A chart of the region’s golf courses
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Year: 2015
For the Agawam Cinemas, There Will Indeed Be a Sequel
By KEVIN FLANDERS
Kimberly Wheeler says she was pleasantly surprised by the level of enthusiasm she encountered from local movie fans who supported her Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to renovate and reopen the Agawam Cinemas.
The deadline had been looming for some time following the announcement that 35-mm film would no longer be used. The result was a difficult decision for many theater owners — initiate the costly conversion to digital projectors or close their doors.
Then-owner Sal Anzalotti, who had run the cinemas for nearly 20 years, elected to close the business, much to the devastation of many local families who frequented the cinemas. For a time it looked like the reign of movies at the 866 Suffield St. location was over; the price of bringing movies back to Agawam was seemingly too steep.
Fast-forward almost one year, and those very families once fraught with despair are now teeming with joy and excitement. The movies are indeed coming back to Agawam, with Kimberly Wheeler leading the way.
“This was an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up,” said Wheeler, a lifelong Agawam resident and movie buff who spent countless hours catching films at the theater with friends and family. “When it closed its doors, it was absolutely heartbreaking.”
Wheeler had no experience prior to this year in acquiring and operating local cinemas. An EMT for 13 years and also an instructor of emergency medicine, she might have been the last person one might have expected to embrace such a massive undertaking. There are many innate challenges to restoring a cinema and getting a business back on its feet — challenges that would have daunted most people.
But with a lifetime of movie memories and the desire for new ones serving as her inspirations, Wheeler excitedly took over the shuttered cinemas and hasn’t looked back since.
Total Team Effort
Having only rented the business — now called Agawam Cinemas — for 10 months, Wheeler has gone a surprisingly long way in a short period of time. Needing to raise about $150,000 in order to purchase digital projectors, it was a tall task to get the business off the ground again.
But Wheeler wasn’t alone with her aspirations. Hundreds of area residents and business owners, many with similar recollections of catching movies in Agawam, showed their support through $45,000 in donations during a month-long fund-raising effort on Kickstarter. Additionally, several individuals reached out to Wheeler to express their support of the project and congratulate her for bringing the movie tradition back to Agawam.
“I had so much support from Agawam residents and businesses. It was stunning — the most heartwarming thing I have ever seen,” Wheeler told BusinessWest. “I don’t know if I could have done this without all of the help I’ve gotten from the community. It really does take a village.”
Agawam Family Cinemas started life as the local Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas, and is set to reopen soon as a modern, fully digital theater.
Those costs are well worth it, Wheeler said, especially since the project has come as a pleasant surprise not only to Agawam residents, but to film fans throughout the area. Many people used to travel several miles to see movies in Agawam, passing up larger cinemas to experience the quaint environment.
“I got many letters and e-mails of encouragement,” added Wheeler, who hopes construction will be complete in time for a grand reopening in May or June. “It’s so important to know that the town and region are behind you 100% when you do something like this. People really missed this place.”
Residents and town officials alike are eagerly anticipating the reopening of the cinemas. From family events to nights out with friends, Agawam Cinemas will be ideal for people of all ages.
Wheeler, who has always enjoyed watching movies with her father, wants to give others a chance to experience the thrill of taking in movies with their families as well. She has seen countless movies in all genres over the years in Agawam, from Monsters University to Philomena. One of Wheeler’s fondest memories of the Agawam cinemas was seeing the film Django Unchained with her father. Theater policies at the time required at least four guests to be in attendance for the movie to run, but for a while Wheeler and her father were the only guests.
“We were sitting in the lobby, holding our breath to see if two other people would arrive to see this film alongside us, when finally one couple arrived,” Wheeler recalled. “We all let out a sigh of relief and laughed together. It was a team effort to get this film presented that evening, and we all enjoyed the film immensely.”
Town officials, meanwhile, have plenty of great memories of the place as well, many of their recollections dating back to the early days of the cinemas. Listening to their stories, one can easily understand how the cinemas have been stitched into the fabric of Agawam.
“I am both pleased and excited about the renovation and reopening of the Agawam Cinemas at the Southgate Plaza,” said Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen. “I remember when they originally opened as the Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas. We are fortunate that the town’s only movie theater will once again be offering first-grade services with a hometown atmosphere. I can’t wait for the ribbon cutting and the ability of watching movies once again here in Agawam.”
Showtime
Built in the late ’60s, Agawam Cinemas was originally part of a chain of Jerry Lewis Twin Cinemas franchises that sprouted up across the country, with individual operators paying around $10,000 to operate a given cinema. The two auditoriums hold 175 and 250 guests, respectively, with the unique distinction of having tables in front of every seat. The theaters used to hold more than 400 each, and the decision to add tables reduced seating capacity but increased guest comfort.
Since taking over the business, Wheeler has placed an emphasis on creating the most comfortable and convenient atmosphere possible for her guests. Upgrades are currently in progress to make the building fully ADA-compliant, and the lobby has experienced a makeover as well. In addition to standard concession choices that will be made available for snacks, Wheeler is also thinking outside the box by offering guests gourmet chocolate creations from Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe in East Longmeadow. Now that movies are coming back to town, she wants other businesses to benefit as well.
On the topic of business, Wheeler praised New England Theater Co. of Connecticut for its construction work on the building, and she’s eagerly awaiting opening night.
“We want to make it a destination for people, from the atmosphere to the exceptional customer service,” Wheeler said. “This is something that will get people out of their houses and help them forget their troubles. It will provide a great family and group experience.”
Unlike large movie theater chains, Wheeler is striving to foster the same neighborhood feel the place has always been known for, a venue where people can build friendships on the foundation of a common bond. By intertwining modern technologies with nostalgic elements, the cinema will transcend the zeitgeist of its initial creation and usher in a new era of movie magic in Agawam.
To celebrate the building’s history, the lobby will feature several items of Jerry Lewis memorabilia and other hallmarks of the cinema’s past. Prior to entering the theaters, guests will get to experience the history that connects generations of Agawam residents.
“We want the lobby to be comfortable, with a focus on nostalgia. We are digging up everything we can find, from the groundbreaking of the cinema to current day,” Wheeler said.
She plans to show first-run movies at the theaters, perhaps in an alternating sequence that allows about four movies to play on a given day, two per theater. Though the details haven’t been fully ironed out, Wheeler said she will seek input from guests on what movies they would like to see and try to create a balance.
“We want to make it flexible and give them the opportunity to let us know what they want to see,” she told BusinessWest.
For many residents and town officials, it won’t even matter which movies are playing, as long as the big screens are bright again in Agawam.
Seuss Museum Expected to Provide Boost for Quadrangle, City
Top: an artist’s rendering of one of the scenes to unfold on the first floor of the planned Dr. Seuss museum, set to open in June 2016. Above: kids visit Ted Geisel’s statue in the outdoor sculpture garden.
There is a sculpture garden featuring Seuss characters, as well as the author himself, on the museum grounds, which helps explain all those inquiries, she said. Still, many assume there is a museum attached to that hugely popular attraction. Meanwhile, there’s also an image of the Cat in the Hat on the museums’ logo, creating additional expectations.
But another huge factor is simply the strong international pull of Theodor Seuss Geisel, the most famous children’s author of all time — an estimated 600 million copies of his various works have been sold in 95 countries around the world — and knowledge of his many connections to Springfield, his birthplace, said Smith-Bove, president of Springfield Museums. And thus it is with a good deal of relief — and anticipation — that such questions will now be given a different answer.
Specifically, that the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum will open its doors in June 2016 in the William Pynchon Memorial Building, which once housed the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum.
The new facility will be highly interactive and have a strong literacy component, said Kay Simpson, vice president of Springfield Museums, who spearheaded the Seuss museum project.
She told BusinessWest that the first floor of the Seuss museum, some 3,200 square feet of exhibition space, will house “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss,” a permanent, bilingual exhibit deigned to introduce children and their families to the stories of Geisel, promote joy in reading, and nurture specific literacy skills.
“The exhibit is really focused on Ted Geisel growing up in downtown Springfield, and how the sights that he saw and some of the characters he encountered later appeared in his books,” said Simpson, noting that there are many connections, including Mulberry Street, just a few blocks from the Quadrangle, which was the focus of his first book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.
The second floor, meanwhile, which is due to open roughly a year later and is what Simpson called a “work in progress,” will house additional exhibits, including a planned re-creation of Geisel’s studio, an exhibition about the making of the sculpture garden, and other related displays.
“We’re calling it ‘Ted’s Room,’” said Smith-Bove. “It might include his writing desk — setting up his studio as if he just left it.”
The new museum is expected to generate perhaps a 25% boost in overall visitorship to the Quadrangle (currently about 400,000 annually), said Smith-Bove, adding that the attraction has strong potential to bring a number of economic benefits to the City of Homes, especially if the museum concept can be built upon in ways to include other city landmarks.
Holly Smith-Bove, left, and Kay Simpson say the new Dr. Seuss museum will bring many benefits, including a boost in sales of Seuss items in the gift shop.
They also envision packaging a Seuss experience with other facilities honoring artistic and literary figures, such as the Mark Twain Museum in Hartford, the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, and others.
For this issue and its focus on travel and tourism, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at plans for the Seuss museum and talks with those involved about how it might prompt visitors to explore not only the worlds Geisel created, but the city that inspired so much of what he drew.
Rhyme and Reason
Simpson told BusinessWest that discussions concerning a Seuss museum began in 2002, not long after the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden opened, and it became immediately apparent just how powerful a draw the children’s author and his famous characters were.
“It was a huge attraction the day it opened to the public, and it still is today,” said Simpson, noting that, because people don’t have to purchase admission to visit the garden, it is hard to keep an accurate account of visitorship, but she estimates at least 100,000 people a year.
From a qualitative standpoint, she said the sculpture garden has been a hit with people of all ages, and it has attracted cars bearing the license plates of nearly 50 states.
“When the kids come onto the Quad, the minute they see the sculptures, they immediately run toward them — it’s very meaningful for people,” Simpson noted, adding that, while it is mostly a spring and summer phenomenon, weather doesn’t stop many of the faithful.
“I’ve gone out onto the Quad even during the chilly autumn,” she noted, “and you’ll see someone in the middle of a rainstorm with an umbrella just reading the text from the sculpture that represents Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”
And many of those visitors, as Smith-Bove noted, want to know where the Seuss museum is.
While there has long been a desire to create one and meet that recognized need, Simpson explained, many pieces had to fall in place for such a facility to become reality.
Such pieces included physical space, a problem that was solved when the various collections in the Pynchon building were moved to the new Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History in 2009, freeing up that square footage. Another was gaining the blessing of Geisel’s widow, Audrey, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, an organization that zealously promotes and protects the Seuss name and brand, while still another was funding.
In many respects, Simpson said, those challenges were woven together.
“We had a conceptual plan for the first floor of the Pynchon building, which had received approval from Dr. Seuss Enterprises, but they had a condition,” she explained. “And the condition was that we had to raise all the money that we needed to execute that conceptual plan before we started any construction or fabrication.
“It’s been like a patchwork quilt,” added Simpson of the efforts to create the museum, adding that a key stitch came from a $1 million appropriation from the state, which, when added to roughly $600,000 and other donations, including a $150,000 gift from the Institute of Library Services, gave the Museums more than the $1.5 million needed to greenlight the project and begin work.
Following an extensive RFP process that yielded responses from firms across the country, the Springfield Museums contracted with a design group comprised of 42 Design Fab, based in Indian Orchard, and 5 WITS Productions and Boston Productions Inc., both based in Norwood, to create the interactive elements for the first floor.
The new Seuss museum will focus on the many connections between the author and Springfield, including early vehicles produced in the city.
Character Witnesses
Overall, what’s planned for the two floors of the Pynchon Building, a Georgian Colonial Revival style structure, is a celebration of the author, his works, and his many connections to Springfield, said Simpson and Smith-Bove, adding that childhood literacy will be an important component of the facility.
That’s because one of Geisel’s primary motivations for his many children’s books was to get young people excited about reading, said Simpson.
Indeed, starting with The Cat in the Hat, published in 1957, he launched what became known as the I Can Read It All By Myself Beginner Book Series, which would also include The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, and many others.
“We’re going to be a resource for the community in terms of emphasizing reading and the importance of reading,” she said of the new museum. “And our exhibits will have literacy built into them.
“For example, the interactive displays will teach kids how to rhyme and have really fun rhyming games,” she went on. “They will teach letters of the alphabet, and they provide places where families can read together — little reading nooks. There will be a focus on vocabulary with a ‘word wall.’”
As for Springfield connections, there are many, said Simpson, noting that, while the author never lived in the city following a brief return after doing graduate work at Oxford, his birthplace was always important to him, and many of its landmarks, as well as the inventions and products with which the city is most identified, can be seen in his works.
It’s all explained in a number of informational panels on the author now on display in the history museum.
One cites the stunning resemblance between the towers in the armory building on Howard Street (set to become part of the MGM casino complex) that sat across the street from his maternal grandparents’ German bakery, and a tower in The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins.
Another panel speculates on how the Knox automobiles and Indian motorcycles manufactured in the city early in the 20th century may have influenced vehicles presented in his books, while another cites how his paternal grandfather’s brewery, the Kalmbach & Geisel Brewery, may have inspired some of his drawings. And still another informs readers of how the animals in the Forest Park Zoo — which Geisel’s father served as superintendent after Prohibition torpedoed the family brewery — inspired the many creatures in his books.
“Ted grew up on Fairfield Street, which was not far from Forest Park; he used to go over to the park as a boy, and he always had his sketchbook with him,” said Simpson. “He would go to the zoo, and he would draw all those animals — he would spend hours doing that — and it’s believed that seeing all those animals inspired him to create all those crazy creatures you see in his books.”
These myriad connections help explain why the Seuss family and Dr. Seuss Enterprises determined that, if there was to be a museum devoted to the children’s author, it should be in Springfield, said Smith-Bove, adding that it will be the only facility of its kind dedicated to his life and work in the world.
And while it will be launched in the Pychon building, there are expectations that it may be expanded down the road, said Smith-Bove, adding that, in the meantime, the other facilities in the Springfield Museums could be utilized to provide a broader Seuss experience.
“We have five museums on our campus that can hold thousands of people,” she explained. “It’s up to us to make sure that we program each of the other buildings. In the art museum, we can have Seuss’s artwork; in the history, we can talk about his life; for the science museum, there’s the Lorax … there are many possibilities.”
These extend well beyond the Quadrangle itself, said Simpson, adding that Springfield Museums and city officials should work together to use those connections between Geisel and his hometown to bring more attention — and visitors — to the museums and the city as a whole.
“Ted really knew downtown Springfield — he went to Classical, he used the main branch of the city library [on State Street], and some of his books actually to refer to what was then called the municipal auditorium, Symphony Hall,” she explained. “So we were thinking that we could do a walking tour, which goes to the idea of cultural tourism.
“We’d be making connections between the museums and other sites in downtown Springfield,” she went on, “and would really get tourists walking around the city.”
When asked about the projected impact on the Quadrangle from the new museum, Smith-Bove and Simpson again flashed back to when the sculpture garden opened. The first few years it was open, it was a huge draw, they said, adding that visitorship to the museums grew by roughly 25% over that time.
A similar increase is expected from the new facility, along with a corresponding increase in the museums’ overall economic impact on the city, currently pegged at roughly $28 million.
And for the Springfield Museums themselves, in addition to the surge in visitorship, there is an expected trickle-down to facilities like the gift shop, where sales of Seuss-related items — from books to Cat in the Hat hats to plush toys — account for more than 25% of total revenues.
Chapter and Verse
The health and vitality of both the Seuss name and brand is evidenced by the coverage given the news of the planned Seuss museum, said Matt Longhi, the museums’ director of marketing and public relations, who tracks such things.
He said stories or notes have appeared in the Boston Globe, the New York Daily News, Time, Entertainment Weekly, and even the South African Art Times and Al Jazeera’s New York bureau.
More significant than the press is the manner in which the Seuss brand continues to grow — in scope and also in terms of revenue, said Simpson, adding that the Seuss name, and the books, have enormous staying power.
“Other book series just seem to fade out over time,” she explained. “But he just keeps getting more popular.”
In addition to staying power, it is expected that the celebrated author will have drawing power — in a figurative sense — which will bode well for the museums at the Quadrangle, the city itself, and all those who want to celebrate the life of Springfield’s most famous resident.
George O’Brien can be reached at [email protected]
Berkshire East Positions Itself as Outdoor Adventure Center
Berkshire East’s new mountain coaster opened last October and has earned the distinction of being the longest alpine mountain coaster in North America.
Although it was failing, Schaefer was optimistic that he could bring it back to life, and he and a partner purchased it from Greenfield Savings Bank for $1, plus a debt of several hundred thousand dollars.
Schaefer renamed the resort Berkshire East, and although his hard work and dedication paid off, he dedicated only the fall and winter months to the operation.
“My father and his partner operated a ferryboat company in the summer on Mackinaw Island in Michigan, and when the ski area ended, all of their energy shifted there,” said Roy’s son, Jonathan Schafer, who co-owns Berkshire East Mountain Resort with his family.
However, Roy and his partner kept the area alive, and it became a place where generations of families learned to ski. But, because it was a seasonal operation dependent on weather, he battled Mother Nature for decades. However, his commitment and belief that outdoor recreation is a sustainable model for economic growth not only helped area businesses and provided seasonal employment, but was passed on to his four children.
Today, the resort is undergoing a $5 million transformation and is ushering in a bevy of recreational activities designed to transform it into a year-round destination that offers not only alpine skiing, but snow tubing, ziplining, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and the opportunity to ride North America’s longest mountain coaster.
The family also added overnight accommodations to the resort last September by purchasing the nearby, 530-acre Warfield House Inn and Farm, a bed and breakfast located just over a mile from Berkshire East that operates as a working farm complete with llamas, cattle, chickens, and gardens.
Jonathan has worked alongside his father for years, and says he and his brothers developed their own vision for expanding the family ski resort into a year-round retreat years ago.
“We were all ski racers who traveled the world, and due to our racing, we got to see a lot of things: bungee jumping in New Zealand, mountain biking, and other amazing activities,” he said. “We knew that we wanted to bring them to Charlemont and also realized that the Berkshires compare to any mountain range anywhere.
“We never had a written master plan, but we knew where we wanted to go with the resort due to our shared experience,” he went on, “and our goal now is to become the number-one family, four-season resort in Southern New England.”
The vision morphed into reality in 2008, when Jonathan’s brother, James, who lives in New York City, bought out his father’s business partner in Michigan.
Change began almost immediately, and in 2009, Berkshire East installed its first new recreational venue, Zipline Canopy Tours, that would change its status from a winter resort into one that offered year-round activities.
For this issue and its focus on travel and tourism, BusinessWest looks at the many changes and additions at Berkshire East, and how the resort is now at the top of its game — in more ways than one.
Reaching New Heights
The expanded venue has been a success, and people can choose three different zipline options that begin with a ride up the mountain on a chair lift that offers panoramic views of the Deerfield Valley. The descent is exciting, moving from platform to platform through mountainous terrain, and Zipline Canopy Tours was named by USA Today as one of the top 10 ziplines in the nation.
“The tours are guided and were built to fit in with the landscape. It’s a great adventure that lasts two to two and a half hours,” Jonathan said.
The Schaefer family has always strived to be in tune with nature, and in 2011 they installed a wind turbine, followed by a 10-acre solar field in 2012.
“We were the first ski area to produce all of our own electricity, and we remain the only ski area in the world to produce renewable energy on site,” Jonathan told BusinessWest.
Berkshire Whitewater will begin offering rafting trips in May, with a variety of excursions designed for people of different ages and abilities.
Another new attraction has increased business and added to the operation’s year-round status. It’s a 5,400-foot, all-season mountain coaster that opened last October on Columbus Day weekend.
“It was built as a diversification against the weather; ski weekends can be wiped out due to cold and snow, so we needed a way to drive business and give people a great experience,” said Jonathan. “The things we have done allow us to be open 365 days a year, and we built a 12,000-square-foot addition onto our lodge last year. It’s beautiful, as it’s made from hand cut timber.”
He noted that the lodge has two floors, two restaurants, and a bar, and has been a tremendous boost to the property. “Many couples book their weddings here, and now their guests will be able to enjoy the activities we offer year-round.”
The mountain coaster is one of them, and it’s a noteworthy attraction. “It is the longest mountain coaster in the nation and the third-longest in the world. It’s powered by our wind turbine and solar panels, and is an inviting way for people to enjoy the outdoors, as there are no fitness or skill requirements,” Jonathan said.
The coaster’s construction proved to be an extraordinary engineering feat, because each section had to be designed to adapt to the contour of the mountain with minimal impact to the landscape. The sections were installed in 10-foot lengths, and each car is towed up the mountain by a stainless-steel cable and strategically released when it reaches the top.
“Each car is independent of the others and has its own braking system, which allows people to slow down or speed up by pulling on the handles,” Jonathan said. “However, if one car gets within 80 feet of another going down the mountain, the brakes automatically stop it.
“The track twists and turns down a mountainside of cliffs and trees, so it’s a wild ride on a dynamic hillside,” he added. “Anticipation builds in riders who are going up, as they can see others coming down because the course crosses uphill four times.”
The new attraction has attracted coaster enthusiasts from across the nation, and groups have already booked trips there this summer.
Growing Venues
Berkshire East enjoyed a cooperative partnership with Moxie Outdoor Adventures for years, and recently acquired its Deerfield River rafting operation. It has been renamed Berkshire Whitewater, and although it kept most of Moxie’s river guides, Berkshire East purchased 10 new rafts designed exclusively for the river, along with other state-of-the art equipment.
“We have 60 spots on the river, plan to open in May, and will continue the rafting trips until it gets too cold to run them in the fall,” said Jonathan. “We can’t add 1,000 vertical feet to the ski area, so we are adding world-class activities to show off what a beautiful spot we have here.”
Trips will be available five days a week and will begin when the hydroelectric Bear Swamp Generating Station releases water, which is done on a regular, scheduled basis. Since it stores approximately 1.7 billion gallons of water almost 800 feet above the river, when it is released, it turns the river into an ideal spot for rafters, kayakers, and downriver canoeists.
A variety of adventures along different sections of the river are planned for different age groups and abilities, but all rafters will receive a 20-minute safety lecture before they leave. A picnic lunch is provided for people who opt for one of the easier excursions, while another, more advanced course ends with a barbecue.
Each trip lasts four or five hours, and there are options to satisfy everyone, including a leisurely, half-day float trip that families with children ages 5 and up can enjoy.
“They float along in a whitewater raft, and there are places for them to get out, splash around, and swim,” Jonathan noted.
In addition, guided kayaking trips will be offered daily, and children ages 5 and up can accompany an adult in a boat on the four-hour adventures.
Since some people have already rafted on the Deerfield River, Jonathan said, Berkshire Whitewater is offering trips on the Millers River, east of Greenfield, and the West River in Jamaica, Vermont. “But they all start here, and people are taken to those sites in vans,” he told BusinessWest.
Despite the resort’s all-season changes, skiing remains a major part of Berkshire East’s roster of offerings.
Meanwhile, because the Schaefers know that many people want to enjoy their resort for more than a day, the purchase of the mountaintop complex that contains the Warfield House Inn will allow them to offer overnight lodging.
“It was a logical move because there was no housing at the ski area and this was a beautiful facility that needed new life. We thought it would be a great complement to our business,” he said.
The bed and breakfast, which was recently renovated, contains a meeting facility, restaurant, and pavilion with mountaintop views. “It’s a gorgeous place to get married,” Jonathan said, adding that the farm is also known for its maple-sugaring operation, producing about 1,000 gallons of the sweet treat each year.
Endless Possibilities
Over the past few years, Berkshire East also installed a new Sky Trac Quad chair lift, with the help of a helicopter and an army of loyal employees, that can deliver 2,400 people an hour to the top of the mountain to ski, mountain bike, hike, and enjoy other outdoor activities.
“For many years, we were just a ski area, and we have continued to expand the skiing and offer a lot of learn-to-ski programs for children,” Jonathan said. “But it’s a sport that takes skill. There is a learning curve, and it requires equipment, so we wanted to add other year-round activities that would give families the experience of a lifetime.”
He added that his brother Bill, who lives in Iowa, is part-owner of the whitewater-rafting business and has purchased rental properties in the area; his brother Tom, who lives in California, has also purchased rental properties; and he, his brother James, and their father run the day-to-day operation of the resort and remain committed to providing healthy, recreational outdoor activities.
Today, the family is excited about the expansion, and their goal is for Berkshire East to become known as “New England’s Outdoor Adventure Center,” Jonathan said.
“We think it is possible,” he noted, “because we have added attractions that will drive business and give people a great experience here 365 days a year.”
The following building permits were issued during the month of March 2015.
AGAWAM
Agawam Crossing
200 Silver St.
$360,000 — Build out first-floor space for medical office
Millwork Realty Associates, LLC
32 Century Ave.
$400,000 — Renovations at Fleet Pride
Six Flags
1623 Main St.
$39,000 — Construct Cyclone Photo Booth
AMHERST
308 College Street, LLC
308 College St.
$3,000 — Minor alterations
Woodgreen Amherst, L.P.
6 University Dr.
$40,000 — Interior renovations to create four offices
CHICOPEE
Houston Enterprises
1307 Memorial Dr.
$25,000 — Structural repair due to snow and ice
Lady of Elms College
147 Grape St.
$52,000 — Install ADA ramps and modify partitions
U-Haul of Western Mass
499 Montgomery St.
$23,500 — Renovations and ductwork
NORTHAMPTON
Continental Cablevision
790 Florence Road
$43,000 — Replace guide wires and foundation anchors
Florence Savings Bank
85 Main St.
$19,000 — Construct partition walls
Michelle Kersbergen
190 Nonotuck St.
$230,000 — Interior renovations at Modesto Family Dentistry
Gina Mazza
11 Village Hill Road
$19,000 — Add partition walls
Richard Webber
8 North King St.
$32,500 — Renovate two offices and replace store front windows
Smith College
44 College Lane
$164,000 — Construct observatory on rooftop at McConnell Hall
SOUTH HADLEY
Town of South Hadley
267 Granby Road
$17,000 — Install new fire protection
SPRINGFIELD
Anthony Shakes
24 Walsh St.
$33,000 — Install roof mounted solar panels
Melissa Manello
91 Prouty St.
$10,000 — Strip and install new shingles
Polman Realty, LLC
2001 Roosevelt Ave.
$130,000 — Renovations for charter school
WESTFIELD
North Elm Street Realty
58 North Elm St.
$1,000,000 — Construct a 9,950-square-foot addition
Pioneer Valley Baptist Church
265 Ponders Hollow Road
$140,000 — Addition to church
Rock Steady Real Estate, LLC
815 North Road
$15,000 — Renovations for new offices
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Andrew Mele
69 William Franks Dr.
$75,000 — Renovate existing space for new tenant
CJack Realty Associates, LLC
1053 Riverdale St.
$9,500 — Interior renovations
The Cup Restaurant
240 Westfield St.
$65,000 — Interior alterations
The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
CONWAY
99 Orchard St.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Smith
Seller: Kirsten L. Chervinsky
Date: 02/27/15
2739 Shelburne Falls Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Candida Canepa
Seller: Pixie J. Holbrook
Date: 02/27/15
304 South Deerfield Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $468,500
Buyer: Elizabeth Stowe
Seller: Heidi L. Hobby
Date: 03/02/15
DEERFIELD
62 Eastern Ave.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Susan S. Lundrigan
Seller: Lacoille, Edward N. Jr., (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15
155 North Main St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $226,500
Buyer: Amie L. Clark
Seller: Susan T. Hudyma
Date: 02/25/15
GREENFIELD
8-10 Grant St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: James E. Filipkowski
Seller: James E. Filipkowski
Date: 02/27/15
38-46 Greenfield St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $1,410,000
Buyer: Store Master Funding 7
Seller: Channing L. Bete Co. Inc.
Date: 02/23/15
252 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Michael H. Barnard
Seller: Daniel P. Field
Date: 03/05/15
229-231 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Rachael Seven LLC
Seller: Rooney & Sons Inc.
Date: 03/06/15
27 Smith St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Dorina Placinta
Seller: Stephen D. Gibowicz
Date: 03/02/15
33 Sunrise Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Austin
Seller: Lorraine C. Ferrante TR
Date: 02/27/15
LEVERETT
4 Number 6 Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jean Sherlock
Seller: Daniel McIntire
Date: 02/26/15
MONTAGUE
80 4th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $133,404
Buyer: 80 on 4th LLC
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 03/06/15
19 L St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Kara Mulligan
Date: 02/26/15
18 High St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Gregory R. Haas
Seller: FNMA
Date: 03/04/15
ORANGE
13 Dewey Conrad Ave.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Sevigny
Seller: Reginald Haughton
Date: 02/26/15
SHUTESBURY
19 Weatherwood Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $234,000
Buyer: Shana Anolik
Seller: Susan J. Russell
Date: 02/23/15
SUNDERLAND
57 North Plain Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Jennifer A. Murphy
Date: 03/05/15
WHATELY
Christian Lane (SS)
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Caroline C. Pam
Seller: Ralph K. Farrick Funding TR
Date: 02/27/15
21 Poplar Hill Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Maxwell W. Bland
Seller: Pamela A. Dickinson
Date: 02/23/15
HAMPDEN COUNTY
AGAWAM
8 Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $328,500
Buyer: Judith A. Piper
Seller: Jaclyn M. Belland
Date: 02/26/15
44 Colonial Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Patrick H. Cullen
Seller: Jeffrey J. Benoit
Date: 03/06/15
43 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: David W. Elliott
Seller: Jill M. Tower
Date: 03/04/15
35 Hayes Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Margaret J. Dane
Seller: John J. Negrucci
Date: 02/27/15
425 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alan W. Bozak
Seller: Carole J. Calabrese
Date: 02/27/15
209 Pineview Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: David W. Hamel
Seller: Julie A. Fife
Date: 03/06/15
417 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Ellis L. Langone
Seller: Langone Plumbing 7 Heating
Date: 03/04/15
129 Tobacco Farm Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joseph T. Martin
Seller: Robert A. Desimone
Date: 02/27/15
CHICOPEE
54 2nd Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $785,000
Buyer: Keith Laflamme
Seller: Chicopee Partners LLP
Date: 03/05/15
40 Belmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $123,100
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: Tammy-Lynn Gadouas
Date: 03/06/15
107 Columba St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $165,900
Buyer: Todd N Beattie
Seller: David J. Guertin
Date: 02/25/15
296 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: City Of Chicopee
Seller: Peters Josephine, (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15
456 Front St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Petros Mirisis
Seller: Lawrence A. Maziarz
Date: 03/05/15
18 Gagne St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Alysha M. Lewis
Seller: Chase A. Standre
Date: 02/27/15
N/A
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,300
Buyer: Bank New York
Seller: Gayle Arsenault
Date: 03/03/15
104 Lauzier Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Rui M. Mendes
Seller: William T. Lavelle
Date: 03/06/15
274 Narragansett Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $120,389
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Raul Hernandez
Date: 03/05/15
7 Overlook Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Aneta Temple
Seller: Roxanne Ferretti
Date: 02/25/15
24 South St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Coleen S. Nauman
Seller: Martha H. Shea
Date: 02/27/15
77 Westport Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Timofey Adzhigirey
Seller: Nancy R. Forni
Date: 02/25/15
EAST LONGMEADOW
97 Barrie Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Shawn G. Santanello
Seller: Shelby P. Marrin
Date: 03/06/15
330 Chestnut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $900,000
Buyer: M&A Longmeadow LLC
Seller: Modak LLC
Date: 02/26/15
119 Colony Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Nicholas R. King
Seller: Kristin Blakeslee
Date: 02/27/15
37 Holland Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Marco Scibelli
Seller: Gioio Scibelli
Date: 02/27/15
N/A
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael D. Collura
Seller: John A. Collura
Date: 02/25/15
89 Rogers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Matthew D. Lloyd
Seller: China Access LLC
Date: 02/25/15
40 Shawmut St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Steven Kofsky
Seller: Theresa J. Cloonan
Date: 02/24/15
30 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Odres Nuevos
Seller: Shiloh Church
Date: 03/05/15
HOLYOKE
37 Francis Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Murray
Seller: Provident Funding Assocs.
Date: 02/27/15
37 Lindbergh Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $256,500
Buyer: Arrow Worrall
Seller: Elizabeth E. Barker
Date: 02/27/15
224-226 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: Naviah Investments LLC
Seller: 4306 3rd Avenue LLC
Date: 02/25/15
254 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Caroline I. Cotto
Seller: John J. Hanley
Date: 02/26/15
430 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $125,750
Buyer: Stephen Parmenter
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 03/05/15
98 Ridgewood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Michael A. Chatel
Seller: James L. Mooney
Date: 03/06/15
20 View St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,261
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Marie Cintron
Date: 02/23/15
LONGMEADOW
63 Crestview Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Jack V. Grassetti
Seller: Gloria I. Durpe
Date: 03/05/15
37 Greenwich Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Stewart A. Mackie
Date: 02/27/15
152 Hawthorne St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sandra Kenefick
Seller: Leonard Lotito
Date: 03/06/15
123 Homestead Blvd.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Lynn L. Wagman
Seller: Stephen P. Wagner
Date: 02/27/15
99 Silver Birch Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Bucknor
Seller: Joseph J. Egan
Date: 03/05/15
LUDLOW
27 Americo St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Atwater Investors Inc.
Seller: Roland P. Savoie
Date: 02/27/15
95 Coolidge Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $127,750
Buyer: Brenda L. Shields-Dean
Seller: Frank A. Murray
Date: 03/05/15
Parker Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: David Cote
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 02/24/15
269 Ventura St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Kathleen E. Fleming
Seller: Michael A. Perry
Date: 02/27/15
MONSON
13 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Tracy L. Davis
Seller: Kristen Beaulieu
Date: 02/25/15
250 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Richard W. Lamb
Seller: Denning, Elizabeth F., (Estate)
Date: 03/04/15
PALMER
14 Rockview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Steeven Magan
Seller: Lynn M. Plotczik
Date: 03/04/15
23 Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,790
Buyer: Bayview Loan Servicing
Seller: William F. Murray
Date: 02/24/15
SOUTHWICK
70 Congamond Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Mark Provost
Seller: Norman H. Storey
Date: 03/06/15
129 Hillside Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Jaydub LLC
Seller: Eileen L. Horkun
Date: 02/27/15
SPRINGFIELD
416 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,500
Buyer: Everton G. Senior
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 02/26/15
281 Ambrose St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Ronald J. Charles
Seller: Kerrian A. James
Date: 03/06/15
Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Buckeye Pipe Line Co. LP
Seller: Boston & Maine Corp.
Date: 03/02/15
93 Balfour Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Dion E. Barron
Seller: Richard Garcia
Date: 03/05/15
18 Beaufort Circle
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Karen R. Waterman
Seller: Sabrina M. Gross
Date: 02/27/15
129 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $213,325
Buyer: Bank of America
Seller: Joan T. Byrnes
Date: 02/26/15
73 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: David A. Brehaut
Seller: Mya Realty LLC
Date: 03/03/15
Garland St. (ES)
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15
178 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,300
Buyer: Andrew J. Normand
Seller: Stephen M. Ellis
Date: 02/26/15
65 Glenvale St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Danette L. Krushel
Seller: USA VA
Date: 02/26/15
21 Herman St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $129,500
Buyer: Joyce T. Ramos
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 02/27/15
280 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $119,012
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Luis F. Rodriguez
Date: 02/25/15
70 Martone Place
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: WBGLA Of Westfield MA LLC
Seller: Keith A. Laflamme
Date: 02/24/15
60 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Zachary E. Rec
Seller: Galin Joseph
Date: 03/05/15
23 Old Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Heather M. Sanford
Seller: 855 Liberty Springfield LLC
Date: 02/27/15
488 Porter Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Elizabeth Merrill
Seller: Brian J. Wallace
Date: 02/26/15
27 Pratt St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Baystate Medical Center
Seller: Alfonso E. Acuna
Date: 02/27/15
Quebec St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Wilfredo J. Semprit
Seller: Vyacheslav A. Kuzmenko
Date: 02/26/15
980 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Dieu H. Pham
Seller: Stephen C. Lafever
Date: 03/02/15
1197-1201 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alfonso E. Acuna
Seller: Weissman Realty LLC
Date: 02/27/15
73 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $146,500
Buyer: Rosa I. Torres
Seller: Christopher Plewa
Date: 03/06/15
102 Tamarack Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,500
Buyer: Kenneth Ramos
Seller: Michael T. Wayner
Date: 02/26/15
WEST SPRINGFIELD
1228 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Inna Gargun
Seller: Joseph A. Brosseau
Date: 03/06/15
17 Angeline St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Melany Laroe
Seller: David J. Paier
Date: 02/27/15
71 Austin Lane
West Springfield, MA 01013
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Prasanth Prabhakaran
Seller: Frank J. Morassi
Date: 02/27/15
446 Brush Hill Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $115,150
Buyer: Daniel J. Deluca
Seller: Morganford Holdings LLC
Date: 02/26/15
714 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Whitney Salvatore
Seller: Elizabeth R. Clark
Date: 03/04/15
104 Hillcrest Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Aric A. Nunes
Seller: Angela M. Nunes
Date: 02/27/15
61 Homestead Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Ashleigh Chrusciel
Seller: Crossroads Property Investors
Date: 02/26/15
56 Kent St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Denise Dumont
Seller: Thaddeus S. Saj
Date: 03/06/15
182 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Ryan E. Finn
Seller: Charles D. Carpino
Date: 02/27/15
197 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: May E. Mangalili
Seller: John A. Perez
Date: 02/27/15
44 Pine St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Angela R. Stone
Seller: Laurie A. Cassidy
Date: 02/24/15
386 Prospect Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jason R. Faucher
Seller: George C. Dziurzynski
Date: 02/27/15
30 Virginia Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Halli Hunderfund
Seller: Stephen A. Cloutier
Date: 02/25/15
464 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Great Bay Properties LLC
Seller: 3 Diamond Realty Corp.
Date: 02/27/15
WESTFIELD
25 Big Wood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Kelly J. Cieplinski LT
Seller: Kenneth K. Gordon
Date: 03/06/15
72 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Thomas Curran
Seller: James R. Hale
Date: 03/06/15
113 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Susan Norton
Date: 02/25/15
27 Woodland Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Mary P. Kadomoto
Seller: Elizabet Matthews-Sitnik
Date: 02/27/15
8 Woodside Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Pineview RT
Seller: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Date: 02/23/15
WILBRAHAM
4 Warren Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Guberow
Seller: FHLM
Date: 02/26/15
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
AMHERST
4 Barry Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $477,000
Buyer: Patrick P. Arguin
Seller: Paul A. Pierce
Date: 02/27/15
48 Belchertown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Neal B. Patel
Seller: Reynold A. Gladu
Date: 02/27/15
Henry St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Scott Tundermann
Seller: Jean K. Canon
Date: 03/06/15
32 Hitchcock Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $364,000
Buyer: Amherst College
Seller: Patrick L. Williamson
Date: 03/04/15
16-18 Main St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: LIJJM LLC
Seller: Russell, William F. 3rd, (Estate)
Date: 03/06/15
478 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $624,900
Buyer: Amy A. Crawley
Seller: Western Development Corp.
Date: 02/26/15
60 Sunderland Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Parks Coop LLC
Seller: Bank Of America
Date: 03/06/15
84 Sunset Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Brian W. Fitzgerald
Seller: Laura Cadonati
Date: 03/02/15
235 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Across Campus UMass LLC
Seller: Xavier A. Tondeur
Date: 02/27/15
BELCHERTOWN
491 Daniel Shays Hwy.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel McLane
Seller: FNMA
Date: 02/25/15
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jeffrey O. Duprey
Seller: Shannon D. Sligo
Date: 02/27/15
111 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Lauren Clarke
Seller: Rocco J. Malaspina
Date: 02/27/15
46 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Daniel O. Sullivan
Seller: Burdge, Barbara J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15
22 Raymond Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $232,000
Buyer: Tyler D. Chambers
Seller: Dawn V. Waslh
Date: 02/27/15
44 River St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Bukola T. Okuwobi
Seller: Edward J. Pazik
Date: 02/26/15
36 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $342,900
Buyer: Brandon C. Dube
Seller: Patrick P. Arguin
Date: 02/27/15
90 Turkey Hill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $141,083
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Conor R. McMillen
Date: 02/27/15
EASTHAMPTON
75 Glendale St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Roseanna M. Alves
Seller: Larose, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 02/27/15
11 Keddy St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Victoria E. Trudeau
Seller: Debra A. Smith
Date: 02/27/15
27 Knipfer Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Albert J. Finch
Seller: Jean Pierre Pasche
Date: 02/27/15
329 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $119,900
Buyer: Ashtons Acquisitions LLC
Seller: Onewest Bank
Date: 02/27/15
85 Northampton St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $183,750
Buyer: Mark A. Essa
Seller: Stacia S. Tabaka LT
Date: 02/25/15
21 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $268,782
Buyer: Dewayne A. Matthews
Seller: Tori B. Jennings
Date: 03/03/15
GRANBY
553 Amherst Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $180,200
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Roger J. Rouillard
Date: 02/23/15
151 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Douglas A. Gray
Seller: Kevin D. Rolfe
Date: 02/26/15
255 Carver St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Richard Ordynowicz
Seller: Kathleen M. Lukasik
Date: 02/24/15
12-R Jackielyn Circle
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Castle Farm Enterprises
Seller: Richard J. Niedbala
Date: 02/27/15
HATFIELD
439 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Robert E. Slysz
Seller: Slysz, Robert E. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 03/03/15
112 West St.
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: John D. Sabola
Seller: Claire Laliberte
Date: 02/27/15
NORTHAMPTON
12 Bedford Terrace
Northampton, MA 01063
Amount: $3,225,000
Buyer: Simple Abode LLC
Seller: Smith Collage
Date: 03/04/15
40 Bradford St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Robert E. Aldrich
Seller: Martha A. Merriam
Date: 02/23/15
5 Kary St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Lori Leistyna
Seller: Katharine R. Walmsley
Date: 02/27/15
216 Lovefield St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Wendy J. Allen
Seller: James W. Shea
Date: 02/25/15
46 Middle St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Katharine R. Walmsley
Seller: John Koleszar
Date: 02/27/15
111 Moser St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $551,660
Buyer: Lesley Peebles
Seller: Kent Pecoy & Sons Construction
Date: 02/23/15
244 North St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Marta P. Tom
Seller: Caraker, Reece G., (Estate)
Date: 03/02/15
119 Riverside Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Cory E. Gatrall
Seller: Kathleen E. Silva
Date: 02/25/15
295 South St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Sarah E. Gibbons
Seller: Sandra E. Slanda
Date: 02/27/15
115 Willow St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $182,155
Buyer: Maria C. Govantes
Seller: Cindy Beebe
Date: 03/03/15
SOUTH HADLEY
293 Morgan St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Frederick M. Sard
Seller: Steven H. Harrington
Date: 02/24/15
1 Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Alexander V. Stepanov
Seller: Andrew B. Galik
Date: 03/03/15
148 Stony Brook Village
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $327,335
Buyer: Barbara Callan-Bogia
Seller: Whispering Pines At Root
Date: 03/02/15
SOUTHAMPTON
80 Crooked Ledge Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Jonathan H. Marsh
Date: 02/27/15
9 Glendale Woods Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $288,304
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Charles J. Hubbard
Date: 02/27/15
WARE
86 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Judy C. Riggenbach
Seller: Anne W. Martin
Date: 02/27/15
120 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Keith W. Greiner
Seller: Donald P. Hebert
Date: 03/06/15
21-23 Morse Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Timothy Welsh
Seller: Roger Morrissette
Date: 03/06/15
5 Sczygiel Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Jaime A. Muche
Seller: Mark E. Richard
Date: 02/27/15
WILLIAMSBURG
66 Old Goshen Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: William B. Thomson
Seller: Michael E. McCabe
Date: 03/05/15
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
22 Redgewood Place LLC
22 Ridgewood Place, LLC
Mill St. Innovative Housing
P.O. Box 562
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 03/04/15
Allyn, Ryan M.
16 Memorial Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/02/15
Allyn, Willam D.
2 Hawthorne Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Benoit, William W.
Benoit, Tammy L.
P.O. Box 1457
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Bernstein, Deborah L.
249 Quarry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/15
Breault, J. Joseph
81 Westwood Road
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Bukowski, Tadeusz
1307 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/15
Caulton, Earl R.
Caulton, Sandra E.
11 Old Point St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/15
Cameron, Coretta T.
29 Victoria St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Cheria, Jonathan M.
Cheria, Rebecca L.
40 Bliss St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Cortis, Anthony D.
Cortis, Meagan L.
a/k/a Desilets, Meagan L.
53 Druids Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/15
Cotto, Marisol
540 Grayson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Coville, Richard
64 K St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/15
Czybryt, Joanna M.
37 Francis Ave.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/15
Deuso, Kimberly A.
40 Rapalus St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/09/15
Foster, Jennifer L.
59 Somerset Lane
Somers, CT 06071
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Garabedian, Janice M.
29 French Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Goraj, Mark Thomas
23 Devens St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/15
LaPlante, Ronald R.
33 Kellogg Ave., Apt 6
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/15
Lavell, Frederic P.
Lavell, Maxine L.
289 Holyoke St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
LFE Mechanical Contractor
Eldridge, Larry F.
54 Charter Oak Dr.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/15
Lillie, Chantel May
13 Meadow St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Mallard, Kelee
195 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/15
Malone, Charlean D.
15 Harmon Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/01/15
Masic, Dzenan
Masic, Meliha
47 River St. #4
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/05/15
Masotti, Thomas John
450 Island Pond Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Milbier, William E.
299 Maple St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/03/15
Morin, Sandra A.
42 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Morris, Vicky L.
24 Rose Ave.
Lee, MA 01238
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/14/15
Nawracaj, Joseph F.
119 Waldorf St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Nickerson, Wendy A.
324 First St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Paine, Annette Lorraine
a/k/a Trudell, Annette L.
56 Granby St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Payton, Reynold G.
266 Gilbert Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/15/15
Ramos, Noemi
404 Southwick Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/15
Rivera, April L.
6 Temple St., Apt. 1L
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Rodriguez, Evelyn
15 Belleview Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/02/15
Rosario, Orlando
Rosario, Ileana A.
a/k/a Maldonado, Ileana A.
224 Gifford St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
Serrano, Jermain D.
P.O. Box 1967
Pittsfield, MA 01202
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/10/15
Simonin, Brenda E.
a/k/a Webster, Brenda E.
a/k/a Ponti, Brenda E.
5A North Kellogg Road
Haydenville, MA 01039
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/04/15
Spaulding, Emily Mae
71 Elm St., Unit B
Hatfield, MA 01038
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/15
Sprague, Nathan S.
81 Dalton Ave., # 3
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/12/15
Swords, Kenneth J.
96 Pendelton Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Veilleux, Stephane R.
39 Sefton Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/13/15
Weaver, Michael J.
Weaver, Sandra A.
77 Enfield Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/06/15
Wright, Joseph N.
P.O. Box 97
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/11/15
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of March 2015.
AGAWAM
LKQ Southwick, LLC
609 Silver St.
Michael Sullivan
Mad Man
58 Oak Lane
Thomas Graveline
Northeast Power Sports
66 Letendre Ave.
Felix Santana Jr.
CHICOPEE
Marshall’s
591 Memorial Dr.
Kristin Adams
No Heat Call Tommy
213 Bemis Ave.
Thomas Fregeau
Precision Orthodontic Lab
10 Percy St.
David Merritt
Sandy’s Auto World Transport
172 Prospect St.
Ludmila Kudrya
Soft Touch Auto Wash
1405 Memorial Ave.
Joseph Larrivee
Suds Your Duds Laundromat
349 Chicopee St.
Preston Carr
The Kung Fu Academy
551 East St.
Mark Ostrander
HOLYOKE
Budget Inn
579 Northampton St.
Mita Patel
CNS Academy for Healthcare Professionals
187 High St.
Marc Beaulieu
Hampden Mini Mart
263 Hampden St.
Angel Coriano
JoJo’s Mini Market
31 Essex St.
Joel Brito
Legends Barbershop
153 Sargeant St.
Tatiana Madera
Messier Funeral Home
1944 Northampton St.
Michael A. Usher
The Muse Custom Framing
220 South Water St.
Debra Luzny
LUDLOW
Bella Couture Salon & Day Spa
154 East St.
Michell Ruark
Marta Law Offices
30 Chestnut St.
Paulo G. Marta
NORTHAMPTON
Architectural Home
320 Riverside Dr.
Patrick Bauhan
Brad’s Landscaping & Handyman Services
86 Overlook Dr.
Bradley Finn
Curio
1 Amber Lane
Emily Withenbury
Florence Pie Bar
17 Main St.
Maura Glennon
Give Life to Art
215 State St.
John Lewis
Helio Aerial Photo
716 Park Hill Road
Jonathan Soto
The Jamrog Group
211 North St.
Amy Jamrog
Understory Professional Woodsman
40 Williams St.
Carl T. Danelski
PALMER
Palmer Auto Mall
1219 Thorndike St.
Raymond Recor
SPRINGFIELD
La Fortuna Mini Market
899 Carew St.
Jose M. Sanchez
Larry’s Trucking Company
16 Lakeside St.
Larry Cole
LMP Trucking
150 Northampton Ave.
Robert Parker
MJH Carpenters
1532 Bay St.
Michael Helbling
MAD Respect
150 Oklahoma St.
Joseph Daniels
Main Street Laundromat
95 Main St.
Deborah Woytowicz
Mr. Tees and More
2 Chestnut St.
Richard A. Ducharme
MW Dwell
99 Haskin St.
Marshal Anderson
New England Fashion Show
24 Warriner Ave.
Maria R. Lozada
Nontoxic Apparel
95 Breckwood Blvd.
Samantha Kratovil
Nuccio’s Inc.
477 Page Blvd.
Carmine Picardi
Olympic Deli Restaurant
232 Chestnut St.
Francisco Rasario
Orchard Gardening
172 Main St.
Jerome Brown
Orchard Imports, LLC
1213 Worcester St.
D’Juan Barlow
Pop’s Biscotti
26 Middlebrook Dr.
Maria Elizabeth
Pro Cuts
322 St. James Ave.
Xavier Velazquez
RV Medics
868 Armory St.
Christopher Dillard
Reyes Screen Printing
5 Brianna Lane
Carlos J. Reyes
Riparial
62 Eddy St.
Thomas J. Regan
Sole Fresh
1655 Boston Road
Emanuel L. Mwenda
The Able Place
186 St. James Ave.
Elaine Awand
The Brim and Crown Shop
439 White St.
Richard D. Little
The Chalkboard Jungle
28 Knollwood St.
Bonnie M. Roy
The Curve Society
462 Berkshire Ave.
Elizabeth A. Wallace
Upper Room Music Group
1500 Main St.
Sam Bradley
WESTFIELD
Kimberly Hatch Photography
77 Mill St.
Kimberly Hatch
Pancake Sundaes, LLC
266 Elm St.
Pancake Sundaes, LLC
Responsible Driving of Westfield, LLC
132 Elm St.
Responsible Driving of Westfield, LLC
Spark Arc Sheet Metal
104 Mainline Dr.
Comfort Services, LLC
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Aline of Hair East
306 Westfield St.
Aline Stolar
Christine G. Whalen
1005 Elm St.
Christine G. Whalen
Freeland Construction Company
1111 Elm St.
Leroy R. Clink
Novella Photography
1838 Riverdale St.
Paulette Griswold
Parus
766 Main St.
Dzhavat Azizov
Reina’s Mini Market
411 Main St.
Michael S. Candelaria
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
AMHERST
The Coffee Grind Inc., 450 West St., Amherst, MA 01002. Isabel Mercado, 18 Hunter Hills Circle, Amherst, MA 01002. Coffee bar and tea house.
GRANBY
Alphabet Soup Childcare Center Inc., 166 West State St., Granby, MA 01033. Bobbi L. Rougeau, same. Childcare services.
HATFIELD
A & S Building and Remodeling Inc., 123 Depot Road, Hatfield, MA 01038. David Jagodzinski, same. Construction.
HOLYOKE
Aircraft Management Service & Sales Inc., 330 Whitney Ave., Suite, 440, Holyoke, MA 01040. Michael J. Kane, 6 Old Pasture Dr., East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Management and sale of aircraft and related industries.
LONGMEADOW
Renal and Transplant Associates of New England, P.C., 15 Pendleton Lane, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Krishnan Babu, same. Medical services.
MONTAGUE
Andrew Cavanagh Inc., 555 Turners Falls Road, Montague, MA 01351. Andrew Cavanagh, same. Building websites and applications.
NORTHAMPTON
A2Z Science Inc., 57 King St., Unit A, Northampton, MA 01060. Andre Boulay, same. Retail sales.
PITTSFIELD
Anthony Gianacopoulos Attorney at Law, P.C., 75 North St., Suite 320, Pittsfield, MA 01201. Anthony Gianacopoulos, same. Legal services.
SOUTHWICK
4Life Entertainment Organization Inc., 389 North Loomis St., Southwick, MA 01077. Spencer Lavoie. same. Event production for charitable causes.
Adam Transport Inc., 628 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077. Erdem Akca, same. Trucking.
Allied Tree Service Inc., 237 Hillside Road, Southwick, MA 01077. Adam C. Roberts, same. Commercial and residential tree service including but not limited to tree removal, stump grinding, and chipping.
SPRINGFIELD
Save Cathedral High School Inc., 110 Atwater Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107. Al Dilascia, 16 Ginger Road, Chicopee, MA 01020. Charity for Catherdral High School.
WESTFIELD
Western England Amateur Boxing Inc., 5 Princeton St., Westfield, MA 01085. Dean Fay, same. To support charitable and community organizations through amateur boxing and related events.
Yagmur Inc., 18 School St., Westfield, MA 01085. Yagmur Hamurcu, 19 Pine St., Ludlow, MA 01056. Pizza restaurant.
MGM Springfield Breaks Ground on $800 Million Resort
SPRINGFIELD — MGM Resorts International hosted the groundbreaking of MGM Springfield — an $800 million casino resort slated to open in fall 2017 in downtown Springfield — on Tuesday. The event marked the start of the construction phase of this unique urban mixed-use development, the Commonwealth’s first destination casino resort. Hundreds of people were in attendance at the groundbreaking celebration, emceed by Kathy Tobin, former local news anchor and current director of Program Development at Friends of the Homeless. With the Zanetti School — severely damaged by the June 2011 tornado that tore through Springfield’s South End — as a backdrop, speakers highlighted the history of Springfield, the rebirth of the South End neighborhood, and the energy and optimism that is filling the region. “With every licensing milestone and every campaign victory, we have honored the potential of MGM Springfield,” said Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International chairman and CEO. “Today is even more special, though, as we put shovels in the ground to officially celebrate what we came here to do: put people back to work and begin a rebirth of the once-thriving urban center of Western Massachusetts.” The crowd, which included many state and local elected and appointed officials, gathered to hear from Murren, MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis, Mass. Gaming Commission Chairman Steve Crosby, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and Revitalize CDC Associate Director Ethel Griffin. More than 30 construction workers representing various trades were at the site to honor the moment. Guests were treated to an interactive event, as they were asked to write their wishes for the future of the city of Springfield and Western Mass. Their wishes were then dropped into an MGM Springfield wishing well. MGM will put all the wishes into a capsule that will be placed in the resort foundation as construction begins. The outdoor event also featured a traditional first shovel of dirt as well as celebratory confetti blasts. In keeping with MGM’s commitment to engage local businesses, Springfield vendors Langone’s, AC Produce, and Palazzo provided décor and beverages. Zasco Productions of Chicopee provided the staging, risers, and sound and technical equipment. Taylor Rental of South Hadley provided additional tables and chairs. “The city of Springfield’s people welcomed us into their hearts and homes and trusted us with their hopes for the future,” Mathis said. “This property was designed with the input of residents who wanted more for their families and their community. Today is the day we start to realize that future as we activate the most robust construction site Springfield has ever seen.” MGM Springfield will bring 3,000 permanent jobs and 2,000 construction jobs to downtown Springfield. MGM has established a hiring goal of 35% of the workforce from the city of Springfield and 90% from a combination of Springfield and the region. Additionally, MGM Springfield has entered into surrounding-community agreements with neighboring communities providing for tens of millions of dollars.
WomenUpFront Launches Roundtable
SPRINGFIELD — In support of the growth and success of Pioneer Valley women presidents and the businesses they own, WomenUpFront is launching a new monthly roundtable for women business owners whose annual revenues have passed the $200,000 mark but have not quite reached $1 million. Sponsored by PeoplesBank and hosted at the Business Growth Center at Springfield Technology Park, WomenUpFront is looking for business owners from Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties for this newest program, set to begin on Wednesday, April 15. WomenUpFront is bringing its successful model piloted in Berkshire County to the Pioneer Valley because there is a need to support women business owners of growing businesses. “There have been conversations over the years about starting this, but none has materialized until now,” said Cathy Crosky, founder and facilitator of WomenUpFront. “Scaling a business has its challenges, and this is a proven model that helps women business owners succeed. They really appreciate this kind of facilitated peer mentoring, too.” Joan Leahy, vice president of Marketing for PeoplesBank, said the bank “is proud to sponsor WomenUpFront and bring this important opportunity to area women business owners. As an organization that runs on innovation and collaboration, we know the benefits of mentoring, teamwork, and the free exchange of ideas. We support WomenUpFront because it will provide these entrepreneurs with many of the same opportunities and successes that we have enjoyed.” The roundtable provides a learning forum for owners to get out of the weeds of the day-to-day and look at their businesses more strategically. The objective is to help women accelerate their businesses to the next level and place their companies in a better position to access new opportunities and continue to prosper. Lasting and meaningful relationships are formed among the participants. “I’m thrilled that the Business Growth Center is hosting WomenUpFront,” said Marla Michel, director of the center. “Women business owners are focused, dedicated, and strong, and often have overcome many obstacles to get to where they are. WomenUpFront can help them learn skills and get advice in a very collegial environment to accelerate further success.” Monthly roundtable meetings will be held at the Business Growth Center the third Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.
Tech Foundry Starts Recruiting New Class
SPRINGFIELD — Following a successful inaugural year, Tech Foundry has turned its focus to filling this year’s class of students, beginning with an open house on Wednesday, April 8 at its headquarters on the ninth floor of 1391 Main St., Springfield. The open house begins at 5:30 p.m., and prospective students and parents are encouraged to attend. In addition, the staff at Tech Foundry will be going into area schools and meeting with guidance counselors and other community influencers to drive as many applications as possible before the April 17 deadline to apply. Applications can be found at www.thetechfoundry.org. Founded by Paragus IT CEO Delcie Bean, Tech Foundry is a nonprofit education and job-placement program looking to transform underemployed and overlooked populations into a powerful and robust workforce in the information-technology field. With partners such as Mass Mutual, the Davis Foundation, UMass, and Baystate Health, it raised nearly $450,000 to get started. Tech Foundry aims to create a homegrown workforce for the many area businesses looking for tech professionals, and began the program this year with an inaugural class of high-school students. Upon completing the program and graduating high school, the goal is to place students in an entry-level IT job in the Valley in the $30,000-$40,000 salary range. In the long term, Tech Foundry aims to turn Western Mass. into a technology hub, attracting companies from all over the country to locate some of their high-tech jobs in the Pioneer Valley.
PVPC Receives Award from PolicyLink
SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), on behalf of LiveWell Springfield, is one of just six organizations across the country to receive an award from the Leadership Conference Education Fund and PolicyLink to advance affordable, accessible transportation policy. PVPC will use the funds to embed transit-equity principles into LiveWell Springfield, and will host local activities to engage, educate, and empower local leaders within communities of color to lift up the Equity Caucus agenda locally and federally. Specifically, PVPC is collaborating with Joseph Krupczynski and the Center for Design Engagement, Natalia Muñoz of Verdant Multicultural Media, and Evelín Aquino to expand the successful capacity-building sessions implemented in 2014 for emerging leaders in Springfield. (For a summary of this work, visit www.pvpc.org/content/new-video-building-skills-equity-and-engagement-planning). “When we completed our three-and-a-half-year, HUD-funded equity and engagement work last year, we knew we needed more funding to expand our capacity-building workshops,” explained Catherine Ratté, principal planner and section manager at PVPC. “Our civic-engagement goal is not just to engage individuals from under-represented groups, but also to create pathways for them into positions of power. Participation in democracy, especially from communities that are too often left out, brings important voices to the table and makes sustainable growth and development possible.” Equitable transportation investments are crucial to connecting people to jobs, educational opportunities, affordable housing, healthcare, and other basic needs. Through a coalition of more than 100 organizations, the Transportation Equity Caucus is charting a new course for transportation investments, focused on policies that advance economic and social equity in America. For more information, see www.equitycaucus.org. Live Well Springfield, a movement to promote healthy eating and active living, has been working for the last few years putting systems into action that support safe and friendly walking and biking. As part of LiveWell Springfield’s work in 2012-14, PVPC facilitated creation of the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Complete Streets Plan, implementation guide, Complete Streets policy draft, and Complete Streets buildout plan and map (www.livewellspringfield.org).
State Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.9% in February
BOSTON — The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) released preliminary February 2015 estimates that show the Massachusetts total unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% from the January rate of 5.1%, a 0.2% decrease. Over the year, the unemployment rate fell by 1.1% from 6.0% in February 2014. The share of working-age residents employed or unemployed, also known as the labor participation rate, was 65.9%, an increase of 0.3% since January. Compared with February 2014, the labor participation rate increased a full percentage point over the year. February 2015 estimates show that 3,430,500 residents were employed and 177,300 were unemployed. Compared with February 2014, February 2015 had 34,400 fewer unemployed, the largest annual decrease in the number of unemployed since October 2011. Over the month, jobs were up 800, with a private-sector loss of 800. Since February 2014, jobs grew by 58,100, with 46,300 private-sector job gains. The sectors with the largest job gains over the year included education and health services and professional, scientific, and business services.
School Building Authority Announces Contest
BOSTON — State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, chair of the Mass. School Building Authority (MSBA), and MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy announced the 2015 “My Ideal School” contest. The goal of the contest is to promote discussion among students and teachers about how thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts support student learning. The contest is open to all first-grade students currently attending a Massachusetts public school. Regional winners will receive a prize donated by Santander Bank. One grand-prize winner will have his or her “My Ideal School” contest picture featured on the cover of the MSBA annual report. All winners will be honored at an awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on May 27. Contest submissions must be postmarked by April 24 for consideration. More information can be found on the MSBA website at www.massschoolbuildings.org. The Mass. School Building Authority partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective public-school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the authority has made more than 1,500 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due-diligence process, and has made more than $11.2 billion in reimbursements for school-construction projects across Massachusetts.
Most Patients Don’t Visit Nearest Emergency Room
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fewer than half of emergency-department (ED) visits are to the patient’s local emergency room, according to a new data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), FierceHealthcare reported. After analyzing data on ED visits between 2009 and 2010, Amy Brown and colleagues at the NCHS found the average visit involved an ED that was located 6.8 miles from the patient’s home, even though the nearest ED was on average only 3.9 miles from home. Overall, only 43.8% of visits were to the ED closest to the patient’s home. Researchers also looked at emergency visits within metropolitan statistical areas, which are regions that contain a core urban area with a population of 50,000 or more. Visits inside these areas were less likely than those outside to be to a different ED than the one closest to the patient’s home, according to Brown and her team. They also found that visits that took place at EDs further from patients’ homes occurred more often for older patients, at larger hospitals, and in EDs with longer waiting times within metropolitan statistical areas. Further study is needed to understand the determinants behind these statistics, Brown and her team wrote, particularly if demand for emergency care continues to increase, as it has since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Mercy Announces $1 Million Gift for Cancer Center Campaign
SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center announced that Cynthia and William Lyons have made a $1 million challenge gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. The Lyons’ gift will support the 26,000-square-foot expansion of the Cancer Center and is particularly significant because it reflects the largest single gift for the Capital Campaign from members of the community. “We have been inspired by the high level of care and compassion that runs throughout the Sisters of Providence Health System,” said Cynthia Lyons. “The work being done at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center is especially exciting.” Added Daniel Moen, president and CEO of the Sisters of Providence Health System, “The tremendous support we have received from Cynthia and William Lyons is indicative of the importance and necessity of the services provided by the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. We are grateful for their generosity on behalf of the patients who will benefit from the expansion project.” Under the leadership of Dr. Philip Glynn, director of Oncology, the Sister Caritas Cancer Center staff has expanded significantly to meet patient need that continues to increase. By 2022, demand for outpatient cancer services is expected to grow by 26%. In addition to increasing treatment space, the $15 million expansion will bolster the cancer center’s already strong capabilities by enhancing communication among the oncology providers and facilitating ease of access to existing services. The design of new infusion bays will increase privacy for patients, as well as for a supporting family member or friend. “We are so impressed with the new leadership and forward thinking of Mercy Medical Center and its oncology center,” Lyons said. “The commitment and vision of the physicians directly involved with the growth of the cancer center speaks to the investment of the hospital community. The new plan unites state-of-the-art treatment, research, and clinical-trial opportunities with Mercy’s trademark mission-driven qualities of compassion and respect for the individual. “This expansion is important because, directly or indirectly, cancer touches all of us,” she continued. “People really do want to be part of something that is successful and meaningful. We sincerely hope our gift inspires others in our community to give as well.” To make a gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center, call (413) 748-9920 or visit www.mercycares.com.
Normandeau Receives Partner of the Year Award
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Normandeau Technologies (NTI) announced it has been awarded the 2014 Ericsson-LG Enterprise North American Partner of the Year Award at the Ericsson-LG Global Partner Conference held in Cancun, Mexico. The award celebrates the excellence Normandeau Technologies has achieved in helping to build the North American distribution channel for the iPECS communications platform and for its success in bringing IP telephony, unified communications, mobility, and call-center solutions to SMBs in industries such as manufacturing, insurance, realty, medical, education, government, and financial. Bob Rankin, general manager of Presence Management, the largest distributor of Ericsson-LG iPECS products in North America, noted, “NTI continues to expand sales of our award-winning iPECS LIK VoIP platform with the iPECS Unified Communications Solution (iPECS UCS) and iPECS Contact Center Suite Solution (iPECS CCS). We recognize and appreciate the continuous hard work NTI performs in their region, and we applaud their continued success with iPECS.” Successfully marketed worldwide with a dominant market share in South Korea, Australia, and South Africa, and significant market share in many other countries, the iPECS is a highly scalable and fault-tolerant platform that connects up to 1,200 endpoints per system and up to 300,000 endpoints with networking. It’s a versatile, premise-based IP phone platform with a competitive entry cost, five-year warranty, and one of the industry’s lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). The Ericsson-LG UCS is a collaboration platform for organizations of virtually any size that integrates voice, presence, video conferencing, and instant messaging on the IPECS platform. The Ericsson-LG CCS is a multi-channel call-center solution providing intelligent management of multiple communication mediums. “We’re honored to receive this recognition for our sales success with the Ericsson LG line of advanced communication applications in the Massachusetts area and for our success in bringing these new technologies to our clients,” said Brett Normandeau, president of NTI. “Solutions like the iPECS UCS and iPECS CCS offer a tightly integrated, next-generation communications environment for telecom resellers at a very compelling price point.”
Braman Termite and Pest Elimination Earns Award
AGAWAM — Braman Termite and Pest Elimination, a provider of pest-management services in Southern New England since 1890, has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to the local marketplace, according to the consumer-review site in 2014. “We are honored at Braman Termite and Pest Elimination to have once again earned the Angie’s List Super Service Award, especially this year as we celebrate 125 years in business,” said Jerry Lazarus, third-generation owner. “I am confident that we provide a superior level of customer service that our customers have come to expect. This service is the result of our entire staff, but also under the leadership of several dedicated members that have been with Braman for decades.” Only about 5% of the companies in the Greater Springfield market have performed consistently well enough to earn the Super Service Award, said Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks. Service-company ratings are updated daily. Companies are graded in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an ‘A’ rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review-period grade. The company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check, and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
BHS Partners with Ob/Gyn Practices
PITTSFIELD — In a move that will help to ensure long-term obstetric and gynecologic services throughout the region, Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) has announced that three key ob/gyn physician practices have joined together and formed Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC, which solidifies and stabilizes critical women’s health services for the community. The three practices joining under the Berkshire Health Systems Physician Practice Group are Berkshire Ob/Gyn Associates, located in Pittsfield and Lenox, and Northern Berkshire Ob/Gyn and Gyn Services of the Berkshires, located in Adams. This investment in ob/gyn stabilizes these essential physician services and supports consistent and reliable access to care. The partnership was partially precipitated by the 2014 closure of the former North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH) and the community need to provide ongoing maternal-child healthcare for residents of North Berkshire. A former NARH physician practice, Northern Berkshire Ob/Gyn was able to continue to provide care without interruption of service when Berkshire Health Systems assumed responsibility for the practice, and Berkshire Ob/Gyn provided coverage for the North Berkshire physicians and their patients. Growing changes in healthcare policy and in the health insurance reimbursement system have challenged the viability of private physician practices, which was a major factor in prompting Berkshire Ob/GYn to join together with the two BHS practices to form one unified service under BHS. At the same time, healthcare systems like BHS are increasingly relied upon to ensure current and future access to critical services for the community by investing in physician practices and ensuring they have the necessary support systems and financial stability and investment to succeed in the long term. Working together, the physicians of Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC can provide 24/7 coverage for maternity and routine, surgical, and emergency gynecological care throughout the region. Berkshire Ob/Gyn of BMC includes Drs. Andrew Beckwith, Daniel Barraez-Masroua, Robert Benner, Herbert Kantor, Joan Lister, Charles O’Neill, Cassandra Service, Michael Shreefter, Lauren Slater, and Susan Yates. In addition, the practice features the expertise of three certified nurse midwives: Robin Rivinus, Lydia Kelly, and Evelyn Resh. The practice will continue to provide services throughout Central and Northern Berkshire County, with offices in Pittsfield, Lenox, and Adams. O’Neill and Yates will primarily work out of the Adams office, but will also provide services in Central Berkshire County. Lister will provide urgent-care gynecological services. “The strength of this combined physician practice will allow us to continue to provide comprehensive ob/gyn and women’s-health services for all who need this care in the Berkshires,” Beckwith said. “Healthcare has become increasingly complex, and private physician practices are faced with significant challenges that threaten their long-term viability. By becoming part of Berkshire Health Systems, we have preserved these practices, and, as one unified provider, we can assure access to our patients to the best physician and healthcare services possible.”
<strong>Loomis House Nursing Center Earns Top Scores
HOLYOKE — The Loomis Communities announced that the Loomis House Nursing Center has received perfect scores on surveys from the Mass. Department of Public Health (DPH) for the third year running. The DPH reviews all areas of care practices to make certain that all regulations are followed. These areas include resident rights, facility practices, infection control, quality of life, resident satisfaction, quality of care delivered, culinary services, all nursing and ancillary services, rehabilitation, physical environment, and administration. In addition, a second life-safety survey reviews the physical plant issues that make a safe living and working environment. “Deficiency-free surveys are a top indicator of excellence in nursing homes,” said David Scruggs, president and CEO of the Loomis Communities. “We are extremely proud of the dedicated staff at the Loomis House Nursing Center.” Loomis House Nursing Center was the first nursing home in Massachusetts to receive certification as a leader in providing person-centered care, a concept that adapts the way care is delivered to accommodate each resident’s preferences. “This holistic approach to successful aging and self-determination honors and respects the individual,” Scruggs said. The certification comes from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human-services organizations. The Loomis Communities offers independent-living apartments and cottages, assisted living, and skilled nursing care at Applewood in Amherst, Loomis House in Holyoke, Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing in Springfield, and Loomis Village in South Hadley.
John Howland
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Monson Savings Bank recently announced the election of five new corporators who are advisors to the bank, representing the communities the bank serves. They also possess certain governing functions, including the election of the bank’s president. Monson Savings has 55 corporators, including the five elected at the bank’s annual meeting on March 4:
• Louis Abbate, president emeritus, Willie Ross School for the Deaf, Longmeadow;
• Mark Borsari, president, Sanderson MacLeod, Palmer;
• Joseph Lawler, benefits consultant, the Gaudreau Group, Wilbraham;
• Roy St. George, vice president, Moulton Insurance Agency Inc., Ware; and
• Julie Quink, managing principal, Burkhart, Pizzanelli, P.C., West Springfield.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have these folks join our team,” said Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings Bank. “We rely on our corporators to keep us in touch with the needs of our communities, provide invaluable insight into our operations, and also to help us spread the word of all that we have to offer. Our corporators are leaders in the communities we serve, they are highly engaged with us, and we very much appreciate their involvement.”
•••••
David Griffin Jr.
•••••
Samantha Coulter
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Jack Ferriter
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Keith Tatlock of New England Financial Group, an office of MetLife and a part of the MetLife Premier Client Group, has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to use the certification marks ‘CFP’ and ‘certified financial planner practitioner’ in accordance with CFP Board certification and renewal requirements. Tatlock met the rigorous experience and ethical requirements, completed financial-planning coursework, and passed the CFP certification examination. He has also agreed to meet ongoing continuing-education requirements and to uphold the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Financial Planning Practice Standards. Tatlock has 10 years of experience in the financial-services sector. He is a graduate of Westfield State University and holds securities series 7 and series 63 as well as life- and health-insurance licenses. He is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, the Financial Planning Assoc. of Massachusetts, and Business Networking International. He is also currently a major in the Massachusetts Air National Guard at the 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield.
AFFILIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
• April 8: ACCGS Lunch ‘n’ Learn, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at La Quinta Inn and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. “When Creative Meets Data.” Learn the ‘where’ and ‘how’ to harness the power of real one-to-one personalized marketing. Presented by Mary McCarthy of Andrews Associates. Reservations are $25 for members, $35 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• April 16: East of the River Five Town Chamber Member Appreciation Night, 5-7 p.m., at Europa Black Rock Bar & Grill, 782 Center St., Ludlow. Enjoy networking, games of chance, and more. Reservations are $5 for members, and may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com. East of the River Five Town Chamber is an affiliate of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield.
• April 29: ACCGS Beacon Hill Summit 2015, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Massachusetts State House. Hosted by state Sen. James Welch. Day-long opportunity to meet with members of the Baker-Polito administration and the Massachusetts delegation. Reservations are $180 per person, including continental breakfast, transportation, lunch, reception, and all summit materials. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
• April 15: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Summit View Banquet & Meeting House. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 16: Mornings with the Mayor, 8-9 a.m., at the Boys & Girls Club, 580 Meadow St., Chicopee. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 17: Lunch & Learn, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Attorney Kate O’Brien from Sullivan, Hayes & Quinn will present “No Union, No Worries? No Way!” This is an informative program about what almost all private-sector, non-union employers need to do to avoid being a target of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• April 22: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. For more information, call the chamber at (413) 594-2101.
• May 15: Lunch & Learn, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Hampton Inn, 600 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. “ACA Compliance: Employer Requirements and Management Tools.” Learn about a solid, user-friendly road map for understanding compliance issues. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 20: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., Renaissance Manor on Cabot, 279 Cabot St., Holyoke. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 21: Greater Chicopee Chamber Golf Tournament, 10 a.m., at Chicopee Country Club. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
• May 27: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Elms College, 291 Springfield St., Chicopee. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 594-2101 or visit www.chicopeechamber.org.
GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414
• April 13: Monday Morning with the Mayor: Getting Down to Business about Business. Casual conversation with Mayor Karen Cadieux, 8-9 a.m., at Burger King, 113 Northampton St., Easthampton. Free and open to the public.
• May 11: Monday Morning with the Mayor: Getting down to Business about Business. Casual conversation with Mayor Karen Cadieux, 8-9 a.m., at Easthampton Savings Bank, 36 Main St., Easthampton. Free and open to the public.
GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376
• May 15: Chamber After Hours at Pic’s Place, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and Hosted by Pic’s Place, 910 Hampden St., Holyoke. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for the public. Call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or sign up online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 18: Annual Chamber Cup 2015 Golf Tournament, celebrating the chamber’s 125th anniversary, 10:30 a.m. at Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Registration and lunch at 10:30 a.m.; tee off at noon (scramble format); dinner following game with elaborate food stations catered by the Log Cabin. Cost: $125 per player includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, cart, and dinner. Dinner only: $25. Awards, raffles, and cash prizes follow dinner. Tournament sponsors: Log Cabin and PeoplesBank. Corporate sponsors: Dowd Insurance, Goss & McLain Insurance Agency, Holyoke Gas & Electric, Mountain View Landscapes, Holyoke Medical Center, People’s United Bank, the Republican, and Resnic, Beauregard, Waite & Driscoll. For reservations, call the Chamber Office at (413) 534-3376 or register online at holyokechamber.com.
• May 21: Chamber Business Connections, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored and hosted by PeoplesBank, in the atrium in the PeoplesBank Building at 330 Whitney Ave. Cost is $10 for chamber members, $15 for non-members. Join your friends and colleagues for this fun and casual evening of networking. Refreshments, door prizes, and 50/50 raffle.
• June 19: Save the date for the chamber’s 125th Anniversary Gala Ball at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Enjoy an elegant meal and dance to the music of the Floyd Patterson Band. Join Marcotte Ford as one of the major event sponsors by calling (413) 534-3376. Event is open to the public. More details to follow.
GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900
• May 6: May Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m. at Whalen Insurance Agency. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 584-1900
• July 1: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Pioneer Landscapes and Easthampton Electrical. For more information or to register, contact the chamber at (413) 584-1900.
GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618
• April 8: April After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Vantage Sports & Rehab, 130 Southampton Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• April 28: Southwick Home to Business Show, at Tucker’s Restaurant. For more information, contact Pam at the Chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• May 4: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at Renaissance Manor, 37 Feeding Hills Road, Westfield. This event is free and open to the public. Call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register, so we may give our host a head count.
• May 13: May After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served. Bring your business cards and make connections. Tickets are $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618.
• May 18: Annual golf tournament at 10 a.m. at Tekoa Country Club. More details to come.
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.professionalwomenschamber.com
(413) 755-1310
• April 14: Professional Women’s Chamber Ladies Night, 5-7 p.m., at Hofbrauhaus, 1105 Main St., West Springfield. Enjoy complimentary wine and refreshments.
Reservations are complimentary but required. To reserve a spot, contact Gwen Burke at (413) 237-8840 or [email protected].
WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880
• April 16: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., at Cal’s, 1068 Riverdale Road, West Springfield. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. The only cost to attend is the cost of lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately the day of the event. Please note, we cannot invoice you for these events. Attendees must be members or guests of members.
For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].
‘Victorian Opulence’ Exhibit
Through April 2016: On April 7, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History unveiled a new exhibit titled “Victorian Opulence: Springfield’s Industrial Elite.” The exhibit, which runs through April 10, 2016, features a representative selection of the kinds of luxury and everyday items that would be found in the typical upper-class Victorian homes, while also exploring the lives and values of many of these prominent families. Using beautifully ornate objects from the Springfield Museums’ own collections, this exhibit provides a window into the lives of America’s privileged classes both at home and at play during the Victorian era. Some of the fine clothing and personal items, like elegant men’s pocket watches and ladies’ jewelry and hair combs, will be familiar to fans of Downton Abbey. Objects like grandfather clocks and gentleman’s ceremonial items exhibit a level of craftsmanship no longer evident today. The items on view tell many stories about their owners, the time and place in which they lived, and the level of wealth that allowed them to possess such luxury items. The exhibit covers the period between 1840 and 1900, a time when Springfield was a powerhouse of innovation and industry. Wealthy industrialists like Everett Barney, the inventor of the clamp-on ice skate, and railroad president and Congressman Chester Chapin displayed their success through their philanthropic pursuits and by making their homes into showpieces for their newfound wealth. The spirit of philanthropy shown by individuals like James Rumrill and George Walter Vincent Smith helped create some of Springfield’s most venerable institutions, including Forest Park and the Springfield Museums themselves.
Employment-law Seminar
April 9: Due to the high volume of interest, Royal LLP will present an encore of its seminar pertaining to three major changes in employment law that every employer needs to be aware of for 2015. The seminar will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. at the company’s offices at 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. At this roundtable, the company will focus on sick leave, domestic-violence leave, and paternity leave, and will also flag an issue with respect to the Affordable Care Act relating to healthcare reimbursement, as well as minimum wage. The seminar will be led by principal Amy Royal. Cost is $30 per person; payments may be mailed to Royal LLP, 270 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060. Advance registration is required, and seating will be limited. Contact Ann-Marie Marcil at [email protected] to register.
Remembrance Service
April 19: Families who have experienced the death of a child over the past year are invited to attend the annual Service of Remembrance held by Baystate Children’s Hospital. All family members and friends are invited to attend the event, which will be held at 1 p.m. at Baystate Medical Center’s Chestnut Conference Center at 759 Chestnut St., Springfield. It is also open to families with losses prior to 2014. Baystate Children’s Hospital staff will be in attendance at the event to remember and pay tribute to the children and families who were under their care. Families are asked to respond by April 13 with the number of adults and children planning to attend the event, as well as their child’s name, if they would like it printed in the memorial-service program. Families with earlier losses are simply asked to call and register. To respond, call Marge Bloom (413) 794-5559. “We hope that the Service of Remembrance and the reception that follows will provide a unique opportunity for a special group of families to come together to remember and honor their children,” said Bloom. The service will include readings, music, and a ceremony of light. Families can share a photograph or other memento of their child on a ‘table of memories’ at the event. They may also choose to have their child’s name printed in the program and read aloud during the service, regardless of whether they can attend. As part of the service, families will be given a piece of fabric which they can personalize in memory of their child before it is added, along with others, to create a memory quilt. The quilt will be displayed this September, along with other quilts created in past years, at Baystate’s annual Memorial Quilt Exhibit. For more information on Baystate Children’s Hospital, visit www.baystatehealth.org/bch.
Restaurant Week
April 23 to May 2: The Springfield City Council’s young professionals subcommittee, partnered with the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID), will serve up mouth-watering meals during Springfield Restaurant Week 2015. Many downtown and riverfront restaurants are featured in this event, including Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou, Currents (Marriott), Champions (Marriott), Luxe Burger Bar, Nadim’s Mediterranean, Panjabi Tadka, PICKS/MVP (Sheraton), Plan B Burger, the Fort/Student Prince, Theodore’s, Pizzeria Uno, Adolfo’s, McCaffrey’s Public House, Blackjack Steakhouse, and Shakago. Each restaurant will offer a special two- or three-course dinner menu for a set price of $20.15 per person. Further details and menus will be posted on springfielddowntown.com/dinespringfield. City Councilor Justin Hurst, who chairs the young professionals subcommittee, noted that the event “is an opportunity for not only young professionals, but families and the community at large to experience the unique spread the city has to offer.” Added BID Assistant Director Morgan Drewniany, “we’re proud to forge a partnership with the YP subcommittee to promote a vibrant downtown through supporting Springfield restaurants.” Event sponsors include Baystate Health, Williams Distributing, White Lion Brewing Co., Garten, LLC Landscaping and Services, Farmington Bank, MassLive, and Inspired Marketing Inc.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake
April 25: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County will host Bowl for Kids’ Sake, the mentoring organization’s biggest annual fund-raiser, at the French King Entertainment Center in Erving from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The 45 year-old, donor-funded organization challenges everyone — mentors and mentees, their friends and families, business people, community leaders, and others who may not have time to mentor, but still support Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission — to join Bowl for Kids’ Sake help change the life of a child forever. For more than 40 years, Bowl for Kids’ Sake has supported Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country, becoming its premiere fund-raising event and raising $20 million nationwide each year. People interested in forming a team should contact Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County directly, via [email protected] or (413) 772-0915. Once a team is formed, each team member should starting soliciting donations from friends, colleagues, or family members. The minimum total pledge amount, per team member, is $75. In addition, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is still accepting corporate sponsors for this event. Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2015 challenges bowlers to dress like a superhero. Prizes will be awarded to teams and individuals for creativity and team unity. In addition, all bowlers can qualify for gift certificates to area restaurants by raising $100 or more; all bowlers who raise $75 or more automatically receive a free T-shirt. The day will also include 50/50 raffles, a photo booth provided by Base Camp Photo, music, food, drink, and more.
Military Ball & Gala
April 25: The Pioneer Valley USO announced that the fifth annual Military Ball & Gala Honoring Our Troops will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Presenting sponsors include Steve Lewis Subaru and 1812 Auto Body, and the Purple Heart sponsor is Bay Path University. Music will be provided by the Bronx Wanderers. Tickets are available by calling the USO office in Chicopee at (413) 557-3290. The Military Ball & Gala is the largest fund-raising effort of the year and funds many of the Pioneer Valley USO’s programs and services. It was designed in keeping with the long-standing traditions of formal military balls while allowing the public to attend and participate in a gala evening. Military formal and business dress is required. The Pioneer Valley USO serves the needs of active military and their families through the efforts of volunteers, the board of directors, and the public.
Not Just Business as Usual
April 30: The Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation’s Not Just Business as Usual (NJBAU) event is one of the premiere networking events for business leaders in Western Mass. This annual celebration, in its sixth year, is a celebration of innovative thinking which gives participants the opportunity to learn from business experts while raising significant funding for the STCC WORKS scholarship program. The event will be held at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A cocktail and networking reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with dinner and the keynote speaker, Google Engineering Director Steve Vinter, to follow from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Vinter has overseen the growth of Google’s Cambridge site from 15 software engineers in 2007 to more than 900 today. He is responsible for developing digital-publishing products such as Google eBooks, Google Play Newsstand, and Play for Education, and has over 20 years of industry experience working in the Boston area, focusing on building products and services for hundreds of millions of users of mobile and cloud computing. He also is the co-founder of MassCAN, a partnership of organizations which collaborate to inspire and educate students in Massachusetts to learn computing and prepare them to lead and innovate the future economy, which will be driven by computer technology. This year, NJBAU will feature interactive workstations featuring the STCC Mobile SIM and Engineering program. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are now available. Tickets are $100 each, and sponsorships begin at $1,500. For additional information or to become a sponsor, contact Christina Tuohey, STCC director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at (413) 755-4475 or [email protected]. To purchase tickets online, visit www.stcc.edu/njbau.
VVM Awards Ceremony
April 30: Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) will host its inaugural Accelerator Awards event at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The event will honor recent graduates of its new Accelerator Program, which is currently grooming 29 startup teams from across the Pioneer Valley for success by imparting meaningful business knowledge, structure, and tools. During the awards ceremony, the organization will award grants of up to $50,000 each to startup teams selected as finalists. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and will include a lively networking reception as well as a dinner and awards program, featuring startup teams and an address by John Harthorne, founder and CEO of MassChallenge. This year’s Accelerator Program is funded by MassMutual, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, with the mission to support an entrepreneurial renaissance in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley. According to VVM founder Paul Silva, “this event is the ideal opportunity to see firsthand the excitement that VVM and the Accelerator Program are generating, so we hope everyone who is interested in learning about VVM’s work will join us for an inspiring evening.” During the four-month Accelerator Program, each team is assigned to a peer-supported group, introduced to VVM advisors, and provided free co-working space in downtown Springfield. The teams engage in investment-readiness boot camps with hands-on training, expert-led lectures, peer collaboration, advisor meetings, and practice judging rounds. Teams also participate in VVM’s ongoing weekly workshops that cover strategy, innovation, marketing, sales, team building/dynamics, best practices, fund-raising, and introductions to term-sheet and valuation processes. “VVM takes a lovingly critical approach to training its startups,” Silva said. “We put the entrepreneur first in every endeavor.” The positive, rigorous training program is structured around the Lean LaunchPad curriculum, which emphasizes achieving the highest possible investment-readiness level and overcoming the three main causes of startup death: failing to achieve product-market fit, premature scaling, and team-member dynamics. “We provide comprehensive, effective resources for our teams,” Silva added. “Our real aim is to provide our groups with preparation beyond the presentation. We want them to build their businesses for the long term.”
EASTEC
May 12-14: With manufacturing a driving force of economic growth in the Northeast, as well as across the U.S., more than 12,000 business owners, engineers, designers, production managers, and purchasing executives will gather at EASTEC, the East Coast’s premier manufacturing event. Produced by SME, the biennial event takes place at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield and features more than 650 exhibitors and three days of complimentary educational sessions. In its 34th year, the event showcases the latest manufacturing technologies from additive manufacturing/3D printing to waterjet cutting, and provides access to industry experts sharing insights on how to foster innovation, increase productivity, and improve profits. This year, attendees will also get to see more than 300 new products being highlighted at the show. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with resources, research and purchase the latest technologies, and discover ways to improve productivity and increase profits. Meanwhile, the complimentary educational sessions will address trending topics such as automation innovations and Lean creativity, along with other major advancements in manufacturing. New features in 2015 will include keynote presentations from Carl Palme, applications product manager, Rethink Robotics; and Jason Prater, vice president of Development, Plex Systems, that will help with solving complex issues that U.S. manufacturers face today. EASTEC also will highlight the Bright Minds Program, designed to educate the next-generation workforce on the advancements in manufacturing that make it an exciting and rewarding career path. Winners of the Bright Minds Dream It! Do It! Student Challenge will be recognized at a special program during the three-day event. EASTEC is recommended for professionals in industries such as aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, commercial machinery, electronics, fabricating, and plastics. The event is nearly sold out, so SME encourages companies to reserve exhibit space before it’s too late. To learn more about EASTEC, view full conference and exhibit details, or register, visit easteconline.com.
40 Under Forty
June 18: The ninth annual 40 Under Forty award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. Details on the event, which honors the region’s most accomplished and civic-minded professionals under age 40, will be published in upcoming issues. The class of 2015 will be revealed and profiled in the April 20 issue.
Valley Fest
Aug. 29: White Lion Brewing Co. announced that it will host its inaugural beer festival, called Valley Fest, at Court Square in downtown Springfield. MGM Springfield will be the presenting sponsor. The festival is poised to be White Lion’s signature annual event, introducing the young brand to craft-beer enthusiasts throughout New England and beyond. White Lion Brewing Co., the city of Springfield’s only brewery, launched in October 2014. Founder Ray Berry and brewmaster Mike Yates have released three selections under the White Lion brand and have been busy promoting their efforts in venues all over Massachusetts and other New England states. “Valley Fest will have the best of the best local, regional, and national beer and hard cider brands,” Berry said. “Even in our inaugural year, Valley Fest will be the largest one-day beer festival in Western Massachusetts. We expect to draw up to 2,000 enthusiasts from throughout New England. We are very excited to showcase the fourth-largest city in New England and all of its amenities.” Berry anticipates that more than 50 breweries and many local food vendors will converge on Court Square for two sessions. Enthusiasts will have an opportunity to sample more than 100 varieties of beer and hard cider alongside pairing selections by local chefs. Michael Mathis, MGM Springfield president, said “the local entrepreneurial spirit of White Lion Brewing, coupled with the historic Court Square setting, is a winning combination to start a new Springfield tradition.” A number of sponsors have already committed to the event, including MassMutual Financial Group, the Young Professional Society of Greater Springfield, the Dennis Group, Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place, Paragus Strategic IT, Williams Distributing, and the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID). “We are honored to sponsor Valley Fest and look forward to it being an annual event that shares in the facilitation of growth within the downtown community,” said Chris Russell, executive director of the Springfield BID. Visit www.valleybrewfest.com for event details, ongoing updates, and sponsorship opportunities.
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
All Metals Industries Inc. v. Baystate Metal Solutions Inc. and Patricia A. Fernandez
Allegation: Breach of contract: $113,198.95
Filed: 2/5/15
EP Floors Corp. v. The Polycube Company, LLC and Recycle Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract: $120,000
Filed: 2/25/15
Michael E. Anderson v. Toyota Motor Sales
Allegation: Product liability: $500,000
Filed: 2/11/15
Pioneer Tool Supply Co. Inc. v. AMK Welding Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $39,826.63
Filed: 2/13/15
S & K Distribution, LLC d/b/a New Castle Building Products v. Morris Roofing and Sheet Metal Corp. and Steven N. Kravitz
Allegation: Breach of contract and non-payment of materials provided: $12,000
Filed 2/13/15
HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Amand Chouinard v. Publisher Circulation Fulfillment Inc., Paul Racine, Jason Coones, Steve Fletcher, and Chris Robare
Allegation: Sexual harassment and discrimination: $25,000+
Filed: 1/26/15
Christine Nutter v. Tractor Supply Co.
Allegation: While shopping, plaintiff fell off of a loading dock: $79,715.14
Filed: 2/21/15
Mary P. and Michael D. Boudreau v. William Ryder Funeral Home Inc.
Allegation: Breach of funeral-service contract: $2,000. Filed: 2/3/15
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
James Hall v. Green Tree Servicing, LLC
Allegation: The plaintiff had a mortgage with the defendant’s company which he paid off with the sale of the home, but the defendant refused to discharge, causing economic damage: $24,800
Filed: 1/2/15
Janelle Johnson, as parent of her minor child, Samuel Johnson v. Spirit Halloween
Allegation: Negligent maintenance of Halloween display causing injury: $2,430.10
Filed: 1/20/15
NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Marcelino Ortiz Jr. v. Bowditch, LLC d/b/a Northampton Lodging House
Allegation: When attempting to open a window in a room the plaintiff was renting from the defendant, the window came off the hinges and fell on the plaintiff’s head: $2,947.81
Filed: 2/9/15
Reinhart Food Services, LLC v. The Sub & Pizza of Amherst Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $6,336.91
Filed: 2/20/15
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Basette Printers, LLC d/b/a Bassette Company v. Encompass Design Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $8,340.79
Filed: 2/6/15
Crystal Window and Door Systems, LTD v. Lizotte Glass Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $34,260.48
Filed: 1/26/15
Sanmar Corp. v. Turbo Screen Painting, LLC
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $12,738.66
Filed: 2/12/15
Send photos with a caption and contact information to: ‘Picture This’ c/o BusinessWest Magazine, 1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or to [email protected]
Groundbreaking Event
The casino era officially began in Springfield on March 24, as ground was broken for MGM Springfield, an $800 million resort casino that will take shape in the city’s tornado-ravaged South End. Top, with the tornado-damaged Zanetti School in the background, Jim Murren, MGM Resorts International chairman and CEO, offers remarks to the hundreds in attendance. Above, the confetti canons go off as dignitaries handle the official groundbreaking duties.
Impactful Gift
Mercy Medical Center recently announced that Cynthia and William Lyons of Wilbraham have made a $1 million challenge gift to Transforming Cancer Care – the Capital Campaign for the Sister Caritas Cancer Center. The Lyons’ gift will support the 26,000-square-foot expansion of the center and reflects the largest single gift for the campaign from members of the community. “We have been inspired by the high level of care and compassion that runs throughout the Sisters of Providence Health System,” said Cynthia Lyons. “The work being done at the Sister Caritas Cancer Center is especially exciting.” Under the leadership of Dr. Philip Glynn, director of Oncology, staff at the cancer center has expanded significantly to meet patient need; by 2022, demand for outpatient cancer services is expected to grow by 26%. The $15 million expansion will also bolster the center’s capabilities by enhancing communication among oncology providers and facilitating ease of access to existing services. The design of new infusion bays will increase privacy for patients, as well as for a supporting family member or friend. Sr. Mary Caritas, SP, is a member of the Sisters of Providence Health System (SPHS) board of trustees, was president of the former Mercy Hospital, and was a driving force behind the initial effort to build the cancer center that now bears her name. Pictured at right, Caritas and Daniel Moen, president and CEO of SPHS, display a photo of Bill and Cindy Lyons at the news conference announcing the gift.
Celebrating Sisterhood
More than 1,600 people packed the MassMutual Center on March 27 for the 20th annual Women’s Leadership Conference, presented by Bay Path University. The event, with the theme “Celebrating Sisterhood,” featured three keynote speakers — Angelique Kidjo, the ‘undisputed queen of African music’; Kathy Giusti, cancer survivor, philanthropist, and founder of two melanoma research foundations; and Cuban-born singer Gloria Estefan — as well as a host of breakout sessions on a wide range of topics. From top to bottom: Bay Path President Carol Leary present Estefan with a school sweatshirt; a group of Bay Path students enjoy the conference; Kidjo entertains the audience during her morning keynote address; Bay Path alumni represent the theme of the conference; and Sheila Heen, founder of Triad Consulting Group and author of Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback: the Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (Even When It’s Off-base, Unfair, Poorly Delivered, and Frankly, You’re Not in the Mood), solicits comments during her breakout session, “Thanks for the Feedback.”
EAST LONGMEADOW — Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, which has served the Greater Springfield community since 1905, announced its first ever Family Craft Day, to be held Saturday, April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at Captain Charles Leonard House on Main Street in Agawam.
“This is the time of year when we are celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. As part of our commitment to our community, we wanted to offer families a fun and creative way to mark those holidays, regardless of whether or not they have lost a loved one,” said Frank Forastiere, president and funeral director of Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation.
All are invited to create gifts for Mother’s and Father’s Day, for teachers and grandparents, as a remembrance of a lost loved one, or as a simple thank you. The Family Craft Day is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
To reserve a spot, call (413) 525-2800. For information about Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation, visit forastiere.com.
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will hold its bi-monthly Lunch ‘n’ Learn on Wednesday, April 8, with a focus on effective personalized marketing.
Mary McCarthy, director of marketing for Andrew Associates, will address the event, which takes place at La Quinta Inns and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. The goal is to educate attendees on how to translate market research and data into effectively personalized marketing strategies that reach target audiences. Networking and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., and the program starts at 1 p.m.
WARE — Country Bank’s annual meeting was held at the Worcester Art Museum last month. The evening’s agenda included the election of trustees, corporators, and officers, as well as a report of 2014 highlights and financials.
“We are delighted to announce that we have 9 new corporators joining us. Each of them will provide a unique perspective to what Country Bank offers in their local communities,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO. New members include Dr. Mohammed Ahmed, Sheila Cuddy, Brian D’Andrea, Robert Dik, Mary Falardeau, Janice Kucewicz, Lauren Miller, James Paugh III, and Richard Poissant.
Meeting attendees also learned that Country Bank will be opening a new location on Park Avenue in Worcester later this year. The bank currently serves Central and Western Mass. with 15 offices. For more information, visit www.countrybank.com or call (800) 322-8233.
CHICOPEE — J. Polep announced the promotion of Adam Kramer to vice president of Purchasing and Food Service.
Kramer has been with J. Polep since 2006, most recently as director of Food Service. Over the last nine years, he has also been a field sales representative, district manager, and president of Grote & Weigel (a division of J. Polep).
Kramer is known for his dedication to the products he delivers, as well as his ability to grow with the industry as the business dictates. Visit www.jpolep.com to learn more about the company history.
SPRINGFIELD — Paul Kleschick has joined American International College (AIC) as its new registrar.
Kleschick recently performed consulting work for a variety of colleges and universities. Prior to working as a consultant, he was registrar at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He previously served as the associate registrar at Georgetown University and Temple University.
Kleschick graduated from Cabrini College in Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in biology. He earned his master’s degree from Temple University and his MBA from Philadelphia University.
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Theatre Group welcomes American Idol contestant and Berkshire native Katherine Winston to the Garage on Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m. Winston is an Americana singer-songwriter whose influences include Johnny Cash, John Paul White, the Civil Wars, Matt Corby, the Lone Bellow, and Stevie Nicks. For the past several years, she has been playing at an array of venues from Nashville to Iceland.
Tickets cost $10 in advance and $12 the day of performance. Contact the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South St., Pittsfield, by calling (413) 997-4444 or visiting www.berkshiretheatregroup.org. Ticket Offices are open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; or on any performance day from 10 a.m. to curtain.
SPRINGFIELD — Throughout April, Dakin Humane Society will offer a limited number of no-cost spay and neuter surgeries and rabies vaccinations as part of Community Cat, PetSmart Charities’ campaign to alter free-roaming cats.
If left unaltered, feral and free-roaming cats produce large quantities of unwanted kittens each spring, flooding local animal shelters. By taking a proactive approach and getting the cats fixed now, Dakin aims to reduce the number of homeless kittens.
Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population and is safe for kittens as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Assoc. Spaying a female cat before the first heat cycle can be beneficial, improving the health of the cat by reducing the risk of certain reproductive cancers and infections.
“Female cats can have as many as three litters a year, and kittens can breed as young as four months old,” said Leslie Harris, executive director at Dakin. “Most people don’t want to see the outdoor cats they’re feeding get pregnant over and over again, so our Community Cat campaign will serve as a gentle reminder to caretakers of free-roaming cat colonies to catch and sterilize their cats.”
People feeding free-roaming cats who wish to take advantage of Dakin’s free sterilization surgery must mention the Community Cat campaign when scheduling their appointment. Appointments are based on availability. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Dakin at (413) 781-4019.
GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community College student Crystal Kindle is one of 201 students from across the U.S. being honored for her leadership with a Newman Civic Fellow Award from Campus Compact.
Kindle, 32, will graduate in May 2016 with an associate in arts, liberal arts degree and major in human services. In addition to maintaining 3.84 GPA at GCC, Kindle dedicates her time and passion to being a student senator, volunteering for the Reinventing Justice Restorative Board, and serving as student organizer for the Clothesline Project and intern at the Franklin County House of Corrections. Since entering GCC, Kindle has received the Bohne Scholarship for Women in Transition and the Evelyn N. Fitzroy Scholarship, and has been inducted into the college’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.
Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,100 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility.
Kindle was nominated for the award by GCC President Bob Pura. He is one of many college and university presidents across the country — all members of Campus Compact — who nominated promising student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in their community to be Newman Civic Fellows. Through service, research, and advocacy, these fellows are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues, and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change.
“After attending school through sixth grade, I became pregnant at the age of 15,” Kindle said. “At 31, I became a first-time college student. I am a leader — a leader for all the women and men that thought obtaining a GED with minimal education could not be done, for the high-school and middle-school dropouts that did not think a college education was within reach, and for the teenage parents who got caught up in their adult responsibilities and put their education on the back burner.”
She added that, “as a leader for social change, I have found my voice. I believe getting to the core of social change is to see the humanity in all, and to stand up and let myself be seen. Becoming involved in my community has taught me the importance of being a voice and an advocate for those around me and the impact it has on creating social change. In order to create change, I had to first be the change. I feel as though I have set the platform for others like myself.”
In his nomination, Pura said, “Crystal Kindle’s story is one of inspiration to those who have felt marginalized by life circumstances. She is determined to set an example for her son and daughter. Crystal utilizes each and every resource that Greenfield Community College has to offer to be able to advocate for others. Crystal has the potential to make significant contributions to public problem solving by reaching out to others who have lived through similar circumstances and providing hope, encouragement, and a sense of peace. As a parent, she believes in leading by the power of example by bringing her 13-year-old daughter to volunteer alongside her at the Stone Soup Café in Greenfield.”
For more information about Campus Compact and the Newman Civic Fellow Award, visit www.compact.org.
BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts farmers will soon be able to apply to the expanded Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) AgEnergy Grant Program, thanks to new funding from the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). As a result of the efforts of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matt Beaton, DOER Acting Commissioner Dan Burgess, and MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux, DOER will provide $1 million to support a two-year expansion of the existing AgEnergy Grant Program.
“A vibrant agricultural community in Massachusetts is essential to building healthy communities and a stronger economy across the Commonwealth,” said Baker. “As we celebrate the impact agriculture brings to our economy and history today, the expansion of the AgEnergy grants will help our Commonwealth’s farmers address their energy needs and increase their future opportunities for competitiveness in the global marketplace.”
Added Beaton, “the AgEnergy Grant Program is an important part of keeping Massachusetts farms operational and competitive, while ensuring safe, long-term local food production. This program is beneficial both economically and environmentally, and will help to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions across the Commonwealth.”
The AgEnergy initiative is an annual competitive program for Massachusetts agricultural operations seeking funds to build energy projects to improve energy efficiency and facilitate adoption of alternative clean-energy technologies. By implementing these projects, agricultural operations can become more sustainable, and the Commonwealth can maximize the environmental and economic benefits from these technologies.
“Supporting local agricultural operations through clean-energy investments and equipment upgrades is beneficial for the Commonwealth’s farmers, local consumers, and our clean-energy industry,” Burgess noted.
Since its inception in 2009, the AgEnergy program has helped 156 farms build a variety of energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects, providing funding of more than $2.2 million toward $12.3 million in total project-construction costs, achieving more than $900,000 in either annual energy savings or energy generation.
Projects have included installations of variable-speed-drive vacuum pumps and heat recovery for dairy operations; thermal curtains, biomass boilers, and high-efficiency heaters for greenhouses; cold storage and high-efficiency refrigeration for vegetable farms and orchards; high-efficiency arches, heat-recovery, and reverse-osmosis equipment for maple-syrup operations; anaerobic digesters; and a variety of photovoltaic projects for all farming sectors.
“These new funds will provide a tremendous boost toward strengthening MDAR’s resources and our ability to serve the Massachusetts’ farm community in its own efforts to become more sustainable in their energy use and choice,” Lebeaux said.
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Falcons announced that Corey Cowick has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to the Springfield community during the 2014-15 season.
The Falcons’ left winger has gone above and beyond with his efforts to give back to the community. He constantly takes part in appearances and volunteer opportunities, meeting fans and doing his part to help improve the local area. The Falcons have a strong dedication to bettering quality of life in the Springfield community by promoting awareness of education, exercise, and health along with donating time and resources. Cowick has been at the forefront of these initiatives, making countless appearances in schools, libraries, and community centers.
He became the main speaker for the Falcons’ Stick to Reading program presented by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the Teamwork program presented by TD Bank, and the Play It Forward program. Cowick has spoken to numerous students and young fans around the Greater Springfield area about the importance of literacy, ways to stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle, and the qualities of leadership and anti-bullying.
Cowick also frequented Friends of the Homeless and served meals to clients along with personally donating winter and toiletry items during the holidays. He visited patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children and donated his time to answer phones at the 14th Annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon for Baystate Children’s Hospital. He also participated in the sale of team-signed ornaments and green mystery pucks with proceeds donated to Toys for Tots and Baystate Children’s Hospital, respectively. Additionally, Cowick visited the Pioneer Valley PSO, where he visited with military families and spent a great deal of time conversing and getting to know each family.
Cowick is now one of 30 finalists for the American Hockey League’s 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the AHL later this month.
HOLYOKE — The Dowd Insurance Agencies, a leading insurance provider serving New England for more than 115 years, announced that Nadine West has joined the organization as a commercial-lines account manager.
“We are very excited to have Nadine join our team of insurance professionals,” said John Dowd Jr., president and CEO of the Dowd Insurance Agencies. “She has a great deal of industry experience and brings a lot of enthusiasm for customer service.”
West has been specializing in property and casualty insurance since 1998. She is a licensed property and casualty producer and holds the Certified Insurance Service Representative designation. Prior to joining Dowd, West was employed by Borawski Insurance of Northampton.
As a commercial-lines account manager, West will manage a roster of insurance clients at Dowd’s Holyoke office and support producers with business-development initiatives. She has a strong focus on customer service and is dedicated to continuing education opportunities as the industry advances.
“I consistently challenge myself to stay on top of industry trends and learn all I can about my competitors and carriers to strengthen my industry relationships,” said West. “I have extensive training in sales, management, and customer service, and I look forward to applying these skills for the benefit of our customers at the Dowd Insurance Agencies.”
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s (ACCGS) will hold its monthly Business@Breakfast with a speed-networking theme on Wednesday, May 6 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the Colony Club, 1500 Main St., Springfield.
Sponsored by United Personnel, the breakfast will provide attendees with a quick and entertaining opportunity to introduce themselves and pitch their company to other attendees. The core concept in speed networking is the ‘elevator speech,’ a short summary of an individual, business, organization, product, or service — a summary that a person could deliver in the time span of a short elevator ride.
Attendees will be divided into two groups, seated across from each other. Each group member will have 60 seconds to give his or her elevator speech to the person seated directly across. Once each member has given their elevator speech, they will change seats, and the process will begin again with a new partner. This round-robin format of networking will continue until the event is over.
The event will begin with networking and breakfast at 7:15 a.m. To accommodate the event, breakfast will not be served after 7:45 a.m., and no admittance will be allowed after 7:55 a.m. Reservations are $20 for members or $35 for general admission. Reservations must be made online and in advance at www.myonlinechamber.com or by e-mailing Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected].
LUDLOW — The 19th “Having a Ball, Keeping the Faith” benefit dinner will be held Saturday, April 11 at 6 p.m. at Ludlow Country Club on Tony Lema Drive in Ludlow. This year, proceeds from the event will benefit the Gray House in Springfield, according to Pastor Barbara Callender, founder of the “Having a Ball, Keeping the Faith” committee and pastor of God’s Way Ministries in Springfield.
“Each year we hold a benefit for a different group or person,” said Callender. “When we heard the Gray House was having financial difficulty, we knew we wanted this year’s event to benefit them because of the work they do and the great need in Springfield.”
Dena Calvanese, executive director of the Gray House, said her organization “has been blessed by the number of people that volunteer and donate,” adding, “it is the support of community members and groups that has kept the Gray House open for more than 30 years and allows us to serve over 8,000 people a year.”
In addition to the dinner, there will be a silent auction and raffle. Live music will be provided by the band Built for Comfort. Tickets to the event are $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Cherie Callender at (413) 455-8786 or Calvanese at (413) 734-6696, ext. 100.
The Gray House is a small, neighborhood human-service agency located at 22 Sheldon St. in the North End of Springfield. Its mission is to help neighbors facing hardships to meet their immediate and transitional needs by providing food, clothing, and educational services in a safe, positive environment.
SPRINGFIELD — The Zoo in Forest Park is having its season opening on Saturday, April 4 at 10 a.m. This opening will include its Eggstravaganza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The opening day will feature the animals on display along with various activities for kids. Easter candy will be available as well.
The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center is a nonprofit organization governed by the Forest Park Zoological Society. Situated in Forest Park, a 735-acre woodland park in Springfield, the zoo features exotic and indigenous animals representing a large variety of species found throughout the world and in North America. The zoo’s 2015 hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily when weather permits.
WALES — The regional law firm Bacon Wilson announced that senior partner Kenneth Albano was recently appointed to serve as town counsel to the town of Wales. In addition to Wales, Albano also serves as town counsel to the municipalities of Monson, Southwick, and Holland. Albano is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Commercial, and Municipal practice groups.
FLORENCE — Florence Bank announced that Stephen Bourgeois Jr. of Amherst has been named to the President’s Club for 2015. The President’s Club affords employees opportunities to nominate their peers for the honor, which recognizes superior performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank.
Bourgeois was nominated by numerous colleagues at Florence Bank. He is a senior teller and customer-service representative at the bank’s King Street office, and joined the bank in 2012.
John Heaps Jr., president and CEO of Florence Bank, said, “we received so many comments about Stephen — everything from ‘he is the first to volunteer to take on projects or help in any way’ to ‘he maintains the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness with our customers.’ His commendable work ethic and genuine desire to contribute make Stephen an outstanding member of the President’s Club.”
HADLEY — Newly updated population projections by the UMass Donahue Institute say recent growth in the state’s population will be sustained through 2015, with the rate then slowing through 2035.
The newly released report, “Long-term Population Projections for Massachusetts Regions and Municipalities,” was developed by researchers at the UMass Donahue Institute’s (UMDI) Population Estimates Program and Dr. Henry Renski, associate professor of Regional Planning and director for the UMass Center for Economic Development at UMass Amherst. It provides detailed projections, or expected populations, at five-year intervals through 2035 by age and sex for all Massachusetts cities and towns and eight distinct Massachusetts regions. This 2015 series updates the last set released by UMDI in 2013.
The study, produced with support from Mass. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, forecasts 11.8% growth in state’s population from 2010 to 2035, with population increasing by 771,840 over the 25-year term to a new total of 7,319,469.
“Massachusetts has been growing very rapidly in the past few years”, said Susan Strate, Population Estimates Program manager. “It’s been growing more than twice as fast as the Northeast average, and twice as fast as it had between Census 2000 and 2010 on average. The new projections pick up on this recent, rapid growth before the natural forces of an aging population eventually start to slow things down.” Among the study’s most significant findings:
• The population aged 65 and over will almost double in 25 years, increasing from 902,724 in 2010 to 1,679,917 by 2035 — changing from 14% of the state’s total population to 23% by 2035.
• At the opposite end, the population aged 19 and under is expected to decrease by 57,000 people, changing from 25% of the state population to just 21% by 2035.
• Some areas of the state — including the Greater Boston, MetroWest, and Central regions — are predicted to grow at rates well above the state average, while others, including regions in Western Mass., will experience only slow growth. The Cape Cod region is expected to lose resident population if recent trends in migration, fertility, and mortality continue.
This projection series picks up on the recent, rapid growth experienced in Massachusetts through 2014, estimated at 3% cumulatively since the 2010 Census and averaging 0.7%, or 46,492 persons per year, according to U.S. Census estimates. According to UMDI projections, growth will be sustained at this rate through 2015, adding about 245,000 persons in the first five-year period, and then gradually diminish over time, slowing to 0.2% annual growth from 2030 to 2035. By comparison, Massachusetts grew by 3.1% cumulatively in the 10 years from 2000 to 2010.
The UMDI is the public-service, outreach, and economic-development group of the UMass President’s Office. Established in 1971, the institute strives to connect the Commonwealth with the resources of the university, bridging theory and innovation with real-world public- and private-sector applications.
FLORENCE — Molding Business Services (MBS) announced it has taken on a new partner, Jonathan Soucy of Plymouth. He joins forces with partners Terry Minnick, Joel Minnick, and Andrew Munson, and will help bolster the firm’s M&A advisory and recruiting efforts.
Soucy has more than 25 years of experience in precision injection molding and manufacturing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in plastics engineering UMass Lowell and an MBA from Suffolk University. For the past six years, Soucy served as the CEO of Plainfield Precision, a multi-national manufacturer of injection-molded components, metal stampings, and complex assemblies. During his tenure with Plainfield, he led a corporate-wide turnaround, developed and executed a strategic plan to build value, and successfully sold the various Plainfield companies to maximize shareholder return.
Soucy’s move to MBS coincides with a Jan. 30 transaction that saw Plainfield Precision sell its final production facility — a precision automotive injection molder in San Luis Potosi, Mexico — to the U.S. subsidiaries of Nissha Printing Co. Ltd. Based in Japan, Nissha is a global manufacturer of printed films and owns Eimo Technologies, a Michigan-based manufacturer of decorative, injection-molded components. MBS advised Plainfield in the transaction.
Soucy also spent nearly two decades with a Plainfield predecessor company called Pixley Richards. Pixley was a custom plastic-injection-molding company specializing in tight-tolerance parts. During his tenure there, Soucy held various roles in engineering and operations management until eventually leading a management buyout of the company and assuming the role of owner and CEO.
Molding Business Services was founded in 1998 by Terry Minnick, also an industry veteran and former owner of a custom injection-molding company. Today, MBS works with molders and other plastics processors and provides merger/acquisition advisory, executive recruiting, and commercial consulting services. MBS has sold an industry-leading 64 plastics processors since its inception and typically places around 100 skilled people each year with molders all over the world.
SPRINGFIELD — On April 7, the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History will unveil a new exhibit titled “Victorian Opulence: Springfield’s Industrial Elite.” The exhibit, which runs through April 10, 2016, features a representative selection of the kinds of luxury and everyday items that would be found in the typical upper-class Victorian homes, while also exploring the lives and values of many of these prominent families.
Using beautifully ornate objects from the Springfield Museums’ own collections, this exhibit provides a window into the lives of America’s privileged classes both at home and at play during the Victorian era. Some of the fine clothing and personal items, like elegant men’s pocket watches and ladies’ jewelry and hair combs, will be familiar to fans of Downton Abbey. Objects like grandfather clocks and gentleman’s ceremonial items exhibit a level of craftsmanship no longer evident today. The items on view tell many stories about their owners, the time and place in which they lived, and the level of wealth that allowed them to possess such luxury items.
The exhibit covers the period between 1840 and 1900, a time when Springfield was a powerhouse of innovation and industry. Wealthy industrialists like Everett Barney, the inventor of the clamp-on ice skate, and railroad president and Congressman Chester Chapin displayed their success through their philanthropic pursuits and by making their homes into showpieces for their newfound wealth. The spirit of philanthropy shown by individuals like James Rumrill and George Walter Vincent Smith helped create some of Springfield’s most venerable institutions, including Forest Park and the Springfield Museums themselves.
SPRINGFIELD — Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) will host its inaugural Accelerator Awards event on Thursday, April 30 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The event will honor recent graduates of its new Accelerator Program, which is currently grooming 29 startup teams from across the Pioneer Valley for success by imparting meaningful business knowledge, structure, and tools.
During the awards ceremony, the organization will award grants of up to $50,000 each to startup teams selected as finalists. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and will include a lively networking reception as well as a dinner and awards program, featuring startup teams and an address by John Harthorne, founder and CEO of MassChallenge.
This year’s Accelerator Program is funded by MassMutual, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, with the mission to support an entrepreneurial renaissance in Springfield and the Pioneer Valley.
According to VVM founder Paul Silva, “this event is the ideal opportunity to see firsthand the excitement that VVM and the Accelerator Program are generating, so we hope everyone who is interested in learning about VVM’s work will join us for an inspiring evening.”
During the four-month Accelerator Program, each team is assigned to a peer-supported group, introduced to VVM advisors, and provided free co-working space in downtown Springfield. The teams engage in investment-readiness boot camps with hands-on training, expert-led lectures, peer collaboration, advisor meetings, and practice judging rounds. Teams also participate in VVM’s ongoing weekly workshops that cover strategy, innovation, marketing, sales, team building/dynamics, best practices, fund-raising, and introductions to term-sheet and valuation processes.
“VVM takes a lovingly critical approach to training its startups,” Silva said. “We put the entrepreneur first in every endeavor.”
The positive, rigorous training program is structured around the Lean LaunchPad curriculum, which emphasizes achieving the highest possible investment-readiness level and overcoming the three main causes of startup death: failing to achieve product-market fit, premature scaling, and team-member dynamics.
“We provide comprehensive, effective resources for our teams,” Silva added. “Our real aim is to provide our groups with preparation beyond the presentation. We want them to build their businesses for the long term.”
BERLIN, Conn. — Comcast announced that Ineshia Proctor has been appointed director of Customer Care for the company’s Western New England Region, which includes more than 300 communities in Western Mass., Connecticut, Vermont, New York, and Western New Hampshire. In this role, Proctor is responsible for overseeing Comcast’s customer-care operations for the region, including managing the day-to-day operations of the company’s local regional call centers located in Enfield, Conn. and South Burlington, Vt.
“Ineshia brings a wealth of experience and passion to her new position,” said Troy Griffin, vice president of Customer Care for Comcast’s Western New England Region. “Her strong leadership, combined with her proven track record of effective personnel management, make her the ideal leader to oversee our customer-care operations in the region.”
Proctor has more than 15 years of experience with Comcast, having started out as a customer-care representative for the company in Maryland in 1999 and quickly rising through the ranks to become a supervisor and manager. In her last role, Proctor served as customer service manager for Advanced Services based in Newark, Del. for the company’s Freedom Region, where she oversaw 80 employees responsible for all facets of customer-service strategy, including product repair, billing, and collections.
Proctor attended the University of Maryland’s University College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in human resources management. She has relocated to Connecticut and works out of the company’s Enfield, Conn. call center.
SPRINGFIELD — The Friends of the Springfield Library invite you to join them in celebrating National Library Week and Springfield’s first Poet Laureate, Maria Luisa Arroyo, on Friday, April 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Central Library Rotunda, 220 State St., Springfield. Come check out the historic rotunda in a poetic atmosphere with hors d’oeuvres, drinks, mingling with friends, and a mix of musical selections by Joel Meginsky.
The Friends of the Springfield Library is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the work of the Springfield City Library. The group works to promote awareness of library resources, raise funds for special programming, and advocate on behalf of library interests.
Free parking is available in the lot directly across from the Central Library, as well as the museum lot on Edwards Street. Tickets are $35 per person, and are available at all library branches. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Springfield Library. Payment can be made with cash or a personal check. You can also purchase tickets and find more information at www.springfieldlibrary.org/library.
HARTFORD, Conn. — Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C., one of the area’s largest independent accounting, audit, tax, and business-advisory firms, ranks ninth in the 2015 Accounting Today annual survey of regional leaders in New England. The firm’s expansion into Western Mass. in August 2014 helped precipitate a growth in revenue of 10%. The average firm growth for top firms in New England was 6.8%.
“From our early beginnings in 1961, our firm has continued to focus on achieving steady growth through unmatched service to our clients and the retention of a highly skilled and committed team of professionals,” said Managing Partner Drew Andrews. “Today, we are embracing a more aggressive growth plan that combines the acquisition of professional service firms throughout New England with a similar culture and philosophy as Whittlesey & Hadley, where our unwavering commitment to exceed client expectations every day, in every way possible, will prevail.”
The annual survey is published in Accounting Today’s March issue and is based on total revenue.
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) has announced that Eastfield Mall and Auburn Crossing General Manager Melinda Graulau has been chosen as its 2015 recipient of the Leadership Community Service Award. The award will be presented at the Leadership 2015 graduation ceremonies on April 16 at the Springfield Sheraton.
Leadership 2015 is a unique collaboration between the ACCGS and Western New England University (WNEU) to teach middle- and upper-level managers the crucial thinking and problem-solving skills needed to prepare participants to be effective leaders in service to the community and their workplaces. Since 1990, the award has been presented annually to a citizen or organization that exemplifies the program’s values of leadership in the workplace and in the world and a commitment to community service.
A 2012 graduate of the program, Graulau moved to Western Mass. in 2009 to take on the role of general manager at the two shopping malls for Mountain Development Corp. She leads a team of 40 and is responsible for temporary and permanent leasing, expense control, personnel development, contract negotiations, and community relations.
“Since moving to the region, Mel has immersed herself in our community, including serving a key role on our affiliate board of directors, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce,” said ACCGS President Jeffrey Ciuffreda. “She recognizes the value of public and private partnerships and worked closely with the city of Springfield to secure funding for an $8 million rehabilitation of Boston Road,” he added.
Prior to joining Eastfield Mall and moving to Springfield, Graulau spent more than 20 years in shopping-center management and marketing with a variety of shopping-center developers, including CBL & Associates, General Growth Properties, Ramco-Gershenson Properties Inc., Horizon Group, and the Pyramid Companies.
Born and raised in Alma, Michigan, Graulau came to Massachusetts for the first time in 1988 upon graduating from college to pursue a career in retail, which eventually launched her career into the shopping-center industry in 1991.
She is a member of various Springfield ad hoc committees, including the city’s new revenue committee, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce board of directors, and the Dakin Humane Society board of directors and finance committee. She is a former board member of the YMCA of Greater Springfield, past chair of its LiveSTRONG event, and currently serves on its finance committee.
Graulau also served as co-president of the Boston Road Business Assoc. and a participant with City2City Pioneer Valley and the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield’s Washington symposium.
Graulau’s other past leadership positions include former chairperson of the state operations committee for the Michigan chapter of the International Council of Shopping Centers; a former member and treasurer of Zonta Club of Farmington/Novi, Mich.; former treasurer of the Livonia (Mich.) Chamber of Commerce; and former board member for the Battle Creek (Mich.) Area Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant.
