Month: February 2017
Editorial
Critiquing marketing material is akin to analyzing a presidential debate or scoring a Saturday Night Live skit. It’s certainly easy to be critical and wonder out loud, ‘couldn’t they do any better than that?’
Just think back to the Super Bowl and how many times we all said words to that effect after almost every one of the commercials.
We bring this up because the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., via an Oklahoma-based marketing firm that specializes in branding regions, has come up with a new name, or brand, for this region: West Mass.
Let’s rephrase that: West Mass???
This is where we make like we’ve seen another of those Super Bowl ads or a hopelessly weak installment of Weekend Update, and say ‘really?’
It took a year, intensive questionnaires, and tens of thousands of dollars to come up with … this?
West Mass? This is the new brand for this region, the one that’s supposed to replace ‘Pioneer Valley,’ which, by the way, won’t be replaced simply because too many businesses and agencies are invested in it.
West Mass?
This is disappointing on a number of levels, but let’s start with the fact that the EDC decided that none of the excellent marketing firms in this region that submitted proposals for this rebrand were worthy of the task, so it instead hired that Oklahoma-based firm, Cubic Creative, to come up with something that an intern from one of the local colleges could have come up with while on lunch break.
OK, we’re being really cynical, but it’s hard not to be. A lot of time and resources were expended on this, and from our view, the region is no better off, marketing-slogan/brand-wise, than it was before. In fact, it’s probably worse off.
To be fair, we acknowledge that this region is not exactly easy to brand. Like the Blackstone Valley outside Worcester and the Merrimack Valley in the northeast corner of the state, it is named, sort of, for the river that runs through it — hence Connecticut Valley. But that’s also the name of a neighboring state, and we want people and companies to come here, not go there, so that’s not going to work.
Meanwhile, the two or three things this area is perhaps most identified with (we said ‘perhaps’) are Dr. Seuss, basketball, and the guns once made at the Springfield Armory. But all those are tied directly to Springfield, and we want to promote the region, not just its biggest city. Meanwhile, it’s not politically correct to use guns to brand anything.
How about ‘Knowledge Corridor’ — the brand we’re already using, sort of? It’s OK, but only for attracting businesses, and it doesn’t seem to be working well in that realm, either. From a tourism perspective, it probably will be hard to get people worked up to visit the Knowledge Corridor.
So, we admit, rebranding the area is not an easy assignment. But West Mass?
It’s nothing more than a geographic indicator. It basically tells people that we’re ‘Massachusetts, but not Boston.’
It is possible, we suppose, that smart marketers could take ‘West Mass,’ mix it with some other words, pictures, and fonts, and maybe convey a powerful message that will resonate with individuals, families, and businesses. After all, people don’t have to do anything more than say ‘South Beach’ to whet a lot of appetites.
For now, though, as with most all Saturday Night Live episodes and presidential debates, ‘West Mass’ leaves us yearning for more, and saying ‘couldn’t they do any better than that?’
Here’s hoping they prove all us critics wrong.
LONGMEADOW — On Wednesday, March 8, from 2 to 5 p.m., Bay Path University, in partnership with the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, will hold a capsulated re-enactment of the historic 1977 First National Women’s Conference, called the On the Move Forum 2017, in the Blake Student Commons. This event is free and open to the public. March 8 is also the United Nations International Women’s Day.
“This partnership highlights the critical need to support the work of higher-education institutions within the community,” said Ellen Moorhouse, Women’s Fund program officer. “By offering such exciting programming around International Women’s Day, we acknowledge our history while building our capacity to work together.”
The On the Move Forum was developed by Bay Path Professor Janine Fondon along with Diana Mara Henry, the official photographer for the 1977 First National Women’s Conference. Henry will be the keynote speaker at the forum. She began her career in photojournalism at Radcliffe, as photo editor of the Harvard Crimson from 1967 to 1969. Her photographs are currently in the collections of the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, and the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst.
In 1977, more than 20,000 people gathered in Houston for the historic women’s conference, as well as to celebrate International Women;s Year. This conference was the first and only national women’s conference to be sponsored by the federal government. The primary job of the conference was to formulate and pass a national plan of action, based on recommendations from state meetings held across the U.S.
The 2017 On the Move Forum will mirror the format and topics from 40 years ago, such as education, business and finance, and health and wellness. As in 1977, a key component of the forum will have the participants and delegates engaging in discussion about how to advance women in the workplace and communities.
“We look forward to reinventing the conference with a renewed relevance in today’s world, thus attracting all generations and communities,” Fondon said.
As space is limited, attendees must register by clicking here. This event is sponsored in part by NAMIC New England and ESPN. For additional details, visit www.onthemoveforum.com.
Wheelchair-basketball Clinic
Feb. 20: CDH Disability Resources will offer a free wheelchair-basketball clinic from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at CHD’s gymnasium at 69 Capital Dr., West Springfield. There is no cost to attend, and all participants qualify for raffles, prizes, and giveaways. The clinic will be led by Paul Weiland, a certified health and physical education teacher with an adaptive physical education certification. Weiland, Adapted Sports Program coordinator for Chapter 126 Sports & Fitness, has coached wheelchair basketball at the high-school and college levels and was part of the USA Paralympics wheelchair-basketball selection committee in 2008. He will be supported by volunteer staff, including therapeutic recreation students from Springfield College and varsity basketball players from Springfield College and American International College. For people interested in getting more involved with wheelchair basketball, in addition to the Feb. 20 clinic, Disability Resources is offering a 10-week program on Friday evenings from March 3 through May 5, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Pace Gym, 69 Capital Dr., West Springfield. Players will be taught fundamental skills and game-related strategies while focusing on the values of teamwork and respect. To learn more about wheelchair basketball or to sign up for programs, contact Levine at (413) 788-9695.
Real-estate Licensing Course
Feb. 22: Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 22, the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley will sponsor a 40-hour, 14-class sales-licensing course to help individuals prepare for the Massachusetts real-estate salesperson license exam. The course will be completed on March 23. Tuition costs $359 and includes the book and materials. For an application, call the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley at (413) 785-1328.
Estate Planning for Blended Families
Feb. 23: Linda Manor Assisted Living will host a discussion at 5:30 p.m. about meeting the estate-planning challenges of blended families. The event is free and open to the public, but those wishing to attend are asked to register by calling (413) 588-3316. A light dinner will be served. Attorney Valerie Vignaux of the law firm Bacon Wilson is a specialist in estate planning and elder law. Her discussion will focus on the unique challenges blended families can face. Common concerns are asset division, guardianship, long-term-care planning, and future decision making.
‘Create at the Carle!’
Feb. 27 to March 20: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will offer adult art classes for people 55 and over thanks to a new grant from Aroha Philanthropies. “Create at the Carle!” is a new program for adults interested in expressing themselves through visual art. The first of a series of three workshops, this one on printmaking, begins Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon, and runs for eight weeks. The cost is $90, or $76.50 for members. Teaching artist Lynn Peterfreund, who concentrates on printmaking, painting, and drawing, is offering this class for beginners or more experienced students. The goals are to learn processes, become more aware of different art styles, and learn to identify and tell one’s own stories with visual tools. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants. The workshop includes a visit from artist Lyell Castonguay, who will share his woodcut technique and experiences as director of BIG INK, and concludes with an art show for friends, family, guests, and the general public to enjoy. “Create at the Carle!” is presented in partnership with Aroha Philanthropies to support the development and expansion of Artful Aging programs. The Carle was selected as one of only 15 nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. to receive a grant from Aroha Philanthropies through its new national initiative, Seeding Artful Aging. Following printmaking, additional classes in 2017 will include guest artists teaching collage and bookmaking. For more information about the classes or to sign up, visit www.carlemuseum.org.
Whiskey & Cigar Night
March 2: It’s official: whiskey passed vodka as the number-one spirit of choice in the U.S. back in 2014, and the trend is more than a passing one. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s Whiskey & Cigar Night, slated for 6 p.m. at Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, provides novice and connoisseur whiskey drinkers with a chance to savor a variety of vodkas, while raising funds for the SSO’s artistic, education, and community programs. For a $75 admission ticket, attendees will enjoy a variety of cigars on an outdoor patio, food-pairing stations to accompany the drink, and several stations to taste a wide variety of whiskey, from Scotch and Irish whiskey to bourbon and rye. Expert representatives from local distributors and distilleries will be on hand to answer questions and provide tasting notes. In addition to the whiskey, food, and cigars, a silent auction will be running throughout the event, featuring sports memorabilia, high-end experiences, and trips. Participation is limited to ensure the highest quality experience for all attendees. Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill is located at 1390 Main St., Springfield. To learn more or purchase a ticket, call (413) 733-0636, ext. 118, or e-mail [email protected].
Caritas Gala
March 11: Plans are underway for Mercy Medical Center’s first annual Caritas Gala at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Themed “All You Need Is Love,” the inaugural gala will raise funds to expand and enhance Mercy Behavioral Health Care’s Opioid Treatment and Addiction Recovery programs. The major goal of the project is to create a new inpatient step-down treatment program for post-detox services, giving individuals a better chance at long-term recovery. John Sjoberg and Brenda Garton-Sjoberg are the Caritas Gala honorary chairpersons. Sjoberg serves as chairman of the board for Mercy and as vice chairman of the board for Trinity Health New England. Garton-Sjoberg has served as honorary chairperson of Mercy Gift of Light. “Brenda and I are inspired by the selfless work of the Sisters of Providence, and our family has made their legacy our personal mission,” said Sjoberg. The Caritas Gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, live entertainment from the band Beantown, and a silent auction. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m., followed by a live auction and dancing until midnight. Pre-registration is required by Feb. 17. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.mercycares.com/caritasgala.
Mini Medical School
March 23 to May 11: Itching to get out of the house as the winter draws to an end? Consider signing up for a little dose of continuing education as part of Baystate Medical Center’s Mini Medical School, where you can broaden your knowledge of the field of medicine with professors from the teaching hospital. Mini Medical School, which begins its spring session on Thursday, March 23, offers area residents an inside look at the expanding field of medicine, minus the tests, homework, interviews, and admission formalities. The program continues through May 11. Baystate’s Mini Medical School program is an eight-week health-education series featuring a different aspect of medicine each week. Classes this spring will include sessions on various medical topics such as surgery, deep-brain stimulation, emergency medicine, dementia, pathology, and several others. For a full list of topics and instructors, visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed. While it is not difficult to be accepted into the program, slots are limited, and early registration is recommended. Many of the students, who often range in age from 20 to 70, participate due to a general interest in medicine and later find that many of the things they learned over the semester are relevant to their own lives. The goal of the program, offered in the hospital’s Chestnut Conference Center, is to help members of the public make more informed decisions about their healthcare while receiving insight on what it might be like to be a medical student. Baystate Medical Center is the region’s only teaching hospital, and each course is taught by medical center faculty, who explain the science of medicine without resorting to complex terms. All classes are held Thursday nights starting at 6 p.m. and run until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the night’s topic. No basic science knowledge is needed to participate. Each participant is required to attend a minimum of six out of eight classes in order to receive a certificate of completion. Tuition costs $95 per person and $80 for Senior Class and Spirit of Women members. To register, call (413) 794-7630 or visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed.
Difference Makers
March 30: The ninth annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. The winners, profiled in the Jan. 23 issue and at businesswest.com, are the Community Colleges of Western Mass. (Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and Springfield Technical Community College); Friends of the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round; Denis Gagnon Sr., president and CEO of Excel Dryer Inc.; Junior Achievement of Western Mass.; and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One. Tickets to the event cost $65 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Sponsors include First American Insurance; Health New England; JGS Lifecare; Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Northwestern Mutual; O’Connell Care at Home; Royal, P.C.; and Sunshine Village.
Education Fair & Expo
April 4: Jared James, a national real-estate speaker and trainer, will be the featured speaker at the 24th annual Education Fair & Expo taking place at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The event is sponsored by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. The program features a day of educational presentations including two breakout sessions from James, three continuing-education classes, and two technology classes. A sellout trade show with more than 50 vendors is anticipated. Anyone interested in attending as a trade-show vendor should contact Kim Harrison, membership and meetings coordinator at the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, at (413) 785-1328 or [email protected] by March 10.
‘Mini Golf in the Library’
April 7-8: Friends of the Holyoke Public Library will host its second annual “Mini Golf in the Library” fund-raiser on the weekend of April 7-8. Hole sponsors and event sponsors are now being recruited. Funds raised help the Friends of the Library support library programs and resources, especially those for children and youth. Sponsors will be publicized and thanked in local media, social media, and the library’s website in connection with this event. Logos of sponsors will be printed on the scorecard given to each player. Names of sponsors will be displayed in the library, ranked by level of sponsorship. Sponsors will be invited as guests to the Friday-evening cocktail party, with the opportunity to preview (and play through) the course. In addition to event sponsors and hole sponsors, the event planning committee, chaired by Sandy Ward, is seeking donors of in-kind services and items for a silent auction to be held during the Friday cocktail party. Hole sponsorships start at $250. Those who wish to sponsor (and decorate) one of the 18 holes are encouraged to act quickly, as holes are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Event sponsorships are available at five levels ranging from $250 to $1,000. An exclusive title sponsorship is possible at $2,500. For more information, visit www.holyokelibrary.org/aboutfriendsgolf.asp or e-mail Sandy Ward at [email protected].
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Berg, Kemah L.
5 Standish Court, Unit B.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/15/17
Burdin, Dolores J.
66 Cedar St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17
Ford, Valerie Jean
91 Sumner Ave., Apt. 1
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17
Kaplan, Michael J.
26 Maynard St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17
MacKinnon, Jonathan W.
57 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17
Martin, Susan A.
a/k/a Sue Martin Pallet
61 Fenton Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17
Picard, Jennifer A.
246 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/13/17
Ryan, Raquel S.
44 Spring St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/14/17
Sheldon, Ann M.
132 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/12/17
Video Multi Media
Noyes, Scott D.
43 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17
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
57 Bronson Ave.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Sandra McArthur RET
Seller: Eleanor Dodson
Date: 01/10/17
109 South St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian C. Franetovich
Seller: William G. Carr
Date: 01/18/17
CONWAY
332 Williamsburg Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $174,240
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert E. Ahrensdorf
Date: 01/13/17
DEERFIELD
10 Crestview Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Edward J. Lichocki RET
Seller: Denis L. Emmett
Date: 01/17/17
27 Mountain Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Bakey
Seller: Frank R. Blajda
Date: 01/13/17
24 West St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $195,527
Buyer: Schechterle Properties
Seller: Peter B. Stone
Date: 01/20/17
HAWLEY
95 East Hawley Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Harold F. Green
Seller: Nicole Patlin Miller RT
Date: 01/18/17
HEATH
13 West Branch Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Tita Bersamira-Thompson
Seller: E. Una Cooper
Date: 01/20/17
LEVERETT
172 Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Benjamin Solis
Seller: Fenna L. Bonsignore
Date: 01/09/17
MONTAGUE
218 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $137,194
Buyer: Mark Pohlman
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 01/19/17
7 Burnham St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Collura Realty LLC
Seller: James A. Andreas
Date: 01/10/17
NORTHFIELD
692 Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nicholas K. Christenson
Seller: Hollie Hunsicker
Date: 01/09/17
ORANGE
15 Canon Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Antonio J. Desroche
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/18/17
10 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Honey Farms Inc.
Seller: Orange Commercial Properties
Date: 01/20/17
SHELBURNE
30 High St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Ricki Carroll
Seller: Theodore B. Merrill
Date: 01/12/17
SHUTESBURY
Sumner Mountain Road #3
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kathleen R. Lugosch
Seller: Joan A. Antonino
Date: 01/13/17
WENDELL
125 Lockes Village Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $139,944
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Michael M. Sweeney
Date: 01/17/17
95 West St.
Wendell, MA 01380
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sarah D. Greenleaf
Seller: Claire Stewart
Date: 01/12/17
HAMPDEN COUNTY
AGAWAM
62 Annable St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Raymond A. Bronner
Date: 01/12/17
92 Coronet Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $268,500
Buyer: Tracey M. Lebeau
Seller: Chantal McGill
Date: 01/20/17
58 Kathy Terrace
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Richard M. Brock
Seller: Scott M. Rackliffe
Date: 01/17/17
705 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Glynn J. Beggs
Seller: Patricia A. Johnson
Date: 01/18/17
74 Ramah Circle South
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Chlastawa LLC
Seller: Pelter Inc.
Date: 01/20/17
495 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Renee M. Malloy
Seller: Hubert A. White
Date: 01/12/17
152-154 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Buynicki
Seller: Roberta Lafleur
Date: 01/17/17
BLANDFORD
29 Blair Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: Brett D. Yvon
Seller: Stephen R. Gendreau
Date: 01/09/17
BRIMFIELD
30 Crestwood Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Southbridge Savings Bank
Seller: Stacey L. Dunn
Date: 01/11/17
1411 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Dana A. Rouisse
Seller: Edward E. Tremblay
Date: 01/13/17
79 Sutcliffe Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $131,500
Buyer: Casey Williams
Seller: Gordon A. Moore
Date: 01/18/17
CHICOPEE
28 Amherst St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $202,100
Buyer: Alexus N. Emond
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 01/20/17
58 Boivin Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,278
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Scott Kibbie
Date: 01/10/17
563 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jose Dasilva-Julio
Seller: Montgomery Chicopee Realty
Date: 01/20/17
15 Caroline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Trisha Bouchard
Seller: Lisa M. Maloney
Date: 01/10/17
84 Cherryvale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $173,500
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jeffrey Chateauneuf
Date: 01/13/17
74 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Maecar Realty Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
80 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Maecar Realty Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
119 Claire St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Zachary W. Pelletier
Seller: Allen F. Cormier
Date: 01/17/17
95 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Saudy I. Hernandez
Seller: Anthony J. Biela
Date: 01/19/17
66 Daley St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Arnold C. Palmer
Seller: Aleksandr Izotov
Date: 01/18/17
36 Erline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Emilio Gonzalez
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 01/17/17
24 Eton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Maria C. Bulnes-Rozas
Seller: John E. Sheehan
Date: 01/10/17
268 Fletcher Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Eric B. Stawarz
Seller: Robert J. Rehm
Date: 01/17/17
54 Kennedy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Marco A. Morgado
Seller: John Scheehsher
Date: 01/09/17
218 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $123,647
Buyer: Anthony Falcetti
Seller: Weldon, Augusta Mae L., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17
44 Roy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Dilepson Cruz
Seller: Maria J. Klos
Date: 01/09/17
29 Toronto St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Scott A. Franceschina
Seller: Phillip P. Paradis
Date: 01/20/17
33 Woodlawn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Sonia Soto
Seller: David C. Labrie
Date: 01/10/17
EAST LONGMEADOW
99 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $117,126
Buyer: Blueline Management LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/20/17
323 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Mark F. Maigret
Seller: Anebe Gracien
Date: 01/17/17
20 Ridge Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,900
Buyer: Anebe Gracien
Seller: ALWSLLC
Date: 01/17/17
42 White Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Hang Truong
Seller: Amy G. St.Germain
Date: 01/10/17
GRANVILLE
384 Water St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Seller: John B. Dejean
Date: 01/18/17
HAMPDEN
106 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: David J. Henry
Seller: Peter S. Imler
Date: 01/18/17
135 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Candice K. Hunsucker
Date: 01/17/17
Somers Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Development Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 01/13/17
47 Thresher Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: James R. Damour
Seller: James R. Damour
Date: 01/09/17
HOLLAND
88 Sturbridge Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Niles N. Robbins
Seller: Gina Abysalh
Date: 01/12/17
HOLYOKE
51-53 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $242,600
Buyer: William Forest-Forest
Seller: Jamie T. Roy
Date: 01/13/17
Bobala Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: DFE LLC
Seller: Dinn Brothers Inc.
Date: 01/10/17
11 Brenan St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Reynaldo Martinez
Seller: Marcia Russell
Date: 01/18/17
53 Calumet Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Derek E. Kerns
Seller: Dorothy A. Reidy
Date: 01/13/17
163 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $167,257
Buyer: USA HUD
Seller: Shabnam Mashmasarmi
Date: 01/17/17
235 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Wanda I. Otero
Date: 01/09/17
473 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Shawna E. Tobin
Seller: Joanne Orourke
Date: 01/17/17
1062-R Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alan T. Velazquez
Seller: Amanda Bailey
Date: 01/13/17
100 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: David J. Hutton
Seller: Lucille Y. Bellefeuille
Date: 01/12/17
39 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Julio Delesus
Date: 01/19/17
LONGMEADOW
65 Concord Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Fred S. Ligeiro
Seller: Throne, Janice S., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17
11 Franklin Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Rodrigo A. Clement
Seller: James Jaron
Date: 01/12/17
48 Greenmeadow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $487,500
Buyer: Courtney E. Wenleder
Seller: Stephen N. Krevalin
Date: 01/11/17
24 Lincoln Park
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Trisha D. Ripton
Seller: E. Earl Cranor
Date: 01/13/17
82 Merriweather Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Gene A. Bradshaw
Seller: Allan R. Shendell
Date: 01/20/17
63 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jami Wholesale LLC
Seller: Ethel S. Zimmerman
Date: 01/20/17
22 Williams Court
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $321,973
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Robert Nell
Date: 01/12/17
495 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Fojaz RT
Seller: Don A. Washington
Date: 01/13/17
LUDLOW
87 Americo St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Carlos Dossantos
Seller: Nancy G. Chaves
Date: 01/20/17
50 East Akard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Paulo Martins
Seller: Lori A. Robbins
Date: 01/09/17
187 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jodi J. Nascimento
Seller: Warren R. Barrett
Date: 01/13/17
272-274 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,484
Buyer: Diplomat Property Manager
Seller: David A. Martin
Date: 01/18/17
MONSON
18 Circle Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Jereme J. Tidwell
Seller: Henry J. Kosmider
Date: 01/18/17
22 Country Club Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Blythewood Property Management
Seller: USA VA
Date: 01/17/17
10 Fern Hill Road
Monson, MA 01069
Amount: $121,650
Buyer: Jeff D. Ladue
Seller: Linda M. Keery
Date: 01/18/17
110 Thayer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Monson Savings Bank
Seller: Heather M. Wood
Date: 01/20/17
MONTGOMERY
Fuller Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Euler FT
Seller: Edward J. Healy
Date: 01/09/17
PALMER
10 Brown St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Gordon M. Merkel
Seller: Linda Coffey
Date: 01/20/17
4293-4295 High St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $189,819
Buyer: TD Bank NA
Seller: Paul W. Ollari
Date: 01/09/17
96 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jared N. Jackson-King
Seller: Paul E. Rondeau
Date: 01/12/17
SPRINGFIELD
384 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jacqueline M. Forsman
Date: 01/17/17
41 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Colon-Lebron
Seller: Grady, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 01/09/17
70-72 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Yandalis Reyes
Seller: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Date: 01/12/17
328 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Dominique P. Fradette
Date: 01/09/17
9 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: John B. Dragone
Date: 01/19/17
41 Blodgett St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Camile Marsh
Seller: Khanh Nguyen
Date: 01/20/17
47 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Gracinda M. Goncalves
Seller: Thomas F. Carey
Date: 01/18/17
329 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Rey X. Reyes-Rivera
Seller: Viva Development LLC
Date: 01/18/17
127 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Carlos E. Monet
Seller: Patricia A. Ryan
Date: 01/20/17
90 Cuff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $139,100
Buyer: Derek Fu
Seller: Thomas J. O’Connor
Date: 01/17/17
93 Curve St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Luis Carmona
Seller: Israel J. Rosario
Date: 01/13/17
193 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $142,900
Buyer: Paul J. Bongiorni
Seller: Kimberly Ashton
Date: 01/13/17
142 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Long Tran
Seller: Brian D. Baker
Date: 01/10/17
171 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Anthony Medina
Seller: Bernard C. Reid
Date: 01/10/17
257-259 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,834
Buyer: WVUE REO 2015-1 LLC
Seller: Belinda N. Jackson
Date: 01/10/17
50 Ellery St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Saroeun Toum
Seller: Stratton Renovation LLC
Date: 01/19/17
14 Elmwood St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: Hap Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
70 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Orange Park Management
Seller: Orange Park Management
Date: 01/13/17
66 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Santos Garcia
Date: 01/19/17
84 Fox Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Michael Bridger
Seller: Guy B. Perry
Date: 01/09/17
63 Gerald St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Nathan E. Stevenson
Seller: Yekatherine Rasmussen
Date: 01/17/17
37 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Alicia Dessereau
Seller: Richard F. Hansen
Date: 01/12/17
88-90 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Carmen Valentin
Seller: Lisa Santaniello
Date: 01/12/17
200 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Ram Tamang
Seller: Suzanne M. Dodson
Date: 01/13/17
21 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,624
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Clover A. Martin
Date: 01/12/17
104 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $204,900
Buyer: Therese E. Singleton
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 01/13/17
21 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Licenia Cruz
Seller: Ivan Grechka
Date: 01/17/17
322 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: HAP Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
Main St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: Hap Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
79 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Wilson Y. Bedoya-Montoya
Seller: Lydia Santiago
Date: 01/20/17
57 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $117,670
Buyer: USA VA
Seller: Luis A. Adames
Date: 01/19/17
110-112 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Maria I. Cruz
Seller: Gloria Otero
Date: 01/17/17
58 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Peter K. Njoroge
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 01/20/17
183-185 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Soraia Abdulbaki
Seller: Damaris Nyanjui
Date: 01/13/17
14 Nichols St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Luis Rodriguez
Seller: Sara Calo
Date: 01/13/17
310 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Angelica Fermaintt
Seller: Benjamin Velazquez
Date: 01/19/17
242 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Tricia Bunns
Seller: Xiuyu Ma
Date: 01/10/17
40 Parkwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Wanda Santana
Date: 01/13/17
46 Rochford Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Anthony C. Torres
Seller: Timothy J. Moore
Date: 01/11/17
551 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Aaron C. Zing
Seller: Smaida, Lucian A., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17
30 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Ally Bank
Seller: Paula A. Bernal
Date: 01/19/17
21-23 Santa Barbara St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Christopher O’Brien
Seller: Damion L. Daley
Date: 01/13/17
42-44 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Bimala Subedi
Seller: Leon Hutt
Date: 01/09/17
76 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: MNBC LLC
Seller: Monty LLC
Date: 01/13/17
153 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Luis G. Morales
Seller: Melro Associates Inc.
Date: 01/20/17
37 Stratford Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Arlyana Dalce-Bowie
Seller: John J. Gullotti
Date: 01/17/17
69 Strong St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Deana L. Williams
Seller: Viviana Council
Date: 01/20/17
128 Webber St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Doreen Acheampong
Seller: Attaford LLC
Date: 01/19/17
227 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Justin M. Vaniderstine
Seller: Ryan E. Corbett
Date: 01/12/17
28 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Agnes B. Akoto
Seller: George B. Fitzpatrick
Date: 01/10/17
137 Whittum Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Derek Chapdelaine
Seller: S&C Homebuyers LLC
Date: 01/13/17
559-561 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $162,512
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert J. Paskins
Date: 01/10/17
8-10 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Sandra M. Jolly
Date: 01/18/17
SOUTHWICK
14 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Michael J. Smith
Seller: Michael F. McCarthy
Date: 01/12/17
50 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Thomas P. O’Donnell
Seller: Richard R. Labarre
Date: 01/19/17
156 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Brian P. Callaghan
Seller: Diane D. Lazarin
Date: 01/20/17
8 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Vladimir Gonchuk
Seller: Paul D. Musselwhite
Date: 01/09/17
WALES
32 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Sandra A. Wilk
Seller: Michael Mariettos
Date: 01/09/17
WESTFIELD
20 Charles St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Kaybeth M. Fortier
Seller: William F. Barry
Date: 01/13/17
78 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $223,999
Buyer: Richard T. Ryer
Seller: Larry A. Williams
Date: 01/09/17
89 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Adrian Acevedo
Seller: Kathleen M. Petersante
Date: 01/17/17
34 South Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $217,900
Buyer: Coy Chaney
Seller: Cynthia T. Levasseur
Date: 01/19/17
99 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $202,150
Buyer: David Procopio
Seller: Paul Broderick
Date: 01/12/17
109 White St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Nathan R. Irwin
Seller: Alan W. Perzanowski
Date: 01/20/17
WILBRAHAM
28 Forest St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michael K. Ryan
Seller: Nicholas M. Yarmac
Date: 01/13/17
863 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Carla-Nicola RT
Seller: Samble, Avis M., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17
8 Maiden Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $134,434
Buyer: Ramon J. Alvarez
Seller: Jorge R. Figueroa
Date: 01/09/17
103 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Dustin E. Smith
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/20/17
12 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Dennis P. Donahue
Seller: Edward J. Chapman
Date: 01/13/17
144 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Alexander P. Gendreau
Seller: Jillian T. Crowley
Date: 01/13/17
997 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Mark Graziano
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 01/20/17
WEST SPRINGFIELD
125 Deer Run Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Richard P. Cieboter
Seller: Daniel R. Scully
Date: 01/17/17
25 Duke St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Pavel Baryshev
Seller: Darlene S. Lyko
Date: 01/09/17
77 Hanover St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Donald Wright
Date: 01/17/17
115 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jason A. Duffy
Seller: Richard Cieboter
Date: 01/13/17
110 Sawmill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Krishna Kharel
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 01/19/17
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
AMHERST
77 Dana St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Katharine R. Sims
Seller: Amherst College
Date: 01/17/17
111 Logtown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $220,800
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Luisa C. Cabrera
Date: 01/11/17
24 Montague Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Town Of Amherst
Seller: SAC Automotive Inc.
Date: 01/18/17
4 Stagecoach Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: William S. VanHeuvelen
Seller: Katharine J. Waggoner
Date: 01/10/17
BELCHERTOWN
14 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $428,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Lafore
Seller: Ronald J. Chiasson
Date: 01/17/17
326 Cold Spring Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Brandon M. Roy
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/13/17
89 Dana Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,155
Buyer: Dominic J. O’Connell
Seller: Joann C. Holmes
Date: 01/13/17
54 Edelcy Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Marley
Seller: Ryan J. Gray
Date: 01/10/17
10 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $273,500
Buyer: Charles D. Allen
Seller: Christopher Lukes
Date: 01/18/17
481 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $192,900
Buyer: JKP LLC
Seller: Patricia Moriarty
Date: 01/13/17
49 Hickory Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $397,000
Buyer: Constantinos Anamisis
Seller: J. H. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 01/13/17
205 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Gray
Seller: Jerry Lalli
Date: 01/10/17
565 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $385,858
Buyer: Kevin O’Brien
Seller: RGC LLC
Date: 01/18/17
11 Raymond Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Lamikco T. Magee
Seller: Raghavan Manmatha
Date: 01/09/17
BELCHERTOWN
87 Railroad St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Bryan Clough
Seller: John K. Murray
Date: 01/18/17
175 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $1,525,000
Buyer: Alden Credit Union
Seller: Pride LP
Date: 01/19/17
CHESTERFIELD
64 East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Phoebe E. Stewart
Seller: Lee N. Monroe
Date: 01/19/17
CUMMINGTON
5 Mount Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jesse L. Noel
Seller: Frank T. Noel
Date: 01/12/17
EASTHAMPTON
5 Coed Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jeffrey S. Landfried
Seller: Grant E. Dawson
Date: 01/17/17
265 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $394,000
Buyer: Josef P. Arnould
Seller: Alice M. Cook
Date: 01/20/17
238 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Gerald F. Houle
Seller: Dennis R. Lacourse
Date: 01/18/17
30 Paul St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Arthur E. Lustenberger
Seller: David Garstka Builders
Date: 01/20/17
37 Peloquin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Dawn E. Hibbert
Seller: Mark Hibbert
Date: 01/09/17
75-77 Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Zachary R. Smith
Seller: Lionel A. Laprade FT
Date: 01/20/17
113 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Daryl Brosseau
Seller: Susan E. Thibodeau
Date: 01/18/17
10 Susan Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Kyle D. Murphy
Seller: Jameson T. Stahl
Date: 01/11/17
79 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michelle Pelletier
Seller: Dolores M. Tower
Date: 01/11/17
GRANBY
107 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Scott Hooper
Seller: Donna M. Williams
Date: 01/20/17
112-R Cold Hill
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Steven K. Eckman
Seller: Macmonegle, Joan M., (Estate)
Date: 01/11/17
12 Pheasant Hill
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $246,500
Buyer: Thomas B. Stevens
Seller: Joseph L. Larrivee
Date: 01/13/17
HADLEY
82 Knightly Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Justin T. Serpone
Seller: David T. Simons
Date: 01/17/17
21 Moody Bridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Beth A. Pelletier
Seller: Cook, Warren F., (Estate)
Date: 01/17/17
2 Quinlan Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Hannon
Seller: Judith F. Laprade
Date: 01/09/17
HATFIELD
122 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Grant E. Dawson
Seller: Shawn M. Robinson
Date: 01/17/17
NORTHAMPTON
390 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Chandler
Seller: Justin Preftakes
Date: 01/18/17
380 Chesterfield Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: David C. Atwell
Seller: UMassfive College Federal Credit Union
Date: 01/13/17
199 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Eleanor C. Adams
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 01/20/17
31 Fairway Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joseph Duncan
Seller: Brent J. Delano
Date: 01/20/17
21 Henry St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $311,376
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Rhonda Cichy-Bombardier
Date: 01/19/17
29 James Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Jamie Messer
Seller: Frank M. Abrano
Date: 01/17/17
140 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Lisa L. Jasinski
Seller: Lyons, Mary T., (Estate)
Date: 01/20/17
204 North Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nora M. Verni
Seller: Jay R. Ryan
Date: 01/19/17
137 Spruce Hill Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $235,100
Buyer: Victoria Ahrensdorf
Seller: Magdalene Aulik
Date: 01/11/17
SOUTH HADLEY
40 Bridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Werenski
Seller: John E. Pietras
Date: 01/10/17
14 Bunker Hill
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Lindsay M. Clark
Seller: Stasia M. Ragoza
Date: 01/12/17
1 Greenwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Kathleen Furnelli
Seller: Matthew R. McKeever
Date: 01/13/17
40 Prospect St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: P&R Prospects LLC
Seller: Joan R. Benoit
Date: 01/20/17
26 Smith St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Heather Zapponi
Seller: Pawel L. Taraska
Date: 01/11/17
46 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Rachael K. Perkins
Seller: Donna M. Johnson
Date: 01/10/17
25 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Ruth H. Todrin
Seller: Ann E. Furnelli
Date: 01/13/17
SOUTHAMPTON
8 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Alan M. Wine
Seller: Alan Velazquez
Date: 01/13/17
19 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $350,300
Buyer: Steven Hermanson
Seller: JCP Capital Group LLC
Date: 01/20/17
WARE
42 Cummings Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Audra L. Chartier
Seller: Robert D. Giard
Date: 01/13/17
118 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $128,888
Buyer: V. Mortgage REO 2 LLC
Seller: Bernadine L. Ruell
Date: 01/11/17
290 Malboeuf Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Citibank
Seller: Cheryl A. Dejesus
Date: 01/17/17
17 Prospect St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Zachary T. Parent
Seller: Andrew M. Norton
Date: 01/18/17
181 Upper Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Joseph Kotowski
Seller: Louis Puliafico
Date: 01/13/17
1-5 Vernon St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Stephanie Rodriguez
Seller: James E. Roy
Date: 01/11/17
WESTHAMPTON
353 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Marina Nelson
Seller: David R. Morin
Date: 01/17/17
WILLIAMSBURG
21 Cole Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $288,550
Buyer: Paul J. Dauteuil
Seller: Sturm, Carol A., (Estate)
Date: 01/20/17
3 East Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: James J. Piermarini
Seller: Timothy E. McElroy
Date: 01/17/17
8 North Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jacob L. Bellone
Seller: James F. Lucey
Date: 01/13/17
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
ADAMS
Noah William Brown Scholarship Inc., 12 Beecher St., Adams, MA 01220. Kathleen Davis, same. Non-profit organized for civic, charitable, and educational purposes, including but not limited to expanding the educational opportunities for students residing in Berkshire County, with an emphasis on students in the Adams-Cheshire regional school district or its successors.
BRIMFIELD
Our Bright Future Inc., 254 Little Alum Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Kwasi Acheampong, same. Non-profit organization, which teaches students how to be leaders, to better themselves and the communities where they live.
EASTHAMPTON
Northeast Artist Repository Digital Ltd., 62 Parsons St., Easthampton, MA 01027. James Roger Gehrt, same. Non-profit organized to provide digital access, organization, description and preservation of digital support material, documentation and creative works to a range of artists and artist groups based in the New England states as well as the New York area.
FLORENCE
New Pine Spa Inc., 176 Pine St., Florence, MA 01062. Enzhe Jin, same. Massage and bodywork services.
Paws Pizzeria Inc., 691 Westhampton Road, Florence, MA 01062. Peter Vogel, same. Manufacturing and selling of pet treats.
NORTH ADAMS
North Adams Bella Roma Corp., 117 Main St., North Adams, MA 01247. Ilyas Ozdemir, 202 Appleton Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Restaurant, catering and delivery.
ORANGE
No Limit Real Estate Inc., 73 Stone Valley Road, Orange, MA 01364. Eric B. Gariepy, same. Asset management.
PALMER
Nicebox Inc., 25 Blanchard St., Palmer, MA 01069. Janet M. Callahan, 5 Highland Trail, West Brookfield, MA 01585. Non-profit organized to establish a charitable community betterment organization that develops and establishes partnerships with public and private social service agencies
PITTSFIELD
North End Auto Services Inc., 1249 North St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Valery Porupski, same. Automobile repair and sales.
SOUTH HADLEY
New Main Moon Care Inc., 11 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Mei Young Lam, same. Restaurant/café services.
SPRINGFIELD
Precision Components Group Inc., 136Woodmont St., Springfield, MA 01104. Peter A. Elias, same. Machining of aerospace parts.
WESTFIELD
Pro and Local Detailing Inc., 16 South Maple St., Westfield, MA 01085, Paul Frasco, same. Automobile detailing, cleaning, and restoration.
The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the months of January and February 2017.
AMHERST
Al Manar Education Consultancies
135 East Hadley Road
Mohamed Ibrahim, Magda Ahmed
KF Web Development
43 Greenwich Road
Fabrice Ketchakeu
BELCHERTOWN
Brain On Tutoring
39 A Maple St.
Amanda Halperin
Green Diamond Systems
125 Blue Meadow Road
Alan Page
HB Hive Co.
641 Daniel Shays Highway
Ross Hartman
Ivy HR
125 Mill Valley Road
Chris Abbuhl
CHICOPEE
Angel Snipe Gaming
70 Post Road
Derek Dobosz
Chicopee St. Patrick’s Parade Committee
62 Davenport St.
Ketherine Sliwa
Couture Event Designs
136 Crestwood St.
Maria Sousa
Pizza Express
557 East St.
Tekin Boluk
Truehart Massage
264 Exchange St.
Rochelle Truehart-Lambert
EAST LONGMEADOW
Avalanche Landscape Design Inc.
40 Crane Ave.
Eric Weichselbaumer
Bodyworks Unlimited Inc.
347 Elm St.
Antonio Bordoni
Fogueria
621 North Main St.
Manual Coelho
Harbourside Wealth Management
96 Shaker Road
Gary LaVallee
Milecast Media
273 Westwood Ave.
Stefany Schaefer
GREENFIELD
Ace of the Trades
43 B Fort Square
Anthony Ellis
Jessica Fiske LMT
239 Main St., Suite 5
Jessica Fiske
Regency Mortgage
21 Mohawk Trail, Suite 306
Lendusa, LLC
RMC Wholesale
21 Mohawk Trail, Suite 306
Lendusa, LLC
HAMPDEN
Green Valley Preschool and Day Care
10 Allen St.
Carmela Fitzpatrick, Traci Croteau
HOLYOKE
Capri Pizza & Restaurant
18-20 Cabot St.
Fiore Santaniello
Divine Beauty Salon
1312 Dwight St.
Angela Burgos
Gods & Legends Apparel
Luis Caraballo
33 Belcher St.
Holyoke Hummus Co.
285 High St.
John Grossman
Joel’s Moving Services
507 Whitney Ave.
Edgar Ramos
R & R Variety
207 ½ Sargeant St.
Rosalie Pratt
Tony’s Auto Sales
800 High St.
Anthony Trabal, Megali Trabal
LUDLOW
Easy Shop Convenience
546 A Center St.
Tahir Humayun
Hairstyles by Helena at Hair West
322 West Ave.
Helena Ferreira
Our Town Variety
259 Fuller St.
Sheetal Patel
Red Caravel Antiques
200 Center St., Suite 8
Elizabeth Teixeira
Tenczar Contractors
58 Wilno Ave.
Andrew Tenczar
NORTHAMPTON
Creative Curations
46 Cross St.
Laura Bergstrom
D.L. Hain
123 Hawley St.
Diane Lanoue
Law Office of Katherine Callaghan
55 Golden Dr.
Katherine Callaghan
Next Step Sales & Marketing Partners
115 Elm St., #1
Gregory Barrett
Notes
48 Main St.
Steven Campbell
Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop
267 Turkey Hill Road
Joy Baglio
Silent Source
58 Nonotuck St.
Harry Ridabock II
PALMER
Anne-Marie Olread Day Spa for Hands and Feet
3051 Pleasant St.
Anne-Marie Olread
Cutting & Styling Mart
1005 Central St.
Robin Dane
DPN Investigative Backgrounds & Security Services
2258 Main St.
Daniel Narreau
Girly’s Grill Inc.
1315 Park St.
Lori Beth Lind
Images Salon
1207 South Main St.
Wendy DeBoise
Northern Construction Service LLC
1516-1520 Park St.
John Rahkonen
Townies
1618 North Main St.
Pamela Kirkland
SOUTHWICK
Industrial Gas Turbine Support
13 Industrial Road
Jeffrey Vangelder
My Time LLC
627 College Highway
Allyson O’Dell
SPRINGFIELD
41st and 3rd
34 Front St.
Justin Oriel
A 2 Z Convenience Store
123 Chestnut St.
Sajid Zaman
Berliner Law
1441 Main St.
L. Jed Berliner
Blanco o Negro Promotion
15 Merida St.
Jesus Fontanez
Blue Lagoon Restaurant
180 State St.
Lewis Boynton
El Mango Market
2881 Main St.
Jorge Colon
Fresh Cut 2
1655 Boston Road
Ernesto Padilla
GRN Consulting
One Monarch Place
Karen Roberts
JDCole-TV, LLC
59 Meredith St.
Jeremy Cole
Kilpatrick Mebane Property Management
65 Westford Ave.
Tony Mebane
Main Food Shop
176 Main St.
Amarilis Perez
Optimal Office Cleaning
26 Lafayette St.
Kimberley Berry
Sonia Noemi Munoz Hope
14 Lombard St.
Yamira Rodriguez
Super Brush, LLC
800 Worcester St.
Donna Roy
WARE
An Honest Handyman
30 Highland St.
Charles Edler
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Eddie Shore Enterprises
1305 Memorial Ave.
Catherine Pokorny
Fuelboys
41 Chapin St.
Rene Thibault
Gilbert’s Handyman Service
65 Paulson Dr.
Norman Gilbert
IHOP
640 Riverdale St.
Deborah Pusen
Lawn Pro
161 Great Plains Road
William Paquette
Mattress Firm
935 Riverdale St.
Kindel Elam
Rafa Transportation LLC
203 Circuit Ave.
Rafael Mkanga
Stars Delivery
41 Irving St.
Gheorghe Rahubenco
WILBRAHAM
Core and More LLC
2141 F Boston Road
Arice Mackintosh
Homebuyers Inspection Service
17 Shady Lane
David Falvey
Jahn Building & Remodeling
376 Mountain Road
William Jahn
Michael R. Alexander, Electrician
84 Manchonis St.
Michael Alexander
NovaCare Rehabilitation
2377 Boston Road
David Chernow, Robert Ortenzio, Michael Tarvin, Scott Romberger
Ricciardi Construction Co.
840 Main St.
Gary Ricciardi
Wilbraham Tire and Auto Service Inc.
2694 Boston Road
Kurt Zimmerman, Peter Kearing
The following business permits were issued during the months of January and February 2017.
AGAWAM
NEU Corp.
1251 River Road
$27,325 — Remodel bar
CHICOPEE
Meadow Chicopee 425-521 LLC
425 Meadow St.
$329,627 — Shell work for future tenant
South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corp.
111 Springfield St.
$1,065,040 — Total renovation, including demolition, siding, windows, walls, ceilings, interior finishes, plumbing, heating, electrical, fire protection, and site work
EAST LONGMEADOW
Baystate Dental
250 North Main St.
$2.5 million — New commercial building
Eyesight & Surgery Associates
382 North Main St.
$14,980 — Commercial alteration
Powerclean Fitness
45 Baldwin St.
$70,000 — Commercial alteration
Powerclean Fitness
45 Baldwin St.
$20,625 — Fire sprinkler
LONGMEADOW
GPT Longmeadow LLC
746 Bliss Road
$12,000 — Add wall-mounted sign with halo-lit letters and one directional sign
The Longmeadow Mall LP
827 Williams St.
$20,000 — New facade
LUDLOW
MMWEC
327 Moody St.
$9,000 — Non-illuminated sign
Taxiway, LLC
84 Westover Road
$20,000 — Commercial alterations
NORTHAMPTON
City of Northampton
45 Gothic St.
$1,000 — Interior renovation to office area
Coolidge Center LLC
47 Pleasant St.
$16,000 — Divide existing space, construct three offices
Hospital Hill Development LLC
1 Village Hill Road
$16,500 — Create two new offices on second floor
Smith College
63 Belmont Ave.
$13,500 — Install new shower stall in bathroom, relocate washer and dryer hookups into kitchen
Smith College
23 Round Hill Road
$39,464 — Build new accessible restroom and custodial closet
PALMER
Baystate Wing Hospital
40 Wright St.
$12 million — Addition to existing hospital to accommodate Emergency Department expansion and shell space
Griswold Glass
1184 Park St.
$27,000 — Roofing
Sanderson MacLeod Inc.
1199 South Main St.
$2,600 — Relocate and add sprinklers to accommodate new ceiling layout
SPRINGFIELD
CMC Development Associates Ltd.
222 Carew St.
$100,000 — Renovate third-floor suite
Cottage St. LLC
604 Cottage St.
$2,600 — Move door, move existing reception window, install new door for adult day care facility
CVS Pharmacy
1500 Main St.
$7,000 — Modify photo counter and checkout area
Fontaine Investment Corp.
510 Cottage St.
$19,000 — Renovation of existing space to create additional offices
Joseph Hendricks
395-405 Dwight St.
$2,000 — Modify existing commercial space
Tom Mangan
1695 Main St.
$5,792 — Install 12 replacement windows in office building
Northgate Center, LLC
1985 Main St.
$22,000 — Increase vestibule size, change storefront to double-paned glass, install two interior sliding glass windows, remove portion of a wall
Picknelly Family LP
1414 Main St.
$132,500 — Interior office build-out, cosmetics, new finishes for tenant Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy
Wason Avenue Partners LLC
80 Wason Ave.
$22,110 — Remove wall to expand mammography room for Shields MRI Health Care
WARE
Frank DeSantis
250 West St., Building 1
$4,000 — Replacement windows
Ware on Earth Realty, LLC
388 Palmer Road
$3,500 — Signage
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Hearthstone Housing Foundation
215 Baldwin St.
$66,100 — Add two restrooms to existing space
Laurel Apartments
1343 Riverdale St.
$974 — Replace shingles
Riverdale Shops
935 Riverdale St., Suite C105
$108,150 — Rework retail space for a team sports retail store
Table & Vine
$14,500 — Roofing
1119 Riverdale St.
WS Trade Center Condos
233 Western Ave., Unit 243
$17,500 — Construct two storage rooms, cosmetic improvements to front office
WILBRAHAM
Chandler Holdings LLC
182 Monson Road
$20,000 — Demolish barn
Town of Wilbraham
318 Main St.
$7,950 — Demolition of modular classroom at Memorial School
Stony Hill Road Realty LLC
805 Stony Hill Road
$20,000 — Install three newer antennas and associated equipment alongside existing antennas
CHICOPEE — The Borgia Gallery at Elms College, in collaboration with Anchor House of Artists in Northampton, will present a retrospective exhibition of artwork by the late Genevieve Mae Burnett, an artist who struggled with extreme schizophrenia.
“Genevieve Mae Burnett: A Retrospective” will be on display in the gallery from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily March 2-24, except college holidays. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Dooley College Center on the Elms campus at 291 Springfield St., Chicopee.
Burnett produced prodigious amounts of art throughout her life, exhibited widely, and sold pieces into fine collections — and she accomplished all this in spite of the persecutory auditory hallucinations she battled from childhood. She died in 2015; in her last months, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, but continued the struggle to produce to the end. Her intellectual property — artwork and writings — was assigned to the care of the Anchor House of Artists, and this exhibit is assembled from that collection.
“Burnett’s work is beautiful, making masterful use of color and composition to reach out to the vulnerable, human core we all share,” said Borgia Gallery curator Cecily Hughes. “Her work is atmospheric and often haunting, evoking the feeling of once-familiar places.”
This exhibit is presented in collaboration with Anchor House of Artists, an organization based in Northampton whose mission is to support the creative careers of artists who live with serious mental illnesses, to fight social stigmas about mental illness, and to contribute to cultural enrichment in Western Mass. and beyond.
“On the face of it, that a shadow-dwelling woman made small oil paintings continuously and wrote about her visual experiences each day of her 70 years sounds like an intriguing story — that is, until you see the paintings,” said Anchor House Director Michael Tillyer. “Then, the life that is an oddity becomes diminished by the sheer artistic power that the paintings project.”
Added Hughes, “these paintings are the work of a truly gifted artist — and, at the same time, they are the work of a person with severe schizophrenia. They are both, and cannot be reduced to one or the other — a testament that mental illness is a complex part of a greater whole person. I hope this exhibition provokes gallery visitors to examine their own ideas about mental illness and to feel a stronger connection to the threads, such as fear and aspiration, that link us all.”
To complement the exhibit, Hughes is working with Kathleen Scoble, dean of the School of Nursing, and Janet Lucier, assistant clinical professor, to plan a free public colloquium on art and mental health. The colloquium will be held on Thursday, March 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Borgia Gallery. Tillyer will be joined by Lucier and others to discuss creativity and mental illness in the healthcare system from the perspective of Burnett’s life and work. Attendees are invited to participate through questions and discussion.
“This colloquium will provide a venue for the public to learn about and discuss mental illness — its complexities, realities, and common misconceptions — through an artist’s life and work. Speakers from both the art world and health professions will bring multiple perspectives, painting a fuller picture,” Hughes said.
Despite Burnett’s illness, Tillyer added, “she was able to do what so very few can. This says nothing about art as a healing activity, but speaks volumes about the power of art to challenge and transform society’s preconceptions of age, gender, illness, and creativity.”
GREENFIELD — While the future of national environmental priorities is unclear, the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) will keep a close watch on proposed changes at the national level and remain focused on local successes at home. Founded in 1952, CRWC is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting rivers across the four-state Connecticut River watershed.
CRWC has many projects lined up in 2017, working with local farms, family businesses, and towns on projects that improve the health of area rivers and strengthen communities. Despite differences between states, CRWC has one unifying goal of clean, healthy rivers for all.
“Every year, our goal is to make real, on-the-ground improvements throughout the watershed,” said CRWC Executive Director Andrew Fisk. “Our job is to find environmental problems and help solve them. We do that by bringing money, expertise, and commitment to the table. Thanks to all our funders, partners, members, and volunteers who help make these projects possible.”
Some of CRWC’s anticipated projects in Massachusetts in 2017 include efforts to restore populations of endangered mussels with citizen scientists; remove invasive water chestnut plants; remain involved in hydroelectric relicensing of at least nine facilities on the Connecticut River and tributaries in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont; create new campsites for paddlers along the main-stem Connecticut River; increase bacteria monitoring and reporting across all four river states beyond the 156 locations already online; and remove tons more trash from the rivers during the 21st annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Sept. 22-23.
The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. To learn more about CRWC, or to make a contribution to help protect area rivers, visit www.ctriver.org or call (413) 772-2020, ext. 202.
WESTFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) is now accepting applications for three Tighe & Bond scholarships for Hampden and Hampshire county students pursuing civil and environmental engineering degrees. Graduating high-school seniors and enrolled college students can apply for Tighe & Bond’s 2017 academic year scholarships through March 31 by visiting communityfoundation.org/scholarships/apply.
Headquartered in Westfield, and one of the most experienced engineering and environmental consulting firms in the Northeast, Tighe & Bond has been dedicated to supporting communities where its staff live and work. The firm has a strong commitment to progressing the engineering profession and providing education assistance to promising students. More than 20 years ago, Tighe & Bond initiated the establishment of its annual CFWM scholarships to honor the careers and contributions of three former company leaders who were instrumental in setting the long-term direction and success of the firm. The goal is to help fund higher education for talented young students who are pursuing engineering careers.
Tighe & Bond established its first memorial scholarship fund in 1996 to honor past President George McDonnell, a lifelong South Hadley resident. Students who are residents of South Hadley and who are majoring in either civil or environmental engineering are welcome to apply for this scholarship.
In 1999, the firm established another scholarship to honor Holyoke resident and past President Edward Bayon. Students graduating from Holyoke High School who plan to attend a four-year college and major in civil engineering (or a related field) are welcome to apply for this scholarship.
In 2006, Tighe & Bond established yet another scholarship to honor past President Philip Sheridan, who served the firm for 46 years. Graduating high-school seniors from Hampden or Hampshire counties who plan to attend a four-year college and major in civil engineering (or a related field) are welcome to apply for this scholarship.
Founded in 1991, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers more than 550 charitable funds, which have been created either for the benefit of or by residents of the Pioneer Valley.
SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, MGM Springfield announced the terms of a MassMutual Center venue-management agreement with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) and Spectra by Comcast Spectacor. MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis, together with MCCA Executive Director David Gibbons and Spectra Regional Vice President Matt Hollander, outlined the phased management-transition plan during a presentation at the MassMutual Center (MMC).
In front of approximately 175 current Spectra employees who work at the MMC, MGM Resorts executives presented a transition plan that will commence as early as July 1. At that time, MGM Springfield will become the exclusive venue manager of the MMC and will work in partnership with Spectra, which will provide management-transition services in support of MGM, while also overseeing food and beverage services until a similar transition plan is reached with MGM.
“We are thrilled to enter into this agreement that leverages the best of what our company has to offer, in order to make best use of the MMC and drive downtown economic development,” Mathis said. “We commend Spectra and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on all they have accomplished with the MMC, and we are excited about the future opportunities that will come with the opening of our $950 million casino resort across the street. Creating experiences that attract visitors is what we do at MGM. We look forward to partnering with the professionals at Spectra during this transition period to make the MMC a central component in Springfield’s revitalization.”
The announcement comes as a result of discussions following a winning joint bid last year by MGM and Spectra for the five-year contract to operate the MMC, an 8,000-seat, multi-purpose arena and convention center in downtown Springfield, one block from the MGM Springfield site.
Early on, MGM committed to using its extensive entertainment relationships and partnerships to bring 12 performances annually to existing Springfield venues — the MMC, CityStage, and Symphony Hall. The commitment was memorialized in the host-community agreement with the city of Springfield.
“The MCCA is excited about the future of the MassMutual Center and downtown Springfield,” Gibbons said. “Spectra has been a great partner in the management of the center since it opened in 2005. And with a world-renowned entertainment and hospitality leader moving in across the street, we now have the power of MGM’s extraordinary industry relationships to look forward to on our future marquees.”
Added Hollander “Spectra has always been committed to the success of the MassMutual Center. We appreciate the opportunity that the MCCA provided us to operate the center, and we look forward to working with the MGM Springfield team in the coming year to leverage on the achievements we and our local hospitality and tourism partners have built.”
As a result of the management agreement, MGM Springfield will welcome about 175 full-time and part-time MMC employees as early as July 1. MGM Springfield plans to host several informational sessions for its new employees in the spring. These employees will join the more than 72,000 MGM Resorts employees around the world, gaining access to MGM’s training and expertise as an industry leader in entertainment and hospitality, including sales, marketing, meetings, and events.
Marikate Murren, MGM Springfield director of Human Resources, noted that, “for almost five years, MGM has had an opportunity to see MMC employees host special events, small and large-scale meetings, and first-rate entertainment offerings. Our entire company looks forward to welcoming these hard-working, proud, and diverse professionals and learning from their local experience, passion, and knowledge.”
In the near future, MGM and Spectra will be working on increased cross-marketing opportunities, streamlined job and customer-service training, coordinated purchasing of local goods and services, and a new, stronger, multi-faceted approach to trade and industry events. Additionally, MGM Springfield will manage the long-term event calendar, reinforcing its commitment to bring entertainment back to downtown by leveraging its expertise and brand to attract high-quality programming.
“From day one, MGM Springfield vowed to use MGM’s entertainment roots to bring the arts and entertainment back to downtown Springfield,” Mathis said. “This agreement furthers our engagement, allowing us to be central to the discussions and decisions about the events that will best serve Springfield, and how we can best leverage the facility to benefit local businesses.”
SPRINGFIELD — Unpaid or underpaid interns can come with a giant price tag, according to Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area. However, they can also help businesses connect with the next generation of business leaders. To help employers provide a mutually beneficial internship program, attorney Timothy Murphy of Skoler, Abbott & Presser will host a live webinar on Thursday, March 2, identifying key laws employers need to know to limit legal liability when utilizing interns.
“An internship should provide value to both the intern and the business,” Murphy said. “However, the line between ‘intern’ and ‘employee’ is fuzzy at best. With spring just around the corner, now is the time when college students and graduates are searching for internships. Business owners and human-resource professionals should be prepared and know how to bring interns on board for mutual benefit and avoid the legal pitfalls that could result in costly lawsuits.”
Those lawsuits can happen to any business failing to comply with wage-and-hour laws. Warner Music Group Corp., for example, home to some of the largest record labels, including Atlantic and Warner Bros., agreed to settle to the tune of $4.2 million when student interns filed a suit claiming that they were owed minimum wage and overtime for performing duties that the company would have had to hire and pay others to perform.
“Coming prepared to work and providing valuable contributions is the responsibility of an intern and something you should expect as an employer,” Murphy said. “They, in turn, expect you to provide an opportunity that complies with the law. These relationships can be, and most often are, positive, and we are here to help you put that framework together for the upcoming internship season.”
The webinar will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and cover such topics as rhe benefits of hiring seasonal interns for both the intern and the organization; what interns should and should not be doing as part of their job duties; how to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Department of Labor’s six-point test, and how courts generally interpret the factors in that test; other recent legal rulings that may affect unpaid internships; how to ensure the intern who agrees to work for the organization understands the duties involved, and that the position is unpaid; how to avoid issues of harassment and discrimination with unpaid interns; and how to ensure the intern is benefiting from the training and experience as in educational environment, and why this is crucial from a legal standpoint.
Professionals interested in attending the webinar can do so online by visiting skoler-abbott.com/news/trainingprograms.
SPRINGFIELD — The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) is seeking nominations for its Woman of the Year award. The award is presented annually to a woman in the Western Mass. area who exemplifies outstanding leadership, professional accomplishment, and service to the community.
This award has been given annually since 1954 and is publicly recognized as one of the most prestigious honors given to any citizen for distinguished service and selfless giving. The award’s first recipient was Julia Buxton, treasurer of Buxton Inc., founder of what is now known as the PWC and the first woman elected to the Springfield Chamber board of directors. Other past recipients include 2016 Woman of the Year Arlene Rodriguez, vice president of Academic Affairs for Springfield Technical Community College; Anne Paradis, CEO of MicroTek; Carol Campbell, president, CEO, and founder of Chicopee Industrial Contractors; the late Kitty Broman; the late state Sen. Iris Holland; Sr. Mary Caritas; retired Judge Nancy Dusek-Gomez; former state Sen. Gale Candaras; and businesswomen Arlene Putnam, Mary Reardon Johnson, Ellen Freyman, and Jean Deliso.
To be considered, candidates must be gainfully employed in a paid full-time position and live or work in the Pioneer Valley. Any woman in the Pioneer Valley may be nominated; no chamber affiliation is required. Nominee achievements can be representative of a lifetime of work or for more recent successes.
Nomination forms are available online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com or by contacting event committee chair Jenny MacKay at [email protected]. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 17.
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Central Cultural District (SCCD) has issued a call to artists for a unique opportunity in Downtown Springfield. The Cultural District is searching for artists to host a solo show in SCCD’s Art Stop pop-up gallery program and sell their work in one of three locations downtown: New England Public Radio (NEPR), SilverBrick Lofts, and 1550 Main.
The request for proposals (RFP) asks for proposals from artists of all mediums to show their work from March to June 2017. Requirements for what the art should look like are fairly laid-back, to best enable creative expression. All art will be available for sale during the display period, with 100% of proceeds going directly back to the creator. A stipend of $200 will also be awarded to chosen artists.
The Art Stop venues range from a small community meeting space at NEPR which has been used for its youth arts program MediaLab and yoga classes, to the highly visible first-floor lobby of 1550 Main, trafficked by hundreds of people daily, to a large community space at SilverBrick Lofts housing two mammoth, historic boilers. The SCCD hopes artists will draw inspiration from these differing spaces.
“The idea to create unconventional gallery spaces sprung out of being asked by the host locations how to activate their community rooms, and we’re always looking for ways to increase walkability downtown,” said Cultural District Director Morgan Drewniany. “The October pilot Art Stop in these locations was a huge success in both ways — people were walking and talking about art in a new and different way in the district, and we hope to continue the momentum by doing it again.”
A joint reception will be held between the three locations in late March, with artist talks, street art, and performances between the locations to encourage walking, and light food and drinks, all provided by the SCCD and hosts for the artists.
The Springfield Central Cultural District encompasses an area of the metro center of Springfield, and is membership-based, involving many of the downtown arts institutions. Its mission is to create and sustain a vibrant cultural environment in Springfield.
The RFP and more details on this program can be found at springfieldculture.org/artistresources. Any questions can be forwarded to Drewniany at [email protected] or (413) 454-1195.
SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine will accept nominations for the 40 Under Forty Class of 2017 through the end of the work day (5 p.m.) this Friday, Feb 17. The annual program, now in its 11th year, recognizes rising stars within the Western Mass. community, which includes Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.
This year’s group of 40 will be profiled in the magazine’s April 17 edition, then toasted at the June 22 gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The nomination form, which can be found online at businesswest.com (click ‘Our Events’), requests basic information and can be supported with other material, such as a résumé, testimonials, and even press clippings highlighting an individual’s achievements in their profession or service to their community.
SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced its first competitive Innovation Grant award recipients this week. Seven organizations from throughout the Pioneer Valley received grants totaling $300,000. Individual grant awards range from $35,000 to $50,000.
The awardees and innovation projects these initiatives target include:
• Clinical & Support Options: Building Resilience by Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools, Franklin County;
• Five Colleges Inc.: the Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition, Hampden and Hampshire counties;
• The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Achieving Hunger Free Communities, Hampden and Franklin counties;
• Just Roots Inc.: Healthy Farms, Healthy Communities: Expanding the Community Sustainable Agriculture Model as a Health Intervention, Franklin County;
• Nuestras Raices: the Holyoke Food and Agriculture Innovation Center, Hampden County;
• Pioneer Valley Habitat For Humanity: Big Enough: Pioneering the Small Home Revolution in the Pioneer Valley, Hampshire County; and
• Wellspring Cooperative Corp.: Springfield Worker Cooperative, Hampden County.
These are the first awards of the CFWM’s new competitive Innovation Grant program. The program is designed to promote focused, creative problem-solving, taking advantage of the expertise within nonprofits to address pressing concerns in the region. Awardee organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the Pioneer Valley.
Semifinalists were invited to participate in a meetup at which they presented their proposals to small groups of volunteer reviewers in a speed-round format. Springfield-based Valley Venture Mentors provided coaching to presenters on making an effective pitch and co-hosted the event with the CFWM.
“We’re inspired by the promise of this new program,” said CFWM Vice President for Programs & Strategy Janet Daisley. “As we’d hoped, it brought to our attention potential new ways of looking at challenges. We asked applicants to think big and collaborate with other organizations to develop their ideas, and we’re thrilled to support the work it takes to turn those ideas into action.”
She added that the meetup was a new approach to gather community input to assess the merits of proposals. “It was a dynamic event that reflects our commitment to community philanthropy. It convened people from around the region, gave applicants the chance to hear feedback, and volunteers the opportunity to probe deeper about the region’s needs and the outstanding organizations seeking solutions to these challenges. The Community Foundation is thrilled to help get these ideas off the ground and see where the planning leads.”
Each grant funds the planning stage, supporting the work involved in exploring the innovative idea and designing a project that, once implemented, can respond to the need. These planning-grant recipients will be eligible to apply for implementation grants through the CFWM’s Innovation Grant program later this year.
CFWM awards approximately $9 million each year in grants and scholarships to organizations and individuals throughout the Pioneer Valley. Mission Grants and scholarship applications are both available online at communityfoundation.org.
SOUTH HADLEY — Sok’s Bar & Grille in South Hadley will host ‘Plunge into the Parade’ on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring drinks, celebrity servers, and more. Donations collected by the celebrity servers will go back to both the Leprechaun Plunge Committee of South Hadley and the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Committee. A percentage of food and drinks purchased during the event will also be donated by the establishment.
Five fund-raising events will be taking place on Thursdays through March 16 to raise money for both organizations. A complete list with dates, locations, and celebrity servers may be found at www.facebook.com/plungeintotheparade.
WESTFIELD — NetLogix recently welcomed Jenny Aldrich as business development representative. Aldrich brings a background in a variety of technology organizations, ranging from IT network planning, security, and management, as well as SaaS business applications.
Leveraging her experience with medical and insurance business systems will be a benefit to NetLogix’s new clients. Over the years, she has seen firsthand where IT networking solutions have provided stability, security, and growth to companies in the legal, medical, insurance, nonprofit, manufacturing, distribution, banking, and engineering fields.
“I really enjoy helping companies focus on their ‘top line’ by delivering effective technology solutions,” Aldrich said. “I have worked for large, small, and tech startup companies, and one thing stays consistent: you have to really love your clients’ business as much as they do.”
Added Marco Liquori, NetLogix CEO, “I am extremely excited about the opportunities that Jenny can create for NetLogix. The addition of a dedicated resource for new clients is a key to our success.”
GLASTONBURY, Conn. — William Crawford IV, CEO of United Bank and United Financial Bancorp Inc., announced that United will be relocating its administrative offices from Glastonbury, Conn. to the Goodwin Square building located at 225 Asylum St. in the central business district of Hartford, Conn.
Starting in the third quarter of 2017, United Bank will vacate approximately 46,000 square feet of leased office space in Glastonbury and move approximately 200 Connecticut-based, non-branch employees into approximately 68,000 square feet of leased office space in the Goodwin Square building. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. United Bank intends to sublease its current administrative office space at 45 and 95 Glastonbury Blvd. in Glastonbury through the upcoming lease expiration. United Bank’s main branch office will remain at 25 Park St. in Rockville, Conn.
Since January 2011, the Bank has grown organically — and through its merger in 2014 — from $1.7 billion in assets and 220 employees to $6.6 billion in assets and more than 700 employees. Relocating to Hartford’s central business district is a cost-effective means to improve efficiency by consolidating the majority of the bank’s Connecticut-based non-branch employees.
When the relocation of its administrative offices to downtown Hartford is complete in the fourth quarter of 2017, United Bank will become Goodwin Square’s signature tenant with extensive signage and branding visible in downtown Hartford and from I-84 and I-91. United also plans to open a retail banking branch in downtown Hartford, subject to regulatory approval.
“Consolidating our administrative offices into Hartford provides a more cost-effective and operationally efficient real-estate solution. It also positions our commercial banking teams in close proximity to the highest concentration of businesses and commercial and government deposits within the Hartford MSA. We see this as an opportunity to build upon our market share in Greater Hartford, where we have the #4 deposit market share,” Crawford said.
LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University will host expert panelists for an evening of discussion concerning the issues and questions surrounding terminal illness, loss of a loved one, and grief. “Dying, Death, and Bereavement” will take place on Monday, Feb. 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Breck Suite located in Wright Hall on the university’s Longmeadow campus.
“Dying, Death, and Bereavement” will be moderated by Bay Path Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Dianne Hall, with panelists including Dr. Maura Brennan, attorney Hyman Darling, Dr. Donalyn Gross, and Pamela Quirk, who will be prepared to answer questions using their experience and knowledge in their field to discuss topics that surround these issues.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration and more information about panelists and event details can be found on the univeristy’s website, www.baypath.edu (click on ‘Events’).
SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) has signed articulation agreements with Holyoke Community College (HCC), Springfield Technical Community College (STCC), and Capital Community College (CCC) in Hartford. Articulation agreements formally partner programs between two-year colleges and four-year institutions.
This accords align courses and programs that will allow qualified candidates to make a smooth, successful transfer from these community colleges to AIC.
An articulation agreement can mean time and cost savings for students by not having to take duplicate courses. In addition, articulation agreements help both the sending and receiving institutions boost enrollment and retention rates.
At AIC, the program is referred to as Direct Connect. Direct Connect transfer students automatically receive a $4,000 scholarship in addition to their earned merit scholarship, before any need-based aid is awarded. This means Direct Connect students can earn up to $17,000 per year in financial gift aid, not loans, before being evaluated for additional need-based aid. And, unlike some other transfer articulation agreements, the Direct Connect program at AIC allows students to study and major in their area of interest while attending their community college.
“We are very pleased to have entered into partnerships with HCC, STCC, and CCC,” said AIC President Vince Maniaci. “It is a benefit to students to know that the courses they take at the community-college level can be transferred to our four-year institution. These partnerships also benefit our institution, knowing that, when we accept students from these three community colleges, they have already proven they can meet the requirements of college-level programs.”
SPRINGFIELD — As a part of its commitment to the Springfield community and as part of an effort to increase the number of Springfield College employees living in the city, Springfield College has expanded its Employee Neighborhood Homeownership Program.
Since 1999, Springfield College has assisted its employees in buying homes for their primary residence within the neighborhoods surrounding the college campus with a homeownership program.
The college is increasing the amount of the available loan from $1,000 to $5,000 and has expanded the eligible neighborhoods to include the entire Old Hill and Upper Hill neighborhoods, along with the Six Corners, South End, and Metro Center neighborhoods.
“Promoting Springfield as a great place to live by encouraging the expansion of employer homebuying incentives was a major goal of the young professionals committee, and I am thrilled Springfield College has revitalized its neighborhood homebuyer program in 2017,” said Springfield City Councilor Michael Fenton. “The college has always been an excellent community partner, and I thank them for their continued cooperation and this investment in Springfield’s future.”
“The college will match dollar for dollar up to a maximum contribution from the college of $5,000 in down-payment funds,” said Calvin Hill, Springfield College Vice President for Inclusion and Community Engagement. “We hope our employees take advantage of this opportunity as the college continues to make a real difference contributing to a great college community and helping more people live in the city, both in its vibrant downtown corridor and near the college campus.”
Employees must remain employed at the college for five years following the loan disbursement, and the property must remain their primary residence, to have the loan forgiven in its entirety.
SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson Corp. announced that it donated $10,000 to the Springfield Museums in November to provide funding for field-trip busing for every third-grade public and private school student in Springfield. The funding helped ensure maximum participation in the museum program for the city’s 2,054 third-graders.
Funding from Smith & Wesson for bus transportation allowed students in approximately 82 classrooms to experience “Then & Now: Life at the Turn of the Century,” an on-site history and social-sciences program that seeks to underscore Springfield’s role as a center of industry and innovation in the late 19th and early 20th century. While attending the program, which concludes this month, students become historians as they interpret early-20th century history by examining Indian Motocycles, Rolls-Royce automobiles, Milton Bradley games, and Barney ice skates. In addition to a ‘then and now’ scavenger hunt, students handle real historic artifacts and work on a mock assembly line to better understand Springfield’s industrial past.
Mark Smith, President of Manufacturing Services at Smith & Wesson, was on hand at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield history on Jan. 12 to assist third-graders visiting from St. Michael’s Academy. Smith helped guide students through an assembly-line exercise and engaged students in a conversation on various methods of production.
“It was exciting to explore the assembly-line process with the students from St. Michael’s Academy,” Smith said. “Smith & Wesson and manufacturers all over the world have been relying on assembly lines to bring their products to market for over a century, and they are still a vital part of our manufacturing process today. We are proud to be able to sponsor this wonderful program helping young students in Springfield learn about our home city’s rich history and the significant role that many local businesses played in the industrial revolution.”
Smith & Wesson has been a part of the Springfield community since 1852 and remains one of the area’s leading manufacturers, employing more than 1,600 people and supporting numerous philanthropic causes. Smith & Wesson has been a major supporter of the Springfield Museums for decades. Over the past five years, the company has contributed nearly $500,000 to community history and preservation projects, namely the restoration and rededication of the Veteran’s Memorial Flag Pole and through the sponsorship of the Smith & Wesson Gallery of Firearms History at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.
NORTHAMPTON — Webber & Grinnell Insurance can trace its local origins all the way back to 1849, when the town was minting $5 coins from California gold-rush gold. This year, it was the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital that was celebrating a bit of a gold rush. Bill Grinnell, the company’s president and current torch-bearer for the historically family-owned business, stopped by CDH last Friday to receive the center’s thanks for a $10,000 donation the agency made in December.
Grinnell met with Cooley Dickinson President and CEO Joanne Marqusee and Chief Development Officer Diane Dukette to receive an official thank-you on behalf of the agency, and to take a brief tour of the new facility.
“Instinct,” said Grinnell when asked why he made the pledge. “I was born at Cooley Dickinson, and I know people with cancer who have been treated here.” Grinnell went on to add that he “believes in supporting the community,” and was “excited to support a local institution where individuals can get the care they need, where they need it.”
The gift was one of the very last ones to come in that helped the Development team at Cooley Dickinson Health Care successfully close the campaign for the cancer center, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary of being open to the public in October 2016. In that time, the center treated 876 new patients in its medical oncology space and employed 55 staff in its radiation, infusion (chemotherapy), and medical oncology departments.
The Cancer Center also shares its new space with several other complementary disciplines, including palliative care, nutrition, genetics counseling, physical and occupational therapy, and social work, and hosts a monthly Liver Transplant Evaluation Clinic where patients can book consultations with specialists from Massachusetts General Hospital’s Boston-based Transplant Center. Recently, the center added access to new integrative therapies, including Reiki and massage therapy.
SPRINGFIELD — Plenty of good seats are available for the ninth annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, to be held on Thursday, March 30 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke.
The winners, profiled in the Jan. 23 issue and at businesswest.com, are the Community Colleges of Western Mass. (Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and Springfield Technical Community College); Friends of the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round; Denis Gagnon Sr., president and CEO of Excel Dryer Inc.; Junior Achievement of Western Mass.; and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One.
Tickets to the event cost $65 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.
Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Event sponsors include First American Insurance; Health New England; JGS Lifecare; Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Northwestern Mutual; O’Connell Care at Home; Royal, P.C.; and Sunshine Village.
CHICOPEE — Last week, the Elms College board of trustees announced that Harry Dumay has been named the college’s 11th president.
Dumay, who was chosen after a nationwide search, has served in higher education finance and administration at senior and executive levels for 19 years. He holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Boston College, an MBA from Boston University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Framingham State University.
“Dr. Dumay is a multifaceted leader who understands Elms College and the importance of a liberal-arts education based in the Catholic intellectual tradition. He has a collaborative style and a demonstrated record of strengthening organizational and academic effectiveness, and he is enthusiastic about the future of Elms College,” said Cynthia Lyons, chair of the board of trustees. “At the very heart of his vision for our students, faculty, and the whole college community is excellence for all. He strongly believes education is the best tool to lift people out of poverty, to encourage positive discourse, and to create pathways to successful employment, while also supporting opportunities for strengthening ethical and spiritual development. This vision fits perfectly with the mission of Elms College.”
Dumay, who hails from Ouanaminthe, Haiti, is currently the senior vice president and chief financial officer at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. He formerly served as chief financial officer and associate dean at Harvard University’s Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, associate dean at Boston College’s Graduate School of Social Work, and director of finance for Boston University’s School of Engineering. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Boston College for nine years.
“Elms College is committed to serve a diverse group of women and men and to combine an excellent liberal-arts education with strong professional preparation. That resonated strongly with my belief in education that prepares individuals holistically for leadership, service, and citizenship,” Dumay said. “My campus visit reinforced my sense that Elms College is a special community in which the Sisters of St. Joseph’s spirit of Catholic solidarity pervades the campus. The students whom I met were all quite impressive, fully engaged with their campus community, and ready to contribute to the world. The faculty and staff are welcoming and enthusiastically dedicated to the teaching and learning that happens in and out of the classroom. The board is engaged and extremely supportive. I am honored and excited to lead Elms College as, together, we write the next chapter in the institution’s history.”
Sr. Maxyne Schneider, president of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and a member of the presidential search committee and board of trustee, noted that, “since its founding by the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1928, the College of Our Lady of the Elms has served those for whom Catholic higher education would be essential to a life rich in faith, learning, and economic opportunity. Dr. Dumay brings the professional and lived personal experience to continue this mission. We sense in him a spirit truly compatible with the charisma of our sisters, and will support him in his leadership with our prayer and good will.”
Elms College’s most important goal is the success of its students, Lyons said. “The value of a liberal arts education, combined with career skills and a strong sense of the Elms values of faith, justice, community, and mission, is a defining strategy for our students now and in the future,” she added. “We look forward to Dr. Dumay’s leadership as we continue to strengthen the Elms experience for all.”
Dumay’s appointment is effective July 1, 2017, and his inauguration will be held in the fall. He succeeds Mary Reap, IHM, Ph.D., who will retire after serving as Elms president for the past eight years. Lyons indicated that, during the rest of the academic year, the campus will celebrate the contributions of Reap and her lasting legacy at Elms.
SPRINGFIELD — Dr. Robert Roose has been named vice president of Mercy Behavioral Health Care. In this role, Roose oversees Providence Behavioral Health Hospital (PBHH) and leads the behavioral-health service lines, which include psychiatric and addiction and recovery services. He also represents behavioral health services as a member of the senior leadership team.
Since his arrival at PBHH in 2013, Roose has spearheaded the expansion and renovation of opioid-treatment programs, secured the addition of an office-based practice utilizing all medication-assisted treatments, developed new partnerships with community providers, and gained DPH backing to open a new clinical stabilization service at Providence. He most recently served as chief medical officer and vice president of Addiction and Recovery Services at PBHH.
In addition to his responsibilities at Providence, Roose is currently on the Quality Improvement Council of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Task Force of the Massachusetts Hospital Assoc., the Hampden County Addiction Task Force, and Gov. Charlie Baker’s Opioid Addiction Working Group. He has presented and published on various aspects of addiction treatment, focusing primarily on patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid-use disorder. His work integrating hepatitis C treatment and a peer program into an opioid-treatment program is also featured in an award-winning documentary, The Fix: The Healing Is Mutual.
Roose earned his doctor of medicine and master in public health degrees at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington D.C. and completed his residency training at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y.
SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) has added two full-time members to its team: Vice President for Philanthropic Services Ellen Leuchs and Director of IT Amy Schaeffler.
Leuchs has held a variety of positions in the nonprofit sector, both in programs and, more extensively, in development and fund-raising. She has worked in an array of settings, including institutions of higher education, the country’s largest victim-assistance agency, community-based service and advocacy programs, and a national policy organization. Her range of experience led her to develop a successful consulting career over the last decade, through which she has helped organizations throughout the Pioneer Valley as well as Boston and Vermont strengthen their fund-raising programs and achieve their goals.
Leuchs has successfully guided many local, multi-million-dollar capital campaigns, including the Amherst Survival Center, the Northampton Survival Center, the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, and the current campaign for the John P. Musante Health Center in Amherst. She is a graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University.
Schaeffler has served CFWM as an IT consultant for the past 18 months. She has an extensive financial background, having held tech and systems positions at Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Societe Generale. She was a senior software engineer and most recently a financial systems analyst at Dartmouth College before moving to Western Mass. two years ago.
CFWM encourages charitable giving throughout the Pioneer Valley and helps improve life in the region through donor-advised funds, grant programs, scholarships, and Valley Gives.
EAST LONGMEADOW — HUB International New England, a division of HUB International Limited, a global insurance-brokerage, risk-advisory, employee-benefits, commercial-lines, and personal-insurance firm, announced that Daniel Hesser and Chelsea Fernandes recently joined the agency as account managers, Personal Lines Department, in the East Longmeadow office.
In their new positions, both are responsible for the day-to-day management and servicing of client accounts while providing excellent customer service. As part of the Personal Lines team, they will ensure that standard working procedures are met, process auto- and home-insurance policies and renewals, prepare summaries of insurance, recommend appropriate coverage options, and more.
Hesser has more than five years of industry experience specializing in customer service. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University in December 2014 and majored in business management with a concentration in marketing.
Fernandes has several years of experience in the insurance field with a focus on client relationship building. She is a 2011 graduate of Elms College and holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in psychology.
“As the largest insurance broker in Massachusetts, we are dedicated to building a team of experts with local market specialization and industry experience,” said Timm Marini, president of HUB International New England. “Young talent, like Daniel and Chelsea, is most beneficial to our clients, as we are all about delighting our customers. Their backgrounds and industry knowledge will provide out clients with value-added solutions, innovative products, and market expertise.”
SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. invites business owners, managers, and human-resource professionals to an informative webinar outlining ways to fight back against leave-of-absence fraud and abuse. This opportunity is timely on the heels of a report conducted by TSheets, a time-management software provider, that shows wage-and-hour lawsuits have increased 450% over the past 20 years. That same report found 75% of suits initiated by the U.S. Department of Labor against employers resulted in financial payouts to employees.
The webinar will be hosted Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and hosted by attorney John Gannon of Springfield-based Skoler, Abbott & Presser, a boutique firm that exclusively practices labor and employment law.
“Recently, there has been an excess of FMLA-related lawsuits,” Gannon said. “The jump coincides with an increased number of FMLA leave requests, which is likely due to increased awareness about the law. Employers must comply with the law but also be vigilant to signs of fraud and FMLA abuse.”
Gannon will discuss keys to identifying FMLA abuse, including patterns of time off requested; how to lawfully use surveillance and social media to investigate suspicious FMLA use; new laws and regulations from federal or state agencies that may affect FMLA monitoring; how much time is enough to establish a pattern of abuse; the importance of training frontline supervisors on FMLA policies; when to get a second opinion to determine whether the employee or family member has a serious health condition; once an employee is certified for FMLA, when is it legally acceptable to require certification; call-in policies and procedures as a means to control intermittent leave; the importance of requiring notice before time off; keeping communication open with employees using FMLA; and more.
Those interested in the course may register online at store.blr.com/fmla-abuse-021517.
SPRINGFIELD — It’s official: whiskey passed vodka as the number-one spirit of choice in the U.S. back in 2014, and the trend is more than a passing one. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s Whiskey & Cigar Night, slated for Thursday, March 2, at 6 p.m. at Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, provides novice and connoisseur whiskey drinkers with a chance to savor a variety of vodkas, while raising funds for the SSO’s artistic, education, and community programs.
For a $75 admission ticket, attendees will enjoy a variety of cigars on an outdoor patio, food-pairing stations to accompany the drink, and several stations to taste a wide variety of whiskey, from Scotch and Irish whiskey to bourbon and rye. Expert representatives from local distributors and distilleries will be on hand to answer questions and provide tasting notes.
In addition to the whiskey, food, and cigars, a silent auction will be running throughout the event, featuring sports memorabilia, high-end experiences, and trips.
Participation is limited to ensure the highest quality experience for all attendees. Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill is located at 1390 Main St., Springfield. To learn more or purchase a ticket, call (413) 733-0636, ext. 118, or e-mail [email protected].
SPRINGFIELD — In keeping with its mission to empower women to be more confident in their personal and professional lives, Dress for Success is hosting a tag sale in Springfield this weekend to raise funds and awareness, while also working to meet the needs of women throughout the community.
The event will be held today, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 12, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Eastfield Mall, 1655 Boston Road (temporary location, two doors down from Western Mass. Dress for Success Boutique). Customers may peruse through the racks of new and gently used donated items, including suits, dresses, pants, blouses, skirts, shoes, accessories, and more. Items may be purchased by filling a shopping bag for only $25.
All proceeds will benefit Dress for Success. Volunteers are needed to staff the event. If interested, contact [email protected]. This event follows two years of successful tag sales, each raising thousands of dollars and engaging the help of hundreds of community volunteers.
CHICOPEE — Keurig Green Mountain Inc. announced a strategic partnership with J. Polep Distribution Services, one of the top 10 convenience-store distributors in the country.
“At Keurig Green Mountain, we’re dedicated to helping convenience stores become a premium branded beverage destination, and our relationship with J. Polep helps us do just that,” said Brian Vetter, vice president, Foodservice Marketing at Keurig.
To mark this collaboration, J. Polep will feature Green Mountain Coffee graphics on its fleet of 100 delivery vehicles in the Northeast. These service vehicles deliver Green Mountain Coffee products and merchandising, and provide ease of access to these items for convenience-store operators in the region.
“We’re excited to strengthen our partnership with Keurig as it supports our commitment to making sure convenience stores are offering the freshest cup to their customers when they need it most,” said Adam Kramer, vice president of Purchasing & Food Service at J. Polep.
In addition to this partnership, Keurig offers merchandising and menu support for any convenience-store operator. To learn how to partner with Keurig Green Mountain, visit commercial.keurig.com or call (866) 464-2210.
SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and the Hampden County Bar Association (HCBA) have announced MassMutual’s ongoing support for the HCBA’s Hampden County Legal Clinic, including a $160,000 grant intended to support its expansion and continuation of legal services.
The Hampden County Legal Clinic is a legal aid program that provides pro bono services to individuals at no charge, most of whom have limited financial resources and who meet specific eligibility guidelines. The Legal Clinic provides services in the Housing, District, and Probate & Family Courts in Hampden County. It also works with unrepresented individuals on issues regarding foreclosure, tenant and consumer matters, and with regional attorneys to match their legal skills and expertise with pro bono opportunities. These opportunities provided by the Legal Clinic include general legal advice and services, limited assistance representation, mentoring with students at local law schools, legal education programming, and other community outreach programs.
MassMutual is continuing its support of the Legal Clinic at a critical time when a significant number of litigants in local courts are unable to afford legal representation. Currently, more than 85% of the cases in the Western Division Housing Court involve people who are without legal representation. The current grant brings MassMutual’s total financial support of the Legal Clinic to approximately $250,000.
“MassMutual is proud to continue its support of the Hampden County Legal Clinic, which provides legal guidance and counsel for those in our community with low or no income,” said Michael O’Connor, General Counsel, MassMutual. “MassMutual has a long tradition of supporting the communities in which it does business, and this grant reflects our ongoing commitment to invest our time, talent and resources to ensure access to legal services for all members of our community.”
MassMutual began its association with the HCBA six years ago with grant funding, enabling the Legal Clinic to expand its lawyer-for-a-day programs and increasing the services it provided. The funding from MassMutual has enabled the Legal Clinic to become the center piece for pro bono services in Western Mass. Importantly, in addition to the financial support MassMutual has provided, its attorneys have participated in Legal Clinic programing for nearly 10 years.
“We’re elated with MassMutual’s increased funding, and their involvement in making the Legal Clinic an invaluable community resource,” said Attorney Kevin V. Maltby, president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc.
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced new faculty and staff additions as well as recent promotions:
- Julia Curletti has joined BCC as staff assistant to the dean of enrollment management and student success. She previously worked at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston as a program coordinator. She garnered a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and attended New England Law;
- Alyssa Felver has been named assistant professor of practical nursing. A registered nurse in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, she previously worked at Berkshire Medical Center. Prior to that, she was a critical care registered nurse at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and a bachelor’s in biology from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.;
- Lori Moon has joined BCC’s faculty as an assistant professor of practical nursing. Prior to joining BCC, she was a case manager and education specialist at Berkshire Medical Center. She previously worked at HospiceCare in the Berkshires for approximately 20 years. She earned an associate’s degree from Springfield Tech Community College, an associate’s degree in nursing from BCC and a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst;
- Lawrence Stalvey has been promoted to academic counselor with BCC’s TRIO (Talents, Resources, Initiative, Opportunity) Program, a federally funded program designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. He previously was a learning specialist with TRIO. He holds an associate’s degree from BCC and a bachelor’s degree from Williams College;
- Charles Stephens has joined BCC as the coordinator of career planning and placement. He is responsible for providing counsel to students regarding career options. He previously held numerous positions at Philadelphia University, Saint Louis University, and Michigan State University. He most recently worked as area coordinator for residence education at Philadelphia University. A graduate of Michigan State University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in student affairs administration; and
- Peggy Williams has been promoted to academic coordinator with BCC’s TRIO Program. She previously worked for more than a decade as an academic counselor and learning specialist with TRIO. She has a breadth of experience working in administrative/management roles at human services organizations in Berkshire County. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree from the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy in Albany, N.Y.
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College will offer a 16-week “fast track” customer-service certificate training program this spring that is designed to help students develop a range of skills, from interview techniques to job-hunting strategies.
The fast track option allows students to earn 24 college credits over two eight-week sessions that begin March 20. They can apply these credits directly to an associate degree in business administration. Four courses are offered per session, and classes are held Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
An STCC fast-track customer-service certificate allows people to become eligible for jobs in a number of different industries, including call center operations, financial services, sales, hospitality, customer service for manufacturing operations and retail and other organizations.
“Customer-service employees typically are considered the ‘face’ of the companies they represent. They need to have good problem-solving skills,” said Lidya Rivera-Early, GPSTEM (Guided Pathways to Success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project director at STCC. “Customer service is a great starting point for a career in any company.”
Rivera-Early said someone working in customer service will need a good foundation of skills in marketing, computer literacy, communication and business etiquette to support the needs of both the customer and employer.
Requested by area industry partners, the Fast Track Customer Service Essentials Certificate program will help students develop essential workforce readiness skills.
“Our fast track program will include career readiness courses to support students as they transition to employment,” Rivera-Early said.
The program will include speed interview networking sessions and job-placement assistance. Students will hear from guest speakers and go on company tours.
To enroll in the program, contact the STCC Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or visit www.stcc.edu/admissions. Space is limited. The program is not free, but financial aid is available for those that qualify.
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Mall has partnered with Hampden County District Attorney, Anthony Gulluni and the West Springfield CARE Coalition to bring ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ to the shopping center.
‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ is an interactive exhibit that can help to educate parents on the signs that could potentially indicate substance abuse among their children through a display of a mock teen bedroom. Many of the items are commonly found in some teen bedrooms but could also have a double meaning, and can be used to hide or mask the use of drugs.
“A major element in battling this disease is working collectively in the area of prevention and education,” said Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni. “The Hampden County Addiction Taskforce is proud to partner with all involved in sponsoring this display and working to end the stigma of addiction through constructive discussion and outreach.”
The display will be open during mall hours until Feb. 28, and will be located on the lower level in Sears Court. Holyoke Mall’s General Manager, Bill Rogalski shared, “Given the tragic impact the opioid epidemic is having on our community, we naturally agreed when the West Springfield CARE Coalition approached us to host the event.”
Visitors to the display can pick up a flyer provided by the West Springfield CARE Coalition and tour the exhibit to see which everyday items could have a hidden, double use. The goal of the exhibit is to bring awareness to the opioid epidemic, help prevent drug use, educate parents and youth to recognize the signs of drug use, and help erase the stigma attached to the disease of addiction. In addition to the exhibit, there will be information about resources available for those who need to seek help.
Mercy Behavioral Health Care’s Robert Roose, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Addiction and Recovery Services said of the initiative, “in addition to providing access to high-quality treatment, a comprehensive strategy addressing substance use in our community must have a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.
“Providing education, and real-life scenarios like those in ‘Hidden in Plain Sight,’ which help individuals and families understand addiction and identify when someone is at risk, can be an incredibly valuable tool in this fight and improve countless lives,” he went on. “As a leading provider of substance use disorder treatment in our community, Mercy Behavioral Health is proud to partner with Hampden County District Attorney’s Office and Holyoke Mall at Ingleside to provide this innovative program to engage and educate our community and be a resource to individuals in need of care.”
Other shopping centers around the country have also hosted similar ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ displays, including Hanover Mall and Natick Mall in Massachusetts. The display will be staffed by volunteers from the Hampden County Addiction Taskforce at scheduled times on Saturdays and Sundays through the 28th as well as weekdays during school vacation from Feb. 20-24. For more information on scheduling, visit www.holyokemall.com.
SPRINGFIELD — Lili Dwight, a founder of Galactic Smarties in Deerfield, has the idea to develop a fire alarm system so tech-savvy that it can tell the user, via a smartwatch, where the fire is and the best route to safety.
Chris Landry, co-founder of Habit Stackr in Northampton, wants to develop an app that helps people leverage willpower to end their struggles with follow-through on daily health and wellness routines.
As the two entrepreneurs chosen to serve as Pathlight fellows in Valley Venture Mentors’ (VVM) four-month, intensive Accelerator program, Dwight and Landry have the opportunity to develop their new technology, which will best serve people with intellectual disabilities but will also serve the wider population.
Pathlight, headquartered in Springfield, has served people with developmental and intellectual disabilities throughout Western Mass. since 1952. Meanwhile, Valley Venture Mentors offers support to business startups. The two nonprofits collaborated on the Pathlight Challenge to encourage entrepreneurs to consider people with disabilities when designing new products. The Pathlight Challenge is supported in part by a grant from the Westfield Bank Future Fund.
In January, Galactic Smarties and Habit Stackr were chosen by the mentor group to complete the Accelerator program, along with 34 other entrepreneurs in a pool of 200 applicants from around the world. One key benefit to the two chosen entrepreneurs is that they will have a built-in test audience in the people served by Pathlight.
“We’re very excited about the people who applied,” said Ruth Banta, executive director of Pathlight, noting that 45 entrepreneurs applied to take part in the Pathlight Challenge specifically. “We think this process will expose a large number of entrepreneurs and innovators to people with disabilities and autism — and to Pathlight itself and the possibilities we offer. That whole awareness piece is really exciting for us.”
Banta said Pathlight has already been working to connect the entrepreneurs with Pathlight families and supporters “to help them get more information from people with disabilities and learn what their needs and potential are.”
Dwight said participants of Milestones, a movement, recreation, and enrichment program in Hadley for adults with disabilities, helped her to prepare for the first weekend of work in the program. “They will be a great resource when I design the user experience. Having Pathlight as a resource has been huge already in understanding the experience of communicating with a variety of people with a cognitive impairment.”
Dwight has a longtime background as a technology developer, and she has patented such innovations as walls with infrared devices installed within them that offer an alert when a person has fallen. She and her business partner, Kristin Harkness, expect their alarm will evolve into one that can be customized to meet specific needs and abilities. But she said the two need help with the business end of development.
Landry has spent the bulk of his career working on communications and development with nonprofits, and Bob Dolan, the other Habit Stackr co-founder, is a cognitive neuroscientist who has focused on designing and evaluating ways to support learning for people with diverse learning abilities and challenges. They aim to build an app that will help people effectively apply willpower so they can take part in regular activities that promote well-being, such as meditation, exercise, and journaling.
“This was an idea that I had based on my need to be really effective because I’m self-employed and trying to figure out how to get the things done and have the impact I want to have in the world,” Landry said. “We’re trying to help people who may need some support with attention or executive function challenges or are just frustrated by their inability to establish good routines and make them a daily habit.”
The Valley Venture Mentors Accelerator program connects startups with experts, investors, and engaged and collaborative peers and offers the chance to win up to $50,000 in grants to develop their business or product. Participants meet for a long weekend once a month for four months, and the program began the first weekend in February. The Pathlight fellows will graduate from the Accelerator in May, when they will also unveil their new products.
