quality of life, resident satisfaction, quality of care delivered, culinary services, all nursing and ancillary services, rehabilitation, physical environment, and administration. In addition, a second life-safety survey reviews the physical plant issues that make a safe living and working environment. “Deficiency-free surveys are a top indicator of excellence in nursing homes,” said David Scruggs, president and CEO of the Loomis Communities. “We are extremely proud of the dedicated staff at the Loomis House Nursing Center.” Loomis House Nursing Center was the first nursing home in Massachusetts to receive certification as a leader in providing person-centered care, a concept that adapts the way care is delivered to accommodate each resident’s preferences. “This holistic approach to successful aging and self-determination honors and respects the individual,” Scruggs said. The certification comes from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human-services organizations. The Loomis Communities offers independent-living apartments and cottages, assisted living, and skilled nursing care at Applewood in Amherst, Loomis House in Holyoke, Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing in Springfield, and Loomis Village in South Hadley.
SPRINGFIELD — 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.
CHICOPEE — 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 last nine years, he has also been a field sales representative, district manager, and president of Grote & Weigel (a division of J. Polep).
Kramer is known for his dedication to the products he delivers, as well as his ability to grow with the industry as the business dictates. Visit www.jpolep.com to learn more about the company history.
WARE — 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.
“We are delighted to announce that we have 9 new corporators joining us. Each of them will provide a unique perspective to what Country Bank offers in their local communities,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO. New members include Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, Sheila Cuddy, Brian D’Andrea, Robert Dik, Mary Falardeau, Janice Kucewicz, Lauren Miller, James Paugh III, and Richard Poissant.
Meeting attendees also learned that Country Bank will be opening a new location on Park Avenue in Worcester later this year. The bank currently serves Central and Western Mass. with 15 offices. For more information, visit www.countrybank.com or call (800) 322-8233.
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will hold its bi-monthly Lunch ‘n’ Learn on Wednesday, April 8, with a focus on effective personalized marketing.
Mary McCarthy, director of marketing for Andrew Associates, will address the event, which takes place at La Quinta Inns and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. The goal is to educate attendees on how to translate market research and data into effectively personalized marketing strategies that reach target audiences. Networking and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., and the program starts at 1 p.m.
EAST LONGMEADOW — Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, which has served the Greater Springfield community since 1905, announced its first ever Family Craft Day, to be held Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at Captain Charles Leonard House on Main Street in Agawam.
“This is the time of year when we are celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. As part of our commitment to our community, we wanted to offer families a fun and creative way to mark those holidays, regardless of whether or not they have lost a loved one,” said Frank Forastiere, president and funeral director of Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation.
All are invited to create gifts for Mother’s and Father’s Day, for teachers and grandparents, as a remembrance of a lost loved one, or as a simple thank you. The Family Craft Day is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
To reserve a spot, call (413) 525-2800. For information about Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, visit forastiere.com.
Photos From the 2015 Difference Makers Gala
Thursday, March 19, 2015 held at the Log Cabin, Holyoke
Sponsored By:
Photos by Denise Smith Photography
To see all the photos go HERE
More than 350 people turned out at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke on March 19 for a celebration of the Difference Makers for 2015. The photos on the next several pages capture the essence of the event, which featured entertainment from the Springfield Boys & Girls Club, as well as fine food and thoughtful comments from the honorees. This year’s class, chosen by the editors and publishers of BusinessWest from dozens of nominations, include Katelynn’s Ride, represented by Domenic Battista, Michelle Battista, Kim Zachery, Dan Williams, Steve Stark, and Corinne Briggs; MassMutual Financial Services, represented by Nick Fyntrilakis; Spirit of Springfield Executive Director Judy Matt; Valley Venture Mentors, represented by Paul Silva, Scott Foster, and Jay Leonard; and the new ownership group of the Student Prince/Fort: Andy Yee, Peter Picknelly, Michael Vann, and Kevin Vann.
From left: John Veit, marketing and recruiting senior associate, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; 2015 Difference Maker Paul Silva, executive director, Valley Venture Mentors; and 2013 Difference Makers Sr. Kathleen Popko and Sr. Mary Caritas of the Sisters of Providence.
Ethel Griffin (left), program manager, Revitalize Community Development Corp., with 2014 Difference Maker Colleen Loveless, the organization’s executive director.
From left: BusinessWest Publisher John Gormally; 2013 Difference Maker Jim Vinick, senior vice president of investments, Moors & Cabot Inc.; and Marjorie Koft.
Scott Foster (right), partner at Bulkley Richardson and board member with 2015 Difference Maker Valley Venture Mentors, with his wife, Stephanie Foster, and son, James Foster.
From left: Brenda Olesuk, director of operations and development, Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Kathleen Plante, advertising consultant, BusinessWest; Meghan Lynch, CEO and president, Six-Point Creative Works; and 2009 Difference Maker Susan Jaye-Kaplan, founder of GoFIT and co-founder of Link to Libraries.
2015 Difference Maker Andy Yee (right), one of the new owners of the Student Prince/Fort, with his wife, Sarah Yee, and son, Matthew Yee.
Peter Galiardi (left), president and CEO, HAPHousing, with 2011 Difference Maker Bob Perry, retired partner/consultant at Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.
From left: 2015 Difference Maker Peter Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines and one of the new owners of the Student Prince/Fort; Paul McDonald; Susan Walsh; and Dennis Walsh, general manager, Sheraton Springfield.
Once again, the honorees received glass plates hand-crafted by Lynn Latimer, representing butterflies, the symbol of BusinessWest’s Difference Makers since the program was launched in 2009.
From left: Maureen Scanlon, owner, Murre Creative; Susan Bergeron-West, owner, Sirius Design; Jean Jinks; Florence DeRose; and 2015 Difference Maker Judy Matt, president, Spirit of Springfield.
Front row, from left: from Health New England, Nicole Santaniello, content management specialist; Brian Kivel, sales executive; Elin Gaynor, assistant general counsel; and Cinnamon Azeez. Back row, from left: also from HNE, Laura Dellapenna, administrative assistant; Heidi Fountain, senior special accounts manager; and Robert Azeez, Medicaid behavioral health manager.
Front row, from left: Robert Zywno, attorney, Royal LLP; Tanzania Cannon-Eckerle, attorney, Royal LLP; and her husband, Joe Eckerle. Back row, from left: Joanne Salus, director of Human Resources, Community Enterprises Inc.; and Karina Schrengohst, attorney, Royal LLP.
Front row, from left: from MassMutual Financial Group, Michelle Sussmann, assistant vice president and chief of staff, Marketing Strategy, Planning, and Operations; Nick Fyntrilakis, vice president, Community Responsibility; Cindy Adams, program manager; and Nicole Fyntrilakis. Back row, from left: also from MassMutual, Tracy Shaw, assistant vice president; John Chandler, chief marketing officer; Mike McNamara, Media Relations and Communications; and Sonja Shaw, relationship manager.
Front row, from left: from Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C., Kaylin Helitzer, associate; Jim Krupienski, senior manager; Kristi Reale, senior manager; and Jim Barrett, managing partner. Back row, from left: also from MBK, John Veit, marketing and recruiting senior associate; Brenda Olesuk, director of operations and development; Melyssa Brown, senior manager; Chris Marini, associate; and Kris Houghton, partner.
Front row, from left: Dennis Murphy, administrative specialist, First American Insurance Agency; Noni Moran, Human Resources director and claims adjustor, First American Insurance Agency; and Molly Murphy. Back row, from left: Moe Brodeur, controller, Peter Pan Bus Co.; Tom Picknally, senior vice president of Maintenance, Peter Pan Bus Co.; David Matosky, operations director, First American Insurance Agency; and Edward Murphy, chairman, First American Insurance Agency.
Front row, from left: from Fathers and Sons, Lori Monroe, business development; Trae Morrison, product specialist; and Bill Visneau, product specialist. Back row, from left: also from Fathers and Sons, Angela Lebel, service advisor; and Steve Langieri, sales manager.
Musical performances by area children are a Difference Makers tradition, and this year was no exception, with a choir from the Springfield Boys & Girls Club kicking off the evening’s ceremonies by singing Mariah Carey’s “Hero” and Katy Perry’s “Roar.”
BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien (center) presents the 2015 Difference Makers award to the new ownership group of the Student Prince/Fort, from left, Andy Yee, Peter Picknelly, Michael Vann, and Kevin Vann.
BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien (third from left) presents the 2015 Difference Makers award to representatives from Katelynn’s Ride, from left, Corinne Briggs, Domenic Battista, Michelle Battista, Kim Zachery, Dan Williams, and Steve Stark.
Front row, from left: Marsha Montori, chief client strategist, Six-Point Creative Works; Marion Griswold, membership coordinator, Connecticut River Watershed Council; and Angela Mrozinski, outreach and events director, Connecticut River Watershed Council. Back row, from left: Melody Foti, senior vice president, Investments, Wells Fargo; and Meghan Lynch, CEO, Six-Point Creative Works.
Representing 2015 Difference Maker Valley Venture Mentors, from left, Jay Leonard, Paul Silva, and Scott Foster.
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]
Groundbreaking Event
The casino era officially began in Springfield on March 24, as ground was broken for MGM Springfield, an $800 million resort casino that will take shape in the city’s tornado-ravaged South End. Top, with the tornado-damaged Zanetti School in the background, Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International chairman and CEO, offers remarks to the hundreds in attendance. Above, the confetti canons go off as dignitaries handle the official groundbreaking duties.
Impactful Gift
Mercy Medical Center recently announced that Cynthia and William Lyons of Wilbraham have made a $1 million challenge gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. The Lyons’ gift will support the 26,000-square-foot expansion of the center and reflects the largest single gift for the campaign from members of the community. “We have been inspired by the high level of care and compassion that runs throughout the Sisters of Providence Health System,” said Cynthia Lyons. “The work being done at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center is especially exciting.” Under the leadership of Dr. Philip Glynn, director of Oncology, staff at the cancer center has expanded significantly to meet patient need; by 2022, demand for outpatient cancer services is expected to grow by 26%. The $15 million expansion will also bolster the center’s capabilities by enhancing communication among oncology providers and facilitating ease of access to existing services. The design of new infusion bays will increase privacy for patients, as well as for a supporting family member or friend. Sr. Mary Caritas, SP, is a member of the Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS) board of trustees, was president of the former Mercy Hospital, and was a driving force behind the initial effort to build the cancer center that now bears her name. Pictured at right, Caritas and Daniel Moen, president and CEO of SPHS, display a photo of Bill and Cindy Lyons at the news conference announcing the gift.
Celebrating Sisterhood
More than 1,600 people packed the MassMutual Center on March 27 for the 20th annual Women’s Leadership Conference, presented by Bay Path University. The event, with the theme “Celebrating Sisterhood,” featured three keynote speakers — Angelique Kidjo, the ‘undisputed queen of African music’; Kathy Giusti, cancer survivor, philanthropist, and founder of two melanoma research foundations; and Cuban-born singer Gloria Estefan — as well as a host of breakout sessions on a wide range of topics. From top to bottom: Bay Path President Carol Leary present Estefan with a school sweatshirt; a group of Bay Path students enjoy the conference; Kidjo entertains the audience during her morning keynote address; Bay Path alumni represent the theme of the conference; and Sheila Heen, founder of Triad Consulting Group and author of Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback: the Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It’s Off-base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered, and Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood), solicits comments during her breakout session, “Thanks for the Feedback.”
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.
HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
All Metals Industries Inc. v. Baystate Metal Solutions Inc. and Patricia A. Fernandez
Allegation: Breach of contract: $113,198.95
Filed: 2/5/15
EP Floors Corp. v. The Polycube Company, LLC and Recycle Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract: $120,000
Filed: 2/25/15
Michael E. Anderson v. Toyota Motor Sales
Allegation: Product liability: $500,000
Filed: 2/11/15
Pioneer Tool Supply Co. Inc. v. AMK Welding Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $39,826.63
Filed: 2/13/15
S & K Distribution, LLC d/b/a New Castle Building Products v. Morris Roofing and Sheet Metal Corp. and Steven N. Kravitz
Allegation: Breach of contract and non-payment of materials provided: $12,000
Filed 2/13/15
HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Amand Chouinard v. Publisher Circulation Fulfillment Inc., Paul Racine, Jason Coones, Steve Fletcher, and Chris Robare
Allegation: Sexual harassment and discrimination: $25,000+
Filed: 1/26/15
Christine Nutter v. Tractor Supply Co.
Allegation: While shopping, plaintiff fell off of a loading dock: $79,715.14
Filed: 2/21/15
Mary P. and Michael D. Boudreau v. William Ryder Funeral Home Inc.
Allegation: Breach of funeral-service contract: $2,000. Filed: 2/3/15
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
James Hall v. Green Tree Servicing, LLC
Allegation: The plaintiff had a mortgage with the defendant’s company which he paid off with the sale of the home, but the defendant refused to discharge, causing economic damage: $24,800
Filed: 1/2/15
Janelle Johnson, as parent of her minor child, Samuel Johnson v. Spirit Halloween
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of Halloween display causing injury: $2,430.10
Filed: 1/20/15
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Marcelino Ortiz Jr. v. Bowditch, LLC d/b/a Northampton Lodging House
Allegation: When attempting to open a window in a room the plaintiff was renting from the defendant, the window came off the hinges and fell on the plaintiff’s head: $2,947.81
Filed: 2/9/15
Reinhart Food Services, LLC v. The Sub & Pizza of Amherst Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $6,336.91
Filed: 2/20/15
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Basette Printers, LLC d/b/a Bassette Company v. Encompass Design Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,340.79
Filed: 2/6/15
Crystal Window and Door Systems, LTD v. Lizotte Glass Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $34,260.48
Filed: 1/26/15
Sanmar Corp. v. Turbo Screen Painting, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $12,738.66
Filed: 2/12/15
‘Victorian Opulence’ Exhibit
Through April 2016: On April 7, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History unveiled a new exhibit titled “Victorian Opulence: Springfield’s Industrial Elite.” The exhibit, which runs through April 10, 2016, features a representative selection of the kinds of luxury and everyday items that would be found in the typical upper-class Victorian homes, while also exploring the lives and values of many of these prominent families. Using beautifully ornate objects from the Springfield Museums’ own collections, this exhibit provides a window into the lives of America’s privileged classes both at home and at play during the Victorian era. Some of the fine clothing and personal items, like elegant men’s pocket watches and ladies’ jewelry and hair combs, will be familiar to fans of Downton Abbey. Objects like grandfather clocks and gentleman’s ceremonial items exhibit a level of craftsmanship no longer evident today. The items on view tell many stories about their owners, the time and place in which they lived, and the level of wealth that allowed them to possess such luxury items. The exhibit covers the period between 1840 and 1900, a time when Springfield was a powerhouse of innovation and industry. Wealthy industrialists like Everett Barney, the inventor of the clamp-on ice skate, and railroad president and Congressman Chester Chapin displayed their success through their philanthropic pursuits and by making their homes into showpieces for their newfound wealth. The spirit of philanthropy shown by individuals like James Rumrill and George Walter Vincent Smith helped create some of Springfield’s most venerable institutions, including Forest Park and the Springfield Museums themselves.
Employment-law Seminar
April 9: Due to the high volume of interest, Royal LLP will present an encore of its seminar pertaining to three major changes in employment law that every employer needs to be aware of for 2015. The seminar will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. at the company’s offices at 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. At this roundtable, the company will focus on sick leave, domestic-violence leave, and paternity leave, and will also flag an issue with respect to the Affordable Care Act relating to healthcare reimbursement, as well as minimum wage. The seminar will be led by principal Amy Royal. Cost is $30 per person; payments may be mailed to Royal LLP, 270 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060. Advance registration is required, and seating will be limited. Contact Ann-Marie Marcil at [email protected] to register.
Remembrance Service
April 19: Families who have experienced the death of a child over the past year are invited to attend the annual Service of Remembrance held by Baystate Children’s Hospital. All family members and friends are invited to attend the event, which will be held at 1 p.m. at Baystate Medical Center’s Chestnut Conference Center at 759 Chestnut St., Springfield. It is also open to families with losses prior to 2014. Baystate Children’s Hospital staff will be in attendance at the event to remember and pay tribute to the children and families who were under their care. Families are asked to respond by April 13 with the number of adults and children planning to attend the event, as well as their child’s name, if they would like it printed in the memorial-service program. Families with earlier losses are simply asked to call and register. To respond, call Marge Bloom (413) 794-5559. “We hope that the Service of Remembrance and the reception that follows will provide a unique opportunity for a special group of families to come together to remember and honor their children,” said Bloom. The service will include readings, music, and a ceremony of light. Families can share a photograph or other memento of their child on a ‘table of memories’ at the event. They may also choose to have their child’s name printed in the program and read aloud during the service, regardless of whether they can attend. As part of the service, families will be given a piece of fabric which they can personalize in memory of their child before it is added, along with others, to create a memory quilt. The quilt will be displayed this September, along with other quilts created in past years, at Baystate’s annual Memorial Quilt Exhibit. For more information on Baystate Children’s Hospital, visit www.baystatehealth.org/bch.
Restaurant Week
April 23 to May 2: The Springfield City Council’s young professionals subcommittee, partnered with the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID), will serve up mouth-watering meals during Springfield Restaurant Week 2015. Many downtown and riverfront restaurants are featured in this event, including Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou, Currents (Marriott), Champions (Marriott), Luxe Burger Bar, Nadim’s Mediterranean, Panjabi Tadka, PICKS/MVP (Sheraton), Plan B Burger, the Fort/Student Prince, Theodore’s, Pizzeria Uno, Adolfo’s, McCaffrey’s Public House, Blackjack Steakhouse, and Shakago. Each restaurant will offer a special two- or three-course dinner menu for a set price of $20.15 per person. Further details and menus will be posted on springfielddowntown.com/dinespringfield. City Councilor Justin Hurst, who chairs the young professionals subcommittee, noted that the event “is an opportunity for not only young professionals, but families and the community at large to experience the unique spread the city has to offer.” Added BID Assistant Director Morgan Drewniany, “we’re proud to forge a partnership with the YP subcommittee to promote a vibrant downtown through supporting Springfield restaurants.” Event sponsors include Baystate Health, Williams Distributing, White Lion Brewing Co., Garten, LLC Landscaping and Services, Farmington Bank, MassLive, and Inspired Marketing Inc.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake
April 25: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County will host Bowl for Kids’ Sake, the mentoring organization’s biggest annual fund-raiser, at the French King Entertainment Center in Erving from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 45 year-old, donor-funded organization challenges everyone — mentors and mentees, their friends and families, business people, community leaders, and others who may not have time to mentor, but still support Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission — to join Bowl for Kids’ Sake help change the life of a child forever. For more than 40 years, Bowl for Kids’ Sake has supported Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country, becoming its premiere fund-raising event and raising $20 million nationwide each year. People interested in forming a team should contact Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County directly, via [email protected] or (413) 772-0915. Once a team is formed, each team member should starting soliciting donations from friends, colleagues, or family members. The minimum total pledge amount, per team member, is $75. In addition, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is still accepting corporate sponsors for this event. Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2015 challenges bowlers to dress like a superhero. Prizes will be awarded to teams and individuals for creativity and team unity. In addition, all bowlers can qualify for gift certificates to area restaurants by raising $100 or more; all bowlers who raise $75 or more automatically receive a free T-shirt. The day will also include 50/50 raffles, a photo booth provided by Base Camp Photo, music, food, drink, and more.
Military Ball & Gala
April 25: The Pioneer Valley USO announced that the fifth annual Military Ball & Gala Honoring Our Troops will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Presenting sponsors include Steve Lewis Subaru and 1812 Auto Body, and the Purple Heart sponsor is Bay Path University. Music will be provided by the Bronx Wanderers. Tickets are available by calling the USO office in Chicopee at (413) 557-3290. The Military Ball & Gala is the largest fund-raising effort of the year and funds many of the Pioneer Valley USO’s programs and services. It was designed in keeping with the long-standing traditions of formal military balls while allowing the public to attend and participate in a gala evening. Military formal and business dress is required. The Pioneer Valley USO serves the needs of active military and their families through the efforts of volunteers, the board of directors, and the public.
Not Just Business as Usual
April 30: The Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation’s Not Just Business as Usual (NJBAU) event is one of the premiere networking events for business leaders in Western Mass. This annual celebration, in its sixth year, is a celebration of innovative thinking which gives participants the opportunity to learn from business experts while raising significant funding for the STCC WORKS scholarship program. The event will be held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A cocktail and networking reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with dinner and the keynote speaker, Google Engineering Director Steve Vinter, to follow from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Vinter has overseen the growth of Google’s Cambridge site from 15 software engineers in 2007 to more than 900 today. He is responsible for developing digital-publishing products such as Google eBooks, Google Play Newsstand, and Play for Education, and has over 20 years of industry experience working in the Boston area, focusing on building products and services for hundreds of millions of users of mobile and cloud computing. He also is the co-founder of MassCAN, a partnership of organizations which collaborate to inspire and educate students in Massachusetts to learn computing and prepare them to lead and innovate the future economy, which will be driven by computer technology. This year, NJBAU will feature interactive workstations featuring the STCC Mobile SIM and Engineering program. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available. Tickets are $100 each, and sponsorships begin at $1,500. For additional information or to become a sponsor, contact Christina Tuohey, STCC director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at (413) 755-4475 or [email protected]. To purchase tickets online, visit www.stcc.edu/njbau.
VVM Awards Ceremony
April 30: Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) will host its inaugural Accelerator Awards event at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The event will honor recent graduates of its new Accelerator Program, which is currently grooming 29 startup teams from across the Pioneer Valley for success by imparting meaningful business knowledge, structure, and tools. During the awards ceremony, the organization will award grants of up to $50,000 each to startup teams selected as finalists. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and will include a lively networking reception as well as a dinner and awards program, featuring startup teams and an address by John Harthorne, founder and CEO of MassChallenge. This year’s Accelerator Program is funded by MassMutual, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, with the mission to support an entrepreneurial renaissance in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley. According to VVM founder Paul Silva, “this event is the ideal opportunity to see firsthand the excitement that VVM and the Accelerator Program are generating, so we hope everyone who is interested in learning about VVM’s work will join us for an inspiring evening.” During the four-month Accelerator Program, each team is assigned to a peer-supported group, introduced to VVM advisors, and provided free co-working space in downtown Springfield. The teams engage in investment-readiness boot camps with hands-on training, expert-led lectures, peer collaboration, advisor meetings, and practice judging rounds. Teams also participate in VVM’s ongoing weekly workshops that cover strategy, innovation, marketing, sales, team building/dynamics, best practices, fund-raising, and introductions to term-sheet and valuation processes. “VVM takes a lovingly critical approach to training its startups,” Silva said. “We put the entrepreneur first in every endeavor.” The positive, rigorous training program is structured around the Lean LaunchPad curriculum, which emphasizes achieving the highest possible investment-readiness level and overcoming the three main causes of startup death: failing to achieve product-market fit, premature scaling, and team-member dynamics. “We provide comprehensive, effective resources for our teams,” Silva added. “Our real aim is to provide our groups with preparation beyond the presentation. We want them to build their businesses for the long term.”
EASTEC
May 12-14: With manufacturing a driving force of economic growth in the Northeast, as well as across the U.S., more than 12,000 business owners, engineers, designers, production managers, and purchasing executives will gather at EASTEC, the East Coast’s premier manufacturing event. Produced by SME, the biennial event takes place at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield and features more than 650 exhibitors and three days of complimentary educational sessions. In its 34th year, the event showcases the latest manufacturing technologies from additive manufacturing/3D printing to waterjet cutting, and provides access to industry experts sharing insights on how to foster innovation, increase productivity, and improve profits. This year, attendees will also get to see more than 300 new products being highlighted at the show. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with resources, research and purchase the latest technologies, and discover ways to improve productivity and increase profits. Meanwhile, the complimentary educational sessions will address trending topics such as automation innovations and Lean creativity, along with other major advancements in manufacturing. New features in 2015 will include keynote presentations from Carl Palme, applications product manager, Rethink Robotics; and Jason Prater, vice president of Development, Plex Systems, that will help with solving complex issues that U.S. manufacturers face today. EASTEC also will highlight the Bright Minds Program, designed to educate the next-generation workforce on the advancements in manufacturing that make it an exciting and rewarding career path. Winners of the Bright Minds Dream It! Do It! Student Challenge will be recognized at a special program during the three-day event. EASTEC is recommended for professionals in industries such as aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, commercial machinery, electronics, fabricating, and plastics. The event is nearly sold out, so SME encourages companies to reserve exhibit space before it’s too late. To learn more about EASTEC, view full conference and exhibit details, or register, visit easteconline.com.
40 Under Forty
June 18: The ninth annual 40 Under Forty award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. Details on the event, which honors the region’s most accomplished and civic-minded professionals under age 40, will be published in upcoming issues. The class of 2015 will be revealed and profiled in the April 20 issue.
Valley Fest
Aug. 29: White Lion Brewing Co. announced that it will host its inaugural beer festival, called Valley Fest, at Court Square in downtown Springfield. MGM Springfield will be the presenting sponsor. The festival is poised to be White Lion’s signature annual event, introducing the young brand to craft-beer enthusiasts throughout New England and beyond. White Lion Brewing Co., the city of Springfield’s only brewery, launched in October 2014. Founder Ray Berry and brewmaster Mike Yates have released three selections under the White Lion brand and have been busy promoting their efforts in venues all over Massachusetts and other New England states. “Valley Fest will have the best of the best local, regional, and national beer and hard cider brands,” Berry said. “Even in our inaugural year, Valley Fest will be the largest one-day beer festival in Western Massachusetts. We expect to draw up to 2,000 enthusiasts from throughout New England. We are very excited to showcase the fourth-largest city in New England and all of its amenities.” Berry anticipates that more than 50 breweries and many local food vendors will converge on Court Square for two sessions. Enthusiasts will have an opportunity to sample more than 100 varieties of beer and hard cider alongside pairing selections by local chefs. Michael Mathis, MGM Springfield president, said “the local entrepreneurial spirit of White Lion Brewing, coupled with the historic Court Square setting, is a winning combination to start a new Springfield tradition.” A number of sponsors have already committed to the event, including MassMutual Financial Group, the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, the Dennis Group, Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place, Paragus Strategic IT, Williams Distributing, and the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID). “We are honored to sponsor Valley Fest and look forward to it being an annual event that shares in the facilitation of growth within the downtown community,” said Chris Russell, executive director of the Springfield BID. Visit www.valleybrewfest.com for event details, ongoing updates, and sponsorship opportunities.
AFFILIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
• April 8: ACCGS Lunch ‘n’ Learn, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at La Quinta Inn and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. “When Creative Meets Data.” Learn the ‘where’ and ‘how’ to harness the power of real one-to-one personalized marketing. Presented by Mary McCarthy of Andrews Associates. Reservations are $25 for members, $35 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• April 16: East of the River Five Town Chamber Member Appreciation Night, 5-7 p.m., at Europa Black Rock Bar & Grill, 782 Center St., Ludlow. Enjoy networking, games of chance, and more. Reservations are $5 for members, and may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com. East of the River Five Town Chamber is an affiliate of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield.
• April 29: ACCGS Beacon Hill Summit 2015, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Massachusetts State House. Hosted by state Sen. James Welch. Day-long opportunity to meet with members of the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts delegation. Reservations are $180 per person, including continental breakfast, transportation, lunch, reception, and all summit materials. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
• April 15: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Summit View Banquet & Meeting House. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 16: Mornings with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club, 580 Meadow St., Chicopee. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 17: Lunch & Learn, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Attorney Kate O’Brien from Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn will present “No Union, No Worries? No Way!” This is an informative program about what almost all private-sector, non-union employers need to do to avoid being a target of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 22: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. For more information, call the chamber at (413) 594-2101.
• May 15: Lunch & Learn, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. “ACA Compliance: Employer Requirements and Management Tools.” Learn about a solid, user-friendly road map for understanding compliance issues. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 20: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Renaissance Manor on Cabot, 279 Cabot St., Holyoke. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 21: Greater Chicopee Chamber Golf Tournament, 10 a.m., at Chicopee Country Club. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 27: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Elms College, 291 Springfield St., Chicopee. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414
• April 13: Monday Morning with the Mayor: Getting Down to Business about Business. Casual conversation with Mayor Karen Cadieux, 8-9 a.m., at Burger King, 113 Northampton St., Easthampton. Free and open to the public.
• May 11: Monday Morning with the Mayor: Getting down to Business about Business. Casual conversation with Mayor Karen Cadieux, 8-9 a.m., at Easthampton Savings Bank, 36 Main St., Easthampton. Free and open to the public.
GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376
• May 15: Chamber After Hours at Pic’s Place, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and Hosted by Pic’s Place, 910 Hampden St., Holyoke. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for the public. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 18: Annual Chamber Cup 2015 Golf Tournament, celebrating the chamber’s 125th anniversary, 10:30 a.m. at Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Registration and lunch at 10:30 a.m.; tee off at noon (scramble format); dinner following game with elaborate food stations catered by the Log Cabin. Cost: $125 per player includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, cart, and dinner. Dinner only: $25. Awards, raffles, and cash prizes follow dinner. Tournament sponsors: Log Cabin and PeoplesBank. Corporate sponsors: Dowd Insurance, Goss & McLain Insurance Agency, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Mountain View Landscapes, Holyoke Medical Center, People’s United Bank, the Republican, and Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll. For reservations, call the Chamber Office at (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 21: Chamber Business Connections, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and hosted by PeoplesBank, in the atrium in the PeoplesBank Building at 330 Whitney Ave. Cost is $10 for chamber members, $15 for non-members. Join your friends and colleagues for this fun and casual evening of networking. Refreshments, door prizes, and 50/50 raffle.
• June 19: Save the date for the chamber’s 125th Anniversary Gala Ball at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Enjoy an elegant meal and dance to the music of the Floyd Patterson Band. Join Marcotte Ford as one of the major event sponsors by calling (413) 534-3376. Event is open to the public. More details to follow.
GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900
• May 6: May Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m. at Whalen Insurance Agency. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 584-1900
• July 1: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Pioneer Landscapes and Easthampton Electrical. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 584-1900.
GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618
• April 8: April After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Vantage Sports & Rehab, 130 Southampton Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• April 28: Southwick Home to Business Show, at Tucker’s Restaurant. For more information, contact Pam at the Chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• May 4: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at Renaissance Manor, 37 Feeding Hills Road, Westfield. This event is free and open to the public. Call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register, so we may give our host a head count.
• May 13: May After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• May 18: Annual golf tournament at 10 a.m. at Tekoa Country Club. More details to come.
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310
• April 14: Professional Women’s Chamber Ladies Night, 5-7 p.m., at Hofbrauhaus, 1105 Main St., West Springfield. Enjoy complimentary wine and refreshments.
Reservations are complimentary but required. To reserve a spot, contact Gwen Burke at (413) 237-8840 or [email protected].
WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880
• April 16: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., at Cal’s, 1068 Riverdale Road, West Springfield. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. The only cost to attend is the cost of lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately the day of the event. Please note, we cannot invoice you for these events. Attendees must be members or guests of members.
For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].
John Howland
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Monson Savings Bank recently announced the election of five new corporators who are advisors to the bank, representing the communities the bank serves. They also possess certain governing functions, including the election of the bank’s president. Monson Savings has 55 corporators, including the five elected at the bank’s annual meeting on March 4:
• Louis Abbate, president emeritus, Willie Ross School for the Deaf, Longmeadow;
• Mark Borsari, president, Sanderson MacLeod, Palmer;
• Joseph Lawler, benefits consultant, the Gaudreau Group, Wilbraham;
• Roy St. George, vice president, Moulton Insurance Agency Inc., Ware; and
• Julie Quink, managing principal, Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., West Springfield.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have these folks join our team,” said Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank. “We rely on our corporators to keep us in touch with the needs of our communities, provide invaluable insight into our operations, and also to help us spread the word of all that we have to offer. Our corporators are leaders in the communities we serve, they are highly engaged with us, and we very much appreciate their involvement.”
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David Griffin Jr.
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Samantha Coulter
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Jack Ferriter
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Keith Tatlock of New England Financial Group, an office of MetLife and a part of the MetLife Premier Client Group, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to use the certification marks ‘CFP’ and ‘certified financial planner practitioner’ in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements. Tatlock met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements, completed financial-planning coursework, and passed the CFP certification examination. He has also agreed to meet ongoing continuing-education requirements and to uphold the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Financial Planning Practice Standards. Tatlock has 10 years of experience in the financial-services sector. He is a graduate of Westfield State University and holds securities series 7 and series 63 as well as life- and health-insurance licenses. He is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, the Financial Planning Assoc. of Massachusetts, and Business Networking International. He is also currently a major in the Massachusetts Air National Guard at the 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield.
