Home 2017 July (Page 4)

Month: July 2017

Employer Confidence Rises in June

By
Daily News

BOSTON — Massachusetts employer confidence rose for the ninth time in 10 months during June amid optimism about an economy that is finally attracting more people into the workforce.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index rose one point to 61.8 last month, leaving it 5.7 points higher than a year ago. The Index has gained ground in each of the past two months after slipping in April.

The results come a month after state officials reported a long-awaited expansion of the Massachusetts labor market; the labor-force participation rate rose to 66.7% in May, its highest mark since before the Great Recession.

“Employer confidence in both the state and national economies remains well above the level we saw a year ago, especially among manufacturers,” said Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design. “Key Massachusetts indicators such as total jobs, wages, and gross state product far exceed pre-recession levels, and that is outweighing concerns about long-term growth.”

The AIM Index, based on a survey of Massachusetts employers, has appeared monthly since July 1991. It is calculated on a 100-point scale, with 50 as neutral; a reading above 50 is positive, while below 50 is negative. The Index reached its historic high of 68.5 on two occasions in 1997-98, and its all-time low of 33.3 in February 2009. The index has remained above 50 since October 2013.

The constituent indicators that make up the overall Business Confidence Index were mostly positive during June. The Massachusetts Index, assessing business conditions within the Commonwealth, gained 2.1 points to 64.2, leaving it 5.7 points higher than in June 2016.

The U.S. Index of national business conditions rose 2.8 points to 57.4 despite lingering uncertainty about federal economic policy. June marked the 87th consecutive month in which employers have been more optimistic about the Massachusetts economy than the national economy.

The Current Index, which assesses overall business conditions at the time of the survey, rose 1.5 points to 61.9, while the Future Index, measuring expectations for six months out, increased 0.4 points to 61.7. The Future Index was 5.1 points higher than a year ago.

The Company Index, reflecting overall business conditions, was unchanged for the month at 62.4 and up 4.7 points during the 12-month period. The Employment Index fell 0.4 points to 58.1, while the Sales index rose 0.6 points to 62.6.

The AIM survey found that 39% of respondents reported adding staff during the past six months while 18% reduced employment. Expectations for the next six months are stable, with 38% expecting to hire and only 10% downsizing.

Alan Clayton-Matthews, a professor in the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, said the supply of workers remains one of the most important factors in the ability of Massachusetts to maintain long-term economic growth.

“There is little slack left in the labor market,” he said. “Unemployment rates are back to pre-recession levels, and employment rates are very close to pre-recession levels. The slack that does remain is largely among young workers, those with less than a high-school education, and part-time workers who have been unable to find full-time work, suggesting that many workers lack the skills that employers are seeking.”

Overall participation in the labor force nationally has hovered below 63% during the recovery, compared with more than 66% before the recession.

Eastern Mass. companies were more confident in June than those in the western portion of the Commonwealth, posting a 61.8 confidence reading in June versus 60.8 for Western Mass. employers.

AIM President and CEO Richard Lord, also a BEA member, said employers are increasingly concerned about a passel of potentially expensive and disruptive Beacon Hill proposals, including a surtax on incomes more than $1 million, paid family leave, and an employer assessment to close a budget gap in the MassHealth program.

“Massachusetts employers have led what is now one of the longest and most consistent economic recoveries of the past 100 years. Much of that growth reflects the fact that policymakers have refrained from unnecessarily raising business costs and imposing inefficient regulation,” Lord said. “We look forward to working with the Legislature and the Baker administration to ensure that those policies continue.”

Harry Dumay Takes Helm as 11th President of Elms College

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — Harry Dumay, who boasts a long and distinguished career in higher education, officially took the helm of Elms College as its 11th president on July 1.

“I am excited to start my presidency at Elms College,” Dumay said. “The board of trustees has put together a fantastic transition team, which has been working diligently during the past few months to make it possible for me to hit the ground running. I am eager to partner with the faculty, the staff, and the student body as we advance the work of making an excellent Catholic higher education accessible to a diversity of groups in a diversity of formats.”

Dumay was chosen after a nationwide search and 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 multi-faceted leader who understands Elms College and the importance of a liberal-arts education based in the Catholic intellectual tradition,” said Cynthia Lyons, chair of the board of trustees. “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.”

Dumay, who hails from Ouanaminthe, Haiti, most recently resided with his family in Framingham and worked as the senior vice president and chief financial officer at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. Before that, he 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. Dumay also served as an adjunct faculty member at Boston College for nine years.

“Dr. Dumay 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,” Lyons said.

Elms College’s most important goal is the success of its students, she added. “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.”

Sr. Maxyne Schneider, president of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and a member of the presidential search committee and board of trustees, 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.”

Dumay’s inauguration will be held in the fall. The trustees are planning additional autumn events that will allow everyone to meet the new president. He succeeds Mary Reap, who retired June 30 after serving as Elms president for the past eight years.

“Elms College is a special community, in which the Sisters of St. Joseph’s spirit of Catholic solidarity pervades the campus,” Dumay said. “I am honored and excited to lead Elms College as, together, we write the next chapter in the institution’s history.”

Holyoke Medical Center Opens New Emergency Department

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center began providing care in its new Emergency Department today, July 6, at 7 a.m.

The new facility is located next to the main entrance of the hospital at 575 Beech St. The Emergency Department will be accessible via Hospital Drive or Corser Street. Community members driving for emergency care are asked to follow the signs to the new location. As always, if there is a true emergency, call 911 for assistance.

“We would like to extend our appreciation to everyone who has assisted Holyoke Medical Center in creating the emergency department our community deserves,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems. “We have received overwhelming support from federal, state, and local officials, in addition to the tireless efforts of our staff.”

The new Emergency Department is a 21,460-square-foot facility featuring a new Crisis Center for Behavioral Health Services, 40 treatment areas, multi-patient trauma rooms, advanced life-saving equipment, and a patient-navigation service. HMC will now be able to treat patients in a more efficient and private way.

Beginning in August, the 16,295-square-foot second floor of the building will be the new offices of Gastroenterology, General Surgery, and the Weight Management program.

In support of the new Emergency Department, the Holyoke Medical Center capital campaign has reached $2.1 million of its $3 million goal. Anyone interested in helping with the campaign is invited to call the hospital’s Development Department at (413) 534-2579.

Scramble Golf Tournament to Benefit I Found Light Against All Odds

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — I Found Light Against All Odds will present its first annual Scramble Golf Tournament scholarship fund-raiser on Saturday Aug. 12. The festivities will include golf, food, raffles, and more.

The tournament will take place at Veterans Memorial Golf Course, with tee times starting at 11 am. Tournament admission fee is $100 per player, with the top three teams awarded first-, second-, and third-place prizes. Players can register by clicking here.

All money raised from this tournament will go toward awarding scholarships for the 2017-18 school year. The recipients will be formerly at-risk high-school seniors from local high schools, who have overcome the darkness in their lives, now finding the light in education and headed to college.

Sajar Plastics Acquired by Universal Plastics

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Universal Plastics, a heavy-gauge thermoformer based in Holyoke, has acquired Sajar Plastics, a gas-assist injection molder based in Middlefield, Ohio. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Universal Plastics currently services customers who start out with custom thermoforming and graduate to injection molding. Sajar’s low-volume gas-assist injection-molding expertise provides Universal with the opportunity to support its customers further along the product life cycle. The expanded breadth of capabilities will allow a customer to stay with a Universal family company throughout the life of the product, from lower volumes at inception to higher volumes as the product grows and matures. Further, the combined company can provide unbiased guidance on which process is better suited for a particular application. Sajar Plastics will continue to maintain its facilities, employees, and procedures.

“Customer success is our top priority and guiding focus,” said Kumar, president of Universal Plastics. “Sajar’s synergies with our existing thermoforming businesses, Universal and Mayfield, are plenty — a strong management team, sound business processes, and a commitment to top-quality products are what we are going to build upon. Above all, we value our relationships with our customers and are committed to maintaining and growing the value that we provide to them.”

Added Larry Nowak, CEO of Sajar Plastics, “Sajar is delighted to be a part of the Universal Plastics family of companies. We are excited by the prospect of bringing a unique combination of capabilities to both the customers of each company and to the broader market for large, complex, and aesthetically demanding parts.”

Molding Business Services, based in Florence, served as the advisor to Sajar Plastics on the transaction.

Keith Rhone Joins Friends of the Homeless Leadership Team

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Friends of the Homeless, a program of Clinical & Support Options (CSO), recently welcomed Keith Rhone as the new director of Operations, overseeing day-to-day management of the Worthington Street facility.

Most recently, Rhone served as assistant director of Safety and Crisis Management with ROCA Inc. of Springfield and established strong connections to community law enforcement and local program providers. He has also served as fiscal director with the Black Chamber of Commerce.

“The shelter and housing business has some uniqueness to it. We are very excited to have Keith join us and strengthen our team overall,” said Bill Miller, CSO’s vice president of Housing and Homeless Services.

Born and raised in Springfield, Rhone earned an associate degree in accounting from Springfield Technical Community College, and both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from American International College.

Kelley and Malmborg Investment Consulting Group Marks One Year

By
Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Kelley and Malmborg Investment Consulting Group recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Motivated by their desire to offer a more client-centered and consultative approach, advisors Jean Kelley and Joe Malmborg transitioned from Florence Bank’s FSB Financial Group late last spring.

With a combined 65-plus years of financial and wealth-management experience, and through their consultative approach, creating personalized solutions, and a fee-based investment process, the pair’s goal is to provide comfort and confidence regarding the decisions their individual and business clients make.

Malmborg has held positions at Fleet Financial Group, MassMutual, Bancnorth Investment Planning, United Wealth Management, and FSB Financial Group. He is an investment advisor representative with Commonwealth Financial Network, an independent broker/dealer. He holds Series 7 (general securities representative) and 65 (uniform investment advisor) securities registrations, as well as licenses in life insurance and long-term care.

Kelley earned the CFM (certified financial manager) certification from Merrill Lynch in 2001. She holds FINRA 6, 7, 24, and 66 securities registrations as an investment adviser representative of Commonwealth Financial Network. She also holds life- and health-insurance licenses with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and several other states.

Kelley & Malmborg is located in the heart of downtown Northampton at 140 Main St., Suite 400, (413) 584-1805. The firm works with clients within Hampshire County, the Pioneer Valley, and throughout the country. Securities and advisory services are offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, member FINRA/SIPC, a registered investment adviser. Fixed insurance products and services are offered through CES Insurance Agency.

Springfield Museums to Host Indian Motocycle Day Event on July 23

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums will host its annual Indian Motocycle Day celebration on Sunday, July 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Indian Motocycle fans, riders, and collectors from throughout the region are expected to bring their cycles to the city where it all began. Last year’s attendance topped 1,000 visitors.

Originally held at the former Indian Motocycle Museum on Hendee Street, Indian Day has become a highlight event at the Springfield Museums since 2010, following the opening of the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History the previous year. The Wood Museum now houses the Esta Manthos Indian Motocycle Collection, which chronicles the history of Indian Motocycle since the company’s founding in 1901. Visitors to the Springfield History Museum can also view the exhibit “Crossing the Country to Cross Barriers: the Van Buren Sisters Ride into History,” an account of the cross-country trip Augusta and Adeline Van Buren undertook in 1916 to prove women could handle motorcycles.

Trophies will be awarded to pre-1953 Indians in several categories. Individuals interested in exhibiting their pre-1953 Indian or reserving vendor spots can pre-register and receive free museum admission by calling the Springfield Museums at (413) 263-6800, ext. 304, or visiting springfieldmuseums.org/indian-day. This event is sponsored by Sampson Family Chapels in memory of Esta Manthos.

Business Champions for Children Event Slated for July 10

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Basketball Hall of Fame will host a Business Champions for Children event on Monday, July 10. A continental breakfast is scheduled for 8 a.m., followed by a program at 8:30 a.m. featuring keynote speaker David Lawrence Jr., founder of the Florida Children’s Movement.

Attendees will hear about the business imperative of investments in early education. Lawrence retired in 1999 as publisher of the Miami Herald to focus on early-childhood development and school readiness. Three years later, he was front and center in the campaign that led to the 2002 constitutional amendment establishing a voluntary pre-kindergarten program for all 4-year-olds in Florida.

Other presentations will include J.D. Chesloff, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, addressing House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s “The Business Imperative for Early Education,” and a report on the state Senate’s Kids First initiative.

To attend, RSVP to Christine Warren at the Davis Foundation at [email protected].

Single-family Home Sales in Pioneer Valley Down in May

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Single-family home sales were down 6.9% in the Pioneer Valley in May compared to the same time last year, while the median price rose 1.2% to $204,500, according to the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley.

In Franklin County, sales were down 1.7%, while the median price rose 8.2% from a year earlier. In Hampden County, sales were down 7.4%, while the median price was up 1.9%. And in Hampshire County, sales fell 4.2% from May 2016, while the median price was up 2.5%.

Springfield College Hosts Athletic Trainer Student Workshop

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield College recently hosted its 24th annual Athletic Trainer Student Workshop intended for high-school students interested in careers in athletic training and sports medicine.

High-school students from throughout the country attend the workshop and focus on anatomy, injury prevention, and care of common lower-extremity athletic injuries. Lectures, demonstrations, and practice sessions about athletic-injury prevention and maintenance take place during the workshop. Students also have the opportunity to attend presentations on career options as part of the curriculum. A successful addition to the workshop is a hands-on exploration of cadaver anatomy.

The workshop is co-directed by Springfield College Athletic Trainer and Assistant Professor of Physical Education Wayne Rodrigues and Springfield College graduate Bob Kuzmeski.

Athletic training is an allied-health profession, recognized by the American Medical Assoc., that provides healthcare services for physically active individuals. The athletic training major at Springfield College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and is one of the most competitive programs of its kind in the country. Program graduates are found across the country working at sports-medicine clinics, high schools, colleges and universities, and with professional sports teams.

Gaming Commission Approves Workforce-development Grants

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) approved close to $600,000 in grants — including two for the city of Springfield — for a workforce-development pilot program designed to fund gaming career pathways for local residents. The Workforce Program is a component of the 2017 Community Mitigation Fund, which was established by the state’s gaming law to help entities offset costs related to the construction and operations of gaming establishments.

The Workforce Program was developed to provide interested residents in gaming regions the ability to attain academic and occupational credentials needed to work in the most in-demand occupations related to the gaming industry. Additionally, it was established to assist the unemployed or underemployed to either get their GED or Adult Basic Education, which would position them to get future jobs in the casino industry or training in advance by the backfilling of jobs.

The two initiatives in Springfield include:

• $171,833 for a program the Springfield Public Schools is working to establish called Ahead of the Game, which will target low-skill, low-income adults interested in pursuing long-term careers with MGM Springfield; and

• $200,000 for Hampden Prep, an initiative involving Springfield Technical Community College in collaboration with Holyoke Community College to develop and implement an innovative high-school-equivalency and workforce-readiness program.

“Workforce-development programs are a critical component of job creation, economic opportunity, and the Commonwealth’s ability to meet gaming’s burgeoning hiring demand,” said MGC Chairman Steve Crosby. “MGC looks forward to further collaborations as we continue to work together to ensure that we are able to deliver on our legislative mandate to establish a highly skilled and diverse Massachusetts workforce for the state’s new casino industry.”

Webster Names John Driscoll Jr. to Head Private Bank Offices

By
Daily News

WATERBURY, Conn. — Webster Bank announced that John Driscoll Jr. has been appointed regional market executive for Webster Private Bank’s Hartford and New Haven offices.

Driscoll, senior vice president and senior relationship manager for Webster Private Bank, joined Webster in 2007. In his new role, he expands his responsibilities as the senior representative in the Hartford and New Haven markets for Webster Private Bank’s line of business and leading the Private Bank’s sales team. He will report to Peter Gabriel, senior vice president, head of Private Banking.

Driscoll has more than 31 years of experience in investment, financial, estate, and
tax planning, and charitable giving. He is a tax attorney who is a certified
 financial planner, a chartered life underwriter, and a chartered financial consultant. A member of the Connecticut and American Bar Associations, he serves on the executive committees of the Estate and Probate section and of the Sports and Entertainment Law section of the Connecticut Bar Assoc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Connecticut, a law degree from Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law, and a master of laws degree from Boston University School of Law.

Holyoke Medical Center to Open New Emergency Department July 6

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center will open its new, $25.4 million Emergency Department on Thursday, July 6, beginning at 7 a.m.

The new facility is located at 575 Beech St. and will be accessible by the main campus entrance at the intersections of Beech Street and Hospital Drive, as well as Northampton and Corser streets. The Emergency Department will no longer be accessible from Portland Street and Winchester Avenue.

Signage will be in place to direct the community to the new location. The hospital has also been working closely with local police, fire, and ambulatory officials to ensure a smooth and safe transition of service locations.

“We would like to extend our appreciation to everyone who has assisted Holyoke Medical Center in creating the Emergency Department our community deserves. We have received overwhelming support from federal, state, and local officials, in addition to the tireless efforts of our staff,” said Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems.

The new Emergency Department is a 21,460-square-foot facility featuring a new Crisis Center for Behavioral Health Services, 40 treatment areas, multi-patient trauma rooms, advanced life-saving equipment, and a patient-navigation service. HMC will now be able to treat patients in a more efficient and private way.

Beginning in August, the 16,295-square-foot second floor of the building will be the new offices of Gastroenterology, General Surgery, and the Weight Management program.

In support of the new Emergency Department, the Holyoke Medical Center capital campaign has reached $2.1 million of its $3 million goal. Anyone interested in helping with the campaign is invited to call the hospital’s Development Department at (413) 534-2579.