Month: September 2017

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank was honored by the Boston Business Journal as one the state’s most philanthropic companies during the 12th annual Corporate Citizenship Awards ceremony.

The 94 companies that were honored by the publication each met the threshold of at least $100,000 in philanthropic support of Massachusetts nonprofits in 2016. They combined for approximately $273 million in charitable giving last year. The list includes companies that paid out at least $100,000 to Massachusetts-based charitable organizations in fiscal 2016.

Berkshire Bank ranked 46th for total financial contributions with more than $1.2 million donated in Massachusetts alone and more than $2 million donated overall. Massachusetts-based bank employees also donated more than 28,000 hours of volunteer service.

American International College to Hold Convocation Today

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) welcomes all, especially new students, to the college’s convocation today, Sept. 12, at 11:05 a.m. in the Karen Sprague Cultural Arts Center, Ester B. Griswold Theater.

Rooted the ceremonies first held at the oldest universities founded in the 1200s, convocation is an opportunity to gather as a community, mindful of the institution’s common purpose, with a higher dedication to the growth of the whole person.

The ceremony will begin with a benediction by Father John McDonagh, coordinator of campus ministry and outreach, Diocese of Springfield. Welcome remarks will be delivered by President Vincent Maniaci; Susanne Swanker, dean of the School of Business, Arts and Sciences; Thomas Maulucci, chair of the Faculty Senate and professor of History; and Dante Raggio, president, Student Government Assoc.

Springfield Museums to Present Ubora, Ahadi Awards Sept. 16

SPRINGFIELD — The African Hall subcommittee of the Springfield Museums will celebrate the annual Ubora Award, honoring Benjamin Swan, and present the Ahadi Youth Award to A’Shaela Chaires on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The ceremony will be held at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. A reception will follow immediately at the Springfield Science Museum. The evening’s presentation will include a musical performance by Montenia Shider and Terrance Shider and comments by both award winners.

Swan will be honored for his devoted service to the people of Springfield as a civil-rights activist, a state representative, and a voice for the public schools. Chaires will be honored for her fearless leadership in honoring the value of diversity.

Tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 children under 12. To purchase tickets, visit springfieldmuseums.org or call (413) 314-6425.

Business & Innovation Expo Social to Feature Food Competition

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will conclude with the annual Expo Social from 3 to 5 p.m. — an event that will feature a new, tasty twist.

The social will include a “Best in Show” food-sampling competition. Those who register as Expo Social food exhibitors will be entered into the food competition. Expo attendees will vote for their favorite food item by dropping a token in the jar with the name of their chosen food exhibitor. Attendees are given one token each.

The “Best in Show” winner will be awarded with an advertising campaign in BusinessWest as well as editorial content in the magazine’s annual Restaurant Guide. Participants in the competition must be ready to serve their entry by 2:45 p.m., no exceptions. Vendors can register by clicking here.

The Expo, set for Thursday, Nov. 2 at the MassMutual Center, will also feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Nursing Students Begin Class at UMass Center at Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — As the academic year gets underway, 88 new students from the UMass Amherst College of Nursing’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program will begin class at the UMass Center at Springfield (UMCS).

The College of Nursing made the decision to permanently teach the accelerated bachelor’s program in the Tower Square location earlier this year. The 26,000-square-foot space features 10 classrooms and clinical simulation space specifically designed for the needs of the nursing program. State-of-the-art telehealth facilities are being developed and will be ready later this year.

Dean Stephen Cavanagh said there are additional benefits to the location. “The College of Nursing is excited to have our first cohort of accelerated bachelor’s students learning in the UMass Center at Springfield. The downtown Springfield location is accessible for students from all over New England, thanks to its proximity to major highways and the new Union Station. Some of the area’s best hospitals and medical facilities are also just minutes away, making it convenient for our students to complete their clinical studies. We feel this is a great opportunity for both the College of Nursing and the UMass Center at Springfield.”

The partnership between the Springfield Center and the College of Nursing dates back several years and has been mutually beneficial.

“Since we opened our doors in September 2014, the College of Nursing has been a significant academic partner providing a valuable resource for training the healthcare workforce in the Pioneer Valley,” said Daniel Montagna, UMCS director of Operations. “Moving the program to Springfield benefits area businesses, including restaurants and retail shops within Tower Square and throughout downtown. We are elated to be the new home of the accelerated bachelor’s program and to have the university expand its footprint at the center and in this region.”

The 17-month accelerated program is designed for students with bachelor’s degrees in other subjects or for persons interested in a career change, and is taught by College of Nursing faculty. The number of students taking classes in the Springfield Center will double next year when a new cohort begins. Students beginning the accelerated bachelor of science in nursing option now will earn a UMass Amherst degree in December 2018.

Main Street Hospitality Welcomes Donald Hebert as VP of Finance

STOCKBRIDGE — Main Street Hospitality Group recently welcomed Donald Hebert, a seasoned financial manager with more than 25 years of experience, as the company’s newly appointed vice president of finance.

“Donald’s extensive experience in the financial world will provide great insight for Main Street,” said Sarah Eustis, CEO of Main Street Hospitality. “He brings seasoned financial acumen and deep industry knowledge, and he truly appreciates the values we uphold at Main Street.”

Hebert is responsible for all aspects of Main Street’s financial health, management and reporting, including insurance and banking oversight and relationships. In addition, he will lead in developing and implementing financial growth strategies across the board.

Most recently, Hebert served as the CFO, director of corporate finance, and treasurer for Trapp Family Lodge, where he was the senior manager of the accounting, IT, and human-resources functions; assisted in attracting investors for new business ventures; and was actively involved with executive management in accruing capital for the construction of a new, multi-million-dollar brewery.

Prior to that, Hebert was CFO of Bowden Hospitality Management Group, where he managed accounting, financial systems, and back-office functions for full-service hotels, including national brands such as the Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Radisson Hotel, and Homewood Suites. Over the span of his career, he also has served as CFO for telecommunications and aerospace firms in New England.

Hebert is a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono and has a MBA degree from St. Joseph’s College in Windham, Maine.

Business & Innovation Expo to Feature ‘Ask an Expert Roundtable’

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will introduce a new feature this year, called the “Ask an Expert Roundtable.” Ten business professionals in the community will share their expertise with a table of guests for 45 minutes. During that time, they will give a rundown of their professional experience, take questions, and participate in an open, relaxed dialogue with attendees.

Confirmed participants include Pam Thornton of Name Net Worth (who will focus on LinkedIn and social-media marketing); Amy Royal of Royal, P.C. (focus on employment law); Jenny MacKay of the Gaudreau Group (focus on healthcare reform); Sheila Magalhaes of Heartsong (focus on modern mindfulness); Angela Lussier of Speaker Sisterhood (focus on finding one’s voice and being more assertive); Ira Bryck of the Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley (focus on family-business work balance); Tracey Gaylord of Granite State Development Corp. (focus on funding one’s next big idea, big or small); and the Center for EcoTechnology (focus on how to make a company green). Other participants will be announced soon.

Elms College Appoints New Staff at Center for Student Success

CHICOPEE — Elms College has appointed a new director of diversity and inclusion, as well as a new director of tutoring services, rounding out the staff in the college’s new Center for Student Success. The new staff members join five other student-success professionals working to ensure student retention, engagement, and achievement.

The new director of diversity and inclusion is Alaina DiGiorgio. She will work with students, faculty, and staff to foster a more welcoming and inclusive community at Elms College. She has presented at numerous conferences on topics related to the intersection of race and athletics, and worked at the University of Tennessee. She was also a member of the Multicultural Mentorship program and ad hoc diversity committee at the University of Tennessee. Prior to that, she founded Women Empowering (WE) to strengthen community and support for female athletes at Western Illinois University, which is where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and her master’s degree in sport management.

The new director of tutoring services is Regina Tillona, an experienced educator who has worked to promote achievement for all learners. She most recently served as Title I director at Massachusetts Virtual Academy in Greenfield, where she created opportunities for students to explore the world as knowledgeable, creative, and thoughtful individuals. Prior to that, she worked as district coordinator at Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District and director of tutoring at New Leadership Charter School in Springfield. Tillona received her bachelor’s degree in education and history from Westfield State University, and her master of education degree from Western New England University.

The Center for Student Success combines the resources students need to succeed in one location, on the second floor of the Alumnae Library. The center is headed up by Joyce Hampton, dean for student success and strategic initiatives. Other staff include Tynisha Henderson, director of atudent accommodations and support services), who ensures equal access and full participation for students with diagnosed disabilities; Brian Kapinos, director of advising, who assists students with exploring or changing majors, accessing academic resources on campus, and addressing classroom difficulties or concerns; Phyllis Williams-Thompson, director of career development, who offers events, programs, workshops, and career guidance for students and alumni; and Marco Garcia, director of international programs, who promotes diversity and global awareness, coordinates immigration advising and study-abroad opportunities, and offers support for international students.

“At Elms College, we educate the whole person. We’re here to support our students intellectually, socially, and emotionally,” Hampton said. “All the offices in the Center for Student Success work together to ensure each student’s college experience is the most successful it can be.”

Local TV Journalist Returns to Host Connecting Point

SPRINGFIELD — WGBY’s local current-affairs show, Connecting Point, has a new host — who also happens to be a past one.

Beginning with forthcoming Season 8, Carrie Saldo, an award-winning journalist with nearly a decade of public-media experience, will return to public television to present timely stories from Western New England on the PBS station’s flagship news and current-affairs program.

Saldo served as WGBY’s Connecting Point host from 2010 to 2013, presenting most of the show’s eight-minute segments and co-producing the half-hour program at large. During her tenure, Saldo conducted hundreds of in-studio interviews, traveled to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, and hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail in a special in-the-field series.

Saldo’s return to the local PBS station comes on the heels of Jim Madigan’s retirement. Madigan headed up WGBY’s public-affairs efforts for nearly 30 years.

WGBY Deputy General Manager Lynn Page said Saldo was an obvious choice for the job.

“Carrie Saldo is the perfect addition to our team,” Page says. “She worked closely with Jim Madigan in the past and knows the region and its leadership very well. Carrie cares deeply for western New England. She understands the people, traditions, and cultures. She will continue Jim’s legacy as well as the mission of WGBY to connect the people of our region.”

WGBY General Manager Anthony Hayes added that Saldo will advance the station’s commitment to reliable local news and current-affairs coverage.

“Public media is a trusted source for information,” he said. “It’s extremely important that our current-affairs team lives up to the PBS reputation and provides Western New England with the content it expects from us. I have full confidence that Carrie Saldo will produce and deliver that quality local content to viewers.”

For Saldo’s part, the return to local public media is a welcome one. “I am honored to dive in and uncover the stories that need to be told in this region,” she said. “Excellent journalism is the result of carefully listening. I’m here. Share your thoughts, ideas, comments, and concerns. Let’s shed light on the issues that matter most to you and work toward strengthening this area that we call home.”

UPS Foundation Grant Helps Junior Achievement

SPRINGFIELD — Junior Achievement (JA) of Western Massachusetts received a $7,200 grant from the UPS Foundation to implement JA “Be Entrepreneurial” classes.

The curriculum introduces high-school students to the essential elements of a practical business plan and challenges them to start an entrepreneurial venture while still in high school. Students learn about advertising, competitive advantages, financing, marketing, and product development, all of which are key to being an informed entrepreneur.

The program includes seven 45-minute sessions taught by a community or corporate volunteer. Volunteers bring in their own experiences and life lessons to the classroom to enhance the JA program.

Schools and organizations participating in “Be Entrepreneurial” include Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, the JA BEE Summer Program, the Center for Human Development, St. Mary’s High School, and East Longmeadow High School.

“JA of Western Massachusetts is thrilled to receive this generous support from the UPS Foundation,” said Jennifer Connolly, president of JA of Western Massachusetts. “It will allow close to 200 students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship.”

Springfield Regional Chamber Event to Focus on Negotiation Skills

SPRINGFIELD — Joshua Weiss, co-founder of the Global Negotiation Initiative at Harvard University and program director of Bay Path University’s master of science program in Leadership and Negotiation will keynote at the Springfield Regional Chamber’s October Business@Breakfast on Wednesday, Oct. 4 from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at Crestview Country Club, 281 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam, with a focus on “The Negotiator in You.” The breakfast is sponsored by United Personnel Services.

Everyone negotiates every day — at work, with loved ones, and in other personal interactions. Whether buying a TV, deciding on a vacation spot, getting one’s children to do their homework, or asking for a raise, Weiss says negotiating skills are continually put to the test. This breakfast will show attendees how to negotiate with confidence and calm for successful results.

In addition to his work at both Harvard and Bay Path, Weiss is the founder of Negotiation Works Inc., consulting for a number of Fortune 500 companies, the United Nations, and the U.S. government. He delivers negotiation and mediation training and courses, and is tasked with negotiation and mediation at the organizational, corporate, government, and international levels.

Business@Breakfast is a monthly series that pays tribute to individuals, businesses, and organizations for major contributions to civic and economic growth and for actions which reflect honor on the region. At the breakfast, the chamber will also recognize Anthony Hayes as the new general manager for WGBY and Tim Kennedy as the new president of MassLive Media.

Tickets are $25 for Springfield Regional Chamber members in advance ($30 at the door) and $35 for general admission in advance ($40 at the door). Reservations are suggested and can be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com or by e-mailing Jessica Hill at [email protected]. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Contact Hill at (413) 755-1310 for more information.

Retailers Ready to Shine at Business & Innovation Expo on Nov. 2

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will bring back some popular features on Thursday, Nov. 2, including the retail marketplace in the atrium of the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Retail vendors will include LuLaRoe, Springfield Macarons, Springfield Thunderbirds, SKM Jewelers, Sassy Mama’s Delectable Cupcakes, Lipsense, Rodan & Fields, Fork Art, the Shops at Marketplace, and more.

In addition, attendees will enjoy numerous booth demonstrations, giveaways, and specials. For example, Kitchens by Curio will offer virtual-reality demonstrations of their kitchen and bath remodels, Dani Fine Photography will offer a headshot session plus digital images for only $49, and Digrigoli Salon will return to the Expo with free haircuts and manicures, just to name a few.

The Expo will also feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Springfield BID Extends Cruise Nights to Benefit Shriners, Square One

SPRINGFIELD — Every Monday evening throughout the summer, dozens of classic cars cruised into Court Square in downtown Springfield, where hundreds of car enthusiasts gathered to admire cars and enjoy music, food, and drinks, thanks to the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID).

Each week, participants were encouraged to make a donation in support of the work that both Square One and Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield are doing to support children and families in the region. Donations have grown to more than $1,000.

“In order to have a healthy, thriving business community, we need healthy, thriving families,” says Chris Russell, executive director of the Springfield BID. “Both Square One and Shriners Hospital are working to do just that. We are pleased to be supporting the important missions of these two organizations.”

Added Kristine Allard, chief development and communications officer at Square One, “gifts like this serve as a great reminder of the kind of community we live and work in. We are so grateful to the BID and to everyone who participated for their generous support of our work.”

This summer’s events have been so successful that the BID has decided to add Sept. 11 and Sept. 18 to the calendar. For more information on the extended events, visit springfielddowntown.com/events/cruise-night.

Karen Motyka, director of Development at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield, noted that “we are grateful to the Springfield Business Improvement District for recognizing the commitment of Shriners Hospitals for Children and Square One in improving the health and well-being of children in our community and beyond. Thank you for hosting Cruising for Kids and for bringing the community together in support of our organizations.”

Cruise Night at Court Square is presented by the Body Shop, located on Stafford Street. Additional sponsors include Bud Light, Harpoon, Farmington Savings Bank, Good Diggin Landscaping, and Garvey Communications.

Christopher Matteson Joins EANE as Grant Developer

AGAWAM — The Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE) announced that Christopher Matteson has joined the EANE team as grant developer. He will work with EANE members to train and develop their workforces using funding secured from targeted grant sources. He brings more than 10 years of experience — primarily in the areas of manufacturing, healthcare, and social services — to his role at EANE.

Matteson will spearhead the October initiative to generate awareness for Massachusetts-based companies in workforce-training opportunities, and will outline strategies and trends for significant funding resources. Two lunch programs will be held: one in EANE’s Auburn office on Tuesday, Oct. 3, and the other in Agawam on Friday, Oct. 6. Both programs run from noon to 1:30 p.m., and businesses and organizations can register at no charge by contacting Matteson at [email protected].

EANE has facilitated numerous grants — close to $2 million in total, with several grants ranging from $200,000 to $250,000 — for members to increase job retention, growth, and wages; to foster more productive and competitive companies; and to increase commitments to private investment in training.

Matteson spent more than eight years with the 500-member advocacy group the Rhode Island Manufacturers Assoc. and its nonprofit arm, the Rhode Island Manufacturing Institute, most recently as vice president and chief operating officer. In that position, he maintained member services, developed strong relationships with manufacturers, and created training programs in partnership with universities, community colleges, and local training providers. He developed several manufacturing apprenticeship programs which led to dozens of new hires for manufacturers, and spearheaded a program for Rhode Island called “Dream It, DO IT,” which is a national initiative charged with increasing the positive awareness of manufacturing as a career choice.

Matteson also spent several years in social-service positions and mental-health community-action programs dealing with sex offenders, fire setters, and substance abusers, where he implemented behavior-modification and managed-treatment programs.

Matteson has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology from Rhode Island College and will complete his project management professional (PMP) certification in October at Bryant University. He has served on the advisory boards of Davies Career and Technical School, North Kingston High School, and East Providence Career and Technical School. He is a member of the National Assoc. of Workforce Development Professionals. He also serves on the board of directors for St. Mary’s Home for Children, a nonprofit agency offering comprehensive treatment programs for boys and girls traumatized by abuse or experiencing the challenges of psychiatric disorders.

Valley Venture Mentors Joins Global Accelerator Network

SPRINGFIELD — After a rigorous selection process, the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) has invited Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) to join its network, which is described as “a highly curated community of independent accelerators, corporates, and investors. We [GAN] create opportunities around the world for startups to access the human and financial capital they need to build businesses and make a meaningful impact, wherever they call home.”

To date, GAN said, its network has helped more than 5,000 startups receive more than $4.8 billion in funding and create 28,000 jobs globally. VVM will join more than 85 other accelerators in a network that includes notable programs such as TechStars, Microsoft Accelerator, and PlayLabs @ MIT.

The network offers expansive opportunities for VVM’s startups and for VVM as a whole, including startup accelerator alumni access to morw than $1 million in in-kind perks, from cloud hosting credits to airline tickets; a network of thought partners with which to share best practices and develop innovations; a global coworking exchange that will allow VVM’s startups to work all over the world and bring other GAN members to Springfield; access to a global network that will match startups with interested investors; the opportunity for VVM to serve as a pipeline to GAN Ventures, which invests in early-stage startups; and programming for alumni that will augment VVM offerings.

Berkshire Community College Launches New Job-search Website

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced that its Career Development Center has launched new career-management software with College Central Network (CCN) at www.collegecentral.com/berkshirecc.

BCC students past, present, and future now have access to the latest resources and job opportunities at the regional and national level. Additionally, this tool will enhance communication among various departments within the college that routinely collaborate with employers in the community.

The new website offers exclusive job postings targeting the BCC student and alumni population as well as access to hundreds of career articles, podcasts, and career-advice resources. Students and any community members can upload or build a résumé on the site as well as register for career-related events around the area and receive alerts for their ideal job.

BCC recently sent out registration notifications to local employers, inviting them to create an account. Once confirmed, they may begin uploading job opportunities that they would like to post.

BCC’s job-search site is meant to assist local employers and the community in making it easier to post and find jobs. It also helps ensure a smooth transition for BCC students to find local employment with support from the software and the college’s Career Development Center team.

Ralph Thresher Joins Webber & Grinnell as Loss-control Consultant

NORTHAMPTON — Ralph Thresher has joined Webber & Grinnell Insurance as a loss-control consultant. He has more than 30 years of experience as a loss-control specialist.

Through his expertise, Thresher has helped companies reduce their losses through policy and regulation implementation. In his most recent position with L.E. Mahoney/Wheeler & Taylor Inc., he worked with clients’ management teams to create a safer work environment through the evaluation of their existing safety policies and procedures, performing safety surveys of their work sites, and making recommendations to reduce accidents and improve regulatory compliance.

“We are pleased to have Ralph join our team of professionals,” company President William Grinnell said. “As we expand our loss-control program, Ralph is poised to assist our clients by identifying hazards, improving safety procedures, and provide update industry regulations regarding OSHA and FMCSA. His work experience will complement our long-term plan to expand our offerings and customer service to our valued commercial-line clients.”

OMG Promotes Chris Mader to Technical Services Manager

AGAWAM — OMG Roofing Products has promoted Chris Mader to the position of technical services manager. In his new role, Mader will manage the day-to-day activities of the Technical Services department, which oversees building-code and approval issues, product-application issues, as well as technical customer-support activities. In addition, he will manage the technical-support team of Andy Cleveland and Stephen Childs. He reports to Josh Kelly, vice president and general manager.

Mader started with OMG Roofing Products in 2011 as a codes and approvals support engineer. Since then, he has worked extensively with OMG’s private-label customers and code and approval officials both in North America and abroad, helping with product evaluation, developing technical product specifications, and maintaining code approvals and keeping abreast of technical changes and advancements in the commercial roofing industry. Prior to joining OMG, he was a manufacturing engineer with Hamilton Sundstrand.

Mader is a member of the National Roofing Contractors Assoc., the Single-Ply Roofing Industry, and the Roof Consultants Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UMass Dartmouth and a master’s degree in engineering management from Western New England University.

Expo Breakfast to Feature Revitalize CDC, JoinedForces Fund-raiser

SPRINGFIELD — The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass. will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 2 with a fund-raising breakfast for Revitalize CDC’s JoinedForces program. The event will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on the Expo show floor at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The master of ceremonies will be state Rep. Aaron Vega.

Revitalize CDC has been supporting veterans for more than 25 years. JoinedForces, in partnership with businesses, civic organizations, and other nonprofit agencies, provides veterans and their families with critical repairs and modifications on their homes to help make them safe, healthy, and energy-efficient. This is all done in a surrounding that offers integrity, dignity, and hope.

Registration is free, but day-of donations are strongly encouraged, as this is a fund-raising event. Parking in the Civic Center garage will be validated at the conclusion of the breakfast. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Call (413) 781-8600 for additional information.

The Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass., the seventh annual business-to-business show produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News, will feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsor), Smith & Wesson (Workforce Support Center sponsor), Savage Arms (JoinedForces parking sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

The Hub Studio Announces Grand-opening Celebration on Sept. 30

FLORENCE — Tracy Roth, who launched the Hub Studio, a fitness studio located at the Nonotuck Mill in Florence, will host a grand opening at the studio on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The studio will offer spinning, TRX resistance training, mat Pilates, scientifically backed nutrition-coaching programs, outdoor cycling instruction, workshops, special events, and more.

“The Hub believes it’s our clients’ birthright to feel powerful and complete in their bodies,” Roth said, “and that our true potential, physical and mental, lies within our core — our ‘hub’ — and when you find a way to tap into that core, you access limitless power.”

The grand opening will include refreshments and snacks from local cafés and restaurants, live music from kid-friendly DJ Quintessential, free chair massage, a raffle, and more. The raffle prizes include classes and a three-month membership at the Hub Studio, as well as other exclusive items from area businesses. The event is free, and the public is welcome. Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz will attend to assist with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located in Suite 202 at the Nonotuck Mill, 296-C Nonotuck St., Florence, the studio will be open full-time starting Monday, Oct. 2 and will include group fitness classes for all levels during the morning, afternoon, and evening hours. The studio will also have classes, workshops, and special events on Saturdays and Sundays. For class descriptions, schedule, a blog, and more, visit www.yourhubstudio.com.

Foundation for TJO Animals to Host ‘Ride Like an Animal’ Event

SPRINGFIELD — The Foundation for TJO Animals will host the ninth annual “Ride Like an Animal” Motorcycle Ride and Car Show to benefit homeless animals in shelter at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center. All proceeds from this event will provide much-needed medical care and training to the many animals that call TJO their temporary home.

The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration opens at 9 a.m., followed by kickstands up at 10:45 a.m., with the ride leaving at 11 a.m. for a scenic trek through Western Mass.

Pre-registration festivities at the center — located at 627 Cottage St., Springfield — will include Pat Kelly from Lazer 99.3 and special guest Jonathan Hall and Toto the Tornado Kitten. The ride will end at the Ludlow Elks, located at 69 Chapin St., Ludlow, which will host a party featuring live music from the band Tough Customer, a barbecue (vegetarian food available), raffles, and some TJO alumni.

A car show will offer awards for the top three people’s choice. Show car registration is $15 per passenger and includes admission to the after-party and lunch from noon to 3 p.m. Show cars are encouraged to arrive between 11:30 a.m. and noon.

Registration for the ride is $25 per adult rider and free for children under age 7. For those individuals who would like to attend the after-party, post-ride party tickets are available for $15 per person.

Event sponsors include Chicopee Savings Charitable Foundation, Colonial Tire and Brake Center, Florence Bank, Harley-Davidson of Southampton, and New England Treatment Access. The Foundation for TJO Animals is a nonprofit organization that supports and enhances the medical services and enrichment programs for the animals at Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center.

Elms College Welcomes Nine New Faculty Members

CHICOPEE — Elms College added nine new faculty members in accounting, biology, communication sciences and disorders, education, nursing, and social work this year.

“We are very honored and excited to welcome such an experienced group of new faculty who are well-respected in their fields,” said Walter Breau, vice president of Academic Affairs.

Sara Smiarowski, an adjunct professor in the Elms MBA program, has been promoted to assistant professor of Accounting. Most recently, she was CFO of Berkshire Brewing Company in South Deerfield, MA. She also held leadership financial roles at Yankee Candle Co. in South Deerfield and Kringle Candle Co. in Bernardston.

Joining Elms as a lecturer in Biology is Dr. Andrew Rucks. Most recently, Rucks has been a faculty member at American International College in Springfield and a consultant with Westat in Rockville, Md. He previously held faculty positions at Holyoke Community College, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston, and Western New England College.

Brittney Carlson and Kathleen Murphy have been hired as assistant professors of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Carlson, who had been an adjunct professor at Elms since January, most recently served as a staff audiologist for VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Since 2004, Murphy has worked in a number of roles for Futures Education, Futures Healthcore in Springfield. She has also served as a speech language pathologist at Stepping Stones Birth to Three Center in Hartford, Conn.; Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton; and Holyoke Public Schools.

Joining Elms as associate professor of Education is Natalie Dunning, and as lecturer of Education is Shannon Dillard. Dunning had been assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for Freetown-Lakeville Regional Schools in Lakeville since 2013. Prior to that, she was chief academic officer for Springfield Public Schools and K-12 supervisor of science for Providence (R.I.) Public Schools. Dillard has been adjunct faculty in curriculum development at Bay Path University since 2010. Prior to that, she was a clinical faculty member and lecturer at UMass Amherst.

New faculty in the School of Nursing are Elizabeth Fiscella as associate professor of Nursing, and Deana Nunes as instructor of Nursing. Fiscella most recently served as an associate professor of Nursing at Berkshire Community College and as assistant clinical professor of Nursing at UMass. Nunes, a certified wound care nurse at Mercy Wound Care Center in Springfield since 2010, has been a clinical adjunct at Elms College since 2015.

Finally, William Gilbert has joined the college as assistant professor of Social Work. He has more than 25 years of experience in social work as a clinician, administrator, supervisor, and educator. He has taught at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic; the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Conn.; the University of Connecticut in West Hartford; and Elms College. His social-services experience includes positions at agencies such as Catholic Charities in Norwich, Conn.; Family Support Services; Community Prevention and Addiction Services Inc. in Willimantic, Conn.; and the Village for Families and Children Inc. in Hartford, Conn.

Labor & Employment Law Symposium Slated for Oct. 5

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. will hold a Labor & Employment Law Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel.

“The past year has brought significant changes in labor and employment law, and employers need to be aware of these changes; not knowing the law is no excuse for not following it,” said attorney Timothy Murphy, a partner at Skoler Abbott. “We are offering this symposium to provide local and regional HR professionals and employers with the latest developments, and to help them prepare for what’s coming next.”

The symposium is geared toward human-resources professionals and business owners. Topics and presenters will include:

• “Labor Law Update: Change Is Coming,” by Murphy and attorney Ralph Abbott Jr., Skoler Abbott;

• “Massachusetts’ New Pay Equity Law and the Effects of Implicit Bias in the Workplace,” by attorney Kimberly Klimczuk, Skoler Abbott;

• “Top Ten Wage & Hour Mistakes Made by Employers,” by attorney John Gannon, Skoler Abbott;

• “Insurance Coverage in Employment Litigation: Limiting Your Risk & Knowing Your Rights,” a panel discussion with attorney Marylou Fabbo, Skoler Abbott; Miriam Siegel, director of Human Resources, Springfield College; and William Trudeau, president, Insurance Center of New England; moderated by attorney Amelia Holstrom, Skoler Abbott;

• “After Barbuto: Strategies for Addressing Drugs in the Workplace,” by attorney Erica Flores, Skoler Abbott; and

• “How You Should (and Shouldn’t) Conduct a Workplace Investigation,” by Holstrom and attorney Susan Fentin, Skoler Abbott.

Attendees will be able to select three of six breakout sessions, and the symposium will close with an overall question-and-answer session. The symposium has been pre-approved by the HR Certification Institute for five hours of general recertification credit toward PHR and SPHR recertification.

The cost to attend is $99 per person and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Registration is available at skoler-abbott.com/trainingprograms.

Seminar This Afternoon Aims to Demystify Video Production

SPRINGFIELD — It’s not a novelty anymore. Video content is being consumed at a rapidly inclining rate and can be a crucial tool in the marketing strategy of modern businesses. But how should you go about creating it? What does it take? The process can get confusing.

At a free seminar today, Sept. 6, from 4 to 5 p.m. at UMass Center at Springfield, Chris Thibault, director and owner of Chris Teebo Films, will simplify the complex process of creating good video content.

“It can be frustrating for marketing professionals to get an idea off the page and onto a video format that actually plays well in front of audience,” he said. “Everything is custom, which is great, but can be daunting if not dealt with correctly. But there are a few tricks out there that can be applied.”

At the seminar, attendees will hear about how video is constantly changing and winning the competition for attention, how to hire a professional, DIY techniques for creating video content, and pointers on distribution of video (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TV, etc.) once it is created.

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how the video production process works and be able to start the process of either creating marketing video themselves or hiring a team to do it for them. This workshop is part of UMass Center’s “Resolution Within Reach” series.

Real Estate Transactions

Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

Baptist Corner Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Keith Zorn
Seller: Kyla Allon
Date: 08/04/17

688 Bear Swamp Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Daniel K. Lederer
Seller: First Congregational Church
Date: 08/04/17

396 Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Robert P. Williamson
Seller: Nelson Howes
Date: 07/25/17

143-A Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Burning Sensation LLC
Seller: Douglas R. Pease
Date: 08/01/17

143-B Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Burning Sensation LLC
Seller: Douglas R. Pease
Date: 08/01/17

143-C Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Burning Sensation LLC
Seller: Douglas R. Pease
Date: 08/01/17

BUCKLAND

146 Bray Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $358,700
Buyer: Alicia S. Levey
Seller: Linda A. Merritt
Date: 07/26/17

CHARLEMONT

77 Rowe Road
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Charles J. Crosier
Seller: Collins, Mary B., (Estate)
Date: 07/25/17

CONWAY

16 Bond St.
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $223,700
Buyer: Dylan Vight
Seller: Bernadine Mellis
Date: 08/04/17

539 Graves Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: James E. Marsh
Seller: Susan Hawes
Date: 07/31/17

332 Williamsburg Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Sherry D. Ouimet
Seller: US Bank
Date: 07/31/17

DEERFIELD

32 Captain Lathrop Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Cheryl A. Patterson
Seller: David Persons
Date: 07/31/17

3 Jones Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $166,419
Buyer: USA VA
Seller: Sarah A. Leclerc
Date: 08/04/17

64 Whately Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Jesse L. Sheldon
Seller: Francis G. Sobieski
Date: 08/03/17

GREENFIELD

720 Bernardston Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Isaac L. Galeas
Seller: Cheryl D. Goodwin
Date: 07/27/17

339 Federal St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Svetlana K. Stewart
Seller: Jeffrey A. Traft
Date: 08/01/17

62 Green River Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Jeremy M. Suhl
Seller: Treusch FT
Date: 07/31/17

28 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Kristi L. Cessarossi
Seller: Charles R. Smith
Date: 08/04/17

8 Madison Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Eric Fry
Seller: Jennifer H. Suhl
Date: 07/31/17

57 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Jeffrey E. Lapointe
Seller: Mary P. Quinlan
Date: 07/28/17

65 Norwood St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Benjamin R. Halkett
Seller: Ahlskog, Howard E. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 08/03/17

98 Old Albany Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Poggi
Seller: Robert J. Ericson
Date: 08/04/17

40 Prospect St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: James Schmidt
Seller: Kenneth W. Russell
Date: 07/28/17

175 Silver St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Robert Foley
Seller: Stuart C. Pratt
Date: 08/01/17

82 Thayer Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $154,000
Buyer: Jody P. James
Seller: Linda M. Mackenzie
Date: 07/28/17

23 Warner St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $131,900
Buyer: Christine Thorington
Seller: Petrin, John D., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

MONTAGUE

55 11th St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Sheila Webster
Seller: Pioneer Valley Redeveloper
Date: 07/27/17

1 Emond Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Sean P. Sibley
Seller: Jeffrey E. Emond
Date: 07/28/17

39 Grove St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: David M. Shea
Seller: Barbara A. Rivet
Date: 07/27/17

14 High St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Ralph R. Messick
Seller: Stanleigh I. Johnson
Date: 08/01/17

NORTHFIELD

33 Hamilton Dr.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Cynthia F. Channing
Seller: Timothy P. Umscheid
Date: 07/26/17

196 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $118,750
Buyer: William R. Chaney
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 07/28/17

817 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $229,500
Buyer: Lindsay Lesenski
Seller: Joseph G. Saviski
Date: 08/04/17

829 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $285,500
Buyer: Kristopher E. Bradbury
Seller: Wood IRT
Date: 07/28/17

ORANGE

77 High St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Kathryn M. Ahearn
Seller: Brian J. Gannon
Date: 07/25/17

79 Marjorie St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: Neil P. Branco
Seller: Daniel P. Sheehan
Date: 07/28/17

46 Mill St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Jash USA Inc.
Seller: Vag USA LLC
Date: 07/25/17

174 Pleasant St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Jacob M. Earl
Seller: Michael P. Earl
Date: 07/28/17

ROWE

145 Leshure Road
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Susan D. Tomlinson
Seller: David J. Keppler
Date: 08/02/17

SHELBURNE

3 Common Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Lynn E. Samaan
Seller: Philip W. Shulda
Date: 07/28/17

98 Old Albany Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Daniel J. Poggi
Seller: Robert J. Ericson
Date: 08/04/17

SUNDERLAND

Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: NSTAR Electric Co.
Seller: WD Cowls Inc.
Date: 07/31/17

126 North Main St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Margaret A. Byrne
Seller: Beverly J. Clarity
Date: 07/31/17

49 South Silver Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Vincent J. Tran
Seller: Carolyn P. Zimnowski
Date: 07/31/17

WARWICK

315 Athol Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: James D. Vanvalkenburgh
Seller: Carr, Bruce, (Estate)
Date: 07/27/17

WHATELY

135 Conway Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $272,900
Buyer: Robert J. Ericson
Seller: Caroline A. Christie
Date: 08/04/17

12 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01373
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Denise M. Govoni
Seller: Denise E. Delaney
Date: 07/28/17

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

16 Carol Ave.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Sarah L. Daglio
Seller: Kenneth J. Thompson
Date: 08/02/17

31 Edward St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $253,000
Buyer: John J. Digiovanni
Seller: Ellen K. Juzba
Date: 07/31/17

92 Farmington Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Peter Polito
Seller: Hillside Development Corp.
Date: 07/27/17

45 Federal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Kevin A. Masek
Seller: Paul Drewnowski
Date: 07/26/17

200 Leonard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Kelle R. Morello
Date: 08/01/17

7 Moreau Place
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: David M. Nolan
Seller: Jacqueline G. Loney
Date: 07/31/17

243 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Steven Grushetskiy
Seller: Yvonne D. Baez
Date: 07/28/17

664 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Ryan M. Roberts
Seller: Michael W. Price
Date: 07/28/17

86 Roberta Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Justin V. Buiso
Seller: Diane M. Goodman
Date: 07/31/17

1143 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Rudolf Korobkov
Seller: Michael J. Augusti
Date: 07/31/17

BRIMFIELD

101 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Terence L. Hegarty
Seller: John H. Chianese
Date: 07/28/17

81 Little Alum Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Donna A. Jaworski
Seller: Nancy J. Chapdelaine
Date: 07/24/17

CHESTER

2 Ed Lebleau Road
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Thomas C. Robitaille
Seller: Edward Burt
Date: 07/28/17

282 Skyline Trail
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Kaila R. Spencer
Seller: Richard Gemme
Date: 07/31/17

CHICOPEE

69 Ames Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Sara Bonakdar
Seller: Lloyd Investments LLC
Date: 07/25/17

74 Ann St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Christopher George
Seller: Donald R. Blanton
Date: 08/01/17

24 Beesley Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $168,500
Buyer: Adam J. Eckert
Seller: Gregory M. Powers
Date: 07/31/17

548 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Arelys Otero
Seller: Ioannis Mirisis
Date: 07/25/17

132 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: AEM Property Investment
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 07/28/17

Carriage Road #36
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Joseph McDaneld
Seller: Gabriel P. Bergeron
Date: 07/28/17

102 Cochran St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,700
Buyer: Anne M. Devine
Seller: Rybak, Lucille J., (Estate)
Date: 07/25/17

16 Connell St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $165,960
Buyer: Joshua T. Kelliher
Seller: Ronald R. Heroux
Date: 07/27/17

401 East St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Jonathan P. Miller
Seller: Jeffrey M. Deren
Date: 08/04/17

94 Forest St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Ismael Bernabel
Seller: Bruce G. Boisselle
Date: 08/03/17

402 Granby Road
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Marlane T. Velthouse
Seller: John D. Mcgrane
Date: 07/25/17

36 Grandview St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Bethany Valeris
Seller: Joseph Simonich
Date: 07/28/17

73 Hilton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Stephen J. Badura
Seller: Laura A. Schmieding
Date: 08/02/17

231 Langevin St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Daniel C. Sadlowski
Seller: Evan M. Breeding
Date: 07/28/17

52 Lincoln St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,500
Buyer: South Middlesex Non-Profit
Seller: Florent D. Marcoux
Date: 07/31/17

36 Loomis Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Daryl D. Berrelli
Seller: Bogdan Matysik
Date: 07/28/17

37 Luther St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jonathan P. Damours
Seller: Mark A. Russell
Date: 07/27/17

48 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Jason R. Dorman
Seller: Mary R. Gancarz
Date: 07/28/17

64 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Patrick A. Chamberlain
Seller: Karen Langome
Date: 07/31/17

132 Maryland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: German Garcia
Seller: Leonid A. Ignatyuk
Date: 08/03/17

20 Mount Carmel Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Luis R. Nunez
Seller: Alexander Hripak
Date: 07/31/17

270 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Jarred R. Belisle
Seller: St.Pierre, Diane L., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

71 Oakridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Michael A. Schmitt
Seller: Jessica M. Harper
Date: 07/31/17

177 Rimmon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Hannah L. Chapman
Seller: Thomas J. Bresnahan
Date: 07/31/17

49 Royalton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $123,600
Buyer: Kristine D. Labelle
Seller: Theodore A. Monette
Date: 07/24/17

74 Saint Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Robert W. Smith
Seller: Ronald J. Pete
Date: 08/01/17

67 Streiber Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $221,964
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Doreen A. Pepin
Date: 07/27/17

81 Summit Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Martin O. Franco-Bermudez
Seller: Brenda L. Russo
Date: 07/25/17

101 Sunflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Luce
Seller: Dianne Roe-Gallo
Date: 08/01/17

110 Sunflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Damaris Aponte
Seller: Anthony M. Rigali
Date: 07/28/17

96 Sunflower Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: William Hernandez
Seller: William R. Hernandez
Date: 07/26/17

19 Surrey Lane
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Joseph McDaneld
Seller: Gabriel P. Bergeron
Date: 07/28/17

38 Szetela Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Gregory M. Powers
Seller: Theodora J. Galica
Date: 07/31/17

19 Theodore St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Monette
Seller: Brenda I. Maloney
Date: 08/02/17

35 Theodore St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $133,500
Buyer: Mark A. Moller
Seller: Jared S. Debettencourt
Date: 07/31/17

31 Victoria Park
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeffrey F. Thompson
Seller: Kyle Lewis
Date: 07/31/17

15 Wawel St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Deniz M. Kan
Seller: Sean E. Daly
Date: 07/24/17

23 White Birch Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Patrick K. Asselin
Seller: Min Realty LLC
Date: 07/27/17

43 Woodcrest Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: John Bergeron
Seller: James A. Smith
Date: 07/28/17

EAST LONGMEADOW

Amalfi Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Paul Heath
Seller: Bella Vista Land Holdings
Date: 07/26/17

5 Balmoral Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $529,600
Buyer: Krishna P. Kafle
Seller: Gwilym Jones
Date: 07/28/17

123 Dearborn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Nicholas Dangelo
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 07/31/17

9 Euclid Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $308,700
Buyer: Melissa A. Barrington
Seller: Michael F. Torcia
Date: 07/27/17

29 Forest Hills Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Floyd P. VanLone
Seller: Robert J. Guilmette
Date: 08/04/17

50 Franconia Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: William Christie
Seller: Teresa D. Cavanaugh
Date: 07/28/17

59 Franconia Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Theresa Poremba
Seller: Yakov Gartsbeyn
Date: 07/28/17

24 Gates Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Rebecca M. Webster
Seller: Matthew P. Kranz
Date: 07/27/17

63 Greenwich Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $379,500
Buyer: Benjamin F. Turnberg
Seller: Paul M. Albano
Date: 07/28/17

64 Lee St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Justin A. Lamontagne
Seller: Robert Sopet
Date: 08/02/17

16 Longview Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Jean M. Faria
Seller: Jeanne Raudensky
Date: 07/28/17

43 Meadowbrook Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Mark A. Bilton
Date: 07/28/17

295 Millbrook Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Jian Y. Wang
Seller: Mario Ferrentino
Date: 07/28/17

125 Patterson Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $304,900
Buyer: Shalina B. Wray
Seller: David A. Deangelis
Date: 07/31/17

Pondview Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $134,900
Buyer: Douglas G. Mcadoo
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 07/24/17

600 Prospect St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $408,000
Buyer: Roland F. Berthiaume
Seller: Antonio J. Pietroniro
Date: 08/04/17

108 Rogers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Becker
Seller: Matthew R. Pollock
Date: 07/31/17

14 Rural Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Michael Sheehan
Seller: Paula S. Wayne
Date: 07/28/17

45 Schuyler Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Erica L. Fisher
Seller: Timothy B. Hickey
Date: 08/02/17

484 Somers Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Brian S. Connaughton
Seller: William T. Raleigh
Date: 07/26/17

57 Tufts St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Eric Johnson
Seller: Marc A. Hiser
Date: 08/04/17

334 Westwood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Byrne
Seller: Julie A. Michaelson
Date: 08/04/17

GRANVILLE

54 Granby Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Robert M. O’Connor
Seller: Donald B. Johnson
Date: 07/31/17

666 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Elmer J. Robinette
Seller: Elizabeth D. Merring
Date: 07/28/17

87 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $318,500
Buyer: Karen Dahmke
Seller: Daniel Hoadley
Date: 07/31/17

HAMPDEN

16 Kibbe Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $423,844
Buyer: Joseph Celetti
Seller: Custom Homes Development Group
Date: 07/27/17

Kibbe Lane
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 07/27/17

Kibbe Lane #15
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 07/27/17

Kibbe Lane #16
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 07/27/17

Kibbe Lane #17-19
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 07/27/17

Kibbe Lane #4
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Dev Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 07/27/17

437 Main St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $158,500
Buyer: Keith R. Wiley
Seller: Karen W. Quiet
Date: 08/03/17

HOLLAND

8 Brandon St.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Michael Harpin
Seller: Gayle Neff
Date: 07/28/17

15 Chaffee Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Benjamin C. Marinelli
Seller: Storey, Allan E., (Estate)
Date: 07/27/17

10 Collette Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Stacy Stout
Seller: Dennis M. Quinlan
Date: 07/28/17

15 Lakeridge Dr.
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Neilson
Seller: Annette G. Kelehan
Date: 08/04/17

224 Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Robert J. Beauregard
Seller: Richard E. Blease
Date: 07/28/17

HOLYOKE

21 Bassett Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: James Egge
Seller: Robert E. Olmstead
Date: 08/03/17

45 Berkshire St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Edgar J. Diaz
Seller: John G. Martin
Date: 07/27/17

172 Central Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Mackenzie Pause
Seller: Angel L. Rodriguez
Date: 07/24/17

15 Concord Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Betsy A. Everett
Seller: Karen A. Gaulin
Date: 07/31/17

6 Curran Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $191,000
Buyer: Kyle G. Anderson
Seller: Anne M. Curran-Laplante
Date: 08/01/17

210 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Chicopee Kendall LLC
Seller: Girls Inc. Of Holyoke
Date: 08/04/17

21 Florence Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Benson
Seller: Guillermo Santiago
Date: 08/02/17

676 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Jessica Delgado-Morales
Seller: Margarita Matias
Date: 07/24/17

205 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,500
Buyer: Nadia Muusse
Seller: Jeremy P. Brown
Date: 07/27/17

40 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Erica F. Schomer
Seller: Emilia Cruz
Date: 07/31/17

1226-1228 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Blue Summit Realty LLC
Seller: Mark Bonavita
Date: 07/28/17

960 Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Carmen J. Hernandez
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 07/28/17

428 Maple St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Muni Management Inc.
Seller: Mark A. Caplette
Date: 08/04/17

98 Nonotuck St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Frank M. Ruemmele
Seller: John F. Tenczar
Date: 07/28/17

21-23 Parker St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Amanda F. Leitl
Seller: Linda M. Menard
Date: 08/03/17

24 Parker St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Chad M. Cain
Seller: Eric A. Frary
Date: 07/28/17

325 Pleasant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $144,000
Buyer: Caitlin R. Shea
Seller: Dorothy A. Wojciak
Date: 07/24/17

18 Quirk Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Hat Trick Properties LLC
Seller: Holyoke Property Management
Date: 07/27/17

20 Rhode Island St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Clemente Saravia
Seller: Healy, Patrick J., (Estate)
Date: 08/04/17

173 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Donald G. Abrahamson
Seller: Kevin Cruz
Date: 07/31/17

298 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Richard A. Santiago
Seller: Michael J. Lattinville
Date: 08/01/17

LONGMEADOW

45 Belleclaire Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Lamoureux
Seller: Alexander C. McGill
Date: 07/28/17

21 Brookwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Gallo
Seller: Robitaille, Janice C., (Estate)
Date: 08/04/17

24 Chatham Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: William P. Harrington
Seller: Patrica E. Sullivan
Date: 07/28/17

68 Churchill Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Alexander C. McGill
Seller: Kathleen A. Nietupski
Date: 07/28/17

432 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $413,000
Buyer: Lisa L. Scarnici
Seller: Dawn M. Quercia
Date: 08/04/17

217 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Lauren L. Rollins
Seller: Linda Michalik
Date: 07/28/17

542 Laurel St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Scott G. Bombardier
Seller: Jonathan Pieciul
Date: 07/31/17

63 Lawnwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: John E. Taylor
Seller: Ryan Connelly
Date: 08/01/17

56 Lincoln Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $310,558
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Joseph M. Consolini
Date: 08/04/17

129 Longview Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $396,000
Buyer: Brian A. Hafey
Seller: Dennis M. Luciano
Date: 07/25/17

111 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Margaret Bernier
Seller: Jennifer A. Hafey
Date: 07/28/17

129 Normandy Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $289,900
Buyer: Nuwan Desilva
Seller: Sue E. Lovejoy
Date: 08/01/17

15 Pinewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $520,000
Buyer: Jesse R. Rivest
Seller: Robert S. King
Date: 08/01/17

63 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: Andrew T. Scott
Seller: Jami Wholesale LLC
Date: 07/24/17

85 Western Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: John D. McGrane
Seller: Roy R. Johansen
Date: 07/25/17

188 Westmoreland Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Chantal M. Ryall
Seller: Ann M. Togneri
Date: 07/28/17

LUDLOW

39 Arnold St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Daniel J. Parker
Seller: Jaime R. Hoppock
Date: 07/28/17

216 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $149,500
Buyer: Katie E. Cole
Seller: Riverbend 2 Properties
Date: 07/28/17

100 Howard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $154,900
Buyer: Taylor K. Wiggin
Seller: Pedro P. Pereira
Date: 07/28/17

64 Mero St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Jamee R. Stearns
Seller: Boucher FT
Date: 07/31/17

133 Ridgeview Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jose S. Ovelheiro
Seller: Federico R. Molinari
Date: 07/24/17

MONSON

2 Carpenter Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Mark E. Major
Seller: Jeffrey Kuselias
Date: 07/27/17

30 Childs Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Kathryn Esser
Seller: Michele Salerno
Date: 08/04/17

63 Margaret St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jessica M. Coldwell
Seller: Frederick A. Waldron
Date: 08/02/17

160 May Hill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Jesse Beaudoin
Seller: Daniel A. Duval
Date: 07/28/17

125 Peck Brothers Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jeffrey A. Jordan
Seller: Brian I. Witkop
Date: 07/31/17

15 Woodhill Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $278,000
Buyer: William J. Carabetta
Seller: Nathan J. Krach
Date: 07/24/17

PALMER

152 3 Rivers Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Kevin Harris
Seller: Linda A. Haskell
Date: 07/28/17

10 Elizabeth St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Kristin B. Novia
Seller: Barbara Holt
Date: 07/26/17

113 Longview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: William J. Beynor
Seller: Richard Corsi
Date: 07/25/17

1376-1378 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: PEL RT LLC
Seller: PFE Inc.
Date: 07/28/17

2119 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Marlene Ottomaniello
Seller: Jean M. Faria
Date: 07/28/17

13 Orchard St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Louis E. Tortora
Seller: US Bank
Date: 08/02/17

1060 Overlook Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Daniel W. Gagner
Seller: Kimberly Bailey
Date: 08/03/17

33 Pearl St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $148,900
Buyer: Andrew M. Moontri
Seller: Brian Zandy
Date: 07/25/17

3027 Pleasant St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: David A. Farnum
Seller: Lillian M. Griffin
Date: 08/03/17

22 Saint John St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $180,750
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Julies F. Wellington
Date: 08/04/17

39 Shaw St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Anthony M. Wilkins
Seller: Stephen T. Masley
Date: 08/04/17

RUSSELL

725 General Knox Road
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Brian M. Harvey
Seller: Lloyd O. Long
Date: 07/24/17

53 Highland Ave.
Russell, MA 01071
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Jason J. Scribner
Seller: Allen D. Papillon
Date: 07/25/17

21 Main St.
Russell, MA 01008
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Edward M. Donnachie
Seller: Bonnie L. Netto
Date: 07/25/17

SOUTHWICK

126 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $237,500
Buyer: Olga Liogky
Seller: Jayne Smith
Date: 07/26/17

28 Birchwood Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $202,900
Buyer: Anthony W. Frye
Seller: Kimberly A. Moses
Date: 07/28/17

66-R Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $2,100,000
Buyer: Western Mass Electric Co.
Seller: Griffin Land Dev. MA LLC
Date: 08/04/17

18 Meadow Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Craig S. Miller
Seller: Nicholas M. Katsounakis
Date: 08/01/17

14 Oak St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Walter E. Drenen
Seller: John Gulbrandsen
Date: 07/26/17

15 Shaggbark Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Robin A. Desruisseaux
Seller: William R. Currier
Date: 07/28/17

243 Sheep Pasture Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $264,999
Buyer: Dennis P. McGonagle
Seller: Andrew T. Scott
Date: 07/28/17

48 Sheep Pasture Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Christopher P. Whalley
Seller: Mary J. Duffy
Date: 07/31/17

SPRINGFIELD

274 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Andrew Collins
Seller: Kenneth R. Bisi
Date: 07/27/17

16 Amity Court
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: David Bedrosian
Seller: Samuel Bedrosian
Date: 07/27/17

540 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

46 Bancroft St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

111 Barre St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Joshualee D. Nembhard
Seller: Joseph J. Lynskey
Date: 07/28/17

47 Barrison St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Joel Maldonado
Seller: James Egge
Date: 07/28/17

323 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

5 Bellwood Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Somalia Santiago
Seller: Ting Chang
Date: 07/31/17

28 Birch Glen Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Sean M. Geaghan
Seller: David J. Geaghan
Date: 08/01/17

135-137 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Eric Newkirk
Seller: Viviana Council
Date: 07/28/17

194 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Emily Kerswell
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 07/31/17

30 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $157,317
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jeffrey J. Jerome
Date: 08/04/17

55 Bridle Path Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Jemmala Encarnacion
Seller: Timothy M. Fedora
Date: 07/24/17

76 Bronson Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $312,000
Buyer: Ketaki Rella-Brooks
Seller: Patrick Roach
Date: 07/28/17

131 Bronson Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $194,900
Buyer: Dwayne Whitney
Seller: Daniel E. Bachelor
Date: 07/31/17

14 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Charlotte M. Zanolli
Seller: Elizabeth S. Barber-Jones
Date: 07/31/17

19 Bulat Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Estelle Castaneda
Seller: Michael Belanger
Date: 07/31/17

247 Cabinet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Richard A. Glashow
Seller: Elvis A. Martinez
Date: 07/25/17

68-70 Calhoun St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

81 Calley St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: John J. Denoto
Seller: Christopher J. Conway
Date: 08/04/17

28 Canton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Basile Realty LLC
Seller: Dsmith RE Holdings
Date: 07/31/17

13-15 Cass St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

273-275 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

108 Cherokee Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Christopher Santiago
Seller: Olmsted Realty LLC
Date: 07/28/17

67-69 Chester St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

73 Clayton St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Carmen V. Mercado
Seller: LE & Associates LLC
Date: 08/04/17

107 College St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: Boardwalk Apartments LLC
Seller: Blythewood Property Management
Date: 08/03/17

80 Cornell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Siervo R. Jimenez
Seller: Say Cun
Date: 07/31/17

82 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $127,900
Buyer: Peter C. Horta-Bergquist
Seller: Long, Christopher L., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

18-24 Decker Place
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Hat Trick Properties LLC
Seller: Abel J. Silveira
Date: 08/03/17

31 Duggan Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Juan L. Gonzalez
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 07/27/17

1446-1450 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

1529 Dwight St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

299 Eastern Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

87-89 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

93-95 Edgewood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

122 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Lazzaro Desantis
Seller: Jonathan R. Carignan
Date: 07/31/17

97 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $129,200
Buyer: Calla M. Vassilopoulos
Seller: Svetlana Ovechkina
Date: 07/28/17

31 Emily St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Ana M. Rodriguez-Santiago
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 07/31/17

48 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

208-210 Euclid Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $143,800
Buyer: Veronica Gonzalez
Seller: Svetlana Malyshevski
Date: 07/31/17

66 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Orlando Rosario
Seller: Property Keys LLC
Date: 07/26/17

61-63 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Jose D. Pietter
Seller: Federico Flores
Date: 08/01/17

54 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $144,900
Buyer: Warren C. Scott
Seller: Nancy E. Hunter
Date: 08/03/17

114 Garnet St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: William A. Accorsi
Seller: Margo L. Lee
Date: 08/04/17

41 Gates Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Christina L. Harbour
Seller: Jeremy R. Paine
Date: 08/04/17

25 Indian Leap St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Petrena A. Wallace-King
Seller: Michael Reynolds
Date: 07/27/17

25-27 Jefferson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

395 Kent Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Petre Capatina
Seller: Michael P. Sheehan
Date: 07/28/17

26 Kimberly Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: RR & Co. Realty LLC
Date: 08/01/17

39-41 Knox St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

170 Laurelton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Greguy Montas
Seller: Kristy J. Raymond
Date: 07/31/17

30 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

39 Leyfred Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Shaunee St.Amand
Seller: Leon Blake
Date: 07/26/17

935 Liberty St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

29 Lillian St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

15-19 Litchfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $358,000
Buyer: 15-17 Litchfield LLC
Seller: Grace James Realty LLC
Date: 08/02/17

187 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Christian Delacruz
Seller: Wayne A. Doyon
Date: 07/24/17

31 Macomber Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Anne J. Brea
Seller: Noella S. Jones
Date: 07/31/17

274-276 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

2594 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $700,000
Buyer: HRES Main Street LLC
Seller: North End Housing Initiative
Date: 07/28/17

116-118 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

234 Mallowhill Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $146,500
Buyer: Sapphire Property Dev LLC
Seller: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Date: 08/02/17

11 Marble St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Boardwalk Apartments LLC
Seller: Blythewood Property Mgmt.
Date: 08/03/17

28 Marengo Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Luis M. Rosado
Seller: Home Equity Assets Realty
Date: 08/03/17

143 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

203 Marion St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

24 Marshall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

105-107 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

14-16 Massasoit Placce
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

18-20 Massasoit Place
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

75-77 McKnight St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

26 Meadowbrook Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Jeanne M. Alix
Seller: J. C. Noyes-Noyes
Date: 08/03/17

100 Milford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: Shannon Tahir
Seller: Malloch, Mary E., (Estate)
Date: 08/01/17

49 Montmorenci St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Arelis Siri
Seller: JD Powers Property Management
Date: 08/02/17

70 Nathaniel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Shemay K. Morris
Seller: Richard A. Flebotte
Date: 07/31/17

43-49 Oak St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Valley Castle Holdings
Seller: Maddox Realty LLC
Date: 07/28/17

214-216 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

77 Ontario St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $143,300
Buyer: Damian Falcon
Seller: Raju Patel
Date: 08/01/17

268-270 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Felix Sanchez
Seller: Chmura, Stephen A., (Estate)
Date: 07/31/17

77 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

59 Pennsylvania Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Justin M. Mestre
Seller: George N. Mekeel
Date: 07/28/17

76 Pheasant Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Tam T. Nguyen
Seller: Michael Aloisi
Date: 07/31/17

349 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: Lisa M. Ashline
Seller: Scott T. Phillips
Date: 08/01/17

65 Pocantico Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Hector Dejesus
Seller: Edward J. Haluch
Date: 07/28/17

480 Porter Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $171,000
Buyer: Philip E. Bratty
Seller: Brianne M. Byrne
Date: 08/04/17

174 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Federico Flores
Seller: Dennis Matt
Date: 08/03/17

40-42 Ranney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Fernando Rodriguez
Seller: Trang Nguyen
Date: 07/31/17

29-31 Richelieu St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

8 Riverview Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Thelma L. Cruz
Seller: Randall J. Fortunato
Date: 07/25/17

305 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Angela E. Greco
Date: 08/01/17

30 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $116,400
Buyer: Junior Properties LLC
Seller: Ally Bank
Date: 08/02/17

55 Saint George Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Pioneer MOB LP
Seller: Spine Realty LLC
Date: 08/02/17

76 Saint Lawrence Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: James J. Fitzgerald
Seller: Ricardo K. Quintero
Date: 07/31/17

53 Scott St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Talanda S. Boyd
Seller: Jacqueline A. Lacombe
Date: 07/28/17

221 Senator St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Naquia J. Byrd
Seller: Thomas P. Wozniak
Date: 07/25/17

109 Sierra Vista Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Benjamin D. Brown
Seller: Melissa A. Barrington
Date: 07/26/17

42 Stocker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: David Reyes
Seller: Elba L. Casiano
Date: 07/28/17

1337 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Zenaida Lisboa
Seller: Melissa M. Doe-Largay
Date: 08/03/17

16 Sunrise Ter.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Joshua Z. Betancourt
Seller: Denny, James W., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

130 Talbot Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Jonnathan Gonzalez
Seller: Kenneth J. Kimker
Date: 08/04/17

296 Talmadge Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Jorge E. Rodriguez
Seller: Ann M. Towne
Date: 07/31/17

16 Varney St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Rafael Rodriguez
Seller: Pecenak, Russell C., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

192 Westbrook Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: John Michael F. Burno
Seller: Monique M. Hegarty
Date: 07/27/17

151 White Oak Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $245,900
Buyer: Phillip A. Giguere
Seller: Gail A. Sullivan
Date: 07/28/17

105 Wilton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Charles E. Winston
Seller: Meredith E. King-Milou
Date: 07/24/17

35-37 Windemere St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Grzegorz M. Klosowski
Seller: Michael Katsounakis
Date: 08/03/17

215 Winton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $202,500
Buyer: Roberto C. Jimenez
Seller: Jeffery A. Green-Gray
Date: 07/31/17

90 Woodcrest Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Madeleine P. Wozniak
Seller: Richard C. Robinson
Date: 07/25/17

785-787 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $3,389,212
Buyer: Amat Victoria Curam LLC
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 08/03/17

TOLLAND

101 Owls Nest Lane
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Wilmington Trust
Seller: Brian Karadimas
Date: 08/04/17

194 School House Road
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $321,000
Buyer: Steven Carrington
Seller: Edmund C. St.Laurent
Date: 07/28/17

WALES

6 Main St.
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Mari R. Veroneau
Date: 07/27/17

WEST SPRINGFIELD

43-51 Allston Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: 47 Allston Realty LLC
Seller: Kasmer A. Kielb
Date: 08/04/17

55 Altamont Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Town Of West Springfield
Seller: Gary A. Spaeth
Date: 07/27/17

217 Ashley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: John T. Donnelly
Seller: Ann M. Clark
Date: 07/24/17

64 Bacon Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Brittany A. Rice
Seller: William J. Pasternak
Date: 08/01/17

163 Bosworth St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Dhan Gurung
Seller: Eagle Home Buyers LLC
Date: 07/27/17

90 Bridle Path Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Joseph P. Dechristopher
Seller: Barbara C. Eddy
Date: 07/31/17

6 Crestview Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Deborah Heady
Seller: Carl L. Wise
Date: 07/27/17

617 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Caitlin E. Patruski
Seller: Jeffrey D. Paquin
Date: 07/31/17

64-66 Elmdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Mazin AlNuaimi
Seller: DJJ Investments LLC
Date: 08/04/17

17 George St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Alexander Frazier
Seller: HDCB LLC
Date: 08/02/17

38 Granger Place
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $217,450
Buyer: Jamal Hussein
Seller: Richard J. Larose
Date: 07/28/17

77 Hanover St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Oleg S. Gladysh
Seller: FNMA
Date: 07/25/17

52 Hummingbird Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $348,000
Buyer: Scott E. Mendoker
Seller: Cornell N. Bogdan
Date: 08/01/17

Hyde Road #5
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Arseniy S. Sergeychik
Seller: John G. Kudlic
Date: 07/24/17

Hyde Road #6
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Vladimir Sergeychik
Seller: John G. Kudlic
Date: 07/26/17

42 Kent St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $213,750
Buyer: Cortney Cheney
Seller: Thomas Gavin
Date: 07/28/17

81 Laurence Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $248,100
Buyer: Nicole J. Palange
Seller: Deborah A. Heady
Date: 07/27/17

73 Maple Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $216,250
Buyer: Daniel D. Parker
Seller: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Date: 07/31/17

21 Monastery Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Christopher R. Heaton
Seller: Frank G. Vescio
Date: 07/31/17

271 Park St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $5,000,000
Buyer: Pioneer MOB LP
Seller: Quality Realty Partners
Date: 08/02/17

264 Poplar Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: James A. Biscoe
Seller: Jeffrey R. Mitchell
Date: 07/31/17

133 Quarry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Gary A. Spaeth
Seller: Robert Duffy
Date: 07/27/17

107 Queen Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $152,500
Buyer: Rafael Toro
Seller: Lori A. Picard
Date: 07/31/17

49-51 Russell St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Westmass Apartments LLC
Seller: Anwar Properties LLC
Date: 07/27/17

21 Sean Louis Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $487,500
Buyer: Matthew A. Hamilton
Seller: Steven M. Page
Date: 07/26/17

71 Silver St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Stella R. Couture
Seller: Christine R. Simard
Date: 07/28/17

28-30 Sprague St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Amer R. Jasem
Seller: V. Nicolayevich-Krinitsyn
Date: 08/04/17

39 Thomas Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Aman Chuwan
Seller: Linh P. Huynh
Date: 07/31/17

44 Thomas Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $215,500
Buyer: Jasmine D. Barreto
Seller: Sheila F. Baker
Date: 07/28/17

WESTFIELD

32 Atwater St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $194,712
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: John J. Szymkiewicz
Date: 07/27/17

217 Belanger Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Eugene S. Picard
Seller: Eugene S. Picard
Date: 07/27/17

62 Butternut Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Rodolfo Vega
Seller: Lee S. Diamond
Date: 08/04/17

62 City View Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Renee A. Sanders
Seller: Katherine M. Frye
Date: 07/28/17

10 Collins St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Bradley D. Buzzee
Seller: Betty J. Sheldon
Date: 07/26/17

57 Day Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Michael D. Moran
Seller: Robert J. Desormier
Date: 07/25/17

1830 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $287,100
Buyer: Adam J. Sharon
Seller: Kathleen Arrington
Date: 07/27/17

59 East Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $199,950
Buyer: Gregory P. Strattner
Seller: Florek, Dorothy M., (Estate)
Date: 07/31/17

18 Gladwin Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Dennis W. Stoops
Seller: James A. Scheip
Date: 08/04/17

40 Heritage Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Marybeth Hayes
Seller: Peter J. Curtin
Date: 07/25/17

15 Hillary Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $424,900
Buyer: Wilson R. Jara
Seller: Adam T. Hamada
Date: 07/28/17

299 Hillcrest Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Matthew R. Cadieux
Seller: MA Home Buyers LLC
Date: 08/04/17

42 Jefferson St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Matthew A. Patterson
Seller: Robert J. Mahoney
Date: 07/31/17

20 King Place
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Melissa H. Dupont
Seller: Ramorita Castro
Date: 07/31/17

75 Kittredge Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $254,900
Buyer: William A. West
Seller: William J. Greenwood
Date: 08/04/17

7 Leonard Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Daniel E. Rines
Seller: Joseph G. Flahive
Date: 07/31/17

337 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: John Mayhew
Seller: Summit Group Properties
Date: 08/04/17

42 Magnolia Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: Xiuyu Ma
Seller: Anthony E. Amanti
Date: 08/01/17

53 Michael Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $344,900
Buyer: Mark R. Valcourt
Seller: Kenneth L. Peters
Date: 07/31/17

52 Mockingbird Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Brian Cleland
Seller: Joseph M. Spagnoli
Date: 07/27/17

5 Sherman St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Randy A. Arkoette
Seller: Lois V. Horak
Date: 07/25/17

459 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Emily A. Amidio
Seller: John P. Lamoureux
Date: 08/02/17

27 Winding Ridge Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $490,000
Buyer: Serge Lukomsky
Seller: Melanie Whitman
Date: 08/02/17

WILBRAHAM

1 Alder Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $418,000
Buyer: James B. Dunbar
Seller: Donna L. Beaumier
Date: 08/04/17

2 Bulkley Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Ioannis Mirisis
Seller: James B. Dunbar
Date: 07/25/17

14 Horseshoe Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $407,500
Buyer: Matthew S. Fortune
Seller: Eileen Caterina
Date: 07/31/17

309-311 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Main Street Rentals LLC
Seller: Robert H. Rowe
Date: 07/31/17

Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Sapphire Property Dev. LLC
Seller: Patriot Living LLC
Date: 07/28/17

33 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Charles D. Spurlock
Seller: Christopher J. Novelli
Date: 07/31/17

15 Pidgeon Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Jonathan R. Carignan
Seller: Donald Carignan
Date: 07/25/17

15 Rice Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $280,250
Buyer: Kelley A. Barber-Jones
Seller: Donald Bremner
Date: 07/31/17

16 Scenic Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Timothy M. Fedora
Seller: Wayne D. Carpenter
Date: 07/27/17

5 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Stephen P. Wagner
Seller: Margaret E. Connell
Date: 08/01/17

7 Sunnyside Ter.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Ana C. Serrenho
Seller: Elmer C. Wyman
Date: 08/04/17

2 Sunset Rock Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $346,500
Buyer: Kerryn E. Perkins
Seller: Christopher N. Lucarelle
Date: 08/03/17

1347 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Joanne Fredette-Beauvais
Seller: Karsten M. Kristensen
Date: 07/28/17

10 Ward Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Chistopher N. Lucarelle
Seller: John C. Welch
Date: 08/03/17

45 Weston St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: James B. Palmier
Seller: Jason Balut
Date: 07/28/17

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

301 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $517,500
Buyer: George B. Stevens
Seller: Maryann Barakso
Date: 07/28/17

37 Greenwich Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $240,500
Buyer: Matthew J. Westgate
Seller: Kilerine Properties LLC
Date: 08/04/17

42 Harris St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $364,500
Buyer: Yvonne Defelice
Seller: Amy R. Hamel
Date: 07/26/17

34 Lincoln Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $595,000
Buyer: Michael S. Siegel
Seller: Anne M. Harazin
Date: 07/24/17

Lindenridge Road #60
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Bercume Construction LLC
Seller: Tofino Associates LLC
Date: 07/28/17

279 Market Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $424,900
Buyer: Julianne E. Applegate
Seller: Sarah A. Willburn
Date: 07/25/17

29 Mill Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $1,750,000
Buyer: La Petite Ferme NT
Seller: 29 Mill Lane TR
Date: 08/01/17

26 Plum Tree Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Brian S. Cheng
Seller: Sheila F. Klem
Date: 07/28/17

562 South Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Susanna Nazarova
Seller: Daniel R. Sheldon
Date: 08/03/17

67 Spaulding St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Karen L. Schimmel
Seller: Margaret J. Burggren
Date: 07/28/17

74 Stony Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mitchell D. Culler
Seller: Joseph G. Kunkel
Date: 08/03/17

15 Trillium Way
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Wei Lu
Seller: Jonghyun Lee
Date: 07/31/17

651 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Daniel Horlitz
Seller: Kielbowicz, Stanley, (Estate)
Date: 07/31/17

BELCHERTOWN

271 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $238,000
Buyer: Elizabeth K. Bishop
Seller: Curran, Michael D., (Estate)
Date: 07/28/17

57 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $226,500
Buyer: Erin R. Brown
Seller: Linda E. Barron LT
Date: 07/28/17

211 Boardman St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Brett Lord
Seller: Robert J. Pare
Date: 07/31/17

201 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $175,900
Buyer: Robert Felton
Seller: Jeremy Fugler
Date: 07/27/17

25 Hickory Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $399,900
Buyer: Kenneth G. Ventura
Seller: J. N. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 08/04/17

5 Lake Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Donald C. Ahrens
Seller: Arthur R. Lemire
Date: 08/01/17

42 Sheffield Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Jintao Ma
Seller: Nancy J. Bousquet
Date: 07/25/17

350 Springfield Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Ali Cayan
Seller: Brian Major
Date: 07/28/17

CUMMINGTON

336 Berkshire Trail
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Ilse D. Godfrey
Seller: Charles Handfield
Date: 07/28/17

361 West Cummington Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Patricia J. Corley
Seller: Joshua J. Banville
Date: 08/01/17

EASTHAMPTON

4 1st Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Amberlynn Curtis
Seller: June M. Wilby
Date: 08/04/17

5-15 Adams St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $660,000
Buyer: Krupalu LLC
Seller: John Dunphy
Date: 08/01/17

484 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $259,900
Buyer: Michelle Molineaux
Seller: Vision Investment Properties
Date: 07/28/17

238 Hendrick St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Tara F. Slade
Seller: Katherine Granger
Date: 07/28/17

21 Summit Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $212,777
Buyer: John G. Martin
Seller: Paul D. Winsky
Date: 07/24/17

GOSHEN

19 Lake Dr.
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Jeffrey A. Dan
Seller: William T. Kelly
Date: 07/24/17

GRANBY

367 East State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Richard A. Bruso
Seller: Gary N. Vickers
Date: 07/24/17

4 Ken Lane
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kristen M. Killeen
Seller: Richard A. Twining
Date: 08/01/17

108 Munsing Ridge
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Carl W. Ruprecht
Seller: Jason N. Parent
Date: 07/25/17

153 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Jamroth LLC
Seller: Vandomo, Virginia M., (Estate)
Date: 07/31/17

77 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Valorie J. Macy
Seller: Francis J. Donovan
Date: 07/27/17

HADLEY

3 French St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $216,250
Buyer: Michael O’Connor
Seller: Jessica M. Judah
Date: 07/24/17

2 Indian Pipe Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Laura M. Whyte
Seller: Bercume Construction LLC
Date: 07/28/17

232 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: David F. Marsh
Seller: Berestka FT
Date: 08/04/17

HATFIELD

10 Chestnut St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $257,600
Buyer: Adam T. Smith
Seller: Duda, Thomas E., (Estate)
Date: 07/25/17

66 Chestnut St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $196,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Wickles
Seller: Roberts, Donald R., (Estate)
Date: 07/27/17

164 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Soley
Seller: Richard W. Cooper
Date: 07/25/17

140 Prospect St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $326,400
Buyer: Zachary Bolotin
Seller: Steven P. Levin
Date: 07/27/17

HUNTINGTON

204 Norwich Lake
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Allyson R. Hornstein
Seller: Bradley J. Robbins
Date: 07/31/17

NORTHAMPTON

29 Aldrich St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $396,500
Buyer: Reed Schimmelfing
Seller: Mitchell K. Hinard
Date: 08/02/17

180 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jennifer B. Norton
Seller: Linda Darlene-Monds
Date: 08/02/17

56 Dunphy Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Amy D. Kotel
Seller: Robert E. Olmsted
Date: 07/28/17

65 Federal St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Andrew E. Morehouse
Seller: Townsend, William H. Jr, (Estate)
Date: 07/31/17

69 Marian St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Julia A. Max
Seller: Ann L. Dunphy
Date: 07/31/17

23 Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $649,000
Buyer: Kerry Dinh
Seller: Ruddy, Beatrice, (Estate)
Date: 08/03/17

105 Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Katie S. Nason
Seller: Edward A&J A. Allen RET
Date: 07/31/17

44 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Katelyn Smithling
Seller: Marsha G. Lieberman
Date: 07/31/17

11 School St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Luke Bloomfield
Seller: 11 School Street LLC
Date: 08/01/17

53 Strawberry Hill
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $810,750
Buyer: Edward Selke
Seller: Matthew D. Curtis
Date: 07/27/17

30 Village Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Patricia Allen
Seller: Columns At Rockwell Place
Date: 07/28/17

30 Village Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Julie A. Anderson
Seller: Columns At Rockwell Place
Date: 08/02/17

24 Walnut St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $484,500
Buyer: Rosamond L. Merrill
Seller: John L. Nixon
Date: 08/01/17

SOUTH HADLEY

520 Amherst Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Brian M. Major
Seller: Christopher G. Kostek
Date: 07/28/17

59 Brigham Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Lindsey M. Anderson
Seller: Joseph J. Ruszczyk
Date: 07/28/17

15 Bunker Hill
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $157,440
Buyer: US Bank NA
Seller: Jeffrey P. Gladu
Date: 07/28/17

124 College St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Veronica Gajownik
Seller: Ashley K. Warren
Date: 07/25/17

281 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Rehm Family Properties
Seller: George J. Ladas
Date: 07/26/17

65 McKinley Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Joshua R. Kaciak
Seller: Kurt W. Conner
Date: 07/31/17

41 Michael Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Judith Bartlett
Seller: Brian Morris
Date: 07/28/17

7 Misty Court
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $482,500
Buyer: Manufacturers & Traders TR
Seller: Willaim A. Brousseau
Date: 07/27/17

139 North Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Anthony M. Rigali
Seller: Michael E. Mostowski
Date: 07/28/17

32 Park Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $264,900
Buyer: Marilyn Paterno
Seller: Kevin J. Baldini
Date: 07/26/17

52 Richview Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Kari Courchesne
Seller: Richard, Robert A., (Estate)
Date: 08/04/17

8 Ridge Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Nuria P. Ayala
Seller: Nicholas R. Wanat
Date: 07/26/17

16 Skyline Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Nathan R. Provost
Seller: Anna Dymon
Date: 07/31/17

8 Stewart St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $193,000
Buyer: Megan A. Motyka
Seller: Ronald B. Motyka
Date: 08/03/17

SOUTHAMPTON

45 Miller Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Nicole A. Gralla
Seller: Jane I. Dipenta RET
Date: 08/02/17

18 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Lori Beaudry
Seller: 18 Pequot Road LLC
Date: 07/28/17

79 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $257,500
Buyer: Samuell B. Anthony
Seller: Kevin M. Benson
Date: 08/02/17

120 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: Alex R. Trombley
Seller: Robert M. O’Connor
Date: 07/31/17

4 Wyben Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: James P. Anspach
Seller: James & Kay Higgins LT
Date: 07/26/17

WARE

7 2nd Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $124,500
Buyer: Elisa Watras
Seller: Viola M. Chaffee
Date: 07/25/17

124 Bacon Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joshua M. Dusza
Seller: Scott McCartney
Date: 07/25/17

87 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $208,900
Buyer: Nicole Sicard
Seller: John F. Slattery
Date: 08/01/17

13 Coldbrook Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $329,750
Buyer: Gary R. Bressette
Seller: Benchmark Custom Homes
Date: 07/31/17

5 Demond Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Daniel S. Saletnik
Seller: Bernard R. Robbins
Date: 08/04/17

9 Howard Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Ryan A. Sidur
Seller: Patricia A. Nicholas
Date: 07/31/17

38-40 Morse Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $216,500
Buyer: Lambertus Louw
Seller: Linda Reeser
Date: 08/01/17

66 Old Poor Farm Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Jessica Murphy
Seller: Dorothy A. Olecki
Date: 08/04/17

332 Palmer Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $154,900
Buyer: Christopher P. Swett
Seller: Michael T. Huse
Date: 07/27/17

16 Sherwin St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $119,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Cynthia E. Saloio
Date: 08/03/17

3 Walter Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Michael Huse
Seller: McM Capital Partners LLP TR
Date: 07/28/17

WILLIAMSBURG

7 Bridge St.
Williamsburg, MA 01038
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Joanna Pheasant
Seller: Susanne M. McCrea
Date: 07/31/17

1 East Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $356,850
Buyer: Shirlee Williams
Seller: Catherine V. Carija
Date: 07/31/17

10 East Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $486,400
Buyer: Kathleen M. Ventre
Seller: John H. Davis
Date: 08/04/17

10-12 High St.
Williamsburg, MA 01062
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jason C. Harder
Seller: Thomas E. Seymour
Date: 08/01/17

7 Kingsley Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: David Daley
Seller: Valerie Pennington
Date: 08/02/17

13 Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Charlene S. Elvers
Seller: Gerald D. Lashway
Date: 07/24/17

172 Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $224,500
Buyer: Ryan K. Darling
Seller: Russell M. Griffin
Date: 07/31/17

WESTHAMPTON

139 Southampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Joseph Tanguay
Seller: Donna L. Delisle-Mitchell
Date: 07/31/17

WORTHINGTON

272 Cummington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Forest Medicins Sanctuary
Seller: 272 Cummington Road RT
Date: 08/01/17

Lee Builds on Identity as Gateway to Berkshires

Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

By Alta J. Stark

Colleen Henry says Lee has always had a great location, but as a community, it has also been very innovative.

Ask a Lee business leader or owner what the key to their success is, and you’ll hear one resounding answer: “location, location, location.”

Lee’s prime location at Massachusetts Turnpike exit 2 has afforded the town some of the best economic opportunities in Berkshire County. “It’s ideal in that regard,” said Jonathan Butler, the president and CEO of 1Berkshire.

“Lee has always had a solid amount of traffic through its downtown because of its proximity to the Pike, and having Route 20 run right through its downtown, but the community doesn’t rest on location alone,” he told BusinessWest. “They’ve done a lot of work to make the town a destination, not just a spot people pass through.”

The community has undergone quite an impressive downtown revitalization over the past decade, following a series of economic transitions in the ’80s and ’90s, as large employers, including a series of paper mills, closed. The most recent such closure was Schweitzer-Mauduit International in 2008, which led to the loss of several hundred jobs in the community. Butler says the town got back on its feet by “forging a partnership between its town government and its community development corporation. They did a lot of good work in the 2000s, focusing on redevelopment projects of a few key downtown properties. They also did a big facelift for the downtown, making it look much more inviting for all the traffic that comes through.”

“People have worked really hard to make Lee beautiful and livable,” said Colleen Henry, executive director of the Lee Chamber of Commerce. “We’re very innovative in Lee, and always have been.”

In fact, town founders were so savvy, they redirected the location of the Housatonic River. Lee was founded in the 1700s when the river flowed down the town’s current Main Street. Henry says the area flooded often because it was on a downhill, so the river was redirected to expand to the riverbank and enable downtown to flourish.

Today, there’s a lot of diversity to Lee’s economy, including high-quality manufacturing jobs, farms, quality eateries and resorts, eclectic stores, coffee shops, and iconic retailers.

This mix has created an intriguing business story, one that is continuously adding new chapters. For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest turns some of those pages.

What’s in Store

The largest employer in Lee is the Lee Premium Outlets, which, during the tourist season, employs about 750 people in its 60 outlet stores. Carolyn Edwards, general manager of the complex, said the facility recognizes the important role it plays in driving the local economy.

“We tend to advertise out of market to draw tourists and shoppers to the region. Our customer base is driven by cultural attractions such as Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, and Shakespeare & Company,” said Edwards. “But once they’re here, they make a day, sometimes a week of it, and we’re always giving recommendations for ‘what’s a great restaurant to eat at?’ or ‘can you recommend a great hotel to stay at tonight?’ If it’s a rainy day, they ask, ‘what can I do with the kids?’

“We try to stay in tune with what’s going on in the community,” she went on. “And I think it’s a good relationship where we offer something for folks who are here, and then we’re driving business elsewhere as well.”

Edwards said the outlets average about 2 million visitors a year, with shoppers coming from local markets, as well as regional and international locations.

Lee Premium Outlets has become a destination within a destination community.

“I love meeting the customers,” she said. “I’m always amazed at people who show up from far and away. In the summer, we have a lot of foreign camp counselors who come here to ramp up their wardrobes before going back to the UK, France, and Spain. It’s fun to see them buy things that they’re excited to bring back and show their families. We always look forward to their return.”

Edwards said they come for brand names like Michael Kors, Coach, and Calvin Klein, and they return each year to see what’s new. “We always want to deliver a new experience when someone comes. We’re different from maybe your local mall in that respect because we’re kind of a destination. Shoppers look forward to coming, they plan on coming, and when they do, that’s always the first question: ‘what’s new?’”

Down the road a piece is the headquarters and distribution center of another iconic retailer, Country Curtains. Colleen Henry said its annual sale at the Rink is a big draw. “When they have their sales, they put up a sign. People stop their cars and get out. Once they do that, and walk around Lee and see all that we have to offer, then we all benefit.”

Trade, transportation, and utilities lead the list of employment by industry in Lee, followed by leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. Manufacturing is number four on the list, and while many of the paper mills have closed, the sector is still holding strong, making up more than 7% of the workforce in the Berkshires, and representing some of the highest wages in the region. In Lee, in particular, there are three high-tech companies along the Route 102 corridor that are providing some of the highest wages in the region.

Onyx Specialty Papers is the town’s third-largest employer with more than 150 employees. Butler said it’s a remnant of some of the larger mill closings in the 2000s that was bought by local shareholders with a vision. “It’s now locally run and owned, and they’ve innovated their technology to produce very unique, technically exacting papers. Their products are distributed across the globe.”

Down the road there’s Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, a manufacturer to the pharmaceutical industry, a relatively new employer that found its way to Lee with the help of a strong regional partnership.

“We not only helped them find space, we also worked with our local community college to do some specific training for their workforce needs,” said Butler.

SEE: Lee at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1777
Population: 5,878
Area: 27 square miles
County: Berkshire
Residential Tax Rate: $14.72
Commercial Tax Rate: $14.72
Median Household Income: $58,790
Median Family Income: $71,452
Type of government: Representative Town Meeting
Largest employers: Lee Premium Outlets; Country Curtains; Onyx Specialty Papers; the Village at Laurel Lake; Oak ‘n Spruce Resort; Big Y
* Latest information available

A third high-end employer providing quality jobs is Boyd Technologies, another company that’s been successful in transitioning from one generation of ownership to the next. Butler said he’s encouraged by these companies because “they’re doing a great job of innovating and diversifying what they’re doing. The economy’s evolving, and they’re evolving with it.”

Henry said she’s working to bring in more high-tech companies. “We have the space for it; we have more open land than a few others of the towns in the Berkshires, so we have the room to grow and expand.”

Henry is also excited by a huge project that’s been on the horizon for several years now, the redevelopment of the Eagle Mill. It’s one of those old Schweitzer-Mauduit mills off North Main Street that has been closed for several years.

Renaissance Mill LLC is working to transform the space into a mix of different economic uses that could help expand downtown offerings, adding everything from lodging to additional eateries and attractions.

“Projects like the Eagle Mill give Lee the opportunity to continue to become a bigger and bigger part of the Berkshire visitor economy, and it’s also a space that eventually will be able to attract next-generation families with a variety of different affordable-housing options,” said Butler. “Presently, Lee boasts relatively reasonable real-estate prices from both the rental and buyer’s market perspective. Adding additional affordable housing will position the town to be very competitive.”

Character Building

Of course, the heart and soul of the town is its quintessential New England charm. Lee has maintained its small-town character through decades of growth and change.

“That’s what we’re all about, and what we would like to be known for even more,” said Henry. “We benefit from the location because we’re at the entrance to a great tourist destination, but we also benefit from the location because it’s beautiful on its own.”

Butler agreed, noting that “Lee is one of those Berkshire communities that’s really bounced back in the past 15 years in terms of its downtown being filled up with great coffee shops, cool bars and restaurants, and an interesting mix of quality stores. It really has a destination feel to it for visitors to the Berkshires, but it’s also the type of downtown that’s really prominent for residents who live in the community.”

Joe’s Diner has been serving the community for more than 60 years, literally and figuratively. Customers far and wide know the diner as the backdrop of one of Norman Rockwell’s most well-known works, “The Runaway,” featuring a state trooper and a young boy sitting on stools in the diner.

The Sept. 20, 1958 Saturday Evening Post cover hangs proudly in the diner, next to a photo of the neighbors Rockwell recruited to model for him, state trooper Richard Clemens and Eddie Locke. Longtime staffers are used to the attention, and don’t miss a beat filling coffee cups while they help make memories for visitors.

Lee is also home to “the best courtroom in the county,” where its most famous case was that of Arlo Guthrie, whose day in court is remembered in the lyrics to his famous war-protest song, “Alice’s Restaurant.”

But there are other hidden gems that Henry invites people to discover, like the Animagic Museum on Main Street, where visitors can learn about the many local animators who made movie magic in films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings. One of the town’s quirkiest claims to fame is on property that was once the Highfield Farm. “Monument to a Cow” is a marble statue of a cow named Highfield Colantha Mooie, who in her 18 years produced 205,928 pounds of milk.

Henry says it’s the diversity of business and industry that drives Lee’s economy.

“You can get everything you need in Lee. You don’t have to go somewhere else,” she said. “And you can buy from people who you know, people you see in church and in the grocery store and at basketball games. Supporting the community is really important, and people really do that in Lee. Residents understand that supporting the local economy is really important to our survival.”

Edwards said Lee is unique because of its thriving downtown.

“It’s alive, and it’s beautiful. You turn onto Main Street and see flowers everywhere,” she said. “It’s well-kept, and there are locally owned businesses there and restaurants that are very unique and not necessarily chain restaurants, so there is the best of both worlds in Lee.”

On Location

Henry says she’s proud to be part of Lee’s success story and recognizes it’s just part of the bigger Berkshire picture.

“We’re a work in progress, part of a bigger whole that’s more than just individual town thinking,” she told BusinessWest. “We’re tied into this together in a lot of ways.”

Butler agreed, and said the region has a good handle on the future. “We know what the challenges are, and we have a growing understanding of where the opportunities are,” he explained. “Lee is a great microcosm of the Berkshires in that it went through the same economic transitions that the majority of our communities went through in the ’70s into the ’90s and early 2000s, but Lee bounced back.

“It’s found its place in the visitor economy,” he went on. “It’s found its place in having employers that are evolving and doing cutting-edge things, and it’s attracting families. It’s a really great example of the potential for all our Berkshire communities.”

Prospect Meadow Farm Provides Jobs, Therapy

Features

Growth Opportunities

Aerial Mehler with ‘Snowy,’ her pet goat.

When Prospect Meadow Farm was conceived six years ago, the thinking was that working outdoors and with animals could have a significant therapeutic effect on those with autism or developmental disorders. “That’s something I believed in before this started, but I didn’t quite know how powerful it was,” Shawn Robinson noted, adding that he certainly knows now.

Aerial Mehler grew up on the western end of Long Island, just a short train ride from Manhattan. So, in most all respects, she considers herself a city girl.

Thus, when her family relocated to Western Mass. several years ago, her first reaction was that this region was, in all likelihood, too rural for her liking.

And when she was approached about working at Prospect Meadow Farm in Hatfield, a vocational-services program operated by Northampton-based ServiceNet, after becoming frustrated at a few other employment settings, she was more than a little dubious about the notion that she would soon warm to the place, vocationally and otherwise.

“I thought, ‘I’m from the city — I don’t do this stuff,’” she told BusinessWest, adding that today … well, she does do that stuff, or at least some of the many things that fall into the broad realm of agriculture and farm management.

In fact, she is the program assistant to the facility’s director, Shawn Robinson, and carries out a host of administrative duties ranging from sending out bills to the farm’s many customers, especially those who purchase its eggs and log-grown shiitake mushrooms, to drafting reports to the state, to maintaining the farm’s Facebook page.

“I call myself the on-call employee, because if something needs to be done, I do it, and it’s something different every day,” said Mehler, 29, who actually owns one of the goats now living at the farm, a spirited white female appropriately named ‘Snowy.’

“I’d say I’m a regular here, but that’s a setting on a washing machine,” she joked, expressing an opinion held (if not openly expressed) by most all those who work at the farm — men and women of all ages who are on the autism spectrum or have a developmental disability.

Indeed, there are no ‘regulars’ at Prospect Meadow, only individuals with various talents who, it was thought, could certainly benefit from working outdoors, around animals, and as part of a diverse workforce handling various assignments that, like Mehler’s, are different every day — and also make $11 an hour while doing so.

And six years later, that theory has been validated — and then some.

parsley

At top, farmhand Brittany Rawson tends to some of the parsley plants at Prospect Meadow Farm. Below, Shawn Robinson, director of the farm, with one of the resident llamas.

“When the facility was created in 2011, it was with the thinking that there would be a significant therapeutic effect to working outdoors and working with animals,” said Robinson. “That’s something I believed in before this started, but I didn’t quite know how powerful it was.

“One thing that we’ve seen is that people who were not successful in other work programs and had explosive behaviors, for example, would come here, and we just wouldn’t see those behaviors,” he went on. “And I have to credit a lot of it to the outdoors and the animals.”

Prospect Meadow is a multi-faceted operation with many moving parts. There are anywhere from 800 to 1,000 chickens on the property at any given time, and egg sales are a huge part of this business. Likewise, a shiitake-mushroom venture that started small and continues to grow provides those products to a host of area restaurants and stores.

There is also a landscaping component — crews will be sent out to handle a wide range of small residential and commercial jobs — as well as a catering operation managed out of the farmhouse. There are also plans in the works for both a feed store and a small café, separate operations that will provide employees with additional opportunities to interact with the public.

And, yes, the farm sells goats as well — to those, like Aerial, who want them as pets; to groups who need them for culinary offerings to be served at dinners and festivals; and to entrepreneurs who ‘employ’ them as “lawnmowers,” as Robinson called them.

But while Prospect Meadow might be gaining an identity from all of the above and especially the mushrooms, it is, at its core, a place of opportunity — employment-wise and personal-development-wise — for those who come here and don shirts with the farm’s logo, a rooster.

“We’re helping to increase these individuals’ skills and improve any sort of vocational deficiencies that may be identified, while also providing them with a real, paying job experience in a supportive environment,” Robinson explained, “with the hope that combining that support with that training could eventually lead to them being very successful in any career they pursue elsewhere.”

For this issue, BusinessWest visited Prospect Meadow to gain a full appreciation for the many aspects of this operation and the many ways it is cultivating growth, in every sense of that term.

An Idea Takes Root

When BusinessWest asked Robinson if he could pick up one of the chickens he was pointing out as he offered a tour of the farm and make it part of a picture, he replied with a confident “sure, no problem.”

The chickens, however, were not going along with the program.

Indeed, try as he might — and he tried several times — Robinson could not get both hands around any of these fast-moving fowl, and both hands are needed. So he suggested that the resident llamas might prove to be more willing subjects for a photo shoot.

Farm director Shawn Robinson (second from left) with, from left, farmhands Ana Tyson, Vicki Taft, and Justin Cabral.

Only, they weren’t. They were rather shy and kept retreating to their wooden home or the shaded area behind it; only bribery, in the form of a late-morning snack, seemed to help. Their recalcitrance gave Robinson an opportunity to shed some light on their presence at the farm (in some respects, they are where this story begins) and one of their primary assignments — protecting the chickens who live in the same general area on the 11-acre property.

“They use their legs to really fight, and other animals know that, and even their scent keeps some predators away … but they’ll go after other animals, too,” said Robinson, noting that, while llamas are certainly not indigenous to Hatfield, many chicken-loving animals that are, including coyotes, bobcats, and even the occasional bear, seem to know instinctively that messing with a llama is not a good career move.

But these long-legged animals have, as noted, another, far more important role at Prospect Meadow, that of being therapy of sorts for those who come to work there, and this takes Robinson back before the start of this decade and the genesis of Prospect Meadow.

A ServiceNet-operated residential program in Williamsburg for individuals with psychiatric issues was gifted some llamas, he explained, adding that the animals were having a recognizably positive impact on the residents, information that made its way back to ServiceNet director Sue Stubbs.

She was already aware of highly successful farm operations at the former Northampton State Hospital and other similar facilities, he said, and this knowledge, coupled with entreaties from the state for the development of more innovative vocational-services programs, spurred discussions about perhaps establishing such an operation.

However, the original vision was for a residential program for individuals with chronic mental illness, he continued, adding that Prospect Meadow eventually evolved into what it is today, a vocational program with 40 to 45 people working on the property on a any given day.

As for Robinson, he had no experience in the sector known as agribusiness, but that didn’t stop him from seeking out this career opportunity — or from thinking he had what it would really take to succeed in the role of director.

“I live in Hatfield and know lots of farmers, but certainly wasn’t an expert in that area,” he told BusinessWest. “But I was an expert in developing things and building things, so I was pretty confident that I could come up with a vision and develop this into something with the support of the ServiceNet leadership.”

And he was right; he’s built Prospect Meadow into that unique vocational-services program the state desired.

Individuals are referred to the program through the Mass. Department of Developmental Services (DDS) or through a school’s special-education department, and they often arrive after working in other settings.

Most of the farmhands are between the ages of 18 and 35, but there are some who are much older, and one individual recently retired after turning 65. They come from across Western Mass., but most live in Franklin and Hampshire counties.

Revenue to maintain the farm and its various facilities and pay some of the employees is generated in a number of ways, including the sale of eggs, mushrooms, and other products; the catering and landscaping services; and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) shares sold to area residents who, through those contributions, not only support the farm and its work, but fill their table with fresh produce.

Robinson said the farm operation takes on added significance today not only because it provides a different and in many ways better employment opportunity for those with various developmental disabilities, but because such opportunities are becoming increasingly harder to find.

Indeed, he said piecework job opportunities in area factories are fewer in number, and for a variety of reasons. And while some employers actively hire individuals with developmental disabilities, there is a recognized need for more landing spots.

Not a Garden-variety Business

Still, as noted, Prospect Meadow isn’t merely another a place of employment for those who come here. Because it is agribusiness, it provides opportunities daily that fall more in the category of ‘therapy’ than ‘work,’ although they are obviously both.

And this brought Robinson back to the subject of the animals, which are not exactly a profit center (with the exception of the chickens and their eggs), but provide payback of a far different kind.

“We keep the animals, even at a little bit of a loss, because they are able to make the farmhands more impactful in their other work,” he explained. “Having that 20 minutes to feed a goat in the morning or care for a rabbit makes them more focused when they’re dealing with the shiitake mushrooms or working in the garden.”

Indeed, the farmhands, when asked about what they enjoyed most about coming to work every day, typically started with the animals.

But they also spoke of the importance of the bigger picture, meaning being able to earn a better paycheck, learn a number of different skills, do something different every day, and work alongside others.

It was Justin Cabral, an energetic, extremely candid 26-year-old from Deerfield, who probably best summed up the many types of opportunities that the farm provides to individuals like him.

“I really love this job; it’s a real blessing,” he told BusinessWest, before going into some detail about all that he meant by that. And he started with some very practical matters.

“Before I came here, I was doing piecework at a different place,” he noted. “The pay wasn’t very good at all; I decided to leave and come here.”

We’re helping to increase these individuals’ skills … while also providing them with a real, paying job experience in a supportive environment.”

But then, he moved on to the many other elements in this equation — everything from gaining confidence from taking on various job assignments (including work to drill holes in logs with power tools) to learning how to work in teams, to overcoming fears, such as those involving animals.

“I drill holes in the shiitake logs, and I’ve become really good at it,” said Cabral, now in his second year at the farm. “And I used to be afraid of the chickens and the rabbits, and a lot of the animals here, but not anymore.

“I like everything … I like the egg collections, I like working out in the fields, I like feeding the animals, I like hanging out with my friends, and a lot more,” he said in conclusion. “It’s a great job, and there’s something here for everybody.”

Those sentiments were echoed by the many others we spoke with, and through their comments it became clear that Prospect Meadow provides much more than jobs.

Indeed, Robinson said the experience gained at the farm can open the doors for people in a variety of other settings, including other area farms, where individuals would work independent of state support.

Meanwhile, there are career paths at Prospect Meadow itself, he noted, adding that one can move — and some have — from farmhand to senior farmhand to ‘job coach,’ a level where the state is providing no funding for the individual, who has moved into what amounts to, as the name implies, a coaching position.

Scott Kingsley, 36, is a candidate for that job title, which would bring with it a host of new responsibilities, a pay increase, and benefits such as health insurance. He is currently working to help open the feed store and will work closely with those assigned to that operation.

“I like working with the animals, but I also like doing all kinds of different things,” said Kingsley, clutching the walkie-talkie that also comes with senior-farmhand status. “I guess what I like most is working with other people and helping them make money.”

Experts in Their Field

As he wrapped up his interview with BusinessWest, Cabral turned to Robinson, who asked him if he wanted to go back to his duties at the shiitake logs or hang in and listen to others as they offered comments.

“I’m not getting paid to sit here and talk,” he said with a voice that blended sarcasm and seriousness in equal doses. “I’ve got to go back to work.”

And he did just that, as the others would when it was their turn.

Most of them come here for four or five days a week, in all kinds of weather and at all times of year (this is a farm, after all). But none of them would prefer to be called a regular.

That term, as Mehler so eloquently noted, should be reserved for one of the buttons on a washing machine.

Here, there are only individual farmhands who together comprise a hard-working team that makes this farm a well-run business where there are growth opportunities — of every breed and variety.

And a place that can almost prompt Mehler to say she was a city girl.

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

Collaboration in Health/Wellness: The Healthy Hill Initiative

Healthcare Heroes

Partnership Brightens the Picture in a Springfield Neighborhood

The Healthy Hill Initiative
Dani Fine Photography

Helen Caulton-Harris described Donna Blake as a pioneer of sorts.

Indeed, she was one of the first African-American women to take an administrative role with the city of Springfield. But beyond that, she was extremely active within the community, working at the Urban League for decades, serving as a parks commissioner, and always advocating on behalf of children and their well-being.

“She was a staple in the community,” said Caulton-Harris, commissioner of the Division of Health and Human Services in Springfield. “Everyone in the city went to Donna Blake for advice and guidance.”

So it’s only fitting, then, that the small park named in her honor has become a symbol of sorts for turnaround efforts in the Old Hill Neighborhood of the city, and one of the focal points of a multi-faceted initiative called Healthy Hill.

Not long ago, Donna Blake Park was a place to avoid — unless you were looking for drugs or trouble, which you could find easily and in large quantities. As a result, parents didn’t want their kids playing there. The park became a flash point, a symbol of everything that was wrong with that neighborhood, one of the poorest in the city — and the state.

Today, though, the park is, well, what it was created to be — a resource, a gathering spot, a place to exercise, a haven within the neighborhood, especially for its young people.

And it became all this largely because of the Healthy Hill Initiative, or HHI, as it’s known, an endeavor that epitomizes the term ‘collaboration,’ and was the clear winner in that specific Healthcare Heroes category.

HHI is one of 18 sites funded by the BUILD (Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, and Data-driven initiatives) Health Challenge, a national grant program created to improve health and well-being in low-income communities. With $2.5 million awarded over five years to the coalition, as well as matching grants, the Healthy Hill Initiative has been working to change the health landscape in Old Hill by focusing on what Frank Robinson, vice president of Public Health and Community Relations at Baystate Health and one of the initiative’s architects, called “the dynamic intersection of two social determinants of health — public safety and access to physical activity.”

It does this through a number of initiatives, from indoor fitness activities for seniors through a collaboration with the YMCA of Greater Springfield and the Springfield Housing Authority, to C3 police efforts designed to build trust and supportive relationships, to a hugely successful program called Let’s Play that has involved more than 65 young people who participate in physical-fitness activities at Donna Blake Park at least two Saturdays a month.

“Let’s Play has been really exciting,” said Sarah Page, senior vice president of Community Building & Engagement for Way Finders, one of the collaborating entities. “Lots of kids come out and play, and the police often come and play with them. And the police feel they’re building wonderful relationships with those young people, which can really make a difference.“

“Years ago, you felt that you were pretty much safer if you just stayed home. But over the years, things have changed, and the neighborhood is transforming itself.”

HHI is a large, very involved collaborative effort, with more than a dozen players. In addition to Way Finders (formerly HAPHousing), which took a lead role in the initiative, as did Partners for a Healthy Community, participating entities include Mercy Medical Center, Baystate Health, Revitalize CDC, the Old Hill Neighborhood Council, and six city departments, including Health and Human Services and the Police Department.

These agencies were all working toward improving Old Hill before HHI was launched, said Caulton-Harris and others we spoke with. But this endeavor took them out of their respective silos and brought them into the same room — literally — and the same fight for better outcomes.

Bur rather than talk about how it all came together and why, those involved were clearly more interested in discussing the many forms of progress it has yielded.

Awilda Sanchez, vice president of the Old Hill Neighborhood Council and a 25-year resident of that area, said the changes are palpable.

“Years ago, you felt that you were pretty much safer if you just stayed home,” she recalled. “I didn’t go out at night, and my children did not play in the public parks. But over the years, things have changed, and the neighborhood is transforming itself.”

Certainly one of the more poignant measures of improvement is the relationship between young people and the police, as related by Beatrice Dewberry, manager of Way Finders.

“Initially, when the police first began to interact with some of the kids who live in a public housing unit on Pendleton Avenue, a boy walked up to the sergeant and said, ‘I don’t like police; you guys arrested a family member and put him in jail for a long time, so I don’t like you guys,’” she recalled. “Now, each week, when we play, the same kid says to the police, ‘when are you guys coming?’ He can’t wait to connect and engage with the officers.”

Defining Moments

Webster defines collaboration as a willingness to “work jointly with others, especially in an intellectual endeavor.”

Those last few words take on new meaning in an age when the health- and wellness-related problems in society are large in scale, complex in nature, and require collaborative efforts if they are to be effectively addressed.

So much so that, as BusinessWest talked with a large and distinguished panel of advisors as it was bringing the Healthcare Heroes program to reality, those individuals made it clear that a category devoted to collaborative efforts should be established.

One was, and it drew a large and diverse mix of projects, all of which drive home the point that, when groups with common goals and ample amounts of energy, imagination, and persistence come together, powerful things can happen.

Nowhere is that more evident than in Springfield’s Old Hill neighborhood, a once-proud (it’s getting back there) enclave of roughly 4,300 residents.

Like many of Springfield’s neighborhoods, Old Hill, largely populated by Hispanics and African-Americans, has experienced years of disinvestment and complex challenges ranging from higher rates of poverty, lower graduation rates, an active drug trade, gang activity, higher rates of violent crime, and increased incidences of chronic disease and obesity, said Robinson. These matters were further complicated by the fact that the June 1, 2011 tornado tore across parts of Old Hill, causing considerable damage.

With an eye toward addressing health- and wellness-related issues in Old Hill, a host of local agencies and city departments came together behind a common vision, he went on, adding that, in many ways, Peter Gagliardi, president and CEO of Way Finders, was the catalyst by bringing attention to the direct correlation between housing and health and essentially inspiring a call for action.

Sarah Page says the Let’s Play initiative has brought children — and adults — back to Donna Blake Park, which for decades had been a place to avoid.

“He pulled together 40 to 50 people in his office to talk about this connection,” said Caulton-Harris. “There was a recognition of the need to address this intersection of health and housing.

“There was work going on in that neighborhood involving housing and health,” she went on. “But they were separate initiatives; this effort brought them together.”

The effort she referred to took the form of a proposal for the BUILD Health Challenge that was worthy of all those adjectives that make up that acronym (again, they’re ‘bold,’ ‘upstream,’ ‘integrated,’ ‘local,’ and ‘data-driven’).

By way of clarification, those with the BUILD Health Challenge define ‘upstream’ this way: “partnerships that focus on the social, environmental, and economic factors that have the greatest influence on the health of a community, rather than on access or care delivery.”

And the Healthy Hill Initiative certainly fits that description, said Page, noting that the HHI was clearly focused on those social factors, including everything from housing to public safety to neighborhood infrastructure and facilities — or the lack thereof.

And the application efforts were certainly helped by the fact that there were already initiatives in place to help revitalize Old Hill, including a five-year strategic plan created after the tornado as well as Revitalize CDC’s plan to revitalize 10 blocks of the neighborhood over a 10-year period, an endeavor launched in 2012.

The initiative is also data-driven, said Jessica Collins, executive director of Partners for a Healthier Community, adding that her agency and others involved could look at maps of Old Hill and identify blocks where there were high incidences of asthma, obesity, and other problems.

“It was exciting for us to be able to look at that granular level of health data,” she explained, noting that it was necessary to apply for the grant. “We had never done that before.

“We had an amazing team working on data; information came from health clinics, the school system, and other sources, and then put through GIS,” she went on, adding that the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and Baystate Health both worked to crunch the numbers.

And they revealed that considerable work needed to be done, Dewberry said, adding that the accumulated data was used, along with considerable feedback from the community, to develop specific strategic initiatives, especially in the realms of physical activity and getting young people back out in the parks.

Exercise in Collaboration

But for that to happen, residents had to be convinced that the park was safe, and this took some doing, said Sanchez, adding the park was known as a place for gang recruitment and a host of illegal activities.

Parental approval was required to get children to the park, she went on, adding that people went door to door to secure this approval.

The resurgence of the park has had a transformative effect on the rest of the neighborhood, said all those we spoke with, adding that the return of children playing, the interaction between young people and police, and other positive developments have helped convince Old Hill residents that change is in the air — and they should be out in that air.

“The playing, the physical activity, the public-safety piece, having a safe environment for children … those pieces are critical,” said Caulton-Harris. “And when people see activity in the neighborhood, it definitely makes residents feel it’s safe to come out of their houses, particularly the elderly.”

Dewberry agreed, and told BusinessWest that, beyond a greater overall feeling of safety, the various components of HHI have contributed to creating a neighborhood that is in many ways better connected, something it has certainly not been historically.

“We talk about social cohesion and building this unified, connected neighborhood,” she explained. “And a lot of what we’re doing with the Healthy Hill Initiative is working toward that end.

“Let’s Play is a great example of that,” she went on. “For example, an elderly couple that has custody of their grandkids, they didn’t let the kids come out, but now they do, and they come out as well, to engage with us and engage with the other kids. We have parents and guardians coming, as well as resident health advocates, who also come. We’re developing community and building that social cohesion that has proven to be effective in deterring crime and reporting crime.”

Meanwhile, Healthy Hill Initiative has become a leading-edge example of how healthcare providers, moving beyond a fee-for-service model and into an accountable-care model, are taking on new responsibilities with regard to the health of the communities, and embracing that role, said Doreen Fadus, executive director of Community Health and Well-being at Trinity Health of New England and Mercy Medical Center.

“From a hospital perspective, this initiative and others have changed the culture, especially of the leadership of the hospital,” she explained. “Instead of thinking that these are nice things that the hospital does, these are things we have a responsibility to do to make the neighborhood healthier.

“As we move away from fee for service and just treating people when they’re sick, the leadership is more focused on the social determinants of health. This is our mission; these are the things we should be doing in the community.”

As Sanchez surveys Old Hill today, she sees less blight, she told BusinessWest, a direct result of many of the initiatives taking place in that neighborhood to rebuild properties and clear vacant lots once used as dumping grounds.

But she also sees more green — in the form of flowers, new trees, and vegetable gardens — and, most importantly, more people, who obviously feel safe enough to walk, exercise, and get some fresh air.

And with all that, she’s seeing a lot of what she left behind when she moved here from Puerto Rico decades ago.

“In Puerto Rico, communities are people knowing each other on the block, helping each other … the kids are being cared for by everyone,” she explained. “That’s what I wanted to see in Old Hill, and we’re starting to see that. I can see the difference.”

It came about because of determination, imagination, and, most importantly, collaboration.

Developing Story

Returning to that story she told about the young boy living in the public housing project who once hated police but soon couldn’t wait to engage with them in the park, Dewberry said her agency has tons of pictures of police and young people playing together.

Perhaps more than anything else, these images tell the story of how Old Hill is experiencing change and progress. Not so long ago, this neighborhood, and the park that has been at the forefront of so much that has happened, were the picture of disinvestment, the picture of a neighborhood in crisis.

HHI has brought better times, and better health, into focus.

And Donna Blake would certainly be proud.

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

Innovation in Health/Wellness: Genevieve Chandler

Healthcare Heroes

Nursing Professor Helps Young People Build Resiliency

Genevieve Chandler
Dani Fine Photography

James Bowe Jr. had a few full-scholarship offers come his way during his senior year of high school in Miami, Fla.

But at 180 pounds, most of the elite football programs considered him too small to excel at his position — outside linebacker.

He chose to accept an offer from a school that he said stuck by him when others didn’t — UMass Amherst — but was soon to discover that being undersized was only one of many stress-inducing challenges he would encounter on and off the practice fields outside McGuirk Alumni Stadium after arriving in 2015.

“The biggest change for me coming out of high school was the speed of the game and how much you had to learn — we had to develop quickly, because there’s a lot of different plays and a lot of terminology you have to learn,” he said. “And along with my practice schedule, I had my classes and everything else; it was a lot for me to handle, and that affected me in the classroom.”

And there was still more that he needed to cope with, whether he knew it or not.

Indeed, as he would discover, the death of his sister not long before he arrived at UMass had left scars that hadn’t fully healed — there were feelings he needed to get off his chest and emotions that he had to confront.

And confront them he did, while also putting a huge dent in his stress level, thanks in large part to a unique program blueprinted by Genevieve Chandler, associate professor of Nursing at UMass Amherst. It’s called Changing Minds Changing Lives (CMCL), and it was created and piloted by Chandler on the basic premise that resiliency is something that can and should be taught, developed, and built.

“It’s long been thought that people were resilient or they were not resilient,” said Chandler, who so impressed the judges with her work on this subject to date that she became one of two winners in the category of Innovation in Healthcare. “But researchers concluded that everyone has resilience; the question is how much and what we can do about it. Researchers realized that we not only carried something inside, but we needed access to resources outside to build that resilience.”

Elaborating, Chandler said much of her career’s work has been in the realm of creating such resources, especially as they relate to adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, as they’re called.

It’s not about what you don’t know, it’s about what you do know, and that makes it different from most classes. It’s not about deficits, it’s about strengths. I can’t teach you about you; you’re going to have to teach me about you.”

These include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and the broad category of household dysfunction, which includes everything from substance abuse to incarceration; from domestic violence to divorce or death of a loved one.

That’s a long list, and a host of studies have concluded that perhaps 60% of the population has an ACE, or several, in their background, said Chandler, adding that studies have also shown direct links between these experiences and physical and mental illness.

Her work, and especially the CMCL initiative, is aimed not only at focusing attention on ACEs and their impact, but also at helping individuals move past these ACEs by teaching them resiliency.

How? Through a broad course of study that includes everything from deep-breathing exercises and yoga to group writing (lots of that, as we’ll see later) and storytelling.

These elements and this mindset came together in the pilot program, what Chandler called a “strengths” class offered at the university, one that attracted a broad mix of students, and, later, an expansion of the initiative to include those involved with Holyoke Community College’s Gateway Program for students who had dropped out of high school.

These successes caught the attention of Jim Helling, athletic counselor for the university, which led to a program involving incoming football players, all of whom, like Bowe, were dealing with a host of challenges and experiencing high levels of stress.

And Bowe is just one of many who can testify that CMCL has certainly helped in that regard.

“This class helped me get adapted to college, and taught me a lot of different ways to handle stress; it taught me to just breathe,” he said, saying that last word slowly for special emphasis. “We were taught to breathe and calm down during stressful situations. That next semester, after I took this class, I was able to get my GPA back to where I needed it to be.”

Breathing is just one of the lessons Bowe and teammate Martin Mangram, a safety from Buford, Ga., imparted upon a group of Springfield Central High School football players they mentored as they took essentially the same class offered to the incoming players at UMass in the latest, and apparently successful, expansion of the CMCL initiative.

Genevieve Chandler, seen here with incoming UMass football players, says resiliency is something that can be taught or developed.

“We feel it was very successful,” Tad Tokarz, the school’s principal, said of the study, which involved a handful of players. “And speaking to students, they would tell you they’ve grown, and they can tell you how they’ve improved in recognizing emotions and building resilience.”

Course of Action

Helling, a psychiatric social worker as well as athletic counselor at UMass Amherst, was one of those offering instruction and insight to those football players at Springfield Central this summer.

And he said he started one of his presentations by putting up a picture of Charles Darwin on the screen at the front of the room and then focusing the conversation on the naturalist’s theory of ‘survival of the fittest’ — and in a way that hits at the heart of the CMCL initiative.

“The fittest does not mean the physically strongest,” Helling told BusinessWest. “The fittest means the best fit; it’s not the strongest or the biggest or the smartest that survives. The ones who survive are the ones who fit in best in their environment and meet the challenges that their environment presents to them.”

Helping young individuals become far more fit — in this respect — has become the focus of Chandler’s research, and life, in recent years. And this work in resiliency (technically defined as one’s response to adversity) continues what she said is a career-long focus on mental-health nursing, and, more specifically, what she called the “health and strengths aspects of one’s life, rather than the illness aspects.”

Elaborating, her approach has long been to focus on an individual’s strengths, rather than their problems, especially within the realm of ACEs, something she’s been studying for decades.

“I’m committed to using the notion of resilience to respond to the effects of adverse childhood experiences,” she told BusinessWest. “And I’ve learned how much ACE effects physical illnesses such as chronic lung disease, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and cancer; the higher the score for adverse childhood experiences, the higher the likelihood of biological and psychological illness.”

The resilience course Chandler has developed, number N297T in the university’s database, is officially called “Torchbearer: Stress Buster or Strength Builder.” (Actually, it likely does both).

The syllabus comes complete with a stated rationale — “identifying inherent strengths, developing agency, and managing stress to develop social connections and build resilience, promotes health and leads to success in college, community, and career” — as well as a course description, which reads:

“Build individual strengths to empower stress management and increase resilience. Research, mindfulness, and focused writing are applied to increase awareness of emotional responses to life’s challenges and facilitate social connections to increase leadership capacity.”

There are also several formal objectives. Indeed, upon completion of the course, the syllabus reads, the student will able to:

• Analyze individual strengths;

• Utilize health-promoting stress-management strategies;

• Foster a sense of community across lines of difference;

• Promote individual resilience;

• Negotiate a social-support network of mentors, role models, and peers; and

• Demonstrate strategies to facilitate individual leadership capacity.

The required text is just one thing, by Rick Hansen, subtitled “developing a Buddha brain one simple practice at a time.”

This is a different kind of college course in many ways, said Chandler, who explained what she meant by that.

“It’s not about what you don’t know, it’s about what you do know, and that makes it different from most classes,” she explained. “It’s not about deficits, it’s about strengths. I can’t teach you about you; you’re going to have to teach me about you, and that’s how we set up the class.”

Exercise in Resilience

Slicing through all that’s in the syllabus, Chandler said those taking this course essentially teach themselves how to become more resilient.

They do so through creation of a ‘strength plan,’ through a focus on what she called the ABCs of resilience:

• Active Coping, which could include exercise, medication, or yoga;

• Building Strength, which she said means focusing on one’s strengths and not one’s weaknesses or problems;

• Cognitive Awareness. “This means being aware of our thinking,” she explained. “So often, we get caught up in catastrophic ways of thinking, like ‘I’m going to fail a quiz’ or ‘I’m not going to be able to make a car payment;’” and

• Social Support, which, she said, involves understanding that people should call on their lifelines much sooner and build their social support so they have people they can lean on.

“Those are the ABCs, and that’s what we teach,” she told BusinessWest, adding that the course was first taught to essentially any student who wanted to take it four years ago, while the program for the incoming football players was started two years ago.

And that latter initiative is already registering measurable results, she went on.

“Half the incoming football players took it, and half didn’t. And then we measured what happened, and we saw a difference in their resilience, in their stress management, and emotional awareness — a big difference,” she said, adding that the results of that study were published, and the outcomes of a study on the second class of players were in the process of being sent to the Journal of American College Health.

“It’s incredible how fast 17- and 18-year-olds put this into their life,” she said of the football players and their embrace of the ABCs of resilience. “Most of them don’t sleep very well, and in two nights, they’re sleeping better.”

Mangram is among those getting more and better rest at night. He told BusinessWest that the class enabled him to respond better to adversity and to deal with stress, rather than let it accumulate, as he did before CLCM.

“This class really helped me realize that I’m not crazy for stressing, and it’s not abnormal to be going through what I’m going through,” he explained. “And it gave me ways to release stress rather than just recognize it, which is what I did in high school — just carrying it over day by day where it’s constantly pounding you down; this helps me start fresh every day.”

And while she spent a good deal of time talking about college football players and their efforts to build resilience, Chandler said the same theory, and the same practice, applies to just about everyone.

“People will say, ‘I’m taking deeper breaths now, and I don’t react as fast; I now respond to things instead,’” she told BusinessWest. “They say, ‘I think about things a little more, and I talk to a friend about things first about what’s going on with me.’ And this is resilience, and then they can thrive in college and in life.”

Gaining Ground

This has been accomplished through the combination of everything in the CMCL playbook, if you will, from deep-breathing exercises (something the Central students were taught as well) to the yoga poses, to the writing assignments and the discussions that followed.

Indeed, writing has become a big part of the CMCL blueprint, said those we spoke with, adding that these exercises ultimately help individuals open up, share challenges and emotions with others going through most of the same things, and, ultimately, release some of the stress that’s been accumulating.

Chandler said she has long been a strong advocate of the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) Method, developed by Pat Schneider, author of the book Writing Alone and with Others.

Jim Helling evokes Charles Darwin as he talks about survival of the fittest from the perspective of being able to respond to adversity.

The ‘method’ is to encourage writing and provide a safe environment in which individuals can experiment, learn, and develop their craft through practice and helpful response from other writers.

Chandler has used the method in many classes she’s taught over the years. Participants generally write to a specific topic at each class, and in most all cases, the results have surprised and encouraged her, while providing more evidence that resilience can indeed be taught and built.

“In one class, they were asked to write about something they had as a child, but don’t have now,” she told BusinessWest, referring to a program at Springfield’s Putnam High School. “Two-thirds of the students wrote about their father. I thought they’d write about a bike or a toy. But that’s how fast people take to writing about what’s important to them.”

The same has proven true with those taking the Torchbearer course, she said, adding that the opportunity to write and then gain support from those who hear what you’ve written has proven to be a powerful force in efforts to become a stress buster or strength builder.

“What’s interesting is that, when you give people the opportunity to write about strengths,” she said, “they feel safe enough to write about problems, which we don’t ask for, but we listen to and focus our feedback on moment of strength within the problems that arise.”

The upshot of all this, when it comes to the football team, is that the players are bonding in a way they didn’t before, said Chandler, and they’ve become more supportive.

“They’ve said that this gets them to know each other better,” she went on. “And that builds a stronger team — they all believe they have each other’s back.”

Bowe concurred. “A lot of people are afraid to talk about stuff they’ve been holding onto for a while,” he said, adding that, for him, the death of his sister certainly fell into that category, and writing about her and then sharing what he wrote with others certainly helped in the healing process.

“When I wrote about that … it was very hard for me to do,” he told BusinessWest. “But we were asked to write about a time when we had to overcome adversity, and that’s what I chose to write about.

“None of my teammates knew about it, and that’s how they found out — that allowed me to get that off my chest,” he went on. “After that, my teammates came to me and comforted me at a time when I needed it most.”

In his recent role as mentor to the Central High School students, he said his unofficial assignment was to help the students open up as he did, and, in the process of doing so, cope with ACEs, focus on strengths, and become more resilient.

“I’m here to let them know that it’s OK to open up,” he explained, “and make it clear that are other people here who are going through the same things that they are.”

Mangram agreed.

“I enjoy being a mentor,” he noted. “It’s a fun experience and a very eye-opening experience. I think I’m making a difference with them — even if they don’t realize it right now.

Tackling Life’s Challenges

Bowe said he managed to get on the field for a few special plays during his first season with the Minutemen, and he’s looking to hear his number (13) called a lot more this coming season.

He’s put some weight on his 6-foot frame and is now officially listed at 192 pounds on the team’s roster. That’s still a little undersized for a linebacker in the FBS Division.

But as he copes with that challenge and the many others he faces, Bowe is certainly more fit than he was a few years ago — as Charles Darwin might say.

And as Genevieve Chandler would say. She’s the architect of the CMCL initiative, and a true hero when it comes to innovation in healthcare.

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

Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider: Dr. Michael Willers

Healthcare Heroes

This Physician Always Has His Patient’s Interest at Heart

Dr. Michael Willers
Dani Fine Photography

Dr. Michael Willers calls it simply “the look.”

When asked to describe it, he said it was somewhat difficult to put into words. What certainly wasn’t is his opinion that generating this look may well be his favorite thing about his work as owner of the Children’s Heart Center of Western Massachusetts.

It comes when a young patient finally comes to the realization that he or she is there at the home on Northampton Street in Holyoke to receive medical care — and not just play on the rug with LEGOs or a stuffed animal.

“I’ll be talking to the parents and I’ll be talking to the kid … and then I get my stethoscope out, and I sit down on the floor with the kid with my stethoscope,” Willers explained. “And it dawns on the kid at that moment that this is not just hanging out on the floor at some friend’s house. There’s a stethoscope involved, and they’re in a doctor’s office … and the kid’s thinking, ‘wait a second … I may have been duped.’

“They have this really surprised look on their face,” he went on. “Then I say, ‘it’s all good … we’re just going to have a listen, and maybe you want to listen, too.’ So we’ll listen to their heart together.”

Willers’ ability to prompt ‘the look’ doesn’t completely explain why he was chosen as the winner in the category of Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider, but it goes a long way toward getting that job done. He and his partners, Drs. Cyrus Yau and Meaghan Doherty, have created an environment that looks and feels far more like a home than a place where pediatric cardiologists would typically do their work.

And they run a practice where parents, often very anxious about bringing their child to a cardiologist to begin with, leave with all their questions answered and their fears, in most cases, anyway, put to rest.

Willers told BusinessWest that, unlike most healthcare operations today, this is not a volume business — or, to be more precise, not a business consumed with volume. Indeed, the three physicians generally book only seven appointments a day and spend an hour, on average, with each patient and their parents.

Taking care of kids and being with them … I could do that all day long and not get tired of it. It picks me up every time.”

And while his work is cardiology, Willers says he and his partners regard themselves as experts in stress reduction, especially when it comes to the parents of the children they see.

“I’ll often tell people that we specialize here in anxiety and worry,” he explained. “Our specialty is helping parents who are anxious or worried or scared. We take pride in tuning into that and understanding where parents are coming from and helping to unravel that anxiety and figure out exactly where their anxiety lies.”

But it’s not simply how much time is spent with patients and their families, or all this work in stress reduction that sets Willers apart. It’s also how that time is spent, which, in his case, means getting down to the patient’s level — quite literally.

“When I went to medical school, I knew I was going to get into pediatrics,” he said while explaining how he chose this line of work, or it chose him, as many working in healthcare opt to phrase things. “I love the social aspect of it, to be honest with you. There’s nothing like walking into an exam room and having a chance to get on the floor and play LEGOs with kids, talk to them about their lives and about what they enjoy.

“Pediatrics is intellectually interesting,” he went on. “But socially, it’s invigorating. The real reason I went into pediatrics as opposed to internal medicine or something else was purely social and emotional reasons. Taking care of kids and being with them … I could do that all day long and not get tired of it. It picks me up every time.”

The Pulse of His Practice

Willers isn’t sure of the exact date, but he believes that the home at 1754 Northampton St. in Holyoke is, like most of the others in that vicinity, not quite a century old.

It is large and comes complete with many nooks and crannies. For example, each of the examination rooms on the second floor has a short, narrow closet in one corner, the dimensions of which are determined by the structure’s sloping roof.

The waiting room at the Children’s Heart Center looks more like a living room, which is exactly what it was for roughly 90 years.

Each closet is filled with a trove of stuffed animals and toys, and on occasion, Willers won’t just go into the closet for something, he’ll actually emerge from it to greet a patient. To get his point across, he gave a demonstration.

“They’ll be looking for me to come in the front door, but once in a while I’ll get down in here,” said the 6-foot, 3-inch Willers as he squeezed in and closed the door behind him. “And then I’ll pop out like this and say, ‘hi, guys.’”

This demonstration, and the enthusiastic commentary that accompanied it, speak volumes about not what Willers does, but something at least equally important — how he does it.

Before we get into that in more depth, though, we need to first explain just how Willers arrived in that closet. It’s an intriguing story, and it really begins back at Wesleyan University, where he was finishing his work toward earning a degree in biology.

He wasn’t considering medicine at that time — he was leaning toward getting a Ph.D. in ecology or evolution — but a week spent with a group of internal-medicine residents at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York changed all that.

“Six months before senior year, I decided I wanted to go to medical school,” he noted, adding that he enrolled at Dartmouth and, while working toward his degree, developed two passions — working with and for the underserved, and taking care of young people, for all those reasons mentioned above.

After completing his residency in pediatrics at Cornell Medical Center – New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Willers went to work at the Fair Haven Community Health Center in New Haven, Conn., an experience he described as the best of both worlds — taking care of an underserved, largely Spanish-speaking population, and also having teaching and hospital privileges at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Desiring to narrow his focus to pediatric cardiology, he undertook a fellowship in that specialty at Yale School of Medicine, and upon completing it, he went to work at Baystate Children’s Hospital as a pediatric cardiologist, one of three on staff, while also serving as director of the Pediatric Exercise Physiology Laboratory.

Seeking to provide care in a different setting and in a different manner, he founded the Children’s Heart Center of Western Massachusetts in 2012.

“I wanted to be able to take care of people in a way that focused on patients as individuals, and their families,” he explained. “And spending time with them, answering questions, addressing their concerns, understanding their lives and how their heart problems impacted their lives, and how their lives impacted their heart issues.

“I wanted to do it in a way that wasn’t like a lot of hospital-based outpatient practices,” he went on. “There’s a lot of overhead with those facilities; you have to pay for the fancy waiting rooms, and you have to pay the CEOs and the vice presidents and the middle managers, and a lot of the money goes toward things not directly related to good patient care. And what that means is that the volume of patients you need to see in a hospital-based practice just to keep the boat floating is enormous, and that means spending less time with patients.”

He started in that home in Holyoke with an operating philosophy that minimized those overhead expenses and called for seeing seven patients a day for an hour each, as opposed to 30 patients a day for 15 minutes each.

When asked how this was doable in this modern age of healthcare, where volume is such a critical factor in a practice’s success, he paused for a moment before responding.

“It’s our priority,” he explained. “In any endeavor in life, if you prioritize the right things, then you can make it work. And we prioritize the relationships with patients and families. We don’t prioritize mahogany desks, and we don’t prioritize over-management.”

As the practice grew, thanks in no small part to a very receptive response from the region’s community of pediatricians, it expanded, both with additional cardiologists (Yau and Doherty) and with satellite offices in Amherst and Great Barrington.

Hardly a Murmur

As he offered a quick tour of the Holyoke office, Willers pointed out a number of design elements and choices regarding décor that were chosen specifically with the goal of making young patients and their parents feel comfortable and, well, at home.

These include the couches chosen over traditional plastic chairs seen in most physicians’ offices, oriental rugs, soft, padded examination tables, toys and games seemingly in every room, and patients’ exploits in coloring between the lines decorating one full wall at the front entrance.

Even the terminology reflects this operational philosophy, if you will.

Indeed, upon arrival, visitors are asked to sit in the ‘living room,’ not the ‘waiting room,’ because while the latter phrase effectively describes its official function, it certainly looks more like the former — because, for roughly 90 years, that’s exactly what it was.

But the friendly, patient- and family-focused tone of this practice goes well behind furniture and phraseology. It also involves everything from the considerable amount of time spent with a child and his or her parents, to the attention paid to the communication process.

To explain, Willers chose as his subject matter the heart murmur, a term that most parents don’t fully understand and one that usually generates far more fear and anxiety than are actually warranted.

So Willers said he starts off by focusing on the child, not the word ‘murmur,’ and moves on to making it clear to parents that, in the vast majority of cases, murmurs are normal and not life-altering.

Dr. Michael Willers says his favorite toy is whichever one his patient happens to be playing with at the time.

“I’ll tell a parent that there are seven different kinds of normal murmurs, and say, ‘let me tell you about the one your child has,’” he explained, adding that, for this exercise, he referenced the Still’s murmur, a common type of benign murmur named after the man who first described it, Dr. George Frederic Still. “And I’ll draw them a picture of a heart, explain what causes this murmur, and then tell them, ‘this is a totally normal murmur in completely normally healthy kids, something that develops around the age of 2 or 3 and lasts until the kid is 12 or 13 or 14. But it eventually goes away on its own and never turns into anything bad, and you never have to worry about it again.’”

Overall, Willers said he and his partners work hard to effectively communicate with patients and their parents to ensure they have a solid understanding of what’s happening with the heart in question.

“Some cardiologists will say, ‘your daughter has a heart-valve problem; she’s going to need a procedure on down the line — we’ll talk about it more later,’” he explained. “When we sit down with patients, our discussions are usually 20 or 30 minutes long; we draw pictures, we take notes, they go home — we intend for them to go home — with a really solid understanding of what’s going on with their kid, or with them if they’re an older person.

“In my experience, there’s nothing like uncertainty to breed anxiety, and there’s nothing like anxiety to disrupt the joy of parenting,” he went on. “And so we really try to get rid of the uncertainty and give people definitive answers in terms that are in plain English so that they can home with an understanding and a reassurance, and they don’t have to feel anxious.”

The Internet and all the information available on it has acted to fuel this anxiety, Willers said.

“They’ll hear something or read something on the Internet, and they’re really worried that their kid is going to die for X, Y, or Z reason, but they don’t really want to say it,” he went on. “So unless you can tune into their emotions and be on the same wavelength, you can’t really put their fears to rest.”

But getting on the same wavelength with parents is just part of this story. Getting there with children is what Willers probably enjoys most.

And while the methods for doing so vary with the age of the patient, the common threads are communicating and connecting.

“The first five minutes of every visit isn’t ‘so what brings you here today?’” he explained. “It’s ‘how’s your summer going?’ or ‘what was camp like?’ or ‘dude, how’s it going with your little sister?’ You spend five minutes connecting like that, and it brings a certain energy to that visit.”

A Different Beat

When asked if he had a personal favorite when it comes to kids’ toys and games — remember, he gets right down on the rug to play alongside his patients — Willers gave an answer that neatly sums up how this practice operates, and why.

“Whatever the kid is playing with at that given moment — that’s my favorite,” he told BusinessWest.

Such an attitude explains not only why Willers was chosen to be a hero in the Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider category, but also why he loves to create ‘the look’ and can’t wait to see it again.

Like he said, he can do this all day, and it picks him up every time.

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

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Allahyari, Shahriar
24 Bent Tree Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Bacci, Deborah Corser
a/k/a Corser, Deborah J.
240 Tully Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Blase, Joi R.
a/k/a Tatro, Joi
17 Allyn St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/25/17

Blissett, Whitney Shayla
43 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/17

Brick, Anna M.
122 Main St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Bristol, Leida
20 Gerard Way, Apt. H
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/21/17

Britt, Nancy Jean
41 Corey Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/25/17

Brooks, Michael C.
a/k/a Brooks, Michael Charles
109 Holiday Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/17

Chase, Andrea
a/k/a O’Connell, Andrea
5 Forest Park Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/17

Conway, Shawn D.
Conway, Laura A.
22 Mohawk Trail, Unit 2
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Dakis-Fiore, Sandra
7 Castlegate Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/20/17

Elizabeth’s Wee Garden
Roberts, Elizabeth C.
430 North Liberty St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Fields, Steven L.
23 Crestwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/24/17

Forde, Keith A.
P.O. Box 51466
Indian Orchard, MA 01151-5466
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/17

Forney, Gregory A.
45 Barrister Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/17

Freeman, Gary Thomas
Freeman, Linda Jean
12 East Howe St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/28/17

Goodsell, Robert J.
Goodsell, Jeanne S.
134 Dorwin Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/31/17

Gourinski, Lee P.
124 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/31/17

Gregori, Bruce F.
242 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/18/17

Harmony’s House Daycare
Rivest, Harmony K.
a/k/a Niedzwiecki, Harmony K.
180 Line St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/19/17

Hernandez, Emma T.
a/k/a Garcia, Emma T.
25 Dayton St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/28/17

Lovett, David F.
402 Colrain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/25/17

Maher, Brian Edward
761 Old Petersham Rd
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/17

Mascroft, Carol A.
PO Box 162
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/26/17

Morrison, Christine M.
786 Wheelwright Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/24/17

Morrison, Christphor J.
Morrison, Kathleen M.
124 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/24/17

Murphy, Michael P.
Murphy, Kimberly A.
45 North Westfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/18/17

Nikolayeva, Olga V.
126 Union St. Unit 2-2
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/21/17

Pecord, Gerald Leroy
560 Riverglade Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Polastri, Barbara A.
336 East Main St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Rodriguez, Edel L.
414 Chestnut St., Apt. 826
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Rooney, David J.
Rooney, Brenda Lee A.
239 Turnpike Road
Montague, MA 01351
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/17/17

Ruel, Dawn L.
115 Garvey Dr.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/28/17

Taylor, Philip F.
41 Thornliebank Road
Williamstown, MA 01267
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/25/17

Top 2 Bottom Cleaning
Krzykowski, Laura
31 Alfred Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Woodbury, Mark S.
118 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 07/28/17

York, Karen J.
152 Federal St., Apt 5
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Your Property Matters LLC
Morris, Kathleen Cecelia
91 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 07/27/17

Doing Business as Certificates

DBA Certificates Departments

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of August 2017.

AMHERST

Catch My Thrift
11 East Pleasant St.
Robert Chesnut

Red Door Salon
55 South Pleasant St.
Kirsten Barnes

Sachem Capital
264 Harkness Road
Sachem Capital Corp.

SweetSpotWake.com
747 South East St.
Jed Rovhana

CHICOPEE

Curb Appeal Landscaping
48 Borys Circle
Matthew Galaska, Kimberlee Galaska, Raymond Galaska

Jasper and Nick
52 Ellsbree St.
Debra Lucia

Riera Construction
30 Nassau St.
Lazaro Riera

EASTHAMPTON

DWE Landscaping
521 East St.
Donald Eggleston, Veronica Frantz

Pono Mai Therapeutic Massage
11 Duda Dr.
Melissa Pandina

EAST LONGMEADOW

Carlson Roofing Co.
176 Porter Road
Robert Carlson

National Camping Travelers
9 Somerset St.
David Fant

Martin Roofing
85 Lee St.
Robert Martin

Redstone Marketing & Design
12 Colony Dr.
Joseph Rosa

HOLYOKE

Button It
540 County Road
Terry Paquin

Burnt Offering Design
22 Linden St.
Mark Chilton

Fruity Bubble
50 Holyoke St.
Kelvin Zheng

The Kick It Club
426 Maple St.
Yaritza Rivera

King Mart
494 Westfield Road
Sanjay Patel, Krishnakant Swadia

Spirit Halloween Superstores, LLC
50 Holyoke St.
Spirit Halloween Superstores, LLC

LUDLOW

Dave’s Soda and Pet Food City
433 Center St.
Dave’s Retail Trust

John C. Marcus Contractors
123 Shawnigan Dr.
John Marcus

Morais Landscaping
222 Cady St.
Danny Morais

Silver Brook Farms
67 Jackie Dr.
Thomas Cislak

A Touch of Heaven at Spa West
326 West Ave.
Tanya Martinez

NORTHAMPTON

Astute Tutoring and Education Services
9½ Market St.
Christian Covert, Aaron Covert

Computer First Aid
209 Main St., Apt. 2A
Cian Dowling

Faith Sullivan, M.Div.
71 King St.
Faith Sullivan

Highview of Northampton
222 River Road
Robert Petroff

Local Forager Brokerage
245 Main St., Unit 207
Pamela Ferrechio

Mill River Music and Guitars
16 Armory St.
Jon Aronstein

Mineral Hills Winery
592 Sylvester Road
Susan Godard

Northampton Psychotherapy
8 Crafts Ave.
Nicholas Boutros

PALMER

Joshua M. Gibbs Electrician
3041 South Main St.
Joshua Gibbs

Noble Stoneworks
124 St. John St.
Jonathan Bechard

SOUTHWICK

Lakewood Village, LLC
160 Point Grove Road
Mary Thayer

Sunny’s Convenience
801 College Highway
Synil Patel

SPRINGFIELD

A 2 Z Towing and Roadside Assistance
110 Old Lane Road
Branden Stanek

Andre’s Fitness Training
151 Merrimac Ave.
Andre Webley

Angie’s Fashion
34 Maryland St.
Luna Ruben

Brian’s Carpet and Upholstery
154 Brittany Road
Brian Stasiak

BTC Home Improvement
224 Pearl St.
Glenn LaBier

Calvin Auto Repairing
170 Massachusetts Ave.
Calvin Fearing

Catering by Meital
979 Dickinson St.
Meital Aloush

Dollar General Store #190
1070 St. James Ave.
DG Retail, LLC

Dollar General Store #191
786 Boston Road
DG Retail, LLC

Eco Friendly Cleaners
436 Boston Road
Arksone Anachack

Elite Security Service
22 Winnipeg St.
Troy Gebo

Elorac & Enaid
51A Trafton Road
Anthony Frogameni

EWB Lawncare & Snow Removal
30 Gatewood Road
Ernest Buffaloe

The Flower Box
596 Carew St.
Brian Grisel

J & J Barbershop
165½ White St.
Javier Nunez

Jad Mourad
66 Newton Road
Jad Mourad

Juvrena, LLC
139 Switzer Ave.
Yecenia Guzman

Marcel Smith
31 Westford Ave.
Marcel Smith

Masters Beauty Salon
24 Island Pond Road
Janet Disco

Miya’s Mixes
39 Kirk Dr.
Glynis Phillips

My House of Temptations
57 Haskin St.
Tamika McKenzie

Pacos Detailing
17 Arthur Picard Circle
Francisco Cancinos

Polish Me Pretty
34½ Oak St.
Eddie Santiago

Pressure Washing USA
1242 Main St.
Service Jobs Inc.

Property Maintenance
122 Temby St.
Daniel Rivera

Sara, LLC
603 Wilbraham Road
Zahoor Haq

Shades of Jade
6 Berkshire St.
Fanta Simmons

Suzana Decoration
103 Rhinebeck Ave.
Maria Machado

Triptic Star
298 Allen Park Road
Michelle Barbaby

Velopez Cleaning Services
23 Wareham St.
Jose Velez

Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts
400 State St.
Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts

WARE

Century 21
109 West St.
James D’Amico

Maple Leaf Mowing and Landscaping
11 Smith Ave.
Andrew Egan

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Auntie Cathie’s Kitchen
217 Elm St.
Catherine Albrecht

Basic Packaging Supply
136 Wayside Ave.
James Pollard

Fathers & Sons Volvo Cars
989 Memorial Ave.
Damon Cartelli

Kia M. Brokos, L.M.T.
425 Union St.
Kia Brokos

Noel’s Damce & Gymnastics
87 Norman St.
Louise Noel

Riverdale Dental
1073 Riverdale St.
Vijay Gaddam

Royalty
51 Park Ave.
Khalis Kasimov

Wendy’s
644 Riverdale St.
Parikh Amish

Wiggles & Giggles Day Care
112 Orchardview St.
Kristen Montville

WILBRAHAM

Callahan’s Camp for Canines, LLC
2 River Road
Meryl Callahan

Frank’s Lawn Care
14 Iroquois Lane
Frank Kochanowski

Wilbraham Nail Spa
2133 Boston Road, Unit 4
Anderson Tai

Incorporations

Departments Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

BELCHERTOWN

Quabbin Art Association Inc., 40 South Main St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Denise Fontaine-Pincince, same. Non-profit organization that provides education, support, and opportunity for local artists, and promotes community interest and appreciation in visual arts.

NORTHAMPTON

Prepared Accounting P.C., 35 Conz St., Northampton, MA 01060. Lyle D. Phipps , same. Certified public accounting.

Shiva Shakti Inc., 17 Strong Ave., Northampton, MA 01060. Naima Workman, same. Yoga studio.

CHICOPEE

Tomas Express Inc., 55 Empire St., Unit 10, Chicopee, MA 01013. Tomasz Radawiec, same. Transportation, truck driving.

FEEDING HILLS

The Magic Blend Co., 1325 Springfield St., Suite 8, Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Adam Kaplan, same. Smoothie and juice bar.

LONGMEADOW

Smile Line P.C., 20 Pinewood Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Vijay Bhaskar R. Gaddam, same. Dentist.

Springfield Sting Charitable Foundation Inc., 10 East Primrose Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Zachary Baru, same. Non-profit established to work with and donate to various nonprofits and youth organizations within the community to promote the values of the Springfield Sting, using basketball as a way to give back to the community.

SPRINGFIELD

S & A Corp., 228 Ramblewood Dr., Springfield, MA 01118. Imran R. Chaudhry, same. Convenience store.

Springfield Merchandise Grove Inc., 1655 Boston Road, Springfield, MA 01129. Mistry Massomali, same. Retail discount store.

Temple of Praise Ministries Church of God in Christ Inc., 31 Oswego St., Apt. 1A, Springfield, MA 01105. Thomas C. Robinson, 56 Burns Ave., Springfield, MA 01119. Christian ministry.

STOCKBRIDGE

Pricing Carbon Initiative Inc., 51 Interlaken Road, Stockbridge, MA 01262. Thomas H. Stokes, same. Non-profit which fosters safe dialogue, explores effective approaches, and ultimately encourages action to price carbon that is viable, equitable and commensurate with the challenge of climate disruption.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Seven Hill Transportation Inc., 155 River St., Apt J4, West Springfield, MA 01089. Esengul Ozdemir, same. Transportation company.

WESTFIELD

State Plumbing & Heating Inc., 1343 East Mountain Road, Westfield, MA 01085. Sergey Girich, same. Heating and plumbing services.

Briefcase

Briefcase Departments

Nominations Sought for Difference Makers Award

SPRINGFIELD — Nearly a decade ago, BusinessWest created a new recognition program called Difference Makers. That carefully chosen name sums up what this initiative is all about — identifying and then celebrating individuals, groups, and agencies in this region that are making a difference in our communities. And now, it’s time to nominate candidates for the class of 2018. The nomination form can be found at www.buisnesswest.com; click ‘Our Events,’ and then ‘Difference Makers.’ Nominations must be submitted by Nov. 3. Over the first nine years of the program, honorees have included a host of individuals and nonprofit agencies focusing on everything from childhood literacy to combatting homelessness; from reducing gang violence in Springfield to creating a walk to battle breast cancer. For a full list of previous winners, visit www.businesswest.com.

Those nominating candidates are encouraged to make their submissions detailed and explain why the individual or group in question is a true Difference Maker.

VVM Graduates 14 from Collegiate Accelerator

SPRINGFIELD — Valley Venture Mentors announced that it has graduated 14 startups from its inaugural Collegiate Accelerator Program. After nine weeks of intensive training, more than $20,000 in cash prizes was distributed to the entrepreneurs by accredited investors. Additionally, a $5,000 award was given to the startup that showed the most grit. Here is a rundown of the teams and the prize distribution:

• The Travel Unicorn, the LGBTQ+ travel guide that works to connect travelers to safe destinations based on their recommendations: $6,000, plus the $5,000 Grit Award;

• lymph + honey, which provides access to healthful, wholesome, and sustainable natural hair- and body-care products: $6,000;

• Vidvision, which helps marketers convert their video viewers into customers: $2,700;

• Zirui, offering innovative and stylish solutions for traveling with beauty and care products: $2,700;

• Mt. Mitho, bringing flavors from the highest peak on Earth: $1,350;

• redflowers, an online media platform that fosters community and dismantles societal stereotypes surrounding black identities and black women: $700;

• STEAMporio, training the makers of tomorrow by creating a passion for learning: $700;

• Boman, where a shipping container plus agricultural system equals a turn-key platform for growing any crop, anytime, anywhere;

• El Cherufe Chile Paste, an artisanal chile paste that offers a new flavor experience to lovers of spicy heat;

• INDI10.com, where you bid to wear it first;

• Lighthouse, which helps students with projects, no matter the size;

• Shesabelle Chandeliears, helping those with limited earring options experience the full range of expression earrings have to offer;

• Studio 26, a promotional service that offers underground musicians in Massachusetts tools and resources to help expand and build their brand; and

• The Black Enterprise Business Resource Center, which cultivates the empowerment and collaboration of black entrepreneurs in the Western Mass. area through quality business education and business services.

Leadership Holyoke 2017-18 Series to Begin

HOLYOKE — Leadership Holyoke is a comprehensive community-leadership and board-development program of the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce. The series utilizes a combination of classes and practical experiences to help local business people develop their leadership skills, increase their knowledge of the community, and acquire the skills needed to serve as board members and community leaders. The 2017-18 Leadership series begins on Sept. 22, consists of a weekly series of eight seven-hour sessions, and concludes on May 2 with a graduation ceremony at Holyoke Community College (HCC) with a specialty luncheon prepared by the college’s culinary program students. All sessions will be held on Fridays (except for the Boston State House trip) and take place at HCC as well as other locations throughout the city. Each session will include a segment on organization and leadership skills, and a segment on community needs and resources. Faculty members from HCC will participate as instructors and facilitators, and community leaders will participate as speakers and discussion leaders in areas of their expertise. The Leadership Holyoke series is made possible by PeoplesBank. Tuition of $600 per participant is due at the start of the course and includes a continental breakfast each week, a bus trip to Boston, and the graduation luncheon. Sign up online at holyokechamber.com or call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 with any questions.

Company Notebook

Company Notebook Departments

United Way, Peter Pan Team up for ‘Stuff the Bus’

The United Way of Pioneer Valley and Peter Pan Bus Lines recently delivered more than 2,000 backpacks filled with donated school supplies to six separate school districts. These backpacks were given to students who are homeless.

School supplies were collected all summer at various locations throughout the Pioneer Valley. The school supplies were purchased using a generous donation from Health New England. Students from the Westover Job Corps in Chicopee rode on the Peter Pan Bus and delivered all 2,000 backpacks.

United Bank Reports on PATH Plus Program

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — After introducing its innovative home-ownership and financial-education program in the Connecticut and Massachusetts markets 24 months ago, United Bank reported that it enrolled 92 participants in its PATH Plus program over the past two years, graduating several participants who have achieved their dream of owning a home or are currently seeking homeownership. PATH Plus is structured to provide three keys to homeownership — education, savings, and mortgage benefits — to low- to moderate-income individuals and families. As of this month, 92 individuals from Connecticut and Massachusetts have participated in the program, 36 are currently enrolled, 34 have graduated, and 11 of them are new homeowners. Other program graduates are in the process of identifying homeownership opportunities. And the bank’s foundations donated at total of $31,500 to nonprofits who have successfully referred and enrolled program participants. In Massachusetts — specifically the Springfield and Worcester regions — 52 individuals have participated, 28 have graduated, and four have closed on a new home.

BCC Launches New Education Department

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Community College has launched a new education department, combining and expanding the early childhood education and elementary education programming into one unified field of study. Patricia Kay, associate professor and chair of the Education Department, designed the new department. She worked closely with community partners, coalition groups, and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) to ensure the new department fit the needs of childcare providers in the Berkshires. The new education department will introduce learning as a cohort model — meaning students will all go through the same classes together as a group. The model is a hybrid, meaning it has an online and face-to-face component. The college also recently hired Barbara Kotelnicki as an assistant professor of Education to support this new department. The students will be made up of working childcare providers who will be able to discover real-world solutions to problems they are having in their classrooms and learn more than just the theory of early childhood education. They will gain experience through best practices, field work, and learning the essentials in teaching and caregiving. Students who graduate from BCC with an associate of science degree will be eligible to continue their studies in a bachelor of arts program or early childhood education licensure pathway through MCLA.

STCC, Ann Beha Architects Receive Planning Award

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) and Ann Beha Architects (ABA) of Boston were honored for a renovation project which will transform a 19th-century warehouse into a modern center of campus life. The Society for College and University Planning awarded STCC and ABA the 2017 Honor Award for “Excellence in Planning for a District or Campus Component” for the Ira H. Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons, which is under construction. With an estimated completion date of fall 2018, the 100,000-square-foot Ira H. Rubenzahl Student Learning Commons will become the center of campus life for 8,000 students. The building, once a storehouse for gun stocks, predates the Civil War. One of the goals of the $50 million project is to honor the past while embracing state-of-the-art, energy-efficient technology. In charge of the design, ABA played a key role in transforming the historic structure into a modern space for students. Construction crews are replicating historic features to match the look and color of the original building. The 767-foot-long building will house essential student services, including advising, tutoring, career services, the library, and more. Students will have access to social spaces and a café. About 150 staff will work in the building. According to Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Carol Gladstone, “the Baker-Polito administration is pleased to see the renovation project team recognized for its work in creating a new, energy-efficient space for STCC students while preserving a piece of the Commonwealth’s history.”

People on the Move

Departments People on the Move

Kristen Lemoi

Florence Bank promoted Kristen Lemoi to the position of vice president, Marketing manager. She joined Florence Bank in June 2011. Prior to her recent promotion, Lemoi had served as the assistant vice president, Digital and Merchandising manager for Florence Bank, and played an integral part in the 2014 launch of the bank’s new brand. In her new role, she will help steer the bank’s strategic marketing decisions. Lemoi received her bachelor’s degree in marketing from UMass Dartmouth. She is currently on the board of the Cancer Connection, and holds the title of certified financial marketing professional from the ABA Institute of Certified Bankers.

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Max Kernizan

Facial Cosmetic & Maxillofacial Surgery, P.C. announced that Max Kernizan, DMD has joined its oral-surgery practice. Richard Fraziero, the practice’s owner, said Kernizan “is bringing to Western Mass. the excellent surgical skills that our patients have come to expect from our surgeons at FCMS. He will be performing full-scope OMF [oral and maxillofacial] surgery in our surgical office, as well as at Baystate Medical Center. We are very excited to have Max join the Valley’s premier OMFS practice.” Kernizan completed his undergraduate education at Philadelphia University, graduating magna cum laude, and earned his dental degree at Temple University in Philadelphia. While in dental school, he achieved the Oral Surgery Scholarship award and served as vice president of the Anesthesiology Honor Society. Following dental school, he completed his specialty training in oral and maxillofacial surgery as chief resident at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Conn. He will begin treating patients at 382 North Main Street, East Longmeadow, in September. Kernizan is trained in the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. His primary clinical interests include orthognathic/corrective jaw surgery, wisdom teeth removal with sedation, dentoalveolar surgery, dental implants, and repair of traumatic facial injuries. He maintains certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS; currently has affiliations with the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the American Assoc. of Cosmetic Surgery; and is an AO CranioMaxillofacial affiliate. To schedule an appointment with Kernizan, at (413) 525-0100. He will also be offering same-day emergency appointments based on the direction of the patient’s general dentists; area dentists may press option 1 to be directed to a front-desk coordinator.

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The board of directors of the Springfield Regional Chamber (SRC) has elected officers to lead the organization: Tricia Canavan as chair, Mark French as vice chair, Barbara-Jean Deloria as treasurer and David Parke, Esq. as secretary. Canavan is president of United Personnel. A member of the boards of directors of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce prior to its merger, she most recently served as the vice chair of the SRC board of directors. Canavan lends her leadership to other boards of directors including the Baystate Health Foundation, Springfield Public Forum, and the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. French is the advertising director of the Republican/MassLive/El Pueblo Latino. He has been a member of the SRC board since its inception and served on the Springfield Chamber Board prior to its merger. He also served as chair of the Marketing and Advertising Council at New England Newspaper and Press Assoc. and in various leadership roles on the board of directors for the New England Newspaper Advertising Executives. Deloria is a senior vice president at Florence Bank. She has served as the SRC’s board treasurer since its inception. Prior to that, she was a member of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) board of directors since 2005 and served as its board treasurer. She is a past president of the West Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Dress for Success Western Massachusetts and serves on the Massachusetts Small Business Review Board. Parke is a partner with Bulkley Richardson and a member of its business and finance department, focusing on general corporate and business matters, mergers and acquisitions, and other transactional work. He, too, served in a leadership capacity on the ACCGS board prior to its merger and was instrumental in the formation of the Springfield Regional Chamber. He serves on Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. Business & Commercial Curriculum Advisory Committee and is past chair and current member of the Friends of the Homeless board of directors. Also elected as new members of the SRC board of directors were Marc Criscitelli, senior vice president for HUB International New England, LLC; Lou Curto, financial consultant with Private Wealth Management Group; David Ference, vice president, Commercial Lending for TD Bank; Tejas Gandhi, chief operating officer for Baystate Health; Jeffrey Trapani, Esq., a partner with Robinson Donovan Madden & Barry, P.C.; and Jenny MacKay, representing the Professional Women’s Chamber.

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The East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce inaugurated President Edward Zemba of Robert Charles Photography at its recent annual meeting at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse. Robert Charles Photography has been a member of the ERC5 since 1974, and Zemba has been participating in chamber events for more than 20 years. The annual meeting also ushered in First Vice Chair Charles Christianson of CMD Technology and celebrated the continued efforts of Treasurer Joe Lawler of the Gaudreau Group. Past President Dennis Lopata of Life Care Center of Wilbraham relinquished his responsibilities to Zemba.

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Former state Rep. Benjamin Swan has been named the recipient of the 26th annual Ubora Award conferred by the African Hall subcommittee of the Springfield Science Museum. In Swahili, Ubora means “excellence.” Swan was nominated by Denise Jordan and Fred Allen Swan. As a civil-rights activist, Ben Swan was the Western Mass. coordinator for the monumental 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom, and he is recognized as the preeminent leader of the 1960s civil rights movement in the city of Springfield, and he served as president of the Greater Springfield branch of the NAACP. For 24 years, Swan served as state representative for the 11th Hampden District, retiring this past January. As a community leader, he helped launch a number of community-based organizations such as Northern Education Service and the former Springfield Action Commission. Swan provided moral, legislative, and financial leadership and support to the Springfield Schools, community-based organizations, minority veterans groups, substance-abuse treatment, cultural festivals, the Springfield Arts Council, Springfield Technical Community College, and the UMass Downtown Center. As an artist and the creator of the long-standing Black Love Experience radio program, Swan provides community updates in educational and cultural activities and shares inspirational black classical music. Swan graduated from the former Springfield Technical High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Design Institute and his master’s degree in education from UMass. He completed advanced graduate work at UMass, and received an honorary doctorate from Westfield State University. He has received many awards and recognitions, including the 1990 “Eye on the Prize” Award.

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The board of directors of the Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC), a division of the Springfield Regional Chamber, has elected its officers to lead the division:

• Laurie Cassidy has been re-elected president. She has been executive director of the West Springfield Council on Aging/Senior Center since 2010. She is in the second year of her two-year term as president;

• Gillian Palmer has been newly elected as vice president. Palmer, a PWC member since 2014, is Business Development coordinator at Eastern States Exposition. Palmer also serves as vice president of Finance of the Meeting Professionals International CT River Valley chapter, special events chair of the Rotary Club of Springfield, and a Bay Path University Alumni Council member. She is a member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty Class of 2017;

• Caron LaCour was re-elected as treasurer. She is a certified public accountant working with Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C.;

• Jeannie Filomeno was also re-elected as assistant treasurer. She is Human Resource manager at Marcotte Ford Sales Inc., her family business where she has worked since graduating college. She has served on the PWC board for three terms.

• Liz Rappaport, a third-generation property manager at Century Investment Co., was re-elected as secretary; and

• Janet Casey will continue to serve as past president for one more year.

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Kelly Koch

Raipher, P.C. announced that Kelly Koch and Isaac Fleisher recently joined the firm. Koch began her career with a clerkship for judges in the Western Mass. Probate and Family Court. She then spent six years in the Domestic Relations department at Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP. She is well-versed in domestic relations and probate law and has handled domestic and international custody disputes, multi-million-dollar divorces, and alimony modifications. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University as well as a JD and an LLM in estate planning from Western New England University School of Law. She is a member of the Hampden and Hampshire County Bar Associations, the Massachusetts Bar Assoc., the Women’s Bar Assoc., and the ACLU. Fleisher comes to Raipher, P.C. with 10 years of in-house counsel experience at Tams-Witmark Inc. in New York City. He counseled corporate executives on business and legal issues, negotiated licensing agreements, and managed copyrights. At Raipher, P.C., he works with startups and entrepreneurs in a range of industries and has developed an expertise in the renewable-energy sector, helping investors and developers acquire, finance, and build commercial solar-power facilities throughout the Northeast. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, graduating with honors, and his JD from Brooklyn Law, graduating cum laude. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc., the Hampshire County Bar Assoc., the New York City Bar Assoc., and the New York State Bar Assoc. In his free time, Isaac volunteers with Legal Food Hub, a nonprofit providing free legal services to farmers and food entrepreneurs in New England. He serves on the board of the Lander-Grinspoon Academy.

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Terry Poloski of Monson Savings Bank was recognized recently by the Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman magazine, in its its annual report of the top mortgage originators in Massachusetts. Poloski was named one of the top five mortgage loan originators in Western Mass. for the second straight year. Poloski has been with Monson Savings Bank as a mortgage originator for the past five years. She has more than 38 years in the banking industry, is a member of the RAPV Affiliate Group, and participates in BNI.

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During the National Assoc. of Clean Water Agencies’ (NACWA) Utility Leadership Conference and 47th annual meeting in St. Louis, representatives of the association’s nearly 300 member utilities elected Joshua Schimmel, executive director of the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, to a seat on its board of directors. NACWA, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is a national leader in clean-water advocacy, and Schimmel’s leadership will be instrumental in helping to shape and improve clean-water policy that impacts all states and cities. Schimmel has more than 24 years of experience at the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, participating in all facets of the water and wastewater utility business, from operations to engineering to customer service to financial and regulatory issues. Appointed executive director in 2016, he worked proactively with the Board of Commissioners and commission staff to advance efforts to create financial stability, implement an aggressive capital-investment program, and develop a sustainable operating strategy while keeping rates affordable and service reliable.

Chamber Corners

Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE
www.1berkshire.com
(413) 499-1600

• Sept. 14: Celebrate the Berkshires, 6-8 p.m., at Bloom Meadows, where we’ll recognize the Community of North Adams as our ‘Putting the Berkshires on the Map’ honoree and announce the winners of our Trendsetter Awards. These awards are our way of recognizing individuals and organizations whose outstanding achievements and commitment have strengthened our economy and helped the Berkshires grow. Register online at www.1berkshire.com.

FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.franklincc.org
(413) 773-5463

• Sept. 13: “Are You Making Money or Losing Your Shirt?” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by TD Bank Greenfield, 324 Main St., Greenfield. Net profit gauges how well a business manages both revenue generation and expenses, assuming that owners are not taking out much cash in the form of distributions. Being profitable also means the company is building equity. What does this all mean? Join us to learn more about your financial statements and how you can use them to improve your profit picture. At the end of the workshop, each attendee will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of Quickbooks Pro, a $220 value. A light lunch will be provided. Register at www.franklincc.org.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• Sept. 7: CEO Power Hour Luncheon with Nathan Costa, CEO of the Springfield Thunderbirds, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Collegian Court Restaurant, 89 Park St., Chicopee. Costa was well aware of the challenges the Thunderbirds faced, and he will share his strategy for turning things around, including improvements made in sales and marketing efforts, game-day experience, and community engagement. Join us for lunch with Costa and learn about the creation of a winning culture. Cost: $30 for members;, $35 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.
• Sept. 14: Business After Hours presents Porter & Chester, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by Porter & Chester Institute, 134 Dulong Circle, Chicopee. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.chicopeechamber.org.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414

• Sept. 14: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Pioneer Landscapes, 223 Cardinal Way, Florence. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at www.easthamptonchamber.org.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holyokechamber.com
(413) 534-3376

• Sept. 6: Chamber Coffee Buzz, 7:30-8:30 a.m., hosted by Providence Place, 5 Gamelin St., Holyoke. The Coffee Buzz series is a morning networking program that provides chamber members and guests the opportunity to make new contacts and exchange business information over a light breakfast. The format includes a 30-second introduction of each guest, the host has a five- to 10-minute promotional opportunity, and rest of the event is mingling. Cost: free. Register online at www.holyokechamber.com.
• Sept. 13: Annual Clambake, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Holyoke Country Club, Country Club Road, Holyoke. We’re planning a feast of lobster, steamed clams, sweet corn on the cob, boiled red potatoes, tossed salad, and iced tea. Treat a client or make this your employee-appreciation gathering — there’s plenty of room. Grilled chicken will be available. Join Weld Management as a sponsor of this well-attended event. Cost: $38 for members, $40 for non-members. Register online at www.holyokechamber.com.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• Sept. 11: “Financial Planning 101,” 5:30-6:30 p.m., presented by Streetlight Financial, hosted by Forbes Library. Cost: free. Register online at forbeslibrary.libcal.com/event/3442716.
• Sept. 13: Arrive@5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Family Legacy Partners, 48 Round Hill Road, Suite 2, Northampton. Co-host: CheckWriters Payroll. Sponsored by Northeast Solar, Finck & Perras Insurance Agency Inc., and Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont Realtors. Cost: $10 for members.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• Sept. 11: Mayor’s Coffee Hour with Mayor Brian Sullivan, 8-9 a.m., hosted by Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. This event is free and open to the public. Call Pam at the Chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register, so we may give our host a head count.
• Sept. 13: After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Bring your business cards and make connections. Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit two Citizen’s Scholarships. Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members (cash or credit card).
• Sept. 15: Chamber Workshop: “Employment Practices, Liability Insurance,” 8:30-10 a.m., hosted by Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Join management-side labor and employment-law attorney Timothy Netkovick for this informational seminar on EPLI. Netkovick will provide an overview of the types of claims these policies generally cover and exclude. He will also identify the 10 most important considerations you should be aware of when assessing whether a particular EPLI policy is right for your company. When you leave this seminar, you and your team will be able to fully assess your needs in regard to whether or not you should invest in EPLI. Cost: free for members, $30 for non-members (cash or credit card). Contact Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 or [email protected] for more information or to register.
• Sept. 18: Chamber Workshop: “Go Mobile!” 8:30-10 a.m. hosted by Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Join Kurt Lumpp of Russell Cellular for this informational workshop and maximize the use of your cell phone. Cost: free for members, $30 for non-members (cash or credit card). Contact Pam at the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 or [email protected] for more information or to register.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER
www.springfieldregionalchamber.com
(413) 787.1555

• Sept. 6: Business@Breakfast, at the Sheraton Springfield, One Monarch Place, Springfield. Featuring Pam Victor, president and head of happiness at Happier Valley Comedy, on “Two Magic Words to Stimulate Innovation.” Also saluting Elms College President Harry Dumay and Sunshine Village. Cost: $25 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $35 for general admission ($40 at the door).
• Sept 14: Professional Women’s Chamber Luncheon, Munich Haus, 13 Center St., Chicopee.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.ourwrc.com
(413) 426-3880

• Sept. 6: Wicked Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., hosted by Carrabba’s Italian Grill, West Springfield. Wicked Wednesdays are monthly social events, hosted by various businesses and restaurants, that bring members and non-members together to network in a laid-back atmosphere. For more information about this event, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880, or register at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.
• Sept. 13: September Breakfast, 7 to 9 a.m., hosted by Chez Josef in Agawam. The event will bring members and non-members together for a morning of breakfast, debate, and town updates. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with local business people over breakfast and listen to the Agawam mayoral candidates discuss their views and ideas on how they plan to stimulate local business success. The moderator for this event will be Robert MacDonald of Work Opportunity Center in Agawam. Questions from the public and businesses can be submitted to [email protected]. In addition, West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt will be on hand to discuss business-development plans for his community. Event sponsors include United Bank and bankESB. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Tickets cost $35 for members and $45 for non-members. To register or sponsor this event, visit www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

Agenda

Agenda Departments

Glendale Ridge Fund-raiser for Survival Center

Sept. 9: Glendale Ridge Vineyard, located at 155 Glendale Road in Southampton, will host a family-friendly fund-raising event for the Northampton Survival Center from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will feature Latin folk music by MarKamusic, and food trucks will include the Bistro Bus, La Veracruzana, and Hot Oven Cookies. The $10 admission goes directly toward purchasing food for clients who visit the pantry. Children age 12 and under are free. Attendees may bring a blanket or chairs if they choose. The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. With pantries in Northampton and Goshen, the Northampton Survival Center serves about 4,300 clients over the course of the year, one-third of whom are children.

Springfield Jam Fest

Sept. 9: The Springfield Business Improvement District will present the first annual Springfield Jam Festival in downtown Springfield from noon to 11 p.m. at Court Square. Multiple stages will feature dozens of local artists performing throughout the entire day, playing everything from rock and country to blues, reggae, and more. Area vendors will sell a large variety of food and beverages. Sponsorship agreement goals have been reached to put on the festival, and all additional funds raised by the event will go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Western Massachusetts, which is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness through support, education, and advocacy. As an affiliate of the nation’s largest grass-roots mental-health organization, NAMI-Western Massachusetts advocates for access to services, treatment, support, and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raising awareness and building a community of hope for all those in need. For more information on the Springfield Jam Festival, visit springfielddowntown.com/springfield-jam-fest.

Patent and Trademark Educational Event

Sept. 14: The South Hadley Library and the South Hadley & Granby Chamber of Commerce announced a free business educational event for the business community and the public from 4 to 6 p.m. at the South Hadley Library, located at 2 Canal St. The event, designed for entrepreneurs and businesses, is a joint collaboration between the library and the chamber. The speaker, Paulina Borrego, is a science and engineering librarian at UMass Amherst. Soon after becoming a librarian in 2007, she took on the role of the Patent & Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) librarian in 2009. She is trained by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office to educate patrons about patents and trademarks, the application process, and how to conduct an effective and thorough search. She works in the UMass Amherst Science & Engineering Library, which is open to the public. For more information on the program, visit the South Hadley Library’s website at www.shadleylib.org or the chamber website at www.shgchamber.com.

Square One Tea Party

Oct. 5: The 12th annual Square One Tea is expected to draw 400 supporters who will celebrate the work the provider of early-learning and family services is providing to thousands of families throughout the Greater Springfield region. Tickets are $60 each. Tables of eight and 10 are available. To register, visit startatsquareone.org. For sponsorship or vendor information, call Andrea Bartlett at (413) 858-3111.

Healthcare Heroes

Oct. 19: BusinessWest and the Healthcare News will present the inaugural Healthcare Heroes Awards at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden. For full details on this event, Go HERE and read the profiles of the honorees beginning on page 19.

Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass.

Nov. 2: Comcast Business will present the Business & Innovation Expo of Western Mass. at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, produced by BusinessWest and the Healthcare News. The seventh annual business-to-business show will feature more than 150 exhibitor booths, educational seminars, breakfast and lunch programs, and a day-capping Expo Social. Current sponsors include Comcast Business (presenting sponsor), Johnson & Hill Staffing Services and Wild Apple Design Group (executive sponsors), Inspired Marketing (show partner), MGM Springfield (corporate sponsor), Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst (education sponsor), Xfinity (social sponsor), and the Better Business Bureau (contributing sponsor), Elms College (information booth sponsot), Smith & Wesson (workforce support sponsor), WMAS & WHMP (media sponsors) and GoGraphix (show partner). Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Exhibitor spaces are also available; booth prices start at $800. For more information on sponsorships or booth purchase, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Court Dockets