Month: June 2018

Cover Story

Growth Industry

Matt Yee stands outside a room equipped to simulate ‘summer.’ Access inside is extremely limited.

Green Thumb Industries’ marijuana-cultivation facility in Holyoke is not like most other businesses — or any other business, for that matter. There is no sign over the door, there was no elaborate ribbon-cutting ceremony when it opened, and, with a few minor exceptions, no one will visit this place. It is like all other businesses, though, in keeping the focus on innovation and putting out a quality product.

The ‘flowering room,’ as it’s called, is climate-controlled to simulate early fall.

And it does that so well that when Matt Yee, president of the Massachusetts market for Green Thumb Industries (GTI), walks inside … he has flashbacks of a sort.

“This is perpetual September. I always feel like I’m walking through the Holyoke Community College parking lot at the beginning of school — it always reminds me of that.”

“This is perpetual September,” he told BusinessWest, referencing the temperature, the warmth of the sun, and a slight, cool breeze. “I always feel like I’m walking through the Holyoke Community College parking lot at the beginning of school — it always reminds me of that.”

Perpetual September? Welcome to GTI’s 45,000-square-foot marijuana-cultivation facility in Holyoke, a recently opened venture that is, in just about every way you can imagine, not like any other business in this region.

That much becomes abundantly clear after one short visit — only, you really shouldn’t expect to visit this place anytime soon. They don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat — not because they’re not friendly, but because they don’t want or need company.

For starters, there’s no signage on the property, at least for GTI (there are other tenants in this old paper mill), and for a reason. The company doesn’t exactly want to broadcast its location, although its address, 28 Appleton St., in the so-called Flats section of the city, is commonly known.

The sign outside one of the growing rooms conveys the importance of keeping the plants safe at GTI’s Holyoke facility.

Also, there is no front door, really. You enter through the back, and only after using a coded key to get through a tall gate and passing under several surveillance cameras. Once inside — again, if you get that far — you can’t go any further without checking in with security, leaving a copy of your driver’s license behind, getting a badge with a recorded number on it, and being escorted by an employee through some more locked doors.

But before going through — and unless you’re an employee, an elected official on business, some other sort of VIP, or a business writer on assignment, you probably won’t be going through — one must step onto a large mat of sorts covered by about an inch of water.

That’s because marijuana plants are somewhat fragile and susceptible to contamination that might be brought into their home on the soles of one’s shoes. For the same reason, no one gets further than the security desk without donning a white lab coat.

“Contamination of the system can cause millions of dollars in damage,” said Yee. “Even walking across the parking lot, people can pick up some powdery mildew — one of the biggest issues we have — or various aphids and bugs, and those can be issues as well.”

To help keep these plants — which give new meaning to the phrase ‘cash crop’ — safe, GTI has enlisted the help of what are known as “beneficials” — tiny mites that feast on many of the known enemies of marijuana plants. There are hundreds of them in small packets placed next to each plant.

“If there’s an invasion of aggressive bugs, they’ll eat those little guys,” Yee said of the mites. “It’s an interesting process — signing the invoice for 25,000 bugs was kind of interesting; they’re very, very, very small, but you can see them, although it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

These are just some of the steps (ladybugs and other beneficials are also deployed) being taken to ensure that the first crop, and all those to follow — the business plan calls for cultivating 120 pounds per month — will be as healthy and profitable as possible, said Yee, who came to this job and this industry thanks to a chance encounter with Pete Kadens, president of Chicago-based GTI at the restaurant Yee was managing (more on that later).

The flowering room he showed BusinessWest was empty, but by the time this magazine went to the printer, it was full of plants enjoying those cool fall breezes. From there, it’s only a few more steps until the fruit of the plant is processed into product, such as the small joints called ‘dog walkers’ — because you can start and finish one in about the time it takes to walk the dog — to be placed in tins already stored in the so-called trim room.

“It’s a great little product — everybody really loves these all across the nation,” he said, adding that, starting in several weeks, these dog walkers and other products will be shipped to GTI’s recently opened dispensary in Amherst and other locations across the state.

For this issue, BusinessWest takes an in-depth look inside GTI’s facility in Holyoke, and also inside a business that is new to Massachusetts and this region, but appears to have a future that might be as bright as the high-pressure sodium lights inside the flowering room.

Branch Office

Those are 1,000-watt units, and there are 88 of them in the room, Yee explained, adding quickly that it gets so bright in those rooms that employees wear protective sunglasses when inside.

That was one of many bits of information Yee passed along while serving as tour guide, one of many functions he’s taken on (although, now that growing has started, the volume of tours has subsided) while carrying out a role he probably couldn’t have imagined for himself a few years ago.

GTI expects to cultivate 120 pounds of marijuana per month at its Holyoke facility.

But the picture changed quickly and profoundly after Kadens ventured into Johnny’s Tavern in South Hadley for dinner back in 2016. Yee, as noted, was general manager of that eatery (one of many owned and operated by his family), with the emphasis on was. Indeed, the two started talking, and the more Kadens talked about the cannabis industry and its potential in the Bay State, the more Yee wanted to be part of it.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, Yee joined GTI and has taken a lead role in opening the Holyoke facility and getting the first plants in the ground, if you will.

First, though, there was a lengthy learning curve for Yee, who said his education in cannabis and the business of cultivating and distributing marijuana took him to GTI facilities across the country, including those in Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia.

“It was a really intense drop into the cannabis world,” he recalled, adding that GTI has facilities similar to the one in Holyoke operating in several states.

The operation on Appleton actually represents what Yee called the third iteration of a GTI growth facility. Lessons have been learned over the years, he said, in everything from production to automated systems to air handling, and they’ve all been applied to the Holyoke plant, which came to be after a lengthy review of options regarding what to build and where.

“It came down to ‘should we do this in an open field somewhere for cheaper or do the socially responsible thing and breathe new life into a vacant space?’ And we decided to do this — and it was a project.”

Indeed, as Yee walked through the facility, he noted that, while it provided one key ingredient in the form of wide-open spaces and high ceilings, the old mill required quite a bit of expensive work to be retrofitted into a marijuana-cultivation facility.

But in the end, GTI determined that rehabbing such a facility is a better alternative to building new, even it is the more expensive alternative.

“It came down to ‘should we do this in an open field somewhere for cheaper or do the socially responsible thing and breathe new life into a vacant space?’” he recalled of the decision-making process. “And we decided to do this — and it was a project.”

‘This’ was a retrofit in the middle of an urban setting, granted one that has embraced the cannabis industry with open arms.

Thus, security is extremely tight, he said, noting the facility is outfitted with cameras, motion detectors, glass-break sensors, and more.

“Visitation is very, very restricted,” he said, adding that the state has access to the facility’s camera systems and monitors what goes on. If someone watching sees someone in the building without a badge, inquiries are made.

Joint Venture

Yee’s ability to learn quickly about the industry he joined was in evidence on the tour, as he talked about marijuana and, more specifically, how it will be cultivated in this old mill.

“Marijuana is an annual,” said Yee, who walked while he talked. “Typically, the seeds will pop in the spring, it will grow through the summer, and then, come the shorter days of late summer and fall, its flowering process is triggered — and it’s those flowers that we’re harvesting; it’s the fruit of the plant.”

Matt Yee says it will be a few more months before GTI is able to fill tins of ‘dog walkers’ it will ship out the doors of the Holyoke plant.

There are no seasons, per se, indoors, so cultivators like GTI have to replicate them, he went on, as he stopped at a room simulating early- to mid-summer. Through a large, thick window, Yee pointed to and talked about the already-tall plants inside.

Taking visitors in that room, even after they’ve put on a lab coat and stepped on a few of those water-covered mats, constitutes far more risk than the company is willing to take on, he said, adding that these plants are much too valuable to risk contamination.

The sign on the door gets this point across. “Do Not Enter — Limited Access Area,” it reads. “Access Limited to Authorized Personnel Only.”

“There are about 18 hours of light in this room,” said Yee, returning to the subject at hand and the process of simulating summer-like conditions. “We’re really just pushing the plants to get to a proper size, and then we stimulate them to get to their flowering stage.”

Actually, the ‘summer’ room is the second stop for the plants, which start off as cuttings from other plants, known as ‘mothers,’ and take up residency in the ‘cloning room.’

Their third stop will be in that room that simulates September, where it is a constant 72 degrees, Yee went on, adding that the first plants were due to arrive there in early June.

In that setting, a shorter day, with the lights on for maybe 12 hours, is created. That difference in the amount of light is what actually triggers the plant to move into its reproductive cycle, he explained.

“The male plants will develop pollinating elements, and the female plants develop the flowers,” he noted. “We only have females here; there are no males on site.”

The plants will double or triple in size in the flowering room, he went on, adding that, when they’re ready for harvesting, they’re removed from their pots, the iconic fan leaves are removed, and the flowers are put into a drying room, to be hung on what are known as ‘Z racks.’

Once the flowers reach a certain level of dryness, they can be processed, said Yee, adding that the product is weighed and then moved into the ‘trim room,’ a space where the flowers are “manicured” (Yee’s word) into their final, saleable form, such as those aforementioned dog walkers.

From beginning to end — from the nursery to that tin of dog walkers — the process covers about three months, and, starting with the second batch, there will be continuous yield at this facility, which will be needed to recover the significant investment (nearly $10 million) in this facility.

“We’ll be harvesting about half a room a day,” he projected, adding, again, that the overriding goal is to keep the crops safe — from invading insects and anything else — until they’re harvested.

Yield Signs

Getting back to those packets of beneficials, Yee said the mites are really small and quite hard to see, and he’s essentially taking the distributor’s word that there were 25,000 of them in that last order.

“If you crack one of the packets open and pour the contents in your hand, there’s sawdust or whatever it is … and if you look hard, you can spot these little critters rolling around.”

What’s somewhat easier to see is the vast potential for the cannabis industry in Massachusetts, although that picture is still coming into focus, on both the medicinal and recreational sides of the spectrum.

GTI intends to be well-positioned to capitalize on whatever market eventually develops, and the Holyoke facility will play a huge role in those efforts.

It is really unlike any business you’ve ever visited — only, you won’t know, because you probably won’t be visiting.

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

The Numbers Game at UMass

Opinion

Editorial

A recent report issued by the Pioneer Institute, a conservative-leaning, Boston-based think tank, brought a new wave of criticism to the admissions practices at the University of Massachusetts and its flagship campus in Amherst, but what it really did — we hope — is open some eyes to some of the alarming trends in higher education today.

The report, released late last month, revealed that out-of-state applicants are often getting in at the expense of in-state residents with higher grade-point averages and SAT scores. The average GPA for admitted out-of-state students was 3.78, while for Massachusetts students it was 3.97.

Stating the blatantly obvious, Mary Connaughton, co-author of the report, said it isn’t supposed to be this way. “It’s actually heartbreaking,” she told the Boston Globe. “We don’t want our kids left out in the cold.”

Indeed, we don’t. But we need a much deeper analysis of the numbers and, more importantly, some aggressive action taken by the state elected leaders to perhaps reverse them.

Out-of-state students are preferred in this environment because they pay higher rates. Meanwhile, competition for those students (and all students, for that matter) is especially keen as high-school graduating classes continue to shrink in size, and that’s why out-of-state applicants are getting admitted to the Amherst campus with lower GPAs than young people in Chicopee, Lowell, and Fall River.

As the Pioneer Institute said, in essence, that’s bad — because this is the state university we’re talking about. It’s there, primarily, to serve state residents, especially as a lower-cost alternative to the many, many exemplary private colleges and universities in this and other states.

Through the decades, it has filled this role well, even as its stature has increased and it has become much more than a ‘fall-back school’ — a phrase used by so many who went there in the ’70s and ’80s to capture how it became their choice after they couldn’t get into, or couldn’t afford, those aforementioned private schools.

But in recent years, changing financial conditions have forced changes in admission policies, and we choose those words carefully. As the state’s commitment to higher education wavered, the university was seemingly left with little choice but to favor out-of-state students and the higher tuitions they paid.

There are other reasons for admitting out-of-students; for starters, they want to come here because of the excellence of the programs, which is a good thing, but the school also wants to create needed diversity by admitting students from other parts of the country and other parts of the world.

But mostly, it’s about money. The estimated cost of attending UMass Amherst for an in-state resident is just under $30,000; conversely, for an out-of-state resident, it’s between $47,600 and $49,000. You can do the math.

And so can the people trying to administer programs at the flagship campus. They would appear to have two choices: admit more in-state residents and incur losses in revenue that threaten quality of programs and perhaps the existence of others, or admit more out-of-state students.

The latter has been the course, and in 2016, the school actually gave more admissions to students who lived outside the state than to those who called the Baystate home — although, overall, more than 75% of those attending the school are from Massachusetts.

School officials believe that’s a good number. The Pioneer Institute doesn’t, and Connaughton believes the state should consider a cap — perhaps 18%, the number used by some other states — on out-of-state admissions so that deserving state residents don’t lose out.

We have a better idea — stronger support of higher education at the state level so those reviewing admissions applications don’t have to make the amount of tuition a student can pay the first number they look at.

Real Estate Transactions

Departments Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

CHARLEMONT

1903 Route 2
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Robert M. Ovitt
Seller: Winston Healy TR
Date: 05/16/18

DEERFIELD

12 Beaver Dr.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Christopher Bagley
Seller: Denise M. Houle
Date: 05/17/18

34 Plain Rd East
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Sheehan
Seller: William F. Rotkiewicz
Date: 05/14/18

GREENFIELD

400 Adams Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Keith E. Goduti
Seller: Matthew S. Smith
Date: 05/10/18

230 Davis St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $131,200
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Holly M. Murdock
Date: 05/07/18

Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $134,900
Buyer: Gretchen E. Green
Seller: Linda S. Singer
Date: 05/16/18

18 Highland Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Christopher P. Goudreau
Seller: Marilyn Berthelette
Date: 05/11/18

36 Lakeview Dr.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $298,000
Buyer: Jennifer J. Wheeler
Seller: William F. Doyle
Date: 05/15/18

5 Park St.
Greenfield, MA 01376
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Eawoftd LLC
Seller: Greenfield Womens Health
Date: 05/17/18

28 Revere Circle
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Michel E. Dubois
Seller: Troy Santerre
Date: 05/18/18

MONTAGUE

442 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Clifford C. Spatcher
Seller: Gary H. Gardner
Date: 05/18/18

1 Wentworth Ave.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Karen J. Woodcock
Seller: Mary K. Mattiace
Date: 05/11/18

NEW SALEM

144 Neilson Road
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: William Cody
Seller: Richard H. Oliver
Date: 05/18/18

NORTHFIELD

415 4 Mile Brook Road
Northfield, MA 01354
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Vincent R. Pernice
Seller: Cecelia Jordan
Date: 05/15/18

ORANGE

100 Brookside Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Wayne Mailloux
Date: 05/11/18

87 East Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Jamey H. King
Seller: Frederick L. Maguire
Date: 05/17/18

83 East Myrtle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Christy L. Page
Date: 05/10/18

104 Governor Dukakis Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Zbylut Realty LLC
Seller: PTG Realty LLC
Date: 05/07/18

ROWE

5 Pine Hill Dr.
Rowe, MA 01367
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Douglas M. Upton
Seller: Debra L. Buchanan
Date: 05/07/18

SHELBURNE

1063 Mohawk Trail
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Andrew M. Mangold
Seller: Dana Filbert
Date: 05/11/18

WARWICK

1055 Orange Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Mandy M. Yurko
Seller: Rivers, Robert A., (Estate)
Date: 05/18/18

WHATELY

45 Christian Lane
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Paul M. Gray
Seller: Ronald J. Rup
Date: 05/15/18

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

115 Columbia Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $288,000
Buyer: Brian J. Reilly
Seller: Dean M. Berry
Date: 05/18/18

52 Mallard Circle
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Kaydoke RT
Seller: William J. McMahon
Date: 05/09/18

734 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Charles R. Butler
Seller: Kevin J. Lynch
Date: 05/11/18

1278 Suffield St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Ashley T. Stone
Seller: John Decaro
Date: 05/15/18

BRIMFIELD

2 Adams Dr.
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Timothy Heno
Seller: Sally A. Wilson
Date: 05/08/18

1170 Dunhamtown Brimfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Crystal A. Kingsbury
Seller: Alan C. Thresher
Date: 05/07/18

17 Paige Hill Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $168,100
Buyer: Colbey S. Snow
Seller: Michael J. Blanchard
Date: 05/15/18

CHESTER

9 Maple St.
Chester, MA 01011
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Matthew T. O’Brien
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/11/18

CHICOPEE

21 Bay State Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: Dhanya Real Estate Holdings
Seller: Montgomery Development Group
Date: 05/14/18

Bay State Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: Dhanya Real Estate Holdings
Seller: Montgomery Development Group
Date: 05/14/18

229 Bemis Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $143,000
Buyer: Nathin S. Rand
Seller: USA HUD
Date: 05/18/18

56 Billings St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Juan A. Flores
Seller: Christian McCoy
Date: 05/15/18

143 Blanan Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: William Cruz
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/17/18

947 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,900,000
Buyer: CH Realty 8 & CG CT Atlantis
Seller: Cherokee Hill LLC
Date: 05/14/18

52 Casino Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Yvonne V. Farino
Seller: Mario Maloni
Date: 05/17/18

17 Chateaugay St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Annie A. Feliciano
Seller: Larry Jones
Date: 05/15/18

199 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Aracelis Ocasio
Seller: Ann V. Rose
Date: 05/07/18

64 Czepiel St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Robert T. Bialas
Seller: Linda M. Burque
Date: 05/11/18

35 David St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $283,000
Buyer: Mark A. Fine
Seller: Jeff M. Picard
Date: 05/08/18

25 Depot St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $256,000
Buyer: Daniel Martinez
Seller: Sergey Savonin
Date: 05/08/18

49 Eldridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Monique Walker
Seller: Gregory J. Deschenes
Date: 05/15/18

49 Elm St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: Marilyn Page
Seller: James W. Fiore
Date: 05/18/18

86 Empire St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Christine Grainger
Seller: Jennifer A. Ledoux
Date: 05/15/18

63 Florence St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Aleli Figueroa
Seller: Frances A. Trembley
Date: 05/15/18

2 Highland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Sonia Alicea
Seller: Antoni Jangas
Date: 05/08/18

22 Howard St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Bruce W. Hunter
Seller: Marshall W. Payne
Date: 05/18/18

735 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: DSL Property Services LLC
Seller: Diane M. Bernashe-Lecca
Date: 05/08/18

161 Labelle Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Michael F. Messier
Seller: Normand J&L J. Lapointe LT
Date: 05/16/18

29 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $149,000
Buyer: NSP Residential LLC
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/11/18

Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,250,000
Buyer: Dhanya Real Estate Holdings
Seller: Montgomery Development Group
Date: 05/14/18

515 Montgomery St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Dhanya Real Estate Holdings
Seller: Montgomery Development Group LLC
Date: 05/11/18

29 Northwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $174,900
Buyer: Donna M. Zanoli
Seller: Kathleen T. Flynn
Date: 05/08/18

52 Putting Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Michael Woishnis
Seller: David A. Deslauriers
Date: 05/10/18

16 Rolf Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Rhonda L. Gosselin
Date: 05/10/18

138 Saint James Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jennifer M. Riether
Seller: David R. Lareau
Date: 05/09/18

EAST LONGMEADOW

85 Avery St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Deirdre Moraes
Seller: Michelle B. Milo
Date: 05/07/18

66 Fernwood Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Brian D. Mackenzie
Seller: Kenneth Werner
Date: 05/18/18

50 Forbes Hill Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Michael S. Ahmed
Seller: Mary R. Whelihan
Date: 05/10/18

101 Hillside Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $295,900
Buyer: Ashley M. Swift
Seller: John M. Bobianski
Date: 05/18/18

8 Melvin Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Omega Cleaners LLC
Seller: Despina Z. Pesculis
Date: 05/10/18

642 North Main St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: 642 North Main St. Corp.
Seller: Torcia-Santaniello-King
Date: 05/09/18

382 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $267,775
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robert E. Fisk
Date: 05/08/18

17 Savoy Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $306,000
Buyer: Holly C. Wensley
Seller: Charlene M. Krol
Date: 05/17/18

30-34 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Shaker Road LLC
Seller: East Meadows Realty LLC
Date: 05/17/18

60 Shaker Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $3,000,000
Buyer: Shaker Road LLC
Seller: East Meadows Realty LLC
Date: 05/17/18

26 Wood Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: John Wesonga
Seller: MR Home Inc.
Date: 05/07/18

GRANVILLE

1430 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $309,000
Buyer: Jeremy S. Batchelor
Seller: Tina Deblois
Date: 05/10/18

215 Silver St.
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $193,921
Buyer: Daniel G. Neiweem
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/18/18

HAMPDEN

50 Baldwin Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Krysta L. Zanetti
Seller: Caryn Salwen
Date: 05/18/18

23 Glendale View Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Jana M. Roberts
Seller: Brian E. Specht
Date: 05/09/18

61 Rock A. Dundee Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $225,312
Buyer: Susan C. Rockwell
Seller: Anne W. Rockwell-Kollmann
Date: 05/14/18

HOLLAND

41 Craig Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Carol Blotniski
Seller: Corey K. Jovan
Date: 05/17/18

Mashapaug Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $338,000
Buyer: Transportation Alliance Bank
Seller: New England Land & Lumber
Date: 05/17/18

6 Ridge Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Joshua M. Perry
Seller: Alice E. Rainka
Date: 05/15/18

HOLYOKE

59 Berkshire St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Harris A. Colon
Seller: James F. Dupuis
Date: 05/08/18

78 Berkshire St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Stephen D. Winslow
Seller: Cheryl A. Hollway
Date: 05/14/18

21 Carol Lane
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $281,250
Buyer: Deborah K. Driscoll
Seller: Lorraine J. Zawada
Date: 05/16/18

70 Cleveland St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Justine A. Boulanger
Seller: Deborah K. Driscoll
Date: 05/16/18

55-57 Congress Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: GQ LLC
Seller: Marcellin J. Berube
Date: 05/18/18

139 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $162,000
Buyer: Meghann A. Jurkowski
Seller: Kristin C. Desmarais
Date: 05/18/18

41 Lynn Ann Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $252,500
Buyer: Rudolph H. Fiebig
Seller: Paul M. Scott
Date: 05/16/18

240 Madison Ave. West
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Lee Morrissette
Seller: Edward A. Bouquillon
Date: 05/16/18

73 Sycamore St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $144,500
Buyer: Christopher Bates
Seller: Peter J. McMahon
Date: 05/16/18

LONGMEADOW

349 Bliss Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Anne K. MacDonald-Sarah
Seller: Kae F. MacDonald-Mary
Date: 05/17/18

79 Hillcrest Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Celia J. Alvarado
Seller: Rachel L. Parziale
Date: 05/11/18

117 Lawnwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $218,000
Buyer: Christioher Distefano
Seller: Kenneth W. Butt
Date: 05/18/18

31 Lincoln Park
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Tae H. Kim
Seller: Andrew C. Nichols
Date: 05/15/18

187 Lynnwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Lindsay K. Festa
Seller: Harvey S. Mandel
Date: 05/10/18

105 Riverview Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Christopher Rooney
Seller: Eric Lederman
Date: 05/09/18

139 Warren Ter.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Ann M. Mowry
Seller: Craig T. Shapiro
Date: 05/18/18

1258 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Veeraraghavan J. Iyer
Seller: Kathleen F. Weeks
Date: 05/18/18

359 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $263,900
Buyer: Alan J. Hitchcock
Seller: Nancy N. Cole
Date: 05/18/18

LUDLOW

119 Barre Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Lisa A. Dowers
Seller: Carla A. Dawley
Date: 05/17/18

681 Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Marcel Nunes
Seller: Antonio G. Norton
Date: 05/17/18

125 Church St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $264,000
Buyer: Crystal M. Cavallo
Seller: Eric S. Bohnet
Date: 05/09/18

176 Higher Brook Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Natalina Zina
Seller: Judith A. Evaristo
Date: 05/14/18

59 Howard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Bruno G. Varandas
Seller: Nolpaq Properties LLC
Date: 05/18/18

132 Whitney St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Gary P. Pouliot
Seller: Peter Guertin
Date: 05/07/18

348 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Edward L. Roy
Seller: Mark K. Jessup
Date: 05/16/18

68 Yale St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeffrey C. McConkey
Seller: Jeffrey Newell
Date: 05/18/18

MONSON

42 Bethany Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $180,400
Buyer: Taylor M. Pronowicz
Seller: John H. Gousy
Date: 05/07/18

26 Blanchard Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Sliwa
Seller: Jennifer A. Samuels
Date: 05/11/18

54 High St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Michael Grochowski
Seller: David J. Wallace
Date: 05/18/18

19-1/2 King Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $159,495
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Benjamin T. Rathburn
Date: 05/14/18

159 Maxwell Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Craig M. Marengo
Seller: Frederick H. Dickson
Date: 05/17/18

PALMER

12 3rd St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $4,850,000
Buyer: Mapleleaf Warehouse LLC
Seller: Mapleleaf Distribution Services
Date: 05/14/18

14 3rd St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $4,850,000
Buyer: Mapleleaf Warehouse LLC
Seller: Mapleleaf Distribution Services
Date: 05/14/18

92 Beech St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Susan C. Hurley
Date: 05/14/18

10 Berkshire St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $244,900
Buyer: Justina U. Eke
Seller: Darrin C. Booke
Date: 05/11/18

68 Flynt St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Monique Vadnais
Seller: Vadnais, Francis R., (Estate)
Date: 05/15/18

15 Holbrook St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $127,000
Buyer: Preferred Property Management
Seller: Ruby Realty LLC
Date: 05/16/18

2030 Oak St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Linda L. Austin-Morin
Seller: David Manning
Date: 05/18/18

4011 Pine St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Jose A. Lopez
Seller: Greg Lesniak
Date: 05/18/18

SPRINGFIELD

126 Arcadia Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $199,900
Buyer: Heather Chappel
Seller: Joseph A. Perez
Date: 05/14/18

94 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Edwina J. Washington
Seller: Yudelka A. Reyes
Date: 05/17/18

328 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Sara H. Kapinos
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/10/18

84 Barrington Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Kareem G. Charles
Seller: Nathan W. Skrocki
Date: 05/15/18

43 Barrison St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Goulet
Seller: Brendon Struck
Date: 05/11/18

267 Boston Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Janice R. Jackson
Seller: Leonardo Toro
Date: 05/09/18

30 Bowdoin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $444,000
Buyer: New Horizons Day Care Inc.
Seller: Restoration Worship Center
Date: 05/11/18

113 Brandon Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Liam Moriarty
Seller: CME Properties LLC
Date: 05/11/18

276-278 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 05/11/18

235 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $1,000,000
Buyer: Altranais Home Care LLC
Seller: Glenshane 2 LLC
Date: 05/14/18

80 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Atif Khan
Seller: John J. Damato
Date: 05/11/18

84 Commonwealth Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Atif Khan
Seller: John J. Damato
Date: 05/11/18

91 Copeland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Iesha Torres
Seller: Adam B. Rovithis
Date: 05/16/18

313 Cortland St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Luis I. Figueroa-Ortega
Seller: Charles Henderson
Date: 05/16/18

24 Dartmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Southbridge RE LLC
Seller: Roberson, Robert A., (Estate)
Date: 05/11/18

48 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Carlos N. Colondres
Seller: Robert E. Oberther
Date: 05/14/18

47 Gardens Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: David Martinez
Seller: Thomas E. Huckins
Date: 05/10/18

13 Grattan St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $265,910
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Timothy J. Kempesty
Date: 05/15/18

25 Haumont Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Diana Rosario
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/15/18

294 Holcomb Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $115,920
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Daniel E. Gamache
Date: 05/15/18

46 Irvington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $198,500
Buyer: Martha Winters
Seller: Le & Associates LLC
Date: 05/18/18

193-195 Laconia St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $237,000
Buyer: Wenfeng Wang
Seller: James E. Purtle
Date: 05/09/18

42-44 Longfellow Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Julio A. Sepulveda
Seller: Eryca R. Haase
Date: 05/14/18

206 Mallowhill Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $194,000
Buyer: Carolyn N. Duran
Seller: Cheryl M. Panetta
Date: 05/18/18

355 Maple St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Serena L. Harris
Seller: Mark R. Clink
Date: 05/14/18

196 Marmon St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $172,928
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Steve D. Harris
Date: 05/10/18

134 Massasoit St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Devin A. Vanasse
Seller: Deveron E. Plummer
Date: 05/17/18

90 Newhall St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $116,500
Buyer: Natasha Pica
Seller: Marc J. Kadis
Date: 05/17/18

809 North Branch Pkwy.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $164,900
Buyer: Victor C. Colon
Seller: Westvue NPL TR 2
Date: 05/10/18

40 Ogden St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Francisco J. Negron
Seller: Thomas Day
Date: 05/08/18

120 Orchard St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: 716 Spring Valley LLC
Seller: Yellowbrick Property LLC
Date: 05/11/18

116 Peekskill Ave.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Raymond DeLaCruz
Seller: Steven K. Merzigian
Date: 05/11/18

1070 Plumtree Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Anthony Sanabria
Seller: Williams F. Downs
Date: 05/15/18

34 Portulaca Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $147,600
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Steven E. Fish
Date: 05/08/18

129 Powell Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jacqueline Baez
Seller: Lindsay A. Varelas
Date: 05/18/18

40 Ravenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Carlos A. Aguasvivas
Seller: Stanley W. Szaban
Date: 05/11/18

264 Redlands St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Carlos M. Rivera
Seller: Jason M. Vilakis
Date: 05/17/18

75 Regal St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Janine M. Prokop
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 05/11/18

125 Rochford Circle
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $147,500
Buyer: North Harlow 5 LLC
Seller: Citizens Bank
Date: 05/11/18

16 Ronald Dr.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Alphonso S. Morgan
Seller: Todd Bourcier
Date: 05/16/18

151 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Sasha Rivera
Seller: John B. Wesonga
Date: 05/07/18

295 Rosewell St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Western Mass. Property Developers
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 05/17/18

1250 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $615,000
Buyer: Arista Springfield LLC
Seller: Albany Rd-Saint James Ave.
Date: 05/11/18

78 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $134,000
Buyer: Andrew Smith
Seller: Segismund Sharpe
Date: 05/11/18

142 Shefford St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Aguasvivas Realty LLC
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/11/18

142-144 Stafford St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Hector Montanez
Seller: Evan R. Nyman
Date: 05/09/18

6 Stony Brook Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $181,000
Buyer: Eva-Marie Sullivan
Seller: Calvin Lee
Date: 05/11/18

36 Sunbrier Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Eric L. Adams
Seller: Lucy A. Bianchi
Date: 05/09/18

138 Switzer Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Miguel Goncalves
Seller: E&R Realty LLC
Date: 05/16/18

305 Tremont St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Kristin A. Petig
Seller: Brown, James H., (Estate)
Date: 05/14/18

134 Undine Circle
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Kelly D. Conroy
Seller: Ethel L. Lee
Date: 05/18/18

44 Vadnais St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Kendra L. Silva
Seller: Frederick C. Deluck
Date: 05/15/18

10 Van Ness St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jaime A. Correa
Seller: Danielle Costas
Date: 05/15/18

6 Venture Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Robert Hayes
Seller: Joseph M. Pafumi
Date: 05/11/18

45 Vincent St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $129,000
Buyer: Olga E. Decepeda
Seller: Lisa A. Dowers
Date: 05/17/18

144-146 West Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Zendy Moya
Seller: Jermaine Reid
Date: 05/16/18

797 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Michael Pare
Date: 05/16/18

2020 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: E. Rodriguez-Morales
Seller: Anthony Sanabria
Date: 05/15/18

2494 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Annie A. Salem
Seller: Edward J. Hannifin
Date: 05/10/18

24-28 Wilcox St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $1,050,000
Buyer: Sandra Lee RT
Seller: Springfield Homes LLC
Date: 05/11/18

76 Wilshire Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: Kayla Levreault
Seller: JMJP LLC
Date: 05/17/18

SOUTHWICK

279 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Racicot
Seller: Linda M. Cimma
Date: 05/11/18

35 Gillette Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Melissa E. Goyette
Seller: Konstantin Avraamov
Date: 05/11/18

105 Lakeview St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Jason K. Lichtenberger
Seller: Kurtis Gendron
Date: 05/18/18

WEST SPRINGFIELD

53 Bretton Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $384,900
Buyer: Tiffany L. Royland
Seller: Gina M. Pugliano
Date: 05/14/18

161 Chestnut St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $125,200
Buyer: MAA Property LLC
Seller: Shawn D. Thebodo
Date: 05/07/18

42 Cooper St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Melro Associates Inc.
Seller: Eric Olberg
Date: 05/17/18

1319 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $165,087
Buyer: Citizens Bank
Seller: Christian M. Diluzio
Date: 05/18/18

23 Healy St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Scott D. Ramsdell
Seller: Deborah J. Belden
Date: 05/17/18

45-47 Hill St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Alevtin M. Sergeychik
Seller: Arseniy Sergeychik
Date: 05/18/18

132 Janet St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Stephanie V. Schlatka
Seller: Calabrese Construction
Date: 05/18/18

18 Lennys Way
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $432,000
Buyer: William Messer
Seller: John R. Greguoli
Date: 05/14/18

143 Morton St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Luis A. Antonmarchi
Seller: Begley, Robert M. Sr., (Estate)
Date: 05/08/18

33 Old Westfield Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Richard C. Lovely
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 05/11/18

10 Pleasant St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Rasik Mukhtasimov
Seller: Yong No
Date: 05/09/18

249 Rogers Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $263,900
Buyer: Jose A. Rivera
Seller: Richard C. Young
Date: 05/11/18

603 Union St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Andrey Kolesnichenko
Seller: Jose A. Rivera
Date: 05/10/18

730-734 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Washington Garcia
Seller: Michael P. Sullivan
Date: 05/18/18

57 Witch Path
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Joshua A. Fasser
Seller: Daniel T. Martin
Date: 05/18/18

WESTFIELD

25 Beckwith Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Viktor Moshkovskiy
Seller: MTGLQ Investors LP
Date: 05/08/18

289 Buck Pond Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $192,227
Buyer: Igor Kuzin
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 05/09/18

19 Carroll Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Pamela J. Boisseau
Seller: FNMA
Date: 05/11/18

97 Colony Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Michael W. Blondek
Seller: Lawrence J. Plude
Date: 05/17/18

26 Day Lily Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $463,800
Buyer: Kevin Dal-Zovo
Seller: Bent Tree Development LLC
Date: 05/16/18

11 Eastwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Richard E. Tersavich
Seller: Buddy L. Denison
Date: 05/16/18

77 Fairfield Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $204,000
Buyer: Pavlo Shvyryd
Seller: Robert E. St.Onge
Date: 05/07/18

27 Furrowtown Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Steven J. Sheldon
Seller: F&G Development Corp.
Date: 05/10/18

11 Kylie Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $329,900
Buyer: Michael Egan
Seller: Kevin L. Padberg
Date: 05/08/18

17 Leonard Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $182,000
Buyer: Jose Rodriguez
Seller: Kaitlyn L. Sherry
Date: 05/11/18

103 Old County Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Robert E. St.Onge
Seller: Nathan B. Aube
Date: 05/11/18

391 Prospect St. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Vien B. Nguyen
Seller: Anthony V. Langone
Date: 05/08/18

Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: MS Homes LLC
Seller: Benjamin Hallmark
Date: 05/07/18

146 Root Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Rudolf Santini
Seller: Kimberly A. Haile
Date: 05/15/18

42 Shepard St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $272,392
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: Bernard K. Kober
Date: 05/07/18

Summit Lock Road #2
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,800,000
Buyer: GSPP Terawatt Westfield
Seller: 1054 Southampton LLC
Date: 05/14/18

16 Vadnais St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Joseph A. Chimi
Seller: Kenney, Wilma M., (Estate)
Date: 05/16/18

60 West Silver St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Kent G. Hodge
Seller: Frances A. Wheeler
Date: 05/16/18

WILBRAHAM

7 Harness Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $558,000
Buyer: Peter R. Carmichael
Seller: Joseph A. Kelly
Date: 05/14/18

5 Hilltop Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Joseph S. Fusco
Seller: Dean M. Florian
Date: 05/08/18

6 Poplar Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Thomas M. Day
Seller: Peter J. Andrusko
Date: 05/08/18

550 Ridge Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $339,900
Buyer: Steven Thomas
Seller: Jonathan M. Ryan
Date: 05/07/18

24 Tinkham Glenn
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $356,500
Buyer: Jason R. Comes
Seller: Nicole M. Fusco
Date: 05/15/18

12 Willow Brook Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: JCR RT
Seller: 601 Main Street LLC
Date: 05/17/18

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

40 Blossom Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Sean T. Valentine
Seller: Stephen M. Strassner
Date: 05/18/18

144 Chestnut St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $460,000
Buyer: Sean Tarbox
Seller: Peter H. Wells
Date: 05/14/18

91 Cottage St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Cedric DeLeon
Seller: Charlotte T. Hathaway
Date: 05/17/18

10 Flat Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Alexandra Peckham
Seller: Nathan A. Schnarr
Date: 05/18/18

52 High Point Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $468,750
Buyer: Carol A. O’Connell
Seller: Mary Elizabeth Bridegam TR
Date: 05/11/18

49 Kestrel Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $654,000
Buyer: Pawan H. Dhingra
Seller: Ralph P. Hill
Date: 05/15/18

196 Shutesbury Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $535,000
Buyer: Bernard A. Weintraub
Seller: Colborn W. Smith
Date: 05/08/18

559 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $262,000
Buyer: Dorje Romito
Seller: Christina G. Salgo
Date: 05/07/18

BELCHERTOWN

44 Barton Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $342,000
Buyer: James M. Casey
Seller: Paul M. Guerin
Date: 05/09/18

204 Bay Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Alexandra R. Shea
Seller: Matthew P. Goldman
Date: 05/17/18

28 Brandywine Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $286,000
Buyer: Andrea S. Tarr
Seller: John W. Jendza
Date: 05/11/18

94 Channel Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Seth I. Hussey
Seller: Karen L. Foster
Date: 05/18/18

310 Cold Spring Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $337,500
Buyer: Jeremy A. Sawyer
Seller: Robert A. Fancy
Date: 05/18/18

15 Doe Hollow
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $319,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Hoey
Seller: Patrick J. Nee
Date: 05/17/18

126 Goodell St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Nicholas O. Drysdale
Seller: Ann Sklar
Date: 05/07/18

30 Jasons Way
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Joseph W. Oliverius
Seller: Peter A. Elias
Date: 05/16/18

30 Ledgewood Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Emily R. Brooks-Gould
Seller: Gary R. Charpentier
Date: 05/15/18

35 Ledgewood Circle
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Ryan R. Lavoie
Seller: Ellen J. McCarthy-Mary
Date: 05/09/18

277 Mill Valley Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Hannah K. Eisenstein
Seller: Tina M. Stone
Date: 05/11/18

103 North Washington St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Matthew P. Goldman
Seller: Paula Johnson
Date: 05/17/18

154 Sabin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Michael B. Taylor
Seller: Linda Austin-Morin
Date: 05/18/18

12 Waterford Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $478,000
Buyer: Harry C. Wichert
Seller: Andrew C. Allison
Date: 05/09/18

EASTHAMPTON

258 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Ethan C. Abeles
Seller: Servicenet Inc.
Date: 05/10/18

7 Hannum Brook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Abigail S. Rae
Seller: Thomas M. Bacis
Date: 05/15/18

40 Reservation Road
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Jason M. Hollway
Seller: Jennifer A. Chassman
Date: 05/14/18

GOSHEN

19 Spruce Corner Road
Goshen, MA 01032
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Kwolek
Seller: Casey Dwyer
Date: 05/18/18

GRANBY

17 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Monica A. Torres-Manzano
Seller: Joseph E. Brault
Date: 05/17/18

117 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Emily Sweet
Seller: Jeffrey A. Bessette
Date: 05/15/18

197 Batchelor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Karin M. Eichelman
Seller: Margaret M. Flaherty
Date: 05/10/18

275 East State St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Louis Santos
Seller: Katherine J. Wilcox
Date: 05/15/18

6 Greystone Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Morris E. Jones
Seller: Joshua E. Lafond
Date: 05/14/18

29 High St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $234,900
Buyer: Dung Nguyen
Seller: Juan P. Maldonado
Date: 05/15/18

24 Smith Ave.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Sandra E. Blaney
Seller: Daniel R. Blaney
Date: 05/07/18

Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Jill A. Kopka
Seller: Taylor, Maudetta A., (Estate)
Date: 05/17/18

HADLEY

119 East St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $124,900
Buyer: Isaac Chow
Seller: US Bank
Date: 05/18/18

6 River Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Andrew G. Bombardier
Seller: Pelissier, William E., (Estate)
Date: 05/18/18

97 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Building Grounds LLC
Seller: Niedbala, Julianna, (Estate)
Date: 05/18/18

17 Shattuck Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Valley Construction Co.
Seller: Joanne T. Keller
Date: 05/18/18

South Maple St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $680,000
Buyer: USA
Seller: NSTAR Electric Co.
Date: 05/10/18

HATFIELD

113 Prospect St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Timothy D. Scott
Seller: Justine A. Boulanger
Date: 05/10/18

NORTHAMPTON

115 Bridge St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $893,960
Buyer: MTGLQ Investors LP
Seller: Thomas Horton
Date: 05/10/18

145 Chesterfield Road
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $387,100
Buyer: Heather K. Tauck
Seller: Sue & Kevin Costa FT
Date: 05/08/18

136 Chestnut St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $538,000
Buyer: Monte S. Becker
Seller: Meredyth A. Klotz
Date: 05/16/18

47 Forest Glen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Robert E. Kauschen
Seller: John H. Aubrey
Date: 05/14/18

54 Fort St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Marco Poletto
Seller: Dianne E. Branch
Date: 05/10/18

38 Hayes Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Kimberly A. Krusell
Seller: Timothy M. Daley
Date: 05/15/18

20 Ladd Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $791,750
Buyer: Atelier LLC
Seller: Yankee Hill Machine Co. NT
Date: 05/08/18

30 Ladd Ave.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $791,750
Buyer: Atelier LLC
Seller: Yankee Hill Machine Co. NT
Date: 05/08/18

119 Massasoit St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $449,000
Buyer: Leah C. Morrison
Seller: Geoffrey C. Crowther
Date: 05/18/18

671 North Farms Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Adam B. Greeff
Seller: Denise M. Goggins
Date: 05/17/18

89 Oak St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: John T. Geryk
Seller: Jennifer Jachowski
Date: 05/16/18

32 Ward Ave.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Myla Kabat-Zinn
Seller: Glenn Alper
Date: 05/18/18

SOUTH HADLEY

15 College View Heights
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $371,000
Buyer: Lynn M. Williams
Seller: Nancy P. Boyd
Date: 05/18/18

6 East Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $465,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Paparo
Seller: Robert Lowell-Whited
Date: 05/10/18

39 Lexington Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Rebecca L. Monroe
Seller: Patricia A. Nadolski
Date: 05/14/18

395 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $214,900
Buyer: Cheryl Burke
Seller: Brian J. Bliss
Date: 05/17/18

2 Pheasant Run
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Ian R. Matzen
Seller: Carla W. Newton
Date: 05/11/18

317 River Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Daniel R. Blaney
Seller: Michael J. Ginley
Date: 05/08/18

21 Waite Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Jonathan A. Campbell
Seller: Baker, Sheila, (Estate)
Date: 05/10/18

SOUTHAMPTON

28 Mountain View Circle
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Katherine Taylor
Seller: Joanne I. O’Donoghue
Date: 05/14/18

WARE

39 Bank St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Mark Manthorne
Seller: Suzanne Gomes
Date: 05/17/18

15 Monroe St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $179,200
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Brian S. Kidwell
Date: 05/18/18

88 West St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: Patrick McGowan
Seller: Brad M. Dimiero
Date: 05/07/18

13 Woodland Heights
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Gene R. Leas
Seller: Darwin M. Irish
Date: 05/07/18

WESTHAMPTON

18 Hathaway Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $285,628
Buyer: Frederick W. Krafft
Seller: Suzanne M. Krafft
Date: 05/15/18

69 Northwest Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $172,882
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Sean P. Rourke
Date: 05/17/18

WILLIAMSBURG

54 South St.
Williamsburg, MA 01096
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Timothy Nye
Seller: Sylvester, Gail A., (Estate)
Date: 05/18/18

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies Departments

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

Adomaitis, Katherine M.
33C Benoit Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/18

Baker, Heather
a/k/a Sujdak, Heather
96 Charden Lane
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/14/18

Bob Stevens Plumbing
Stevens, Robert Charles
18 Dean Pond Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/09/18

Caldwell, Michael D.
51 Haumont Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/13/18

Carpenter, Richard J.
Carpenter, Claire M.
134 Columbia St.
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Clear Design
Paganetti, John Louis
165 Front St., Suite 2
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/18

Crocker, Donna H.
76 Hazelwood Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/03/18

Dowland, Richard Lee
10 Emerald Place
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

Fenner, William
267 Breckenridge St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Fowler, Robert E.
224 Pearl St., Unit 1L
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/02/18

Garrow, Heather
42 Putting Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/18

Gerald, E. Beaulieu
408 Sumner Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/10/18

Gerardi, Jason
Gerardi, Brittany
a/k/a Mossey, Brittany
86 Hampstead Place
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/18

Geryk, Laura A.
a/k/a Geryk-Missien, Laura A.
903 Florence Road
Florence, MA 01062
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

Goldberg, Edward R.
59 Glenview Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/14/18

Golphin, Prince
Golphin, Tammy L.
248 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/08/18

Gosselin, Jean Joseph
Gosselin, Lynn M.
536 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Gouvin-Maxfield, Christy L.
57 Brittany Road
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Hardy, Gordon T.
7 Davis St., Apt. B
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/13/18

Huberty, Sarah F.
30 Cross St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/11/18

J. Landscaping
Wojcik, Jeremiah R.
PO Box 555
Cheshire, MA 01225-0555
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Kirby’s Electric
Kirby, John J.
Kirby, Holly A.
179 Country Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/06/18

Kirkland, Beth Moore
14 Williamsburg Dr.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/30/18

Knight, Stefiny Ann
PO Box 83
Thorndike, MA 01079
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/02/18

Kondrotas, Benjamin F.
179 Everett Road
Barre, MA 01005
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/08/18

Korth Fleischer, Anne Marie
Fleischer, Ann Marie
12 Maple St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/07/18

Kubacki, Tami P.
113 Geneva St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

LDS
Lockhart, Jan J.
59 Wilmont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/07/18

MacDonald, James E.
MacDonald, Margaux A.
1089 Park St., Apt. 1
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Monette, Richard Gerald
38C Grove St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/09/18

Murphy, Donna M.
1153 Saint James Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Nalubega, Mary
492 Cold Spring Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/09/18

O’Dean, Jessica L.
2284 Main St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/03/18

Roman, Yvonne
318 Ingleside St. 1st
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

Sherrer, Curtis Edward
44 Canal St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/09/18

Spears, Marilyn E.
188 Nassau Dr.
Springfield, MA 01129
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/18

St. George, Lori L.
a/k/a Bodzinski, Lori
2759 Greenwich Road
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 04/30/18

Sullivan, Kathryn R.
a/k/a Antunes, Kathryn R.
96 Hafey St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/01/18

Swanson, Jerome Anthony
PO Box 282
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/18

Vega, Jeremy
32 Fairview Ave., Apt 3
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/02/18

Volpi, Ashley J.
3 Myrtle St., Apt. B7
Adams, MA 01220
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

Wildwind Flags
Windward, Kathleen M.
a/k/a Jackson, Kathleen M.
a/k/a Kathleen Windward
82 Breakneck Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/08/18

Williams, Claudette L.
a/k/a Williams, Claudette Letendre
8 Harper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/15/18

Willor, Francis J.
455 Old State St., Apt. 2
North Adams, MA 01247
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 05/11/18

Wright, Lewin George
Wright, Brenda Marie
a/k/a Wright, Brenda Williams
120 Breckwood Circle
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 05/04/18

Wysocki, Gina M
15 Overland St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 04/30/18

Elms Students Present Autism Research at International Conference

CHICOPEE — Two master’s students from Elms College contributed to the growing body of global research in autism-spectrum disorders by presenting posters at last month’s annual meeting for the Assoc. of Behavior Analysis International in San Diego.

Alyssa Clark and Miranda Fogg are in the master of science in applied behavior analysis program at Elms, and both have been working with children with autism on research projects with Laura Hanratty, director of applied behavior analysis and ASD graduate programs assistant professor.

The three collaborated on two posters to present at the conference. The first poster was titled “Evaluating Efficacy of Varied Reinforcers on Learning New Skills.” For this project, the students taught three children with autism 30 to 40 new academic skills, using different reward strategies.

“Using reinforcers is a hallmark in early intervention for autism, and the students were able to share how to make early intervention even more effective for kids who are struggling with academics,” Hanratty explained. “The children in this study were able to master many academic skills to help with communication.”

The second poster was titled “Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior Without Extinction.” In this project, the students worked with a young child with severe problem behavior, including aggression and destroying property.

“The research team completely decreased problem behavior, while teaching the young child communication skills and how to follow adult instruction,” Hanratty said. “By the time they were done, the child was completing up to 15 instructions with multiple steps and completing his academic skills.”

Earlier this year, Clark and Fogg presented the posters at the annual meeting of the Connecticut Assoc. for Behavior Analysis in Hartford.

Pakistani Artists to Paint Amherst BID Trolley This Week

AMHERST — In collaboration with the UMass Donahue Institute and during the Taste of Amherst, renowned artists from Karachi, Pakistan will be painting the Amherst BID ‘trolley.’

Haider Ali and Ali Salman specialize in Pakistani truck art. The laborate painting and adorning of commercial trucks and buses is common throughout Pakistan. The owners of these trucks use the art as an expression of pride in their vehicles and profession. This particular group of artists, professionally known as Phool Patti, do the bulk of their painting with trucks but have done dozens of international projects in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. In fact, painting the Amherst trolley is their last stop before working on an exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

The public is invited to see the painting take place on the Amherst town common on Friday, June 15 from 5 p.m. until dusk and Saturday, June 16 from 2 p.m. until completion.

Springfield Dementia Friendly Coalition Receives Grant

SPRINGFIELD — The newly formed Springfield Dementia Friendly Coalition (SDFC) has been awarded a Dementia-Friendly Capacity Building Grant from the Massachusetts Council on Aging under a Service Incentive Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

The Council on Aging grant will enable the coalition to hold focus-group meetings over the coming months with local government and public officials, first responders, and members of the business community to make them aware of the issues facing individuals living with dementia, their friends, family, and care partners, to give an overview of the movement and elicit their thoughts and engagement in the initiative. In addition, the group will meet with those living with dementia and their care partners and expand the Dementia Friendly website, www.dementiafriendlycommunities.org.

The coalition chair, Synthia Scott-Mitchell from Springfield Partners for Community Action, noted that “a dementia-friendly community is defined as one that is informed, safe, and respectful of individuals with dementia and their families, and provides supportive options for improved quality of life.”

An estimated 5.7 million Americans ages 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Nearly 60% of people with dementia live in their own communities, and one in seven live alone, creating an urgent need for communities to support people with dementia and their caregivers.

SDFC partners include the Springfield Department of Elder Affairs/Council on Aging, Springfield Partners for Community Action, Greater Springfield Senior Services, the Alzheimer’s Assoc., Silver Life Care at Home, Chapin Center, El Grupo de Apoyo, and Loomis Lakeside at Reeds Landing.

A calendar of upcoming events is available at www.dementiafriendlycommunities.org. For more information or to get involved, contact Scott-Mitchell at (413) 263-6500, ext. 6518, or [email protected], or Carol Constant at (413) 588-5184 or [email protected].

Picture This

Picture This

Email ‘Picture This’ photos with a caption and contact information to [email protected]

Finding Their Sparkle

Link to Libraries recently hosted local author Natasha Lowe at Kensington International School in Springfield. Lowe spent more than an hour with the third grade, discussing life as an author and reading from her latest novel, Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle. “I’m just bowled over by the incredible work Link to Libraries does,” Lowe said. “Getting books into the hands of kids is a small thing that can make a big difference. A book can offer a child a magical world to escape into. They become like old friends, to be read over and over again. I had such a wonderful time visiting Kensington School this morning and sharing Lucy with all the third-graders.”

New Life on Main Street

Country Bank announced it has donated its former building, located at 65-71 Main St., Ware, to the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. (QVCDC). “The bank is looking forward to the development of this property as a creative, innovative space for artists and crafts people to practice and teach, as well as display their work,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank. The retail space is currently being revitalized and will provide incubator space to three new small businesses to help them begin their journey. The plans for the retail space include a pottery studio that will work in conjunction with Workshop 13 on pottery classes for the public, an art gallery with a coffee shop, and an additional space for another artistic business. The QVCDC also received a $75,000 grant from the MassDevelopment Collaborative Workspace program to help with the renovations taking place in the new space. Pictured, from left: Alexandria Martinez, project specialist, QVCDC; Sheila Cuddy, executive director, QVDC; Scully; and Mary McGovern, CFO of Country Bank.

Future Teachers

The MassMutual Foundation has awarded Teach Western Mass (TWM) $150,000 to support two teacher-pipeline programs, Generation Teach and the Urban Education Pathway (UEP). Both programs are critical to TWM’s efforts to recruit, prepare, and retain effective teachers to provide access to a world-class education to every student in Western Mass. Launched in partnership with Smith College in the fall of 2017, the first cohort of undergraduate Urban Ed Scholars includes 23 students from Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, Smith College, and UMass Amherst. Generation Teach is a summer fellowship for high-school and undergraduate students interested in exploring a teaching career.

Running for Their Lives

More than 2,500 girls, spectators, volunteers, and community members gathered on June 3 for the Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts 5K event at Springfield College, the culminating moment of the Girls on the Run season. Girls on the Run is a national, physical activity-based, positive youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in grades 3-8. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for the end-of-season celebratory 5K event. In Western Mass., more than 190 trained volunteer coaches facilitated the curriculum to 54 teams of girls this spring season, helping equip them with the physical and emotional skills necessary to carry them over the 5K finish line. There were 740 girls in the program this spring from 52 school sites.

Engineering Inspiration

Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently hosted students from Putnam Vocational Technical High School and Springfield High School of Science and Technology for Engineering Exploration Day. The students calculated the trajectory of projectiles, explored the computer science that enables 3-D printing, built bridges out of newspapers, plotted transit maps, solved logic puzzles, examined atomic structures, generated magnetic fields, and much more. “Engineering Exploration Day was not only about letting incoming students know about our STEM programs and classes; it also offered our STEM students the opportunity to share their personal experiences of how HCC has impacted their personal journeys,” said Melissa Paciulli, HCC’s STEM project administrator. Pictured: Alban Medina, 18 (right), gets ready to shock one of his classmates from Putnam during an exercise in electricity.

Alzheimer’s Awareness

On May 15, Alzheimer’s Assoc. officials, local state legislators, and citizens impacted by Alzheimer’s disease gathered at the Grand Staircase at the Massachusetts State House for a day of awareness and conversation around the disease. The event, Alzheimer’s Advocacy Day, included a focus on pending legislation (H. 4116) that would support these individuals and their families while focusing on preparing various stakeholders on making the state more dementia-capable. H.4116 passed the House of Representatives on Jan. 31 and is expected to be in front of the Senate this summer. Attendees also met with their local legislators to share how Alzheimer’s has impacted their lives, thank their representatives for their support of H.4116, and urge senators to support the upcoming legislation.

Briefcase

Briefcase Departments

MGM Springfield, PVTA Introduce ‘the Loop’

SPRINGFIELD — MGM Springfield and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) have joined forces to create the Loop — a new public transportation service linking downtown tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, and arts and culture destinations to provide a more robust travel experience for Springfield visitors. Debuting Aug. 24 as part of MGM Springfield’s opening day, the Loop will connect Springfield’s most storied landmarks, including Union Station, the Springfield Armory, Springfield Museums, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and MGM Springfield. The Loop schedule is designed with visitors in mind. In addition to stops at cultural highlights, the shuttle also will make stops at MassMutual Center, Holiday Inn Express, Sheraton, Hampton Inn, and La Quinta Inn & Suites. The Loop will run Wednesdays through Sundays from Union Station from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and complete a full circuit in 60 minutes during the day and 40 minutes in the evening. Traveling on the Loop will be free. Sandra Sheehan, administrator with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, noted that the Loop will be operated with a zero-emissions electric bus as part of PVTA’s goal of providing sustainable transportation. As part of its host-community agreement, MGM Springfield will provide PVTA with financial support to operate and maintain the Loop. This includes maintenance and insurance of the vehicle, as well as the costs associated with the hiring, supervising, and compensating the driver.

Massachusetts Business Organizations Issue Plan to Reduce Healthcare Costs

BOSTON — Twenty prominent Massachusetts business organizations representing thousands of employers announced an initiative to save $100 million in healthcare costs by reducing avoidable use of hospital emergency departments. The newly formed Massachusetts Employer-Led Coalition to Reduce Health Care Costs will work with doctors, hospitals, and health insurers to reduce inappropriate use of emergency departments (EDs) by 20% in two years. State officials estimate that 40% of ED visits are avoidable, a pattern that costs $300 million to $350 million annually for commercially insured members alone. Coalition leaders Richard Lord, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), and Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF), say the group will help employers take a direct role in the health and healthcare of their employees and beneficiaries. Healthcare industry organizations — including the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Assoc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Assoc. of Health Plans, and the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians — are committed to be strategic partners with the coalition. The coalition’s goal is to shift as many avoidable ED visits as possible to high-value, lower-cost settings to relieve crowded EDs, reduce the cost of care, and improve quality. Most ED use is necessary, appropriate, and in many cases life-saving. However, providers and payers broadly agree that shifting ED use for non-urgent health problems to more timely, appropriate settings will improve quality and patient experience, and lower the cost of care. Upper respiratory infections, skin rashes, allergies, and back pain are among the most common conditions for which Massachusetts patients seek care in the ED unnecessarily, and the cost of an ED visit can be five times that of care provided in a primary-care or urgent-care setting. The coalition will focus on four tactics for change:

• Work with employers to communicate information about avoidable ED use with employees and families so they can get the best possible care in settings such as primary-care practices, retail clinics, and urgent-care centers;

• Track and publicly report the rate of avoidable ED visits so employers, stakeholders, and the public may understand and tackle the scope of the issue;

• Work with labor unions, healthcare providers, health plans, employers, and employees to reward and encourage the appropriate use of the ED by aligning financial incentives, and bolster the availability of care in the community, especially during nights and weekends; and

• Advocate for policy changes that will advance new care delivery and payment models, such as accountable-care organizations, telemedicine, and mobile integrated health, which, combined, can improve access to timely care in the right setting.

Massachusetts Jobless Rate Holds Steady in April

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate remained at 3.5% in April, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) preliminary job estimates indicate Massachusetts added 6,100 jobs in April. Over the month, the private sector added 5,900 jobs, as gains occurred in education and health services; professional, scientific, and business services; other services; financial activities; and trade, transportation, and utilities. Government also added jobs over the month. From April 2017 to April 2018, BLS estimates Massachusetts has added 47,600 jobs. The April unemployment rate was four-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.9% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The labor force increased by 20,900 from 3,683,700 in March, as 19,700 more residents were employed and 1,300 more residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased four-tenths of a percentage point from 3.9% in April 2017. The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — is up over the month four-tenths of a percentage point at 66.0%. Compared to April 2017, the labor-force participation rate is up four-tenths of a percentage point. The largest private sector percentage job gains over the year were in construction; professional, scientific, and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services. Meanwhile, the largest job gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Springfield, Barnstable, Worcester, Lowell-Billerica-Amesbury, and Framingham areas.

Opioid-related Overdose Deaths Continue to Decline in Massachusetts

BOSTON — Opioid-related overdose deaths continued to decline overall year over year in Massachusetts, according to the latest quarterly opioid-related deaths report released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The quarterly report found that, for the first three months of 2018, opioid-related overdose deaths declined by an estimated 5% over the first three months of 2017, according to preliminary data. The report also found that the total number of estimated and confirmed opioid-related deaths for 2017 is 2,016, which is 133 fewer deaths than the 2,149 estimated and confirmed deaths in 2016, or a 6% decline.

Baystate Franklin Medical Center Reaches Agreement with Nurses

GREENFIELD — Baystate Franklin Medical Center recently announced it has reached agreement on a new five-year contract with the Massachusetts Nurses Assoc. (MNA) on behalf of BFMC registered nurses. According to Baystate Franklin officials, the hospital is committed to staffing models that maintain its flexibility to address individual patient care needs in a sustainable way. Baystate Health now has no open union contracts and has reached agreement on five union contracts within the past 14 months.

Court Dockets

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.

HAMPDEN DISTRICT COURT

Mary Grabowski v. Meredith Management Corp., Maple Springfield Management Corp., and Maple Springfield Associates, LP
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $24,000
Filed: 4/30/18

American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. Inc. d/b/a ABC Supply Co. Inc. v. Gibbkell Corp. d/b/a Gibbkell Construction Corp.
Allegation: Money owed for goods sold and delivered: $6,230.57
Filed: 4/30/18

Dolores Weir v. East Side Holyoke, LLC, trustee of the 7 Franklin Street Realty Trust
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: 10,378.38
Filed: 5/1/18

Syreeta Frazer v. Ocean State Jobbers Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; folding chair failed, causing injury: $2,112
Filed: 5/1/18

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Gordon Hunting v. Eastern States Exposition Inc. and Outdoor Sports Expo Group Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $9,634.01
Filed: 5/2/18

Richard Reid v. Nicholas Fay, M.D.
Allegation: Medical malpractice: $88,000+
Filed: 5/3/18

Shaun Gibson v. Cloot’s Auto Body Inc. and Gary Cloutier
Allegation: Breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, unfair and deceptive practices: $22,000
Filed: 5/7/18

Jeffrey Lauziere v. Smith & Wesson Corp., American Outdoor Brands Corp., and Smith & Wesson Security Solutions Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; plaintiff fell through roof on defendant’s premises while performing services as a roofer, causing injury: $2,441,001.46
5/11/18

HAMPSHIRE DISTRICT COURT

Fitzgerald Fences Inc. v. D.A. Sullivan & Sons Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract regarding installation of fence; $16,782
Filed: 5/3/18

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Jason Calamia v. Cinemark USA Inc., Pyramid Mall of Hadley Newco, LLC, Pyramid Management Group, LLC, and Gleason Johndrow Landscaping Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing injury: $46,251
Filed: 5/3/18

Thyda Ty, et al v. Cumberland Farms Inc., et al
Allegation: Negligence; Fire-suppression system above gas pumps malfunctioned, causing chemical release in parking lot, causing injury: $25,000
Filed: 5/9/18

Shannon Coler v. Cooley Dickinson Hospital Inc.
Allegation: Employment discrimination (pregnancy): $200,000+
Filed: 5/18/18

City of Northampton v. Barr & Barr Inc., Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., and Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract, intentional misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation: $100,000
Filed: 5/18/18

Jolene M. Lambert v. Holyoke Medical Center Inc., Spiros Hatiras, and Erin Hurlburt
Allegation: Employment discrimination and wrongful termination: $180,000
Filed: 5/18/18

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Peter Ziemba v. Home-Like Apartments Inc., Neil A. Abrahamson, Paul Abrahamson, and Vermont Mutual Insurance Co.
Allegation: Negligence and breach of implied warranty of habitability; slip and fall causing injury: $23,000
Filed: 5/18/18

Agenda

Agenda Departments

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].

Lunch & Learn Session on Employee Retention

June 22: Some 43 million Americans have $1.3 trillion in student loans. The average job tenure for Millennials is only 12 to 15 months. When an employee leaves, it costs the employer between 10% and 30% of their annual salary to replace them. The Gaudreau Group and GradFin will host a Lunch & Learn session at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Springfield to help employers overcome these issues. The session, sponsored by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast and led by Jenny MacKay and Geoff Urquhart, will focus on increasing employee retention with new employee-benefits and engagement strategies such as loan refinance and consolidation programs, financial-wellness education, and repayment-assistance benefits. Space is limited. Register at www.gaudreaugroup.com/events.

Financial-literacy Workshops

July 11 to Aug. 1: Springfield Partners for Community Action Inc. will host financial-literacy workshops starting Wednesday, July 11 and continuing every Wednesday through Aug. 1. Sessions run from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at 721 State St., Springfield, and are free and open to the public. Workshops are facilitated by the agency’s on-staff, nationally certified credit counselors. Series learning objectives include budgeting, credit, managing money, and debt. Refreshments will be served, and raffle prizes will be offered. Call Springfield Partners at (413) 263-6500 to register.

‘Trauma-sensitive Schools’

July 11-13: The Education Division at Elms College will host a three-day conference in July to give educators tools for working with students who have been affected by trauma. The conference, titled “Trauma-sensitive Schools: Meeting the Needs of Traumatized Students and Their Teachers,” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day on the Elms College campus. This conference, designed for pre-K-to-12 school administrators, teachers, counselors, school nurses, and paraprofessionals, will provide educators with the knowledge, understanding, and tools to create a successful trauma-informed learning environment. The cost for an individual to attend is $250; for district/school teams of three or more, the cost is $200 per person. The registration deadline is June 13. To register, e-mail [email protected].

Brightside Golf Classic

July 23: More than 200 golfers are expected to participate in the 38th Annual Brightside Golf Classic at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield. Two tee times are available. Registration and breakfast for the morning session will begin at 6:45 a.m. with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. Lunch and registration for the afternoon session will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The evening reception will be held immediately following the tournament from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on sponsorships, donations, and attending the event, contact Suzanne Boniface at (413) 748-9935 or [email protected]. Information is also available at www.mercycares.com/brightside-golf-classic.

Doing Business as Certificates

DBA Certificates Departments

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

AMHERST

A Cut Above
34 Main St.
Jody Young

Head Games Beauty Supply
67 North Pleasant St., 2R
Erica Wilson Parkins

Level Studio Arts
49 Boltwood Walk
Jena McNerney

Modern Home
52 Chapel Road
Julian Albo

UMass Amherst Global
11 Amity St.
Shorelight-Minuteman, LLC

BELCHERTOWN

Amherst Self Storage
1270 Federal St.
Alejandro Levins

Frontline Logistics, LLC
689 George Hannum St.
Christopher Fontaine

Layman Financial
54 Dressel Ave.
Craig Layman

CHICOPEE

Brandon Beaulieu Electrician
28 Ducharme Ave.
Brandon Beaulieu

Color Me Crazy
104 Catherine St.
Michelle Hernandez

Sliski Construction
17 Goodhue Ave.
Henry Sliski

Trinity Health of New England Medical Group
1109 Granby Road
RiverBend Medical Group Inc.

Trinity Health of New England Medical Group
444 Montgomery St.
RiverBend Medical Group Inc.

EASTHAMPTON

Ben Falkoff Music
8 Groveland St.
Ben Falkoff

Mac Industries
30 Pleasant St.
John McDonough

Old Jarvis, LLC
405 Holyoke St.
Christian LaChapelle

Precision Painting by Papy, LLC
121 Cottage St., Apt. A
Guy Mbangu

EAST LONGMEADOW

East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Center
305 Maple St.
East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Center

Forest Park Development Group
566 Prospect St.
Tyde Richards

Mind-Body Connections
143 Shaker Road
Cheri Brady

Minute Clinic Diagnostic
217 North Main St.
Kimberly DeSousa

GREENFIELD

Andy’s Antique Restoration & Fabrication
40 Linden Ave.
Hormidas Lively

Bristles and Brushes Painting
4 Armory St., Apt. 3
Kory Wilson

GCB Financial Services, a Division of Greenfield Cooperative Bank
63 Federal St.
Mary Rawls

Hayden Center for Neuromuscular Education & Pain Relief
158 Main St.
Rob Hayden

Homedic
14 Graves Road
Aleksandr Agapov

The Market
259 Conway St.
Fruitland Inc. of Greenfield

Martin’s Farm Compost
341 Plain Road
Adam Martin

HADLEY

Allard Farms
41 South Maple St.
Wayne Goulet

Duffy Academy of Irish Dance
1 Mill Valley Road
Alycia Olanyk

Free to Be Childcare
102 Rocky Hill Road
Corinne Shaw

Many Graces Flower Farm
17 Lawrence Plain Road
Rebecca Maillet

River Valley Irrigation
57 Bay Road
Eric Lebrecque

Therapeutic Advancements
104 Russell St.
Anna Morrell

HOLYOKE

Advance Auto Parts #5123
447 South St.
Advance Stores Co. Inc.

Ahmisa Yoga Center
123 Homestead Ave.
Erin Kelly

Hat World
50 Holyoke St.
Kevin Thimjon

Old Tea Horse Road
270 Pleasant St.
Nathan Jacques

Purple City Service
14 St. James St.
Luis Torres

RPineiro Productions
30 Willow St., #1
Roberto Pineiro

Trak II Convenience, LLC
330 Main St.
Johnny Kayrouz

LUDLOW

Dawn Creative Co.
844 Center St.
Dawn Hebert

Ludlow Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Co.
177 Chapin St.
Donald Marchand

Ray Haluch Excavating
755 Lyon St.
Raymond Haluch

Sweet House
223 East St.
Xiufeng Lin

NORTHAMPTON

D.L. West Roofing Contractor
11 Plymouth Ave.
Daniel West

Mama Iguana’s Restaurant
271 Main St.
Maria Guerra

Mike Florio Welding and Repair
15 School St.
Michael Florio Jr.

Pizza Paradiso
12 Crafts Ave.
Maria Guerra

The Pure Massage & Spa
30 Strong Ave.
Yuting Huang

Route 9 Design and Build Inc.
104 North Elm St.
John Landry

Salon Herdis Inc.
231 Main St.
Timothy Fisk

Spoleto Restaurant
1 Bridge St.
Maria Guerra

The Tigerlily Salon
122 Main St.
Christina O’Dea Grail

True Blue Dog Training
72 Austin Circle
Jennifer Schreiner

Valley Angora
131 Bridge St.
Ana Alves

SOUTHWICK

Elite Cleaning Pros
24 Congamond Road
Lisa Morse

LKQ Northeast Inc.
58 Sam West Road
Michael Sullivan

Rehab Resolutions Inc.
627 College Highway, Suite 6
Sofia Zanzarella

Walt’s Garage
61 Granville Road
Kathy Whalley

SPRINGFIELD

110 K
880 St. James Ave.
Joseph Janas

A Su Orden Corp.
573 Canon Circle
Lydia Lozada

Advantics Inc.
101 King St.
Suzette Cotton

Alicia’s Pet Care
24 Taylor St.
Alicia Vazquez

Armistice
20 Arnold Ave.
Denise Luna

CSK Painting
88 Wait St.
CSK Painting

Energizing ’N Touch Massage Solutions
529 Main St.
Hermenia Grayson

Especially for You
56 Cuff St.
Terese Napoli

Exclusives Barber Shop
162 Boston Road
Dwayne Scott

Handy Man Services
20 Waterford Circle
Richard Torres

Hot Oven Cookies
1597 Main St.
Sheila Colon

Iced Cases
52 Westminster St.
Larissa Creighton

Imperial Aquatics
394 Dickinson St.
Tommy Phan Le

Laboy’s Auto Transport
19 Hope St.
Angel Laboy

Leika’s Soup
116 Byers St.
Zukeika Torres

Life Laboratories
299 Carew St.
Mark Fulco

Little Centaur Press
795 South Branch Parkway
Little Centaur Press

Mike’s Auto Transport
39 Langdon St.
Michael Lopez

Posar Photography
36 Gates Ave.
Denise Silva

Pro Auto Electric
97 Laconia St.
Fred Pafumi Jr.

R.G. Transport
87 Helberg Road
Raul Ramos

Tacos El Charros
43 Calhoun St.
Elias Martinez

Timeless Jewelry & Accessories
57 Haskin St.
Tamika McKenzie

Tina’s Handmade Soaps
58 Duchess St.
Tina Bureau

Utopia Smoke & Vape
548 Page Blvd.
Ghulam Azhar

WESTFIELD

Alive! Health Solutions
304 Sackett Road
Gabriella Michaliszyn

American Auto & Tire
410 Southampton Road
410 Southampton Road, LLC

Bryan M. Kasperowski, DMD, LLC
79 Broad St.
Bryan Kasperowski

Dream Meadow Farm
631 West Road
Joseph Boisseau

Diamond Custom Coatings Inc.
3 Progress Ave.
Diamond Custom Coatings Inc.

Meadex Technology
33 Plantation Circle
David Watson

Millie’s Kitchen Deli & Pizzeria
1029 North Road
Millie’s Kitchen Deli & Pizzeria

Service Station Maintenance
10 Phelps Ave.
Phyllis French

Thor Auto Enterprise
260 Russellville Road
Mary Beltrandi

WILBRAHAM

Squadra Nuvolari
899 Stony Hill Road
Brian Cunningham

Incorporations

Departments Incorporations

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

CHICOPEE

Empyre Enterprises Inc., 34 St. James St., Chicopee, MA 01020. Christopher Harman, same. Retail and online sales, any lawful purpose.

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

ERVING

Friends of The Erving Public Library Inc., 17 Moore St., Erving, MA 01344. Rebecca Jane Hubbard, 8 Gary St., Erving, MA 01344. The purpose of this corporation is to support the programs and services of the Erving Public Library financially above and beyond the support provided through municipal appropriations.

FEEDING HILlS

Feeding Hills Spa Inc., 1226 Springfield St., Feeding Hills, MA 01030. Changji Jin, same. Personal services.

HOLYOKE

Gilbert Towing Co., 950 Main St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Gilbert Negron Correa, same. Automotive towing.

HUNTINGTON

Highlands Footpath Inc., 77 Worthington Road, Huntington, MA 01050. Jeffery Scott Penn, same. Purposes to engage in all legal activities relating to the development, maintenance and operation of the highlands footpath, a public hiking trail, from Lee to Goshen.

LONGMEADOW

Family Life Success Inc., 251 Park Dr., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Amy Hilbrich Davis, same. Provides SVCS & PDTS to improve family wellbeing.

SPRINGFIELD

Fresh Air Inc., 184 Lamont St., Springfield, MA 01119. Irving Raul Concepcion, same. Provide services for youth female/male aged 17-26 that have involvement with the judicial, DCF, DYS, DOC, HOC, homelessness, substance abuse, trauma.

Iglesia Cristiana Pentecostal Jesus El Buen Pastor, 910 Liberty St., Springfield, MA 01107. Rosa Mojica, 18 America St., Apt. 1, Chicopee, MA 01013. To engage the community in worship services.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Gogri And Rana Inc., 82 Pierce St., West Springfield, MA 01089. Khushal Gogri, same. Cell phone accessories.

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

Company Notebook

Company Notebook Departments

First-ever Improv Theater in Region to Open in Hadley

HADLEY — Happier Valley Comedy announced the opening of the first-ever improv theater in Western Mass., to be located at 1 Mill Valley Road in Hadley. The local improv company will provide regular shows, classes, and professional and personal development services. It will be the only improv theater in the state outside of the Boston region. Happier Valley Comedy’s recent fundraising effort raised close to $27,000, making it possible to begin immediate construction of a 70-seat theater and classroom space in the new complex along Route 9 in Hadley. Pam Victor, Happier Valley founder and president, and General Manager Braidman plan to open the theater by June 25 in time to hold their weekly summer classes. When the stage is complete later this fall, Happier Valley live shows will move to the new space. By the end of the year, the calendar will expand to include shows every Saturday night. The Happier FAMILY Comedy Show will remain at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.

Starbucks Opens at Monarch Place

SPRINGFIELD — The latest edition to Springfield’s downtown, a full-service Starbucks on the corner of Main Street and Boland Way, opened on May 30. Starbucks at Monarch Place donated all proceeds from its first week of business to the Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center to assist in the creation and installation of a new educational exhibit, bringing two exotic African cats to the city. The opening of Starbucks represents the final phase of the newly renovated plaza at Monarch Place and follows the grand opening of a United Bank branch next door on the ground floor of Monarch Place. Starbucks now occupies the front corner of the plaza, facing Main Street, with 30-foot-tall ceilings, and featuring a commissioned piece of artwork by renowned artist Llew Majia, a 400-pound, 10-foot medallion that celebrates the diversity of Latin American coffee-growing countries. Patrons can also enjoy outdoor music and café seating on the plaza while overlooking the newly restored water wall.

United Bank Announces Purchase of Six Branches

HARTFORD, Conn. — United Bank announced it has entered into an agreement with Webster Bank, N.A. of Waterbury, Conn. to purchase six branches located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. United Bank will assume approximately $120 million of branch deposits in the transaction, which is expected to close in the fall of 2018, pending regulatory approval. Under the terms of the agreement, the following six Webster Bank branches will be purchased by United Bank, and employees at those branches are expected to join the United Bank team: 50 Elm St., West Springfield; 1355 Boston Road, Springfield; 62 Center Square, East Longmeadow; 124B Boston Post Road, Waterford, Conn.; 654 Long Hill Road, Groton, Conn.; and 48 Franklin St., Westerly. Due to the close proximity of three branches in the Springfield market as a result of this transaction, United Bank will take the following actions at the time of the closing of the agreement, pending regulatory approval: United’s branch at 95 Elm St., West Springfield will close. All banking activity in that branch will consolidate into the Webster branch across the street at 50 Elm St. Also, customers will continue to have access to the separate drive-up branch at 52 Van Deene Ave., West Springfield. United’s branch at 459 Main St. in Indian Orchard will close. All banking activity in that branch will consolidate into the Webster branch at 1355 Boston Road, which is only one mile away from the Indian Orchard branch. United Bank’s branch at 94 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow will close. All banking activity in that branch will consolidate into the Webster branch at nearby 62 Center Square. United Bank emphasizes that customers from the six branches included in this transaction do not need to do anything at this time. United will mail a package of information to the homes and/or businesses of all Webster customers from these branches in advance of the account and branch conversions, which are expected to occur in the fall of 2018.

WGBY Earns Emmy Nod for Opioid Special

SPRINGFIELD — WGBY’s The Opioid Crisis: A Community Dialogue, which aired live on May 11, 2017, has been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Boston/New England Chapter, which nominated The Opioid Crisis: A Community Dialogue for a regional 2018 Emmy Award in the category of Health/Science Program or Special. Executive Producer Tony Dunne and Carrie Saldo, the program’s host and producer, were both named in the nomination. Moderated by then-Berkshire Eagle reporter Saldo (now host of WGBY’s weekday public-affairs series Connecting Point), The Opioid Crisis: A Community Dialogue was developed in partnership with the Center for Human Development (CHD) and featured a panel of Western New England locals, including Dr. Robert Roose of Providence Behavioral Health Hospital; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni; Chantal Silloway, Adolescent Recovery Program director at Goodwin House; Danyel Zerella, a mother in addiction recovery; Jennifer Kimball, manager of the Public Health Program at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission; and Liz Whynott of Tapestry Health’s needle-exchange program. With a town-hall-style discussion, the program was broadcast live from the WGBY studio in Springfield. Panelists fielded questions and comments from in-person audience members as well as Twitter and Facebook users.

PVCU Recognized for Promoting Savings

SPRINGFIELD — Pioneer Valley Credit Union was recognized for its efforts to encourage Americans and support its members to save money during America Saves Week and Military Saves Week. Pioneer Valley Credit Union was one of 15 banks, 17 credit unions, and five military-affiliated organizations recognized around the world. “Year after year, we work with our members to help them to achieve their financial goals and to become more savvy consumers,” said Anabela Grenier, Pioneer Valley Credit Union president and CEO. “America Saves is a wonderful program which works in concert with our philosophy to help members as they make their journey to a better financial future.”

Smith Brothers Insurance Named to President’s Clubs

EASTHAMPTON — Smith Brothers Insurance, with local offices in Easthampton and West Springfield, was recently appointed to the Hanover Insurance Group’s President’s Club, an elite group of independent insurance agencies from across the country. Agencies named to the Hanover President’s Club are recognized for delivering outstanding value to their customers through insurance expertise and responsive service. Smith Brothers was one of only 140 independent agencies recognized with this distinction across the county. The Hanover partners with 2,100 independent agents nationwide. Meanwhile, Smith Brothers was also named to the Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group’s President’s Club. Each year, Jewelers Mutual recognizes top agents nationwide for their expertise in Jewelers Block, a specialized insurance coverage protecting the jewelry trade. Smith Brothers Insurance was one of 25 brokers throughout the nation named to Jewelers Mutual’s President’s Club.

American Benefits Group Recognized with Award

NORTHAMPTON — American Benefits Group (ABG), a provider of solutions in the health-benefits industry, has been recognized by healthcare-benefits payments giant Alegeus as the 2018 APEX Award winner for Operational Efficiency and Excellence. The award was presented at the Alegeus National Conference on May 16 in Orlando, Fla. ABG currently serves more than 1,300 employer plans in all markets, including several Fortune 1000 clients. The company has grown revenues by more than 300% since 2012. ABG was also previously recognized by Alegeus as the National Customer Service Champion in 2015. In conjunction with the award, Alegeus has made a $1,000 donation to the local charity or nonprofit of ABG’s choice. American Benefits selected local nonprofit Safe Passage, an organization that serves victims of domestic abuse. “They are just making a major move into a brand-new facility, so the contribution is well-timed,” ABG CEO and founder Robert Cummings said. “We feel Safe Passage is an organization that is doing life-changing and life-saving work.”

River Valley Counseling Center Opens New Easthampton Location

EASTHAMPTON — River Valley Counseling Center celebrated the opening of its newest office location in Easthampton with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 29. Services available at the Easthampton location include individual, couple, family, and group psychotherapy for adults, adolescents, and children. Clinicians help the client, couple, or family identify the concerns or issues that will become the focus of treatment. Both the client and clinician work together to determine the most effective treatment needed. The frequency and duration of counseling sessions is determined based on individualized treatment plans. River Valley also offers school-based therapy throughout all Easthampton Schools, a partnership formed in the fall of 2017. The Easthampton office is currently accepting new patients without a wait list and is conveniently located along the bike trail. For additional information, visit rvcc-inc.org or call (413) 540-1234.

Shriners Hospitals for Children Named Health Nonprofit Brand of the Year

TAMPA, Fla. — Shriners Hospitals for Children has been named 2018 Health Nonprofit Brand of the Year, based on the Harris Poll EquiTrend Equity Score. In addition, Shriners Hospitals ranked highest in trust in its category. The annual survey of brand equity, now in its 30th year, compares the brand health of thousands of brands from hundreds of categories, including eight for nonprofit organizations, based on consumer responses. Shriners is a leader in pediatric specialty care, especially in the areas of orthopaedics, burns, spinal-cord injury, and cleft lip and palate.

People on the Move

Departments People on the Move

Nikki Gleason

Florence Bank hired Nikki Gleason to serve as vice president and branch manager of the bank’s new Springfield location, slated to open this year. Gleason studied accounting at Springfield Technical Community College and completed the program at the New England School of Financial Studies at Babson College. She is a board member for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity as well as a fundraising committee member Revitalize Community Development Corp. of Springfield. She will work in the bank’s second Hampden County branch, at 1444 Allen St. in Springfield.

•••••

Jose Rivera

After an extensive search, Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) hired Jose “Joe” Rivera as its new senior director of Public Safety/chief of police. Rivera, who started May 7, brings a range of law-enforcement experience. For the past 24 years, he has worked in municipal and higher-education policing. Most recently, he served as chief of police at Holyoke Community College. He previously worked at STCC as the college’s assistant director of public safety/lieutenant. Rivera, who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Curry College in Milton, began his career with the Amherst Police Department. He moved on to other positions, including ones at the Massasoit Community College Police Department and UMass Dartmouth, where he was a sergeant and lieutenant, respectively. His certifications and training include firearms instructor, sexual-assault investigation, emergency planning, interview and interrogation, and Clery Act compliance, which requires colleges and universities participating in federal financial-aid programs to maintain and disclose campus crime statistics and security information.

•••••

Brian Roode

Gove Law Office announced it will open an office in Spencer, expanding its presence into Worcester County. The four-attorney firm also has offices in Ludlow and Northampton. Along with the opening of the Spencer office, Gove Law Office also welcomes attorney Brian Roode as an associate. Roode, who has been in practice since 2008, will be focused on real-estate transactions, family law and mediation, estate planning, and landlord-tenant matters. He earned his juris doctor from the Massachusetts School of Law in 2008 and owned his own solo practice until joining the Gove Law Office in 2018. He practices in Worcester, Hampden, and Hampshire counties.

•••••

Becky Bozadjian

Tighe & Bond Inc., a regional leader in engineering and environmental consulting, appointed Becky Bozadjian as its director of Marketing & Communications. In this role, she will manage the firm’s marketing and communications group and contribute to growth strategies consistent with Tighe & Bond’s continued expansion in the marketplace. Bozadjian, who is based in the firm’s Westwood office, has more than 25 years of experience as a senior management and marketing professional in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. During this time, she has focused on building responsive marketing organizations, as well as developing and implementing strategic marketing plans for small, regional, and national professional-services firms. Her career has been defined by high-level leadership positions at several prominent engineering firms in the Boston area. Bozadjian has been a member of the Society for Marketing Professionals and has presented on a variety of topics at the national and regional levels. In the Coaching for Leadership & Teamwork Program at Babson College, she coaches undergraduate students on leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. She earned her MBA at Babson College with a concentration in marketing, and her bachelor’s degree in economics from Connecticut College.

•••••

Heather Loges

Heather Loges was recently promoted to the position of chief operations officer at Royal, P.C., a labor and employment law firm in Northampton. Loges has been with Royal since July 2016, joining as a paralegal. As the COO, Heather is in charge of all aspects of law-firm operations and law-firm management and finances, as well as managing the firm’s business-development and marketing strategies. Loges has a bachelor’s degree from UMass Amherst and a certificate in paralegal studies from Boston University. She was recently nominated for the 2018 Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Excellence in Paralegal Work Award.

•••••

Michael Ostrowski, president and CEO of Arrha Credit Union, congratulates Tony Sanches, assistant vice president of Retail Operations, for receiving a Credit Union Rising Star Award at the Great New England Credit Union Show in Worcester. The show highlighted new technology and featured breakout sessions in many topics, including cybersecurity, latest trends in digital banking, member satisfaction, and member experience. The morning breakfast was a salute to employees who showed a strong sense of the mission of credit unions and strong abilities in their area of expertise, along with community involvement.

•••••

The Lenox Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed its new executive director, Shaun Kelleher. Kelleher grew up in the Berkshires and is back home after spending nearly a decade in New York City. He attended Berkshire Community College and, later, Syracuse University. In New York, he cultivated a career in marketing. As senior director of Marketing at 24 Seven, a creative staffing and recruiting company with 12 offices across the globe, he led a team of designers, marketers, copywriters, and strategists to grow and promote the brand. Most recently, he was an account manager at BRIGADE, a marketing and design agency in Hadley, where he worked with clients such as SVEDKA Vodka, BIC, Black Box Premium Wines, Woodbridge, World Hotels, and Audience Rewards. He also sits on the board of the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts as its membership chair.

•••••

Hannah Winters

Megan Conner

Sue Camp

Taylor Real Estate announced it has hired a new employee who recently earned her real-estate license, and two other agents have also been licensed in the past year. Hannah Winters came on board in April as a rental specialist, and she will lead the family-owned firm’s Rental Department. Winters and realtors Megan Conner and Sue Camp also earned the credentials that will allow them to represent a buyer or seller in a real-estate transaction. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Winters moved to Western Mass. in 2015. She is working on an associate degree in business administration at Holyoke Community College and will attend UMass Amherst this fall, where she hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She has volunteered with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps in the past and also has experience in hospitality management. Conner, the daughter of Taylor Real Estate owner Chuck Conner, is an Easthampton native who grew up working in the business. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a specialty in developmental disabilities and human services from UMass Amherst. Conner has extensive experience in customer service, having worked at Taylor Real Estate as the administrative and advertising assistant for the past nine years. She previously served as a developmental specialist relief staff at Riverside Industries. Camp has more than 20 years of customer-service experience. She holds an associate degree in biomedical engineering technology from Springfield Technical Community College and is a volunteer for Dakin Humane Society and the therapeutic Equestrian Center in Holyoke.

•••••

Robert Mickey joined the Main Street Hospitality team as senior director of Regional Operations and general manager of the Red Lion Inn. Mickey brings 20 years of hospitality experience to Main Street Hospitality, including extensive operational and management expertise. His tenure at Old Edwards Hospitality Group in Highlands, N.C. was preceded by work at other prominent properties throughout the Southeast, including the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. as vice president of Guest Relations. He also served as director of Room Operations at the Sea Island Co. in St. Simons Island, Ga. In his new role at Main Street Hospitality, Mickey will focus on leading operations at the Red Lion Inn and provide oversight and support to Main Street Hospitality’s Berkshires properties, including Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Hotel on North in Pittsfield, and Briarcliff in Great Barrington.

•••••

Solidago Foundation CEO Elizabeth Barajas-Román officially welcomed participants to the Women and Money Summit hosted by the Women’s Funding Network, the largest philanthropic network in the world devoted to women and girls. The summit was held at the SUNY Global Center in New York City on May 22. Barajas-Román serves as vice chair of the Women’s Funding Network. The Women and Money Summit focused on women-of-color leadership and the role of women as engaged influencers on all issues relating to economic security. Barajas-Román participated in an afternoon panel discussing the importance of including both race and gender in grant-making strategies in order to achieve economic opportunity and security for all.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

Chamber Corners Departments

1BERKSHIRE
www.1berkshire.com
(413) 499-1600

• June 13: Good News Business Salute, 4:30-6:30 p.m., hosted by Hotel on North, 297 North St., Pittsfield. Join us to celebrate the following salutes: Excelsior Integrated, Buxton School, Mildred Elley, and the Brien Center. The presentation will begin at 4:45 p.m., and cocktail hour will start at 5:30 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy Hotel on North for dinner afterward.

• June 20: Chamber Nite with Booking.com, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Hilton Garden Inn Pittsfield Lenox, 1032 South St., Pittsfield.

AMHERST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.amherstarea.com
(413) 253-0700

• June 14-17: Taste of Amherst on the Amherst Town Common. Showcase your restaurant or business with more than 20,000 attendees throughout the weekend. Booth space is limited, so reserve your space soon. All vendors must be open for all four days and all hours of operation, rain or shine. For more information about this event, call the chamber office at (413) 253-0700 or e-mail [email protected].

• June 22: New Member Reception to welcome, celebrate, and showcase our new members, 5 p.m. Venue to be announced.

FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.franklincc.org
(413) 773-5463

• June 14: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Crumpin-Fox Club, 87 Parmenter Road, Bernardston. Networking event with refreshments and cash bar. Register at franklincc.org or [email protected].

• June 22: Annual Meeting, 7:30-9 a.m., hosted by Eaglebrook School, Deerfield. This will be the last breakfast until September. Local state legislators have been invited, and chamber officers will be elected. Sponsored by Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Greenfield Recorder, Greenfield Savings Bank, Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc., and Yankee Candle Village. Cost: $13 for members, $16 for non-members. Register by June 16 at franklincc.org or [email protected].

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101

• June 14: CEO Luncheon, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by the Collegian Court, 89 Park St., Chicopee. A quarterly luncheon series where CEOs tell of how they rose to their positions. May’s luncheon will feature Dr. Harry Dumay of Elms College. Series sponsored by Polish National Credit Union. Cost: $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Sign up online at www.chicopeechamber.org/events or call (413) 594-2101.

• June 16: Run the Runway 5k, 9:30 a.m. Race starts at Westover Metropolitan Airport, 255 Padgette St., Chicopee. Presented by the Greater Chicopee Chamber, GCC, and WMA. Spectators welcome (behind the fence only).

• June 20: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by Elms College Campus Center. Air Show theme. Chief Greeter: Connie Brown, Galaxy Council. Keynote: Col. Bull Durham, 439th Airlift Wing. Sponsored by United Personnel, Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, Polish National Credit Union, Gaudreau Group, Spherion Staffing Services, and PeoplesBank. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(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 NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900

• 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.

• July 11: July Arrive @ 5, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Northampton Country Club, 135 Main St., Leeds. Cost: $10 for members.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618

• June 13: June After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Westfield Bank, 462 College Highway, Southwick. Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit our chamber scholarship fund. Bring your business cards and make connections. Cost: free for members, $10/ for non-members (cash or credit paid at the door). Sign up online at www.westfieldbiz.org. For sponsorships or more information, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

• June 21: Summer Sizzler Kick-Off, 5:30-8 p.m., hosted by the Ranch, 65 Sunnyside Road, Southwick. This event, featuring networking, oversized outdoor games, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and cocktails, is great for making connections and team building while having fun. Sponsors include Mestek Inc. (platinum event sponsor) and Berkshire Bank (gold sponsor). For sponsorships or reservations, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618 or visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

• July 12: 41st Pancake Breakfast, 7-11 a.m., hosted by South Middle School, 30 West Silver St., Westfield. Rain or shine. Attractions include a bounce house, face painting, entertainment, a live broadcast from WSKB 89.5, and vendor tables. Sponsors to date include BusinessWest (pancake sponsor), Appalachian Press (placemat sponsor), Puffer Printing (ticket sponsor), and Dunkin’ Donuts (coffee sponsor). Cost: $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for kids under 10. For additional sponsorships or tickets, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618 or visit www.westfieldbiz.org.

SOUTH HADLEY & GRANBY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.shgchamber.com
(413) 532-6451

• June 12: After 5 at Ameriprise, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Ameriprise building, 551 Newton St., South Hadley. Come meet Steve Duval and the rest of the Ameriprise team, who are new members this year to the chamber family. Mix and mingle with other South Hadley & Granby Chamber members, spread the word about your business, and hear about theirs. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. Register at www.shgchamber.com (click on the link in the event description) or e-mail [email protected].

• June 20: BBQ Bash Membership Drive, 5-7:30 p.m., hosted by Brunelle’s Marina, 1 Alvord St., South Hadley. Invite your friends who are not yet members of the chamber so they can get to know us. It will be an evening of food, lawn games, conversation, door prizes, and a 50/50 raffle as an extra incentive. Bring your business cards to enter the door-prize drawing. Sponsors to date include Westfield Bank (presenting sponsor) and Florence Savings Bank, M. Connie Laplante ERA Real Estate, and SHELD (participating sponsors). Register by June 15 at www.shgchamber.com (click on the link in the event description) or e-mail [email protected]. Be sure to let us know how many will be coming with you.

SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL CHAMBER
www.springfieldregionalchamber.com
(413) 787-1555

• June 19: Lunch ‘n Learn: Business Succession Planning, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., presented by Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, hosted by Colony Club, 1500 Main St., Springfield. The event will discuss the various stages of a business that should trigger succession-planning conversations, as well as discussion of three options for transferring the business: sale to an independent third party, transfer to family members, or sale to employees. Cost: $30 for members ($35 at the door), $35 general admission ($45 at the door). Reservations may be made at www.springfieldregionalchamber.com, [email protected], or (413) 755-1310.

• July 19: Golf Tournament, 11 a.m., hosted by Crestview Country Club, 281 Shoemaker Lane, Agawam. 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

• June 12: Annual Meeting and Business Grant Drawing, 7 a.m. The event will kick off with the welcoming of new co-chairmen Frank Palange and Ryan McLane and the incoming WRC board of directors. Two $500 business grants will be drawn the morning of the event. Guest speaker Michael Harrison from TALKERS will address guests. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Sponsorships and program advertising are available. For more information or for tickets, contact the chamber office at (413) 426-3880 or e-mail [email protected].

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY OF GREATER SPRINGFIELD
springfieldyps.com

• June 28: Tenth annual Great Golf Escape, hosted by the Ranch, 65 Sunnyside Road, Southwick. Visit springfieldyps.com for registration information.

AIC Names New Health Sciences Facility for Frank Colaccino

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced that the new health sciences educational facility located at 1020 State St. in Springfield will be named the Colaccino Center for Health Sciences in recognition of Frank Colaccino, a 1973 alumnus of the college.

Colaccino is the founder, president, and CEO of the Colvest Group in Springfield, a firm that specializes in land planning and development; commercial real-estate site selection; shopping center research, development, leasing, and management; and office-space rental and leasing services.

While serving as chair of the board of trustees finance committee in 2005, Colaccino was instrumental in helping restore the college’s solvency after facing extreme financial jeopardy. In 2007, and again in 2015, he assumed the role of chairman of the board of trustees. Colaccino is the first alumnus in the college’s history to hold this position.

“At a time when this institution was in great fiscal need, Frank was committed to preserving AIC’s longevity,” said AIC President Vince Maniaci. “Through his leadership and unwavering service, we have seen the college grow immeasurably. It is in recognition of Frank’s dedication, loyalty, and financial support that we elected to name the new educational facility in his honor.”

Set to open this fall, the two-story, 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility will house AIC’s new exercise science programs in addition to expanded occupational therapy and physical therapy offerings. Athletic training programs will be introduced beginning in 2021.

Located in the geographic center of Springfield, the Colaccino Center for Health Sciences complements the ongoing redevelopment of downtown by extending revitalization efforts up the State Street corridor to the Mason Square/Upper Hill neighborhood.

UMass Amherst Surges in Ranking of Sustainable Universities

AMHERST — A national program that measures accomplishments in sustainability in higher education has placed UMass Amherst ninth in the nation, a leap of 20 places from the previous rating in 2015.

The ‘gold’ rating from the Assoc. for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) program recognizes sustainability accomplishments in areas such as academics, research, engagement, operations, and administration. The rating is good for three years.

“This new STARS score reflects the university’s continuing commitment to excellence in sustainability,” said Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. “UMass Amherst is a leader in best practices for energy-efficient construction and sustainable food use, conducting world-class research, and preparing a new generation of students to be inspired stewards of our planet.”

The university scored a 75.77 to earn its gold rating, a significant increase from its score of 68.18 in 2015, which was also a gold. UMass Amherst is now rated ninth in the STARS Campus Sustainability Index among U.S. doctorate-granting institutions, up from 29th in 2015.

To prepare the rating application, sustainability staff and others involved in ‘green’ campus efforts used an online sustainability evaluation tool to report data in the categories of academics, campus engagement, operations, and planning/administration.

In a letter that was part of the reporting process, Subbaswamy cited a number of recent actions, including creation of the School of Earth and Sustainability; installation of the largest solar-power project of any college in New England; the design and construction of the John W. Olver Design Building, which is the largest and most technologically advanced academic contemporary wood structure in the U.S.; and the decision to be the first major public university to divest its endowment from direct holdings in fossil fuels.

Gándara’s ArtSong Reception Celebrates Young Artists, Performers

SPRINGFIELD — The fifth annual Gándara Youth Art Exhibit, ArtSong, hosted a gallery reception and silent auction on June 7 at the former federal building, 1550 Main St., Springfield. The family-friendly event featured youth paintings and live music performances.

Youth artists in the ArtSong Arts Enrichment Program spent months working on their pieces as a part of their art therapy. Of the 65 pieces on display, created by youth ages 3 to 17, more than 10 Gándara Center residential DCF programs were represented at the show.

Attendees were able to bid on all artwork on display. Event proceeds from the auction and T-shirts designed by one of the artists will directly support young artists by providing supplies to help sustain this unfunded art-therapy program.

“It’s so inspiring to see what the youth created — not only for me, but also for the artists,” said Amy Porchelli, founder and director of ArtSong. “They really enjoyed the process of making art, and they got a true sense of accomplishment because they saw what they could do for the community as artists.”

The ArtSong program gives the youth a place to say how they feel and what they believe, according to Porchelli. “Most therapy is focused on the individual, but this program is a peer environment, which allows them to have fun, build their confidence, and creates a lot of dialogue. It’s a very therapeutic experience.”

Porchelli said some of the artists were new to the program, and some have been in it for quite a while and came to the reception to perform music they had developed and recorded at the Gándara Center’s Holyoke Youth Development Center media lab studio.

“I’m really excited about that,” she added. “I think it shows a comfort level about being a part of this amazing enrichment program. They want to be heard. I think that ties in nicely with this year’s exhibit theme: ‘Voices of Legacy: Youth United.’ They are creating their own legacy.”

Easthampton Students Complete My Financial Future Program

EASTHAMPTON — Mary Rawls, vice president and co-CRA officer at Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) and its Northampton Cooperative division, announced that 59 students at Easthampton High School have received certificates of recognition for the My Financial Future program being sponsored by the bank. Rawls noted that GCB partnered with EVERFI, a nationally recognized educational technology firm to provide the program at no cost to area high schools.

My Financial Future is an interactive, online training program that prepares teachers to use online modules and teaches real-life skills to students so they are better prepared to handle their personal finances in the future. Module topics include how to prepare a budget, how to complete forms such as FAFSA for college aid, the differences between (and risks of) debit and credit cards, how to handle a checking account, and more.

Greenfield Cooperative Bank started with just one school last September, and in its first school year the program has been expanded to four area high schools, with four more actively working with the bank and EVERFI to kick off their own classes. Greenfield Co-op has placed particular focus on connecting with the communities it serves by sponsoring schools in Franklin and Hampshire counties. If any other Franklin or Hampshire county school is interested in the program, they may contact Rawls at (413) 772-0293.

Make-A-Wish Grants 7-year-old’s Wish with Support of Country Bank

WARE — Country Bank’s employee charitable giving program recently supported Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island by helping to grant the wish of 7-year-old Esmeralda. She is anxiously awaiting her wish to meet the princesses at a Florida theme park, and will do so this summer thanks to Country Bank.

“The staff at Country Bank really stepped it up when asked to support such a meaningful cause,” said Bonnie Trudeau-Wood, employee charitable giving chairperson. “The staff raised money through Friday jeans days, a waffle breakfast, and internal raffles. Everyone is very excited to make this happen for Esmeralda and her family.”

Added Jodie Gerulaitis, vice president of Community Relations, “Country Bank is honored to support programs that provide hope, inspiration, and happiness. We will continue to support our friends and neighbors in meaningful ways. We think giving back is one of the most cutting-edge things a bank will ever do.”

Daughters Move into Leadership Roles at Taylor Real Estate

EASTHAMPTON — When the day was over for Megan Conner in eighth grade, she’d head to Taylor Real Estate for a different kind of learning in the family business. She built up the courage to answer the phone that seemed to always be ringing, and her grandmother, Bernice Conner, taught her to transfer calls to individual Realtors.

Danica Achin remembers taking messages from clients who were calling their home, looking for her father, Chuck Conner. Her first actual job with the company came when she was 17, answering the phone in the office and helping with administrative tasks.

Recently, Conner and Achin have taken on more responsibility with the business their great-grandfather founded in 1955, marking the beginning of an informal succession plan.

Both women are Realtors with the firm. Conner is also an administrative and advertising assistant with duties that include delving into financial management and handling requests for sponsorships. Achin is the rental division manager. They hope to one day assume ownership of the company and teach the trade to their own children.

“It’s really important the business stay in the family,” Conner said. “My ancestors put a lot of time and work into maintaining the business and building up our reputation. We now have an opportunity to carry on their legacy.”

Conner and Achin’s great-grandfather, Charles Taylor, founded the Easthampton business as the Charles W. Taylor Agency in 1955. Taylor then passed the business to his daughter, Bernice, and her husband, Bob Conner — Chuck Conner’s parents, and Megan Conner and Achin’s grandparents. In 2013, the name changed to Taylor Real Estate.

Chuck Conner started working full-time at Taylor Real Estate with his parents after graduating from college in 1981. Soon after, he took on management responsibilities for the firm.

Megan Conner earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a specialty in developmental disabilities and human services in 2017 from UMass Amherst. She obtained a real-estate license in June 2017. Over the years, she has prepared listings, photographed homes and apartments for sale or rent, and prepared advertising for listings and open houses.

After high school, Achin worked for her mother’s cleaning business while simultaneously working in the office at Taylor Real Estate. In 2014, she became the business’ rental agent. She earned her real-estate license in 2014 and took over the Rental Department.

“Chuck has instilled a great work ethic in both of us,” Achin said. “We work as a team and always help each other out.

Added Conner, “the goal is for us to take care of the business the way Chuck does now and stay as involved as possible in the community. We are both young and driven, which helps us to work as hard as we can to help people every day. We love our community and the people in it.”

LUSO, Community Financial Services to Offer ‘LUSO Cup’ Giveway

LUDLOW — LUSO Federal Credit Union, in partnership with Community Financial Services Inc., will offer a “LUSO Cup” giveaway campaign to coincide with the 2018 Rounds of Russia.

From June 14 to June 29, members of the public will be invited into LUSO at 599 East St. in Ludlow on Thursdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Event guests will receive a custom LUSO scratch ticket for a chance to win one of a number of soccer prizes. Every play wins a prize, while supplies last. Winners will have the opportunity to collect their prize from members of Community Financial Services team, who will be on site during event hours. Games will be televised in the Ludlow branch lobby.

“As a community, Ludlow has always had a great interest in soccer as a sport, so we’re pleased to offer a way for our members/fans to watch games and cheer for their favorite team at our Ludlow branch location,” said Jennifer Calheno, president and CEO of LUSO Federal Credit Union. “Our 2018 LUSO Cup event is just another way for our Credit Union to give back to the community we love so much, with a sport dearly beloved by our members — including myself.”

Community Bank N.A. Supports Big Brothers Big Sisters

SPRINGFIELD — Community Bank N.A. team members from the Springfield branch recently participated in Bowl for Kids’ Sake, an annual bowling event that raises funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County. The branch donated $2,500 in scholarships for the organization, contributing to a grand total of more than $40,000 in proceeds raised during the 2018 event.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring networks, fostering supportive, one-to-one matches between professionally trained adult volunteers and young adults (ages 6-18) in Hampden County and the surrounding communities facing adversity, poverty, or parental incarceration. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County’s mission to provide meaningful programming to help children develop confidence, avoid risky behaviors, and thrive socially and academically.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County provides premier services in one-on-one mentoring that really makes a difference in a child’s life,” Community Bank N.A. Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer Michael Buckmaster said. “Our Springfield team is proud to support the organization and help them continue to make a significant impact in our community.”

HCC Honors Chris Palames with Distinguished Service Award

HOLYOKE — Disability-rights activist Chris Palames is the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Service Award from Holyoke Community College.

Palames is the founder of the Stavros Center for Independent Living in Amherst, executive director of Independent Living Resources in Florence, and a retired consultant for the Massachusetts Division of Capital and Asset Management, which manages construction projects for publicly owned facilities in the state. He has served on the Northampton Commission on Disability and the Massachusetts Disability Policy Consortium, and frequently advises the staff in HCC’s Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services.

HCC President Christina Royal presented the Distinguished Service Award to Palames at HCC’s 71st commencement ceremony at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on June 2.

“Chris has long been a valued friend of HCC, and, as a consultant for the Commonwealth, has had a significant role in helping to make HCC and other Massachusetts colleges more welcoming and accessible to all,” Royal said. “Chris, thank you for your friendship, and for the important work you do to make our world, our community, and our college a better place. We are so happy to honor you today.”

Palames began his life as an activist as a freshman at Wesleyan University in the 1960s, demonstrating for civil rights on the White House lawn. A spinal-cord injury left him a quadriplegic, but, after a year recuperating, he was back, protesting the Vietnam War and completing his bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Scenes from Bay Path University’s 2nd Annual President’s Gala

Features

Photos from the June 2 Event

Gala sponsor Sarat Ford Lincoln with special guest judge Lindsay Arnold (fourth from left) and Bay Path President Carol Leary (fourth from right).

Andrew Associates, Mirror Ball sponsors of the Gala.

From left to right, Prestley and Helen Blake; President Carol Leary and Noel Leary

Emcee Ashley Kohl and special guest judge Lindsay Arnold from ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

Gala Honorary Chairs: (from left to right) Steven and Alissa Korn; Drew and Lauren Davis; and Carrie ’86 and Tim Burr.

From left to right, Gala judges Jonathan Besse, vice chair of the Board of Trustees; Lamont Clemons, Springfield business leader; and Lindsay Arnold from “Dancing With the Stars” provided comments on the dancers.

A shot of the dance floor!

Founder and CEO Delcie Bean IV from Paragus Strategic IT with partner Daryll Sverrisson’98.

Patricia Faginski, vice president and financial advisor at St. Germain Investment Management danced with Gunnar Sverrisson of Ballroom Fever in Enfield, CT.

From left to right, President Leary joins the dancers at the end of the competition, Daryll Sverrisson ’98, Delcie Bean IV, Maria Rodriguez-Furlow ‘’10 G’12 of Bay Path, Gunnar Sverrisson, and the winner of the Mirror Ball Trophy: Patricia Faginski.

Gov. Charlie Baker to Visit Springfield Museums on June 9

By BusinessWest Staff June 7, 2018

SPRINGFIELD — The Cat in the Hat himself will be on hand on Saturday, June 9 at 1:30 p.m. to take Gov. Charlier Baker on a tour of the Springfield Museums — and the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum — after the governor announced $9.3 million in new capital funding to support the creative economy in Massachusetts. The Springfield Science Museum is one of the beneficiaries of this grant cycle.

“We are overjoyed to receive these needed funds to help us improve the infrastructure of our 160-year-old museum,” said Dave Stier, director of the Springfield Science Museum.

The $9.3 million in new grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a state program that fosters the growth of the creative economy by supporting building projects in the nonprofit arts, humanities, and sciences, will impact many throughout Massachusetts. Grants range from $7,000 to $200,000 and must be matched one-to-one from private and/or other public sources.

Locally, awards include $200,000 to the Springfield Science Museum for renovations to the bathroom, lighting, and carpeting; $100,000 to the Northampton Community Arts Trust for exterior site work, including sidewalk and parking renovations and landscaping to create small gathering spaces and an outdoor event space; $100,000 to Shakespeare & Company in Lenox for improvements to wayfinding signage, parking-lot repairs, and energy efficiency; and $165,000 to the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown to replace environmental-control systems in the Manton Research Center and to install central heating and dehumidification systems in the museum building attic.

“From the Berkshires to Cape Cod, Massachusetts is home to a deep cultural history that continues to grow and thrive,” Baker said. “Our administration looks forward to continuing our work to support public-private partnerships like these that will help drive tourism and benefit residents and visitors for years to come.”

Added Kay Simpson, president of the Springfield Museums, “improving the facilities of the wildly popular Springfield Science Museum will attract even more people to our city and increase the impact our museums have to share wonder with our visitors.”

Randall Boys & Girls Club Welcomes New President, CEO

By BusinessWest Staff June 7, 2018

LUDLOW — The board of directors of the Ludlow Community Center/Randall Boys & Girls Club announced that Mechilia “Chile” Salazar has accepted the role of president and CEO of the center.

Salazar previously served as executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Middlesex County in Somerville. Her experience also includes positions as chief Development officer of the Base in Roxbury and Room to Grow in Boston.

“I am excited to join such a committed group of leaders at the Randall Boys & Girls Club and build on the best of the team and organization,” she said. “I look forward to working relentlessly to ensure that the club continues to be a positive place where every young person feels loved, knows that they matter, and has access to the resources and opportunities to succeed. I am excited about harnessing the strength of this tight-knit community that has helped make the culture in and outside the club great.”

Steve Lewis Subaru Donates $52,225 to Dakin Humane Society

By BusinessWest Staff June 7, 2018

HADLEY — As part of its ongoing support of local communities, Steve Lewis Subaru recently presented a check for $52,225 to Dakin Humane Society in Springfield.

From Nov. 16, 2017 to Jan. 2, 2018, during its Share the Love event, Subaru of America Inc. donated $250 to a charity of the customer’s choice for every new vehicle purchased or leased. The list of charities included ASPCA, Meals on Wheels America, Make-A-Wish, and the National Park Foundation. Dakin Humane Society was selected by Steve Lewis Subaru as its hometown charity choice. For the customers who chose Dakin, Steve Lewis Subaru added $25 per vehicle, putting each donation made to Dakin at $275.

Subaru of America and its retailers hope to exceed a grand total of $115 million donated since the creation of Share the Love to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this event.

Nomination Deadline for Healthcare Heroes Extended

SPRINGFIELD — The deadline to nominate an individual or organization for the second annual Healthcare Heroes awards has been extended to July 9.

Healthcare Heroes, a recognition program involving the Western Mass. healthcare sector, was launched last spring by HCN and BusinessWest. The program was created to shed a bright light on the outstanding work being done across the broad spectrum of health and wellness services, and the institutions and individuals providing that care.

Now, it’s time to start thinking about the next class of heroes, in categories including ‘Lifetime Achievement,’ ‘Emerging Leader,’ ‘Patient/Resident/Client Care Provider,’ ‘Innovation in Health/Wellness,’ ‘Health/Wellness Administrator,’ and ‘Collaboration in Healthcare.’ They will be profiled in both magazines in September and feted at the Oct. 25 gala at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in Hampden.

To nominate someone, visit healthcarenews.com or businesswest.com, click on ‘Our Events,’ and proceed to ‘Healthcare Heroes.’

Healthcare Heroes sponsors include American International College (presenting sponsor), National Grid (partner), Renew.Calm (supporting sponsor), and the Elms College MBA program (supporting sponsor).

Springfield Thunderbirds Donate $20,000 to Rays of Hope Foundation

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Thunderbirds recently presented a check in the amount of $20,000 to the Rays of Hope Foundation, the culmination of a second-year partnership with Baystate Health.

The $20,000 was raised through ticket sales and jersey auctions from the Thunderbirds’ second annual Pink in the Rink game on March 10. A sellout crowd of 6,793, many of whom were dressed in pink, witnessed a moving pregame ceremony honoring breast-cancer survivors and battlers.

“We are filled with pride to be able to present this charitable gift to the Rays of Hope Foundation,” said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. “This would not have been possible without the efforts of our partners at Baystate Health, as well as our fans who contributed directly to this wonderful cause.”

In their two seasons partnering with Rays of Hope on Pink in the Rink night, the Springfield Thunderbirds have raised more than $30,000 for breast-cancer awareness and research. The Thunderbirds’ full 2018-19 schedule, including the date for the third annual Pink in the Rink, will be unveiled later this summer.

Employer Confidence Surges During May

BOSTON — Business confidence surged during May to its highest level since the summer of 2000, driven by improving employer outlooks about the state and national economies.

The Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Business Confidence Index rose 2.4 points to 66.6 last month after increasing modestly during April. The BCI has risen in five of the last six months and now stands 5.8 points higher than its level a year ago.

Confidence remains well within the optimistic range. The only whiff of concern came in the index that measures hiring, which dropped 1.5 points for the month and 0.2 points during the year. Economists believe the weakness in the AIM Employment Index reflects the persistent shortage of workers in Massachusetts that has forced some employers to postpone expansions or to decline new business opportunities.

Raymond Torto, chair of AIM’s Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design, cautioned that major month-to-month movements in the Index like those in May sometimes reflect statistical or sampling anomalies. He noted, however, that the numbers are consistent with a general sense that the U.S. and state economies are picking up steam in the second quarter after a slow start to 2018.

“There are signs GDP growth gathered momentum early in the second quarter, with solid consumer spending, business investment on equipment, and industrial production,” Torto said.

The nation’s economy grew at a 2.2% rate during the first quarter. Hiring across the U.S. remains strong, with the government reporting on Friday that employers added 223,000 jobs during May.

“The Massachusetts economy continues to operate at virtually full capacity, creating significant constraints on the availability of labor,” Torto said.

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

Great New England Air & Space Show Breakfast Slated for July 13

CHICOPEE — The Galaxy Community Council announced that the Great New England Air & Space Show kickoff breakfast will take place on Friday, July 13 at Westover Air Reserve Base, 2255 Westover Road, Chicopee. The gate opens at 6:30 a.m., and breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m.

Attendees will dine with local Air Force and civilian dignitaries, and the guest speaker will be NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Catherine “Cady” Coleman. Immediately following the traditional breakfast and recognition ceremonies, the hangar doors will open to a preview of the weekend’s performances (subject to flying restrictions and weather.) All breakfast attendees must depart the base no later than noon.

Tickets are $35 each (plus a $1.50 processing fee) and must be purchased in advance to ensure base access. To register, click here.

All guests entering the base must have a valid picture ID when approaching the gate (not just the vehicle driver, but all guests). All vehicles and individuals are subject to search. There will be a 100% check of handbags when entering the breakfast. Smoking is allowed in designated areas only.

Link to Libraries Hosts Local Author at Kensington School

SPRINGFIELD — Link to Libraries recently hosted local author Natasha Lowe at Kensington International School in Springfield. Lowe spent more than an hour with the third grade, discussing life as an author and reading from her latest novel, Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle.

“Natasha was so incredibly generous to volunteer to share her experiences and her marvelous new book with students at Kensington,” said Laurie Flynn, president and CEO of Link to Libraries. “The kids sat in rapt attention as she talked with them about courage, persistence, and creativity. And when she gave them each a copy of her book and offered to sign it for them, they were over the moon.

“I believe that reading and writing are equally important when it comes to literacy. Since taking the helm at Link to Libraries this past fall, it’s been my hope that we can incorporate more author visits into our program” Flynn continued. “Connecting with an author can be such a profound experience, inspiring children both to read and to understand that telling their own stories in their own voices is a possibility. We are forever grateful to Natasha and look forward to hosting many authors to come.”

Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle is Lowe’s fourth novel.

“I’m just bowled over by the incredible work Link to Libraries does,” the author said. “Getting books into the hands of kids is a small thing that can make a big difference. A book can offer a child a magical world to escape into. They become like old friends, to be read over and over again. I had such a wonderful time visiting Kensington School this morning and sharing Lucy with all the third-graders.”

Country Bank Donates Building to QVCDC

WARE — Country Bank announce it has donated its former building, located at 65-71 Main St., Ware, to the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. (QVCDC).

“The bank is looking forward to the development of this property as a creative, innovative space for artists and crafts people to practice and teach, as well as display their work,” said Paul Scully, president and CEO of Country Bank.

The retail space is currently being revitalized and will provide incubator space to three new small businesses to help them begin their journey. The plans for the retail space include a pottery studio that will work in conjunction with Workshop 13 on pottery classes for the public, an art gallery with a coffee shop, and an additional space for another artistic business.

The QVCDC also received a $75,000 grant from the MassDevelopment Collaborative Workspace program to help with the renovations taking place in the new space. The new businesses are expected to open this summer, and will provide opportunities for people of all ages to experience arts and cultural activities on Main Street.

“This prime location promises to be an important component to the revitalization of the downtown area. It enhances the collaboration with the bank, the town of Ware, and the QVCDC that started with E2E Education to Employment, the Holyoke Community College workforce-training satellite facility that Country Bank donated space for two years ago,” said Sheila Cuddy, executive director of the QVCDC. “We are so pleased to cultivate this community partnership aimed at enhancing the quality of life for the residents of Ware.”

Florence Bank Promotes Jeanne Woods to AVP, Branch Manager

FLORENCE — Florence Bank promoted Jeanne Woods to the position of assistant vice president and branch manager for the bank’s Amherst location.

Woods joined Florence Bank in 2001 and previously served as assistant branch manager of the Amherst office. She is a development committee member for the Amherst Survival Center.

“We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Jeanne Woods,” said Florence Bank President and CEO John Heaps Jr. “She is a dedicated and valued employee who consistently delivers great results. She has been an asset to the bank for many years, and I look forward to watching her progress even further in the years to come.”

Girls on the Run 5K Event Draws 1,900 Runners and Walkers

SPRINGFIELD — More than 2,500 girls, spectators, volunteers, and community members gathered on June 3 for the Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts 5K event at Springfield College, the culminating moment of the Girls on the Run season.

“Girls on the Run is not just changing the girls’ lives, but it is impacting schools, families, and communities,” said Alison Berman, council director. “We hear from teachers that the girls are taking the lessons that they are learning and using them in schools. We see family members out at the 5K that have never walked a 5K but are inspired by their child. The girls are making a difference.”

Girls on the Run is a national, physical activity-based, positive youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in grades 3-8. During the 10-week program, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for the end-of-season celebratory 5K event.

In Western Mass., more than 190 trained volunteer coaches facilitated the curriculum to 54 teams of girls this spring season, helping equip them with the physical and emotional skills necessary to carry them over the 5K finish line at Springfield College. There were 740 girls in the program this spring from 52 school sites.

PeoplesBank Appoints Tracy Sicbaldi Assistant Vice President

By BusinessWest Staff June 4, 2018

HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank announced the appointment of Tracy Sicbaldi as assistant vice president, Commercial and Institutional Banking. She has more than 35 years of financial-services and banking experience. In her new position, she will identify, develop, and manage new municipal, commercial, and institutional deposit relationships.

Sicbaldi is the former treasurer of the towns of Hampden and Monson. She is a member of the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Assoc., the Hampden County Collectors and Treasurers Assoc., the Hampshire and Franklin Collectors and Treasurers Assoc., and the Worcester County Collectors and Treasurers Assoc. She is a former member of the Eastern Mass Treasurers and Collectors Assoc. and attended all educational state and county municipal meetings.

Her professional volunteer service includes serving as treasurer, vice president, and president of the Professional Women’s Chamber; the finance chair of the Rays of Hope steering committee; and a past board member of the Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) and the YWCA of Western Massachusetts.

Bulkley Richardson Announces Launch of ADR Group

By BusinessWest Staff June 4, 2018