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Year: 2016

Women’s Fund Program Featured in National Storytelling Platform

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Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts’ Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI) was one of several featured programs that launched Tuesday during the rollout of a new national storytelling initiative unveiled by the Women’s Funding Network (WFN) at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting.

The uniquely interactive digital tool seeks to bring attention to a leading challenge facing women in the U.S. and around the world — economic security — and lift up the vital work of women’s foundations that are addressing this issue.

“Telling the story of local women on a national scale is crucial to the work we do. If we want our communities to thrive, we must ensure the economic security of women,” said Elizabeth Barajas-Román, CEO, of the Women’s Fund. This year, Barajas-Román was invited to represent Western Mass. on the national board of the Women’s Funding Network.

The launch highlights the story of the Women’s Fund LIPPI program, a unique leadership institute developed in response to a shortage of women in civic leadership positions, in public office, and serving on boards. The coursework equips women with the tools and confidence to become civic and political leaders.

More than 250 participants are now leaders in their local communities; 22 have run for elected office, one received a gubernatorial appointment, one graduate is the first female police chief of Northampton, one ran a successful race for mayor of Pittsfield, and two graduates are serving in executive cabinet positions. Many more continue to serve on various boards and commissions, organizing grassroots campaigns, and raising their collective voices on issues that impact women and families.

The Economic Security Digital Storytelling Platform is a data-driven, yet narrative, evidence of women’s foundations’ ongoing commitment to ensuring women’s economic prosperity. The platform gives users the opportunity to explore the data alongside the powerful stories of the women, programs, and organizations making an impact on this issue, breathing life into facts and figures. The responsive and flexible format encourages user engagement and learning by featuring links and downloadable files throughout, as well as links to social media to make these important stories easy to share.

WFN’s Economic Security Digital Storytelling Platform can be previewed at economicsecurity.womensfundingnetwork.org.

Assoc. for Community Living Unveils New Name, Partnership with VVM

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Ruth Banta, executive director of the Assoc. for Community Living, announced that the organization has changed its name to Pathlight to underscore the breadth and scope of the services it has offered to people with intellectual disabilities in the community since 1952.

Banta also announced that, in continuing the organization’s long-standing innovative spirit, Pathlight has partnered with Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) to offer the Pathlight Challenge. The two organizations have put out a national call to startup entrepreneurs to develop technology aimed at increasing independence for people with intellectual disabilities.

It’s expected that at least two proposals from startups will be accepted by Pathlight. Those entrepreneurs will be enrolled in Valley Venture Mentors’ four-month, intensive Accelerator Program in January.

“It’s a great partnership,” Banta said. “We’re tying our history of innovation and our passion for the people that we serve to entrepreneurs’ passion for innovation and breaking barriers.”

Paul Silva, chief innovation officer at Valley Venture Mentors, said what’s key in the Pathlight Challenge is that start-ups will have access to people in the populations they are hoping to serve as they produce their innovations.

“Interfacing with stakeholders is normally hard to do,” he said. “We have created a way in which companies that are worthy can get the access they need. If they want to develop something for parents, Pathlight can connect them to parents. If they want to gain access to staff, we can connect them to staff. This will allow them to troubleshoot problems as early as possible and allow their ideas to evolve more quickly. Pathlight is giving these startups a chance to be more competitive and, thus, more likely to survive.”

Formerly vice president of administration and chief financial officer at the organization that serves people with disabilities across Western Mass. from infancy through end of life, Banta said the name change to Pathlight was part of a rebranding that began last fall as a means of solidifying the agency’s persona and outlining its key values.

“Our mission is to help people on their own unique journey to experience the life they want to live,” Banta said. “We weren’t being literal when we chose the new name, but we hope that it conveys that we shine a light on those journeys.”

She added, “what we’re hoping with the new name is that people will associate it with the breadth of the services that we offer. When people hear that a service is a Pathlight program, we want them to know that that means it is a caring, high-quality service backed by high-level expertise.”

Banta is excited about the partnership with Valley Venture Mentors, as it highlights the organization’s long-standing history of innovation. She noted that Pathlight’s history of advances dates back to its roots. “We were the first to open a community residence for people with disabilities and the first to create a shared living model for families.”

Now, she added, “we’re looking at how we serve the Millennial population of people with developmental disabilities and autism and looking at how technology can give these young adults the independence that they and their families want for them.”

The Pathlight Challenge is especially seeking solutions to issues regarding health, safety, and transportation. “Transportation is often a big hindrance to the people we serve in terms of getting to jobs and recreational opportunities,” Banta said. “We’re looking to see how technology can offer assistance there.”

Silva said he is excited about the national call for proposals that will now be launched via both organizations’ databases and online connections. The selection process will continue through October.

The Accelerator Program is a four-month, intensive program held over one long weekend a month, offering startups connections to subject-matter experts, investors, and highly engaged and collaborative peers. Those competing in the program can win up to $50,000 in grants to develop their business or product.

The Pathlight fellows will graduate from the Accelerator Program in May, when they will also unveil their new technology, Silva said.

“To our knowledge, this challenge is the first of its kind,” he added. “There are hundreds of accelerator programs in this country running every year, but I haven’t run across any that are focused on assistive technology. Assistive technology is a new focus.”

Isenberg School Breaks Ground on Business Innovation Hub

By
Daily News

AMHERST — State and UMass Amherst officials broke ground recently on the $62 million Business Innovation Hub at the Isenberg School of Management. The ambitious project will add 70,000 square feet of classrooms, labs, and student spaces, including an expanded career center, advising spaces, and learning commons, as well as faculty offices to the school’s existing facilities.

The project is scheduled for completion in September 2018, with occupancy in January 2019.

The new addition accompanies additional renovation of select spaces within the original 1964 building and the 2002 addition named for Harold Alford. The new and renovated facilities will combine to create a single unified campus for the Isenberg School.

The Boston-based firm Goody Clancy and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) of New York is collaborating on the design of the addition, while Dimeo Construction is the contractor.

Speakers at the groundbreaking included UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, Isenberg School of Management Dean Mark Fuller, state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, UMass Building Authority Chairman Phillip Johnston, UMass trustee Henry Thomas, and Isenberg graduates Edward Shirley, Stephanie Berenson, and Martin Boyle.

State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, a 1977 graduate of UMass Amherst, addresses those assembled at last week’s groundbreaking.

State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, a 1977 graduate of UMass Amherst, addresses those assembled at last week’s groundbreaking.

Mark Fuller, dean of the Isenberg School of Management, adds his remarks at last week’s groundbreaking ceremonies.

Mark Fuller, dean of the Isenberg School of Management, adds his remarks at last week’s groundbreaking ceremonies.

An architect’s rendering of the new Business Innovation Hub.

An architect’s rendering of the new Business Innovation Hub.

 

Paragus to Host Program About Millennials in the Workplace

By
Daily News

HADLEY — In 2016, Millennials overtook Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation. And by 2020, it’s estimated that 46% of the U.S. workforce will be millennials. With that in mind, Paragus Strategic IT will host a fun, informative breakfast session on Thursday, Oct. 20. The program, “Not Talkin’ ’bout Your Generation,” will address how to think young, stay relevant, and keep a business looking toward the future.

Speakers will include Dr. Michael Klein, an organizational psychologist who helps businesses make effective hiring decisions, develop managerial skills, and grow trusting and collaborative teams, and author of Trapped in the Family Business; and Paragus CEO Delcie Bean, who presides over a mass of productive Millennials every day. And, as a Millennial himself, he brings some first-hand experience to the table.

The event is free and will take place from 8 to 10 a.m. at Paragus, 112 Russell St., Hadley. Come by for breakfast, strong coffee, and good advice. To sign up, click here.

Professional Women’s Chamber to Hold Ladies Night Oct. 18

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Simply Serendipity boutique at the Shops at Marketplace, 1341 Main St., Springfield, will play hostess to the Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) bi-monthly Ladies Night on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The boutique features handcrafted jewelry from artisans across the globe from Massachusetts to Venice, Italy. The boutique opened nearly two years ago when it found its permanent home in downtown Springfield.

Ladies Nights provide PWC members with opportunities to meet socially with other members after hours. Themed nights are incorporated, adding another element to the event.

Reservations are complimentary but suggested, and include beverages and refreshments. To reserve a spot, e-mail Debra Chamberland at [email protected].

MGM Offers Tour of Construction Site

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest was part of a large contingent of media members and elected officials who were given a tour of the MGM Springfield construction site last week.

MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis and Brian Packer, the company’s vice president of Construction, led the tour and offered commentary at several points along the way, including the future home of the hotel and South End food market, the parking garage, and the site of the First Spiritualist Church.

The tour, two years out from MGM Springfield’s opening, kicked off a site-progress series in which MGM officials have committed to deliver regular updates to local elected and city officials. MGM is ramping up construction update communications with officials as the project moves along, said Mathis.

Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno offers remarks at the start of the tour of MGM’s construction site in the South End.

Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno offers remarks at the start of the tour of MGM’s construction site in the South End.

Mike Mathis, right, and Brian Packer stop near the site of the parking garage to explain progress on that portion of the project.

Mike Mathis, right, and Brian Packer stop near the site of the parking garage to explain progress on that portion of the project.

Architects’ renderings show how the work in progress will change the Springfield skyline.

Architects’ renderings show how the work in progress will change the Springfield skyline.

The former South End Community Center, the scene of comprehensive interior demolition look, will be renovated and become a key component of the MGM Springfield casino.

The former South End Community Center, the scene of comprehensive interior demolition work, will be renovated and become a key component of the MGM Springfield casino.

Survey: Children Expect Parents to Cover College Costs

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Retirement Planning Sections

Hard Lesson

T. Rowe Price’s 2016 Parents, Kids & Money Survey, which sampled 1,086 parents nationally and their 8- to 14-year old children, found that many kids (62%) expect their parents to cover the cost of “whatever college I want to go to.” Yet, most parents (65%) will only be able to contribute some to the cost of college.

The results also suggest that student loans can lead to increased anxiety and financial stress. Parents with their own student loans are more likely to lose sleep over college costs (49% vs. 40%) and are significantly more likely to have credit-card debt (67% vs. 54%) and payday loans (19% vs. 7%).

There are positive findings, however, as most parents are indeed saving for their kids’ college (58%) and recognize the need to begin saving when their kids are young, with 68% saying under age 10, including 47% who say under age 5. And while some parents may not be using the most appropriate type of account to save for college, which include low-interest savings accounts (42%) and retirement accounts that penalize savers for withdrawing money before retirement (27%), a significant percentage of the parents who are saving are getting it right by using a tax-advantaged 529 plan (37%) to save for their kids’ college.

 

Preparing for college entails more than studying for the SATs and should begin before kids have even started kindergarten. It starts with saving for college in a 529 account and having regular money conversations at a young age, so they’ll later be able to conceptualize the financial tradeoffs involved in selecting a college.”

 

“Preparing for college entails more than studying for the SATs and should begin before kids have even started kindergarten,” said Judith Ward, a senior financial planner at T. Rowe Price and mother of two college graduates. “It starts with saving for college in a 529 account and having regular money conversations at a young age, so they’ll later be able to conceptualize the financial tradeoffs involved in selecting a college.

“The benefits of a college education can become overshadowed by the burden of debt if parents haven’t saved towards a college education and had money conversations with their kids to manage expectations of how much of their college costs they can cover,” she added. “It’s surprising that most kids expect their parents to cover whatever college they want to go to — and presents a real opportunity to discuss family finances and make sure everyone is on the same page.”

T. Rowe Price encourages parents to invest in their kids’ futures by talking to them about money matters weekly and saving for their college. The survey found that parents who discuss financial topics with their kids at least once a week are nearly twice as likely to have kids who say they are smart about money (68% versus 36%). To help, the firm created MoneyConfidentKids.com, which provides free online games for kids and tips for parents that are focused on financial concepts such as goal setting, spending versus saving, inflation, asset allocation, and investment diversification, as well as lessons for educators.

Among the other survey results:

• Some kids think their parents are saving for their college when they are not: 67% of kids say their parents are saving for their college. But, nearly a quarter of those (23%) have parents who said that they actually are not saving for their college.
• That makes many parents feel guilty: 63% of parents agree with the statement, “I feel guilty that I won’t be able to pay more for their college.”
• Parents are willing to work more to cover college costs: 76% of parents would be willing to delay their retirement and 68% would be willing to get a second or part-time job to pay for their kids’ college education.
• Parents tend to underestimate college costs. While the total cost of a four-year education at an in-state university is currently about $80,000 on average, according to the College Board, only 35% of parents think that the total cost of a four-year education at an in-state university is $80,000 or more.
• Some parents are willing to take on considerable student-loan debt: 57% of parents are willing to take on $25,000 or more in debt to pay for their kids’ college education, with 19% willing to borrow $100,000 or more.
• They are also willing to let their kids take student loans: nearly half (47%) are willing to let their kids borrow $25,000 or more, with 14% willing to let their kids take out $100,000 or more in student debt.
• Parents who have their own student debt are more willing to take on higher levels of debt. Parents who are paying back their own student loans are more willing to borrow $100,000 or more themselves to pay for their kids’ college (24% vs. 18%).
• More parents have money saved for their kids’ college than their own retirement. While 58% of parents said they had money saved for their kids’ college education, only 54% indicated they had money saved for their retirement.

The eighth annual T. Rowe Price Parents, Kids & Money Survey, conducted by MetrixLab Inc., aimed to understand the basic financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of both parents of children ages 8 to 14 and their kids. The survey was fielded in February 2016, with a sample size of 1,086 parents and 1,086 kids. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Founded in 1937, Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price Group Inc. is a global investment management organization with $776.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016.

Millennials Are Committed to Building Retirement Savings

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RetirementFeature 0916b
Retirement Planning Sections

Taking a Long View

Siobhan Matty

Siobhan Matty says Millennials understand their financial challenges, from a shaky job market to high college debt to uncertainty about Social Security, and are planning for the future accordingly.

Older generations hold quite a few negative stereotypes about the youngest cohort in the workforce. If surveys and statistics are to be believed, however, Millennials may be doing better than their predecessors at getting an early start on retirement savings. Much of this is simply a response to a barrage of anxieties thrown their way, from skyrocketing college debt and a sluggish job market to the disappearance of pensions and uncertainty about Social Security. Increasingly, young professionals understand that building a secure retirement is their responsibility — and the sooner they start, the better.

“They’re quite aware of what they’re going through.”

David Bowie’s famous observation about young people from “Changes,” illuminating the generation gap he observed, is still applicable 45 years after the song was written.

Take, for example, the issue of saving for retirement. If the older generations have an image of Millennials — the generation now between ages 16 and 36, and numbering more than 75 million — as flighty and irresponsible with their financial strategy, the raw numbers tell a different story.

According to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in its 2016 survey titled “Perspectives on Retirement: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials,” today’s Millennials started saving for retirement at a median age of 22, and 72% are currently saving through a company-sponsored 401(k) or similar plan, or a plan outside the workplace.

Perhaps more strikingly, 40% of Millennials actually increased their contribution to a 401(k) or similar plan in the prior 12 months, compared to 30% of Gen-Xers.

The numbers don’t surprise Siobhan Matty, a Millennial herself who works with numerous clients in her peer group as a relationship manager at St. Germain Investments in Springfield. She says young professionals are anxious about the solvency of Social Security — according to the Transamerica Center survey, 81% of Millennials believe the entitlement will not be there where they retire — as well as a difficult job market, the near-disappearance of company pensions, and what happened to their parents’ savings in the financial crash of 2008.

Quite aware, indeed.

A keen interest in retirement savings, Matty said, “goes hand in hand with the anxiety about not having a pension or the Social Security income their parents or grandparents may have gotten. They understand they can’t necessarily rely on the government to secure that kind of funding in retirement.”

Jean Deliso, principal at Deliso Financial and Insurance Services in Agawam, said it helps to understand the unique burdens Millennials are strapped with.

“The job market is terrible,” she said. “They’ve got crazy educational costs; they’re coming out of college with more debt than ever. It’s like a mortgage. And that puts more pressure on them to wait on housing. I feel bad for them.”

Deliso also noted the issue of Social Security, and the prospect of it not being available to today’s young workers when they retire decades from now. But there’s a silver lining to this cynicism because it forces Millennials to think more deeply about what they need to do to secure their own future.

Millennials get a bad reputation for being slackers, for not particularly having a good work ethic. But they came out of college into a weak job market, and they understand the importance of establishing savings, or at least working toward that goal.”

“They say, ‘I need to think more about myself because Social Security is not going to be stable,’” she explained. “Plus, the companies their grandparents worked for, and maybe their parents, had pensions; they worked for 35 years, then got a pension, plus Social Security, and they were safe. But a pension is hard to come by anymore. Millennials have some real challenges. So, what should they do about it?”

To help answer that question, several investment experts spoke with BusinessWest about what a 20- and 30-somethings should be considering as they ponder a retirement that isn’t as far away as it may seem.

Savings First

Matty’s simplest advice is to save as much as possible. But that takes discipline, and is easier said than done.

The stock market may be prone to short-term volatility, she said, but young people can feel confident of the longer-term view when considering whether to invest.

“The other thing would just be contributing to whatever plan you have at work,” she said. “We don’t usually have pension plans available to us, so if you can do anything in your workplace to contribute to a plan, that’s important to establishing that savings habit. If you have a habit in place, it’s a lot easier to continue doing it.”

One benefit of automatic deductions is psychological, she noted. “If you don’t see it, you can’t touch it. Then, you can look at what you need to pay your debts. After that, work on what else you can safely put away, and make a budget for what you can spend. Luxuries are great, but that’s what they are, luxuries; they’re not necessities.”

Jean Deliso

Jean Deliso says a key savings strategy — not just for Millennials, but for everyone — is to “pay yourself first.”

Deliso said any financial plan for young people — or anyone, really — begins with one basic step: “pay yourself first.” In other words, savings should be the first expense to come out of one’s earnings.

“Get into an employer-sponsored plan as soon as possible,” she said, “and if there’s a match, get that match, so you’re not losing free money.” Another option would be to open an IRA, preferably with a Roth component ensuring that withdrawals later in life aren’t taxed.

Millennials understand the importance of these vehicles; according to the Transamerica Center survey, 55% of them expect such self-funded accounts to be their primary source of retirement income, and 75% would like more information from their employers on how to achieve their retirement goals.

Deliso noted that people don’t keep one job anymore, but may hold seven, 10, or even more over a lifetime, and it’s important to keep rolling employer-sponsored plans into new plans as they change jobs.

The next step, after contributing to retirement savings, is to determine what bills must be paid each month and what expenses can be trimmed, and that takes budgeting and self-control, she went on. “The bottom line, and the most important thing for Milliennials or anyone else, is to live within your means. Don’t take an apartment that takes 75% of your income. You want to have positive cash flow, because that allows you to have savings, and that brings financial success.”

List of Financial Services/Brokerage Firms in Western Mass.

Positive cash flow can begin with the simplest of steps, Deliso added, such as not spending $4 on coffee four times a week. “Put that $15 in your 401(k) plan. Put it in right from your paycheck, and you’ll never miss it. Say, ‘I’m going to pay for my future first.’ Many people’s greatest fear is that they’ll run out of money. You don’t know how long you’re going to live. But you can push that fear away if you plan accordingly.”

It shouldn’t be a hard sell, said Kate Kane, managing director and wealth management advisor with Northwestern Mutual, who cited research showing that 25- to 34-year-olds are cautious, yet confident, and, more importantly, future-focused and resourceful. So while investment professionals need to take into account their short-term goals and the challenges of their current financial situation — which often include significant college debt — they also need to demonstrate how solid planning can positively impact their life both now and years in the future.

A starting point, she noted, addresses how saving and planning begins with a budget and eliminating debt. Then, moving forward, they can address mid- and long-term goals.

“Since most Millennials came of age or began their careers at the time of the Great Recession,” Kane added, “they tend to be more financially risk-averse than previous generations and are very connected to the idea of planning as a means to manage risk.”

The debt issue is a key one, she added. According to Bankrate, just 40% of Americans age 18-29 pay off their entire credit-card bill each month, compared with 53% of those 30 and up. Some of that may be chalked up to experience: a survey by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority reveals that only 30% of older Millennials (ages 27 to 34) and just 18% of younger ones (ages 18 to 26) have an understanding of basic financial concepts, including how to manage their saving and spending.

Running Out of Time

To be sure, retirement savings are not a Millennial issue; they’re a problem for everyone. And ‘problem’ is the right word. According to a recent Economic Policy Institute survey, the median total retirement savings among the 56-61 age group is just $17,000. For the 50-55 group, it’s less than half that, $8,000. Americans simply aren’t saving enough — not even close. Millennials have a chance to start earlier and do a better job.

“Moreso than prior generations, Millennials experience more pressure to save,” Matty said. “Obviously, corporate pension plans don’t exist anymore, and there are questions as to whether Social Security will exist, or at what ages they’ll be able to take from it or how long they’ll need to work for it.”

But Millennials were also jolted by the crash of 2008, which occurred, for many of them, during their teen years. It was sobering for them, even though they weren’t yet in the work world, and established a foundation of mistrust in the entire economic system.

As a result, she said, Millennials are more likely than past generations to continue living at home into their mid- to late 20s — not because they’re lazy, but because they want to build a base of savings instead of piling more debt on top of their exorbitant college loans.

“It’s an interesting change,” Matty said. “Millennials get a bad reputation for being slackers, for not particularly having a good work ethic. But they came out of college into a weak job market, and they understand the importance of establishing savings, or at least working toward that goal.”

According to the Transamerica Center report, 22% of Millennials say they “frequently” discuss saving and planning for retirement with family and friends, compared with just 10% of Generation X and Baby Boomers — a counterintuitive statistic, to be sure. Indeed, starting the conversation too late has put many a 40-something worker — by now dealing with mortgages and college expenses for their own children — well behind the savings they need to achieve.

In this new world, Matty said, there’s no replacement for making — and sticking to — a plan.

“People don’t necessarily have the same career for 40 years anymore, and they don’t have the same pension they once had,” she reiterated. “In your mid-20s, you have 40 to 50 years to retirement. Start planning while time is on your side.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Charter-school Debate Heats Up as Election Nears

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Education Sections

Unequal Rights?

Bill Spirer

Bill Spirer says ballot Question 2 is about expanding charter schools in underperforming districts where students historically have had few options.

Todd Gazda stopped along the Riverwalk in Ludlow to admire the view a week ago and began talking with a senior citizen who was relaxing at the site.

“As soon as he found out who I was, he asked me what I thought of Question 2,” said the Superintendent of Ludlow Public Schools, adding that the gentleman was extremely interested in the issue.

Indeed, the question that will appear on the November ballot is significant because it is the first time in state history the public will have the opportunity to voice their opinion about school choice.

If passed, Question 2 would give the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education the authority to approve 12 new charter schools or expand existing charter schools as a result of increased enrollment every year beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Priority would be given to applicants in public-school districts that score in the bottom 25% on standardized tests two years before their application. In addition, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education would establish standards by which annual performance reviews would be judged.

The question has generated strong feelings, heated arguments, and major fund-raising campaigns: when BusinessWest went to press, proponents had raised $18 million and opponents $12 million, most of which will be spent on TV ads.

The debate began in earnest last year after Gov. Charlie Baker, who is a strong a proponent of charter schools, introduced a bill to increase their number in the Commonwealth. The Senate revamped the proposal before passing it, but it was rejected by the House, which didn’t support the changes that had been made.

Lawmakers continue to be heavily divided on the issue, but after the House rejected the bill, the Mass. Charter School Assoc., Great Schools of MA, and Democrats for Education Reform led an effort to get the question on the ballot to increase options for the 32,000 students on charter-school waiting lists.

Both sides have powerful arguments. Opponents say charter schools don’t serve the same number of English-language learners (ELL) and students with profound special needs who require costly services; the admissions process is unfair to students whose parents are not interested in their education or don’t have the skills needed to seek information or enrollment in alternate schools; the state has failed to provide the level of reimbursement promised to public schools when a student leaves their district for a charter school; building and staffing costs don’t decrease when students leave; and charter schools are not subject to the same standards as district public schools, which makes it easy for them to eliminate students with behavior problems.

Todd Gazda

Todd Gazda says the amount of money Ludlow loses every year to charter schools is more than the amount allotted to run an elementary school.

Proponents argue that they admit students by lottery and serve a diverse population; their behavioral standards are strict but fair; their academic results are higher than urban and suburban schools; they offer students in low-performing districts a chance to get a high-quality education; the funding formula does not discriminate because money allocated to each student in a district simply follows them; and they are actually public schools that are open to all students and don’t charge tuition.

But both charter- and public-school directors and superintendents agree that money is an important issue because schools across the state are grossly underfunded.

“My fear is that the debate over charter schools will divert attention from the bedrock issue of school funding in general,” said Northampton School Superintendent John Provost, referring to a study conducted last year by the Foundation Budget Review Commission, which looked at the formula used to fund public schools and found a $1 billion deficit.

The Mass. Assoc. of School Superintendents thinks the amount is closer to $2 billion, and Provost argues that the ballot question is secondary to financial problems facing all public schools, which include charters.

“I feel it’s the wrong policy to be voting on at this time,” said Provost. “Charter schools were created when the education budget was growing, but in many communities funding has been stagnant since 2008, and it’s a matter of diverting money from a pie that is not growing.”

Karen Reuter

Karen Reuter says charter schools were founded to model innovation and specialization, and were not meant to replace public schools.

Sabis International Charter School Director Karen Reuter agrees that state funding for education is inadequate. “If we could raise the bar for every student, maybe we wouldn’t have to have such an oppositional agenda,” she noted.

But she says the issue comes down to access to quality education, which makes the ballot question important.

For this edition and its focus on education, BusinessWest looks at arguments on both sides of the question and what will be at stake when voters go to the polls.

Shortchanging Students

Barbara Mandeloni, president of the 110,000-member Mass. Teachers Assoc., says $450 million diverted from district public schools to charter schools has had considerable consequences, and some schools have had to cut support services to children with special needs, while others have cut teachers or language classes and other extra curricular programs.

“Public schools represent the best of who we are and contribute to the common good; they are not about individualism, but about a shared sense of purpose and something bigger than ourselves,” she said, adding that the New England NAACP is a leader in its coalition and Black Lives Matter has called for a three-year moratorium on charter schools because, critics say, they are creating a two-tiered system that is resegregating schools.

“We need to defeat this bill, then have a conversation about funding so we can give every child the opportunity to have a broad and rich curriculum and access to resources,” she said, adding that many charter schools have discipline standards that force students with behavioral issues out.

Daniel Warwick

Daniel Warwick says charter schools have a large, negative impact on Springfield’s public schools.

Springfield School Superintendent Daniel Warwick says adequate funding for urban schools has always been a problem, and they barely make the minimum net school spending needed to educate each child. And the impact of charter schools on the Springfield district has been tremendous; they lose $41 million each year to charters and are reimbursed only $6 million, but still have to educate an extremely diverse population that includes many refugees who have undergone tremendous trauma in refugee camps, as well as a large number of students with profound special needs, including some who enter the ninth grade after never spending a day in a school.

“We have the most difficult students to educate. There are a lot of English-language learners and students with special educational needs who are the most difficult and costly to educate in terms of achievement results,” he said, noting that, although charter schools say they do outreach, the percentage of high-need special-education students they serve doesn’t rival that of the sending district, which is a nuance in achievement levels that hasn’t been addressed.

He thinks equal access to education would mean that charter schools hold lotteries that include all students in their district, not just those whose parents are motivated to fill out application forms, which is often prohibitive due to language and socioeconomic barriers.

“If we are going to continue the charter-school movement, there are issues that need to be addressed, and making sure their populations match their sending communities in every way is one of them,” he said, adding that, if charter schools are not educating the most needy students, their achievement results need to be called into question.

“It’s a lightning-rod issue on either side, but from the perspective of public-school funding and student-assignment structure, it is particularly troubling because once you go to a lottery system you are dealing with a different population,” Warwick continued, noting that the demographics in the city’s magnet schools also differ, especially in terms of parent involvement.

Springfield schools had to cut $13 million from a budget this year that was already underfunded by $10 million, and the loss was increased by a $3 million shortfall from the state’s failure to reimburse them appropriately for students lost to charter schools. Another $5 million was lost to school choice, which doesn’t account for the fact that Springfield has to provide transportation for these students.

“We have had to cut direct services to kids and 56 positions from our central office,” he said, “and class sizes will continue to grow if the funding stream isn’t changed.

“If we were funded according to the findings of the Foundation Review Commission’s recommendations, we would have $25 million more this year to adequately address the students we serve,” he went on, adding that this is a social-justice issue.

Gazda agrees, and says proponents argue that Question 2 comes down to school choice.

“But when you dig deeper, the facts below the surface reveal a different picture; we are one of relatively few districts who lose very few students to charter schools, but geography does make a difference,” he explained. “Charter schools are being held up as a better alternative, and that narrative is just not true; their students don’t perform remarkably better than most public-school students.”

The state is supposed to reimburse district schools 100% of the money they lose the first year a student switches to a charter school, and 25% for each of the following four years. But not only has it cut school funding in general, it has not come close to meeting those numbers.

Ludlow lost 19 students to charter schools in FY ’16, which cost $434,878, but was reimbursed only $122,467.

“It had a marked impact on us and the things we could do. In a school system the size of Ludlow, $300,000 can go a long way,” Gazda said, adding that there is no way for local school boards to judge whether charter schools are using funds efficiently.

In addition, charter schools were originally created to have the flexibility to be innovative in creative ways and share their best practices with local school districts, which Gazda says has not happened.

“The way the system is set up is competitive and almost adversarial, because of the flow of resources away from district public schools. It has the effect of creating a tiered education system, particularly in urban areas,” he continued, noting that parents in urban areas often cannot afford to move to towns with better school systems; Ludlow has a wait list of 350 students for school choice, and the vast majority are from Springfield.

He said a single mother who wants the best for her child often views charter schools as a place where the child can be saved. “But my answer is to fully support public schools so we can change the environment in all schools.”

Northampton recently commissioned a survey of charter-school parents to learn why they were opting out of their neighborhood schools.

“It showed the charter-school population is very unique in terms of demographics; 100% of the parents said they had a college degree, the majority had graduate degrees, and their household incomes were far above the incomes of local families,” Provost said.

Last year, Northampton Public Schools received about $644,000 less from the state than in 2010. The city has 200 students in charter schools, which equates to $2 million in lost revenue each year, and although none of their elementary schools is that small, $2 million is far more than the amount appropriated to each school.

“The main impact is the loss of programs we can provide,” Provost said, adding that more than 20% of their students have disabilities.

Different Agendas

Dominic Slowey says the governor modeled his original bill on a draft ballot question put together by charter advocates.

“The majority of charter schools are in urban districts that are underperforming, and the ballot question is their last resort,” said the spokesperson for the MA Charter School Assoc. “Springfield only has room for one more charter school with 400 to 500 seats, and many cities, including Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, and Fall River, have reached their cap. In many cities, parents don’t have enough high-quality public-school options, but charter schools have worked to fill that gap and put them on an even keel with communities like Longmeadow, Wellesley, and Amherst.”

He added that charter schools have reached out to low-income African-American and Latino families, and by every independent measure, the schools have outperformed not only urban schools, but suburban schools.

There are 72 charter schools operating in the state, and the approval process is difficult, so only three to four schools a year make the grade.

Proponents also explain that charter schools are heavily regulated by the state; their finances and academic progress are monitored annually and they must continue to set new goals. In addition, they are subject to a five-year review, and if they fail to live up to their charter, they can be placed on probation or closed, which has happened to two Springfield charter schools.

Sabis International Charter School in Springfield serves children in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in the city. It has won national awards since it was founded in 1995 and has a waiting list of 2,900 that is rigorously combed every year to ensure it is accurate, which has been done in response to arguments that the waiting lists for charter schools are outdated and inaccurate.

As at other charter schools, admission at Sabis is by lottery for the 100 kindergarten seats each year, and since its retention rate is 90%, there are few backfills.

Sabis is housed in a beautiful facility backed by Sabis Educational Systems, but Reuter says some charter schools are financially challenged and have to engage in considerable fund-raising.

“But money doesn’t guarantee positive outcomes,” she said, noting that she has served in a variety of educational settings, including a stint as a union teacher in New York City. “Education is a changing landscape with new standards and assessments, and this bill is really about whether students can access quality education. But it’s a shame that we have gotten to a place where people have to vote, because we all want the same thing: to provide the best education possible for every student.”

Historically, the school’s population has been equally divided between Caucasian, Hispanic, and African-American students, but recently the number of Hispanic students has increased, and the Asian population is growing. Its ELL population is very small, and only 14% to 16% of those students have special-education needs, but Reuter said they are seeing an increase of students with profound special needs and had to create a separate classroom setting for them last year.

“We don’t serve the same range of special-education students as public schools, but charter schools were not meant to replace public schools,” she told BusinessWest. “They were meant to model innovation and specialization.”

Its sister school in Holyoke serves children in kindergarten through grade 8, and although parents would like to see it expand to the high-school level, the city has reached its cap.

However, Reuter says graduates outperform their peers in Holyoke High School, and it’s unfair that parents and students can’t continue their education at the school of their choice.

Springfield Prep Charter School opened in Springfield last year with a kindergarten and first grade. A second grade was added this year, and founder Bill Spirer’s hope is to expand to grade 8 by the 2022-23 school year.

There are two full-time teachers in every classroom, and the school has an extended day that runs from 7:50 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a slightly extended school year. All students come from Springfield, and outreach efforts are done in English and Spanish at Head Start programs by volunteers, who also knocked on doors in the city’s South End last January distributing flyers about the school, which has a one-page application.

“Massachusetts has one of the strongest records of charter-school performance in the county, and the data in this state is really clear; charter schools are very effective, especially in urban areas where there haven’t been many good options for parents,” Spirer said, adding that his facility’s demographics mirror those in Springfield Public Schools and nine out of 10 students are from economically disadvantaged families

Richard Alcorn, executive director of Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion School in Hadley, says it provides a unique curriculum and wants to expand to a fully articulated K-12 program.

“The charter schools in Hampshire and Franklin counties really serve as alternative schools,” he noted, adding that his school serves students from 30 districts and 17.5% are from low-income families, which is lower than urban centers, but higher than the school’s host community, where 13.2% of students fall into that category.

But he agrees that funding is inadequate for all schools. “People need to step back and look at what is going on in public education. The impact of charter schools is very small and has nothing to do with the real problem of funding and what is going in terms of demographics,” he told BusinessWest.

Far-reaching Implications

Charter schools all have different missions and leadership, and serve different communities, so Spirer says they can’t be classified with the same adjectives.

“It’s a very complicated issue that has different implications for districts of different sizes. But the ballot question is still about the most underperforming districts,” he explained.

Gazda says perception is reality, and right now the narrative coming from Boston and Washington is that public schools are failing, which is not true.

“However, we need new solutions rather than garnering old ones that don’t work,” he said.

These wide-ranging observations and opinions only scratch the surface when it comes to the high levels of debate and controversy that define ballot question 2. About the only certainty is that the matter is now in the hands of voters.

ECG Engineers Answers to Workplace Injury Issues

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ECGfeature 0916b
Modern Office Sections

Exercise in Problem Solving

The managing partners at ECG, from left, Joe Kessler, Susan Lachowski, and Patrick Carley.

The managing partners at ECG, from left, Joe Kessler, Susan Lachowski, and Patrick Carley.

A quarter-century ago, Joe Kessler and Patrick Carley were working together to create cutting-edge solutions to problems with workplace injuries at East Longmeadow-based Hasbro (now Cartamundi). Later, after Carley left a position in academia, the two continued to collaborate on projects to identify and resolve issues in a wide array of workplaces. Today, with third managing partner Susan Lachowski, they are taking these efforts to a higher plane with a venture called Ergonomic Collaboration Group, a name that speaks volumes about what this company does — and how it does it.

When Shaun McConkey arrived at South Deerfield-based Pelican Products as director of operations a year ago, he found a company on the move.

As we reported back in May, this enterprise, long known for making hard-plastic cases for commercial, government, and military applications, was successfully diversifying into everything from coolers to suitcases to backpacks.

But amid all these green lights, McConkey saw a red flag. It took the form of a mounting number of soft-tissue injuries resulting from the processes (especially the literal heavy lifting) required to manufacture such products.

Desiring to ward off such injuries, he knew he would need some help, and also knew just who to call — meaning this wasn’t exactly a phone number he had to search to find.

That’s because he’d called it more than a few times before. Indeed, McConkey, Joe Kessler, and Patrick Carley go back a ways. The three were at Hasbro’s (now Cartamundi’s) sprawling manufacturing facility in East Longmeadow in the early ’90s. McConkey was director of manufacturing, Kessler was the in-house ergonomist, and Carley, a practicing physical therapist, joined him when the company decided to establish a physical-therapy clinic inside the plant to respond to the growing number of musculoskeletal-related injuries, now referred to as musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.

Shaun McConkey

Shaun McConkey, currently director of operations at Pelican Products, has called on the team at ECG on many occasions during his career in manufacturing.

Fast-forwarding a little, Carley left the clinic at Hasbro in 1996 to take a full-time faculty position at American International College. But the two continued to work together — often with Carley’s students — on projects to improve work processes and reduce the potential risks for MSDs.

One of their collaborative efforts was at the U.S. Tsubaki Automotive, LLC timing-chain-manufacturing facility in Chicopee, where McConkey, who was by then with that company as operations manager, sought their help with reducing and perhaps eliminating the threat of injuries related to the cleaning of a machine known as a ‘nut former.’

Their involvement led to the creation of a chest-resting bench — one we’ll hear much more about later — that speaks volumes about how a venture now known as Ergonomic Collaboration Group (ECG), LLC goes about its work.

It takes a scientific approach, said Dan Oliveira, environmental health and safety specialist at U.S. Tsubaki, one that engages employees in every step of the process and therefore achieves a critical volume of buy-in.

“They involved employees and helped them facilitate this change,” he explained. “That’s better than simply making a change and saying, ‘this is the way we’re doing things now.’ You’re having employees understand why that change is being made.”

The team at ECG, which now includes a third managing partner — Susan Lachowski, one of Carley’s students, who possesses a PhD in exercise physiology — intends to use this approach to extend its business portfolio well beyond Hasbro and Shaun McConkey’s career ladder.

And it is already moving strongly in that direction, adding clients ranging from the postal service to Merrill Lynch; from Hamilton Sundstrand to Riverside Industries.

Such growth is partly explained by the fact that ECG offers the right services at the right time — when employers, faced with ever-advancing technology and the ever-rising cost of doing business, want to fully exploit the former while perhaps reducing the latter, especially workers’ compensation costs.

For this issue and its focus on the modern office, BusinessWest talked with the team at ECG, as well as with some of those they’ve worked with and for, to identify potential problems and orchestrate solutions. You might call their endeavors in the field — as well as current efforts to grow their business — works in progress.

Stretching — the Truth

Kessler calls it simply the ‘blinking program,’ and no, it’s not what you might think.

Just as one’s eyes blink to keep them lubricated, the body’s muscles should blink to keep them from becoming stressed, or injured, he noted. But while eye blinking is mostly a reflex, or semi-automatic action, muscle blinking is not; it must be orchestrated, if you will.

Hence that word ‘program,’ which in this case refers to a regimen of movements designed just over a decade ago for employees at Hasbro while Kessler was still there and collaborating with Carley and some of his students on various projects.

The ‘chest rest’

The ‘chest rest’ at U.S. Tsubaki’s timing chain plant in Chicopee is an example of ECG working with a client to solve a potential problem.

“If you stretch five minutes before your shift starts and then don’t stretch for the rest of the day, how effective can that be?” Kessler asked. “So we instituted a ‘blink’ program; we designed a whole series of stretches that the employees could do discreetly, like when the line came down for a minute or if they were going to their break area.

“These were simple things, like shrugging the shoulders,” he went on, “just to stretch your muscles out and give them a break and let them breathe. The point was to do this several times a day, and we did it for the entire factory.”

Together, Kessler and Carley initiated a number of programs and initiatives for the game maker, many of them worthy of the descriptive phrase ‘state-of-the-art.’ That includes the physical-therapy clinic itself.

“We put it right inside the plant — if people got hurt, they went to medical, they were cleared and sent to physical therapy, which was right on the factory floor,” Carley said of the facility, established in 1991. “It was pretty forward-thinking stuff.”

And there was more of that to come, he went on, adding that he and Kessler were eventually assigned to the same committee at Hasbro that was charged not only with treating people after they were injured, but with developing strategies to keep them from getting injured in the first place.

“The committee tasked us with going out to the different work areas and try to determine what it was about the work process, the machine, or whatever it might be, to reduce exposure to injury,” he explained, adding that most problems were, contrary to popular belief, not with the back, but with upper extremities and arms.

“People were putting those packages of little green houses in boxes something like 4,000 times a day,” he told BusinessWest, before being corrected by Kessler, who said the number was probably closer to 15,000.

To reduce those injuries, the company, working on the advice of Kessler, Carley, and those they were working with, changed work processes (to reduce how far one would have to reach, for example), adjusted machines, instituted work rotations when needed, and, in some cases, changed or instituted policies, such as the limits placed on how many pounds employees would lift at a given time.

The initiatives at Hasbro would eventually yield accolades from OSHA , specifically, its Voluntary Protection Program (the company’s ergonomic program became the best practice in 2005). And in many ways, they laid the groundwork for the business that would become ECG.

“One thing led to another — we took some of the things we learned at Hasbro and applied them at Hamilton Sundstrand or at the post office, for example,” said Carley. “Other companies were calling us, and we started getting into office ergonomics.”

ECG-LogoOne of the companies that called was the Springfield office of Merrill Lynch, which was having some issues with new information technology.

“They changed over to flat screens, and when they put those screens up, they left the keyboards over here,” he said, using his hands to show there was some distance between the two. “And they were wondering why people’s necks were hurting them. They said, ‘you need to help us figure this out.’”

Documented success with helping a host of clients figure things out has been a key ingredient in the company’s efforts to grow its portfolio, he went on, citing U.S. Tsubaki’s chest-resting bench as a perfect example.

Body of Evidence

Bringing this seemingly simple piece of equipment to reality — meaning everything from its design to its implementation — came about through a scientific, or academic (but also collaborative) approach that enabled the employees who would be using it to play a huge role in its development.

Kessler calls it “engineering a problem out.”

It all begins with observation, interviews with employees, and other steps to pinpoint problems and also problems in the making — in every sense of that phrase. Then comes the work to devise a solution. As Oliveira mentioned, employees were front and center during that step as well.

Backing up a bit, he said employees were previously required to bend over these machines, unsupported, for long stretches as they cleaned them, presenting a risk for back injuries. Also, as they bent over, they were supporting themselves by putting one hand on an oily surface, presenting the possibility of acute injury.

“ECG enabled us to be proactive about this, rather than reactive,” he said, “and say, ‘there’s the potential for injury here, and we want to resolve it before anything happens.’”

The chest-resting bench not only reduces the threat to back injury, but it also improves productivity, said Carley, adding that Tsubaki now plans to put it into use worldwide.

But while responding to problems related to workplace injuries with engineering solutions is a big piece of ECG’s workload, keeping employees healthy, limber, and thus more out of harm’s way is also part of the equation, and it will only grow in significance in the future, said Carley.

And the addition of Lachowski, who focuses on using exercise science to improve work efficiency and safety, effectively “closes the circle,” as he put it, and enables ECG to provide a comprehensive roster of services, including prevention.

“My focus is on proper biomechanics and keeping the employee healthy through physical activity,” she explained. “If we can do that, we can reduce the threat of injury.”

As an example, she noted how ECG helped Riverside Industries — which provides services including life-skill development, rehabilitation, and employment options to adults living with developmental disabilities — to attain a grant from the Mass. Department of Industrial Accidents. It is being used for safety training for all employees involved in client handling, transfers, and transportation.

The program includes progressive stretching and exercising, in addition to a ‘train-the-trainer’ program to continue the safety efforts, she went on, adding that such efforts are critical to creating a culture focused on safety.

At Pelican, a train-the-trainer initiative will be part of a comprehensive response that is still in the formative stage, said Kessler, adding that stretching and exercise programs will likely be accompanied by changes in production processes to reduce exposure to injury.

In many ways, work at the Pelican plant illustrates the full range of ECG’s services and its efforts to customize solutions for clients.

“We have an educational approach to every project that we do, and we tailor each project to the company itself, because one size doesn’t fit all,” said Lachowski. “We really want to educate the workers, as well as the companies, and give them the tools to continue on after we’ve left.

“Our approach isn’t to go in and say, ‘this is the way to do it; you should it our way,’” she went on. “Many people don’t respond to that. That’s why we observe and ask questions, and do a comprehensive educational piece, so they’re in the driver’s seat.”

Looking ahead and toward where this company might go — in terms of what he anticipates will be controlled growth, but also specific assignments — Carley said the modern office and modern manufacturing facility are laden with potential ergonomic issues and potential problems.

Indeed, at a time when many professionals work with not one computer screen in front of them, but two or even three, attention must be paid to everything from where they’re positioned to their height off the desk.

And that’s just one small example of the importance of ergonomics today, said Kessler, noting that, as more individuals spend eight, 10, or 12 hours a day at a desk, attention must be paid to how they’re doing all that work and how it might impact everything from their vision to their back — to their productivity.

Which brings him back to that notion of ‘muscle blinking’ he described, a concept that encompasses everything from stretching before and during work to getting up and walking around, to perhaps not sitting at all and instead investing in a standing desk.

“When people are healthier, productivity is better, quality is better — if you’re sitting on a line and not feeling well, how good is the product? — it’s all interwined,” said Kessler in summing things up.

Limber Yard

As he talked about ECG, its reason for being, and its enormous potential as an entrepreneurial venture, Kessler summoned some numbers that put matters in perspective in a manner all business owners and managers could appreciate.

“There’s a rule of thumb out there that we used to use … if you have a $140,000 shoulder operation, and you’re a self-insured company, you have to sell 10 times that amount in product to make that up, because all that comes off your bottom line,” he said. “The most important thing is keeping people healthy, obviously, but by doing so, companies can save themselves a lot of money.”

Those numbers, and that reality, speak to why there is ever-increasing attention being paid to workplace wellness, if you will, and the broad realm of ergonomics.

And they also explain why the future appears extremely bright for a venture that has problem solving in the modern office down to a science — literally.

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

Open, Collaborative Office Spaces Are on the Rise

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Modern Office Sections

Tearing Down the Walls

The team at Aegis Energy Services

The team at Aegis Energy Services gathers together — something they’re used to in a workplace that encourages constant collaboration.

As Joe Hickson welcomed BusinessWest to Aegis Energy Services in Holyoke, he didn’t want to be the only one talking. So he called eight other team members to a large, oval table to pick their brains on the topic of modern office design.

“It’s how we do things here,” said Hickson, the company’s vice president of marketing and sales — a collaborative gesture that reflected the very topics he wanted to talk about. Take, for example, the office’s layout, with workstations bunched closely together in an open, high-ceilinged room in Open Square, the converted mill complex along Holyoke’s canals. What’s missing? Cubicles, walled-off desks, and private offices.

“I come from an era when everything was cubed and you shut your doors. I thought that was the way you do business,” Hickson said. “I don’t believe that way anymore. I believe an open office situation builds the team, and it builds an understanding of the people you’re working for and working with — as individuals and people, instead of just producers. We bounce a lot of things off each other. It’s a very informal office.”

It’s a setup that other Aegis employees respond to positively.

“I like this better,” said Michele Cummings, marketing and sales coordinator. “I’d worked in an office where the cubicles were eight feet tall, and when we had issues within our department that needed to be resolved, we were shouting over the cubicles. The president of the company came over to our department and said, ‘stop.’ He wanted silence; that’s why we had eight-foot cubicles. It was not a very friendly environment. I prefer this a thousand times over.”

Kaley Curtis, business development representative, agreed, noting that a workplace staffed by workers from both older and younger generations is an opportunity to learn from each other — with Gen-Xers and Boomers offering experience, and Millennials offering enthusiasm and a fresh way at looking at problems — and to pick each other up on a stressful day. An old-fashioned layout, she said, can hinder that.

Ross Giombetti, president of Giombetti Associates in Hampden, is a veteran of workplace change, consulting with businesses of all kinds on issues of leadership and culture. He says companies that are serious about attracting and retaining top young talent need to understand and even embrace the generational shifts in what workers want — from schedule flexibility to more interaction. Increasingly, they’re doing so.

“Collaborative workspaces are extremely important today, with an open, flowing floor plan with shared space. It’s very important for a lot of organizations to move in that direction,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s just coming from the younger generation. It’s coming from organizations that understand the benefits of working with each other and finding synergies. It’s being driven not only by young professionals who want to feel involved and have input in everything, but also by the business dynamic.”

 

Ross giombetti

Ross giombetti

Collaborative workspaces are extremely important today, with an open, flowing floor plan with shared space. It’s very important for a lot of organizations to move in that direction.”

 

These shifts are nothing new in the work world; in a recent article detailing the top eight trends in office design, Fast Company listed multi-purpose workspaces, designated lounge areas, and community tables — all speaking to the need for collaboration — as three of them. Business owners, both nationally and locally, are paying attention.

Seeking a Vibe

When Paragus Strategic IT outgrew its former headquarters in Hadley a few years ago, CEO Delcie Bean saw a move as an opportunity to craft a workspace that reflected his vision for the company — the ‘Paragus vibe,’ as he’s often put it. So as he sought a new location — eventually building on a plot a mile east on Route 9 — he approached the challenge of office design with a few philosophies in mind.

Design elements like a game area and funky wall décor

Design elements like a game area and funky wall décor help Paragus create the type of workplace environment fostered by innovators like Las Vegas-based Zappos.

For example, “we started looking at what the barriers can be to collaboration and communication, and one of them is, simply, walls and offices and hallways and doors. So we got rid of those.”

The idea was for employees to work within “high-fiving distance,” where it’s easy — encouraged, even — to jump into a conversation by simply rolling a chair over. “Our customers might think they’re working with one person on the phone, but in most cases it’s two or even three people. IT is such a wide field, and there’s so much to know, that no employee can know everything. If we want to provide efficient service to customers, we have to increase collaboration.”

Bean said Millennials value the idea of working together to achieve results, but Paragus throws in an element of equality as well. “We want everyone to feel like an important piece and that no one plays a more important role than anyone else. So everyone’s desk is the same size, and nobody has a private office. We’re all playing a valuable role in the company.”

Of course, sometimes privacy and quiet are important — on certain phone calls or one-on-one client meetings, for instance — which is why Paragus also features a number of small breakout rooms outfitted with a phone, desk, and whiteboard.

Nothing in the Paragus design was easy or obvious, Bean said, adding that it took three years to find a new home, build a structure, and move in, which was frustrating on one level, but on another allowed the company to tweak its ideas.

“We wouldn’t have gotten it right if we’d built the first version of this building. This is, like, version nine. That’s the advantage of taking three years. When we thought, ‘maybe this isn’t the right way to go,’ instead of tearing down walls, we just went through more blueprints.”

Bean said he was inspired by companies like Las Vegas-based Zappos, known for its funky vibe and employee-centric culture, when he added touches like a lounge, with TVs, video games, and four beers on tap; creative light fixtures and colorful carpet tiles; and the universal arming of the workforce with Nerf guns, meaning a pitched battle could break out at any time.

“We have a value here called ‘fostering fun,’” he said. “It helps people enjoy their work and not take themselves too seriously. Our work mandates that we’re careful and professional. Our customers are demanding and expect a lot of us, and we deliver in a professional and timely way. But the more fun they’re having, the better they are at doing their jobs. Zappos proved if you take care of your employees, they’ll take care of your customers.”

Aegis might not break out in volleys of foam bullets, but its open concept is still worlds away from traditional offices. For some, it’s been a slow transition.

“I hated it when I first got here,” said Dan Burke, director of national business development, who came from a workplace where the old cubicle-barrier structure reigned. “I got used to it and learned to appreciate it, but it did take a lot of time. I was used to a cubicle and privacy and making calls and doing my own thing. But this definitely fosters more of a team environment. It seems like there’s a lot fewer inter-office problems.”

Burke and Hickson both said they can step into the hallway to make a private phone call if they need to. But other team members said they value their workplace’s lack of privacy for its opportunities to grow and learn.

“I think the open office allows for top performers to influence people who may not be doing as well,” said Josh Velten, business development representative. “In a closed-off room, everyone keeps to themselves, and there’s probably less of a possibility for improvement.”

Change Agents

Workplace trends, especially those driven by Millennials, certainly don’t stop with a floor plan, Giombetti told BusinessWest. For instance, because they value work-life balance, they’re increasingly asking for, and getting, opportunities to work flexible hours, rather than the traditional, hard-and-fast, 8-to-5 shift. “That doesn’t work anymore, nor should it work. Organizations today should be more concerned with achieving goals than how many hours you’re on the job.”

Millennials are also keenly interested in mapping out a defined career path, with clear goals and milestones to hit along the way, he noted; they’re not satisfied with simply working hard and hoping to be promoted someday. And many have a strong need for recognition by their superiors — with raises and promotions, of course, but with other, less formal pats on the back as well. So, while building a more collaborative office is important in many businesses, it’s only one element in a wave of generational change.

“A lot of businesses embrace that — they know innovative means new, it means change, and if we don’t evolve and change, we die,” Giombetti said. “Some people are comfortable being challenged, and they embrace it, and other people don’t like it — they don’t like their authority being challenged; they don’t want something they’ve been doing for 30 years to be picked apart. But you have to be willing to have it picked apart. There may be a better way to do it.”

That said, not all change is necessarily good, he went on. But employers and employees must be willing to explore the unexplored together, and to communicate their needs. And, often, that process is helped along by a physical office design that fosters easy give and take.

Frank Luvera, a combined heat and power specialist with Aegis, agreed.

“We’re able to learn from each other,” said Luvera, a Millennial himself. “Every day is an opportunity to learn. Being new to it all, there’s a lot to learn, and you’re not able to do that if you’re closed off all day, not knowing what’s going on around you.”

Hickson said year-to-date sales have been up 116% in the new office, and that has to do with quality people, but also the ability to work together in a bright, airy space — it used to be a dance studio — where everyone is encouraged to keep the lines of communication open.

“Everyone here has an equal voice in this business,” he told BusinessWest. “That’s another advantage of an open office if it’s done right.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Recognizing the Impact of Opioid Abuse

By
Opinion

By Jim Goodwin

Used properly, the prescription pain pills known as opioids can be highly effective. They are also highly addictive. Recently, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., sent a letter to more than 2 million U.S. physicians asking for their help in solving our nation’s opioid-addiction epidemic.

Murthy pointed out that, nearly two decades ago, physicians were encouraged to be more aggressive about treating pain. Many were even taught — incorrectly — that opioids are not addictive when prescribed for legitimate pain. The consequences have been devastating: an epidemic of opioid use that continues to impact communities large and small, rich and poor, around our region and across our nation. No social, racial, gender, age, or demographic group is immune.

According to the surgeon general, opioid prescriptions have increased markedly in the past two decades, and now nearly two million people in America have a prescription opioid-use disorder. This is also contributing to increased use of heroin, which is essentially the same chemically as opioid pain pills, and to the spread of HIV and hepatitis C. Nationally, opioid overdose deaths have quadrupled since 1999. Here in Massachusetts, four people die every day from overdose.

The Center for Human Development (CHD) is pleased that the surgeon general recognizes the opioid epidemic as a national health crisis. We hope that leaders everywhere in the health profession, law enforcement, education, and government will join us in fighting the opioid crisis from its foundation:

• We must learn more about pain management and effective treatment options that minimize or remove the risk of addiction;
• We must all acknowledge, as the surgeon general does, that addiction is a chronic illness, not a moral failing; and
• We must work to remove the stigma that too many people attach to addiction so no one feels too ashamed to seek treatment for themselves or loved ones.

Treating addiction as a disease is critical, but the long-term solution is prevention. Considering the costs of addiction — in lives shattered and resources consumed, and to individuals, families, communities, and our economy — serious prevention efforts will pay for themselves, over and over.

For help with opioid treatment or prevention, call CDH at (844) 243-4357.

Jim Goodwin is president and CEO of the Center for Human Development.

STCC’s Youthful New President Embraces His Stern Challenge

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STCCcookFeature 0916b
Education Sections

A New Test

John Cook

John Cook

John Cook, who only recently became ineligible for BusinessWest’s Forty Under 40 program, took the reins at Springfield Technical Community College last month. Beyond youth — he’s not that much older than many students on this historic campus — he brings energy and a leadership style grounded in being a good listener.

As one passes through the ornate main entrance to Springfield Technical Community College, to the right is a small parking lot with a few reserved spaces. John Cook’s name is on one of them.

Well, not literally, but there is certainly a spot set aside for the president of the institution, a title Cook assumed just a few weeks ago. But he has made up his mind that he won’t be using it.

Instead, he might, like some of the college’s students themselves, try to find a spot reasonably far up the steep Pearl Street hill, several hundred yards away from that choice space, and walk through the campus to the main administration building.

He fully understands that this is a symbolic gesture, and one that certainly won’t impact the school’s persistent parking issue/challenge/problem — whatever one chooses to call it — in any significant way.

But he nonetheless considers it an important gesture because it indicates how he intends to manage — by listening closely and responding to what he hears. Far more meaningful answers to the parking situation will eventually become reality, he told BusinessWest, and in the meantime, he intends to be part of the solution is some small way — and also do some more listening while getting from Pearl Street, or wherever he finds a spot, to Garvey Hall.

“During the interview process, people asked about my style, my approach, and for me that’s a very difficult question,” he said while answering essentially the same question when put to him by BusinessWest. “Because for me, a lot of that approach is demonstrating appreciation for others and being a good listener. And it’s hard when you’re asked the question and are asked to respond, because what I really want to do is go around and ask questions of other people and give them a chance to be heard.”

The young Cook — he only recently became ineligible for BusinessWest’s Forty Under 40 program — has been doing plenty of listening for the past six months or so, through that interview process and then during his first few weeks on the job, and he’s intent on continuing that habit.

In fact, he has already put in motion some plans to open the lines of communication between himself and a host of constituencies — and keep them open. One involves blocking off time each week for open office hours — they started last week — while the other entails scheduling what he calls ‘town-meeting’ sessions.

The former, as the name implies, is time when his office door is open, literally and figuratively, to anyone who wants to go through it. That includes faculty, staff, students, and “the community,” he said, adding that he’ll make himself available from noon to 1, but also in the early evening (5:15-6:15) for those who would be on campus those hours.

From left, John Cook, state Sen. Eric Lesser, and STCC trustee Eric Hagopian

From left, John Cook, state Sen. Eric Lesser, and STCC trustee Eric Hagopian, president of the Mass. Center for Advanced Design & Manufacturing, tour ‘Building 19,’ the future home of STCC’s Learning Commons.

As for the town meetings, these will involve the entire college community, he explained, and will feature an open, interactive format, one where he will share the microphone and welcome input.

“Rather than having me stand and deliver for a period of time,” he explained, “we’ll have our vice presidents up there giving updates on critical projects, and we’re going to take questions.”

Cook, most recently the vice president of Academic Affairs at Manchester (N.H.) Community College (MCC), takes the helm in Springfield during a milestone moment in the school’s history — a year-long 50th anniversary celebration. And while acknowledging that this might be a good time to look inward and set new goals, he said this occasion is better suited for reaffirming established goals and recommitting the institution to its simple, but at the same time complex, mission statement: ‘STCC supports students as they transform their lives.’

I didn’t look at many schools, and in my search, this was the only one where there seemed to be an early match, an early fit. I’m lucky that STCC and I found one another.”

Support comes in many forms, obviously, but mostly in the realm of helping students arriving at the historic campus — carved out of the Springfield Armory — see their way through to graduation or whatever goal they set when they enrolled.

For this issue and its focus on education, BusinessWest talked at length with STCC’s new president about new his career challenge and the start of the school’s proverbial next 50 years.

Setting the Scene

To say that Cook’s office on the second floor of Garvey Hall takes on a Granite State look and feel would a large understatement.

Parked against one wall is his first pair of skis (they’re wooden and considerably older than he is, although he doesn’t know exactly how old). Meanwhile, photos of snow-capped peaks adorn other walls, and a map of New Hampshire, where he had spent the sum of his professional career, hangs behind his desk.

“It provides a sense of place,” he said of this collection. “Where we went to college matters, and where we grew up matters. These are little reminders of where I’m from.”

But while his office speaks of where he’s been personally and professionally and provides that sense of place, he says he feels right at home with what he can see outside his windows, as well.

And by that, he was referring to everything from the community college atmosphere, to the similarities between MCC and STCC (more on those later), and even to the century-and-half-old buildings that give the school its unique flavor.

“I have a real healthy appreciation for historic structures,” he explained with a laugh, using those words in reference to both architecture and the high cost of upkeep. “Because I’ve helped to renovate two antique houses, both dating to the late 1700s. These buildings (at STCC), they’re oldies, but goodies; you just can’t build that kind of character any more.”

These were just some of the many motivating factors that prompted Cook to zero in on STCC as an attractive landing spot as he initiated his quest for a college president’s job — a search that began only a year ago, or just after the ink was dry on his doctorate diploma, earned at the University of New Hampshire. (A Ph.D. is considered almost a pre-requisite for presidents’ jobs today).

Elaborating, Cook said that while he wasn’t sure if his next career challenge would (or should) be a chief academic officer’s position at a larger institution or a presidency, he certainly felt qualified — and ready — for the latter.

Especially at a community college, because of work in everything from new-degree-program development to efforts to forge pathways — from high school to college, and then from MCC to four-year institutions.

Those are just some of the accomplishments listed on his resume, which notes that upon graduating from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and then earning a master’s degree in community/social psychology at UMass Lowell, Cook started his career at Granite State College, part of New Hampshire’s public university system, as a research and evaluation coordinator in 2000. He would later become faculty coordinator at the school, and eventually serve as assistant dean of Faculty.

In 2012, he became vice president of Academic Affairs at MCC, a small community college (at least when compared to STCC) with just under 3,000 students and 55 full-time faculty.

At MMC, he took a lead role in the development of a number of new dregree and certificate programs across several academic realms, including Health Science, Life Science, Robotics, and Cyber Security. He also collaborated with a number of parties to create early-college pathway programs for high schools, encouraged faculty to embrace STEM pathways, and worked to build a culture that, as he put it, “embraces data and an analytical approach to decision-making.”

With this background, buffeted by that aforementioned doctorate, as well as some strong encouragement from MCC President Susan Huard, Cook began looking at college president positions. And as things turned out, he didn’t have to look very long or hard before coming across an opportunity that seemed worthy of that adjective ‘perfect,’ both professionally and personally (this job allows him to remain very close to his two young children from a previous marriage, who are still living in New Hampshire).

“I feel very fortunate — people who have been there, people who have been presidents of multiple institutions tell me that often, you’re looking for months, sometimes years, for the right institution,” he told BusinessWest. “I didn’t look at many schools, and in my search, this was the only one where there seemed to be an early match, an early fit. I’m lucky that STCC and I found one another.”

By that, he meant that he identified the school as the focal point of his quest for a president’s job, and the search committee, following an intense, six-month exploratory and interview process, deemed him the best candidate to take it into the next half-century, following the 12-year tenure of Ira Rubenzahl, who succeeded Andy Scibelli, who spent 21 years in the president’s office.

Those two leaders have taken the school to new and lofty heights, said Cook, adding that he considers it his responsibility to continue and build upon this legacy.

Course of Action

Looking back on the lengthy search process for STCC’s next president, Cook said he was asked a number of intriguing questions during several interviews — and, as might be expected based on what he said earlier, he had several for those on the other side of the table.

STCC during its 50th anniversary

John Cook takes the helm at STCC during its 50th anniversary, a time, he said, to recommit to its message of helping students succeed.

One of them was a rather direct query about what members of the search panel were looking for in the next leader of the school. Words and phrases that came back repeatedly were ‘accessible,’ ‘approachable, ‘forward-thinking,’ and someone willing to be a “champion” for the school and community colleges in general.

He intends to be all of the above with actions that go well beyond giving up his parking space.

For starters, he noted his open office hours and planned town meetings, as well as that leadership style of listening and demonstrating appreciation.

Through such initiatives, and with such skill sets, Cook feels he’s ready and able to lead efforts to address the many challenges facing the school moving forward and outlined in a recently drafted strategic plan. They include:

• That aforementioned parking problem. It’s not exactly a recent phenomenon, in fact the challenge is in many respects as old as the school. But it remains a constant and is always a consideration with the next item on the list;

• Enrollment. It soared during the Great Recession, as it did at all area public schools, but has retreated since, for reasons ranging from a vast improvement in the economy to smaller high school graduating classes;

• The ongoing restoration and renovation of the structure known as Building 19, a huge, 700-foot-long former storage house for the Armory that is being converted into a campus center that will host a wide array of offices and programs. Conceived and nurtured by Rubenzahl, the project will reorient the campus and shift most activity from the main administration building to ’19,’ as it’s called, on the north side of the campus;

• Continuing the collaborative efforts between STCC and Holyoke Community College, forged by Rubenzah and his counterpart at HCC (now also retired) Bill Messner. Formerly, and in many ways still, rivals (at least when it comes to enrollment and athletics), the schools have come together on many projects in recent years, especially the TWO (Training and Workforce Options) program that has helped area companies develop talented workers and close a recognized skills gap. Cook said it will be one of his priorities to continue the collaborative efforts and initiate new ones.

But the broader, overriding assignment will be to certainly carry out the school’s mission and help students succeed, he said, adding there are many elements to this equation.

Indeed, the college needs to not only help students with academics and put them on a track to success, but keep them on it.

“Some of it, in fact a big part of it, is life — how do we help students with those issues, not just education,” Cook explained, noting that many STCC students cannot be described with that industry term ‘traditional.’ “They’re working a lot, they’re raising families, there’s transportation issues; all those things influence our students, regardless of their age.”

Cook said that the recently announced Commonwealth Commitment program would certainly help with this assignment.

The initiative incentivizes individuals (through rebates on tuition and fees and a $30,000 cap on the cost of a four-year degree) to enter a community college, graduate in two and half years or less, move on to one of the state universities or UMass campuses, and wrap up a baccalaureate degree in no more than four and a half years.

“This really helps incentivize students to not just go part time,” he explained. “If you can find the wherewithal to go full time, you’re going to earn that associate’s in two years, tuition has been frozen for you, and that really helps see them through to that bachelor’s.”

Thus, the program also further escalates the role community colleges are playing in preparing individuals for today’s technology-based economy, he noted, adding that these institutions are ready for, and well-suited for, this heighted responsibility.

“One of the things community colleges, and especially STCC, have is the ability to respond quickly and nimbly to changing needs within the community,” he explained. “If a community college partner says ‘we have a need,’ we can help with that assessment, and sometimes, in a short time, have a training program ready for them.”

Hot Spot

Returning to the matter of where his car will reside, Cook acknowledged, again, that his gesture was not intended to solve the problem.

“We’ve got creative an innovative ways to put that spot to better use,” he explained. “It’s one spot for our hundreds of staff and faculty and thousands, but it’s not much for me to park on Pearl Street and walk on over.”

By doing so, he gets to demonstrate his sensitivity to the issue, and, more importantly, do something he likes much more than answering questions: Asking them.

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

A Matter of Generations

By
Opinion

Editorial

“Do you get these Millennials?”

This question, and others like it, are becoming almost cliché in today’s workplaces. You hear them in the elevator, at the chamber After 5s, and basically wherever people who aren’t Millennials gather in significant numbers.

They speak to an emerging issue, or problem, involving today’s businesses. People talk about Millennnials as if they were some kind of 2016 version of the Rubik’s Cube, something to be figured out, only most of us can’t, or don’t want to try.

We just want to ask questions like ‘do you get these Millennials?’

This issue of BusinessWest is a case in point. You will read that word several dozen times, probably, and usually in the context of generalities — about how they like wide-open, collaborative workspaces and hate those cubicles, and are, for the most part, getting a better start on saving for retirement than the generations that preceded them, probably because they have no choice but to do so .

But Lora Wondolowski, executive director of Leadership Pioneer Valley, which counts a number of Millennials among its ranks and will be dominated by them in the years to come (page 6), gets it right when she says “it’s not just about Millennials.”

Yes, they’re a little different, and, like the generations that came before them, they have their distinct personality traits, she says, but the reality is that they are just one of four generations toiling in the workplace (soon there will be five), and far from the biggest — yet.

The real issue facing businesses large and small today isn’t trying to figure out Millennials, but trying to determine how these various generations can figure out each other and work as a team.

It’s a not a small challenge, especially with regard to perhaps the most important consideration in the workplace today — technology. Without generalizing again (OK, guess we have to), Millennnials embrace technology at every level, and Baby Boomers, the oldest of which can still remember the day their father brought home the family’s first TV, are still somewhat tenuous on the subject. And those Gen-Xers, well, they’re somewhere in the middle, probably a lot closer to the Millennials than the Boomers.

It goes beyond technology, obviously, and to such matters as work/life balance — different generations have different perspectives on the matter — and those soft skills, right down to knowing how to actually put that phone away for five minutes, or five seconds (sounds like a Boomer talking there).

Understanding the importance of this generational challenge, if you will, and the fact that the Baby Boomers are retiring in record numbers, BusinessWest will make these issues key focal points of its upcoming Western Mass. Business Expo on Nov. 3 (www.wmbexpo.com).

Programming, still being finalized, will address such matters as the skills gap facing all employers and efforts to close it; bringing the generations together effectively in the same workplace; and initiatives, such as LPV, to identify and mentor the next generation of leaders. And, yes, there just might be a seminar titled “Motivating Millennials,” or something to that effect.

Beyond the Expo, though, generations in the workplace comprise an ongoing issue for business owners and managers, and, really, anyone who works today. And the question shouldn’t be ‘do you get these Millennials?’

Rather, it’s ‘how do we get all the generations to move a business in the desired direction?’

And far more important than the question are the answers.

Enfield Attracts New Warehousing, Distribution

By
Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

Peter Bryanton

Peter Bryanton says aggressive marketing efforts led to the speedy purchase of a large distribution center and development of plans for its reuse.

Last spring, Enfield officials were notified that the Hallmark Cards distribution center was consolidating its operations and planned to move to Kansas City, Mo. within a year.

Not only did that mean a loss of 500 jobs locally, but it left a huge footprint to fill. Indeed, the property on 25 Bacon Road contained a 1.1 million-square-foot building and three parcels totaling 324 acres in the northeast quadrant of town, which would be expensive to maintain and keep secure if the property was left vacant.

Hallmark asked for the town’s help in marketing the property, which was immediately granted, and after a tour, Community Development Director Peter Bryanton worked in collaboration with the broker on an aggressive marketing plan that proved so successful, it resulted in a bidding war.

WE 25 Bacon Road LLC, which was set up through Winstanley Enterprises LLC in Concord, purchased the site in June for $12 million, and its ambitious plans for the property are already underway.

Hallmark moved its operations at the end of June, and Winstanley has begun the first of a three-phase renovation plan that includes creating space for two Fortune 500 companies from outside Connecticut who are consolidating their operations and are expected to move in by the end of December.

“We couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Bryanton said, adding that phase I is expected to cost more than $7.5 million and will bring at least 90 full-time jobs to the town, while phase II will cost $12 to $14 million.

Director of Planning Roger O’Brien noted that a property at 80 Shaker Road known as the Parker Building, which was used primarily for industrial storage, also received multiple bids in the last month.

“The commercial-industrial market here has become very active over the last year,” he said, adding that he initially was working with a company in the industrial park who wanted to put on an addition and was interested in the site. But it was purchased by Camerota Truck Parts, which will gain enough space to double in size when it moves from its current location on Shaker Road.

A number of other sites that sat empty for years were also recently filled, and the town is definitely on an upswing in terms of economic growth and development.

Bryanton attributes this surge to several factors. The first is the town’s location; it sits along the I-91 corridor that connects Springfield to Hartford and New Haven. The second is the comparatively attractive price of land that has good access to rail and highway transportation, and the third is the fact that the economy is rebounding.

“Winstanley told us the Springfield-New Haven corridor has become a distribution center for the Northeast,” Bryanton said, noting that Amazon built and opened its first new England distribution center in Windsor last June, containing 1.3 million square feet, and Dollar Tree built a new, $104 million distribution facility in that town several years ago.

Meanwhile, the former Hallmark distribution site in Enfield has seemingly unlimited potential.

“When Winstanley heard the property was being vacated, they launched into action very quickly and did a thorough examination of the site and how it relates to their business model,” said Valarie Ferro, principal of Good Earth Advisors and development advisor to Winstanley Enterprises.

“It’s truly a signature property that grabs people’s attention, and they liked the fact that Enfield is positioned on the I-91 corridor with proximity to regional markets in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as its position between Boston and New York,” she continued, adding that the property was industrially zoned and already set up for warehousing and distribution, which is one of the areas Winstanley concentrates on developing.

For this edition, BusinessWest looks at the work that is planned for the site as well as other developments that have brought new life to Enfield in the past year and filled the majority of its empty commercial and industrial spaces.

Surge in Growth

Ferro said Winstanley has the right posture, sources of equity, and technical capacity to execute the plans for the former Hallmark site.

The first phase of renovations, which was approved early last month, is focused on a 697,533-square-foot building that contains 48 loading docks and is referred to as the low-bay section.

Work will include installing a new HVAC system; a state-of-the-art fire-suppression system; new LED lighting; a new, five-foot-wide, bituminous-concrete sidewalk along the east side that will provide a pedestrian connection from the parking lot; repairs to the loading docks on the building’s west and north sides; and improvements to the parking lot itself.

Phase II will include significant renovations to the high-bay section of the building, and the company’s plans will be presented to the Wetlands Commission Sept. 20 and the Planning and Zoning Commission Sept. 22. The two areas of the building are attached and sit on 133 acres.

“The high-bay section is 80 feet tall and was constructed for Hallmark operations,” Ferro said, explaining that it contains racking systems that are holding the roof up, making the building functionally obsolete. So renovations to the 350,000-square-foot area will include installing a lower roof that will bring it up to code and make it usable for a new client.

Phase III will include construction of a new, 700,000- to 800,000-square-foot warehouse/distribution building on the northern part of the site.

“The company is making a significant investment in the property, and they feel strongly about Enfield and the marketplace. It will be a great project,” Ferro said.

The town has held two special meetings that included all the department heads agreeing to move it along quickly. “We are trying to show we are nimble and responsive and have pooled our limited resources to get projects like this done,” O’Brien said. Although approvals are sequential, if everything is laid out ahead of time, it can speed up the permitting process without shortchanging any regulations.

Meanwhile, there are other developments taking shape within the community. Enfield Memorial Industrial Park is a popular site for businesses, and Phoenix Manufacturing at 80 Shaker Road is adding several thousand square feet to its South Street location.

“We’re seeing new people move in and existing businesses expand, which speaks well for the community,” O’Brien said.

In addition, another former Hallmark facility at 35 Manning Road that sat vacant for a number of years has been filled. The 286,800-square-foot building was purchased by Enfield Distribution Center in 2014, and in the last year, Ashley Furniture and Namco Pool Supply took up the remaining available space.

“The building went from being completely unoccupied two years ago to being completely filled,” Bryanton said, noting that the town’s website does not contain a listing of available commercial and industrial properties, but people who call town officials are not only guided in the right direction and put in touch with owners, they are helped through the permitting process.

The former 19,600-square-foot Namco Pool supply store at 1551 King St. was also recently sold and purchased by Secure Energy Additions, which just received the approvals to convert it into office space and warehousing for solar panels and supplies.

“It’s another example of a site that was underutilized, but had four different proposals,” O’Brien told BusinessWest.

New jobs were also gained when World Color Printing’s site at 96 Phoenix Ave. was purchased by Conval Inc. The mid-sized valve manufacturer relocated 90 jobs from its former Somers location, and plans to expand operations in the near future.

And another site at 1559 King St. has finally regained its former vibrancy. Although United Laboratories took over 40,000 square feet in 2012, the remaining 144,200 square feet remained vacant for the past eight years.

But it has become home to three new companies in the last year. All-Phase Electric Supply took 25,000 square feet, CED Greentech solar equipment took 35,000 square feet, and most recently, A.H. Harris & Sons Construction Supply took 67,500 square feet, Bryanton said.

In addition to industrial warehousing and manufacturing companies, the town is home to a number of medical facilities located on a mile-long stretch of Hazard Avenue, a short distance from Enfield Mall.

“It’s become an impressive corridor and hub for medical facilities within the past 10 years,” Bryanton said, noting that Hartford Hospital, Johnson Memorial Hospital, Community Health Resources, and other groups have facilities there.

The newest venture is being undertaken by developer Huntington Chase, who broke ground several weeks ago on a new 49,500-square-foot medical facility at 160 Hazard Ave. that is expected to open in the spring of 2018.

The town has been highly successful in filling much of its empty space, but one area that continues to struggle is Enfield Mall. Bryanton said the previous owner purchased it around 2000 when the market hit a peak and could not afford to drop lease prices or make any renovations when it crashed a few years later.

“The owner wasn’t investing in the property, and the rents are high, which precipitated the departure of a number of tenants and led to a foreclosure in February; the bank is working with the management company to do some renovations and bring the leases in line with the current retail market and is looking for a new buyer,” he said, noting that anchors Target and Sears own the spaces they occupy, and the mall property consists of the adjoining hallways.

However, there are seven malls and plazas in the area that contain many retail shops, so despite Enfield Mall’s vacancies, the area remains a thriving hub for retail operations and draws shoppers from a wide range of towns in Connecticut and across the border in Massachusetts.

Changing Landscape

Many people bemoan the fact that a multitude of white-collar jobs have been lost in Connecticut, but Bryanton simply views it as a paradigm shift.

“Connecticut used to have a lot of office jobs, and you hear a lot about out-migration in Connecticut because many companies are leaving the state,” he said, citing, as one example, General Electric, which moved its 1970s-style corporate campus in suburban Fairfield to downtown Boston’s Seaport District earlier this year.

“That move created a lot of angst, and some people are worried, but space in Enfield is filling up. There are a lot of goods being moved around, and we are poised to take advantage of that situation. We may be losing jobs in insurance and financing, but it is simply a shift because we are gaining logistical, warehouse, and transportation jobs in places such as the former Hallmark site,” Bryanton continued. “It all goes back to our location.”

That should translate to success for the firms that have chosen to locate there, and with millions of dollars worth of work planned at the former Hallmark site, the future is bright.

“Winstanley is preparing buildings in Enfield for the next generation of business,” Ferro said. “There is a lot involved in the project, but it’s work that must be done to stay competitive.”

 

Enfield, Ct. at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1683 in Massachusetts; annexed to Connecticut in 1749
Population: 44,654 (2010)
Area: 34.2 square miles
County: Hartford
Residential Tax Rate: $36.86 (plus fire district tax)
Commercial Tax Rate: $36.86 (plus fire district tax)
Median Household Income: $68,356
Type of government: Town Council, Town Manager
Largest Employers: MassMutual, Retail Brand Alliance, Lego Systems
* Latest information available

LPV Refines Its Mission to Identify, Develop, and Connect Leaders

By
LPVcoverFeature 0916b
Cover Story

Confidence Builders

LPV Executive Director Lora Wondolowski

LPV Executive Director Lora Wondolowski

Created in response to the impending retirement of the Baby Boomer generation and the leadership void this will create, Leadership Pioneer Valley continues to refine and build upon its multi-faceted mission to groom the next generation of leaders.

Lora Wondolowski says she and her staff at Leadership Pioneer Valley do a lot of measuring.

That’s a broad term she used to describe a number of steps aimed at quantifying the overall impact of this program, now in its fifth year, a key milestone in many respects.

For example, LPV, as it’s known, likes to chart the progress of its graduates, she said, adding that some of the statistics are eye-opening. For example, a good percentage of program participants had received promotions, raises, or both within a few years of graduating. Meanwhile, roughly a third had moved on to new and better jobs with greater responsibility by the time they were polled. Also, 60% had joined a new board as a director, and 80% described themselves as more inclusive when it comes to their leadership style.

But there are other intriguing numbers to chew on, said Wondolowski, the organization’s director since it was conceived, and they speak loudly about what LPV is all about.

“When we ask people about their impression of Springfield at the beginning of our ‘Springfield Day,’ there’s usually about 20% to 30% who have a negative view of the city,” she explained while referring to one specific day of programming in LPV’s 10-month regimen. “And when we ask them at the end of the day … every year, it’s been positive, with no negatives.

I had personal confidence, but I didn’t have confidence that the peers around me had confidence in me. I loved what I was doing and had conviction — maybe that’s a better word to use — but I didn’t have confidence that the people who were senior to me believed in me.”

“And it’s the same with Holyoke and Franklin County,” she went on, adding that LPV also has programs focusing on those areas. “And that’s because there are a lot of perceptions out there, and we want people to look at these places with clear eyes. We don’t want to paper over the challenges, and we don’t, but we want participants to get past the stereotypes and what they think they know.”

Those specific words are not in the LPV mission statement, but they certainly go a long way toward explaining why the program was created and why those who conceived it are even more convinced of the need for it five years later.

The aforementioned numbers clearly show the program’s effectiveness in providing a clearer focus for its participants, and thus greater awareness of the region, its assets, problems, and potential.

Katie Stebbins

Katie Stebbins says she took part in LPV because, while she had confidence in herself, she wasn’t sure other people did.

But the numbers don’t really tell the whole story, or tell it as effectively as words can, and for evidence of that, one need only listen to Katie Stebbins.

A member of LPV’s first class, she is the assistant secretary of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship for the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. That means she’s definitely among those who moved on to a new job, a new title, and a larger number on the paycheck since graduating from the program.

But she was already, in many respects, already a leader when, after working for several years in Springfield’s Economic Development Department, she hung out her own shingle as a consultant. At the time, she told BusinessWest, she didn’t exactly lack confidence, but instead lacked a certain type of it.

“I had personal confidence, but I didn’t have confidence that the peers around me had confidence in me,” she explained. “I loved what I was doing and had conviction — maybe that’s a better word to use — but I didn’t have confidence that the people who were senior to me believed in me; I didn’t necessarily have confidence that I could take that conviction and bring lots of other people along with me.”

To make a long story short, LPV became a way to first test her theory — that she was actually better at getting people to follow than she thought — and then eventually rid herself of such doubts. Both were essentially accomplished through that rugged, 10-month program (one meeting per month) designed to inform, educate, inspire, create connections, and, yes, build confidence.

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look at LPV as it reaches the five-year milestone, and at what lies ahead for this important addition to the region’s business landscape.

Lead-certified

Looking back, Stebbins recalls that 2012 was a watershed year for her in many respects.

In addition to taking on LPV’s program, she was accepted into Valley Venture Mentors, started homeschooling her children, launched a civic technology startup called BYO Family, and even started playing on a local roller-derby team.

You can’t really do any of that, let alone all of it, without a good amount of confidence, she acknowledged, adding quickly, and again, that in many respects she needed more of that invaluable commodity, and more affirmation that she had the ability to lead and get others to follow. And she credits the experience for helping her get where she is, with the seal of the state on her business card.

“It was really gratifying to hear people I didn’t know before say things like, ‘you’ve got leadership skills,’ ‘we believe in you,’ and ‘you’re going to go a long way,’” she explained. “It put extra wind in my sails, and it really energized me.”

In a nutshell, this is essentially what LPV was created to do.

Officially, the program was action item 7 in an update of the region’s Plan for Progress, first drafted by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)  more than two decades ago and revised several times since to reflect changes and new priorities.

Specifically, LPV, which at first was part of the PVPC and is now a standalone nonprofit, was conceived as a response to the overwhelming numbers of Baby Boomers who would be retiring over the next several years and the need to fill the resulting leadership void.

The term ‘silver tsunami’ has come into vogue to describe this phenomenon and the overall aging of the population, and Wondoloski drove home the point that the issue is real and must be addressed.

“The rate of retirement is increasing each year, and that’s going to mean huge turnover at our companies, both at the leadership level and also on our boards of directors,” she explained, adding that, in some rural areas, the average age of the citizenship is at or near retirement age, presenting huge leadership voids.

Looking back on LPV’s first year and what’s transpired since, Wondolowski said that first class was somewhat older than those that have followed, probably because the concept was new and many established business owners and managers wanted to take advantage of an opportunity.

Today, the program is attracting a younger audience — most are now closer to 30 — and a growing number of entrepreneurs, a reflection of this region’s ongoing efforts to promote entrepreneurship and mentor startups.

The classes are also becoming more diverse geographically, and this is another positive development, said Wondolowski, noting that, in the beginning, individuals from Hampden County dominated the ranks, but in recent years, more rural areas, and especially Franklin County, have sent more representatives. This is critical, she noted, because the populations of such areas is aging at an even more pronounced pace as Millennials choose to locate in cities, leaving communities like Greenfield with a strong need for young leaders.

While the makeup of the classes has changed somewhat over the years, the curriculum, if you will, has been more of a constant. It was constructed with three main goals in mind, said Wondolowski, citing LPV’s mission — “to identify, develop, and connect diverse leaders to strengthen the Valley.” These deliverables, if you will, are:

• Increasing participants’ leadership skills through exercises involving everything from cultural competency to communication and critical thinking;

• Increasing participants’ networks, both within their own class and also through programs in and on various cities and regions; and

• Increasing their understanding of the Valley through these programs, which educate participants about the challenges and opportunities facing these geographic areas.

LPV, which has a current tuition of $3,500 with assistance available to those who need it,  accomplishes these goals through a series of monthly programs, including several ‘challenge days’ and ‘field experiences’ staged across the region. The 2016-17 slate is reflective of what’s been done since the beginning.

There will be an opening overnight retreat this coming weekend at the Berkshire Outdoor Center in Becket, followed by the first challenge day, with a focus on collaborative leadership, on Oct. 21. A second challenge day, this one centered on ‘inclusive leadership,’ is set for Nov. 18 at a still-to-be-determined site in Franklin County.

The first field experience, a concentrated program aimed to educate participants about a given region or city, is set for Dec. 16, and will focus on Hampshire County and the Five College area. Others will center on Springfield (Jan. 20), Holyoke and Chicopee (March 17), and Franklin County (April 28).

Other challenge days are slated for Feb. 10, with ‘creativity’ as the theme, and May 19 (‘skilled negotiations’).

Progress Report

As she talked about this milestone year for LPV, Wondolowski said that, in many ways, the organization was at a type of crossroads.

By this, she meant this was a time to revisit the mission, undertake some strategic planning, and devise a blueprint for the organization moving forward. And, in many respects, this work is already underway.

The focus will be on broadening its overall impact and tailoring programs to meet the many challenges facing young professionals, the region, individual communities, and the workplace of today and tomorrow.

As one example, Wondolowski noted, with MGM and rail car builder CRRC MA, and potentially other large employers, coming to the region over the next few years, there will be dozens, and perhaps hundreds, of younger professionals and managers who will need to familiarized with this region and, more importantly, encouraged to be active within it. LPV can, and hopefully will, take a lead role in such efforts.

“There are lots of new executives coming into the area; how do we orient them to what this region has to offer and make sure that they’re connected in with other leaders?” she asked, adding that LPV will work to answer that question. “We have so many who come here for a few years and then leave because they never got connected to the community.”

Meanwhile, there are four generations still active in the workplace (although the so-called Silent Generation is certainly aging out) and a fifth, known as Gen Z or the ‘Boomlets’ (those born after 2000), will be making their presence known within the workforce.

Each of these generations has its own needs, its own character, and even its own nickname, said Wandolowski, noting that hers, Gen X (born 1965-1980), is unaffectionately known as the ‘slacker generation’. And coexistence in the workplace is an issue for virtually every business in the region and a challenge LPV can help address.

“One of the things we’re really interested in at LPV is the new workplace and what it looks like — and it’s not just about Millennials,” she said, acknowledging that many business owners and managers are hard-focused on that group. “It’s about technology, increasing diversity in the workplace, the multiple generations; there are many forces shaping our future workforce and workplaces.”

As part of this focus on generations, LPV will be sharpening its focus on providing assistance to leaders at all stages of their career, she explained, meaning the programming will be appropriate for people of all ages, and, in many respects, always has been.

Meanwhile, it will work to continually increase diversity within its own classes, geographically and otherwise, in an effort to bring more perspectives to the issues confronting the business community and the region.

“If we’re going to solve complex problems, we’re need people with different mindsets coming at things from different directions,” she explained. “We tend to stay in our silos — if you’re a nonprofit person, you tend to reach out to nonprofit folks, and the same in the public sector. We’re really seeing cross-pollination, or interconnectedness, among our graduates, and we’ll need more of that moving forward.”

Leading by Example

Among those who have been accepted into LPV’s class of 2017 is West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt, who was actually turned down when he first applied four years ago.

West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt

West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt, seen here with the city’s terrier mascot for his BusinessWest 40 Under Forty picture, will be among LPV’s class of 2017.

That’s when he was in law school and working part-time, he told BusinessWest, adding that he applied to be part of that first class because he wanted to make connections, learn something, and share what he knew.

He believes this time in his life and career actually works better, because he knows more, can share more, needs to make more connections, and still has a lot to learn about this region and the many aspects of leadership.

“Now that I’ve had more leadership experience, I can speak more from what I’ve done,” he explained. “I thought working with other people from the Valley now would be even more beneficial; I can share a lot, but I can also learn a lot, and I’m looking forward to doing both.”

Such words, as much as those numbers mentioned earlier, explain why LPV has already become a force in the region, and why it will be even more so moving forward.

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

Five Colleges Inc. Breaks Ground for Library Annex in Hatfield

By
Daily News

HATFIELD — At a brief ceremony on Sept. 15 attended by campus officials and developers, Five Colleges Inc. broke ground on for its Library Annex on a site it purchased in Hatfield.

When complete, the 35,000-square-foot building will provide shelving for up to 2.5 million items from the libraries of the campuses of the consortium — Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith colleges and UMass Amherst — freeing up space for new materials and other academic needs. In addition, it will serve as a temporary home for much of the collection of Smith College’s Neilson Library while it undergoes a major renovation.

“This facility will help Smith greatly in coming years. It’s a great example of how the institutions help each other,” said Susan Fliss, Smith College dean of Libraries.

Added Chris Loring, the recently retired director of libraries at Smith College and a driving force behind the development of the annex, “this will become another library for us.”

The 12-acre parcel is at the junctions of the Interstate 91 exit 22 ramp, West Street, and Plain Road in Hatfield. Five Colleges paid $925,000 for the property, which had been owned by Lynda, Martin, and Sharyn Holich. Site preparation work began on May 17, and work is expected to be complete in May 2017.

With climate-controlled conditions for long-term preservation of print materials, the annex will house a part of the Five College library repository collection, which already preserves nearly 600,000 items for its member campuses.

The Five College Consortium, based in Amherst, is celebrating its 50th year advancing the extensive educational and cultural objectives of its member institutions.

Real Estate Transactions

By
Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

42 Lilliput Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $272,300
Buyer: Thomas R. McChesney
Seller: B. Thomas Henry
Date: 08/19/16

Spruce Corner Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Mountain Stream LLC
Seller: Stachelczyk LT
Date: 08/19/16

BERNARDSTON

161 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Demo
Seller: FNMA
Date: 08/15/16

81 Hillcrest Dr.
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Kelly A. Wall
Seller: Joseph P. Klepadlo
Date: 08/15/16

CHARLEMONT

176 Main St.
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $180,487
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Richard A. Mullen
Date: 08/18/16

COLRAIN

55 Shearer Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Marjorie Morgan
Seller: Edward Wierzbowski
Date: 08/12/16

81 West Leyden Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Lisa P. Barnes
Seller: Gary Raymond-Miller
Date: 08/12/16

DEERFIELD

19 Captain Lathrop Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $248,000
Buyer: Jesse Sobek-Rosnick
Seller: Elizabeth M. Moynihan
Date: 08/16/16

729 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Melissa A. Rowe
Seller: Elizabeth B. Fitzpatrick
Date: 08/15/16

ERVING

28 High St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Menachem Mendel-Sahler
Seller: Patrice M. Young
Date: 08/08/16

17 Mountain Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Colby M. Lavin
Seller: Judith M. Czepiel
Date: 08/19/16

GREENFIELD

12 Cypress St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Kaitland M. Hager
Seller: Addison L. Massa
Date: 08/10/16

14 Euclid Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Debra J. Thompson
Seller: Donald N. Lorenz TR
Date: 08/15/16

91 Ferrante Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Susan Conger
Seller: Patricia L. Wilkerson
Date: 08/09/16

25 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Christopher Mattei
Seller: Martha E. Sullivan
Date: 08/19/16

90 Homestead Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Harold M. Donivan
Seller: Karen M. Podlesney
Date: 08/12/16

308 Leyden Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Auguste Z. Howard
Seller: Nick Plakias
Date: 08/12/16

362 Log Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Catherine V. Seaver
Seller: Tammy L. Walsh
Date: 08/09/16

220-228 Main St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Ikhlas LLC
Seller: Lawrence M. Pfeffer
Date: 08/15/16

24-26 Silver Place
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Westvue NPL T 2
Seller: Lawrence N. Hoffman
Date: 08/18/16

HAWLEY

12 Pudding Hollow Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sean P. McDermott
Seller: Kenneth A. Bertsch
Date: 08/10/16

LEVERETT

62 Depot Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $361,650
Buyer: Claus Schlund
Seller: Julia P. Chartier
Date: 08/16/16

81 Depot Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $263,500
Buyer: Stultz RET
Seller: Barbara Zecchi
Date: 08/08/16

MONTAGUE

66 Dell St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Geoffrey I. Ellis
Seller: Nathan J. Coffin
Date: 08/12/16

54 Oakman St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Heather L. Gagne
Seller: Donna D. Garbiel
Date: 08/12/16

10 Poplar St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $115,800
Buyer: Corinna S. Sullivan
Seller: Christal L. Cutler
Date: 08/12/16

185 Turnpike Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Soto
Seller: Daniel L. Desmond
Date: 08/08/16

NORTHFIELD

43 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Timothy Bowen
Seller: Alexander Stewart
Date: 08/16/16

99 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: Joseph L. Platzner
Seller: Eugene A. Rice
Date: 08/10/16

ORANGE

55 Battle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Jeremy D. Bowers
Seller: Robert K. Treutlein
Date: 08/19/16

280 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Eric Harrison
Seller: Zachary S. Hickey
Date: 08/19/16

170 West Orange Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Brian Knechtel
Seller: Doris A. Knechtel
Date: 08/19/16

153 West River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Valerie L. Strunjo
Seller: Workers Credit Union
Date: 08/17/16

44 Winter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: May C. Deane
Date: 08/10/16

ROWE

58 Pond Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Roberta K. Graziano
Seller: David J. Decker
Date: 08/12/16

SHELBURNE

273 Colrain Shelburne Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Christopher W. Vanvleet
Seller: Andrea J. Fournier
Date: 08/15/16

274 Patten Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Nick Plakias
Seller: William Ennen
Date: 08/12/16

150 Skinner Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $390,950
Buyer: Kenya Briggs
Seller: Daniel J. Lieberman
Date: 08/10/16

SHUTESBURY

89 Lake Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Katie M. Becofsky
Seller: Byrnes, John P., (Estate)
Date: 08/15/16

383 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Sarah M. Aldrich
Seller: Shawn M. Culver
Date: 08/19/16

WHATELY

Chestnut Plain Road (WS)
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Edward L. Malinowski
Seller: Mitzkovitz, Arlene M., (Estate)
Date: 08/12/16

60 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Earle Lynde
Seller: David H. Robinson
Date: 08/19/16

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

20 Alfred St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Louis F. Pugliano
Seller: David F. Larivee
Date: 08/11/16

63 Central St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Nicholas M. Fields
Seller: Steven M. Signet
Date: 08/12/16

7 Highland St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Olesia Gorovenko
Seller: David J. Baumgardner
Date: 08/19/16

42 Lawnwood St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $154,850
Buyer: Charlene Holley
Seller: Live Well Financial Inc.
Date: 08/11/16

140 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: David Sims
Date: 08/12/16

27 Merrill Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Marc Gendron
Seller: FNMA
Date: 08/10/16

128 Reed St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Ieraci
Seller: Ann B. Bongiorni
Date: 08/12/16

562 South West St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jeffrey S. Neilsen
Seller: Louise Schuhlen
Date: 08/12/16

31 Strawberry Hill Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $321,299
Buyer: Vladimir Zamotayev
Seller: US Bank
Date: 08/16/16

64 Warren St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Gary Dionne
Seller: Susan Lamoureux
Date: 08/08/16

43 Wilson St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Holly E. Labrecque
Seller: James P. Aubrey
Date: 08/15/16

BRIMFIELD

224 East Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Paul H. Grignon
Seller: Benjamin B. Burdon
Date: 08/12/16

20 Holland Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Louis G. Robichaud
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 08/08/16

20 Little Alum Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jeremy Pontbriand
Seller: Janice M. Charter
Date: 08/08/16

110 Lyman Barnes Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: William J. McKenna
Seller: Jason F. Czech
Date: 08/19/16

15 Wales Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Kele K. Piper
Seller: Donald G. Campbell
Date: 08/08/16

CHICOPEE

66 Christopher St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $167,500
Buyer: Mary F. Hebert
Seller: Justin M. Rosienski
Date: 08/16/16

43 Clarendon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Geremias Torres
Seller: Leclerc Brothers Inc.
Date: 08/12/16

29 Concord St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Brandon K. Klusman
Seller: Irene J. Berneche
Date: 08/18/16

41 Coolidge Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Alexander Ramirez
Seller: Jez, Florence N., (Estate)
Date: 08/17/16

50 Fair St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Lloyd K. Elliott
Seller: Henry P. Dziok
Date: 08/17/16

31 Fedak Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $226,000
Buyer: Justin M. Lapierre
Seller: Chris Makusiewicz
Date: 08/17/16

325 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Eric W. Lapointe
Seller: Julie A. Warner
Date: 08/19/16

74 Harrington Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Ouimette
Seller: Foerster, Lois R., (Estate)
Date: 08/10/16

50 Jones Ferry Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $153,500
Buyer: Anthony A. Roldan
Seller: Korey J. Bell
Date: 08/16/16

38 Keddy Blvd.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $129,600
Buyer: USA HUD
Seller: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Date: 08/10/16

124 Mandalay Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Kenya Guerra
Seller: Eugene L. Corbeil
Date: 08/12/16

59 Ogden St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Sandra I. Colon
Seller: Amelia Alicea
Date: 08/19/16

80 Quartus St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Nathan G. Chatham
Seller: Tiffany M. Duchesne
Date: 08/09/16

83 Wheatland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Charles F. Dow
Seller: Pamela J. Wegrzyn
Date: 08/11/16

EAST LONGMEADOW

14 Bayne St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: G. O. Markman Holdings LLC
Seller: Michael A. Joslin
Date: 08/11/16

108 Gerrard Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Christine Searles
Seller: Dianne C. Lozier
Date: 08/08/16

33 Granby St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: 33 Granby Road Realty LLC
Seller: Strider Development Inc.
Date: 08/12/16

30 Kenneth Lunden Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $369,900
Buyer: Melissa R. McFarland
Seller: James M. Quinn
Date: 08/12/16

4 Mereline Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Katherine M. Boughton
Seller: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Date: 08/08/16

579 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Michael A. Flynn
Seller: Dennis A. Matulewicz
Date: 08/08/16

159 Patterson Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Kerri O’Shaughnessy
Seller: Debra Relihan
Date: 08/15/16

2 Peachtree Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $334,900
Buyer: Robert H. Johnson
Seller: Andrew A. Calvanese
Date: 08/19/16

104 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Andrew A. Calvanese
Seller: Jonathan M. Birtwell
Date: 08/19/16

156 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Timothy E. Makara
Seller: Dianne E. Fredette
Date: 08/19/16

114 Vineland Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Shu Wan
Seller: Deborah Shilaikis
Date: 08/19/16

57 Westernview Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $221,500
Buyer: Jesse O. Rivera
Seller: William M. Heenan
Date: 08/11/16

HAMPDEN

46 Carmody Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Peter Sackrider
Seller: Joanne Dangelo
Date: 08/12/16

HOLLAND

286 Mashapaug Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $227,200
Buyer: Dennis G. Wadsworth
Seller: Jeffrey J. Candito
Date: 08/18/16

119 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Tyler S. Martel
Seller: Douglas S. Tarnawa
Date: 08/19/16

HOLYOKE

650 Beaulieu St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Dajo Realty LLC
Seller: 650 Beaulieu Street Realty
Date: 08/11/16

47 Clayton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Robert R. Motley
Seller: Jason A. Serafinski
Date: 08/12/16

234 Easthampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Lisa Bihler-Lyle
Seller: US Bank NA
Date: 08/19/16

78 Hitchcock St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $155,900
Buyer: Andrea L. Yurko
Seller: Donna Walsh-Hoener
Date: 08/17/16

182 Locust St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Laura C. Clampitt
Seller: Jemma B. Penberthy
Date: 08/19/16

37 Longwood Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: John C. Areche
Seller: Kate S. Craven
Date: 08/15/16

248 Lyman St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $254,583
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Edna Santiago
Date: 08/08/16

51 Martin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Valerie Joseph
Seller: Julie Lagoy
Date: 08/17/16

9 Michelle Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $369,000
Buyer: David M. Hodge
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 08/15/16

10 Old Rock Valley Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Charles R. Sarkisian
Seller: Sheelagh F. Roache
Date: 08/12/16

12 Park Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Mark J. Garvulenski
Date: 08/18/16

7 Park Slope
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Ashley A. Brackett
Seller: Debra A. Lajoie
Date: 08/12/16

121-123 Waldo St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $129,900
Buyer: Latoya Booker
Seller: Luis E. Crucetts
Date: 08/11/16

45 Yale St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Champion Mortgage Co.
Date: 08/19/16

LONGMEADOW

127 Bel Air Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $258,000
Buyer: Payman Sadeghinejad
Seller: Imade E. Aimua
Date: 08/10/16

62 Chatham Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: John Hall
Seller: Mary Ellis
Date: 08/19/16

94 Cheshire Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $434,450
Buyer: Richard N. Ley
Seller: Robert C. Valdovin
Date: 08/15/16

182 Farmington Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $850,000
Buyer: Marc Azer
Seller: Suzanne K. Streeter
Date: 08/11/16

69 Fenwood Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Michael Czupryna
Seller: William H. Brennan
Date: 08/19/16

293 Merriweather Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Ann T. Hall RET
Seller: Nicholas C. Lyons
Date: 08/19/16

65 Metacomet Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Darlene R. Watson
Seller: Clifford M. Kramer
Date: 08/17/16

7 Mohawk Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Brenda V. Sheman
Seller: Matthew D. Llorda
Date: 08/09/16

34 Roseland Terrace
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $284,900
Buyer: John E. Dowd
Seller: Craig Belgard
Date: 08/19/16

139 Rugby Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $813,000
Buyer: Nicolas Jabbour
Seller: Michael J. Sawicki
Date: 08/16/16

105 Whitmun Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $341,407
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Fred A. Basile
Date: 08/10/16

LUDLOW

39 Arnold St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Jaime R. Hoppock
Seller: Timothy S. Donnelly
Date: 08/09/16

547 Fuller St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Scott Ryder
Seller: Cabot Realty LLC
Date: 08/08/16

82 Gaudreau Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: George M. Maksymiw
Seller: Pamela A. Letendre
Date: 08/10/16

65 Hubbard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Celio D. Teles
Seller: Gonzaga Telles
Date: 08/11/16

45 Hunter Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Unsal Ban
Seller: Antonio M. Francisco
Date: 08/11/16

28 Letendre Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Donald Marino
Seller: Robert L. Leary
Date: 08/19/16

1024 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $366,250
Buyer: Alfred J. Donais
Seller: David Cote
Date: 08/11/16

1098 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Krzysztof Koprek
Seller: Ronald F. Willette
Date: 08/08/16

161 Prospect St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Steven J. Gagnon
Seller: Nu-Way Homes Inc.
Date: 08/18/16

128 Skyridge St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Jared N. Brown
Seller: Ryan M. Pease
Date: 08/12/16

36 Whitney St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Joseph W. Gardner
Seller: James F. Mathisen
Date: 08/15/16

MONSON

16 Beebe Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Dorothy Dipietro
Date: 08/10/16

Bogan Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: H&L Builders & Dev. Inc.
Seller: Furgal, Stella F., (Estate)
Date: 08/08/16

41 Crest Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Martin
Seller: FNMA
Date: 08/18/16

38 Old Stagecoach Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Lawrence M. Goodyear
Seller: Richard N. Levine
Date: 08/18/16

18 Reynolds Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Diane D. Cousineau
Seller: Eric P. Azevedo
Date: 08/17/16

MONTGOMERY

82 Pineridge Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $291,850
Buyer: Cassandra K. Uricchio
Seller: John J. Dion
Date: 08/15/16

PALMER

384 Boston Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Jennifer H. Ochner
Seller: Jose A. Vazquez
Date: 08/08/16

27 Fox St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Scott Wolf
Seller: Greater Boston Properties
Date: 08/15/16

25-39 Front St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Kassis Group LLC
Seller: Edgeland Partners LLP
Date: 08/10/16

29 Knox St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Thomas B. Speight
Seller: Christopher T. George
Date: 08/18/16

1 Pioneer Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Laurence Vincent
Seller: Kristopher J. Theriault
Date: 08/19/16

29 Silvia St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Edward P. Dejoinville
Date: 08/19/16

3080 South Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Richard K. Kirchner
Seller: Andrew M. Golas
Date: 08/12/16

RUSSELL

1107 Huntington Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Amanda Staubin
Seller: Kenyon, Rose O., (Estate)
Date: 08/12/16

SPRINGFIELD

206 Acrebrook Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Leah M. Babcock
Seller: Lisa Santaniello
Date: 08/12/16

17 Aldrew Ter
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Meaghan K. Ryzdak
Seller: Jerod Howell
Date: 08/15/16

1145 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Lal Pradhan
Seller: Dhanesh Dookhran
Date: 08/09/16

27 Atwater Terrace
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Grisel Gonzelez
Seller: Austin W. Kenefick
Date: 08/19/16

122 Avery St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Kadian P. James
Seller: Kirk D. Craigg
Date: 08/16/16

75 Balis St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $188,801
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Lolita A. Lozada
Date: 08/11/16

33 Barton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Edwin Rodriguez
Seller: Joseph M. Pacella
Date: 08/19/16

73 Bessemer St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Ramon Tapia
Seller: Meyer, Jeanette H., (Estate)
Date: 08/19/16

65 Beverly Lane
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Eddie Gonzalez
Seller: Chetan Patel
Date: 08/15/16

45 Blueberry Hill St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Kathleen A. Flanagan
Seller: Lisa J. Ducharme
Date: 08/19/16

38 Bryant St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $133,000
Buyer: Edwin Ferrer
Seller: Diane M. Collura
Date: 08/19/16

34 Capitol Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $124,800
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Michael A. Laiviere
Date: 08/17/16

146 Chapin Terrace
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $125,500
Buyer: Angela Pendleton
Seller: Shu Cheng
Date: 08/12/16

60 Chipmunk Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Whitney Simmons
Seller: Francesca Weidig
Date: 08/19/16

145 Clarendon St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: John D. Maillet
Seller: Keenan, Harold F., (Estate)
Date: 08/10/16

235 Connecticut Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Andrew Barcomb
Seller: Cheryl A. Spano
Date: 08/15/16

527 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Jerry A. Gonzalez
Seller: Juliette Son
Date: 08/15/16

635 Cottage St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Jenstar Of Springfield 2
Seller: G&R Properties LLC
Date: 08/09/16

59 Demond Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $145,500
Buyer: Melvin Torres
Seller: Charly N. Lawrence
Date: 08/15/16

74 Dewitt St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Daniel R. Bergeron
Date: 08/12/16

138 Endicott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $118,276
Buyer: Onota Rental LLC
Seller: Onota Rental LLC
Date: 08/18/16

494 Forest Hills Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $192,600
Buyer: Dayna K. Dubay
Seller: Robert C. Proulx
Date: 08/15/16

104 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Harold Rios
Seller: Sang Yong-Kim
Date: 08/09/16

62 Garland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Elaina L. Stafilarakis
Seller: Felix Decesare
Date: 08/19/16

33 Lancaster St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Mariela Colon
Seller: Rita Samson
Date: 08/15/16

123 Leitch St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Lellys Nazario
Seller: Jerry A. Gonzalez
Date: 08/09/16

38-40 Longhill St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $119,500
Buyer: Reed D. Hosten
Seller: Daniel J. Molta
Date: 08/19/16

16 Loretta St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $125,600
Buyer: Robert E. Werner
Seller: Lauri A. Gentile
Date: 08/15/16

17 Mary Coburn Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Michael P. Sico
Seller: A Plus Enterprises Inc.
Date: 08/09/16

33 Mattoon St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Elizabeth G. Johnson
Seller: Tom Foster-Digby
Date: 08/08/16

25 Mayfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $158,600
Buyer: Derrick J. Piemonte
Seller: Cheri R. Kevane
Date: 08/17/16

227 Mazarin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Shernelle S. Scott
Seller: Jose M. Alves
Date: 08/08/16

22 Mellon St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Melon A. Dravie
Seller: Anthony Tyler
Date: 08/12/16

143 Melville St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Lisandra Colon
Seller: Luis A. Lopez
Date: 08/12/16

74-76 Mooreland St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Pedro Martinez
Seller: John M. Kulaga
Date: 08/12/16

100 Narragansett St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: AAD Inc.
Seller: Nicks Affordable Home
Date: 08/15/16

20 Rockland Terrace
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Til Chuwan
Seller: Ninh V. Luu
Date: 08/12/16

32 Sawn Hill Dr.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $131,500
Buyer: Jennifer E. Bajor
Seller: Suzanne M. Wegrzyn
Date: 08/09/16

115 Stockman St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $176,491
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Mamie S. Bonsu
Date: 08/18/16

64 Surrey Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $197,704
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Carol A. Lavalley
Date: 08/10/16

106 Surrey Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Daniel Carrasquillo
Seller: Juan C. Lebron
Date: 08/19/16

128 Tiffany St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: Moltenbrey Builders LLC
Seller: Levis Poulin
Date: 08/19/16

280 Tremont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Nichole M. Hodges
Seller: Lynn Otero
Date: 08/15/16

21 Wells St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Aracelis M. Echevarria
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 08/19/16

156 Woodland Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Brian P. Kapinos
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/15/16

SOUTHWICK

34 Iroquois Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Reed
Seller: Carol S. Sears
Date: 08/19/16

44 North Lake Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $185,703
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: William Hauser
Date: 08/17/16

76 Tannery Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $439,000
Buyer: Susan Lamoureaux
Seller: James D. Bruno
Date: 08/08/16

105 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: MCM Capital Partners LLC
Seller: Karolyn M. Cyr
Date: 08/09/16

TOLLAND

Grove Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Michael Middleton
Seller: Carol J. Wisneski
Date: 08/15/16

95 Lakeside Dr.
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Michael Middleton
Seller: Carol J. Wisneski
Date: 08/15/16

WALES

167 Union Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Tyler S. Carlson
Seller: Christopher J. Ferris
Date: 08/12/16

WEST SPRINGFIELD

53 Armstrong St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Luis A. Sepulveda
Seller: Jeffrey Bergeron
Date: 08/17/16

61-63 Bridge St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $133,014
Buyer: Igor Palgi
Seller: US Bank
Date: 08/10/16

20 Churchill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: MAA Property LLC
Seller: James Mango
Date: 08/19/16

162 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Timothy A. Feeley
Seller: Douglas E. Hart
Date: 08/12/16

502 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $176,900
Buyer: Manuel Armando-Nunez
Seller: First Baptist Church
Date: 08/10/16

869 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $130,800
Buyer: VIP Homes & Associates LLC
Seller: Kyle A. Pratson
Date: 08/09/16

185 Forest Glenn
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $402,500
Buyer: Chirag A. Patel
Seller: John J. Taskey
Date: 08/11/16

43 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Yamil J. Canales
Seller: John A. McConkey
Date: 08/15/16

66 Hillside Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Nicholas A. Gero
Seller: Eric R. Bridges
Date: 08/09/16

33 Lathrop St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Robert D. Spano
Seller: Medina Jett
Date: 08/12/16

71 Lower Massachusetts Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Annmarie Mahoney
Seller: Christopher P. Geary
Date: 08/15/16

440 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $187,975
Buyer: Jennifer T. Bontempi
Seller: Frank J. Buczek
Date: 08/12/16

773 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Eva-Eliaika E. Mbuya
Seller: Pamela L. Sheridan
Date: 08/19/16

32 Mosher St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,500
Buyer: Henry E. Bryden
Seller: Paula A. Dearborn
Date: 08/10/16

83 Nelson Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Deliangelie Medina
Seller: Robert C. Kopinsky
Date: 08/19/16

102 Southworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: David W. Dearden
Seller: Norman S. Jones
Date: 08/19/16

91 Tiara Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Victor Podolyanchuk
Seller: Korey J. Bell
Date: 08/19/16

52 West School St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Christina L. Davis
Seller: Qahil Ahmeti
Date: 08/08/16

211 Windsor St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Noorjahan Bakth
Seller: Domenica Spalletta
Date: 08/08/16

WESTFIELD

117 Berkshire Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $144,878
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Derek B. Shaver
Date: 08/11/16

85 Beverly Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Richard E. Mahaney
Seller: Kelly J. Thibodeau
Date: 08/12/16

29 Briarcliff Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Seller: John P. Cunha
Date: 08/12/16

75 Brookline Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $142,616
Buyer: FHLM
Seller: Kathleen B. Fitzgerald
Date: 08/10/16

15 Deborah Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel D. Massai
Seller: Mark C. Edstrom
Date: 08/12/16

1198 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Deane
Seller: Dennis A. Gamelli
Date: 08/15/16

12 Egleston Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Sampson
Seller: Anamisis, George, (Estate)
Date: 08/08/16

9 Ellis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Ryan C. Bengle
Seller: Daniel D. Massai
Date: 08/12/16

17 Leonard Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Kaitlyn L. Sherry
Seller: April S. Lassard
Date: 08/11/16

19 Locust St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Gary D. Hagar
Seller: Raymond H. Landry
Date: 08/17/16

19 Norton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,800
Buyer: Jason J. Teal
Seller: Michael Saltmarsh
Date: 08/12/16

20 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $198,500
Buyer: Lori Dorgan
Seller: Karl E. Heath
Date: 08/16/16

445 Root Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Paul T. Cabral
Seller: Sheehan, Charles J., (Estate)
Date: 08/19/16

6 School St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Deal Realty LLC
Seller: Peter A. Velis
Date: 08/12/16

450 Shaker Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Richard Moss
Seller: Barry, Betty A., (Estate)
Date: 08/19/16

590 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Sampson
Seller: Anamisis, George, (Estate)
Date: 08/08/16

92 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Eric C. Silenga
Seller: Judith A. Fitzgerald
Date: 08/09/16

15 Wieser Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Eric Volk
Seller: Philip M. Garvey
Date: 08/09/16

WILBRAHAM

3 Brainard Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: Justin V. Burzenski
Seller: Jennifer A. True
Date: 08/12/16

2 Captain Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $359,900
Buyer: Celeste M. Ferris
Seller: Louis Demosthenous
Date: 08/18/16

6 Deer Run Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $407,000
Buyer: Michelle R. Camano
Seller: Jose A. Aguiar
Date: 08/12/16

24 Delmor Ave.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $241,500
Buyer: Jorge L. Garcia
Seller: Hui Sung-Kwon
Date: 08/12/16

14 Falcon Heights
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Jeffrey G. Robins
Seller: Neil J. Grossman
Date: 08/08/16

103 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $154,873
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Michelle L. Brown
Date: 08/19/16

501 Mountain Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Burgess FT
Seller: Sheryl E. Cheney
Date: 08/08/16

12 Pidgeon Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Kristen L. Gleason
Seller: Robert A. Baroni
Date: 08/18/16

1039 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Eric M. True
Seller: Lisa M. Funck
Date: 08/12/16

728 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $254,000
Buyer: Joseph P. Martial
Seller: Zachary McFarland
Date: 08/12/16

27 Victoria Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $549,900
Buyer: Shakenna K. Williams
Seller: Peter F. Robinson
Date: 08/16/16

9 Ward Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Robert A. Baroni
Seller: John P. McCloskey
Date: 08/18/16

10 Winterberry Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $421,250
Buyer: Glenn M. Rooney
Seller: Lynn M. Kace
Date: 08/10/16

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

133 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Rachel Loeffler
Seller: Molly J. Goren-Watts
Date: 08/15/16

746 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Gillian P. Freeman
Seller: Eric S. Weld
Date: 08/15/16

31 Deepwoods Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $205,888
Buyer: Kelley A. Allan
Seller: Spartak Nasto
Date: 08/18/16

132 Farmington Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Laty Chhuon
Seller: US Bank
Date: 08/15/16

95 Harlow Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Catlin Converse-Khurana
Seller: William R. Franklin
Date: 08/10/16

747 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Paul A. Huijing
Seller: Joseph Harris
Date: 08/17/16

27 Spaulding St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Sharon S. Carty
Seller: Liza A. Bouchard
Date: 08/08/16

BELCHERTOWN

30 2 Ponds Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: William F. Howard
Seller: Christina M. Sahd
Date: 08/16/16

150 Aldrich St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Szczepanek
Seller: Michael R. Mounts
Date: 08/18/16

247-1/2 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: John E. Socha
Seller: Donald R. Besancon
Date: 08/12/16

Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $444,000
Buyer: Rakshitha Athukorala
Seller: Swarnkanthie Athukorala
Date: 08/15/16

979 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Potter
Seller: Georgene M. Carmany
Date: 08/12/16

78 North Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Phillip D. Hale
Seller: Nancy Z. Raymond
Date: 08/09/16

62 Maple St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Douglas Tarnawa
Seller: Michael R. Aldrich
Date: 08/19/16

84 Metacomet St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Justin M. Rosienski
Seller: John J. Dougherty
Date: 08/19/16

Pine St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: RGC LLC
Seller: Boshko Belchertown RT
Date: 08/15/16

158 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Janet E. Powers
Seller: Barry A. Whitehill
Date: 08/15/16

CHESTERFIELD

87 Cummington Road
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Shane M. Wickland
Seller: Marla B. Brodsky
Date: 08/12/16

410 Ireland St.
Chesterfield, MA 01084
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Christopher E. Larsen
Seller: Henry L. Badner
Date: 08/09/16

EASTHAMPTON

7 2nd Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $221,443
Buyer: William D. Mock
Seller: Stanley & Anne Rzeszutek LT
Date: 08/19/16

12 Clapp St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Christopher W. Collins
Seller: Christopher M. Miles
Date: 08/19/16

13 Coed Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Leslie R. Towle
Seller: Tamra L. Bates
Date: 08/19/16

123 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Nicole M. Lachapelle
Seller: Norwich Properties LLC
Date: 08/19/16

11 Gula Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $259,767
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: John H. Connelly
Date: 08/19/16

9 Industrial Pkwy.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $495,000
Buyer: John A. Morin
Seller: 94 Industrial Drive LLC
Date: 08/18/16

354 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Andrew Covington
Seller: Konstantinos N. Sierros
Date: 08/19/16

17 Olympia St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Melissa L. Pierson-Buell
Seller: Frank C. Messineo
Date: 08/16/16

129 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Christioher M. Miles
Seller: Kyle H. Butler
Date: 08/19/16

30 Pine Hill Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $359,000
Buyer: Caroline J. White
Seller: Homayoun F. Shirazi
Date: 08/19/16

38 Plain St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Rist
Seller: Daniel D. Rist
Date: 08/12/16

48 Plain St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Matthew Mitchell
Seller: Gina A. Mitchell
Date: 08/09/16

19 River Valley Way
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $139,618
Buyer: Jorge I. Avendano
Seller: Jeffrey S. Cahill
Date: 08/19/16

GOSHEN

36 Dresser Hill Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kris I. Celatka
Seller: Harry A. Haskell
Date: 08/08/16

GRANBY

1 Lyn Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $184,500
Buyer: Irma Y. Munoz
Seller: Martha A. Berrouard
Date: 08/16/16

119 Morgan St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $537,536
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Lynnette M. Maziarz
Date: 08/12/16

HADLEY

17 Hadley Place
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Carolyn M. Holstein
Seller: Linda M. Tilden
Date: 08/15/16

28 Meadowbrook Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $309,900
Buyer: Susan J. Smoyer
Seller: John E. Reale
Date: 08/12/16

73 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Valley Building Co. Inc.
Seller: 73 Rocky Hill LLC
Date: 08/12/16

39 Stockwell Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Julia P. Chartier
Seller: William F. Howard
Date: 08/16/16

HATFIELD

12 Molloy Ave.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Corey Leveille
Seller: Marciano, Lorraine S., (Estate)
Date: 08/09/16

HUNTINGTON

6 Goss Hill Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Benjamin A. Kolodziej
Seller: Paul Denoncourt
Date: 08/19/16

52 Littleville Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $115,100
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Gilbert E. Gagnon
Date: 08/18/16

24 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jackson Gregg
Seller: Gary G. Wallace
Date: 08/12/16

NORTHAMPTON

37 Austin Circle
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Sara C. O’Donnell
Seller: Jacqueline K. Matchett
Date: 08/12/16

5 Blackberry Lane
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Martinez
Seller: Anne C. Pratt
Date: 08/08/16

1152 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Joseph G. Dunbar
Seller: Joanne K. Clark
Date: 08/15/16

168 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Dana L. Gillette
Seller: Patrick M. Manseau
Date: 08/11/16

13-1/2 Finn St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Boyer
Seller: Douglass R. Baker
Date: 08/12/16

41 Jackson St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $349,000
Buyer: Balaji P. Belur
Seller: Caroline W. Graham
Date: 08/15/16

89 Longview Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Margaretha M. Wilcke
Seller: Karen G. Johnston
Date: 08/16/16

421 Loudville Road
Northampton, MA 01027
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jesse J. Rasid
Seller: Ruth A. Barrett IRT
Date: 08/12/16

4 Main St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Sangsoo Lee
Seller: Tom Masters
Date: 08/15/16

11 Mann Terrace
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $389,000
Buyer: Thomas E. Barrup
Seller: Elaine C. Atkins
Date: 08/16/16

17 Murphy Terrace
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Bradley C. King
Seller: Bonnie L. Netto
Date: 08/11/16

63 North Loudville Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $399,500
Buyer: Tamra L. Bates
Seller: Vernice D. Cowell
Date: 08/19/16

103 Oak St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Sean Gaffney
Seller: Betty Wolfson TR
Date: 08/12/16

729 Park Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $674,000
Buyer: Jan I. Weiss
Seller: Albert Cennerazzo
Date: 08/17/16

199 Pine St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $735,000
Buyer: Matt & Nick LLC
Seller: Cabot Realty LLC
Date: 08/17/16

39 Summer St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Jennifer Murray
Seller: 39 Summer Street NT
Date: 08/11/16

18 Sumner Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: William Grogan
Seller: Jonathan B. Liebman
Date: 08/18/16

60 Water St.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $275,888
Buyer: Paula D. Sommers
Seller: Michael Kesten
Date: 08/12/16

89 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Juliann Adamski
Seller: Carla Tagliente
Date: 08/18/16

PLAINFIELD

32 East Main St.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Mark F. Stinson
Seller: Ruth M. Chudy FT
Date: 08/08/16

33 Stetson Ave.
Plainfield, MA 01070
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Judith P. Hanson
Seller: Gerald Schamess
Date: 08/10/16

SOUTH HADLEY

89 Charon Terrace
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Haska
Seller: Stephen A. Foster
Date: 08/19/16

99 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Joseph L. Couture
Seller: Norma J. Heim
Date: 08/17/16

26 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Park Royal Holdings LLC
Seller: Michael D. Robinson
Date: 08/18/16

Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Stephen R. Duval
Seller: Whispering Pines At Root
Date: 08/19/16

23 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Barbara Zecchi
Seller: Jennifer J. Garbiel
Date: 08/08/16

178 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $333,000
Buyer: Christopher A. Tarr
Seller: Gail A. Olesiak
Date: 08/19/16

SOUTHAMPTON

6 Belanger Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Shelby Card
Date: 08/12/16

44 Coleman Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $357,500
Buyer: Heather A. Zackaricz
Seller: Andrea J. Bertini
Date: 08/12/16

185 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Grindstone Realty LLC
Seller: Thomas M. Cross
Date: 08/10/16

5 Hawthorne Dr.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: David W. Haughey
Seller: Richard A. Perras
Date: 08/15/16

63 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Paul T. Blazejowski
Seller: Dansereau, Kelley A., (Estate)
Date: 08/10/16

117 White Loaf Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Kaushal V. Shah
Seller: Mohammed Al-Saad
Date: 08/15/16

WARE

24 Doane Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Lawrence E. Banas
Seller: John S. Podkowka
Date: 08/18/16

79 Eagle St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Leo D. Thompson
Date: 08/16/16

21 Sherwin St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: Douglas S. Lavallee
Seller: Jessica S. Harder
Date: 08/18/16

WILLIAMSBURG

37 Briar Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Mary Bradley
Seller: Alexandra Ludwig
Date: 08/10/16

13 Walpole Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Nathaniel F. Anable
Seller: Briggs NT
Date: 08/18/16

WORTHINGTON

549 Old North Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Travis L. Roberts
Seller: 549 Old North Road Land TR
Date: 08/12/16

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the months of August and September 2016.

AGAWAM

Agawam Veterans Housing LLC
South Westfield St.
$115,000 — Install new fire-sprinkler system

CJN LLC
Springfield St.
$147,000 — Construct a 1,500-square-foot storage building

FRP Holdings Agawam LLC
Springfield St.
$64,275 — Strip roof and reroof Rite Aid

Amherst

Amherst College Trustees
151 College St.
$21,000 — Verizon Wireless is adding 3 remote radio heads on an existing smokestack installation.

Amherst Shopping Center Associates LLC
229 University Dr., Dunkin Donuts
$18,000 — Interior renovations

Hadley

Montgomery Rose LLC
316 River Dr.
$140,000 — Adding on to existing pre-fab steel building

Northampton

Chicopee Kendall, LLC
129 Pleasant St.
$10,290,000 — Construct 4-story building, 51,560 square feet

Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
30 Locust St.
$1,263,329 — Create the Comprehensive Breast Care Center

Garibaldi Associates LLC
274 Pleasant St.
$495,000 — Construct 1,500 SF addition – optical studio

Northampton Veterinary Clinic
190 Nonotuck St.
$219,000 — Remodel and reconfigure space

Thornes Marketplace LLC C/O HPMG
150 Main St.
$51,286 — Rebuilding egress and vestibule skywalk to garage

Springfield

Children’s Study Home
38 Sherman St.
$5,800 — Build handicap ramp at side entrance

Eversource Energy
300 Caldwell St.
$4,400.00 – Move one antenna to top, add one new dipole at 105 ft. Old coax will be recycled in bins on site.

Mason Square Apartments II Limited Partnership
State Street (Abandoned Firehouse)
$100,000 — Abatement, light demo

Newport LLC
555 State St.
$395,473 — Interior selective demolition. Installation of new store front entry, overhead door, and new windows. Insulate, sheet rock, installation of HVAC units without distribution. Tennant to build out space.

SBA Communications
556-562 St. James Ave.
$13,000 — Remove and replace three existing fiberglass concealment enclosures.

WGBY
42-44 Hampden Street
$35,675 — Renovations

West Springfield

Building at 134 Capital Drive
134 Capital Dr.
$28,000 — Construct offices and product display area in vacant space, slab on grade, single story

Building at 1654 Riverdale Street
1654 Riverdale St.
$8,000 — Cover existing roofing with metal standing lock roofing

Building at 79 Wayside Ave.
79 Wayside Ave.
$105,000 — Build out 5,100 square feet of commercial building as office space

Cal’s Wood Fired Grilled Bar
1068 Riverdale St.
$35,500 — Tear off entire roof, install new roof, remove debris.

dePaul Center
2112 Riverdale St.
$1,012,000 – Renovate existing first floor offices. New HVAC, sprinklers, 3 new baths, new electrical

Existing Telecom Site
62 Bridge Street
$15,000 — Swap 3 existing cell antennas with 3 newer technology cell antennas and associated equipment. No change to tower.

Westfield

City of Westfield
158 Union St.
$38,178 — Renovation/maintenance of the building

J&F Management LLP
124 Elm St.
$35,000 — Re-design existing kitchen to accept new sanitation room, install wall separate in the basement

Meridian Transport Company
24 Fowler St. Ext.
$2,500,000 — Erect 100,000-square-foot warehouse

Sterling Realty Trust
125 North Elm St.
$61,500 — Reconfiguration of the existing office space

Doing Business As Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the months of August and September 2016.

AMHERST

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
213 College Street
Camrac, LLC

Motown Man
408 Northampton Road
Bernie Johnson

Synergy Massage Therapy
10 Gatehouse Road
Kristin Moyer

CHICOPEE

Aerial 51 Studios
196 Fletcher Circle
Robert F. Perry

AG Wood, LLC
17 Naomi Street
Arkadiusz Gajda

Cellite Engineers Inc., dba. Johnstone Supply
590 Center Street
Jess Hill

East Street Cleaners
423 East St.
Sun D. Choi & Choong Ki Choi

MPinto Transport
44 Alvord Ave.
Maria E. Pinto-Davila

HADLEY

CVS Pharmacy #16960
367 Russell St.
CVS Pharmacy Inc.

Dollar Tree
458 Russell St.

VIP Nail Spa
331 Russell St.
Tommy Hguyen

Cove Coating
97 Russell St.
Michael Chudzik

NORTHAMPTON

Beerology, LLC
342 Pleasant St. #1
Jordana Starr & Michael Schilling

El Conquistadar
89-93 Main St.
Josue Nunez

Life Choice Hospice of Massachusetts
243 King St., Suite 237 & 239
Michelle L. Heron-Macial

Grey Hall Music
1 Brewster Ct.
Gregory J. Hall

Hammer & Flowers
256 Bridge St.
Frederic Siegel

The People’s Contract
92 Laurel Park
Matthew Hersculer

413 IT Solutions
2 Conz St.
Joshua Desharnais & Alex Campurciani

SPRINGFIELD

Ajus Home Improvement
86 Oakgrove Ave.
Adolphus Cropper

Asian Mini Market
405 Dickinson St.
Thu Nguyen

Bellucci’s Property Management
13 Plum St.
Anthony Bellucci

Casiano Towing
424 Walnut St.
Erllis Casiano Lugo

Designin’ Kitchens
59 East St.
Laurie Bennett

Enfield Printing Company
1365 Main St.
Michael Weber

Enuff
97 Hadley St.
Veronica L. McNair

Hamid Kiatresh
51 Johnson St.
Hamid Reza Kianesh

Haq Corp. DBA PeterPan
1776 Main St.
Zahoor Haq

Kranis Global Holding LLC
2625 Main St.
Sayed M. Matos

Magic Dreams Child Care
195 Riverside Road
Ada Centeno

Ramos Detailing and Tinting
199 Laconia St.
Mayra Febus

Shine Bright Cleaning LLC
407 Bay St.
Maria Vega

Sunders
99 Phillips Ave.
Jesse Earl Horne

Tom Works Heating and Co
49 Observer St.
Thomas Peter Anderson

United Auto Sales Inc.
874 Berkshire Ave.
Joseph M. Nigro

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Ben’s Home Improvements
54 Wellfleet Dr.
Benjamin Neal

General Analytics
1521 Westfield St.
Yevgeniy Kiforishin

Kalmm Times Child Center
30 Ames Ave.
Keyla Diaz

Pretty Woman
245 Memorial Ave.
MA Pretty Woman, LLC

WESTFIELD

MA Willows Limited Partnership
19 Lockhouse Road
NESPA Property Investors Inc.

Tops MA 411 Westfield
487 Western Ave.
Tops MA 411 Westfield

Picture This

By
Departments Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

Operation Playhouse

PicThisOperation


A group of 14 Country Bank employees recently joined forces with Habitat for Humanity Metro West/Greater Worcester in a team-building exercise that ended with a local veteran family receiving a unique gift: a custom playhouse. Habitat’s Operation Playhouse is a program designed to allow groups to come together to create and complete a custom playhouse in one day. The opportunity to work together and collaborate on design and construction of the house is wrapped up with the reward of seeing it turned over to a local veteran and their children. “Working with the Habitat staff was seamless, and the day couldn’t have been more rewarding,” said Deb Gagnon, Corporate Relations officer, Country Bank. “Completing the playhouse gave us all a sense of accomplishment, and when the family arrived to receive their gift, there wasn’t a dry eye around.”

 

Community Focus

PicThisCommunity

Eighty-five Massachusetts companies were honored at the Boston Business Journal’s 11th annual Corporate Citizenship Summit on Sept. 8 at the EpiCenter at Artists for Humanity in Boston. For the ninth time, PeoplesBank was among the companies included, this year finishing 48th on the statewide list and third for companies headquartered in Western Mass. Matthew Bannister, vice president, Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank (pictured at left, with Thomas Senecal, president and CEO), accepted the award at the summit on behalf of the bank’s associates. “Our mutual charter supports everything we do and why we are succeeding as a community bank,” he said. “Because of our mutual charter and related values, we have a unique ability to help the communities we serve through volunteer efforts and millions of dollars in donations to charitable and civic causes.”

 

Wheeling for Healing

PicThisWheeling

On Aug. 21, 180 bicyclists, runners, and walkers gathered for the ninth annual Wheeling for Healing ride, walk, and run event in Greenfield to support cancer care and services at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. “Thanks to the wonderful fund-raising efforts from our community and support from our sponsors, we were able to raise over $46,500 this year, bringing our total funds raised for Baystate Franklin Medical Center Oncology to over $286,000,” said Kathy Tobin, director, Annual Giving & Events, Baystate Health Foundation. Proceeds from Wheeling for Healing events are used to purchase medical equipment and comfort items for patients undergoing chemotherapy at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. Proceeds have also assisted patients with extraordinary expenses associated with their illness, including medicines not covered by their insurance.

 

Celebrating STCC’s Founders

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Springfield Technical Community College kicked off its year-long 50th-anniversary celebration with a Founders Day Convocation on Sept. 9. The event honored the four founders — Edmond Garvey, the school’s first president; then-Springfield Mayor Charlie Ryan; state Rep. Anthony Scibelli; and industrialist Joseph Deliso — and briefly traced the history of the college through today. Ryan and family members representing the other three founders (all deceased) were presented with commemorative plaques in the form of photo montages of their careers and contributions to the college. Top to bottom: from left, retired STCC President Ira Rubenzahl, Mayor Ryan, retired STCC President Andrew Scibelli (Anthony’s nephew), current Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and current STCC President John Cook; members of the Garvey family, from left, Sandra Garvey, her husband, James Garvey (Edmond’s son), Pauline Kimball (Edmond Garvey’s niece), and her son, Robert Kimball; Andrew Scibelli with the plaque commemorating his uncle’s contributions; and, representing the Deliso family, back row, Clem Deliso (Joe’s son), Jean Deliso (Joe’s granddaughter), right, and Lisa Doherty, and in front, Joe’s great-grandsons, Spence Doherty Deliso, left, and Clement Joseph Doherty Deliso.

Springfield Technical Community College kicked off its year-long 50th-anniversary celebration with a Founders Day Convocation on Sept. 9. The event honored the four founders — Edmond Garvey, the school’s first president; then-Springfield Mayor Charlie Ryan; state Rep. Anthony Scibelli; and industrialist Joseph Deliso — and briefly traced the history of the college through today. Ryan and family members representing the other three founders (all deceased) were presented with commemorative plaques in the form of photo montages of their careers and contributions to the college. Top to bottom: from left, retired STCC President Ira Rubenzahl, Mayor Ryan, retired STCC President Andrew Scibelli (Anthony’s nephew), current Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and current STCC President John Cook; members of the Garvey family, from left, Sandra Garvey, her husband, James Garvey (Edmond’s son), Pauline Kimball (Edmond Garvey’s niece), and her son, Robert Kimball; Andrew Scibelli with the plaque commemorating his uncle’s contributions; and, representing the Deliso family, back row, Clem Deliso (Joe’s son), Jean Deliso (Joe’s granddaughter), right, and Lisa Doherty, and in front, Joe’s great-grandsons, Spence Doherty Deliso, left, and Clement Joseph Doherty Deliso.

West of the River Chamber Slates Lunch and Learn Event for Oct. 18

By
Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West of the River Chamber of Commerce announced its third Lunch and Learn event, a legislative update from John Regan, AIM’s executive vice president for government affairs.

The event will take place Tuesday, Oct. 18 from noon to 2 p.m. at Storrowton Tavern’s Carriage House in West Springfield. Attendees will learn about the frenzied conclusion to the 2015-16 state legislative session that produced far-reaching measures on pay equity, energy, and economic development, but no agreement on restricting the use of non-compete agreements. Regan will discuss the matters that passed, those that didn’t, and what may be in store for the next legislative session that begins in January, and how developments on Beacon Hill may impact area businesses.

The event costs $35 for all attendees, and is open to the public. For more information or to register, call the West of the River Chamber of Commerce office at (413) 426-3880 or visit www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

State Nets $2.5M Grant to Help People with Disabilities Find Jobs

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Massachusetts was one of only six states awarded $2.5 million this week by the federal government to help people with disabilities find employment.

The grant will target youth and young adults, ages 14 to 24, in Hampden County and the Greater Lowell area by expanding access to credential-based education and training. The U.S. Department of Labor yesterday announced $14.9 million in grants to six states as part of the Disability Employment Initiative.

“We know that, unfortunately, people with disabilities face much higher rates of unemployment, and we have been developing plans to tackle that problem for over a year now. One of the first executive orders I signed was to create a task force to look at ways to help people with barriers to employment find and keep jobs,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “This award from the federal government will help us continue that important work, and create more opportunities for young people with disabilities to find fulfilling careers.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people with disabilities make up only 19.8% of the nation’s workforce. In Massachusetts, it is estimated that 15% of people with disabilities are unemployed. The grant is expected to serve more than 350 youth and young adults with disabilities.

“We look forward to partnering with employers to create jobs, training, and education opportunities for people with disabilities,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said. “The Commonwealth is fortunate to be one of six states to receive this grant, and will use these funds to increase the access to our growing economy for disabled workers in Massachusetts.”

In Massachusetts the funds will also be used to create partnerships with local employers to increase hiring opportunities for young people with disabilities, and expand short-term subsidized work programs. The grant will provide job-retention and placement services to young people who have difficulty finding work due to their disability.

“This is the first initiative where we will completely focus on youth and young adults with disabilities in order to help them find and keep employment,” Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ronald Walker II said. “We are thrilled to be one of only a few states to receive this grant, and it will enable us to continue the work started by the task force for people facing higher employment.”

The other states to receive grants were Connecticut, California, Idaho, Minnesota, and Maryland.

While Massachusetts’ unemployment rate is lower than the national average, at 3.9% in August, certain populations face chronically higher rates of unemployment, including African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, people with disabilities, Native Americans, and recently returned veterans.

Sports Travel and Tours Welcomes Two New Staff Members

By
Daily News

HATFIELD — Sports Travel and Tours recently hired two new team members. Len Lucien serves as chief operating officer and a minority partner at the 20-year-old travel organization, and Anthony Incampo serves as project sales coordinator.

Lucien previously worked at Square One in Springfield, where he served as vice president of operations for the nonprofit and, previously, as its vice president of finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Salem State University and an associate’s degree from Newbury College in accounting and business. Throughout his career, he has worked in various aspects of finance and operations, managing businesses of different sizes, with an expertise in startups and efficiencies. For 12 years, he worked in the transit industry.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Long Island University, Incampo worked with the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, coordinating events, offering customer service, working with athletes, and planning the opening ceremonies. He also worked in the front office of the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2002, doing everything from driving players to physician appointments to handling budgets and expenses for the team. He previously worked with Sports Travel and Tours from 2005 to 2010. He left to teach school-age children and to coach, but missed the traveling.

Chamber Corners

By
Chamber Corners Departments

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

• Oct. 19: Chamber After 5, 5-7 p.m., at the Hitchcock Center, 845 West St., Amherst. Sponsored by Encharter Insurance and UMassFive College Federal Credit Union. Join the chamber and celebrate the new, 9,000-square-foot Hitchcock Center opening. This will be New England’s first public environmental education center to meet the Living Building Challenge. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.amherstarea.com.

• Oct. 27: Chamber Legislative Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Lord Jeffery Inn, 30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst. Sponsored by Eversource. The annual legislative breakfast brings together legislators, local officials, and business leaders to network and discuss current and upcoming policy issues. Guest speakers: Senate President Stan Rosenberg, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and state Reps. Ellen Story and John Scibak. Cost: $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Register online at www.amherstarea.com.

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

• Oct. 6: Business Basics Workshop, 9-11 a.m., at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 395 Main St., Greenfield – Masonic Hall Condominium Building. This free workshop, presented by Allen Kronick, senior business advisor, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network Western Regional Office, will focus on business fundamentals, from startup considerations to business-plan development and funding sources. It is designed for owners of existing businesses as well as those who are planning to start one. Cost: free. Register online at www.franklincc.org.

• Oct. 7: “Grow Your Business with E-mail & Social Media,” 9:30 a.m. to noon, at the Greenfield Community College Downtown Center, 270 Main St., Greenfield. Join Liz Provo, authorized local expert for Constant Contact, as she helps you learn how to create a marketing strategy that combines e-mail and social media for maximum results. Cost: $5. Register online at www.franklincc.org.

• Oct. 18: Free Legal Clinic, noon to 3:30 p.m., at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 395 Main St., Greenfield – Masonic Hall Condominium Building. The Western Mass Regional office of the MSBDC announced that the law firms of WMassBizLaw have offered to hold a free legal clinic. Individuals, entrepreneurs, and small-business owners will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one for 30 minutes with attorney Sarah Willey to discuss general legal questions such as corporate structure, leases, contracts, insurance, employment, franchising, and various other business-related issues. Cost: free. Register online at www.franklincc.org.

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

• Oct. 4: Table Top Expo & Business Networking Event, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Hosted by the Greater Chicopee, Greater Holyoke, Greater Westfield, and Springfield Regional Chambers of Commerce. With approximately 120 businesses represented and 400 visitors, the Table Top Expo and Business Networking Event is an excellent marketing tool for area businesses. Cost: $125 for an exhibitor table (includes two tickets), $5 for pre-registered admission. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

• Oct. 14: Auction/Wine & Beer Tasting, 6-9 p.m., at Hadley Farms Meeting House, 41 Russell St., Hadley. Country chic theme with entertainment by Sarah the Fiddler. Cost: $40, or $35 each for two or more. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

• Oct. 19: October Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Summit View Banquet & Meeting House, 555 Northampton St., Holyoke. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

• Oct. 26: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at the Arbors at Chicopee, 929 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Oktoberfest theme with band, food, and cash bar. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

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

• Oct. 13: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., at Fort Hill Brewery. Sponsored by Advanced Restoration Group. An evening of connecting and business building. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.easthamptonchamber.org, or by calling the Chamber of Greater Easthampton at (413) 527-9414.

• Oct. 19: Medallion Speaker Forum Fall, noon to 1:30 p.m. Hosted by Innovative Business Systems, 161 Northampton St., Easthampton. State Rep. John Scibak joins the forum and gives his insight on how you can be most effective when you need to be. Cost includes boxed lunch from Riff’s Joint. Space is limited. For additional information, e-mail [email protected]. Cost: $20. Register online at www.easthamptonchamber.org or by calling the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

• Nov. 9: Hampshire County Business Bash, 5-7 p.m., at the Lord Jeffery Inn, Amherst. A tri-chamber business-expo networking event. Enjoy business building, networking, complementary appetizers, cash bar, and local brewery beer tasting. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.easthamptonchamber.org or by calling the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

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

• Oct. 19: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m. Hosted and sponsored by Westfield Bank, 1642 Northampton St., Holyoke. The Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce invites you to an evening of casual networking. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.holyokechamber.com.

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

• Oct. 5: Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., sponsored by Innovative Business Systems Inc., Pioneer Training, and Florence Bank. This the networking event you don’t want to miss. More than 300 attendees are expected, with food donated by our member restaurants and cold brews donated by the Northampton Brewery. Call chamber for location. Cost: $10 for members. To register, visit www.explorenorthampton.com, call (413) 584-1900, or e-mail [email protected].

• Oct. 28: 2016 New Member Orientation, 3-4 p.m., at the chamber offices, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. This is the chance to tell us more about your business and how the chamber can best serve you. Meet other new members and learn how to make the most of your chamber membership. Cost: Free. RSVP to (413) 584-1900 or  [email protected].

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

• Oct. 3: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at the American Inn, One Sawmill Park, Westfield. Join us for our monthly Mayor’s Coffee Hour with Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan. This event is free and open to the public. Call Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register for this event so we may give our host a head count.

• Oct. 12: Oktoberfest After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at East Mountain Country Club, 1458 East Mountain Road, Westfield. Bring your business cards for our annual speed connecting. Refreshments will be served. Cost: $10 for members, $15 cash for non-members. To register, call (413) 568-1618. As this event gets closer, an online registration will be made available.

SOUTH HADLEY & GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.shgchamber.com
(413) 532-6451

• Sept. 27: Ribbon cutting for the new South Hadley & Granby Chamber of Commerce Office, 5 p.m. Join the chamber as it cuts the ribbon for its new office location at 2 Lyman St., South Hadley, next to the new Plains Elementary School. The chamber is now co-located with ERA Laplante Real Estate. There will be light food, beverages, a tour of the new office, and prizes. Cost: free. RSVP to Executive Director Dale Johnston at [email protected] so the appropriate amount of food and beverage is available.

• Oct. 19: James E. Hartley, PhD, professor of Economics at Mount Holyoke College, speaks at 7:30 a.m., at the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center at Mount Holyoke. Hartley will speak on the economy. A buffet breakfast will be provided. Cost: $22 for members, $27 for non-members. E-mail [email protected] to RSVP.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• Sept. 28: PWC Headline Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Munich Haus, 13 Center St., Chicopee. Featuring psychic medium Angelina Diana. Cost: $30 for PWC members, $40 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com. The Professional Women’s Chamber is a division of the Springfield Regional Chamber.

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

• Oct. 5: Wicked Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Cyber Exchange, West Springfield. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. For more information about this event, call the chamber office at (413) 426-3880, or register at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

• Oct. 26: Food Fest West, 5:30-8 p.m., at Crestview Country Club, Agawam. The event will feature the foods of area restaurants including Chez Josef, Crestview Country Club, Partner’s, and many more. Proceeds raised by Food Fest West will go toward the Partnership for Education and the WRC Educational Fund, which provides grants to businesses for on-the-job training and continuing-education needs. Cost: $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Tickets may be purchased at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

Agenda

By
Agenda Departments

Classes on Elder Law, Estate Planning

Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 3: Attorney Karen Jackson, owner and senior attorney of Jackson Law, an elder-law and estate-planning firm, will teach a series of three classes highlighting the latest developments in elder law and estate planning at Holyoke Community College on three consecutive Mondays from 6 to 8 p.m.Jackson said each class is a standalone presentation; those who are unable to attend on Sept. 19 are welcome to attend one or both of the subsequent sessions.Through stories and real examples, Jackson will present comprehensive subject matter on these topics: “The Core Estate Plan,” “The Probate Process, Start to Finish,” and “Medicare, Community Care Programs, and MassHealth Planning.”In the first session, Jackson will explain each document in the core estate plan. She will discuss the problems that can occur when proper documents are not prepared before a loss of mental capacity or physical health or before sudden loss of life. She will also provide an overview of the different types of trusts that can be considered in estate planning, including supplemental needs trusts, revocable trusts, and irrevocable trusts.The second session will address the probate-court process. Jackson will discuss the different types of probate, explain how to determine which assets must go through probate after a death, and what estate planning can be done now.In her final session, Jackson will introduce the various Medicaid programs that provide community and long-term skilled nursing care in Massachusetts and the financial assistance associated with each. She will also address hot topics in Medicare law, supplemental-needs trusts, and new developments in significant elder-law issues.The cost is $85 per person and covers all three classes; participants cannot pay for individual sessions. To register, call Holyoke Community College at (413) 552-2500 or visit www.hcc.edu/bce.

Mutts & Mimosas

Sept. 25: Dakin Humane Society will present its fourth annual Mutts & Mimosas fund-raising event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Quonquont Farm & Orchard in Whately, rain or shine. Guests are encouraged to bring their dogs to the brunch, which will feature a make-your-own-mimosa bar, live music, a raffle and silent auction, apple picking, dog-walking trails, and other fun activities. The food will be catered by Seth Mias, and an optional dog meal is available for $10. Event attendees are asked to bring dry or canned cat food to support Dakin’s pet food-bank program. Tickets are $50 per person and can be ordered online at www.dakinhumane.org or by calling Event Manager Gina Ciprari at (413) 781-4000, ext. 136. “Mutts & Mimosas is such a fun and unusual gathering, and it’s become a tradition among Dakin supporters and dog enthusiasts,” said Dakin Executive Director Carmine DiCenso. “People really embrace this event because it gives them the chance to have fun with their dogs, and Quonquont Farm offers an ideal and relaxing setting. Mutts & Mimosas is a very important benefit for the homeless animals we care for, and each ticket sold helps us extend our services to more animals and their people.” Finck and Perras Insurance Agency Inc. of Florence and Easthampton is the corporate sponsor for Mutts & Mimosas. Media sponsors include 94.7 WMAS, Bear Country 95.3, the Republican, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and the Recorder.

Spirit of the Written Word

Sept. 29 to Dec. 8: Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s Oncology Department will offer a free writing workshop, Spirit of the Written Word, for Western Mass. residents touched by cancer. The 10-week workshop will take place on Thursdays, Sept. 29 through Dec. 8 (no class on Nov. 24), from 6 to 8 p.m., at Artspace, 15 Mill St., Greenfield. Attendees are encouraged to promote their own healing and experience the therapeutic benefits of group writing. No writing experience is required, and all sharing is voluntary and confidential. Refreshments will be provided. Facilitating the workshop is Pam Roberts, a writer, artist, and certified yoga instructor who is also a breast-cancer survivor of more than 20 years. An ordained graduate of the IM School of Healing Arts in New York City, she has been leading writing workshops for people affected by cancer and loss for more than 11 years. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Roberts found writing to be an important part of her healing process. She believes deeply in the transformative and healing power of writing within a safe and supportive workshop environment. The workshop is being sponsored by BFMC Oncology and is grant-funded by Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s Wheeling for Healing Bike/Walk/Run Event supporting cancer services at BFMC. The Spirit of the Written Word writing workshop is limited to 12 participants, and registration is required. To register, or for more information, contact Roberts at (413) 625-2402 or [email protected]. Information is also available in the Oncology Department at Baystate Franklin Medical Center.

‘Holyoke Renaissance: Rising from the Ashes’

Through Oct. 29: During September and October, Wistariahurst is hosting a new exhibit titled “Holyoke Renaissance: Rising from the Ashes.” Three area artists are showcasing architecture as art in a joint exhibition celebrating the renaissance of the city of Holyoke. The exhibit by artists Debra Dunphy, Nancy Howard, and Kristine Villeneuve-Topor features various views of the old industrial city of Holyoke and its architectural designs. Holyoke is currently undergoing a transformation that is renewing much of the downtown after suffering urban blight for decades. Works on display include local landmarks and streetscapes from around the city and are presented to shine a light on the beautiful art and architecture in the city. The exhibit will run through Saturday, Oct. 29. Gallery viewing hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission to the gallery is available for a $3 suggested donation.

Northeast Training Institute

Oct. 4-5: The International Business Innovation Assoc. (InBIA), in partnership with the Assoc. of Cleantech Incubators of New England (ACTION), will host a two-day Northeast Training Institute at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke. Four courses will be offered for the professional development of incubator managers or those exploring the development of an incubator or accelerator program in their community. Those who should consider attending include  business incubation and acceleration professionals, university administrators and faculty in entrepreneurship, community influencers and chamber of commerce of leaders, and economic-development leaders. Join other participants from around the region for these world-recognized training programs and hear about development plans for the Holyoke Innovation District. Learn more at www.actionnewengland.org. E-mail Joan Popolo at [email protected] with any questions.

CSO Spaghetti Dinner

Oct. 5: In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week, Clinical & Support Options (CSO) Green River House and Quabbin House Programs will host a spaghetti dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Moose Lodge on School Street in Greenfield. CSO believes that mental-health issues are important to address year-round, but highlighting them during Mental Health Awareness Week provides a time for people to come together and share stories of recovery and hope and to spread the message that your total health matters. Program Manager Kim Britt knows how important events like these are to reducing mental-health stigma. “The purpose of this event is to bring awareness and educate the community and to change individuals’ perception about mental illness,” she said. “Individuals who experience mental illness are not what the media portrays. The truth is, one in four adults experience mental illness in America each year. People who experience mental-health challenges are just like you and I. They’re able to lead healthy, meaningful, and productive lives. Although the road to recovery is a journey, recovery is possible.” Raffles, entertainment, and mental-health information will be paired with a traditional spaghetti-dinner menu. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids age 3 and up, and free for children under 3. Tickets are available in advance or at the door. For questions or to purchase tickets, call the Green River House at (413) 772-2181 or Quabbin House at (978) 544-1859.

Workshop on Conducting a Workplace Investigation

Oct. 13: In your job, are you responsible for conducting investigations into employee conflicts? Allegations of harassment? Employee theft? If so, Royal, P.C.’s workshop on workplace investigations is for you. Recent state and federal court decisions underscore the importance of conducting thorough investigations. In this workshop, attendees will learn about such topics as selecting an investigator, conducting an effective interview, dealing with confidentiality issues, and taking interim actions. Among those who may be interested in attending are HR professionals, CFOs, CEOs, and anyone in a management position who is responsible for handling investigations. This workshop will apply to the first-time ‘investigator’ as well as the most seasoned ones. The workshop will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. at Royal, P.C., 270 Pleasant St., Northampton. The cost is $30 per person. Mail your payment and make your check payable to Royal, P.C., 270 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA 01060. Advance registration is required, and seating is limited. E-mail Ann-Marie Marcil at [email protected] to register or with any questions about this workshop.

Western Mass. Business Expo

Nov. 3: Comcast Business will present the sixth annual Western Mass. Business Expo at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News. The business-to-business show will feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast hosted by the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, lunch hosted by BusinessWest, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Express Employment Professionals, Health New England, the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, Johnson & Hill Staffing Services, MGM Springfield, and Wild Apple Design. WMAS is the event’s media partner. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $725. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100. For more Expo details as they emerge, visit www.wmbexpo.com.

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

Hampden Superior Court

Tyease S. Randolph v. the City of Springfield and Booker T. Lemons
Allegation: Negligent operation of a motor vehicle resulting in injury: $6,729.45
Filed: 02/23/16

Christopher Lopez v. Sonic Velocity Inc. and Ali Ozan Koseoglu
Allegation: Violation of state wage-and-hour laws: $25,000
Filed: 06/20/16

Hampshire Superior Court

Sarah Goodsell v. Andrew Chavez, D.L. Peterson Trust, and Cellco Partnership Inc. d/b/a Verizon Wireless Inc.
Allegation: Negligent operation of a motor vehicle resulting in personal injury: $50,149.52+
Filed: 08/08/16

Ann Morin v. Kohl’s Department Stores Inc.
Allegation: Negligence resulting in personal injury: $36,660.02+
Filed: 08/15/16

Springfield District Court

Schindler Elevator Corp. v. Sage Engineering and Contracting Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract, failure to pay for services: $16,962.50
Filed: 07/13/16

Westfield District Court

New England Remodeling and Restoration, LLC v. Nathan R. Damon and Samantha Damon
Allegation: Breach of contract, failure to pay for services: $8,631.86
Filed: 08/10/16

People on the Move

By
Departments People on the Move

Inspired Marketing recently announced several promotions and additions to the company:

Heather Ruggeri

Heather Ruggeri

Kristen Carlson

Kristen Carlson

Lauren Mendoza

Lauren Mendoza

Cara Cole

Cara Cole

Jenifer Esile

Jenifer Esile

• Heather Ruggeri, the company’s Chief Events Officer, was recently promoted and adds Vice President to her business card. She joined Inspired Marketing in 2015 and previously worked as the conference service manager and sales manager at the Springfield Sheraton for nine years. In addition, she was recently named to the board of the Connecticut River Valley Chapter of Meeting Professionals International and is one of only a few certified meeting professionals in the area and one of only about 13,000 worldwide;
• Another team member, Kristin Carlson, was recently named Senior Marketing Visionary Partner. She started with Inspired Marketing as an apprentice right out of college in 2014. She has continued to evolve into a valued team member, creating innovative, successful media campaigns for several clients with outstanding results;
• Lauren Mendoza, who was with Inspired Marketing in its infancy before leaving for tech startup Waterdog, has rejoined the team and is now the Office Manager. Her organization keeps the team on track and helps communication, meetings, and schedules to run smoothly;
• Cara Cole recently joined Inspired Marketing as a Marketing Visionary Partner, serving on the front line with client creative implementation. She came to Inspired Marketing from the Center for Human Development and previously from Square One; and
• Jenifer Esile joined Inspired Marketing as On-staff Graphic Designer after having been a freelance partner since the company’s inception. In addition to 20 years of diverse design experience, she brings copywriting and social-media skills to the team to provide greater value to clients.

•••••

Karen Bechtel

Karen Bechtel

MassMutual announced the election of Karen Bechtel to its board of directors. Bechtel is managing director of global alternative asset manager the Carlyle Group. “I’m extremely pleased to welcome Karen Bechtel to MassMutual’s board of directors. She brings both a sterling reputation and keen business acumen built on more than 30 years of investment management and corporate development expertise, and we look forward to her contributions,” said Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO. “Importantly, as part of MassMutual’s unwavering commitment to best-in-class corporate governance, we are focused on ensuring that our board reflects diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.” Bechtel joined Carlyle in 2005 as the head of the Global Healthcare team and currently is focused on corporate buyout opportunities within the private equity market. Prior to her role at Carlyle, for 28 years, she held a variety of leadership roles within Morgan Stanley & Co., including as managing director of its Private Equity Group. During her career with Morgan Stanley, she was also co-head of the Financial Sponsors Group and head of the Corporate Restructuring Group, with a strong focus on healthcare investments as well as mergers and acquisitions. She was also a member of the firm’s Investment Banking Operating Committee. In addition to her role as a new MassMutual director, Bechtel serves on the boards of Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, HCR-ManorCare, and Pharmaceutical Product Development, LLC. She is also a former board member of Healthscope Ltd., Grupo Qualicorp, Multiplan Inc., and LifeCare. Mergers & Acquisitions magazine in 2015 named her one of the Most Influential Women in mid-market M&A. She received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business.

•••••

Philip Johnson

Philip Johnson

OMG Roofing Products promoted Philip Johnson to the position of Key Account Manager, the company announced. In his new role, he will be responsible for managing several strategic accounts with a high level of responsiveness and customer service. Johnson started with OMG in 2012 as a field sales representative in Texas, and was promoted in 2014 to the position of regional sales manager for the United Kingdom and Ireland. He will report to Josh Kelly, vice president and general manager. “Phil is a dedicated and talented manager, who has shown a commitment to helping the company grow,” said Kelly. “He excelled as a field sales representative in Texas and as a regional sales manager in the UK and Ireland. I’m confident that Phil will continue to thrive in this new account management role for the roofing products team.” Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark. Headquartered in Agawam, Mass., OMG Roofing Products is North America’s largest manufacturer of commercial roofing products, featuring specialty fasteners, insulation adhesives, drains, pipe supports, emergency repair tape, edge metal systems, and productivity tools.

•••••

Richard “Kick” Sullivan III

Richard “Kick” Sullivan III

Crevier & Ryan, LLP announced the addition of a new associate to the firm, attorney Richard “Kick” Sullivan III. Sullivan works primarily for attorney Michael Ryan. Collectively, Ryan, Sullivan, and fellow associate Rebecca Moran have a practice devoted to residential real-estate transactions, commercial lending, commercial real-estate acquisitions and sale (including 1031 tax-free exchanges), corporate governance, buy and sell agreements for closely held businesses, contract analysis and negotiation, civil litigation, and pre-litigation disputes (including conflicts involving trusts and estates). Sullivan graduated from Bates College in 2012, then enrolled in Western New England University School of Law, graduating earlier this year. During his legal education, he completed concentrations in estate planning, real estate, and business law. Eager to expand his education beyond the classroom, he completed the WNEU Law Small Business Clinic, Real Estate Practicum, and an estate-planning drafting course. These experiences have provided him with an advanced handle on transactional skills as well as a specialized knowledge in these practice areas. While most experienced in these legal fields, he aims to expand the practice and his expertise. Sullivan was previously employed during law school for Westfield Bank, as a law clerk for Fitzgerald, Attorneys at Law in East Longmeadow, and as a legal intern for the city of Springfield Law Department, Code Enforcement. Active in the community, he serves on the Westfield Zoning Board of Appeals.

•••••

 

Cynthia Shaw

Cynthia Shaw

The Gove Law Office announced that Cynthia Shaw has joined the firm as a Paralegal focused on civil and criminal litigation and real-estate transactions. “Cindi Shaw will provide experienced and active support to our attorneys working in the diverse practice areas which Gove Law offers our clients,” said Michael Gove, founding partner of Gove Law Office. Shaw has more than 20 years of experience as a paralegal, holds a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from Elms College, and is a member of the Western Mass Paralegal Assoc. and the National Federation of Paralegals. The Gove Law Office, with offices in Ludlow and Northampton, is a bilingual firm with attorneys who provide guidance to clients in the areas of business representation, criminal and civil litigation, personal-injury law, commercial lending, residential and commercial real estate, estate planning, immigration, and bankruptcy.

•••••

Katisha Woods-Johnson

Katisha Woods-Johnson

Katisha Woods-Johnson, director for the Center for Human Development’s (CHD) Terri Thomas Girls Program, has received a Department of Youth Services (DYS) Commissioner’s Award for 2016. The Terri Thomas Girls Program is a secure, residential treatment program operated by CHD at the DYS facility on Tinkham Road in Springfield. Woods-Johnson was recognized for her work leveraging community connections to touch the lives of many youth in CHD custody and care, as well as their families. For example, she built a partnership with Home Depot that began with the company’s commitment to visit the Tinkham Road campus to do some projects with the youth. That blossomed into an ongoing monthly program in which the youth have hung doors and installed windows, learned basic wiring and put in outlets, built Adirondack chairs and picnic tables, and installed tile. Home Depot has donated all the materials and their employees’ time for the projects. Woods-Johnson also connected with Suit Up Springfield, a nonprofit organization that donates suits and dresses to people in need so they have proper attire for job interviews. Every young person in the programs at Tinkham Road received such an outfit and wore it to a semi-formal Thanksgiving banquet also attended by their families. Woods-Johnson paid for the banquet — the first most of the youth had ever attended — with donations and a fund-raising event. The youth served their families dinner, and a professional photographer volunteered to take pictures of each family as a keepsake. Woods-Johnson has brought local poets, painters, Zumba instructors, hip-hop artists, and more to the DYS campus to volunteer their time running groups with the youth.

•••••

Aesthetic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, P.C., a community-centered cosmetic surgery and non-invasive practice serving Western Mass. and Northern Conn., announced that Dr. Glen Brooks participated in a prestigious preceptorship program hosted by Dr. Charles Randquist, a board-certified plastic surgeon with 20 years of experience. For the last decade, Randquist has been a speaker around the world on various cosmetic procedures, while his main focus has been on primary, secondary, and reconstructive breast surgery. The preceptorship was held in Sweden, and gathered a small group of U.S. physicians. “I felt like this was a great opportunity to continue my education and ensure a world-class experience and results for my patients,” Brooks said. “Dr. Randquist is renowned for his knowledge, emphasizing a natural appearance with less short- and long-term complications, which is always a focus at my practice.” Learning alongside Randquist was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Brooks said, featuring live surgery and follow-ups as well as techniques and practice management. “The best practices and higher-level understanding I have about new products and devices are credible, authentic, and valuable.”

Incorporations

By
Departments Incorporations

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

Executhech Inc., 168 Elm St., Suite A8, Agawam, MA 01001. Andrew R. Serenho, same. Sales and service of copiers, printers and supplies.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Hegel America Inc., 38 Baldwin St., Suite 4, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. Bent Holter, Ankerveien 26C, Oslo 0785. Sale of electronic equipment and components.

NORTHAMPTON

Green Geek Inc., 122 Grove St., Apt. A, Northampton, MA 01060. Robert Staples, same. Nonprofit organization that refurbishes computers to provide them to low-income individuals, low-income families and senior citizens in need.

PITTSFIELD

Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation Inc., 20 Bryant St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. John L. Barbarotta, 17 Washington St., Trumbull, CT 06611. The mission of the corporation is to actively serve the youth of Berkshire County by building charitable capital, making philanthropic grants, and providing services that contribute to the health and education of youth in the community.

SPRINGFIELD

Anycafé Inc., 1215 Wilbraham Road, P.O. Box 1572, Springfield, MA 01119. Logan Carlson, same. Marketing and distribution of Anycafé products and intellectual holding company.

Friends of Libertas Academy Charter School Inc., Once Federal Street Building 101, Springfield, MA 01105. Modesto Montero, 27 Lyman St., Springfield, MA 01103. Assist in all lawful ways in the establishment, development, improvement and expansions of educational opportunities, facilities and programs of Libertas Academy Charter School and to assist attending students and teachers in realizing their educational goals and objectives.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Delco Industries Corp., 59 Kelso Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. John Delica, 622 Union St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Manufacturing of machine parts and any other act or activity permitted under the Massachusetts act.

WESTFIELD

Dagis PC, 53 Bailey Dr., Westfield, MA 01085. Mitesh Brahmbhatt, same. Dentist.

WHATELY

American Myalgic Encephalomyelltis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society Inc., 124 Haydenville Road, Whatley, MA 01093. Erica Verrillo, same. Serving the needs of Myalgic Encephalomyelltis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients and caregivers through support, advocacy and education.

WILLIAMSTOWN

Allfaze Mechanical Inc., 2908 Hancock Road, Williamstown, MA 01267. Kevin L. Brazee, same. Plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration services.

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

Employer Confidence Falls for Third Consecutive Month

Confidence among Massachusetts employers fell for a third consecutive month during August as companies remained uncertain about the vigor and durability of the economic recovery.
The Associated Industries of Massachusetts Business Confidence Index (BCI) declined one point to 54.1 last month, leaving it three full points lower than in August 2015. The confidence reading remained above the 50 mark that denotes an overall positive economic outlook, but optimism dimmed sharply on current economic conditions and employers’ outlook on their own companies. The employer confidence readings are consistent with a recent weakening of consumer confidence in Massachusetts. The Mass Insight Consumer Confidence Index slid 10 points during the third quarter. “The national and state economies continue to improve, but without the kind of momentum we have seen in previous recoveries. So employers remain confident overall, but circumspect,” said Raymond G. Torto, Chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Design. “One potential red flag is the degree to which employer confidence in their own companies has weakened during the past several months.” The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. The index has remained above 50 since October 2013.

More Than 1,100 Volunteer for Annual Day of Caring

PIONEER VALLEY — On Sept. 9, the United Way of Pioneer Valley launched its annual fund-raising campaign with the Day of Caring, when more than 1,100 volunteers from more than 40 area businesses volunteered across the region to help local nonprofits. Starting with a kickoff breakfast in Court Square in downtown Springfield, participants traveled to towns across the Valley, contributing in myriad ways to support programs and organizations that support the community. Projects included lawn work, painting projects, light construction, gardening, and trash removal. The day was ideal for team building, but it was also a chance for both nonprofits and area businesses to learn more about each other’s work. “I participate in the Day of Caring because I believe that giving back to the community is a central part of promoting unity,” said Sharon Dorsey, an executive assistant from Health New England. “The past few years I participated in the Day of Caring, I loved seeing how appreciative and grateful the beneficiaries were.” This year’s Day of Caring sponsors included Baystate Health, MassMutual, Health New England, Comcast, Excel Dryer, UTC Aerospace Systems, IAMAW Local 743, Harry Grodsky & Co., Mestek Inc., Monson Savings Bank, PeoplesBank, Peoples United Bank, Quabbin Wire & Cable Co., TD Bank, Gulf Stream, the Springfield Community Music School, and Sodexo.

Springfield Regional Chamber Debuts New Dental Benefit

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber has teamed up Altus Dental to offer to its chamber members a new employee benefit to enhance their employee-compensation package. Administered through American Benefits Group, dental insurance provided by Altus Dental is now available for companies with as few as one employee. Altus Dental offers the state’s largest preferred-provider (PPO) dental network with more than 6,200 participating locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Southern New Hampshire, and national access through CONNECTION Dental, with more than 108,000 dentist locations nationwide. Three coverage options are available at competitive rates. Plus Plan 1 is basic coverage available to employers with one or more participating employees. Plus Plan 2 is an enhanced coverage option available to those with 10 or more participating employees, and Plus Plan 3 is an enhanced coverage option for companies with 20 or more participating employees. Each option includes 100% diagnostic and preventative services with no deductible, 80% for basic restorative care with a $50 single or $150 family deductible, and a low benefit maximum per year. Plus Plan 2 and Plus Plan 3 include major restorative care such as crowns and dentures. Plus Plan 3 includes orthodontic services. To be eligible, a business must be a member of the Springfield Regional Chamber and contribute at least 50% of the monthly premium. Coverage is open to active, full-time employees.

ServiceNet Wins Grant to Boost Work with Homeless Individuals

NORTHAMPTON — To further combat the continuing challenge of homelessness in communities across Western Mass., ServiceNet’s Shelter & Housing division has been awarded a three-year grant, totaling $1.2 million, by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Returning Home, the program funded by this grant, is specifically focused on the needs of chronically homeless individuals and homeless veterans who also have a serious mental illness and/or substance-use disorder. The SAMHSA grant is one of 30 recently awarded nationwide, and it is the only one awarded in Massachusetts. Returning Home has a two-fold goal: to successfully move individuals from homelessness to permanent housing, and to improve their overall health and well-being. It does so through a combination of intensive case-management services and evidence-based clinical care. Increased funding will enable ServiceNet to assist an additional 112 individuals in the three-year period, and to expand its community outreach to meet with people on the streets, in outdoor camps, and elsewhere in the community. Returning Home will accept referrals from service providers throughout Berkshire, Franklin, and Hampshire counties, as well as from ServiceNet’s own network of emergency shelters.  “This award reflects SAMHSA’s trust in the outstanding work our team has done to date in housing individuals who are chronically homeless,” said Jay Sacchetti, ServiceNet’s vice president of Shelter & Housing, Vocational, and Addiction Services. “We are proud of the work they do, and this funding further stabilizes and preserves our Returning Home program.” Sacchetti also cited ServiceNet’s longstanding commitment to applied research as an advantage in securing the national grant. “When we say something works, we have the data to prove it; and when something doesn’t work, we understand why,” he said. “Our research team will continue to track the impact of Returning Home’s expanded services as we move forward.” ServiceNet is partnering with the Hilltown Community Development Corp. — administrator of the federal continuum of care which oversees area initiatives related to homelessness — to serve as steering committee for the grant. “This grant is going to help a lot of people a lot,” said Jack Tulloss, a former Marine and now clinical case manager with ServiceNet’s Shelter and Housing division. Increased case-management efforts will be underway by Oct. 1.

State Awards $2.4 Million in Workforce-training Grants

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito administration awarded more than $2.4 million in workforce-training fund grants to 25 companies to train current or newly hired workers. This round of grant funding will help train 2,162 workers, and is expected to create 263 new jobs. “We have made workforce development a priority for Massachusetts residents to get the skills they need to prosper and for companies to have a talented pool of workers to expand,” said Gov. Charlie Baker. “The training and career-building skills provided by these investments will help bolster economic prosperity and success throughout the Commonwealth.” The Workforce Training Fund assists Massachusetts businesses in becoming more competitive by investing in the skills of their workers. The Workforce Training Fund is also a key resource to thousands of Massachusetts workers who wish to advance their skills to achieve promotional opportunities and higher wages. It also acts as a catalyst for job creation. “The Workforce Training Fund is a vital tool for many companies to upgrade employees’ skills and increase productivity,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said. “The training helps both the workers and the companies compete in a global environment.” The Workforce Training Fund provides grants of up to $250,000 to companies in Massachusetts, to pay for workforce training over a two-year period. Grants are awarded to projects that will upgrade workers’ skills, increase productivity, and enhance the competitiveness of Massachusetts businesses. Grants are matched dollar-for-dollar by the award recipients. The Workforce Training Fund is a program of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and administered by Commonwealth Corp., a quasi-public state agency that fosters partnerships between industry, education, and workforce organizations to strengthen skills for youth and adults in order to help them thrive in the state’s economy. Locally, Freedom Credit Union in Springfield was awarded $126,175 to train 133 workers. Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership was awarded $151,016 to train 93 workers, with nine additional jobs expected by 2018. This grant was awarded to a consortium of businesses, including Universal Plastics Corp. of Holyoke, Advanced Welding of Springfield, Duval Precision Grinding of Chicopee, Metronic of Chicopee, and Millitech Inc. of Northampton.

Study Details Spending of Consumer-driven Health Plan Enrollees

WASHINGTON, D.C. — People with consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) had lower total per-capita spending on healthcare, driven in part by using less healthcare overall, than people with traditional non-CDHP commercial health plans, finds a new study from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). At the same time, spending out of pocket by CDHP consumers was 1.5 times higher on average than non-CDHP consumers. For example, people enrolled in consumer-driven health plans paid an annual average $58 more out of pocket on visits to the doctor and $50 more on emergency room visits than their non-CDHP counterparts, while using roughly 8% and 10% fewer visits, respectively. The study, “Consumer Driven Health Plans: A Cost and Utilization Analysis,” examines healthcare use and spending from 2010 to 2014 for people covered by employer-sponsored insurance and under 65 years of age who are enrolled in CDHPs. Enrollment in CDHPs has been steadily increasing within HCCI’s employee-sponsored insurance population; more than one-quarter had a CDHP in 2014, compared to just 15% in 2010. Overall, the study found that that fewer total dollars were spent on healthcare for people with CDHPs, in part because people with CDHPs tended to use fewer healthcare services. However, people with CDHPs had higher spending out of pocket on deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance (excluding premiums). This higher out-of-pocket spending meant people enrolled in CDHPs were responsible for nearly one-quarter of their medical costs on average, compared to 14% for those enrolled in non-CDHPs. “As the costs of healthcare increase, consumer-driven health plans try to balance lower premiums with higher deductibles and higher limits on out-of-pocket spending,” said HCCI Senior Researcher Amanda Frost. “As these types of plans grow in prevalence, it is important to look beyond premium dollars and also consider dollars spent directly on healthcare services.”

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies Departments

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

Ahearn, Kathi Lynn
a/k/a Fitchben, Kathi Lynn
2 Cottage Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/11/2016

Bernardes, Paul G.
208 Osborne Terrace
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/09/2016

Bevil, Donna C.
33 Broad St., Apt. 6
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/12/2016

Blanchard, Jeffrey, D.
Blanchard, Laura H.
147 Joy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/11/2016

Bruscoe, Jeffrey J.
108 West St.
West Hatfield, MA 01088
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/14/2016

Buendia, Patricia Ann
23 Springfield St., Apt. A
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/11/2016

Charron, Gary A.
38 Meadows St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/08/2016

Copland, Thomas S.
134 Ely Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/14/2016

Cronin, Jeffrey James
85 North Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/12/2016

Edward M. Lee, J.D. Inc.
Andersen and Lee, P.C.
70 Court St., #1B
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 11
Date: 11, 08/10/2016

Emery, Heather L.
143 Butler Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/08/2016

Ferreira, Michael A.
491 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/10/2016

Galuszka, Peter S.
130 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/09/2016

Giordano, Derek P.
30 Vail St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/15/2016

Godlew, Timothy P.
7 Pomeroy St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/11/2016

Johnson, Russell E.
97 Wachusett St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/08/2016

Lambert, Todd C.
136 Pontoosic Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/05/2016

LaVoice, Mary F.
a/k/a Richard, Mary F.
42 Granville Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/12/2016

Linette, Erickson M.
7 White Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/13/2016

Madro, Roman, W.
Madro, Teresa E.
79 Maryland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/12/2016

Martel, Kathy L.
75 Longview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/12/2016

Masenior, Jacob N.
Punska, Heather L.
53 East Center St.
Leeds, MA 01053
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/11/2016

McGlynn, Kathleen R.
198 Bates Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/10/2016

McKenzie, Timika
36 Pidgeon Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 13
Date: 08/08/2016

Mello, Edyta J.
47 Queen St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/12/2016

Morales, Luis A.
PO Box 6073
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/09/2016

My Hero Cleaning
Wisenburn, David, S.
58 Lorimer St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/15/2016

New World Recording
Damato, Daniel Jeffrey
12 Moore Hill Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/10/2016

Robbins, Bernard R.
5 Demond Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/08/2016

Szczygiel, Ann M.
155 Anvil St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/07/2016

Therrien, Joanna
440 Union St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Date: 08/05/2016

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

PeoplesBank Earns Accolades

HOLYOKE — Eighty-five Massachusetts companies were honored at the Boston Business Journal’s 11th annual Corporate Citizenship Summit on Sept. 8 at the EpiCenter at Artists for Humanity in Boston. For the ninth time, PeoplesBank was among the companies included, this year finishing 48th on the statewide list and third for companies headquartered in Western Mass. Meanwhile, AdvisoryHQ has named PeoplesBank to its list of “The Top Ten Banks in Massachusetts” after an extensive review. “The contributions these companies make to Massachusetts are incredibly impressive and go a long way toward helping strengthen the communities we live in,” said Boston Business Journal Market President and Publisher Carolyn Jones at the Sept. 8 event. Matthew Bannister, vice president, Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank, accepted the award at the summit on behalf of the bank’s associates. “Our mutual charter supports everything we do and why we are succeeding as a community bank,” he said. “Because of our mutual charter and related values, we have a unique ability to help the communities we serve through volunteer efforts and millions of dollars in donations to charitable and civic causes.” The Boston Business Journal’s “Top Corporate Charitable Contributors” list is composed of companies that gave at least $100,000 to Massachusetts-based charities in 2015. According to Advisory HQ, “the names on this list of banks in Massachusetts are all very distinctive from one another, yet all have many advantages, benefits, and value-creating products and services that make them excellent choices for consumers seeking the very best in financial services.” The bank’s corporate values were highlighted by AdvisoryHQ in its announcement of the list, which noted, “the corporate philosophy of PeoplesBank is a commitment to customers, maintaining corporate responsibility, creating a great place to work, and always striving to improve their environment.” Added Thomas Senecal, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, “AdvisoryHQ has accurately identified the values we are proud of. As a mutual bank, we strive to serve our customers and the community as well as support the environment and our associates’ growth and development. These are also the qualities that we believe separate us from other financial institutions and truly make us a top bank.” PeoplesBank was recently highlighted by the Assoc. for Customer Loyalty for the bank’s commitment to customers, was named a Top Place to Work by the Boston Globe, and an Employer of Choice by the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, and has received environmental-sustainability awards from the city of Springfield (the first-ever GreenSeal Award), BankNews (Green Leaf Award), and the American Bankers Assoc. (Sustainable Banking Award). AdvisoryHQ also suggested that the bank’s mobile app was one of the reasons it made the list of Top Ten Banks in Massachusetts. PeoplesBank was one of the first community banks in the nation to launch a mobile app and mobile deposit.

Baystate Hospitals Merge Under One License

The Mass. Public Health Council approved Baystate Wing Hospital’s application to merge Baystate Mary Lane Hospital with Baystate Wing Hospital and combine the two facilities and their respective satellite facilities under one license. The last day of inpatient services at Baystate Mary Lane was Sept. 9. As of Sept. 10, Baystate Mary Lane became a satellite of Baystate Wing. Inpatient care at Baystate Mary Lane transitioned to Baystate Wing, while all outpatient services will continue at Baystate Mary Lane. Baystate Mary Lane Emergency Department will now operate as a satellite emergency facility of Baystate Wing Hospital. Patients will get the same level of 24-hour emergency care delivered by the same caregivers. Those who need to be admitted for hospital care will be transported to Baystate Wing, Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, or another appropriate medical facility depending on their care needs. The Ware facility will be known as the Baystate Mary Lane Outpatient Center. “We appreciate the Public Health Council’s recognition that this transition is an important step toward providing the best possible quality and value in services for the communities we serve,” said Michael Moran, president and chief administrative officer for the Baystate Health Eastern Region. “Our priority now is to work to ensure that the transition goes smoothly, and to continue to engage our local community on the many health issues that we face together. Baystate Mary Lane will continue to play a vibrant role in improving health in our communities.” Patients should not expect any disruptions in services related to the transition, and may call their doctor’s office if they have any questions about the effect of the change on any scheduled appointments.

AIC Granted Reaffirmation of Accreditation

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has been granted reaffirmation of accreditation of business and management programs offered through its schools of Business, Arts, and Sciences and the School of Graduate and Adult Education by the board of commissioners of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The IACBE is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and is a leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation in business and management education for student-centered colleges, universities, and other higher-education institutions throughout the world, The IACBE has hundreds of member institutions and campuses worldwide and has accredited more than 1,300 business and business-related programs in the U.S., Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Central America, and South America. According to the IACBE, “the School of Business, Arts, and Sciences and the School of Graduate and Adult Education at American International College have undertaken a rigorous self-evaluation, have undergone a comprehensive independent peer review, and have demonstrated compliance with the following nine accreditation principals of the IACBE: outcome assessment, strategic planning, curriculum, faculty, scholarly and professional activities, resources, internal and external relationships, international business education, and educational innovation.” In addition, the organization noted that AIC’s School of Business, Arts, and Sciences and the School of Graduate and Adult Education “have demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and advancing academic quality in their business programs and operations.”

ILI Earns Highest Ranking from Accreditation Authority

NORTHAMPTON — The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) has certified the International Language Institute (ILI) of Massachusetts through 2021. This five-year accreditation is the highest level bestowed by ACCET, which since 1978 has been officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education and training provided by the institutions that ACCET accredits. ACCET first accredited ILI in 1984, and has continued its recognition of the school’s excellence since then. “We are proud to earn ACCET’s highest accreditation,” said Eric Wirth, ILI board president. “It underscores the extraordinary creativity and dedication of our teachers and administrative staff. And ACCET accreditation helps assure prospective students from around the world and right here in Western Massachusetts that they will receive top-notch service.” Operating for 32 years, ILI is a nonprofit language school in Northampton that partners with 12 colleges and universities (locally, Bay Path University, Elms College, Greenfield Community College, Springfield College, Western New England University, Westfield State University, and UMass Amherst graduate school) to teach academic English skills to international students planning on enrolling at these schools. The school also trains instructors in effective ways to teach English to non-English speakers in the U.S. and abroad. In addition, ILI offers French, German, Italian, and Spanish courses for English speakers who travel for pleasure and business or “who simply want to learn another language,” said ILI Executive Director Caroline Gear. “We are especially proud of our free English classes for refugees and immigrants,” she added. “For more than 30 years, these classes have helped change lives thanks to support from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the generosity of hundreds of local businesses and individual donors.” ACCET personnel paid a site visit to ILI in July and completed extensive research as part of the accreditation process. Among the strengths pointed out in the ACCET assessment are ILI’s professional relationships within the Northampton community; the school’s short- and long-term business plans; the extensive tenure of ILI faculty and staff, which results in a collaborative environment that supports out-of-the-box thinking; student-centered classes, including free English classes for refugees and immigrants; the school’s exemplary teaching and the teachers’ qualifications that exceed ACCET requirements; and the fact that students enjoy their time at ILI and are making significant progress in language development.

Aegis Energy Services Announces Strategic Alliance with Yanmar

HOLYOKE — Aegis Energy Services Inc., a provider of co-generation technology, announced a strategic alliance with Yanmar, a 100-year-old Japanese diesel engine and equipment manufacturer and cogeneration provider. The Aegis and Yanmar relationship will broaden the reach of combined heat and power (CHP) systems by offering a wider product line to serve facilities of all sizes — from hotels, hospitals, and residential buildings with large footprints to smaller facilities, including nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, apartment complexes, boutique hotels, restaurants, and more. “For more than 30 years, Aegis has designed, manufactured, and installed combined heat and power systems equipped with world-class remote monitoring and service across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic,” said Aegis President Lee Vardakas. “The alliance with Yanmar not only increases our CHP product offerings, but our geographic reach. Together, we can provide modular systems for facilities of any size to generate sustainable, clean power options that reduce energy costs and emissions on a wider scale.” According to the U.S. Energy Department, CHP captures energy that would normally be lost in power generation and uses it to provide heating and cooling, making CHP 75% to 80% percent efficient. While most central power plants create steam as a byproduct that is then expelled as wasted heat, a CHP system captures the thermal energy that would normally be lost in power generation and uses it to provide on-site heating and cooling to factories, multi-residential housing and hospitality facilities, breweries, athletic facilities, and other applications requiring thermal load. In 2012, legislation was enacted which set a national goal for increasing CHP capacity. “Aegis has already demonstrated a commitment to Yanmar’s cogeneration product line by successfully completing our training courses designed for these systems,” said Arne Irwin, Energy Systems Business Unit manager at Yanmar America. “They will be able to provide a high level of service in their market for Yanmar’s CHP products.”

OMG Roofing Opens Two New Warehouses

AGAWAM — To support its goal of accelerating international sales growth in Asia and Europe, OMG Roofing Products has established new warehouses in Rotterdam in the Netherlands as well as in Shanghai, China. The two new warehouses are centrally located within their regions to enable OMG to rapidly supply products to roofing contractors and OEM partners in each of these critical markets. Both warehouses will stock a wide range of products sold locally, including OMG fasteners and plates, RhinoBond tools and plates, OMG telescopic tubes, OlyBond500 insulation adhesives, OlyFlow drains, and EverSeal roof repair tape. “OMG Roofing Products has continued to grow and expand beyond U.S. borders,” said Web Shaffer, vice president of Marketing. “By adding these warehouses, we are building a stronger foundation on which to accelerate our international growth by improving our service and expanding our distribution into new countries throughout Europe and Asia.”

Berkshire Bank Named a Top Charitable Contributor

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced it was named by Boston Business Journal as one of Massachusetts’ Most Charitable Companies at the publication’s annual Corporate Citizenship Summit in Boston on Sept. 8. The Boston Business Journal is one of the leading sources for business news, research, and events in the Greater Boston area. Each year it honors a select list of companies for their charitable work in the community. Berkshire Bank ranked 42nd for total financial contributions, with more than $1.27 million donated in Massachusetts alone and more than $2 million donated overall. Massachusetts-based bank employees also donated more than 27,000 hours of volunteer service. Berkshire Bank joined a select list of statewide, national, and international companies honored at the summit. The award recognized Berkshire Bank and Berkshire Bank Foundation’s philanthropic investments in the community through their charitable grants, corporate giving, scholarships, in-kind donations, and employee volunteerism. Annually, Berkshire Bank and Berkshire Bank Foundation provide more than $2 million to community organizations, as well as scholarships to high-school seniors with a record of academic excellence and financial need. In addition to financial support, XTEAM, the bank’s employee-volunteer program, provides employees with paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours. In 2015, more than 70% of Berkshire Bank’s employees donated over 40,000 hours of service to benefit community organizations across the bank’s service area.

Inspired Marketing Gains WBENC Certification

SPRINGFIELD — Inspired Marketing Inc. announced it has been certified as a woman-owned business by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and also announced several promotions and hires in the company. “This designation is something I have longed to receive, and this year was thrilled to have accomplished the goal,” said Jill Monson-Bishop, chief inspiration officer. “I am even prouder of this certification because I have incredible women on my team who celebrate it with me.”

Berkshire Theatre Group Receives $29,000 Grant

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Theatre Group announced it is the recipient of a $29,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural Investment Portfolio (CIP), which provides unrestricted general operating support grants and project support grants to nonprofit organizations that provide public programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities in Massachusetts. “We’re deeply thankful for the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s CIP grant to BTG. As ticket sales only cover half of our expenses, outside funding is vital to maintain our educational and transformative programs and productions. We are grateful that the MCC supports the valuable work we do.” The CIP recognizes that organizations with an established record of programmatic service and administrative stability should have access to funds to support their organizational goals and objectives, and to maintain their ongoing programs, services, and facilities without special emphasis on new initiatives as justification for funding.

Springfield College Rises Again in U.S. News Rankings

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College has again moved up the list of highest-ranked colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s latest edition of “Best Colleges.” In the 2017 report, Springfield College is ranked 27th in the first tier in the category of Best Regional Universities – North. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Springfield College has moved up in the U.S. News rankings. This year’s ranking of the college is up two spots from 2016 and 40 spots from 2011. “I am extremely proud that Springfield College is being recognized for our outstanding academic offerings and a rich co-curricular life outside of the classroom,” said President Mary-Beth Cooper. “The rise in our ranking over the past six years demonstrates that the value proposition for a school like Springfield College, grounded in the Humanics philosophy, is well-regarded.” The college also ranked 12th in Best Value Schools for Regional Universities – North, the first year it has been listed in the Best Values category, which takes into account a college’s academic quality and net cost of attendance. According to U.S. News, the higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal Springfield College’s rise in the rankings is spurred by improved graduation rates and improved retention of first-year students. The college’s traditional, undergraduate enrollment for the fall of 2016 remained steady, with 550 first-year students enrolling again this year. The ratings are based on such variables as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, student selectivity, class size, alumni giving, and student-faculty ratio. The college was ranked in a third category by U.S. News for 2017. It is ranked 14th in the North region in Best Colleges for Veterans.

Local Attorney to Address Employee Documentation for HR Managers

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. announced that Partner Susan Fentin will present a webinar discussing employment documentation, in conjunction with Business and Legal Resources (BLR). The presentation is slated for Thursday, Sept. 22 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

The program will help employers and human-resource managers understand how to document issues related to their employees, including disciplinary notices and performance-improvement plans. Proper documentation can help protect employers from legal liability in the event an employee claims the employer’s decisions were discriminatory. The webinar will also discuss how to address performance and conduct-based issues with language that focuses on the behavior and not on the person.

“It is important to properly document both conversations with employees and disciplinary situations,” Fentin said. “Including the right amount of detail in describing an employee’s actions and evaluating progress is key to avoiding costly litigation. If an employer has an employee who isn’t improving, it is imperative to document your decisions accurately and effectively. All of this documentation will protect the business from litigation.”

Fentin graduated magna cum laude from Western New England University School of Law in 1996, where she was editor in chief of the Western New England College Law Review. She has been selected to the Super Lawyers list since 2008, and since 2010, she has been named one of the top labor and employment attorneys in Massachusetts by the prestigious Chambers and Partners rating organization. In 2015, she was named one of the Top Women of Law by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Fentin joined Skoler, Abbott and Presser, P.C. in 1999 after practicing for several years with the labor and employment department of a large Hartford law firm, and was made a partner in 2004.

This presentation has been approved for up to 1.5 recertification credit hours through the HR Certification Institute. For more information about the employee-documentation program, call (800) 274-6774 or click here.

Area Leaders to Speak at GHCC Economic Development Breakfast

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Economic Development Business Breakfast of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 a.m. at Wyckoff Country Club, where local community economic development will be the focus.

Participating economic-development leaders will include Marcos Marrero, director of Economic Development for the city of Holyoke; Mike Sullivan, South Hadley town administrator; and Mike Vedovelli, director of Economic Development for the city of Chicopee.

Chamber board chair Margaret Mantoni of Loomis Communities will kick off the Breakfast with a welcome and then turn it over to emcee Spiros Hatiras, chamber board member and president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center. The chamber will roll out the welcome mat to new members, including the United Arc, Score, the Jamrog Group, ArteSana Inc., KnoxworX Multimedia, and Applebee’s.

Also recognized at the breakfast will be the new superintendent of the Soldier’s Home of Holyoke, Marine Lt. Col. Bennett Walsh; General Cleaners on its 90th anniversary; the United Way campaign kickoff; McDonald’s on its new business on Whiting Farms Road; Applebee’s on its new restaurant on Whiting Farms Road; and Michael Knapik, former state senator and state representative from Westfield, as the new director of the Western Massachusetts Governor’s Office.

The breakfast is presented by PeoplesBank and sponsored by Holyoke Medical Center, Hadley Printing, and United Bank. Admission is $23 with advance registration for Holyoke Chamber members and $28 for all other guests. To register, visit holyokechamber.com/events or call the chamber at (413) 534-3376.

Springfield Museums Named Smithsonian Affiliate

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have been formally accepted as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term, high-quality partnerships with museums and educational organizations in order to share collections, exhibitions, learning opportunities, and research expertise.

The partnership  has been made possible through the support of the MassMutual Foundation, which is providing a three-year, $145,000-plus grant to bring a wealth of resources and programming to Springfield, starting with the first-ever Smithsonian Week in Springfield.

The week  will feature presentations by Smithsonian experts such as Mary Savig, curator of Manuscripts at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art, who will speak at the Museums à la Carte lecture on Thursday, Sept. 22 and offer a workshop the following day to students from Springfield’s Conservatory of the Arts. Saturday, Sept. 24 is Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! which will include a visit to the museums by Carrie Heflin of the National Museum of American History and free general-admission tickets available for download at smithsonianmag.com/museumday.

“For us to continue to develop a culturally rich community, it is important that all of us — especially our children — have access to some of the world’s most treasured art collections, artifacts, and perspectives of the most renowned experts in the country,” said Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO of MassMutual.  “The MassMutual Foundation’s support of the partnership between the Springfield Museums and the Smithsonian helps strengthen the cultural fabric of our community, and we are proud to do our share to provide opportunities that inspire people to never stop learning and growing.”

Joining Crandall at an announcement ceremony hosted by the museums was Harold Closter, director of Smithsonian Affiliations; Springfield Museums President Kay Simpson; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; U.S. Rep. Richard Neal; and state Sen. Eric Lesser. The day also included a presentation titled “Driving Around Mars” by planetary scientist John Grant from the National Air and Space Museum.

There are currently more than 200 institutions nationwide that have been selected to be Smithsonian affiliates. In identifying possible candidates for affiliation, the Smithsonian seeks out organizations that share a common mission, a commitment to education and public service, and the capability of bringing Smithsonian artifacts, exhibits, and programs to their venues. Candidates are subject to a rigorous application process involving all aspects of their organization, from their leadership and financial structure to a review of their collections-management and programming protocols.

Those selected to be affiliates enjoy a range of benefits, from facilitated object and exhibit loans and discounted Smithsonian memberships for their patrons to custom-developed education, performing-arts, and public programs. Staff at the Smithsonian and the Springfield Museums have already commenced discussions of potential collaborative projects for the first three years of the affiliation, including object loans and additional visits from Smithsonian experts.

“We are very honored to begin this new partnership between Springfield Museums and the Smithsonian Institution,” Closter said. “This affiliation builds on a long history of common interests in art, history, and science and prior collaborations, the ‘Places of Invention’ exhibition and research project at the National Museum of American History being the latest.  We look forward to all the ways we will be working together to bring the Smithsonian to Springfield, beginning this weekend, and to tell Springfield’s incredible story to our national and international audiences.”

Added Simpson, “we are truly honored and excited to have been selected to become a Smithsonian affiliate. We see this as an incredible opportunity to offer expanded exhibition, education, and membership opportunities to our patrons, and to further enhance our standing as one of the region’s foremost cultural institutions. We deeply appreciate the support provided by the MassMutual Foundation in facilitating this new and exciting partnership.”

Epstein Financial Services Welcomes Matthew Gilmore

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — Epstein Financial Services recently welcomed Matthew Gilmore to the firm as a retirement plan consultant.

The firm has grown substantially over the past several years with a recent upsurge in new clients due to the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary ruling. Over the coming months, Gilmore will work closely with founder Charlie Epstein to ensure the firm’s extensive services and mission statement are reflected in Gilmore’s continued growth within the firm.

Gilmore gained extensive experience as a MassMutual business development consultant, meeting with business owners, plan administrators, advisors, and third-party administrators to review, evaluate, and discuss a business’ 401(k) retirement plan and/or defined-benefit pension-plan options.

He is an accomplished retirement-services consultant with eight years of experience with MassMutual and the Hartford, with regard to 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans, investment and cost analysis, and participant education. He recently obtained his Accredited Investment Fiduciary certification and is a graduate of Western New England University with a bachelors degree in business administration.

Berkshire Bank to Host Business Succession Planning Breakfast Sept. 28

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Berkshire Bank announced the upcoming Business Succession Planning Breakfast being held by its Wealth Management team on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Colony Club in Springfield.

The event will feature guest speakers Steven Dane and Michele Feinstein. Dane is a partner in the CohnReznick tax practice. He brings 35 years of professional experience to this event, offering knowledge in estate and succession planning, trust-administration services, and the mechanics involved in transitioning and operating business entities. He has also authored articles on business-valuation matters for publications such as Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and Connecticut Law Tribune.

Feinstein, an attorney and shareholder with Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C, offers a wide range of experience in this field. In her current position, she practices in areas of estate planning, litigation, and business planning, including all aspects of planning for the succession of business interests. She is also senior adjunct professor of Law at Western New England College in the post-doctoral LLM Program for Estate Planning and Elder Law.

This event is open to the public. If you would like to attend, RSVP to Stacey Jarmuzewski at [email protected] or (413) 564-6212 by Wednesday, Sept. 21.

OMG Inc. to Host Open House, Job Fair on Oct. 1

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Daily News

AGAWAM — OMG Inc., a global supplier of specialty fasteners and products for commercial roofing and residential construction applications, will host an open house at its Agawam headquarters on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will include a variety of family-oriented activities as well as a job fair and tours of its state-of-the-art factory.

“OMG is a great business and an excellent employer,” said Hubert McGovern, president. “We like to involve the community in our activities whenever possible. We get very positive feedback from our employees when we hold these types of events, and we thought it would be fun to show our friends and neighbors what we do, how serious we are about safety, and the career opportunities that exist at OMG. We hope everyone will bring their kids, take a tour, and enjoy some fun.”

In addition to the job fair, on-site screening, and factory tours, the open house will include a giant, multi-employee tag sale, as well as children’s activities including virtual-reality pods, face painting, and pumpkin decorating. There also will be a Red Cross blood and volunteer drive. For additional information and updates about the open house, visit www.seehowscrewsaremade.com.

OMG is headquartered in Agawam and operates two business units: OMG Roofing Products and FastenMaster. The company, a subsidiary of Handy & Harman Group, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Handy & Harman Ltd., operates manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts, Illinois, Minnesota, and North Carolina.

State Unemployment Rate Drops to 3.9% in August

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Daily News

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in August from 4.1% in July, and preliminary estimates show the state gained 5,900 jobs over the month, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.

The last time the state’s unemployment rate hit 3.9% was in August 2001. At 3.9%, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is down 0.9% over the year from 4.8% in August 2015. There were 30,300 fewer unemployed residents and 73,000 more employed residents over the year compared to August 2015. Massachusetts’ unemployment rate remains lower than the national rate of 4.9% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state added fewer jobs over the month in July than the Bureau of Labor Statistics originally estimated, gaining 5,800 jobs compared to the previously published 7,300-job-gain estimate. Year to date, December 2015 to August 2016, Massachusetts has added 61,000 jobs.

In August, the largest over-the-month job gains occurred in the leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and other services sectors.

The state’s labor force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — is 65.0%. Over the year, the labor-force participation rate has increased 0.2% compared to August 2015.

Over the year, the largest private sector percentage job gains were in construction; leisure and hospitality; professional, scientific, and business services; and education and health services.