Month: June 2015

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

AGAWAM

Trinity Solutions Inc., 21 Sutton Place Suite 2, Agawam, MA 01001. Devyn Ryan, same. Promotional marketing and sales consulting.

BELCHERTOWN

BARC Inc., 54 Canal Dr., Belchertown, MA 00117. Kristen Wood, same. Animal shelter.
CHICOPEE

Done Right Property Services Inc., 714 Chicopee St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Antonio Spicer Jr., 6 Bradley Circle, Enfield, CT 06082. Real estate maintenance and clean out.

Iglesia Nuevo Comienzo Inc., 1 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Miguel A. Alvarez, same. Church.

FEEDING HILLS

Expert Home Improvement Inc., 100 Burlington Dr., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Vladimir Shevchuk, same. Home improvements.

HADLEY

Bottle & Brew Inc., 5 Woodlawn Road, Hadley, MA 01035. Hai Cheng, same. Retail sale of beer, wine, and liquor.

PITTSFIELD

At Your Service Handymen and Property Managers Inc., 56 Bartlett Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Jack Cerveira, same. Handyman services and property management.

SOUTH HADLEY

Nasir 2015 Inc., 10 Oakley Estates, South Hadley, MA 01075. Amir M. Paracha, same. Owning and operating convenience stores.

Saima 2015 Inc., 10 Oakley Dr., South Hadley, MA 01075. Amir M. Paracha, same. To own and manage convenience stores.

SPRINGFIELD

Concilio De Iglesias La Puerta En El Cielo Inc., 414 Chestnut St., #818, Springfield, MA 01104. Soledad Kercado, same. To organize and establish Christian organizations.

Divergent Power Corporation Inc., 38 Sterns Terrace, Springfield, MA 01105. Joel A. Hershey, same. Provides energy related services and products.

Friendly Ride Transportation Inc., 44 Upton St., Springfield, MA 01104. Rene A. Romero, same. Medical, transportation, and companionship services.

Fusion Electric Inc., 980 Bay St., Springfield, MA 01109. Collin H. Burnett, 508 East St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Electrical contracting services.

WESTFIELD

Heka Health Inc., 120 Woodcliff Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Mark Andrew Dupuis, same. Educational and civic activities.

New Life for Children Inc., 9 South Maple St., Westfield, MA 01085. Tatyana Bratnichenko, same. Material and spiritual aid for orphan children in other countries.

Local Attorney: Earned Sick Leave Law Causes Employer Headaches

SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed final regulations on June 19 regarding the new Earned Sick Leave Law that will take effect tomorrow, leaving employers with only eight business days to make payroll and policy changes to stay in compliance of the law.

The final regulations addressed questions about the law’s ambiguities that have been raised throughout the Commonwealth, including several by local employment-law attorney Kimberly Klimczuk, partner at Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. Klimczuk testified before the attorney general during the public hearing in Springfield in May, advocating for employers.

“This public-notice and comment period offered by the attorney general was our opportunity to gain clarity on behalf of employers,” said Klimczuk. “Over the last six months, I have presented to almost a dozen groups of human-resource professionals and clients that had questions not clearly answered within the law or previously issued regulations.”

Klimczuk brought the questions to the attention of the attorney general so that ambiguities could be addressed within the final regulations. The final regulations clarified several issues, such as whether sick leave can be used concurrently with leave taken pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act or other leave laws, whether differential pay would be included in sick pay, and whether policies that condition holiday pay on attendance the day before and the day after the holiday would be acceptable under the non-retaliation provisions of the law.

“I was impressed with how responsive the attorney general and her staff were to employer concerns,” she said. “Many of the issues I raised at the public hearing were explicitly addressed in the final regulations, such as the provision about holiday policies, which was a huge relief to many of my clients. While not everything was resolved in exactly the way we had hoped, in many areas, we at least have the information we need to provide a definitive answer to our clients’ questions.”

Still, given the short period of time between the issuance of the final regulations and the effective date of the law, many employers are scrambling to make the policy changes necessary to come into compliance by the July 1 effective date. To assist employers in this endeavor, Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. attorneys Susan Fentin and David McBride are presenting a seminar this morning on the new Earned Sick Leave Law and the final regulations at the Sheraton Springfield. The firm is also planning a seminar in Worcester, date and time to be announced.

Opinion

Opinion

Don’t Underestimate Driving Spirit

By JERRY CIANCIOLO

You may have heard that Millennials aren’t starting businesses at the rate of previous generations.

According to the Kauffman Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to studying entrepreneurship, startup rates among Americans age 20 to 34 peaked at 35% in 1996 and has since declined to 23%.

Why?

Forget the pundits and their talk of the Great Recession’s effect, monopolistic corporations, student debt, and slowing population growth. It’s much simpler than that.

Raised by helicopter parents, Millennials just can’t shake the habit of listening to advice. And as an entrepreneur myself, I know how critical it is to ignore so-called experts.

Within two weeks of hanging our shingle, my partner and I submitted to a class project for a local college. A business professor and eight students visited to grill us for 90 minutes. A month later, the retinue returned.

“Let me be candid,” said the professor. “Your business has little chance of succeeding.” Kathy and I flinched.

“We’ve run the numbers, researched the market, factored in your resources and level of experience, and, well . . . ” He looked down and shook his head, delivering the coup de grace non-verbally.

His advice, in so many words? “Update your résumés — today, if possible.”

Almost three decades later, I look back on that afternoon and marvel that my now-wife and I succeeded. The odds were certainly stacked against us.

On our side of the ledger were resolve, resiliency, and a longing for independence. On reality’s side were revenue projections, capital outlays, return on investment, and market share. We were anorexics on the mat with a Japanese sumo.

Yet our business thrives to this day. By any measure, we won the match. But how? If the professor and his students returned and asked how we proved them wrong, what would we say? Simply this — the weaknesses you identified proved to be our camouflaged strengths. For example:

• We were blind to the odds. I remember leasing a postage meter in our first month. The company rep recommended a three-year contract. I suggested five, hoping to shave the fee. She demurred: “businesses like yours, well, let’s stay with three.”
• We didn’t know much about business. I didn’t have financial expertise, nor did Kathy. You wouldn’t find even one economics course on our transcripts. But we possessed what Mark Twain described as the two things you need in life to succeed: ignorance and confidence. The former we had in spades. As for our lack of business savvy, we wore it like a chip on our shoulders.
• We had little patience with systems. At a meeting with a volunteer from SCORE — a group providing free business counseling — I did my best to suppress a yawn as the retired exec plotted a series of steps we needed to take before opening the doors. He also wanted to know whether we had a mission statement. I kept tapping my foot; Kathy withheld her sighs. Paperwork was make-believe to us. It wasn’t going to determine whether we succeeded. Our wits would have to do that.
• We weren’t strategic. Our business goal was basic — survival. Improvise or die was our clarion call. We couldn’t afford to procrastinate, so we ran with whatever seemed sensible at the moment. No one at Wharton would call our carpe diem approach strategic.
• We didn’t delegate. In the early days, there was no alternative. If the computer froze, one of us dug out the manual to thaw it. If a mailing had to go out, we were the clerical staff. But even as profits grew, and hiring was an option, we continued our labor-intensive ways. Granted, we didn’t always put our skills to the best use, but running lean kept margins high and overhead low.

Of course, my wife and I have grown wiser over the years. We wouldn’t advise would-be entrepreneurs to follow our model. But, then, we wouldn’t advise them to follow any model except one that feels right.

That’s why we politely listened to the professor and then went about our business. We encourage Millennials to do the same.

The professor understood business. But entrepreneurs and their driving spirit? Not so much.

Jerry Cianciolo is chief editor at Emerson & Church, Publishers, the company he and his wife, Kathleen Brennan, founded in 1986.

Ground Floor

Carpet-cleaning Venture Advances HRU’s Mission

Zerorez’s Luis Cerrano (center) demonstrates the company’s equipment for Sue Mastroianni, board member of the Gray House in Springfield, and HRU president Don Kozera.

When Human Resources Unlimited (HRU) decided that its core mission — training and placing people with disabilities in meaningful jobs — would benefit from partnering with a national franchise, carpet cleaning didn’t seem like the most exciting option.

“We looked around the country and found there were few not-for-profits owning franchises, and then we set up specific criteria around what we hope to achieve, how much revenue we need, how much risk we’re willing to accept, and what the tradeoff is between profits and mission,” said Don Kozera, HRU’s long-time president.

The agency wound up looking at 600 chains, then took a harder look at 60 of them, before narrowing its search to three that fit the organization’s criteria. One of those was Zerorez, a carpet-surface cleaning company based in Salt Lake City with a national presence — except in New England.

“What attracted us was its patented ‘green’ approach to cleaning,” he said of Zerorez’s innovative use of what it calls “empowered water” (more on that later). “And if you can innovate in carpet cleaning, you can probably innovate the world. It’s also a technology-based company. With this phone in my hand, I know where all the vehicles are, if their machines are on, how much we booked today, where those leads came from … I know exactly what’s going on.”

But there was some hesitancy based on the perceived lack of a ‘wow’ factor. “People said, ‘really? Carpet cleaning? Don’t we want to do something more exciting?’ But the more we investigated it, the more we talked to franchises across the country and sat down with the owners and looked at their technology, looked at the environmentally friendly detergents being used, that there was a social cause, it made sense.”

So HRU opened its first Zerorez franchise in Holyoke in March, with more likely to follow. “We have a bigger strategy,” Kozera said. “We have the rights to the Hartford and Boston markets. We didn’t do this to own one franchise; we did it as a strategy of revenue generation and job development. It’s solely owned by HRU, but it might not be solely owned in the future; it depends on how much capital we need for expansion plans.”

None of this, of course, answers the question of why Human Resources Unlimited, which trains and places clients in some 120 area businesses and has started and closed myriad businesses of its own to achieve the same goals, embraced the franchise model. Simply put, Kozera said, it’s because HRU eventually wants to do some franchising of its own.

Active Intent

It starts with a program HRU created called Move to Work.

“It’s a platform designed to help people who have been out of the workforce — chronically unemployed people, not just people with disabilities. It’s a unique approach that uses physical health, emotional health, and financial health to create a healthy, productive worker.”

The concept is explained by the program’s original title, the admittedly clunkier Changing Habits and Transforming Lives. It takes principles not typically applied to job training, including exercise and physical fitness, and meshes them with conventional job training and the ‘soft skills’ — communication skills, personal work habits, etc. — so in demand by companies.

“With most people who are chronically unemployed, the data will show they’re physically not healthy, emotionally not healthy,” Kozera said. “Of course, being unemployed for a long time can lead to bad habits and losing self-esteem.”

Move to Work, he went on, “was originally to better our services. If people exercise for 20 to 40 minutes at 60% to 80% of their maximum heart rate, their ability to learn and retain information is greatly increased for up to four hours. That’s a scientific fact. So every one of our sessions starts with that.

“But, really, the foundation is our soft-skills training program,” Kozera explained. “Employers in this area are saying, ‘we cannot find qualified workers — at any level.’ The Federal Reserve did a report on Springfield five years ago that really outlined those issues. Companies said, ‘what do we need? People who come to work on time, with a good social skill set. We’ll train them on what we do technically. But we need those types of people.’”

So Move to Work was developed as an eight- or 16-week course to build those skills while incorporating the benefits of exercise for greater mental focus. Recently, HRU applied the program at Tech Foundry, a nonprofit that trains high-school students for information-technology jobs.

Having demonstrated its value, Human Resources Unlimited would like to turn Move to Work into a national model. And that’s something the agency has never before attempted.

“Our goal is to bring this new model into the marketplace as both an innovative program and something that can earn money,” Kozera told BusinessWest. “But it’s not easy to do. How can we raise enough revenue to support the expansion of that model?”

The answer was another question. “It’s taking a self-replicating model to the marketplace, and who does that? Franchises. They take a brand and replicate the brand. Through this confluence of activities, we said, ‘well, if we’re going to learn more about the replication and expansion of a brand into a national model, where else to learn from than franchises?’ So we started looking around, saying, ‘maybe we can start a franchise and look at owning franchises as a way to support ourselves and learn how to be a franchisor of Move to Work.’”

Workplace Legacy

A company like Zerorez is certainly new terrain for HRU. But doing things a little differently has long been the agency’s bread and butter.

Realizing that many employers didn’t believe people with developmental disabilities could work in complicated job environments, Human Resources Unlimited — then knwn as the Carval Workshop — was created in 1970 to be the vocational training center for Belchertown State School residents and provide employment opportunities for residents of the facility.

Zerorez recently donated its services to clean high-traffic areas of the Gray House to demonstrate its work and help another mission-driven organization.

It has expanded and evolved over the years, now offering a broad range of services, from assistance for individuals moving from public assistance to the workplace to a ‘day habilitation’ program called Pyramid for people with developmental disabilities; from commercial endeavors, of which Zerorez is the latest, to a series of so-called ‘clubhouses’ that provide members with a supportive environment where they can get specialized assistance with vocational skills and transition into good jobs at area companies, as well as increasing their participation in the community.

Kozera, who joined the organization in 1980 as fiscal director before moving into the president’s chair, said Zerorez is a good match for HRU because of it’s mission-driven approach to cleaning.

“Zerorez uses technology that was borrowed from the oil-cleanup industry,” he explained. What the national company calls ‘empowered water’ is actually electrolyzed and oxidized to create an environmentally friendly cleaning solution.

Traditional steam cleaning, the company notes, uses heated water mixed with soaps, detergents, and toxic chemicals that are injected into the carpet under pressure, which soak the carpets, pads and backing. Even though some of the soap, dirt, and water are removed, a considerable portion of this mixture remains embedded in the carpet. As the carpet dries, the detergent attaches to the carpet fibers and acts as a magnet for dirt and other substances. Empowered water, on the other hand, is applied to carpet fibers by a patented high-pressure spray system that loosens embedded dirt and removes it.

Zerorez cleans rugs, tiles, wood floors, furniture, counters … basically anything that people walk on, sit on, or work on, Kozera said. The primary market is residential, although it has commercial clients as well.

“We haven’t burst on the market,” he added, noting that the Holyoke franchise, which boasts three trucks and four employees to start, had 37 clients in May and is on track for 50 in June. But in the long run, Zerorez’s established structure and recognized name will help the local office succeed and, importantly, grow its roster of employees and fleet of trucks.

“What has a higher rate of success in business, Joe’s Burger Shop or McDonald’s? With a franchise, there’s a system, a proven model, there’s support. Other franchisees are amazing about sharing everything they know. They help each other. I don’t know how many networks are like that. They tell us what’s successful, what’s not successful. It’s a nice family created by the franchisors.”

Kozera said franchisors wanted HRU to commit to more than one market, adding that, overall, franchised businesses are more often sold to corporations than individuals these days. “You can’t buy just one; you have to buy three, so you have to have $2 million just to enter the market.”

At the same time, national networks have become more willing to sell franchises to nonprofits, while nonprofit boards, which tend to be conservative in their risk taking, like the security of partnering with a known commodity.

Furthermore, “Zerorez has a 90% retention rate in an industry that probably has a 10% retention rate,” Kozera said. “The other appealing part of this is that every customer has to rate us … and if they don’t rate us at least 9 out of 10, we fail.” The idea, he added, is to leverage great customer service into customers for life, one floor at a time.

Destination Unknown

Kozera knows that nothing is a given in any industry. “Any time you open a business,” he said, “the reality is, you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

But if it succeeds, the Holyoke Zerorez office — the first of what might be several across the region — will benefit HRU in three ways, by generating revenue, providing an education in franchising the agency can apply to Move to Work, and, of course, providing jobs for clients.

“It has a call center, and we place a lot of people in call centers at multiple locations; that’s a skill base many of our members have, and they’ve been very successful at that job,” he said, adding quickly, “we’re not creating jobs that don’t exist. We have one technician for one van; we’re not going to put two people there just to create a job.”

As for Human Resources Unlimited in general — which recently moved to a larger headquarters in Springfield — a (slowly) strengthening economy is ramping up demand for qualified workers at all kinds of companies, which can only benefit clients.

“We want to use these franchise concepts throughout the whole business, not just Zerorez,” Kozera said, referring mainly to the key factors of consistency and trust that drive consumers to known brands.

“We want to apply that to everything we do. We don’t have a whole lot of experience in business to business. But the sales process and the marketing process are things that will help us organizationally because human services — in particular placement organizations — don’t invest a lot in marketing and sales. We invest a lot in human capital; we just don’t measure it well.”

HRU’s first franchise business could help change that, while creating cross-learning opportunities across the organization that, hopefully, help more individuals find work.

And that, more than anything, is what makes carpet cleaning exciting.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Collective Thoughts

Supreme Court to Weigh Claims of ‘Class-action Abuse’

By PETER VICKERY

Peter Vickery

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take a case concerning the scope of two kinds of mass employee lawsuits against employers — class actions and a similar procedure created by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) called collective actions. If the justices tighten the standards for certifying class actions and collective actions, it would come as a relief to companies with large numbers of workers — and a major setback for the law firms that target them.

So the plaintiffs’ bar and employers alike are watching and waiting for the outcome in Tyson Foods Inc. v. Bouaphaeko, one among a host of overtime cases that two class-action law firms, Smith & McElwain and Kenney McCafferty, have brought against the food company.

Mass lawsuits are costly to defend, which means employers often settle them prior to trial rather than take the risk of going to a jury. When the other side is receiving help from state and federal agencies, the incentive to settle is even greater. But before one of these lawsuits can move forward, a judge has to certify it as a class/collective action.

Certifying an action has a dramatic impact on the lawsuit’s value and, consequently, on a company’s competitiveness and productivity. So the standard for determining whether to grant or deny certification is something that matters a great deal to companies that might find themselves in the crosshairs of mass employee lawsuits.

At issue in the Tyson cases is the amount of compensation that the company should pay its employees for the time they spend donning and doffing protective gear and walking between the locker room and the production line. Tyson pays its clerical workers ‘punch to punch,’ i.e. from the time they punch the clock in to the time they punch out. But it pays production-line workers according to ‘gang time,’ i.e. the time they are actually at their work stations while the line is moving. It does not keep track of how much time each employee spends donning, doffing, and walking, but generally pays an additional four to seven minutes per shift to cover these activities. In the last few years, it has been paying more.

Tyson started paying donning-and-doffing time after a Supreme Court case involving its corporate predecessor, IBP, made clear that this was legally necessary.

Tyson compensates its workers for donning and-doffing at the regular rate of pay. But according to the plaintiffs, under FLSA and state wage-and-hour laws, the company should be paying them overtime (time and a half). In some cases, the plaintiffs enjoy the support of the U.S. Department of Labor, which files amicus briefs to bolster the employees’ argument in favor of overtime. Given the large numbers of current and former employees, the difference is enormous. So far, the donning-and-doffing lawsuits have cost the company millions of dollars in jury awards and settlements.

Sometimes Tyson wins, and sometimes it loses. For example, in two separate cases, Acosta and Gomez, juries awarded combined damages of $24 million. In contrast, in another pair of cases, Guyton and Lopez, which concerned the very same issues — whether donning, doffing, and walking required overtime — juries found in favor of Tyson, and sent away the plaintiffs and their lawyers empty-handed.

With such unpredictable jury results, it is no surprise that Tyson sometimes opts to settle, as it did in a Tennessee case for $7.75 million and another in Georgia for $32 million. But in Bouaphakeo, the jury’s reliance on a controversial formula has prompted Tyson to go all the way to the Supreme Court.

The plaintiffs in Bouaphakeo are hourly workers at Tyson’s Storm Lake, Iowa pork-processing facility, which employs approximately 1,600 people. The class-action lawyers wanted to include all hourly workers at the facility in the class, but the court limited membership to workers in the kill, cut, and re-trim departments. Employees in these three departments have to wear various kinds of protective gear depending on the nature of their work, e.g. hard hats, steel-toed boots, hair/beard nets, ear protectors, gloves, aprons, belly guards, and scabbards. Those who use knives have to dip them in sanitizer at the start and end of each shift. How long an individual takes to don and doff (and dip) depends on the gear.

In the Gomez case, the plaintiff’s expert witness, Kenneth Mericle, a labor economist and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, School for Workers, testified that, by his calculations, based on analysis of video footage, the workers spent 25 to 29 minutes donning and doffing. Even though Tyson presented no expert testimony of its own to counter Mericle, after listening to his answers on cross-examination, the jury found that the donning-doffing time was closer to six minutes.

This is a significant divergence in view of the number of workers involved and the amount of money at stake. Nevertheless, in Bouaphakeo, the plaintiff’s expert witness used Mericle’s time-studies as the basis for calculating damages. Again, the jury found that the donning-doffing time was just a fraction of what Mericle’s statistics claimed, awarding damages of less than half the amount the plaintiffs claimed they were entitled to receive.

When the Court of Appeals denied Tyson’s request for rehearing, Justice Beam dissented, noting that “giving the best gloss available to the plaintiffs under the evidence they themselves adduced, well more than one-half of the certified class of 3,344 persons have no damages whatever, and the balance have markedly lower individual damages that are now virtually impossible to accurately calculate.” And this constitutes the nub of Tyson’s argument to the Supreme Court: for class/collective actions, there needs to be a way to determine individual damages so as to avoid the practice of ‘trial by formula,’ which the Supreme Court disapproved of in the 2011 case of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. v. Duke.

Tyson argues that the use of Mericle’s statistics amounted to trial by formula. Because of the range of differences between class members, plus the fact that some class members sustained no damages at all, the district court should not have granted class/collective action certification in the first place, said Tyson. The question, as the company presents it, is whether a trial court should be allowed to certify a class/collective action (1) if the court determines liability and damages with statistical techniques that presume all class members are identical to the average observed in a sample, ignoring the differences among individual class members, and (2) when the class contains hundreds of members who were not injured and have no legal right to any damages.

Tyson and allies such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would like the Supreme Court to answer ‘no,’ so as to make it harder for cases to qualify as class/collective actions. They characterize the slew of actions against Tyson as class-action abuse, and probably interpret the fact that the court has taken the case as an encouraging sign. Arguments are scheduled for the fall term.

Peter Vickery is an employment-law attorney in Amherst; (413) 549-9933.

Community Spotlight: Westfield

Community Spotlight Features

In Westfield, Redevelopment Plan Becoming Reality

Mayor Daniel Knapik says Westfield is rife with activity that is leading to dramatic changes in the landscape, as projects that were years in the making come to fruition.

New buildings are under construction, while older ones that sat empty for as long as a decade are being transformed and repurposed. Phase I of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail is underway, work is being done in the so-called Gaslight District, and other initiatives are becoming a reality.

“Fourteen years ago, Mayor [Richard] Sullivan showed me his plan for the city, and I saw what the future could be,” said Knapik, adding that this action plan and its prospects for becoming reality led him to seek election to the City Council, where he held a seat from 2001 to 2009 before being elected to the corner office. “It’s astonishing what has happened since then. I supported the mayor’s vision that he created with City Engineer Mark Cressotti, and all of the projects have finally come over the finish line.”

Much of the work has taken place in the last year or two, and projects are in varying stages of development. Change is occurring downtown as well as on Route 20, where a new 99 Restaurant will be built on property that has stood vacant since a Pontiac/Oldsmobile dealership closed down more than 15 years ago.

“We have been talking with officials from 99 for six years to help them find the right spot; they were very selective and looked at other parcels, but finally settled on this one,” Knapik said, adding that ground was broken two weeks ago for the eatery, which is expected to open before Thanksgiving.

In addition, the end units of the former Kmart plaza will finally have tenants. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore opened in late April in the former Grossman’s Bargain Outlet building on East Main Street, and the space at the other end will soon be occupied by a business that will provide medical-related services. “The site they will move into had been vacant for six years,” Knapik noted.

Daniel Knapik, pictured with Kate Phelon, says the Great River Bridge project, finally completed in 2012 after 30 years in the planning stage, benefits residents and businesses alike.

Another parcel, located at the gateway to Westfield on Route 20, is also flourishing. Nabil Hannoush, serial entrepreneur and vice president of the Hannoush Jewelers chain, purchased the former Balise Ford dealership on 99 Springfield St. and turned the 11-acre property into a center that houses Expert Fitness and other health-related businesses, along with the new Short Stop Bar and Grill and Batter’s Box. He and his wife want to build three additional standalone structures on the side of the building that would likely house a bank as well as retail and commercial office space.

“We are working with them and the Mass. Department of Transportation to enhance the traffic entrance,” said Knapik. “The hope is that the city can secure a grant to widen the road and add a traffic light and dedicated turn lane; we would like to begin work next fall.”

In addition, funding for the entire rail trail has been secured (more about that later), and nearby parks and other venues are planned or under construction.

Progress has also been made on a medical office built on 57 Union St. by Noble Hospital during the recession. Although New England Dermatology rented 20% of the space after it was completed, finding occupants for the remainder became problematic due to the economy. “But that changed in the past year. Noble brought in physicians who have offices there, and it has been nicely filled,” Knapik said.

Overall, the completed and in-progress projects have created a great deal of momentum in the city, said Kate Phelon, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, adding that the positive vibes will undoubtedly spur additional growth.

“Since I’ve been in my position, it is very exciting to see these various projects completed, new businesses opening or expanding, and continued growth in our city,” she said. “This has a direct impact on jobs and population growth.”

Complex Components

The vision Knapik embraced and has worked toward with Cressotti’s help included a number of components: the Great River Bridge project, which was on the drawing board when the mayor took office; the rail trail; badly needed infrastructure improvements on Main and Broad streets; and development of the Gaslight District and an area of underutilized property on Elm Street that fronts it.

The $100 million Great River Bridge project was completed in 2012 after 30 years in the planning stage. The original bridge that crosses the Westfield River was rehabilitated, and a twin span was built directly opposite it. The construction required relocating three parks as well as overcoming other obstacles, but today the old bridge serves southbound traffic while the new one accommodates northbound vehicles.

Major improvements have also taken place at Westfield Barnes Regional Airport, including a $13.5 million runway reconstruction and two new hangars to be built in the future. In addition, a $2 million redesign and reconstruction of Airport Industrial Road is complete, providing better access to companies operating just outside Barnes as well as those who want to locate in the city’s new, 80-acre Air Industrial Park.

Knapik said there has been a tremendous amount of interest in industrial parcels on the north side of the city over the past six to eight months.

“It’s a sign that the economy is turning around, and we are anticipating an announcement of a big warehouse and distribution facility this month on more than 500,000 square feet of vacant land by the airport,” said the mayor. “Plus, a manufacturer is looking at a smaller parcel owned by the city. If we capture both of these, it will lead to about 400 new jobs.”

City officials also secured the $18.5 million needed to complete the rail trail. They are working on Phase I, which covers two miles from the Southwick line to the Stop & Shop in the city’s downtown. During Phase II next summer, the old railroad bridge that crosses the Westfield River will receive new decking and a new surface; work on the last leg of the project will take place in 2017 when the middle section will be completed. It’s no easy feat because the elevated, 3.5-mile trail crosses nine bridges.

“But the economic impact will be significant,” said Phelon, noting that it will connect with a larger rail trail that covers 65 miles. “We expect tens of thousands of travelers to use it, including cyclists on multi-day trips and organizations that plan bicycling vacations. Retail stores and eateries will benefit, and the area will become a perfect spot for bed-and-breakfast operations.” She added that the chamber and Friends of the Columbia Green Railway hope to partner with local businesses to help them become more bicycle-friendly and draw rail-trail users into their stores.

Travelers and locals will also be able to enjoy amenities on the Westfield River Esplanade, which runs along the levee between the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail and Great River Bridge.

“We plan to construct overlooks with natural-gas fireplaces on it and bocce courts where families can gather; we broke ground six weeks ago and expect to be done by midsummer. The most livable cities encourage people to get out of their automobiles,” said the mayor, who was recently feted with the 2015 Bicycle Advocate of the Year Award by the Alliance for Biking and Walking.

Another major capital project is underway in the Gaslight District. The streetscapes are being rebuilt, and utilities are being modernized and moved underground.

“The design was completed last year,” Knapik said, adding that the $6.5 million cost is being paid for with local money. “The city engineer wants to make this a neighborhood of distinction, and the six streets in the district will be outfitted with gaslights to create an old-fashioned, colonial-style feeling. It’s appropriate because the gas and electric companies got their start there in the 1870s.”

There will also be a new park in the district that will feature a fountain from the Thayer House that was demolished decades ago. “It was saved and unearthed by the Parks Department and hasn’t been used for about 80 years,” Knapik said.

Once improvements are complete in the Gaslight District, the city will finally be able to redevelop Elm Street. “The infrastructure was 100 years old and failing, so we couldn’t put anything there, but three buildings have been knocked down, and two more will be demolished,” Knapik said. “We have remediated the brownfield sites, and when the project is finished in the fall of 2016, the city will have four acres of unpolluted land ready for redevelopment.”

Efforts to modernize Westfield include green initiatives that were finished last year. “Sustainability is important, and adopting single-stream recycling has reduced the amount of tonnage that leaves the city by 30%. We also spent $30 million to make city buildings energy-efficient, which included new rooftops, boilers, and windows,” Knapik said, noting that the heating systems in 14 structures were converted from steam to hot water, which lowered the consumption of gas.

Another green project proposed six years ago came to fruition in January when a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for a 2-megawatt solar farm on the former Twiss Street landfill, which closed about 20 years ago and was a topic of discussion for many years.

“Citizens Energy is leasing the property from the city and will care for the 10 acres in lieu of a tax payment,” the mayor explained, adding it guaranteed the city’s price for electricity for the next 20 years, and cost savings of about $100,000 a year are expected.

Lengthy Process

When Knapik first learned about Sullivan’s vision for the city, he had no idea how long it would take to accomplish. The work on Main and Broad streets has been completed thanks to stimulus funds, which reaped the city $14 million for shovel-ready projects.

“We’ve spent $130 million on utilities, bridges, roads, and street lamps in the last decade, and all of the projects we envisioned have come to a collision point,” Knapik said. “We have had a lot of support from the governor, and good things have come to Westfield.”

Phelon agreed. “With all that has happened and will continue to happen in our great city,” she said, “the chamber is even more excited about connecting its business members and leaders to further promote economic development and entrepreneurism, and to keep the momentum moving forward that makes Westfield a great place to work, live, and play.”

Westfield at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1669 (town); 1920 (city)
Population: 41,094 (2010) 
Area: 47.3 square miles 
County: Hampden 
Residential Tax Rate: $18.54 
Commercial Tax Rate: $34.69
Median Household Income: $55,327 (2010) 
Family Household Income: $57,018 (2010) 
Type of government: Mayor, City Council
Largest Employers: Noble Hospital; Westfield State University; Airtherm; Berkshire Industries Inc.
* Latest information available

A New Ballgame

Sections Sports & Leisure

Sonny’s Place Sets Standard for Family Entertainment Centers

Chris Shaw says the goal at Sonny’s Place is to provide a wide range of activities for people of all ages.

Chris Shaw says the phrase ‘family entertainment center’ has been around for decades and is certainly not a new business concept.

But it has definitely come a long way since the days when such venues consisted of a driving range and miniature golf course with a soft-serve ice-cream stand near the entrance, he went on, adding quickly that Sonny’s Place, the Somers, Conn. venture he serves as general manager, is probably the best example in this region of how such facilities have evolved.

Indeed, the site on Main Street, formerly home to a driving range carved out of a former fruit and vegetable farm, is now home to everything from go-karts, a zipline, and a rock wall to batting cages, an arcade, and a performance stage for live acts — the country group Trailer Trash performed there last weekend. There is also a bar and a barbecue restaurant.

And while Sonny’s does, indeed, offer a miniature golf course, there is no windmill or clown’s mouth to navigate. Instead, there are fountains, a rock formation, and a number of other landscaping features.

“This is not the type of mom-and-pop operation we saw years ago,” said Shaw, who has owned such a facility himself. “The family entertainment center has come a long way.”

And Sonny’s Place is, in many respects, setting the new standard, he told BusinessWest, adding that the facility has added a new attraction almost every year since the Antonacci family, also owners of USA Hauling and the recently christened Greathorse (formerly Hampden Country Club), acquired the property nearly a decade ago.

Together, these attractions draw roughly 600 to 1,000 people a day, depending on the weather, said Shaw, adding that, while most visitors are from Connecticut and Massachusetts, license plates from other states can be seen in the parking lot.

And there is plenty of room for further expansion — both literally and figuratively, he said, adding that the facility closed its driving range a few years ago, leaving that vast acreage for new activities and revenue streams. The zipline now occupies some of that space, said Shaw, adding that a host of possibilities, from a ropes course to another arcade; from laser tag to bumper boats, are all potential expansion options.

“There are a lot of things we can do to further enhance the experience and provide people with even more to do,” he added. “We’re looking at a number of attractive options.”

For this issue and its focus on sports and leisure, BusinessWest paid a visit to Sonny’s Place, a tour that yielded ample evidence of how the family entertainment complex has changed and what it takes to succeed in this new environment.

Setting the Stage

Shaw had Monday, June 22 off from work. He remembers looking forward to it, because he knew there wouldn’t be many other off days for a while.

Indeed, that Monday marked the start of summer vacation for most young people in the region, and by the end of that afternoon, most all other schools had shut things down until late August or early September.

Thus, the very busy season is now underway at Sonny’s Place. This is a year-round facility, certainly, but most of its visitors — and revenue — come in the summer months.

And on that Tuesday, roughly an hour before the facility opened, Shaw had one eye on the weather — thunderstorms and even hail were predicted for that afternoon, and clouds were already gathering by 10 a.m. — and the other on the four months to come.

Sonny’s place has been enjoying steady growth over the past several years, and Shaw certainly expects that trend to continue in 2015 due to continued expansion of the facility and strict adherence to the basic formula for success in this specific business sector.

Elaborating on that formula, he said it involves, well, living up to that timeworn anthem in this business, the one about having something for everyone, meaning, in this case, every age group.

Chris Shaw says Sonny’s Place has maintained a pace of adding a new attraction roughly every year — and there is still considerable room for expansion.

Actually, the goal is to have many things for everyone, and Sonny’s Place is accomplishing that — with everything from bounce houses for the very young to a bar with a full liquor license for those who were very young decades ago — as well as activities for everyone in between. For example, 80 students from the class of 2015 at Somers High School were on the grounds just hours after receiving their diplomas for late-night and then early-morning activities that could be placed in the category of ‘safe alternative’ to whatever else the graduates might have been doing that night.

“It’s called a safe grad party, or a safe after-party,” he explained, adding that Sonny’s Place has hosted it the past two years. “They had a buffet served at 11, they also had a hypnotist, and full run of the facility until 5 in the morning.

“We tried to build a well-rounded facility that covers all ages,” he went on. “Mini-golf is good for all ages, the go-karts are good for the teenage crowd — but also for adults, because they like to do it, too — and we have the bar back here so parents can come back and relax, and we have live entertainment for the adults.”

Another part of the success formula, though, involves continually adding new attractions to build on the experience and drive repeat business. This has been the basic mission since the Antonacci family acquired the facility formerly known as Somers Golf Center.

Back then, it had a driving range and a miniature golf course, no doubt with a windmill, said Shaw, adding that, over the years, the venture has added significantly to the footprint while upgrading facilities like the golf course.

The goal was to create an entertainment center that people could spend a half-day or more at, not just a few hours, said Shaw, adding that Sonny’s Place has become a destination in every sense of that word, for families, groups such as summer camps (like the one based in New York State that makes a pilgrimage every summer), and even area businesses.

Indeed, Windsor, Conn.-based Alstom Power, a global leader in power generation, power transmission, and rail infrastructure, will stage three outings for employees and their families at Sonny’s Place this year.

Those visitors, like other others, will have a host of options available when it comes to recreation and possible competition, from miniature golf to mini-bowling; from the zipline to the so-called ‘monkey motion’ jumper, which, said Shaw, blends bungee jumping with a trampoline.

Visitors purchase what is known as a ‘Sonny Moni Card,’ which can be loaded based on dollar amounts or increments of time, said Shaw, adding that they represent another vast improvement over the facilities of years ago — no more feeding quarters into arcade games or buying tickets for individual attractions — and can be used over several days, depending on the amount purchased.

Most visitors will spend several hours at Sonny’s Place, said Shaw, adding that the basic goal in the business plan is to not only extend the day, but bring people back repeatedly over the course of a season that stretches from April to October.

And this goal was the primary motivation for expanding the options in the broad category of hospitality, he noted, adding that a barbecue pit is now open to the public. And then, there’s the live entertainment.

Trailer Trash also made an appearance last year, said Shaw, who couldn’t quantify the turnout — he didn’t have an exact number — but could qualify it.

“There was an overflow crowd,” he explained. “We had to park cars on the old driving range, and we never had to do that before.”

He was expecting a similar turnout this year, and also predicting good crowds for a host of other scheduled acts, including Southern Rain, Jeff Pitchell, Frank Serafino, Lobsterz from Mars, Brass Attack, and many others.

Coming Attractions

Shaw admitted that he didn’t get to see Trailer Trash when it played Sonny’s Place in 2014. He was far too busy dealing with that overflow crowd he described and making sure the night ran smoothly.

He was hoping to get a look for this year’s show, but was hedging his bets in anticipation of another huge turnout.

As for time off? As he said, there won’t be much of that between this summer and the end of the season.

Such is life in the modern family entertainment center, a realm where the bar is being set consistently higher — and Sonny’s Place continues to clear it.

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

40 Under Forty Class of 2015 Gala

40 Under 40 The Class of 2015

The Class of 2015 Has Its Day in the Sun

The ninth annual 40 Under Forty class of 2015 celebrated their big night on June 18 with style, class, and Flair — as in wrestling legend Ric Flair, a guest of presenting sponsor Paragus Strategic IT, who delivered brief, heartfelt words to this year’s assembly of high achievers, and a standing-room-only crowd of supporters, at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Paragus was in the spotlight in another way, as CEO Delcie Bean (40 Under Forty class of 2008) won BusinessWest’s inaugural Continued Excellence Award (see photo at right), sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and presented by Kate Kane, managing director of its Springfield office, and BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien. But the night belonged to members of the class of 2015, who proved, yet again, that this region has no shortage of young professionals who are making an impact in business and in the community. Below, we present some scenes from a memorable, exuberant evening.
Photos by Denise Smith Photography [email protected]

Presenting Sponsors:

Sponsors:

Partner:

Elizabeth Barajas-Roman, CEO, Women’s Fund of Massachusetts; Terra Missildine; owner and operations manager, Beloved Earth Co.; and Erin Buzuvis

From left: class of 2015 honorees Elizabeth Barajas-Roman, CEO, Women’s Fund of Massachusetts; Terra Missildine; owner and operations manager, Beloved Earth Co.; and Erin Buzuvis, professor of Law and director of the Center for Gender & Sexuality Studies, Western New England University School of Law.

From left: Jennifer Levesque, operations manager, R. Levesque Associates; with her husband, Robert Levesque (class of 2015), president, R. Levesque Associates; and Christopher Novelli (class of 2015), architect, Studio One Inc.

From left: class of 2015 honorees Dr. Anthony Sarage, pediatric surgeon, Western Massachusetts Podiatric Associates; Jim Angelos, owner and executive director, InspireWorks Enrichment Inc.; Gregg Desmarais, vice president and store manager, TD Bank; Kate Lockhart, development director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County; A.J. Crane, co-owner and partner, A. Crane Construction; Terra Missildine; owner and operations manager, Beloved Earth Co.; Jennifer Gallant, chief financial officer, Polish National Credit Union; and Patrick Davis, operations manager, CRD Metalworks, LLC.

Joel Mollison (class of 2015), president, Northeast IT Systems; with his fiancée, Christine Gryknkiewicz, respiratory therapist, Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

From left: Marcelia Muehlke (class of 2015), owner, Celia Grace Wedding Dresses; and Sarah Shube, owner, Creative Art Therapies.

From the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, a 40 Under Forty sponsor, from left: Jennifer Meunier, director of Business Development; Trista Hevey, director of Alumni Corporate Relations; and Kyle Bate, academic advisor.

Sarah Williams (class of 2015), vice president of Global Risk Management, MassMutual Financial Group; with her husband, Richard Williams, investigator, Investigators LLC.

Tim Steffen, director of recruitment; Nico Sananiello, financial advisor; Kate Kane

From Northwestern Mutual, presenting sponsor of 40 Under Forty, from left: Tim Steffen, director of recruitment; Nico Sananiello, financial advisor; Kate Kane, managing director; Rob Walker, financial representative; and Taylor Hassa, financial representative.

From Paragus Strategic IT, presenting sponsor of 40 Under Forty, from left: Lisa Lococo, office manager; Delcie Bean IV, CEO; Dave DeRicco, account representative; Anthony Schiappa, account representative; Tyler Lucas, COO; Sarah Powers, financial administration; and Margie LaMotte, executive assistant to the CEO.

From Fathers and Sons, a 40 Under Forty sponsor, from left: Bill Visneau, sales associate; Marissa Monti, business manager; Shera Rosarario, sales associate; Steven Langieri, sales manager; and Jon Schulz, sales associate.

From Moriarty & Primack, P.C., a 40 Under Forty sponsor, from left: Tax Director Bob Supernaut; Tax Associate Shelley Sheridan; Audit Associate Jessica Peet; Tax Associates Laurie Bonan and Chris Walker; Manager Rebecca Connelly, Tax Manager Tim Prozost; and Partner Doug Theobold.

Kate Campiti, associate publisher, BusinessWest, welcomes the more than 650 attendees of the ninth annual 40 Under Forty gala.

Joseph Bednar, senior writer, BusinessWest; and Denise Hurst (class of 2014), quality improvement manager and human rights coordinator, Department of Mental Health, and vice chair, Springfield School Committee, get ready to welcome this year’s 40 Under Forty honorees to the stage.

From Health New England, a 40 Under Forty sponsor, from left: Steven Webster, director of marketing and digital strategy; Jessica Dupont, risk adjustment manager; Robert Ravenscroft, clinical healthcare analyst; Nicole Santaniello, content management specialist; Sandi Bascove, marketing operations manager; Elaine Mann, marketing content strategy manager; Yvonne Diaz, account executive, existing business; and Patrick McColley, UX/CX architect manager.

George O’Brien, editor, BusinessWest, shares a laugh with wrestling legend ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, a special guest of 40 Under Forty presenting sponsor Paragus Strategic IT.

George O’Brien and Ric Flair shared the privilege of presenting awards to the class of 2015, including, clockwise from top right, Eric Devine

Danielle Williams, attorney, Fierst, Kane & Bloomberg LLP.

George O’Brien and Ric Flair shared the privilege of presenting awards to the class of 2015, including, from top to bottom, Eric Devine, Information Technology Services officer, Country Bank for Savings; Jessica Fraga, continuous improvement consultant, MassMutual Financial Group; and Danielle Williams, attorney, Fierst, Kane & Bloomberg LLP.

Photo gallery from the June 18, 2015 BusinessWest 40 Under Forty Class of 2015 Gala

For reprints contact: Denise Smith Photography / www.denisesmithphotography.com / [email protected]

[Show slideshow]

Attorney to Present Panel on Foreclosures July 13

SPRINGFIELD — Local law firm, Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C. announced that partner Steven Weiss has been chosen as a panelist for a Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) seminar about the issues real-estate professionals face when encountering a foreclosure.

“How to Dissect and Scrutinize a Foreclosure” will be held Monday, July 13 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the MCLE Conference Center located at 10 Winter Place in Boston. The session will also be broadcast live via webcast and recorded for purchase.

The program is designed to help real-estate practitioners and conveyancers better understand changes to case law, statutory enactments and revisions, and regulatory changes that have altered the Massachusetts foreclosure landscape. Attendees will be able to recognize how what they do — or don’t do — at the closing table may come back to haunt them.

The panelists, including Weiss, will focus on how to review documents from a current foreclosure or a foreclosure in your back title to ensure that the appropriate documents are, or have been, obtained. They will also review common pitfalls conveyancers must avoid in closing transactions, as well as the role of the bankruptcy trustee in the foreclosure process.

Topics to be covered include foreclosure checklist, deed in lieu as an alternative to a foreclosure, key court decisions and statutory enactments in the foreclosure world, common title issues that arise during the foreclosure process and how they may be addressed, and the role of the bankruptcy trustee in the foreclosure process. There will be an ‘ask the experts’ question-and-answer session.

The cost of the event is $245 and includes “Massachusetts Mortgages, Foreclosures and Workouts,” a comprehensive, practical guide to the mortgage and foreclosure issues facing Massachusetts attorneys today. Cost for MCLE sponsor members is $220.50. A 50% discount of $122.50 is available for new lawyers admitted to practice after 2012. Attendees can earn up to three CLE credits. To register, visit www.mcle.org/product/catalog/code/2150336P01.

Weiss concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, reorganization and litigation. He supervises the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganization, and workout practice, and represents creditors, debtors, and others in both commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases throughout Massachusetts.

Briefcase

Briefcase Departments

State Unemployment Drops to 4.6% in May
BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% in May, a 0.1% decrease from the previous month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in the state since December 2007. The new preliminary job estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Massachusetts gained 7,400 jobs in May, marking the ninth consecutive month of jobs gains. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 1.2% from 5.8% in May 2014. The unemployment rate in Massachusetts peaked in September 2009 at 8.8%. The May state unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than the national rate of 5.5% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised upward its April job figure, reporting the state gained 11,200 jobs, instead of 10,100, which the agency reported last month. “We have had solid job growth in the last three months, with approximately 30,000 jobs added in the state,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker II said. “As more jobs are created, more people are coming back into the labor market.” Over the month, jobs were up 7,400, with a private-sector gain of 7,100. Since May 2014, jobs grew by 70,600, with 59,300 private-sector job gains. Sectors that gained jobs over the month include construction, which added 3,500 jobs; retail trade, 1,500 jobs; and wholesale trade, 1,500 jobs. Transportation and warehousing lost 500 jobs. Manufacturing gained 600 jobs, and financial activities gained 700 jobs. Education and health services and professional, scientific, and business services had the largest job gains over the year.

Women’s Fund Announces $240,000 in Grants
EASTHAMPTON — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) announced a total of $240,000 in new grant commitments in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties. Working within focus areas of educational access and success, economic justice, and safety and freedom from violence, partners in these communities will each receive $60,000 over three years to deploy innovative programs that will help shift the landscape for women and girls. Grantees include Berkshire County’s Flying Cloud Institute and ROPE/Women of Color Giving Circle for their Berkshire Collaborative for GIRLS in STEM project; Franklin County’s Greenfield Community College, Montague Catholic Social Ministries, New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, and Seeds of Solidarity for their Women’s GARDEN Project Collaborative effort; Hampden County’s Neighbor to Neighbor and Voices from Inside for their Voice Activated project; and Hampshire County’s MotherWoman, UMass Amherst, and Hampshire College for their Firm Foundation: Policy Change for Mothers project. “We had an extremely competitive applicant pool,” said Elizabeth Barajas-Román, Women’s Fund CEO. “The grants committee made difficult choices based on projects with meaningful collaborations, clear and attainable impact on the community, and on proposals that balanced our portfolio of funded projects already in the field.” The new 2015 grantees join exiting Women’s Fund grant partners funded through 2017: Berkshire United Way for a coalition effort titled Face the Facts Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition; the Prison Birth Project in Hampden County, which will continue its social- and reproductive-justice efforts for incarcerated and post-incarcerated mothers; and, in Hampshire County, the Treehouse Foundation’s project, Re-envisioning Foster Care Together. “Collectively, these grantees will help leverage the WFWM’s impact on the lives of women and girls in Western Massachusetts,” Barajas-Román said. “The WFWM will also continue to convene skill-building sessions and support the programming of organizations that work on issues that impact women and girls.” In addition to the financial award, WFWM will invest an additional $20,000 into the partnership by giving each organization the opportunity to nominate its staff, constituents, or board members as participants of the WFWM’s Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI), a program that has equipped 200 women from across the four western counties to become civic leaders in their communities; impact policy on the local, state, and national levels; and seek and retain elected positions. The WFWM is a public foundation that invests in the lives of local women and girls through strategic grant making and leadership development.

Tree-planting Program Expands to Chicopee
CHICOPEE — At a tree-planting ceremony at Fredericks Park in Revere, state Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton announced an initiative to expand the Greening the Gateway Cities Program (GGCP) to include the cities of Chicopee and Revere. The program, which targets the Commonwealth’s 26 gateway cities, is designed to utilize tree plantings as a way to reduce energy use in urban neighborhoods and lower heating and cooling costs for residents and businesses. “By extending the Greening the Gateway Cities Program to include the communities of Revere and Chicopee, our administration continues its commitment to work closely with cities and towns across the Commonwealth to provide resources that benefit municipalities and improve the state’s environment,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Added Beaton, “increased tree canopy will provide our communities with the first, and best, line of defense from excessive urban summer heat and the biting winds of winter. In addition to benefiting the Commonwealth in terms of energy efficiency, the Greening the Gateway Cities Program will provide the residents of Revere and Chicopee with cleaner air and water, reduced noise pollution, and the beatification of homes and neighborhoods within their community.” With a defined goal of a 10% increase in urban tree canopy in selected neighborhoods within gateway cities, the increase in tree cover is expected to reduce heating and cooling costs in the selected areas by approximately 10%, with an average homeowner saving approximately $230 a year, once the trees reach maturity. Over their lifespan, the trees are expected to lead to $400 million in energy savings for residents and businesses. Aimed at improving the often-low tree canopy found in the Commonwealth’s gateway cities due to their urban character and history of manufacturing, the program’s benefits are not isolated to energy efficiency. By planting trees, communities will see a reduction in stormwater runoff, higher air quality, an increase in property values and tax receipts, and a safer, healthier environment for residents. Under the program, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is spearheading tree-planting efforts and is in the process of planting up to a combined 15,000 trees in Holyoke, Chelsea, and Fall River. Agency staff, working in partnership with local municipalities and grass-roots organizations, have developed a successful approach to planting the number of trees required to have an energy impact, focusing on high-density urban neighborhoods, where planting on average 10 trees per acre will provide benefits to 15 to 25 households. Planting this number of trees will increase canopy by an estimated 1% in eight years, and 10% in 30 years. “The Greening the Gateway Cities Program is not only an important tool in our overall urban forestry plan, but will be an engine for job creation and energy sustainability in these communities,” said DCR Commissioner Carol Sanchez. “DCR is proud to continue the long-standing partnership between the Bureau of Forestry and the cities of Chicopee, Revere, Chelsea, Holyoke, and Fall River. With the help of local community and grass-roots organizations, GGCP will pay dividends in these high-density urban communities where green space is needed most.” To implement the expansion of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program, the DCR will partner with the city governments of Chicopee and Revere and community groups to plant approximately 100 trees this June, and thousands more to come. The program will also benefit the cities’ local economies by creating jobs for residents. DCR will hire local workers for tree-planting teams in each city, and every tree will be purchased from Massachusetts nurseries. “The City of Chicopee greatly appreciates the Commonwealth’s commitment to our city and its neighborhoods by providing us with a number of replacement trees,” said Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos.

State Offices Partner on Financial Education
BOSTON — The state Division of Banks, in partnership with the state Treasurer’s Office, announced the creation of the Financial Education Innovation Fund, which will provide an opportunity for high schools to develop or expand financial-education fairs. These events, most commonly known as Credit for Life fairs, are designed to be a fun and effective way for students to learn about making real-world financial decisions when it comes to saving, spending, and budgeting based on career choices and lifestyle decisions. “I feel strongly that students need to be exposed to financial literacy earlier and more often. We need to teach these skills so they can be used every day, so individuals can make sound financial decisions about their future,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “I am pleased that the Division of Banks is joining the Treasurer’s Office in promoting future Credit for Life fairs.” Massachusetts school districts are not required to teach financial education, and these courses are taught on a voluntary basis. Approximately 50 high schools in the Commonwealth currently offer money-management events to their students. Initially, $50,000 will be allocated to the Innovation Fund from the Division of Banks to support a pilot financial-education program. High schools throughout the Commonwealth that may not otherwise be able to sponsor this type of program may apply for funding to conduct a Credit for Life fair. This financial-education initiative will be funded with monies received by the division in settlement of alleged unlawful lending practices. For the first year, up to 15 schools will be selected to receive funding from the Innovation Fund. Schools must submit a completed application to the Treasurer’s Office by June 30 for consideration of an Innovation Fund award of up to $5,000. Award grantees will be notified in August, and financial-education events will be conducted by Dec. 31. “The Division’s goal of consumer protection goes beyond the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations,” said John Chapman, undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. “It is also our responsibility to provide consumers of all ages the proper information to make wise financial decisions.” The application for the Innovation Fund initiative is available at www.mass.gov/treasury/financial-education/innovation-fund. The Division of Banks is an agency within the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation that oversees state-chartered banks and credit unions, check sellers, debt collectors, foreign transmittal agencies, mortgage lenders, and brokers. For more information, visit www.mass.gov/dob or call (800) 495-2265.

Picture This

Departments Picture This

Send photos with a caption and contact information to: ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]

Team Effort

Team Brielle’s Brigade, which raises money for pediatric cancer treatment and research in memory of Brielle Laplante, recently held a gala to celebrate a year in which it raised more than $50,000 for the Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. More than 400 sponsors and guests attended the event at Monticello-Somers.

From left, Bill Laplante, president, Laplante Construction; Prestley Blake, co-founder, Friendly Ice Cream Corp., and owner, Monticello-Somers; and Ray Laplante, founder, Laplante Construction.

From Monson Savings Bank, from left, Michael Rouette, senior vice president, Commercial Lending; Janet Warren, vice president, Marketing; Rob Chateauneuf, vice president, Commercial Lending; Corinne Sawyer, vice president, Business Development; Steve Lowell, president and CEO; and Dan Moriarty, senior vice president and CFO.

From left, Joe Tanguay, director of Business Development, Clarke Distribution; Lisa Vartanian, vice president, Vartanian Custom Cabinets; Aram Vartanian, president, Vartanian Custom Cabinets; and Vincent Salemi, president, Salemi Appliance.

From left, Edgardo Abello, owner, Artistic Visions; Helen Blake, wife of Prestley Blake; Frank Antonacci, President, U.S.A. Hauling & Recycling, with his wife, Becky Antonacci; and Susan Abello, wife of Edgardo Abello.

Chamber Concerts: Upcoming Events

Chamber Corners Departments

AFFILIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• July 13: 2015 ACCGS Golf Tournament, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick. Schedule: 11 a.m. to noon: registration/practice, course-side lunch; 12:30 p.m.: shotgun scramble; 6 p.m.: reception/dinner buffet. Event sponsors: Robinson Donovan, P.C., TSM Design Inc., Western New England University, Berkshire Bank, and Hampton Inn Chicopee/Springfield. Lunch reception sponsor: MassMutual Center. Birdie sponsors: Barr & Barr Inc., Florence Savings Bank West Springfield Loan Center, HealthSouth Rehabilitation, Frank Webb’s Bath Center, Bacon Wilson, P.C., Insurance Center of New England, and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. Putting contest sponsor: Chicopee Savings Bank. Cost: Foursome supporter: $600; individual supporter: $150. To register or for more information, contact Sarah Mazzaferro at (413) 755-1313 or [email protected].

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

• July 20: Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce 12th Annual Golf Tournament, 10:30 a.m. at Hickory Ridge Golf Course, Pomeroy Lane, Amherst. Registration and lunch: 10:30 a.m. to noon; shotgun start at noon; social hour and cash bar, 5 p.m.; dinner, awards ceremony, and auction, 6 p.m. Hole-in-one, longest-drive, and closest-to-the-pin contests. Presented by Hampshire Hospitality Group. Co-scholarship sponsor: Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Gold sponsor: Applied Mortgage Services. Silver sponsors: Encharter Insurance, J.F. Conlon & Associates, Health Services Administrators. Dinner sponsor: Fallon Health. Lunch sponsor: Davis Financial Group. Bronze sponsor: Steve Lewis Subaru. Media sponsor: Daily Hampshire Gazette. Major gift sponsor: New England Promotional Marketing. Carts sponsor: Robert Stern Financial Services. Water sponsor: Atkins Farms Country market. Ice cream sponsor: Flayvors of Cook Farm. Towel sponsor: Hampshire College. Tee box and contest sponsors: men’s longest drive, Jones Group Realtors; women’s longest drive, Edward Jones, Tom McRae. Cost: $125 per golfer; $500 per foursome.

• Aug. 12: Chamber After 5 Lady Bea Riverboat Cruise, 5-7 p.m., at Brunelle’s Marina, 1 Alvord St., South Hadley. The Lady Bea features both inside seating and outside sun decks that attendees can explore while spending a wonderful evening on the Connecticut River. Sponsored by Alden Credit Union. Cost: $25 for members, $30 for guests.

FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.franklincc.org
(413) 773-5463

• July 10-12: Green River Festival, a celebration of world-class music, great local food, beer and wine, a handmade craft fair, and family games and activities, topped off with four hot-air balloon launches and a spectacular Saturday night balloon glow. Hosted by Greenfield Community College. Cost: $99.99 for three-day full-festival tickets; single-day tickets cost $19.99 for Friday, $59.99 for Saturday, and $59.99 for Sunday. For information, visit www.greenriverfestival.com.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• July 22: Summer Sizzle, 4:30-7 p.m., at Elms College Quad, 291 Springfield Street, Chicopee. Rain date is July 23. Menu: strawberry salad, BBQ baked beans, steakhouse potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits with honey butter, BBQ chicken breast, pulled pork, corn on the cob, cookies, assorted soft drinks. Dunk tank, minute-to-win-it games, and more. Cost: $35, which includes food, drink ticket, and games.

• Aug. 20: Mornings with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at Porter & Chester Institute 134 Dulong Circle, Chicopee. Coffee and light refreshments will be served while Mayor Richard Kos provides updates about what’s happening in Chicopee and other topics that impact the Greater Chicopee area. Submit questions by Aug. 17 to [email protected]. This event is for chamber members only and is free, but registration is required.

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

• July 9: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., at the Oxbow Sports Complex, 375 Old Springfield Road, Northampton. Sponsored by Mantis Graphics Inc. and William Steplar Financial Services. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

• July 13: Monday Morning with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at Strong Bus Corp., 40 O’Neil St., Easthampton. This event is free and open to the public.

• July 31: 31st Annual Golf Tournament, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Southampton Country Club, 329 College Highway, Southampton. Features prizes, contests, and raffles. Sponsored by A-Z Storage and Properties and Easthampton Savings Bank. Sponsorship opportunities still available. Cost: $110 if registered and paid by July 4, $125 after July 4. Payment due by July 17. Pricing includes cart, gift, lunch, and dinner.

• Aug. 10: Monday Morning with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at A-Z Storage & Properties, 165 Northampton St., Easthampton. This is your opportunity to bring your questions to Mayor Karen Cadieux for casual conversation and direct answers. This event is free and open to the public.

• Aug. 13: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., at Freedom Credit Union, 422B Main St., Easthampton. Join us along with our hosts, Freedom Credit Union and Wireless Zone of Easthampton, for a night of networking. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.

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

• July 15: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and hosted by Providence Place at Ingleside, 5 Gamelin St., Holyoke. Discover the beauty of Providence Place at Ingleside. Mix and mingle with friends and colleagues. Refreshments, door prizes, and 50/50 raffle. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members and walk-ins.

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

• July 8: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., at Look Memorial Park, 300 North Main St., Florence. Sponsored by Pioneer Landscapes and Easthampton Electrical. A casual mix and mingle with colleagues and friends. This is a joint event with the Northampton Area Young Professionals. Cost: $10 for members.

• July 9: 2015 Workshop: “Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts in Microsoft Word.” Presented and hosted by Pioneer Training, 139B Damon Road, Northampton. This workshop contains a variety of quick tips and tricks in Microsoft Word that will save you hours of time. Topics covered include tips for selecting text, using the format painter, working with tabs and indents, wrapping text around pictures, using autocorrect and autotext, turning on or off automatic formatting, and options for viewing a document. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members. RSVP required, as space is limited. To register, visit [email protected].

• July 14: 2015 Seminar: “What Employers Need to Know About the New Sick-leave Law,” 4-5 p.m., location to be announced. Presented by attorney James Winston. This talk will center on how new regulations will affect employers, and what employers need to do so that they will not run afoul of the new law. It is important for all employers to understand their obligations, even if they have fewer than 11 employees. The presenter will also discuss various hypothetical situations under the new sick-leave law. Pre-registration is required, as space is limited. To register or for more information, e-mail [email protected].

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

• July 9: 38th Annual Pancake Breakfast, 7-11 a.m., on the South Middle School Lawn, 30 West Silver St., Westfield. If it rains, the event moves to the cafeteria. Cost: $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for children under 12. Tickets are available at the chamber office, Flowers by Webster, and the Press Room.

• Sept. 9: September After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Tekoa Country Club, 459 Russell Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

NORTHAMPTON AREA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
www.thenayp.com
(413) 584-1900

• July 8: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., at Look Memorial Park, 300 North Main St., Florence. Sponsored by Pioneer Landscapes and Easthampton Electrical. A casual mix and mingle with colleagues and friends. This is a joint event with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. Cost: $10 for chamber members.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• Aug. 17: West of the River Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament, at The Ranch in Southwick. Schedule: 11:30 a.m., registration; noon, lunch; 1 p.m., shotgun start, scramble format. Cost: $125 for golf and dinner. For more information and for tickets, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

Census Bureau Pinpoints Oldest, Youngest Counties in Massachusetts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Based on median age, the U.S. Census Bureau recently reported on which counties in Massachusetts had the oldest populations and which had the youngest. The U.S. median age ticked up from 37.6 on July 1, 2013 to 37.7 on July 1, 2014.

These estimates examine population changes among groups by age, sex, race, and national origin, as well as in all states and counties, between April 1, 2010, and July 1, 2014.

The counties in Massachusetts with the highest median age on July 1, 2014 were Barnstable at 52, Dukes at 46.7, and Berkshire at 46.1. This means that half the population was older than this age, and half younger.

The youngest counties — that is, those with the lowest median age — were Suffolk at 32.4, Hampshire at 35.7, and Middlesex at 38.4.

As the nation aged, so did most counties in Massachusetts, with the exception of Norfolk, Essex, Nantucket, Hampden, and Middlesex, where the median age remained the same between 2013 and 2014.

Nationally, non-Hispanic, single-race whites represented the largest group in 2014, at 197.9 million. Hispanics were next, with a population of 55.4 million, followed by blacks, at 45.7 million, Asians (20.3 million), American Indians and Alaska natives (6.5 million), and native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (1.5 million).

In Massachusetts, there were 3,144,704 non-Hispanic single-race whites. Other races, alone or in combination, included 731,206 Hispanics, 639,843 blacks, 475,356 Asians, 69,207 American Indians or Alaska natives, and 14,205 native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.

Unless otherwise specified, the statistics refer to the population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more races. Censuses and surveys permit respondents to select more than one race; consequently, people may be one race or a combination of races. The sum of the populations for the five ‘race alone or in combination’ groups adds to more than the total population because individuals may report more than one race.

Doing Business As Certificates

DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of June 2015.

AGAWAM

Beauty & Barber Boutique
762 Springfield St.
John Minto Jr.

Hathorne Company
429 North Westfield St.
Lynne Romansky

GREENFIELD

Bannister Painting Company
55 Freeman Dr.
Jared Bannister

Franklin Media
19 James St.
Susan F. Wilson

Tractor Supply Company
75 Newton St.
Lori Terlecki

HOLYOKE

Adams Street Market
4 Adams St.
Rose Parra

Beauty 360
50 Holyoke St.
Celebtina Abankwa

Cano Used Tire
640 South Bridge St.
Carmen Garcia

Sears Auto Center
86 Lower Westfield Road
Everton Blake

Today’s Nails
50 Holyoke St.
Charles Tran

SPRINGFIELD

3 Express Multi Service
899 Carew St.
Philip Alexander

Ace Taxi
295 Allen St.
Yasir Osman

Aelou Visuals
167 Atherton St.
Duane Thomas

Aquatic Diving Adventures
11 Front St.
James Morell

Ares Landscaping
33 Mill Pond Dr.
Enrique Nunez

Auto Imports
62 Winter St.
Raymond Tirado

BBNS Property Clean
95 Cliftwood St.
Berge Bernadeau

CG Interior
190 College St.
Chris Graham

Carole Singh
93 White St.
Carole Singh

Cathy’s Food Consulting
807 Worthington St.
Caterina Cardenuto

Chapin Center
200 Kendall St.
Northeast Health

Something to Talk About
1500 Main St.
Stephanie R. Smith

Swanson Meetings
3 Peer St.
Diane Swanson

The Dusty Walnut
360 Walnut St.
Daniel Hanke

Traditional Saigon Restaurant
281 Belmont Ave.
Le Nguyen

U-See-It
71 Harvard St.
Jermaine Jones

VCA Boston Road Animal Hospital
1235 Boston Road
VCA Animal Hospitals

Western MA Marketing
79 Patricia Circle
Brittany Marie

Yaad Food Jamaican Restaurant
87 Main St.
Orlando Roberts

Young Live Humble
100 Moreland St.
Jalil Gonzalez

WESTFIELD

AJ Quality Goods
86 Notre Dame St.
Alexander Mamchur

Dorsey Construction Contracting
25 State St.
Andrew Dorsey

Natasha Butler Photography
44 Mechanic St.
Natasha M. Butler

Reliable Jack
1 Klondike Ave.
Stephen Franklin

Vieau’s Express
36 Governor Dr.
William Vieau

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Attain Therapy & Fitness
124 Myron St.
Performance

Avada Hearing Care Center
459 Riverdale St.
Michael Demelio

Balise Collision Repair
1800 Riverdale St.
Balise Motor Corporation

Calabrese Market
54 Park St.
Anthony Calabrese

Father & Son Construction
772 Union St.
Erick Santiago

Mass Trans Insurance Agency
425 Union St.
Roman Shetan

Odessa Auto Repair
141 Allston Dr.
Anton Ivanov

R-E Pools
31 Field St.
Eric Dziewit

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Alicea, Nelson
a/k/a Alicea Maldonado, Nelson
41 Holyoke St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/23/15

Andrews, Frankie D.
66 Duggan Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/30/15

Brooks, Jane A.
211 Colemore St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Brown, Matthew E.
18 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/22/15

Carney, Kimberly E.
259 Arcade St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Chapin, Joyce Francis
45 Doverbrook Road
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/18/15

Cotto, Amanda M.
32 Rose St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Currier, Timothy J.
Currier, Jaime M.
500 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/15

Daniels, Deborah A.
38 Cypress St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/15

Delmon Alterations & Tailoring
Aho, Mansoura
72 Main St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Diaz-Morales, Daisy L.
70 Harrison Ave.
Springfield, MA 01103
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Durfey, David Harley
Durfey, Jessica Maude
a/k/a Phillips, Jessica Maude
574 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Fisk, Randy K.
465 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/15

Ford, Barbara Lynn
39A State St.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Gallagher, Shannon A.
80 Old Kings Road
Cotuit, MA 02635
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Garceau, Kenneth N.
Garceau, Sandra L.
16 Forest Lane St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Gendreau, Joseph J.
Gendreau, Katherine
265 Mountain Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Gokcek, Turan
563 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/31/15

Hendricks, Seth Pomeroy
194 Main St., Apt. 2
Northfield, MA 01360
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Higginbotham, Harold
Higginbotham, Ramonia
180 South Mountain Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Igel, Susan J.
P.O. Box 227
Huntington, MA 01050
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Jackson, Belinda
257 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Johnson, Narzeya Narcia
a/k/a Baker, Narzeya N.
213 Kerry Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/15

LaBombard, Jeffrey P.
830 Pendleton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Lugo, Lillian I.
193-195 Oak St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/18/15

Lyman, William E.
698 Stockbridge Road
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Mack, Maryanne R.
233 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/18/15

Maffuccio, Anthony V.
Maffuccio, Laurie R.
256 Robbins Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Mesecher, Stephen P.
PO Box 864
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/25/15

Monette, Kenneth Paul
Monette, Patricia Ann
197 Upper Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Murphy, Justine R.
39 Superior St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Muscari, Robert
Muscari, Kathleen
5C Heritage Way
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Negron, Giovanni
46 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Nichols, Robert W.
531 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Ortensi, Elizabeth A.
144 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Osborn, Kurt A.
88 Telegraph Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Ostrander, Elizabeth A.
30 Osborne Terrace
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Platanitis, Paul M.
53 West St. #1L
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/18/15

Potts, Grace M.
1030 Pecks Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Procopio, Paul J.
19 Lombard St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Putnam, Christine Marie
52 Pleasantview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Richardson, Ann E.
85 Garfield Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/15

Rios, Lisa M.
55 Park St., First Fl.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/15

Robichaud, Phillip J.
Robichaud, Debra J.
250 Hubbardston Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/30/15

Robinson, Jeffrey T.
398 Long Plain Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/28/15

Robinson, Richard M.
Hartshorn-Robinson, Tracy L.
390 Poplar St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Silva, Kathleen Emily
101 Mountain St.
Haydenville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Stentiford, Brian
20 Lincoln St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/15

Taylor, Leonard D.
Taylor, Lorraine D.
20 Felix St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Thibeault, Linda A.
a/k/a Collins, Linda A.
a/k/a Thibeault, Linda
49 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Torkington, Robert G.
59 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Torres, Lynda A.
63 David St., 1st Fl.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/27/15

Torruellas, Alma
24 Garcia St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/20/15

Vargas, Israel
65 Humbert St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/26/15

Velazquez, Yamarie
70 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/29/15

Vogel, Jeffrey
1193 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/17/15

Wenninger, Joyce B.
65 Mechanic St., Apt.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Wheeler, Sandra Lee
985 Florence Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Wiater, Thomas M.
Wiater, Lynn M.
717 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Yusuf, Zulfiqar A.
55 Glenn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/19/15

Zygmont, Elizabeth A.
3 Couture Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/21/15

Company Notebook

Company Notebook Departments

Tighe & Bond Acquires New Hampshire-based Waterfront Engineers
WESTFIELD — Waterfront Engineers LLC, a New Hampshire-based firm known for providing specialized engineering services for shoreline challenges and waterfront facilities, joined forces this week with Tighe & Bond, a New England leader in engineering and environmental services. Tighe & Bond acquired Waterfront Engineers to offer its clients additional expertise and targeted solutions for complex and challenging coastal projects. Tighe & Bond’s Portsmouth, N.H. office will serve as the hub for these expanded services. “It is a pleasure to welcome Waterfront Engineers to our team. Over the years, we have collaborated regularly with the firm’s chief engineer, Duncan Mellor, and know that his 30-plus years of proven coastal engineering success will benefit our waterfront clients,” said Tighe & Bond President and CEO David Pinsky. Based in Stratham, N.H. for 10 years, Waterfront Engineers has provided a range of specialized engineering for the assessment (above and underwater), design, and construction of structures built along shorelines, waterways, ports, and harbors. These include piers, wharves, bulkheads, quay walls, revetments, breakwaters, bridges, parks, marinas, dredging, tidal turbines, and many other specialized coastal studies, grant applications, and structures. Tighe & Bond has long provided structural, geotechnical, and civil-engineering services for buildings, dams, and seawalls throughout New England. However, the addition of Waterfront Engineers’ coastal engineering capabilities deepens this expertise, and supports the firm’s ongoing growth and presence in New Hampshire.

WNEU Expands Opportunities for International Students
SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University (WNEU) is expanding opportunities for international students to enroll in undergraduate and graduate degree programs through a new language-instruction partnership with Denver-based Bridge Education Group. The arrangement will facilitate establishment of a BridgePathways Intensive English Center on the university campus this fall. The first cohort of students will be enrolled in January 2016. WNEU is dedicated to providing international students with the tools they will need to succeed while studying in the U.S., said Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Richard Keating. Western New England University is one of three universities to open BridgePathways Centers this year, and the only program in New England, joining three previously established programs in other parts of the U.S. Full-immersion experiences, academically, culturally, and socially, are an essential component of the program. BridgePathways students at Western New England will be housed on campus and provided with structured activities designed to get them actively participating in daily campus life and the surrounding community. An intensive academic English curriculum will focus on critical writing, with coursework designed to prepare students for university-level assignments. Students also practice essential speaking and listening skills needed for successful participation in discussions and lectures. The rigorous curriculum was designed using a three-pronged approach, addressing linguistic, academic, and intercultural skills. BridgePathways at Western New England University will have six start dates throughout the year, offering eight-week terms, and will accept students at an intermediate English proficiency level. Students in the language program will receive conditional admission to the university, allowing them to enroll in one more than 60 academic programs upon successful completion of the BridgePathways curriculum. Founded in 1986, Bridge Education Group is a world leader in language education for international students. Headquartered in Denver, it offers a wide spectrum of services, including language training and immersion programs, teacher training and development courses, language testing, translation and interpretation services, and cross-cultural exchange programs. During the spring 2015 semester, WNEU hosted about 130 international undergraduate and graduate students in its academic programs from 27 different countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zambia. The students matriculated in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Arts and Sciences, and Pharmacy, as well as the School of Law.

Springfield College Sports Communication Department Lauded
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Sports Communication Department was recently recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Assoc. (AVCA) for its successful efforts in the advancement and promotion of the sport of volleyball. The college earned NCAA Division III Sports Information Director Women’s Volleyball Regional Honors for the New England area and also NCAA Division III Sports Information Director Men’s Volleyball Conference Honors during the announcement of the annual AVCA Grant Burger Media Award. Led by Director of Sports Communication Brian Magoffin and Assistant Director of Sports Communication Jonathan Santer, Springfield College was the only institution in the country across NCAA Division I, II, and III, as well as the NAIA, to be recognized by the AVCA in both men’s and women’s volleyball. Their efforts included traditional releases and statistical coverage, in addition to enhanced web and video efforts to promote the success of the men’s and women’s programs, including highlight packages, postgame interviews, and features throughout the season. “Brian and Jonathan have a knack for capturing the essence of what it means to be a student-athlete,” said Springfield College Director of Athletics Cathie Schweitzer, who will be retiring at the end of June after 15 years in her current role. “Our sports-information team creatively thinks of ways to keep Springfield College athletics at the forefront, and the coverage they provide promoting players, coaches, and the volleyball programs is unparalleled.” The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award recognizes members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball, whether through consistent coverage in all mediums (sports information, print, broadcasting, web content, college student reporting, and social media), production of volleyball-specific publications, or extensive radio and/or television exposure.

Country Bank Awards Scholarships to Graduating Seniors
WARE — Country Bank recently awarded $80,000 in scholarship money to 32 students in its market area. Two students from each of the 16 high schools will each receive $2,500 to help them get started with their higher-education dreams. These students have been selected by scholarship committees established at the individual schools. “We are so pleased to be able to provide these students a helping hand as they plan their future,” stated Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank. “The students have each shown their dedication and hard work in the classroom and in the community, and their teachers have chosen them for this special honor. We wish them all the best of luck.” The seniors awarded the 2015 Country Bank Scholarship include: Ryan Paul Lagasse and Jena Marie Desroches, Bay Path Regional High School; Sienna Nielsen and Kathleen Sera Royal, Belchertown High School; Constance Morgan-Poirer and Tyler Golden, David Prouty High School; Cullen Mars and Alexandria DiCentes, Leicester High School; Zacharry Frangules and Emily Sevigne, Ludlow High School; Viviana Angel and Maxine Girard, Minnechaug Regional High School; Haley Arbour and Justin Maloney, Monson Innovation High School; Danielle Mierzejewski and Alex Ouellet-Poulin, North Brookfield High School; Jacob Sifuentes and Elisah Huynh, Palmer High School; Shannon Kennedy and Michael Desjardins, Pathfinder Regional High School; Sophia Kornitsky and Sonja Josephson, Quabbin Regional High School; Monica Greenlaw and Benjamin Webber, Quaboag Regional High School; Benjamin White and Emily Ijams, Shepherd Hill Regional High School; Kendal Danna and Morgan Button, Tantasqua Regional High School; Artur Bielecki and Michaela Scott, Wachusett Regional High School; Emily Houle and Mihaela Sousa, Ware High School.

Polish National Credit Union Supports Families with Food Drive
CHICOPEE — In honor of Military Appreciation Month in May, Polish National Credit Union held a month-long food drive at all branch locations, collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries, and school supplies for military families in need. The credit union also held three dress-down days during May that required employees to donate two food items each time they wanted to dress down, as well as encouraging members to donate and promoting the drive to the public through social media. The credit union supplemented their efforts by donating a pallet of bottled water. “At Polish National Credit Union, our mission is to grow lasting relationships that improve people’s lives,” said Jennifer Boyle, the institution’s vice president of marketing. “We are so pleased to be able to partner with the Pioneer Valley USO to assist military families in need. We appreciate the opportunity to be of service to our community.” The Pioneer Valley USO encourages business and community support for active troops. For more information, call (413) 557-3290.

Berkshire Bank Announces Scholarship Recipients
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced that it has selected 30 high-school seniors to receive a total of $45,000 in scholarships through its Berkshire Bank Foundation Scholarship Awards Program. Each of the recipients will receive $1,500. A team of 200 Berkshire Bank employee volunteers reviewed nearly 300 applications to select the winners. The winners all live in the regions served by Berkshire Bank, including communities in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. Berkshire Bank representatives surprised the students with their scholarship awards at their respective high schools. The six recipients from the Pioneer Valley are Wilda Joseph and Samantha Cross, Cathedral High School; Alyssa Hogan, Chicopee High School; Jessie Walton, Gateway Regional High School; Nathan Drewniak, Holyoke Catholic High School, and Kadeja Miller, Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy. The scholarship awards recognize students who have exemplified community service through their volunteer efforts, have been successful academically, and have a financial need.

People on the Move

Departments People on the Move

Delcie Bean IV

Serial entrepreneur Delcie Bean IV took home BusinessWest’s inaugural Continued Excellence Award at the ninth annual 40 Under Forty gala on June 18. It was yet another honor for the owner of Paragus Strategic IT, who was named BusinessWest’s Top Entrepreneur for 2014. For the Continued Excellence Award, which will be awarded annually to a former 40 Under Forty honoree who has continued to expand his or her business accomplishments and community impact, Bean was among about 40 individuals nominated by their peers and judged by an independent panel. “Nothing I have done has not been without the help of at least 100 other people,” Bean said to more than 650 attendees of the 40 Under Forty event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. He cited, as one example, the 24 high-school students who graduated this week from Tech Foundry, a nonprofit he started to provide IT workforce training and job skills to young people. A member of the 40 Under Forty Class of 2008 when he was just 21, Bean has since seen Paragus grow 450% and earn status as one of Inc. magazine’s fastest-growing companies on several occasions, and recently earn the Top Employer of Choice Award from the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast. He’s also started a second business venture, Waterdog Technologies, a technology-distribution company. Meanwhile, within the community, he has been active with Valley Venture Mentors, River Valley Investors, and DevelopSpringfield; is a board member for Up Academy Springfield; and serves as a board member for the Mass. Department of Elementary & Secondary Education’s Digital Literacy and Computer Science Standards Panel. In his short acceptance speech last night, Bean put the focus not on himself, but on the promise of the Pioneer Valley. “I’m just one of many people who helped me get to where I am,” he said. “I’m so incredibly grateful to be here, to be part of the Valley. And you know what? I think there’s so much more we can do. I really, really think this Valley has a huge story ahead of it. I’m excited to be a part of that, and I hope you guys will join me. And, with that challenge, let’s see what’s next.” The other four finalists for the Continued Excellence Award were Kamari Collins (40 Under Forty class of 2009), dean of Academic Advising and Student Success at Springfield Technical Community College; Jeff Fialky (class of 2008), partner at Bacon Wilson, P.C.; Cinda Jones (class of 2007), president of Cowls Lumber Co.; and Kristin Leutz (class of 2010), vice president of Philanthropic Services for the Community Foundation of Western Mass. The judges for the inaugural award were Carol Campbell, president of Chicopee Industrial Contractors; Eric Gouvin, dean of the Western New England School of Law; and Kirk Smith, former director of the YMCA of Greater Springfield.

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Sue Drumm

Sue Drumm, a real-estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Longmeadow, has been named the 2015 Realtor of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV). The announcement was made during the association’s annual awards banquet on June 11. As the highest honor given to a member, the Realtor of the Year award is bestowed upon the one person who has shown outstanding service and devotion to the 1,650-member organization during the past 17 months in the areas of Realtor activity, community service, and business activity. A Realtor since 2009, Drumm serves on the association’s board of directors, grievance committee, community service committee, and centennial president’s advisory group. She is a co-presenter at the bi-monthly new-member orientation promoting involvement and explaining the benefits of membership. In 2014 she was a member of the strategic planning committee and affiliate of the year committee. She is a longtime member of the association’s community service committee and an active participant in numerous projects, including a book and blanket drive for Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, and shopping, wrapping, and delivering gifts to area homeless shelters during the holidays. She is involved in the association’s charitable fund-raising efforts as a member of the Benefit Golf Tournament subcommittee, Comedy Night subcommittee, and Fantasy Auction subcommittee. Drumm has been a Girl Scout troop leader in Agawam for six years and assists with its annual food drives.
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Springfield College Sport Management and Recreation Department Chair Kevin McAllister was recently elected president of the board of directors for U.S.A. Nordic Sport (USANS). The appointment to president follows McAllister’s role in leading a transition committee that assisted with the merging of the U.S.A. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined. Under McAllister’s leadership, a new set of bylaws was transcribed for USANS, and a new mission statement was drafted. The mission of USANS is to encourage, promote, and develop the Nordic disciplines of ski jumping and Nordic combined in the U.S.; assist U.S. athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence in Olympic, World Championship, and other international competitions in the disciplines; and to promote the highest standards of sportsmanship, fair play, and goodwill between individuals of all nations through competition in the discipline sports. “This opportunity to serve as president of the board of directors for USANS is a great honor, and I am excited to have the opportunity to work with so many talented people both with U.S.A. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined,” said McAllister, who has been a Springfield College faculty member since 2003. In his role with USANS, McAllister has the opportunity to work with Springfield College alumna Signe Jordet, U.S.A. Ski Jumping director of Sport Development since 2012. Jordet earned a master’s degree in sport management and recreation from the college in 2010, and she was instrumental in recruiting McAllister’s leadership for U.S.A. Ski Jumping and Nordic Sport. “We are always willing to assist and work with graduates from our Sport Management program at Springfield College,” said McAllister. “We are very proud of Signe and the work she has done in her role with U.S.A. Ski Jumping. There was an opportunity for me to get involved and assist in some leadership areas, and I am looking forward to the challenge. This experience will also provide some great examples in the classroom when teaching our current sport-management students.”
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Two Baystate Medical Center physicians were honored recently by the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians (MACEP) for advancing excellence in emergency care. Dr. Sunny Mani Shukla received the Emergency Medicine Fellow of the Year award, and Dr. Lauren Westafer received the Emergency Medicine Resident of the Year award, during MACEP’s recent annual meeting. The Emergency Medicine Resident and Fellow of the Year awards recognize an outstanding emergency-medicine resident and emergency-medicine fellow in Massachusetts, whose combination of clinical promise, leadership, ability to think outside the box, and commitment to patients and emergency medicine separate them from others. Westafer earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine and master of public health degrees from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Blogging on emergency medicine even before her residency, today she co-hosts an educational podcast and frequently tweets and blogs about important and interesting articles, keeping her colleagues up to date on the latest in emergency medicine. Westafer regularly takes on additional tasks as part of her residency, including providing statistical mini-lectures to colleagues. An adjunct assistant professor at Western New England University College of Pharmacy, she lectures pharmacy students preparing to enter the field of medicine. She has also been recognized as a Knowledge to Action Fellow by the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Assoc. (EMRA) and the New York Academy of Medicine. “Dr. Westafer is an incredibly talented physician with the potential to contribute greatly to academic emergency medicine. Her ability to review the current literature and distill it into an easily digestible format is incredibly valuable and will make her a strong contributor in the future,” said Dr. Niels Rathlev, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate. Shukla, who received his medical degree from Manipal University in Karnataka, India, completed a residency in emergency medicine at Baystate. He participated in MACEP’s Leadership & Advocacy Fellowship Program in 2014, and recently designed the Baystate Emergency Department’s Administrative Fellowship. He was also selected by the EMRA as one of 10 residents nationwide to receive an EDDA scholarship, which provides financial assistance to resident leaders to attend the Emergency Department Directors Academy, designed to help them develop leadership skills that will advance their careers, their local emergency departments, and the specialty of emergency medicine. Shukla, who provides emergency care at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, was also the second-place winner in the Emergency Medicine Physicians’ emp.com third annual Video Challenge, allowing residents to show off their residency program in a creative way. As secretary/newsletter editor for the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Emergency Medicine Practice Management and Health Policy Section, he also uses his talents to mentor residents in writing scholarly articles. “Dr. Shukla has tremendous potential as a future leader in healthcare,” Rathlev said. “He has a particular interest in administrative matters and is currently obtaining his MBA at UMass Amherst. He is an active contributor to important patient-care and safety initiatives at Baystate Health.”
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Candace Pereira

Susan Mastroianni

At its recent board meeting, the Gray House elected two new officers to a one year term: Candace Pereira, treasurer, and Susan Mastroianni, secretary. Pereira has more than 10 years of banking experience. She is a commercial-portfolio loan officer for Farmington Bank in West Springfield. Mastroianni has more than 25 years of experience in the advertising field. She is director of Media Services and partner in FitzGerald & Mastroianni Advertising Inc. in Springfield. Michael Walsh and David Chase remain as president and vice president, respectively. Walsh is an adjunct instructor in Political Science at Westfield State University and a consultant and legal advisor at MIRA Associates. Chase has more than 20 years of banking experience and is vice president of Member Business Services at Freedom Credit Union in Springfield. The Gray House is a small, neighborhood human-service agency located at 22 Sheldon St. in the North End of Springfield. Its mission is to help neighbors facing hardships to meet their immediate and transitional needs by providing food, clothing, and educational services in a safe, positive environment.
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Dr. Paul Donovan, a long-time practicing physician in North Adams, has written and published the first of a three-part series on the history of North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH). The hospital closed in March 2014 after filing for bankruptcy. Part one of the series covers the years 1882 to 1910. In 1882, a catastrophic train accident galvanized a small group of North Adams residents to initiate the concept of a hospital, which was built with private donations and opened in March 1885. Part one concludes with a major reorganization in 1909-10 due to financial difficulties. Part two will cover the years 1910 to 1955, and part three will cover 1955 to 2014. They are expected to be published in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Donovan is an emergency-medicine and sports-medicine specialist practicing in North Adams and Bennington, Vt. He was a member of the NARH medical staff for 25 years and served as medical staff president from 2008 to 2010, and as director of the NARH Emergency Department. The book can be purchased on www.blurb.com and will be available at local bookstores starting in July.
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Citizens Bank announced the appointment of Quincy Miller, president of Citizens’ business-banking division, as its new Massachusetts state president. He succeeds Jerry Sargent, who will focus full-time on leading Citizens’ middle-market commercial business after serving as state president for five years. Sargent’s responsibilities will continue to include overall leadership for state presidents across the Citizens footprint. As state president, Miller will lead Citizens’ engagement with civic, business, and community leaders across the state. He will retain responsibility for Citizens’ company-wide business-banking efforts, which serve companies with annual revenue of up to $25 million. A member of Citizens Bank’s executive leadership group, Miller serves as a member of the Citizens Bank Charitable Foundation board of directors. He also currently serves as board chair for the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. Miller is a graduate of Lafayette College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and business. Prior to joining Citizens in 2006, he spent nine years at M&T Bank in New York City and in Harrisburg, Pa. He has received 40 Under 40 recognition from the Boston Business Journal, Crain’s Cleveland Business, and the Central Penn Business Journal.

For Sale, for Lease

Commercial Real Estate Sections

A listing of available commercial properties

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A Matter of Perspective

Cover Story

UMass Grad Marty Meehan Now Leads the System

Marty Meehan acknowledged that, when someone decides to run for Congress, and then succeeds in that mission, they’ve done more than win an election. They’ve also more or less committed to a career in politics.

But when Meehan set out to capture the Bay State’s 5th Congressional District seat, anchored by his hometown of Lowell, in 1993, at age 37, he said he did so with a much different mindset.

“I knew I didn’t want to serve in Congress for the rest of my life,” he told BusinessWest, adding quickly that he didn’t know exactly what path his career should ultimately take.

So in 2001, he engaged the services of New Directions, an executive career-development firm that, in essence, helps clients determine a path and, in Meehan’s words, “tells you what you’re good at.”

After an extensive three-week process that included several tests and interviews with people who knew him well, those at New Directions told Meehan he’d be good at running a professional sports league or taking an executive position in higher education.

Marty Meehan, seen here with the mascot for UMass Lowell, says graduating from the university gives him a unique perspective that will serve him well as president.

To make a long story short, that analysis was on the money.

Meehan, who said he essentially put himself on a track for either of those pursuits, eventually became chancellor of UMass Lowell, where, by all accounts, he led a stunning resurgence at the school.

And last month, he was chosen to succeed Robert Caret as president of the entire university system, thus becoming the first UMass undergrad (he earned a degree in education and political science at the Lowell campus) and first chancellor within the five campuses to ascend to the president’s office.

He said those two qualities, if you will, provide him with a unique perspective, one he believes will serve him well in his new position.

“I have a passion for the University of Massachusetts, and I view that as an asset,” he explained. “When I interact with students, I literally say, ‘I was where you are.’ I have a passion for the institution because I was a student here. I fundamentally understand at my core what it means to have a great university system.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Meehan, who takes the helm July 1, touched on a number of issues involving the university and his role as its president. They include:

• The overall accessibility of the university’s campuses: “The fact is that public higher education in this state has been privatized over the past three decades; the cost of a UMass education has stayed the same, adjusted for inflation, but the burden of paying that cost has shifted from the Commonwealth to students and their families”;
• His perceived role: “A big part of my job is to make the case for this system and demonstrate why it’s important to make the investment in a world-class public research university”;
• His quick take on his job description: “My job is to provide leadership, inspiration, and passion to help the university get what it needs in terms of funding and what it needs in terms of stature, prestige, and reputation. Universities are all about students, faculty, and the interaction that takes place between students and faculty; the rest of us are there to support and embrace that interaction”;
• His leadership style: “I’m very strategic in everything I do; I’m also collaborative and accessible”;
• The importance of the Amherst campus: “UMass Amherst sets the standard for what the UMass brand is all about. So it’s in the interest of all the UMass campuses for UMass Amherst to improve its ranking; that’s where the brand comes from.”
• The role of the system as a whole: “I think the economy of Massachusetts runs through this university”;
• His expectations for the Baker administration: “The governor fundamentally understands how the economy of this state works, and he understands the role UMass plays in the economy. I think he’s thoughtful, he’s smart, and the University of Massachusetts could do quite well under Governor Baker”; and
• His commitment to stay for the “long haul,” as he put it: “I didn’t take this job to get another job — I’m not thinking about what else I’m going to be doing. When I got the job at Lowell, everyone thought I was going to run for the Senate a couple of different times or run for governor. What I said was that I didn’t think you could take a job like that and not make at least an eight-year commitment, and I feel the same about this job.”

For this issue, BusinessWest delves into much greater detail on these and other matters as we talk at length with the next leader of the state university.

School of Thought

As Meehan wrapped up his comments with BusinessWest in the office of the UMass Amherst athletic director — he was at the Mullins Center to attend the June board of trustees meeting — he used that setting and its view of the arena to segue into one of the dilemmas he’ll be facing as president, if one could call it that.

“Someone in the press asked me who I was going to root for when UMass Amherst plays UMass Lowell,” he said, referring specifically to two hockey squads that face off against each other and the 10 other teams in the highly competitive Hockey East conference. “I said, ‘that’s an easy one; when the game’s in Amherst, I’ll be rooting for the Minutemen, and when the game’s in Lowell, I’ll be rooting for the Riverhawks; that’s how I’ll solve that.’”

Marty Meehan says one his first priorities is to initiate a new strategic plan for the UMass system, one that will be conducted from the ground up.

Surely, the myriad other issues he’ll be confronting as president will resist such quick, easy, and diplomatic solutions, but overall, Meehan believes he’s ready for pretty much whatever this job can and will throw at him.

Such confidence stems from a career in leadership positions, which have yielded a wide range of learning experiences.

They came in Congress, where he served seven terms, served on the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees, and established a national reputation for his work with everything from campaign finance reform to tobacco control; before that, in stints as the first assistant district attorney of Middlesex County and Massachusetts deputy secretary of state for securities and corporations; and especially at UMass Lowell — which brings him back to that determination readied by New Directions.

Meehan said he worked to position himself for possible management roles with sports leagues — on the House Judiciary Committee, he became more involved in anti-trust issues that affect professional sports leagues, for example — but soon became more focused on the second career path recommended to him.

Indeed, the post at UMass Lowell was actually the second opportunity within the broad realm of higher education that he considered. The first was his pursuit of the job as dean of the law school at Suffolk University, where he earned both his master’s and juris doctor degrees and was also on the board of trustees. But it wasn’t a hard pursuit.

“I told the search firm that I didn’t think I was what the law school needed at that point,” he recalled. “I felt it needed a nationally known academic or perhaps a former federal judge.

“But during the course of an hour-and-a-half conversation, I got an opportunity to talk about higher education,” he went on. “And when the Lowell position came up, the same search firm was hired to handle that search, and after that long conversation we had, I knew they’d be calling me for that position.”

They did, and after overcoming some reluctance to being named a finalist — he was concerned about both publicly acknowledging his pursuit of the job and competing against seasoned academics — Meehan was awarded the job.

He believes that aforementioned passion resulting from his student experiences there — and his ability to communicate it — was a big factor.

“I wanted the job because I felt that I could make a difference at an institution that meant so much to me personally,” he explained. “Number one, it’s in my hometown, and number two, I graduated from the school. And I felt UMass Lowell could be a much greater institution than what it was.”

At Lowell, he took over a school that was, by most all accounts, underperforming, and certainly changed that dynamic.

Indeed, during Meehan’s tenure, the school, founded in the 1890s as the Lowell Normal and Lowell Textile schools, achieved record growth in enrollment, student retention, research, and scholarship funding. The school has also undergone a dramatic physical transformation, with new academic buildings and residence halls; upgraded academic, research, and athletic facilities; and enhanced student-activity spaces.

Meehan’s comprehensive portfolio of improvements includes:

• Rating as a top-tier university by U.S. News & World Report for the first time in 2011. The school has subsequently seen a four-year gain of 27 spots, from number 183 to 156, the second-largest leap in the nation;
• A 50% increase in enrollment over the past seven years, to more than 17,000 students;
• An accompanying rise in academic qualifications, as the average SAT score of incoming freshmen, math and verbal combined, has increased 80 points since 2008;
• A 10% increase in freshman retention, from 75% to 85%;
• A dramatic rise in research expenditures, specifically 80% since FY ’07 to $65 million;
• The construction of 10 new buildings on campus. That boom includes two new academic buildings (the first in 35 years) — the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center and the Health and Social Sciences Building. It also includes two new residential facilities that are now home to a quarter of the 4,000 students living on campus, a 33% increase in three years;
• Purchase of an underutilized hotel in the city’s downtown and converting it into the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center, which provides housing for 500 students as well as conference space, lodging, and a restaurant for the public;
• Acquisition of the 6,500-seat Tsongas Arena in 2010 (it’s now known as the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell); and
• The opening in 2014 of University Crossing, a $95 million student-engagement center created in a former hospital site purchased by the university in 2011.

Degrees of Progress

When asked how all that and more was accomplished, Meehan said it resulted from assembling a great team, putting in place an ambitious strategic plan titled “UMass Lowell 2020,” and achieving critical buy-in on its many initiatives.

This is the same formula he intends to use as president of the system, which, he believes, has already achieved considerable progress in a number of areas, ranging from enrollment to academic qualifications to new building on each of the campuses.

But there is still considerable room for improvement, said Meehan, who was asked to interview during the system’s last presidential search, in 2010, but eventually withdrew, believing the timing wasn’t right and because then-Gov. Deval Patrick had his own preference for a candidate — someone else.

Looking back, he said that decision was a good one, because it gave him additional opportunities to build on his track record of success at UMass Lowell and ultimately learn from the man he would eventually succeed.

Moving forward, Marty Meehan says his primary role as UMass president is to advocate for the system and secure funding to ensure that the schools are accessible.

“I got a great opportunity to do two things,” he said. “One was to finish what I set out to accomplish at Lowell, and secondly, I got to work with a second UMass president, Bob Caret. And because of those experiences, I feel that I’m better-prepared to lead the entire system.”

Looking ahead, Meehan, as he mentioned earlier, said one of his primary responsibilities will be as an advocate for the UMass system — in Boston, Washington, and wherever else that broad assignment takes him.

And as advocate, one of his duties is to articulate how the university’s role has changed and broadened — within the Bay State but also nationally and even globally — and what that means in terms of how the system should be viewed and, more importantly, funded.

“Historically — and when I say historically, I mean over the past 30 years — the political leadership in this state has often viewed the University of Massachusetts as a safety net for students who either can’t get into the elite private colleges or can’t afford to go to those schools,” he explained. “The paradigm has changed dramatically; the elite private universities in this state are not training residents of this state, by and large.”

Thus, with this change in role, the university has taken on an even bigger role when it comes to fueling the state’s economy — an assignment that involves everything from sparking startup businesses to educating and training the workers that ventures across all business sectors will need to succeed.

“I think the argument is powerful: if you want a strong economy, you must have a strong university of Massachusetts,” he told BusinessWest.

“The truth is that social mobility and economic development in this state really drives through the university on every level. We’re an innovation economy; we literally educate the workforce in Massachusetts in terms of the engineers we produce, the nurses, the teachers. So Massachusetts is very reliant on a world-class public research university, and we have to keep the quality up,” he continued, adding that 88% of the graduates of the schools in the UMass system stay in the state for at least five years after earning their diplomas, and 66% stay longer.

“In an innovation economy, you need a workforce that’s well-trained and highly educated, and I think this state gets the fact that our graduates are the key to economic development and economic growth. I sure get it.”

Course of Action

Making sure everyone gets it will help the university achieve a better commitment from the state and therefore the more sustainable financial model it needs in the decades to come, said Meehan, adding quickly that the economy, and specifically state revenues, need to improve for this to happen.

The Baker administration inherited a severe budget crisis, he went on, one that has forced painful mid-year cuts, hard decisions, a slowing of the momentum achieved over the past few years when it comes to state funding of public higher education, and, ultimately, the rate increases approved by the trustees at their June meeting.

The scope of those increases isn’t known yet, said Meehan, adding that any increase impacts accessibility and grows already-worrisome student debt.

To attain more attractive funding levels, the economy must improve, but the university as a whole must continue to become more efficient and thus worthy of a larger investment from the state.

“The governor is going to want to hold UMass accountable in terms of performance, graduation rates, student-success rates, fund-raising, and more,” he said. “And I think the university is ready to be held accountable in exchange for a deeper investment by the state government.”

One of the other priorities moving forward, said Meehan, is to draft a new strategic plan for the university, something similar in many ways to “UMass Lowell 2020” but much larger in scope.

It’s been 25 years since a new comprehensive strategic plan has been created for the university, he said, which means the system is overdue for such a document. And like the one at UMass Lowell, this plan will come from the bottom up.

“We had more than 200 faculty, deans, administrators, and students who all came up with a strategic plan,” he explained. “It took us 13 months to create it, and because we included all those constituencies, we had buy-in. And that’s how it’s accomplished in any large, complex organization, and a university is certainly a large, complex organization.

“We need to evaluate what the system has done well over the past 25 years and what it needs to improve,” he continued, referring to the broad scope of such a strategic plan. “And we need to bring in some of the best high-level academics from public research institutions around the country to help us determine whether this can become the best public university in the country.”

As for the immediate future, Meehan said he plans to spend considerable time visiting the various campuses and gaining feedback from a host of constituencies.

These include the chancellors of those institutions, staff, faculty, students, and alumni. But he also intends to gain perspective from a business community that has placed workforce issues at the very top of its list of priorities — and concerns.

“I look at corporations like EMC and Raytheon, and the majority of the people they hire come from UMass,” Meehan explained. “I want to talk with those major CEOs in the state, not only get some advice on UMass, but also to get them to join with us to fight for more state funding and more federal funding. The business community should be UMass’s biggest cheerleader because of the huge contribution we make to making sure these companies get the best, most highly qualified employees they can get; it makes Massachusetts more competitive.”

Checking Some Boxes

Returning to the subject of those hockey teams and the intense rivalry that has developed between them, Meehan related a conversation with UMass Amherst Athletic Director John McCutcheon, who was lamenting how his school has come up on the short end of many recent contests between the schools.

Meehan said he responded first with some sarcasm, then a challenge, wrapped in the form of a leadership philosophy.

“He [McCutcheon] said, ‘you guys at UMass Lowell have been beating us up the past few years,’” Meehan recalled. “I said, ‘the problem is, everyone has been, and you have to work at this — I want attendance up.’

“Sometimes, I get into a lot of various details, but there’s a reason,” he went on, explaining why he was dwelling on hockey. “I think good leaders need to say, ‘we want excellence in everything we do.’”

That has been Meehan’s approach throughout a career that’s taken him to the House of Representatives and then the career in education recommended years ago. And it’s one he believes will ultimately help drive continuous improvement at the state university. n

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

Editorial

Opinion

Washington Betrays Americans — Again

Much is being said and written in the wake of the recent Senate vote to extend to President Obama complete authority to negotiate trade agreements in a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal known as TPA (Trade Promotion Authority).

The vote is being called a triumph for big business, especially the giant multi-nationals likely to benefit from softened trade restrictions. But we see this backroom deal (yes, Americans were kept in the dark regarding the details, and that’s a big problem for a democracy) as a major defeat for American workers and democracy itself. The bill, from the scant details available, will most likely result in lower wages and more job outsourcing. At least, that is what big labor, which our readers know we are no fan of, is saying.

The secret deal is seen by many as a key victory for a lame-duck president sorely in need of a legacy-boosting piece of legislation. But we don’t see much legacy in this piece of twisted legislation. Others say it is a victory for Republicans and giant corporations who will get preferential tax treatment and more HB1 visas to bring in more foreign workers to replace American ones.

Politicians in Washington, both Democrat and Republican, who continue to benefit themselves in their Washington enclave of privilege and entitlement, see the bill’s advancement as a rare example of how a historically divided government can actually slice through crippling gridlock and get something accomplished. We disagree. And those brave politicians who fought this secretive measure tooth and nail and came very close to handing the president what would have been a very embarrassing setback need to take a bow.

While the legislation may in fact be beneficial to big business, we believe the Senate vote is something else, something more significant and, quite frankly, sinister. Indeed, it’s an example of how our government is still very much broken, with our elected leaders acting in a disturbingly non-transparent manner to advance their own agendas, not effectively representing the people who elected them.

For what it’s worth, TPA, hailed as the most significant trade measure of the 21st century, could very well turn out to be a meaningful — and beneficial — piece of legislation, one that will enable this country to better compete in what is now truly a global economy.

What’s more, the measure will enable the U.S. and the other nations involved a chance to write the rules for this more-global economy — and not China, which is not part of the deal.

But in this case, that end — if it does become reality, and it certainly appears it will — doesn’t justify the means. It doesn’t justify the 60 votes to essentially give the president a blank check to negotiate the rest of the trade package with no chance of amendments from Congress. The same president whose name has become affixed to a disastrous piece of healthcare reform legislation. The same president whose record of foreign policy has been a travesty and resulted in a world on fire. The same president who has essentially shown that he is anything but worthy of such trust.

The fact is, no one really looks good with this bill’s passage. Not the Republicans. They’re not acting out of any desire to break gridlock or work with the president. They’re looking to protect and advance the interests of big business, which is an important constituency, but not the one senators are elected to represent.

And not the Democrats, many of whom, while claiming to be looking out for the interests of the little people, are instead pandering to the labor unions and environmental groups that have long been their cornerstone supporters.

As we said at the top, this vote can be considered many things depending on one’s point of view. From our standpoint, it clearly shows that Washington continues to betray Americans, not serve them. And unless we express our dissatisfaction with such betrayals at the voting booth, the same results will continue to occur.

No Place Like Home

Features

Dakin Humane Society Strives to Save, Improve Animals’ Lives

Leslie Harris says Dakin strives to rehome animals, and also keep them healthy and happy as they wait.

If a typical cage is like a small hotel room for cats, Biscuit lives in a suite.

That’s not to say it’s luxurious living; he’d really rather be free to wander a house, tended to by a loving family. But while living at Dakin Humane Society, at least he’s got a double cage, with his eating area separated from his litterbox by a small passageway.

It’s a small amenity, sure, said Leslie Harris, Dakin’s executive director. But would you want to eat in your bathroom?

“Do we just put poor Biscuit in a tiny cage and hope for the best, or do we think about how to keep Biscuit healthy? The goal is to get Biscuit home, but while he’s here, we want to keep him healthy and happy.

“Healthy is important,” she went on, “but happy is also important, because Biscuit has been through some trauma. Twelve years old, and one day he showed up here. He probably lived with the same person, a creature of habit. So, in order to keep Biscuit happy, we make sure he has space, that he’s not stressed because his toilet is right next to his food bowl — to preserve his sense of dignity and cleanliness.”

Those little touches make a difference in the animals’ quality of life while living at Dakin, Harris said, which is considered as important as finding them a better life outside the facility’s doors. “We always try to do things to make the animals’ experience here successful — and with, ultimately, a lifesaving outcome.”

After all, saving the lives of homeless, abandoned, and unwanted cats, dogs, and other creatures is the main mission at Dakin, which has increasingly accomplished that goal with a series of ambitious programs, from a spay-and-neuter clinic that brings in more than 10,000 animals annually to a safety-net program that helps economically stressed pet owners keep their furry loved ones.

“One of the things that makes Dakin interesting — from a business perspective, from an animal perspective, and from a nonprofit perspective — is that we really value innovation,” Harris said. “We’re not interested in the status quo; we don’t think that saves lives. The mission in this community is to save the lives of homeless animals and improve the lives of animals living with people.”

Paws for Effect

Since its inception more than 45 years ago, Dakin has become one of the region’s most recognized names in animal welfare, treating, sheltering, and fostering more than 20,000 animals each year — not just cats and dogs, but smaller animals as well.

“Last year, we took in about 50% more smaller animals than the year before — a record number of rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, mice, and birds,” Harris said. “We do not rehome large parrots or reptiles; we send those to a more capable rescue because they have such specialized needs.”

Many animals that arrive at Dakin are homeless or lost, with many dogs transferred from animal control when their owners can’t be located. But others are surrendered by their owners, for a number of reasons.

“The biggest reason why people surrender their own pets to us relates to poverty; that is true whether it’s the city of Springfield or the Upper Pioneer Valley, which we also serve,” Harris said; Dakin operates its headquarters in the former and an adoption center in Leverett.

Veterinarian Dr. Sherri Therrien performs one of the more than 10,000 spay/neuter procedures conducted at Dakin every year.

“Poverty impacts a person’s housing choices,” she continued, noting that someone who has to move from a house to an apartment may not be allowed to keep a dog. In other cases, a beloved pet may be old and sick, and an owner facing economic stresses may not be able to properly treat them.

Many of these animals are rehomed, Harris said, but Dakin strives to keep them with their owners whenever possible through a safety-net program that might pay for an animal’s immediate medical care before sending him home, or setting a family up with free cat or dog food donated by pet-food stores and volunteers.

“If someone says to us, ‘look, I can’t feed my dog,’ we might say, ‘what if we were able to help you with your food?’” she explained. In another scenario, if an elderly pet owner breaks a hip and has to go to rehab, Dakin might foster their pet and send it home after the owner recovers. Harris said some 50 to 75 animals each year benefit from these options.

While it strives to rehome local animals, Dakin also participates in what’s known as the Dixie Dogs program, receiving dogs from overcrowded shelters in southern states who might otherwise be euthanized.

“There’s a misconception that the majority of the dogs we get come from other parts of the country, but that’s not true,” Harris said. “Most come in locally and are rehomed locally. We still probably take in around 300 dogs through the Dixie Dog program; we have regular transport partners in Texas, Kentucky, and New Mexico, and every couple weeks, they send a shipment of dogs to us.”

These dogs are pre-screened for temperament, and part of each adoption fee is sent back south to improve the lives of dogs in the source community. And the added volume at Dakin is actually a good thing, Harris said, as having more dogs in the building that are considered more ‘adoptable’ creates a buzz that attracts more visitors, giving even the less adoptable dogs — older dogs, for instance, or breeds with less-than-rosy reputations — a fighting chance at a new home.

Still, she told BusinessWest, finding new homes for displaced pets is only one way to stem the tide of unwanted animals. Another way is to reduce the number of animal births. That’s where Dakin’s spay-neuter clinic comes in.

“We provide a high volume of low-cost spay-neuter surgeries for cats and dogs within a 90-mile radius of Springfield,” Harris said. “We spay and neuter between 10,000 and 12,000 cats and dogs a year, and we just completed our 57,000th surgery since opening in 2008.”

That’s critical, she said, because for a shelter to operate as an open-admission facility with a minimum of euthanizations, it must reduce the volume of animals flooding in. The clinic has done just that.

“Not only do we need an effective adoption program, to get animals out the door, we have to stop them from coming in, and what’s the best way? Stop them from being born. That’s why we launched our spay and neuter clinic,” she explained. “A couple hundred surgeries a year will not make much impact.”

Several thousand, however, is a different story — and the admission statistics tell that story well. Kitten admissions have dropped 40% since 2009, and Harris believes that constantly promoting the spay and neuter clinic is bringing down the number of homeless cats in Greater Springfield. “What’s the smartest use of our resources? We’re spending them wisely; it’s cheaper to spay a cat than to shelter one.”

Community Effort

As a nonprofit, Dakin’s operating budget is covered in part by adoption and treatment fees, but mainly by donations from individuals and businesses who support its mission to care for and rehome animals.

The adoption fees run anywhere from $139 for an older cat to $350 for a kitten, and Harris said that money is used to provide needed care for other pets. “It costs us more than $500 per animal to put them through the adoption center. So the fees pay for some of the cost of care, and it’s made up with contributions from people.”

Then there are unique events like February’s PAWSCARS, a major fund-raiser that melded local filmmaking about animals with a red-carpet fashion show featuring notable area residents and their dogs — just another way Dakin is thinking outside the crate.

Still, the organization wouldn’t stay afloat without more than 1,000 volunteers who support the staff of 56 full- and part-time employees.

“Volunteers do nursing care for kittens, feed dogs, help with administrative tasks, sort the surgical equipment, do laundry, distribute pet food as part of the pet-food bank, and do data entry,” just to name a few opportunities to lend a hand, she told BusinessWest. Other volunteers assist with dog-training programs, many of them placed through an internship program at UMass.

“We get a new class of college students every semester, and the curriculum lays out what the intern does in the adoption center. Many of them expect to go into veterinary school, and it’s interesting to see one of the interns come back as a veterinarian.”

The work isn’t always fun — it can be messy and smelly and labor-intensive — but that doesn’t keep animal lovers from pitching in, Harris said. “So many people know about it and want to help. They tend to be the type of person who enjoys focusing on a mission and really wants to see it through.”

They also recognize the importance of innovation, of striving to save and improve more animal lives each year.

“I’ve been at Dakin since we served 300 animals a year, and our headquarters was a house,” she said. “We’ve grown because we’re innovative and open to change. I’ve worked with other animal organizations that said, ‘there’s nothing we can do to solve this cat problem.’ I call BS on that; it’s not true. It just means you’re not thinking hard enough or trying hard enough; you’re stuck in old ways of thinking. It is possible to solve the problem, and I think what we’ve achieved is complete evidence of that.”

After all, Harris said, Dakin is not just helping animals; it’s helping families.

“If you want to help animals, you have to help people,” she told BusinessWest. “The animals don’t come here of their own accord. People knock on the door and say, “I lost my house,’ and if you don’t have an open heart for these people and what their challenges are, you can’t help their animal. But if you’re resourceful and ask, ‘if I were in their shoes, how would I want to solve this problem?’ you can be that problem solver. And we have a staff that’s amazing at that.”

That’s good news for Biscuit — and thousands of other critters looking for a home.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Building Permits

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of June 2015.

AMHERST

Paul Shumway
334 College Highway
$10,000 — Four interior walls and dividers

Town of Amherst Recreation
95 Montague Road
$25,000 — Installation of shade structures

GREENFIELD

American Tower Corp.
180 Country Club Road
$17,500 — Alterations to cell tower

Lehigh Gas Corporation
142 Mohawk Trail
$80,000 — Repair stream erosion by installation of gabion baskets

Ruth Norwood
372 Federal St.
$4,000 — Roof repair

Town of Greenfield
99 Mohawk Trail
$10,000 — Interior renovations at school

Second Congregational Church
16 Court Square
$145,000 — Replace town clock faces

PALMER

Municipal Public Access Cable
1659A North Main St.
$100,000 — Expansion of M-Pact into other half of building

Palmer-Mapletree, LLC
21 Wilbraham St.
$11,500 — Renovations to cell tower

Palmer Place, LLC
1581 North Main St.
$175,000 — Expand Criterion Early Learning Center into adjacent space

SOUTH HADLEY

Mount Holyoke College
1 Silver St.
$28,000 — Build handicap accessible ramp

Mount Holyoke College
50 College St.
$3,000 — Fire-protection modifications

US Industrial Gaylord LP
28 Gaylord St.
$925,000 — Interior and exterior renovations

SPRINGFIELD

Andy Yee
8 Fort St.
$30,000 — Renovate front room of existing restaurant

City of Springfield
1385 Berkshire Ave.
$32,500 — New suspended ceiling system

WESTFIELD

City of Westfield
100 Elm St.
$17,000 – Exterior renovations

Susana Baltazar
480 Southampton Road
$62,000 — Renovate in-studio apartments

Real Estate Transactions

Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

141 Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lakeside Park LLC
Seller: Judith W. Hamilton
Date: 05/20/15

119-A&B Pfersick Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $244,800
Buyer: Madeleine S. Roberts
Seller: Albert L. Pieropan INT
Date: 05/20/15

BERNARDSTON

169 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Martha V. Jordan
Date: 05/29/15

Route 5
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: C. W. Llewelyn
Seller: Perry Farm LLC
Date: 05/18/15

BUCKLAND

62 North St.
Buckland, MA 01339
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: D&s Village Rentals LLC
Seller: Andrew P. Soles
Date: 05/21/15

DEERFIELD

9 Greenfield Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $9,085,704
Buyer: BW RRI 3 LLC
Seller: FMW RRI 1 LLC
Date: 05/19/15

119 Old Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Hadley Palmer
Seller: Alexander F. Janko
Date: 05/21/15

113 South Mill River Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $198,333
Buyer: Dylan F. James
Seller: Janice James
Date: 05/21/15

14 Steam Mill Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Carl G. Burwick
Seller: 14 Steam Mill Road LLC
Date: 05/18/15

ERVING

34 Moore St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings Fund Society
Seller: Daniel J. Petrowicz
Date: 05/21/15

GILL

21 South Cross Road
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $196,500
Buyer: Steven E. Sinkoff
Seller: Paul J. Morin
Date: 05/26/15

GREENFIELD

36 Beech St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: Leuchtman INT
Seller: Nadine M. Benzaia
Date: 05/22/15

49 Congress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: John D. Whitney
Seller: Bitzer, Edward W., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

82 Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Dimarino
Seller: Phebe S. Elliott
Date: 05/29/15

32 Holland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Andrew C. Eisch
Seller: Moore, George R., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

23 James St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Ryan A. Noble
Seller: Steven F. Strandberg
Date: 05/22/15

7 Legion Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: CC MA Realty LLC
Seller: John J. Galvin Post 81 Inc.
Date: 05/18/15

150 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Thomas W. Wansleben
Seller: William G. Gallant
Date: 05/29/15

72 Montague City Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Vladimir Agapov
Seller: Jeri L. Case
Date: 05/29/15

N/A
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $17,000,000
Buyer: Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation
Seller: Pan Am Southern LLC
Date: 05/21/15

30 Woodleigh Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Edward J. Terault
Seller: Ann Marie Sullivan RET
Date: 05/28/15

HAWLEY

49 East Hawley Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Weston J. Swope
Seller: Kamenides, Mark P., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

LEYDEN

178 Eden Trail
Leyden, MA 01337
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Eric D. Page
Seller: Richard P. Messer
Date: 05/29/15

MONTAGUE

11 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

13 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

15 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

18 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

19 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

25 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

115 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Emily Y. Douglass
Seller: Thomas S. Cameron
Date: 05/29/15

118 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

152 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

175 Avenue A
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $3,450,000
Buyer: Power Turner Falls LP
Seller: Power Town LP
Date: 05/29/15

3 Emond Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Johanna A. Johnson
Seller: Eric D. Page
Date: 05/29/15

16 Oakman St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Robert F. Mills
Seller: Neipp, Arthur E., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/15

47 Randall Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Julie N. Kosuda
Seller: Linda Berry
Date: 05/27/15

NEW SALEM

44 West St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Bradford Clement
Seller: Richard Oliver
Date: 05/21/15

148 West St.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Richard H. Oliver
Seller: Gary E. Trainor
Date: 05/26/15

ORANGE

11 Spring St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Robert J. Ballato
Seller: Adele O. Madsen

SHUTESBURY

375 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Melissa Campbell
Seller: Jaime C. Morton
Date: 05/22/15

351 West Pelham Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Joshua P. Lagreze
Seller: Bradford B. Spry
Date: 05/29/15

SUNDERLAND

266 Hadley Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $292,500
Buyer: Yinfeng Wang
Date: 05/20/15

131 Old Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Matthew B. Vickery
Seller: Mitchell K. Roberts
Date: 05/21/15

304 Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jonathan L. Wooley
Seller: Klemyk, Barbara A., (Estate)
Date: 05/28/15

51 South Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Dylan Korpita
Seller: Kathleen Kennedy
Date: 05/18/15

WENDELL

39 Stone Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Kathryn A. Lee
Seller: John F. Sini
Date: 05/26/15

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

14 Briarcliff Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Daniel Hickok
Seller: Steven G. Richter
Date: 05/26/15

32 Columbus St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $264,900
Buyer: Eric D. Peterson
Seller: Robert W. Touchette
Date: 05/21/15

147 Edgewater Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Michelle A. Forfa
Seller: Susan A. Mielnikowski
Date: 05/29/15

65 Harvey Johnson Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Jillian M. Thibault
Seller: Frank Nunez
Date: 05/28/15

12 Haskell St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Christian M. Quatrone
Seller: Marc Turgeon
Date: 05/29/15

92 Horsham Place
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Masciotra
Seller: Afrodite Doulakis
Date: 05/29/15

767 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Bonnie L. Watson
Seller: Justin J. Richter
Date: 05/18/15

771 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: James M. Votzakis
Seller: Votzakis, Evelyn J., (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

76 Ramah Circle North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Wadsworth Realty LLC
Seller: Joseph F. Dempsey
Date: 05/18/15

108 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Santaniello
Seller: Gedney, Claire A., (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

134 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Jacques E. Kmon
Seller: Dorothy R. Chechile
Date: 05/21/15

72-74 Riverview Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $209,830
Buyer: Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC
Seller: James R. Deming
Date: 05/22/15

181 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Corey L. Moquin
Seller: Justin Matisewski
Date: 05/21/15

193 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kenneth Berry
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/22/15

35 Spear Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $354,900
Buyer: Marc D. Turgeon
Seller: Joseph L. Lovotti
Date: 05/29/15

88 Strawberry Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Maria P. McCormick
Seller: Michael R. Parolo
Date: 05/29/15

14 Tom St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $233,500
Buyer: Dorothy R. Chechile
Seller: John R. Conte
Date: 05/21/15

104 Wagon Wheel Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Susan A. Mielnikowski
Seller: Nancy-Lee Quatrone
Date: 05/29/15

BRIMFIELD

96 Apple Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Kent B. Boyle
Seller: Matthew Brigham
Date: 05/29/15

74 Brookfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $689,000
Buyer: Scott R. Chase
Seller: Virgilius B. Vangerven
Date: 05/22/15

CHICOPEE

69 Ames Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Lloyd Investments LLC
Seller: Neil Hurd
Date: 05/26/15

95 Bardon St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: James Lynch
Seller: Francis W. Pluta
Date: 05/29/15

35 Beaumont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,165
Buyer: Mark Pires
Seller: Wroblewski, Helen, (Estate)
Date: 05/20/15

15 Brandon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Nathan J. Skiba
Seller: John M. Russo
Date: 05/29/15

87 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $257,579
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Paul R. Paquette
Date: 05/20/15

32 Coolidge Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $245,660
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Susan Peloquin
Date: 05/19/15

19 Czepiel St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Frank Niemic
Seller: Patricia A. Piekara
Date: 05/28/15

413 East Main St.
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: M. Manohar-Laichandani
Seller: Robert Bergmann
Date: 05/29/15

68 Eastern Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $12,957,152
Buyer: BG Massachusetts I. LLC
Seller: CVT LP

64 Emmett St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Cintron
Seller: Volodymr Boyko
Date: 05/22/15

134 Farnsworth St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Tyrone Dockery
Seller: Steven J. Beauregard
Date: 05/29/15

17 Gagne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $124,500
Buyer: William R. Yelinek
Seller: Kathleen M. Lewis
Date: 05/29/15

146 Goodhue Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Clifford Purdy
Seller: James H. Bejune
Date: 05/28/15

55 Goodhue Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Jack L. Mattoon
Seller: Robert A. White
Date: 05/28/15

30 Holmes Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Ryan T. Matlasz
Seller: David J. Matlasz
Date: 05/20/15

20 Hopwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Jasmin M. Perez
Seller: Thomas F. Glasheen
Date: 05/28/15

16 Jacob St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Nikolay N. Sevostyanov
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/28/15

31 Kendall St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Dominique A. Cole
Seller: Jorge O. Gonzalez
Date: 05/29/15

29 Overlook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Stanley Czausz
Seller: Lamoureux, Alfred U., (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

39 Raylo St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Robert Lepecki
Seller: Janina Lepecki
Date: 05/29/15

24 Upton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Kemal Akin
Seller: Peter E. Zawadzki
Date: 05/21/15

34 Woodcrest Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Eric Graziano
Seller: Lise C. Guillemette
Date: 05/20/15

EAST LONGMEADOW

Amalfi Dr. #A
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Michael T. Kane
Seller: Bella Vista Land Holdings
Date: 05/29/15

40 Bent Tree Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $389,900
Buyer: Jill A. Manferdini
Seller: Roland D. Gelinas
Date: 05/21/15

46 Birch Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: David R. Mailloux
Seller: Michael Torcia
Date: 05/19/15

167 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $553,000
Buyer: Jason Catanzaro
Seller: Dan Roulier & Associates
Date: 05/29/15

249 Canterbury Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $299,989
Buyer: Mark Wing
Seller: Gary E. Gray
Date: 05/29/15

78 Dartmouth Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $550,500
Buyer: Jeremy Shurtleff
Seller: Amaro Goncalves
Date: 05/28/15

235 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Lauren M. Garlett
Seller: Erin L. Beck
Date: 05/22/15

10 Hillside Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Gregory Desousa
Seller: John F. Sullivan
Date: 05/22/15

91 Melwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Kathleen M. Sawyer
Seller: Brownstone Quarry LLC
Date: 05/21/15

263 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Melissa P. Bovat
Seller: Michael Moynahan
Date: 05/29/15

Pondview Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Development Group
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 05/22/15

49 Saint Joseph Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Caswell Boreland
Seller: Alfred J. Albano
Date: 05/21/15

175 Tanglewood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Gary E. Gray
Seller: Diana J. Brassard
Date: 05/29/15

25 Tracey Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Joseph J. McGrath
Seller: Patricia K. Schmid
Date: 05/21/15

22 Winterberry Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: John F. Sullivan
Seller: Winterberry LLC
Date: 05/22/15

29 Winterberry Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $404,000
Buyer: Agnieszka Czudec
Seller: Winterberry LLC
Date: 05/22/15

GRANVILLE

280 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $133,250
Buyer: Jason J. Mihlek
Seller: Linda Mihlek
Date: 05/26/15

HAMPDEN

32 Ames Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Danielle K. Williams
Seller: Thomas E. Sutherland
Date: 05/27/15

232 Chapin Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $129,577
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Holly A. Beaumier
Date: 05/22/15

24 Fernwood Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Jaison H. Richard
Seller: Schmidt, Evelyn L., (Estate)
Date: 05/20/15

74 Meadow Brook Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Christopher Quackenbush
Seller: William J. Fisher
Date: 05/19/15

HOLYOKE

21 Bray Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Joseph B. Blanchard
Seller: Everett J. Sexton
Date: 05/29/15

23 Clayton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $121,333
Buyer: Judith A. Suleski
Seller: Edward J. Suleski
Date: 05/27/15

30 Ernest Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Carlos Bonilla
Seller: Carol A. Kaluza
Date: 05/29/15

32 George St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Louise A. Lyle
Seller: Sanborn, Robert P. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 05/19/15

14 Laurel St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Kayla Rodriguez
Seller: Laurette C. Landry
Date: 05/21/15

37 North East St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Efrain Martinez
Seller: Carmen Rivera
Date: 05/29/15

50 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Larry R. Levitt
Seller: James H. Woods
Date: 05/28/15

117 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Cailin M. Baker
Seller: Peter J. Lally
Date: 05/18/15

476 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: PMC Properties LLC
Seller: Robert R. Luce
Date: 05/20/15

47 West Glen St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Vanessa M. Myers
Seller: Matthew J. McNee
Date: 05/22/15

715 Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $223,500
Buyer: Shawn P. Antunes
Seller: Pedro Rivera
Date: 05/19/15

LONGMEADOW

73 Falmouth Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Wilbraham Builders Inc.
Seller: Roseann Caliento
Date: 05/29/15

548 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jessica W. Reyes
Seller: Wayne H. Duke
Date: 05/28/15

112 Longfellow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Mariette Cassada
Seller: Antonietta S. Dimichele
Date: 05/29/15

157 Meadow Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $227,500
Buyer: Barbara L. Holensworth
Seller: Dimitri Krutov
Date: 05/18/15

24 Meadowbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $443,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Mounsey
Seller: Farida A. Pomerantz
Date: 05/29/15

145 Redfern Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Michael C. Arnold
Seller: Shelley Cotton

139 Rugby Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $840,000
Buyer: Michael J. Sawicki
Seller: Keith Cunningham
Date: 05/29/15

117 Sheffield Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Cheryl L. Lilley
Seller: Gary J. Stern
Date: 05/29/15

331 Wolf Swamp Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Christopher G. Reed
Seller: Carolyn S. Bampos
Date: 05/22/15

LUDLOW

81 Atlantic St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $241,500
Buyer: Richard T. Santos
Seller: Geremia Botta
Date: 05/20/15

81 Bondsville Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: David M. Dias
Seller: Nancy R. Pacyna
Date: 05/29/15

421 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Carl Fisher
Seller: Antonio L. Gomes
Date: 05/21/15

781 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $241,500
Buyer: Ryan C. O’Sullivan
Seller: Jeffrey M. Chouinard
Date: 05/29/15

27 Fairview St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $239,500
Buyer: Daniel F. Soares
Seller: Gary Decoteau
Date: 05/29/15

547 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Cabot Realty LLC
Seller: Susan L. Lind
Date: 05/28/15

17 Greenwich St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Isaac Flores
Seller: Gene Salvador
Date: 05/29/15

55 Meadow St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $156,500
Buyer: Tina Eugenio
Seller: Kari A. Nunes
Date: 05/19/15

Parker Lane #2
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: John A. Evon
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 05/19/15

125 Poole St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Eric G. Smola
Seller: Desautels, Robert N., (Estate)
Date: 05/20/15

127 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $151,333
Buyer: Karen M. Zebrowski
Seller: Maria F. Costa
Date: 05/29/15

135 Ray St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $228,250
Buyer: Antonio Rosa
Seller: Steven J. Gagnon
Date: 05/18/15

199 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Lawrence J. Pagliaro
Seller: Jason Perkins
Date: 05/26/15

308 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Linda B. Lastoff
Seller: Albert W. Massanti
Date: 05/20/15

619 West St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Joao Surreira
Seller: Frank R. Adamski
Date: 05/27/15

MONSON

91 Lakeshore Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: William C. Winkler
Seller: Pelletier, Roger C., (Estate)
Date: 05/26/15

PALMER

26 Barker St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Buyer: Jennifer A. Fitzgerald
Seller: Keem LLC
Date: 05/22/15

88 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Paul B. Goodrich
Seller: John L. Clifford
Date: 05/28/15

257 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $189,500
Buyer: Bruce J. Geary
Seller: Gary H. Fountain
Date: 05/22/15

285 Burlingame Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Keith M. Woodman
Seller: Frank W. Carey
Date: 05/27/15

32 Burlingame Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Duane T. Provost
Seller: Stephen R. Holuk
Date: 05/29/15

4018-4024 Church St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $249,254
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Robin Heaton
Date: 05/28/15

2015 East St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $134,500
Buyer: Robert H. Hayes
Seller: Wells Fargo Financial MA
Date: 05/18/15

109 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Kevin R. Godek
Seller: Scott H. Duverger
Date: 05/29/15

1010 Thorndike St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: FSG Realty LLC
Seller: Merrill L. Simonds Post 130
Date: 05/26/15

1016 Thorndike St.
Amount: $225,000
Palmer, MA 01069
Buyer: FSG Realty LLC
Seller: Merrill L. Simonds Post 130
Date: 05/26/15

SPRINGFIELD

293 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: William R. Nickerson
Seller: Joseph Thibeault
Date: 05/29/15

15 Alvin St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Kevin P. Bach
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 05/19/15

48 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Yanitza M. Montalvo
Seller: Dana E. Carpenter
Date: 05/21/15

114 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Allyson Lamondia
Seller: Kathleen A. Fitzgerald
Date: 05/29/15

32 Arvesta St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Kul B. Sarki
Seller: Adam Dalessio
Date: 05/27/15

187 Ashland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Fenton
Seller: Matthew J. Graves
Date: 05/29/15

71 Avon Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $964,000
Buyer: Joo B. Lee
Seller: Monaco-Western Mass. Props.
Date: 05/28/15

73-R Avon Place
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $964,000
Buyer: Joo B. Lee
Seller: Monaco-Western Mass. Props.
Date: 05/28/15

53 Bacon Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $124,500
Buyer: Carsten Bech
Seller: Christopher Carella
Date: 05/28/15

175 Brewster St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Stephen H. Rodolakis
Seller: James Almeida
Date: 05/18/15

36 Briarcliff St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Vincent J. Yacovone
Seller: Dianne M. Archambault
Date: 05/22/15

45 Canton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Ermelinda Ramos
Seller: Miguel A. Perez
Date: 05/22/15

69 Carnavon Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Anthony R. Bardelli
Seller: Robert L. Bardelli
Date: 05/28/15

75 Caseland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $184,900
Buyer: Kevin A. Chaffee
Seller: Dawn Fontaine
Date: 05/22/15

350 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Ganga Biswa
Seller: Gladys S. Derosa
Date: 05/29/15

523 Dickinson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Madina A. Birkin
Seller: Lisa L. Torres
Date: 05/26/15

63 East Drumlin Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Maribel G. Pagan
Seller: Luis Gregorio
Date: 05/29/15

93 East Park St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $964,000
Buyer: Joo B. Lee
Seller: Monaco-Western Mass Props.
Date: 05/28/15

196 Eddy St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,905
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Carl E. Allen
Date: 05/28/15

182 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: Victoria Zhemanova
Seller: Lori A. Beauchemin
Date: 05/26/15

12 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: Jason Tremblay
Seller: Agnieszka Czudec
Date: 05/22/15

64 Fresno St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jose L. Melendez
Seller: Luis Zayas
Date: 05/29/15

375 Grand Valley Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Nico J. Mascaro
Seller: Jared M. Duff
Date: 05/29/15

83 Grandview St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Andrew P. Zinn
Seller: Allison B. Delong
Date: 05/28/15

69 Intervale Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Donald E. Foster
Seller: Donald E. Foster
Date: 05/29/15

52 Irene St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Barbara K. Velazquez
Seller: Jonathan D. Carver
Date: 05/22/15

42 Irvington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Aaron M. Carrier
Seller: J. Adams Investments LLC
Date: 05/18/15

226 Jasper St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Cordell A. Daniels
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 05/29/15

70 Labelle Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: James L. Campbell
Seller: Denise M. Colon
Date: 05/20/15

49 Loretta St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: Michael F. Richards
Seller: Gina G. Daniele
Date: 05/27/15

35 Mayfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Ismael C. Torres
Seller: Mary L. Lusa
Date: 05/22/15

126-128 Miller St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $144,500
Buyer: Bank New York
Seller: Maynard Nneji
Date: 05/26/15

814 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Luis E. Correa
Seller: Jack L. Mattoon
Date: 05/28/15

725 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: CIL Realty of Mass. Inc.
Seller: Kyung W. Kim
Date: 05/26/15

10 Pearson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Lynne M. Koshuta
Seller: Bretta Development LLC
Date: 05/22/15

177 Penrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Fabian Gonzalez
Seller: Chad E. Sholin
Date: 05/22/15

28 Pheasant Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Shirley M. Del Rio
Seller: Robert W. Prouty
Date: 05/22/15

15 Riverview St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Juan Alvarez
Seller: Pauline A. Mulligan
Date: 05/27/15

16 Ronald Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Todd Bourcier
Seller: Fecke, Hans-Dieter, (Estate)
Date: 05/28/15

284 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Nataly Dejesus
Seller: Linda C. Mumblo
Date: 05/28/15

1250 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $2,450,000
Buyer: Albany Road St James Ave. LLC
Seller: Cinemark USA Inc.
Date: 05/21/15

91 Saint James Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Joseph Fiorentino
Seller: Mark Seymour
Date: 05/18/15

57 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $234,900
Buyer: Linda Frey
Seller: Stanley Czaplicki
Date: 05/29/15

1119 State St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Mayank & Abhi Inc.
Seller: Satish Kumar
Date: 05/19/15

101 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Melissa M. Montagna
Seller: Stephen T. Dupre
Date: 05/29/15

365 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $123,521
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert G. Crowell
Date: 05/20/15

149-151 Verge St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Robert Poole
Seller: James R. Masterson
Date: 05/27/15

106 Weymouth St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Stephanie C. Labelle
Seller: Joyce M. Karwoski
Date: 05/22/15

107 Winding Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Arlene F. O’Connor
Seller: James J. Bertier
Date: 05/22/15

50 Woodruff St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $143,900
Buyer: Dulce M. Taveras
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/26/15

SOUTHWICK

14 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Gail J. Lariviere
Date: 05/28/15

11 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Sharon A. Conte
Seller: Crystal Conroy
Date: 05/21/15

89 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: Gina M. Page
Seller: Paul E. Malkoon
Date: 05/27/15

15 Hunters Ridge Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Colleen M. Picard
Seller: Kenneth G. Laxton
Date: 05/29/15

6 Iroquois Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Joanne Fournier
Seller: George W. Ball
Date: 05/22/15

28 Jeffrey Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $259,500
Buyer: Justin T. Barnett
Seller: Janice L. Wright
Date: 05/27/15

23 South Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kevin D. Rolfe
Seller: Robert D. Pion
Date: 05/22/15

TOLLAND

7 West Granville Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $140,000
Seller: Robert S. Hutchinson
Date: 05/27/15

WEST SPRINGFIELD

104 Autumn Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Michael Blair
Seller: Gail M. St.George
Date: 05/22/15

94 Boulevard Place
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Simon Rahiman
Seller: Michael J. Butler
Date: 05/28/15

180 Daggett Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: 180 Daggett Drive LLC
Seller: Pep Boys-Manny Moe & Jack
Date: 05/29/15

606 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $228,500
Buyer: Michael P. Fernandes
Seller: Alicia D. Pincince
Date: 05/29/15

81-83 Field St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Anthony J. Wheeler
Seller: Rogers, Ruth F., (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

17 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Daniel B. Quigley
Seller: Gregory S. Forfa
Date: 05/29/15

1115 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Eastern States Exposition
Seller: Ronald E. Provost
Date: 05/28/15

1131 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Eastern States Exposition
Seller: Ronald E. Provost
Date: 05/28/15

430 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Chad E. Sholin
Seller: John M. Dansereau
Date: 05/22/15

63 Park Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Arrha Credit Union
Seller: West Springfield Knights
Date: 05/27/15

82 Queen Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: James M. Rickson
Seller: Joseph C. Sampson
Date: 05/18/15

143 Robinson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Lisa R. Delong
Seller: Jean A. Murray
Date: 05/29/15

77 South Blvd.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Emil Ibadov
Seller: Michal P. Kosciolek
Date: 05/27/15

138 Southworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Kuber Adhikari
Seller: Albee, Donald R., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

68 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Lazy River Housing Co. LLC
Seller: Limestone Management Services
Date: 05/19/15

67 Wilder Terrace
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $185,500
Buyer: Kathryn Maloney
Seller: Robert A. Wise
Date: 05/28/15

36 Windsor St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Phil King Realty LLC
Seller: Wilbraham Trucking Corp.
Date: 05/28/15

WESTFIELD

24 Avery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Quincy E. Hall
Seller: Shawndy Bush
Date: 05/29/15

49 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Brian L. Osowski
Seller: Marie K. Heath
Date: 05/26/15

37 Caitlin Way
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Timothy Dion
Seller: Darlene A. Bowen
Date: 05/29/15

41 Church St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Thomas P. Keenan
Date: 05/20/15

7 Dana St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Mary M. Hurd
Seller: Salvatore Anania
Date: 05/28/15

78 Devon Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: John J. Florek
Seller: Cheryl A. Zebold
Date: 05/20/15

132 Devon Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Michael Cashman
Seller: William S. Wright
Date: 05/20/15

95 Egleston Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $182,500
Buyer: CWW Realty LLC
Seller: Ellis L. Langone
Date: 05/28/15

17 Elizabeth Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Denys Gomenyuk
Seller: Brian S. Paterson
Date: 05/29/15

227 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Kyrsten L. Scott-Smith
Seller: LP 4 LLC
Date: 05/28/15

316 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,900
Buyer: John C. Wright
Seller: Tina D. Avery
Date: 05/28/15

15 Hancock St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Gearing
Seller: Margaret Doe
Date: 05/22/15

36 Indian Ridge Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Andrew Brach
Seller: Michael Cashman
Date: 05/29/15

39 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $179,500
Buyer: Shuming Chen
Seller: Elaine Fisher
Date: 05/21/15

280 Lockhouse Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Iacovelli Enterprises LLC
Seller: Glen Schermerhorn
Date: 05/18/15

150 Miller St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Kyle J. Killinger
Seller: John D. West
Date: 05/20/15

6-8 Morris Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Alicia A. Malloy
Seller: Mark Sears
Date: 05/18/15

20 Murray Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Brian M. Hodovanec
Seller: Aleksandr Popov
Date: 05/22/15

123 Old Farm Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Wayne Cooper
Seller: Harry H. Tompkins
Date: 05/27/15

6 Pheasant Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Jessica S. Brooks
Seller: Joseph A. Masciotra
Date: 05/29/15

23 Pleasant St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $214,500
Buyer: Katharine Williams
Seller: Timothy E. Dion
Date: 05/29/15

47 Ridge Trail Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Zeyad Elsayed
Seller: Richard J. Peters
Date: 05/29/15

33 South Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jesse Stanley
Seller: Peter Strniste
Date: 05/26/15

25 Scenic Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Jason R. Polonsky
Seller: Loretta A. Bey
Date: 05/29/15

3 Sherman St. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Olga Khimich
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/26/15

162 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $825,000
Buyer: Kayrouz Realty 2 LLC
Seller: LGP Realty Holdings LP
Date: 05/21/15

44 Stuart Place
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: 44 Stuart Place Land Trust
Seller: Michael A. Cecchini
Date: 05/28/15

245 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Crandall FT
Seller: Joseph E. Beatty
Date: 05/20/15

130 Whitaker Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Igor Radionov
Seller: Carolino A. Centeno
Date: 05/19/15

WILBRAHAM

24 Blacksmith Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Seungly Oh
Seller: Meta M. Desantis
Date: 05/29/15

3 Delmor Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Sutherland
Seller: Clifton C. Roberts
Date: 05/27/15

31 Eastwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $660,000
Buyer: Robert J. Roy
Seller: Thomas L. Bretta
Date: 05/29/15

5 Edward St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Keith M. Bartle
Seller: Zolla, Armand A., (Estate)
Date: 05/27/15

5 Highview Circle
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Mahdi Mohammadaghaei
Seller: USA
Date: 05/29/15

23 Hunting Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $170,100
Buyer: USA HUD
Seller: Wesley R. Quinn
Date: 05/18/15

5 Magnolia St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Connolly
Seller: Dorothy Soja
Date: 05/18/15

488 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Gary Cove
Seller: Mary S. Ripley
Date: 05/18/15

687 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Thomas X. Kennedy
Seller: Barbara T. Andrews
Date: 05/19/15

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

8 Applewood Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Cameron R. Mackenzie
Seller: Carroll G. Lamb
Date: 05/26/15

66 Berkshire Terrace
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $307,560
Buyer: Berg & Berthiaume LLC
Seller: Arriola, Leslie K., (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

12 Canterbury Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Randolph Lisle
Seller: Jane C. Vogl
Date: 05/27/15

Lindenridge Road #52
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Darren M. Clapprood
Seller: Tofino Associates LLC
Date: 05/29/15

150 Market Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Eleanor Townsley
Seller: Karen Merrill
Date: 05/22/15

27 Morgan Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Charles M. Aulino
Seller: Andreana P. Lemmon
Date: 05/27/15

209 Old Farm Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Miao M. Lin
Seller: Di Hong
Date: 05/20/15

South Middle St. #7
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Niels V. Christiansen
Seller: South Middle Street Inc.
Date: 05/28/15

237 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Metin Yavuz
Seller: Katherine Glime-Lamotte
Date: 05/29/15

BELCHERTOWN

661 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: John H. Conkey
Seller: John H. Conkey
Date: 05/27/15

681 Gulf Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Susan L. Surner
Seller: Dariusz A. Celmer
Date: 05/29/15

91 Ludlow St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Robert J. Cousineau
Seller: Christopher M. Kirstein
Date: 05/29/15

N/A
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Seth P. Arvanites
Seller: Riverbend 2 Properties
Date: 05/29/15

26 Pondview Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $324,900
Buyer: Tara M. Orzolek
Seller: Kevin M. Lacroix
Date: 05/22/15

164 Railroad St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $322,500
Buyer: Paul O. Brown
Seller: Clair J. Brucker
Date: 05/20/15

126 Warner St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: H. L. Lehmberg
Seller: Kevin Clark
Date: 05/28/15

54 Woodhaven Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Robert G. Kuhn
Seller: Robert J. Roy
Date: 05/29/15

CHESTERFIELD

50 Bray Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Roslyn S. Malkin
Seller: Thomas E. Dawson-Greene
Date: 05/22/15

178 Bryant St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $508,000
Buyer: Timothy E. McElroy
Seller: Kester Warlow-Harry
Date: 05/18/15

EASTHAMPTON

4 Crescent St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Andrea B. Stone
Seller: Patrick V. Niedzwiecki
Date: 05/29/15

10 East Chestnut St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Zachary R. Smith
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/29/15

12-14 Knipfer Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $272,500
Buyer: David J. Janulewicz
Seller: Kevin C. Netto
Date: 05/29/15

93-95 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Pizzatronics Worldwide
Seller: Lisa L. Fusco
Date: 05/29/15

156 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $599,500
Buyer: Nicholas D. Duprey
Seller: Brenda A. Linnell
Date: 05/27/15

49 Oliver St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: David A. Blow
Seller: Donna M. Sicard
Date: 05/19/15

60 Oliver St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kerri Wessel
Seller: Edmund L. Wrzesinski
Date: 05/29/15

29 Phelps St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Mount Tom Properties LLC
Date: 05/20/15

11 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Dennis J. Meehan
Seller: Allyn R. Spacek
Date: 05/28/15

14 Robin Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Joseph Ryan
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 05/22/15

109 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $293,500
Buyer: John Fish
Seller: Scott D. Edmands
Date: 05/19/15

10 Vadnais St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Joseph D. Sayles
Seller: Kathleen A. Hickson
Date: 05/29/15

GOSHEN

42 Ball Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $273,000
Buyer: Lauren L. Bonczek
Seller: Kristopher T. Pease
Date: 05/28/15

GRANBY

152 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $419,500
Buyer: Judith A. White
Seller: Benjamin E. Bruso
Date: 05/29/15

HADLEY

91 Hockanum Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Shane R. Conklin
Seller: Meghan D. Stolki
Date: 05/26/15

208 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Henry L. Rigali
Seller: Hadley Investments Corp.
Date: 05/22/15

HATFIELD

74 Chestnut St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Martha Brabant
Seller: Matthew Shiels
Date: 05/22/15

NORTHAMPTON

Beaver Brock Loop #19
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $389,250
Buyer: Lauren E. Duffy
Seller: Beaver Brook NT
Date: 05/29/15

227 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Huong C. Chow
Seller: R2R LLC
Date: 05/21/15

290 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Jose Buri
Date: 05/29/15

374 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $401,500
Buyer: Donna Vance
Seller: Frank J. Werbinski
Date: 05/22/15

13 Grove Ave.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Megan L. Freedman
Seller: John A. Brozoski
Date: 05/29/15

35 Kensington Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Penny L. Remsen
Seller: Donald Gillman
Date: 05/26/15

48 Lincoln Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Craig G. McNeil
Seller: Claydon, Paul B., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

36-40 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Eric Lucentini
Seller: R. E. Carle LLC
Date: 05/22/15

95 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Stacy L. Giufre
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 05/22/15

414 North King St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Matthew C. Hine
Seller: Danielle K. Williams
Date: 05/27/15

5 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Beth F. Pellettieri
Seller: Day, Leona, (Estate)
Date: 05/22/15

262 North Main St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Richard M. Gnatek
Seller: Carol Wolfgram
Date: 05/29/15

19 Norfolk Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $525,500
Buyer: Tamsin J. Farmer
Seller: Dinneen Funding TR
Date: 05/28/15

425 Prospect St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Nonotuck Resource Assocs.
Seller: Justrev LLC
Date: 05/19/15

91 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Cardinal
Seller: Alice B. Badecker
Date: 05/27/15

400 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Stephen C. Calcagnino
Seller: Robert J. Dostal
Date: 05/28/15

113 Whittier St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Lewis
Seller: William M. Goggins
Date: 05/27/15

39 Woodbine Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: Stanley A. Freeman
Seller: Judy Haigler
Date: 05/29/15

SOUTH HADLEY

27 Ashfield Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $423,000
Buyer: Allana N. Jackson
Seller: Eleanor Townsley
Date: 05/22/15

45 Dartmouth St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jose L. Ramos
Seller: Fotjo, Janet M., (Estate)
Date: 05/29/15

306 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Devin S. Mackey
Seller: Mitchell FT
Date: 05/29/15

51 Lyman St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Mary J. Else
Seller: Barbara E. McCarthy
Date: 05/28/15

31 Maple St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Richard J. Rogalski
Seller: Thomas Fregeau
Date: 05/29/15

20 Maria Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jarrett Moyer
Seller: Sharon M. Zulch
Date: 05/19/15

92 Mountain View St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Tami L. Paquette
Seller: Bruce J. Patryn
Date: 05/29/15

20 Pittroff Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Melissa A. Meon
Seller: Allard, Carlene F., (Estate)
Date: 05/21/15

1 Valley View Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: ZAHSR LLC
Seller: Nabish RT
Date: 05/27/15

12 Wildwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $223,500
Buyer: Western Mass. Training Consortium
Seller: Christie FT
Date: 05/29/15

SOUTHAMPTON

3 East St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Alice M. Badecker
Seller: Robert E. Dragon
Date: 05/27/15

12 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Elizabeth H. Goepfert
Seller: John Darrow
Date: 05/29/15

WARE

33 Berkshire Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Kevin Slattery
Seller: Paul A. Nowicki
Date: 05/19/15

79 Fisherdick Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Mandeville
Seller: David F. Porowski
Date: 05/27/15

9 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Laurie K. Racine
Seller: Jeffrey Beaudin
Date: 05/29/15

76 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Melissa Richardson
Seller: Alan P. Desrosiers
Date: 05/22/15

27 Sczygiel Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Keith Bradway
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 05/29/15

104 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $7,790,000
Buyer: HJN Hotels Corp.
Seller: CPI Ware LLC
Date: 05/20/15

WESTHAMPTON

253 Kings Hwy.
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Robert P. Turner
Seller: Christopher J. Joly
Date: 05/28/15

82 Laurel Hill Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Mark E. Challet
Seller: Justin Kurtz
Date: 05/29/15

171 Main Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Dinneen Funding TR
Seller: Robert P. Turner
Date: 05/28/15

324 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Lauryn B. Cronin
Seller: Mark E. Challet
Date: 05/29/15

WILLIAMSBURG

Depot Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: ILEX RT
Seller: Roger A. Graves
Date: 05/20/15

8 The Lope
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $575,000
Buyer: Nina L. Sitron RET
Seller: Judith Haigler
Date: 05/28/15

Lessons from the Abercrombie & Fitch Case

Failure to Hire Muslim Woman Was Religious Discrimination

By KIMBERLY KLIMCZUK

Kimberly Klimczuk, ESQ.

It is well-settled that employers may not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of religion. On June 1, the Supreme Court ruled that Abercrombie & Fitch unlawfully discriminated against applicant Samantha Elauf when it failed to hire her because she wore a headscarf.
Abercrombie & Fitch maintains a so-called ‘look policy’ for all employees in order to project a particular image across all of its stores. The policy specifically prohibits employees from wearing “caps,” because, according to the company, they are too informal for Abercrombie & Fitch’s image.

Elauf, a practicing Muslim, wore a headscarf in observance of her religion. She applied for a position in an Abercrombie & Fitch store and wore a headscarf to her interview. Heather Cooke, the assistant manager who interviewed Elauf, rated her according to Abercrombie & Fitch’s applicant-evaluation system and determined that she was qualified to be hired. However, Cooke was concerned that wearing a headscarf would violate the company’s prohibition against caps.

The look policy does not include a definition of the term ‘cap,’ so Cooke asked her district manager, Randall Johnson, whether Elauf’s headscarf would violate the look policy. She also told Johnson that she believed Elauf wore the headscarf because of her religion. Johnson told Cooke that all headwear, including Elauf’s headscarf, would violate the look policy, and he told Cooke not to hire Elauf.

Elauf filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued Abercrmbie & Fitch on her behalf, alleging that Abercrombie had violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it refused to hire Elauf. The district court for the Northern District of Ohio found in favor of Elauf, but the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling, holding that an employer cannot be liable for failing to provide a religious accommodation until the applicant or employee provides the employer with actual knowledge of her need for a religious accommodation.

Abercrombie had argued that, because it hadn’t known for sure that Elauf wore the headscarf for religious reasons, and therefore didn’t know whether she would need an accommodation, it couldn’t be liable for religious discrimination.

The Supreme Court disagreed, pointing out that Title VII makes it unlawful for employers to fail to hire an applicant “because of” her religion, which includes religious practice. The court noted that, unlike other anti-discrimination laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII does not include any knowledge requirement. Rather, Title VII prohibits discriminatory motives, such as, in this case, the desire to avoid potentially having to accommodate a religious practice.

The court also clarified that an applicant only has to show that her need for accommodation was a “motivating factor” in the decision not to hire her. The court found that was the case here, stating that “the employer at least suspected that the practice was a religious one. Its refusal to hire was motivated by the desire to avoid accommodating that practice, and this is enough.”

Abercombie argued that Elauf could not demonstrate a discriminatory motive because its look policy is neutral — it prohibits all headwear, religious or otherwise. However, the court pointed out that Title VII does more than require that religious practices be treated no worse than other practices; it gives religious practices favored status, requiring employers to accommodate religious practices unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

Because the Tenth Circuit dismissed the case on other grounds, the Supreme Court did not discuss whether allowing Elauf to wear a headscarf would be an undue hardship for Abercrombie, but the court ordered that the case be sent back to the Tenth Circuit for a ruling on that issue.

So what can employers learn from Abercrombie & Fitch’s mistakes? First, employers should not jump to conclusions about applicants’ need for religious accommodation, and, if they do, they cannot simply decide not to hire an applicant based on that conclusion. Rather, employers have an obligation to explore whether a religious practice can be accommodated.

Here, for example, Abercrombie could have hired Elauf and then, if she asked to be allowed to wear her headscarf at work, decided whether it could accommodate that practice in light of its look policy. Another option would have been to inform Elauf during the interview of Abercrombie’s look policy and to determine at that point whether allowing Elauf to wear a headscarf would create an undue hardship for the company.

Although the Abercrombie decision does not signify any change in religious-discrimination law, it serves as an important reminder to employers of their obligations under the law.

Kimberly Klimczuk is a partner at the management-side labor and employment firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C.; (413) 737-4753; [email protected]

Hire Calling

A chart of area employment agencies

Click HERE to download the PDF chart

United Way of Pioneer Valley Elects New Board Officers

AGAWAM — The United Way of Pioneer Valley held its 93rd annual meeting and celebration on June 17 to elect new board members and honor donors, community partners, volunteers, corporate partners, and employee campaign managers.

Bennet Markens, president and CEO of the Markens Group Inc., was elected chairman of the board. Jennifer Endicott, chief strategy officer and senior vice president of Baystate Health, was elected vice chair. Brian Smith Sr., vice president and treasurer of People’s United Bank, remains as treasurer, and Susan Mielnikowski, attorney with Cooley, Shrair, P.C., remains as board clerk.

Denis Gagnon Jr., vice president of Excel Dryer Inc., and Michael Mathis, President of MGM Springfield, were elected as new board members for a three-year term. Gagnon was also named chairman of the Resource Development Council, the volunteer fund-raising arm of the United Way. Stephen Spelman, attorney at Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, P.C., was named vice chair of the council.

Court Dockets

Court Dockets Departments

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

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
John Anctil v. Jordan Quinn Consulting, LLC
Allegation: Defendant wrongfully misappropriated property and assets in breach of an agreement to manage them in trust on behalf of the plaintiff: $2,100,000
Filed: 4/17/15

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
McCormick-Allum Co. Inc. v. Elmcrest Inc.
Allegation: Failure to pay balance for agreed services, labor, materials provided: $51,790.92
Filed: 4/1/15

Western Mass Primary Care v. New England Practice Management Inc.
Allegation: Medical billing company failed to honor agreement: $410,000
Filed: 5/13/15

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Verizon New England Inc. v. City of Springfield and Springfield Water and Sewer Commission
Allegation: Negligent damages to plaintiff’s underground conduit, cable, and related facilities: $16,246.65
Filed: 5/12/15

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Simplicity Engineering, N.E. Inc. v. Northside Carting Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of rental machinery: $15,148
Filed: 4/15/15

Agenda

Agenda Departments

ACCGS Golf Tournament
July 13: The Ranch Golf Club in Southwick will be the setting for the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s (ACCGS) 2015 Golf Tournament. The tournament is sponsored by Bacon Wilson, P.C., Barr & Barr Inc., Florence Savings Bank, Frank Webb’s Bath Center, HealthSouth, Insurance Center of New England, and Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. The tournament will kick off with registration and practice on one of its six target greens, two pitching greens, and pitching nets at 11 a.m. A course-side lunch, sponsored by the MassMutual Center, will be served from 11 a.m. until noon, with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Golfers will enjoy a scramble format, hole-in-one contests sponsored by Rocky’s Ace Hardware and Teddy Bear Pools & Spas, longest-drive and closest-to-the-line competitions, a putting contest sponsored by Chicopee Savings Bank, and an opportunity to win from a wide selection of raffle prizes, including Red Sox tickets and gift cards. The day will conclude with a reception, buffet dinner, and awards ceremony. An added attraction this year will be the opportunity to win the use of a fully-stocked golf cart for the tournament, completed with snacks, cigars, additional raffle tickets, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and more. The tournament entry fee is $600 per foursome (individual golfers are welcome at $150) and includes greens fees, cart, lunch, reception, and souvenir photo sponsored by Arrow Security Co. Inc. and Eastfield Mall. Non-golfers may attend the reception only for $30 per person. To register, visit www.myonlinechamber.com or e-mail ACCGS Member Services Director Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

Indian Motocycle Day
July 26: From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Springfield Museums will present their sixth annual Indian Motocycle Day, the continuation of a long-standing tradition honoring the classic motorcycles that were manufactured in the city from 1901 to 1953. Last year, more than 1,000 people attended the event, which featured more than 60 classic, Springfield-built Indians owned by local collectors, The event is sponsored by the Sampson Family and AAA Pioneer Valley; the media sponsor is Rock 102 WAQY. MassMutual is the 2015 premier sponsor of the Springfield Museums. The museums re-established the Indian Day tradition in 2010 after a five-year hiatus. From 1970 to 2005, the event was held at the now-closed Indian Motocycle Museum on Hendee Street in Springfield. Esta Manthos, together with her late husband Charlie, were the owners of the former museum. In 2007, Manthos donated her extensive collection of Indian Motocycles, artifacts, and memorabilia to the Springfield Museums, where it is now on view in the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. This year’s Indian Day will pay tribute to Bob’s Indian of Etters, Pa., for its many years of supporting the heritage of classic Indian cycles. The original dealership was founded in the 1950s by Bob and Kay Markey, and has been a treasure trove of motorcycle history for over half a century. In addition to the motorcycles on display, there will be a variety of vendors, food and beverages, music provided by Rock 102, and the awarding of trophies for the best Indians in a variety of categories. Commemorative T-shirts will be available for purchase. Anyone bringing a pre-1953 Indian will receive a free admission pass plus a commemorative Indian Day button. Exhibitors, and especially vendors, are encouraged to pre-register by calling (413) 263-6800, ext. 304. Admission to the event is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-17. For those wishing to attend the event and tour museum buildings, general admission is $18 for adults, $12 for seniors and college students, and $9.50 for children ages 3-17. Admission to the event and the museums is free for members of Springfield Museums; free museum admission is available for Springfield residents after 3 p.m. For information, call (413) 263-6800, ext. 304, or visit www.springfieldmuseums.org.

Driving for the Cure Golf Tournament
Aug. 17: The seventh annual Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament will tee off at Crestview Country Club in Agawam. The presenting sponsor for this year’s tournament is Autotrader. The tournament will be a four-player scramble. Tournament-day check-in begins at 10:30 a.m., and tee time is at 12:30 p.m. The event includes lunch, golf, dinner, raffle prizes, contests, and more. The tournament was started by Carla and Tommy Cosenzi, owners of TommyCar Auto Group, in memory of their father, Tom Cosenzi, who passed away from a glioblastoma brain tumor in 2009, in the hopes of carrying on his legacy and finding a cure for this disease. To date, this tournament has raised a total of $480,000 in its six-year partnership with the Jimmy Fund, one of the largest organized golf programs in the U.S. All proceeds support Dr. Patrick Wen and his team of researchers in the Neuro-Oncology Department at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. To register an individual or team, or to become a tournament sponsor, visit www.tomcosenzidrivingforthecure.com. For more information, contact Kayla Currie at (413) 570-1319 or [email protected].

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. 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. 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). Visit www.valleybrewfest.com for event details, ongoing updates, and sponsorship opportunities. A portion of Valley Fest proceeds will support several local charities.

Western Mass. Business Expo
Nov. 4: Comcast Business will present the fifth annual Western Mass. Business Expo at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News in partnership with Go Graphix and Rider Productions. The business-to-business show will feature more than 100 booths, seminars and Show Floor Theater presentations, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Details about tevents, programs, and featured speakers will be printed in future issues of BusinessWest. Sponsors include MGM Springfield, presidential and Expo Social sponsor; the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst, education sponsor; Johnson & Hill and Health New England, director level sponsors; and 94.7 WMAS, media sponsor. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $750. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Transcending Fear

Sections Sports & Leisure

Wilderness Experiences Unlimited Is in the Confidence Business

Wilderness Experiences
Unlimited

Imagine your child donning a full-body harness and helmet, climbing to the top of a 35-foot wall and rappelling down it; trekking into the woods and learning to track animals; or sitting around a campfire and listening to Native American stories.

These and other adventures, such as kayaking, which take place during the summer camp run by Wilderness Experiences Unlimited in Southwick, are structured to help young people build confidence, self-esteem, and pride in achievement, all while enabling them to gain an appreciation for the outdoors.

“Our youth group adventures are designed to be safe, exciting, educational, and most of all, fun. It is never too early or too late to instill a sense of respect and wonder for the natural environment in children,” said T. Scott Cook, who founded the business 34 years ago. “We use adventure sports as a carrot to get kids outdoors.”

However, the offerings at Wilderness Experiences also extend to adults who want to embark on adventurous vacations.

They can learn to scuba dive in Southwick, then use their newfound skill on a trip to the Cayman Islands or Florida. Or they can choose an exotic destination such as Africa, where they can interact with orphaned animals in the wild that are being rehabilitated, and enjoy other excursions as they make memories that will last a lifetime.

Cook, who says outdoor play requires skills and knowledge, has written a book titled Outdoor Leadership: the Noble Gift.

“Play is a value-added necessity in life; it’s fun to have fun, but you have to know how,” he said, quoting Dr. Seuss and adding that he believes people often forget that play is critical to living a balanced life.

It’s something he keeps front and center in his own life. The morning of his interview with BusinessWest, he climbed off his bicycle after a relatively short — at least for him — 30-mile ride.

“I would have gone farther if I didn’t have this meeting,” he said, parking his bike in front a poster that shows his daughter Aubrey carrying a kayak. She shares his love of the outdoors and is a professional tri-athlete who will serve as assistant director of the camp this summer.

An impressive ropes course stands behind the poster — there are huge nets, sky-high poles with a network of lines, an enormous spiderweb configuration of ropes, and features such as the ‘rickety bridge’ and ‘multi-vine’ that were created to help summer campers challenge themselves individually and in groups as they master the course with the help and support of team members.

Meanwhile, an almost-Olympic-size swimming pool in the building on 526 College Highway provides a perfect setting for children and adults to learn to swim. Scuba-diving lessons are also conducted there, and seniors enjoy staying fit in special water-aerobics classes.

T. Scott Cook believes people forget that play is critical to living a balanced life — and he’s trying to change that.

Over the years, Wilderness Experiences Unlimited has been a tremendous success; the summer camps are so popular, they are filled by January, and the majority of the counselors are former campers who return year after year to share their love of the outdoors.

However, Cook keeps the camp small and accepts only about 50 young people in each session, which runs from Monday to Friday, with overnight programs and field trips for older campers. Although he could easily have grown due to demand, he chooses to remain small so he has the time to get to know each child and be sure everyone has a meaningful experience.

“When I started this, I had been running large camps with 300 kids and 70 staff members, so I really never got to know the campers, or even all of the staff. I prefer to keep it manageable,” he told BusinessWest.

Still, the scope of offerings at Wilderness Experiences has expanded since Cook opened his first camp. At that time, his primary goal was to teach children about the outdoors, help them build confidence by mastering physical challenges, and give them opportunities to learn sports they could continue for a lifetime.

That’s still the goal, but there are now many more ways to embrace and meet it.

Early Exposure

Cook’s parents ran outdoor camps when he was young, and he was involved in scouting for many years.

“Playing in the outdoors has always been a big piece of my life,” he said, adding that, in his early college years, he majored in photojournalism but found the career didn’t offer much potential, so he sought out an outdoor-recreation leadership program and eventually earned a doctorate in the field. “I had always worked in summer camps, and when I finished my schooling, I founded Wilderness Experiences Unlimited.”

During the school year, he served as a consultant and worked with children in local school systems who had emotional and behavioral challenges.

“I provided their physical education via an incentive-based program; if their behavior faltered, they were not allowed to participate,” he said, noting that he took them on field trips that included rock climbing and kayaking as well as other outdoor activities they enjoyed. “It was a positive experience.”

After 15 years in that role, he was offered a job running the Wilderness Leadership Program at Westfield State University. He retired from the position last spring, but hosts a special Outdoor Wilderness Leaders program in Southwick for campers ages 12 to 18 who have been recommended by three counselors. It runs year-round, and participants advance through the ranks, volunteer at different organizations, and host their own trips and social events.

In addition to his offerings in Southwick, Cook has led people on excursions as far away as Africa.

“The goal is for them to learn more about their personal values and core beliefs as well as the way they communicate,” he said. “As they gain confidence, they take younger children under their wing, so it ends up being a very positive place.”

Although not everyone qualifies, every camper gains self-knowledge. “When campers navigate the ropes course, they build their confidence and self-esteem. They have to dig deep inside and share their feelings and emotions because it can seem daunting,” Cook said.

He cited the example of climbing to the top of a telephone pole, then jumping off. It’s a group exercise, and although each camper is carefully outfitted with a full body harness, helmet, and other protective gear, it’s a virtual leap of faith that requires trust in other team members.

“The perceived risk is big, but the actual risk is small due to all of the safety measures in place,” he explained.

Every camp session contains an aquatics segment. “The campers do some type of swimming, whether it’s in our pool or in a mountain stream where they get to know the natural world better. We also take them to state parks to explore the outdoors and go on hikes and play outdoor games,” Cook noted.

His joy in introducing campers to the outdoors has never diminished.

“If a child goes for a walk in the woods and understands nature and learns how to track animal behavior, the woods don’t seem as overwhelming; we present it as a story, a habitat with living things,” he explaned. “When you understand something, it’s easy to respect it, and when you respect it, it’s easy to love and value it. And if you introduce kids to things they have fun doing when they are young, they are likely to continue to play as adults and enjoy their lives. People who recreate have goals and reasons to stay fit.”

Each camp session also contains a spiritual element, which is focused on the way young people view nature. “When they’re outdoors, they are part of a circle of life, and we have campfires where we tell Native American stories of days gone by and how these people perceived the world around them,” Cook said.

Change in Venue

One program of Wilderness Experiences Unlimited teaches participants how to scuba dive, then arranges trips to Florida and the Cayman Islands to help them enjoy that new skill.

Wilderness Experiences began selling sporting goods years ago, and the Cooks eventually purchased Westfield Water Sports in Southwick and combined it with their own small retail operation.

The acquisition allowed them to bring scuba diving into the mix because the store sold scuba gear, and it was then that Cook built a pool where he could conduct diving and swim classes, and later added the ropes course.

Prior to the acquisition, Wilderness Experiences Unlimited had operated out of a number of sites, including Huntington and a variety of spots in Westfield. But location has never been a critical ingredient in the camp’s success.

“It doesn’t take an amazing property to make an amazing camp — it takes amazing people,” Cook told BusinessWest. “All I needed was a place where I could launch adventures from.”

He closed the retail end of his business in January, and New England Bike moved into the space and took over the scuba operation. “My wife Laura and I both had careers, and we were running two businesses,” he noted, adding that she was a nurse at Shriners Hospital. “So we left the retail side and can focus now on what we love best — the pool, our summer camps, and our travel business, which Laura launched about 20 years ago.

“We’ve always traveled, so we take people to our favorite locations around the world,” he went on. “We’ve hosted trips on every continent except Antarctica, and we’re going there in 2017.”

The focus is on visiting historical and cultural sites, but participants are also taken off the beaten track so they can see what life is like in small towns. “We may spend as much time in someone’s personal wine cellar having a six-hour meal as we do at a tourist attraction.”

There is an adventure component included in every trip, and excursions have included whitewater rafting on the Zabezzi River in Africa and diving to see great white sharks.

“On one side trip, we met orphaned juvenile lions under age 2 and went for a walk with them. Once they are grown, they stop having contact with people and their offspring are released into the wild,” Cook noted, adding that they have done the same thing with young elephants and giraffes at responsible rehabilitation facilities.

Cook firmly believes that play is a necessary component in a balanced life. “But many adults get distracted. They’re busy working, being a good parent, and watching their children play sports, so they don’t take the time to have fun themselves,” he said.

He and his daughter have been traveling around the world for years to compete in national and world-championship triathlons, and he made sure she became acclimated to the outdoors at an early age. “She spent three nights living in a tepee with me during her first year of life,” he said.

Although he realizes that’s far more than most people want to do, his mission at Wilderness Experiences Unlimited remains unchanged.

“It’s a place where people of all ages can face their fears and accomplish things they didn’t ever think they could do,” he explained. “We hope to continue to open up new worlds for young people and adults.” n

Five College Institutes Help Teachers Develop Diverse Curricula

AMHERST — The Five College Schools Partnership is celebrating its 30th anniversary by organizing two national institutes, one exploring Native Americans of the region and the other focused on the value of global children’s picture books as teaching tools. Both institutes are aimed at helping K-12 teachers develop tools to make them more effective in the classroom.

Native Americans of New England, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), will bring K-12 educators from around the country to UMass Amherst in July. These 25 NEH summer scholars will explore the history of indigenous peoples of the region through site visits, primary source analysis, and presentations by native and non-native lecturers.

Field trips to the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project, Plimoth Plantation, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, and the Mohegan Nation will help expand their knowledge of current research on Native American history and communities as well as their understanding of what that research means for teaching native history in K-12 classrooms.

The summer scholars will develop materials to incorporate Native American studies into their classroom curricula. These materials will be available for other educators through the Five College website. Native Americans of New England is one of 25 NEH seminars and institutes offered for college and university teachers this summer. The 544 NEH summer scholars who participate will teach more than 68,000 students the coming year.

In the second institute, titled Summer Institute for Educators, pre-K through third-grade teachers and librarians will meet in the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst to explore diversity and representation in international children’s literature and create resources to integrate global picture books and related materials into their teaching.

The lesson plans and materials these teachers develop during the institute in July will become the first components of a website that uses global picture books as entry points for deepening children’s understanding of the world and of themselves. The website will be piloted in the fall and will be launched through an international webinar next spring.

According to Five College Schools Partnership Director Marla Solomon, this summer’s institutes are in keeping with the professional-development opportunities her office has offered K-12 educators since its inception in 1985.

“The Five College Schools Partnership has worked for 30 years with a consistent mission: to strengthen education from kindergarten to college by supporting communication and sharing resources among K-12 schools and the colleges,” she said. “Our programs are powerful because they build on the mutual interests of college and K-12 faculty members to improve their own teaching and the quality of student learning throughout the educational system. Teachers and faculty members work collaboratively in specific areas of their expertise, often, as in the case of these two projects, developing resources that can be shared broadly and used by many other teachers. Increasingly, we can use technology to help with that kind of dissemination.”

Columbia Gas Urges Motorists to Use Caution in Construction Zones

WESTBOROUGH — As Columbia Gas of Massachusetts invests in infrastructure replacement and growth projects in Massachusetts this year, the utility reminds motorists to use caution when approaching work zones and be prepared for slowed or temporarily stopped traffic during the construction season. Use the following tips to drive safely in a work zone:

• When approaching a construction work zone, obey police detail who may signal you to stop or slow down. Drivers who disobey an officer may be cited.

• Pay attention to and obey all signage posted in a construction work zone.

• Be prepared to yield right-of-way to workers and construction vehicles in active work zones.

• Rear-end collisions are common in work zones. Reduce your speed and double your following distance. Always travel at or below the posted speed for the work zone.

• Stay alert and do not drive distracte. Do not eat or use cell phones, computer devices, or car-audio systems when driving in construction zones.

• Be patient and remember that work-zone crew members are working to improve infrastructure for safety and convenience.

Columbia Gas is committed to minimizing inconvenience to motorists and will make every effort to limit traffic restrictions or delays this summer. The utility appreciates drivers’ patience while project work is completed.

Tighe & Bond Promotes Three Managers to Vice President

WESTFIELD — Following the firm’s annual stockholder meeting, Tighe & Bond announced the promotion of three of its veteran managers to vice president: Christopher Bone, Antonio da Cruz, and John McClellan.

Bone, who has 22 years of engineering experience and works out of Tighe & Bond’s Westfield office, joined the firm in 1999. Over the years, he has served as an environmental engineer and project manager for numerous high-profile wastewater and water-resources projects. He has overseen the design of numerous new treatment plants, and also has a history of finding innovative and cost-effective solutions for challenging upgrades at existing facilities. Currently, he serves as project manager on a design-build team for a $130 million sludge-dryer facility in Detroit, which will be the largest facility of its kind in North America once constructed.

Bone holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He is a member of the American Water Works Assoc., the New England Water Works Assoc., and the Water Environment Federation.

Meanwhile, da Cruz, who has 22 years of engineering experience and works out of Tighe & Bond’s Worcester office, joined the firm in 1993. Over the years, he has served as a civil engineer and project manager who specializes in wastewater, water resources, solid-waste management, and site/civil projects. He has hands-on experience with a wide array of project roles including planning, design, and construction administration. He designs and manages numerous high-profile infrastructure projects for the city of Worcester and the town of Palmer.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UMass Amherst. He formerly served as a member of Ludlow’s Board of Public Works, and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Water Environment Federation, and the New England Water Environment Assoc.

Finally, McClellan, who has 20 years of engineering experience and works out of Tighe & Bond’s Westfield office, joined the firm in 2000. He specializes in water supply and treatment, water-distribution systems, water-treatment plant upgrades, and environmental modeling. He has performed system-wide water-quality modeling studies and water-treatment process-evaluation studies for major communities and water suppliers throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. He also has managed design- and construction-phase services for numerous water-supply and treatment projects to improve water quality and overall system improvement.

McClellan holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, a master’s degree in environmental engineering, and a doctorate of philosophy in civil engineering, all from UMass Amherst. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Water Works Assoc.

Founded in 1911, Tighe & Bond has offices in Pocasset, Westfield, and Worcester, Mass.; Middletown and Shelton, Conn.; and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Amanda Murray Joins Berkshire Museum as Little Cinema Curator

PITTSFIELD ― Amanda Murray has joined the Berkshire Museum staff as the curator of the Little Cinema. In her new role, Murray will be choosing films for the weekly showings, as well planning special screenings, organizing film-themed talks and events, and improving the moviegoing experience for Little Cinema audiences.

“Coming from both the museum world and the independent-film world, I was so excited to learn that the Berkshire Museum is home to a thriving independent cinema. What a rare combination — and a rare opportunity for a film programmer,” said Murray. “In my own life, I’ve relished opportunities to see the latest independent films at festivals and historic, small theaters around the country, and it’s a joy to now be representing and programming such a unique venue for independent film.”

Berkshire Museum’s Little Cinema has been showing independent and foreign films for 66 years in downtown Pittsfield. Little Cinema is a single-screen movie theater inside the museum; typically, one first-run independent or foreign film is shown each week.

As the film curator, Murray will be developing new initiatives, such as presenting films and film-related programs that complement the museum’s exhibitions and support its mission to create inspiring connections among art, history, and natural science. She also will be working to increase awareness and visibility of Little Cinema in the community.

“I’m so grateful for the Little Cinema’s audiences, for people in Western Massachusetts who seek out independent film and venues like ours,” she said. “I look forward to getting to know our existing and potentially new audiences and finding out more about what they like and want to see. I’m eager to explore community collaborations around special screenings and discussions. I’m especially excited to be a part of the museum’s broader effort to delight and engage visitors of all ages, and I look forward to planning film screenings and events that complement the museum’s eclectic and robust array of exhibitions and programs.”

Some of Murray’s first additions to the Little Cinema schedule include a special one-time screening of the documentary Dog Down, followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer, on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. A special series of screenings will be held as part of the 2015 Lift Ev’ry Voice Festival on Tuesday afternoons, July 14, July 28, August 4, and August 11, featuring films on the themes of slavery, its aftermath, and civil rights. Don Quinn Kelley will introduce each film and lead post-film discussions. For details, check the museum’s events calendar at www.berkshiremuseum.org.

With the independent production company Wicked Delicate Films, Murray produced the feature-length documentary The Search for General Tso, a 2014 Tribeca Film Festival premiere and 2015 Sundance Selects/IFC Films release. In 2013, she directed and produced World Fair, a documentary short about the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The film premiered and won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the 2013 Independent Film Festival Boston.

Murray has bachelor’s degrees in American Studies from the College of William and Mary and in public humanities from Brown University. Before diving into documentary film, she was a curator of the Places of Invention exhibition opening in July at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. She has produced programs and multi-media for the Berkshire Museum, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, the National Building Museum, the Providence Athenaeum, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

For more information about Berkshire Museum, visit www.berkshiremuseum.org or call (413) 443-7171.

United Way of Pioneer Valley Elects Ben Markens Board Chair

SPRINGFIELD — Ben Markens, president and CEO of Springfield-based the Markens Group Inc. (TMG), was elected chair of the United Way of Pioneer Valley’s (UWPV) board of directors during the organization’s 93rd annual meeting and celebration last week at Chez Joseph in Agawam.

Markens has served as vice chair of UWPV’s board for the past two years, and is succeeding outgoing Chair William Messner, president of Holyoke Community College.

At TMG, a boutique association management and consulting firm, Markens has been helping companies and nonprofits drive vision, strategy, and operational excellence for the past three decades.

“I am honored to help UWPV advance its mission by serving as chair,” said Markens. “During my tenure, I plan to focus on aligning strategy with UPVW’s overall goal of creating meaningful and measurable impact to better communities across the Valley.”

During his address to the 200 guests who attended the annual meeting and celebration, Markens stressed his plans to encourage increased engagement among board members, volunteers, and other shareholders. This will help UWPV achieve its community impact goals in the areas of education, financial stability, health and well-being, basic needs, and emergency assistance.

“Not only does Ben have a keen business sense and the strategic vision to move UWPV forward, he has a deep commitment to bettering the lives of those in need,” said Dora Robinson, president and CEO of the UWPV. “Through his leadership, I believe we will be able to expand impact and achieve our goals.”

To support UWPV, visit uwpv.org. To learn more about TMG, visit markensamc.com.

Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley Names Lisa Kraus Affiliate of the Year

SPRINGFIELD — Lisa Kraus, Western Massachusetts vice president and mortgage sales manager at United Bank in West Springfield, has been named 2015 Affiliate of the Year by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. The announcement was made during the association’s annual awards banquet on June 11 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

As the highest honor given to an affiliate member, the award is bestowed upon one person who has shown outstanding service and devotion to the organization during the past 17 months in the areas of affiliate-related association activity, community service, and business activity.

A member of the Realtor Assoc. since 1999, Kraus is chairperson of the community service committee and a member of the affiliate-Realtor committee. She is an active participant in the association’s many charitable fund-raising efforts, serving as co- chairperson of the annual benefit golf tournament, and the calendar raffle. She chaired the Minute to Win It charitable fund-raising event. She is involved in shopping, wrapping, and delivering gifts to area homeless shelters as part of the association’s activities during the holidays.

Kraus is a co-presenter of financing classes as part of the “If the Realtor Had Only Known” series and at the annual Education Fair & Expo. She regularly participates in association membership meetings and networking events. Her business activities include hosting a monthly Meeting of the Minds, a gathering of local lenders, attorneys, and appraisers who come together to discuss real-estate market trends and challenges, and craft potential resolutions. She is also a member of the Home Builders & Remodelers Assoc. of Western Massachusetts.

GCAi Promotes Mary Shea to Vice President of Digital Strategy

SPRINGFIELD — John Garvey, president of Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAi), recently announced that Mary (Fallon) Shea has been promoted to vice president of digital strategy.

“Her promotion and title change is really a reflection of her changing role at the agency and the type of projects we are now engaged in,” noted Garvey. “Her considerable certifications and skills have literally lifted a lot of our work out of the daily tactical considerations into much more comprehensive digital marketing planning.”

Shea started her career at GCAi in 2004 as an intern. She later was instrumental in changing the direction of the agency in 2007 toward digital marketing and away from more traditional marketing tactics. According to Garvey, Shea was also responsible for GCAi achieving Google Partner status, a designation that reflects the qualification level of agency associates and the volume and quality of the pay-per-click work done by the agency.

“Facilitating ideation sessions, developing comprehensive digital-marketing road maps, and planning social-media marketing campaigns are what comprise most of her day, and, in general, our work these days,” Garvey said.

Shea is a Google AdWords qualified planner, which requires her to pass tests in the areas of AdWords fundamentals, search advertising, display advertising, and video advertising on an annual basis. GCAi has two Google AdWords qualified planners on staff and is the only agency in the market to hold the Google Partner status.

Shea is a cum laude graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She is vice president of the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts and a member of the Valley Press Club, the New England Financial Marketing Assoc., and the Public Relations Society of America. She was honored among BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2010.

MGM Springfield Seeks One-year Delay in Casino Opening

SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will consider a formal request by MGM Springfield to delay the opening of its South End resort casino by one year.

MGM Springfield President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Mathis appeared before the commission on Thursday to discuss the request. He cited, as the main reason, the rehabilitation of the Interstate 91 viaduct through downtown Springfield — a project expected to last into the summer of 2018.

The casino was originally expected to open in late 2017, and Mathis said opening a casino during viaduct construction is not feasible. MGM is asking to open the casino in September 2018, or one month after the completion of viaduct work. The I-91 project is expected to limit the number of lanes in both directions, creating considerable traffic.

Initial viaduct work is expected to start this July, with ramp and lane closures beginning in late fall. The Gaming Commission, which must sign off on any change in the casino construction schedule, could make a decision on at its July meeting.

Carrie Jo Dennis Joins Unemployment Tax Control Associates

SPRINGFIELD — Unemployment Tax Control Associates Inc. (UTCA), a national unemployment-insurance service provider based in Springfield, with offices in Boston and Houston, announced the addition of Carrie Jo Dennis as vice president of business development.

Dennis, based in Houston, will be responsible for managing sales and marketing strategies to accommodate corporate goals and will ultimately develop and lead the future sales team. As UTCA continues to grow its operations, Dennis’ presence in the heart of Texas will allow the company to better serve its clients.

“We conducted our search for vice president of business development nationwide,” said Suzanne Murphy, president and CEO of UTCA. “With more than a decade of sales and marketing experience, Carrie Jo possesses the analytical mindset and problem-solving ability we sought for our business-development leader. Carrie Jo’s strengths are manifested in her ability to not only create client relationships, but to increase sales opportunities. She is a valuable addition to our team.”

Prior to joining UTCA, Dennis was a client-development consultant for a background screening firm serving the healthcare industry, helping to ensure the safety of patients and staff. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, holds certifications in Paradigm Sales Training and Integrity Selling Training, and has completed the Franklin Covey Organizational Course.

As vice president of business development at UTCA, Dennis will develop and implement cost-saving measures; coordinate sales and marketing objectives by establishing sales territories, quotas, and goals; and help UTCA continue to grow by developing the sales force.

“I am pleased to be joining an organization as highly respected as UTCA,” she said. “My goals for this position include growing and mentoring our sales team and implementing strategic sales and marketing plans that ultimately increase our market penetration both in Houston and nationwide.”

Former Patriots to Lead Youth Camp in Springfield on Friday

By BusinessWest Staff June 25, 2015

SPRINGFIELD — The New England Patriots Alumni Club and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation will host the annual ‘Football for YOU’ youth football clinic this Friday, June 26, from noon to 4:30 p.m. at the Irv Schmid Sport Complex at Springfield College, 265 Alden St.

The clinic is offered free of charge to children between the ages of 9 and 14. New England Patriots alumni will serve as instructors during the skills sessions, along with local high-school coaches.

“This event has given the Patriots alumni and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation an opportunity to reach out and show kids who might not really understand the values of team sports and how it helps in the development of life skills,” said Pete Brock, former Patriots center and president of the Patriots Alumni Club. “During the last eight years of having this program, kids have learned teamwork, camaraderie, and discipline while just having fun. For all of the alumni players involved, it has been fun for us as we get to share our experiences with the kids.”

The Football for YOU program, now in its ninth year, was created by Patriots alumni in partnership with the city of Boston, the Patriots Charitable Foundation, and the NFL Foundation to bring the fundamentals of football to children in the Boston area. Football for YOU will expand from 16 sites across Massachusetts in 2014 to 21 this year. Visit www.patriotsalumni.com to view all the sites and for online registration.

Springfield College Board of Trustees Hosts Annual Meeting

By BusinessWest Staff June 25, 2015