Year: 2016

SPRINGFIELD — Keith Nesbitt has joined the Springfield office of NUVO, a division of Merchants Bank, as regional commercial credit officer, said Laura Abbott, senior credit officer of Merchants Bank.

Nesbitt brings a vast wealth of knowledge with 11 years of experience in commercial lending, portfolio management, and credit administration in regional and community banking institutions. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, his master’s degree from Georgia State University, and his MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. He is also a candidate for the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation and will sit for the CFA Level III exam in June.

Nesbitt is a high-school and college football official and a member of the Western Massachusetts Football Officials Assoc. and the Eastern Assoc. of Intercollegiate Football Officials.

SPRINGFIELD — In honor of its 80th Anniversary, Big Y Foods has partnered with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, inviting customers to purchase ‘Wish Stars’ in checkout lines at all 61 Big Y World Class markets, including at 30 stores in Massachusetts.

Stars cost $1 each, and customers are welcome to write their name on their star for display in their store. Funds raised through the sale of Wish Stars in Massachusetts throughout March will help grant wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions throughout the Big Y communities. On Thursday, March 17, Big Y will match all Wish Star purchases and any additional donations up to $8,000.

“As a local and family-owned and -operated company for 80 years, we strive to give back to the communities we serve, year after year. This year we are proud to partner with Make-A-Wish to bring joy to local children and their families through programs that involve both our employees and our customers,” said Big Y CEO Donald D’Amour. “Thanks to their efforts, we can make a difference.”

Added Charlotte Beattie, CEO of Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, “support from our community is critical to our ability to give wish children the hope, strength, and joy that comes from a wish fulfilled. We are incredibly grateful to Big Y and the D’Amour family for supporting our efforts and helping to make wishes possible for children with life-threatening illnesses.”

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Regional Chamber will present a Business@Breakfast event, featuring a mayor’s forum, on Wednesday, April 6 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at the Delaney House, 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke.

Dave Madsen, primary anchor for Western Mass News, will moderate an informal discussion with Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Easthampton Mayor Karen Cadieux, and West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt. The discussion will provide attendees with an inside look at the personal and professional lives of these elected officials.

Business@Breakfast is a monthly series which pays tribute to individuals, businesses, and organizations for major contributions to civic and economic growth and for actions which reflect honor on the region. The April 6 event is sponsored by breakfast series sponsor United Personnel Services and speakers sponsor Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Tickets cost $20 for Springfield Regional Chamber members and $30 for general admission. Reservations are suggested and can be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by e-mailing Sarah Mazzaferro at [email protected]. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; contact Mazzaferro at (413) 755-1313 for information.

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Falcons will celebrate Six Flags Night on Sunday, March 13 at 5 p.m. against the Syracuse Crunch. The Falcons and Six Flags New England will partner for the first time to support the Square One, a 133-year-old, nonprofit organization that provides services for children and families throughout the Springfield area.

Fans will have the opportunity to be gifted Six Flags memorabilia, day passes, and front-of-the-line access passes with a donation to Square One.

“Opportunities like this are a great reminder of how fortunate this region is to have businesses and community leaders who are so committed to the work of organizations like Square One,” said Kristine Allard, Square One’s vice president of Development. “We are so grateful to Six Flags and the Springfield Falcons for lending their support to our important work with children and families.”

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen will go head-to-head in a first-intermission shootout. Each mayor has 10 pucks to attempt to shoot into the net. For each successful goal, Six Flags New England will donate 10 tickets valued at $61.99 to children and families affiliated with Square One. In addition, Looney Tunes characters will be in attendance.

To purchase tickets, call (413) 739-4625 or visit the team office at the MassMutual Center weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are also available on ticketmaster.com.

HOLYOKE — Want to start documenting your family or community’s history? This spring, Wistariahurst has teamed up with a variety of professionals to help you do just that. With a Monday-evening series starting March 14 at 6 p.m., participants will have the opportunity to work with experienced workshop leaders to learn the techniques and methods of gathering, recording, sharing, and presenting their own stories.

First in the series is Gail Herman, professional storyteller, performer, and educator, who will focus on the art of storytelling. “Stories are windows into other worlds; they are what make us human,” she said. “And family storytelling gives us a sense of roots, no matter how many places a family resides.”

As the weeks progress, presenters such as Sam Redman, professor in the UMass Oral History Lab, and journalist Greg Saulmon will facilitate workshops on a variety of memory-collecting and sharing methods. The workshops will address displaying artifacts to tell a story, conducting oral histories, interviewing techniques, creating and broadcasting a podcast, writing personal stories, and composing a strong photograph.

No prior experience in necessary to attend a workshop, and participants may attend one or come for the whole series. “If you have an interest and a willingness to participate and learn, you should join us,” said Holyoke City Historian and series curator Penni Martorell. “The skills you will come away with will not only apply to documenting your family history, but will bring you an understanding of some aspects of the work that goes into being an historian and interpreting the past.”

Workshops will take place in the Carriage House at Wistariahurst, and will run for 90 minutes. Pre-registration is strongly suggested, as there is limited space in each workshop, and sellouts are expected. To register, visit www.wistariahurst.org/museum/getting-to-the-stories. Each workshop costs $7 for the public or $5 for museum members.

CHICOPEE — Bob Pion Buick GMC recently welcomed Toby Grader to the team.

Grader has worked in the auto industry for more than 25 years and is a GM certified service manager. He took time off to open his own restaurant, but is now excited to start a new chapter at Bob Pion Buick GMC.

“I enjoy the challenge of working in the auto industry. Helping people find the car of their dreams and making them happy is very rewarding,” he said. “Being in the auto industry for over 25 years, you make a lot of friendships. It makes the hard work worthwhile.”

To learn more about Bob Pion Buick GMC, visit www.pionauto.com.

CHICOPEE — The Good Dog Spot is now offering a curbside service to make pet drop-offs and pick-ups easier. Customers using the service will provide an estimated time of arrival and pull up to the marked bus stop, and the Good Dog Spot will take care of the rest.

“We understand our lobby gets hectic,” said Elizabeth Staples, owner of the Good Dog Spot. “Our customers live very busy lives, and we want to make things as easy as possible for them. Let us know your approximate time of arrival, and your furry friend will be brought right out to your car.”

The service will be available weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. The bus fare will cost $2 for non-members and is complimentary to all members. For more information, visit www.gooddogspot.net.

HOLYOKE — The St. Patrick’s Business Breakfast of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce will be held on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30 a.m. at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House.

Event sponsors are PeoplesBank, Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, and new chamber member Quality Life Adult Day Service. A full Irish breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m.

Jeffrey Sullivan of M&M Consulting and the Chamber Foundation’s board chairman will serve as greeter, while Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse kicks off the program with a special St. Patrick’s Day welcome and roast. State Rep. Aaron Vega and state Sen. Donald Humason will provide the audience with lots of laughs as they roast friends and fellow politicians.

The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade, to be held on Sunday, March 20, will once again be in the spotlight along with the 2016 Grand Colleen Meghan Ryan and her court, the Parade Committee, and all award winners. Also recognized will be the chamber’s new members: Brennan’s Place, Cultivate and Nest, Hot Oven Cookies, Jadhai Boutique, Mr. Gio, Newave Hydrographics, Quality Life Adult Day Service, Rainbow International Restoration, Studio 20 Salon, Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Underwood Photography, Vapers Edge, and YNI Services, LLC. CareerPoint will be honored on its 20th anniversary, as well as Holyoke Rotary Club, celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Music will be provided by Kira Jewett and Dave Meuser, who are both members of the traditional Irish sextet Banish Misfortune, recently voted one of the top five bands in the Valley in the 2015 Valley Advocate Grand Band Slam.

Guests will have an opportunity to purchase St. Patrick’s Day Road Race ornaments, Holyoke shamrock hats and cozies, and the Republican’s Heritage series of books featuring The Irish Legacy.

Tickets may be purchased at $30 each until Friday, March 10, and $40 thereafter. To order tickets, call the chamber office at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com. Payment at time of registration is required.

EASTHAMPTON — Matthew Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, announced that Kirsten Barkman has joined the bank as assistant vice president, portfolio manager.

Barkman most recently served as a portfolio manager at Chicopee Savings Bank, where she had been working since 2012. She has more than 15 years of experience in the financial industry. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tufts University. She has also passed Level 1 and Level 2 of the Chartered Financial Analyst examinations, and she is a Risk Management Assoc. member.

SPRINGFIELD — Peter Pan Bus Lines welcomes Danielle Veronesi as its new marketing director. She will be responsible for overseeing Peter Pan’s Marketing Department, which includes but is not limited to creating digital advertising in multiple markets through multi-media platforms.

Veronesi brings more than 15 years of experience in the marketing and promotions industry. She previously worked at iHeartMedia, where she served as the company’s Marketing and Promotions director.

HOLYOKE — They’re calling the event “A Night of Passion.” That’s a phrase that applies to both support for efforts to promote childhood literacy and a fondness for a particular food or beverage.

These various passions will come together April 5 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke at Link to Libraries’ biennial fund-raising event. Proceeds from all ticket sales will go to Link to Libraries.

More than 500 people are expected to attend the event, which will be a celebration of all that Link to Libraries has accomplished since it was created in 2008 — including the donation of nearly 500,000 books to area schools and organizations — and how it intends to continually expand its mission in the years to come.

As for those passions for specific foods and drinks, they will be a focus of the night, provided by a host of area celebrities and business leaders, including Mike Mathis, MGM Springfield president and chief operating officer; Kevin Rhodes, Springfield Symphony Orchestra conductor; Spiros Hatiras, Holyoke Medical Center president and CEO; Delcie Bean IV, CEO of Paragus Strategic IT; Mick Corduff, executive chef and co-owner of the Log Cabin; Amy Royal, founding partner of Royal, P.C., and many more.

As for their passions, well, those are carefully guarded secrets at this point.

Those who would like to experience these passions and support Link to Libraries — which supplies books to schools and other organizations across Western Mass. and Northern Conn., and promotes read-alouds that put area business and civic leaders in area classrooms — can buy tickets for $40 each by sending checks to: Link to Libraries, Attn. Karen Blinderman, P.O. Box 958, West Springfield, MA 01090. All beverages are included in the ticket price. Food and beverages are donated by the Log Cabin.

Sponsors for “A Night of Passion” include lead sponsors Health New England and Rediker Software, and event sponsors Bacon Wilson, Bank of America – U.S. Trust, the Frank Stanley Beveridge Foundation, the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, James Vinick, Monson Savings Bank, PeoplesBank, Peoples United Bank, the Springfield Falcons, and United Bank.

SPRINGFIELD — Wolf & Co., P.C. announced the promotion of Ryan Gorman, CPA, to member of the firm. He has 15 years of experience in providing audit, review, and business-advisory services to middle-market businesses within various industries and ownership structures.

A significant focus of Gorman’s practice includes private-equity and family owned manufacturers, distributors, retail, and service organizations. In addition to his private-company practice, he also works with publicly traded companies and performs audits of employee benefit plans.

Gorman, a graduate of Stonehill College, is a founding member of Wolf’s audit quality task force, a committee established to ensure the company is equipped with the appropriate training, tools, and techniques to deliver effective, quality services.

AMHERST — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced that the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is among 30 finalists for the 2016 National Medal for Museum and Library Service.

The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community. For 22 years, the award has celebrated institutions that demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service to make a difference for individuals, families, and communities. This will mark the second year that the Carle has been recognized with this honor.

“The 2016 National Medal finalists make lasting differences in their communities by serving and inspiring the public,” said Kathryn Matthew, director of IMLS. “We proudly recognize these museums and libraries for their invaluable work to provide citizens with educational resources, 21st-century skills, and opportunities for lifelong learning. As key stewards of our nation’s future, we salute the 30 finalists for their excellence in engaging our citizenry and expanding learning of all kinds.”

Added Christopher Milne, the Carle’s chairman of the board, “it is hard to believe what the Carle has achieved in just 13 years. The museum’s exhibitions are traveling to major museums in the U.S., while our literacy and art programs are reaching as far as Asia and the Middle East. It just proves that people of all ages and cultures are deeply moved by the artwork and stories of childhood.”

The National Medal winners will be named later this spring, and representatives from winning institutions will travel to Washington, D.C. to be honored at an award ceremony. Winning institutions also receive a visit from StoryCorps, a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs.

IMLS is encouraging community members who have visited these institutions to share their stories on the IMLS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/usimls. The Carle will be featured on Friday, Feb. 26. To see the full list of finalists and learn more about the National Medal, visit www.imls.gov/2016-medals.

AGAWAM — Survivor Journeys invites the community to the Survivor Journeys Wine Tasting event on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at Lattitude Restaurant on Memorial Avenue, West Springfield.

The event includes a sample of six wines (three reds and three whites), plus a food pairing for each wine inspired by the wine selection. Representatives will be available to talk about each wine. There will be a raffle opportunity to win a wine basket that includes each of the wines sampled and a raffle for Red Sox tickets for the upcoming season. A cash bar will also be available.

The cost of the event is $60 per person. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/survivor-journeys-wine-tasting-tickets-20735645875.

Survivor Journeys provides social and emotional support services to cancer survivors, families, and caregivers. Services are built on collaboration with local providers and cancer survivors, along with regional and nationally recognized cancer organizations. The organization was co-founded by Dr. Jay Burton, medical director and founder of the Primary Care Cancer Survivor Program of Western New England.

Survivor Journeys also announced that the organization will benefit from the generosity of the S. Prestley and Helen Blake Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, which has offered a $25,000 matching grant challenge. The S. Prestley and Helen Blake Fund will match all funds raised, up to $25,000, by Survivor Journeys by March 31.

Visit www.survivorjourneys.org for more information about support groups and developing programs.

WARE — Baystate Health invites the community to attend a question-and-answer session to address the changes planned to the inpatient unit at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Ware Public School.

Among those participating will be Dr. Mark Keroack, president and CEO, Baystate Health; Nancy Shendell-Falik, senior vice president of Community Hospitals, Baystate Health; Jennifer Endicott, senior vice president of Strategy and External Relations, Baystate Health; and Michael Moran, interim president and chief administrative officer of the Baystate Health Eastern Region, which includes Baystate Mary Lane and Baystate Wing hospitals.

Baystate Health has filed requests with the state Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission seeking to operate the facilities currently operating as Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer and Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware under one hospital license. Pending regulatory approval, this change would lead to the transition of Baystate’s regional inpatient services to Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer. On average, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital has fewer than 10 patients a day who remain in the hospital overnight. Baystate Mary Lane will continue to provide a range of medical services on an outpatient basis, and Baystate’s primary-care network is not affected by this change.

“Over the past several years, only about 20% of the care delivered at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital has been inpatient care, and that is the portion we seek to consolidate at Baystate Wing Hospital to ensure the highest-quality and most effective care for all our hospitalized patients,” said Moran. “Eighty percent of the care we now provide on the Baystate Mary Lane campus is outpatient care. Services not affected by the proposed change include the care provided in our emergency department, outpatient surgery, cancer services, radiology and lab services, and medical practices.”

The meeting is open to the public, and representatives from Baystate will answer any questions that area residents may have about the proposal and the future of services in the region. For more information, call Michelle Holmgren, Public Affairs and Community Relations manager for Baystate Health’s Eastern Region, at (413) 967-2296.

WESTFIELD — The Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce will hold its St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast on Friday, March 18 at Westfield State University’s Scanlon Hall, located at 577 Western Ave., Westfield. Registration begins at 7:15 a.m., breakfast will be served at 7:30 a.m., and the program will begin at 7:50 a.m.

The guest speaker is Ramon Torrecilha, the new president of Westfield State University. The chief greeter will be Mike Knapik. “We are so pleased and excited to have our business community hear from Dr. Torrecilha regarding his vision and relationship with our great community,” said Kate Phelon, executive director of the chamber.

The chamber will also recognize this year’s Sons of Erin Colleen, Victoria Weltlich, and her court, Samantha Dolan, Anna Grady, Alyssa Manna, and Grace Silva. Other invited guests include parade marshal Jim Madigan, Irishwoman of the Year Lynda Cavanaugh, and Irishman of the Year Dermot Hurley.

This event is sponsored by Westfield Bank, platinum sponsor; Westfield Gas & Electric, gold sponsor; and Prolamina, silver sponsor. Sunshine Village is the coffee bar sponsor. Entertainment will be provided by Cassin Academy of Irish Dance. There will also be a 50/50 raffle to support two Westfield & Southwick Dollars for Scholars scholarship awards.

The cost is $25 for members and $30. for general admission. To purchase tickets or donate a door prize, contact Pam Bussell by March 14 at (413) 568-1618 or [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Financial Group is in the process of laying off 5% of its 7,200-employee workforce in Springfield and Enfield, or about 360 lost jobs, the Republican reported today.

The jobs cuts are across the board, company spokesman James Lacey said in a statement.

“MassMutual routinely and carefully examines all of its operations to ensure we are focused on activities that effectively and efficiently deliver the greatest value to our policyowners and customers,” he noted. “At times, this means making decisions that impact our staffing levels, and when they do, we are committed to a thoughtful and respectful process.”