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Incorporations

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

AMHERST

Mass Landlord Education Inc., 11 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002. Thea L. Costine, 131 Main St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. To provide education and assistance to individuals new to the business of being a landlord.

BERNARDSTON

Jim Whitney Plumbing & Heating Inc., 336 Huckle Hill Road, Bernardston, MA 01337. James D. Whitney, Same. Plumbing and heating.

CHICOPEE

Interstate Carriers Corp., 78 Robak Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Marina Biley, same. Vehicle transportation.

EGREMONT

Kifar Zaydee Corp., 196 Egremont Plain Road, Egremont, MA 01258. Peter Neustadter, same. Real estate rentals.

HAYDENVILLE

Massachusetts Families for College Success Inc., 2 Cole Road, Haydenville, MA 01039. Marc Kenen, Same. Educates the public about the need to increase the number of Massachusetts residents who attend and graduate from college.

SHELBURNE FALLS

Ksw Home & Building Services Inc., 4 Laurel St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. Kelly S. Warger, same. Construction.

SPRINGFIELD

L F Meat Food Market Corp., 89 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01109. Francisco Augusto Cabrera, 55-E Stavord, Springfield, MA 01109. Grocery store products.

Mad Max Transportation Inc., 46 Haumont Terrace, Springfield, MA 01104. Max Charvayev, same. Transportation.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

JC Charter Inc., 425 Union St., West Springfield, MA 01089. John H. Cookley, same. Passenger transportation.

WILBRHAM

Kao Services, P.C., 1225 Stony Hill Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Kathleen A. O’Malley, same. Legal services.

DBA Certificates

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2018.

AMHERST

Amherst Enterprise Park
441 West St.
Leigh Andrews

Domain Masonry, LLC
86 Kellogg Ave.
Christopher Domain

Golden 3 Counseling Services
447 West St., Suite 3
Brittanie Jemes

Gorilla Tactics
145 University Dr., #3541
Jesse Crafts-Finch

J. Hurd & Associates
220 North Pleasant St.
Jason Hurd

J. Shefftz Consulting
14 Moody Field Road
Jonathan Shefftz

Jennifer Lefort, PhD
15 Linden Ridge Road
Jennifer Lefort

BELCHERTOWN

Morning Star Graphics
238 Rockrimmon St.
Roger Duffy, Natalia Duffy

CHICOPEE

The Chinese Kung Fu Wushu Academy
551 East St.
Binh Nguyen

Electra-Sounds Entertainment
5 Julia Ave.
William Butman Jr.

First Stop Grocery
830 Chicopee St.
Sudan Curiel

Generations Salon
588 Chicopee St.
Lisa Carlson

JWI Kitchens, LLC
374 Springfield St.
Ivelesse Perez

MamaRazzi Photography Inc.
165 Front St., Building D
Jenna Medina, Jacqueline Slatton

Meraki Salon
685 James St.
Christine Peacey

RazziKids
165 Front St., Building D
Jenna Medina, Jacqueline Slatton

Serenity Salon & Spa
472 Burnett Road
Alison Metcalfe

Style and Grace Hair Studios
1735 Westover Road
Ruben Camacho Jr.

WP-HL Foundation
16 America St.
Edward Fulke

EASTHAMPTON

Brian Harrison
1 Nashawannuck St.
Brian Harrison

C.R.P. Home Improvement
73 Glendale St.
Corey Pease

Frusho
28 Golden Dr.
Christopher Cabrini

Furs A Flyin
155R Northampton St.
MaryKate Murray

Pressplayhouse Duds
312 Main St.
Matthew Goldman

Worldsongs.com
116 Pleasant St., #334
Charlie Shew

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dreamscape Properties
20 Somerset St.
Marco Basile

G & A Import Auto Repair
41 Fisher Ave.
Alfonso Gioiella

McRae Consulting Solutions
57 Merriam St.
Mary McRae

HOLYOKE

Aeropostale #112
50 Holyoke St.
Aero Opco, LLC

The Clover Pub
102-104 High St.
Michael Rigali

Creative Concepts
24 Old Jarvis Ave.
Thomas Kennedy

Giggles Daycare
53 Argyle Ave.
Siobhan Sullivan

The Honey Pot
264 Sargeant St.
Jocelyn Poirier

Hyperperformance Cuts, LLC
118 Maple St.
Hanser Perez

Mocha Emporium
50 Holyoke St.
Adel Wahhas

Quick Stop
172 Sargeant St.
Tariq Aziz Khan

Reliable Computer
867 Main St.
Daniel Deschaine

Taste Freeze
915 Main St.
Daniel Rios

Your Brother-in-Law’s Handiman Services
33 Clerk St.
Joshua Silva

LONGMEADOW

EDV Home Design and Renovation
121 Willow Brook Road
Elaine D’Alleva-Vehse

SmartCheck
17 Barrington Road
Nora MacKay, Mark Fellows

LUDLOW

The Beauty Studio Boutique Inc.
393 East St.
Marsia Nogueira, Kristen Bousquet

NORTHAMPTON

Absolute Zero
229 Main St.
Meng Qin Wang

C.L. Frank & Co.
50 Cooke Ave.
Christopher Frank

Chill Harmonics
39 Main St., Suite 3
Pamela Smith

Christopher Foley Painting
68 Bradford St., Apt. B
Christopher Foley

Compass Community Education Center
221 Pine St., Suite 320
Shelly Risinger, Elena Allee

Couples Center of the Pioneer Valley
182 Main St., #202
Katherine Waddell

Dodeca
38 Main St.
Endamian Stewart, Robert Stewart

Hygeniks Inc.
106 Industrial Dr.
Todd Marchefka

Joel Russell Associates
16 Armory St., Suite 7
Joel Russell

Kidstuff
90 Maple St.
Tami Schirch

Metalmass Records
670B Haydenville Road
Kristian Strom

MG Coaching Services
98 Pine St., Unit 6
Martha Grinnell

New England Medical Consultants Inc.
124 Maple Ridge Road
Matthew Kane, Ann Markes

Northampton Golden Nozzle #04082
304 King St.
Nouria Energy Retail Inc.

Robinson Real Estate
35C State St.
Steven Slezek

Room 6 Salon & Nails
140 Pine St., #6
Melanie Burnett

State Street Fruit Store, Deli, Wines & Spirits
51 State St.
Richard Cooper

PALMER

JKL Liquid Asphalt
244 Burlingame Road
Raymond Croteau

Marlene’s Beauty Salon
1461 North Main St.
Jean Ciukaj

Tranquility Central
1384 Main St.
Kathleen Jett

SOUTHWICK

Humble N’Kind D-Sign
352 North Loomis St.
Elizabeth Vivier

Total Home Services
445 College Highway
Geno Whitehead

SPRINGFIELD

413 Video Productions
40 Edgewood St.
Aaron Williams

All Seasons Basement Dewatering Inc.
45 Jamestown Dr.
James Kelly

Around the Clock Adult Home Care
130 Fenwick St.
Linda Sheehan

Aer Wireless
119 Maplewood Terrace
Wi4me, LLC

Banh Mi Mia
461 Belmont Ave.
Hung Nguyen

Grez Automotive, LLC
604 Boston Road
Pan Siphanoum

Hariss Beauty
20 Arnold Ave.
Brittany Franco

House of Lockhart
89 Hyde Ave.
Ramon Albizu

J M Towing
56 Loring St.
Jerry Martinez

La Marguencita Bakery
755 Liberty St.
Lorena Vicente

Little Luv Bugs Day Care
24 Mayfair Ave.
Judy Williams

Ma Chere Creole Kitchen
94 Pennsylvania Ave.
Michael Guidry

Maidpro
527 Belmont St.
Heewon Yang

Montalvo Trucking
48 Appleton St.
Victor Montalvo

Mzion Corp.
1341 Main St.
Ni Si Kim

Northeast Mountain Footwear
459 Breckwood Blvd.
Algeni Enterprises

Rex Ambrosia, LLC
145 Ambrose St.
Glenn Mills

Rock Bottom Records
114 Cardinal St.
Abdul Ibrahim Jr.

Trinity Health of New England
271 Carew St.
Mercy Medical Group

Vladmierj Tailor
66 Dickinson St.
Thuy Fuda

WARE

Blissful Moments Hair Skin Body Studio
89 Main St., Suite 4
Tenah Richardson

Dance Unlimited MA
23 West Main St.
Mary Royer

Lost & Found Mercantile
85 Main St.
Kristin Rosenbeck, Dennis Cote

Miss Sue’s Place
42 Greenwich Road
Susan Flamand

Murphy’s Painting
197 River Road
Cole Murphy

Western Mass Home Improvement
81 Greenwich Road
Christopher Wiggin

WESTFIELD

Affordable Building Contractor
26 Northridge Road
David Wroblewski

Ace Photography
29 Beckwith Ave.
Nicholas Ventura

MAR Consulting
83 Pineridge Dr.
Mona Rastegar

Power Control Services & Electric Inc.
227 Loomis St.
Power Control Services & Electric Inc.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Arbella Insurance Group
1 Interstate Dr.
Arbella Insurance Group

B+ Clean-Outs
10 Elizabeth St.
Joseph Switzler

Ballard Mack Sales & Service
124 Ashley Ave.
John Picking

Custom Railings Tech Inc.
117 Allston Ave.
Armand Cote

Energia Massage
1111 Elm St.
Tatiana McCoy

Holiday Flowers
69 Angeline St.
Joan Marino

Olympia Junior Hockey
125 Capital Dr.
Patrick Tabb

Plato’s Closet
1472 Riverdale St.
Kathleen White

Springfield Inn
1573 Riverdale St.
Dilip Rana

Wendy’s #292
288 Park St.
Inspired By

Wendy’s #318
644 Riverdale St.
Inspired By

WILBRAHAM

Barone’s Landscaping
375 Mountain Road
Nicholas Barone

BJC Consulting
9 Whitford Place
Barry Christman

C & S Construction
9 Meadowview Road
Christian Mills

Trinity Health of New England Medical Group
70 Post Office Park
Carlos Martins

Bankruptcies

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

Adams, Harvey E.
1272 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/18

Bardwell, James W.
12 Hebert Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Beaudreau, Jonathan M.
6 B St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Boyle, Loretta Marie
c/o Attn: Richard Boyle Jr.
180 Sargeant Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Brown, Kara Anne
95 Babcock Tavern Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Collins, Catherine M.
4 Summer St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Crandall, Cara C.
417 West St. #206
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Denny, Darlene Yvonne
1144 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Ferreira, Marc A.
162 Peterson Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Fortuna, Timothy D.
131 East Brimfield Holland
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Frisbie, Robert
85 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Giroux, Tamie L.
43 King St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/18

Greaney, Timothy R.
34 Dartmouth St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Hobbs, Jeremy N.
134 Hubbard St.
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Hobby, Jenny L.
205 Hardwick Road
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Hyytinen, Dawn
200 Lower St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/09/18

Jezisek, Lisa
13 Pinebrook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Kacoyannakis, Eleftherios
75 Pleasant St., APT C201
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Kawalec, Jennifer
14 Lorimer St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/18

LaMountain, Michele Renay
35 Summit St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Lemay, Eileen Alma
407 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Letourneau, Erin
6 Spring St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Lissa’s Cottage Cleaning
Stone, Lissa J.
84 Riverview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Loncrini, Kelly Ann
a/k/a Toomey, Kelly Ann
111 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

MacKinnon, Carrie A.
37 Glenn Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Morris, Trisha S.
a/k/a Ferguson, Trisha
239 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Moulton, Eric J.
Moulton, Jessica A.
36 Verde Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/18

Muri, Samuel
193 Park Hill Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Nevins, Paul R.
Nevins, Tracy L.
68 Fairview St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Pare, Michael
797 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Parzych, Diane D.
1150 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Peach, Robert R.
Peach, Donna M.
52 Smith St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/18

Raimer, Josephine A.
2 Harvest Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Ricker-Horton, Melissa A.
a/k/a LuLaRoe, Mel Horton
50 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Rodriguez, Magdalena
38 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Rosa, Jose A.
a/k/a Rosa-Castellano, Jose A.
101 Lowell St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Salazar, Mercedes
130 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/09/18

Santana, Severo
378 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Santos, Jeremia
137 Farnum Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/18

Soares, David
Soares, Anita
a/k/a Bergamotto, Anita
a/k/a Galella, Anita T.
65 Yorktown Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Sullivan, Janice E.
17 Alden Ave.
Apartment 2
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Tisdell, Michael S.
608 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/18

Vegas, Joel A.
a/k/a Vegas Paulino, Joel A.
342 Dalton Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/18

Vogel, Mary-Jane
422 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Woodbury, Susan M.
118 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/18

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

297 Cummington Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $309,075
Buyer: Liza Cassidy-Jeswald
Seller: Beverly Pearcy-Chow
Date: 04/12/18

DEERFIELD

Merrigan Way
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $357,280
Buyer: New England Natural Bakers
Seller: Town Of Deerfield
Date: 04/17/18

ERVING

18 Central St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Phyllis H. Radcliff
Seller: Deborah J. Verdery
Date: 04/19/18

GREENFIELD

52 Allen St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Ahren B. Fitzroy
Seller: Toth, Joyce K., (Estate)
Date: 04/10/18

135 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Joseph Gamache
Seller: Timothy M. Dunn
Date: 04/19/18

9 Pine St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Caitlin C. Miller
Seller: Mindy T. Thach
Date: 04/13/18

MONTAGUE

6 Edward Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: John J. Linscott
Seller: Pamela Madera
Date: 04/13/18

25 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Megan A. Atherton
Seller: Jamie L. Poremba
Date: 04/20/18

NORTHFIELD

217-K Adams Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $187,752
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Jared A. Sedgley
Date: 04/10/18

175 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $120,500
Buyer: Vida M. Cripps
Seller: Scott D. Wolfram
Date: 04/17/18

781 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01354
Amount: $131,600
Buyer: Mass Rural Water Association Inc.
Seller: Community Bible Church
Date: 04/12/18

907 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Breeana L. Llewelyn
Seller: Elizabeth W. Karlson
Date: 04/12/18

ORANGE

21 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Justin Laroche
Seller: Mark E. Burdzy
Date: 04/13/18

310 Walnut Hill Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Kelsie M. Bardsley
Seller: KDMK LLC
Date: 04/13/18

SHUTESBURY

51 Shore Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dean W. Carey
Seller: Paul Beaulieu
Date: 04/11/18

WHATELY

251 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: David L. Boardman
Seller: Heidi Lohr
Date: 04/17/18

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Vincent Land Holdings Inc.
Seller: Koguts Hemlock Hill Tree
Date: 04/20/18

111 Clover Hill Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Felix Decesare
Seller: Grus, Edward J., (Estate)
Date: 04/12/18

112-114 Cooley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thomas R. Mills
Seller: Liberato Management Co.
Date: 04/20/18

41 Federal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Seller: Tirone Development Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

83 Federal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Buildrs
Seller: Tirone Development Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

63 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Alexander Panchelyuga
Seller: Pavel Kuzmenko
Date: 04/18/18

56 Lealand Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $188,120
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Heather Grady
Date: 04/19/18

6-8 Mark Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Donna Wagner
Seller: Langone Realty Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

132 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Olga Ortiz
Seller: Nina V. Tsukanova
Date: 04/19/18

280 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Melissa B. Grant
Seller: Steven Fraga
Date: 04/20/18

13 Pheasant Run Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $273,124
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Tammy J. Buoniconti
Date: 04/10/18

Pine St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Vincent Land Holdings Inc.
Seller: Koguts Hemlock Hill Tree
Date: 04/20/18

28 Robin Ridge Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mark Ledwell
Seller: Wayne C. Asselin
Date: 04/12/18

176 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Joseph P. Cotter
Seller: Albert J. Grimaldi
Date: 04/09/18

168 Valley Brook Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Erik G. Sudnick
Seller: Chelsea Lafontaine
Date: 04/18/18

BRIMFIELD

95 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Michael L. Donahue
Seller: James A. Phillips
Date: 04/19/18

201 Dunhamtown Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kayla Desmarais
Seller: Richard J. Lunden
Date: 04/13/18

155 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $256,005
Buyer: William J. Waterman
Seller: Michael D. Plouffe
Date: 04/12/18

CHICOPEE

7 Ann St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kyle E. Mrozinski
Seller: Fredrick D. Goehring
Date: 04/20/18

132 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,900
Buyer: Brad Rzewnicki
Seller: AEM Property Investment
Date: 04/20/18

111 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Ian G. Stock
Seller: Miguel Rodriguez
Date: 04/20/18

104 Catherine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Michelle Hernandez
Seller: FHLM
Date: 04/20/18

77 Cyman Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Chester A. Green
Seller: Lisa A. Bessette
Date: 04/17/18

22 Dawn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: James R. Bergeron
Seller: Moore, Janet M., (Estate)
Date: 04/18/18

72 Dresser Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Robyn Michaud
Seller: Darlene A. Lemiech
Date: 04/13/18

5 Guyotte Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Donald Pare
Seller: Michael O’Leary
Date: 04/18/18

46 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Norma M. Streciwilk
Seller: Richard R. Paul
Date: 04/11/18

767 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,233
Buyer: Pennymac Corp.
Seller: Susan Flowers
Date: 04/18/18

250 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $193,100
Buyer: Johanna Graybill-Bliss
Seller: Brian Lynch
Date: 04/13/18

202 Old Lyman Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Norman R. Langlois
Seller: Casey A. Breault
Date: 04/20/18

184 Rimmon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Kevin S. Dion
Seller: Mark A. Abel
Date: 04/18/18

20 Sullivan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Luc A. Roux
Seller: Seth A. Clapp
Date: 04/12/18

1565 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Migdalia Rodriguez
Seller: Fernando A. Alejandro
Date: 04/19/18

EAST LONGMEADOW

15 Corning St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Pamela L. Rutherford
Seller: Francesca Cataldo
Date: 04/17/18

31 Donamor Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Alessandra A. Graziani
Seller: Benjamin Wertheim
Date: 04/20/18

296 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $205,218
Buyer: Debra M. Rico
Seller: Hugh K. Martin
Date: 04/12/18

155 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Gina Daniele
Seller: Tara A. Dunphy
Date: 04/18/18

162 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jeffrey S. Morneau
Seller: Carmax Auto Superstores
Date: 04/19/18

26 Woodlawn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Patrick A. Gorham
Seller: Moltenbrey Builders LLC
Date: 04/20/18

75 Waterman Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dinh Le
Seller: Debra J. Santaniello
Date: 04/12/18

GRANVILLE

151 Granville Road
Granville, MA 01077
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Krista Lippert
Seller: Brian Banta
Date: 04/19/18

HAMPDEN

56 Allen Crest St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Staback
Seller: Mark D. Shumway
Date: 04/09/18

19 Echo Valley Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $247,900
Buyer: Susan E. Santos
Seller: Nathaniel S. Anderson
Date: 04/13/18

300 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Timothy Miller
Seller: Timothy B. Shumway
Date: 04/13/18

15 Greenleaf Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: John T. Dayton
Seller: George J. Semanie
Date: 04/12/18

46 Mountainview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Warren Spears
Seller: PD Developments LLC
Date: 04/19/18

14 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: James Dirico
Seller: FNMA
Date: 04/20/18

311 Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: KC 260 Main Street LLC
Seller: Wilson Wong
Date: 04/13/18

HOLLAND

45 Sandy Beach Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Andrew Thibeault
Seller: Joseph E. Landry
Date: 04/10/18

HOLYOKE

55 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Wohlers
Seller: Behyar Roohi
Date: 04/17/18

15 Central Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,100
Buyer: Paul Healy
Seller: John F. Tobin
Date: 04/20/18

69 Cleveland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $374,900
Buyer: Michael J. Szawlowski
Seller: Charlotte C. Lussier
Date: 04/17/18

1475 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $297,621
Buyer: Dwight Parker LLC
Seller: Yvon L. Leduc
Date: 04/13/18

701 Kelly Way
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $2,250,000
Buyer: 701 Kelly Holyoke LLC
Seller: KWHP LLC
Date: 04/10/18

40 Lexington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Justin C. Niles
Seller: Mark D. Watts
Date: 04/19/18

75 Lexington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Brad Tuttle
Seller: Aaron G. Earls
Date: 04/13/18

75 Merrick Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Amy Calandrella
Seller: Joseph Judge
Date: 04/20/18

251 Michigan Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Patrick T. Noonan
Seller: R&H Roofing LLP
Date: 04/17/18

61 Norwood Terrace
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Nathan M. Hammond
Seller: Sandra E. Blaney
Date: 04/18/18

31 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: William D. Molina
Seller: Patrick T. Noonan
Date: 04/17/18

417 Southampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Jeffrey Kent
Seller: Brendan Fuller
Date: 04/17/18

1 Wayne Court
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Patrick S. Burke
Seller: Trent Rivers
Date: 04/12/18

LONGMEADOW

104 Barclay St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: CIG 2 LLC
Seller: Jinyoung Seo
Date: 04/11/18

37 Birnie Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Thompson
Seller: Craig E. Collins
Date: 04/18/18

242 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: CIG 2 LLC
Seller: Bruce F. Gregori
Date: 04/12/18

64 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Max R. Mullen
Seller: Kelly A. Brown
Date: 04/17/18

37 Meadow Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mary L. Wilson
Seller: Sandra A. Samol
Date: 04/17/18

21 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $215,150
Buyer: David Chapdelaine
Seller: Nationstar REO Sub 1B LLC
Date: 04/18/18

41 Northfield Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Jacobs
Seller: Teresa A. Anderson
Date: 04/13/18

15 Pinelawn Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Theresa Roberts
Seller: Onyx Investments LLC
Date: 04/20/18

LUDLOW

61 Bramucci St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nicole L. Roy
Seller: Gillian M. Roy
Date: 04/18/18

1680 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Cynthia A. Hunter
Seller: Keem LLC
Date: 04/20/18

39 Cypress St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Andrew Fenton
Seller: Erica Serrazina
Date: 04/18/18

57 Kirkland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Danielle M. Marshall
Seller: Kathleen D. Goller
Date: 04/13/18

25 Lazarz St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Jonathan Iwasinski
Seller: Lucille P. Hertz
Date: 04/13/18

530 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Sean T. Noonan
Seller: Christine Ribeiro
Date: 04/19/18

183 Reynolds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $151,700
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Diane R. DosSantos
Date: 04/19/18

MONSON

Bumstead Road #15
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John Rahkonen
Seller: Stella Furgal RT
Date: 04/13/18

Bumstead Road #16
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John Rahkonen
Seller: Stella Furgal RT
Date: 04/13/18

198 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Gagnon
Seller: Craig M. Szado
Date: 04/20/18

PALMER

10 Alden St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Pelski
Seller: Ryan R. Lavoie
Date: 04/20/18

88 Longview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Robbins
Seller: Jamy J. Gagnon
Date: 04/20/18

20 Norma St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Diane E. Outhuse
Seller: Frederick H. Glanville
Date: 04/13/18

SOUTHWICK

15 Beach Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Vicki Burnham
Seller: P. Baiardi-Kantorski
Date: 04/20/18

16 Fenton Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Michael E. Fregeau
Seller: Justin Klaubert
Date: 04/10/18

47 Lexington Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Angela M. Whitcher
Seller: Lori S. Bonk
Date: 04/19/18

105 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Mark A. Plasse
Seller: Mark Plasse
Date: 04/20/18

SPRINGFIELD

60 Aldrew Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jose M. Torres
Seller: Stephanie R. Whitley
Date: 04/20/18

11 Aspen Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $151,700
Buyer: Citizens Bank
Seller: Christopher M. Miller
Date: 04/19/18

75 Balis St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Joel A. Maldonado
Seller: Attaford LLC
Date: 04/11/18

18 Baywood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Emily Niemann
Seller: Joe C. Long
Date: 04/12/18

736 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $232,900
Buyer: Antony Massop
Seller: Christiaan X. Vandamme
Date: 04/20/18

63-65 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: 196-198 Bowdoin St Realty
Seller: Victor C. Tang
Date: 04/10/18

261 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $126,772
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Dennis Brown
Date: 04/11/18

45 Bronson Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Janine Spinola-Taylor
Seller: Monika Kusy
Date: 04/12/18

56 Bruce St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Mariama Sonnah
Seller: Amy Johnson
Date: 04/13/18

22 Burr St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Sugandh Bhatia
Seller: Scott M. Garcia
Date: 04/17/18

107 Carol Ann St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Delia E. Jimenez
Seller: Dianne Draper
Date: 04/20/18

73 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mayra Quinones-Rivera
Seller: Liandro Gonzalez
Date: 04/13/18

269 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Juan I. Rios-Colon
Seller: Danil A. Politov
Date: 04/20/18

63 Dexter St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Wallace Vick
Seller: Erik Dahl
Date: 04/19/18

47-49 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Aita Gajmer
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 04/09/18

82-84 Edgeland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Emily Lopez
Seller: Janusz Kosciolek
Date: 04/20/18

99 El Paso St. #134
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: James S. Brown
Seller: June E. Stamand
Date: 04/20/18

218 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Ricardo G. Barnes
Seller: Stephanie K. Godbout
Date: 04/10/18

17 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Amanda C. Claing
Seller: Helder F. Nunes
Date: 04/09/18

54 Fellsmere St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Morgan R. Tobin
Seller: Herbert S. Berman
Date: 04/17/18

12 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Adam Chisholm
Seller: Jason Tremblay
Date: 04/13/18

41 Garfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Heather M. Goodyear
Seller: Stacy M. Sheard
Date: 04/19/18

109 Gilman St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $150,934
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Richard A. McCarthy
Date: 04/20/18

185 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Moises Ortiz-Santiago
Seller: Josue Rivera
Date: 04/20/18

55 Gralia Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Jake T. Belanger
Seller: Angela Pafumi
Date: 04/13/18

29 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Pauline C. Ekajulo
Seller: Bert V. Wright
Date: 04/12/18

17 Hartford Terrace
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Armando Hernandez
Seller: Spencer F. Holmes
Date: 04/20/18

23 Healey St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $273,846
Buyer: 855 Liberty LLC
Seller: Campagnari Construction
Date: 04/11/18

61 Helberg Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: James B. Harris
Seller: Agustin B. Roman
Date: 04/20/18

82 Hillside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Richard F. Bryant
Date: 04/20/18

17 Jefferson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $127,935
Buyer: Bank Of Amercia
Seller: Tanya E. Watkins
Date: 04/13/18

80-84 Keith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Hanh N. Pham
Seller: Michael Sarli
Date: 04/13/18

95 Kimberly Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph Basile
Seller: Alicia Crisostomo
Date: 04/17/18

15 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Maikel Gonzalez-Grillo
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 04/20/18

34 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Lisandra Maysonet
Seller: JLC Realty Group LLC
Date: 04/13/18

21 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Mary M. Macharia
Seller: Michael J. Scanlon
Date: 04/13/18

1500 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $6,900,000
Buyer: Mittas Hospitality LLC
Seller: Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Date: 04/12/18

217 Mazarin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $145,500
Buyer: Jesslyn Dejesus
Seller: Helder Nunes
Date: 04/20/18

100-102 Milton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Behnk
Seller: Louis G. Beaudoin
Date: 04/17/18

339 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Christa A. Nunnally
Seller: Hector L. Martinez
Date: 04/13/18

711 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Derek C. Aviles
Seller: Venessa A. Smith
Date: 04/13/18

152 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: David Bissaillon
Seller: David Knecht
Date: 04/11/18

281 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilfred Fontaine
Seller: Khai T. Bui
Date: 04/17/18

522 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Marwan M. Awkal
Seller: 522 Page Blvd. LLC
Date: 04/12/18

202-206 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,192,000
Buyer: 212 Pearl LLC
Seller: Facta Non Verba LLC
Date: 04/13/18

208-212 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,192,000
Buyer: 212 Pearl LLC
Seller: Facta Non Verba LLC
Date: 04/13/18

75 Pilgrim Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Gregory G. Sprofera
Seller: Brady Chianciola
Date: 04/09/18

35 Pine Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Liliya Sadovaya
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 04/20/18

29 Rapalus St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Josue G. Feliciano
Seller: Silver P. Serra
Date: 04/17/18

349 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,930
Buyer: Michael Keane
Seller: Maryanne King
Date: 04/12/18

204 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $214,100
Buyer: Linda A. Broadwater-Davis
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 04/17/18

142 Shefford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $172,200
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Lisa R. Parrow
Date: 04/20/18

89 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kyle I. Dieters
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 04/20/18

115 South Tallyho Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Ryan C. Mickiewicz
Seller: Michelle Stuart
Date: 04/13/18

235 State St. #DG2
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Balazs Kovacs
Seller: Gary S. Watson
Date: 04/17/18

340 Taylor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Friends Of STCC Inc.
Seller: Springfield SS LLC
Date: 04/09/18

67 Texel Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Patrick Spagnoletti
Seller: Lucchesi, Louis R., (Estate)
Date: 04/13/18

38 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Deliso
Seller: Adam W. Powers
Date: 04/09/18

2-4 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: ZTL Investment Group LLC
Seller: Trang Nguyen
Date: 04/20/18

87 Winding Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Paul E. Smith
Seller: Melvin D. Rossman
Date: 04/20/18

3 Woodcliff St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: Yamillette Diaz-Parra
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 04/13/18

557 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Damascus Holdings LLC
Seller: Britalian LLC
Date: 04/18/18

WESTFIELD

7 Atwater St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Erik B. Quinn
Seller: Cody A. Rida
Date: 04/17/18

41 Church St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Nathan A. Byrnes
Seller: 41 Church St. LLC
Date: 04/18/18

104 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: DED Realty LLC
Seller: Tomestic, Constance L., (Estate)
Date: 04/11/18

1161 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Bryan K. Clauson
Seller: Robert D. Patenaude
Date: 04/13/18

48 Maple Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Adam R. Carmel
Seller: Roland R. Deblois
Date: 04/13/18

554 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Marianne Murphy
Seller: Michael B. Johnston
Date: 04/20/18

49 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $204,500
Buyer: Eric Harshbarger
Seller: Myrl W. Clark
Date: 04/11/18

91 Orange St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Darryl J. Lamagdeleine
Date: 04/11/18

78 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Roy
Seller: Jessica N. Lambert
Date: 04/20/18

68 Plantation Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Theodore Kopyscinski
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/09/18

13 Sycamore St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Jacquelyn A. Morris
Seller: Adam R. Carmel
Date: 04/13/18

113 Wildflower Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Orenstein
Seller: William O. Thompson
Date: 04/12/18

WILBRAHAM

9 Brentwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Janelle A. Gaffer
Seller: Harry Reimers
Date: 04/13/18

21 Brooklawn Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Sarah Hauser
Seller: Olga C. Geoffino
Date: 04/13/18

27 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Hannah Belcher-Timme
Seller: Kevin C. Peabody
Date: 04/20/18

455 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $831,387
Buyer: NEP LLC
Seller: ARC CBWBMMA001 LLC
Date: 04/10/18

39 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Randall P. Flagg
Seller: Lynne A. Frame
Date: 04/13/18

104 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $166,100
Buyer: Carol R. Dewolf
Seller: Ken Kowynia
Date: 04/17/18

6 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Percy
Seller: Thomas M. Cooney
Date: 04/20/18

63 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Wertheim
Seller: Lawrence R. Bauer
Date: 04/20/18

16 Pidgeon Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: George J. Semanie
Seller: Christopher J. Baker
Date: 04/12/18

18 Sawmill Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Gary E. Dion
Seller: Amy B. Fearn
Date: 04/13/18

70 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Daniel Toniatti
Seller: Michael A. Parker
Date: 04/17/18

WEST SPRINGFIELD

159 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $161,900
Buyer: Aleksandr Govor
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/18/18

41 Belle Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Dheyaa Zaidan
Seller: Mikhail Karapunarly
Date: 04/20/18

14 Brookline Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Phillip J. Bonk
Seller: Seybold, Anne Marie, (Estate)
Date: 04/20/18

82 Chestnut St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Juancarlos Nunez-Ruiz
Seller: Jonathan D. Jacobsen
Date: 04/12/18

99 City View Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $204,900
Buyer: Amy M. Scalise
Seller: Erik G. Sudnick
Date: 04/18/18

125 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Regina R. Ranstorm
Seller: Brett Gazaille
Date: 04/17/18

63 Elm Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Minas Alitbi
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 04/13/18

96 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Nilda L. Garcia-Diaz
Seller: Martyn G. Green
Date: 04/19/18

163 Falmouth Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: William B. Burlingham
Date: 04/17/18

57 Farnum St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michelle A. McCaffrey
Seller: Robert Whalen
Date: 04/13/18

32 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Dadhi Adhikari
Seller: Shu Cheng
Date: 04/20/18

85 Lewis Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Seidell
Seller: Seidell Realty LLC
Date: 04/19/18

501 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,679,000
Buyer: 363 Boston Post Road LLC
Seller: AF-West Springfield MA LLC
Date: 04/13/18

290 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Adam Bryant
Seller: Bolduc, Yvette R., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/18

51 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,050
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Mitchell
Seller: Adam R. Bryant
Date: 04/17/18

86 Vincent Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Melvin Diaz
Seller: John P. Callahan
Date: 04/20/18

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

464 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $231,900
Buyer: Faranak Seihoun
Seller: Virginia L. Espeland
Date: 04/18/18

30 Boltwood Walk
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Downstairs LLC
Seller: PVP Holdings LLC
Date: 04/17/18

17 Fairfield St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Romain Vasseur
Seller: Julia M. Alexander
Date: 04/10/18

144 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $242,900
Buyer: Benjamin Norrichs
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/13/18

55 Lilac Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $472,000
Buyer: Katzman Coldham 2013 LT
Seller: Margaret C. Oakes
Date: 04/13/18

38 Maplewood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Charlene Choi
Seller: Dean Brown
Date: 04/17/18

Red Gate Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alex K. Phakos
Seller: Jonathan S. Klate
Date: 04/17/18

BELCHERTOWN

77 Cheryl Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $484,900
Buyer: Shawn M. Nycz
Seller: Michael S. Kulik
Date: 04/10/18

70 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Lyn M. Banville
Seller: Shirley M. Dillard
Date: 04/20/18

10 Pine Brook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Amanda Beauregard
Seller: Paul E. Brissette
Date: 04/13/18

37 Rimrock Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Adrian J. Manning
Seller: Dale E. Yvon
Date: 04/19/18

233 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Amherst Court RT
Seller: Sydney Keyes-Thackeray
Date: 04/17/18

EASTHAMPTON

3 Carillon Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $391,700
Buyer: Neil Hede
Seller: Gertrude E. Hooks
Date: 04/11/18

40 Church St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $131,080
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Timothy S. Clark
Date: 04/13/18

14 Kenneth Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Brian F. Bigda
Seller: Samantha L. Lheureux IRT
Date: 04/20/18

10 Pinebrook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Michael E. Fregeau
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/18/18

53-55 Ridgewood Terrace
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Joseph Darby-O’Brien
Seller: Thomas A. Porter
Date: 04/20/18

88 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Frank R. Talarico
Seller: Ross J. Krause
Date: 04/12/18

GRANBY

111 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $268,500
Buyer: Kevin H. Miele
Seller: David P. Wing
Date: 04/09/18

HADLEY

15 Maple Ave.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Ethan W. Percy
Seller: Gregory M. Mish
Date: 04/20/18

72 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Donald R. Dion
Seller: Sandra Houghton
Date: 04/20/18

HATFIELD

186 Linseed Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Jay Messer
Seller: William D. Harlow
Date: 04/10/18

HUNTINGTON

8 Crescent St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Scott B. Capponcelli
Seller: Jane F. Martone
Date: 04/13/18

NORTHAMPTON

1300 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Mark A. Blais
Seller: Joe Hamill
Date: 04/19/18

87 Chesterfield Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Melissa A. Fowler
Seller: Erika M. Hernandez
Date: 04/13/18

211 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Suzanne R. Starling
Seller: Murray Melbin
Date: 04/12/18

259 Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $2,250,000
Buyer: Ellery Owner LLC
Seller: Atwood Drive LLC
Date: 04/11/18

61 Ford Xing
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Jill Meyers
Seller: Peter Fliss
Date: 04/20/18

90 Haydenville Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Aba Properties LLC
Seller: SSTT LLC
Date: 04/10/18

63 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: 63 Maple Street LLC
Seller: Tom Masters
Date: 04/18/18

8 Middle St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Anne-Liesl Swogger
Seller: Nora R. Kalina
Date: 04/18/18

6 Villone Dr.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Kelcie M. Cooke
Seller: Maureen B. Szawlowski
Date: 04/17/18

PELHAM

8 Bray Court
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Harry H. Brakeley
Seller: Christopher J. Wells
Date: 04/19/18

SOUTH HADLEY

32 Boynton Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Mary T. Quesnel
Seller: Alliso Marshall-Beaudoin
Date: 04/20/18

33 Boynton Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Lauren E. Obregon
Seller: Matthew Gage
Date: 04/13/18

65 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Randy Barthelette
Seller: George J. Langevin RET
Date: 04/17/18

11 Landers St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Rossi
Seller: Dennis Hogan
Date: 04/18/18

60 Michael Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Catherine M. Scribner
Seller: Raymond E. Rondeau
Date: 04/12/18

128 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Daniel T. Laing
Seller: Carolyn L. Couture
Date: 04/13/18

42 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Lisa Ball-Russo
Seller: Thomas W. Senecal
Date: 04/13/18

54 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Lisa Ball-Russo
Seller: Thomas W. Senecal
Date: 04/13/18

23 Saybrook Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Brandyn Boroski
Seller: Andrew Frawley
Date: 04/10/18

54 Sunset Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Norma I. Fontanez
Seller: Deborah A. Church
Date: 04/17/18

SOUTHAMPTON

34 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Kathryn A. Przybyszewski
Seller: Brian F. Bigda
Date: 04/19/18

WARE

24 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $117,481
Buyer: Corey Tavernier
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 04/12/18

 

Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the month of April 2018.

AGAWAM

James Acerra, Clark Dore
707-709 Main St.
$20,000 — Interior repairs to walls and ceilings for conversion from convenience store to nail salon

Agawam Historical Assoc. Inc.
251 North West St.
$1,200 — Demolish barn

Ashakrishna, LLC
336-344 North Westfield St.
$4,500 — Open wall, install tile, paint existing wall

Ashakrishna, LLC
336-344 North Westfield St.
$4,675 — Move bathroom walls for handicap access

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
1061-1065 Springfield St.
$3,000 — Construct shed connecting to existing building at Sacred Heart Church

AMHERST

Stavros Center for Independent Living
210 Old Farm Road
$68,820 — Rooftop photovoltaic system

CHICOPEE

64 Dulong Circle, LLC
64 Dulong Circle
$40,000 — Conversion of three sleeping rooms into two classrooms, reuse of former classroom for sleeping rooms, toilet modification

904 Meadow Street, LLC
904 Meadow St.
$7,100 — Tenant fit-up; office, vestibule, bathroom walls

EIP Westover Road, LLC
2073 Westover Road
$188,250 — Renovate select portions of existing building

J and N Salema Family Limited
510 Burnett Road
$4,500 — Install of fire protection signaling system

McDonalds Real Estate Co.
350 Burnett Road
$427,000 — Interior, exterior, and site work

Meadow Chicopee 425-521, LLC
425 Meadow St.
$582,500 — Roofing

David Momnie
113 Center St.
$16,000 — Strip and re-roof

Maurice Spear Jr.
220 Exchange St.
Roofing

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
600 Grattan St.
$73,475 — Minor alterations to cabinetry to accommodate new appliances including refrigerator and sinks

EASTHAMPTON

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$20,000 — Add non-load-bearing walls, add handicap-accessible bathrooms

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$25,000 — Interior renovations to Suite 335

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$375,000 — Roofing

EAST LONGMEADOW

The Arbors Kids
126 Industrial Dr.
$5,000 — Sheet metal

Ascent Dental
250 North Main St.
$20,000 — Sheet metal

Meadows Podiatry
313 Maple St.
$27,000 — Demolish building

GREENFIELD

Center for Human Development
102 Main St.
$11,000 — Install fire-suppression system to protect server room

Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
180 Silvio O. Conte Dr.
$35,073 — Remodel two bathrooms

Four Rivers Educational Foundation
248 Colrain Road
$19,200 — Reinforce barn shed roof

Rachael Katz
229-231 Main St.
$2,030 — Replace rear exterior door, construct box steps over existing concrete steps

Town of Greenfield
125 Federal St.
$4,450 — Install kiln

HADLEY

Shipman Realty Trust
140 Russell St.
$6,000 — Strip and replace roof at Greenfield Savings Bank

Shipman Realty Trust
140 Russell St.
$18,980 — Six new signs for Greenfield Savings Bank

LONGMEADOW

Longmeadow Mall, LP
827 Williams St.
$328,000 — Renovate new restaurant space

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
125 Locust St.
$49,591 — Construct new mezzanine

City of Northampton
80 Locust St.
$3,500 — Cut new doorway at Smith School for exterior walk-in cooler/freezer for cafeteria kitchen

Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society
54 Fair St.
$2,000 — Temporary stage for concert

Industrial Drive, LLC
94 Industrial Dr.
$13,100 — Drywall ceiling, insulation, lighting, and HVAC

Northampton Realty, LLC
293 King St.
$17,000 — Remove and replace sign at Lia Honda

SPRINGFIELD

271 Page Blvd., LLC
271 Page Blvd.
$40,000 — Partial demolition of commercial warehouse building

C & W Breckwood Realty Co.
1060 Wilbraham Road
$10,000 — Alter building facade and canopy in shopping center

F.L Roberts Co. Inc.
275 Albany St.
$37,000 — Demolish portion of commercial building, former Paul’s Fuel

Gardening the Community Inc.
200 Walnut St.
$21,134 — Add solar panels to farm stand

Anthony Patalino, Douglas Delisle
136 Walnut St.
$130,000 — Interior renovations to convert service station to Domino’s pizza bakery store

Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield
516 Carew St.
$187,781 — Alter interior space on second floor for inpatient acute rehabilitation

Springfield Partners for Community Action Inc.
721 State St.
$56,167 — Alter restroom space for accessibility upgrades at New Beginnings Child Care

Barrington Stephenson
47 Jasper St.
Remove right side of attached shed and repair garage wall

Edale Realty, LLC
211 Worthington St.
$45,000 — Alterations to bar/restaurant, including glass overhead door and storefront, repair fire alarm and kitchen Ansul system

WARE

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital
85 South St.
$8,980 — HVAC duct systems for Davis Building, fourth-floor Oncology project

Wicked Wings
136 Pleasant St.
$12,000 — Replace existing hoods with make-up hoods, fire suppression

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Atrium Property Services
439 Cold Spring Ave.
$15,900 — Roofing

Robin C. Taylor, LLC
54 Myron St.
$79,000 — New metal studs and drywall partitions, hollow metal frames and wood doors, electrical work, remodel bathrooms, acoustical ceilings

Town of West Springfield
255 Interstate Dr.
Replace three antennas with three new antennas, add three lines of hybrid fiber cable

WILBRAHAM

Wilbraham & Monson Academy
423-451 Main St.
$22,375 — Pavilion

Daily News

LENOX — Renaissance Investment Group, LLC, an independent, SEC-registered investment-advisory firm, announced the appointment of Chris Silipigno to the role of chief operating officer. He will be responsible for providing operational leadership within the firm, as well as coordinating strategic business-development efforts across the region.

“We are very excited to have Chris join the firm,” said Trevor Forbes, president and chief investment officer. “Chris’ extensive senior leadership experience and financial expertise will serve our clients well at Renaissance. His presence provides increased depth, thereby enabling us to deliver even greater levels of service to our clients. Chris will draw upon his professional experience to enhance our offerings to the non-for-profit community and our business partners. He will provide Renaissance with long-term continuity at a senior level.”

Silipigno comes to Renaissance with nearly 20 years of senior leadership positions in both operational and business-development functions for nonprofit and for-profit enterprises. His experience spans all facets of the mortgage banking industry, nonprofit development, organizational effectiveness and leadership, performance management, and revenue growth areas.

Most recently, he brought his business acumen to City Mission of Schenectady, N.Y., an inner-city nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless, abused, and impoverished to become sustainable. During his tenure, the organization grew exponentially, receiving regional and national acclaim for its accomplishments. Previous to this role, he held multiple positions at the vice-president level within the banking and finance industry. His accomplishments include building and managing divisions responsible for originating more than $750 million in annual loan volume.

Chris earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from SUNY at Albany and a master’s degree from George Mason University, and he holds his FINRA Series 65 registration.

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

297 Cummington Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $309,075
Buyer: Liza Cassidy-Jeswald
Seller: Beverly Pearcy-Chow
Date: 04/12/18

DEERFIELD

Merrigan Way
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $357,280
Buyer: New England Natural Bakers
Seller: Town Of Deerfield
Date: 04/17/18

ERVING

18 Central St.
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: Phyllis H. Radcliff
Seller: Deborah J. Verdery
Date: 04/19/18

GREENFIELD

52 Allen St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Ahren B. Fitzroy
Seller: Toth, Joyce K., (Estate)
Date: 04/10/18

135 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Joseph Gamache
Seller: Timothy M. Dunn
Date: 04/19/18

9 Pine St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Caitlin C. Miller
Seller: Mindy T. Thach
Date: 04/13/18

MONTAGUE

6 Edward Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: John J. Linscott
Seller: Pamela Madera
Date: 04/13/18

25 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Megan A. Atherton
Seller: Jamie L. Poremba
Date: 04/20/18

NORTHFIELD

217-K Adams Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $187,752
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Jared A. Sedgley
Date: 04/10/18

175 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $120,500
Buyer: Vida M. Cripps
Seller: Scott D. Wolfram
Date: 04/17/18

781 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01354
Amount: $131,600
Buyer: Mass Rural Water Association Inc.
Seller: Community Bible Church
Date: 04/12/18

907 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Breeana L. Llewelyn
Seller: Elizabeth W. Karlson
Date: 04/12/18

ORANGE

21 Meadow Lane
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Justin Laroche
Seller: Mark E. Burdzy
Date: 04/13/18

310 Walnut Hill Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $179,000
Buyer: Kelsie M. Bardsley
Seller: KDMK LLC
Date: 04/13/18

SHUTESBURY

51 Shore Dr.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dean W. Carey
Seller: Paul Beaulieu
Date: 04/11/18

WHATELY

251 Long Plain Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: David L. Boardman
Seller: Heidi Lohr
Date: 04/17/18

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

Barry St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Vincent Land Holdings Inc.
Seller: Koguts Hemlock Hill Tree
Date: 04/20/18

111 Clover Hill Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $123,000
Buyer: Felix Decesare
Seller: Grus, Edward J., (Estate)
Date: 04/12/18

112-114 Cooley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thomas R. Mills
Seller: Liberato Management Co.
Date: 04/20/18

41 Federal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Builders
Seller: Tirone Development Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

83 Federal St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Oak Ridge Custom Home Buildrs
Seller: Tirone Development Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

63 High St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $334,000
Buyer: Alexander Panchelyuga
Seller: Pavel Kuzmenko
Date: 04/18/18

56 Lealand Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $188,120
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Heather Grady
Date: 04/19/18

6-8 Mark Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Donna Wagner
Seller: Langone Realty Corp.
Date: 04/13/18

132 Meadowbrook Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Olga Ortiz
Seller: Nina V. Tsukanova
Date: 04/19/18

280 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Melissa B. Grant
Seller: Steven Fraga
Date: 04/20/18

13 Pheasant Run Circle
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $273,124
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Tammy J. Buoniconti
Date: 04/10/18

Pine St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Vincent Land Holdings Inc.
Seller: Koguts Hemlock Hill Tree
Date: 04/20/18

28 Robin Ridge Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mark Ledwell
Seller: Wayne C. Asselin
Date: 04/12/18

176 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Joseph P. Cotter
Seller: Albert J. Grimaldi
Date: 04/09/18

168 Valley Brook Road
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $281,000
Buyer: Erik G. Sudnick
Seller: Chelsea Lafontaine
Date: 04/18/18

BRIMFIELD

95 Cubles Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Michael L. Donahue
Seller: James A. Phillips
Date: 04/19/18

201 Dunhamtown Palmer Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Kayla Desmarais
Seller: Richard J. Lunden
Date: 04/13/18

155 Warren Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $256,005
Buyer: William J. Waterman
Seller: Michael D. Plouffe
Date: 04/12/18

CHICOPEE

7 Ann St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Kyle E. Mrozinski
Seller: Fredrick D. Goehring
Date: 04/20/18

132 Carew St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $175,900
Buyer: Brad Rzewnicki
Seller: AEM Property Investment
Date: 04/20/18

111 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Ian G. Stock
Seller: Miguel Rodriguez
Date: 04/20/18

104 Catherine St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $124,000
Buyer: Michelle Hernandez
Seller: FHLM
Date: 04/20/18

77 Cyman Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Chester A. Green
Seller: Lisa A. Bessette
Date: 04/17/18

22 Dawn St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: James R. Bergeron
Seller: Moore, Janet M., (Estate)
Date: 04/18/18

72 Dresser Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $178,500
Buyer: Robyn Michaud
Seller: Darlene A. Lemiech
Date: 04/13/18

5 Guyotte Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Donald Pare
Seller: Michael O’Leary
Date: 04/18/18

46 Lafayette St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Norma M. Streciwilk
Seller: Richard R. Paul
Date: 04/11/18

767 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $134,233
Buyer: Pennymac Corp.
Seller: Susan Flowers
Date: 04/18/18

250 Moore St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $193,100
Buyer: Johanna Graybill-Bliss
Seller: Brian Lynch
Date: 04/13/18

202 Old Lyman Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Norman R. Langlois
Seller: Casey A. Breault
Date: 04/20/18

184 Rimmon Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Kevin S. Dion
Seller: Mark A. Abel
Date: 04/18/18

20 Sullivan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Luc A. Roux
Seller: Seth A. Clapp
Date: 04/12/18

1565 Westover Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Migdalia Rodriguez
Seller: Fernando A. Alejandro
Date: 04/19/18

EAST LONGMEADOW

15 Corning St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Pamela L. Rutherford
Seller: Francesca Cataldo
Date: 04/17/18

31 Donamor Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Alessandra A. Graziani
Seller: Benjamin Wertheim
Date: 04/20/18

296 Elm St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $205,218
Buyer: Debra M. Rico
Seller: Hugh K. Martin
Date: 04/12/18

155 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Gina Daniele
Seller: Tara A. Dunphy
Date: 04/18/18

162 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jeffrey S. Morneau
Seller: Carmax Auto Superstores
Date: 04/19/18

26 Woodlawn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Patrick A. Gorham
Seller: Moltenbrey Builders LLC
Date: 04/20/18

75 Waterman Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dinh Le
Seller: Debra J. Santaniello
Date: 04/12/18

GRANVILLE

151 Granville Road
Granville, MA 01077
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Krista Lippert
Seller: Brian Banta
Date: 04/19/18

HAMPDEN

56 Allen Crest St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Staback
Seller: Mark D. Shumway
Date: 04/09/18

19 Echo Valley Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $247,900
Buyer: Susan E. Santos
Seller: Nathaniel S. Anderson
Date: 04/13/18

300 Glendale Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Timothy Miller
Seller: Timothy B. Shumway
Date: 04/13/18

15 Greenleaf Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $319,500
Buyer: John T. Dayton
Seller: George J. Semanie
Date: 04/12/18

46 Mountainview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Warren Spears
Seller: PD Developments LLC
Date: 04/19/18

14 Raymond Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $157,500
Buyer: James Dirico
Seller: FNMA
Date: 04/20/18

311 Wilbraham Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: KC 260 Main Street LLC
Seller: Wilson Wong
Date: 04/13/18

HOLLAND

45 Sandy Beach Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Andrew Thibeault
Seller: Joseph E. Landry
Date: 04/10/18

HOLYOKE

55 Belvidere Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Jeffrey Wohlers
Seller: Behyar Roohi
Date: 04/17/18

15 Central Park Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,100
Buyer: Paul Healy
Seller: John F. Tobin
Date: 04/20/18

69 Cleveland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $374,900
Buyer: Michael J. Szawlowski
Seller: Charlotte C. Lussier
Date: 04/17/18

1475 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $297,621
Buyer: Dwight Parker LLC
Seller: Yvon L. Leduc
Date: 04/13/18

701 Kelly Way
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $2,250,000
Buyer: 701 Kelly Holyoke LLC
Seller: KWHP LLC
Date: 04/10/18

40 Lexington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Justin C. Niles
Seller: Mark D. Watts
Date: 04/19/18

75 Lexington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Brad Tuttle
Seller: Aaron G. Earls
Date: 04/13/18

75 Merrick Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $178,000
Buyer: Amy Calandrella
Seller: Joseph Judge
Date: 04/20/18

251 Michigan Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Patrick T. Noonan
Seller: R&H Roofing LLP
Date: 04/17/18

61 Norwood Terrace
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $209,900
Buyer: Nathan M. Hammond
Seller: Sandra E. Blaney
Date: 04/18/18

31 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: William D. Molina
Seller: Patrick T. Noonan
Date: 04/17/18

417 Southampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $207,500
Buyer: Jeffrey Kent
Seller: Brendan Fuller
Date: 04/17/18

1 Wayne Court
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $224,900
Buyer: Patrick S. Burke
Seller: Trent Rivers
Date: 04/12/18

LONGMEADOW

104 Barclay St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $151,000
Buyer: CIG 2 LLC
Seller: Jinyoung Seo
Date: 04/11/18

37 Birnie Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $610,000
Buyer: Joseph M. Thompson
Seller: Craig E. Collins
Date: 04/18/18

242 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: CIG 2 LLC
Seller: Bruce F. Gregori
Date: 04/12/18

64 Edgewood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $274,900
Buyer: Max R. Mullen
Seller: Kelly A. Brown
Date: 04/17/18

37 Meadow Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mary L. Wilson
Seller: Sandra A. Samol
Date: 04/17/18

21 Meadowlark Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $215,150
Buyer: David Chapdelaine
Seller: Nationstar REO Sub 1B LLC
Date: 04/18/18

41 Northfield Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Jacobs
Seller: Teresa A. Anderson
Date: 04/13/18

15 Pinelawn Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Theresa Roberts
Seller: Onyx Investments LLC
Date: 04/20/18

LUDLOW

61 Bramucci St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Nicole L. Roy
Seller: Gillian M. Roy
Date: 04/18/18

1680 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Cynthia A. Hunter
Seller: Keem LLC
Date: 04/20/18

39 Cypress St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Andrew Fenton
Seller: Erica Serrazina
Date: 04/18/18

57 Kirkland Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $199,000
Buyer: Danielle M. Marshall
Seller: Kathleen D. Goller
Date: 04/13/18

25 Lazarz St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Jonathan Iwasinski
Seller: Lucille P. Hertz
Date: 04/13/18

530 Lyon St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $362,000
Buyer: Sean T. Noonan
Seller: Christine Ribeiro
Date: 04/19/18

183 Reynolds St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $151,700
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Diane R. DosSantos
Date: 04/19/18

MONSON

Bumstead Road #15
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John Rahkonen
Seller: Stella Furgal RT
Date: 04/13/18

Bumstead Road #16
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: John Rahkonen
Seller: Stella Furgal RT
Date: 04/13/18

198 Town Farm Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Gagnon
Seller: Craig M. Szado
Date: 04/20/18

PALMER

10 Alden St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Pelski
Seller: Ryan R. Lavoie
Date: 04/20/18

88 Longview St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Robbins
Seller: Jamy J. Gagnon
Date: 04/20/18

20 Norma St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Diane E. Outhuse
Seller: Frederick H. Glanville
Date: 04/13/18

SOUTHWICK

15 Beach Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Vicki Burnham
Seller: P. Baiardi-Kantorski
Date: 04/20/18

16 Fenton Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Michael E. Fregeau
Seller: Justin Klaubert
Date: 04/10/18

47 Lexington Circle
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $442,000
Buyer: Angela M. Whitcher
Seller: Lori S. Bonk
Date: 04/19/18

105 Vining Hill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Mark A. Plasse
Seller: Mark Plasse
Date: 04/20/18

SPRINGFIELD

60 Aldrew Terrace
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jose M. Torres
Seller: Stephanie R. Whitley
Date: 04/20/18

11 Aspen Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $151,700
Buyer: Citizens Bank
Seller: Christopher M. Miller
Date: 04/19/18

75 Balis St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Joel A. Maldonado
Seller: Attaford LLC
Date: 04/11/18

18 Baywood St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Emily Niemann
Seller: Joe C. Long
Date: 04/12/18

736 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $232,900
Buyer: Antony Massop
Seller: Christiaan X. Vandamme
Date: 04/20/18

63-65 Bloomfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: 196-198 Bowdoin St Realty
Seller: Victor C. Tang
Date: 04/10/18

261 Bolton St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $126,772
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Dennis Brown
Date: 04/11/18

45 Bronson Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Janine Spinola-Taylor
Seller: Monika Kusy
Date: 04/12/18

56 Bruce St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $212,000
Buyer: Mariama Sonnah
Seller: Amy Johnson
Date: 04/13/18

22 Burr St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Sugandh Bhatia
Seller: Scott M. Garcia
Date: 04/17/18

107 Carol Ann St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Delia E. Jimenez
Seller: Dianne Draper
Date: 04/20/18

73 Crystal Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mayra Quinones-Rivera
Seller: Liandro Gonzalez
Date: 04/13/18

269 Denver St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Juan I. Rios-Colon
Seller: Danil A. Politov
Date: 04/20/18

63 Dexter St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Wallace Vick
Seller: Erik Dahl
Date: 04/19/18

47-49 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Aita Gajmer
Seller: Jahjan LLC
Date: 04/09/18

82-84 Edgeland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Emily Lopez
Seller: Janusz Kosciolek
Date: 04/20/18

99 El Paso St. #134
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: James S. Brown
Seller: June E. Stamand
Date: 04/20/18

218 Ellendale Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Ricardo G. Barnes
Seller: Stephanie K. Godbout
Date: 04/10/18

17 Ellsworth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Amanda C. Claing
Seller: Helder F. Nunes
Date: 04/09/18

54 Fellsmere St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Morgan R. Tobin
Seller: Herbert S. Berman
Date: 04/17/18

12 Flower St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Adam Chisholm
Seller: Jason Tremblay
Date: 04/13/18

41 Garfield St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Heather M. Goodyear
Seller: Stacy M. Sheard
Date: 04/19/18

109 Gilman St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $150,934
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Richard A. McCarthy
Date: 04/20/18

185 Glenoak Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Moises Ortiz-Santiago
Seller: Josue Rivera
Date: 04/20/18

55 Gralia Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Jake T. Belanger
Seller: Angela Pafumi
Date: 04/13/18

29 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Pauline C. Ekajulo
Seller: Bert V. Wright
Date: 04/12/18

17 Hartford Terrace
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Armando Hernandez
Seller: Spencer F. Holmes
Date: 04/20/18

23 Healey St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $273,846
Buyer: 855 Liberty LLC
Seller: Campagnari Construction
Date: 04/11/18

61 Helberg Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: James B. Harris
Seller: Agustin B. Roman
Date: 04/20/18

82 Hillside Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Richard F. Bryant
Date: 04/20/18

17 Jefferson Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $127,935
Buyer: Bank Of Amercia
Seller: Tanya E. Watkins
Date: 04/13/18

80-84 Keith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Hanh N. Pham
Seller: Michael Sarli
Date: 04/13/18

95 Kimberly Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Joseph Basile
Seller: Alicia Crisostomo
Date: 04/17/18

15 Lawndale St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Maikel Gonzalez-Grillo
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 04/20/18

34 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Lisandra Maysonet
Seller: JLC Realty Group LLC
Date: 04/13/18

21 Maebeth St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Mary M. Macharia
Seller: Michael J. Scanlon
Date: 04/13/18

1500 Main St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $6,900,000
Buyer: Mittas Hospitality LLC
Seller: Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Date: 04/12/18

217 Mazarin St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $145,500
Buyer: Jesslyn Dejesus
Seller: Helder Nunes
Date: 04/20/18

100-102 Milton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Christopher J. Behnk
Seller: Louis G. Beaudoin
Date: 04/17/18

339 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Christa A. Nunnally
Seller: Hector L. Martinez
Date: 04/13/18

711 Newbury St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Derek C. Aviles
Seller: Venessa A. Smith
Date: 04/13/18

152 Newhouse St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: David Bissaillon
Seller: David Knecht
Date: 04/11/18

281 Newton Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Wilfred Fontaine
Seller: Khai T. Bui
Date: 04/17/18

522 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Marwan M. Awkal
Seller: 522 Page Blvd. LLC
Date: 04/12/18

202-206 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,192,000
Buyer: 212 Pearl LLC
Seller: Facta Non Verba LLC
Date: 04/13/18

208-212 Pearl St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,192,000
Buyer: 212 Pearl LLC
Seller: Facta Non Verba LLC
Date: 04/13/18

75 Pilgrim Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Gregory G. Sprofera
Seller: Brady Chianciola
Date: 04/09/18

35 Pine Hill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Liliya Sadovaya
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 04/20/18

29 Rapalus St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Josue G. Feliciano
Seller: Silver P. Serra
Date: 04/17/18

349 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $130,930
Buyer: Michael Keane
Seller: Maryanne King
Date: 04/12/18

204 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $214,100
Buyer: Linda A. Broadwater-Davis
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 04/17/18

142 Shefford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $172,200
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Lisa R. Parrow
Date: 04/20/18

89 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Kyle I. Dieters
Seller: Grahams Construction Inc.
Date: 04/20/18

115 South Tallyho Dr.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Ryan C. Mickiewicz
Seller: Michelle Stuart
Date: 04/13/18

235 State St. #DG2
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Balazs Kovacs
Seller: Gary S. Watson
Date: 04/17/18

340 Taylor St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Friends Of STCC Inc.
Seller: Springfield SS LLC
Date: 04/09/18

67 Texel Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Patrick Spagnoletti
Seller: Lucchesi, Louis R., (Estate)
Date: 04/13/18

38 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Deliso
Seller: Adam W. Powers
Date: 04/09/18

2-4 Wilmont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: ZTL Investment Group LLC
Seller: Trang Nguyen
Date: 04/20/18

87 Winding Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Paul E. Smith
Seller: Melvin D. Rossman
Date: 04/20/18

3 Woodcliff St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: Yamillette Diaz-Parra
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 04/13/18

557 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Damascus Holdings LLC
Seller: Britalian LLC
Date: 04/18/18

WESTFIELD

7 Atwater St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $197,000
Buyer: Erik B. Quinn
Seller: Cody A. Rida
Date: 04/17/18

41 Church St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Nathan A. Byrnes
Seller: 41 Church St. LLC
Date: 04/18/18

104 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: DED Realty LLC
Seller: Tomestic, Constance L., (Estate)
Date: 04/11/18

1161 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Bryan K. Clauson
Seller: Robert D. Patenaude
Date: 04/13/18

48 Maple Terrace
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Adam R. Carmel
Seller: Roland R. Deblois
Date: 04/13/18

554 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $243,500
Buyer: Marianne Murphy
Seller: Michael B. Johnston
Date: 04/20/18

49 Northwest Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $204,500
Buyer: Eric Harshbarger
Seller: Myrl W. Clark
Date: 04/11/18

91 Orange St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Darryl J. Lamagdeleine
Date: 04/11/18

78 Otis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Christopher D. Roy
Seller: Jessica N. Lambert
Date: 04/20/18

68 Plantation Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Theodore Kopyscinski
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/09/18

13 Sycamore St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Jacquelyn A. Morris
Seller: Adam R. Carmel
Date: 04/13/18

113 Wildflower Circle
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Jennifer L. Orenstein
Seller: William O. Thompson
Date: 04/12/18

WILBRAHAM

9 Brentwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Janelle A. Gaffer
Seller: Harry Reimers
Date: 04/13/18

21 Brooklawn Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $242,000
Buyer: Sarah Hauser
Seller: Olga C. Geoffino
Date: 04/13/18

27 Leemond St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $319,900
Buyer: Hannah Belcher-Timme
Seller: Kevin C. Peabody
Date: 04/20/18

455 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $831,387
Buyer: NEP LLC
Seller: ARC CBWBMMA001 LLC
Date: 04/10/18

39 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Randall P. Flagg
Seller: Lynne A. Frame
Date: 04/13/18

104 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $166,100
Buyer: Carol R. Dewolf
Seller: Ken Kowynia
Date: 04/17/18

6 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kevin J. Percy
Seller: Thomas M. Cooney
Date: 04/20/18

63 Oakland St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Benjamin S. Wertheim
Seller: Lawrence R. Bauer
Date: 04/20/18

16 Pidgeon Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: George J. Semanie
Seller: Christopher J. Baker
Date: 04/12/18

18 Sawmill Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $313,000
Buyer: Gary E. Dion
Seller: Amy B. Fearn
Date: 04/13/18

70 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Daniel Toniatti
Seller: Michael A. Parker
Date: 04/17/18

WEST SPRINGFIELD

159 Albert St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $161,900
Buyer: Aleksandr Govor
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/18/18

41 Belle Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Dheyaa Zaidan
Seller: Mikhail Karapunarly
Date: 04/20/18

14 Brookline Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Phillip J. Bonk
Seller: Seybold, Anne Marie, (Estate)
Date: 04/20/18

82 Chestnut St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Juancarlos Nunez-Ruiz
Seller: Jonathan D. Jacobsen
Date: 04/12/18

99 City View Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $204,900
Buyer: Amy M. Scalise
Seller: Erik G. Sudnick
Date: 04/18/18

125 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Regina R. Ranstorm
Seller: Brett Gazaille
Date: 04/17/18

63 Elm Circle
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Minas Alitbi
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 04/13/18

96 Ely Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Nilda L. Garcia-Diaz
Seller: Martyn G. Green
Date: 04/19/18

163 Falmouth Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: William B. Burlingham
Date: 04/17/18

57 Farnum St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Michelle A. McCaffrey
Seller: Robert Whalen
Date: 04/13/18

32 Hampden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Dadhi Adhikari
Seller: Shu Cheng
Date: 04/20/18

85 Lewis Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Seidell
Seller: Seidell Realty LLC
Date: 04/19/18

501 Memorial Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $2,679,000
Buyer: 363 Boston Post Road LLC
Seller: AF-West Springfield MA LLC
Date: 04/13/18

290 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Adam Bryant
Seller: Bolduc, Yvette R., (Estate)
Date: 04/17/18

51 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,050
Buyer: Jeffrey R. Mitchell
Seller: Adam R. Bryant
Date: 04/17/18

86 Vincent Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Melvin Diaz
Seller: John P. Callahan
Date: 04/20/18

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

464 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $231,900
Buyer: Faranak Seihoun
Seller: Virginia L. Espeland
Date: 04/18/18

30 Boltwood Walk
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Downstairs LLC
Seller: PVP Holdings LLC
Date: 04/17/18

17 Fairfield St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Romain Vasseur
Seller: Julia M. Alexander
Date: 04/10/18

144 Glendale Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $242,900
Buyer: Benjamin Norrichs
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 04/13/18

55 Lilac Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $472,000
Buyer: Katzman Coldham 2013 LT
Seller: Margaret C. Oakes
Date: 04/13/18

38 Maplewood Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Charlene Choi
Seller: Dean Brown
Date: 04/17/18

Red Gate Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alex K. Phakos
Seller: Jonathan S. Klate
Date: 04/17/18

BELCHERTOWN

77 Cheryl Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $484,900
Buyer: Shawn M. Nycz
Seller: Michael S. Kulik
Date: 04/10/18

70 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Lyn M. Banville
Seller: Shirley M. Dillard
Date: 04/20/18

10 Pine Brook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $192,000
Buyer: Amanda Beauregard
Seller: Paul E. Brissette
Date: 04/13/18

37 Rimrock Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Adrian J. Manning
Seller: Dale E. Yvon
Date: 04/19/18

233 State St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Amherst Court RT
Seller: Sydney Keyes-Thackeray
Date: 04/17/18

EASTHAMPTON

3 Carillon Circle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $391,700
Buyer: Neil Hede
Seller: Gertrude E. Hooks
Date: 04/11/18

40 Church St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $131,080
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Timothy S. Clark
Date: 04/13/18

14 Kenneth Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: Brian F. Bigda
Seller: Samantha L. Lheureux IRT
Date: 04/20/18

10 Pinebrook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Michael E. Fregeau
Seller: US Bank
Date: 04/18/18

53-55 Ridgewood Terrace
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $289,000
Buyer: Joseph Darby-O’Brien
Seller: Thomas A. Porter
Date: 04/20/18

88 West St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Frank R. Talarico
Seller: Ross J. Krause
Date: 04/12/18

GRANBY

111 North St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $268,500
Buyer: Kevin H. Miele
Seller: David P. Wing
Date: 04/09/18

HADLEY

15 Maple Ave.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $368,000
Buyer: Ethan W. Percy
Seller: Gregory M. Mish
Date: 04/20/18

72 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Donald R. Dion
Seller: Sandra Houghton
Date: 04/20/18

HATFIELD

186 Linseed Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $297,500
Buyer: Jay Messer
Seller: William D. Harlow
Date: 04/10/18

HUNTINGTON

8 Crescent St.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Scott B. Capponcelli
Seller: Jane F. Martone
Date: 04/13/18

NORTHAMPTON

1300 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Mark A. Blais
Seller: Joe Hamill
Date: 04/19/18

87 Chesterfield Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Melissa A. Fowler
Seller: Erika M. Hernandez
Date: 04/13/18

211 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $246,000
Buyer: Suzanne R. Starling
Seller: Murray Melbin
Date: 04/12/18

259 Elm St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $2,250,000
Buyer: Ellery Owner LLC
Seller: Atwood Drive LLC
Date: 04/11/18

61 Ford Xing
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $530,000
Buyer: Jill Meyers
Seller: Peter Fliss
Date: 04/20/18

90 Haydenville Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Aba Properties LLC
Seller: SSTT LLC
Date: 04/10/18

63 Maple St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: 63 Maple Street LLC
Seller: Tom Masters
Date: 04/18/18

8 Middle St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $451,000
Buyer: Anne-Liesl Swogger
Seller: Nora R. Kalina
Date: 04/18/18

6 Villone Dr.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Kelcie M. Cooke
Seller: Maureen B. Szawlowski
Date: 04/17/18

PELHAM

8 Bray Court
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Harry H. Brakeley
Seller: Christopher J. Wells
Date: 04/19/18

SOUTH HADLEY

32 Boynton Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $261,000
Buyer: Mary T. Quesnel
Seller: Alliso Marshall-Beaudoin
Date: 04/20/18

33 Boynton Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Lauren E. Obregon
Seller: Matthew Gage
Date: 04/13/18

65 Hadley St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Randy Barthelette
Seller: George J. Langevin RET
Date: 04/17/18

11 Landers St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Alexander J. Rossi
Seller: Dennis Hogan
Date: 04/18/18

60 Michael Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Catherine M. Scribner
Seller: Raymond E. Rondeau
Date: 04/12/18

128 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $282,500
Buyer: Daniel T. Laing
Seller: Carolyn L. Couture
Date: 04/13/18

42 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Lisa Ball-Russo
Seller: Thomas W. Senecal
Date: 04/13/18

54 San Souci Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Lisa Ball-Russo
Seller: Thomas W. Senecal
Date: 04/13/18

23 Saybrook Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Brandyn Boroski
Seller: Andrew Frawley
Date: 04/10/18

54 Sunset Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Norma I. Fontanez
Seller: Deborah A. Church
Date: 04/17/18

SOUTHAMPTON

34 Strong Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $401,000
Buyer: Kathryn A. Przybyszewski
Seller: Brian F. Bigda
Date: 04/19/18

WARE

24 Berkshire Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $117,481
Buyer: Corey Tavernier
Seller: HSBC Bank
Date: 04/12/18

 

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Adams, Harvey E.
1272 East St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/18

Bardwell, James W.
12 Hebert Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Beaudreau, Jonathan M.
6 B St.
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Boyle, Loretta Marie
c/o Attn: Richard Boyle Jr.
180 Sargeant Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Brown, Kara Anne
95 Babcock Tavern Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Collins, Catherine M.
4 Summer St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Crandall, Cara C.
417 West St. #206
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Denny, Darlene Yvonne
1144 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Ferreira, Marc A.
162 Peterson Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Fortuna, Timothy D.
131 East Brimfield Holland
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Frisbie, Robert
85 Manchonis Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Giroux, Tamie L.
43 King St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/18

Greaney, Timothy R.
34 Dartmouth St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Hobbs, Jeremy N.
134 Hubbard St.
Lenox, MA 01240
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Hobby, Jenny L.
205 Hardwick Road
Gilbertville, MA 01031
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Hyytinen, Dawn
200 Lower St.
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/09/18

Jezisek, Lisa
13 Pinebrook Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Kacoyannakis, Eleftherios
75 Pleasant St., APT C201
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Kawalec, Jennifer
14 Lorimer St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/13/18

LaMountain, Michele Renay
35 Summit St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Lemay, Eileen Alma
407 South Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/30/18

Letourneau, Erin
6 Spring St.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/05/18

Lissa’s Cottage Cleaning
Stone, Lissa J.
84 Riverview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Loncrini, Kelly Ann
a/k/a Toomey, Kelly Ann
111 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

MacKinnon, Carrie A.
37 Glenn Dr.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Morris, Trisha S.
a/k/a Ferguson, Trisha
239 Rowley St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Moulton, Eric J.
Moulton, Jessica A.
36 Verde Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/15/18

Muri, Samuel
193 Park Hill Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Nevins, Paul R.
Nevins, Tracy L.
68 Fairview St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Pare, Michael
797 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 03/31/18

Parzych, Diane D.
1150 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/02/18

Peach, Robert R.
Peach, Donna M.
52 Smith St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/12/18

Raimer, Josephine A.
2 Harvest Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Ricker-Horton, Melissa A.
a/k/a LuLaRoe, Mel Horton
50 Fountain St.
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Rodriguez, Magdalena
38 Newland St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Rosa, Jose A.
a/k/a Rosa-Castellano, Jose A.
101 Lowell St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Salazar, Mercedes
130 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/09/18

Santana, Severo
378 El Paso St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/10/18

Santos, Jeremia
137 Farnum Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/18

Soares, David
Soares, Anita
a/k/a Bergamotto, Anita
a/k/a Galella, Anita T.
65 Yorktown Court
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/11/18

Sullivan, Janice E.
17 Alden Ave.
Apartment 2
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/03/18

Tisdell, Michael S.
608 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/08/18

Vegas, Joel A.
a/k/a Vegas Paulino, Joel A.
342 Dalton Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/13/18

Vogel, Mary-Jane
422 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/04/18

Woodbury, Susan M.
118 Clairmont Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/06/18

Building Permits Departments

The following building permits were issued during the month of April 2018.

AGAWAM

James Acerra, Clark Dore
707-709 Main St.
$20,000 — Interior repairs to walls and ceilings for conversion from convenience store to nail salon

Agawam Historical Assoc. Inc.
251 North West St.
$1,200 — Demolish barn

Ashakrishna, LLC
336-344 North Westfield St.
$4,500 — Open wall, install tile, paint existing wall

Ashakrishna, LLC
336-344 North Westfield St.
$4,675 — Move bathroom walls for handicap access

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
1061-1065 Springfield St.
$3,000 — Construct shed connecting to existing building at Sacred Heart Church

AMHERST

Stavros Center for Independent Living
210 Old Farm Road
$68,820 — Rooftop photovoltaic system

CHICOPEE

64 Dulong Circle, LLC
64 Dulong Circle
$40,000 — Conversion of three sleeping rooms into two classrooms, reuse of former classroom for sleeping rooms, toilet modification

904 Meadow Street, LLC
904 Meadow St.
$7,100 — Tenant fit-up; office, vestibule, bathroom walls

EIP Westover Road, LLC
2073 Westover Road
$188,250 — Renovate select portions of existing building

J and N Salema Family Limited
510 Burnett Road
$4,500 — Install of fire protection signaling system

McDonalds Real Estate Co.
350 Burnett Road
$427,000 — Interior, exterior, and site work

Meadow Chicopee 425-521, LLC
425 Meadow St.
$582,500 — Roofing

David Momnie
113 Center St.
$16,000 — Strip and re-roof

Maurice Spear Jr.
220 Exchange St.
Roofing

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
600 Grattan St.
$73,475 — Minor alterations to cabinetry to accommodate new appliances including refrigerator and sinks

EASTHAMPTON

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$20,000 — Add non-load-bearing walls, add handicap-accessible bathrooms

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$25,000 — Interior renovations to Suite 335

Eastworks, LLP
116 Pleasant St.
$375,000 — Roofing

EAST LONGMEADOW

The Arbors Kids
126 Industrial Dr.
$5,000 — Sheet metal

Ascent Dental
250 North Main St.
$20,000 — Sheet metal

Meadows Podiatry
313 Maple St.
$27,000 — Demolish building

GREENFIELD

Center for Human Development
102 Main St.
$11,000 — Install fire-suppression system to protect server room

Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
180 Silvio O. Conte Dr.
$35,073 — Remodel two bathrooms

Four Rivers Educational Foundation
248 Colrain Road
$19,200 — Reinforce barn shed roof

Rachael Katz
229-231 Main St.
$2,030 — Replace rear exterior door, construct box steps over existing concrete steps

Town of Greenfield
125 Federal St.
$4,450 — Install kiln

HADLEY

Shipman Realty Trust
140 Russell St.
$6,000 — Strip and replace roof at Greenfield Savings Bank

Shipman Realty Trust
140 Russell St.
$18,980 — Six new signs for Greenfield Savings Bank

LONGMEADOW

Longmeadow Mall, LP
827 Williams St.
$328,000 — Renovate new restaurant space

NORTHAMPTON

City of Northampton
125 Locust St.
$49,591 — Construct new mezzanine

City of Northampton
80 Locust St.
$3,500 — Cut new doorway at Smith School for exterior walk-in cooler/freezer for cafeteria kitchen

Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society
54 Fair St.
$2,000 — Temporary stage for concert

Industrial Drive, LLC
94 Industrial Dr.
$13,100 — Drywall ceiling, insulation, lighting, and HVAC

Northampton Realty, LLC
293 King St.
$17,000 — Remove and replace sign at Lia Honda

SPRINGFIELD

271 Page Blvd., LLC
271 Page Blvd.
$40,000 — Partial demolition of commercial warehouse building

C & W Breckwood Realty Co.
1060 Wilbraham Road
$10,000 — Alter building facade and canopy in shopping center

F.L Roberts Co. Inc.
275 Albany St.
$37,000 — Demolish portion of commercial building, former Paul’s Fuel

Gardening the Community Inc.
200 Walnut St.
$21,134 — Add solar panels to farm stand

Anthony Patalino, Douglas Delisle
136 Walnut St.
$130,000 — Interior renovations to convert service station to Domino’s pizza bakery store

Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield
516 Carew St.
$187,781 — Alter interior space on second floor for inpatient acute rehabilitation

Springfield Partners for Community Action Inc.
721 State St.
$56,167 — Alter restroom space for accessibility upgrades at New Beginnings Child Care

Barrington Stephenson
47 Jasper St.
Remove right side of attached shed and repair garage wall

Edale Realty, LLC
211 Worthington St.
$45,000 — Alterations to bar/restaurant, including glass overhead door and storefront, repair fire alarm and kitchen Ansul system

WARE

Baystate Mary Lane Hospital
85 South St.
$8,980 — HVAC duct systems for Davis Building, fourth-floor Oncology project

Wicked Wings
136 Pleasant St.
$12,000 — Replace existing hoods with make-up hoods, fire suppression

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Atrium Property Services
439 Cold Spring Ave.
$15,900 — Roofing

Robin C. Taylor, LLC
54 Myron St.
$79,000 — New metal studs and drywall partitions, hollow metal frames and wood doors, electrical work, remodel bathrooms, acoustical ceilings

Town of West Springfield
255 Interstate Dr.
Replace three antennas with three new antennas, add three lines of hybrid fiber cable

WILBRAHAM

Wilbraham & Monson Academy
423-451 Main St.
$22,375 — Pavilion

DBA Certificates Departments

The following business certificates and trade names were issued or renewed during the month of April 2018.

AMHERST

Amherst Enterprise Park
441 West St.
Leigh Andrews

Domain Masonry, LLC
86 Kellogg Ave.
Christopher Domain

Golden 3 Counseling Services
447 West St., Suite 3
Brittanie Jemes

Gorilla Tactics
145 University Dr., #3541
Jesse Crafts-Finch

J. Hurd & Associates
220 North Pleasant St.
Jason Hurd

J. Shefftz Consulting
14 Moody Field Road
Jonathan Shefftz

Jennifer Lefort, PhD
15 Linden Ridge Road
Jennifer Lefort

BELCHERTOWN

Morning Star Graphics
238 Rockrimmon St.
Roger Duffy, Natalia Duffy

CHICOPEE

The Chinese Kung Fu Wushu Academy
551 East St.
Binh Nguyen

Electra-Sounds Entertainment
5 Julia Ave.
William Butman Jr.

First Stop Grocery
830 Chicopee St.
Sudan Curiel

Generations Salon
588 Chicopee St.
Lisa Carlson

JWI Kitchens, LLC
374 Springfield St.
Ivelesse Perez

MamaRazzi Photography Inc.
165 Front St., Building D
Jenna Medina, Jacqueline Slatton

Meraki Salon
685 James St.
Christine Peacey

RazziKids
165 Front St., Building D
Jenna Medina, Jacqueline Slatton

Serenity Salon & Spa
472 Burnett Road
Alison Metcalfe

Style and Grace Hair Studios
1735 Westover Road
Ruben Camacho Jr.

WP-HL Foundation
16 America St.
Edward Fulke

EASTHAMPTON

Brian Harrison
1 Nashawannuck St.
Brian Harrison

C.R.P. Home Improvement
73 Glendale St.
Corey Pease

Frusho
28 Golden Dr.
Christopher Cabrini

Furs A Flyin
155R Northampton St.
MaryKate Murray

Pressplayhouse Duds
312 Main St.
Matthew Goldman

Worldsongs.com
116 Pleasant St., #334
Charlie Shew

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dreamscape Properties
20 Somerset St.
Marco Basile

G & A Import Auto Repair
41 Fisher Ave.
Alfonso Gioiella

McRae Consulting Solutions
57 Merriam St.
Mary McRae

HOLYOKE

Aeropostale #112
50 Holyoke St.
Aero Opco, LLC

The Clover Pub
102-104 High St.
Michael Rigali

Creative Concepts
24 Old Jarvis Ave.
Thomas Kennedy

Giggles Daycare
53 Argyle Ave.
Siobhan Sullivan

The Honey Pot
264 Sargeant St.
Jocelyn Poirier

Hyperperformance Cuts, LLC
118 Maple St.
Hanser Perez

Mocha Emporium
50 Holyoke St.
Adel Wahhas

Quick Stop
172 Sargeant St.
Tariq Aziz Khan

Reliable Computer
867 Main St.
Daniel Deschaine

Taste Freeze
915 Main St.
Daniel Rios

Your Brother-in-Law’s Handiman Services
33 Clerk St.
Joshua Silva

LONGMEADOW

EDV Home Design and Renovation
121 Willow Brook Road
Elaine D’Alleva-Vehse

SmartCheck
17 Barrington Road
Nora MacKay, Mark Fellows

LUDLOW

The Beauty Studio Boutique Inc.
393 East St.
Marsia Nogueira, Kristen Bousquet

NORTHAMPTON

Absolute Zero
229 Main St.
Meng Qin Wang

C.L. Frank & Co.
50 Cooke Ave.
Christopher Frank

Chill Harmonics
39 Main St., Suite 3
Pamela Smith

Christopher Foley Painting
68 Bradford St., Apt. B
Christopher Foley

Compass Community Education Center
221 Pine St., Suite 320
Shelly Risinger, Elena Allee

Couples Center of the Pioneer Valley
182 Main St., #202
Katherine Waddell

Dodeca
38 Main St.
Endamian Stewart, Robert Stewart

Hygeniks Inc.
106 Industrial Dr.
Todd Marchefka

Joel Russell Associates
16 Armory St., Suite 7
Joel Russell

Kidstuff
90 Maple St.
Tami Schirch

Metalmass Records
670B Haydenville Road
Kristian Strom

MG Coaching Services
98 Pine St., Unit 6
Martha Grinnell

New England Medical Consultants Inc.
124 Maple Ridge Road
Matthew Kane, Ann Markes

Northampton Golden Nozzle #04082
304 King St.
Nouria Energy Retail Inc.

Robinson Real Estate
35C State St.
Steven Slezek

Room 6 Salon & Nails
140 Pine St., #6
Melanie Burnett

State Street Fruit Store, Deli, Wines & Spirits
51 State St.
Richard Cooper

PALMER

JKL Liquid Asphalt
244 Burlingame Road
Raymond Croteau

Marlene’s Beauty Salon
1461 North Main St.
Jean Ciukaj

Tranquility Central
1384 Main St.
Kathleen Jett

SOUTHWICK

Humble N’Kind D-Sign
352 North Loomis St.
Elizabeth Vivier

Total Home Services
445 College Highway
Geno Whitehead

SPRINGFIELD

413 Video Productions
40 Edgewood St.
Aaron Williams

All Seasons Basement Dewatering Inc.
45 Jamestown Dr.
James Kelly

Around the Clock Adult Home Care
130 Fenwick St.
Linda Sheehan

Aer Wireless
119 Maplewood Terrace
Wi4me, LLC

Banh Mi Mia
461 Belmont Ave.
Hung Nguyen

Grez Automotive, LLC
604 Boston Road
Pan Siphanoum

Hariss Beauty
20 Arnold Ave.
Brittany Franco

House of Lockhart
89 Hyde Ave.
Ramon Albizu

J M Towing
56 Loring St.
Jerry Martinez

La Marguencita Bakery
755 Liberty St.
Lorena Vicente

Little Luv Bugs Day Care
24 Mayfair Ave.
Judy Williams

Ma Chere Creole Kitchen
94 Pennsylvania Ave.
Michael Guidry

Maidpro
527 Belmont St.
Heewon Yang

Montalvo Trucking
48 Appleton St.
Victor Montalvo

Mzion Corp.
1341 Main St.
Ni Si Kim

Northeast Mountain Footwear
459 Breckwood Blvd.
Algeni Enterprises

Rex Ambrosia, LLC
145 Ambrose St.
Glenn Mills

Rock Bottom Records
114 Cardinal St.
Abdul Ibrahim Jr.

Trinity Health of New England
271 Carew St.
Mercy Medical Group

Vladmierj Tailor
66 Dickinson St.
Thuy Fuda

WARE

Blissful Moments Hair Skin Body Studio
89 Main St., Suite 4
Tenah Richardson

Dance Unlimited MA
23 West Main St.
Mary Royer

Lost & Found Mercantile
85 Main St.
Kristin Rosenbeck, Dennis Cote

Miss Sue’s Place
42 Greenwich Road
Susan Flamand

Murphy’s Painting
197 River Road
Cole Murphy

Western Mass Home Improvement
81 Greenwich Road
Christopher Wiggin

WESTFIELD

Affordable Building Contractor
26 Northridge Road
David Wroblewski

Ace Photography
29 Beckwith Ave.
Nicholas Ventura

MAR Consulting
83 Pineridge Dr.
Mona Rastegar

Power Control Services & Electric Inc.
227 Loomis St.
Power Control Services & Electric Inc.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Arbella Insurance Group
1 Interstate Dr.
Arbella Insurance Group

B+ Clean-Outs
10 Elizabeth St.
Joseph Switzler

Ballard Mack Sales & Service
124 Ashley Ave.
John Picking

Custom Railings Tech Inc.
117 Allston Ave.
Armand Cote

Energia Massage
1111 Elm St.
Tatiana McCoy

Holiday Flowers
69 Angeline St.
Joan Marino

Olympia Junior Hockey
125 Capital Dr.
Patrick Tabb

Plato’s Closet
1472 Riverdale St.
Kathleen White

Springfield Inn
1573 Riverdale St.
Dilip Rana

Wendy’s #292
288 Park St.
Inspired By

Wendy’s #318
644 Riverdale St.
Inspired By

WILBRAHAM

Barone’s Landscaping
375 Mountain Road
Nicholas Barone

BJC Consulting
9 Whitford Place
Barry Christman

C & S Construction
9 Meadowview Road
Christian Mills

Trinity Health of New England Medical Group
70 Post Office Park
Carlos Martins

Departments Incorporations

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

AMHERST

Mass Landlord Education Inc., 11 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002. Thea L. Costine, 131 Main St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. To provide education and assistance to individuals new to the business of being a landlord.

BERNARDSTON

Jim Whitney Plumbing & Heating Inc., 336 Huckle Hill Road, Bernardston, MA 01337. James D. Whitney, Same. Plumbing and heating.

CHICOPEE

Interstate Carriers Corp., 78 Robak Dr., Chicopee, MA 01020. Marina Biley, same. Vehicle transportation.

EGREMONT

Kifar Zaydee Corp., 196 Egremont Plain Road, Egremont, MA 01258. Peter Neustadter, same. Real estate rentals.

HAYDENVILLE

Massachusetts Families for College Success Inc., 2 Cole Road, Haydenville, MA 01039. Marc Kenen, Same. Educates the public about the need to increase the number of Massachusetts residents who attend and graduate from college.

SHELBURNE FALLS

Ksw Home & Building Services Inc., 4 Laurel St., Shelburne Falls, MA 01370. Kelly S. Warger, same. Construction.

SPRINGFIELD

L F Meat Food Market Corp., 89 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA 01109. Francisco Augusto Cabrera, 55-E Stavord, Springfield, MA 01109. Grocery store products.

Mad Max Transportation Inc., 46 Haumont Terrace, Springfield, MA 01104. Max Charvayev, same. Transportation.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

JC Charter Inc., 425 Union St., West Springfield, MA 01089. John H. Cookley, same. Passenger transportation.

WILBRHAM

Kao Services, P.C., 1225 Stony Hill Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Kathleen A. O’Malley, same. Legal services.

Briefcase Departments

MGM Springfield to Officially Open on Aug. 24

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Resorts International announced it will open the doors to MGM Springfield, New England’s first integrated luxury resort and entertainment destination, on Friday, Aug. 24. “A testament to a decade of collaboration between the city of Springfield and MGM Resorts, MGM Springfield will pay tribute to the city’s legacy and celebrate its bright future, while introducing a stellar array of hospitality and entertainment experiences that will attract guests from New England and beyond,” said Michael Mathis, president of MGM Springfield. Added Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, “I look forward to working with MGM Springfield for many years to come. They’re a world-class company and an outstanding corporate citizen. I deeply appreciate their belief and investment in our Springfield. I wish them continued success as we create another Springfield first.”

Local Farmer Awards Give $135,000 to 59 Farmers

AGAWAM — The Local Farmer Awards, funded by a group of philanthropic leaders and businesses, recently gave $135,000 in awards to 59 farmers operating in Western Mass. to fund infrastructure improvements on their farms. Each award winner received up to $2,500 through a competitive application process for projects that will help them expand their businesses, compete in the marketplace, and continue providing the health and environmental benefits of local farming. Now in its fourth year, the awards have increased the number of farmers supported, from 33 in the first year to 59 this year, thanks to 10 funders, including Big Y and the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, along with a team of sponsors: HP Hood LLC, Friendly’s, PeoplesBank, Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place, Ann and Steve Davis, Baystate Health, Farm Credit East, and Florence Bank. More than half of the award winners have been in business no more than 10 years. “Western Massachusetts’ agricultural roots run deep, and we have long been known as one of the primary growing regions in New England,” said Charlie D’Amour, president and chief operating officer of Big Y. “Today, alongside families who have been farming for generations, a new crop of young farming families and entrepreneurs are continuing this fine tradition. At Big Y, we are pleased to continue our own 80-plus year tradition of supporting these farmer families by joining with the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation and other sponsors to provide grants and opportunities for this important part of our region’s economy and culture.” Matthew Bannister, first vice president for marketing and innovation at PeoplesBank, a new sponsor for 2018, added that “PeoplesBank is proud to support our local farmers and their innovative ideas. We congratulate the awardees and thank the entire local farming community for their efforts.” The four counties of Western Massachusetts feature an abundance of farms; more than 800 farms in the region have sales greater than $10,000 — a requirement for the award application. Recognizing that agriculture is such a strong regional force, Harold Grinspoon founded the Local Farmer Awards four years ago. “I have so much enjoyed being part of the Local Farmer Awards program,” he said. “Farmers are amazing — so hardworking and industrious. It is an absolute pleasure to get to know them.” Berkshire Grown and Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, advocates for farming and agriculture in the region, have provided advice and support for this program since its inception. A farmer appreciation event will be held in late fall 2018 to recognize all applicants and promote the importance of local agriculture.

Company Notebook Departments

Webber & Grinnell Acquires Ross Insurance

NORTHAMPTON — Ross Insurance agency of Holyoke has been acquired by Webber and Grinnell Insurance Agency of Northampton. Maureen Ross O’Connell will continue to manage the Holyoke operation at 150 Lower Westfield Road in Holyoke under the name of Ross, Webber and Grinnell Insurance. Kevin Ross plans on retiring sometime over the next 18 months. “Ross Insurance is synonymous with community and trust,” said Bill Grinnell, president of Webber and Grinnell. “We are thrilled to have their staff joining our team and enabling us to serve clients across the entire Pioneer Valley. Kevin and Maureen are incredible insurance professionals, and I look forward to Maureen joining our ownership group.” Added Ross O’Connell, “we feel that we found the perfect partner to continue the Ross family legacy. Webber and Grinnell has a long history of generous community support and exceptional customer service.”

Westfield Bank to Open Liberty Street Office

SPRINGFIELD — Westfield Bank announced it will open a full-service branch office at 1342 Liberty St. in Springfield in July. When it opens, the Liberty Street office, which currently has a 24-hour ATM, will be operated as a full-service branch featuring lobby and drive-up banking, a drive-up ATM, and banking specialists trained to assist customers with business banking, residential mortgages, and investment and insurance services (via Westfield Financial Management Services). Construction is already underway, with renovations expected to be completed in late June or early July. Roberta Lussier, who currently oversees the bank’s Tower Square office, will also manage the Liberty Street office. Westfield Bank plans to celebrate the opening of the Liberty Street office with special events and promotions, which will be announced at a later date.

Spacelabs Invests $720,000 in UMass Center Nursing Program

SPRINGFIELD — Spacelabs Healthcare, a Snoqualmie, Wash.-based medical-equipment manufacturer, recently unveiled a $720,000 investment in the UMass Center at Springfield’s nursing laboratory. The state-of-the-art Spacelabs equipment includes two Sonicaid fetal/maternal monitors, ambulatory blood-pressure monitors, multiple nursing monitors, and invasive cardiac outputs that will benefit the UMass Amherst College of Nursing’s accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program, which serves as a pipeline for rained nurses into the region’s healthcare sector. The equipment will be primarily used by UMass Amherst nursing students in the accelerated program, which is based in Springfield.

Tighe & Bond Climbs in National Ranking

WESTFIELD — Tighe & Bond, a full-service engineering and environmental consulting firm, climbed 19 spots this year to No. 241 on Engineering News Record’s “2018 Top 500 Design Firms” ranking. In the past two years, Tighe & Bond climbed 34 spots as the firm continues to grow its regional market. The publication ranks its list of top 500 design firms nationally based on design-specific revenue from the previous year.

Valley Blue Sox Announce New Ownership

SPRINGFIELD — The Valley Blue Sox announced that Hadley native Fred Ciaglo has taken over the reins as team owner and president from the departing Clark Eckhoff. Ciaglo has been a long-time part of the Valley Blue Sox, hosting players for the past seven years and as a bench coach for the last four years. He has been involved with baseball in the Valley since he was able to throw a ball, playing at Hopkins Academy in Hadley and then at Springfield College, helping pitch the Pride to the 1986 Northeast-10 championship when the school competed in Division II athletics. Ciaglo was a staple of the Tri-County Baseball League for more than 20 years, twice winning the league’s Wes Carr Trophy for best pitcher. He has taught and coached at Hopkins Academy since graduating from Springfield, coaching boys and girls basketball as well as baseball over that time; in addition, he spent a decade as Hadley Youth Baseball’s coaching coordinator and on the board of directors for the Cal Ripken level. Vice President and General Manager Hunter Golden will stay on with the team and remain in his role. Also returning this season will be Manager John Raiola, who will return for his fourth season as head coach, as well as pitching coach Jim Woods. Joining the coaching staff, former Blue Sox player Hezekiah Randolph will serve as hitting coach for the team.

Country Bank Donates $15,000 to Domestic Violence Task Force

WARE — Country Bank announced that it recently donated $15,000 to the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force to support its continued commitment to helping those in need in the Quaboag Hills Region. “Country Bank’s donation has been the foundation of all local domestic-violence services at Valley Human Services of BHN Inc. in the Quaboag Hills,” said Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services. “Their funds have been the seed money and remain the match for programs now supported by municipal, state, and federal dollars. We literally would not have our team preventing and responding to domestic violence in our region without Country Bank.”

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Reports 63% Increase in Q1 Earnings

BOSTON — Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. reported first-quarter 2018 net income of $25 million, a 63% increase over the 2017 first-quarter results of $15 million. This reflected the ongoing benefit of the company’s growth and expansion, together with the benefit of a lower federal tax rate resulting from federal tax reform. “We had a solid start to the year, delivering ongoing growth while integrating our new commerce operations,” CEO Michael Daly said. “With the benefit of greater efficiency, GAAP return on assets improved to 0.88%, and core return on assets improved to 1.04%. We expect continued momentum in the second quarter, where GAAP return on assets will improve to over 1.00% and core return on assets will improve to over 1.10%.” The board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.22 per common share to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 10, payable on May 24. The dividend equates to a 2.3% annualized yield based on the $37.88 average closing price of Berkshire Hills Bancorp common stock during the first quarter. The board also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.44 per share for the preferred stock issued in conjunction with the Commerce acquisition, with the same record and payment dates as above. The quarterly common and preferred dividends were increased in the prior quarter by 5%.

Girls on the Run Nominated for Award

NORTHAMPTON — The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) announced that Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts has been selected a finalist for the 2018 Nonprofit Excellence Award in the Small Nonprofit category. The Excellence Awards will be presented at the Massachusetts State House on Monday, June 4. The Small Nonprofit Excellence Award recognizes an organization making an outsized impact in its community despite limited resources. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be healthy, joyful, and confident, using an experiential, social-emotional curriculum that integrates running. In its third year of operation, Girls on the Run has 180 volunteer coaches, including teachers, parents, and community members operating at 54 school sites serving over 740 girls. To date, Girls on the Run has served more than 1,200 girls around Western Mass.

Chili Chocolate Chip Wins UMass Ice Cream Competition

AMHERST — The winning flavor in this year’s UMass Amherst student ice-cream competition is chili chocolate chip, as selected by judges in the fourth annual food-science event held on campus April 30. It will become the latest UMass student-created ice cream produced by Maple Valley Creamery of Hadley over the coming weeks, said owner Bruce Jenks. For the event, creamery staff, local chefs, and guest judges sampled original ice creams created by four teams of senior food-science majors vying for the honor of developing a new flavor for the UMass label. The three other entries in this spring’s competition were a butternut squash flavor with lemon zest, ginger, turmeric, and semi-sweet chocolate bits; a chocolate banana graham-cracker flavor; and a strawberry-basil flavor with dark chocolate pieces. The strawberry-basil, dubbed ‘summer blush’ by its creators, won the audience’s vote for best flavor, and Jenks said he may make a seasonal batch of it in the summer. Members of the winning chili chocolate chip team are Marina Gela, Gina Grimaldi, Rachael Montigny, Joshua Liao, Erica Snyder, and Jozxelle Tongson.

ESE Donates $240,000 to Big E/West Springfield Trust Fund

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Eastern States Exposition President and CEO Eugene Cassidy presented a donation of $240,198 to the Big E/West Springfield Trust Fund in a ceremony held at Town Hall on April 18. The amount, the largest to date since the fund’s inception in 1994, represents 1% of the Exposition’s gross revenues for 2017. Including this year’s gift, exposition contributions now total $3,999,669. During the presentation of this year’s check, Cassidy pledged a personal donation of $331 to bring the total to an even $4 million. Trustees of the fund are West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt, Cassidy, and Attorney Mary Paier Powers. Grants in 2017 totaled more than $63,209 for 15 town organizations, schools, sports teams, and more.

Arrha Credit Union Awards Five Scholarships

SPRINGFIELD — Arrha Credit Union recently awarded five $1,000 scholarships to area students based on scholastic merit and civic achievement. To be eligible for the Anthony J. Serafino Scholarship, recipients must demonstrate scholastic achievement, be a high-school senior, be a member of Arrha or a student whose parent is a member, be active in extracurricular activities and community endeavors, and intend to attend a two-year or four-year degree-granting college or university. The 2018 recipients are A’Shaela Chaires from Williston Northampton School, Kimberly McLeod from Longmeadow High School, Patricia Moriarty from Phillips Exeter Academy, Owen Serafino from West Springfield High School, and Tamra Zippin from Minnechaug Regional High School. In addition to the scholarships, each student was given $100 to open an account with a debit card to jump-start their financial future on a positive note. “We wish each of our recipients the best of luck with their educational endeavors,” said Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union.

Departments People on the Move
Moira Maguire

Moira Maguire

Holyoke Community College recently welcomed Moira Maguire as its new dean of Social Sciences. Maguire most recently served as dean of Liberal Arts at Schenectady County Community College in New York. Before that, she spent 12 years as a professor of history at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, where she was a tenured faculty member and served as a department chair and course coordinator. She holds a Ph.D. in history from American University, a master’s degree in history from Northeastern University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from George Washington University. As a teacher and scholar specializing in 20th-century Irish history, Maguire spent more than 10 years at the University of Ireland Maynooth, where her research on infanticide and the Irish government’s care of unwed mothers and their children led to many articles and a book, Cherished Equally? Precarious Childhood in Independent Ireland. She has also worked as a consultant for the BBC on documentaries related to her research. As dean of Social Science, she will oversee six academic departments: Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, Critical Cultural Studies (Economics, Geography, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Women’s Studies), Psychology, and Sociology/Anthropology.

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Sonya Stephens, the acting president of Mount Holyoke College, has been named the college’s 19th president, effective July 1. The Mount Holyoke College board of trustees announced its decision to appoint Stephens on April 23 after an extensive presidential selection process that began in January. A formal inauguration will be held in September. The decision was unanimous. Stephens was made acting president in July 2016. During her tenure, she has overseen the implementation of the Plan for Mount Holyoke 2021 and been focused on ensuring the college’s long-term financial stability. Other key efforts include the creation of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative, which led to the annual BOOM! (Building on Our Momentum) learning conference and to the hiring of the college’s first chief diversity officer. Stephens led the development of the college’s comprehensive self-study for re-accreditation by the New England Assoc. of Schools and Colleges, and launched the Community Center construction and the opening of the Dining Commons. She is also overseeing the college’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by its bicentennial in 2037.

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Elissa Langevin

Elissa Langevin

Lee McCarthy

Lee McCarthy

Shelley Daughdrill

Shelley Daughdrill

Lori Jarrett

Lori Jarrett

Celia Alvarado

Celia Alvarado

Alicia Pare

Alicia Pare

Florence Bank has promoted three employees to oversee the management of branches within their designated regions. Elissa Langevin has been named vice president and area manager for the bank’s main office in Florence, Lee McCarthy will serve as vice president and area manager for the King Street office in Northampton, Shelley Daughdrill and will hold the role of vice president and area manager for the Belchertown branch. Langevin is a 10-year employee of Florence Bank. Formerly, she was vice president and branch manager of the main office in Florence. During her tenure at the bank, Langevin has been the recipient of Florence Bank’s Community Service Award, which provides recognition to employees who are actively involved in community organizations. She serves as the current treasurer of the Belchertown Day School and has served as a board member for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts. She has also served as board member and president of the East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce. McCarthy is a 15-year employee of Florence Bank. Formerly, she was vice president and branch manager of the King Street office. During her tenure at the bank, McCarthy has served as consumer lending officer and branch manager. She is a volunteer for the United Way of Hampshire County and serves on its Community Allocation Committee. In 2015, she was recognized by the United Way as an honoree for the Community Champion Award, presented to a community member who has made a significant contribution to the organization’s mission of creating positive and lasting change in Hampshire County. Daughdrill is a 12-year employee of Florence Bank. Formerly, she served as vice president and branch manager of the Amherst and Belchertown offices. She has been the recipient of the bank’s President’s Award and Community Service Award. She is a board member, attendance chair, and auction committee member for the Amherst Rotary Club, and she also serves on the development committee for the Amherst Survival Center. Meanwhile, Florence Bank has also hired three new employees to serve in various positions. Lori Jarrett will serve as assistant controller in the Finance Department in the main office in Florence, Celia Alvarado was named portfolio officer/commercial loan origination, and Alicia Pare was named to the position of cash management relationship officer. Jarrett holds a master’s degree in accounting from Western New England University. She volunteers for area nonprofits, including Riverside Industries, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, and Safe Passage, and she runs in the Apple-a-Day 5K, which benefits the elementary schools of Easthampton. Alvarado joined Florence Bank in February with nearly 10 years of banking experience. She currently studies at the New England College of Business, where she’s working on a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. She volunteers for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts and has served on its board in the past. Pare earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Assumption College in Worcester. In 2014, she received Florence Bank’s prestigious President’s Club Award, an annual tradition that recognizes outstanding performance, customer service, and overall contribution to Florence Bank.

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Mark Fuller, current dean and Thomas O’Brien Endowed Chair at Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, has been appointed the new vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations by UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. Fuller will succeed Michael Leto, who announced his upcoming retirement last fall. As the university’s chief advancement officer, Fuller will serve on the chancellor’s leadership team and be responsible for short- and long-term plans to improve private support as well as cultivate strong relationships with UMass alumni and supporters. UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth’s flagship campus, has more than 200,000 living alumni. Fuller has led UMass’s Isenberg School of Management since 2009. Under Fuller’s leadership, Isenberg has generated a four-fold increase in annual gift performance since 2010; received a $10 million endowment to create the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship; increased student giving ten-fold; secured private support for the new, $62 million Business Innovation Wing; and created 12 new endowed faculty positions. Prior to coming to UMass Amherst, Fuller was a professor and chair of the Department of Information Systems and holder of the Philip L. Kays Distinguished Professorship in Management Information Systems at Washington State University. He received his master’s degree in management and his Ph.D. in management information systems from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. His research focuses on virtual teamwork, technology-supported learning, and trust and efficacy in technology-mediated environments. Prior to Washington State, Fuller was an associate professor at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University.

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Maureen “Maura” Guzik

Maureen “Maura” Guzik

Casey Cusson

Casey Cusson

Erin Tautznik

Erin Tautznik

Janet Rosenkranz

Janet Rosenkranz

Michael Tucker, president and CEO of Greenfield Cooperative Bank, announced one new hire as well as three promotions. Maureen “Maura” Guzik joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank as vice president, Commercial Loans. She will be responsible for developing new commercial business in Hampshire County with the Northampton Cooperative division of the bank. She will be based in the bank’s Triangle Street branch in Amherst. She has more than 34 years of commercial banking experience. Guzik is a board member of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Children Advocacy Center and chairperson of the Belchertown Council on Aging. She is also active with the Amherst Area and Greater Northampton chambers of commerce. She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Anselm’s College and her MBA from American International College. Casey Cusson has been promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager of the bank’s Shelburne Falls location. He has more than 15 years of management experience and joined Greenfield Cooperative Bank in June 2017. He is a board member on the Shelburne Falls Area Business Assoc. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from UMass Amherst and will attend the New England School of Banking at Babson College beginning in May. Erin Tautznik was promoted to branch officer. With more than 13 years of banking experience, she is responsible for managing the bank’s 67 King St., Northampton office. She joined Northampton Cooperative Bank in 2004 and has attended Holyoke Community College and numerous banking seminars and courses. She is also a volunteer with the JFK Middle School’s after-school program. Janet Rosenkranz, credit officer, has additionally been named the Credit Department manager, and is now responsible for the bank’s Credit Department staff and coordinating its activities. She joined the bank in 2016 and has more than 18 years of experience in banking. She is a volunteer with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. She received her bachelor’s degree at UMass Amherst and will attend the National School of Banking at the Wharton School beginning in June.

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Brian Kapitulik has accepted the position of dean of Business, Information Technology, Professional Studies, and Social Sciences at Greenfield Community College (GCC). “After a thorough search, we were excited to offer the position of dean to Brian,” said Catherine Seaver, chief Academic Affairs officer. Kapitulik has 18 years of professional experience in the Massachusetts public higher-education system and, in particular, during the last decade, in community college. Before his current role, he was chair of the Department of Social Sciences and professor of Sociology at GCC. He has also taught at UMass Amherst and Quinsigamond Community College. During this time, he evaluated and developed curriculum, assessed and reviewed programs, created new courses, and hired and mentored new faculty, all while teaching students, publishing papers, organizing professional-development workshops in his field, and serving the college in a number of leadership capacities ranging from search committees to faculty mentor for online pedagogy.

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The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ newly launched arts initiative, ValleyCreates, announced the appointment of five community advisors to support the initiative’s core mission to address underserved communities’ access to arts and culture funding and resources. Gina Beavers, Arts and Culture editor for the Valley Advocate, will serve as a liaison to arts and culture organizations in Hampshire and Hampden counties. Vanessa Pabón-Hernandez, director of Community Engagement and Education for WGBY, will serve as the initiative’s liaison to arts organizations in Hampden County. Matthew Glassman, co-artistic director ensemble of Double Edge Theater in Ashfield, will serve as a liaison to rural arts and culture organizations with a focus on Franklin County. Rosemary Tracy Woods, executive director and chief curator of the nonprofit Art for the Soul Gallery in Springfield, will serve as the ValleyCreates events curator. Finally, Kent Alexander will serve as the initiative’s diversity, equity, and inclusion facilitator. He brings with him years of experience conducting anti-racism and social-justice-focused workshops for various local organizations. Each community advisor will contribute up to eight hours per month for one year and will receive a stipend. ValleyCreates is supported by the Barr Foundation, through the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts’ participation in the Creative Commonwealth Initiative.

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Jeanne Hardy, associate professor of Chemistry, whose research focuses on a key protein linked to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, is being recognized with the inaugural Mahoney Life Sciences Prize at UMass Amherst. A panel of expert judges from the life-sciences sector observed that the “biomedical implications are significant” and “this could turn out to be one of ‘the’ pivotal studies in the effort to combat Alzheimer’s.” Hardy will receive the prize and present her research with life-sciences experts and UMass officials and scientists at a breakfast ceremony on Tuesday, June 19 at the UMass Club in Boston. Established by UMass Amherst alumni Richard, Robert, and William Mahoney, the $10,000 prize is intended to recognize scientists from the university’s College of Natural Sciences whose work significantly advances connections between research and industry. The prize will be awarded annually to one faculty member who is the principal author of a peer-reviewed paper about original research. Eligible papers can be on any topic in the life sciences that focuses on new research with translatable applications to industry and society. Hardy’s research paper, “Multiple Proteolytic Events in Caspase-6 Self-activation Impacts Conformations of Discrete Structural Regions,” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in September 2017.

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Baystate Franklin Medical Center announced that two interim leaders have accepted permanent positions at the community hospital. Ron Bryant has been named president, Baystate Franklin Medical Center/Northern Region, in addition to his continued role as president, Baystate Noble Hospital. Deb Provost has been named chief nursing officer and chief administrative officer, Baystate Franklin Medical Center/Northern Region, in addition to her continued role as chief regulatory officer, Baystate Health. Both have been serving in these roles in an interim capacity. Since Bryant’s interim appointment in January, he has held many open forums focusing on employee engagement and the need for a strong collaborative culture, advancing system integration and re-emphasizing the health system’s mission from a patient and employee perspective. Provost has been serving in the interim role of vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Baystate Franklin since November. Since her appointment, she has worked collaboratively with Baystate Franklin Medical Center’s leaders and team members to help ensure safe, high-quality care to the residents of Franklin County. Provost has been with Baystate Health for 41 years and has served as vice president, Surgery and Anesthesia and as interim chief nursing officer at Baystate Medical Center.

Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE

www.1berkshire.com

(413) 499-1600

• May 16: Chamber Nite & BYP Networking Social, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Dalton Union, 395 Main St., Dalton. Join us for our joint May Chamber Nite and BYP Social at Union Block in downtown Dalton with participating businesses: Hot Harry’s, Berkshire Dream Home, Therapeutic Massage & Wellness, Academy Mortgage Corp., Horace Mann Insurance, McMahon & Vigeant, P.C., Wheeler & Taylor Insurance, Dalton Restaurant, New England Dynamark Security, and 2 Flights Up Dance & Game Studio. Cost: free. Register online at www.1berkshire.com.

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

• May 16: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at Munich Haus, 13 Center St., Chicopee. Chief greeter: Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos. Keynote Speaker: Kim Kenney-Rockwal, Elms MBA. Sponsored by United Personnel, Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, Polish National Credit Union, Gaudreau Group, Sunshine Village, Spherion Staffing Services, and PeoplesBank. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 18: Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament, 10 a.m. shotgun start, hosted by Chicopee Country Club, 1290 Burnett Road, Chicopee. Presented by Polish National Credit Union. Sponsored by Gaudreau Group, First American Insurance Agency Inc., Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, Poly-Plating Inc., N. Riley Construction, Hampton Inn, Residence Inn of Chicopee, Tru by Hilton, and Health New England. Cost: $125 per golfer, $500 per team of four, and/or $20 golfer package that includes 25 raffle tickets and one mulligan. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

• May 31: Sunshine Soiree, a multi-chamber networking event, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Sunshine Village, 75 Litwin Lane, Chicopee. The event will feature complimentary hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beer. Register in advance for this free event online at springfieldyps.com.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• May 24: Chamber on the Vine, 5:30-8:30 p.m., a wine-tasting event hosted by Glendale Ridge Vineyard, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton. Taste wine, enjoy local food, and listen to the music of Trailer Trash. Cost: $20 to enjoy the music, $30 to taste the wine. Pre-registration is a must. For more information, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call (413) 527-9414.

• June 14: Networking by Night, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Fort Hill Brewery, 30 Fort Hill Road, Easthampton. Sponsored by Oxbow Ski Show Team and Tandem Bagel. Food and door prizes will be available. Pre-registration is suggested. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. For more information, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber office at (413) 527-9414.

• June 27: Speaker Breakfast 2018, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted and sponsored by Williston Northampton School, 19 Payson Ave., Easthampton. Keynote speaker Kate Harrington, Human Resource manager for Smith College, will speak on “Hiring the Right Fit.” She will help attendees understand how to develop a diverse applicant pool, know what questions to ask, and recognize what questions to avoid. She will also point out what to look for in a great employee and how to watch for bias. Cost: $25 for members, $30 for non-members. Pre-registration is suggested. For more information, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber office at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.holyokechamber.com

(413) 534-3376

• May 16: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Holyoke Hummus, 285 High St., Holyoke. Meet up with your business associates for a little networking while hosts John and Dawn whip up some munchies. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Feel free to bring a door prize. Sign up online at holyokechamber.com.

• May 23: Leadership Holyoke Information Session, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Holyoke Community College, Frost Building, Room 309, 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke. Join the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and Holyoke Community College for a free information session for Leadership Holyoke 2018-19. The program is designed for emerging leaders within in the community to sharpen their skills, meet local leaders, and more.

GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.explorenorthampton.com

(413) 584-1900

• May 17: Workshop: “Microsoft Excel Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts,” 9-11 a.m., hosted by Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Presented by Pioneer Training. This workshop will present our favorite tips, tricks, and shortcuts we have collected and developed over 20 years of teaching and using Microsoft Excel. Participants are encouraged to bring laptops and follow along with the instructor, but this is not required. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Pre-registration required at goo.gl/forms/pX8YUuC25YdMsLjD2.

• June 6: June Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Glendale Ridge Vineyard, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton. Sponsored by Northeast Solar, MassDevelopment, and Kuhn Riddle Architects. A networking event. Cost: $10 for members.

• June 21: Workshop: “Microsoft Word: Advanced Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts,” 9-11 a.m., hosted by Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. Presented by Pioneer Training. This workshop will go beyond the basics and explore some of Word’s more advanced features. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required at goo.gl/forms/pX8YUuC25YdMsLjD2.

SOUTH HADLEY & GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.shgchamber.com

(413) 532-6451

• May 21: After 5 at the Ledges Golf Course, 5-6:30 p.m., hosted by the Ledges, 18 Mulligan Dr., South Hadley. An evening of networking with other community business leaders while overlooking the Connecticut River Valley and Mount Tom across the way. Sponsored by the Ledges Golf Course. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Pre-register by May 15 by contacting Sara Lawrence at (413) 532-6451 or [email protected].

• June 1: Annual Legislative Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted by the Orchards Golf Club, 18 Silverwood Terrace, South Hadley. Meet with our town and state legislators, who will talk about the hot issues upcoming for the rest of the year. More details to come. By reservation only at [email protected].

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER

www.springfieldregionalchamber.com

(413) 787-1555

• May 15: C-Suite Conversations & Cocktails, 5-7 p.m., hosted by CityStage, One Columbus Center, Springfield. Exclusive members-only event. Cost: $25 for members ($30 at the door). Reservations may be made at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, [email protected], or (413) 755-1310.

• May 31: Sunshine Soirée with the Springfield Regional Chamber, the Greater Chicopee Chamber, and YPS, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Sunshine Village, 75 Litwin Lane, Chicopee. Reservations may be made at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, [email protected], or (413) 755-1310.

WEST OF THE RIVER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.ourwrc.com

(413) 426-3880

• May 17: Networking Lunch, noon, hosted by Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. 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 intro and company overview. The only cost to attend is the cost of your lunch if you are a member. Non-member fee: $10. Attendees will order off the menu and pay separately that day. We cannot invoice you for these events. Register at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

May 22: Job Fair 2018, 3-6 p.m., hosted by Storrowton Tavern/Carriage House, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. West Springfield and Agawam businesses, along with other employment opportunities, will be showcased. This event is free and open to the public. To be a participating vendor, register online at www.westoftheriverchamber.com.

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD

springfieldyps.com

• May 18: Adult Field Day, 2-5 p.m., Irish Cultural Center, West Springfield, hosted by the Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield. Adult Field Day is a throwback to elementary school, created with adults in mind. Friends and co-workers will relive their glory days while playing classic games, as well as a few new surprises. For more information, visit springfieldyps.com.

Agenda Departments

Future Tense Lecture

May 17: The second installment of the BusinessWest lecture series Future Tense, titled “What Got You Here Might Not Get You There: Mistakes Business Owners Make Before and After Retirement,” will take place from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., ninth floor, Springfield. The lecture, open exclusively to CEOs and business owners, will be delivered by Amy Jamrog, wealth management advisor with the Jamrog Group. The cost is a $25 donation to Tech Foundry. Event sponsors include Paragus IT, the Jamrog Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. Metered street parking is available near the venue, and there are several parking-garage options nearby as well. To register, visit businesswest.com/lecture-series.

Bereavement Support Event

May 19: Bereaved children and their caregivers are welcome to attend a free art-based support event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Baystate Health Education Center at 361 Whitney Ave. in Holyoke. Titled “Healing Wounded Hearts with Art: A Retreat for Grieving Families,” the event is open to bereaved children ages 5 to 18. It is sponsored by Batstate Hospice and the Pediatric Palliative Care team. As part of the program, children and teens who are grieving the death of a close family member will have an opportunity to meet others and connect through the power of art making. “Healing Wounded Hearts with Art” aims to help grieving children and their families to commemorate those in their lives who have died. Space is limited and those wishing to attend must register by Friday, May 11 by contacting Betsy Flores, bereavement coordinator, Baystate Hospice, at (413) 794-6559 or [email protected].

Pets Rock!

May 19: The Foundation for TJO Animals will present its second annual Pets Rock! — a concert to benefit local, homeless animals in need at the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center — from 1 to 6 p.m. at Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, 440 Tiffany St., Springfield. The event is sponsored by Planet Fitness and the Arbors Camp, and hosted by special guest Pat Kelly of Lazer 99.3 and 98.5. The festivities will feature entertainment by local bands Tough Customer and Good Acoustics. There will plenty of games and activities for kids hosted by Arbors Camp, crafters will be on hand with their unique items, and raffle prizes will be given away. Lunch will be provided, and and both White Lion Brewing Co. and Harpoon Brewery will be on hand. Tickets are $20 per person, including lunch. Children under 12 are free. Buy tickets at www.tjofoundation.org or at the show gate on event day. A free, refillable event beer mug will be given to the first 200 guests through the gates. Attendees are welcome to bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome, but no flexi-leads are allowed. No coolers are permitted. All proceeds from this event will provide much-needed medical care and training to the many animals that call TJO their temporary home.

NAMI Walkathon

May 20: The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Western Massachusetts will be holding its 18th annual walkathon, “A Journey of Hope and Recovery,” at Stanley Park’s Beveridge Pavilion Annex in Westfield from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The walk is suitable for all ages and will directly benefit the continuing efforts of NAMI – Western Mass. to help improve the lives of individuals living with mental illness and their families. Among the festivities will be guest speakers, entertainment, refreshments, and raffles. For further information, call (413) 786-9139 or visit www.namiwm.org/events for entry and sponsorship forms. Volunteers are needed.

‘Women Lead Change’

June 4: The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM) will host its annual “Women Lead Change: A Celebration of the Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI) Class of 2018” event at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The event will feature a keynote address by Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper. The Women’s Fund will present Kasper with the She Changes the World Award, honoring her contributions for not only leading her local department, but also leading on a national level with regard to transparent data, hiring practices, and other local initiatives that have shaped community policing for the better. More than 300 guests are expected at the annual celebration of graduates of the Women’s Fund LIPPI program, the only leadership program of its kind in the Commonwealth. The event recognizes the accomplishments of the 31 graduates of the LIPPI class of 2018, who have participated in 11 educational sessions over nine months designed to address the shortage of women stepping into public leadership. LIPPI gives women tools and confidence to become more involved civic leaders and to impact policy on the local, state, and national levels. Proceeds for this annual event empower the Women’s Fund’s mission.

‘Thrive After 55’ Wellness Fair

June 15: State Sen. Eric Lesser and Health New England announced that they will host the second annual “Thrive After 55” Wellness Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Springfield College’s Blake Athletic Complex, located at 263 Alden St., Springfield. The fair is free and open to the public. With more than 40 local organizations ranging from health and fitness to nutrition to elder law, the event will connect residents of the First Hampden & Hampshire District with information and resources to help them thrive. The free program includes a boxed lunch, educational seminars, hundreds of raffle prizes, and access to information and experts to talk to. To RSVP for the event, call Lesser’s office at (413) 526-6501 or visit www.senatorlesser.com/thrive.

40 Under Forty Gala

June 21: BusinessWest’s 12th annual 40 Under Forty Gala is a celebration of 40 young business and civic leaders in Western Mass. The lavish cocktail party, to be held starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, will feature butlered hors d’oeuvres, food stations, and entertainment — and, of course, the presentation of the class of 2018, profiled in the April 30 issue of businesswest and also available at businesswest.com. Also, the fourth Continued Excellence Award honoree will be announced. The 40 Under Forty sponsors include PeoplesBank (presenting sponsor), Northwestern Mutual (presenting sponsor), Isenberg School of Management, the MP Group, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, Health New England, Renew.Calm, Development Associates, and YPS of Greater Springfield (partner). Tickets cost $75 per person (tables of 10 available). For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or e-mail [email protected].

Banking and Financial Services Sections

Addition by Addition

While there are plenty of banks doing business in this region, Jeff Sullivan says, there is an opportunity for a new one that is based locally.

While there are plenty of banks doing business in this region, Jeff Sullivan says, there is an opportunity for a new one that is based locally.

 

Jeff Sullivan has spent more than 30 years working in and around the region’s banking community, most recently as chief operating officer for United Bank.

So he understands fully when people use that term ‘overbanked’ to describe this area. In fact, he’s used that word himself over the years as he’s watched branches proliferate in a host of area communities.

But over the past few years as he’s done consulting work for the industry after leaving United following its merger with Connecticut-based Rockville Bank, Sullivan says he’s come to understand that just because there are branches on almost every corner in some cities and towns, that doesn’t mean the region’s population — and especially certain segments of it — are adequately served.

“There’s plenty of good local banks around,” he told BusinessWest. “But there is opportunity, because the largest financial institution based in the city of Springfield now is a credit union. So there is opportunity for a Springfield-based institution with local decision making.

“I was getting asked by a lot of people — individuals I would just bump into on the street or in the supermarket — ‘can you send me to a good lender?’ or ‘can you give me a good bank to go to?’ or ‘are you going back to work? I need to make a switch,’ he went on. “After that happened 10 or 12 times in a relatively short period of time, I began to think there was room for a new bank.”

And these sentiments, grounded in what Sullivan considers more scientific analysis and sound due diligence, has led him to partner with attorney Frank Fitzgerald and Jim Garvey, owner of St. James Check Cashing, to begin the process of adding a new bank to the landscape.

It will be called New Valley Bank & Trust, the partners announced late last week, adding that the team is now seeking approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) to form the new institution before launching a capital raise aimed at amassing $25 million to $30 million.

This will be the first new bank launched in the area since NUVO Bank (since acquired by Community Bank) opened in 2008. New Valley Bank & Trust almost certainly will open in better economic conditions — NUVO had the misfortune of launching just as the country was heading into the Great Recession — and it will have a different model, said Sullivan.

Indeed, while NUVO was focused on a mostly digital banking model — it has just one branch, in downtown Springfield — New Valley will have slightly more of a brick-and-mortar foundation, he explained.

It will be headquartered in downtown Springfield and will start with a full-service branch somewhere in the city (the location has not been determined) and a second location on the west side of the Connecticut River (again, that community has not been chosen) within a year after opening.

New Valley, like most banks now doing business in this region, will offer a full range of business and retail banking services for residents and small to medium-sized businesses in Massachusetts and Northern Conn.

Like NUVO, though, this proposed new institution will focus considerable energy on commercial lending, said Sullivan, who has spent most of his career in that realm. Despite stern competition in the commercial market and a huge number of established players, he sees room for opportunity.

That opportunity — on both the commercial and residential sides of the ledger — results from the spate of mergers and acquisitions in recent years, he told BusinessWest, an ongoing development that has decreased the population of community banks and, as he noted, left Springfield without a bank headquartered within its boundaries.

“With fewer local banks servicing the region, we have heard from countless residents and small to medium-sized business owners that are looking for a level of customer service and credit that is simply not available in the market today,” Sullivan said in a press release announcing formation of New Valley. “Our focus will be on meeting this demand with personalized attention and cutting-edge technology that will shorten wait times for funding decisions and opening accounts.”

On the commercial side, the bank will focus on smaller loans and quick turn-around times, said Sullivan, adding that the mergers in recent years have created opportunities to meet a specific niche.

“We have a lot of good banks around here, but they’ve grown to a larger size,” he explained. “And they’re focusing on larger deals than they probably did 10 years ago. I think there’s a real opening for personal service being delivered to small businesses.”

But another point of emphasis for New Valley will be what Sullivan described as a still-large population of area households that are “unbanked and underbanked.”

Elaborating, he said research continues to show that the volume of business at check-cashing establishments has remained fairly stable — and comparatively high — in this region, despite considerable improvement in the economy over the past decade.

Sullivan and his partners estimate there are some 20,000 households in Hampden County alone that use a bank sparingly, if at all, and in these numbers, he sees more opportunity in the form of need for a new bank.

“These are working women and men whose barrier to entry into the banking system has been too high for too long,” her went on. “As a local bank, we want to find opportunities to serve this significant segment of our community and create lifelong customers in the process.”

Elaborating, Sullivan noted that, in many cases, individuals or households don’t use banks because of a lack of trust or because of a bad experience — or several.

“The biggest reason, the FDIC says, is lack of trust,” he explained. “They don’t trust the system. People have had bad experiences; they got kicked when they were down, and it’s led to a lack of trust.”

In response, New Valley will offer products and services designed to build trust, he went on, such as bounce-proof checking accounts, incentivized savings accounts, and financial-literacy programs.

Sullivan said the need for a new, locally based, bank can be verified by the makeup of the 60 founding sponsors — what he described as a “large and diverse group of business owners and entrepreneurs from throughout the region — and the enthusiasm shown for the concept, especially among young business owners.

That’s significant, he said, because they will have to be the backbone of the customer base moving forward.

“We decided that, if we were going to do this, it has to be about a younger generation of business cohort,” he explained. “So we needed to know if the Millennials and the Gen-Ys care enough about this kind of stuff.

“We had a series of focus groups — we put about 100 people in a room, 20 people at a time, and we pitched them on what we were trying to do,” he went on. “About 60 people wrote checks to give us the seed money to get started, and of those 60, close to half of them were people under the age of 45. We were pleasantly surprised by that, and based on that response, we decided to take things to the next level, which is where we are today.”

—George O’Brien

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

Ronald J. Grandbois v. Bailey J. Jones and Alert Ambulance Service Inc.

Allegation: Negligence; vehicle owned by Alert Ambulance Service collided with plaintiff’s vehicle, causing injury: $8,694.57

Filed: 4/20/18

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

American Builders & Construction Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. David Kimball a/k/a David L. Kimball d/b/a Coastal Custom Remodeling

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $13,396.48

Filed: 4/6/18

Brandon Prior, a minor, by his father and next friend, Dennis Prior, v. Shawn McEwen, a minor, by his father and next friend, Brandon McEwen, and New England Fitness & Wellness, LLC

Allegation: Negligence; plaintiff struck by yoga ball at Healthtrax facility during hockey camp, causing injury: $4,120.95

Filed: 4/12/18

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Carol Burns v. Medcare Emergency Health

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $2 million

Filed: 3/23/18

US LBM Holdings, LLC d/b/a East Haven Builders Supply v. Whitman Restoration Inc. and Claude Whitman

Allegation: Breach of contract; money owed for construction materials sold and delivered: $22,914.23

Filed: 3/29/18

Gregory Heffernan v. Automatic Equipment Manufacturing Co. d/b/a Blue Ox, Diamond RV Centre Inc., and Keller Marine Service Inc.

Allegation: Product liability; plaintiff injured while unhooking trailer hitch from RV: $1 million

Filed: 3/30/18

Herman P. Cumby v. 110 Island Pond Road, LLC d/b/a Nathan Bill’s EFP Bar and Restaurant, et al

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $1.1 million

Filed: 4/6/18

Jackie Ligon v. Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant and John Robert Sullivan

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $101,000

Filed: 4/6/18

Jozelle Ligon v. Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant and John Robert Sullivan

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $101,650

Filed: 4/6/18

Michael Cintron v. Nathan Bill’s Bar & Restaurant and John Robert Sullivan

Allegation: Negligence causing injury: $101,000

Filed: 4/6/18

Ryan P. McConnell p/p/a Paul R. McConnell v. Town of Wilbraham and Hampden-Wilbraham County Regional School District

Allegation: Negligence; loose concrete capstone on brick support at Mile Tree Elementary School fell and struck plaintiff, causing injury: $150,000

Filed: 4/6/18

Paula Click v. Walmart

Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $32,945

Filed: 4/6/18

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

W.B. Mason Co. Inc. v. Veracruz Foods Inc. d/b/a La Veracruzana

Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $11,552.13

Filed: 4/16/18

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

DAS Property Group, LLC v. The Antiquarian, LLC

Allegation: Breach of lease: $73,965

Filed: 4/10/18

Country Bank for Savings v. Big Y Foods Inc.

Allegation: Breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of contract: $25,000+

Filed: 4/19/18

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

John Nadolski v. Michael J. Bisgrove d/b/a Bisgrove Construction

Allegation: Defendant damaged equipment rented from plaintiff and failed to pay for damage: $7,967

Filed: 3/14/18

Departments Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

Breaking Ground

Caolo & Bieniek Architects of Chicopee and R.A.C. Builders Inc. of Agawam took part in the May 5 groundbreaking for West Boylston’s new senior center. R.A.C. Builders was awarded the $4.25 million contract to construct the new facility, which was designed by Caolo & Bieniek. The same two companies designed and built the new West Boylston police headquarters in 2017.

From left, Chris Rucho, West Boylston selectman; project manager Tony Dilusio; Curtis Edgin, principal with Caolo & Bieniek; Roland Ciocca, president of R.A.C.; and John Hadley, West Boylston selectman.

From left, Chris Rucho, West Boylston selectman; project manager Tony Dilusio; Curtis Edgin, principal with Caolo & Bieniek; Roland Ciocca, president of R.A.C.; and John Hadley, West Boylston selectman.

Members of the senior center building committee, plus state Senate President Harriette Chandler (second from right) and state Rep. James O’Day (fourth from left).

Members of the senior center building committee, plus state Senate President Harriette Chandler (second from right) and state Rep. James O’Day (fourth from left).

 

Meeting an Urgent Need

Country Bank recently donated $15,000 to the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force to support its continued commitment to helping those in need in the Quaboag Hills Region. “Country Bank’s donation has been the foundation of all local domestic-violence services at Valley Human Services of BHN Inc. in the Quaboag Hills,” said Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services (pictured, left, with Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president, Community Relations with Country Bank. “Their funds have been the seed money and remain the match for programs now supported by municipal, state, and federal dollars. We literally would not have our team preventing and responding to domestic violence in our region without Country Bank.”

Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services (pictured, left,) with Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president, Community Relations with Country Bank

Jac Patrissi, director of Domestic Violence Services at Valley Human Services (pictured, left,) with Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president, Community Relations with Country Bank

Down the Stretch…

More than 300 supporters of Square One turned out at Mercedes-Benz of Springfield for the nonprofit’s third annual Derby Party on May 5. The gathering, a networking and watch party centered on the Run for the Roses, netted more than $10,000 for Square One’s programs for children and families. Presenting sponsors were the Gaudreau Group and Northeast IT, the venue sponsor was Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, and the platinum sponsor was Alekman DiTusa. 
Photos by Michael Epaul Photography

From left, Amy Selvia Smith, Danielle Williams, Michelle Wirth, and Yvonne Williams

From left, Amy Selvia Smith, Danielle Williams, Michelle Wirth, and Yvonne Williams

from left, David Finn, Maureen McCollum, Ryan McCollum, Kristine Allard, and Kelli Moriarty Finn

from left, David Finn, Maureen McCollum, Ryan McCollum, Kristine Allard, and Kelli Moriarty Finn

Joan Kagan and her husband, Dr. Steve Levine

Joan Kagan and her husband, Dr. Steve Levine

Regina Burns (left) and Jenny MacKay display their winning tickets

Regina Burns (left) and Jenny MacKay display their winning tickets

From left, Alex Dixon, Peter Wirth, and Art Jasper

From left, Alex Dixon, Peter Wirth, and Art Jasper

Daily News

FLORENCE — Florence Bank recently earned four industry honors at the first annual Banking Choice Awards in areas such as quality and service, with recognition based on an independent survey of customer feedback.

At the event on April 26 at Boston’s Omni Parker House, Florence Bank ranked first in the Western Mass. region in Overall Quality, Customer Service, and Technology, and second in Community Contribution.

“These rankings came from an independent survey performed by a recognized leader in tracking and measuring the customer experience,” President and CEO John Heaps said. “It’s nice to get recognition from those we aim to serve well. I couldn’t be prouder of our employees and this achievement.”

Added Beverly Beaulieu, senior vice president and director of Retail Banking, “it’s evident our customers truly appreciate our approach. That’s because our employees embody our mission that customer service drives everything we do.”

Florence Bank employees were among staff from 33 banks across the state at the Banking Choice Awards, developed jointly by the Warren Group and Customer Experience Solutions.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Big Y Foods Inc. recently opened its seventh Big Y Express gas and convenience store at 471 Cooley St. in Springfield. The other six Massachusetts stores can be found in Lee, Pittsfield, Hadley, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, and South Hadley.

The new Springfield location boasts eight gas pumps and free air machines for tire inflation. Inside the store, selections include donuts, pastries, and store-baked muffins; Green Mountain Coffees; fresh fruit; gourmet sandwiches and salads; milk and numerous other cold beverages; as well as bread, candy, snacks, tobacco products, lottery, and ice.

The store director of this location is Yanira Febus. There are currently seven employees, and Big Y is looking to hire one or two more. The site formerly operated as Ultra Gasoline, and all Ultra employees were encouraged to apply for a position with Big Y. The store will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Sections Sports & Leisure

Refreshing the Data

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released a new official statement regarding energy drinks, published in the college’s clinical review journal, Current Sports Medicine Reports. “Energy Drinks: A Contemporary Issues Paper” provides guidance and warnings regarding these beverages because of the dangers they present to at-risk populations, primarily children who are the most vulnerable and the target of marketing efforts.

“Energy drinks are extremely popular, and concerns about their consumption are coming from every sector of society, which is why we’ve published these recommendations,” said Dr. John Higgins. “Our review of the available science showed that excessive levels of caffeine found in energy drinks can have adverse effects on cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, renal, and endocrine systems, as well as psychiatric symptoms. More needs to be done to protect children and adolescents, as well as adults with cardiovascular or other medical conditions.”

Energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages that often contain myriad vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbal mixtures. As a global authority for sports medicine, exercise science, and the promotion of participant safety, the ACSM is focused on facilitating high performance while protecting those who compete in athletics or engage in other forms of physical activity. By publishing the new recommendations, the ACSM is helping consumers to understand the risks associated with rapid and excessive consumption of energy drinks.

“When used safely and with moderation, energy drinks may have some short-term, performance-enhancing effects. However, users are generally unaware of the many potential adverse reactions that could have long-term effects, some of which are quite serious,” said Higgins. We highly encourage consumers, parents, physicians, athletic trainers, personal trainers, and coaches to follow these recommendations.”

Children and adolescents appear to be at particularly high risk of complications from energy drinks due to their small body size, being relatively caffeine-naive, and potentially heavy and frequent consumption patterns, as well as the amounts of caffeine. The message that these beverages are not intended for children needs to be reinforced and widely disseminated, Higgins said.

At the same time, he added, marketing should not appeal to vulnerable populations. Currently, manufacturers of energy drinks advertise on websites, social media, and television channels that are highly appealing to both children and adolescents. Target marketing to sporting and other events involving children and adolescents should not be permitted.

Regardless of health and fitness level, and until such time that proper safety and efficacy data are available, the ACSM recommends that energy drinks should be avoided before, during, or after strenuous activities. Some of the deaths allegedly due to energy drinks have occurred when a person consumed them before and/or after performing strenuous activities.

Clearly, Higgins notes, investment in awareness and educational resources highlighting the potential adverse effects and safe use of energy drinks is required. Significant efforts should be made to educate consumers regarding the clear and present differences between soda, coffee, sports drinks, and energy drinks. Energy-drink education also should be a priority in school-based curricula related to nutrition, health, and wellness.

The ACSM is calling for a research agenda to prioritize key questions about the acute and chronic effects of energy-drink use. At a minimum, standard safety and efficacy studies should be performed and submitted to the FDA by manufacturers. Well-designed and controlled research is required to examine the increasing frequency of adverse events being reported by emergency departments.

In addition, the organization notes, healthcare providers must talk to their patients about energy-drink use and report adverse events to watchdog agencies like poison-control centers, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the FDA. A national registry should be set up to specifically track energy-drink side effects with mandated reporting requirements.

Among other specific recommendations, the ACSM argues that energy drinks should not be consumed by children or adolescents; should not be consumed by other vulnerable populations, including pregnant or breastfeeding women, caffeine-naive or sensitive individuals, or individuals with cardiovascular or medical conditions; should not be used for sports hydration; should not be mixed with alcohol; and should bear a label such as “high source of caffeine” or “do not mix with alcohol.”

Sections Sports & Leisure

Game On

Dr. Scott Cooper, one of PSSP’s managing partners

Dr. Scott Cooper, one of PSSP’s managing partners

No one is totally immune from a sports injury, from kids on the playground to serious college athletes to ‘weekend warriors’ in middle age. Treating those injuries — and helping reduce the risk of sustaining them — is one of the key niches of Pioneer Spine & Sports Physicians, which has been helping patients return to full function for more than a quarter-century.

No one is totally immune from a sports injury, from kids on the playground to serious college athletes to ‘weekend warriors’ in middle age. Treating those injuries — and helping reduce the risk of sustaining them — is one of the key niches of Pioneer Spine & Sports Physicians, which has been helping patients return to full function for more than a quarter-century.

The first weeks of spring — not spring in name only, like the bouts of snow and 20-degree weather that dotted late March and early April this year, but actual spring weather — typically send weekend warriors, after a long winter indoors, scurrying for their golf clubs and tennis rackets.

And sometimes, they’re a little too enthusiastic.

“We see a lot of that this time of year — golfers getting the clubs out, only to develop back pain. But we also see hockey players from the over-40 league come in with all kinds of injuries,” said Dr. Scott Cooper, one of the managing partners of Pioneer Spine and Sports Physicians (PSSP), the largest private physiatry practice in the Northeast.

“I had one guy who was probably in his mid-50s, and he had recurrent tennis elbow, and I could not get him to stay off the court,” Cooper told BusinessWest. “I treated him for probably six months for tennis elbow, and I don’t think he ever missed a match — whereas, if he was on a team, I could tell his coach, and his coach would say, ‘you’re going to sit out two weeks until this thing clears up.’ Sometimes the weekend warriors can be determined.”

Cooper and his team should know, seeing a broad range of patients every day, from high-school and college athletes nursing knee and shoulder injuries to the inpatient clients PSSP manages in acute-care settings like Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital and Bronson Rehabilitation, recovering from spinal-cord injuries, neurologic conditions, and amputations.

Physiatry, also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation, is a specific type of practice, he explained, but one with a wide range of applications.

“One of the nice things about physiatry is it’s a very broad specialty, and one of our primary goals is to provide state-of-the-art care in all facets of physiatry,” Cooper explained.

That includes the acute rehab setting at Weldon and Bronson, where Pioneer treats people who have conditions that cause a loss of function, so they can’t return home, but no longer need to be in a medical/surgical unit of the hospital.

“These are people who have had strokes, for example, or spinal-cord injuries or head injuries or complex medical conditions or amputations or other neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis or ALS — things that cause them to lose function, but they’re now medically stable so they can tolerate rehabilitation.

“We manage those patients, and we’re also involved in pain management, both acute pain and chronic pain, in all our offices,” he added, adding that the practice’s physiatrists also deal with spinal conditions, back pain, herniated disks, pinched nerves, and much more. “We have procedure suites in most of our offices where we can do X-ray guided procedures on people’s spinal conditions, and we are also involved with the Surgery Center of New England; we do procedures there that are not office-based, things that are a little bit more invasive and require anesthesia.”

In short, it’s a one-stop shop for a host of conditions, with one goal in mind — to return patients to the highest function possible — in both their work and play.

The Sporting Life

That ‘play’ factor — sports medicine — is a niche PSSP is well-known for, and around 90% of sports injuries require no surgery at all, Cooper noted.

“If they do require surgical treatment, we work closely with some of the orthopedists in the area who provide those services. But for the other conditions, we’re able to treat them very effectively, and we do that with a lot of recreational athletes, weekend warriors, and we also work with several of the high schools in the area.”

PSSP’s West Springfield location is one of seven offices spanning the Pioneer Valley from East Longmeadow to Brattleboro.

PSSP’s West Springfield location is one of seven offices spanning the Pioneer Valley from East Longmeadow to Brattleboro.

Pioneer also provides team doctors for area colleges including Springfield College, American International College, and Westfield State University, both during and between games.

“For example, hockey and football are the two main ones where they need to have someone on the sidelines according to the rules of their conference, so we provide game coverage in case of an injury during the game,” he explained. Meanwhile, if an athlete is injured in practice, they’re seen in a PSSP office as soon as possible.

“We recognize that one tenet of physiatry is quick return to function,” he said. “So we focus on getting athletes in quickly, diagnosing their condition, treating them, and returning them to the field as quickly as is safe.”

They take the same approach to occupational medicine, working with client businesses — Pioneer has a therapist at MassMutual full-time, for example — on job-site injury prevention and treatment. “We focus on them just the same way we focus on athletes — get them in quickly, diagnose their condition, determine what they can and can’t do in a rapid manner, and treat them comprehensively so they can return to full function.”

While about 70% of all occupational injuries involve the spine, that’s not the case with athletes, Cooper noted. “They have a whole different set of issues. The majority of what we see with athletes involve the knee or the shoulder. And most of those we treat non-operatively. We establish a diagnosis, and if that diagnosis requires a surgical evaluation, we facilitate that, and the surgeons we work with are very accommodating and allow us to get that done very quickly.”

Beyond treatment, though, the team at Pioneer emphasizes prevention. As an example, its physical therapists attended an educational program, developed at Syracuse University, that works to prevent ACL injuries in female athletes, who have a much higher predilection to those injuries than men.

“It’s almost an epidemic,” Cooper said. “Some of the reasons are unclear, but female soccer players and lacrosse players, will come in with ACL injuries, and once you have that kind of injury, it can be devastating, and it generally does require surgery, and requires a long course of rehabilitation.

“So this program has been shown to prevent those injuries,” he went on, explaining that Pioneer’s PTs were certified through the week-long course to teach a group of specific exercises to area sports teams, who come in during the preseason for a week of intensive training, and then continue on a regular basis. The exercises focus on stabilizing the knee and have been shown to prevent injuries.

“That’s one way we try to head off injuries and reduce their likelihood,” he added. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to eliminate them.”

No Slowing Down

That goes for young athletes and older weekend warriors, who often arrive at PSSP with a combination of a sports injury and something more degenerative, such as an arthritic condition.

“It’s something they can normally get by with, but if somebody with an arthritic shoulder is doing OK, but he goes and plays some tennis, now he’s got a rotator-cuff problem. The springtime is definitely a big time for those types of injury, but we see them year-round. And sometimes they can be the hardest to treat because these people are very determined to get back out there.”

With America’s senior population surging, Cooper’s team sees patients from that age group as well.

“We’re definitely seeing an older population that is increasingly active, but we encourage that; we want our patients to be active. There’s good data in the medical community that one of the ways to increase longevity and reduce morbidity in the population as a whole is to have an active lifestyle,” he told BusinessWest, adding that one of the mottos in his profession is that “physiatry adds years to life, and life to years.”

“That’s the idea — we want people to stay active, and it almost doesn’t matter what activity; we want them to engage in exercise, and when they do that, they may encounter some injuries and have some problems, and we’re here to address that.”

Because injuries are often an inevitable speed bump in an active lifestyle, he went on, it’s encouraging that treatments have evolved to allow people to return to full activity much sooner than before.

“Injuries that once may have been considered incompatible with continued competition, we now see as being treatable — and treatable with less-invasive means,” he said. “That can be anything from tendinitis to things like arthritis. In fact, arthritis of the knees is something that used to be, ‘you can take Advil, or you can have a knee replacement’; there wasn’t a whole lot else you could do for it.”

Now, however, physiatrists may tackle the issue with anything from orthotics to new types of bracing; from new exercise methods to injections that go far beyond what traditional cortisone could achieve. “So there are definitely more options to treat those conditions with different means that don’t necessaily require surgery, and allow people to be more active.”

It helps, he said, that Pioneer provides a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, holistic model of care, where physiatrists, physical therapists, and other team members work together and consult with each other on troublesome conditions. If a patient with a spine injury isn’t progressing quickly enough or has too much pain, the providers aren’t afraid to work together to find a solution.

“Basically, anything that’s needed to treat the conditions we treat, we have under one roof,” Cooper said. “We have specialized nerve testing, guys who focus on different areas … we have all kinds of talent and skill to bear.

“I think that really serves to benefit the patient,” he went on, “because they’re not just getting one doctor and one opinion; they’re getting a team approach. I think that is unusual in a private-practice setting, and I think that’s one of the main reasons we’ve been so successful.”

Bottom Line

When asked what he enjoys about his job, Cooper paused for a moment and smiled.

“We think we have the best specialty in the world,” he said. “Whether I’m treating an 80-year-old patient with a stroke or an amputation or I’m treating a 16-year-old with a sports injury, I’m working with people who want to be here, who want to be treated, who have definite goals. And it’s very satisfying when they reach those goals.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Human Service Forum will host its annual awards banquet on Wednesday, May 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Log Cabin in Holyoke. The event honors excellent service by nonprofit staff, donors, and volunteers in Western Mass.

The Human Service Forum, an association of nonprofit human-services providers, will celebrate these local honorees: Board Member Award, Mark Parent (nominated by Berkshire Children & Families); Business Award, Dillon Chevrolet (nominated by the United Arc); Clara Temple Leonard Award, Jamar Williams (nominated by Cutchins Programs for Children and Families); Exceptional TEAM Award, Homeownership and Financial Education Team: Danielle Caray, Correen Carpin-Gendron, Julio Cordero, Gina Govoni, Alexis Grajales, Carmen Pagan, Araceli Rivera, and Anthony Thomas (nominated by Way Finders Inc.); Richard A. Stebbins Volunteer Award, Janet D’Orazio (nominated by CHD Cancer House of Hope); and Robert J. Van Wart Award, Joni Beck Brewer (nominated by Square One).

The dinner costs $45 to attend, and the public is welcome. To RSVP, e-mail Pam Root at [email protected], or call (413) 693-0205 to register. For  more information, visit www.humanserviceforum.org.

Cover Story

Policy Shifts

Roger Crandall stops at State & Main in MassMutual’s headquarters building in Springfield.

Roger Crandall stops at State & Main in MassMutual’s headquarters building in Springfield.

Over the course of its 167-year history, MassMutual has successfully responded to changes in society and also in how business is conducted. Today, the pace of change has accelerated greatly, but the company is answering with new strategic initiatives involving everything from the design of workspaces to how individuals apply for life insurance.

They call it ‘State and Main.’

MassMutual built its former headquarters building in Springfield at that very intersection, so that may have something to do with that name. But it’s more likely a reference to the fact that this is where two of the main spines of the company’s sprawling current home on State Street come together. So that’s where many of the 4,000 people working there come together as well.

There’s a Starbucks there, as well as a small shop where people can get their electronic devices serviced, as well as a convenience store. Over the past 18 months or so, some small meeting places and workstations where people can plug in have been added in a nod to changes in how work is now done.

There is a row of these stations along one wall, which, coincidentally, was the old end point of the building before an addition was built. Where the windows once were, there are now photographs depicting work life at MassMutual decades ago.

If you’re looking for evidence of just how much things have changed, you can juxtapose a solitary worker on a laptop in one of these workspaces in front of a huge photo depicting row upon row of desks — an iconic glimpse of the workplace maybe a century ago (see photo above).

It took a long time to get from where things were in that photograph to where they are today, but the pace of change is rapidly accelerating — even when it comes to a product seemingly frozen in time, like life insurance.

While the basic insurance products haven’t changed much over time, how people research them, shop for them, and ultimately buy them have, said Roger Crandall, president and CEO of the Fortune 100 company, the only one based in the 413.

“We’re looking a lot at how to do business with people the way they want to do business,” he explained, adding that there is much that goes into this equation. “The single biggest thing that the technology revolution has done is give consumers the power to interact the way they want to interact.

“We can’t say, ‘you can only talk to us on the phone’; we can’t say, ‘you can only talk to us in person,’” he went on. “We have to be able to meet consumers where they want to be met, and that is what we call an omni-channel world.”

Responding to this new landscape is just one of the many organizational focal points for Crandall and MassMutual, with the emphasis on ‘many.’ Others include those aforementioned changes in the way people work, he told BusinessWest, adding that the company’s headquarters has seen a number of significant changes in response to trends involving more open spaces and the need to bring great minds together, not keep them apart.

As a result, there are far fewer of those large, private offices that once dominated large financial-services companies and often defined how high one had risen in the ranks, and much more of those open workspaces like those along State and Main.

A MassMutual employee gets some work done in front of an image that Roger Crandall calls “a look back in time.”

A MassMutual employee gets some work done in front of an image that Roger Crandall calls “a look back in time.”

These changes are taking place at all of MassMutual’s facilities, which leads to another of those focal points, a headline-generating consolidation and realignment of facilities that will see the company significantly increase its presence — on both ends of the Bay State.

Indeed, there will be $50 million in investments to the Springfield facility, with an estimated 1,500 more employees working there, many of them commuting to that facility instead of the one in Enfield, Conn., which is being closed.

Meanwhile, in Boston, MassMutual will build a new facility in the Seaport District that will be home to about 1,000 workers. The company will look to capitalize on the city’s emergence as a global leader and its already established ability to retain many of the young people who come there to be educated as a way to help attract and retain top talent for years to come.

Still another focal point for the company is Springfield and the region it serves as its unofficial capital, said Crandall, adding that, while the company’s commitment to the City of Homes has come into question — the sale of Tower Square triggered much of that speculation — he said it is as strong as ever, with involvement in everything from education and workforce development to entrepreneurship and new-business development.

Overall, the city has rebounded nicely from the financial turmoil of a decade or so ago, and the opening of MGM Springfield in a few months constitutes just one of many signs of progress, said Crandall, declaring that “Springfield has its mojo back.” (Much more on those thoughts later).

For this issue, BusinessWest caught up with Crandall for a wide-ranging interview that touched on everything from Springfield and its mojo to Boston and the latest addition to its business landscape, to all those changes at State and Main and what they mean for this 167-year-old company.

Space Exploration

That interview took place in Crandall’s spacious office on the second floor of its headquarters building. As he gestured toward his surroundings, Crandall, who has occupied them since 2010, admitted candidly that he wasn’t exactly sure what would become of them as MassMutual undertakes that realignment of its facilities to accommodate more employees and a changing workplace. He did know that it won’t look like it does now.

“This office is a dinosaur; no one would build an office like this in a new building,” he told BusinessWest. “This space may very well have 20 people in it when we’re all done — there’s plenty of room for 20 people in here in a modern configuration.”

He was more certain about many other things, especially the company’s changing footprint when it comes to facilities. It will be a smaller, more efficient footprint, he noted, one shaped to address a number of challenges and opportunities moving forward.

This change to the landscape has resulted from some seismic shifts over the past several years, especially a number of acquisitions — including Metlife’s retail advisor force, the Metlife Premier Client Group (MPCG) in the summer of 2016 — that left the company with a dispersed portfolio of facilities, and also changing technology, which, as noted, has altered everything from how people buy products to how they work.

These changes prompted the company to take a much-needed step back, said Crandall, before it could decide how to move forward.

“We said, ‘this is a good time to step back and say, ‘how is our geographic footprint aligned with what we’re trying to do from a long-term perspective?’” he recalled. “And that prompted us to take a look at a whole variety of options.”

Elaborating, he said recent acquisitions left the company with facilities in Charlotte, N.C., Memphis, Tenn., Phoenix, Ariz., Somerset, N.J., Amherst, and other locations. And while advancing technology allows people in remote offices to communicate effectively, consolidating those offices emerged as the option that made the most sense.

“Although people work in different ways and the ability to work remotely is greater than ever because of technology, it’s really important to have more people interacting with each other,” he explained, “to get the best ideas, the best execution, and to take advantage of the diversity our workforce has.

“It’s great to be able to connect through devices, but face-to-face meetings are really important,” he went on, noting that roughly 2,000 employees will be relocated to Massachusetts from locations in other states. “So we liked the idea of getting to a smaller footprint.”

That makes sense on other levels as well, he noted, adding that the company was really only using about 60% of its facilities in Springfield and 60% of its facilities in Enfield.

At the same time, the company has put an even greater emphasis on the broad issue of workforce development and the challenge of attracting and retaining top talent.

And this combination of factors prompted a long, hard look at Boston — a city that has drawn similar looks from a host of other major corporations — and then hard action.

“We thought about how to set ourselves up to attract the best and the brightest for the next 25 or 30 years,” said Crandall. “And that’s where having a location in Boston, which has really emerged as a global city in the last decade, came to the forefront.

“Boston has become a true world leader,” he went on. “It’s always been a world leader in education, and it’s become a world leader in medicine and life sciences, and it’s also a very significant financial center as well. People go to school there, and they want to stay there.”

But while MassMutual will build a new facility in Boston’s Seaport District at 1 Marina Park, it will maintain a strong presence at both ends of the state, said Crandall, adding that Springfield will remain the company’s home.

Once used as basketball courts, space on the fourth floor of MassMutual’s headquarters building is now dedicated to meeting spaces known collectively as the ‘tree rooms.’

Once used as basketball courts, space on the fourth floor of MassMutual’s headquarters building is now dedicated to meeting spaces known collectively as the ‘tree rooms.’

The fact that it is only 90 minutes away on the Turnpike from the Boston offices (traffic permitting) should bring a number of benefits, he noted.

“It’s very, very different running a company where people can drive back and forth, and running a company where you have to get on a plane,” he noted. “And from that culture perspective, that became important to us as well.”

Room for Improvement

As for the facilities in Springfield, Crandall told BusinessWest that what’s planned is a reconfiguration and not an expansion in the true sense of the word.

But more people will be working at that location — and turning up at State and Main for lattes, to have their phone repaired, to get their dry cleaning, and, increasingly, to get some work done as well.

As Crandall noted earlier, there will be fewer private offices moving forward and more open spaces where people can work and collaborate as the company strives to moves away from a historical hierarchy that has defined much of its history and that of other financial-services giants as well.

The company has already taken a number of significant steps in this direction, he went on, referencing rows of tables where people can work on laptops, spaces where a few people can gather and talk, and larger, technology-equipped meeting spaces, such as those now known simply as the ‘tree rooms.’

There’s ‘Birch,’ ‘Elm,’ ‘Maple,’ ‘Hemlock,’ and others. These are meeting facilities created on the fourth floor of the headquarters building — space devoted to basketball courts until 1980 and for less ornate (and modern) meeting spaces in recent years.

Meanwhile, there are more meeting spaces on the ground floor just off State and Main that, like the ones a few floors up, are always occupied and need to be booked well in advance. These rooms are named for national parks, and include ‘Yosemite,’ ‘Zion,’ ‘Everglades,’ and ‘Glacier.’

As for what’s going on in all those meeting rooms, Crandall said the company is focusing its efforts in many directions, including what he called “a digitization of everything we do.”

And that brings him back to that omni-channel world he mentioned and the need to meet consumers where they want to be met.

“We’re basically building a digital insurance company from scratch to disrupt ourselves,” he explained. “It’s going to give us the ability to be much more responsive to consumer demands, and have much lower costs, which will enable us take advantage of the next big opportunity, which is to broadly offer more Americans insurance.”

Elaborating, he said there are 35 million American families with no insurance at all, and insurance penetration in this country is among the lowest in the world. “When we go out and do focus groups and ask people if they need life insurance, 70% say ‘yes,’” he said. “And 50% of the people who have life insurance say they need more life insurance, so there is this big unmet need.”

There are many reasons for this, he said, including the fact that fewer people are working for the kinds of large companies that offer life insurance as a benefit, and more are working for smaller ventures that don’t, or are self-employed.

To meet that need, the company is responding proactively with products and processes that can put insurance within reach and bring the numbers from those surveys down.

“No normal person sits down and thinks about the process of buying life insurance,” he said. “But we took a look at that process a few years ago and determined that it was largely the same as it was in 1995, 1985, and, arguably, 1975 — a paper-based application that got sent through snail mail to an underwriter, which triggered a paramed going to someone’s house, and a process that begins with someone standing on a scale and goes downhill, from a consumer’s perspective, to 25 days later getting told you’re not the best risk class and you’re going to have to pay more for the product than you thought.”

To change that equation, the company’s data-science team began working with an accumulated asset — the applications taken for life insurance over the years — and built a machine-learning mortality-scoring model.

“That model, with the support of reinsurers, is being used to underwrite 75% of the policies MassMutual issues,” he went on, adding that this process often lowers the time required to get approval — down to one day for those who are younger and in good health — and brings down the cost of that insurance.

And this is just one example of this digitization process, which doubles as a growth strategy.

“What really matters to us in the long run is being able to have the talent we need to execute our mission,” Crandall explained, “to help people secure their future and protect the ones they love, and to continue the growth trajectory we’ve been on — we’re now the biggest seller of whole life insurance in the country and are the second-biggest seller of all life insurance in the country.”

Paying Dividends

As MassMutual continues to respond to a changing landscape for a wide range of business perspectives, it is doing the same when it comes to its work within the community and especially its home city of Springfield, said Crandall.

He noted that there have been many forms of progress in recent years, from new vibrancy downtown to the city’s much-improved fiscal health, to a better perception of the city across the state and even outside it.

Roger Crandall says MassMutual is essentially building a digital insurance company from scratch “to disrupt ourselves.”

Roger Crandall says MassMutual is essentially building a digital insurance company from scratch “to disrupt ourselves.”

“The vibe in Springfield is as positive as I’ve seen it in 30 years,” he said when asked to offer his assessment, adding quickly that there are many areas of need and concern, and MassMutual and its foundation are partnering with others to help address many of them.

Especially those in the broad realm of education.

Noting the importance of education to attaining a job in today’s technology-based economy, Crandall said MassMutual’s commitment to education takes many forms, from financial-literacy programs involving middle-schoolers to a $15 million commitment to help create a sustainable workforce in data science.

“We know that, in the long run, better educational outcomes are such a powerful way to change people’s trajectories in life,” he explained, adding that it starts with getting individuals not only through high school, but graduating with the skills they will need to thrive in this economy.

But the company’s commitment to the city and the region — what Crandall called ‘enabling philanthropy’ — encompasses many different aspects of economic development, he went on, listing, for example, its work with DevelopSpringfield to revitalize neighborhoods across the city, and its backing of Valley Venture Mentors ($2 million to date) and financing of startups that pledge to put down roots in the region.

There has also been support of workforce-development initiatives, such as a training center for call-center employees at Springfield Technical Community College and a similar initiative involving the precision-manufacturing sector.

Then there’s the company’s support of ROCA, the agency that works with incarcerated individuals, usually repeat offenders, to help them change the course of their life and succeed outside the prison walls.

“There is no greater waste of a person’s potential or, frankly, the economic potential of our community than having a large group of young men who are unemployable or in prison,” said Crandall. “When you talk to a young man who’s been in prison who’s now a member of the carpenter’s union, getting married and having a child, and buying a home … to think about where he is as opposed to when he was 18 — that’s inspiring.”

Overall, Crandall, deploying that word ‘mojo,’ said the city has not only many positive developments breaking its way, but also more confidence and self-esteem. Perhaps even more important — and those factors are significant in their own right — is the fact that those outside the city are sharing those sentiments.

To get that point across, he relayed a recent conversation he had while visiting one of the company’s agencies in Brooklyn, a borough that had more than its share of problems a generation ago but has morphed into one of the hottest communities in the country.

“I was talking to one of our agents, probably in his mid-30s, and he said, ‘I just invested in a property in Springfield, Massachusetts,’” he recalled, adding that he responded by asking why this individual wasn’t investing in Brooklyn instead. “He said, ‘I’ve done great here in Brooklyn, but Springfield reminds me of Brooklyn 20 years ago.”

Past Is Prologue

Referencing those pictures placed where the windows were on the old exterior wall of the State Street facility, Crandall said each image was designed to be “a look back in time.”

“It’s a pretty neat historical kind of twist that adds an interesting flair to that area,” he said, noting that looking back is much easier — and generally more fun — than trying to look forward, anticipate the future, and prepare for it.

But that’s just what MassMutual is doing, and those exercises define the many strategic initiatives at the company — everything from its soon-to-be-much-smaller geographic footprint to its efforts to meet customers when and how they want to be met, to philanthropic efforts within the community focused on everything from education to providing new, productive lives for the incarcerated.

Crandall doesn’t know what his current office will look like in a year or two, but he does know it won’t look like it does now. And there may be 20 people working in that space.

It’s a dinosaur that’s extinct. The company is moving on from it, reconfiguring, becoming more efficient, and responding proactively to change.

And it’s doing that with every aspect of an altered landscape.

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

Opinion

Editorial

Winter hung in for so long, we thought spring might never arrive. But it has.

Indeed, the first of the college commencements were last weekend (it wasn’t so long ago that students didn’t gown up until after or just before Memorial Day, but that’s another story), and there are several more this weekend.

Meanwhile, the high-school graduation ceremonies are only a few weeks away. These occasions serve as reminders that soon, if not already, thousands of young people will be looking for summer jobs.

In what has become an almost annual plea, we strongly encourage area companies large and small to help them in their quest.

Summer jobs are important not only to young people and their families, but for the entire region, and for a number of reasons, some of which actually fall into the category of economic development.

But we’ll get to that in a minute. First, the more obvious benefits.

Yes, summer jobs put money in the pockets of young people, something that’s especially important as the costs of attending college rise and more and more families struggle to meet those costs. But there are many benefits beyond the paycheck.

As those of us who have been there know, first jobs — and second jobs and third jobs — are important learning experiences, whether they take place at Mercy Medical Center, MassMutual, Friendly’s, Six Flags, a vegetable farm in Hadley, the corner pizza parlor, or one of the Balise company’s new car washes. Each and every job is a learning experience.

Those who hold those jobs learn about the responsibility of coming to work every day and working as a part of a team to deliver products and services. And about being on time and providing solid customer service.

Meanwhile, they’re also developing skills and learning about a particular field and the career opportunities that lie within it.

Which brings us to that economic-development component of this discussion and, more specifically, the workforce-development component.

If you read BusinessWest regularly, and thoroughly, you can probably recall many occasions when, in the course of tracing their career path, the subject in question will talk about how a summer job or internship altered their trajectory and thus altered their life.

You hear it from doctors and nurses, bankers and accountants, machine-shop owners, and even business writers. A summer job opened their eyes — to a great company, to opportunities, and to a career.

It doesn’t happen all the time, certainly, but it happens enough.

When you look at all the reasons why companies should work hard to create a summer job or two (or 10 if they can manage it) — from that exposure to their company to having some young people to bounce ideas off and gain input from, to simply getting some much-needed work done — it’s clear that they can and must make the effort.

It’s easy to say they don’t have the budget or that summer help is too much trouble or that it’s just too hard to get good help.

We encourage companies not to do what’s easy, but instead do what’s right — for them, the young people they’ll hire, and the region as a whole.

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to think about creating summer jobs.

Opinion

Opinion

By Bob Rio

A shortage of natural-gas capacity during the December-January cold snap added $1.7 billion to the electric bills of business and residential customers in New England while erasing all the environmental benefits from solar energy in Massachusetts during 2017.

Now you know why Massachusetts employers support the idea of expanding natural-gas infrastructure in the region.

New data released this month by the Massachusetts Coalition for Sustainable Energy (MCSE) and compiled by Concentric Energy Advisors underscores the economic and environmental damage wrought by our energy status quo.

Natural-gas supplies in the region are tight during the winter. Despite abundant supplies just a few states away, pipeline infrastructure to get it here is inadequate, and efforts to address this issue have been stymied by those who believe upgrading our natural-gas infrastructure will stall progress on transitioning to clean energy.

Electricity generators simply don’t have enough natural gas to operate during the bitter cold because most of the available gas is used to serve businesses and homeowners.

To satisfy the increased demand for electricity, power plants burn stored backup oil and coal. The lights stay on, but greenhouse-gas emissions increase exponentially since oil and coal emit more carbon than natural gas. The cold-weather shortage of natural gas has become so common in recent winters that power generators are paid to store oil, whether or not it is needed, as sort of an insurance policy funded by ratepayers through higher electric rates.

According to the Concentric report, the amount of coal and oil burned during just a two-week period generated 1.3 million tons of extra greenhouse-gas emissions over what would have been emitted if gas had been available. The ratepayer cost was $1.7 billion higher than the previous winter — most of which will show up in next winter’s energy bills. In fact, Eversource recently sought a 15% increase in electric rates for customers in Western Mass. for the period July through December.

How much is 1.3 million tons? The extra greenhouse gases negated all the greenhouse-gas savings from all the solar energy produced in Massachusetts throughout 2017. It’s a problem that cannot be solved by adding more solar capacity, since the highest need for natural gas is in the winter, when solar output is at its lowest.

Had the cold period continued (or if another came later in the year), brownouts would likely had occurred. ISO-NE, the regional power-grid operator, reports that the system was about three days away from crashing, as some plants were running out of oil and had to curtail their output.

This dangerous mix of rising costs, rising emissions, and potential brownouts comes at a time when other states are dangling low energy costs in front of Massachusetts employers to persuade those companies to expand elsewhere. It’s not a tough sell — our energy costs are nearly double those of states in other regions of the country.

Associated Industries of Massachusetts, along with other members of the Coalition for Sustainable Energy, support a balanced approach to address the region’s energy problems. That approach embraces renewables — AIM has supported the development of both hydro power and offshore wind — while at the same time acknowledging the stresses on our current system and the economic and environmental damage that is occurring.

Bob Rio is AIM’s senior vice president, Government Affairs.

Community Spotlight Features

Community Spotlight

Downtown Greenfield may look the same as it did decades ago, in many respects, but it has evolved considerably and morphed into a true neighborhood.

Downtown Greenfield may look the same as it did decades ago, in many respects, but it has evolved considerably and morphed into a true neighborhood.

Greenfield Mayor William Martin acknowledged that it isn’t exactly a scientific measure of either his downtown’s vibrancy or the efficiency of his long-term strategic plan for the central business district. But it certainly works for him.

He’s being told there’s a parking problem downtown. Actually, he’s been told that for some time. Until recently, the commentary involved the east end of that district by Town Hall, and the chorus was so loud and so persistent that the community is now building a 272-lot parking garage in that area, due to open in the fall.

But now, he’s also hearing that complaint about the east side of downtown, and he’s expecting to hear it a lot more with the opening of the Community Health Center of Franklin County on the site of the old Sears store on Main Street, a facility that will bring more than 100 clients and employees to that location every day.

In the realm of municipal government, parking problems generally, but certainly not always, fall into that category of the proverbial good problem to have, said the mayor, adding that a far worse problem is to have no parking woes — not because you have plenty of parking, but because no one is coming to your downtown.

And that was more the state of things in Greenfield for some time, Martin intimated, putting the accent on ‘was.’

Indeed, while Main Street may look pretty much the same as it did a few decades ago, at least at a quick glance, it is vastly different, and in some very positive ways, said the mayor, adding that his administration’s broad strategy has been to bring people downtown for goods and services and let this critical mass trigger economic development on many levels. And it’s working.

“We thought that, if we can bring people downtown and provide what they need, the free market will take care of people want,” he said, adding that the theory has been validated with everything from new restaurants to live entertainment to offices providing acupuncture and cardiology services.

Jim Lunt agreed. Now the director of GCET (Greenfield Community Energy and Technology), a municipal high-speed Internet provider, and formerly director of Economic Development for the community, he said the downtown has evolved considerably over the past decade or so.

Getting more specific, he said it has morphed from a traditional retail district, as most downtowns are, into more of a combination entertainment district and home for small businesses and startups.

“We’ve focused on small businesses that we can bring in, and we’ve worked a lot to build up the creative economy; our downtown, like many downtowns, looks a lot different now than it did 10 years ago,” Lunt told BusinessWest. “There are a lot more restaurants, a lot more opportunities for more social gathering, as opposed to what people would think of as traditional shopping.”

In addition to social gathering, there is also vocational gathering, if you will, in the form of both new businesses and also a few co-working spaces that are bringing a number of entrepreneurs together on Main Street.

To get that point across, Lunt, sitting in what amounts to the conference room in Town hall, simply pointed toward the window, a gesture toward the building next door, the Hawks & Reed Entertainment Center, which, in addition to being a hub of music, art, and culture, is also home to Greenspace CoWork.

That space, on the third floor, is now the working address for writers, a manuscript editor, a few coaches, a social-media consultant, and many others, and has become, said Lunt, maybe the best example of how Greenfield has put the often long-unoccupied upper floors of downtown buildings back into productive use.

MJ Adams, who succeeded Lunt as director of Economic Development, agreed, and she summoned another term to describe what downtown has become: neighborhood.

She said it has always been that to some extent, but it is now even moreso, with more living options and other amenities in that area.

“We’re starting to look on downtown as more of a neighborhood,” she explained. “We’ve always looked at it as the civic and service center for the county, but people are starting to perceive downtown Greenfield as a neighborhood that has a mix of housing styles, is attractive to a wide range of people, especially young people, has a lot to offer, and is very walkable.”

Greenfield didn’t get to this state overnight, said those we spoke with, noting that the process has been ongoing and more strategic in nature since the official end of the Great Recession and the arrival of Martin in the corner office (both of which happened in 2009).

Mayor William Martin says his broad strategy since being elected a decade ago has been to transform downtown into a hub for a wide range of services and make it a true destination.

Mayor William Martin says his broad strategy since being elected a decade ago has been to transform downtown into a hub for a wide range of services and make it a true destination.

That strategy has involved a number of tenets, everything from creation of GCET, which gives downtown Greenfield an important asset in a county where high-speed Internet access is a luxury, not something to be taken for granted, to a focus on making downtown a destination for a wide gamut of services, from education to healthcare.

For this, the latest installment of its Community Spotlight series, BusinessWest examines how these pieces have come together, and also at how they have positioned Greenfield for continued growth, vibrancy, and maybe even some more parking issues — the ‘good-problem-to-have’ variety.

Hub of Activity

To explain his broad strategy for Greenfield’s downtown, Martin essentially turned the clock back more than 200 years. Sort of.

Back in those days, he explained, Greenfield, anointed the county capital, was a supplier of goods and most services to the many smaller communities surrounding it.

Small steamships and rail would bring goods north on the Connecticut River to Greenfield, he explained, and residents of surrounding towns would make their way to the center of Franklin County to get, well, pretty much whatever they needed.

“I consider that a tradition and also a responsibility,” said Martin, now serving his fourth term. “And that’s what we’ve based our downtown on — providing what people need.”

It also has always done that with regard to government functions, he said, citing everything from the county courthouse, post office, and jail to Greenfield’s library, the largest in Franklin County. But Martin’s goal was to broaden that role to include education, healthcare, and more.

And specific economic-development initiatives, technology, societal changes, the community’s many amenities, and some luck have helped make that goal reality.

In short, a large number of pieces have fallen into place nicely, said those we spoke with, enabling downtown Greenfield to become not only a destination, or hub, but also a home — for people and businesses across a diverse mix of sectors.

These pieces include:

• A burgeoning creative economy that features a number of studios, galleries, and clubs featuring live music;

• A growing number of restaurants, in many categories, that collectively provide a critical mass that makes the city a dining destination of sorts. “There are 13 different ethnic restaurants, there’s some really good bars, several places for live music that weren’t here just a few years ago, and art galleries,” said Lunt. “I think that’s the biggest change downtown”;

• Greenfield Community College, which has steadily increased its presence downtown with a campus that brings students, faculty, administrators, and community leaders to the Main Street facilities;

• The community health center, which will bring a host of complementary services, including primary care, dental, and counseling for emotional wellness together under one roof in the downtown, where before they were spread out and generally not in the central business district;

• Other healthcare services. In addition to the clinic, a cardiologist has taken over an old convenience store downtown, said the mayor, noting that there is also an acupuncturist, a holistic center, a massage therapist, and other healthcare businesses in that district; and

• Traditional retail, of which there is still plenty, including the landmark Wilson’s Department Store.

Actually, these pieces haven’t just fallen into place by accident, said Martin, noting, again, that they have come into alignment through a broad strategic plan and specific initiatives designed to make the downtown more appealing and practical for a host of businesses, as well as number of existing qualities and amenities.

“We decided that we should do everything we can to provide the infrastructure necessary to attract people and entities when the economy turned,” he explained. “And we worked on a number of things that were real problems.”

High-speed Internet access was and is a huge component of this strategy, said Lunt, noting that it has been directly responsible for a number of businesses settling in the city.

Meanwhile, other parts of that strategic initiative include renewable-energy projects that have helped bring down the cost of energy; creation of a Massachusetts Cultural District, which has made the community eligible for certain grants; a façade-improvement project that has put a new face on many properties downtown, and many others.

Destination: Greenfield

The community already had a number of strategic advantages when it came to attracting both businesses and families, said Lunt, noting that, overall, while Greenfield’s location in rural Franklin County is limiting in some ways — contrary to popular opinion, there are actually few available parcels for large-scale developments, for example — it brings advantages in many others.

From left, MJ Adams, Mayor William Martin, and Jim Lunt all see many positive signs in Greenfield’s downtown.

From left, MJ Adams, Mayor William Martin, and Jim Lunt all see many positive signs in Greenfield’s downtown.

Elaborating, he said that many younger people prefer a rural setting to an urban one — for both living and working — and can find most of what they’re looking for in Greenfield.

That list includes a lower cost of living than they would find in Boston, Amherst, or Northampton; outdoor activities ranging from hiking to whitewater rafting; culture; a large concentration of nonprofits serving the county; and, yes, high-speed Internet access, something people might not find 20 minutes outside of downtown.

“It’s a beautiful area, and real estate is quite affordable compared to much of the rest of the state,” said Lunt. “And the Springfield-Hartford metropolitan area is now 1.2 million, and that’s not that far down the road; a lot of people would happily commute for 45 minutes to live here and get to jobs there.”

This combination of factors has attracted a number of young professionals, many of whom may have gone to college in Boston or another big city and started their careers there, but later desired something different, said Adams.

It has also attracted entrepreneurs, said Lunt, including several video-game developers, many of whom now share a business address — co-working space known as Another Castle.

Located on Olive Street in space that until recently housed the Franklin County registry of Deeds, it became home to the video-game developer HitPoint, which was located in Greenfield, relocated to Springfield, and has now moved back. And it has created a co-working space that enables other small game designers to take advantage of shared equipment and facilities, effectively lowering the cost of doing business.

Moving forward, the town’s simple goal is to build on the considerable momentum it has created through a number of initiatives. These include work to redevelop the former First National Bank building, vacant for decades and the last of the properties on the stretch as Bank Row to be given a new life.

The town’s redevelopment authority has site control over the parcel, said Lunt, adding that the next steps involve working with the state, private grant writers, and the city to acquire funds to convert the property into a downtown cultural center to be used for everything from a farmers’ market to perhaps a museum of Greenfield history.

If all goes according to plan, all the properties on Bank Row will be back in productive use for the first time in 40 years, he told BusinessWest.

Another initiative is the parking garage, which has been years in the making, noted the mayor, noting that it took several attempts to secure funding help from the state for the project.

The facility will ease a well-recognized problem, exacerbated by the new county courthouse in that area, and provide yet another incentive for people to come to downtown Greenfield.

As for parking at the other end of Main Street … well, that’s a good problem to have. For now, anyway.

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

Banking and Financial Services Sections

Members Only

Katherine Hutchinson says members expect a credit union to be attuned to their needs.

Katherine Hutchinson says members expect a credit union to be attuned to their needs.

Although myths persist about what credit unions are, their leaders are cheered by statistics showing that 43% of Massachusetts residents belong to one. But they know members aren’t satisfied with mere messaging; they want the high-tech tools available at larger banks, melded with a culture of personal service. It’s a challenge they say they work hard to meet.

Michael Ostrowski has made a career in credit-union leadership, and the numbers startled even him.

Specifically, it’s the statistic that 43% of the population of Massachusetts is a credit-union member, compared to about 33% nationally.

“That’s huge. I was surprised by that,” said Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union. But after considering it, he wondered why that 43% figure should be a shock at all. “I’m surprised more people don’t take advantage of credit unions, from the fees and everything right down the line. We are typically a better deal, and you don’t see any of these credit unions in the newspaper like a Wells Fargo.”

By that, he meant the financial turmoil that many national banks brought upon themselves at the start of the Great Recession — a crisis that actually led to marketing opportunities for credit unions, said Katherine Hutchinson, president and CEO of UMassFive College Federal Credit Union.

“We did see growth throughout the recession,” she told BusinessWest. “We wanted to make sure we were not letting our members down by not lending through that period, but we were also very conscientious about how we were spending our money — all the things good financial institutions do to protect the interests of their shareholders and, in our case, our members. That’s really important to us, and I think it was a time where people were taking a second look and saw credit unions as alternatives.”

The lobby walls at UMassFive’s Hadley headquarters are adorned with messaging touting the member-centric (don’t call them customers) philosophy of credit unions, and, “believe me, we try very hard to follow the philosophy,” Hutchinson went on. “I’ve been at the credit union for 42 years — I’ve kind of grown up in the industry. When I started, we were very focused on the member, and I’ve tried to convey that and live that philosophy as we grew bigger.”

Credit unions are financial institutions that look and feel like a bank in the products and service they offer, she explained, but the difference is their structure as cooperatives.

“Because of a credit union’s non-for-profit status, consumers do expect better rates and lower fees, and I think that’s what they experience,” she said. “But they also want us to be focused on what they need, on how we can help them personally — to listen to their story, hear about why they’re in a certain situation, and what would really help them.”

Glenn Welch says local leadership means credit unions can respond to members’ concerns quickly.

Glenn Welch says local leadership means credit unions can respond to members’ concerns quickly.

Glenn Welch, president and CEO of Freedom Credit Union, said member ownership of the institution is important to those who do business there. “Whether you have $5 in your account of $500,000, it’s one member, one vote,” he said, adding that members of his board of directors must hail from the four western counties. “The board is local, so members know we can make decisions and resolve situations quickly.”

Resolving situations, and writing more success stories, is a point of pride for UMassFive, Hutchinson noted. “I think it’s important that we hear those stories and share those stories to encourage our employees to listen to the members and find ways to help. The stories are important.”

Numbers Don’t Lie

The story for credit unions has been positive in recent years, Ostrowski said, pointing to statistics like a capital-to-assets ratio of 10.4%, on average, for credit unions in Massachusetts. “Over 7 is well-capitalized — we’re over 10. That shows strength in the credit-union industry.”

Meanwhile, the 167 credit unions in Massachusetts employ 6,158 people full-time and another 908 part-time, and boast more than 2.9 million members — again, about 43% of all residents.

Still, myths persist about credit unions, Welch said, sharing four common ones identified by the Credit Union National Assoc.

The first myth: “I can’t join.” CUNA points out that many Americans believe they are ineligible to join a credit union, but membership eligibility today is typically based on geography, he noted. Membership at Freedom Credit Union, for example, is available to anyone who lives, works, or attends college in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire counties.

The second myth: “accessing my money may be hard.” Not true, Welch said, noting that, along with boasting a mobile application for online banking, many credit unions, including Freedom, have joined the Allpoint Network, allowing members surcharge-free ATM access at more than 55,000 retail locations worldwide.

The third myth: “they’re too small.” Rather, he noted, credit unions provide the same security and protection of a larger financial institution, but is accountable to members, rather than shareholders. “This means every customer is treated as an individual, not a number, enjoying personalized service and customized products.”

The final myth: “they’re primarily for those in need.” Based on generational notions, Welch explained, some may believe credit unions mainly serve low-income consumers. In truth, he added, they serve every population, as well as every size and type of business.

Essentially, he told BusinessWest, the CUNA survey demonstrated that many people don’t understand what membership means and how to go about applying to be a member.

“Several things came up; one was that they didn’t feel that credit unions can offer them the level of technology and products of banking institutions. But we had a good year in 2017 and approached the board with quite a few investment upgrades,” he noted, expanding the tasks that can be done online, like electronically signing for loans.

“People don’t want to set foot in a bank or credit union lobby unless they have to,” he continued. “We have the same products available at bigger banks, but at a local level.”

Ostrowski agreed that credit-union members appreciate the institution’s purpose and philosophy, but also demand current technology. In fact, Arrha is in the process of upgrading all its systems to improve electronic communication and its mobile banking platforms.

“I think the credit unions are still filling that void of the banks that had their roots in the small towns, and that really hasn’t changed,” he said. “But I think it’s important that people realize that we have the same systems all the big banks have, and we have the same cybersecurity functionality they do. Clearly, from a systems standpoint, we can compete very well with them.”

Michael Ostrowski says credit-union members expect the same high-tech products they can find at large banks.

Michael Ostrowski says credit-union members expect the same high-tech products they can find at large banks.

Likewise, Hutchinson noted that the area colleges the credit union was built upon still form its core membership group, but it wouldn’t have grown beyond that without a recognition in the region of the credit-union philosophy — and without a commitment on the institution’s side to stay atop trends in products and services and continually invest in technology. “That is important to growth and our sustainability, so we’re proud of that.”

Loan Stars

Ostrowski said messages like this — and a vibrant economy — have helped Arrha grow steadily in recent years, with deposits up, loan delinquency down, and investments in technology helping to attract new members.

Meanwhile, Welch noted that the competitive interest rates Freedom pays on savings accounts and charges for loans have both attracted new business. All that led to growth in 2017 in return on assets and total loans, as well as hiring a second commercial lender and a credit manager, focusing on individuals and small businesses.

“Typically, we don’t lend more than $3.5 million or $4.5 million, although we could, based on capital,” he noted.

But the credit-union presidents BusinessWest spoke with all noted that the model’s philosophy doesn’t stop at dollars and cents, but extends to a robust community outreach, often in the form of educational seminars.

“That goes to the concept of people helping people,” Welch said. “We find, when we’re not able to help someone, it’s usually a credit issue, and often, they haven’t been educated on the value of credit. So we participate with other banking institutions in Credit for Life fairs, reaching out to students when they’re still in high school to talk about good and bad credit, and what that means when they try to buy a car, rent an apartment, or get a credit card.”

Hutchinson said her board believes community education is important to UMassFive’s mission. “So many people need that kind of assistance. It ties back into what is best for our members — educating them on how to make decisions.

“Financial literacy is key,” she went on. “We try to have a variety of topics, from understanding your credit score to budgeting to preparing for retirement and first-time homebuying. We also work with UMass, doing some seminars for students on student debt.”

Ostrowski noted that even recent college graduates don’t understand their credit score and the impact it can have, while others take advantage of a credit-card offer in the mail and quickly wind up thousands of dollars in debt without thinking about the consequences. “All our programs in financial literacy are drivers that we make no money on — they are absolutely out of love of our members and to protect them.”

The credit-union culture runs deep in Massachusetts, the state where such institutions were first chartered way back in 1909, Ostrowski explained. State partnerships are still critical, he added, noting that Gov. Charlie Baker has backed an effort by the state’s credit unions, called CU Senior Safeguard, to fight elder financial abuse and fraud. All frontline credit-union staffers are participating in the program, while a statewide effort is targeting consumers with information about how elders are defrauded — a problem that costs some $10 billion every year nationally.

“I’ve heard wild stories about members getting ripped off by contractors,” he said, or individuals who were ready to send money to an unknown e-mailer on the promise of more in return. “I’ve literally had to argue with individuals not to send their money away.”

Better, he said, to deposit it with a credit union — and join that 43% number that, in an age of constant mergers and acquisitions among area banks, only continues to grow.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Business Management Sections

Spotlighting Innovation

Matt Bannister says the Innovation Series, by relating stories of entrepreneurship, will hopefully inspire more of them in the years to come. Photo courtesy of PeoplesBank

Matt Bannister says the Innovation Series, by relating stories of entrepreneurship, will hopefully inspire more of them in the years to come.
Photo courtesy of PeoplesBank

Throughout its 133-year history, PeoplesBank has touted innovation as one of its core values. But until very recently, this emphasis on innovation has been focused inward, on products, services, and ways of doing business. With a new program, called, appropriately enough, the Innovation Series, the bank is turning that focus outward, telling stories of entrepreneurship with the broad goal of inspiring more of it.

Matt Bannister sounded more like the producer of a new television sitcom than a bank’s first vice president of Marketing and Innovation.

“If it goes well, it will get renewed for a second season,” he told BusinessWest, laughing as he did so. “Right now, we have a pilot and a handful of episodes — let’s see where it goes from there.”

He was referring not to the latest candidate for binge-watching on HBO or Netflix, but to something PeoplesBank is calling its Innovation Series. And yes, you can binge-watch this, too. Well, eventually.

There are now three ‘episodes’ available for viewing on the bank’s website and on YouTube, including that so-called pilot and an interview with the braintrusts at Valley Venture Mentors, and there will soon be more installments in the can, as they say, as Bannister sits down with more entrepreneurs.

As the name of the series denotes, this is a program about innovation and entrepreneurship.

Or what Bannister, who plays host/interviewer for the series, also simply called ‘it,’ a not-so-casual reference to that collection of qualities, talents, and intangibles it takes to not only have an idea (we all have those) but advance it, hopefully all the way to the marketplace. We’ll talk a lot more about that later, but first, more about this series, how it came about, and why.

Bannister started by saying that innovation has always been one of the bank’s core operating principles. But for just about all of the institution’s 133-year history, this emphasis on innovation has been focused inward — on the development of new products, services, and ways of doing business.

Some Tips for Entrepreneurs
to Stay Sane

Entrepreneurial life has been described as a rollercoaster — incredible highs that can follow take-your-breath-away descents.

Several mentors and startup founders offered the following tips to help smooth out the ride:

• You’re not crazy! Most people would never take the leap into starting their own business, but that’s what makes you different — not crazy. When you have that idea, the one that has been burning inside you for years, and act on it, you’re following the same path as Gates, Jobs, and Edison — and they weren’t crazy.

• Make sure to have clear expectations about ownership and compensation amongst the founding team. Write down your agreement, even if on the back of a Post-it Note, but ideally with the help of an experienced lawyer.

– Scott Foster, attorney and co-founder, Valley Venture Mentors

• Be able to pivot. Having a plan is great, and you certainly need a direction, but as you learn more about your customers and your product, you may find that you need to change the business plan, go-to-market strategy, or even change the product completely. You cannot be myopic in your immediate future, and hard pivots are what separate failed startups from those that succeed.

• Find team members that you can work well with. You will be spending more time with them than your family, so it is important to be able to have a good working relationship with them.

– Barrett Mully, co-founder, Aclarity

• Know what you don’t know, and don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice from others. There are so many resources out there to help; all you have to do is ask.

• Find mentors who have experience and that you can trust. They are the ones who will introduce you to your next investor, help you understand your industry ecosystem, and be there when you just need to talk. Our mentors have been key to our success.

– Julie Mullen, co-founder, Aclarity

• You’d be surprised what you can do on a budget or for free. You don’t need to spend money on everything. In fact, the more you can avoid spending money without needing to, the better. You can get surprisingly good results without breaking the bank, and there is a plethora of free resources for almost anything you can imagine a few Google searches away.

• Resilience and the ability to adapt to change are the name of the game in the world of startups, and being able to effectively recover from problems is the difference between life or death. Never be afraid to ask for help or consult your advisors and mentors for advice on what to do, and always lay everything out on the table for your team to discuss the best course of action.

– Evan Choquette, co-founder, AnyCafé

• Don’t be afraid to share and talk about your idea. This is how you will get feedback and find mentors, customers, and co-founders. Remember the adage “the idea is 1% and the execution is 99% of success.” You have so much more to gain by sharing and collaborating than keeping your great idea locked up.

• Entrepreneurship can be isolating and lonely. Find and build a great support community of peers, mentors, and advisors.

– Liz Roberts, CEO, Valley Venture Mentors

With this new series, the bank is turning that focus outward, Bannister went on, by turning the spotlight on entrepreneurs working to take innovative ideas to the marketplace.

Like the team at AnyCafé. Now graduates of Western New England University (they started this venture while still in school), the team members want to “mobilize your kitchen,” as Logan Carlson, president and CEO of the company, told Bannister in the second installment of the series, with a product that enables someone to brew a cup of coffee just about anywhere.

And the team at New England Breath Technologies, comprised of professors at Western New England, which is developing the first pain-free glucose detector. And also the team at Aclarity, formerly Electropure, a startup launched at UMass Amherst that designs, tests, and develops innovative water-purification devices for various applications. It is the next company to be profiled, with more to follow.

Bannister said the bank has a number of informal goals in mind with this series. The ultimate goal, of course, is to strengthen the region’s economy by increasing the population of startups and next-stage companies — a development that would certainly bring benefits for all the players within the banking community.

More short-term, if you will, the goal is to hopefully inspire others to innovate and motivate them by showing some success stories in the making (these companies certainly aren’t there yet) and what lies on the path to success.

For this issue and its focus on innovation, BusinessWest turned the tables on Bannister and asked him some questions. He and the others we spoke with expressed confidence about the innovation series’ ability to not only spotlight innovation but inspire it — and get picked up for a second season while doing so.

Getting the Idea

As he and Bannister talked with BusinessWest about the innovation series at VVM’s headquarters in Tower Square, Scott Foster, one of the founders of that nonprofit and one of those interviewees in the pilot episode, said one of the program’s goals is to convey the message that anyone — and he meant anyone — really can be an entrepreneur.

It will do that, he went on, by showing the vast diversity of people who have taken advantage of VVM’s array of programs over the years — a demographic that includes college students and college professors, retirees, housewives, and more.

But can anyone really be an entrepreneur? Foster clarified his comments by saying that people from all of those demographic groups can become entrepreneurs, if they have the necessary qualities in the right quantities, a formula (if it’s even a formula) that is hard to put into words.

Foster gave it a try.

“The best description I heard, and I heard it years ago, is this: if you’re in a conference room and there’s a meeting, and the temperature isn’t right, the entrepreneur is the one who gets up, finds out where the thermostat is, and changes it,” he explained. “Because they can see that things aren’t right, they can see that other people aren’t comfortable about it, like them, and they’re going to solve that problem.

“That spirit is the entrepreneurial spirit,” he went on. “It’s seeing a problem, not being content with the status quo, and getting up and doing something about it.”

In a nutshell, the Innovation Series was created to share the stories of some people clearly not content with the status quo and also quite determined to change the equation.

Such a mindset was articulated by Carlson as he related the genesis of AnyCafé for Bannister.

“It was a freezing cold Northeastern day, and I had walked into my Marketing class,” he noted. “I looked around, and everyone had Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks, and I said, ‘why can’t I brew a cup of coffee here? We have mobile phones, we’ve got all these crazy travel technologies where we can do everything on the go…”

At that moment, the camera panned to Evan Choquette, the company’s co-founder and chief information officer, who fast-forwarded nicely and took the conversation in a different direction.

Scott Foster says there are no overnight success stories, and the Innovation Series helps articulate the wild rollercoaster ride most entrepreneurs experience.

Scott Foster says there are no overnight success stories, and the Innovation Series helps articulate the wild rollercoaster ride most entrepreneurs experience.

“When Logan came up with the idea for the Travel Brewer, it was like ‘that would be really cool to be an inventor and start your own company and try to make a product,’” he noted, adding that “we basically created our own careers and our own destiny by creating this product and building it up from nothing.”

New England Breath Technologies (NEBT) was born from a similar desire to solve a problem. The company is developing what it calls a ‘breathalyzer’ for diabetics.

“We’re a technology company, and our main goal right now is to try to change the way that diabetes is managed,” said Michael Rust, co-founder and chief technology officer of NEBT. “We’re trying to develop a breathalyzer that would allow the patient to simply breathe into and give the same kind of reading as a blood glucometer, and really take out a lot of the pain and a lot of the cost of managing diabetes.”

His partner, Ronny Priefer, the company’s chief scientific officer, said their journey took a serious turn when he “stumbled” — a word you hear often in entrepreneurship — onto the fact that people with diabetes have elevated acetone in their breath. Through his work in nanotechnology, the company is advancing a product that will essentially measure those acetone levels.

Some clinical trials have been conducted, with considerable success, and more will take place in the near future, he said, adding that, if all goes smoothly — a phrase most entrepreneurs are reluctant to say out loud — the product might be on the market in 2019 or 2020.

The Company Line

‘Pivot.’

Bannister told BusinessWest that he’s never heard that word as much as he has the past several weeks, or since he took up the role of interviewer for the Innovation Series.

It’s a verb put to use extensively by entrepreneurs as they talk about how their original idea is often reshaped on the journey involved with taking an idea to the marketplace. Entrepreneurs do a lot of pivoting, because the path to success is neither smooth nor level. There are a lot of ups and downs, and they are part of the process.

How entrepreneurs cope with the twists and turns, good days and bad days, is what ultimately determines whether they have it, and the Innovation Series succeeds in getting that message across as well.

“It’s very much a rollercoaster,” said Carlson when Bannister asked him what life was like as an entrepreneur. “There are some days when you have this huge win and you’ll feel amazing, and the next day everything will come crashing down. If you don’t have a very good support network of people to back you up as an entrepreneur, things can just get so difficult.”

The team at NEBT offered similar thoughts, but also many others about how the business world, and the life of an entrepreneur, is much different than what they’ve experienced in academia.

“Being in the academic world, we’re trained to be independent researchers and to really dive deep into a particular subject, and mine is engineering,” said Rust. “As an entrepreneur, I’m really trying to make connections with the broader community, networking for the business side to try raise funding for our company, but also to create partnerships that are going to move our technology from our lab into the marketplace.

“It’s really exciting, and it actually kind of changes the way we view our day-to-day life and how we view society in general,” he went on. “Now at the dinner table, I think about new ideas that can really affect people in our community and people around the world.”

Both teams of entrepreneurs talked about the importance of support systems and mentorship, especially for those new to the world of business.

Carlson’s partner, Choquette, may have summed up things best when he related to Bannister — and his audience — what Carlson’s father told the team at AnyCafé a while back.

“He said, ‘life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it,’” Choquette recalled. “Being in business is all about being able to adapt to change and new problems and circumstances; it’s being able to take in new information and then change based on that.”

Foster would agree, and noted that this series was designed to help take the viewer on that rollercoaster ride Carlson described, and show the many emotions, and many aspects, of taking a product or idea to market.

“There are no overnight success stories — that just doesn’t happen,” he told BusinessWest, speaking from considerable experience mentoring entrepreneurs developing everything from beer to apps to wedding dresses. “It’s a long slog, believe me.”

Warming to the Idea

As noted earlier, PeoplesBank leaders had a number of motivations for creating the Innovation Series.

It’s doubtful that anyone in the room when the discussions were going on talked about inspiring those types of people who would be so inclined to get up, find the thermostat, and turn the temperature down if the room was too hot — or words to that effect.

But that’s certainly one of the goals.

And based on early returns, it is meeting that goal and seems well on its way to getting picked up for another season.

 

Go HERE to view the Innovation Series ( bit.ly/pb-innovation)


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

Business Management Sections

Bridging the Gap

Brett Gearing says some of the region’s best business ideas come from people who don’t consider their idea a business, but the Alchemy Fund is trying to change that.

Brett Gearing says some of the region’s best business ideas come from people who don’t consider their idea a business, but the Alchemy Fund is trying to change that.

Alchemy is a term that dates back to medieval science — specifically, the effort to convert raw materials into gold.

It was a fruitless attempt, of course. But the four partners at the Alchemy Fund have a similar idea, one with far more potential.

Their idea is to spin ideas into — well, not gold, exactly, but profitable businesses.

Last summer, Brett Gearing, Randy Krotowski, Kevin Sanborn, and Chris Sims had an idea for a different kind of model for cultivating startup businesses. “We spent a lot of time fleshing out the objective and plan, to see if the model would actually work, and most of that entailed going to universities, meeting the academics, faculty, and staff, and saying, ‘hey, what do you have in here that’s interesting?’” Gearing told BusinessWest.

“They were more than willing to show us their research, what they spend their whole lives working on, and some of them recognized there might be commercial opportunities — but a lot of them didn’t realize it; they were busy focusing on the research.”

Those conversations convinced the four partners that the Pioneer Valley has no shortage of promising ideas sitting in labs and classrooms which, with some support — funding, advisory services, business acumen, and staffing — could become viable companies. “That was our first checkbox — there are plenty of good ideas in the area,” said Gearing.

In short, he explained, the Alchemy Fund aims to create new ventures from ideas cooked up at universities and health systems, among other sources. The team will search out these technologies and concepts, identify product and market applications, recruit founding teams, provide seed funding, handle back-office services, and coach the new company along.

“We named this product Alchemy because of how it transforms its raw materials,” Gearing explained. “Our typical starting point is an underappreciated lab technique, an industry problem whose time has come, or an existing startup team targeting the wrong market.”

The first burst of fund-raising has amassed about $1 million, and Alchemy made its first project investment, in a screening mechanism for diabetes originated at Western New England University. “We think the opportunity to bring that company to a viable business is really great, given the market size and all the attention to diabetes,” said Gearing.

Certainly, the startup and venture-capital culture are nothing new to Western Mass., and neither is medical or technological innovation, thanks to a knot of notable colleges, universities, health systems, IT firms, and precision manufacturers. However, while traditional venture-capital enterprises have startups knocking on their door, Alchemy believes some of the best ideas are being developed by people who may not be thinking about marketability — but should.

“And there are plenty of both opportunities and money here, and many ideas haven’t really spun out as ventures yet,” Gearing told BusinessWest. “We started by focusing on academia, but we’ve evolved, and we’re looking at both academia and healthcare systems. That’s where we are now, and so far, so good.”

Common Ground

The four Alchemy partners have backgrounds ranging from institutional investment to venture capital to health and wellness, and met through the region’s robust startup ecosystem, Gearing said.

“We realized there was a lot of talent in this area, and we wanted to do something in the Valley for the Valley, and thought our skill sets would work well together — and so far they have,” he went on. “If we find we need a specific skill set we don’t have, our model is flexible enough that we can bring an expert in.”

The team has explored about 25 potential opportunities in fields like polymer science, engineering, computer science, wearables, and healthcare, and is looking closely at a handful of those.

“My partners and I will kick the tires on each idea and try to get a sense of what the market looks like, how much money it takes to bring it to market, and whether we have the right skills to get it to that point,” he explained. Often, it’s a challenge simply to convince the purveyor of a good idea to take the idea to market.

“Sometimes the person doing this research is a chief data scientist or polymer scientist or engineer who might not even want to run a business because they don’t have the time. Or they might be a tenured professor and have a great gig, and absolutely love what they’re doing. So we come in and say, ‘we love your idea; we think we can make a business out of this.’”

Gearing expects the idea originator to come on board, in most cases, as a chief scientist or engineer to help move the research forward, and Alchemy will surround him with a team with the business acumen to help bring that idea to fruition.

“Once there’s a commitment there, our goal is to bring it to a stable state and then hire a CEO, COO, and help with back-office services like accounting, bookkeeping, and fundraising. That’s important because, when I look at startups, they spend a lot of time pitching their idea, raising funds, and educating people on what they’re trying to do, and less time working on the actual business. So we’ll handle a lot of that.”

To be successful, he added, Alchemy’s partners are essentially drawing on their experience and cobbling together elements of already-successful models. “We can say, ‘I know this works,’ or ‘I know this is troublesome because of XYZ.’ We’re still honing the model, but I think we’re really onto something.”

The money raised from investors will pay for a number of expenses, he noted, depending on the project. In the case of the diabetes project, because it’s in the medical space, some money might be spent on clinical trials.

“We’ll also certainly try to source a CEO in the first six months, and help build a team around them. Every scenario is different. It might be product development, it might be testing, it might be branding or marketing, and it might be a whole combination of these things.”

The goal, he emphasized again, is to spin off successful, independent companies that can grow in the region. “Ideally, we’ll bring them through several levels of funding until the real money comes in. That’s our goal — to get them to revenue as soon as we can and get them to stand up on their own.”

Working in Concert

Gearing, who has also taught at Elms College and serves on its entrepreneurial leadership board, understands the potential bubbling under the surface at the area’s many institutions of higher learning, and he’s familiar with the expansive network of entrepreneurial support across the region, from Valley Venture Mentors to TechSpring to the venture-capital community.

“I think it all needs to work together in concert, and that’s where we fit in,” he told BusinessWest. “There’s an opportunity for all of us to fit together and work together collaboratively. Through this network, we’re able to find people to help ideas along. If I need someone in the insurance space or whatever the case may be, people are more willing to open up their doors and support what we’re trying to do. And once we have proven this model works, I think it only gets easier.”

While the Alchemy Fund has been operating under the radar in many ways, even while looking for investors, he added, it’s time to take the profile to a higher place. “We wanted to make sure all the pieces fit together well, and now we have a story to tell.”

A story that’s only beginning.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Manufacturing Sections

Doors to Opportunity

Amy Royal

When she started her law career with a firm in Springfield, Amy Royal didn’t consider herself an entrepreneur. But that quality emerged quickly, and she would go on to start her own firm. She soon realized, though, that she was a actually a serial entrepreneur with an appetite for developing and growing companies, the latest of which is a door manufacturer in Ludlow.

Amy Royal says she was given the small ‘Lenox’ sign, complete with that recognizable wolf logo, by officials at that East Longmeadow-based manufacturer soon after it became the first official client of the law firm that bore her last name.

And for years, it was prominently displayed on a wall in her office in Northampton, much like that ceremonial ‘first dollar’ you see under glass or in a frame at small businesses across the region.

Today, it has a new home, and that’s because Royal has one as well, professionally speaking, anyway. That would be 190 Moody St. in Ludlow, the address for West Side Metal Door Corp., a 60-year-old enterprise Royal acquired several months ago, because…

Well, there are many elements that go into that answer, and one of them is that Lenox sign. Sort of. That iconic Western Mass. company is just one of many manufacturers that have become clients of Royal, P.C., an employment-law firm. And over time, while representing many of them, Royal developed more than insight into that sector and much more than a passing interest in someday working within it.

Indeed, when she began a search for a small company to buy a few years ago, manufacturing morphed from one of several sectors being considered to the preferred sector.

“Because of the relationships I’ve had with manufacturers through my law firm, I felt that I had at least a basic understanding of workflow, operations … what it takes to run a manufacturing company,” she explained. “While I certainly explored a number of options, I really wanted to be in manufacturing.”

As she carried out her search, Royal told BusinessWest, the focus was on acquiring an established company, but one with considerable upside potential. And WSMD, as it’s called, certainly fits that description.

Launched in Holyoke in 1958, it has a diverse portfolio of products for commercial customers — diverse enough for Royal to make rebranding a top priority because the ‘MD’ in WSMD doesn’t really work anymore and hasn’t for a while now — and a lengthy list of clients as well.

Indeed, recent deliveries have been made to the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office — the county correctional facility is only a few blocks away — as well as Holyoke Medical Center, the Ludlow Police Department, a casino in Las Vegas, and Wrigley Field in Chicago, among many others.

“We make a lot more than metal doors,” said Royal, also listing custom wooden doors, door frames, distribution of door hardware, and other products, especially tin-clad doors, typically seen in warehouses but now gaining traction in a variety of locations as a retro look.

As evidence, Royal gathered up her phone and scrolled to pictures of tin-clad doors the company recently supplied to an art studio in Hollywood and a condominium tower in Boston. “They look really cool and have a lot of ‘wow’ to them,” she pointed out.

Getting back to that upside potential she saw, Royal said that, unlike her predecessor, an owner who did a little bit of everything for this company, she will focus her efforts on business development, relationship building, and, overall, positioning WSMD (for however long that acronym’s still in use) for continued growth and that proverbial next level.

Amy Royal, seen here with many of the team members at WSMD, says she was drawn by the company’s rich history and strong growth potential.

Amy Royal, seen here with many of the team members at WSMD, says she was drawn by the company’s rich history and strong growth potential.

Borrowing that increasingly popular phrase, she said she’s focused on working on the company, not in it.

“I saw a lot of areas we could build upon, including business development, marketing, and sales,” she explained. “There is brand awareness with this company, but I think we can take that to a higher level.”

As she goes about that assignment, she will borrow at least few pages from the script she wrote with Royal, P.C., which she is still a big part of, even if she and her Lenox sign now consider Ludlow home.

One page in particular involves becoming a certified woman-owned company, a designation that has opened a number of doors (no pun intended) for the law firm, and one she believes can do the same for WSMD.

Elaborating, she said Royal, P.C. is a member of the National Society of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, an organization that forges relationships with large corporations that want to do business with such firms. Corporations like the Macy’s department-store chain, which became a client of the Royal firm just last month.

Institutional clients of that ilk also need metal doors — and wooden doors and tin-clad doors — and Royal’s goal moving forward is to forge such relationships and take the WSMD brand to new heights.

For this issue and its focus on manufacturing, BusinessWest talked with Royal about her new venture and how and why she walked through that particular door.

Open to Suggestions

Getting back to that question of why Royal acquired WSMD, as noted there are many components to that answer.

Perhaps the main one is Royal’s realization that she is not merely an entrepreneur — something she really didn’t believe she was when she started practicing law with the Springfield-based firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser in the 1990s — but a serial entrepreneur.

“I sort of caught the bug of developing and building businesses after starting the law firm,” she told BusinessWest. “I knew that, even though I’ve had a lot of different business ideas over the years, I was looking for a company that had an existing structure and wouldn’t have to be built entirely from the ground up, like I did with the law firm.

“I wanted to branch out, diversify, and own another business,” she went on, “and really focus my energies and efforts on strategic planning and growing a company.”

Royal said she started her search for a company to buy probably two years ago, and approached that exercise with patience, an open mind, and a determination to find the proper fit.

She looked at everything from a spice-making outfit in Western Mass. (she didn’t identify which one) to a small cruise-ship line operating out of Boston (again, no specifics). But mostly, she looked at manufacturers, again because she liked that environment and understood a good deal about how such ventures operate.

WSMD came onto her radar screen because it was listed for sale. She was working with an area broker on her search, but essentially found WSMD on her own.

And what she found was a solid enterprise and brand with its owner looking to retire — a scenario being played out all across the region within companies in every sector as business-owning Baby Boomers become sexagenarians and septuagenarians.

She started looking at WSMD in late 2015, and kept on looking, undertaking that proverbial deep dive to determine if the company had the growth potential she desired.

And she goes about taking WSMD to a higher level, Royal said she will borrow lessons from her first experience with developing a growing a company, something she did without any formal training (like most all entrepreneurs) and in a fashion that could be described as ‘learning while doing.’

“When I decided I wanted to grow the law firm, I really didn’t know what I was doing,” she conceded. “I went out on my own and built the firm, and figured out how to network, market, develop, and grow the brand. And that’s when I realized that that’s really my passion — growing a business, creating jobs, creating opportunities.”

There will be many aspects to doing all that at WSMD, including that aforementioned rebranding effort.

“We have a really established presence within our customer base, and they know that we do more than metal doors,” she explained. “But the name doesn’t really capture what we do, so we need to change it.”

Also on her to-do list is obtaining status as a woman-owned manufacturing business, a process already underway.

“That will be a huge lift for us,” she said, adding that the company’s application is currently being reviewed, and certification may come in the next few months. “There is a lot of competition in this field, so I do think the certification will help.

“One of the things that made me interested in this company is that it’s been very successful,” she went on. “But I think, I hope, I can take it to the next level.”

And by ‘next level,’ she meant more partnerships and opportunities with institutional clients, again similar to what’s she done at the law firm — opportunities that will hopefully enable her to grow sales and the workforce, currently at nine.

Closing the Deal

Royal told BusinessWest that she’s still involved with her law firm, obviously, and on a number of levels.

But when she leaves her home in Deerfield now, she keeps going past that exit off I-91 that spills onto downtown Northampton and goes another 20 miles down the interstate.

Like her Lenox sign, she’s taken up residence in a new office, this one just off a manufacturing floor, not a conference room filled lined with law books.

But as disparate as those settings may be, they have many things in common, said Royal, adding that, instead of building a strong case for her clients, she’ll now be building one for her doors.

And to borrow a phrase sometimes used in law, this will be — wait for it — an open-and-shut case.

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

Manufacturing Sections

Showing Their Metal

Bob LeDuc, seen here with sons Kurt, left, and Eric, started in a chicken coop and has recorded steady growth ever since.

Bob LeDuc, seen here with sons Kurt, left, and Eric, started in a chicken coop and has recorded steady growth ever since.

Bob Leduc says that, in many respects, there’s been a world of change since he affixed his last name to a sheet-metal fabrication company a half-century or so ago.

After all, he got his start in a 20-by-40-foot chicken coop in his backyard, taking some odd jobs and essentially moonlighting to help feed his growing family. Today, the venture he launched, RR LeDuc Corp., is in a state-of-the-art facility on Bobala Road in Holyoke near the West Springfield, and he has established clients ranging from Lockheed Martin to IBM to Whalley Computer Associates. He also has about 50 people working for him, including two of his sons, Eric and Kurt, both serving in vice presidents’ roles.

But looking at things another way, things really haven’t changed a whole lot since the photo on display in the company’s conference room was taken, the one with Bob sporting decidedly early ’70s clothing and a hairstyle to match, an image he finds almost cringeworthy today.

For starters, the 81-year-old not only comes to work every day, he is remarkably hands-on and involved in seemingly everything taking place at the plant — just as he did when he was by himself in the chicken coop, when that assignment was much easier.

More importantly, he noted, business is still being done just like it was back then, with a laser focus on the customer, on being flexible and responsive, and on not only meeting but exceeding expectations, an operating mindset that has created a steady growth curve over five decades.

“One of the keys to staying in business this long is really knowing your customer and partnering with them to meet their needs,” he said while summing up what amounts to his success formula.

Overall, the past 50 years have been marked by evolution and expansion. Indeed, the company that started by fabricating and installing HVAC ductwork and catwalks in Holyoke’s paper and textile mills — usually on weekends when the machines were quiet — now produces a wide range of metal enclosures and other products from a host of business sectors, including defense, communications, medical, electronics, and many others.

“All the cool stuff is on the inside, but we make the skin,” said Eric LeDuc, adding that the company fabricates this skin (enclosures) for everything from computers to ATM machines to portable generators.

For this issue and its focus on manufacturing, BusinessWest talked with the LeDucs on the occasion of their silver anniversary about where this company’s been, and where these two generations of leaders want it to go.

Manufacturing Milestone

The LeDuc company celebrated 50 years in style late last fall.

There was a party on the front lawn featuring a jazz band and catering by the Log Cabin. The invitation list included customers, vendors, a few elected officials, and employees past and present.

Those gathered were marking a half-century in business, a considerable feat in its own right, but they were really celebrating all it took to reach that milestone — entrepreneurship, evolution, persistence, innovation, and teamwork.

Those qualities came through clearly as the LeDucs collectively — one would often pick up where the other left off and fill in needed information — related the story of their first half-century in business.

The chicken coop gets brought up often, because it provides a colorful, down-to-earth start to the story. But it is only the first chapter.

Actually, we probably need to go back a little further, to the Holyoke Trade School, where LeDuc, concentrating on sheet metal, graduated in 1954. He served a four-year apprenticeship with the E.H. Friedrich Co., worked there for a few years, and then worked for a few other firms, including one in New Haven, which he served as supervisor, that specialized in HVAC ductwork.

He built a house in Chicopee, and on the lot was a World War II chicken coop, he told BusinessWest, adding that soon thereafter he began that aforementioned moonlighting.

“I bought some sheet-metal-bending equipment and shearing and welding equipment as well,” he recalled. “After eight hours of work, I’d come home, eat supper, and work until Jack Parr came on.” (That would be 11:30 p.m., for those too young to know that Parr preceded Johnny Carson as host of the Tonight Show).

In that chicken coop, the elder LeDuc mostly handled the HVAC ductwork he had become versed in, and as his workload became more steady, he eventually quit his day job — and soon flew the chicken coop — and moved into a sub-basement in a building on Sargeant Street.

His client list was dominated by the paper and textile mills surrounding him, and for those companies, LeDuc fabricated ductwork and also handled so-called trim work on the paper machines. He soon gained a reputation for quality work and flexibility that enabled him to stay busy.

“I would work for a couple of hours, change clothes, and go out and make sales calls,” he told BusinessWest. “I remember one customer saying, ‘what can you do for us that the people working for us now can’t do?’ I said ‘I can work for straight time on Saturdays and Sundays.’ That raised some eyebrows, but most of their machines were down on the weekend, so that’s when they needed someone.”

The work would evolve over time, involving a shift to working with stainless steel, which required investments in new equipment, and new assignments such as catwalks, guards for machinery, and exhaust hoods.

As the mills closed down or moved south in the ’70s and ’80s, the LeDuc company had to reinvent itself, said Eric, who, like Kurt, essentially grew up in the company, starting on the shop floor and working his way up. And it did, becoming a precision sheet-metal fabricator, essentially a contract manufacturer serving a wide range of clients.

There would be a move from Sargeant Street to Samosett Street in the Flats area, several expansions of the location there, and then a major investment in a new, 60,000-square-foot building on Bobala Road.

In the early ’90s, the company was approached by Atlas Copco about adding powder coating of the casings (skin) LeDuc was manufacturing for its portable generators to its roster of services.

“There was no one in this country that was doing it at that time,” Bob LeDuc recalled, adding that powder coating has become a strong component of the company’s overall roster of services.

Today, the company has a diverse portfolio of clients and an equally diverse portfolio of products it produces for them. And one of the keys to both is a tradition of continually investing in state-of-the-art technology, said Eric, noting that the company has made great strides in automated, or lights-out, manufacturing, as it’s called, because it can be done 24/7, or when the lights are out, at least for employees.

Recent additions to the shop floor, complete with many letters and numbers in their names, include:

• An EMK3610NT CNC punch press with ASR multi-shelf sheet loader, which enables multiple programs to run unassisted 24/7;

• The Astro 100NT automated bending robot, which, as name suggests, is the answer for forming parts unassisted (automated tool changing allows the sequencing of multiple programs);

• The FO 3015NT 4,000-watt laser, capable of cutting steel and aluminum in a wide range of thicknesses; and

• The EM3610NT CNC punch press, which, along with lights-out manufacturing, allows mass production of high-quality parts.

There are many other pieces of equipment on the floor, said Eric, adding that all those numbers and letters add up to flexibility and responsiveness, qualities that have enabled the company to continue to grow its client list over the years.

Shining Examples

There are a few other artifacts in the company’s conference room, including the time-worn ‘RR LeDuc’ sign that hung on the property on Sargeant Street.

It stands as another indicator of just how much things have changed for this company since Bob LeDuc would come back in from the chicken coop in time to watch Jack Parr.

But equally important is what hasn’t changed in all that time — the focus on the customer and forming a partnership with it to meet goals and needs.

That focus has enabled the company to shape opportunities in the same way that it has shaped metal.

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

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Nominations for BusinessWest’s fourth annual Continued Excellence Award will be accepted through the end of today, May 14. The winner of the award will be unveiled at the magazine’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 21.

Three years ago, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The first two winners were Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT, and Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center. Both were originally named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. Last year, the judges chose two winners: Scott Foster, an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas (40 Under Forty class of 2011); and Nicole Griffin, owner of Griffin Staffing Network (class of 2014).

Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007-17 — and will be judged on qualities including outstanding leadership, dedicated community involvement, professional achievement, and ability to inspire. The award’s presenting sponsor is Northwestern Mutual.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-continued-excellence-award. For your convenience, a list of the past 11 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-past-honorees.

Daily News

HADLEY — Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Jocelyn Roby has joined the firm’s Hadley office as an associate attorney. Rob is a member of Bacon Wilson’s real estate department, where her practice is focused largely on residential real estate, including closings and title work. She is a graduate of the Western New England University School of Law, and received her bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State College.

Bacon Wilson boasts 44 lawyers and approximately 60 paralegals, administrative assistants, and support staff in offices located in Springfield, Amherst, Hadley, Northampton, and Westfield.

Daily News

CHICOPEE — Elms College announced that it will launch two new majors this fall, in computer science (CS) and computer information technology and security (CITS).

The CITS major prepares students for careers as information technology (IT) professionals, providing a breadth of knowledge and the skills necessary to become IT technicians, system administrators, network administrators, and cybersecurity specialists. Required course topics for this major include databases, networks and security, system administration, digital forensics, hardware maintenance, cyber ethics, web design, and more.

The CS major focuses on the design and development of software and the algorithms that make code work efficiently. Students will become proficient in C#, Javascript, HTML/CSS, SQL, and other programming languages. Required courses for this major will focus on programming, data structures and algorithms, databases, system administration, cyber ethics, web design, and more.

“Our students are very excited about these new majors,” said Beryl Hoffman, associate professor of Computer Information Technology at Elms. “Computer-science graduates are in high demand, and computer security is one of the fastest-growing job markets within IT.”

Both majors will include a professional internship that will give students real-life experience in computer science or computer information technology and security. Electives for both the CS and CITS majors will include artificial intelligence, game design, mobile-app design, graphic design, and video.

Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — The Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley Inc. (WBOA) will recognize Anita Eliason and Jennifer Roberge as co-recipients of the organization’s 2018 Business Woman of the Year award, given annually to a member who has contributed to WBOA in a significant way, is a role model, and inspires other women to be successful.

Eliason and Roberge are the owners of Zesta Style, providing personal styling, style coaching, alterations, and color consulting to help women “unlock confidence with style.” Both women have been WBOA members since 2012.

“We are so thrilled to honor Anita and Jen this year,” said WBOA President Gretchen Duhaime. “Their contributions to WBOA have been monumental. And their business partnership shows that, together, we can do so much more than when we try to go it alone.”

Eliason and Roberge will be honored at WBOA’s Women of the Year Celebration, which will be held Friday, June 8 at the Boylston Rooms in Easthampton. Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m., and tickets are available at wboa.org.

WBOA will also recognize Maxine Bernstein as its Outstanding New Member. Bernstein is a financial professional and host of the Safe Money Radio show. Community recognition awards will be given to Amy Woolf of Amy Woolf Color Consulting (Woman of Influence), Julia Mines of Julia Mines Coaching (Special Mentor), Jackie Griswold of Heartfelt Gifts (Spirit Award), and Susan Allen of Susan Allen Financial (Quiet Achiever).

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The second installment of the BusinessWest lecture series Future Tense, titled “What Got You Here Might Not Get You There: Mistakes Business Owners Make Before and After Retirement,” will take place on Thursday, May 17 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Tech Foundry, 1391 Main St., ninth floor, Springfield.

The lecture, open exclusively to CEOs and business owners, will be delivered by Amy Jamrog, wealth management advisor with the Jamrog Group. The cost is a $25 donation to Tech Foundry. Event sponsors include Paragus IT, the Jamrog Group, and Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C.

Do you feel like you’re doing a good job running your company, but wonder if you should be doing more? Are you as prepared as you could be for the eventual sale of the business? Are you willing to delay some tax gratification now for a more efficient retirement later? Are you focused on accumulation, but forgetting about the equally important decumulation strategy when it comes to your wealth? How do you take care of yourself, impact your community, and provide legacy for the family — and is it possible to do it all? Hear about proactive strategies to align your team of advisors and get you best equipped for your future.

Metered street parking is available near the venue, and there are several parking-garage options nearby as well. To register, visit businesswest.com/lecture-series.

Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Nominations for BusinessWest’s fourth annual Continued Excellence Award will be accepted through the end of today, May 14. The winner of the award will be unveiled at the magazine’s 40 Under Forty gala on Thursday, June 21.

Three years ago, BusinessWest inaugurated the award to recognize past 40 Under Forty honorees who had significantly built on their achievements since they were honored. The first two winners were Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT, and Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Western Mass. and chief of Allergy and Immunology at Baystate Medical Center. Both were originally named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2008. Last year, the judges chose two winners: Scott Foster, an attorney with Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas (40 Under Forty class of 2011); and Nicole Griffin, owner of Griffin Staffing Network (class of 2014).

Candidates must hail from 40 Under Forty classes prior to the year of the award — in this case, classes 2007-17 — and will be judged on qualities including outstanding leadership, dedicated community involvement, professional achievement, and ability to inspire. The award’s presenting sponsor is Northwestern Mutual.

The nomination form is available at businesswest.com/40-under-forty-continued-excellence-award. For your convenience, a list of the past 11 40 Under Forty classes may be found at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40-under-forty-past-honorees.

Daily News

HADLEY — Bacon Wilson, P.C. announced that Jocelyn Roby has joined the firm’s Hadley office as an associate attorney. Rob is a member of Bacon Wilson’s real estate department, where her practice is focused largely on residential real estate, including closings and title work. She is a graduate of the Western New England University School of Law, and received her bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State College.

Bacon Wilson boasts 44 lawyers and approximately 60 paralegals, administrative assistants, and support staff in offices located in Springfield, Amherst, Hadley, Northampton, and Westfield.