2015 - Page 13 of 45 - BusinessWest

Parsons Place Brings High-end Apartments to Easthampton

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Construction Sections

Afterschool Special

Kevin Perrier, on the roof of Parsons Place.

When Easthampton officials sought to repurpose a 113-year-old elementary-school building, they issued a request for proposals, but received only one response. Fortunately, they liked what they heard, and after an accelerated construction schedule that saw the building gutted and renovated in four months, the former Parsons Street School is now a high-end, 15-unit apartment complex called Parsons Place, and the “calculated risk” its developer took has paid off with full occupancy, from its bottom floor to its striking penthouse roof.

Kevin Perrier called it a “calculated risk” — but he liked the odds of success.

He was standing in the 5,200-square-foot penthouse of Parsons Place, a high-end apartment complex that opened earlier this month inside the former Parsons Street School in Easthampton. That penthouse — considerably larger than the building’s other 14 units — recently became the final space leased.

In other words, the risk paid off.

“I don’t think there’s anything like it in the area,” said Perrier, president of Easthampton-based Five Star Building Corp., which gutted the school and converted it to living space in just four months. Perrier’s other company, Norwich Properties, purchased the property from the city in late 2014 for $10,000.

“It was certainly a calculated risk. It hadn’t been done, but we felt strongly it could be done,” he told BusinessWest. “Based on the feedback we heard, what people were looking for, we were confident we could find 15 families willing to pay a little more in rent to get an awful lot more in amenities. So we were very confident it would be leased in a timely manner.”

Part of the property’s appeal, Perrier said, is a regional dearth of high-end apartments such as these. “It’s more like what you might find in Boston — all high-end cabinets, mahogany floors throughout most of the units, 12-foot ceilings, central air, all-tile bathrooms, high-end appliances … even little touches, like fridges with ice makers and mosaic tile backsplashes.”

Within four weeks of availability, the 14 regular units, measuring 950 square feet, had been leased, while the penthouse was claimed a few days after a recent open house, and residents started moving in at the start of September.

From the front, Parsons Place still looks like a century-old schoolhouse, complete with a false door that’s actually now someone’s bedroom wall.

Neighborhood response in the New City neighborhood of Easthampton has been decidedly different from the ire that has greeted Parsons Village, a 38-unit, low-income housing complex a few hundred feet down the road; that complex also opened this month.

“We are very pleased with the amazing renovation of this school building that sat vacant and unused for several years,” Easthampton Mayor Karen Cadieux told BusinessWest, adding that the city is pleased the property is back on the tax roll, while the renovated building and grounds will enhance the neighborhood values and esthetics.

That’s something neighbors were not saying about the development of Parsons Village. But Perrier said a much more positive vibe surrounded Parsons Place, lending a sense of fun to what was a very ambitious schedule. “We had a great crew. We started April 6 and finished August 6. That’s for a complete gut and 25,000 square feet. That’s an aggressive timeline. Everyone stepped up to the plate for us. The original goal was occupancy by November; we beat that by two months.”

Sole Response

When the city issued an RFP last fall for the former Parsons Street School, potential developers were charged with preserving the historic character of the building, along with the usual compliance with land-use boards and commissions, Cadieux said.

“Additional considerations were given to proposals that offered to provide barrier-free handicapped-accessible and/or adaptable residential units,” she added. “We received only one proposal.”

That was Perrier, who saw no hurdles meeting the goals of historical preservation and accessibility. In its finished state, Parsons Place includes one ADA-compliant unit, but all apartments may easily be adapted as such, having been designed with wide hallways and interior spaces.

“The city had quite a few … not restrictions, but strong suggestions about what they wanted and didn’t want,” he said. “One mandatory one was that the building be saved. We tried to meet as many requirements as possible when we put in a proposal, and as it turned out, we were the only bidder on the project.”

Still, “the City Council and the mayor seemed excited about what we wanted to do,” he went on. “No one wanted an affordable-housing project, which this neighborhood just endured; that project wasn’t received favorably by the neighbors. This neighborhood was looking for something other than affordable housing, and we saw an opportunity for a high-end project.”

The idea, he said, was to tap into the segment of renters who might consider Northampton, by offering units comparable to what might be found there, but with more amenities for the price. The penthouse costs $3,500 a month, while the other 14 units are being leased at $1,400.

“It was clear there was a need and a demand for high-end products, things you can’t find in any units around here — dishwashers, central air, stainless appliances, high-end cabinetry, that kind of thing,” Perrier said. “You might hit one or two of those points in rental properties here, but you usually won’t get all of them.”

When tackling the conversion of the school, Perrier said, it helped that it isn’t technically a historic building, and isn’t subject to the restrictions of being placed on such a registry. The elementary school was built in 1902 and expanded in 1908; it closed in 2011.

“We tried to maintain it as much as possible,” Perrier said of the character of the red-brick building, which still looks very much like a century-old school at first glance. “It had storefront glass doors, and we took those out and replaced them with historically accurate doors. In the elevator shaft, we could have gone the less expensive route with cement siding, but we did it with brick instead.

This 20-foot spiral staircase connects the penthouse living room with a roof deck.

“We were able to maintain the exterior look of the building,” he added, “but in the interior, there wasn’t as much to be salvaged. With the asbestos and lead paint, it was almost a complete gut. But we kept many of the original wooden beams in the penthouse, and overall, there’s a happy medium between modern touches and a ’20s vibe. We kept some of the schoolhouse fixtures in the common areas, and certainly tried to keep it as historically accurate as possible in many areas.”

View to a Hill

Those amenities and the quirky aesthetics of the school drew renters from well outside the region, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Eastern Mass., some of whom work in the Valley and sought a shorter commute.

The penthouse — which has direct elevator access with a key card — is especially striking, with its 32 skylights, three bedrooms (the other units feature one or two), two and a half bathrooms, 17-foot ceilings, a large tub and walk-in shower, higher-end appliances and light fixtures, and in-suite laundry (other renters share a laundry room on the lower level). Then there are dramatic touches like the dark exposed beams and a dramatic, 20-foot spiral staircase connecting the living room with a rooftop deck, offering views of Mount Tom and well beyond.

The project stands in stark contrast to Parsons Village, a project originally rejected by the Planning Board in 2011 after objections from neighbors, but eventually approved in 2012. But city officials have long emphasized the need for all types of housing in a city that has seen incomes and property values rise in recent years but has retained an eclectic, arts-driven vibe as well.

“There’s nothing like this around here,” Perrier reiterated, standing in the kitchen of Parsons Place’s recently leased penthouse. “I’m not even sure you can get something like this in Northampton right now.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

UMass Center at Springfield Looks to Grow Its Influence

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Education Sections

Root Geometry

Daniel Montagna says the UMass Center at Springfield is looking to build on the momentum gained during a solid first year.

Dan Montagna says he can easily quantify the success enjoyed by the UMass Center at Springfield during its initial year, as well as the momentum it gained for the second, which started earlier this month.

Indeed, the number of classes offered at the 26,000-square-foot facility in Tower Square increased from 20 in its first semester of operation a year ago to more than 25 this fall. And while he didn’t have an exact count when interviewed by BusinessWest — the so-called ‘add/drop period’ for many classes was still ongoing — he was quite certain that the number of students enrolled in classes in the state-of-the-art facility had increased markedly as well.

“Going from fall to spring, we saw a sharp increase in both the number of classes and programs, as well as enrollment,” said Montagna, who assumed the role of director of Operations at the center last spring. “And for the fall, it looks like a little bit of an uptick in the number of classes, but a potentially greater number of students who will be attending classes here.”

There were other measures of success, he went on, including the 275 or so community events of varying sizes staged at the center’s diverse facilities.

As for the other assignment put to him by BusinessWest — qualifying how the center has fared with its mission of helping to bring vibrancy to downtown Springfield and provide new levels of convenience for area students — he said that was slightly more difficult, especially the first part of that equation.

And it will certainly take more than 12 months to effectively answer that question.

But he felt very confident saying that the center has established a firm foothold downtown, forged several strong working relationships with other area colleges, and already become a huge asset for the region.

“From our measures, it’s been a very successful start for the center,” he said, adding that the obvious goal is to build on that momentum. “It’s about growth, expansion of the academics, and seeing what other courses we can bring in and focus on concentration areas.

“As for the other side of the equation, the community-engagement side,” he continued, “the fact that we’ve been able to plant roots in the heart of downtown Springfield and host perhaps 300 community events has been outstanding, and something we continue to build on.”

For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest takes a quick look back at the UMass Center’s first year in operation, and then puts the focus on how this facility can continue to gain momentum.

Course of Action

Montagna was on hand when the center opened its doors a year ago — and actually well before that — in the capacity of assistant director of operations.

He had taken that role after stints as a project manager for a private consulting firm that specialized in work with nonprofits, and, before that, as a program manager for the so-called Bay State Roads program, a state- and federally funded transportation initiative that provided technical assistance to officials in area communities. He said he joined the team at the UMass Center because he was intrigued by the center’s role with the university — and with the city of Springfield — and wanted to be a part of it.

“What attracted me to it was the concept of UMass bringing a campus to the downtown Springfield area,” he explained. “That immediately grabbed my attention, and as a local native, growing up in Agawam and living in the Pioneer Valley my whole life, I have a personal investment in the surrounding community.

“I’ve always been a cheerleader for Springfield doing better things,” he went on. “And the timing around the developments in the downtown, the revitalization efforts, along with the university making this investment and wanting to bring some of what they’re known for to the downtown area, was really exciting to me.”

He would take on a much bigger part last spring, when William Davila, the center’s first director of Operations, left to take a position with the Center for Human Development.

Montagna said his job description has a number of moving parts — from keeping the proverbial lights on to being a liaison to Tower Square management to being the face of the center within the community — but at its heart it’s fairly simple: to continually broaden the center’s impact in downtown Springfield and within the region’s higher-education sector. And, he said, a successful first year has provided a solid foundation on which to build.

“We want to focus on all aspects of our mission, building not only the scope of academic programs here, working with the campus communities,” he explained, “but also the community-engagement component; we want to be much more than a satellite campus.”

Elaborating, he told BusinessWest that the center can be classified using a number of nouns, starting with ‘facility.’

Indeed, it serves as a central location from which UMass Amherst and other colleges and universities can offer classes and other programs.

That location, as well as the large inventory of facilities — from large classrooms to varying-sized conference rooms to large study areas — also makes the center a resource, another of those nouns, said Montagna, adding that a wide array of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and economic-development groups have staged meetings and other types of events there.

That list includes Springfield Public Schools, the United Way, the Department of Homeland Security (which staged a training program for local law-enforcement officers there), and the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield.

As it carries out those roles, the center also serves as a “partnership,” he went on, adding that UMass Amherst collaborates with Westfield State University, UMass Boston, Springfield Technical Community College, and Holyoke Community College to provide convenient access to courses in a number of fields.

The center now hosts classes for several UMass Amherst programs, including the College of Nursing, which has a large presence there, as well as TEACH 180 Days in Springfield, the Isenberg School of Management’s part-time MBA program, and University Without Walls. Meanwhile, it also hosts UMass Boston’s Addictions Counselor Education Program; Adult Career Pathways, Adult Basic Education, community health training, and workforce-training programs from STCC and HCC; and a Community Planning course, which is a collaboration between the STCC, Westfield State, and UMass Amherst planning departments.

All of the above assures a steady flow of students and instructors into the center, which offers both day and night classes, said Montagna, adding that this critical mass inspires use of another term to describe the facility — catalyst.

And while there may be some objective gauges of the overall impact of the center — such as in the number of additional lattes sold at Dunkin Donuts or paninis at Hot Table on the ground floor at Tower Square — this is more of a subjective analysis at this point, he told BusinessWest, although those at the center continue to look for more ways to measure its impact.

“One of the things I’m really working on with my staff is the quantifying component,” he explained. “We’re trying to measure as much as we can; we’re trying to work toward more cohesive, more comprehensive tracking of our usage and our impact downtown.”

Overall, he believes the center is certainly contributing on the micro level — with receipts at area downtown restaurants, for example — and will eventually be impactful on the macro level as well, being one of a host of new facilities, businesses, and initiatives that make downtown a true destination.

Branching Out

Summing up the UMass Center’s first year of operation, Montanga said the initiative (there’s still another noun used to describe it) returned to that notion of putting down roots, noting that they have certainly taken a firm hold.

What develops from those roots remains to be seen, obviously, but he believes the center will grow into a vital contributor to the region’s economy, its ongoing efforts to create a large, capable workforce for the future, and the vibrancy of a downtown in the midst of a comeback.

In many respects, he said in conclusion, it is already all of the above.

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

Springfield Tackles Needed Repairs on MassMutual Center Garage

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Construction Sections

Space Race

The MassMutual Center garage is critical to parking capacity downtown, but was in dire need of repairs.

At a time when parking is at a premium in downtown Springfield, the central district’s largest parking garage, serving the MassMutual Center and numerous local businesses, plays an important role for workers and event-goers alike. But the five-story structure has long fallen into disrepair.

“We’ve had problems with drainage and water leaking from the roof through the various levels and damaging property and people’s cars,” said Mary McNally, executive director of the Springfield Parking Authority. “Then all that stuff accumulates on the iron, so that’s rusted; we’ve had a significant amount of property-damage claims.

“Overall, we just wanted to maintain the structural integrity of the building,” she went on, “because it’s the main garage in the city, and there’s no plan at present to replace it, so we needed to do somewhat of an intermediate level of repair.”

For the past several weeks, Marois Construction has set up shop in the garage, barricading off large swaths of parking spaces as workers perform a number of repairs aimed at keeping the structure serviceable for the near future. The job is expected to be finished in mid-November.

Marois submitted a bid of $889,940, the lowest of three bids received. The others were Contracting Specialists Inc. of Attleboro for $1,099,750, and P.J. Spillane of Everett for $1,463,890.

Renovations include a host of needed upgrades, McNally said. “They’ll fix the drainage and fix the waterproofing, restore the roof integrity, and install new drains. There will be some painting, some remortaring of the exits, some of the cinderblock needs to be restored, and many of the bar joists, which support the deck structure on each floor, need to be replaced. They’re also resurfacing some of the concrete on the lower levels that get the most traffic.”

Joe Marois, president of the South Hadley-based contractor, said the goal is to complete an intermediate repair that will hold up for the foreseeable future whether or not the garage is eventually rebuilt.

“We’ve recently finished up all the concrete, masonry, and block repairs that had to be done. We’re changing out some of the plumbing, drainage, and so forth, and doing some miscellaneous concrete repair and reinforcing some of the existing steel,” he told BusinessWest. “We’re addressing the concerns in the city’s engineering report.”

Shuffling the Decks

Top: some of the rusted ironwork in the garage. Bottom: one of many areas off-limits to parkers until issues with drainage and loose debris can be remedied.

The 44-year-old MassMutual Center garage — which borders Harrison Avenue, Dwight Street, and Falcons Way — is the oldest and highest-volume garage in Springfield’s central business district, with a maximum capacity of 1,232 vehicles.

But the structure has been problematic for users for some time, with certain areas roped off on occasion to protect vehicles from debris. Preserving its functionality is critical at a time when the city will lose close to 500 spaces from two downtown parking garages under the I-91 viaduct.

That viaduct is undergoing a massive reconstruction that will close down a mile-long stretch of the interstate for at least two years starting this fall, making hundreds of parking spaces off limits. But McNally, who meets with state Department of Transportation officials every three weeks to review the upcoming construction schedule, is convinced the central district will have enough parking.

“I was worried a year ago, but not currently,” she said. “The contractor [Framingham-based J.F. White Contracting Co.] is very cognizant of the impact on both garages, north and south. I’ve been assured repeatedly at these meetings that they will do what they say they’ll do — and the contract they have with the state requires that they take no more than 450 spaces from the second levels on both garages. With the current occupancy and capacity, I don’t expect any problems at all. That’s very good news.”

One reason for reassurance is the fact that the repair work on the nearby MassMutual Center garage promises to recapture about 100 spaces perennially lost, especially in the winter, to leakage and drainage problems. “If those issues are remedied, those spaces come back,” she said.

In addition, McNally noted, the fifth-level roof deck, which is typically chained off, may also be available for use soon, bringing all 1,232 spaces in the garage back into play.

“There have been considerable engineering studies assuring us the roof deck is safe for parking, and that’s 200 spaces,” she explained. “The roof was never declared unsafe, but there wasn’t demand for it. We anticipated there would be demand, though, which is why we went ahead and did those tests, giving us the comfort that it’s safe.”

Looking Forward

The Springfield Parking Authority, which is funded by parking revenues, oversees on-street and off-street parking in Springfield, including the downtown parking garages. The Marois project is part of a $4 million capital plan for improvements to city garages.

The Parking Authority has also been working with MGM Springfield on a long-term commuter-parking arrangement during construction of the $800 million casino in Springfield’s South End — necessary, because the project footprint will eliminate several parking areas in the district.

Marois said both major construction projects downtown — the viaduct restoration and the casino — are going to strain parking options to some degree, making his company’s repair work on the MassMutual Center garage that much more important.

“I totally think that’s going to be a big deal,” he said. “We’re going to lose a lot of spaces underneath the viaduct while they’re doing that work. I think the city has taken the right steps here in anticipation of that shortage.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Magazine Commons Gives Residents Scattered by Tornado a Fresh Start

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Architecture Sections

Peace of Mind

Joan Ingersoll says Magazine Commons represents an important measure of independence for its residents, who are clients of the Mental Health Assoc.

When an apartment complex owned by the Springfield-based Mental Health Assoc. was destroyed in the 2011 tornado that touched down in the city’s South End — displacing 14 MHA clients who lived there — the architects at Studio One certainly empathized, because their offices were wrecked as well.

“We really could relate,” said Christopher Novelli, one of those architects. “These people lost their homes. It’s an emotional experience. We lost our office, and Greg Zorzi, our principal, had an apartment above our office, so he lost his home as well.”

So Zorzi and his team took plenty of satisfaction in designing Magazine Commons, the new, 16-unit apartment building on Magazine Street that replaces the former residential complex on Union Street. The new structure, set to open in November, was built next to the MHA’s headquarters on Worthington Street, in the city’s McKnight district, on a formerly blighted parcel.

“We had a building on Union Street that we’d operated for 30 years, but it was completely destroyed,” said Joan Ingersoll, president and CEO of the MHA, which provides residential and support services that promote independence, community engagement, and wellness for people impacted by mental illness, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, homelessness, and other challenges. “The people scattered; some relocated in other towns, and others stayed in Springfield.”

Several will be returning this fall to Magazine Commons, which is a success story on multiple levels, said Novelli, referring to its importance to the MHA and also its development on a brownfield site the city had been anxious to clean up for some time.

“There were contaminated soils, and it was unusable for building,” Novelli said. “The city owned it for years and issued several RFPs, but there were no takers on the property. Finally, the MHA came in.”

For this issue’s focus on architecture, BusinessWest talked with Novelli and Ingersoll about how the $4.6 million project came together, and how the new building will improve the lives of its tenants.

Home Again

In the aftermath of the tornado, residents of the destroyed complex dispersed to temporary housing, Ingersoll said, but, four years later, the MHA had no problem filling the 17,000-square-foot Magazine Commons with former Union Street residents as well as new clients.

“Some people are moving in from a group home, so this is their first opportunity to live independently,” she noted. “Some already live independently, so this is a different opportunity for them; they’re excited to move in. A couple of people had been in and out of different places and had periods of homelessness, and this is brand-new, stable housing.”

Chris Novelli (right, with Greg Zorzi) says Magazine Commons achieves two goals: to restore housing to those who lost it in the tornado, and to help revitalize a neighborhood by replacing a brownfield site with a building that complements the architecture of its environs.

Darnella Johnson, one of the individuals preparing to move in, told BusinessWest she expects it to be comfortable and safe, and appreciated its proximity to a bus line — an amenity Ingersoll said is important to clients seeking to hold down employment.

Vincent Littlejohn is one of those. “I’m looking to get a job, and living close to a bus line will help me get to a job and my [support-group] meetings,” he said, noting that he, like Johnson, is currently living in a group home and is looking forward to a new measure of independence once interior construction is complete.

The facility, built by N.L. Construction in Ludlow, includes four apartments on the first floor and six apartments each on the second and third floors. The design also includes common space as well as office space for MHA staff.

“It has a community room for skill-building opportunities like cooking lessons, classes, and gatherings for social opportunities,” Ingersoll explained. “The staff offices are on the first floor — but this is not a staffed residence; the staff are outreach staff. All the residents have a certain number of hours the staff spends with them on things they need assistance with — managing medications, going to doctor appointments, teaching them how to take public transportation, how to manage money. Some of the staff will have the building as their home base, but they don’t sleep there.”

Novelli said the interior design reflects the needs of people who live independently but still face challenges.

“The people that will live there are all capable of self-preservation, all capable of living on their own. It’s not an assisted-living facility,” he explained. “There is some extra reinforcement in the bathrooms and some higher-durability finishes — rather than using carpet, it’s all tile in the living room, so it cleans up easily.”

Another challenge was fitting the building’s exterior into the historical context of the McKnight neighborhood — typically a priority for Studio One, which has plenty of experience designing housing complexes.

“We did a study of existing housing sites, and didn’t want to replicate them,” said Novelli. “But we wanted to make sure it fit in, as far as the exterior detailing, the massing of the building, and the proportions. We had several neighborhood meetings with people in the McKnight district.

“Some of the items in the original design were cut due to budget, but we were able to keep most of the proportions they wanted,” he went on. “All 16 are one-bed units, 550 square feet with large kitchens that open to living rooms.”

Studio One’s design also complied with — and in many cases exceeded — the city’s stretch codes, which mandate strict standards for energy efficiency, he added.

“We’re going beyond that with highly efficient mechanical systems, the building envelope, and thermal details,” he said, noting that such codes are becoming industry standard in many types of buildings, just as homeowners and developers are increasingly understanding the eventual cost savings. “The main concern has always been the bottom line rather than the long term. But people are starting to realize that, if you invest money at the start, you end up saving more money.”

Community Asset

Ingersoll was quick to note that Magazine Commons represents not just a housing complex, but a $4.6 million investment in the neighborhood, including sidewalks, lighting, neighborhood stabilization, and brownfield development. And it’s not an investment in just 16 current residents, but for dozens, even hundreds more over the coming decades, all of whom are trying to get to a more secure place in life, she added.

The MHA’s development team presented the plans to the McKnight Neighborhood Council in April of 2013, at which time the council voted to support it. The project has received financial support from the city of Springfield, the state Department of Housing and Community Development, the Mass. Community Development Assistance Corp., the state Department of Mental Health, MassDevelopment, the Affordable Housing Program of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, and People’s United Bank.

With about $2 million in insurance money in hand from the tornado, the multiple funding partnerships meant the MHA had to finance only about $750,000 of the overall cost. Designated a HUD 202 project for people with disabilities, the apartments are subsidized, with residents paying no more than 30% of their income and HUD picking up part of the rental cost, Ingersoll noted.

“HUD told us we could rebuild in Springfield when we got the subsidies transferred over to the new project,” she explained. “We’ve been working with the city since then to identify and agree on the land, which was, fortunately, right next door to our main offices. The land was a pretty big parcel, but it was blighted and needed cleanup. We bought it for a dollar from the city, and we were able to revitalize the whole block.”

Novelli said the design included a specialized foundation system called a geo-pier, which densifies soil underneath a structure, so it can be built on what otherwise would be considered unsuitable soil.

Despite the challenges — or perhaps because of them — he and Zorzi are gratified to help the MHA rebuild a key component of its services. Founded in 1960, the agency operates 21 sites throughout Greater Springfield and serves more than 400 people annually through its residential and outreach programs.

Magazine Commons will be staffed weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., making the location next to MHA headquarters ideal for both residents and staff, Ingersoll added.

“It’s pretty unbelievable for the people moving in there,” she told BusinessWest. “I’ve had the opportunity to go in with some clients for the first time. When they see it, they become so excited. They think the units are beautiful. It’s a great opportunity for them.”

After all, she added, good housing is often a critical step in helping people procure good jobs and a brighter future. “It’s often the foundation for everything else in life.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Chestnut Street Junior High School Site Creates Opportunity in the North End

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Commercial Real Estate Sections

Part and Parcel

Kevin Kennedy stands at the site of the former Chestnut Junior High School in Springfield’s North End. Below left: the school during demolition.

Recent calamities in Springfield, including the tornado of 2011 and the natural-gas explosion of 2012, created hardship — but also intriguing development opportunities. The same can be said of the 2013 fire that leveled the historic Chestnut Street Junior High School. It eventually resulted in four shovel-ready acres in the heart of what has come to be called the Medical District.

Kevin Kennedy says that, before Chestnut Junior High School was essentially destroyed by fire in 2013, Springfield had what amounted to a development opportunity in the city’s North End.

It just wasn’t a very solid opportunity, Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer, went on, as evidenced by the fact that at least three requests for proposals (RFPs) involving that property over the past decade or so — he admits to actually losing count — failed to yield a workable project.

The reason was simple: the cost of repurposing the school or demolishing the structure, built in 1901 and vacant since 2004, and then remediating the four acres it sat on, made redeveloping the site financially prohibitive.

And there were other issues as well, said Kennedy, adding that the building was listed on the Massachusetts Register of Historic Places, thus limiting what could be done with the building and even making demolition a stern, time-consuming hurdle to overcome.

But the fire changed the dynamic in many ways by essentially removing all those obstacles.

Amid safety concerns, the city demolished the four-story structure, and, to apply a lesson it learned from what it did (or, more to the point, didn’t do) following a fire at the former Gemini manufacturing complex in the South End, it remediated the site, including removal of the foundations, said Kennedy.

“This site is now highly developable,” he told BusinessWest, adding that, while the price tag for razing and cleaning the site exceeded $1.5 million, the city may well come to consider that bill a sound investment rather than an aggravating expense.

Thus, like other recent calamities in Springfield — most notably the 2011 tornado and 2012 natural-gas blast — the suspicious fire at the Chestnut Street school has created an intriguing development opportunity.

But, as with those other opportunities spawned from disaster, this one comes wrapped in challenges, the biggest being the fact that those four acres lie in what is statistically one of the poorest neighborhoods in the Commonwealth, a possible stumbling block when it comes to some of the possible strategies for redevelopment, including retail.

But that area is rich in other ways, said Kennedy, adding that it lies in the heart of what city economic-development officials have come to call the Medical District.

The former Chestnut Junior High School is at the center of this map showing Springfield’s Medical District.

Indeed, Baystate Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, and Shriners Hospital for Children are all within only a few hundred yards of the school site, he explained, adding that a number of other medical facilities, many under the Baystate umbrella, are now located just off Main Street in the so-called Wason section of the North End.

More than 10,000 people, many of them in well-paying positions, work at facilities considered part of the Medical District, said Kennedy, adding that the numbers add up to some compelling opportunities, ranging from the broad spectrum of retail to the creation of market-rate housing for some of those workers, including the hundreds of young doctors in residence at Baystate.

For this issue and its focus on commercial real estate, Kennedy laid out some of the possibilities for this potential-laden blank canvas in the North End’s Memorial Square neighborhood.

Out of the Ashes

The deadline for responding to the RFP for the Chestnut Street site was Sept. 14, said Kennedy, adding that it will be extended to Oct. 5 (with questions due by Sept. 25) to give the development community more time to consider options.

“We’ve had a number of calls, and for that reason we think there’s a bit of interest,” he noted. “And that’s why we’re going to extend it and give people a few more weeks.”

At the very least, he is expecting a far more energetic response than when the 82,000-square-foot school was still standing, with its hundreds of windows boarded up, a state it had been in for several years.

“We had some proposals,” he said, referring to those RFPs issued while the imposing school was still standing. “But when the developer actually got down to brass tacks and put pencil to paper, it didn’t pencil, and all those RFPs went for naught.”

The shovel-ready nature of the property distinguishes it from most not only in Springfield, but also neighboring communities, he went on, as does its close proximity to so many prominent healthcare facilities.

The fire that engulfed the Chestnut Middle School in 2013 has in many ways created a better development opportunity.

Indeed, the North End has been the site of a number of new developments in recent years, topped by Baystate’s massive $270 million expansion formerly known as the Hospital of the Future. But it has also been a source of speculation about what could — and should — happen next.

So much so that the city commissioned the UMass Amherst Center for Economic Development to undertake a study of the area. That document, “The Springfield Medical District: An Analysis of the Medical Industry and Its Workers,” was completed in 2012.

The report’s authors identified opportunities and challenges in equal abundance.

“The concentration of the medical industry in the district offers many opportunities for commercial and residential development,” they wrote. “However, the city must overcome considerable barriers if it wishes to realize this potential; there is a large potential market for additional shopping, eateries, and other services that cater to medical workers and clients — although few such opportunities currently exist.”

Expanding on those challenges, the report’s authors list everything from I-91, which slices through the North End and creates what they call a “spatial barrier to pedestrian circulation within the district,” to the low-income nature of the residential neighborhood, which is currently home to a very small percentage of the medical personnel working in the district.

The report implies that, if the city could create more attractive housing in the area and, overall, make it a more sought-after place to live, it could capture a large amount of purchasing power it is currently losing to surrounding communities.

“There is a fairly consistent trend — the more one earns, the further away they live from the district, with the highly paid physicians and administrators living the furthest away,” the authors note. “We estimate roughly $400 million in aggregate purchasing power of employees who live outside the city. This means that Springfield fails to capture the indirect economic benefits of its medical industry — the jobs and businesses that are supported by the spending of households.”

Click HERE to download the latest list of available commercial properties in Western Mass.

The Chestnut School site won’t change this dynamic on its own, certainly, said Kennedy, noting quickly that market-rate housing on the site could keep some employees not only in Springfield, but in the North End.

“We’ve had conservations with both hospitals,” he said, referring to Baystate and Mercy. “And they both have a need for housing for both employees and trainees. Baystate, for example, is a teaching hospital, and you have residents who aren’t looking for permanent housing, but may need something.”

But there are several options for the property, which is currently zoned residential, he went on, adding that there are several potential opportunities within the broad realm of retail.

The Memorial Square area lacks a major supermarket and other types of shopping, he noted, adding that the parcel is large enough for a supermarket or a chain pharmacy such as CVS. Inquiries to date have reflected an interest in both commercial and residential developments, he went on, adding that the city doesn’t really have a preference.

“We don’t want to presuppose anything,” he told BusinessWest. “We want to see what we think the best deal is and talk with the residents of the neighborhood to see what they want, and then balance the economics with those preferences.”

Razing Expectations

Looking at the Chestnut Street opportunity and the circumstances that created it, Kennedy mixed optimism with some philosophy.

“Oftentimes, as we’ve seen several times in Springfield in recent history, when something bad happens, something good can come of it,” he said, adding that the tornado’s path of destruction certainly contributed to MGM’s choice of the South End for its $800 million casino project.

Whether a similar, smaller-scale success story can be written a few miles to the north in another challenged neighborhood remains to be seen.

But Kennedy believes that fateful fire may have set the stage for another landscape-altering development.

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

Bay Path Master of Occupational Therapy Program Earns Recognition

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Enfield Holistic Occupational Therapy, a fieldwork site developed by the Bay Path University Master of Occupational Therapy program that has a longstanding partnership with the Enfield Housing Authority, was the recipient of the 2015 Regional Award of Excellence in Program Innovation – Resident Services and the 2015 National Award of Merit in Program Innovation – Resident and Client Services.

These awards are from the National Assoc. of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), and the New England Regional Council of NAHRO. The Enfield Holistic Occupational Therapy fieldwork site was nominated by the Enfield Housing Authority.

Enfield Holistic Occupational Therapy is one of two role-emergent, community-based fieldwork sites developed by Bay Path University. This innovative fieldwork model allows for the emergence of occupational therapy into community sites to provide programming to meet the therapeutic needs of its population.

“One of the best things about Enfield Holistic Occupational Therapy is that it is a win-win partnership,” said Scott Bertrand, executive director of the Enfield Housing Authority. “Bay Path students gain experience in their chosen field while providing programs and services at no cost to our residents at the Mark Twain Congregate Living. More important, it allows our older individuals to continue the joys of living independently. Undoubtedly, the work of the Bay Path students has had a tremendous impact on the lives of the residents, families, and caregivers within our community.”

The Enfield Housing Authority offers affordable housing opportunities to older residents who experience difficulty with one or more daily functions, such as meal preparation, dressing, or bathing, but is not classified as a healthcare facility.

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment (www.nahro.org) comprises more than 3,000 housing authorities, and only 187 are recognized with awards on the national level.

Indie Culture Convention Comes to Easthampton Sept. 26-27

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — TopatoCon, hosted by the merchandiser and publisher TopatoCo, will bring some of the Internet’s most popular creators to Eastworks on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 26 and 27.

In addition to an exhibit floor where independent artists will be greeting fans and selling their work, TopatoCon will offer hands-on workshops, live podcast recordings, TEDstyle presentations, tabletop gaming sessions, and a popup TopatoCo store.

TopatoCon will be held in the Eastworks building at 116 Pleasant St. in Easthampton. Tickets cost $15 per day and $25 for a weekend pass if purchased in advance at topatocon.com, or $20 per day if purchased at the door.

“We’re really excited to collect a diverse selection of the best creators that embody the rich DIY online culture that we’re a part of and put it out into the world for people to discover,” said Holly Rowland, vice president of TopatoCo and cofounder of TopatoCon. “We hope to make this event the first of many.”

Easthampton-based TopatoCo, founded in 2004 by cartoonist Jeffrey Rowland, is the virtual home to more than 75 independent artists and designers. To learn more, visit www.topatoco.com or e-mail [email protected].

MGM Springfield Presents Updated Design to City Officials

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Daily News

View of Main and Howard streets

View of State Street and MGM Way

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Springfield announced it has presented updated renderings and new details of its design to the city of Springfield. The new drawings are the result of a complete site-plan review driven by several factors, including a one-year opening-date extension, final directives on historic property use, construction market trends, and in-depth conversations with Mayor Domenic Sarno and city officials.

In a letter to the mayor, MGM executives hailed the new design as a better approach to immediately activating the Main Street corridor and spurring new economic development, while reconfirming September 2018 as the completion date.

“I believe this is one of the most exciting moments in the history of MGM Springfield,” said Michael Mathis, MGM Springfield president. “As we collaborate with the city on what is best from an economic-development perspective, the finer details are taking shape, and our programming is improving minute by minute.”

This more integrated urban design features off-site residential space, which opens up room for a Main Street hotel that would encourage tourists and visitors to more readily engage Springfield’s downtown. Conversations are underway with property owners of nearby potential residential sites that would complement the resort-casino development.

As the final design evolves, the project will feature a new five-story hotel atop a floor of retail, creating an improved scale on Main Street. The 250-room hotel would now become the eastern anchor at Howard Street of the 14.5-acre development.

“This design brings to life our commitment to develop new residential activity in downtown Springfield,” Mathis noted. “Through our extensive and detailed review, we determined off-site residential would more quickly encourage ancillary development across the downtown. We are currently talking to potential partners in developing market-rate residential units.”

Under the revised design, the historic columned façade at 73 State St., which had been the iconic focal point for the hotel tower, will remain as such for the updated structure, which will be home to what is tentatively being called the South End Market. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the market will be an inviting, trendy gathering space featuring local and national food and beverage vendors.

“We have never lost sight of how important it is to integrate our development and its unique design needs with this historic New England downtown,” Mathis said. “We think the changes along Main Street and this new layout are more in line with a true downtown mixed-use development that will make MGM Springfield the premier urban resort in the industry.”

Following several meetings with Springfield officials, MGM Springfield will present this new design plan to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. The company will continue to refine its design as it proceeds with the site-plan review process with the city.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Chamber Corners Departments

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• Oct. 1: Amherst Area Chamber Annual A+ Awards Dinner, 5-9 p.m., at the Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce Annual A+ Awards Dinner is the social event of the year.This year, we will be honoring six awardees for their contributions to life and commerce in the Amherst Area. The MVP Award, Legacy Awards, and awards for Lifetime Achievement in Business, Community Service, and Young Professionals will all be given. In addition, we seek to honor our two Cooley Dickinson Scholarship winners. Presenting sponsor: PeoplesBank.

• Oct. 30: Chamber Legislative Breakfast, 7: 15-9 a.m., at the Lord Jeffery Inn, 30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst. Sponsored by Eversource. Cost: $15 for members, $20 for non-members.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• Sept. 23: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Marcotte Ford, 1025 Main St., Holyoke. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

• Oct. 2: Rock Your Holidays with a Great Promotion, 9-11 a.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. Seminar presented by Liz Provo, authorized local expert, Constant Contact. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members.

• Oct. 13: Table Top Expo & Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Presented by the Greater Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, and Springfield Regional chambers of commerce. Exhibitor tables are $125 for members of the participating chambers. Cost to attend: $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Open to the public.

• Oct. 16: Lunch & Learn with Thom Fox, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. “Want to Make More Money: All You Have to Do is Ask!” Cost: $15 for members, $23 for non-members.

• Oct. 21: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley.

• Oct. 28: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Loomis House, 298 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• Oct. 8: Networking by Night, at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Health Center Southampton. Join us and our host for a Fall Fiesta celebration, and enjoy a fun night of networking, interactive health stations, and appetizers provided by Meyers Catering. Sponsored by Dollars for Scholars.

• Oct. 19: Celebrity Bartenders, 6 p.m., at Opa Opa Brewery. Join in on all the fun and laughs as you help support funding this season’s holiday lights.

• Nov. 4: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Join the Greater Easthampton, Greater Northampton, and Amherst Area chambers along with our host, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, for a networking extravaganza. Sponsored by Duseau Trucking.

• Nov. 6:  CheckPoint 2015 Legislative Summit. Registration and networking, 11 a.m.;  welcome, lunch, and keynote speaker, noon to 1:30 p.m.; Chamber View Dialogue with chamber executives, followed by legislative response, 1:30-3 p.m.; cocktail reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres, 3-4 p.m. Keynote speaker: state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. Also hear from Tim Wilkerson, regulatory ombudsman of Economic Policy Development at the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development. Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions to invited legislators.

• Nov. 7: 15th Annual Greater Easthampton Chamber Viva Las Vegas Bowl-a-Thon, at Canal Bowling Lanes, 74 College Highway, Southampton. Two sessions: 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. A night of fun, laughs, music by DJ Jay Paglucia, and pizza as you help support funding this season’s holiday lights.

• Nov. 11: Monday Morning with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., Burger King, Easthampton.

• Dec. 3: Holiday tree lighting and visit from Santa, 6:30-8 p.m., at Pulaski Park, Easthampton.

• Dec. 4: Greater Easthampton Chamber Snow Ball, 6-11 p.m., at the Garden House, Look Park. An old-fashioned, elegant, holiday affair. Sit-down dinner featuring Meyers Catering, live music, and dancing featuring Maxxtone. Dress in style, black tie optional.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376

• Sept. 23: Legislative Coffee Hour, 7:45-9 a.m., at Slainte Restaurant, 80 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke. Sponsored by Ferriter & Ferriter Law and Hadley Printing. Speakers: Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger, and Holyoke Fire Chief John Pond. Join us for coffee and conversation where members of the community have a chance to ask questions regarding issues facing Western Mass. and the Greater Holyoke area. Tickets: $20 for members with advance reservations, $25 for non-members and at the door. Price includes a continental breakfast.

• Oct. 7: The Chamber Coffee Buzz Morning Networking, 7:30-9 a.m., at Dean Technical High School, 1045 Main St., Holyoke. The Coffee Buzz is a great way to jump-start your day with the opportunity to meet business and community leaders while enjoying coffee and a light breakfast. The Coffee Buzz series is sponsored by Lyon & Fitzpatrick, LLC. Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse will help launch the chamber’s new morning networking series. Public-school receiver Stephen Zrike Jr. will be the guest speaker. Free to the business community. Sign up online at holyokechamber.com or call the chamber office at (413) 534-3376.

• Oct. 13: Table Top Expo & Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Presented by the Greater Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, and Springfield Regional chambers of commerce. Exhibitor tables are $125 for members of the participating chambers. Cost to attend: $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Open to the public. Call the Holyoke chamber at (413) 534-3376 to secure your table or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

• Oct. 14: Autumn Economic Development Business Salute Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., at the Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by Holyoke Medical Center, Ferriter & Ferriter Law, and Resnic, Beauregard, Waite and Driscoll. Rick Sullivan, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., is keynote speaker. Other guests include Andrew Crystal, vice president at O’Connell Development Group Inc.; Marcos Marrero, director of the Holyoke Economic and Development Office; E. Denis Walsh of Weld Management; and John Aubin of Open Square. New members Holyoke Signs & Design, Elevation Art and Framing, Century Homecare, and Presley Law, PLLC will also be recognized, as well as FlynMar Rubber & Plastics’ 45th anniversary and Open Square’s 25th anniversary. Tickets include a buffet breakfast and cost $25 for members with advance reservations and $30 for all others. Reservations may be made online at holyokechamber.com.

• Oct. 21: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Northeast IT Systems Inc., 777 Riverdale St., West Springfield. Business networking event. Refreshments, 50/50 raffle, and door prizes. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for all others. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 to sign up, or visit holyokechamber.com.

• Oct. 22: Leadership Holyoke/Meet at Wistariahurst Museum, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A leadership series with HCC faculty members participating as instructors and facilitators. Community leaders will participate as speakers. Sponsored by PeoplesBank and Holyoke Community College.

• Oct. 28: Murder Mystery Dinner, 6-9 p.m., at the Yankee Pedlar, 1866 Northampton St. Networking cocktail hour at 6-7 p.m., with full-course dinner to follow. Sponsored by Meyers Brothers Kalicka and Baystate Restoration Group. During “Mystery at the Masquerade,” trade clues with other guests and solve the crime at this night of masks and murder. Cost: $49.95 for members, $52.95 for non-members and at the door.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• Oct. 7: October Arrive @ 5 Open House, 5-7 p.m., at the chamber office. Sponsored by Pioneer Training, Innovative Business Systems, and Florence Savings Bank. Cost: $10 for members.

• Nov. 4: November Arrive @ 5 Open House, 5-7 p.m. Hosted by Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust St., Northampton. Cost: $10 for members.

• Dec. 2: December Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., at Hampshire Council of Governments, Northampton. Sponsored by Applied Mortgage. Cost: $10 for members.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• Oct. 1: Community Discussion, 7 p.m., at Westfield State University, Scanlon Hall, 577 Western Ave., Westfield. Free and open to the public. The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, the city of Westfield, and Westfield State University, will host a healthy-community advocate, Mark Fenton. Residents, health professionals, business owners, planning experts, and anyone with an interest in redesign of a community for improved health outcomes should attend. Fenton is a national public-health, planning, and transportation consultant; an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; and former host of the America’s Walking series on PBS. He has authored numerous books, including the bestselling Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness.

• Oct. 5: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at the Arbors, 40 Court St., Westfield. Event is free and open to the public. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Oct. 5: Medicare Made Easy, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Presented by Sarah Fernandez, Medicare sales manager, Health New England. Cost: free for members, $30 for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Oct. 13: Table Top Expo & Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Presented by the Greater Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, and Springfield Regional chambers of commerce. Exhibitor tables are $125 for members of the participating chambers. Cost to attend: $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Open to the public.

• Oct. 14: Oktoberfest After 5 Connection, 5-7p.m., at East Mountain Country Club, 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Highland Valley Elder Services and MedExpress Urgent Care. Cost: $10 for members, $15 cash at the door for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.

• Oct. 19: Long-term-care Planning, 4:30-5:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Renaissance Advisory. Cost: free for chamber members, $30 for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618

NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ncccc.org
(860) 741-3838

• Oct. 20: Networking Lunch, noon-1:30 p.m. For more information, contact the chamber at (860) 741-3838 or [email protected]

• Oct. 22: Business to Business Expo, 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, 1 Bright Meadow Blvd., Enfield, Conn. For more information, contact the chamber at (860) 741-3838 or [email protected]

NORTHAMPTON AREA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY

www.thenayp.com
(413) 584-1900

• Oct. 8: October Networking Social, 5 p.m., at McCray’s Farm. Join us for our monthly networking social, complete with fall fun such as pumpkin picking and hayrides. Cost: free for NAYP members, $10 for non-members. RSVP with the chamber.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER

www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310

• Oct. 7: PWC Headline Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Munich Haus, 13 Center St., Chicopee. Featuring Kathleen Corbett, former president of Standard & Poors, lead director of the MassMutual board of directors, and founder of Cross Ridge Capital. Cost: $30 for PWC members, $40 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com.

• Oct. 13: PWC Ladies Night, 5-7 p.m., at Kate Gray, 398 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. Enjoy complimentary wine and refreshments. Reservations are complimentary but required. Reservations may be made by contacting Gwen Burke at [email protected] or (413) 237-8840.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• Sept. 22: September 2015 Pastries, Politics, and Policies, 8-9 a.m., at the TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. Featuring state Sen. Benjamin Downing, chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy. Cost: $15 for members, $25 for non-members. For more information, contact Sarah Mazzaferro at (413) 755-1313.

• Oct. 7: Springfield Regional Chamber Business@Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Crestview Country Club, 281 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. Featuring Duane Cashin, sales growth strategist, motivational speaker, sales trainer, business development consultant, and author. Saluting Noonan Energy (125th anniversary) and Adam Quenneville Roofing, Siding and Windows (20th anniversary). Sponsored by United Personnel. Cost: $20 for members in advance, $25 for members at the door, $30 for generation admission. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Oct. 13: Table Top Expo & Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Presented by the Greater Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, and Springfield Regional chambers of commerce. Exhibitor tables are $125 for members of the participating chambers. Cost to attend: $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Open to the public. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Oct. 14: Springfield Regional Chamber Lunch-n-Learn, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. “Creating Marketing Campaigns Perfect for the Holiday Season,” with local authorized Constant Contact representative Liz Provo. Cost: $25 for members, $35 for general admission.Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

• Oct. 23: Springfield Regional Chamber Super 60, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Chez Josef, 176 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. Honoring the region’s top performing companies. Featuring keynote speakers Emily and Oliver Rich – the Tea Guys. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Tables of eight or 10 available. Reserve by Oct. 14. No walk-ins accepted, no cancellations after deadline. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com
413-426-3880

• Sept. 24: Breakfast Seminar, 7-9 a.m. at Oakridge Country Club, Feeding Hills. Breakfast tickets available, $25 for chamber members, $30 for non-members. For more information and for tickets, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected]

• Oct. 6: West Springfield Mayoral Candidates Forum, 6 p.m., at West Springfield Town Hall. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

• Oct. 7: Wicked Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted By John P. Frangie, M.D., West Springfield. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

• Oct. 28: Food Fest West, 5:30-8 p.m., at Chez Josef, Agawam. The event will feature the foods of area restaurants, including Chez Josef, Classic Burgers, Crestview Country Club, EB’s, Hofbrau Joe’s, Murphy’s Pub, Partner’s Restaurant, Pintu’s, and more. Proceeds raised by Food Fest West will go toward the Partnership for Education and the WRC Educational Fund, which provides grants to businesses for on-the-job training and continuing-education needs. Cost: $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Tickets may be purchased online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

Agenda

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Agenda Departments

STCC Diversity Series

Sept. 30: Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will kick off its 2015-16 Diversity Series with an appearance from bestselling author and youth advocate Wes Moore at 11 a.m. in the Scibelli Hall gymnasium. Moore — a veteran, Rhodes scholar, and founder of BridgeEDU — has authored several successful books, including The Work: My Search for a Life That Matters; The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates; Discovering Wes Moore; and Forcefully Advancing. Moore has been featured by USA Today, Time, People, Meet the Press, The Colbert Report, MSNBC, and NPR. He is the host of Beyond Belief on the Oprah Winfrey Network and is the executive producer and host of PBS’s Coming Back with Wes Moore, which focuses on the reintegration of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their return home. As the founder and CEO of BridgeEDU, an innovative college platform that addresses the college-completion and job-placement crisis, Moore created the program to reinvent freshman year in a way that gives students real-world internship and service-learning opportunities as well as core academic classes. Moore’s appearance is made possible through the support of Baystate Health, MassMutual, PeoplesBank, An African-American Point of View, the city of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, the STCC Black Professionals Group, and the STCC Diversity Council. The event is free and open to the public. An author signing will be held at 9:30 a.m., and copies of Moore’s books will be available for purchase. For additional information, call Myra Smith at (413) 755-4414. For a complete listing of STCC Diversity Series events, visit www.stcc.edu/diversity.

Get On Board!

Oct. 8: OnBoard, a Springfield-based nonprofit organization that matches qualified individuals and area boards of directors, is inviting local organizations and businesses to participate or become a sponsor in the “Get On Board!” event in October. The event, to be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will connect local organizations with individuals looking to increase their community involvement. OnBoard was founded in the mid-’90s by attorney Ellen Freyman of Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin, P.C. The group’s mission is to help organizations expand their governance diversity by enlisting women, people of color, and other under-represented populations to their boards of directors/trustees, committees, and advisory groups. OnBoard has been connecting qualified people in the Greater Springfield area with organizations seeking leadership that reflects the diversity of the region. The cost for organizations to register to participate in the event is $125. As a nonprofit organization itself, OnBoard relies on the support of local businesses in order to hold ‘Get On Board.’ A number of funding options are available to local businesses who are interested in contributing to the event, including a $500 community-partner sponsorship and a $1,000 general-sponsorship opportunity. To register or become a business sponsor, visit www.diversityonboard.org.

Rake in the Business Table Top Expo

Oct. 13: The Springfield Regional Chamber is once again partnering with the Greater Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield chambers of commerce on the 18th annual Rake in the Business Table Top Expo and Business Networking Event from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Castle of Knights, 460 Granby Road, Chicopee, sponsored by Nuvo Bank & Trust Co. The expo provides local vendors an affordable opportunity to exhibit products and services to consumers. Last year, more than 100 vendors participated in the event, including photographers, marketing firms, staffing firms, banks, entertainment venues, and health insurers. Exhibitor space is available for $125, which entitles the exhibitor to an eight-foot, skirted display table and two complimentary entry passes. Electricity is limited but available upon request. The Table Top Expo is open to all chamber members as well as the general public for a nominal fee of $5 per person in advance, $10 at the door. Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com. The event is sponsored by platinum sponsors Health New England, PeoplesBank, MedExpress Urgent Care, and Noble Visiting Nurse and Hospice Services; gold sponsors Nuvo Bank, Peoples United Bank, and BusinessWest; and silver sponsors Spectrum Business, Chicopee Savings Bank, Elms College, Dave’s Truck Repair, the Republican, Easthampton Savings Bank, and First American Insurance Agency. For more information or to exhibit, contact Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected] or (413) 755-1313.

HRU Recognition Event

Oct. 15: Human Resources Unlimited will present its annual Recognition and Fund-raiser Event at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., and the program runs from 7:45 to 9 a.m. The Sheldon B. Brooks Employer Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to YMCA of Greater Westfield; the Employer of the Year Award will be presented to Harrington Memorial Hospital; the Rookie Employer Award will be given to Plastipak Packaging; and the Armand Tourangeau Volunteer of the Year is John Ernst. RSVP by Friday, Oct. 2 at [email protected] or (413) 781-5359. The breakfast is by invitation only, and seating is limited to the first 200 people. The suggested minimum donation is $100. Proper business attire (jackets for gentlemen) is required. The gold sponsors are Hub International (formerly FieldEddy Insurance) and United Bank, and BusinessWest is the media sponsor.

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 150 companies, seminars and Show Floor Theater presentations, breakfast and lunch programs (the former featuring Harpoon Brewery CEO Dan Kenary as keynote speaker), and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business, presenting sponsor; Health New England, Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, MGM Springfield, and Wild Apple Design, director-level sponsors; the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst, education sponsor; Elms College, information-center sponsor; 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.

Court Dockets

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

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

Gregory J. Caulto and Jonathan David Lavietes v. John W. Dewitt and Lisa Paterno Dewitt d/b/a JW Dewitt Business Communications
Allegation: Breach of contract and non-payment of services rendered: $57,421
Filed: 8/4/14

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Axia Insurance Co. v. Kenneth Hark and LJM Insurance Agency Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract, breach of duty, conversion, unjust enrichment: $250,000
Filed: 7/18/14

Joseph Miller v. People’s Savings Bank
Allegation: Breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, conversion: $35,000
Filed: 7/23/14

Nuvo Bank and Trust Co. v. RIG Rest, LLC f/k/a Airedock Systems, LLC and Paul Gelinas
Allegation: Breach of contract on commercial promissory note: $209,759.63
Filed: 8/13/14

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Mountainview Landscapes and Lawncare v. Bassette Printers, LLC and Bassette Realty, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of services rendered for winter upkeep of property: $6,121
Filed: 7/28/14

PALMER DISTRICT COURT

Gregorio Santiago v. the Hanover Insurance Co.
Allegation: Failure to effectuate a prompt, fair, and equitable settlement: $21,745.44
Filed: 7/21/14

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Comcast Spotlight Inc. v. Centaurian Dental Inc. d/b/a Columbia Family Dental
Allegation: Non-payment of advertising services rendered: $14,904.75
Filed: 7/25/14

Freedom Credit Union v. Theresa A. Welch and Michael Welch d/b/a Floral Dynamics
Allegation: Non-payment of promissory note: $11,727.54
Filed: 7/25/14

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Sambrico, LLC d/b/a Vista Home Improvement
Allegation: Non-payment of workers’ compensation policy: $23,453.23
Filed: 8/6/14

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Milford Hardwood Floors Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of workers’ compensation policy: $12,141.27
Filed: 8/6/14

Springfield Plumbing Supply Co. Inc. v. Michael J. Swayger d/b/a Swayger Plumbing
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $10,674.37
Filed: 7/23/14

U. S. Foods Inc. v. MGB Inc. d/b/a Electric Café and Margaret Buxold
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $9,137.30
Filed: 7/28/14

Picture This

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

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]

Fantastic Pour

On Sept. 10, the Springfield Boys & Girls Club partnered with the Student Prince/the Fort in a celebrity bartending event. All tips and a portion of the proceeds from sales benefited the club and its services. From top to bottom: from left, celebrity bartenders Nick Tokman, cast member on Deadliest Catch; former NBA players Travis Best and Lou Roe; former UMass basketball coach Bruiser Flint; and current UMass basketball coach Derek Kellogg share a moment with Fort partner Andy Yee. Peter Picknelly, partner at the Fort and president of Peter Pan Bus Lines, chats with patrons. From left, celebrity bartenders George O’Brien, BusinessWest editor; Brittany Decker, reporter for Western Mass News; and radio personality Mike Baxendale from Rock 102 with Yee. From left, celebrity bartenders Malcolm Getz, retired CPA and serial entrepreneur, and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno with Picknelly and Fort bartender Matt Dessereau.

All Aboard

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and Gov. Charlie Baker (center) joined a host of local and state officials and representatives of CRRC USA Rail Corp. recently for a groundbreaking ceremony (above) at the city’s former Westinghouse site on Page Boulevard, where the company will build its first North American plant — a project that promises 100-plus construction jobs from the building of a 220,000-square-foot facility, and more than 150 new manufacturing positions. Among the company officials on hand was Weiping Yu, vice president of CRRC Corp. Limited in Beijing (bottom). “We have an exciting road ahead as we embrace this unique opportunity to partner with Massachusetts on our first transportation project in the United States,” he said, adding that the company sees potential for significant growth in the U.S., and has increased overseas investments by 61% over the past year. “We have a focused vision and a strong commitment not only to being the best, but understanding the infrastructure needs of our global partners and working together to achieve them.” Others sharing thoughts at the ceremony included Yi Lu, general commercial counselor for the New York Chinese Consulate; Chuanhe Zhou, president of CRRC USA Rail Corp.; Jay Ash, the state’s secretary of Housing and Economic Development; and Stephanie Pollack, the Commonwealth’s Transportation secretary. See page 60 for more extensive comments from the event.

People on the Move

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Departments People on the Move

Berkshire Bank announced the promotion of Michael Grandfield to Senior Vice President, commercial relationship manager in Berkshire’s Pioneer Valley Region. He will continue his role as a commercial relationship manager in the region. Grandfield has nearly 30 years of managerial and commercial-lending experience, having held leadership roles at community banks in Western Mass. and Northern Conn., including Hampden Bank, Simsbury Bank, Baybank, and Bank of New England. “Mike has been a valued employee for the past 15 years,” said Luke Kettles, senior vice president, commercial regional executive. “Over this time, he has built strong ties to the local community and solid commercial relationships. He is a seasoned banking professional with a strong customer focus, assisting clients with all of their commercial-borrowing and cash-management needs. I am delighted to count him as a member of our team and know he will continue to be an important contributor to our continued growth and success.” Grandfield is a graduate of Bryant College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He also earned an MBA from American International College. He has been civically involved in all of the communities in which he has lived and worked over the years, serving on numerous nonprofit boards. He is also past president of the Agawam Rotary Club and continues to be an active member.

•••••

The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts has appointed Janet Daisley vice president of programs effective immediately. Daisley reports to Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO. “Janet will provide leadership and strategic vision for the foundation’s grant-making programs and help with building capacity for the region’s nonprofit sector,” Zobel said. In her new role, Daisley will be responsible for the team that distributes approximately $3.5 million each year in grants to 100 local nonprofits, and awards scholarships to more than 700 area students. Janet’s area is also responsible for continuing Valley Gives Day, which will happen on May 3, 2016. “We are fortunate to have someone with Janet’s skills and broad experience to work with the foundation to continue to expand our presence in the Pioneer Valley,” said Liz Sillin, who chairs the foundation’s distribution committee, which oversees grant recommendations. Daisley joined the foundation in September after serving as vice president of programs at VentureWell in Hadley, where she led the development, design, and management of a portfolio of programs focused on training young scientists seeking to launch ventures that improve life for people and the planet. Prior to that, she was the director at Commonwealth Corp., where she oversaw a $17 million state contract to provide education and workforce training of youth in Massachusetts’ juvenile justice system. Her experience also includes working on K-12 education policy issues for both the Massachusetts State Legislature and the Connecticut General Assembly. She has served as a volunteer on the boards of the Amherst Education Fund and the Performance Project. She also led an Amherst-based Girl Scout troop for 12 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colgate University and a master’s degree in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

•••••

Melissa Tetreault

Veteran mortgage professional Melissa Tetreault has joined Mortgage Network Inc. as a loan officer in the company’s Longmeadow branch office. In her new role, Tetreault will be responsible for serving homebuyers and homeowners throughout the Western Mass. area. Based in Danvers, Mortgage Network provides mortgage banking services in more than 20 states through a wide variety of retail offices built to fit each local market. Tetreault brings 20 years of mortgage banking experience in the Franklin County area. Most recently, she served as assistance vice president of retail lending for Greenfield Cooperative Bank. Tetreault serves as a board member at the United Way of Franklin County and the YMCA of Greenfield. She is also a member of the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club and an affiliate member of the Realtor Assoc. of the Pioneer Valley. “We are delighted to welcome Missy to Mortgage Network,” said Carrie Hamel, branch manager of Mortgage Network’s Longmeadow office. “Having lived and worked in this area as a mortgage professional for the past 20 years, she knows the market about as well as anyone.” Added Tetreault, “the Western Massachusetts housing market is definitely looking up. Home prices are very affordable, which is excellent news for first-time homebuyers, and price appreciation has been steady, which is great for homeowners.”

•••••

Berkshire Bank recently named five individuals to lead and manage its Wealth Management team, which serves individuals, companies, government organizations, and nonprofit organizations:
• Richard Bleser has been appointed senior vice president, chief investment officer. Bleser has served Berkshire Bank as its senior vice president, portfolio manager since joining the firm in 2010 from Meridian Capital Partners Inc., where he was responsible for macroeconomic, S&P 500, and hedge-fund analysis. He will lead Berkshire’s investment-portfolio-management efforts, working closely with and Edgar.
• Jason Edgar has been named senior vice president, wealth portfolio manager, and regional leader – New England. Edgar joined the banks a senior portfolio manager in 2014 after several years with Enterprise Investment Advisor, a division of Enterprise Bank. He will lead Berkshire’s wealth-management initiatives for the New England region, while working closely with Bleser and Cologero on the investment portfolio.
• Mary Ellen Cologero has been named senior vice president, wealth portfolio manager, and regional leader – New York. Cologero will lead Berkshire Bank’s wealth-management initiatives for the New York region, while working closely with Bleser and Edgar on the investment portfolio. With more than 25 years of investment experience, she joined the team as a senior portfolio manager from Key Bank, where she served as senior vice president, senior portfolio manager.
• Janice Ward has been appointed first vice president, wealth advisor, and senior fiduciary officer. Ward has served Berkshire as a wealth advisor and senior fiduciary officer since joining the bank in 2012 from Greenfield Savings Bank. She works primarily with trust and estate clients, oversees fiduciary activities, and focuses on financial planning; and
• Elizabeth Gore has been named first vice president, trust operations and compliance. Bringing more than 34 years of banking experience, 22 of them in Berkshire Bank’s Trust Operations, Gore oversees all aspects of operations and compliance for the Wealth Management Group and currently manages the Lenox Wealth Management Office and assists clients on a daily basis.

•••••

Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality Group, a Berkshires-based hotel-management company, announced the appointment of Janet Eason as vice president of marketing. In this position, Eason is responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, and vision to all marketing efforts for the properties in the company’s portfolio. Main Street Hospitality Group manages the new boutique Hotel on North in Pittsfield, the Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, and the Williams Inn in Williamstown, and owns and operates the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. Eason brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to Main Street Hospitality Group, including her most recent leadership role as director of marketing communications at the Colonial Williamsburg Hospitality Co. in Virginia, where she oversaw all aspects of marketing for six unique hotel properties, 12 restaurants, three golf courses, a full-service spa, and 20 retail outlets. “This is an exciting time for Main Street Hospitality Group as we deepen our position as a regional management company with a focus on preservation, innovation, and the communities we serve,” Eustis said. “Janet’s extensive knowledge of integrated brand positioning across multiple properties will be instrumental in guiding the company’s continued success. We welcome her to the Main Street family.” Prior to the Colonial Williamsburg Hospitality Co., Eason served as president at Eason Partners, a Boston-based marketing firm specializing in the travel and hospitality industries, working with clients such as the Barbados Tourism Authority and Elegant Hotels. She was also vice president of strategic planning at Boston-based ISM, where she provided marketing solutions for travel companies such as the Sagamore Resort and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Company Notebook

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Company Notebook Departments

UMass Amherst Continues Rise in U.S. News Rankings

AMHERST — UMass Amherst continued its ascent among the nation’s best public universities, moving up to number 29 in the 2016 “Best Colleges” guide released by U.S. News & World Report. “This year’s U.S. News ranking is a recognition of our campus’s outstanding undergraduate programs and the commitment of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni to achieve excellence,” said UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. “Our continued rise in the rankings demonstrates that investing in UMass yields impressive results, and we look forward to a continuing partnership with the governor and Legislature to create a vibrant future for our students and the Commonwealth.” The Commonwealth’s flagship campus was ranked as a top-30 national public university for the first time last year and moved up one spot in this year’s assessment. There are more than 600 public, four-year universities in the country. UMass Amherst also advanced one slot to number 75 in the Best National Universities category, which consists of 280 public, private, and for-profit institutions. The rankings continue the impressive progress made by the Commonwealth’s flagship campus, which was 40th in the Public National Universities category and 91st among National Universities just two years ago. U.S. News has UMass Amherst tied with six other schools on the Best National Universities ranking. Among publics, four schools share the number-29 spot with UMass Amherst. The U.S. News rankings are based on a variety of weighted factors: graduation rate performance, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources, graduation and retention rate, alumni giving, financial resources, student selectivity, and high-school counselor ratings. All of the schools in the National Universities category offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees while emphasizing faculty research.

Six Flags New England Announces New Coaster

AGAWAM — Six Flags New England announced plans to add a giant looping roller coaster, called Fireball, to its roster of thrill rides. “We take great pride in creating incredible, one-of-a-kind ride experiences for our guests here at Six Flags New England,” said John Winkler, park president. “Every year, we are excited to offer something new for our guests, and this year is no exception. Our team is beyond thrilled to introduce our 12th coaster, Fireball, opening in spring 2016.” Fireball, seven-story-high, looping coaster seating 24 passengers in face-to-face positions, features a pendulum-style takeoff with multiple 360-degree revolutions, an additional full revolution when the train reverses mid-course, and a two-minute ride time. Riders must be at least 48 inches tall. The park also announced a change to the steel coaster Bizarro. The ride will be relaunched as Superman the Ride, its original theme, at the start of the 2016 season. The iconic coaster was named 2015’s Best Roller Coaster by readers of USA Today and 10Best and is the winner of five Golden Ticket Awards since its opening. The coaster will offer superhero-themed music and theming throughout, as riders climb more than 20 stories into the air and hit speeds of 77 mph.

Elms, HCC Launch Degree-completion Program for RNs

CHICOPEE, HOLYOKE — The College of Our Lady of the Elms and Holyoke Community College have partnered to expand nursing-degree offerings in Western Mass., and to make earning a baccalaureate degree in nursing more convenient for students who already hold associate degrees in nursing. Elms College President Mary Reap and HCC President William Messner signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a new RN-to-BS program allowing nurses with two-year degrees to complete Elms College bachelor’s degrees on the HCC campus. The program already has 15 students, who started at the beginning of the 2015-16 academic year. Elms currently has off-campus agreements with more than six institutions in dozens of programs; HCC was the first community college with which Elms partnered to expand educational opportunities. This new agreement builds on the college’s previous relationship to offer degree-completion options for HCC’s RN students. “It’s all about our students,” Reap said. “They are the ones who benefit from being able to continue their four-year education right here on their own campus, where they’re familiar with the faculty and get the support that they need to move to four-year degree completion. We now have hundreds who have done it, and we’re both very proud of that.” Added Messner, “nursing is one of those disciplines that is really evolving. When I got into the business years ago, the notion of someone taking an associate’s degree in nursing was sort of remarkable. Now, more and more, the need is for nurses to go at least through a baccalaureate program. This agreement is going to allow students to seamlessly — and we underline ‘seamlessly’ because this is the ultimate in seamless, where students literally don’t have to move at all from the site of their associate-degree program to their baccalaureate-degree program — continue their education.” Kathleen Scoble, dean of the Elms College School of Nursing, added that “we’re looking forward to the opportunity to be partners with HCC, to bring our program here, and hopefully inspire HCC’s nurses as they continue in their educational journey.” The new memorandum of understanding also includes two online degree-completion programs: a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology assistant and a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management.

Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing Marks 20 Years

SPRINGFIELD — Residents of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing were joined by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, representatives of Loomis Communities, and other officials this morning to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Springfield’s first continuing-care retirement community. The event included a birthday-cake cutting and remarks by David Scruggs, CEO of Loomis Communities; Craig Johnsen, administrator at Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing; and Sarno, who presented a proclamation. Also participating were State Rep. Benjamin Swan; state Sen. Eric Lesser; Steve Wittenberg, one of the founding board members of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing; Venus Robinson, board president of Loomis Communitie; and Eric Bascom, a resident of Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing. Reeds Landing was opened in 1995 with the backing of Baystate Health and Springfield College to build the first-of-its-kind continuing-care retirement facility in Springfield, known today as Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing. The founders envisioned a retirement community that would meet the growing needs of the Springfield area’s older adults, with independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing care all under one roof and on the same campus. Loomis Communities acquired Reeds Landing in 2009, making the retirement community a member of the longest-serving provider of senior living in the Pioneer Valley. Other Loomis Communities properties include Loomis House in Holyoke, Applewood in Amherst, and Loomis Village in South Hadley.

Springfield College Moves Up in U.S. News Rankings

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has again moved up the list of highest-ranked colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s latest edition of its influential “Best Colleges.”
In the 2016 report, Springfield College is ranked 29th, in the first tier in the category of Best Regional Universities – North. There are 138 colleges in the first tier and 180 overall in the category. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Springfield College has moved up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. This year’s ranking is up two spots from last year, eight spots from two years ago, 26 spots from three years ago, 31 spots from four years ago, and 38 spots from five years ago. “I am extremely proud that Springfield College is being recognized for our outstanding academic offerings and a rich co-curricular life outside of the classroom,” said President Mary-Beth Cooper. “The rise in our ranking over the past five years demonstrates that the value proposition for a school like Springfield College, grounded in the humanics philosophy, is well-regarded.” Springfield College’s rise in the rankings is spurred by improved graduation rates and improved retention of first-year students. “We are always pleased to be recognized for the quality education we offer our students,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jean Wyld. “Since these ratings consider metrics such as the graduation rate, it is great to have our focus on student success recognized.” The ratings are based on such variables as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, student selectivity, class size, alumni giving, and student-faculty ratio.

Tim Wakefield Endorses Farmington Bank as Celebrity Spokesperson

FARMINGTON, Conn. — Farmington Bank announced that former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield is its new celebrity spokesperson. “Tim Wakefield is an admired and dedicated professional both on and off the field. As a well-respected athlete and a committed partner with various community organizations, Tim embodies the values and traditions of Farmington Bank. We are thrilled to have him as a member of our team,” said John Patrick Jr., chairman, president, and CEO of Farmington Bank. Added Wakefield, who spent much of his career with the Boston Red Sox, “I admire Farmington Bank’s commitment to excellence, performance, and community engagement. I look forward to sharing those commitments, as well as news of their expansion into Western Massachusetts, in the coming months.” As Farmington Bank’s celebrity spokesperson, Wakefield’s initial role will include appearances at two Farmington Bank branch office grand opening celebrations in West Springfield and East Longmeadow, which will be open to the public. Dates will be announced soon. In addition, he will star in a series of new television, radio, and print advertisements. The campaign will launch in both Connecticut and Massachusetts this fall. In addition to professional baseball, Wakefield is known for his charity efforts. Since 1998, he has partnered with the Franciscan Hospital for Children in Boston to bring patients to Fenway Park to share time with him on and off the field. In addition, he serves as the Red Sox Foundation’s honorary chairman and is actively involved in the Jimmy Fund and the Space Coast Early Intervention Center in Florida. Farmington Bank is a full-service community bank with 22 branch locations throughout Central Conn., with two branches scheduled to open in Massachusetts in the fall of 2015.

Incorporations

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Departments Incorporations

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

AGAWAM

Louis Pallotta Paving Co. Inc., 15 Keating Lane, Agawam, MA 01001.Vincent Pallotta, 66 Alexander Place, Westfield, MA 01085. Asphalt paving services to the general public.

Malkoon Motor Sales Inc., 825 Springfield St., Agawam, MA 01001. Paul E. Malkoon, 80 Hillside Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Sale of motor vehicles.

EASTHAMPTON

PFM Enterprises Inc., 193 Northampton St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Thomas L. Warren, 188 Kings Highway, Westhampton, MA 01027. Manufacturing.

WWC Inc., 4B Liberty Street, East Hampton, MA 01027. Shelley Wilton, same. Chiropractic services.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Fertility Laboratory Consultants Inc., 15 Channing Road, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Tayyab Rahil, same. General healthcare consulting.

Orloff Corporation, 95 Edmund St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Andre A. Orlov, same. Plumbing and heating contractor.

Robertson Trucking Inc., 154 Smith Ave, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Charles A Robertson, same. Transport.

PITTSFIELD

Shamrock Dog Grooming Inc., 10 Lyman St., Suite 10, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Thomas M. Phillips, 10 Bonny Lane, Peru, MA 01235. Dog Grooming and Day Care.

The Danny Boy Adoption Fund Corp., 16 Mountainview Dr., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Nancy O’Malley, 35 Forrest St., Winthrop MA, 02152. Helping senior dogs and cats.

NORTHAMPTON

Sunergix Inc., 109 High St., Florence, MA 01062. Ali Usman, 20 Hampton Ave., Suite 150, Northampton, MA 01060. Business consulting services.

The Light House Center Inc., 45 Main St., Florence, MA 01062. Joseph Worpek, same. To initiate and administer programs exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific, and literary purposes.

SPRINGFIELD

Holistic Industries Inc., C/O Gary Fialky 33 State St., Springfield, MA 01103. Jonathan Genderson, 300 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Corporation organized for any civic, educational, charitable, benevolent, or religious purpose.

Romeo and Sons Milk Inc., 95 Hall St., Springfield, MA 01008. Pasquale A. Romeo Jr., same. The sale and delivery of dairy products.

Sangy Inc., 119 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01109. Mazhar Iqbal, 35 Stocker Street, Springfield, MA 01109. Convenience store with gas station.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Semia Education Technology Inc., 289 Woodmont Street, West Springfield, MA 01089. Eugene Zhang, same. Market and sales of robotics education products.

‘Countdown to 65’ Sheds Light on Medicare, Social Security Decisions

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Are you confused about your options for Medicare and Social Security? At “Countdown to 65” — taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the second-floor Rotunda Conference Room at Monarch Place in downtown Springfield — Kevin Hansen from the Principal Funds Advanced Retirement Team and Susan Flanagan, senior outreach consultant with Blue Cross Blue Shield, will address the issues most pre-retirees have regarding their choices with these federal programs.

Admission is free, and wine and hors d’oeuvres will be available. Seating is limited. RSVP to Kimberly Galinski at [email protected] or Lindsey Arventos at [email protected], or call (413) 736-6712.

Advertising Club Announces Five Pynchon Award Winners for 2015

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts announced five recipients of the Order of William Pynchon Awards for 2015 — the 100th anniversary of the awards, which were first presented in 1915.

This year’s honorees include Gary Bernice, band director at Springfield High School of Science and Technology; entrepreneur and philanthropist Harold Grinspoon; Sue Ellen Panitch, who has volunteered with dozens of organizations; and Ronn and Donna Johnson, who founded the Brianna Fund for Children with Physical Disabilities.

The Pynchon Awards honor members of the community who have distinguished themselves through their service. The Advertising Club will fete this year’s honorees on Nov. 19 at the Springfield Museums. Tickets cost $65, and more information is available at www.adclubwm.org.

Briefcase

By BusinessWest Staff September 22, 2015

Briefcase Departments

CRRC USA Rail Corp. Breaks Ground on $95M Springfield Plant

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Charlie Baker and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno joined a host of local and state officials and representatives of CRRC USA Rail Corp. recently for a groundbreaking ceremony at the city’s former Westinghouse site on Page Boulevard, where the company will build its first North American plant. CRRC, a Chinese-based manufacturer of urban mass-transit vehicles, won a $565 million contract with the state last year to build nearly 300 subway cars for the MBTA’s aging Red and Orange lines — a project that promises 100-plus construction jobs from the building of a 220,000-square-foot plant, and more than 150 new manufacturing positions. CRRC visited about 50 North American sites before settling on Springfield. “Today is a great day in Springfield, and in Massachusetts, with CRRC, the largest railway company in the world, coming to Springfield,” Sarno said, noting that, while manufacturing was the city’s strong industrial base for generations, it started to erode in the 1970s, but has never gone away, and CRRC could be a catalyst to further shift the needle in a positive direction. “We now have a $95 million project here at the old Westinghouse site. This will be CRRC’s North American hub. It’s important that we use this as leverage and momentum,” the mayor said — not just for further manufacturing in Springfield, but a for a boost in regional rail service. “I’d love to see that east-west rail connecting Boston to Springfield to Washington, D.C.” While calling the groundbreaking “an exciting day for Springfield, an exciting day for the Commonwealth, and an exciting day for Western Mass.,” Baker said the MBTA is in dire need of new cars on its Red and Orange lines. During Boston’s crippling winter earlier this year, he said, it was pointed out to him that the rail cars pressing through the storms were the same ones that endured the Blizzard of ’78. “Think about that — that was a really long time ago, folks,” he told hundreds of people in attendance at yesterday’s ceremony, calling CRRC’s arrival a piece of the state’s “strategy to bring jobs, economic development, and transit improvements for the benefit of all people in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Weiping Yu, vice president of CRRC Corp. Limited in Beijing, said he was “honored” to partner with officials in Massachusetts and Springfield on the $95 million construction project and the economic benefits it will generate. Yi Lu, general commercial counselor for the New York Chinese Consulate, added that he’s confident the new Springfield plant will be a strong engine for the local economy, generating hundreds of new jobs and perhaps spurring further Chinese investment in the region. “Looking back on our initial discussions when we first visited Massachusetts,” added Chuanhe Zhou, president of CRRC USA Rail Corp., “I’m proud of the strides we’ve made, the relationships we’ve built, and the partnerships we’ve formed — from meetings with city officials to tours of local manufacturers to visits to local educational institutions. We couldn’t have found a better partner than you.” Jay Ash, the state’s secretary of Housing and Economic Development, said CRRC wants to be a good neighbor by hiring local people, taking advantage of local supply chains, and engaging with companies around Western Mass. as it expands in the future. And expand it should, added Stephanie Pollack, the Commonwealth’s Transportation secretary, if only because much of the country is dealing with the same issues as Massachusetts when it comes to aging rail cars. “We know what CRRC knows, which is that the MBTA is hardly the only transit system in the United States with 1970s-era cars,” she noted. “In fact, a lot of cars in this country were bought in the 1970s with what was then a relatively young federal program for producing them.” Baker credited his predecessor, former Gov. Deval Patrick, and his team with much of the legwork to bring CRRC to Massachusetts. “They did make this day possible. Sometimes you get credit for stuff that happens on your watch, whether you had anything to do with it or not.” That said, the governor went on, “our administration is thrilled to be here today. We consider this project to be not just an important part of the economic-development story in Springfield, but an important part of the future of the MBTA and transit in Massachusetts.”

Parent Companies of Local TV Stations Announce Merger

SPRINGFIELD — Media General Inc., owner of NBC-affiliated WWLP 22 and the CW Springfield, has agreed to buy Meredith Corp., owner of WGGB abc 40, CBS 3 Springfield, and Fox 6, for about $2.4 billion in cash and stock. The combined company, Meredith Media General, will be the third-largest local television station owner, initially with 88 television stations across 54 markets that reach 30% — approximately 34 million — of U.S. TV households. It anticipates annual revenue of $3 billion. Stations in six markets, including Springfield, will be swapped or otherwise divested in order to address regulatory considerations. The other five such markets are Portland, Ore.; Nashville, Tenn.; Hartford-New Haven, Conn.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C. and Asheville, N.C.; and Mobile, Ala. and Pensacola, Fla. “This merger creates greater opportunities for profitable growth than either company could achieve on its own,” said Media General Chairman J. Stewart Bryan III. “Importantly, shareholders of both companies will benefit from the upside potential of a diversified and strategically well-positioned media company with a strong financial profile and the ability to generate significant free cash flow.” Added Meredith CEO Steve Lacy, “we are excited about the opportunity to create a powerful new multi-platform and diversified media company with significant operations on the local and national levels. This merger will create a strong and efficient company positioned to realize the significant earnings and cash flow potential of local broadcasting, leverage the unparalleled reach and rich content-creation capabilities of Meredith’s national brands, and capture the rapidly developing growth potential of the digital media space. It also positions Meredith Media General to deliver enhanced shareholder value and participate in future industry consolidation.”

Unemployment Rate Steady in New England

BOSTON — The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released New England and state unemployment numbers for July. These data are supplied by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, which produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor-force data for Census regions and divisions, states, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities. Among the highlights of the release:
• The New England unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.7% in July. One year ago, the New England jobless rate was higher, at 5.8%. The New England unemployment rate was lower than the national rate of 5.3%.
• Three New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from the U.S. rate of 5.3%: Vermont (3.6%), New Hampshire (3.7%), and Maine (4.6%).
• Over the last year, five New England states recorded statistically significant unemployment-rate decreases, with declines ranging from 1.8% in Rhode Island to 0.5% in Vermont.

NUVO Bank Helps Preserve City of Homes

By BusinessWest Staff September 21, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — NUVO Bank & Trust Co. announced an open house and ribbon cutting to be held at a historic Queen Anne home that was rehabilitated, in part, through a short-term construction note from the Bank. The event will take place this Thursday, Sept. 24, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the home, located at 83 Bowdoin St. in Springfield’s McKnight historic district.

The single-family home, which was built in 1881, was purchased from the city for restoration by Demetrios Panteleakis, who has rehabilitated several other homes in Springfield’s historic neighborhoods. According to Jay Seyler, vice president of NUVO’s Commercial Loan Division, the city took the property through tax title and, through a grant program, sold it to Panteleakis at a discounted price along with a portion of the rehab funds needed to renovate it.

“He had financed similar projects through NUVO Bank in the past, and, with that history, he approached us to provide the remaining funds for the Bowdoin Street home through a short-term note,” said Seyler. “The benefit to Springfield is, once the project is completed and the home is sold, it’s back on the tax roll. It was previously a vacant property, abandoned and not earning any income for the city.”

The restoration of the home recently earned Panteleakis a Preservation Award from the Springfield Preservation Trust, which honors individuals and organizations that help restore and protect Springfield’s historic places. The property was in full rehabilitation at the time, which means it was in “complete disrepair,” said Panteleakis, who previously received Preservation Awards for rehabilitation projects on Bay and Westminster streets.

“NUVO Bank has always been committed to our preservation of homes within the city of Springfield,” said Panteleakis. “They have been a great community bank that supported us with our first restoration. NUVO Bank took a chance on us. They believed that we could not only rehab these homes, but make them marketable inside the city of Springfield. They really helped us with more than just the lending; they actually helped with the act of developing a business plan and making it economically feasible.”

The Bowdoin Street renovation would not have been possible without the collaboration of NUVO Bank, the Springfield Office of Planning and Economic Development, and the city’s Housing Department, he added. “All three have played a great part in preserving Springfield’s history.”

HUB International Announces Multiple New Team Members

By BusinessWest Staff September 21, 2015

Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International New England, a division of HUB International Limited, a global insurance-brokerage, risk-advisory and employee-benefits firm, announced multiple new hires in its East Longmeadow office to meet the needs of its expanding products, services, and customer demand.

Appointed as an employee benefits client relationship manager, Eileen Maxwell will be responsible for assisting staff with client relations, service, sales, and administrative activities of new and existing group benefit accounts. With almost 30 years of experience, she has an extensive background in planning, evaluating, implementing, relationship building, and managing all aspects of employee benefits.

Marayda Pagan joins the Personal Lines department as an account manager and will be responsible for assisting clients with their home, auto, and personal-liability umbrella coverages. She has held various positions in the insurance industry, starting out as an office assistant before being promoted to processor. She also held the position of Personal Lines manager.

Cynthia Squires has been hired as the manager of Select Business for small to medium-sized business accounts in the Commercial Lines department. She has been in the insurance industry for almost 30 years and brings an extensive amount of knowledge and leadership skills to the agency. She will be responsible for the day-to-day management and servicing of small-business accounts, providing oversight and direction to commercial-lines staff, leading quality-control and product-analysis processes, managing departmental retention, acquiring new business goals, and staying on top of the latest industry changes and trends.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Eileen, Marayda, and Cynthia on board during this exciting period of growth for the company,” said Timm Marini, president of HUB International New England, formerly FieldEddy Insurance. “Their respective experience will be an essential part in helping to further the agency’s goals of expanding our products and services while maintaining the highest level of service standards and best value to our clients.”

AIC to Premiere Documentary on Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four

By BusinessWest Staff September 21, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) will host the Western Mass. premiere of Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four this Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Griswold Theater on the AIC campus.

The documentary’s screening, a movie about a movie that never happened, follows a successful series of showings this summer at San Diego Comic-Con, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation in Los Angeles, and Aero Theater in Santa Monica, Calif. The film has received rave reviews in Variety, Esquire, and the Wall Street Journal.

Doomed is the brainchild of AIC Film and New Media Professor Marty Langford and his creative partner, Springfield native Mark Sikes, now living in Los Angeles. Langford, a lover of sci-fi films, comic books, and superheroes from his youth, was intrigued when he uncovered legendary film director Roger Corman’s unreleased work, The Fantastic Four.

In a Hollywood tale of intrigue, Langford and Sikes unravel the mystery surrounding a fully cast and produced movie — now a cult classic — that never saw the light of day. The documentary, three years in the making, gives the actors and crew a chance to tell their story.

“They put their hopes and dreams into a project they thought was going to change their careers,” Langford said, “but, in reality, there was never any intention of releasing it. Those with the most invested were kept in the dark.”

The screening of Doomed: The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four is free and open to the public and will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Langford.

Local Dance Store to Host Meet and Greet to Benefit Food Pantry

By BusinessWest Staff September 21, 2015

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Mary Ann’s Dance and More, a local dance apparel store, announced a meet-and-greet event to benefit the Easthampton Community Food Pantry.

Mary Ann’s Dance and More invites the public to welcome the Pioneer Valley Talent winners — including Miss Pioneer Valley, Miss Star of Hope, Miss Westfield Fair, and Junior Miss Westfield Fair — on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. at 56 Cottage St., Easthampton. The girls will be signing autographs to help benefit the Easthampton Community Center Food Pantry, and are asking for donations of non-perishable food items.

Opened in 2007, Mary Ann’s Dance and More offers dance supplies, including apparel and accessories, as well as novelty and gift items. For additional information about the meet and greet, contact the store at (413) 282-0054.

Nancy Shendell-Falik Promoted to President of Baystate Medical Center

By BusinessWest Staff September 18, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Nancy Shendell-Falik, who for the past two years has served in a dual position at Baystate Health as senior vice president/chief operating officer and chief nursing officer for Baystate Medical Center, has been promoted to president of Baystate Medical Center and senior vice president for hospital operations at Baystate Health. Her appointment becomes effective Oct. 1.

“During her two years at Baystate, Nancy has propelled the organization as both a system leader and COO/CNO of Baystate Medical Center. Her new role is an important step in our journey toward becoming a fully integrated health system, ensuring that we deliver care most effectively and efficiently,” said Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health. “As Baystate Health continues to develop a regional model of care, an important new directive for Nancy will be to help us to achieve a greater alignment between our five hospitals, physicians, and other community providers.”

Baystate Health consists of Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, and its newest members, Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer and Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield.

In Shendell-Falik’s new role, the presidents of Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Baystate Health’s Northern Region, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Health’s Eastern Region will report to her.

Before coming to Baystate, Shendell-Falik — an experienced healthcare and nurse leader with years of success improving the quality of patient care, hospital efficiency, and patient satisfaction — served as senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children in Boston. During her tenure there, she demonstrated a collaborative style of leadership in championing numerous initiatives to improve clinical quality, patient safety, and patient experience. She implemented a system of performance scorecards across all departments, served as executive sponsor of Tufts’ Patient and Family Advisory Council, and sponsored a novel leadership-education program.

Prior to her work in Boston, Shendell-Falik served as senior vice president, Patient Care Services, at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey. While at the 673-bed, regional-care teaching hospital, she led similar successful initiatives to improve quality and safety, implemented a nurse-residency program, and reduced nursing vacancy rates.

Since joining Baystate in July 2013, Shendell-Falilk has encouraged new interdisciplinary collaborations as a way to further improve patient experience, and served as the architect behind developing standard attire for various caregivers to help patients identify who is providing their care. Also, under her leadership, Baystate Medical Center was named to an elite group of High Performing Hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report for 2015-16.

Shendell-Falik holds a master’s degree in nursing from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Rutgers College of Nursing. She was a fellow of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Program. She holds membership in numerous professional societies and organizations, including the Mass. Organization of Nurse Executives, the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Alumni Assoc., the National Assoc. for Female Executives, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives. She has published more than a dozen peer-reviewed articles in national journals on topics such as team-based care, achieving Magnet status, and implementing clinical practice guidelines.

Keroack noted that Shendell-Falik’s appointment is a milestone in the history of Baystate Health, marking both the first female president and first nurse as president of Baystate Medical Center.

“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to guide our nationally recognized hospital into the future,” she said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with staff and leaders of all Baystate facilities to deliver care that is compassionate, of the highest quality, and affordable. As I prepare to assume my new role, I am honored and humbled to be the first woman and nurse to hold this position at Baystate.”

For more information on Baystate Medical Center, visit baystatehealth.org/bmc.

Human Resources Unlimited to Present Recognition Event Oct. 15

By BusinessWest Staff September 18, 2015

Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Human Resources Unlimited will present its annual Recognition and Fund-raiser Event on Thursday, Oct. 15 at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m., and the program runs from 7:45 to 9 a.m.

The Sheldon B. Brooks Employer Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to YMCA of Greater Westfield; the Employer of the Year Award will be presented to Harrington Memorial Hospital; the Rookie Employer Award will be given to Plastipak Packaging; and the Armand Tourangeau Volunteer of the Year is John Ernst.

RSVP by Friday, Oct. 2 at [email protected] or (413) 781-5359. The breakfast is by invitation only, and seating is limited to the first 200 people. The suggested minimum donation is $100. Proper business attire (jackets for gentlemen) is required. The gold sponsors are Hub International (formerly FieldEddy Insurance) and United Bank, and BusinessWest is the media sponsor.

State Unemployment Rate Remains at 4.7% in August

By BusinessWest Staff September 18, 2015

Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate remained at 4.7% in August, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced.

The new preliminary job estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Massachusetts gained 7,200 jobs in August, marking the 12th consecutive month of job gains. Year to date, Massachusetts has added 56,500 jobs.

Preliminary August estimates show the number of employed residents declined by 20,600 and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,500, reducing the labor force by 23,100.

Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell 0.9% from 5.6% in August 2014. The August state unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 5.1% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Massachusetts continues to add jobs that strengthen our economy, and the unemployment rate is holding steady, lower than the national average,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker II said. “We recognize there are still more than 160,000 people looking for work, and are aligning strategies to better help them find employment.”

The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — decreased 0.5% to 65.3%. The labor-force participation rate over the year has decreased 0.1% compared to August 2014.

August 2015 estimates show that 3,424,000 residents were employed and 167,500 were unemployed. There were 33,200 fewer unemployed persons over the year compared to August 2014. The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in professional, scientific, and business services; construction; and information.

Dress for Success Welcomes Gina Golash Kos to Board of Directors

By BusinessWest Staff September 18, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success (DFS) announced that it has appointed Gina Golash Kos to its board of directors.

Golash Kos brings vast nonprofit leadership experience to the table — both in her role as CEO at Sunshine Village and in leadership positions in the region’s nonprofits. She is currently a trustee of Elms College and a member of the executive committee of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. She previously served on the board of trustees of Westfield State University and is a past chairperson of the boards of the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce.

Dakin’s Leslie Harris to Step Down as Executive Director

By BusinessWest Staff September 17, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — After 20 years at Dakin Humane Society, Executive Director Leslie Harris announced she will be resigning her position on Oct. 2 to pursue a new opportunity at Quonquont Farm & Orchard in Whately.

“Leslie’s vision and leadership has given Dakin incredible momentum and untold success stories,” said Charlotte Cathro, Dakin’s board treasurer. “Since joining the organization in 1995, Leslie grew Dakin from an all-volunteer, foster-based network to one with more than 60 employees between its two locations in Springfield and Leverett, a full-time spay/neuter clinic that has performed more than 60,000 surgeries, and a multi-million-dollar budget. I know I speak for the entire board in expressing my appreciation for Leslie’s stewardship of Dakin and wish her great success in her new role.”

Under Harris’s leadership, Dakin Humane Society grew from serving 300 animals in its first year to more than 20,000 in 2014. She led the charge to merge operations with Greenfield’s Pioneer Valley Humane Society in 2006 and the expansion of operations to Springfield in 2009.

Today, Dakin encompasses two adoption centers and the Community Spay/Neuter Clinic. Due to Dakin’s affordable, wide-reaching spay/neuter programs, intake of local homeless kittens has declined 46% in the past six years. Dakin has met its dual goals of eliminating euthanasia as a means of controlling pet overpopulation in the Pioneer Valley and guaranteeing the placement of every adoptable animal that arrives at its front doors. Harris currently oversees the organization’s $3.7 million budget.

“It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as Dakin’s executive director,” Harris said. “This was a hard decision to make, given my love for animals and Dakin, but I know the organization will continue to thrive and evolve thanks to its dedicated staff and volunteers. I will continue to be an enthusiastic supporter of Dakin’s work.”

Dakin’s board voted to appoint its recent president, Nancy Creed, to the position of interim executive director. The board will now conduct a search for a permanent replacement who, according to Cathro, “exemplifies our guiding principles, is committed to our mission, and can lead the organization into the next phase of its development, expand community goodwill, and challenge the Dakin nation to bigger and better things.”

Dakin Humane Society is a local, nonprofit organization that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses that care about animals to bring its services to the community. For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.

Science Museum to Host Viewing of Total Lunar Eclipse on Sept. 27

By BusinessWest Staff September 17, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Science Museum will host two opportunities to view the heavens in the coming weeks, including a viewing of the total lunar eclipse on Sunday, Sept. 27. Eclipses of this type are rare — the next such occurrence won’t take place for another four years, and the moon’s close proximity to the earth makes the event even more unusual.

The Science Museum will be open to the public starting Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m., when museum staff and Springfield Stars Club members will lead observatory tours, planetarium shows, and presentations about eclipses. At 9 p.m., the activity will shift outside to the viewing area on the Quadrangle’s North Lawn, where Stars Club members will have telescopes set up to observe the eclipse. The partial phases of the eclipse begin at 9:07 p.m. and continue until the moon is totally eclipsed from 10:11 to 11:23 p.m.

During the total phase, the normally brilliant full moon will appear much dimmer and shine with an eerie, greyish-orange color. In case of cloudy or inclement conditions, live streaming video of the eclipse will be projected at a location inside the Science Museum. The cost to attend the eclipse event is $5 for adults and $3 for ages 17 and under.

Later that week, the Science Museum’s large rooftop telescope will be open for public skygazing on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Stars Over Springfield observatory series. These programs are organized by the museum and the Springfield Stars Club, and take place on the first Friday of each month. Stars Over Springfield programs are best suited for families with children ages 8 and older; however, younger children are also welcome.

Admission to the October 2 event is $3 for adults and $2 for children 17 and under. These programs are held rain or shine. If it is cloudy, a planetarium show will be presented in place of telescope viewing. The featured talk on Oct. 2 will be presented by Science Museum planetarium educator Jack Megas, who will discuss “Viewing the Autumn Sky.”

Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson to Open Oct. 5

By BusinessWest Staff September 17, 2015

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Yesterday, more than 150 donors, doctors, healthcare administrators, and oncology staff attended a ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony at the new Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

The ceremonial event marks the end of construction of a 16,400-square-foot facility, of which 3,400 square feet is new space and 13,000 square feet is renovated existing space.

Officials at Cooley Dickinson were notified earlier in the day that the Mass. Department of Public Health review is complete and the facility has been approved. Patient care begins in the new center Monday, Oct. 5.

“This is a tremendous day for Cooley Dickinson, Mass General, and for everyone who’s worked so hard to make the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital a reality,” said Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Health Care. “We are committed to combining the personal care of a community hospital with access to world-renowned medical experts. That is the promise of the affiliation and the promise of the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.”

Dr. Sean Mullally, medical director of the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital and a Mass General Cancer Center physician, said the majority of cancer care can be provided at a community hospital. “In some cases, it does make sense for people to go to the Mass General Cancer Center. In those instances, we are making sure that patients get the right treatment in the right place. And if people need to go to Boston, we make it more convenient for the patient to get there; we coordinate their care with doctors at Mass General who sub-specialize in cancer.”

Mullally said a patient who needs chemotherapy will have access to the same treatment regimens, protocols, and safety as the Mass General Cancer Center. “They can get their chemotherapy here knowing we are following the same clinical guidelines as the Mass General Cancer Center. At Cooley Dickinson, patients are closer to home, surrounded by family and friends, and in more comfortable environment.”

After years of business plans, architectural drawings, and input from patients and community members, the new Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson was designed around the needs of patients and their care team.

“There has been tremendous input from our patients,” Mullally added, noting that their input — coupled with engineering and facility-design best practices — has shaped how care is delivered in the center.

The new facility quadruples the footprint where patients had been receiving care in the oncology medical practice. Highlights include:

• An 18-chair infusion bay for patients receiving chemotherapy with comfortable chairs where some patients can receive treatment for up to eight hours, personal TVs and wi-fi, plus room for a caregiver;

• Four infusion rooms available for those who require more privacy;

• Two large nurses’ stations for patient monitoring;

• Ten exam rooms;

• A multi-disciplinary consultation room for use by different members of a patient’s care team, such as physicians, surgeons, nutritionists, and social workers;

• A videoconferencing room for teleconsultations with Mass General Cancer Center physicians;

• A dedicated reception area with a beverage station;

• A dedicated check-out area that facilitates private conversations for follow-up care;

• A dedicated entrance immediately inside the North Building lobby; and

• Access to convenient parking and valet parking at the North Building entrance.

Taking care of patients in the new center will be medical oncologists Dr. Lindsay Rockwell, Dr. Barrett Newsome, Dr. Sean Mullally, and Dr. Deborah Smith, and radiation oncologists Dr. Linda Bornstein and Dr. Jennifer Hyder. Depending on each patient’s unique circumstances, physicians coordinate care with their colleagues at the Mass General Cancer Center in Boston. Smith will begin seeing patients at Cooley Dickinson in November.

Patients requiring radiation-oncology treatments have access to the Vitkauskas Crowe Radiation Oncology Suite. The linear-accelerator radiation-oncology equipment is the same model used the Mass General Cancer Center in Boston. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or particles to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapists follow the same safety and treatment protocols as the Mass General Cancer Center.

In addition, Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s pharmacy was renovated and expanded last year as one of the first steps of the construction of the new Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson. The pharmacy is across the hall from the new center. Clinical-oncology pharmacists offer patients the same treatment regimens, protocols, and safety for chemotherapy as the Mass General Cancer Center in Boston. Other improvements include an expanded and state-of-the-art medication-compounding area.

PVTA Taps Project Manager for Bus Operations, Maintenance Facility

By BusinessWest Staff September 17, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — City Point Partners announced it has been selected by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) to oversee the design and construction of the new Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility on Cottage Street in Springfield, replacing the existing, 100-year-old facility.

The new, 280,000-square-foot, $70 million facility will be built on an 18-acre site and will provide bus maintenance and storage for the PVTA’s Springfield fixed-route operation. The facility will be able to accommodate approximately 150 fixed-route buses, including standard-size diesel buses and articulated buses.

Included in this new facility will be management office space, fuel bays, wash bays, bus and van storage bays, garage and body-shop areas, parts storage, exercise rooms, locker rooms and showers, lounge, dispatch center, employee parking, and green spaces. A new cell tower will also be installed onsite to support the PVTA’s IT communications. The new facility will seek LEED certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s green-building rating system.

City Point Partners will provide owner’s project-management services advising with respect to the design, scope of work, cost estimating, construction manager-at-risk and subcontractor selection, schedule overview, and performance monitoring.

With ridership expected to continue its steady increase and a number of high-profile development projects in the Springfield area scheduled to be completed within the next two to three years, the PVTA is planning for a greater expansion of service and consequently will require larger facilities to support this service expansion.

“We are very excited to be working with City Point Partners on this critical project. A larger operations center is a vital part of supporting the expanded service that our ridership demands,” said Mary MacInnes, administrator of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.

Added Colleen Moore, president and founder of City Point Partners, “this is a very exciting time for the PVTA. Both the public- and private-sector developments planned for the Springfield area will change the city of Springfield itself and the Pioneer Valley. We are confident that we will be able to help the PVTA meet the rising demand of their ridership, which will result from these developments and ultimately stimulate increased economic activity in the region. We are very happy to be working for the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.”

City Point Partners has a growing owner’s project-management practice with multiple projects across Massachusetts.

Lunch-n-Learn Program to Focus on Year-end E-mail Marketing

By BusinessWest Staff September 16, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber’s first Lunch-n-Learn of its 2015-16 season will focus on holiday marketing campaigns and take place on Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield.

Liz Provo, authorized local representative for Constant Contact, one of the leading e-mail marketing service providers in the country, will return as a presenter with “Rock Your Holidays: Creating Marketing Campaigns That Are Perfect for the Holiday Season.”

Geared towards companies in all industries, the workshop will provide simple, practical tips for closing out 2015 on a high note. Participants will learn how to leverage social media to engage new and existing customers; which promotions and special offers work for business right now; best ways to drive response from e-mails and social posts; easy strategies to keep offers looking good on a cell phone or tablet; how to create and manage a campaign for the holidays; how to create a simple playbook to plan marketing activities all season long; and how to measure results.

Provo has been involved in sales and marketing throughout her career. A magazine publisher, blogger, and early adopter of social media, she has taught small-business owners throughout Western Mass. how to effectively use today’s marketing tools to grow their businesses. As an authorized local expert with Constant Contact, Provo joins a network of 200 professionals around the country who are available to associations, organizations, and event planners, speaking on relationship marketing.

Reservations cost $25 for members and $35 for general admission, which includes lunch, networking time, and one-on-one discussions with Provo. Attendees will also receive a pre-pay discount up to 25% on an existing or new Constant Contact subscription to its e-mail marketing, online survey, and event marketing tools.

Reservations may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by contacting Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].

Hannoush Jewelers to Hold Grand Re-opening Event at Holyoke Mall

By BusinessWest Staff September 16, 2015

Daily News

HOLYOKE — Hannoush Jewelers will host a grand re-opening “Meet the Family” event on Friday, Oct. 2 at its location in the Holyoke Mall.

“We’re excited to unveil the complete renovation of our Holyoke store,” said Peter Zografos, store manager. “Hannoush Jewelers is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, and we invite everyone to stop by our event, meet the owners, and have lunch on us.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Food will be provided on location at the event, from noon to 1:30 p.m., courtesy of Shortstop Bar & Grill in Westfield. Also, in conjunction with the chain’s 35th anniversary, the winners of the “Hannoush Moments” 35th-anniversary commercial contest will be announced. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, contact the Holyoke store at (413) 536-7353.

Hannoush Jewelers in Holyoke is one of 50 Hannoush Jewelers retail locations throughout the country. Hannoush Jewelers first opened its doors in 1980 with a single location at the former Fairfield Mall in Chicopee.

Men of the Year to be Honored at Women’s Fund Event

By BusinessWest Staff September 16, 2015

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) will celebrate its inaugural Men of the Year Award recipients on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Twin Hills Country Club in Longmeadow. The Women’s Fund Men of the Year Award will honor three men from our region who, in their professional or personal lives, have made significant contributions to ensure economic and social equity for women and girls.

More than 200 participants are expected to attend, including local and state elected officials. The event is open to the public and will include craft beers, dinner, and live music. Tickets cost $65 and may be purchased online at www.womensfund.net.

“We are thrilled to host this inaugural awards event that will highlight how men are working with us to create a better world for women and girls,” said WFWM CEO Elizabeth Barajas-Román. “Together, we can make a difference.”

Nominations for Men of the Year are being accepted online at www.womensfund.net through Sept. 21. A volunteer selection committee will determine the three award recipients. The ideal nominee demonstrates an outstanding history of efforts to ensure economic and social equity for women and girls in the Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, or Berkshire area; exemplifies civic, work, or community leadership; demonstrates collaborative spirit by working with other individuals, organizations, or projects; and inspires others to prioritize gender equity and empowerment in their professional and personal lives.

The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts is a public foundation that invests in local women and girls through strategic grant making and leadership development. Since 1997, the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $2 million in grants to nearly 100 organizations in the region.

Gove Law Office Welcomes Katrina Anop

By BusinessWest Staff September 16, 2015

Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Gove Law Office announced that Katrina Anop will join the practice as an associate attorney.

As a bilingual (English- and Spanish-speaking) lawyer, Anop will assist clients with their real-estate, family-law, guardianship, and probate needs. She received her bachelor’s degree in legal studies from UMass Amherst and her juris doctorate from Western New England University School of Law in 2011.

Gove Law Office, with offices in Northampton and Ludlow, is a bilingual firm with attorneys who can assist clients in both English and Spanish, providing legal representation in the areas of business representation, commercial lending, residential and commercial real estate, estate planning, guardianships, probate administration, and bankruptcy.

Springfield Museums Joins Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day Live!

By BusinessWest Staff September 15, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums will once again open their doors free of charge on Saturday, Sept. 26 as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 11th annual Museum Day Live!

On that day, the Springfield Museums and a host of others across the U.S. will emulate the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington-based facilities by offering free admission to those who download a Museum Day Live! ticket.

Inclusive by design, the event represents the Smithsonian’s commitment to make learning and the spread of knowledge accessible to everyone. Last year’s event drew more than 400,000 participants, and this year’s event is expected to attract more museum patrons than ever before.

“We’re honored to join with the Smithsonian and other prestigious institutions across the nation in this worthwhile effort,” said Kay Simpson, interim president of the Springfield Museums, adding, “the multi-faceted nature of our collections, from priceless works of fine art to exhibits on science and transportation history, mirrors the diversity on display at the Smithsonian’s many facilities.”

To participate, visitors must download and present a Museum Day Live! ticket, which is valid for free entrance for up to two people at participating venues on Sept. 26 only. The ticket may be downloaded at smithsonian.com/museumday. One ticket per household, per e-mail address, is permitted.

More information about the Museum Day Live! event and a full list of participating cultural institutions can also be found at smithsonian.com/museumday.

Susan Fentin Recognized Among Top Women of Law

By BusinessWest Staff September 15, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor- and employment-law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area, announced that attorney Susan Fentin will be an honoree at the annual Top Women of Law event presented by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The event, recognizing the top 50 female legal professionals in Massachusetts, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel in Boston.

The Top Women of Law program celebrates the outstanding achievements made by exceptional women in the legal profession. The awards highlight 50 women who are pioneers, educators, trailblazers, and role models. Fentin is the only honoree from the Pioneer Valley.

Fentin joined Skoler, Abbott & Presser in 1999 and has been a partner at the firm since 2004. Before beginning her law career she had a career in business and owned and operated her own marketing and advertising company. The experience gave her insight into the employment problems faced by many business owners. Today, she specializes in employment-law issues, counseling employers on handling difficult employee situations and avoiding litigation, defending employers against charges of discrimination under state and federal law, and employment litigation in state and federal court.

Her interest in helping employers is evident in her editorship of the Massachusetts Employment Law Letter and her involvement with the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium in Las Vegas. Her passion for employment law has also led her to Cambridge, Mass., where she has held master classes on behalf of M. Lee Smith Publishers on the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

A complete list of the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly 2015 Top Women of Law honorees can be found online at masslawyersweekly.com/top-women-of-law/2015-honorees.

American Pickers Plans to Film Episodes in Massachusetts

By BusinessWest Staff September 15, 2015

Daily News

MASSACHUSETTS — Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, and Antique Archeology will film episodes of their hit series American Pickers throughout Massachusetts in early October.

American Pickers is a documentary series on the History channel that explores the world of antique ‘picking.’ It follows two of the most skilled pickers in the business, Wolfe and Fritz, as they embark on an epic road trip across the U.S. in search of America’s most valuable antiques, from motorcycles, classic cars, and bicycles to one-of-a-kind vintage memorabilia. As they restore forgotten relics to their former glory, they learn a thing or two about American history along the way.

American Pickers is looking for leads, and are on the hunt for interesting characters with interesting and unique items. They’re seeking vintage bicycles, toys, unusual radios, movie memorabilia, advertising, military items, folk art, vintage musical equipment, vintage automotive items, early firefighting equipment, vintage clothing, and pre-’50s western gear.

If you have a large collection or want to refer someone to Wolfe and Fritz, e-mail your name, phone number, address, and description and photos of the collection to [email protected].

Bruce Devlin Named Among Best Lawyers in America

By BusinessWest Staff September 15, 2015

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin, P.C. announced that attorney Bruce Devlin was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2016 in the field of trust and estates.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence, based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. More than 79,000 leading attorneys have cast more than 6.2 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

“As a peer-review survey, Best Lawyers is a comprehensive analysis of legal expertise in the area, and I am humbled and honored to be among the attorneys to be listed,” said Devlin. “The Best Lawyers lists are the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals.”

Devlin has worked in both the legal and accounting professions. He founded the law firm Frankel Devlin, LLC, where he worked from 2007 through mid-June 2014, when he joined Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin.

Devlin has effectively incorporated his tax background into his legal expertise, focusing on business law, wills, trusts, and other aspects of estate planning, probate, estate administration, taxation, and elder law. He holds a legal master’s degree in taxation, which he earned following his graduation from law school.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County Awarded Mentoring Grant

By BusinessWest Staff September 14, 2015

Daily News

GREENFIELD — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County (BBBS-FC) announced it has been awarded a mentoring matching grant of $23,431 from Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), a statewide organization fueling the movement to expand empowering youth-adult relationships in Massachusetts. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is one of 32 mentoring programs throughout the Commonwealth to receive such a grant.

Funding for the grants stems from Gov. Charlie Baker’s FY16 budget, where it was funded at $500,000 through the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is unique in its use of private-sector support, as grantees are required to match, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount awarded with cash or in-kind resources.

The award money from the mentoring matching grant will be used to create and supervise new matches with adult mentors and children in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, and to support the matches already involved in the program.

“The funding provided by this grant will allow us to strengthen and expand our programming and reach more children in our community who are in need of positive role models and additional support,” said BBBS-FC Executive Director Danielle Letourneau-Therrien.

Funded programs are awarded through a competitive RFP process and community review administered by MMP, and receive training, technical support, and mentor-recruitment assistance from MMP.

“We are proud to invest in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County with a mentoring matching grant,” MMP President and CEO Marty Martinez said. “This critical funding will allow Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County to support their matches with quality-based, research-driven practices and resources that ensure youth are given every opportunity to develop into productive, successful adults.”

Across Massachusetts, mentoring matching grants will create and support 1,525 high-quality matches — 202 more than last year. It will also support existing matches, leading to improved mentee grades, attendance, and attitude toward school, which in turn leads to increased graduation rates, and a better-prepared, more skilled sector of entry-level workers.

Elms College Recognized in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

By BusinessWest Staff September 14, 2015

Daily News

CHICOPEE — The College of Our Lady of the Elms ranks in the top 25 in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of Best Regional Colleges (North). Elms is one of only five colleges in the state that made the top 25, and one of only two in Western Mass. The college also ranked 10th on the list of Best Value Schools in the region, and ninth in the Freshman Retention Rate category.

The U.S. News Best Colleges rankings are designed to help students and their families find colleges that offer the best academic value for their money. The list provides at-a-glance breakdowns of each institution, and ranks them based on indicators including value and first-year student retention rate.

The Best Value category considers each school’s academic quality and the net cost of attendance in 2014-15 for a student receiving average need-based financial aid. “The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal,” U.S. News notes.

In the Freshman Retention Rate category, the publication explains that up to one-third of first-year students do not return for their second year of college because of financial issues, family problems, or other hurdles. “Some colleges do a great job of taking care of their freshmen; some don’t,” U.S. News notes. The retention rates in this category represent the average percentage of freshmen who started college in autumn 2010 through fall 2013 and who returned to school the following autumn. Elms College’s retention rate is 82%.