Month: January 2016

WEST SPRINGFIELD — In partnership with Big Y, the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF) announced the second year of the Farm Awards, a program to support local farmers with projects that will help improve their farm businesses. The awards are for equipment and physical farm improvements.

“Big Y has been supporting local farmers since we began 80 years ago,” said Charles D’Amour, president and COO of Big Y. “Through our partnership with the Grinspoon Foundation, we are providing one more way to help the local growers to thrive in our community.”

In an effort to have the widest impact, the individual award recipients will be given up to a maximum of $2,500 per award, for a grand total of $100,000. Realizing the importance of local farms in the region, Grinspoon launched these awards last year. The 2015 awards were distributed to 33 of the 88 applicants.

The two regional Buy Local farm advocates, Berkshire Grown and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), will continue to provide insight and assistance, which was essential to the successful launch of the program in 2015.

“We are so pleased to continue to work with everyone involved in this unique Farm Awards program to support the vital role family farms play in our communities,” said Philip Korman, executive director of CISA.

Added Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown, “we’re thrilled about the continuation of these financial awards for farmers in Western Massachusetts to strengthen their farm businesses. This helps build the local food economy in our region.”

The deadline for applying is Jan. 31. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.hgf.org/farm-awards for more information.

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced that Kathryn Dube has joined the bank as first vice president and wealth business development leader.

Dube brings more than 30 years of banking and financial-management experience to her new role. She has held progressively responsible positions in retail banking and wealth management in the Western Mass. and Connecticut markets. Prior to joining Berkshire Bank, she served as senior vice president of private banking at TD Bank, where she was responsible for sales of wealth products and services and generating new assets. She served as senior vice president, regional retail market manager for TD Bank as well, for which she managed a network of 35 stores and $2 billion in deposits. She holds Series 7 and 66 FINRA licenses. She attended the University of Connecticut, New England College of Finance, and Bryant College.

Involved in numerous community endeavors, Dube is the current chair of the United Way Women’s Leadership Council in the Pioneer Valley, a member of the United Way of Pioneer Valley board of directors, and co-chair of the United Way’s endowment committee. Having previously served as chair and vice chair for the United Way of Pioneer Valley, she was selected as the organization’s Volunteer of the Year in 2014.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — First Niagara Financial Group recently announced it contributed more than $1.3 million in charitable grants and donations in 2015 to nearly 130 organizations throughout Connecticut and Western Mass.

In Massachusetts, where First Niagara has a presence in both the Greater Springfield area and Greater Boston, the bank’s charitable giving totaled $155,000 to more than 25 organizations, including FamilyAid Boston, HAPHousing Inc. Mass Mentoring Partnership, Holyoke Community College, Springfield Partners for Community Action, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Twin Cities Community Development Corp., Urban League of Springfield Inc., and YMCA of Greater Springfield.

“At First Niagara, we feel it is important to support local organizations that positively impact cities and towns in the markets we serve,” said Jeff Hubbard, New England regional president for First Niagara. “We are proud of our contribution to these organizations and look forward to continuing to help make our communities great places to live, work, and play.”

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration recently announced the launch of a $30 million residential solar loan program, which will support Massachusetts lenders in providing loans between $3,000 and $60,000 with low, fixed-interest rates to homeowners across the state. The program is expected to deliver approximately $100 million in savings to residents who take advantage of it.

“Massachusetts is a national leader in solar energy, and this program provides another way for residents to access solar energy while diversifying the Commonwealth’s energy portfolio and reducing our overall carbon footprint,” said Gov. Charlie Baker.

For residents, Mass Solar Loan widens the range of energy financing available via low-interest solar loans and by making those loans also accessible to borrowers with lower credit scores or incomes. For local lenders, Mass Solar Loan opens up new lending opportunities. For solar installers, the program provides a long-term financing program for customers. Direct solar ownership of solar electricity keeps more energy dollars in Massachusetts, while keeping energy generation local and helping to achieve the Commonwealth’s goal of 1,600 megawatts of solar by 2020.

“Helping residents own their own solar generation will expand the Massachusetts solar industry and help local lenders grow their business while moving Massachusetts closer to its statewide energy and environmental goals,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton.

Mass Solar Loan is a program run in partnership by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). It is available for solar installations on single-family homes and residential buildings up to three units, with all lenders offering loans between $3,000 and $35,000 and some lenders offering loans up to $60,000. The program provides funding to Massachusetts banks and credit unions to incentivize lenders to make solar lending a part of their portfolios and to make solar loans available to borrowers with lower incomes or credit scores.

To date, Bank Five, First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union, North Brookfield Savings Bank, Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union, UMassFive College Federal Credit Union, and Weymouth Bank offer Mass Solar Loans, with more due to begin participating over the coming weeks.

“Residential solar has been a key component in the Commonwealth’s efforts to meet our ambitious clean energy goals,” said DOER Commissioner Judith Judson. “The Mass Solar Loan program will lower costs and increase the options for Massachusetts residents to benefit from owning solar.”

Residents can visit www.masscec.com/programs/mass-solar-loan for a list of participating solar installers and lenders, tips on how to select a solar installer, and the steps for participating in the program. They may also call (617) 712-1121 for more information. Interested lenders or installers may contact MassCEC to participate in the program.

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine has set Feb. 12 as the deadline for receiving nominations for the 40 Under Forty Class of 2016, the 10th class to be honored by the magazine. The program recognizes rising stars within the Western Mass. community, which includes Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.

This year’s group of 40 will be profiled in the magazine’s April 18 edition, then toasted at the June 16 gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke.

The nomination form, which can be found online at businesswest.com, requests basic information and can be supported with other material, such as a résumé, testimonials, and even press clippings highlighting an individual’s achievements in their profession or service to their community.