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Year: 2017

PeoplesBank Retains Young Talent by Keeping Employees Engaged

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Employment Sections

Value Proposition

From left, Phil Michaud, Alisa Feliberty, and Robert Raynor

From left, Phil Michaud, Alisa Feliberty, and Robert Raynor say PeoplesBank’s efforts to keep young professionals engaged with the company’s values and connected to the community are among the qualities their generation values in an employer.

It’s difficult to pigeonhole the Millennial generation — though many have tried — in terms of what they want in a job and a workplace.

But one recurring theme is a sense of purpose and meaning, one that goes beyond their list of duties. And on this front, employers are largely falling short.

In fact, according to a recent Gallup study, “How Millennials Want to Work and Live,” only about one-third of young professionals strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their organization makes them feel their job is important. And just 40% feel strongly connected to their company’s mission. This is a problem, the study notes, that leaders need to take seriously because Millennials currently make up 38% of the U.S. workforce, and that percentage will continue to rise.

They might do well to listen to three Millennials whose employer, PeoplesBank, seems to understand what makes them tick.

“As an employee, I feel appreciated, I feel heard, like my opinion actually matters,” said Alisa Feliberty, call center manager. “That’s a big thing for me, knowing I’m not just a body here, but a person considered for her thoughts and beliefs.”

Phil Michaud, a loan service associate, recalled being part of a meeting in which top bank officials candidly outlined their growth strategy for the next decade. “Having that kind of access to the direction the company is looking to grow, getting into the nitty gritty of all that, says they value you, and you’re worth telling.”

Then there’s Robert Raynor, who stumbled into banking after studying business management in college.

“I’d say the biggest thing for me is connection to the community,” said Raynor, now assistant vice president of Compliance. “To be able to work for a company that reaches out to the community, that makes a positive impact in the community and makes a difference, you know you’re working to help out the less fortunate in your area, not just coming in and making a widget and making a profit.”

These opinions aren’t happy accidents, said Janice Mazzallo, the bank’s chief Human Resources officer, but part of an overall strategy to create a culture that draws and retains top talent by making sure they feel connected.

“Values is something we get right in the organization,” she said. “Attracting Millennials isn’t just about having the right employee benefits, though we do that. We also recognize that Millennials — and all employees, for that matter — want to connect; when they go to work, they want to feel engaged, that what they do matters.”

List of area Employment Agencies

These efforts have drawn the attention of the Boston Globe, which has named PeoplesBank among its Top Places to Work five years running — in fact, the only company based in Western Mass. to be named to the most recent list.

“We put a lot of energy into that effort, and we don’t take it for granted,” Mazzallo said. “But it’s also not something that HR does in a vacuum.”

Rather, creating a workplace culture that keeps employees engaged and committed to the brand is an effort that requires buy-in across the organization. For this issue’s focus on employment, BusinessWest explores why PeoplesBank’s leaders feel the effort is worth it.

Making Connections

The benefits of engaging Millennials extends far beyond accolades in a magazine. In the coming years, employers must learn what makes this large, diverse group tick if they want to retain top talent.

The Gallup survey found that 67% of Millennials are engaged at work when they strongly agree that the mission or purpose of their company makes them feel their job is important. In contrast, just 14% are engaged when they strongly disagree with this statement. Because engagement leads to increased retention, fostering a connection to purpose can help companies fight Millennials’ propensity for job-hopping.

“When a company’s purpose is evident through its culture and brand, Millennials are better able to connect it to their role,” write Brandon Rigoni, associate director for Selection and Development at Gallup, and Bailey Nelson, a writer and editor at the polling company. “Leaders should strategically align the company’s purpose, brand, and culture to create an environment in which mission is something employees experience daily. By integrating purpose company-wide, leaders give employees the opportunity to own the company’s mission and transform it into enhanced performance.”

The values PeoplesBank tries to espouse, Mazzallo said, range from an extensive volunteerism culture to environmental awareness (which takes the form of an active committee that seeks out ways to make the bank and the surrounding community ‘greener’); from technological innovation to an emphasis on work-life balance.

Janice Mazzallo

Janice Mazzallo says creating a culture that has earned multiple ‘Top Places to Work’ accolades starts at the top but includes input across the organization.

“I think the fact that we’re an employer that cares about our community and gives employees opportunities to get involved in the community — whether it’s volunteerism or board involvement or the social aspect — that’s certainly important to them,” she went on. “We have a lot of opportunities here to get involved.”

The bank’s employee-driven committees tackle everything from wellness and the environment to organizing social events, such as bowling outings and trivia nights. A popular annual event called Employee Fest is another opportunity to make workers feel connected and appreciated.

“Everyone looks forward to Employee Fest; it’s a week where the company kind of caters to you, but you also realize how everyone contributes to our success,” Felberty said.

Michaud agreed, noting that various departments compete in contests, and it’s good to see people, especially those in far-flung branches, he doesn’t talk to on a regular basis. “At face value, it looks like we’re playing games, but I think about the connections we’re making and what that does for everyone in the bank. It’s more about building community and building relationships in this place where we spend the majority of our time.”

None of these efforts — the events or the committees — would happen if they didn’t have support at the top, Mazzallo stressed. “We have a senior management team that believes strongly that this is important, and support the idea that people want to feel engaged, and without that engagement, the high performance doesn’t come. We know that; we’ve seen it. Our financial performance over the last five years has been phenomenal, and that’s no coincidence — we have highly engaged employees.”

Getting Ahead

The three young professionals we spoke with also praised the company’s advancement efforts, from its management-development program to its support of continuing education and a willingness to move people around if they desire a new challenge.

“Management here supports us and allows us to take time to develop our skills,” Michaud said. “I started off as a less-than-part-time teller, and in a short period of time, I made this position. The opportunities are definitely there. You see people moving up in departments and transferring between them. If you find it’s not a great fit or you’re interested in something else, they’ll move you to another department.”

Feliberty agreed. “They’re interested in making sure you’re happy and successful. It’s important for them to retain you as an employee, and they’d rather move you from one department to another than keep you stagnant in one position.”

That flexibility is married, they added, to encouragement by bank leaders to communicate their goals and ambitions.

“I’m always surprised at the open doors to communication,” Raynor said. “I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with the then-CFO — now president — and talk about my career path, and what my interests are. With that busy schedule, to take time to sit down and talk about my thoughts and plans is pretty amazing to me. You don’t hear about that taking place that often.”

Michaud agreed, citing coffee events held with senior officials, who share their own paths to success. “The feeling is, they’re looking for you to ask questions and discover your own path to success, and then give you the tools to do that. They’re incredible at that. They’re giving you confidence that they’re here for you — you’re not on your own here.”

Added Raynor, “it’s not a canned message. It’s, ‘this is my story, this is what happened — the obstacles I faced, what happened in my personal life that helped me make this decision or that decision.’ It’s incredibly helpful.”

It’s also not the way most companies operate. According to the Gallup survey, only 26% of millennials say that, in the past seven days, they have heard someone talk about how their daily work connects with their organization’s mission and purpose. And just 34% of millennials report that they have heard a story in the past 30 days about how their company impacted a customer to improve their business or life.

PeoplesBank’s openness, Raynor added, breeds pride in the company and one’s place within it, which suppresses the natural urge to believe the grass is greener somewhere else. “Being at a place like Peoplesbank and having those conversations, I know where the grass is greener, and that’s a pretty good feeling.”

Just a Little Respect

Mazzallo called on one more word to describe the workplace culture at PeoplesBank: Respect.

“I’ve worked for a lot of organizations in my life, and there’s something about this bank that, I think, leads with respect. When you have that in place, there are so many lessons that can be learned,” she told BusinessWest. “When we have strategic initiatives, we want to hear from every level of the organization … I think there’s a healthy respect for the people who are directly involved in day-to-day projects.”

Feliberty said young employees definitely want to be heard. “It’s important to feel we’re included, that we matter, that what we think is considered when making decisions.”

There’s also a healthy regard for trying new ideas that arise from those discussions, Mazzallo said, whether it’s a new product or a new technological innovation.

“It’s OK to make mistakes,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of employers will say that. But if you want to have an innovative organization, you have to take risks — smart risks. I think people feel they can be creative and take risks, and, as a result, some very, very innovative ideas have been created.”

Like the brainstorm, cultivated over time, that clearly communicating the company’s values — and making employees feel connected to those values — will not only keep them around, but motivate them to new heights.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

EEOC Prepares to Finalize Anti-harassment Guidance

By
Employment Sections

Help Wanted

By AMELIA J. HOLSTROM, Esq.

 

In response to an increase in claims of workplace harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency responsible for enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws including Title VII, issued a 75-page Proposed Enforcement Guidance on Harassment on Jan. 10.

Amelia J. Holstrom

Amelia J. Holstrom

The majority of the guidance deals with matters previously addressed by the EEOC, including the elements of harassment; the list of protected characteristics under federal law, including the EEOC’s interpretation that ‘sex discrimination’ includes one’s sexual orientation and gender identity; and the defenses available to an employer facing a harassment suit.

Although it has a long-standing practice of issuing harassment-enforcement guidance, the EEOC appears to take things a step further in this proposed guidance and makes suggestions for employers, including policy and training suggestions, among others. Before providing specific suggestions in the guidance, the EEOC begins by articulating that senior leaders are the “cornerstone of a successful harassment-prevention strategy,” and that they have to express frequently and with clarity that harassment will not be tolerated.

As part of that strategy, the EEOC notes that employers must allocate resources and time for harassment-prevention efforts and regularly assess harassment risks and take necessary steps to eliminate them. So, how might an employer implement and enforce such a strategy?

First, the EEOC suggests that employers adopt an anti-harassment policy. According to the EEOC, the policy should include an express statement that harassment on the basis of any protected characteristic is illegal; examples of harassment; details regarding the employer’s complaint system, including how to report; language that encourages employees to report any harassment; an indication that the employer will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation into the allegations and assurance that it will take appropriate corrective action; and a statement that retaliation is prohibited against those who file complaints and/or participate in investigations. Additionally, the EEOC recommends, among other things, that the policy be written and communicated to all employees.

Massachusetts employers should already have an anti-harassment policy that contains the criteria suggested by the EEOC. Under Massachusetts law, employers are required to have a sexual-harassment policy that includes a number of the same criteria. Employers are also required to distribute that policy to all employees both at time of hire and annually. As a practical matter, however, savvy employers have adopted and issued broader anti-harassment policies that include all types of unlawful harassment, as the EEOC suggests. Regardless, this proposed guidance should signal to employers that it is time to review their policies and consider whether changes would be appropriate.

Second, and in follow-up to its suggestion that details of the complaint system be included in the policy, the guidance makes recommendations regarding how an employer should structure its complaint system.  Under state and federal law, an employer has a duty to promptly and thoroughly investigate all allegations of harassment and discrimination.  As a result, every employer should already have a protocol in place for doing so. For example, some employers choose to hire a third party to conduct investigations, while others have an internal person or department such as Human Resources handle investigations.

In its guidance, the EEOC recommends that employers fully resource the complaint system; provide multiple avenues for filing the complaint, such as listing a male and female to which complaints may be brought; have a process to ensure that the alleged harasser is not presumed guilty before the investigation is complete; and have a procedure for informing the complaining party and accused of the outcome of the investigation or corrective action to be taken, to the extent appropriate.

The EEOC also notes that, among other things, those responsible for receiving and investigating the complaints need to be well-trained and neutral, have authority and the resources to investigate, have the ability to make people feel comfortable, and keep adequate documentation during the investigation.

Lastly, the EEOC notes that, even if all employees know about the policy and complaint system, those are only part of an effective strategy to eliminate harassment. To be sure that employees understand what constitutes illegal harassment, the EEOC recommends regular and interactive training that is promoted by senior leaders and conducted and revised regularly. The training should include examples of unlawful harassment, information about employees’ rights, details of the complaint process, and the range of consequences for someone who engages in prohibited conduct. Additionally, because managers and supervisors have additional responsibilities under federal law (and state law too) when it comes to harassment complaints and investigations, the EEOC suggests that managers and supervisors undergo additional training that includes training on recognizing risk factors, methods for addressing harassment, and clear instructions regarding reporting harassment.

The proposed guidance is available HERE. The EEOC recently sought public comment, and will next review all feedback and consider making revisions prior to finalizing its guidance.

Amelia J. Holstrom joined Skoler, Abbott & Presser in 2012 after serving as a judicial law clerk to the judges of the Connecticut Superior Court, where she assisted with complex matters at all stages of litigation. She is a 2011 graduate of Western New England University School of Law, where she was managing editor of the Western New England Law Review. Her practice is focused on labor law and employment litigation; (413) 737-4753.

Barron & Jacobs Continues Its Tradition of Melding Old and New

By
Construction Sections

Building on the Past

Chris Jacobs

Chris Jacobs took the reins at Barron & Jacobs last year after more than 31 years with the company.

Chris Jacobs has construction in his blood.

“I’ve been with the company since it opened in 1986,” said Jacobs, who succeeded his father, Cecil Jacobs, last year as president of Barron & Jacobs Associates Inc. “I was 15 then, working summers, and I kept working summers through college.”

After graduation, he came on board full-time and worked his way up the chain, serving long stints as general manager of construction, then general manager of the whole company, before taking the reins from his father.

Growing up, he doesn’t recall a time when he didn’t want to work in the family business. “What young kid doesn’t like construction?”

But he also has an appreciation of history and tradition, and Barron & Jacobs is steeped in both, starting with its offices in an 1895 Victorian home in downtown Northampton, purchased from the city’s historical society and restored to its original look.

Behind that home sits a carriage house that once sheltered the first car-repair garage in Northampton — a garage visited frequently by Amelia Earhart early in her flight career, to learn about reciprocating engines.

That sort of history reflects the value that Cecil Jacobs, who’s known as “Jake,” places on the historical and architectural integrity of a building — a quality that has informed his company’s work and helped him forge a pioneering name in design-build construction — a tradition Chris Jacobs is excited to continue.

“We invented design-build back in the ’80s; previous to that, it was all general contractors,” he told BusinessWest. “Then everyone became design-build companies, even if they didn’t have designers and drafting people on their staff.”

Chart of General Contractors

His father established a philosophy at the company that whatever enhances a home should not take away from it — to have alterations and additions look like they’ve been there from day one, and to duplicate existing architecture and at the same time bring in modern conveniences.

“We’re doing a lot of the same: kitchens, additions, bathrooms, whole-house renovations,” the new president said. “The recession put a little slowdown on the bigger residential projects, but they are definitely coming back.”

Reconstructing History

Cecil Jacobs began laying the foundation for his future company in 1963 when he completed his tour of duty in Vietnam with the 6143rd Engineering Group, and went to work as a  designer for the Architectural Building Products Division of Reynolds Metals Co. (also known as Reynolds Aluminum). In the mid-’70s, he was appointed vice president of the division, overseeing the development, sales, and marketing of energy-conserving building products.

He loved working there. But his future started to shift when, in the early 1980s, David Reynolds, the company’s president, asked a question: is there another market for us other than remodeling and building new homes? In other words, is there something remodelers weren’t doing because it was too big, and that homebuilders didn’t want to do because it involved existing structures?

whole-house remodel in Longmeadow

This whole-house remodel in Longmeadow is an example of the way Barron & Jacobs updates homes while retaining their original character.

That was the birth of design-build. Jacobs was tasked with investigating the feasibility of a third major market that would encompass whole-home renovations and other major projects beyond the scope of smaller-scale remodeling. Over a two-year period, he conducted that study for Reynolds, establishing test locations in Springfield, Boston, and California, and became convinced there was a significant market.

However, Reynolds retired soon after, and the new president had virtually no interest in the project. Then, In 1986, the head of Jacobs’ division, Jim Barron, retired, and Jacobs, at age 45, felt that was a good time for him to leave as well. So after the company agreed that he could pursue and develop his design-build research on his own, Jake launched his own firm with his wife, Kathleen, putting Barron’s name on the door symbolically, to honor his mentor.

The company has benefited from the fact that Western Mass. isn’t a hotbed of new building, but there are plenty of older homes in need of renovation, meaning existing structures take on a higher value than they would in a more booming region for new construction.

As for individual projects, Chris Jacobs said, “it’s really up to the individual whether they want a European style or a traditional style. As full-service design-builders, we go shopping with them.”

That’s when many decisions are made, he went on. “The shopping is a crucial piece. Many homeowners don’t know a good cabinet from a bad cabinet, so the shopping is a crucial key to making sure the project goes correctly. We make sure they’re getting good appliances; the industry is plagued with bad appliances. We have people that we trust, that we’ve been shopping with for years.”

It takes not only skill to tackle whole-home remodels, he said, but also the personal touch and flexibility to interact with the homeowner, who may change their minds several times during a project. But, generally, detailed planning and productive shopping create a strong foundation for a successful remodel.

Steady Growth

In addition to home remodeling and whole-house renovations, Barron & Jacobs’ portfolio includes additions, add-a-levels, kitchen and bathroom remodels, screened porches and porch enclosures, three-season rooms, sunrooms and conservatories, garages and carriage houses, attic and basement conversions, as well as business renovations and expansions.

In the commercial realm, the firm recently did a rec-room project for Coca-Cola in Northampton, and is currently working on a financial building in West Springfield. While commercial building rebounded from the Great Recession quicker than residential construction, and most of Barron & Jacobs’ work is residential, the company managed to ride out those years successfully, thriving on its reputation. “It’s a tradition of building satisfaction,” Chris Jacobs said. “We’ve been doing it for over 30 years.”

In fact, the recession didn’t really hit the company until three or four years after it began in 2007,” he added. “We had a little bump in the road — as it turned out, bigger than a bump — but we could see it coming back last year, and this year is already looking good.”

As for new building, it’s not something the company pursues, although it recently built a house in New Hampshire for a past customer. “It’s usually a past customer who requests it. We don’t have our own building lots.”

Meanwhile, the firm has strived to develop a reputation as an environmentally friendly builder, both in its emphasis on energy-efficient insulation, windows, and other materials, and through an extensive focus on recycling building materials.

Through all of this, the company, which boasts 15 employees, continues to grow, with Jacobs and co-designer Adam Skiba — who comes from an architectural background and has been on board for a year and a half — looking to add another designer this year.

And, of course, the new president is already eyeing the third generation of leadership at the company, although that transition is far off — specifically, his 5-year-old adopted son.

“He’s already banged his first nail, and he’s good at it,” Jacobs said. “No pressure, though.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Laura Fitch Continues to Be a Pioneer in the Cohousing Field

By
Architecture Sections

Come Together

By Joanna Smiley

The homes at the Pioneer Valley Cohousing community

The homes at the Pioneer Valley Cohousing community are tightly clustered around a pedestrian loop, fostering informal social interactions and preserving open space on the rest of the site.

It’s no understatement to say Laura Fitch has dedicated her life to the philosophy of cohousing — not only through her architecture career, but because she has lived in a cohousing community for nearly 20 years. The model, which encourages togetherness and elements of both private and communal living, is becoming more popular among young families, retirees, and students, making it an ideal opportunity for intergenerational connection.

It’s hard to miss Fitch Architecture & Community Design’s Amherst office.

The space is nestled inside a sun-drenched building at the entrance of Pioneer Valley Cohousing, a 22-acre stretch of private homes clustered around a communal space.

Laura Fitch, a principal with the company, helped design the community, which has garnered attention as the East Coast’s first cohousing development. Fitch herself has lived in Pioneer Valley Cohousing for nearly 20 years.

“I grew up in Concord, Mass.,” she explained. “We had Thoreau and Walden, and I lived in a sort of cluster subdivision where we shared green space and community land and resources. It left an impact on me.”

A past board member of the Cohousing Assoc. of the U.S., Fitch first learned about cohousing during a trip to Denmark in 1980, the country where the concept was first developed.

List of Architecture Firms in the region

That knowledge was followed by a stint with Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa in 1984, an experience that built in her a desire to seek out socially and ecologically responsible projects — and which partly explains why cohousing has become the heart and soul of her firm.

Laura Fitch (right, with intern architect Aviva Galaski)

Laura Fitch (right, with intern architect Aviva Galaski) says cohousing builds community ties that can enhance the health and well-being of residents.

Houses in most cohousing communities range anywhere from 600-1,400 square feet. A complex typically includes a shared community room, where group meals are served several times a month, prepared by community members on a rotating basis. At Pioneer Valley Cohousing, members are encouraged to eat together twice a week. A 4,200-square-foot common house includes a communal multi-purpose room, commercial kitchen, children’s playroom, two guest rooms, and additional recreational space.

Cohousing members are expected to participate in the work that needs to be done to keep the community running smoothly, and Fitch relies on what is called an ‘affinity work system.’ That means she ensures every member pitches in by giving them the option to choose a task they’d like to complete that will benefit the community as a whole. Fitch’s husband, for example, helps with the members’ plowing each winter.

For this issue and its focus on architecture, BusinessWest talks to Fitch about why the cohousing model is an ideal choice for certain people, and how she has crafted a career around her long-time passion for community.

Welcoming Environment

Since the first cohousing community was completed in the U.S. — Muir Commons in Davis, Calif., which recently celebrated 25 years — more than 160 such communities have been established in 25 states plus the District of Columbia, with more than 120 in process. Most cohousing communities are intergenerational, with both children and elders; in recent years, senior cohousing focused on older adult needs have grown. Small and large, urban and rural, newly built and retrofits, these communities have consistently been at the forefront of environmental and socially sustainable neighborhoods, according to the Cohousing Assoc. of the United States.

Cohousing units are intentionally designed to feel welcoming and comfortable to surrounding neighbors, so they may freely stop by each other’s homes to converse, share resources, or help watch young children. That said, families living in such proximity also have the potential to conflict. Fitch preemptively mitigates potential arguments by encouraging open lines of communication with fellow neighbors and peaceful negotiation. The complex also designates a ‘community life issue member’ who can facilitate classes for non-violent conflict resolution.

Fitch calls her cohousing community, and others like it across the country, “community at your doorstep, with privacy at your home.”

Young families, single working parents, retirees, professionals, and even students are among the demographics typically attracted to cohousing. Fitch believes cohousing offers a desirable model, one that is universal for people from all walks of life who, simply put, seek togetherness.

“If you went to summer camps, enjoyed undergrad time in dorms, if those were things you liked when you were younger, then I always tell people, you can naturally understand what it’s like to live in cohousing,” Fitch said.

She sees the senior cohousing movement exploding across the U.S. and believes that this trend will continue to grow in the coming years as a better alternative to costly assisted-living facilities or elderly people living in isolation.

“There are studies that show community is healthy for you,” she told BusinessWest. “People age faster and have more problems when they’re aging alone. Senior cohousing is becoming a real phenomenon.”

In addition to the social issues central to the design of a cohousing community, the ecological concerns of sustainability are a primary focus for cohousing groups. Many groups include sustainability as part of their vision statement, and Fitch’s firm has helped them to reflect these goals in the built community.

In general, she explained, site design is sensitive to land use. The buildings have solar access, and energy-efficient construction practices are employed. Materials and systems are specifically selected to minimize ecological impact and maximize indoor air quality. Units have front porches, which provide a bridge between public and private spaces in a cohousing community. Meanwhile, the houses are scaled to ensure they’re friendly to pedestrians.

Earth Friendly

Fitch’s specialized focus on sustainable design has earned the firm a spot in Natural Home & Garden magazine as one of the top 10 green-architecture firms in North America.

“People are recognizing now that it makes business sense … if you invest enough to reduce mechanical costs, that’s where you get to the sweet spot,” she said.

The new theater studio at Smith College

The new theater studio at Smith College was created by capturing space from a large and underutilized lobby at the Mendenhall Center for Performing Arts.

Fitch and her team have led hundreds of residential, commercial, and institutional projects, including net-zero-energy homes, educational facilities, and deep-energy retrofits.

In 2013, the firm received a Historic Preservation Award from the Northampton Historical Commission for its work at Smith College’s Dewey House. The 1827 building needed significant upgrades, so, after completing an initial feasibility study, Fitch’s firm was asked to complete full services for energy improvements and a new exterior lift. Working with energy consultants, it ultimately achieved a 65% reduction in air infiltration.

Meanwhile, the Hartsbrook School, a Waldorf educational facility in Hadley, chose to work with Fitch and her team for a project focused on creating a new early-education building.

The new classroom building at the Hartsbrook School.

The new classroom building at the Hartsbrook School.

But cohousing remains Fitch’s calling card, and she has earned national accolades for her work in this field. Alice Alexander, executive director of the Cohousing Assoc. of the U.S., calls Fitch a “real pioneer” in getting the nationwide cohousing movement off the ground.

“Laura Fitch is one of our outstanding cohousing professionals,” Alexander said. “Not only is she an outstanding architect, but also she is adept at group process — at working collaboratively with large numbers of folks who can come to the table with diverse views. That takes talent. Laura is also committed to environmental sustainability and nurturing community for health and resilience.”

Fitch’s fusion of professional and personal interest in cohousing has proved to be an asset to her firm’s clients. “It enables me to understand what early cohousing groups are going through when it comes to making tough decisions about their money and the future,” she noted. “I can answer questions on the architecture, process, and what its like to live there as a resident.”

One of Fitch’s best ideas so far? An outdoor ping-pong table at the cohousing development she calls home.

“It reinvigorated our community life,” she said with a smile. “We all sit around the courtyard after meals egging each other on in ping-pong matches.”

It’s just one more way she has made a career — and a life — out of creating connections and community.

Healthy Buildings Becoming a Key Design Priority

By
Architecture Sections

Living Spaces

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly three quarters of U.S. architects say the health impacts of buildings are influencing their design decisions. That finding parallels a strong market demand by building owners, with a solid two-thirds surveyed also reporting that health considerations affect how they design and construct buildings.

These findings and others were featured in a new report, “The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016” by Dodge Data & Analytics, in partnership with Delos and the Canada Green Building Council, and with the participation of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a critical research advisor and partner.

The report documents the value and need for more of the research, education, collaboration, and outreach efforts that are hallmarks of the AIA’s Design and Health initiative. Since 2013, AIA has invested in expanding the body of knowledge on the connection between design and health, including professional continuing education and the 17-university Design & Health Research Consortium.

“As a society, we spend nearly 87% of our time indoors,” said AIA Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy. “Designing and constructing healthy buildings is crucial to our own well-being.

“Working with architects, we can accelerate this need for healthier buildings and improve quality of life across the country,” he continued. “This report documents how architects can help clients have a positive effect on human health, through the built environment.”

That positive result includes increasing employee participation and fulfillment, the report found. Sixty-nine percent of owners who measure employee satisfaction and engagement reported improvement in both attributes due to their healthier building investments.

According to the report, the top five healthier building features implemented by architects include better lighting and daylight exposure, products that enhance thermal comfort, spaces that enhance social interaction, enhanced air quality, and products that enhance acoustical comfort. Use of nearly all of these is expected to grow considerably along with further pioneering approaches like the use of biophilic design features, spaces that enhance tenant mood, and opportunities for physical activity, the report found.

“The increased attention to building health impacts is just beginning,” said Stephen Jones, senior director of Industry Insights at Dodge Data & Analytics. “In a similar way several years ago, companies engaged in green construction because of the demonstrable business and financial benefits they were able to achieve. The findings of this report demonstrate that the focus on buildings that enhance the health and well-being of their occupants is likely to follow a similar trajectory, boosted by those who have committed to sustainability in their organizations.”

Additional highlights from the report include:

• Most owners are not aware how healthy building investments result in business benefits like leasing rates (52%) and asset values (58%). However, among those that report an effect, 73% report faster rates, and 62% report higher values.
• According to architects and interior designers, the top driver for greater investment in healthier buildings is improved public awareness of the health impacts of buildings.
• Public-health professionals report that the most common policies currently in place to support healthier building practices are requirements to avoid the use of hazardous materials in buildings (65%). The key policy areas that are currently being considered include incentives that encourage physical activity (47%) and requirements for ongoing building air-quality measurement (46%).
• Ninety-two percent of public-health professionals also report that their institutions are actively conducting research on the influence buildings have on occupant health and well-being.
• Architects are most aligned with their clients (owners) when it comes to understanding the goals of healthy-building investments, as compared to other industry players, recognizing that improved tenant/employee satisfaction and happier and healthier occupants is the primary focus for owners related to their investments.
• The largest percentage of owners, at 42%, identify that they are very interested in partnering with architects to help increase their ability to implement healthy-building practices. While low, it is notably more than the next two highest potential partners — facility managers and educational institutions, both at 31%.

The report also received key support from CBRE, Dewberry, and the U.S. Green Building Council, with additional support from Armstrong Ceiling Solutions and the Regenerative Network. Other organizations that participated in the research process include the American Society of Interior Designers, the National Assoc. of Real Estate Investment Managers, and the World Green Building Council.

This article was prepared by the American Institute of Architects, which works to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities.

Building Permits

By
Building Permits Departments

The following business permits were issued during the months of January and February 2017.

AGAWAM

NEU Corp.
1251 River Road
$27,325 — Remodel bar

CHICOPEE

Meadow Chicopee 425-521 LLC
425 Meadow St.
$329,627 — Shell work for future tenant

South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corp.
111 Springfield St.
$1,065,040 — Total renovation, including demolition, siding, windows, walls, ceilings, interior finishes, plumbing, heating, electrical, fire protection, and site work

EAST LONGMEADOW

Baystate Dental
250 North Main St.
$2.5 million — New commercial building

Eyesight & Surgery Associates
382 North Main St.
$14,980 — Commercial alteration

Powerclean Fitness
45 Baldwin St.
$70,000 — Commercial alteration

Powerclean Fitness
45 Baldwin St.
$20,625 — Fire sprinkler

LONGMEADOW

GPT Longmeadow LLC
746 Bliss Road
$12,000 — Add wall-mounted sign with halo-lit letters and one directional sign

The Longmeadow Mall LP
827 Williams St.
$20,000 — New facade

LUDLOW

MMWEC
327 Moody St.
$9,000 — Non-illuminated sign

Taxiway, LLC
84 Westover Road
$20,000 — Commercial alterations

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
45 Gothic St.
$1,000 — Interior renovation to office area

Coolidge Center LLC
47 Pleasant St.
$16,000 — Divide existing space, construct three offices

Hospital Hill Development LLC
1 Village Hill Road
$16,500 — Create two new offices on second floor

Smith College
63 Belmont Ave.
$13,500 — Install new shower stall in bathroom, relocate washer and dryer hookups into kitchen

Smith College
23 Round Hill Road
$39,464 — Build new accessible restroom and custodial closet

PALMER

Baystate Wing Hospital
40 Wright St.
$12 million — Addition to existing hospital to accommodate Emergency Department expansion and shell space

Griswold Glass
1184 Park St.
$27,000 — Roofing

Sanderson MacLeod Inc.
1199 South Main St.
$2,600 — Relocate and add sprinklers to accommodate new ceiling layout

SPRINGFIELD

CMC Development Associates Ltd.
222 Carew St.
$100,000 — Renovate third-floor suite

Cottage St. LLC
604 Cottage St.
$2,600 — Move door, move existing reception window, install new door for adult day care facility

CVS Pharmacy
1500 Main St.
$7,000 — Modify photo counter and checkout area

Fontaine Investment Corp.
510 Cottage St.
$19,000 — Renovation of existing space to create additional offices

Joseph Hendricks
395-405 Dwight St.
$2,000 — Modify existing commercial space

Tom Mangan
1695 Main St.
$5,792 — Install 12 replacement windows in office building

Northgate Center, LLC
1985 Main St.
$22,000 — Increase vestibule size, change storefront to double-paned glass, install two interior sliding glass windows, remove portion of a wall

Picknelly Family LP
1414 Main St.
$132,500 — Interior office build-out, cosmetics, new finishes for tenant Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy

Wason Avenue Partners LLC
80 Wason Ave.
$22,110 — Remove wall to expand mammography room for Shields MRI Health Care

WARE

Frank DeSantis
250 West St., Building 1
$4,000 — Replacement windows

Ware on Earth Realty, LLC
388 Palmer Road
$3,500 — Signage

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Hearthstone Housing Foundation
215 Baldwin St.
$66,100 — Add two restrooms to existing space

Laurel Apartments
1343 Riverdale St.
$974 — Replace shingles

Riverdale Shops
935 Riverdale St., Suite C105
$108,150 — Rework retail space for a team sports retail store

Table & Vine
$14,500 — Roofing
1119 Riverdale St.

WS Trade Center Condos
233 Western Ave., Unit 243
$17,500 — Construct two storage rooms, cosmetic improvements to front office

WILBRAHAM

Chandler Holdings LLC
182 Monson Road
$20,000 — Demolish barn

Town of Wilbraham
318 Main St.
$7,950 — Demolition of modular classroom at Memorial School

Stony Hill Road Realty LLC
805 Stony Hill Road
$20,000 — Install three newer antennas and associated equipment alongside existing antennas

Real Estate Transactions

By
Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

57 Bronson Ave.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Sandra McArthur RET
Seller: Eleanor Dodson
Date: 01/10/17

109 South St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Brian C. Franetovich
Seller: William G. Carr
Date: 01/18/17

CONWAY

332 Williamsburg Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $174,240
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert E. Ahrensdorf
Date: 01/13/17

DEERFIELD

10 Crestview Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Edward J. Lichocki RET
Seller: Denis L. Emmett
Date: 01/17/17

27 Mountain Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Thomas F. Bakey
Seller: Frank R. Blajda
Date: 01/13/17

24 West St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $195,527
Buyer: Schechterle Properties
Seller: Peter B. Stone
Date: 01/20/17

HAWLEY

95 East Hawley Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Harold F. Green
Seller: Nicole Patlin Miller RT
Date: 01/18/17

HEATH

13 West Branch Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Tita Bersamira-Thompson
Seller: E. Una Cooper
Date: 01/20/17

LEVERETT

172 Long Plain Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Benjamin Solis
Seller: Fenna L. Bonsignore
Date: 01/09/17

MONTAGUE

218 Birnam Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $137,194
Buyer: Mark Pohlman
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 01/19/17

7 Burnham St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $585,000
Buyer: Collura Realty LLC
Seller: James A. Andreas
Date: 01/10/17

NORTHFIELD

692 Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Nicholas K. Christenson
Seller: Hollie Hunsicker
Date: 01/09/17

ORANGE

15 Canon Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Antonio J. Desroche
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/18/17

10 East River St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Honey Farms Inc.
Seller: Orange Commercial Properties
Date: 01/20/17

SHELBURNE

30 High St.
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $392,000
Buyer: Ricki Carroll
Seller: Theodore B. Merrill
Date: 01/12/17

SHUTESBURY

Sumner Mountain Road #3
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kathleen R. Lugosch
Seller: Joan A. Antonino
Date: 01/13/17

WENDELL

125 Lockes Village Road
Wendell, MA 01379
Amount: $139,944
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Michael M. Sweeney
Date: 01/17/17

95 West St.
Wendell, MA 01380
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Sarah D. Greenleaf
Seller: Claire Stewart
Date: 01/12/17

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

62 Annable St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Raymond A. Bronner
Date: 01/12/17

92 Coronet Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $268,500
Buyer: Tracey M. Lebeau
Seller: Chantal McGill
Date: 01/20/17

58 Kathy Terrace
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Richard M. Brock
Seller: Scott M. Rackliffe
Date: 01/17/17

705 Mill St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Glynn J. Beggs
Seller: Patricia A. Johnson
Date: 01/18/17

74 Ramah Circle South
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Chlastawa LLC
Seller: Pelter Inc.
Date: 01/20/17

495 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Renee M. Malloy
Seller: Hubert A. White
Date: 01/12/17

152-154 Walnut St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Buynicki
Seller: Roberta Lafleur
Date: 01/17/17

BLANDFORD

29 Blair Road
Blandford, MA 01008
Amount: $372,500
Buyer: Brett D. Yvon
Seller: Stephen R. Gendreau
Date: 01/09/17

BRIMFIELD

30 Crestwood Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Southbridge Savings Bank
Seller: Stacey L. Dunn
Date: 01/11/17

1411 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Dana A. Rouisse
Seller: Edward E. Tremblay
Date: 01/13/17

79 Sutcliffe Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $131,500
Buyer: Casey Williams
Seller: Gordon A. Moore
Date: 01/18/17

CHICOPEE

28 Amherst St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $202,100
Buyer: Alexus N. Emond
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 01/20/17

58 Boivin Terrace
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $199,278
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Scott Kibbie
Date: 01/10/17

563 Broadway St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Jose Dasilva-Julio
Seller: Montgomery Chicopee Realty
Date: 01/20/17

15 Caroline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Trisha Bouchard
Seller: Lisa M. Maloney
Date: 01/10/17

84 Cherryvale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $173,500
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Jeffrey Chateauneuf
Date: 01/13/17

74 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Maecar Realty Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

80 Chestnut St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Norwich Properties LLC
Seller: Maecar Realty Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

119 Claire St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Zachary W. Pelletier
Seller: Allen F. Cormier
Date: 01/17/17

95 Dale St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Saudy I. Hernandez
Seller: Anthony J. Biela
Date: 01/19/17

66 Daley St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Arnold C. Palmer
Seller: Aleksandr Izotov
Date: 01/18/17

36 Erline St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Emilio Gonzalez
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 01/17/17

24 Eton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Maria C. Bulnes-Rozas
Seller: John E. Sheehan
Date: 01/10/17

268 Fletcher Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Eric B. Stawarz
Seller: Robert J. Rehm
Date: 01/17/17

54 Kennedy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Marco A. Morgado
Seller: John Scheehsher
Date: 01/09/17

218 Prospect St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $123,647
Buyer: Anthony Falcetti
Seller: Weldon, Augusta Mae L., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17

44 Roy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $152,000
Buyer: Dilepson Cruz
Seller: Maria J. Klos
Date: 01/09/17

29 Toronto St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Scott A. Franceschina
Seller: Phillip P. Paradis
Date: 01/20/17

33 Woodlawn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Sonia Soto
Seller: David C. Labrie
Date: 01/10/17

EAST LONGMEADOW

99 Meadow Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $117,126
Buyer: Blueline Management LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/20/17

323 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Mark F. Maigret
Seller: Anebe Gracien
Date: 01/17/17

20 Ridge Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,900
Buyer: Anebe Gracien
Seller: ALWSLLC
Date: 01/17/17

42 White Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Hang Truong
Seller: Amy G. St.Germain
Date: 01/10/17

GRANVILLE

384 Water St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Emerald City Rentals LLC
Seller: John B. Dejean
Date: 01/18/17

HAMPDEN

106 East Longmeadow Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: David J. Henry
Seller: Peter S. Imler
Date: 01/18/17

135 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Candice K. Hunsucker
Date: 01/17/17

Somers Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Custom Homes Development Group
Seller: Ed Speight & Co. Inc.
Date: 01/13/17

47 Thresher Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $262,500
Buyer: James R. Damour
Seller: James R. Damour
Date: 01/09/17

HOLLAND

88 Sturbridge Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Niles N. Robbins
Seller: Gina Abysalh
Date: 01/12/17

HOLYOKE

51-53 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $242,600
Buyer: William Forest-Forest
Seller: Jamie T. Roy
Date: 01/13/17

Bobala Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: DFE LLC
Seller: Dinn Brothers Inc.
Date: 01/10/17

11 Brenan St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Reynaldo Martinez
Seller: Marcia Russell
Date: 01/18/17

53 Calumet Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Derek E. Kerns
Seller: Dorothy A. Reidy
Date: 01/13/17

163 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $167,257
Buyer: USA HUD
Seller: Shabnam Mashmasarmi
Date: 01/17/17

235 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Wanda I. Otero
Date: 01/09/17

473 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Shawna E. Tobin
Seller: Joanne Orourke
Date: 01/17/17

1062-R Main St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Alan T. Velazquez
Seller: Amanda Bailey
Date: 01/13/17

100 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: David J. Hutton
Seller: Lucille Y. Bellefeuille
Date: 01/12/17

39 Vernon St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Julio Delesus
Date: 01/19/17

LONGMEADOW

65 Concord Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Fred S. Ligeiro
Seller: Throne, Janice S., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17

11 Franklin Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Rodrigo A. Clement
Seller: James Jaron
Date: 01/12/17

48 Greenmeadow Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $487,500
Buyer: Courtney E. Wenleder
Seller: Stephen N. Krevalin
Date: 01/11/17

24 Lincoln Park
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Trisha D. Ripton
Seller: E. Earl Cranor
Date: 01/13/17

82 Merriweather Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Gene A. Bradshaw
Seller: Allan R. Shendell
Date: 01/20/17

63 Tanglewood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Jami Wholesale LLC
Seller: Ethel S. Zimmerman
Date: 01/20/17

22 Williams Court
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $321,973
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Robert Nell
Date: 01/12/17

495 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Fojaz RT
Seller: Don A. Washington
Date: 01/13/17

LUDLOW

87 Americo St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Carlos Dossantos
Seller: Nancy G. Chaves
Date: 01/20/17

50 East Akard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Paulo Martins
Seller: Lori A. Robbins
Date: 01/09/17

187 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jodi J. Nascimento
Seller: Warren R. Barrett
Date: 01/13/17

272-274 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $190,484
Buyer: Diplomat Property Manager
Seller: David A. Martin
Date: 01/18/17

MONSON

18 Circle Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Jereme J. Tidwell
Seller: Henry J. Kosmider
Date: 01/18/17

22 Country Club Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $141,500
Buyer: Blythewood Property Management
Seller: USA VA
Date: 01/17/17

10 Fern Hill Road
Monson, MA 01069
Amount: $121,650
Buyer: Jeff D. Ladue
Seller: Linda M. Keery
Date: 01/18/17

110 Thayer Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Monson Savings Bank
Seller: Heather M. Wood
Date: 01/20/17

MONTGOMERY

Fuller Road
Montgomery, MA 01085
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Euler FT
Seller: Edward J. Healy
Date: 01/09/17

PALMER

10 Brown St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Gordon M. Merkel
Seller: Linda Coffey
Date: 01/20/17

4293-4295 High St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $189,819
Buyer: TD Bank NA
Seller: Paul W. Ollari
Date: 01/09/17

96 Rondeau St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Jared N. Jackson-King
Seller: Paul E. Rondeau
Date: 01/12/17

SPRINGFIELD

384 Abbott St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Jacqueline M. Forsman
Date: 01/17/17

41 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Colon-Lebron
Seller: Grady, Robert J., (Estate)
Date: 01/09/17

70-72 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Yandalis Reyes
Seller: Mars Real Properties Inc.
Date: 01/12/17

328 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Dominique P. Fradette
Date: 01/09/17

9 Bellevue Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: John B. Dragone
Date: 01/19/17

41 Blodgett St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Camile Marsh
Seller: Khanh Nguyen
Date: 01/20/17

47 Brookside Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Gracinda M. Goncalves
Seller: Thomas F. Carey
Date: 01/18/17

329 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Rey X. Reyes-Rivera
Seller: Viva Development LLC
Date: 01/18/17

127 Cloran St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Carlos E. Monet
Seller: Patricia A. Ryan
Date: 01/20/17

90 Cuff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $139,100
Buyer: Derek Fu
Seller: Thomas J. O’Connor
Date: 01/17/17

93 Curve St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Luis Carmona
Seller: Israel J. Rosario
Date: 01/13/17

193 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $142,900
Buyer: Paul J. Bongiorni
Seller: Kimberly Ashton
Date: 01/13/17

142 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Long Tran
Seller: Brian D. Baker
Date: 01/10/17

171 Dwight Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Anthony Medina
Seller: Bernard C. Reid
Date: 01/10/17

257-259 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,834
Buyer: WVUE REO 2015-1 LLC
Seller: Belinda N. Jackson
Date: 01/10/17

50 Ellery St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Saroeun Toum
Seller: Stratton Renovation LLC
Date: 01/19/17

14 Elmwood St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: Hap Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

70 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Orange Park Management
Seller: Orange Park Management
Date: 01/13/17

66 Flint St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Santos Garcia
Date: 01/19/17

84 Fox Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Michael Bridger
Seller: Guy B. Perry
Date: 01/09/17

63 Gerald St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Nathan E. Stevenson
Seller: Yekatherine Rasmussen
Date: 01/17/17

37 Gillette Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Alicia Dessereau
Seller: Richard F. Hansen
Date: 01/12/17

88-90 Groveland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Carmen Valentin
Seller: Lisa Santaniello
Date: 01/12/17

200 Harkness Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $194,500
Buyer: Ram Tamang
Seller: Suzanne M. Dodson
Date: 01/13/17

21 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $125,624
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Clover A. Martin
Date: 01/12/17

104 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $204,900
Buyer: Therese E. Singleton
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 01/13/17

21 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Licenia Cruz
Seller: Ivan Grechka
Date: 01/17/17

322 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: HAP Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

Main St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Bar South Land Holdings
Seller: Hap Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

79 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Wilson Y. Bedoya-Montoya
Seller: Lydia Santiago
Date: 01/20/17

57 Merrimac Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $117,670
Buyer: USA VA
Seller: Luis A. Adames
Date: 01/19/17

110-112 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Maria I. Cruz
Seller: Gloria Otero
Date: 01/17/17

58 Methuen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Peter K. Njoroge
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 01/20/17

183-185 Middle St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Soraia Abdulbaki
Seller: Damaris Nyanjui
Date: 01/13/17

14 Nichols St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Luis Rodriguez
Seller: Sara Calo
Date: 01/13/17

310 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Angelica Fermaintt
Seller: Benjamin Velazquez
Date: 01/19/17

242 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Tricia Bunns
Seller: Xiuyu Ma
Date: 01/10/17

40 Parkwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Wanda Santana
Date: 01/13/17

46 Rochford Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Anthony C. Torres
Seller: Timothy J. Moore
Date: 01/11/17

551 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Aaron C. Zing
Seller: Smaida, Lucian A., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17

30 Sachem St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Ally Bank
Seller: Paula A. Bernal
Date: 01/19/17

21-23 Santa Barbara St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Christopher O’Brien
Seller: Damion L. Daley
Date: 01/13/17

42-44 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Bimala Subedi
Seller: Leon Hutt
Date: 01/09/17

76 Sorrento St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: MNBC LLC
Seller: Monty LLC
Date: 01/13/17

153 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $159,000
Buyer: Luis G. Morales
Seller: Melro Associates Inc.
Date: 01/20/17

37 Stratford Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Arlyana Dalce-Bowie
Seller: John J. Gullotti
Date: 01/17/17

69 Strong St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Deana L. Williams
Seller: Viviana Council
Date: 01/20/17

128 Webber St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Doreen Acheampong
Seller: Attaford LLC
Date: 01/19/17

227 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Justin M. Vaniderstine
Seller: Ryan E. Corbett
Date: 01/12/17

28 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Agnes B. Akoto
Seller: George B. Fitzpatrick
Date: 01/10/17

137 Whittum Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Derek Chapdelaine
Seller: S&C Homebuyers LLC
Date: 01/13/17

559-561 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $162,512
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert J. Paskins
Date: 01/10/17

8-10 Woodmont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Sandra M. Jolly
Date: 01/18/17

SOUTHWICK

14 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Michael J. Smith
Seller: Michael F. McCarthy
Date: 01/12/17

50 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Thomas P. O’Donnell
Seller: Richard R. Labarre
Date: 01/19/17

156 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Brian P. Callaghan
Seller: Diane D. Lazarin
Date: 01/20/17

8 Buckingham Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Vladimir Gonchuk
Seller: Paul D. Musselwhite
Date: 01/09/17

WALES

32 Reed Hill Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Sandra A. Wilk
Seller: Michael Mariettos
Date: 01/09/17

WESTFIELD

20 Charles St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,500
Buyer: Kaybeth M. Fortier
Seller: William F. Barry
Date: 01/13/17

78 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $223,999
Buyer: Richard T. Ryer
Seller: Larry A. Williams
Date: 01/09/17

89 Joseph Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Adrian Acevedo
Seller: Kathleen M. Petersante
Date: 01/17/17

34 South Maple St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $217,900
Buyer: Coy Chaney
Seller: Cynthia T. Levasseur
Date: 01/19/17

99 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $202,150
Buyer: David Procopio
Seller: Paul Broderick
Date: 01/12/17

109 White St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Nathan R. Irwin
Seller: Alan W. Perzanowski
Date: 01/20/17

WILBRAHAM

28 Forest St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michael K. Ryan
Seller: Nicholas M. Yarmac
Date: 01/13/17

863 Glendale Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Carla-Nicola RT
Seller: Samble, Avis M., (Estate)
Date: 01/13/17

8 Maiden Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $134,434
Buyer: Ramon J. Alvarez
Seller: Jorge R. Figueroa
Date: 01/09/17

103 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Dustin E. Smith
Seller: FNMA
Date: 01/20/17

12 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Dennis P. Donahue
Seller: Edward J. Chapman
Date: 01/13/17

144 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $219,900
Buyer: Alexander P. Gendreau
Seller: Jillian T. Crowley
Date: 01/13/17

997 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Mark Graziano
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 01/20/17

WEST SPRINGFIELD

125 Deer Run Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Richard P. Cieboter
Seller: Daniel R. Scully
Date: 01/17/17

25 Duke St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Pavel Baryshev
Seller: Darlene S. Lyko
Date: 01/09/17

77 Hanover St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $158,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Donald Wright
Date: 01/17/17

115 Nelson St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Jason A. Duffy
Seller: Richard Cieboter
Date: 01/13/17

110 Sawmill Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Krishna Kharel
Seller: Robert G. Gordon
Date: 01/19/17

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

77 Dana St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $492,000
Buyer: Katharine R. Sims
Seller: Amherst College
Date: 01/17/17

111 Logtown Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $220,800
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Luisa C. Cabrera
Date: 01/11/17

24 Montague Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Town Of Amherst
Seller: SAC Automotive Inc.
Date: 01/18/17

4 Stagecoach Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: William S. VanHeuvelen
Seller: Katharine J. Waggoner
Date: 01/10/17

BELCHERTOWN

14 Bardwell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $428,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Lafore
Seller: Ronald J. Chiasson
Date: 01/17/17

326 Cold Spring Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Brandon M. Roy
Seller: US Bank
Date: 01/13/17

89 Dana Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $256,155
Buyer: Dominic J. O’Connell
Seller: Joann C. Holmes
Date: 01/13/17

54 Edelcy Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Marley
Seller: Ryan J. Gray
Date: 01/10/17

10 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $273,500
Buyer: Charles D. Allen
Seller: Christopher Lukes
Date: 01/18/17

481 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $192,900
Buyer: JKP LLC
Seller: Patricia Moriarty
Date: 01/13/17

49 Hickory Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $397,000
Buyer: Constantinos Anamisis
Seller: J. H. Duquette & Son Construction
Date: 01/13/17

205 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Ryan J. Gray
Seller: Jerry Lalli
Date: 01/10/17

565 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $385,858
Buyer: Kevin O’Brien
Seller: RGC LLC
Date: 01/18/17

11 Raymond Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Lamikco T. Magee
Seller: Raghavan Manmatha
Date: 01/09/17

BELCHERTOWN

87 Railroad St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Bryan Clough
Seller: John K. Murray
Date: 01/18/17

175 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $1,525,000
Buyer: Alden Credit Union
Seller: Pride LP
Date: 01/19/17

CHESTERFIELD

64 East St.
Chesterfield, MA 01012
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Phoebe E. Stewart
Seller: Lee N. Monroe
Date: 01/19/17

CUMMINGTON

5 Mount Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jesse L. Noel
Seller: Frank T. Noel
Date: 01/12/17

EASTHAMPTON

5 Coed Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jeffrey S. Landfried
Seller: Grant E. Dawson
Date: 01/17/17

265 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $394,000
Buyer: Josef P. Arnould
Seller: Alice M. Cook
Date: 01/20/17

238 Park St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Gerald F. Houle
Seller: Dennis R. Lacourse
Date: 01/18/17

30 Paul St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Arthur E. Lustenberger
Seller: David Garstka Builders
Date: 01/20/17

37 Peloquin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Dawn E. Hibbert
Seller: Mark Hibbert
Date: 01/09/17

75-77 Pleasant St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Zachary R. Smith
Seller: Lionel A. Laprade FT
Date: 01/20/17

113 Strong St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Daryl Brosseau
Seller: Susan E. Thibodeau
Date: 01/18/17

10 Susan Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Kyle D. Murphy
Seller: Jameson T. Stahl
Date: 01/11/17

79 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michelle Pelletier
Seller: Dolores M. Tower
Date: 01/11/17

GRANBY

107 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Scott Hooper
Seller: Donna M. Williams
Date: 01/20/17

112-R Cold Hill
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Steven K. Eckman
Seller: Macmonegle, Joan M., (Estate)
Date: 01/11/17

12 Pheasant Hill
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $246,500
Buyer: Thomas B. Stevens
Seller: Joseph L. Larrivee
Date: 01/13/17

HADLEY

82 Knightly Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Justin T. Serpone
Seller: David T. Simons
Date: 01/17/17

21 Moody Bridge Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Beth A. Pelletier
Seller: Cook, Warren F., (Estate)
Date: 01/17/17

2 Quinlan Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Hannon
Seller: Judith F. Laprade
Date: 01/09/17

HATFIELD

122 Depot Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Grant E. Dawson
Seller: Shawn M. Robinson
Date: 01/17/17

NORTHAMPTON

390 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Elizabeth A. Chandler
Seller: Justin Preftakes
Date: 01/18/17

380 Chesterfield Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: David C. Atwell
Seller: UMassfive College Federal Credit Union
Date: 01/13/17

199 Emerson Way
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Eleanor C. Adams
Seller: Emerson Way LLC
Date: 01/20/17

31 Fairway Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joseph Duncan
Seller: Brent J. Delano
Date: 01/20/17

21 Henry St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $311,376
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Rhonda Cichy-Bombardier
Date: 01/19/17

29 James Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $655,000
Buyer: Jamie Messer
Seller: Frank M. Abrano
Date: 01/17/17

140 North Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Lisa L. Jasinski
Seller: Lyons, Mary T., (Estate)
Date: 01/20/17

204 North Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Nora M. Verni
Seller: Jay R. Ryan
Date: 01/19/17

137 Spruce Hill Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $235,100
Buyer: Victoria Ahrensdorf
Seller: Magdalene Aulik
Date: 01/11/17

SOUTH HADLEY

40 Bridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Stephen M. Werenski
Seller: John E. Pietras
Date: 01/10/17

14 Bunker Hill
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Lindsay M. Clark
Seller: Stasia M. Ragoza
Date: 01/12/17

1 Greenwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Kathleen Furnelli
Seller: Matthew R. McKeever
Date: 01/13/17

40 Prospect St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: P&R Prospects LLC
Seller: Joan R. Benoit
Date: 01/20/17

26 Smith St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Heather Zapponi
Seller: Pawel L. Taraska
Date: 01/11/17

46 South St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Rachael K. Perkins
Seller: Donna M. Johnson
Date: 01/10/17

25 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Ruth H. Todrin
Seller: Ann E. Furnelli
Date: 01/13/17

SOUTHAMPTON

8 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Alan M. Wine
Seller: Alan Velazquez
Date: 01/13/17

19 Valley Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $350,300
Buyer: Steven Hermanson
Seller: JCP Capital Group LLC
Date: 01/20/17

WARE

42 Cummings Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Audra L. Chartier
Seller: Robert D. Giard
Date: 01/13/17

118 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $128,888
Buyer: V. Mortgage REO 2 LLC
Seller: Bernadine L. Ruell
Date: 01/11/17

290 Malboeuf Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Citibank
Seller: Cheryl A. Dejesus
Date: 01/17/17

17 Prospect St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Zachary T. Parent
Seller: Andrew M. Norton
Date: 01/18/17

181 Upper Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Joseph Kotowski
Seller: Louis Puliafico
Date: 01/13/17

1-5 Vernon St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Stephanie Rodriguez
Seller: James E. Roy
Date: 01/11/17

WESTHAMPTON

353 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Marina Nelson
Seller: David R. Morin
Date: 01/17/17

WILLIAMSBURG

21 Cole Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $288,550
Buyer: Paul J. Dauteuil
Seller: Sturm, Carol A., (Estate)
Date: 01/20/17

3 East Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: James J. Piermarini
Seller: Timothy E. McElroy
Date: 01/17/17

8 North Main St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jacob L. Bellone
Seller: James F. Lucey
Date: 01/13/17

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Berg, Kemah L.
5 Standish Court, Unit B.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/15/17

Burdin, Dolores J.
66 Cedar St.
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17

Ford, Valerie Jean
91 Sumner Ave., Apt. 1
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17

Kaplan, Michael J.
26 Maynard St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/12/17

MacKinnon, Jonathan W.
57 Chickering St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17

Martin, Susan A.
a/k/a Sue Martin Pallet
61 Fenton Road
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17

Picard, Jennifer A.
246 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/13/17

Ryan, Raquel S.
44 Spring St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/14/17

Sheldon, Ann M.
132 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 01/12/17

Video Multi Media
Noyes, Scott D.
43 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 01/13/17

Doing Business As Certificates

By
DBA Certificates Departments

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the months of January and February 2017.

AMHERST

Al Manar Education Consultancies
135 East Hadley Road
Mohamed Ibrahim, Magda Ahmed

KF Web Development
43 Greenwich Road
Fabrice Ketchakeu

BELCHERTOWN

Brain On Tutoring
39 A Maple St.
Amanda Halperin

Green Diamond Systems
125 Blue Meadow Road
Alan Page

HB Hive Co.
641 Daniel Shays Highway
Ross Hartman

Ivy HR
125 Mill Valley Road
Chris Abbuhl

CHICOPEE

Angel Snipe Gaming
70 Post Road
Derek Dobosz

Chicopee St. Patrick’s Parade Committee
62 Davenport St.
Ketherine Sliwa

Couture Event Designs
136 Crestwood St.
Maria Sousa

Pizza Express
557 East St.
Tekin Boluk

Truehart Massage
264 Exchange St.
Rochelle Truehart-Lambert

EAST LONGMEADOW

Avalanche Landscape Design Inc.
40 Crane Ave.
Eric Weichselbaumer

Bodyworks Unlimited Inc.
347 Elm St.
Antonio Bordoni

Fogueria
621 North Main St.
Manual Coelho

Harbourside Wealth Management
96 Shaker Road
Gary LaVallee

Milecast Media
273 Westwood Ave.
Stefany Schaefer

GREENFIELD

Ace of the Trades
43 B Fort Square
Anthony Ellis

Jessica Fiske LMT
239 Main St., Suite 5
Jessica Fiske

Regency Mortgage
21 Mohawk Trail, Suite 306
Lendusa, LLC

RMC Wholesale
21 Mohawk Trail, Suite 306
Lendusa, LLC

HAMPDEN

Green Valley Preschool and Day Care
10 Allen St.
Carmela Fitzpatrick, Traci Croteau

HOLYOKE

Capri Pizza & Restaurant
18-20 Cabot St.
Fiore Santaniello

Divine Beauty Salon
1312 Dwight St.
Angela Burgos

Gods & Legends Apparel
Luis Caraballo
33 Belcher St.

Holyoke Hummus Co.
285 High St.
John Grossman

Joel’s Moving Services
507 Whitney Ave.
Edgar Ramos

R & R Variety
207 ½ Sargeant St.
Rosalie Pratt

Tony’s Auto Sales
800 High St.
Anthony Trabal, Megali Trabal

LUDLOW

Easy Shop Convenience
546 A Center St.
Tahir Humayun

Hairstyles by Helena at Hair West
322 West Ave.
Helena Ferreira

Our Town Variety
259 Fuller St.
Sheetal Patel

Red Caravel Antiques
200 Center St., Suite 8
Elizabeth Teixeira

Tenczar Contractors
58 Wilno Ave.
Andrew Tenczar

NORTHAMPTON

Creative Curations
46 Cross St.
Laura Bergstrom

D.L. Hain
123 Hawley St.
Diane Lanoue

Law Office of Katherine Callaghan
55 Golden Dr.
Katherine Callaghan

Next Step Sales & Marketing Partners
115 Elm St., #1
Gregory Barrett

Notes
48 Main St.
Steven Campbell

Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop
267 Turkey Hill Road
Joy Baglio

Silent Source
58 Nonotuck St.
Harry Ridabock II

PALMER

Anne-Marie Olread Day Spa for Hands and Feet
3051 Pleasant St.
Anne-Marie Olread

Cutting & Styling Mart
1005 Central St.
Robin Dane

DPN Investigative Backgrounds & Security Services
2258 Main St.
Daniel Narreau

Girly’s Grill Inc.
1315 Park St.
Lori Beth Lind

Images Salon
1207 South Main St.
Wendy DeBoise

Northern Construction Service LLC
1516-1520 Park St.
John Rahkonen

Townies
1618 North Main St.
Pamela Kirkland

SOUTHWICK

Industrial Gas Turbine Support
13 Industrial Road
Jeffrey Vangelder

My Time LLC
627 College Highway
Allyson O’Dell

SPRINGFIELD

41st and 3rd
34 Front St.
Justin Oriel

A 2 Z Convenience Store
123 Chestnut St.
Sajid Zaman

Berliner Law
1441 Main St.
L. Jed Berliner

Blanco o Negro Promotion
15 Merida St.
Jesus Fontanez

Blue Lagoon Restaurant
180 State St.
Lewis Boynton

El Mango Market
2881 Main St.
Jorge Colon

Fresh Cut 2
1655 Boston Road
Ernesto Padilla

GRN Consulting
One Monarch Place
Karen Roberts

JDCole-TV, LLC
59 Meredith St.
Jeremy Cole

Kilpatrick Mebane Property Management
65 Westford Ave.
Tony Mebane

Main Food Shop
176 Main St.
Amarilis Perez

Optimal Office Cleaning
26 Lafayette St.
Kimberley Berry

Sonia Noemi Munoz Hope
14 Lombard St.
Yamira Rodriguez

Super Brush, LLC
800 Worcester St.
Donna Roy

WARE

An Honest Handyman
30 Highland St.
Charles Edler

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Eddie Shore Enterprises
1305 Memorial Ave.
Catherine Pokorny

Fuelboys
41 Chapin St.
Rene Thibault

Gilbert’s Handyman Service
65 Paulson Dr.
Norman Gilbert

IHOP
640 Riverdale St.
Deborah Pusen

Lawn Pro
161 Great Plains Road
William Paquette

Mattress Firm
935 Riverdale St.
Kindel Elam

Rafa Transportation LLC
203 Circuit Ave.
Rafael Mkanga

Stars Delivery
41 Irving St.
Gheorghe Rahubenco

WILBRAHAM

Core and More LLC
2141 F Boston Road
Arice Mackintosh

Homebuyers Inspection Service
17 Shady Lane
David Falvey

Jahn Building & Remodeling
376 Mountain Road
William Jahn

Michael R. Alexander, Electrician
84 Manchonis St.
Michael Alexander

NovaCare Rehabilitation
2377 Boston Road
David Chernow, Robert Ortenzio, Michael Tarvin, Scott Romberger

Ricciardi Construction Co.
840 Main St.
Gary Ricciardi

Wilbraham Tire and Auto Service Inc.
2694 Boston Road
Kurt Zimmerman, Peter Kearing

Incorporations

By
Departments Incorporations

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

ADAMS

Noah William Brown Scholarship Inc., 12 Beecher St., Adams, MA 01220. Kathleen Davis, same.  Non-profit organized for civic, charitable, and educational purposes, including but not limited to expanding the educational opportunities for students residing in Berkshire County, with an emphasis on students in the Adams-Cheshire regional school district or its successors.

BRIMFIELD

Our Bright Future Inc., 254 Little Alum Road, Brimfield, MA 01010. Kwasi Acheampong, same. Non-profit organization, which teaches students how to be leaders, to better themselves and the communities where they live.

EASTHAMPTON

Northeast Artist Repository Digital Ltd., 62 Parsons St., Easthampton, MA 01027. James Roger Gehrt, same. Non-profit organized to provide digital access, organization, description and preservation of digital support material, documentation and creative works to a range of artists and artist groups based in the New England states as well as the New York area.

FLORENCE

New Pine Spa Inc., 176 Pine St., Florence, MA 01062. Enzhe Jin, same. Massage and bodywork services.

Paws Pizzeria Inc., 691 Westhampton Road, Florence, MA 01062. Peter Vogel, same. Manufacturing and selling of pet treats.

NORTH ADAMS

North Adams Bella Roma Corp., 117 Main St., North Adams, MA 01247. Ilyas Ozdemir, 202 Appleton Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Restaurant, catering and delivery.

ORANGE

No Limit Real Estate Inc., 73 Stone Valley Road, Orange, MA 01364. Eric B. Gariepy, same. Asset management.

PALMER

Nicebox Inc., 25 Blanchard St., Palmer, MA 01069. Janet M. Callahan, 5 Highland Trail, West Brookfield, MA 01585. Non-profit organized to establish a charitable community betterment organization that develops and establishes partnerships with public and private social service agencies

PITTSFIELD

North End Auto Services Inc., 1249 North St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Valery Porupski, same. Automobile repair and sales.

SOUTH HADLEY

New Main Moon Care Inc., 11 College St., South Hadley, MA 01075. Mei Young Lam, same. Restaurant/café services.

SPRINGFIELD

Precision Components Group Inc., 136Woodmont St., Springfield, MA 01104. Peter A. Elias, same. Machining of aerospace parts.

WESTFIELD

Pro and Local Detailing Inc., 16 South Maple St., Westfield, MA 01085, Paul Frasco, same. Automobile detailing, cleaning, and restoration.

Briefcase

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Briefcase Departments

VVM Graduates Manufacturing Cohort

SPRINGFIELD — This week, Valley Venture Mentors (VVM) celebrated the graduation of participants in its Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator. The graduation ceremony took place at VVM World Headquarters at Tower Square in front of a crowd of nearly 100 friends, supporters, and members of the political and business communities. The Manufacturing Accelerator delivered intensive and immersive training sessions to seven small precision manufacturers over four months to help them identify new revenue streams and connect them with new industries and customers. “This program is unique because it takes startup methodology and applies it to established manufacturers,” said Paul Silva, VVM co-founder. “We encouraged these businesses to boldly question the way they’ve been doing business for decades and discover new markets and opportunities. We’re very excited about the results.” Funding for this program was provided by the Advanced Manufacturing Futures Program administered by MassDevelopment. “The manufacturers who participated in the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerator benefited from the creative and thoughtful approach Valley Venture Mentors and its partners took with this program, and MassDevelopment is pleased to support the accelerator with a grant from the Manufacturing Futures Fund,” MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones said. “Congratulations to everyone on this accomplishment, which will help Western Massachusetts’ innovative manufacturing industry continue to grow.” Graduates of the program include BSS Additive, Boulevard Machine & Gear, Decker Machine Works Inc., Mitchell Machine Inc. and Precise Turning and Manufacturing.

Nominees Sought for Ubora, Ahadi Awards

SPRINGFIELD — The African Hall subcommittee of the Springfield Museums is seeking nominations for the 26th annual Ubora Award and the ninth annual Ahadi Youth Award. The African Hall subcommittee is a volunteer group comprised of educators, business people, and community leaders from the African-American community. The nomination deadline for both awards is March 31. The Ubora Award is presented to an African-American adult who has demonstrated a commitment to the Greater Springfield area and exhibited excellence in the fields of community service, education, science, humanities, or the arts. The Swahili word ‘ubora’ means ‘excellence.’ Named for the Swahili word for ‘promise,’ the Ahadi Youth Award is presented to a young African-American who has excelled in academics and performed admirable service to the Greater Springfield community. Eligible candidates must be age 19 or younger, live in or have strong ties to the Greater Springfield area, and be currently enrolled in grades 10, 11, or 12. The Ubora and Ahadi Awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Springfield Museums in September. Nomination forms can be downloaded by visiting springfieldmuseums.org/ubora. For additional information, call (413) 263-6800, ext. 325, or e-mail Valerie Cavagni at [email protected]. Nominations may be e-mailed to Cavagni or mailed to African Hall Subcommittee, c/o Valerie Cavagni, Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA 01103.

Nominations Sought for Pynchon Award

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts is seeking nominations from throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties for the Pynchon Award, which recognizes citizens of this region who have rendered distinguished service to the community. The Order of William Pynchon was established by the Advertising Club in 1915 to recognize and encourage individuals whose lives and achievements typified the ideals of promoting citizenship and building a better community in Western Mass. Past recipients include war heroes, social activists, teachers, volunteers, philanthropists, historians, clergy, physicians, journalists, public servants, and business leaders. A complete list of recipients since 1915 can be found at www.adclubwm.org/events/pynchonaward. To nominate an individual, submit a one-page letter explaining why the nominee should be considered. Include biographical information, outstanding accomplishments, examples of service to the community, organizations he or she is or has been active in, and the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of at least three people who can further attest to the nominee’s eligibility for induction into the Order of William Pynchon. All nominees will be considered and researched by the Pynchon trustees, comprised of the current and five past presidents of the Advertising Club. Nominations must be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 28 to William Pynchon Trustees, Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, P.O. Box 1022, West Springfield, MA 01090-1022, or by e-mail to [email protected]. Pynchon medalists are chosen by unanimous decision of the Pynchon trustees. The 2017 recipients will be announced in June, with an awards ceremony scheduled for Oct. 19 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. Recipients are presented with a bronze medal cast with the name and likeness of Springfield’s founder, William Pynchon, and bearing the inscription, “They honor us whom we honor.”

Company Notebook

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Company Notebook Departments

MassMutual Continues Support of Legal Clinic

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual and the Hampden County Bar Assoc. (HCBA) announced MassMutual’s ongoing support for HCBA’s Hampden County Legal Clinic, including a $160,000 grant intended to support its expansion and continuation of legal services. The Hampden County Legal Clinic is a legal-aid program that provides pro bono services to individuals at no charge, most of whom have limited financial resources and who meet specific eligibility guidelines. The Legal Clinic provides services in the Housing, District, and Probate & Family courts in Hampden County. It also works with unrepresented individuals on issues regarding foreclosure, tenant, and consumer matters, and with regional attorneys to match their legal skills and expertise with pro bono opportunities. These opportunities provided by the Legal Clinic include general legal advice and services, limited-assistance representation, mentoring with students at local law schools, legal education programming, and other community outreach programs. MassMutual is continuing its support of the Legal Clinic at a critical time when a significant number of litigants in local courts are unable to afford legal representation. Currently, more than 85% of the cases in the Western Division Housing Court involve people who are without legal representation. The current grant brings MassMutual’s total financial support of the Legal Clinic to approximately $250,000. “MassMutual is proud to continue its support of the Hampden County Legal Clinic, which provides legal guidance and counsel for those in our community with low or no income,” said Michael O’Connor, MassMutual’s general counsel. “MassMutual has a long tradition of supporting the communities in which it does business, and this grant reflects our ongoing commitment to invest our time, talent, and resources to ensure access to legal services for all members of our community.” MassMutual began its association with the HCBA six years ago with grant funding, enabling the Legal Clinic to expand its lawyer-for-a-day programs and increasing the services it provided. The funding from MassMutual has enabled the Legal Clinic to become the centerpiece for pro bono services in Western Mass. Importantly, in addition to the financial support MassMutual has provided, its attorneys have participated in Legal Clinic programming for nearly 10 years. “We’re elated with MassMutual’s increased funding and their involvement in making the Legal Clinic an invaluable community resource,” said attorney Kevin Maltby, president of the Hampden County Bar Assoc.

Country Bank Supports QVCDC with $50,000 Donation

WARE — Country Bank announced it has donated $50,000 to the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp., to assist the QVCDC in its commitment to economic development and helping small businesses grow and prosper in the Quaboag Hills region. The QVCDC offers many programs to help small businesses, including training programs such as computer courses, how to write a business plan, or individual consulting, in addition to offering small-business loans.

Berkshire Bank Foundation Awards Nearly $1.9 Million

PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank Foundation announced that it awarded a total of $1,862,265 in grants to nonprofit organizations operating in the bank’s footprint in 2016. The giving represents a 3% increase in contributions compared to 2015. The grants supported a variety of education and community-development initiatives, as well as health and human service and cultural programs. “Our philanthropic investments impacted millions of individuals in 2016, helping to enhance economic opportunities and improve the quality of life for members of our community,” said Lori Gazzillo, vice president and director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. “We are so pleased to continue our support of so many community initiatives throughout our footprint.” In total, the foundation’s funding affected more than 5 million individuals who received programming support from nonprofit organizations in the areas of education, especially reading, as well as community and economic development, including affordable housing, downtown revitalization, and employment. In addition, the foundation also helped meet the basic needs of individuals through funding to various health and human services initiatives. Berkshire Bank Foundation recently announced changes to its philanthropic strategy, allowing it to continue meeting the growing needs of the communities it serves, while maximizing the impact of its contributions. As part of the transition, the foundation will continue to focus its funding in the areas of education and community/economic development, but will now seek specific outcomes associated with the programs it supports. In addition, the foundation plans to allocate a limited pool of funds to basic-need funding that will rotate each year to provide organizations doing good work, but that don’t necessarily fall within the foundation’s major focuses, the opportunity to receive funding.

Cambridge College Named a Best School for Latinos

SPRINGFIELD — Aside from purchasing a home, deciding where to attend college is one of the costliest, most long-term investments most individuals will make in their lifetime. Latino Leaders magazine identified the top 50 best colleges in the U.S. for Latinos, and two schools in Massachusetts made the grade, including Cambridge College. Increasingly competitive job markets demand the right academic credentials to more aptly begin a career track. Yet, for minorities like Latinos, only 15% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to recent data by the Pew Research Center. Yet, there are numerous reasons why some academic institutions better serve Hispanic students. They include the percentage of total Latino enrollment and the percentage of Latino faculty, the percentage of students who apply and receive financial aid, academic resources for minority students to acclimate to academic rigors of college life, and outreach efforts by schools to add to their overall diversity. Institutional information provided by universities, along with independent sources like the Hispanic Assoc. of Colleges and Universities, joined data by U.S. News and World Report and other reporting agencies to serve as the basis for the research methodology in compiling the top 50 universities for Latinos, institutions that have excelled in their performance, outreach, and academic level in their relation to the nation’s Latino student population.

STCC Offers Fast-track Customer-service Training

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College will offer a 16-week ‘fast-track’ customer-service certificate training program this spring that is designed to help students develop a range of skills, from interview techniques to job-hunting strategies. The fast-track option allows students to earn 24 college credits over two eight-week sessions that begin March 20. They can apply these credits directly to an associate degree in business administration. Four courses are offered per session, and classes are held Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. An STCC fast-track customer-service certificate allows people to become eligible for jobs in a number of different industries, including call-center operations, financial services, sales, hospitality, customer service for manufacturing operations, and retail and other organizations. “Customer-service employees typically are considered the face of the companies they represent. They need to have good problem-solving skills,” said Lidya Rivera-Early, GPSTEM (Guided Pathways to Success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project director at STCC. “Customer service is a great starting point for a career in any company.”

Rivera-Early said someone working in customer service will need a good foundation of skills in marketing, computer literacy, communication, and business etiquette to support the needs of both the customer and employer. Requested by area industry partners, the fast-track customer service essentials certificate program will help students develop essential workforce-readiness skills.  The program will include speed-interview networking sessions and job-placement assistance. Students will hear from guest speakers and go on company tours. To enroll in the program, call the STCC Admissions Office at (413) 755-3333 or visit www.stcc.edu/admissions. Space is limited. The program is not free, but financial aid is available for those who qualify.

BHN Awarded $100K Mutual Impact Grant

SPRINGFIELD — Behavioral Health Network Inc. (BHN) has been awarded a $100,000 Mutual Impact Grant by MassMutual through the company’s Mutual Impact community-investment program. BHN will use this grant to bring the Elizabeth Freeman Center’s Money School program model to Springfield. These Mutual Impact funds will offer Money School to survivors of domestic or sexual violence who are also in recovery from addiction. BHN will provide participants with the skills and supports necessary to move out of poverty. Participants will be given individually tailored financial and career mentoring as well as intensive advocacy and support for their addiction recovery and healing in the aftermath of domestic or sexual violence. One in four women report experiencing domestic violence. In addition to physical abuse, domestic-violence survivors also experience financial duress, and almost half of domestic violence victims struggle with substance-use disorder. Mutual Impact is funded by the MassMutual Foundation, a dedicated corporate foundation established by MassMutual. The Mutual Impact program is completely driven by MassMutual employees. Employees choose cause areas and nonprofit organizations to receive funding, make donations which are matched dollar-for-dollar by the MassMutual Foundation to fund grants, and volunteer in support of the organization they select. “Corporate responsibility and community involvement are part of our DNA, and we take great pride in helping people in the communities where we live and work secure a better future,” said Dennis Duquette, head of Community Responsibility with MassMutual and president of the MassMutual Foundation board of directors. “BHN tirelessly devotes time and energy in support of families in our local community, and we are pleased to support them through the Mutual Impact program.” Mutual Impact grants were awarded to 21 nonprofit organizations for programs that fit within specific cause areas, including early-grade reading proficiency, food security, violence prevention, family economic self-sufficiency, returning veterans, successful advancement in school, child hunger, and education.

College of Pharmacy Hosts Visitor from Chinese Hospital

SPRINGFIELD — Dr. Yongfang Hu, director of Clinical Pharmacy at Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, recently visited the Western New England University College of Pharmacy to learn about clinical pharmacy education and the program-assessment process from university faculty and students. During the visit, Hu had a variety of discussions with College of Pharmacy administration and faculty, toured the college facility, and observed didactic lectures. Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital, a comprehensive public institution, is the affiliated teaching hospital of Tsinghua University. As one of China’s most renowned universities, Tsinghua has become an important institution for fostering talent and scientific research. In 2015, Tsinghua University established the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, which stemmed from Tsinghua’s strong foundation in biomedical-related disciplines, including life science, basic medical science, chemistry, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, and material science.

Chamber Corners

By
Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE

www.1berkshire.com

(413) 499-1600

• Feb. 22: Good News Business Salute, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at Country Curtains, 705 Pleasant St., Lee. Good News Business Salutes recognize major milestones including anniversaries, expansions, and new product lines. This salute is part of 1Berkshire’s Creative Economy Month celebration during the month of February. This event’s honorees include Annie Selke Companies, Pittsfield; Boyd Technologies, Lee; Big Elm Brewing, Sheffield; and Winstanley Partners, Lenox. Cost: $35-$45.

• Feb. 24: BYP Back in Time Bash, 7-11 p.m., at Berkshire Museum, 39 South St., Pittsfield. Berkshire Young Professionals is kicking off another great year with its annual museum party this February. Enjoy a dance party with DJ BFG, sing your favorite karaoke tunes, sample food, snap a picture in our photo booth, play some indoor lawn games, and much more. Cost: $10-15.

• Feb. 28: Spark! Creative Economy Networking Event, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Kripalu Yoga Center, 57 Interlaken Road, West Stockbridge. Get to know others in the creative industries at our February Spark! creative economy networking event. Hear from Kripalu about all it has to offer as part of our Sparkplug speed-speaker series, then dive deep into icebreaker engagement with mini-workshops offered by key staff members of the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. Cost: free.

• March 15: Chamber Nite, 5-7 p.m., at Community Health Programs, 71 Hospital Ave., North Adams. Join us for this popular event and remember to bring your business card so you can enter to win a door prize. Cost: free.

• March 29: Career Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Berkshire Community College, Paterson Field House, 1350 West St., Pittsfield. Get in front of Berkshire-based businesses at this annual event. Connect with employers looking to hire someone like you. This event is open to the public and is free. No registration is required.

• March 29: Brown Bag Fundraising, noon-1 p.m., at 1Berkshire Central Station, 66 Allen St., Pittsfield. Cost: Free

Register online for events at www.1berkshire.com.

EAST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.erc5.com

(413) 575-7230

• April 27: The Feast in the East, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse, 128 Wilbraham Road, Hampden. This event is open to the public. The ERC5 is preparing to host 30 of the finest restaurants in our area to serve delicious and decadent signature dishes to guests. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.erc5.com. Call Nancy Connor, executive director, at (413) 575-7230 with questions.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

• March 3: Shining Stars Gala, 6-9:30 p.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Honoring Business of the Year: Polish National Credit Union; Citizens of the Year: Werner and Chris Maiwald/Renaissance Advisory Services, LLC; Volunteer of the Year: Michael Epaul/Michael Epaul Photography; Nonprofit Organization of the Year: Holyoke Medical Center; and a Tribute to William Wagner/Westfield Bank. Cost: $60 per person. To register, please go to www.chicopeechamber.org.

• March 8: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Delaney House, 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke. Salutes include Berkshire Bank/165-year anniversary; Chicopee Industrial Contractors/25-year anniversary; Chicopee Colleen and her court; and a Bow of Recognition to Clear Vision Alliance for a 10-year anniversary. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. To register, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

• March 16: CEO Luncheon featuring Raymond Berry, president and general manager of White Lion Brewing Co., 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Collegian Court Restaurant, 89 Park St., Chicopee. Cost: $30 for members, $35 for non-members. To register, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

• March 22: Business After Hours with the Springfield Regional Chamber, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by Springfield Thunderbirds main office, 45 Bruce Landon Way, Springfield. Networking, raffle prizes, shoot-the-puck contest on the ice, Plan B Burger, and a cash bar available. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. To register, visit www.chicopeechamber.org.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• April 12: Business Expo, 4:30-7 p.m., at the Bartley Center at Holyoke Community College, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke. Sponsored by Florence Bank, Williston Northampton School, and Green Earth Energy PhotoVoltaic. The Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the chambers of Holyoke, Chicopee, and Northampton for a Business Expo. The chambers are now accepting reservations for tables. The cost is $150 if reserved by March 29, and $200 after that date. Table fee includes a 6’ x 30” skirted table, two entrance passes, a light supper, and free parking. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, call the chamber at (413) 527-9414 or e-mail [email protected].

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

• March 6: Mayor’s Coffee Hour, 8-9 a.m., at Armbrook Village, 551 North Road, Westfield. Join us for our monthly Mayor’s Coffee Hour with Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan. Free and open to the public. Call the chamber office at (413) 568-1618 to register for this event so we may give our host a head count.

• March 8: After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., at Shaker Farms Country Club, 866 Shaker Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Camp K-9 Doggie Day Camp. Refreshments will be served, and there will be a 50/50 raffle to benefit our CSF – Dollars for Scholars fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: free for members, $10 for general admission (cash/credit paid at the door). Online registration will be made available at www.westfieldbiz.org. For more information, call Pam at the Chamber at (413) 568-1618.

• March 15: St. Patrick’s Day Dinner, 6-10:30 p.m., at Tekoa Country Club, 459 Russell Road, Westfield. Sponsored by Westfield Bank, platinum sponsor; Savage Arms, gold sponsor; A Plus HVAC Inc., silver sponsor; NorthPoint Mortgage, beer sponsor; and Mercy Continuing Care Network, dessert table sponsor. Join us for our St. Patrick’s Day Dinner, 6-6:30 p.m.; cocktails and networking, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; dinner and program, 7:30-10:30 p.m.; music and dancing. Cost: $38 for singles, $70 for couples, and $300 for a table of eight. Featuring Band O’Brothers, an Irish/American band. For sponsorship opportunities, call the chamber office at (413) 568-1618. To register for this event, visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

• March 24: Employment Law Workshop, 8:30-10 a.m., at the Holiday Inn Express, 39 Southampton Road, Westfield. Topic: “Managing Employee Appearance and Religious Accommodations in the Workplace.” Join attorney Karina Schrengohst for a roundtable-style seminar to discuss appearance in the workplace and religious accommodations, including an overview of religious-discrimination law; dress and appearance standards; body modification (tattoos and piercings); an workplace culture, individual self-expression, and employee retention. Cost: free for members, $30 for general admission paid in advance.

Online registration will be made available at www.westfieldbiz.org. For more information, call Pam at the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMBER

www.myonlinechamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• March 22: Professional Women’s Chamber Headline Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Location to be determined. Cost: $30 for PWC members, $40 for general admission.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.myonlinechamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• March 1: Business@Breakfast, “The 8 Languages of Money,” with Liz Dederer, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Colony Club, 1500 Main St., Springfield Cost: $22.50 for members in advance ($25 at the door), $30 for general admission in advance ($35 at the door).

• March 2: Leadership 2017 session 4, “Leading with an Entrepreneurial Focus,” 1-4:30 p.m., at the TD Bank Conference Center, Springfield.

• March 6: Outlook 2017, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at MassMutual Center, 1277 State St., Springfield. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Reservation deadline: Feb. 22. No walk-ins accepted. No cancellations after RSVP deadline.

• March 8: Lunch ‘n’ Learn, “Apprentices and Internships: The Real Deal,” 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Lattitude Restaurant, 1338 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Presented by David Cruise, president of the Regional Employment Board of Hampden County. Cost: $25 for members in advance ($30 at the door), $35 for general admission ($40 at the door).

• March 14: Speed Networking, 3:30-5 p.m., at Lattitude, 1338 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Cost: $20 for members in advance ($25 at the door), $30 for general admission in advance ($35 at the door).

• March 22: “Power Play” After 5, 4:30-7 p.m., hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds, MassMutual Center, 1277 State St., Springfield. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for general admission. Special event presented jointly with the Springfield Regional Chamber and the Greater Chicopee Chamber.

• March 28: Pastries, Politics & Policy, 8-9 a.m., at TD Bank Conference Center, 1441 Main St., Springfield. Cost: $15 for members in advance ($20 at the door), $25 for general admission in advance ($30 at the door).

Reservations for all chamber events may be made online at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com

(413) 426-3880

• Feb. 22: Legislative Breakfast, 7-9 a.m., at Springfield Country Club, West Springfield. Attendees will include state Sens. James Welch and Donald Humason, state Reps. Nicholas Boldyga and Michael Finn, and Mayors Richard Cohen (Agawam) and Will Reichelt (West Springfield). Sponsorship opportunities are available. Cost: $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com. For more information on ticket sales, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

• March 1: Wicked Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hosted by Music Speaks Feeding Hills. 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.

• March 16: Networking Lunch, noon to 1:30 p.m., at Crestview Country Club, Agawam. You must be a member or guest of a member to attend. Enjoy a sit-down lunch while networking with fellow chamber members. Each attendee will get a chance to offer a brief sales pitch. The only cost to attend is the cost of your lunch. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. We cannot invoice you for these events. For more information, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or [email protected].

• March 23: Business 2 Business Meet and Greet with West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt. 7:30 a.m., hosted by Fathers & Sons, 989 Memorial Dr., West Springfield. A casual meet and greet with local businesses and the mayor.

People on the Move

By
Departments People on the Move

The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts named experienced fund-raiser Monica Bogatti the foundation’s new Director of Philanthropy. Borgatti comes to the Women’s Fund with a strong fund-raising background, including experience creating and coordinating strategic fund-raising plans, special-event planning, and planned-giving campaigns. In addition, she has been a long-time volunteer for the Women’s Fund, serving on several of the organization’s committees, including the grant-making committee, which has awarded more than $3 million since 1997. “We are thrilled to welcome Monica to the organization,” said Elizabeth Barajas-Román, CEO of the Women’s Fund. “Her dedication to the fund’s mission is evident in her over eight years of volunteer service. Monica has outstanding fund-raising and partnership skills, familiarity with our donors, and a passion for our work. I’m confident all this will allow her to hit the ground running.” Prior to arriving at the Women’s Fund, Borgatti served as the Major and Planned Giving officer for WGBY. A native of Western Mass., she is the immediate past president of Women in Philanthropy of Western Massachusetts and currently serves as an at-large board member. She also volunteers as a team coach for Leadership Pioneer Valley. She is an alumna of Bay Path University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in nonprofit management and philanthropy. In 2011, she was named a 40 Under Forty honoree by BusinessWest. “It is with great excitement that I join the Women’s Fund team,” Borgatti said. “I look forward to connecting more people to this dynamic organization while helping to expand our impact and influence.”

•••••

Phillips Insurance Agency Inc. announced the following:

• Amber Dieffenwierth is the agency’s new Personal Lines Manager. Her responsibilities will include growing the agency’s client base for personal auto, homeowners, and related insurance lines. She has more than 15 years of experience in the personal insurance market and holds the AIC (associate in claims) designation as well as a Massachusetts broker’s license; and

• Sarah Whiteley Whiteley joins the agency as an Account Manger. She is a graduate of Elms College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business management. She previously worked in benefits administration for a regional payroll company.

•••••

Robert Fazzi, founder and managing partner of Fazzi Associates, announced that Tim Ashe has been promoted to chief operating officer and is now responsible for the firm’s day-to-day leadership. Ashe joined Fazzi in 2006 and became a partner in 2007. Since that time, he has led the firm’s Operational Consulting Division to provide organizational, operational, turnaround, and change-management services to home-care and hospice agencies across the country. Under his leadership, Fazzi has helped hundreds of agencies improve outcomes and profitability through best practices in organizational structure, clinical and operational processes, and new models for staffing, supervision, and care management. More recently, he also assumed responsibility for the company’s Outsourced Billing, Finance, and Information Technology divisions. Along-time leader in the field of home care and hospice, Ashe’s expertise and career has included a unique blend of clinical, operational, fiscal, and academic roles. He is a frequent presenter at national and state conferences and is often asked to contribute to industry forums. He is also the co-director of the 2016-17 National Home Care and Hospice State of the Industry Study. Dr. Robert Fazzi, the firm’s founder, will continue as Fazzi’s managing partner. But in transferring the leadership of the firm’s daily operations to Ashe, Fazzi will devote more time to the company’s future investments as well as to national and international community-based-care issues that are near and dear to his heart. “I want to say, at this milestone in Fazzi’s history, that I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished and contributed to our industry thus far, and I’m also incredibly excited about what the future holds,” Fazzi said. “Tim is an incredible leader. I am looking forward to working closely with him as we expand our national and international efforts.”

•••••

United Way of Pioneer Valley (UWPV) announced several changes and additions to its team:

Jennifer Fernandes

Jennifer Fernandes

• The agency announced the addition of Jennifer Fernandes as the new case coach for Thrive Financial Success Centers in Westfield and Holyoke. Fernandes will coordinate the UPWV’s Thrive program, which serves to strengthen the financial capacity of community college students and residents. Through community collaborative efforts, Thrive promotes and supports activities related to financial literacy, including access to a one-stop financial resource center, workforce development services, and public benefit screening and enrollment. Fernandes has a B.A. in Psychology from UMass Amherst and a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley College. She has been working with the Adult Basic Education program in Holyoke, and has been involved in financial literacy, academic and career counseling;

• Chris Woods

• Chris Woods

• Chris Woods is the new part-time volunteer coordinator. Woods earned his B.S. in Marketing from Bentley University. Following graduation, he became an Americorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) member for a year and traveled across the country working on volunteer projects. For the past year, he has been a math tutor with Springfield Math Fellows, and he continues as an assistant swim team coach with the West Springfield Torpedoes. Woods will be coordinating volunteer activities for United Way Youth Generate, Stuff the Bus, and Day of Caring programs, among other projects; and

LaTonia Naylor

LaTonia Naylor

• LaTonia Naylor has been promoted of from community impact manager to senior manager of Community Investments. She will oversee grants management for the education, basic needs, small grants and emergency food and shelter programs. She’ll also provide technical assistance to United Way grantees and community partners and become the UWPV community liaison for education initiatives.

•••••

Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced new faculty and staff additions as well as recent promotions:

• Julia Curletti has joined BCC as staff assistant to the dean of enrollment management and student success. She previously worked at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston as a program coordinator. She garnered a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and attended New England Law;

• Alyssa Felver has been named assistant professor of practical nursing. A registered nurse in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, she previously worked at Berkshire Medical Center. Prior to that, she was a critical care registered nurse at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and a bachelor’s in biology from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.;

• Lori Moon has joined BCC’s faculty as an assistant professor of practical nursing. Prior to joining BCC, she was a case manager and education specialist at Berkshire Medical Center. She previously worked at HospiceCare in the Berkshires for approximately 20 years. She earned an associate’s degree from Springfield Tech Community College, an associate’s degree in nursing from BCC and a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst;

• Lawrence Stalvey has been promoted to academic counselor with BCC’s TRIO (Talents, Resources, Initiative, Opportunity) Program, a federally funded program designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. He previously was a learning specialist with TRIO. He holds an associate’s degree from BCC and a bachelor’s degree from Williams College;

• Charles Stephens has joined BCC as the coordinator of career planning and placement. He is responsible for providing counsel to students regarding career options. He previously held numerous positions at Philadelphia University, Saint Louis University, and Michigan State University. He most recently worked as area coordinator for residence education at Philadelphia University. A graduate of Michigan State University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in student affairs administration; and

• Peggy Williams has been promoted to academic coordinator with BCC’s TRIO Program. She previously worked for more than a decade as an academic counselor and learning specialist with TRIO. She has a breadth of experience working in administrative/management roles at human services organizations in Berkshire County. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree from the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy in Albany, N.Y.

•••••

Dr. Robert Roose has been named vice president of Mercy Behavioral Health Care. In this role, Roose oversees Providence Behavioral Health Hospital (PBHH) and leads the behavioral-health service lines, which include psychiatric and addiction and recovery services. He also represents behavioral health services as a member of the senior leadership team. Since his arrival at PBHH in 2013, Roose has spearheaded the expansion and renovation of opioid-treatment programs, secured the addition of an office-based practice utilizing all medication-assisted treatments, developed new partnerships with community providers, and gained DPH backing to open a new clinical stabilization service at Providence. He most recently served as chief medical officer and vice president of Addiction and Recovery Services at PBHH. In addition to his responsibilities at Providence, Roose is currently on the Quality Improvement Council of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the Substance Use Disorder Prevention and Treatment Task Force of the Massachusetts Hospital Assoc., the Hampden County Addiction Task Force, and Gov. Charlie Baker’s Opioid Addiction Working Group. He has presented and published on various aspects of addiction treatment, focusing primarily on patients receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid-use disorder. His work integrating hepatitis C treatment and a peer program into an opioid-treatment program is also featured in an award-winning documentary, The Fix: The Healing Is Mutual. Roose earned his doctor of medicine and master in public health degrees at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington D.C. and completed his residency training at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y.

Agenda

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Agenda Departments

Wheelchair-basketball Clinic

Feb. 20: CDH Disability Resources will offer a free wheelchair-basketball clinic from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at CHD’s gymnasium at 69 Capital Dr., West Springfield. There is no cost to attend, and all participants qualify for raffles, prizes, and giveaways. The clinic will be led by Paul Weiland, a certified health and physical education teacher with an adaptive physical education certification. Weiland, Adapted Sports Program coordinator for Chapter 126 Sports & Fitness, has coached wheelchair basketball at the high-school and college levels and was part of the USA Paralympics wheelchair-basketball selection committee in 2008. He will be supported by volunteer staff, including therapeutic recreation students from Springfield College and varsity basketball players from Springfield College and American International College. For people interested in getting more involved with wheelchair basketball, in addition to the Feb. 20 clinic, Disability Resources is offering a 10-week program on Friday evenings from March 3 through May 5, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Pace Gym, 69 Capital Dr., West Springfield. Players will be taught fundamental skills and game-related strategies while focusing on the values of teamwork and respect. To learn more about wheelchair basketball or to sign up for programs, contact Levine at (413) 788-9695.

Real-estate Licensing Course

Feb. 22: Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 22, the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley will sponsor a 40-hour, 14-class sales-licensing course to help individuals prepare for the Massachusetts real-estate salesperson license exam. The course will be completed on March 23. Tuition costs $359 and includes the book and materials. For an application, call the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley at (413) 785-1328.

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Feb. 23: Linda Manor Assisted Living will host a discussion at 5:30 p.m. about meeting the estate-planning challenges of blended families. The event is free and open to the public, but those wishing to attend are asked to register by calling (413) 588-3316. A light dinner will be served. Attorney Valerie Vignaux of the law firm Bacon Wilson is a specialist in estate planning and elder law. Her discussion will focus on the unique challenges blended families can face. Common concerns are asset division, guardianship, long-term-care planning, and future decision making.

‘Create at the Carle!’

Feb. 27 to March 20: The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will offer adult art classes for people 55 and over thanks to a new grant from Aroha Philanthropies. “Create at the Carle!” is a new program for adults interested in expressing themselves through visual art. The first of a series of three workshops, this one on printmaking, begins Feb. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon, and runs for eight weeks. The cost is $90, or $76.50 for members. Teaching artist Lynn Peterfreund, who concentrates on printmaking, painting, and drawing, is offering this class for beginners or more experienced students. The goals are to learn processes, become more aware of different art styles, and learn to identify and tell one’s own stories with visual tools. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants. The workshop includes a visit from artist Lyell Castonguay, who will share his woodcut technique and experiences as director of BIG INK, and concludes with an art show for friends, family, guests, and the general public to enjoy. “Create at the Carle!” is presented in partnership with Aroha Philanthropies to support the development and expansion of Artful Aging programs. The Carle was selected as one of only 15 nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. to receive a grant from Aroha Philanthropies through its new national initiative, Seeding Artful Aging. Following printmaking, additional classes in 2017 will include guest artists teaching collage and bookmaking. For more information about the classes or to sign up, visit www.carlemuseum.org.

Whiskey & Cigar Night

March 2: It’s official: whiskey passed vodka as the number-one spirit of choice in the U.S. back in 2014, and the trend is more than a passing one. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s Whiskey & Cigar Night, slated for 6 p.m. at Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, provides novice and connoisseur whiskey drinkers with a chance to savor a variety of vodkas, while raising funds for the SSO’s artistic, education, and community programs. For a $75 admission ticket, attendees will enjoy a variety of cigars on an outdoor patio, food-pairing stations to accompany the drink, and several stations to taste a wide variety of whiskey, from Scotch and Irish whiskey to bourbon and rye. Expert representatives from local distributors and distilleries will be on hand to answer questions and provide tasting notes. In addition to the whiskey, food, and cigars, a silent auction will be running throughout the event, featuring sports memorabilia, high-end experiences, and trips. Participation is limited to ensure the highest quality experience for all attendees. Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill is located at 1390 Main St., Springfield. To learn more or purchase a ticket, call (413) 733-0636, ext. 118, or e-mail [email protected].

Caritas Gala

March 11: Plans are underway for Mercy Medical Center’s first annual Caritas Gala at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Themed “All You Need Is Love,” the inaugural gala will raise funds to expand and enhance Mercy Behavioral Health Care’s Opioid Treatment and Addiction Recovery programs. The major goal of the project is to create a new inpatient step-down treatment program for post-detox services, giving individuals a better chance at long-term recovery. John Sjoberg and Brenda Garton-Sjoberg are the Caritas Gala honorary chairpersons. Sjoberg serves as chairman of the board for Mercy and as vice chairman of the board for Trinity Health New England. Garton-Sjoberg has served as honorary chairperson of Mercy Gift of Light. “Brenda and I are inspired by the selfless work of the Sisters of Providence, and our family has made their legacy our personal mission,” said Sjoberg. The Caritas Gala will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception, live entertainment from the band Beantown, and a silent auction. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m., followed by a live auction and dancing until midnight. Pre-registration is required by Feb. 17. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.mercycares.com/caritasgala.

Mini Medical School

March 23 to May 11: Itching to get out of the house as the winter draws to an end? Consider signing up for a little dose of continuing education as part of Baystate Medical Center’s Mini Medical School, where you can broaden your knowledge of the field of medicine with professors from the teaching hospital. Mini Medical School, which begins its spring session on Thursday, March 23, offers area residents an inside look at the expanding field of medicine, minus the tests, homework, interviews, and admission formalities. The program continues through May 11. Baystate’s Mini Medical School program is an eight-week health-education series featuring a different aspect of medicine each week. Classes this spring will include sessions on various medical topics such as surgery, deep-brain stimulation, emergency medicine, dementia, pathology, and several others. For a full list of topics and instructors, visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed. While it is not difficult to be accepted into the program, slots are limited, and early registration is recommended. Many of the students, who often range in age from 20 to 70, participate due to a general interest in medicine and later find that many of the things they learned over the semester are relevant to their own lives. The goal of the program, offered in the hospital’s Chestnut Conference Center, is to help members of the public make more informed decisions about their healthcare while receiving insight on what it might be like to be a medical student. Baystate Medical Center is the region’s only teaching hospital, and each course is taught by medical center faculty, who explain the science of medicine without resorting to complex terms. All classes are held Thursday nights starting at 6 p.m. and run until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the night’s topic. No basic science knowledge is needed to participate. Each participant is required to attend a minimum of six out of eight classes in order to receive a certificate of completion. Tuition costs $95 per person and $80 for Senior Class and Spirit of Women members. To register, call (413) 794-7630 or visit www.baystatehealth.org/minimed.

Difference Makers

March 30: The ninth annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, will be held at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House. The winners, profiled in the Jan. 23 issue and at businesswest.com, are the Community Colleges of Western Mass. (Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and
Springfield Technical Community College); Friends of the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round; Denis Gagnon Sr., president and CEO of Excel Dryer Inc.; Junior Achievement of Western Mass.; and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One. Tickets to the event cost $65 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100. Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Details on the event will be published in upcoming issues of the magazine. Sponsors include First American Insurance; Health New England; JGS Lifecare; Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Northwestern Mutual; O’Connell Care at Home; Royal, P.C.; and Sunshine Village.

Education Fair & Expo

April 4: Jared James, a national real-estate speaker and trainer, will be the featured speaker at the 24th annual Education Fair & Expo taking place at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The event is sponsored by the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley. The program features a day of educational presentations including two breakout sessions from James, three continuing-education classes, and two technology classes. A sellout trade show with more than 50 vendors is anticipated. Anyone interested in attending as a trade-show vendor should contact Kim Harrison, membership and meetings coordinator at the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley, at (413) 785-1328 or [email protected] by March 10.

‘Mini Golf in the Library’

April 7-8: Friends of the Holyoke Public Library will host its second annual “Mini Golf in the Library” fund-raiser on the weekend of April 7-8. Hole sponsors and event sponsors are now being recruited. Funds raised help the Friends of the Library support library programs and resources, especially those for children and youth. Sponsors will be publicized and thanked in local media, social media, and the library’s website in connection with this event. Logos of sponsors will be printed on the scorecard given to each player. Names of sponsors will be displayed in the library, ranked by level of sponsorship. Sponsors will be invited as guests to the Friday-evening cocktail party, with the opportunity to preview (and play through) the course. In addition to event sponsors and hole sponsors, the event planning committee, chaired by Sandy Ward, is seeking donors of in-kind services and items for a silent auction to be held during the Friday cocktail party. Hole sponsorships start at $250. Those who wish to sponsor (and decorate) one of the 18 holes are encouraged to act quickly, as holes are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Event sponsorships are available at five levels ranging from $250 to $1,000. An exclusive title sponsorship is possible at $2,500. For more information, visit www.holyokelibrary.org/aboutfriendsgolf.asp or e-mail Sandy Ward at [email protected].

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Hector Perez v. TD Bank, NA, USM Inc. and Gleason Johndrow Landscaping Co.

Allegation: Slip and fall causing injury: $3,437.60

Filed: 1/12/17

Halida Begovic v. Russell M. Merrill and Alert Ambulance Service Inc.

Allegation: Negligent operation of ambulance causing collision and injury to plaintiff: $8,939.21

Filed: 1/13/17

FRANKLIN DISTRICT COURT

Edward and Paula Mogelinski v. Patrick J. Jubb, personal representative of the estate of Lawrence Jubb

Allegation: Breach of contract, negligence, unjust enrichment related to construction services: $67,844

Filed: 1/20/17

 

FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT

Thomas Bardsley v. Bryan F. Barlow and Barlow Landscaping, Excavation, Paving and Construction Corp.

Allegation: Unpaid overtime, wages, and prevailing wage: $25,000+

Filed: 1/4/17

 

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

Cassandra Emery v. CVS Pharmacy Inc.

Allegation: Slip and fall causing injury: $6,262.46

Filed: 1/17/17

 

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Robert Scott Serre v. Poly-Metal Finishing Inc. and Jason Kudelka

Allegation: Breach of agreement, unjust enrichment: $100,000

Filed: 1/30/17

Steven J. Malke Jr. v. R.H. White Construction Co. Inc.

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $143,224.12

Filed: 1/30/17

Bernadine Smith v. Baystate Medical Center Inc. and Baystate Health Inc.

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $1,325,000

Filed: 2/2/17

Jacqueline Young v. 110 Monastery Associates, LP and Simsbury Associates Inc.

Allegation: Negligence causing injury, resident left unattended after fall: $396,000

Filed: 2/3/17

Erykah B. McCracken v. Crosstown Courier Service Inc.

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $50,000

Filed: 2/3/17

 

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Computer Works v. Endurance Fitness 247 LLC d/b/a Snap Fitness

Allegation: Monies owed for work performed: $1,748.90

Filed: 1/10/17

 

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Robert J. Holhut v. Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School

Allegation: Employment discrimination: $225,000

Filed: 1/11/17

Katherine Glatter v. Tina Furculo, MD; VMG-Amherst

Allegation: Medical malpractice: $75,000

Filed: 1/19/17

Russell Russo v. Scott Bellemore d/b/a Aaron’s Paradise Transportation

Allegation: Conversion, unjust enrichment, interference with business relations, emotional distress: $35,000

Filed: 1/17/17

Elms Adds MSN Track, Graduate Certificate in School Nursing

By
Daily News

CHICOPEE — To expand opportunities for school nurses to fulfill Massachusetts state education requirements, the School of Nursing at Elms College announced a new master of science degree and a graduate certificate in school nursing.

In Massachusetts, school nurses are required to earn a board certification in school nursing or a master’s degree within five years of starting employment — but there is currently only one school-nursing-focused graduate program in New England.

“The addition of the school nursing track to our MSN program demonstrates Elms College’s commitment to addressing the needs of the surrounding communities, as well as the needs of nurses to continually develop themselves as professionals,” said Cynthia Dakin, director of graduate nursing studies at Elms.

School nursing is a multi-faceted role that includes assessment; diagnosis; outcomes identification; planning, implementing, and coordinating care; health teaching and health promotion; and consulting. The school nurse must work with school physicians, licensed practical nurses, health aides, counselors, and psychologists. School nurses often oversee the health of a large group of students with vastly different needs, and these students are sometimes spread over several schools.

The new school-nurse track at Elms College will include the college’s current MSN curriculum components, with a special focus on school nursing: four courses in the graduate nursing core, three courses in the direct-care core, four courses in functional-area content (in this case, courses focused on content specific to the role and practice of the school nurses, as defined by professional standards, plus two courses related to technology and informatics), and two school nurse practicum courses.

The graduate certificate in school nursing will be similar to the certificate programs Elms offers for the other MSN tracks. It will not fulfill the state American Nurses Credentialing Center board-certification requirement, but will benefit nurses who have completed a graduate degree in another area or discipline and want to update their knowledge base specifically related to school nursing.

All bachelor’s-level nurses will be eligible to enroll in the graduate certificate in school nursing. This program will consist of 12 credits, with four functional-area courses and one direct-care course from which the student could choose to complete the 12 credits. This track will offer multiple class options over the course of study: traditional classroom attendance, live stream, and archived videos.

The school nursing track is already enrolling students to start in required graduate core classes in fall 2017, and the first school-nursing functional-content courses will roll out starting in spring 2018. Elms College’s MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), which encourages and evaluates programs for high-quality educational programming that plans and delivers academic excellence and innovation while fostering partnerships within the diverse healthcare setting.

First National Women’s Conference to Be Reinvented at Bay Path

By
Daily News

LONGMEADOW — On Wednesday, March 8, from 2 to 5 p.m., Bay Path University, in partnership with the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, will hold a capsulated re-enactment of the historic 1977 First National Women’s Conference, called the On the Move Forum 2017, in the Blake Student Commons. This event is free and open to the public. March 8 is also the United Nations International Women’s Day.

“This partnership highlights the critical need to support the work of higher-education institutions within the community,” said Ellen Moorhouse, Women’s Fund program officer. “By offering such exciting programming around International Women’s Day, we acknowledge our history while building our capacity to work together.”

The On the Move Forum was developed by Bay Path Professor Janine Fondon along with Diana Mara Henry, the official photographer for the 1977 First National Women’s Conference. Henry will be the keynote speaker at the forum. She began her career in photojournalism at Radcliffe, as photo editor of the Harvard Crimson from 1967 to 1969. Her photographs are currently in the collections of the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, and the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst.

In 1977, more than 20,000 people gathered in Houston for the historic women’s conference, as well as to celebrate International Women;s Year. This conference was the first and only national women’s conference to be sponsored by the federal government. The primary job of the conference was to formulate and pass a national plan of action, based on recommendations from state meetings held across the U.S.

The 2017 On the Move Forum will mirror the format and topics from 40 years ago, such as education, business and finance, and health and wellness. As in 1977, a key component of the forum will have the participants and delegates engaging in discussion about how to advance women in the workplace and communities.

“We look forward to reinventing the conference with a renewed relevance in today’s world, thus attracting all generations and communities,” Fondon said.

As space is limited, attendees must register by clicking here. This event is sponsored in part by NAMIC New England and ESPN. For additional details, visit www.onthemoveforum.com.

Tighe & Bond Receives Engineering Excellence Award

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — The American Council of Engineering Companies of Connecticut (ACEC/CT) honored Tighe & Bond and the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority with an Engineering Excellence Award for recently completed electrical improvements at the Lake Gaillard Pump Station in North Branford, Conn. The recognition took place on January 23 during ACEC/CT’s 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards ceremony at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Conn.

Tighe & Bond won praise for its role in completing a series of phased electrical-equipment-replacement projects at the pump station to upgrade aging equipment that was nearing the end of its life expectancy. These improvements resulted in optimized pump-station performance and reliability. In addition to providing power for the pump station, the electrical equipment feeds power to the treatment plant.

Tighe & Bond provided design, permitting, and construction administration and observation services for the three phases of this $9 million electrical-improvement project. This included replacing all power generation and distribution equipment, and customizing the new equipment to meet the reliability and performance needs of the pump station, as well as achieve the equipment safety goals.

The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority provided water and services to almost 430,000 people in 15 cities and towns throughout the Greater New Haven region.

Retired State Department Foreign Service Officer to Speak at WNEU

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Retired U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer Hugh Dugan will present “Sport and Diplomacy” at the Center for International Sport Business (CISB) program series, “For the Love of the Games.” The presentation will take place on Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Lyman and Leslie Wood Auditorium in Sleith Hall at Western New England University.

Dugan currently serves as a distinguished visiting scholar and fellow at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.

The intersection of sports and diplomacy can be difficult, but rewarding. Dugan will talk about his diplomatic career spanning 32 years, including serving as senior adviser to 11 U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, and his work to secure adoption of the ancient tradition of the Olympic Truce by the UN General Assembly.

This event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Western New England University Alumni Assoc.

Established in 2007, the CISB is a forum for the study of the business of sport with an international focus. In addition to the distinguished-speaker program that brings prominent personalities from sport and business to the university community, the CISB organizes a summer seminar-abroad program that takes students to the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup.

We Need to do Better than ‘West Mass’

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Opinion

Editorial

Critiquing marketing material is akin to analyzing a presidential debate or scoring a Saturday Night Live skit. It’s certainly easy to be critical and wonder out loud, ‘couldn’t they do any better than that?’

Just think back to the Super Bowl and how many times we all said words to that effect after almost every one of the commercials.

We bring this up because the Economic Development Council of Western Mass., via an Oklahoma-based marketing firm that specializes in branding regions, has come up with a new name, or brand, for this region: West Mass.

Let’s rephrase that: West Mass???

This is where we make like we’ve seen another of those Super Bowl ads or a hopelessly weak installment of Weekend Update, and say ‘really?’

It took a year, intensive questionnaires, and tens of thousands of dollars to come up with … this?

West Mass? This is the new brand for this region, the one that’s supposed to replace ‘Pioneer Valley,’ which, by the way, won’t be replaced simply because too many businesses and agencies are invested in it.

West Mass?

This is disappointing on a number of levels, but let’s start with the fact that the EDC decided that none of the excellent marketing firms in this region that submitted proposals for this rebrand were worthy of the task, so it instead hired that Oklahoma-based firm, Cubic Creative, to come up with something that an intern from one of the local colleges could have come up with while on lunch break.

OK, we’re being really cynical, but it’s hard not to be. A lot of time and resources were expended on this, and from our view, the region is no better off, marketing-slogan/brand-wise, than it was before. In fact, it’s probably worse off.

To be fair, we acknowledge that this region is not exactly easy to brand. Like the Blackstone Valley outside Worcester and the Merrimack Valley in the northeast corner of the state, it is named, sort of, for the river that runs through it — hence Connecticut Valley. But that’s also the name of a neighboring state, and we want people and companies to come here, not go there, so that’s not going to work.

Meanwhile, the two or three things this area is perhaps most identified with (we said ‘perhaps’) are Dr. Seuss, basketball, and the guns once made at the Springfield Armory. But all those are tied directly to Springfield, and we want to promote the region, not just its biggest city. Meanwhile, it’s not politically correct to use guns to brand anything.

How about ‘Knowledge Corridor’ — the brand we’re already using, sort of? It’s OK, but only for attracting businesses, and it doesn’t seem to be working well in that realm, either. From a tourism perspective, it probably will be hard to get people worked up to visit the Knowledge Corridor.

So, we admit, rebranding the area is not an easy assignment. But West Mass?

It’s nothing more than a geographic indicator. It basically tells people that we’re ‘Massachusetts, but not Boston.’

It is possible, we suppose, that smart marketers could take ‘West Mass,’ mix it with some other words, pictures, and fonts, and maybe convey a powerful message that will resonate with individuals, families, and businesses. After all, people don’t have to do anything more than say ‘South Beach’ to whet a lot of appetites.

For now, though, as with most all Saturday Night Live episodes and presidential debates, ‘West Mass’ leaves us yearning for more, and saying ‘couldn’t they do any better than that?’

Here’s hoping they prove all us critics wrong.

Moving Beyond Diversity to Inclusion

By
Opinion

Opinion

By Janine Fondon

 

Where do we go from here? As we explore the future of diversity in this time of transition and change across our country and world, let us acknowledge that priorities might change, but inclusion will always matter to both individuals and organizations.

Inclusion is the asset that is hidden in plain sight. Today, the goal is to learn how to access it as a tool for success.

Over the years, priorities for diversity and inclusion have been different for each company, organization, educational institution, community, and individual — especially considering the geographic location or decade it existed. Yet, through it all, many companies and select groups of people continue to wrestle with equity, advancement, and retention issues. Milestones, over the years, signal the strides and struggles of advancement in diversity and inclusion. For example:

• In the Executive Order 9981 (1948), President Truman officially desegregated the armed forces;

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal for any business, private or public, to practice discriminatory hiring (and firing) practices; and

• Other milestones over the years have included work/life balance, equal pay, reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, veterans’ preferences, and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals.

Today, considering many of the strides and transitions over the years, research now shows that companies with more diverse workforces perform better financially. A recent McKinsey study shows that companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medians. The bottom line is that, when companies commit themselves to diverse leadership, they are more successful.

Diversity can offer many benefits in today’s workplace, but not without working toward inclusion. As Korn Ferry reports, “diversity by itself is not enough: leadership in the 21st century demands that executives and their organizations move beyond diversity alone to capture the potential that comes from inclusion. If diversity is ‘the mix,’ then inclusion is making the mix work by leveraging the wealth of knowledge, insights, and perspectives in an open, trusting, and diverse workplace.” The key to success is how inclusive we are in balancing the mix in an effort to get the best possible advantage.

Here are some thoughts about making the mix work:

• Get beyond the single lens of identity and enter the world of ‘ultradiversity.’

According to Andres Tapia of Korn Ferry, the Los Angeles-based organizational-advisory and executive-search firm, diversity is no longer viewed via a single lens, so inclusion must incorporate some acknowledgement of the complexities of identity. He says, “what the scientists are witnessing at the genetic level is also taking place in society. Demographic changes have been so massive in the past generation — in nearly every country in the world — that, while diversity is more relevant than ever, the way we think about it is obsolete. The stalwart paradigms of group identity based only on race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or disability no longer cover the scope of our multidimensional identities. No one is just black. Or Latino. Or female. Or gay. Or blind. We are much more complex than that. We have entered the age of ultradiversity. This ultradiversity leads to intersected identities such as GayVeteranXer. Or an ElderlyPersonwithaDisability. Or a MillennialIntrovertedFemaleManager. Or BoomerAfricanAmericanGeneralManagerMalewithAdultKids. Or a LesbianSingleMother.”

This new time of ultradiversity calls upon us to accept the total self in a world that wants people to check a box. While we can still check boxes in the age of inclusion, self-expression includes one’s complete identity with more fluidity, while also incorporating a person’s changes over time.

• Explore the diversity of  being ‘human’ in the world of artificial intelligence.

To value inclusion, business leaders focus on the traditional view of diversity (race, sex, gender, education, etc.), yet many people may not understand that what makes us truly diverse is also what makes us human. Our human ability to develop our authentic view of the world will offer many advantages to boost survival in a digital age where computers can triumph on Jeopardy!, do surgery, and assess our faults. While computers can quantify what has been already experienced, the data crunching will never uncover the uncertainties of human thought, potential, and innovation, where ideas and perceptions are based on the human response of emotion, not data.

According to a report by Deloitte, “With intelligence augmentation, the ultimate goal is not building machines that think like humans, but designing machines that help humans think better.” The key to diversity and inclusion is using all of an organization’s human assets to benefit that organization — in ways that extend the boundaries of the boxes we sit in. The true asset is not silencing sectors of our world, but designing a world for all to think about what actions should be taken for greater and more inclusive success.

• Diversity training – evolving our dialogue and actions.

Since 1950, many organizations — from private enterprise to education and government — have incorporated some form of diversity education to avoid lawsuits and prompt success and change in industry and government. In the late 1980s, the Hudson Institute prepared the Workforce 2000 report for the U.S. Department of Labor to project trends. In 2017, we see now that the trends were not only on target, but they remain issues to solve as we move toward the next marker, 2020:

• Trend 1: a skills mismatch or ‘gap’ was predicted to emerge between the abilities of new workers and the increasing skill requirements of new jobs.

• Trend 2: women, minorities, and immigrants were expected to dominate the small net growth of workers, altering traditional workforce demographic patterns.

• Trend 3: if the U.S. continues to prosper as it has since 1900, policy makers must find ways to (1) maintain the dynamism of an aging workforce; (2) reconcile the conflicting needs of women, work, and families; (3) integrate black and Hispanic workers fulIy into the economy; and (4) improve the educational preparation of all workers.

Again, all these proved true, and all remain important issues.

To meet the changing demands of our world, training is still needed, but the expectations are evolving. Dr. Amer Ahmed, director of Intercultural Teaching and Faculty Development at UMass Amherst, reminds organizations that a process of learning (with no end point) must be established, so diversity and inclusion training extends beyond the training session in formal and informal ways. He also suggests that “we must acknowledge the core competencies and skills that allow us to learn.”

These core competencies include self-awareness (understanding your worldview), communication style, empathy (how to validate someone else’s experiences), patience, flexibility, ambiguity, and curiosity.

Ahmed emphasized that we should all strive to be part of a learning organization as well as build our own individual learning plan. “Training alone will not get us to where we (our companies, organizations, or us as individuals) need to be, but it is one of the most important elements of our learning process that helps us progress.”

Toward 2020

As we move toward the magical year 2020, Oxford Economics cites that “people management” is not adequately represented in the C-suite and boardroom. It notes that many companies lack the culture and tools they need to engage employees, track their performance, and measure the effectiveness of HR initiatives. Oxford Economics’ key report on 2020 proposes the following key areas where businesses must take action in order to thrive in the future:

• The Millennial misunderstanding. There is widespread agreement that the generation entering the workforce is different in key ways — but research shows that executives do not really understand what those differences are.

• What matters most at work. Engagement and loyalty are vital to a successful workforce, yet there is a meaningful gap between the incentives and amenities companies offer and those that employees really want.

• The leadership cliff. Research shows that companies are ill-prepared for the leadership challenges of workforce 2020, and are not doing enough to meet future demands.

• Bridging the skills gap. Successful companies will create a learning culture that captures and perpetuates knowledge while empowering employees.

Companies should re-evaluate the success of their diversity and inclusion efforts and move to not only make a difference in the lives of their employees, communities, and business, but also consider some tough decisions and changes to their own corporate culture. Andres Tapia sums it all up when he says, “to have inclusion, we need to call out and manage our differences in a constructive fashion.” Also, he suggests that we do the following:

• Get to know the people you work with. “We cannot make interpersonal and group collaborations work effectively with people that we don’t know or understand. Relationships are built on trust and honest dialogue”;

• Bond with women of color, who may experience slower time to promotion and be less trusting;

• Understand how people with disabilities redefine what it means to be disabled;

• Embrace inclusive leadership and effectiveness; and

• Create new relationships with Millennials (understanding that experience and knowledge no longer correlate with age).

As you explore diversity and inclusion strategies, take the time to think about the limitations of your mindset and focus on how you will find opportunities to learn by engaging others. As Ahmed says, “every person has a story that people need to hear and learn from. The skill to master is being open, transparent, and willing to listen.”

Janine Fondon is president and CEO of UnityFirst.com.

Elms College to Host Art Exhibition Addressing Mental-health Issues

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CHICOPEE — The Borgia Gallery at Elms College, in collaboration with Anchor House of Artists in Northampton, will present a retrospective exhibition of artwork by the late Genevieve Mae Burnett, an artist who struggled with extreme schizophrenia.

“Genevieve Mae Burnett: A Retrospective” will be on display in the gallery from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily March 2-24, except college holidays. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Dooley College Center on the Elms campus at 291 Springfield St., Chicopee.

Burnett produced prodigious amounts of art throughout her life, exhibited widely, and sold pieces into fine collections — and she accomplished all this in spite of the persecutory auditory hallucinations she battled from childhood. She died in 2015; in her last months, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, but continued the struggle to produce to the end. Her intellectual property — artwork and writings — was assigned to the care of the Anchor House of Artists, and this exhibit is assembled from that collection.

“Burnett’s work is beautiful, making masterful use of color and composition to reach out to the vulnerable, human core we all share,” said Borgia Gallery curator Cecily Hughes. “Her work is atmospheric and often haunting, evoking the feeling of once-familiar places.”

This exhibit is presented in collaboration with Anchor House of Artists, an organization based in Northampton whose mission is to support the creative careers of artists who live with serious mental illnesses, to fight social stigmas about mental illness, and to contribute to cultural enrichment in Western Mass. and beyond.

“On the face of it, that a shadow-dwelling woman made small oil paintings continuously and wrote about her visual experiences each day of her 70 years sounds like an intriguing story — that is, until you see the paintings,” said Anchor House Director Michael Tillyer. “Then, the life that is an oddity becomes diminished by the sheer artistic power that the paintings project.”

Added Hughes, “these paintings are the work of a truly gifted artist — and, at the same time, they are the work of a person with severe schizophrenia. They are both, and cannot be reduced to one or the other — a testament that mental illness is a complex part of a greater whole person. I hope this exhibition provokes gallery visitors to examine their own ideas about mental illness and to feel a stronger connection to the threads, such as fear and aspiration, that link us all.”

To complement the exhibit, Hughes is working with Kathleen Scoble, dean of the School of Nursing, and Janet Lucier, assistant clinical professor, to plan a free public colloquium on art and mental health. The colloquium will be held on Thursday, March 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Borgia Gallery. Tillyer will be joined by Lucier and others to discuss creativity and mental illness in the healthcare system from the perspective of Burnett’s life and work. Attendees are invited to participate through questions and discussion.

“This colloquium will provide a venue for the public to learn about and discuss mental illness — its complexities, realities, and common misconceptions — through an artist’s life and work. Speakers from both the art world and health professions will bring multiple perspectives, painting a fuller picture,” Hughes said.

Despite Burnett’s illness, Tillyer added, “she was able to do what so very few can. This says nothing about art as a healing activity, but speaks volumes about the power of art to challenge and transform society’s preconceptions of age, gender, illness, and creativity.”

Connecticut River Watershed Council Announces Upcoming Projects

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Daily News

GREENFIELD — While the future of national environmental priorities is unclear, the Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) will keep a close watch on proposed changes at the national level and remain focused on local successes at home. Founded in 1952, CRWC is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting rivers across the four-state Connecticut River watershed.

CRWC has many projects lined up in 2017, working with local farms, family businesses, and towns on projects that improve the health of area rivers and strengthen communities. Despite differences between states, CRWC has one unifying goal of clean, healthy rivers for all.

“Every year, our goal is to make real, on-the-ground improvements throughout the watershed,” said CRWC Executive Director Andrew Fisk. “Our job is to find environmental problems and help solve them. We do that by bringing money, expertise, and commitment to the table. Thanks to all our funders, partners, members, and volunteers who help make these projects possible.”

Some of CRWC’s anticipated projects in Massachusetts in 2017 include efforts to restore populations of endangered mussels with citizen scientists; remove invasive water chestnut plants; remain involved in hydroelectric relicensing of at least nine facilities on the Connecticut River and tributaries in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont; create new campsites for paddlers along the main-stem Connecticut River; increase bacteria monitoring and reporting across all four river states beyond the 156 locations already online; and remove tons more trash from the rivers during the 21st annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Sept. 22-23.

The Connecticut River Watershed Council works to protect the watershed from source to sea. To learn more about CRWC, or to make a contribution to help protect area rivers, visit www.ctriver.org or call (413) 772-2020, ext. 202.

CFWM Seeks Applicants for Tighe & Bond Engineering Scholarships

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Daily News

WESTFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) is now accepting applications for three Tighe & Bond scholarships for Hampden and Hampshire county students pursuing civil and environmental engineering degrees. Graduating high-school seniors and enrolled college students can apply for Tighe & Bond’s 2017 academic year scholarships through March 31 by visiting communityfoundation.org/scholarships/apply.

Headquartered in Westfield, and one of the most experienced engineering and environmental consulting firms in the Northeast, Tighe & Bond has been dedicated to supporting communities where its staff live and work. The firm has a strong commitment to progressing the engineering profession and providing education assistance to promising students. More than 20 years ago, Tighe & Bond initiated the establishment of its annual CFWM scholarships to honor the careers and contributions of three former company leaders who were instrumental in setting the long-term direction and success of the firm. The goal is to help fund higher education for talented young students who are pursuing engineering careers.

Tighe & Bond established its first memorial scholarship fund in 1996 to honor past President George McDonnell, a lifelong South Hadley resident. Students who are residents of South Hadley and who are majoring in either civil or environmental engineering are welcome to apply for this scholarship.

In 1999, the firm established another scholarship to honor Holyoke resident and past President Edward Bayon. Students graduating from Holyoke High School who plan to attend a four-year college and major in civil engineering (or a related field) are welcome to apply for this scholarship.

In 2006, Tighe & Bond established yet another scholarship to honor past President Philip Sheridan, who served the firm for 46 years. Graduating high-school seniors from Hampden or Hampshire counties who plan to attend a four-year college and major in civil engineering (or a related field) are welcome to apply for this scholarship.

Founded in 1991, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts administers more than 550 charitable funds, which have been created either for the benefit of or by residents of the Pioneer Valley.

Webinar to Help Employers Create Successful Internship Programs

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Unpaid or underpaid interns can come with a giant price tag, according to Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., a labor and employment law firm serving employers in the Greater Springfield area. However, they can also help businesses connect with the next generation of business leaders. To help employers provide a mutually beneficial internship program, attorney Timothy Murphy of Skoler, Abbott & Presser will host a live webinar on Thursday, March 2, identifying key laws employers need to know to limit legal liability when utilizing interns.

“An internship should provide value to both the intern and the business,” Murphy said. “However, the line between ‘intern’ and ‘employee’ is fuzzy at best. With spring just around the corner, now is the time when college students and graduates are searching for internships. Business owners and human-resource professionals should be prepared and know how to bring interns on board for mutual benefit and avoid the legal pitfalls that could result in costly lawsuits.”

Those lawsuits can happen to any business failing to comply with wage-and-hour laws. Warner Music Group Corp., for example, home to some of the largest record labels, including Atlantic and Warner Bros., agreed to settle to the tune of $4.2 million when student interns filed a suit claiming that they were owed minimum wage and overtime for performing duties that the company would have had to hire and pay others to perform.

“Coming prepared to work and providing valuable contributions is the responsibility of an intern and something you should expect as an employer,” Murphy said. “They, in turn, expect you to provide an opportunity that complies with the law. These relationships can be, and most often are, positive, and we are here to help you put that framework together for the upcoming internship season.”

The webinar will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and cover such topics as rhe benefits of hiring seasonal interns for both the intern and the organization; what interns should and should not be doing as part of their job duties; how to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Department of Labor’s six-point test, and how courts generally interpret the factors in that test; other recent legal rulings that may affect unpaid internships; how to ensure the intern who agrees to work for the organization understands the duties involved, and that the position is unpaid; how to avoid issues of harassment and discrimination with unpaid interns; and how to ensure the intern is benefiting from the training and experience as in educational environment, and why this is crucial from a legal standpoint.

Professionals interested in attending the webinar can do so online by visiting skoler-abbott.com/news/trainingprograms.

MGM Springfield Finalizes MassMutual Center Management Deal

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, MGM Springfield announced the terms of a MassMutual Center venue-management agreement with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) and Spectra by Comcast Spectacor. MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis, together with MCCA Executive Director David Gibbons and Spectra Regional Vice President Matt Hollander, outlined the phased management-transition plan during a presentation at the MassMutual Center (MMC).

In front of approximately 175 current Spectra employees who work at the MMC, MGM Resorts executives presented a transition plan that will commence as early as July 1. At that time, MGM Springfield will become the exclusive venue manager of the MMC and will work in partnership with Spectra, which will provide management-transition services in support of MGM, while also overseeing food and beverage services until a similar transition plan is reached with MGM.

“We are thrilled to enter into this agreement that leverages the best of what our company has to offer, in order to make best use of the MMC and drive downtown economic development,” Mathis said. “We commend Spectra and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on all they have accomplished with the MMC, and we are excited about the future opportunities that will come with the opening of our $950 million casino resort across the street. Creating experiences that attract visitors is what we do at MGM. We look forward to partnering with the professionals at Spectra during this transition period to make the MMC a central component in Springfield’s revitalization.”

The announcement comes as a result of discussions following a winning joint bid last year by MGM and Spectra for the five-year contract to operate the MMC, an 8,000-seat, multi-purpose arena and convention center in downtown Springfield, one block from the MGM Springfield site.

Early on, MGM committed to using its extensive entertainment relationships and partnerships to bring 12 performances annually to existing Springfield venues — the MMC, CityStage, and Symphony Hall. The commitment was memorialized in the host-community agreement with the city of Springfield.

“The MCCA is excited about the future of the MassMutual Center and downtown Springfield,” Gibbons said. “Spectra has been a great partner in the management of the center since it opened in 2005. And with a world-renowned entertainment and hospitality leader moving in across the street, we now have the power of MGM’s extraordinary industry relationships to look forward to on our future marquees.”

Added Hollander “Spectra has always been committed to the success of the MassMutual Center. We appreciate the opportunity that the MCCA provided us to operate the center, and we look forward to working with the MGM Springfield team in the coming year to leverage on the achievements we and our local hospitality and tourism partners have built.”

As a result of the management agreement, MGM Springfield will welcome about 175 full-time and part-time MMC employees as early as July 1. MGM Springfield plans to host several informational sessions for its new employees in the spring. These employees will join the more than 72,000 MGM Resorts employees around the world, gaining access to MGM’s training and expertise as an industry leader in entertainment and hospitality, including sales, marketing, meetings, and events.

Marikate Murren, MGM Springfield director of Human Resources, noted that, “for almost five years, MGM has had an opportunity to see MMC employees host special events, small and large-scale meetings, and first-rate entertainment offerings. Our entire company looks forward to welcoming these hard-working, proud, and diverse professionals and learning from their local experience, passion, and knowledge.”

In the near future, MGM and Spectra will be working on increased cross-marketing opportunities, streamlined job and customer-service training, coordinated purchasing of local goods and services, and a new, stronger, multi-faceted approach to trade and industry events. Additionally, MGM Springfield will manage the long-term event calendar, reinforcing its commitment to bring entertainment back to downtown by leveraging its expertise and brand to attract high-quality programming.

“From day one, MGM Springfield vowed to use MGM’s entertainment roots to bring the arts and entertainment back to downtown Springfield,” Mathis said. “This agreement furthers our engagement, allowing us to be central to the discussions and decisions about the events that will best serve Springfield, and how we can best leverage the facility to benefit local businesses.”

Tomorrow Is the Deadline for 40 Under Forty Nominations

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest magazine will accept nominations for the 40 Under Forty Class of 2017 through the end of the work day (5 p.m.) this Friday, Feb 17. The annual program, now in its 11th year, recognizes rising stars within the Western Mass. community, which includes Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.

This year’s group of 40 will be profiled in the magazine’s April 17 edition, then toasted at the June 22 gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The nomination form, which can be found online at businesswest.com (click ‘Our Events’), requests basic information and can be supported with other material, such as a résumé, testimonials, and even press clippings highlighting an individual’s achievements in their profession or service to their community.

Springfield Cultural District Seeks Unconventional Gallery Proposals

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Central Cultural District (SCCD) has issued a call to artists for a unique opportunity in Downtown Springfield. The Cultural District is searching for artists to host a solo show in SCCD’s Art Stop pop-up gallery program and sell their work in one of three locations downtown: New England Public Radio (NEPR), SilverBrick Lofts, and 1550 Main.

The request for proposals (RFP) asks for proposals from artists of all mediums to show their work from March to June 2017. Requirements for what the art should look like are fairly laid-back, to best enable creative expression. All art will be available for sale during the display period, with 100% of proceeds going directly back to the creator. A stipend of $200 will also be awarded to chosen artists.

The Art Stop venues range from a small community meeting space at NEPR which has been used for its youth arts program MediaLab and yoga classes, to the highly visible first-floor lobby of 1550 Main, trafficked by hundreds of people daily, to a large community space at SilverBrick Lofts housing two mammoth, historic boilers. The SCCD hopes artists will draw inspiration from these differing spaces.

“The idea to create unconventional gallery spaces sprung out of being asked by the host locations how to activate their community rooms, and we’re always looking for ways to increase walkability downtown,” said Cultural District Director Morgan Drewniany. “The October pilot Art Stop in these locations was a huge success in both ways — people were walking and talking about art in a new and different way in the district, and we hope to continue the momentum by doing it again.”

A joint reception will be held between the three locations in late March, with artist talks, street art, and performances between the locations to encourage walking, and light food and drinks, all provided by the SCCD and hosts for the artists.

The Springfield Central Cultural District encompasses an area of the metro center of Springfield, and is membership-based, involving many of the downtown arts institutions. Its mission is to create and sustain a vibrant cultural environment in Springfield.

The RFP and more details on this program can be found at springfieldculture.org/artistresources. Any questions can be forwarded to Drewniany at [email protected] or (413) 454-1195.

Competitive Innovation Grants Awarded to Seven Area Nonprofits

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) announced its first competitive Innovation Grant award recipients this week. Seven organizations from throughout the Pioneer Valley received grants totaling $300,000. Individual grant awards range from $35,000 to $50,000.

The awardees and innovation projects these initiatives target include:

• Clinical & Support Options: Building Resilience by Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools, Franklin County;

• Five Colleges Inc.: the Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition, Hampden and Hampshire counties;

• The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts: Achieving Hunger Free Communities, Hampden and Franklin counties;

• Just Roots Inc.: Healthy Farms, Healthy Communities: Expanding the Community Sustainable Agriculture Model as a Health Intervention, Franklin County;

• Nuestras Raices: the Holyoke Food and Agriculture Innovation Center, Hampden County;

• Pioneer Valley Habitat For Humanity: Big Enough: Pioneering the Small Home Revolution in the Pioneer Valley, Hampshire County; and

• Wellspring Cooperative Corp.: Springfield Worker Cooperative, Hampden County.

These are the first awards of the CFWM’s new competitive Innovation Grant program. The program is designed to promote focused, creative problem-solving, taking advantage of the expertise within nonprofits to address pressing concerns in the region. Awardee organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the Pioneer Valley.

Semifinalists were invited to participate in a meetup at which they presented their proposals to small groups of volunteer reviewers in a speed-round format. Springfield-based Valley Venture Mentors provided coaching to presenters on making an effective pitch and co-hosted the event with the CFWM.

“We’re inspired by the promise of this new program,” said CFWM Vice President for Programs & Strategy Janet Daisley. “As we’d hoped, it brought to our attention potential new ways of looking at challenges. We asked applicants to think big and collaborate with other organizations to develop their ideas, and we’re thrilled to support the work it takes to turn those ideas into action.”

She added that the meetup was a new approach to gather community input to assess the merits of proposals. “It was a dynamic event that reflects our commitment to community philanthropy. It convened people from around the region, gave applicants the chance to hear feedback, and volunteers the opportunity to probe deeper about the region’s needs and the outstanding organizations seeking solutions to these challenges. The Community Foundation is thrilled to help get these ideas off the ground and see where the planning leads.”

Each grant funds the planning stage, supporting the work involved in exploring the innovative idea and designing a project that, once implemented, can respond to the need. These planning-grant recipients will be eligible to apply for implementation grants through the CFWM’s Innovation Grant program later this year.

CFWM awards approximately $9 million each year in grants and scholarships to organizations and individuals throughout the Pioneer Valley. Mission Grants and scholarship applications are both available online at communityfoundation.org.

Professional Women’s Chamber Seeks Woman of the Year Nominations

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Professional Women’s Chamber (PWC) is seeking nominations for its Woman of the Year award. The award is presented annually to a woman in the Western Mass. area who exemplifies outstanding leadership, professional accomplishment, and service to the community.

This award has been given annually since 1954 and is publicly recognized as one of the most prestigious honors given to any citizen for distinguished service and selfless giving. The award’s first recipient was Julia Buxton, treasurer of Buxton Inc., founder of what is now known as the PWC and the first woman elected to the Springfield Chamber board of directors. Other past recipients include 2016 Woman of the Year Arlene Rodriguez, vice president of Academic Affairs for Springfield Technical Community College; Anne Paradis, CEO of MicroTek; Carol Campbell, president, CEO, and founder of Chicopee Industrial Contractors; the late Kitty Broman; the late state Sen. Iris Holland; Sr. Mary Caritas; retired Judge Nancy Dusek-Gomez; former state Sen. Gale Candaras; and businesswomen Arlene Putnam, Mary Reardon Johnson, Ellen Freyman, and Jean Deliso.

To be considered, candidates must be gainfully employed in a paid full-time position and live or work in the Pioneer Valley. Any woman in the Pioneer Valley may be nominated; no chamber affiliation is required. Nominee achievements can be representative of a lifetime of work or for more recent successes.

Nomination forms are available online at www.professionalwomenschamber.com or by contacting event committee chair Jenny MacKay at [email protected]. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 17.

Bay Path to Host Panel on ‘Dying, Death, and Bereavement’ on Feb. 27

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Daily News

LONGMEADOW — Bay Path University will host expert panelists for an evening of discussion concerning the issues and questions surrounding terminal illness, loss of a loved one, and grief. “Dying, Death, and Bereavement” will take place on Monday, Feb. 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Breck Suite located in Wright Hall on the university’s Longmeadow campus.

“Dying, Death, and Bereavement” will be moderated by Bay Path Associate Professor of Psychology Dr. Dianne Hall, with panelists including Dr. Maura Brennan, attorney Hyman Darling, Dr. Donalyn Gross, and Pamela Quirk, who will be prepared to answer questions using their experience and knowledge in their field to discuss topics that surround these issues.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration and more information about panelists and event details can be found on the univeristy’s website, www.baypath.edu (click on ‘Events’).

NetLogix Welcomes Jenny Aldrich to Team

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Daily News

WESTFIELD — NetLogix recently welcomed Jenny Aldrich as business development representative. Aldrich brings a background in a variety of technology organizations, ranging from IT network planning, security, and management, as well as SaaS business applications.

Leveraging her experience with medical and insurance business systems will be a benefit to NetLogix’s new clients. Over the years, she has seen firsthand where IT networking solutions have provided stability, security, and growth to companies in the legal, medical, insurance, nonprofit, manufacturing, distribution, banking, and engineering fields.

“I really enjoy helping companies focus on their ‘top line’ by delivering effective technology solutions,” Aldrich said. “I have worked for large, small, and tech startup companies, and one thing stays consistent: you have to really love your clients’ business as much as they do.”

Added Marco Liquori, NetLogix CEO, “I am extremely excited about the opportunities that Jenny can create for NetLogix. The addition of a dedicated resource for new clients is a key to our success.”

‘Plunge into the Parade’ Fund-raising Events Begin Feb. 16

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SOUTH HADLEY — Sok’s Bar & Grille in South Hadley will host ‘Plunge into the Parade’ on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring drinks, celebrity servers, and more. Donations collected by the celebrity servers will go back to both the Leprechaun Plunge Committee of South Hadley and the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Committee. A percentage of food and drinks purchased during the event will also be donated by the establishment.

Five fund-raising events will be taking place on Thursdays through March 16 to raise money for both organizations. A complete list with dates, locations, and celebrity servers may be found at www.facebook.com/plungeintotheparade.

United Bank Relocates Administrative Offices to Hartford

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Daily News

GLASTONBURY, Conn. — William Crawford IV, CEO of United Bank and United Financial Bancorp Inc., announced that United will be relocating its administrative offices from Glastonbury, Conn. to the Goodwin Square building located at 225 Asylum St. in the central business district of Hartford, Conn.

Starting in the third quarter of 2017, United Bank will vacate approximately 46,000 square feet of leased office space in Glastonbury and move approximately 200 Connecticut-based, non-branch employees into approximately 68,000 square feet of leased office space in the Goodwin Square building. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. United Bank intends to sublease its current administrative office space at 45 and 95 Glastonbury Blvd. in Glastonbury through the upcoming lease expiration. United Bank’s main branch office will remain at 25 Park St. in Rockville, Conn.

Since January 2011, the Bank has grown organically — and through its merger in 2014 — from $1.7 billion in assets and 220 employees to $6.6 billion in assets and more than 700 employees. Relocating to Hartford’s central business district is a cost-effective means to improve efficiency by consolidating the majority of the bank’s Connecticut-based non-branch employees.

When the relocation of its administrative offices to downtown Hartford is complete in the fourth quarter of 2017, United Bank will become Goodwin Square’s signature tenant with extensive signage and branding visible in downtown Hartford and from I-84 and I-91. United also plans to open a retail banking branch in downtown Hartford, subject to regulatory approval.

“Consolidating our administrative offices into Hartford provides a more cost-effective and operationally efficient real-estate solution. It also positions our commercial banking teams in close proximity to the highest concentration of businesses and commercial and government deposits within the Hartford MSA. We see this as an opportunity to build upon our market share in Greater Hartford, where we have the #4 deposit market share,” Crawford said.

Tickets Available for Difference Makers Celebration on March 30

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Plenty of good seats are available for the ninth annual Difference Makers award program, staged by BusinessWest, to be held on Thursday, March 30 at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke.

The winners, profiled in the Jan. 23 issue and at businesswest.com, are the Community Colleges of Western Mass. (Berkshire Community College, Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College, and
Springfield Technical Community College); Friends of the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round; Denis Gagnon Sr., president and CEO of Excel Dryer Inc.; Junior Achievement of Western Mass.; and Joan Kagan, president and CEO of Square One.

Tickets to the event cost $65 per person, with tables of 10 available. To order, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100.

Difference Makers is a program, launched in 2009, that recognizes groups and individuals that are, as the name suggests, making a difference in this region. Event sponsors include First American Insurance; Health New England; JGS Lifecare; Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.; Northwestern Mutual; O’Connell Care at Home; Royal, P.C.; and Sunshine Village.

Webber & Grinnell Supports CDH Cancer Center Campaign

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Daily News

NORTHAMPTON — Webber & Grinnell Insurance can trace its local origins all the way back to 1849, when the town was minting $5 coins from California gold-rush gold. This year, it was the Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital that was celebrating a bit of a gold rush. Bill Grinnell, the company’s president and current torch-bearer for the historically family-owned business, stopped by CDH last Friday to receive the center’s thanks for a $10,000 donation the agency made in December.

Grinnell met with Cooley Dickinson President and CEO Joanne Marqusee and Chief Development Officer Diane Dukette to receive an official thank-you on behalf of the agency, and to take a brief tour of the new facility.

“Instinct,” said Grinnell when asked why he made the pledge. “I was born at Cooley Dickinson, and I know people with cancer who have been treated here.” Grinnell went on to add that he “believes in supporting the community,” and was “excited to support a local institution where individuals can get the care they need, where they need it.”

The gift was one of the very last ones to come in that helped the Development team at Cooley Dickinson Health Care successfully close the campaign for the cancer center, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary of being open to the public in October 2016. In that time, the center treated 876 new patients in its medical oncology space and employed 55 staff in its radiation, infusion (chemotherapy), and medical oncology departments.

The Cancer Center also shares its new space with several other complementary disciplines, including palliative care, nutrition, genetics counseling, physical and occupational therapy, and social work, and hosts a monthly Liver Transplant Evaluation Clinic where patients can book consultations with specialists from Massachusetts General Hospital’s Boston-based Transplant Center. Recently, the center added access to new integrative therapies, including Reiki and massage therapy.

Smith & Wesson Funds Field-trip Transport

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson Corp. announced that it donated $10,000 to the Springfield Museums in November to provide funding for field-trip busing for every third-grade public and private school student in Springfield. The funding helped ensure maximum participation in the museum program for the city’s 2,054 third-graders.

Funding from Smith & Wesson for bus transportation allowed students in approximately 82 classrooms to experience “Then & Now: Life at the Turn of the Century,” an on-site history and social-sciences program that seeks to underscore Springfield’s role as a center of industry and innovation in the late 19th and early 20th century. While attending the program, which concludes this month, students become historians as they interpret early-20th century history by examining Indian Motocycles, Rolls-Royce automobiles, Milton Bradley games, and Barney ice skates. In addition to a ‘then and now’ scavenger hunt, students handle real historic artifacts and work on a mock assembly line to better understand Springfield’s industrial past.

Mark Smith, President of Manufacturing Services at Smith & Wesson, was on hand at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield history on Jan. 12 to assist third-graders visiting from St. Michael’s Academy. Smith helped guide students through an assembly-line exercise and engaged students in a conversation on various methods of production.

“It was exciting to explore the assembly-line process with the students from St. Michael’s Academy,” Smith said. “Smith & Wesson and manufacturers all over the world have been relying on assembly lines to bring their products to market for over a century, and they are still a vital part of our manufacturing process today. We are proud to be able to sponsor this wonderful program helping young students in Springfield learn about our home city’s rich history and the significant role that many local businesses played in the industrial revolution.”

Smith & Wesson has been a part of the Springfield community since 1852 and remains one of the area’s leading manufacturers, employing more than 1,600 people and supporting numerous philanthropic causes. Smith & Wesson has been a major supporter of the Springfield Museums for decades. Over the past five years, the company has contributed nearly $500,000 to community history and preservation projects, namely the restoration and rededication of the Veteran’s Memorial Flag Pole and through the sponsorship of the Smith & Wesson Gallery of Firearms History at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.

Springfield College Expands Home-ownership Program

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — As a part of its commitment to the Springfield community and as part of an effort to increase the number of Springfield College employees living in the city, Springfield College has expanded its Employee Neighborhood Homeownership Program.

Since 1999, Springfield College has assisted its employees in buying homes for their primary residence within the neighborhoods surrounding the college campus with a homeownership program.

The college is increasing the amount of the available loan from $1,000 to $5,000 and has expanded the eligible neighborhoods to include the entire Old Hill and Upper Hill neighborhoods, along with the Six Corners, South End, and Metro Center neighborhoods.

“Promoting Springfield as a great place to live by encouraging the expansion of employer homebuying incentives was a major goal of the young professionals committee, and I am thrilled Springfield College has revitalized its neighborhood homebuyer program in 2017,” said Springfield City Councilor Michael Fenton. “The college has always been an excellent community partner, and I thank them for their continued cooperation and this investment in Springfield’s future.”

“The college will match dollar for dollar up to a maximum contribution from the college of $5,000 in down-payment funds,” said Calvin Hill, Springfield College Vice President for Inclusion and Community Engagement. “We hope our employees take advantage of this opportunity as the college continues to make a real difference contributing to a great college community and helping more people live in the city, both in its vibrant downtown corridor and near the college campus.”

Employees must remain employed at the college for five years following the loan disbursement, and the property must remain their primary residence, to have the loan forgiven in its entirety.