Day: January 8, 2019

PeoplesBank Announces Three Appointments

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank announced the appointments of Colin Lacey as Village Commons South Hadley Banking Center manager, Clare Ladue as Hadley Banking Center manager, and Samuel Smith as East Longmeadow Banking Center manager.

In his new position, Lacey is responsible for identifying and providing personal and small-business customers banking options to achieve their financial needs, including depository services and lending solutions. He has six years of financial-services experience.

Lacey holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. He is also a 2017 graduate of the Springfield Leadership Institute. He is a volunteer youth lacrosse coach in South Hadley. 

In her new position, Ladue oversees and manages all aspects of a full-service banking center, including staffing, sales, operations, business development, and community relations. She has 24 years of banking experience.

Ladue earned commercial-lending certification from the Massachusetts Bankers Assoc. (MBA), and is a graduate of the MBA’s New England School of Financial Studies. Her volunteer service includes the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce, where she served on the executive committee, as well as the Ware 250th anniversary committee, West Springfield Partners for Education, the Walk of Champions to benefit Baystate Mary Lane Rays of Hope, Junior Achievement, Rays of Hope, Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen, and Link to Libraries.

In his new position, Smith is serving the financial needs of both consumer and small-business clients. Utilizing technology, he is providing a consultative learning environment in order to educate clients around the various options for banking with PeoplesBank. He has 13 years of banking and financial-services experience.

Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems with a minor in business management. He is also a certified business banker by Moody’s Analytics. He is also an active volunteer for Revitalize CDC and Junior Achievement.

Smith Brothers Insurance Merges with the Partners Insurance Agency

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Effective Jan. 1, Smith Brothers Insurance, with offices in Easthampton and West Springfield, and the Partners Insurance Agency, an independent insurance agency located in Vestal, Owego, and Waverly, N.Y., have merged together. This merger expands the Smith Brothers Insurance footprint into upstate New York, where the Partners will maintain local presence while leveraging the resources of Smith Brothers Insurance, one of the nation’s top 100 independent brokers.

Owners of the New York offices — Don Patterson, Bill Soprano, Phil Wiles, John Carlin, Michael Constantine, and Chris Hutchings — will stay fully engaged in client service and business development. Constantine will run the New York region, continuing to serve clients with the same team of insurance professionals who have also become employees of Smith Brothers Insurance.

“The Partners brings us presence in New York and allows personal and commercial clients of the Partners to gain access to additional carriers, coverages, and risk-management services. Those who own or operate a business will benefit from additional value-added services, such as human resources, employee well-being, safety, compliance, and financial services,” said Joe Smith, president and CEO of Smith Brothers Insurance. “Both agencies have strong ties to serve our clients and give back to the communities where we live and work.”

Added Constantine, “as we have gotten to know Joe and members of the Smith Brothers team, it is clear we share the same values. Smith Brothers’ commitment to exceptional client service, continued growth, and being a great place to work is so exciting to our team and aligns with our commitment to be the best we can be for our clients, partners, and the community.”

Florence Bank Unveils Second Hampden County Branch in Springfield

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Florence Bank opened its second Hampden County branch at 1444 Allen St. in Springfield on Dec. 19, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is slated for Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 9 a.m.

“We’re very pleased to be expanding our presence in Springfield,” said John Heaps Jr., Florence Bank’s president and CEO. “Our focus is on providing great customer service and helping to reinvigorate the community.”

Bank employees, customers, board members, and corporators will be present for the ribbon cutting, along with invited guests — among them Springfield business and civic leaders, including Mayor Domenic Sarno.

The Allen Street branch has an open floor plan with two teller pods and innovative technology for quick cash handling. The location will also feature a drive-up ATM with SMART technology for easy depositing and a comfortable waiting area inside with a coffee bar and free wi-fi.

Nikki Gleason serves as branch manager for the new location. “Springfield is my home, where I work, volunteer, and spend much of my time,” she said. “I’m thrilled to be able to provide local banking services to people in my community.”

Other employees include Candice Somar, assistant branch manager; Bianca Hyde, customer service representative (CSR) and teller operations manager; Mario Nascimento, CSR and senior teller; Magdalis “Maggie” Sierra, CSR and senior teller; and Carolyn Ware, community relations director.

In August 2017, Florence Bank opened its first branch in Hampden County at 1010 Union St. in West Springfield. The Springfield branch marks the second of several anticipated branches in the region.

“This is not just dipping our toe in the water. We’re here, and we’re going to be part of this community for a long time,” Heaps said.

Florence Bank has nearly 3,900 customers living in Hampden County, including 750 business customers, and Heaps said the bank looks forward to deepening its impact in the region and working with neighboring businesses.

#MeToo Meets #GirlsToo at Girls Inc. of Holyoke Benefit on Jan. 30

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — #MeToo has galvanized a national reckoning about sexual harassment — but girls have been downplayed in the dialogue. “Speaking Out: For Women and Girls,” an event presented by Girls Inc. of Holyoke on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Delaney House, is doing its part to change the exchange.

The need is dramatic. Sexual harassment doesn’t begin in the workplace, but starts much earlier: studies show that seven of 10 girls are harassed before they leave high school, and one in four girls experiences sexual abuse and assault in childhood.

This is why “#GirlsToo: Respect Starts Young” inspired the night’s theme. #GirlsToo is a new viral media campaign launched by the national Girls Inc. organization that adds girls’ voices to this essential conversation.

“After witnessing a global year of women being brave enough to speak out, I think our ‘Speaking Out’ event is more timely than ever,” said Debra Vega, the event’s chair. “It’s just one of the ways we’ll continue striving to cultivate a world where women and girls can feel they can be heard.”

The moderator of “Speaking Out: For Women and Girls” is Victoria Ann Rodriguez, a litigation assistant at MassMutual and committee member of Springfield’s Puerto Rican Parade. The three featured local authors are Latoya Bosworth, Magdalena Gómez, and Crystal Senter-Brown. They have long advocated for women and girls and promise to present a lively, thought-provoking evening.

Bosworth is an educator, author, motivational speaker, self-esteem expert, and consultant. At age 21, she dubbed herself “Brenda’s Child,” in honor of her late mother, Brenda Kay. In her adult years, Bosworth has learned to reframe the tragedies and issues of her childhood through seeking out mentors, using writing as an outlet, and giving back. She has a Ph.D. in social services, and has consulted with the Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Youth Services. Her latest book is The Right Amount of Sunshine: Cultivating Little Girls into Young Ladies.

Gómez is a teaching artist, performer, playwright, motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, and author. She is a recipient of the 2018 New England Public Radio Arts and Humanities Award. Her plays, performance poems, and monologues have been performed everywhere from UMass to Off-Broadway to the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater to Teatro Vida, Springfield’s first Latina theater, which she founded. She is also a commentator on NEPR, the author of poetry collections such as Shameless Woman, and the co-editor of an acclaimed anthology on bullying.

Senter-Brown is the director of Employer Relations at Bay Path University, an author, and a justice of the peace. She has written seven books for children and adults, led writing workshops in the community, spoken at local schools, and taught in the Women as Empowered Leaders and Learners program at Bay Path. One of her novels, The Rhythm in Blue, was adapted into an award-winning feature film. She was named a BusinessWest Difference Maker in 2018.

“Speaking Out: For Women and Girls” takes place from 5-7 p.m. Event tickets are $100 each and include an open bar and hearty appetizers. To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/SpeakingOut2019. The authors’ books will be on sale at the event. All proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. of Holyoke.

Top Entrepreneur 2018

By
Frank M. Antonacci with ‘Lindy the Great.’
Cover Story

A Breed Apart: Antonacci Family Continues to Bring Businesses to the Winner’s Circle

Frank M. Antonacci with ‘Lindy the Great.’ Frank M. Antonacci with ‘Lindy the Great.’

In the early 1950s, Guy ‘Sonny’ Antonacci started a sanitation business with a single truck. That venture has evolved into a diversified, multi-generational family business that includes a horse-racing farm, a family-entertainment facility known as Sonny’s Place, and a country club in Hampden known as GreatHorse. Each component of this conglomerate was the product of vision, entrepreneurial spirit, hard work (lots of that), and some luck. For their ability to breed winners — at the track and in business — the Antonacci family has been named BusinessWest’s Top Entrepreneurs for 2018.

Frank M. Antonacci was asked to talk about his grandfather, the late Guy ‘Sonny’ Antonacci, and put his life and entrepreneurial spirit into some kind of perspective.

It was a straightforward request, but Frank M. (the M is to distinguish him from his father, Frank A. — “I’m not a junior, and he’s not a senior”) paused and then struggled somewhat as he searched for the words and phrases to get the job done.

“He was … a special man,” he said finally. “He was a visionary; he was incredibly spiritual, but tough. He was incredibly kind, yet aggressive.”

Frank’s cousin, Guy, named after his grandfather, obviously, agreed, and also put the word ‘visionary’ to heavy use.

“He would see things 20 years before anyone else would,” he told BusinessWest. “He wanted to get in the bottled-water business in the ’70s with my father and uncle, but they asked him, ‘who’s going to pay for a bottle of water?’ He’s laughing up there now, that’s for sure.”

It was Sonny who started a trash business in New York, back roughly 65 years ago, with a single truck named the ‘Mary Anne,’ after his wife. With that one truck — more or less — he and subsequent generations would go on to build a number of successful, high-profile businesses, including the enterprise that sprang from the Mary Anne, USA Waste & Recycling, one of the largest companies of its kind in the region.

There’s also a horse farm, Lindy Farms in Somers, that has bred and trained a string of champion trotters; Sonny’s Place in Somers, named, obviously, after the patriarch, a huge and continually growing family-entertainment venue that now includes everything from miniature golf to ziplining to a century-old carousel (more on it later); and, last but not least, GreatHorse, the high-end private golf club created on the site of the old Hampden Country Club but looking nothing much like its predecessor; in a nod to Lindy Farms, there are horse references throughout, right down to the banquet hall, named the Starting Gate.

 

Guy, left, and Frank Antonacci Guy, left, and Frank Antonacci stand by a photo of their grandfather, ‘Sonny,’ in the lobby of USA Waste & Recycling.

As we examine this stable of successful businesses (yes, that’s the first of many horse and racing terms you’ll read), we’ll start by going in the wayback machine to July 1969 and, more specifically, a Sports Illustrated article (printed in an issue with Vince Lombardi on the cover) chronicling the meteoric rise of a horse called Lindy’s Pride, bought for $15,000 by Sonny Antonacci and several cousins.

All of whom, the SI writer recalled, grew up working on ice trucks before they worked on garbage trucks, and struggled for many years to build the business.

“We’re still down to earth,” a different Frank Antonacci, Guy’s cousin, told SI as their horse was preparing to race in the prestigious Hambletonian, the number-one prize in harness racing, which he would win. “We’ve all been working since we were 13; we know what a buck is. Today … there’s not one of us who’s not successful. We’ve been lucky.”

Maybe. But in many respects, this family has made its own luck, and continues to do so today. Indeed while it’s easy to say that all of this — and ‘all’ means the horses, the go-karts at Sonny’s Place, and the country club — was born of New York trash. But in reality, it was all born of an entrepreneurial spirit and an ability to see something that wasn’t there before.

Indeed, Sonny’s Place was formerly a ramshackle driving range, said Guy Antonacci. “There were days when we’d see maybe a few people come in; it was like that driving range in Tin Cup, with a pink 1960 Volkswagen Beetle out front,” he recalled, making a reference to the popular movie starring Kevin Costner, who played a down-on-his-luck golf pro and operator of a range frequented by more armadillos than duffers.

And Hampden Country Club was essentially dying on the vine when the family bought it a decade ago and decided, eventually, after an initial attempt at a mere makeover, to transform it into the most luxurious, and exclusive, club in the region.

Sonny’s Place, the elaborate family-entertainment complex in Somers, now stands on the site of a little-used driving range likened to the one in the movie ‘Tin Cup.’

For their efforts over the past seven decades or so, the Antonacci family — and yes, that includes Sonny, his brothers, and cousins — have been chosen as BusinessWest’s Top Entrepreneurs for 2018. This amounts to a lifetime achievement award for the family — actually, several lifetimes.

Because today, as decades ago, members of this family stay humble and understand the meaning of a buck — and how to make one as well.

This becomes clear in an extensive interview with Guy and Frank M., chosen spokespeople for a family that knows what it’s like to breed winners — as in horses and business ventures.

Harnessing Entrepreneurial Spirit

There was a light snow falling on Christmas Eve morning, and it lent even more beauty to a place where it abounds — Lindy Farms.

There, Frank M. talked about the business and especially the large, handsome horse called Lindy the Great. A trotter, he enjoyed a successful 2018, winning several races, and on this morning was getting a brushing and some R&R before heading to Florida for the off season.

“We’re still down to earth. We’ve all been working since we were 13; we know what a buck is. Today … there’s not one of us who’s not successful. We’ve been lucky.”

Lindy the Great, 16.1 hands high (not 16.2 or 16.3), by Frank’s guess, is the embodiment — one of many, actually — of the multi-faceted businesses ventures that did, indeed, spring from New York trash.

Our story begins with that trash truck called the Mary Anne and the venture that became known as the South Shore Sanitation. While remaining a relatively small operation, it provided the wherewithal to venture into horses — and much more.

In 1974, Sonny, following a priest who had been reassigned to a church in Somers, moved his family there, said Frank, adding that, while he was ‘retired’ at age 40, he didn’t stay retired for long at all.

He and Mary Anne started Somers Sanitation, again, with one truck (this one didn’t have a name), and quickly grew the enterprise, which now stretches from the Vermont border to Southern Connecticut.

What was originally envisioned as a ‘makeover’ became the total transformation known as GreatHorse. What was originally envisioned as a ‘makeover’ became the total transformation known as GreatHorse.

Today, it boasts five hubs and 16 transfer stations, serving a wide range of businesses and communities in Connecticut and Western Mass.

It was with profits from the trash business that Sonny Antonacci and several cousins ventured into horse racing. Their passion for the sport began when they attended races at Roosevelt Raceway on Long Island, and it went to a much higher and different level when they bought their first horse, named Galahad Hanover, and shortly renamed Lindy’s Pride, in 1967.

That horse would go on to win not only the Hambletonian, but the illustrious trotting Triple Crown, and essentially set a tone for Lindy Farms, named, sort of, after the town of Lindenhurst on Long Island, where the Antonaccis grew up.

Over the years, the operation, now in Somers, Enfield, and Hampden, Mass., has continued its winning ways and expanded on several fronts.

“Until about 15 years ago, it was focused on standardbreds — trotters and pacers,” Frank explained. “But in recent years, we’re expanded into thoroughbred racing, and we’ve had some success there, as well.”

Especially with a stallion called No Nay Never. “He might be the hottest freshman stallion in the world this year,” he said, noting that, as a 2-year-old, he won honors as ‘Thoroughbred of the Year’ in Europe.

The racing business, like the trash business before it, typifies how this family approaches business — by going all in. They don’t just want to be a player in an industry; they want to dominate that industry.

Indeed, horse breeding and racing has become a passion for three generations of family members, and the level of excellence attained becomes apparent in the number of trophies and awards on display at the offices of USA Waste & Recycling.

Sonny Antonacci is considered a visionary when it comes to breeding standardbred racehorses, said his grandson, Frank, and he bred more Hambletonian horses than any individual breeder. In 2001, Sonny, along with his cousin Frank, were elected to the Harness Racing Hall of Fame’s Hall of Immortals.

That racing tradition continued with the next generation, his sons, Jerry and Frank, who have remained active in promoting the industry. Frank is currently director of the Hambletonian Society, which oversees the development, administration, and promotion of the harness-racing industry throughout the country, and he’s also director of the U.S. Trotting Assoc., the governing body of the entire domestic industry.

And Frank M. (known as Frankie to family members) has taken up that mantle. He’s now the head trainer at Lindy Racing Stable and has been making a name for himself within the sport, winning the U.S. Trotting Assoc. ‘Breakthrough Award’ in 2010.

Positive Turns

While there are no trophies, ribbons, plaques, or prize winnings to quantify success in their other business ventures, the Antonaccis’ drive to take the lead — and keep it — in whatever field they happen to get into is clearly evident.

It can be seen with both Sonny’s Place and GreatHorse, which came to fruition the same way the trash and horse-racing ventures did — through vision and a lot of hard work.

And a conversation at the dinner table, said Guy, who vividly remembers this one regarding that old, run-down driving range the family acquired a dozen or so years ago and what might be done with it.

Previous Top Entrepreneurs

• 2017: Owners and managers of the Springfield Thunderbirds
• 2016: Paul Kozub, founder and president of V-One Vodka
• 2015: The D’Amour Family, founders of Big Y
• 2014: Delcie Bean, president of Paragus Strategic IT
• 2013: Tim Van Epps, president and CEO of Sandri LLC
• 2012: Rick Crews and Jim Brennan, franchisees of Doctors Express
• 2011: Heriberto Flores, director of the New England Farm Workers’ Council and Partners for Community
• 2010: Bob Bolduc, founder and CEO of Pride
• 2009: Holyoke Gas & Electric
• 2008: Arlene Kelly and Kim Sanborn, founders of Human Resource Solutions and Convergent Solutions Inc.
• 2007: John Maybury, president of Maybury Material Handling
• 2006: Rocco, Jim, and Jayson Falcone, principals of Rocky’s Hardware Stores and Falcone Retail Properties
• 2005: James (Jeb) Balise, president of Balise Motor Sales
• 2004: Craig Melin, then-president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson Hospital
• 2003: Tony Dolphin, president of Springboard Technologies
• 2002: Timm Tobin, then-president of Tobin Systems Inc.
• 2001: Dan Kelley, then-president of Equal Access Partners
• 2000: Jim Ross, Doug Brown, and Richard DiGeronimo, then-principals of Concourse Communications
• 1999: Andrew Scibelli, then-president of Springfield Technical Community College
• 1998: Eric Suher, president of E.S. Sports
• 1997: Peter Rosskothen and Larry Perreault, then-co-owners of the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House
• 1996: David Epstein, president and co-founder of JavaNet and the JavaNet Café

“There were days when we’d have one customer come and spend $8 on a bucket of balls, and we kept thinking, ‘what else can we do with this place?’” he recalled. “My brother and Frankie’s youngest brother were probably about 10, 11, or 12 at the time, and really looking for something that they could grow up having fun at. So we said, ‘everyone loves miniature golf; maybe we should try that.’”

They did, and from those humble beginnings — miniature golf and a food truck with ice cream — new additions have been added seemingly every year since. Go-karts and batting cages came next, followed by a full restaurant, an arcade, a pavilion, rock-climbing walls, laser tag, miniature bowling, virtual reality, live concerts, and more.

The facility has become a destination not just for families, but for a growing number of companies looking to host outings or team-building exercises. The business plan, unofficial in nature, has always been to continually build on the foundation and — in keeping with the tone of those original conversations — keep looking for new ways to utilize a large and highly visible tract of land.

The latest manifestation of this philosophy was the addition, in 2017, of a carousel with a long and proud history and, yes, a number of handsome horses.

Built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1925, the ride’s first home was Delaware Beach. It then had a lengthy stay at Lakewood Park in Waterbury, Conn., and then, after refurbishment, at Kiddieland Park in Melrose, Ill.

It was languishing in a storage container at Chicago Land when Guy’s father, Jerry, the main driver in the creation and continued growth of Sonny’s Place, found it and concluded that it was the next big piece in the puzzle.

“It’s a work of art, all hard-carved wooden horses and sleighs,” said Guy, noting that it opened for business last August. “We’re having it refinished now, and maybe a third of the 48 horses have been restored; it’s been a labor of love.”

The same can be said of Greathorse, which, like the carousel — and the old driving range itself — was a restoration effort that required some vision, and then some capital and a good business plan.

As Guy — who turned pro and played on a few of golf’s mini-tours before coming to the realization that the big stage was beyond his skill level — recalls the story, the family actually started looking for a golf course to buy nearly 20 years ago to further diversify the family business beyond trash and horses.

The search was put aside, especially as Sonny’s Place was being developed, and then taken up again at the start of this decade, with a number of options in play before settling on the former Hampden Country Club, then heading for the auction block.

“We could see that it had a lot of potential, but also a lot of scars to it,” he recalled. “What sold the place was the view, and we knew that, with some vision and some work, the place could be something.

“I’d be lying if I sat here and told you when we bought the place we had the grand vision of doing what we did,” he went on, noting that a mere facelift was the original plan. “But as we got into it … as Frankie has said, we really don’t half-ass anything; everything we do, we do to the best of our ability.”

Spring in Their Step

Frank M. says he can’t recall not being in business or entrepreneurial.

Indeed, while he was involved with the family businesses, in some capacity, since he was teenager, he was also looking to hang out his own shingle, and did, at age 15.

The venture — born from another of those Sunday afternoon conversations at the dinner table — was called College Bound Cleanups, a “concierge-type service for old ladies who needed their basement cleaned out, or their garage.

“It was a summer kind of thing,” he recalled. “I brought in a partner who was 16 — I needed someone with a driver’s license — and we had a little dumptruck and did cleanups. We had a little ad in the Reminder, and we did OK for ourselves.”

Like the generations that came before him, he added, noting that he eventually put his own venture aside and focused on horses and trash, sometimes in that order, sometimes the other. And there was, and is, always talk about new opportunities and paths to go down, like Sonny Antonacci projecting a need for bottled water.

“Business … it’s part of every conversation we have,” said Frank, referring to the family’s entrepreneurial DNA and a passion for finding and developing new business opportunities. And these traits have been passed down from one generation to the next. Frank can even see it in his young children.

“I drive around with my kids, we’ll go past various strip malls, and they’ll look to see if it’s the good guys or the bad guys picking up the [trash] containers,” he said. “I see it my older son [age 7] already; he’s trying to understand how business works.”

Within the Antonacci stable of enterprise, business works maybe a little differently than in most places, said the third-generation spokespeople.

“What people have a hard time understanding about our business and our family is that it’s different — I call it ‘sloppy,’” said Frank, who understood that he needed to explain that term and did.

“We’re not very structured,” he told BusinessWest. “The way we do things is a little unorthodox, and there isn’t the bureaucratic organization you see in other businesses or families. People will say, ‘what’s your title?’ or this or that. It’s a lot looser than that.”

‘Loose.’ ‘Sloppy.’ ‘Unorthodox.’ Whatever it is, it seems to be working, and in the traditionally challenging setting of a multi-generational family business, or set of businesses, to be more precise.

There are actually four generations still involved. Indeed, Frankie and Guy said their fathers, Frank and Jerry, have breakfast with their mother every morning. “And they’re probably running things by her every day,” said Frank M.

The second generation, as noted, remains passionate about all aspects of the business operation, but especially the horse breeding and racing, they said.

Meanwhile, there are many third-generation members involved, or soon to be involved, including Guy’s brother Matthew, 24, and Frank’s brothers, Chris and Phillip.

Overall, said both Guy and Frank M., the generations have worked well together, and each has been allowed to make their mark — and their own contributions.

“Our fathers and uncles have allowed us to follow our passions, expand the businesses, and bring our own look and feel,” said Frank. “And to this point, everyone who’s been involved in the businesses has helped them grow and prosper. Why change the formula?”

Why indeed?

At the Finish Line

‘Sonny’ Antonacci never did get into the bottled-water business, his sons having persuaded him that there was no future in it. That’s family lore, anyway.

“His famous line was, ‘you’ll see … bottled water will be more than a gallon of gas,” said Frank M. “And he was right — and that’s just one example.”

Indeed, while the Antonacci family never became part of the multi-billion-dollar bottled-water industry, it has certainly had far more hits than misses. In business, as in harness racing, it has found the winner’s circle far more often than most.

Having capital from the trash business has certainly helped, but so too has been the ability to see other opportunities where others did not, having true entrepreneurial spirit — and, yes, being kind but also aggressive.

‘Sonny’ had all those attributes, and so have the generations that have followed him.

That’s why this family is BusinessWest’s Top Entrepreneurs for 2018.

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

Cool STUFF Made in Western Massachusetts

By
Features STUFF Made in Western Mass

Introducing a new publication aimed at the workforce of tomorrow

>> Go to the FLIPbook HERE

Manufacturing jobs have been hard to fill and qualified employees difficult to find –

While the manufacturing sector represents a robust 160,000 jobs in the state, the industry has a PR problem, especially with younger workers. The message of GOOD JOBS AT GOOD WAGES and a future career offering advancement in a growing company is just not getting through. And even with the state’s unemployment rate at 4.4% the industry struggles with recruiting, and needs potential workers to take a fresh look at manufacturing.

Introducing a new publication aimed at the workforce of tomorrow – A Guide to Cool STUFF Made in Western Massachusetts. STUFF is a cool, interactive publication and website profiling area manufacturers, showcasing what they make, who uses it, and what kinds of jobs/careers there are in each company. This special publication is an awareness and recruitment tool for western Mass. manufacturers like no other before it.

Print Distribution:

Students:
Copies went to trade and technical high schools, with additional distribution to all area
high schools through career fairs, guidance counselors.
Community Colleges, as well as career counseling offices in all the state’s colleges.
Through regional workforce groups, employment offices and other targeted workforce
development programs

Manufacturers & MA Business Leaders:
STUFF was mailed to top manufacturers – CEO’s and Sr. executives at the top firms across Western Mass.
Mailed to non-manufacturing employers in Western Mass.
To BusinessWest subscribers
Through manufacturing industry partners and at key manufacturing events throughout the year

For more information contact:
Kate Campiti 413.781.8600 (ext. 104) [email protected]
Kathleen Plante 413.781.8600 (ext. 108) [email protected]

This specialty publication is presented by BusinessWest in partnership with Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), MassDevelopment, MassMEP, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and The Western Massachusetts Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (WMNTMA)

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UMassFive College Credit Union Continues to Move Beyond Its Roots

By
Richard Kump, president and CEO of UMassFive.
Banking and Financial Services

Developments of Interest

Richard Kump, president and CEO of UMassFive.

Richard Kump, president and CEO of UMassFive.

As the name suggests, the UMassFive College Credit Union was launched to serve employees at UMass Amherst. But it quickly expanded its mission to the other schools in that region, and then beyond employees of those institutions. Today, the process of expansion and evolution continues, and touches many realms, from new branches to new technology to new member sponsors. In short, those humble beginnings have been left well behind.

Richard Kump has spent his entire career in financial services working for credit unions. That includes a lengthy stint at St. Mary’s Bank in Manchester, N.H.

This line on a résumé leads to a story he likes to tell and has told quite often.

“St. Mary’s was chartered in 1909; it was the first credit union in the country, but they didn’t call them credit unions then,” Kump explained. “It was built out of the French Canadian Catholic parish in the west side of Manchester serving the mill workers. They’ve held onto that ‘bank’ moniker without actually being one. It’s a bit of an identity crisis.

“The one bank in town was owned by the mill owners,” he went on. “They had practiced discrimination; if you were a French Canadian mill worker, you couldn’t get a mortgage from them, because they wanted you on their housing plan, which put you right next to the factory in terrible conditions. And that’s why the credit union was created — so those mill workers could pool their nickels and dimes and lend to each other so they could buy homes.”

While Kump likes relating the story of St. Mary’s, he quickly moved on to one he likes telling even more — the one concerning the institution he now leads as president and CEO — UMassFive College Credit Union, or UMassFive, as it’s known. And it’s a compelling story.

Founded in 1967 to serve employees at UMass Amherst, as the name suggests, it has moved well beyond its somewhat humble beginnings. In all kinds of ways.

Starting with the membership. Indeed, while the credit union still serves UMass employees, and those of the other institutions that make up the Five Colleges — Amherst, Hampshire, Smith, and Mount Holyoke colleges — it also serves their current students and alumni. Membership also extends to UMass Medical School in Worcester, where there is a non-traditional branch, and, most recently, Greenfield Community College.

And UMassFive has extended its reach far beyond what might be called academia, through both acquisition and the addition of several new ‘sponsors,’ as they’re called, including CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture), River Valley Co-op, several area communities, and Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, where there is another non-traditional branch.

There are five branches in all, serving more than 43,000 members, said Kump, who became CEO last July. Meanwhile, assets, which totaled roughly $135 million when he arrived in 2000 to serve UMassFive as chief operating officer, are now approaching a half-billion; the institution expects to crash through that barrier this year.

Beyond these various forms of growth, a pattern mirrored by many credit unions over the past 20 years or so, UMassFive has changed in other ways, especially with regard to technology, said Kump, who likes to believe his institution is on the proverbial cutting edge in this realm.

As an example, he pointed to the ITM, or interactive teller machine, in the lobby of the main office just off Route 9 in Hadley. The ITMs, which are becoming increasingly prominent in other markets and are just starting to make their mark in this one, essentially replace ATMs. Customers can use one to talk to a real person (hence the name), conduct a wide range of transactions, and get answers to questions.

“This was a time when many financial institutions were burying their heads in the sand and trying to ride out the recession. Instead, we got very aggressive. We took advantage of those times, and it put us on a very firm setting.”

Beyond the ITMs, the UMassFive lobby is distinct because there are no tellers, at least in the traditional sense, said Kump, adding that each location now has banking specialists who take on what he called the ‘universal agent model.’

These individuals can assist customers with a broad range of banking needs, he went on, adding that this requires additional training and higher compensation than traditional tellers, but these are steps UMassFive is taking to better serve customers in these changing, more technology-driven times.

“What we’ve focused on is a marriage of high touch with high tech,” he explained. “We want to be able to provide the convenience of doing everything at your fingertips; at the same time, a lot of folks need help getting that done, so we want to make sure we have the staff who can help someone who is not tech-savvy.”

Meanwhile, another form of growth has been expansion into commercial products and services and development of a unique and now quite strong niche — the financing of residential solar-energy projects (much more on that later).

And while the present tense is intriguing, when it comes to the UMassFive story, there are some new chapters soon to be written, including a new branch in Greenfield, slated to open later this year, and perhaps some additional acquisitions at a time when they are continuing to dominate the landscape with regard to both banks and credit unions.

For this issue and its focus on banking and financial services, BusinessWest talked at length with Kump about how UMassFive continues to build upon its strong foundation and grow its footprint, in every sense of that term.

Dollars and Sense

When Kump arrived at UMassFive in late 2000 after a stint at Cathedral Credit Union in Manchester, the institution was operating out of cramped quarters in a building next to the Hangar restaurant on University Drive in Amherst.

How cramped?

“My office was a supply closet — literally,” he recalled. “Because the roofs were pitched, to get to my desk I had to bend over to go around to the back of my desk.”

The inconvenience was rather easy to tolerate, he went on, because the institution was building its new home in Hadley at the time, and thus those crawls were to be a temporary nuisance.

The new facility would be the first of many positive developments in this century, one that has proven to be a good one for credit unions — at least those with the size, determination, and imagination to cope with many forms of change, from a host of new regulations to rapidly advancing technology.

As he quickly rehashed his own tenure at UMassFive, as well as that of his predecessor, Kathy Hutchinson, who served the institution for more than four decades, Kump said UMassFive, and all credit unions, for that matter, greatly benefited from both the Great Recession of a decade ago and the ongoing consolidation of the banking industry.

The ITMs installed by UMassFive allow customers to see, and interact with, an employee of the credit union.

The ITMs installed by UMassFive allow customers to see, and interact with, an employee of the credit union.

Elaborating, he noted that, as the recession was escalating and the stock market was collapsing, individuals were looking for a safe place to park their money. And many found one in the local credit union.

“During the early part of the recession, we saw unparalleled growth; we had three consecutive years of double-digit asset growth, including one year with more than 20% growth,” he recalled. “There was a lot of money coming out of the market, and it needed go somewhere safe. Meawhile, there was a lot of national bank disenfranchisement — there were ‘close-your-bank-account’ days and people protesting in front of Bank of America.

“This was a time when many financial institutions were burying their heads in the sand and trying to ride out the recession,” he went on. “Instead, we got very aggressive. We took advantage of those times, and it put us on a very firm setting.”

While this was going on, UMassFive, which has what’s known as a multi-sponsor charter (instead of a single sponsor or employer), as opposed to the more common community charter, was also taking on new sponsors, such as CISA and River Valley Co-op, that have brought many new members — and opportunities — to the institution.

“Some of the sponsors we’ve taken on recently have really been formative to our plans,” he explained. “We’ve found more members through our relationship with CISA than we have through the University of Massachusetts over the last couple of years. That’s because people who can’t join the credit union any other way join CISA, and then they’re eligible for UMassFive.”

While growing membership, the credit union has also recently been expanding its portfolio of products and services, especially on the commercial side of the ledger, specializing in loans for equipment and commercial real estate. The move was a synergistic one, said Kump, noting that many members own businesses or commercial real estate, specifically multi-family housing, and it has created many new opportunities to grow the institution.

“It was symbiotic — we felt we could help our members who had those commercial needs with a level of service we felt could compete very favorably, especially with some of the larger regional and national financial institutions,” he explained. “And at the same time, it develops a wonderful asset for the credit union.”

By All Accounts

Echoing business owners and managers across virtually all sectors, Kump said the pace of change is too great, and the number of potential disruptors on the horizon way too high, for institutions like his to write a traditional five-year plan.

Three years is about the outside for any strategic plan these days, he went on, adding that the latest such document crafted by those at UMassFive doesn’t contain any real secrets — simply ongoing expansion of current initiatives and a focus on continued, sustainable growth, because in the financial-services sector today, size — for banks and credit unions alike — really does matter because of the economies of scale it provides.

The Greenfield branch, a traditional facility, like the one the institution operates in downtown Northampton, will be perhaps the most visible — and costly —avenue of growth, he said, adding that expansion into that Franklin County community is a natural progression for UMassFive and a vehicle for better serving customers such as those at GCC and those in or related to the agriculture sector sponsored by CISA.

“This move has been in the planning stages for some time,” he said, adding that, in recent years, the credit union has been focused on other infrastructure initiatives, such as renovation of both the main office and the Northampton branch. “Now, it’s a matter of looking outward a little bit more.”

This new branch will be like the others the institution operates, he said, referring to the leading of edge of technology.

“We don’t build cookie-cutter branches; we’ve gone through branch metamorphosis the past few years,” he said, referring not only to the ITMs — which are now in drive-throughs as well as branch lobbies — but the personnel staffing these branches.

“We eliminated all tellers more than two years ago, because fewer and fewer of the transactions are coming to the branches,” he explained. “People are using mobile, they’re using online banking … they don’t have a need to come to the branch. But when they do come to the branch, it’s for something important.”

Which brings him back to that ‘universal agent,’ a phrase he uses, although he admits he’d like some better terminology.

“We’ve created a position where the individual has the knowledge that a branch manager would have in years past,” he explained. “They can help someone regardless of what they’re looking for.

“To make all this work, our hiring practices are much different,” he went on. “More of our hires have no banking experience than have banking experience, and what we’ve found works very well for us is that we hire people who are outgoing and care — they just want to help someone else.”

With the changes in technology and hiring strategy has also come a deeper commitment to training, a necessity if the machines and the people are going to properly serve the members, he continued.

“We’ve tripled our professional-development budget over the past three years,” said Kump. “And that’s because we’ve put a big onus on the employee in the branches; they have to know so much. They’re not the specialist anymore.”

Meanwhile, the institution will continue efforts to expand on the commercial side of the ledger and the solar-lending realm as well, he said, adding that UMassFive has already created quite a niche with such transactions.

“In three years, we’ve become the highest-volume residential solar lender in the Commonwealth,” he noted, adding that UMassFive has written more than $45 million in loans covering roughly 1,400 residential, and now commercial, solar projects.

And they’re being written for members across the state, he said, adding that solar installers are recommending the institution to people well outside the 413, many of whom have become members through membership in CISA.

Past Is Prologue

Returning to Manchester, N.H. and the credit union called St. Mary’s Bank, Kump said it was formed 110 years ago to serve the underserved.

“Hopefully, there’s still a lot of that left in that industry,” he said, adding that there’s quite a bit of it at UMassFive.

The institution’s unofficial slogan, put into use by Hutchinson, is “every member, every day.” That’s where its focus is and where it will stay, Kump said, even as it keeps adjusting proactively to new challenges and constant change.

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

Mercy Medical Takes a Six Sigma Approach to Healthcare

By
Mark Fulco in the ‘Mission Control’ room at Mercy Medical Center.
Health Care

Lean — But Not Mean

Mark Fulco in the ‘Mission Control’ room at Mercy Medical Center.

Mark Fulco in the ‘Mission Control’ room at Mercy Medical Center.

‘Lean.’ ‘Six Sigma.’ ‘Gemba walks.’ These are terms and phrases, used traditionally on manufacturing shop floors, in relation to continuous improvement initiatives and efforts to take waste out of processes. Today, they’re being heard more in the healthcare realm, and especially at Mercy Medical Center, where efforts are ongoing to improve efficiency without impacting quality of care.

The sign on the door says ‘Mission Control.’

That’s a play on words, obviously. There’s a definite nod to NASA and its famous control room, where decisions were made, and moonshots were choregraphed. But that word ‘mission’ takes on a different, higher meaning at Mercy Medical Center, part of Trinity Health Of New England. The hospital was founded more than 125 years ago by the Sisters of Providence, and its mission to care for the region’s population, and especially those who are traditionally underserved, has been paramount and in most ways more important than the bottom line.

But these days, the mission is being carried out in a different way, said Mark Fulco, president and CEO at Mercy, who recently marked a year at the helm. He noted that, in many ways, the hospital, and the Trinity system on the whole, are taking cues from the auto industry and other business sectors and taking a Six Sigma approach to healthcare — a lean approach, one that manifests itself in a number of ways.

But the major focus is on making the medical center more efficient in ways that will reduce costs without sacrificing quality.

“It’s been a watershed for us, because it has changed our work and has helped us focus on key metrics to drive efficiencies.”

“It’s been a watershed for us, because it has changed our work and has helped us focus on key metrics to drive efficiencies,” said Fulco, adding that the hospital’s efforts to become leaner are reflected in everything from reduced wait times in the ER to an increase in the number of discharges over last year by staffing up more beds; from reducing the overall cost of each discharge by roughly $1,100 to cutting back on travel by using videoconferencing technology.

Overall, Mercy and the Trinity system are eliminating waste whenever possible, creating efficiencies in every department, and constantly looking for ways to improve service without impacting quality of service.

This work extends all the way down to the medical center’s printers and copiers, the number of which has declined noticeably over the past year or so.

“We’ve gone very much paperless,” Fulco explained. “We had two big meetings this morning, and instead of printing out huge packets of information, we did it electronically and on large monitors.

“It’s unbelievable what a color copy costs these days, and when you produce lots of color copies with charts and graphs, it costs a lot of money,” he went on. “So we’ve actually taken printers away and put codes on some of our printers so departments are accounting for every color copy they make.”

This focus on lean practices and accountability brings us back to the room behind the door bearing the sign that says ‘Mission Control’ and its co-called ACE (achieving clinical excellence) boards that track progress in specific areas.

They are part of what is now known as the Trinity Health Management System, or lean daily management, an operating philosophy, if you will, that we’ll explore in greater detail later.

It also brings us to the large conference room, also known as the Patient Safety and Flow Room, a few hundred paces away. Here, each day at 8 a.m. (no one is typically late, because if they are, they have to walk into a room filled with people who were on time), as many as 50 people gather for what are known as ‘huddles.’

These are strategy sessions where issues are discussed, problems are identified, and solutions generated, said Fulco, who offered an example.

“We have several huddles every morning, and one of them is our ‘tier 3 huddle,’ where we bring together leaders from across the entire hospital,” he explained. “The very first thing we talk about is patient safety or problems that came up the night before, or safety catches — like if something was a near-miss — because we want to know, first and foremost, what we need to do to be better and keep patients safer.

“That’s our early-warning system,” he went on. “And at the meeting, if we have a detected infection, we report it, and then we talk about what we can do to prevent another case like that from happening.”

For this issue, BusinessWest looks at Mercy’s broad efforts to employ the principles of Six Sigma and become, in keeping with its mission, lean but certainly not mean, at least in a very literal sense.

Work in Progress

They’re calling it the ‘29-minute pledge.’

That number is significant because of its specificity, meaning it’s not the ‘30-minute pledge,’ a much rounder number to be sure.

It refers to the maximum time it will take for someone visiting Mercy’s Emergency Department to see a physician or physician’s asistant, and this pledge is due to be launched in the coming weeks and announced with billboards and other forms of advertising.

“We’re pledging a door-to-provider time, in our emergency room, of 29 minutes,” Fulco explained, adding that the program has essentially been rolled out already, but the billboards won’t be going up for another few weeks. “We chose 29 minutes because it represents an average of what we can hold out as a pledge; there are times when we’ve averaged 16 minutes.”

The 29-minute pledge is a another example of Mercy’s efforts to improve quality of service while also becoming more efficient and taking cost out of the equation, said Fulco, noting that it is one of many initiatives put in place during what has been a very intriguing and challenging (he would use that word early and quite often, and usually with at least one ‘really’ in front of it) first year at the helm — and year for all those who provide healthcare.

He would sum it all up, sort of, by saying, “I knew what I was getting into — I knew it was challenging; it’s just been more work than I expected — not in a bad way, but in a good way, because it’s been a labor of love.”

What he was getting into is a very demanding climate for not just Mercy but all healthcare providers, one in which reimbursements for services provided, especially from public payers including Medicaid and Medicare, do not really come close to covering the cost of those services.

This disparity is especially large in the broad realm of behavioral health, Fulco noted, adding quickly that, through its facilities at Providence Behavioral Health Hospital, the Trinity Health system is the region’s leading provider of such services.

And these are services that are, from a purely bottom-line perspective, losing propositions, again because the cost of care is not being met by those paying for it. And while Providence and the Trinity system have always been mission-driven, there comes a point where the losses being incurred cannot be sustained, said Fulco, adding that this reality explains why there were inevitable cutbacks at Providence, and in other departments under the Mercy/Trinity umbrella as well.

Mission Control is part of an effort to bring the principles of Six Sigma to Mercy Medical Center.

Mission Control is part of an effort to bring the principles of Six Sigma to Mercy Medical Center.

“We had to make some tough decisions — the status quo simply doesn’t work,” he explained, adding that among these decisions were staffing reductions at Providence (most employees were offered other positions within the system) and cutbacks within or elimination of some departments at Mercy, including the Hearing Center.

While the cutbacks and staff reductions garnered the largest headlines regarding the Mercy system in 2018, a considerable amount of work going on behind the scenes to make the system more efficient, more responsive, and, yes, leaner — efforts like the 29-minute pledge — were perhaps more newsworthy.

As he talked about them, Fulco said these initiatives accurately reflect a system-wide operating philosophy being implemented by Trinity Health Of New England’s recently appointed CEO, Dr. Reginald Eddy, a former emergency-room physician.

“He really gets it,” said Fulco. “He gets it from a care perspective, and he has a strong sense of urgency that he’s really instilled in us in terms of doing it right, doing it well, and doing it quick, not just from a patient perspective, but from a business sense.”

Tracking Improvement

As he talked about the Trinity Health Management System, Fulco said it is focused on quality metrics, or what he called ‘people-centered metrics,’ which are carefully monitored with an eye toward continuous improvement.

As an example, he cited the infection rate, a key issue — and major challenge — for all hospitals.

“Our infection rate has remained below target and below what’s expected for a hospital like Mercy, and is, in fact, one of the 20 lowest infection rates across all the 94 or 95 Trinity hospitals,” he said, using infections from urinary catheters as an example of how Mercy tracks issues and addresses problems.

“Our goal is to be an ‘A,’ and we’re not stopping until we get there, and then we have to stay there, which becomes progressively more difficult.”

Steps such as these have a trackable impact on quality, as measured in a number of ways and by a number of entities, said Fulco, noting that Mercy’s Leapfrog score — its rating based on surveys undertaken by the Washington, D.C.-based Leapfrog Group, improved from ‘C’ to ‘B’ in 2018.

“Our goal is to be an ‘A,’ and we’re not stopping until we get there, and then we have to stay there, which becomes progressively more difficult,” he explained. “But we’ve improved by one whole grade, which is a significant step forward.”

But while quality is certainly an important benchmark, so too is cost, said Fulco, adding that the ultimate goal is to not only improve the overall level of quality but reduce the cost of providing care as well.

“On the cost side, because we’ve been more efficient and we’ve tried to tease out unnecessary expense — and there are several buckets of expense, from labor to non-labor — we have reduced the cost per case by more than $1,100 from last November [2017] to this November,” he said. “And when you multiply that by the 1,400 or so discharges we had, that’s a savings of more than $1.5 million.”

With that, he went to his desk to retrieve the current average cost per discharge, $6,850, a number he had handy, and for a reason — it is carefully tracked, and its downward movement is a source of pride within the system.

It’s been accomplished through a number of means, he said, starting with staffing changes (none at the bedside) that result from consolidation in some areas, such as billing, that are made possible by synergies with the regional Trinity team, thus reducing overhead costs.

Further savings have been achieved on supplies, he said, returning to efforts to go paperless when possible, and also such things as travel expenses.

“We work with people; if they’re printing too much, we take steps to reduce that volume,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up when you’re saving 50 cents or 75 cents on a print; it adds up over time. And it doesn’t contribute anything to patient care, so we’d rather put the money into patient care than into paper.”

As for travel, it has been cut back as well, he said, noting that meetings between the Mercy team and the system team are now staged electronically. “Instead of having our people drive to Hartford or their people drive here, we’re using technology,” he told BusinessWest.

Huddling Up

As he offered a tour of the Mission Control room, Fulco started by referencing several large charts, called A3 charts, on the wall. Each one outlines an individual’s primary strategic aims, and they are part of the hospital’s lean daily management system.

“An A3 is putting our key objectives and measures all on one page,” he said, referencing his own A3, while noting that the charts track progress toward meeting those specific aims and goals, as laid out in an action plan. “We track this every week; we look at this every week. Every member of the leadership team has one of these.”

And when problems arise at those huddles, as he noted several times, everything is measured.

That goes for efforts to address recognized problems or issues as well, he went on, referring to other charts and the four letters ‘P,’ ‘D,’ ‘C,’ and ‘A,’ which stand for ‘plan,’ ‘do,’ ‘check,’ and ‘act,’ the four stages of tackling a problem, as Fulco identified them.

“This is flowing constantly; it’s changing every day,” he said, adding that the PDCA cycle, as it’s called, was created to generate action on a specific matter and keep things moving.

From Mission Control, the tour moved to the Patient Safety and Flow Room, where there was a comparatively small huddle going on (this was late afternoon). For the 8 a.m. huddles, those assembled have an agenda and start with safety, and move on to a daily operating summary and then performance reports — how well the hospital is doing with patient satisfaction, for example. Next is a round-robin session, at which feedback is sought on problems that have been identified.

But the tier 3 huddle is actually the second step in the process, said Fulco, noting that there are huddles on the departmental level as well. Matters arising at those sessions then come before the larger group, and there is then a Gemba walk. That’s a Japanese term that translates, loosely, into going to the front lines to see what’s going on, to hear from the people involved and come to understand the problem; it is similar in many ways to the concept known as MBWA — managing by walking around.

“A Gemba walk is daily rounding — we’re not sitting in our office or around a conference-room table; where going to see things where they really happen. We’re talking to people who are doing the work, and we’re doing some accountability checks,” said Fulco. “From 8:30 to 9:30 we take that walk, and from there we go to the Mission Control room and do an accountability huddle.

“It’s about getting close to the people,” he went on, “and finding out how we, as leaders, can help them.”

To emphasize these points, he concluded the tour in the Emergency Department, where are charts similar to those in both Mission Control and the Patient Safety and Flow Room.

They track things like wait times and numbers of patients who left without being seen — presumably because the wait times were too long — said Fulco, adding that subsequent huddles and PDCA charts identified the causes of those problems and tracked the success of steps taken to address them.

Healthy Outlook

Gemba walks. PDCA cycles. Huddles. A Mission Control room. These names, acronyms, and places all help explain how, while the mission hasn’t changed at Mercy Medical Center and Trinity Health Of New England, the process of carrying out that mission certainly has.

The emphasis today is on continuous improvement and being lean — without impacting the quality of care being provided at the bedside. As Fulco said repeatedly, in this environment, everything is measured, or charted, and progress is marked daily.

There is considerable work still to be done — this process never actually ends, he said — but progress can be seen in the ER, on the bottom line, and on the charts in the Patient Safety and Flow Room.

It could be seen as paper as well — only they’re using much less of it these days. That’s just part of the process of running lean.

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

FIRST LEGO League Sends Kids on a Journey of Learning

By
A team from Feeding Hills gets ready to put their robot to the test.
Technology

Blasting Off

A team from Feeding Hills gets ready to put their robot to the test.

A team from Feeding Hills gets ready to put their robot to the test.

Seeing a group of middle-schoolers design, build, and program robots that perform specific, detailed tasks on cue is an impressive sight. But the impact of the FIRST LEGO League, which boasts teams in numerous schools throughout Western Mass., goes far beyond engineering training. It’s also teaching young people communication skills, teamwork, and confidence — all key traits to take into whatever career they choose, whether in the STEM fields or not.

As the robotic rover methodically navigated a landscape of obstacles, it relied on its programming to perform any number of tasks, from extracting core samples to angling a solar array to crossing a crater. If the programming — honed over months of diligent trial and error — failed, so did the robot.

That’s OK, though — this wasn’t a billion-dollar piece of outer-space equipment at stake, but a robot built from LEGO Mindstorm parts, and performing tasks on a colorful, space-themed table. And these weren’t astronauts or NASA engineers performing experiments, but area elementary and middle-school students showing off their prowess at the recent FIRST LEGO League Into Orbit Challenge at Western New England University.

Three dozen teams of students from Agawam, Brookfield, Chicopee, Greenfield, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Northampton, South Hadley, Springfield, West Springfield, Westhampton, and Wilbraham took part in the competition, reflecting a surge in growth for school-based robotics programs.

“It’s more than just the robots. Yes, the engineering is important — the math and the physics behind it — but more important than that is the teamwork, the critical-thinking skills, and the communication skills the kids develop.”

After competing head to head with each other, seven of those teams advanced to a statewide competition in Worcester a week later, and from there, the top teams moved on to championship events this spring.

“It’s all about taking your classroom lessons — the math, the science — and applying them in a real-world situation,” said Dana Henry, a senior mentor for the regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program, who first connected students with robotics in Agawam 18 years ago.

“It’s more than just the robots,” he told BusinessWest. “Yes, the engineering is important — the math and the physics behind it — but more important than that is the teamwork, the critical-thinking skills, and the communication skills the kids develop.”

The FIRST LEGO League challenges kids to think like scientists and engineers. During this year’s space-themed season, teams choose real-world problems to solve and then build, test, and program an autonomous robot using LEGO Mindstorms technology to solve a set of missions.

Last months’s event, the Agawam Qualifier, is in its 11th year, moving to WNEU this season after outgrowing its previous space at Agawam Junior High School, Henry noted.

Dana Henry says FIRST LEGO League competitors are applying classroom lessons to real-world problems, and gaining a raft of skills while doing so.

Dana Henry says FIRST LEGO League competitors are applying classroom lessons to real-world problems, and gaining a raft of skills while doing so.

“We have four programs in Agawam, and we help other teams, at other school systems in the area, get up and running,” Henry said of his role with FIRST. “Western New England came in with the facility and some resources, and they are working with a couple of local teams themselves. It’s been a pretty great ride so far.”

Suleyman Demirhan, a science teacher at Hampden Charter School of Science in Chicopee who oversees that school’s robotics club, explained that the faculty coach’s role is to teach students the basics of building and programming the robot — and researching issues as they arise — but it’s important for students to learn how to accomplish their goals with minimal hand-holding.

“They learn a specific topic for their project, and how to design a robot and program it. The coach is there just to guide them, to provide the right materials and supplies for learning the robotics, and then we get to see their progress. We’re teaching them how to solve problems. It’s a learning process,” Demirhan said.

“Actually, they teach each other and learn from one another,” he went on. “I see it like working at a company, like being an engineer, but at the same time being a middle-schooler. They’re learning to solve all these engineering problems, and then they learn how to solve the programming problems.”

Values Added

The FIRST LEGO League, launched 20 years ago by inventor Dean Kamen and LEGO Group owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, now boasts 320,000 participants and 40,000 teams in 98 countries.

At the cornerstone of the program are a set of core values, through which participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.

According to the league website, those core values include discovery (exploring new skills and ideas), innovation (using creativity and persistence to solve problems), impact (applying what we learn to improve our world), inclusion (respecting each other and embracing our differences), teamwork (understanding that we are stronger when we work together), and fun (enjoying and celebrating what we do).

The student-designed robots are all different, taking myriad approaches to tackling similar challenges.

So the goal is more than learning robotics, engineering, and programming. But even the tasks themselves extend far beyond the robots. Each year, teams are mandated to research a real-world problem such as food safety, recycling, energy, etc., and then develop a solution.

As part of this year’s Into Orbit theme, teams considered the challenges humans must overcome to travel around the solar system — such as extreme temperatures; lack of air, water, and food; waste disposal and recycling; loneliness and isolation; and the need for exercise — and research and present a project, not unlike at a science fair, that aims to solve one of those problems.

“With this year’s theme, they designed a project that helps astronauts in space travel improve their physical conditions and mental health, or it could be anything that supports astronauts,” Demirhan said, noting that his school’s two teams took on the problems of growing food in space and designing an effective trash compactor.

The competition itself centers around the LEGO robots designed and built by the students, he went on. “Each challenge needs to be solved by a robot which is running autonomously. So the students program the robots and make specific attachments that work with different challenges. They don’t only design these attachments, but design and write the programs.”

If the programming is off by the slightest margin, the robot will miss its target on the table — and miss out on critical points needed to post a high score and advance.

“With each one of these challenges, they encounter difficult areas with the programming,” Demirhan went on. “Some programs might work in a specific environment and might not work in a different environment, and they’re trying to write the best program that can work in many different conditions. For example, light could be a factor — robots have light sensors, and the amount of light in the practice room could be different than in competition. So the student needs to solve this challenge and write a really good, efficient program that can run in both these environments.”

For students inclined to this type of work, Henry said, it’s a fun way to learn to apply STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts while developing critical-thinking and team-building skills, and even soft skills like how to talk to the judges about their robots in an engaging way — yes, they’re judged on that, too.

“Not only do they have to build a robot to compete on the table, but they’re also being judged on a project, and they have to adhere to all the core values throughout the FIRST program,” he added. “It’s about communication skills and critical-thinking skills. It’s much more than just robots.”

Time to Shine

Through the FIRST LEGO League, Kamen and Kristiansen always intended for young people to discover the fun in science and technology but also develop in a positive way as people. Henry said he has seen exactly that.

“We had one kid that came through the program who was very shy, ate his lunch in the corner all by himself at his junior high school, but he came into high school and absolutely bloomed. He got into college, and now he’s an engineer with NASA. I’m telling you, if he doesn’t go to Mars, he’s going to be one of the engineers that gets us there.”

Other students in the program have gone on to non-science fields, like teaching, music, and the culinary arts, he continued, but the lessons they learned about solving problems and working with others are applicable to any field.

For those who do aspire to a career in engineering or robotics, however, the FIRST program does offer a leg up, Demirhan said, both in the college-application process — schools consider this valuable experience — and gaining career skills at an earlier age than most future engineers do.

“They’re all doing real-world engineering. Once they go to an engineering school, they’re seeing problems like these and learning how to solve them. So this is really a tiny engineering program that has massive applications. We’re teaching real-world problems and coming up with good solutions to them.”

In short, students are creating ideas, solving problems, and overcoming obstacles, all while gaining confidence in their abilities to positively use technology. To Henry, that’s an appealing mix.

“The STEM part is important, absolutely, but it’s more than just that,” he said. “I can’t stress that enough. We’ve seen kids blossom in so many ways.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

Amherst Boasts Some Positive Transitions

By
Paul Bockelman (left) and Geoff Kravitz
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

Paul Bockelman (left) and Geoff Kravitz

Paul Bockelman (left) and Geoff Kravitz say Amherst benefits in many ways from its reputation as an academic hub.

Amherst is a community in transition, Paul Bockelman says — in some positive ways.

The most notable change, obviously, was the seating of Amherst’s first Town Council last month; 13 members were elected following a change in the town charter last March that included a move away from the town-meeting form of government.

“Some people who advocated for the charter change felt the representative town meeting wasn’t fully representative of the town and wasn’t nimble enough to address the issues that were facing the town on a daily basis,” said Bockelman, Amherst’s town manager. Other people, he added, were angry after the town meeting failed to fund a new school building.

Either way, he went on, “they’re building a government from scratch. Some really smart, thoughtful people are putting a lot of effort into this council, and every decision they make is going to be precedent-setting. A lot of issues were put on hold during the transition period. Now that the council’s in place, there’s this backlog of things people want them to do, so those will start pouring through the system during the course of the year.”

But that’s not the only way Amherst is changing, said Geoff Kravitz, the town’s Economic Development director. He cited activity in the restaurant scene, which has welcomed a number of new names, including Asian eateries Chuan Jiao and Kaiju, Jake’s at the Mill in North Amherst, Share Amherst, and Shiru Café, an intriguing coffee shop and study space that offers free coffee to area students in exchange for their personal information, which is sold to job recruiters and advertisers.

“Some really smart, thoughtful people are putting a lot of effort into this council, and every decision they make is going to be precedent-setting.”

“For college students, it’s an interesting model where they get a cup of coffee every hour,” Bockelman said. “It’s really designed for college students to hang out and do their homework, and the only requirement is that you give them some data that you otherwise would give to Facebook or Twitter.”

“It’s not just for marketing,” Kravitz added, “but for recruiting for jobs out of college. Recruiting is really the model.”

Other restaurants are on their way as well, he added, and vacant properties, especially downtown, don’t remain unfilled for long.

“It’s not a stagnant town; it’s a town of transitions, and not just because we have a new form of government,” Bockelman added. “It seems that every time a restaurant moves out, a new restaurant comes in.”

Building on Progress

There’s plenty more activity on the development front as well. In September, Archipelago Investments, LLC of Amherst opened One East Pleasant, a mixed-use project featuring 135 residential units and 7,500 square feet of commercial space.

“That whole complex rented up very quickly and is full,” Bockelman said, noting that Archipelago has developed a handful of other properties in Amherst, and is planning another mixed-use project at 26 Spring St., which will feature 38 residential units and 1,000 square feet of commercial space.

Meanwhile, W.D. Cowls Inc. and Boston-based Beacon Communities are moving forward with North Square at the Mill District, a mixed-use development under construction in North Amherst, which will feature 130 residential units — including 26 affordable units for people at or below 50% of the area’s median income — and 22,000 square feet of commercial space.

Amherst is also among the Western Mass. communities enthusiastically exploring the marijuana industry as an economic driver. That’s not surprising, considering the town’s voters favored the 2016 ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana by a 3-to-1 margin. RISE Amherst, a medical-marijuana dispensary, is currently in operation, with three other businesses working their way through the local and state licensing process.

With 33,000 students attending UMass Amherst, Hampshire College, and Amherst College, the town has also worked on educational efforts around adult-use marijuana, and has also passed a number of marijuana-related regulations, including a 3% local-option sales tax, a ban on public consumption, and capping at eight the number of recreational-marijuana establishments in town.

From a municipal perspective, the town has long been studying the potential renovation of the North Common/Main Street parking lot, Kravitz noted.

“There’s been a parking lot in front of Town Hall since at least the ’70s, if not earlier, and we’re trying to redesign it from both a drainage and ecological perspective,” he explained. “It’s sort of sloped oddly, so when it rains, all the rain coming off the streets washes it out; that was the primary purpose of looking at it.”

What to do with the space will be one of the Town Council’s issues to tackle in 2019, Bockelman added. “The biggest question coming up relatively soon to the Town Council will be, do you want to work on this project or leave it as is?”

Meanwhile, the overall vision for Amherst has long involved arts and culture. The Amherst Central Cultural District aims to leverage the offerings of the Emily Dickinson Museum, Jones Library, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, the Yiddish Book Museum at Hampshire College, the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, and other cultural institutions, and some of those efforts bleed into the downtown area as events, such as ArtWeek, a statewide effort taking place from April 26 to May 5.

Amherst at a Glance:

Year Incorporated: 1759
Population: 39,482
Area: 27.7 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential Tax Rate: $21.80
Commercial Tax Rate: $21.80
Median Household Income: $48,059
Median Family Income: $96,005
Type of Government: Town Council, Town Manager
Largest Employers: UMass Amherst; Amherst College; Delivery Express; Hampshire College
* Latest information available

“We want to create more excitement about being downtown,” Bockelman said. “Downtowns today are less about retail, brick-and-mortar shops and more about entertainment and cultural events. Some of them can be sponsored by the town, but a lot of them come from individuals.”

Many of Amherst’s museums and cultural institutions have statewide, even national reputations, and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment and the R.W. Kern Center at Hampshire College are two of fewer than two dozen ‘living buildings’ worldwide — structures that meet strict standards for hyper-sustainability and net-zero energy use.

All these factors, plus the colleges and UMass, create a buzz and energy that attracts both new businesses and families to Amherst, Kravitz said.

“From a business perspective, there are very few communities of our size that boast three institutions of higher education,” he told BusinessWest. “I think that we have an incredibly educated population. People want to be around other people who have big ideas, so I think that’s part of the draw for some of the businesses — to be around other smart people. You saw that happening in Boston and Cambridge, you saw it happen in Silicon Valley, and I think that all starts with the academic institutions, whether it’s Stanford or MIT or UMass here.”

It’s Academic

The recent mixed-use developments are a welcome start to meeting housing needs in a growing town, as there hasn’t been much residential development over the previous couple of decades. In fact, a 2015 study determined that Amherst could use some 4,000 more units.

Still, Bockelman said, “I think it really is a place where people want to come to raise their family, for lots of different reasons.”

Last week, he met with a man who teaches two days a week in Washington, D.C. “He says he can leave his house at 6:15 in the morning, be in Washington by 10, and stays overnight. When he comes back, he takes the 5:00 and is back home at 8 to put his kid to bed. He chose to live in Amherst because he wanted a multi-cultural community with people who care about education, with excellent schools and an academic environment, and he found all that, plus easy access to open space. So he’s willing to make that weekly commute from Bradley. That’s kind of amazing to hear.”

That’s why it’s heartening, he added, to see how UMass Amherst has raised its profile in recent years as an internationally recognized research institution.

“It’s a big economic engine; thousands of people come in every day to work there,” he said. “Amherst is the largest community in Hampshire County, but it doesn’t read that way because it doesn’t look like Northampton, like a city. And in terms of our population, some people say the students are inflating that, but they’re here eight to nine months a year. And what that number does not count is the number of people who come into town every day because they’re employed by the two colleges or the university.”

In short, he concluded, “it’s a very vibrant community, even though it retains a certain college-town atmosphere that so many people love about it.”

That characteristic is one he and Kravitz both expect to remain steady, no matter what other transitions Amherst has in store.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

At bankESB, Growth Continues on a Number of Fronts

By
The new Holyoke branch
Banking and Financial Services

Taking Account

Matt Sosik says branches serve a different role than they used to

Matt Sosik says branches serve a different role than they used to, providing more value but less volume in the age of online and mobile banking.

In this era of rampant mobile banking, opening a physical branch is a different proposition than it used to be, Matt Sosik said. But it’s still an important one.

“At this point in the cycle of our industry, branching has fallen by the wayside a little bit,” said Sosik, president and CEO of bankESB, which recently opened its 11th branch on Sargeant Street in Holyoke — a move that, despite the declining emphasis on bricks and mortar, made a lot of sense.

“We feel we’ve been banking with the people of Holyoke for years and years, so Holyoke is a natural extension of our footprint,” he said, noting that today’s branches are smaller and more efficient than those built in the past, but still must emphasize customer service — something that Tiffany Raines, Holyoke’s branch manager, has said she will emphasize there.

Indeed, online channels do change the dynamics of a branch as a delivery channel, Sosik told BusinessWest, if only because branches simply serve fewer people in person than they used to.

“Customers, as they should, love that technology can improve their banking experience, and we really encourage our customers to use those online and mobile banking products; they’re so robust and provide so much to customers,” he noted. “That said, we’ll never lose our ability to interact with them face to face. We covet that, and when we get our customers in front of us, we certainly take advantage of that and provide guidance to them.”

“Actual in-person branch transaction volume is well off over the past 20 years, so it’s really about building the initial relationships with the customer; that’s what a branch does best in 2019.”

With that in mind, he said, the new Holyoke branch, like any new branch at most banks, is designed to provide value, not volume — a more personalized experience, in other words, for fewer customers each day.

“Actual in-person branch transaction volume is well off over the past 20 years, so it’s really about building the initial relationships with the customer; that’s what a branch does best in 2019,” he went on. “It’s more a source for originating the customer relationship than it is a delivery channel — more for acute problem resolution and consultative conversations.”

Yet, new branches also reflect growth, and bankESB is certainly growing, with $1.3 billion in assets across its 11-branch network in Hampden and Hampshire counties. Meanwhile, its holding company, Hometown Financial Group, also based in Easthampton, boasts $2.1 billion in assets and 24 branches across Western and Central Mass. and Connecticut, with further expansion to come (more on that later).

Banking today, Sosik said, is less about products and “more about how we deliver those products we’ve all become very familiar with.”

Take residential lending, for example. “The mortgage world has lent itself well to the online world, where we can efficiently process a transaction for somebody to buy what is arguably the biggest asset of their life, and we can do that almost entirely online for them — and very efficiently. That’s what technology has done — improved on products we’ve all come to know and love. That’s the difference between 2019 and, say, the 1990s.”

Dena Hall, the bank’s executive vice president and chief Marketing officer, noted that bankESB has the second-highest market share in Hampshire County at almost 22%, and the expansion into Holyoke follows growing name recognition in Hampden County, where it also maintains branches in Agawam and Westfield.

“We’ve seen an increasing level of awareness across the Pioneer Valley, up and down the 91 corridor, which is important to serve customer needs in this region,” she added. “Really, we’re all about meeting customers where they want to meet us. We want them to know we’re a viable option for them.”

Lending Thoughts

To understand the importance of face-to-face relationships in banking, Hall said, look no further than commercial lending, an increasingly important part of bankESB’s business and strategic direction. The institution added three new lenders to its commercial team in 2018, all from larger local banks, in an effort to add more resources to the division and demonstrate the capability to meet the commercial financing needs of businesses in the region. The team now has seven lenders under the direction of Executive Vice President Ryan Leap.

“When you think about how the customer has gotten physically away from us, that’s less so with the commercial business,” Sosik said. “Commercial lending has a lot to do with what we do best — customer service, face-to-face interactions, and building long-term, value-added relationships. For us, it’s a very natural customer-service direction in which to grow.”

The new Holyoke branch

The new Holyoke branch is a physical extension of business that bankESB had been doing in that city for many years.

That growth comes at a time when businesses continue to invest in capital projects, he added.

“We see a lot of things going on in the economy. The economy has such a long and slow build that it’s hard to see it in motion, but take a look back at the past year and years prior, and we’ve definitely seen continuous, slow, steady growth. Thankfully for Western and Central Massachusetts, we see that growth in small and medium-sized businesses coming in and taking advantage of the economy and improvements in commercial real estate.”

At the same time, Hall said, bankESB is building its consumer divisions. “Last year, we hired a new leader for the residential mortgage and consumer loan division with several years of experience in mortgage operations and origination, most recently with Peoples United Bank,” she noted.

In addition, after a year of developing its back-office processing and underwriting area, the bank recently added two new mortgage loan originators and upgraded its online mortgage application so that customers can apply how and when they want, either in person with a loan originator or online.

“With some banks in our market pulling back on their mortgage efforts, we’re excited to make more products and sales people available to the region,” she said.

Sosik agreed. “We continue to build the depth and breadth of the team to handle our growth. That’s generally been our strategic direction when it comes to community lending.”

That’s why developing both sides of the customer-service equation — a more robust online presence and also branches focused on customer service — are equally important, Hall said.

“A lot of customers are doing research online but close the deal in the branch, and we have people ready to serve them,” she told BusinessWest. “Clients want that face-to-face interaction, and we’ve hit a nice balance of being technologically savvy with mobile offerings and very customer-service-oriented, very customer-facing. That’s a perfect fit in this market.”

Mutual Successes

Hall noted that bankESB has received some key accolades of late. In June, it was named one of America’s best-in-state banks by Forbes in a nationwide survey; of the five banks selected in Massachusetts, bankESB ranked second, and was the only bank on that list headquartered in Western Mass.

Understanding the importance of building a bank’s name, its holding company, Hometown Financial Group, continues to grow its franchise and build a separate brand presence in each region. That means three separate banks will operate under the holding-company profile: bankESB, bankHometown, and Pilgrim Bank. The latter acquisition, based in Cohasset, closes this month and adds three branches and $263 million in assets to the Hometown family.

“We have a commitment to mutuality and building those local brands, building market share in each region, then we consolidate and make efficient the back-office and operation side. We think that’s a compelling business structure going forward,” Sosik said.

“Commercial lending has a lot to do with what we do best — customer service, face-to-face interactions, and building long-term, value-added relationships.”

“We’re big believers in our mutual structure,” he continued. “First and foremost, as a mutual company, we’re not owned by stockholders. We choose to be very entrepreneurial, and we run very much like a stock company would from the business side of it. But that mutuality gives us the ability to service customers and the community in ways that stock banks cannot.”

With so many community banks operating in Western Mass., he explained, that mutual structure helps set bankESB apart. “I think that’s a real difference maker for us, showing how much we are committed to mutuality and community banking.”

At the same time, Hall said, the company’s commitment to mutuality and its holding-company structure makes it an attractive partner for other like-minded mutual banks in its current market and beyond.

“We have some exciting transactions in the works, and we hope to be able to announce those transactions within the next 30 to 45 days,” Sosik added. “I think they’re compelling; there will be market interest there. We’re really moving our company forward in a number of ways. We’re excited about that. There’s a lot going on.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

With Obesity on the Rise, Americans Struggle to Get Fit

By
Steve Conca says it can be difficult for people to ask for help losing weight and getting fit, especially if they’re discouraged by all the attempts that didn’t work.
Health Care

A Widening Problem

Steve Conca says it can be difficult for people to ask for help losing weight and getting fit, especially if they’re discouraged by all the attempts that didn’t work.

Steve Conca says it can be difficult for people to ask for help losing weight and getting fit, especially if they’re discouraged by all the attempts that didn’t work.

It’s gratifying, Steve Conca said, when people ask for help managing their weight — especially if nothing has worked before.

“When people come to us, they have a laundry list, and sometimes we’ll even write it on the whiteboard — ‘tell me all the stuff you’ve tried that didn’t work,’” said Conca, who owns Conca Sport and Fitness in West Springfield.

“They go on and on about different things, whether it’s a training method or a diet — you name it, they’ve tried it, and it didn’t work. And we draw the line and say, ‘we don’t to be the next thing on that list of 15 things that didn’t work. It stops right here.’”

But that’s easier said than done, he told BusinessWest, because weight loss is more than a numbers game — even when the numbers seem so overwhelming.

“It’s a lifestyle change. It’s mindset, it’s accountability, it’s exercising the right way. It’s eating healthy again and not just counting points. You’ve got to take it one step at a time and get your mind right.”

“It’s a lifestyle change. It’s mindset, it’s accountability, it’s exercising the right way. It’s eating healthy again and not just counting points,” he said. “You’ve got to take it one step at a time and get your mind right — and make sure the effort and exercise you’re going to put in are designed for you specifically, and will work for your body and your metabolism.”

Even people who lose weight, whether through traditional diet and exercise or surgery, often have trouble in the months and years following their initial success, said Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos, director of the Weight Management Program at Holyoke Medical Center.

“The challenge is, how do they maintain this weight in the long run?” he said. “Most practices today aren’t looking to change the person. That’s what we do here, and we have a higher success rate and a better chance to maintain the weight loss. But that’s hard to do. We have seen great successes, but it’s labor-intensive, time-consuming, and a lot of resources are needed.”

And it starts with a decision to take that first step, Conca noted.

“When someone calls and says they need help, that’s a vunerable position they put themselves in. When they come in and sit down, that’s one more big step that can also be another vulnerable spot,” he said. “We take that very seriously that you’re looking to trust us with your health, fitness, and well-being. That’s a huge responsibility, and we take it seriously.”

Wrong Direction

It’s an important responsibility, too, in a country that’s been going in the wrong direction, fitness-wise.

“There’s something that’s dramatically not right,” Conca said. “As a people, we’re getting less active, and we’re eating a much poorer grade of food than we did 20 or 30 years ago.”

Those trends are starting at an early age. According to the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of children ages 2 to 19 who are obese increased from 14% in 1999 to 18.5% in 2015 and 1016. In the Pioneer Valley, 25% of children are considered obese.

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos says treatments for obesity are myriad, and crafted on a patient-by-patient basis.

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos says treatments for obesity are myriad, and crafted on a patient-by-patient basis.

“That means they have a body-mass index that puts them at increased risk as they enter adulthood for diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, gallbladder disease, asthma, and bone and joint problems. Already, we are seeing more and more youngsters developing type II diabetes, which is commonly developed by overweight adults,” said Dr. Chrystal Wittcopp, medical director of Baystate General Pediatrics, who oversees the Pediatric Weight Management Program at Baystate Children’s Hospital.

“The growing rate of childhood obesity in our country is alarming. Being overweight poses a serious threat to the health of America’s children, and as a society, we must make a concerted effort to decrease its prevalence not only in the Springfield area, but across the country,” she added, noting that obesity carries psychosocial consequences that can also hinder these children academically and socially.

Of even greater concern, there was a large increase in obesity — up to 14% from 9% — in the youngest population of those 2 to 5 years of age.

“My philosophy is, I try to change the patient’s lifestyle. If you want any chance to be successful, you have to change the logistics, how they operate every day.”

Conca sees it, too. “Overall, kids are moving not as efficiently as they were years ago. When we were growing up, kids were outside crawling, jumping, running around, and their bodies developed much differently than the kids now if they’re not forced into a structured activity. Instead, many of them are glued to a phone or a tablet. It’s a generational thing, and we’re seeing it not only on the activity level but the nutrition level as well. Kids don’t appreciate their bodies as much as they should because things like exercise and sleep and nutrition aren’t talked about.”

He recalled talking to an older woman whose infant grandchild’s first word was ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ — which isn’t as odd as it sounds because the child’s parents were always making fast-food runs.

“She’s distraight about it because it’s not the way she wants her grandkids to be raised, but it’s something that, culturally, a lot of kids are embedded in. And they’re so impressionable at that age.”

When parents choose to eat right and be physically active, Wittcopp added, children are more likely to take note and make those same healthy choices. She said families could encourage each other by walking around the neighborhood together, going on a bike ride, or playing basketball at the park, while limiting time spent in front of the TV and video games, and cooking healthy meals with fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

“The severe consequences of obesity underscore the critical importance of children and teens to participate in physical activity and to engage in healthy eating habits,” she noted. “Childhood obesity is entirely preventable, and it is up to adults to encourage these healthy habits.”

Plenty of Options

For individuals who are well past those foundational years and frustrated by an inability to get fit, there are plenty of treatment options, Raftopoulos said.

“There are different levels of obesity, and different methods are available based on that,” he told BusinessWest. “For someone mild obesity, surgical options are usually not recommended, though there are some exceptions to that.”

Less drastic options range from classic diet and exercise to medications that restrict appetite, although Raftopoulos isn’t personally keen on those, as they can be expensive, come with side effects, and are not a long-term solution.

“My philosophy is, I try to change the patient’s lifestyle. If you want any chance to be successful, you have to change the logistics, how they operate every day.”

A more dramatic, yet still non-surgical, option is a gastric balloon that is swallowed, inflates, and suppresses the appetite until it’s removed after a few months. Holyoke Medical Center is currently involved in a clinical trial of a more advanced balloon that needs no endoscopic removal, but rather passes into the stool after it deflates.

Then there are the surgical options, specifically gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, both of which drastically reduce the size of the stomach. But, no matter how effective a treatment is, whether surgical or non-surgical, patients face the same challenges afterward.

“Surgery will reduce the portion of the stomach and how much you can eat, but you can gain weight even with a small stomach,” Raftopoulos said. “If surgeons don’t provide the support to change the fundamentals of the patient — if they don’t help you change how you live your life — nothing will be very effective, and you can gain the weight back.”

For people who have struggled with obesity, he noted, there’s a psychological component to maintaining a healthy weight, and one that can be frayed by the stresses of everyday life, from work schedules to parenting obligations to caring for sick parents. That’s why his team works with patients on managing their entire lifestyle — through education and support services — to stay on the right path.

“The problem with how medicine is done today is not seeing the patients holistically,” he said. “Everybody is focused on one thing — ‘oh, your ear hurts? Let’s fix the ear.’ But the ear is connected to something else. And that fragmented mentality affects the patient’s results.”

But when something clicks, Raftopoulis gets excited — not just for that one patient, but for others who may be inspired by their example.

“The more practices do this the right way, and the better results they have, the more people will believe we can help them,” he said. “We need to have more practices do the right thing because there’s a great need.”

Reaping the Rewards

Conca understands the frustration of trying to make a change, and, after a few weeks of poor results, becoming discouraged.

“What they’re doing isn’t working, and after a few weeks, they’re tired and frustrated, and they quit again. Rightly so — if you’re doing something and not getting results, you’re going to stop doing it,” he said.

That’s why he touts his practice’s ‘Fit in 42’ program, an immersive, six-week experience that aims to change not just the number on a scale, but a mindset, through both serious exercise and an emphasis on accountability through activities like daily journaling and connecting with other members, both at the gym and on a private Facebook page.

“That sense of community and connection is so powerful — it’s more powerful than anything we could throw at them exercise-wise,” he went on. “So we have the community component, plus training that works, plus nutrition — there’s no diet, you’re just going to eat good, healthy foods for your body type — and then you see results. We have to show them results.”

It’s a great feeling, he said, when someone trusts him to make a change when nothing has worked before.

“When someone comes in, they have to have a why. From a business perspective, we try to preach that as well. Why are we doing what we’re doing?” he said, before answering his own question.

“People come in, and they’re down in the dumps and just throwing in the towel, saying, ‘I just want to play catch and not hurt, or just roll around on the ground with my kids.’ And it’s really cool to give somebody that. It’s really rewarding.”

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]

A Heritage of Entrepreneurship

By
Opinion

Editorial

Back nearly a quarter-century ago, BusinessWest launched a new recognition program — the first of what would become many: its Top Entrepreneur Award.

And that name pretty much says it all. It’s an award recognizing entrepreneurial spirit — the kind that made this region what it is today, business-wise. The kind possessed by people like Milton Bradley, Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson, Mike Kittredge of Yankee Candle, and Prestley and Curtis Blake, who were just 20 and 18, respectively, when they launched Friendly Ice Cream in 1935.

That kind of entrepreneurial spirit lives on today, and it needs to be recognized, because it is that spirit, as much as any effort to lure casinos or subway-car-building companies to the region, that is responsible for the economic vitality we enjoy in this region.

Indeed, BusinessWest now has a number of recognition programs, including the wildly popular 40 Under Forty competition and the Continued Excellence Award that emerged from it, Difference Makers, Healthcare Heroes, and Women of Impact. But the Top Entrepreneur Award may in some ways be the most significant in terms of its ability to recognize excellence and inspire others.

And entrepreneurship is inspiring, because it comes in many forms. There’s the more traditional variety — generally in the form of bringing new products and services to the market. And BusinessWest has recognized individuals who have done that over the years, such as Paul Kozub, creater of V-One Vodka. There are also serial entrepreneurs, like Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin and several other businesses, and Bob Bolduc, founder of Pride, who continues to find new ways to expand and improve upon that brand.

There are generations of the same family who have taken an enterprise well beyond its original roots — the Balise family (auto dealerships) the Falcone family (Rocky’s Hardware), and the D’Amour family (Big Y) have been so honored.

And then, there are individuals and groups who would be considered non-traditional and honored because of the manner in which they have brought entrepreneurial thinking to an organization. There have been several winners in this category as well, ranging from former STCC President Andrew Scibelli to former Cooley Dickinson Hospital CEO Craig Melin, to last year’s honorees — the owners and managers of the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Actually, those who have resurrected hockey in Springfield fit into several of those categories, because they’re introducing new products and inspiring an organization to become entrepreneurial in everything it does.

And the same can be said for the Top Entrepreneurs for 2018, the Antonacci family. Indeed, its work also falls into several categories, of you will, especially that of the serial entrepreneur. The various generations have created everything from a waste-hauling operation to a horse-breeding and racing farm; from a family-entertainment complex to a high-end country club. But they have also worked continuously to find new and imaginative ways to expand those ventures and make them even more successful.

Younger generations of the family talked about their grandfather (Sonny Antonacci) as a visionary who could see opportunities where others didn’t — like bottled water during the 1970s, even though he didn’t actually get into that industry. But they possess the same trait themselves as they take GreatHorse, Sonny’s Place, Lindy’s Farm, and especially USA Waste & Recycling to new heights.

The Top Entrepreneur Award was created to recognize entrepreneurship, showcase the many forms it takes, and inspire those looking to follow in the footsteps of some of those now-famous names mentioned earlier.

In all those respects, the many members of the Antonacci family are certainly worthy recipients.

End MassHealth Employer Assessment

By
Opinion

Opinion

By Rick Lord

Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) and its 4,000 member companies last week called upon the Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker to end to the two-year assessment imposed on employers last year to close a financial gap at the state’s MassHealth insurance program for low-income residents.

AIM believes the assessment is no longer necessary because employers last year paid tens of millions of dollars more than anticipated under the levy. Businesses are on track to contribute some $519 million by the time the assessment sunsets at the end of this year instead of the $400 million envisioned under the 2017 legislation.

At the same time, enrollment in MassHealth has fallen as the Baker administration has initiated steps to ensure that only people eligible for benefits receive them. And state tax collections have exceeded targets over the past several months, putting the state on firmer financial footing.

“The conditions that led to the imposition of the surcharge no longer exist. Employers who have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in assessments believe it is fair to look at ending the surcharge in year two,” said John Regan, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs at AIM.

The Legislature passed the assessment in July 2017 minus a set of structural reforms proposed by Gov. Baker to place the MassHealth/Medicaid program on a firm financial footing. The assessment fell most heavily upon companies in which employees elect to use MassHealth rather than the employer-sponsored health plan.

An existing assessment called the employer medical assistance contribution increased from $51 to $77 per employee. Employers also were required to pay up to $750 for each worker who receives public health benefits.

Employers may request a waiver from the fees if they prove a hardship. Of 246 such waiver requests, administration officials said they have allowed 99.

Gov. Baker originally proposed a $2,000-per-employee assessment upon companies at which at least 80% of full-time worker equivalents did not take the company’s offer of health insurance, and that did not make a minimum contribution of a $4,950 annual contribution for each full-time worker. That proposal encountered significant opposition from the business community.

AIM member employers are proud to lead the nation in providing healthcare coverage to their employees. Sixty-five percent of Bay State companies offer health-insurance coverage to their workers, compared with 56% of employers nationwide. A full 100% of Massachusetts employers with 200 or more employees offer coverage. 

Employers stand ready to work with policymakers to make long-term structural reforms to both the MassHealth program and the commercial insurance markets to make the financing of healthcare for Massachusetts residents sustainable.

Rick Lord is president and CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

Picture This

By
Picture This

Building New Lives

More than two dozen students were recently recognized for completing a five-month ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) program for Puerto Rican evacuees at Holyoke Community College. The Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program started July 23 and concluded Dec. 20 with a recognition ceremony and feast at HCC’s Picknelly Adult and Family Education Center (PAFEC) in downtown Holyoke. The HCC division of Business and Community Services offered the free ESOL program specifically for residents of Puerto Rico who left the island after Hurricane Maria and relocated to Western Mass.

Maria Crespo Santos and Yamilette Gonzalez Caceres share a moment at the ceremony

Students, faculty, and staff from HCC’s Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program celebrate the completion of the program

Investing in Students

An “Introduction to Fire Science” elective class offered at Ware High School and taught by Ware Fire Department Deputy Chief Edward Wloch — one example of project-based learning at the high school — led to an opportunity to take an EMT-B class at the Holyoke Community College satellite located at the Education to Employment (E2E) site in Ware. Students who finished the high-school elective are now exploring careers in fire science and emergency medicine. Area business partners included Baystate Wing Hospital Corp., which provided a matching grant of $640 that covered half the tuition and textbooks for the EMT course. From left: Michael Moran, president of Baystate Mary Lane and Baystate Wing Hospital; students Valentina Towne, Morgan Orszulak, and Joe Gagnon; Wloch; students Seth Bourdeau, Felicity Dineen, and Jordan Trzpit; and Ware Superintendent of Schools Marlene DiLeo.

From left: Michael Moran, president of Baystate Mary Lane and Baystate Wing Hospital; students Valentina Towne, Morgan Orszulak, and Joe Gagnon; Wloch; students Seth Bourdeau, Felicity Dineen, and Jordan Trzpit; and Ware Superintendent of Schools Marlene DiLeo.

From left: Michael Moran, president of Baystate Mary Lane and Baystate Wing Hospital; students Valentina Towne, Morgan Orszulak, and Joe Gagnon; Wloch; students Seth Bourdeau, Felicity Dineen, and Jordan Trzpit; and Ware Superintendent of Schools Marlene DiLeo.

Another Act of Advocacy


The Advocacy Network, a local organization with a mission to promote and protect the health, human rights, and safety of people with developmental disabilities, recently donated $17,000 to Whole Children. The donation was one of the last acts of the group, which announced it is dissolving after more than 60 years of work. “We’re very pleased to support the programs and staff of Whole Children. We know we found the right place,” said Advocacy Network board member Ed Orzechowski. Whole Children was started in 2004 by a group of parents looking for after-school programs for their children with intellectual disabilities or autism. It joined with Springfield-based Pathlight in 2010 and has expanded to serve some 600 adults, teens, and children each year in a variety of recreation, performing-arts, and enrichment programs.

Launching a New Brand


Consolidated Health Plans (CHP), a Springfield-based accident- and health-insurance Berkshire Hathaway company, recently announced the launch of a new brand name and brand identity for three organizations: Consolidated Health Plans, Commercial Casualty Insurance Co., and Atlanta International Insurance Co. The organizations will be branded under the marketing name of Wellfleet, and the company names are changing to Wellfleet Group, Wellfleet Insurance Co., and Wellfleet New York Insurance Co., respectively.
Consolidated Health Plans President and CEO, Drew DiGiorgio, right, with company founder Kevin Saremi at CHP’s recent 25th anniversary celebration at the Basketball Hall of Fame. At left: from left, CHP employees Maureen Brunelle, Karen O’Connor, Susan Daley, and Amanda Noel.

Consolidated Health Plans President and CEO, Drew DiGiorgio, right, with company founder Kevin Saremi at CHP’s recent 25th anniversary celebration at the Basketball Hall of Fame. At left: from left, CHP employees Maureen Brunelle, Karen O’Connor, Susan Daley, and Amanda Noel.

Court Dockets

By
Court Dockets

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

Shirley Mongeau d/b/a Triton Leasing & Rental Inc. v. Precision Realty, LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract; failure to return deposit: $17,500
Filed: 11/14/18

Montgomery Lyons v. Baystate Health Inc. and Baystate Medical Center Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $6,660.91
Filed: 11/19/18

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

John Bickford v. Eastern States Exposition Inc.; H.C. Sims Farms Kentucky, LLC; Jeffrey Kaufman; and Kaye Kaufman
Allegation: Negligence causing personal injury: $10,793.83+
Filed: 11/6/18

Victor Pagan v. Green Valley Landscaping, LLC
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $118,939+
Filed: 11/9/18

Heavy Metal Corp. v. Mittas Hospitality, LLC; DD Development, LLC; Rudra Realty, LLC; and SAI RAJ, LLC
Allegation: Money owed for equipment rental: $235,070
Filed: 11/13/18

Pascoe Workforce Solutions, LLC v. Gourmet Food Solutions, LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract, unjust enrichment: $26,221.60
Filed: 11/13/18

Mary A. White v. DA Scibelli, LLC and Scibelli’s Mobil Inc.
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $24,541.66
Filed: 11/14/18

Shirley Basile and John Basile, individually and as husband and wife v. Bank of America Corp. and Stop & Shop Supermarket, LLC
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall causing personal injury: $35,665.41+
Filed: 11/21/18

Yerica Santiago v. Caregivers of Massachusetts, LLC; George Kahi; and Willie Kangela
Allegation: Breach of contract, failure to pay wages: $30,000
Filed: 11/28/18

Shannon Wesson v. SRC Hampden Inc., WHC Hampden Inc., and Wingate Healthcare Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract, failure to pay wages: $32,681.87
Filed: 11/29/18

Brian R. Quesnel, Donna Quesnel, and Armand Quesnel v. SRC East Longmeadow Inc.
Allegation: Negligence, medical malpractice, violation of regulations, and loss of consortium: $1,150,000
Filed: 12/3/18

Agenda

By
Agenda

40 Under Forty Nominations

Through Feb. 15: BusinessWest is currently accepting nominations for the 40 Under Forty Class of 2019. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 15. Launched in 2007, the program recognizes rising stars in the four counties of Western Mass. Nominations, which should be detailed in nature, should list an individual’s accomplishments within their profession as well as their work within the community. Nominations can be completed online by visiting www.businesswest.com, clicking on ‘Our Events,’ and then ‘40 Under Forty.’ Nominations will be weighed by a panel of judges. The selected individuals will be profiled in the April 29 issue of BusinessWest and honored at the 40 Under Forty Gala on June 20 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

‘A Case Study of a Successful Development Project’

Jan. 17: MGM Springfield is a multi-use entertainment, retail, dining, and resort complex that is transforming downtown Springfield. An upcoming seminar presented by the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. will take a case-study approach to examine some of the critical issues that were successfully handled during development and construction. The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at MGM Springfield. The topics to be discussed include land acquisition, consolidation of parcels, and zoning; local and state permitting, including the interplay between the two; the use of G.L. c. 121A, Urban Redevelopment Corporations; coordination with the city of Springfield regarding logistics — access, transportation, and utilities; the nature and structure of contracts to build the complex; and the finished product, including an insider’s tour at the conclusion of the program. A reception will follow this program. Panelists will include attorneys Paul Lane. (program co-chair), Lane McNamara, LLP; Daniel Finnegan (program co-chair), Bulkley, Richardson & Gelinas, LLP; John Drost, Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law, P.C.; Seth Stratton, vice president and legal counsel, MGM Springfield; Jane Mantolesky, Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law, P.C.; and Edward Pikula, city of Springfield Law Department; as well as Brian Packer, vice president of Development, MGM Springfield. For more information and registration fees, visit bit.ly/2Ekx0yK.

Western Mass. Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

Jan. 31: Justine Siegal, the first female coach in the history of Major League Baseball, will be the keynote speaker for the sixth annual Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame induction banquet. She will also be inducted as part of the class of 2019, along with Dana LeVangie, Karl Oliveira, Mike Laga, Jim Jachym, Mark Belanger, Candy Cummings, and the 2018 Pittsfield Little League team. The ceremony, hosted by the Valley Blue Sox, will take place at 7 p.m. at La Quinta Inn and Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. Siegal is the president and founder of Baseball for All, a nonprofit organization that empowers women to play, coach, and lead in baseball. She earned her doctorate in sport and exercise psychology from Springfield College, where she served as an assistant coach for the baseball team from 2008 to 2010. She also coached youth baseball. In 2009, Siegal became the first female coach of a professional men’s team when she worked as the first-base coach of the Brockton Rox in the independent Canadian American Assoc. of Professional Baseball. In 2011, she became the first woman to throw batting practice to a big league team, the Cleveland Indians. She also has served as a batting-practice pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, and New York Mets. In October 2015, Oakland invited her to serve a two-week stint as guest instructor in the instructional league in Arizona, making her the first female to coach in the major leagues. Siegal will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2019. This year’s class is the sixth since the inaugural banquet in 2014. Since its inception, 35 individuals and four teams who have represented and served the baseball community of Western Mass. have been honored. Tickets for the banquet are $50, or $450 for a table of 10. Dinner is included, and every guest will receive a pair of tickets to a 2019 Blue Sox home game. To purchase tickets, call (413) 533-1100 or visit valley-blue-sox.ticketleap.com/2019-hof.

‘Building a Company People Crave to Work For’

March 12: The Family Business Center of Pioneer Valley is looking for business owners or key managers who would contribute to a presentation called “Building a Company People Crave to Work For.” Several years ago, Jack Stack, father of the Great Game of Business and open-book management, said, “build a great company — because a great company can’t help but make great products.” But what does it take to make a company great? The presentation will be made up of people from businesses with strong policies, attractive cultures, and impressive numbers of high potential employees rising through the ranks. Attendees will hear how they did it, and learn how to adopt anything that would work for their own companies. Get in touch at fambizpv.com.

Chamber Corners: Upcoming Events

By
Chamber Corners

GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.chicopeechamber.org

(413) 594-2101

• Jan. 15: CEO Power Hour Luncheon featuring Carla Cosenzi of Country Nissan/Hyundai, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by the Collegian Court. A quarterly luncheon series where CEOs tell of how they rose to their positions. 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.

• Jan. 16: Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., hosted by the Castle of Knights, Memorial Drive, Chicopee. Sponsored by Westfield Bank, Holyoke Medical Center, Polish National Credit Union, PeoplesBank, Spherion Staffing, and Insurance Center of New England. Annual meeting. Chief greeter: Kevin Kober of Polish National Credit Union. Keynote speaker: Cidalia Inacio of Westfield Bank. Cost: $23 for members, $28 for non-members. Sign up online at chicopeechamber.org/events or call (413) 594-2101.

• Jan. 30: Annual HR Update, 8:30-10:30 a.m., hosted by Hampton Inn, Memorial Drive, Chicopee. Join this presentation with attorney John Gannon of Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C., one of the leading labor and employment law firms serving employers in New England, for a discussion aimed to prepare you to enter the New Year with a better understanding of state and federal laws employers need to be aware of in 2019. Series sponsored by Westfield Bank. For more information, visit chicopeechamber.org/events or call (413) 594-2101.

GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.easthamptonchamber.org

(413) 527-9414

• Jan. 31: Celebrate Success, 5-8 p.m., hosted by Northampton Country Club, 135 Main St., Leeds. Sponsored by Polish National Credit Union, Finck & Perras, and Taylor Real Estate. The event honors milestone achievers, salutes annual award recipients, and gives a preview of where the chamber will head in 2019. Cost: $40 per person, which includes dinner. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, visit www.easthamptonchamber.org or call the chamber at (413) 527-9414.

GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.holyokechamber.com

(413) 534-3376

• Jan. 16: Business After Hours, 5-7 p.m., hosted by 110 Grill at Holyoke Mall. Get connected and help your business grow. Offering seasonal menus from the freshest ingredients, the 110 Grill is a comfortable and upscale-casual atmosphere. 110 Grill hosts its guests in an intimate setting with open kitchens, a large horseshoe bar, and a toasty fireplace. Stop in and see why we’re so excited about this new Holyoke gem. Light bites, cash bar, door prizes, and 50/50 raffle. Cost: $10 for members, $25 for non-members.

• Jan. 24: Legislative Leaders Reception, 5 p.m., hosted by Marcotte Ford, 1025 Main St., Holyoke. Sponsored by Marcotte Ford, bankESB, the Dowd Agencies, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke Medical Center, and the Republican. Build connections and network among the Greater Holyoke business community as well as local and state legislators. Featuring keynote speakers Timothy Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and Denis Luzuriaga, managing partner at the Cubit. Hearty hors d’oeuvres and open bar. Cost: $40.

GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.westfieldbiz.org

(413) 568-1618

• Jan. 14: January After 5 Connection, 5-7 p.m., hosted by Roots Aquatics and Fitness Center, 217 Root Road, Westfield. Refreshments will be served, and a 50/50 raffle will benefit the chamber’s 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/events. For sponsorships or more information, call the chamber at (413) 568-1618.

People on the Move

By
People on the Move
Eric Pinsoneault

Eric Pinsoneault

Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. recently welcomed Eric Pinsoneault, CPA, to the firm in the position of senior associate. Prior to coming aboard at MBK, Pinsoneault worked in the audit department of a Boston-area firm for four years. He has also worked as a senior accountant at a renewable-energy firm. In his new role at MBK, he will perform audit and attestation services for pension plans, privately held corporations, and nonprofit organizations. Pinsoneault holds a bachelor’s degree from Goddard College and master’s degrees in accounting and business administration from UMass Boston. “Eric is a great addition to the new crop of talent who have been drawn to our firm and to the quality of life and business culture in Western Massachusetts,” said MBK Partner Howard Cheney. “His experience, personal approach, and unique skill set will be of great service to the firm — and our clients.”

•••••

Brandon Salem

Brandon Salem

The MP Group recently welcomed Brandon Salem as a manager within its tax practice. Salem began his career with CBIZ Inc. in Clearwater, Fla. in 2007. His experience includes federal and state consulting for individuals, business owners, and privately held pass-through entities in a wide array of industries, including real estate, construction, auto dealerships, professional services, retail, wholesale, and manufacturing. Salem holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Tampa. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

•••••

Anne Massey, professor and Ruth L. Nelson Chair of Business at the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin, has been named dean of the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. The appointment of Massey, who built her career at Indiana University, was made by John McCarthy, provost and senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. Massey, the Isenberg School’s first female dean, succeeds Mark Fuller, who served in the position from 2009 to 2018 and is now vice chancellor for Advancement at UMass Amherst. She will assume her new duties in August. Isenberg is currently led by interim Dean Tom Moliterno. At Wisconsin, Massey served briefly as dean of the Business school, and she has been leading a collaboration between the schools of Business, Engineering and Human Ecology with a focus on creating a new master of science degree in design and innovation that will launch in 2020. Her efforts to develop cross-disciplinary programs started during her 22-year tenure at Indiana’s Kelley School of Business, where she recently served as founding co-chair of the Intelligent Systems Engineering Program in the School of Informatics and Computing. In that role, she collaborated with faculty from that school and Kelley as well as the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Maurer School of Law to design and implement a new undergraduate curriculum. In 2012, Massey worked with Indiana University colleagues to create the Center of Excellence for Women in Technology, the nation’s first large, interdisciplinary initiative to support students, faculty, staff, and alumni in embracing technology across the university. She also focuses on collaborations outside of academia. She spent six years during her time at Kelley serving as executive director for Information Management Affiliates, an industry-university cooperative involving more than 20 businesses and nonprofits. Massey’s academic positions at Indiana University and Kelley included associate vice president for University Academic Affairs, associate vice provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs, chair of Doctoral Programs, and founding chair of the Information Systems department. Massey earned her bachelor’s degree in management, a master’s degree in industrial engineering, and a Ph.D. in decision sciences from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

•••••

Joseph Wendover

Joseph Wendover

Richard Venne, CEO of Viability, announced the appointment of Joseph Wendover as chief Human Resources and Diversity officer. Wendover was previously the Corporate Field Inclusion manager at Walgreens Boots Alliance and was an active member of Viability’s board of directors before accepting his current position. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and his master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology from University of New Haven. As the Corporate Field Inclusion manager for Walgreens Boots Alliance, Wendover successfully placed more than 250 people with disabilities into Walgreens’ Connecticut-based New England Distribution Center and developed a diversity program that was replicated throughout the division in 18 other centers. He also currently serves as board president for the Connecticut Business Leadership Network, a member of the Connecticut State Rehabilitation Council, and a member of the Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. He has more than 12 years of hands-on experience within human resources, diversity, and inclusion and 10 years of experience working directly with Viability as a board member and advocate.

•••••

Christopher Pierson

Christopher Pierson

Ryan O’Hara

Ryan O’Hara

Elizabeth Mone

Elizabeth Mone

Bacon Wilson announced that attorney Christopher Pierson has joined the firm as counsel, together with associate attorneys Ryan O’Hara and Elizabeth Mone. Pierson is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict in courts across Massachusetts. His practice encompasses all aspects of civil litigation, including commercial disputes, individual matters, and personal injury. He is a graduate of Northeastern University Law School and Gettysburg College. O’Hara is an associate with the firm’s litigation team, where much of his work is focused on contract and business matters, land-use litigation, and accidents and injuries. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, O’Hara spent one year clerking for Justice C. Jeffrey Kinder of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. He graduated summa cum laude from Western New England University School of Law, and received his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University. Mone, known as Liza, is an associate in Bacon Wilson’s estates and probate department, where she works on matters related to estate and asset planning, trusts, long-term care planning, and matters of guardianship and conservatorship. Prior to joining Bacon Wilson, she worked as a staff attorney for the New Hampshire public defender. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School, and received her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. She is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

•••••

PeoplesBank recently announced the promotions of 11 associates.

• Brian Canina was promoted to executive vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer. He formerly served as senior vice president and chief financial officer. He has 19 years of accounting and banking experience.

• Lynn Brown was promoted to senior vice president, Commercial Lending. She formerly served as first vice president, Commercial Lending. She possesses more than 30 years of commercial banking experience.

• Shaun Dwyer was promoted to senior vice president, Commercial Lending. He previously served as first vice president, Commercial Lending, and possesses more than 20 years of commercial banking experience.

• Xiaolei Hua was promoted to vice president, portfolio manager II. He formerly served as assistant vice president, portfolio manager II, and has 12 years of banking experience.

• Matt Krokov was promoted to vice president, portfolio manager II. He previously served as assistant vice president, portfolio manager II, and has more than eight years of banking experience.

• Jeff Reinke was promoted to vice president of Operational Risk. He previously served as operational risk officer and has 17 years of financial, risk, and operations experience in the private-equity-investment and institutional wealth-management industries.

• Brian Rheaume was promoted to vice president, Information Technology. He previously served as assistant vice president, Information Technology, and has 16 years of information-technology experience.

• Alisa Feliberty was promoted to assistant vice president, Customer Solutions officer. She previously served as Customer Solutions manager and has seven years of banking experience.

• Chrissy Kiddy was promoted to assistant vice president, Corporate Responsibility and Social Media. She formerly served as Corporate Responsibility and Social Media manager and has five years of banking experience. 

• Danielle Rosario was promoted to assistant vice president, Chicopee Banking Center manager. She formerly served as Hadley Banking Center manager and has 15 years of retail banking experience.

• Erinn Young was promoted to assistant vice president, Deposit Operations officer. She formerly served as Deposit Operations officer and has 22 years of banking experience.

Company Notebook

By
Company Notebook

White Lion Brewery Moving into Tower Square

SPRINGFIELD — White Lion Brewery has signed a long-term lease to occupy 10,000 square feet of space at the former Spaghetti Freddy’s location in Tower Square. The space was vacant for close to 15 years, but will now house a full-scale production and packaging facility with a taproom. Brewing equipment and mechanicals arrived at Tower Square on Dec. 20. The ownership at Tower Square has taken another step to show its commitment to the city of Springfield by becoming a strategic equity partner in White Lion. The agreement provides further support and financial assistance during the brewery’s growth. White Lion acquired its brewing, mechanical, and refrigeration systems from Rooster Fish Brewing out of Watkins Glen, N.Y. The system will allow White Lion to brew approximately 10,000 barrels, or in excess of 100,000 cases, of beer annually from the downtown Springfield location. The company expects to invest approximately $1 million in the project, which includes expanding its independent distribution model and hiring up to 20 employees. The brewery is expected to open in the spring of 2019.

TommyCar Auto Group Adds Volvo Franchise

SOUTH DEERFIELD — TommyCar Auto Group announced its ownership of the Volvo Cars Pioneer Valley dealership, formerly Pioneer Valley Volvo. Carla Cosenzi, president of TommyCar Auto Group, noted that Volvo Cars Pioneer Valley will bring amenities that all TommyCar Auto Group dealerships offer, including Click.Drive.Buy, a new way to buy a car online; TommyCard Rewards, through which customers can earn 15% back of every dollar they spend; and efforts to support the local community; the company has contributed more than $4 million to local organizations, schools, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Volvo Cars Pioneer Valley will commemorate the new ownership with an “Eat.Meet. Greet” event on Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Customers can get an early look at the long-awaited 2019 Volvo S60, hors d’ouevres from Seth Mias Catering, cocktails from Hitchcock Brewing, and giveaways.

Dress for Success Receives $10K for Mentoring Program

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success Western Massachusetts received a donation of $10,000 in continued support of its Margaret R. Fitzgerald mentoring program. This program was initially launched with a $10,000 donation from this anonymous family member in 2017, and this new donation is intended to continue and expand the success of the mentoring program. Fitzgerald was a secretary in the Physics department at Mount Holyoke College in the 1970s. The only woman who worked in the department, she became a point of support for the students enrolled in the exclusively male-led department. Affectionately called ‘Mom’ by many of the women enrolled in the department, the students looked to her for advice, help, counsel, and encouragement. She was known to intervene with certain professors to advocate on behalf of students when there were issues or problems. She reminded students that they were clearing the way for future generations of scientists. Because of her, many of the women achieved advanced degrees from prestigious universities all over the world. Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is currently accepting applications for mentors interested in the Margaret R. Fitzgerald program. Contact Tantillo at (860) 638-8980.

Webster Bank Rated Best Overall Bank in Northeast

WATERBURY, Conn. — Webster Bank was named best overall bank in the Northeast in Bank Director’s annual RankingBanking study released late last month. The 2019 RankingBanking study identifies the top public U.S. retail and commercial banks between $10 billion and $250 billion in assets within each region — the South, the West, the Midwest, and the Northeast. In addition to placing first overall in the Northeast, Webster was also the top bank in the Northeast in three key categories: Best Technology Strategy, Best Board, and Best Small Business Strategy. The rankings were calculated using Bank Director’s proprietary algorithm, which incorporates more than 60 critical data points to measure banks’ relative strengths and weaknesses. The data points used were both qualitative and quantitative, including case studies and analyst opinions. Many factors went into Webster’s top rankings, including the bank’s high-level focus on digital banking and user experience, the diversity and expertise of its board, and its small-business loan growth and volume. “We also noted Webster’s robust selection of products and services tailored for small businesses, the fact that customers can apply for loan and deposit products online, and Webster’s ability to generate online loan decisions within 48 hours,” said Emily McCormick, Bank Director’s vice president of Research. Bank Director is a leading information resource for the directors and officers of financial institutions across the nation.

People’s United Foundation Gives $105,000 to Nonprofits

SPRINGFIELD — People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arm of People’s United Bank, N.A., announced it awarded $105,000 to nonprofits located in Western and Central Mass. during its third grant cycle of 2018. Funding was allocated to 21 nonprofit organizations in support of activities that ranged from basic needs services and affordable-housing initiatives to education and workforce-development programs. Some of the grant recipients included the Literacy Project, the Gray House, YMCA of Greater Springfield, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, Entrepreneurship for All, Roca, and Veterans Inc. In total, People’s United Community Foundation awarded $875,500 during its third grant cycle of 2018 to 171 organizations throughout the communities it serves in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The grants were disseminated in alignment with the foundations’ three areas of focus, including 43% to community and economic development, 37% to youth development, and 20% to affordable-housing initiatives. For a detailed list of organizations that People’s United Community Foundation supported during the final grant cycle of 2018, visit www.pucf.org.

Holyoke Community College Celebrates Success of Arrivals from Puerto Rico

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College recently celebrated the success of 30 evacuees who left Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and have just completed a five-month program to help them improve their English literacy skills, adjust to life on the U.S. mainland, and find jobs. The celebration and recognition ceremony was held on Dec. 20. The festivities included a feast of traditional Puerto Rican food for participants, their families, and program staff. The Puerto Rican New Arrivals Program started July 23. The HCC division of Business and Community Services offered the free ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) program specifically for residents of Puerto Rico who left the island after the devastation of Hurricane Maria in September 2017 and relocated to Western Mass. The classes were held Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and funded through a National Dislocated Worker grant administered by the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board in partnership with the MassHire Holyoke and MassHire Springfield career centers. The purpose of the program was to help individuals improve their English writing, speaking, and comprehension skills; adapt to U.S. culture; and successfully transition to jobs or continued educational opportunities. Classes included civic lessons from guest speakers including Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and state Rep. Aaron Vega, who talked about local and state government.

Comcast Selected for Broadband Project in Town of Worthington

WESTBOROUGH — The Mass. Broadband Institute at MassTech (MBI) formally approved an award of $2.2 million to Comcast to support the construction of a broadband network in the town of Worthington. The grant, which was approved by both the MassTech Executive Committee and the MBI board of directors, followed a majority vote at Worthington’s town meeting in May choosing Comcast and supporting the construction of its advanced fiber network to deliver broadband to the town, including approval of a project coverage map. Comcast and Worthington also signed a formal cable franchise agreement on Dec. 11. The proposed broadband network will deliver expanded connectivity to more than 96% of Worthington’s residential and business premises once the project is complete. Under the grant agreement, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will provide an award of $2,213,809 from the Last Mile program, funds which will supplement Comcast’s capital investment in the construction of the Worthington network. The MBI will utilize Worthington’s original Last Mile allocation of $1,070,000, with the remaining funds coming from additional investments from both the Commonwealth and the town, utilizing an agreement which will allow the town to contribute year over year without having to use municipal bonds.

Smith Brothers Insurance Helps Local Children

EASTHAMPTON — Smith Brothers Insurance sponsored 25 children in need this holiday season and raised $5,000 for the 2018 Holiday Bear Project. For 12 straight years, Smith Brothers’ team members donated money and time for this annual gift-giving program for needy public-school children. Team members individually sponsored a child, donated money, and coordinated company fundraising activities. Hundreds of gifts were purchased and wrapped for students ranging in age from 5 to 17. More than 10,000 public-school students have benefited from the holiday program since the Holiday Bear Project began in 1998. The Smith Brothers team also conducted a toy drive for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and a food collection for a local food bank.

Briefcase

By
Briefcase

City of Springfield Files Opioid Lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic Sarno announced that the city of Springfield filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, board members, and executives who caused the nation’s devastating opioid epidemic. The civil complaint was filed in Hampden Superior Court on Dec. 18. The complaint alleges that Springfield, along with many other communities, is currently experiencing a stark increase in the number of residents who have become addicted to prescription opioids and heroin, which has caused an increase in opioid overdoses. The complaint references a report that prescription opioids are now known to be the gateway drug to heroin; approximately 80% of current heroin users got their start with prescription opioids. According to the complaint, unlike any other epidemic, the opioid epidemic is not natural, nor typical, but largely man-made, and that it has been created, fueled, and continues to expand by the persistent unlawful conduct of the defendant pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmaceutical wholesale distributors. Springfield’s complaint was filed in conjunction with similar actions brought by Haverhill, Framingham, Gloucester, Salem, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Worcester.

Clean-energy Industry Adds More Than 1,500 Jobs Statewide

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) announced the state’s clean-energy sector has continued its trend of upward growth, adding more than 1,500 workers to the clean-energy workforce between 2017 and 2018. The figures, released as part of MassCEC’s 2018 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report, found the industry now employs more than 110,700 workers in the Commonwealth, an increase of 1.4% since 2017 and 84% since 2010. The clean-energy industry saw robust growth in its contribution to Massachusetts’ gross state product (GSP), increasing 15% between 2017 and 2018 to contribute more than $13 billion to the statewide economy, making up about 2.5% of the GSP. The report found the clean-energy industry employs residents in every region of Mass. and makes up about 3.1% of the Massachusetts workforce. Other findings show that installation-related jobs are the largest source of clean energy employment, making up 30,057 jobs, followed closely by sales and distribution with 27,471 jobs. The fastest-growing component of the clean-energy workforce was engineering and researching, adding more than 2,400 jobs, a 2.7% increase.

Massachusetts Unemployment Drops Slightly in November

BOSTON — The state’s total unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.4% in November, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary job estimates indicates Massachusetts added 4,600 jobs in November. Over the month, the private sector added 4,600 jobs as gains occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities; professional, scientific, and business services; education and health services; and information. Financial activities, construction, other services, and manufacturing lost jobs over the month while the jobs level in leisure and hospitality remained unchanged. From November 2017 to November 2018, BLS estimates Massachusetts has added 60,500 jobs. The November unemployment rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.7% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The labor force increased by 4,200 from 3,832,800 in October, as 8,300 more residents were employed and 4,000 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage point. 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 — remained at 68%. Compared to November 2017, the labor force participation rate is up 2.7%. The largest private-sector percentage job gains over the year were in professional, scientific, and business services; construction; information; and education and health services.

Bradley Welcomes Frontier Airlines, with Non-stop Service to Denver

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) announced the expansion of Bradley International Airport’s roster of airlines with the addition of low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines. The airline will debut its inaugural service with a non-stop route to Denver. The service will commence on March 28, 2019, on an Airbus 320. From Denver International Airport, the flight will leave at 7 a.m. (MST) and arrive at Bradley International Airport at 12:50 p.m. (EST). The flight will then depart Bradley at 1:40 p.m. (EST) and land in Denver at 4:07 p.m. (MST). It will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

Incorporations

By
Incorporations

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

CHICOPEE

O.F. Bright Enterprise Inc., 411 Front St., Chicopee, MA 01013. Osvaldo Paulo Moura, same. Cleaning services.

EASTHAMPTON

Per MGMT Inc., 123 East St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Chris Lachapelle, 128 Central Park Dr., Holyoke, MA 01040. Bar/café.

GREENFIELD

Mighty Clean Mutt, Corp., 52 French King Hgwy., Greenfield, MA 01301. Megan Edson, same. Pet and animal grooming services and associated products.

LONGMEADOW

Northstar Imaging Inc., 66 Dwight Rd., #4, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Craig A. Saltman, same. Mobile imaging company.

Peoplesdental Holdings, P.C., 66 Dwight Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Craig A. Saltzman, 266 Ardsle4y Road, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Dentistry and related specialties.

Positive Spin Real Estate Investments Inc., 785 Williams Street #206, Longmeadow, MA 01106. Jarrett Thomas, same. Asset management.

MONTGOMERY

Prophit Insight Inc., 78 Pomeroy Road, Montgomery, MA 01085. Michael Arian, same. Data analysis.

PITTSFIELD

Scarci & Costa Cleaning Services Inc., 137 Onota St, – 2nd Fl., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Sergio L. Costa, same. Cleaning services.

SPRINGFIELD

Mountainview Home Evaluations Incorporated, 112 Washington Road, Springfield, MA 01108. Roger Peterson, same. Home and building inspections.

Nacion De Fe Massachusetts Corp, 41 Sullivan St., Springfield, MA 01104. Melvin Arroyo, 118 Maynard St., Springfield, MA 01109. Provide spiritual counseling and teach theology through a bible college to any individual, and other religious organizations. To prepare and ordain ministers and pastors here and international.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

No More Silence Massachusetts Non – Profit Corporation, 23 Queen Ave., West Springfield, MA 01089. Terri McNulty, same. Purpose is to raise awareness to suicide and support for loss survivors through various fundraising efforts throughout the year.

Doing Business as Certificates

By
DBA Certificates

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

BELCHERTOWN

Affordable Auto Sales
281 Mill Valley Road
Ross Gardner

Austin Ridge Acres
241 Bardwell St.
Daniel Austin, Loni Austin

Commonwealth Mechanical Services
250 Franklin St.
Kevin Sullivan

Good Nature Project
84 Warner St.
John Piekara

La Trattoria Pizza & Ristorante
37 State St.
Italo Falvo

CHICOPEE

Attorney Katrina V. Anap
103 Bridle Path Road
Katrina Anap

Car Master Inc.
176 Granby Road
Vladimir Zubik

Carol’s Dance Studio
286 East Main St.
Tammie Sypek

Dessant Export
486 Front St.
Vitaliy Babich, Galina Babich

Effective Grant Writing Solutions
43 Willow St.
Anne Axton-Jones

KLM Auto Repair Inc.
600/606 Front St.
Maria Christy

Lebeau Boudoir
165 Front St., Studio 2402
Ashley Lebeau

New England Custom Floor Crafters
651 Burnett Road
Gary Brennan

Salon Pine
498 Britton St.
Azia Ledwith

Stan’s Autobody & Glass Inc.
101 Carew St.
Stanley Bigos

Stop & Chill
400 East Main St.
Saima Amir

EASTHAMPTON

Abandoned Building Brewery
142 Pleasant St.
Matthew Tarlecki

AEZ Reading
180 Pleasant St., Suite 203
Alicia Estes Ziegler

Hasper & Associates
247 Northampton St.
Patricia Hasper

Salon Avanti
186 Northampton St.
Michelle Shanley, Ronald Finnessey Jr.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Lori A. Bousquet @ Cabelo
51 Prospect St.
Lori Bousquet

RTL Enterprises
362 Parker St.
Joe Belden

Sedgwick
15 Benton Dr.
Sedgwick

Tranquility Nails & Spa
625 North Main St.
Hien Nguyen

Tre Olive
180 Shaker Road
Michael Maruca

HOLYOKE

Goodwill Industries of Pioneer Valley Inc.
570 Cottage St.
Goodwill Industries of Pioneer Valley Inc.

Homestead Grocery Mart, LLC
625 Homestead Ave.
Sanjay Patel

LONGMEADOW

A & L Associates
62 Dunsany Dr.
A & L Associates

Corrigan Commerce
24 Shady Knoll Dr.
Tracy Millett

LUDLOW

Buscema PB Trade Shows & Events
119 East Akard Road
Peter Buscema

J.B. Meats
141 Center St.
Joseph Batista

NORTHAMPTON

Cumberland Rare Books
9½ Market St., Suite 3A
Hosea Baskin

Hosea Baskin, Attorney at Law
9½ Market St., Suite 3A
Hosea Baskin

Inner Peas Nutrition
184 Main St.
Eliza Mellion

King St. Convenience & Smoke
60 King St.
Zahoor Mian

Northampton Personal Training Inc.
18-22 Strong Ave.
Jessica Phaneuf

Ralph’s Blacksmith Shop
36 Smith St.
Arthur Grodd

Valley Stress Reduction
126 Vernon St.
Ellen Kaufman

Vapour City Vintage
4 Old South St., #3
Megha Arraj

PALMER

Homestead Cabinet Design
324 Old Warren Road
Raymond Glick

J. Stolar Insurance
2001 Calkins Road
Christopher Stolar

J.W.B. Enterprises
46 Smith St.
Jason Bessette

Kitchen Table Tax Service
65 Jim Ash St.
David Whitney

Les’s Auto Center
1575 North Main St.
Les Skowyra

Life’s Memories & More
1085 Park St., Suites 102-103
Tanya Bullock

Meadows Driving School
1339 Main St.
Derrick Mason, Angela Mason

Mimi’s Country Attic
332 Flynt St.
Christie Rivest

Northern Tree Service Inc.
1290 Park St.
Philip Cambo, Timothy LaMotte

Opielowski Appraisal Services
67 Summers St.
Michael Opielowski

Palmer Auto Wash
1219 Thorndike St.
Raymond Recor

SOUTHWICK

The Launch
81 Point Grove Road
Jessica Robling

LW Seecamp Co.
28 Hudson Dr.
John Whalley

Totally You Hair Studio
208 College Highway
Malin Cannon

SPRINGFIELD

Annette’s Custom Crafts
194 Pearl St.
Annette Davis Warren

Bake to Success
1318 Bay St.
Phyllis White

Bark & Park Mobile Grooming
44 West Crystal Brook Dr.
Angela Robinson

Elian Mini Market
106 Oak Grove Ave.
Lazaro Batiste

Excellence Cleaning Service
104 Francis St.
Jocelyn Sanchez

Forged Kreations, LLC
267 Page Blvd.
Rafael Velez

L & R Grocery Inc.
1133 State St.
Nidia Paniagua

The Law Office of Kedar K. Ismail
20 Maple St.
Kedar Ismail

L T Life
1350 Main St.
Alexis Cruz

L.J.’s Restaurant
664 Page Blvd.
Luis Espinal

Matt’s Trucking
41 Price St.
Matthew Spitzer

Meeshkapeesh
73 Carlisle St.
Meisha Dyer

Mocha Emporium
1623 Main St.
Ghada Mourad

T-Mobile Northeast, LLC
613 Belmont Ave.
Lindsey Romano

Top Shelf
280 Chestnut St.
Paul Ramesh

WESTFIELD

Direct Home Improvement
71 Wyben Road
Mark Sychev

Home Access Innovations
352 Shaker Road
Cedar Grove Contracting Inc.

Maureen Kavanaugh Housekeeping
70 Whitaker Road
Maureen Kavanaugh

Miha Welding
57 Tannery Road
Artem Girich

Smokedbear Industreez
1 Crown St.
Kyle Smith

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Cinematic Horizon Films
80 Irving St.
Oleg Kaletin

Clarion Motel
1080 Riverdale St.
Shailesh Patel

Connectus Home Care, LLC
1111 Elm St.
James Mugwanja

ECMR J Gil
204 Baldwin St.
Jeffrey Gil

Ezee Mart
50 Morgan Road
Mohamed Afral

Ezee Mart
662 Kings Highway
Imran Abid

Pat’s Auto Service
163 Norman St.
Richard Parenteau

Right Construction
9 Railroad St.
Dmitriy Shapovalov

S & L Remodeling
64 Kings Highway
Serhiy Opanasevych

Sanders Family Rustic Wood Works
19 Cora St.
David Sanders

WILBRAHAM

Sheehan Courier
8 Red Bridge Road
Michael Sheehan

Snelgrove Technology Consulting
24 Lake Dr.
Edward Snelgrove

Bankruptcies

By
Bankruptcies

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

Bielawa, Holly A.
P.O. Box 323
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/06/18

DeForge, James H.
DeForge, Patricia L.
252 Leonard St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/30/18

Dodge, Christian Jacob
50 Petty Plain Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/10/18

Faunce, Tina-Marie
165 Crescent St., Apt. 1
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/14/18

Fields, Daniel D.
Fields, Christy H.
141 Riverview Ave.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/11/18

Fleck, Jeannine H.
126 Little River Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/12/18

Fleming, Thomas K.
76 Nonotuck St., 2nd Fl.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/07/18

Flynn, Kiley C.
71 Evergreen Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01082
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/14/18

GB Restoration
Burgess, Gregory
29 Sherwood Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/03/18

Gore, Frederick N.
112 Laurel Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/28/18

Herrick, Jacob
35 East Alvord St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Hilt, Donna M.
23 Fletcher St., Apt C
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/07/18

Jones, Floyd Anthony
36 Cambridge St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/03/18

Jusino, Miriam
63 Partridge Lane
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/06/18

Kennedy, Rachel L.
Perkins, Tina M.
46 Fairview Park Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/05/18

LeVasseur, Gregory Allan
9 Desimone Dr.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Liquori, Antonio P.
700 Cooper St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Lyford, Darrell E.
Lyford, Quincy L.
54 Dorrance St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/30/18

Mandell, Nancy Roberta
25 Overlook Dr.
East Hampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Midnight Son Designs
Baker, Carey Andre
54 Claremont Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/05/18

Nusrat, Mohammad Sohail
190 Beekman Dr., Unit 19
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/06/18

O’Connell, Robert Elwood
38 Everett St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/12/18

Packard, Christopher J.
145 North Whitney Ave., Back Unit
Amherst, MA 01002
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/13/18

Parent, Laurie A.
Parent, Corey
25 Dana St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/12/18

Parent, Samuel MacLean
95 Athol Road
Royalston, MA 01368
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/30/18

Paulo, Antonio S.
129 Dejordy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/30/18

Quinones, Guadalupe
123 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/07/18

Rice, Angela J.
945 Tinkham Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/03/18

Riley, Margaret E.
200 Lambert Ter., Unit 39
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Rivera, Eric G.
25 Burke St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/14/18

Rodriguez, Jose Enrique
115 Kathleen St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/13/18

Scully, Pauline R.
71 West St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/03/18

Smith, Kathleen A.
73 Bridge St., Apt. 28
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/13/18

Spadea, Joseph
Spadea, Justine
85 Powder Mill Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Suslowicz, Sean Charles
90 Hall Road, Unit 23
Sturbridge, MA 01566
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/29/18

Tremblay, Sheileen J.
269 Main St.
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/12/18

Trosky, Kevin Joseph
48 Van Dyke Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/05/18

Serrazina, Rui Ribeiro
726 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/10/18

Schreiber, Kenneth
Schreiber, Carrie A.
8 Bonneta Circle
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/10/18

Whelihan, Kyle
Whelihan, Samantha
154 South Main St., Apt. #2
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 12/12/18

Wyda, Kathryn
a/k/a Moise, Kathryn A.
P.O. Box 155
Chicopee, MA 01021
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 12/13/18

Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

81 March Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Alexander B. Bross
Seller: Seth A. Worcester
Date: 12/14/18

1594 West Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Alan & Cynthia Appelman TR
Seller: Juliette J. Meeus INT
Date: 12/04/18

CHARLEMONT

2167 Route 2
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $152,400
Buyer: Carl F. Elliott
Seller: Heidi L. Haddad
Date: 12/05/18

COLRAIN

172 Call Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $163,900
Buyer: Francisco J. Vidal
Seller: Douglas R. Richardson
Date: 12/07/18

CONWAY

1549 Pine Hill Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $255,382
Buyer: Gregory A. Beck
Seller: Judy Lively
Date: 12/07/18

DEERFIELD

9-A Snowberry Circle
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $296,900
Buyer: Esther Freni
Seller: Ragus LLC
Date: 12/13/18

Sunrise Ave., #6B
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jonathan C. Galenski
Seller: Saunders N. Whittlesey
Date: 12/14/18

Sunrise Ave. #7A
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Jonathan C. Galenski
Seller: Saunders N. Whittlesey
Date: 12/14/18

ERVING

30 State Road
Erving, MA 01344
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joseph A. Dupelle
Seller: Irene G. Fariss
Date: 12/10/18

GREENFIELD

69 Beech St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Alison Fornes
Seller: Justine E. Hansen
Date: 12/13/18

226-228 Chapman St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $228,500
Buyer: Schersib Properties LLC
Seller: Thomas J. Winn
Date: 12/12/18

566 Country Club Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Petru Taraburca
Seller: Michael J. Rockwell
Date: 12/04/18

10 Phillips St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Stephen Maynard
Seller: Sherri L. Buntlin-Raymond
Date: 12/10/18

58 Shattuck St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Nicholas M. Koscinski
Seller: William H. Holden
Date: 12/03/18

LEYDEN

45 Coates Road
Leyden, MA 01301
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Katherine E. Stebbins
Seller: Jeffrey D. Stebbins
Date: 12/05/18

MONTAGUE

141 2nd St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Nova Real Estate LLC
Seller: Eagle Real Estate LLC
Date: 12/06/18

5 Bangs St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Robert L. Yvon
Seller: Valerie E. Young
Date: 12/13/18

1 Burnham St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: 1 Burnham Street LLC
Seller: Freedom CU
Date: 12/06/18

98 Federal St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Nelson I. Purington
Seller: Annette M. Vadnais
Date: 12/07/18

67 Hillside Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $193,500
Buyer: Manuel Furtado
Seller: Constance J. Haigis
Date: 12/07/18

112 Meadow Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Eric D. Lundquist
Seller: Andrew C. Parker
Date: 12/04/18

304 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: SJK RT 1
Seller: Bernier, James C. Est
Date: 12/11/18

57 Turners Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Ashley M. Laramie
Seller: Katie Rosewarne
Date: 12/14/18

194 Turnpike Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Joshua D. Lively
Seller: Robert J. Slongwhite
Date: 12/13/18

NORTHFIELD

269 Captain Beers Plain Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $175,100
Buyer: M. L. MacDougall-Goulding
Seller: 269 CPT Beers Plain Rd RT
Date: 12/07/18

87 Maple St.
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $118,000
Buyer: James R. Baker
Seller: Sheila P. Zabko
Date: 12/14/18

Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $9,563,319
Buyer: Eurovia Atlantic Coast
Seller: Lane Construction Corp.
Date: 12/13/18

Old Vernon Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $9,563,319
Buyer: Eurovia Atlantic Coast
Seller: Lane Construction Corp.
Date: 12/13/18

ORANGE

108 Drew Blvd.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $297,000
Buyer: Judith A. Kozak
Seller: Verne Goldsher
Date: 12/07/18

521 Oxbow Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Katherine Donahue
Seller: Alan E. Leblanc
Date: 12/06/18

SHELBURNE

304 Shelburne Center Road
Shelburne, MA 01370
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Arke Realty LLC
Seller: Nutraceutical Corp.
Date: 12/04/18

SUNDERLAND

275 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $13,350,000
Buyer: Squire Village Sunderland
Seller: Squire Village Apartments
Date: 12/06/18

279 Amherst Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $13,350,000
Buyer: Squire Village Sunderland
Seller: Squire Village Apartments
Date: 12/06/18

70 South Silver Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $13,350,000
Buyer: Squire Village Sunderland
Seller: Squire Village Apartments
Date: 12/06/18

122 South Silver Lane
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $13,350,000
Buyer: Squire Village Sunderland
Seller: Squire Village Apartments
Date: 12/06/18

WHATELY

101 Chestnut Plain Road
Whately, MA 01093
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Colin J. Hoyt
Seller: Jeremy L. Johnson
Date: 12/13/18

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

52 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $126,250
Buyer: Victoria Tokarev
Seller: FNMA
Date: 12/10/18

10 Cross St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Ericks O. Nieves
Seller: Jared M. Hamre
Date: 12/06/18

44 Highland St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $177,400
Buyer: Samuel R. Young
Seller: Philip E. Bernier
Date: 12/07/18

6-8 King Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Aleksandr Poddubchak
Seller: Patriot Living LLC
Date: 12/14/18

30 Liberty St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Nicholas Alman
Seller: Mark E. Debarge
Date: 12/14/18

821 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Craig Bennett
Seller: Curtis R. Cote
Date: 12/07/18

942-944 Shoemaker Lane
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: John A. Minihan
Date: 12/12/18

982 Springfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $175,501
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Mary A. Govoni
Date: 12/03/18

CHICOPEE

56 Archie St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $179,600
Buyer: Cheryl A. Jones
Seller: Luke R. Archambault
Date: 12/14/18

59 Arnold Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01119
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Jeffrey G. Menard
Seller: CRA Holdings Inc.
Date: 12/14/18

183 Blanchard St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Norman R. Betournay
Seller: Peter P. Gazda
Date: 12/05/18

94 Bonner St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Roy
Seller: Wayne R. Switzer
Date: 12/14/18

285 Britton St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Patrick J. Mahoney
Seller: Mark A. Dufresne
Date: 12/14/18

910 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Lachenauer LLC
Seller: Chicopee Brown Realty LLC
Date: 12/05/18

16 Dallaire Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Joshua Peloquin
Seller: Sandra Daley
Date: 12/04/18

54 Davenport St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Peter S. Ellis
Seller: Christopher M. Ames
Date: 12/06/18

113 Dejordy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: Michael J. Rumanowski
Seller: Collins, Thomas P. (Estate)
Date: 12/14/18

1191 Grattan St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Kendy A. Liriano-Arias
Seller: Joseph A. Heckman
Date: 12/14/18

19 Harding St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $157,000
Buyer: Ysabel Espinal
Seller: Wilmington Trust
Date: 12/07/18

27 Harding St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $180,900
Buyer: Victor Rodriguez
Seller: Revampit LLC
Date: 12/14/18

32 Highland Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Shah Ma Realty LLC
Seller: Jeffery Ledoux
Date: 12/03/18

424 Irene St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Jeffrey N. Brown
Seller: Vitaliy Volkov
Date: 12/10/18

15 Kimball St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $127,500
Buyer: Audrey A. Rivera
Seller: Joao DosSantos
Date: 12/14/18

79 Kowal Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Luis A. Rivera
Seller: Paul R. Depelteau
Date: 12/13/18

133 Madison St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: James D. Diciocco
Seller: Frances P. Schnare
Date: 12/14/18

651 McKinstry Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $140,385
Buyer: Live Well Financial Inc.
Seller: Robert J. Beaudoin
Date: 12/14/18

425 New Ludlow Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Kyle L. Perron
Seller: Joan Maciver
Date: 12/11/18

17 Pickering St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Amanda L. Taillefer
Seller: Pronovost, Anita M. (Estate)
Date: 12/14/18

45 Roy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Mateusz Sudol
Seller: Sabri Bajrami
Date: 12/14/18

82 Saint Jacques Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Kevin Montemagni
Seller: USA VA
Date: 12/07/18

157 Shepherd St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $126,798
Buyer: Posiadlosc LLC
Seller: Hampden Home Buyers LLC
Date: 12/03/18

819 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Matthew Henry
Seller: Jason B. Como
Date: 12/03/18

9 Shirley St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $167,000
Buyer: Courtney E. Page
Seller: Irene M. Beaulieu
Date: 12/06/18

78 Woodcrest Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $191,900
Buyer: Kate Daborowski
Seller: Christopher W. Klaus
Date: 12/03/18

EAST LONGMEADOW

39 Athens St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Bernice Burgos
Seller: Trevor Devine
Date: 12/14/18

46 Birchland Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $192,900
Buyer: Antonia Benney
Seller: Thomas E. Flynn
Date: 12/03/18

39 Dearborn St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Amanda R. Carpe
Seller: Robert Decosmo
Date: 12/07/18

53 High Pine Circle
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Dennis F. Olisky
Seller: John H. Themistos
Date: 12/07/18

47 Maryland St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Anthony Frigo
Seller: Malesta FT
Date: 12/07/18

83 Waterman Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Jennifer M. Territo
Date: 12/13/18

GRANVILLE

817 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Adam M. Cross
Seller: Adrian B. Dion
Date: 12/14/18

115 Trumble Lane
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $263,000
Buyer: Patricia L. Tysz
Seller: Michael E. Haracz
Date: 12/14/18

HAMPDEN

391 South Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Kevin Ford
Seller: Sheryl Kosakowski
Date: 12/14/18

HOLLAND

2 Clark Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $136,200
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Raymond L. Cratty
Date: 12/11/18

HOLYOKE

42-44 Brookline Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Ramon Rodriguez
Seller: O’Donnell, John J. (Estate)
Date: 12/06/18

310-1/2 Cherry St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Tricia L. Beaudoin
Seller: Rosalie M. Mardeusz
Date: 12/04/18

237 Elm St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Travis L. Tackett
Seller: David L. Brunelle
Date: 12/06/18

71 Ely St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Frances Santos
Seller: PMC REO Financing TR
Date: 12/07/18

27 Evergreen Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Joshua C. Florence
Seller: Sheila A. O’Neil
Date: 12/05/18

9 Hemlock Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Joanne M. Labrie
Seller: Kathleen M. O’Connor
Date: 12/07/18

121 Jackson St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Yesenia Rivera
Seller: Ramon Rodriguez
Date: 12/06/18

14-1/2 North Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Adon Real Estate LLC
Seller: TD Bank
Date: 12/07/18

916 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Abigail Leilani-Morton
Seller: Zalucki, Helen (Estate)
Date: 12/07/18

37 Sheehan Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $132,500
Buyer: Margaret A. Yarmesky
Seller: William A. Kelly
Date: 12/13/18

295 Southampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $222,500
Buyer: Aaron G. Horowitz-Frary
Seller: Charles M. Bluemer
Date: 12/07/18

5 Washington Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $243,837
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Edith G. Jennings-Cope
Date: 12/12/18

138 West Meadowview Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: Mary S. Dettloff
Seller: Shari L. Laufer
Date: 12/13/18

9 Western View Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Michele A. Arduino
Seller: Paul M. Zombik
Date: 12/07/18

LONGMEADOW

32 Birnie Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Nicholas Rodrigue
Seller: Michael J. Massa
Date: 12/07/18

146 Brooks Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Joanne Freedman
Seller: Cameron W. Donaldson
Date: 12/12/18

53 Homestead Blvd.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Jessica A. Reed
Seller: Robert S. Parsons
Date: 12/13/18

226 Maple Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Danielle L. Dagostino
Seller: Sheffield, Craton S. (Estate)
Date: 12/05/18

71 Meadowbrook Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $392,500
Buyer: Brian J. McVety
Seller: Judith A. Threlfall
Date: 12/12/18

20 Sherwood Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $303,500
Buyer: Francesco Ferrentino
Seller: James J. Bregianes
Date: 12/11/18

73 Twin Hills Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $640,000
Buyer: Alexandra B. McEwen
Seller: Robert L. McKeown
Date: 12/07/18

61 Wilkin Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Crystalou Delis
Seller: Ewa C. O’Malley
Date: 12/03/18

267 Williams St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $272,000
Buyer: Alex M. Arnold
Seller: Christine A. Rigali
Date: 12/11/18

LUDLOW

77 Allison Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $367,000
Buyer: Patrick D. Meffen
Seller: Cheryl Pereira
Date: 12/04/18

164 Cady St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Kaitlin S. Romaniak
Seller: Laurie A. Stawicki
Date: 12/03/18

Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Scott R. Hastings
Seller: Raymond Haluch
Date: 12/05/18

14 Clark St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Dmitry V. Papeko
Seller: Lecuyer, Ralph W. (Estate)
Date: 12/12/18

11 Deer Hill Circle
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Hubert Kowalski
Seller: Marc R. Rouillard
Date: 12/03/18

129 Pine Cone Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Olga Myakushko
Seller: Antonio C. Goncalves
Date: 12/07/18

58 Stivens Ter.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $232,500
Buyer: Antonio S. Henriques
Seller: Claire Burgess
Date: 12/06/18

186 Tower Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Timothy J. Fitzgerald
Seller: Manuel Costa
Date: 12/13/18

Turning Leaf Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $144,500
Buyer: Laura Scibelli
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 12/06/18

26 West Belmont St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Catherine C. Klaes
Seller: Della Ripa Real Estate
Date: 12/07/18

MONSON

27 King St.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Brooke L. Andersen
Seller: Ramona L. Baranski
Date: 12/07/18

41 Wales Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Lynette Williams
Seller: Alan M. Thrasher
Date: 12/07/18

PALMER

39 Cabot St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Nicholas Badeau
Seller: Alan M. Urban
Date: 12/10/18

8 Chamber Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: New England Recreation & Health
Seller: Paul J. Les
Date: 12/12/18

4041-4043 Church St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $202,000
Buyer: Shannoya Beezer
Seller: Jonathan J. Jasak
Date: 12/07/18

154 Jim Ash Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thanh K. Tran-Rovelli
Seller: Evelyn J. Blanchard
Date: 12/07/18

121 River St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: David Leland-Hawkins
Seller: Janina D. Thayer
Date: 12/06/18

50 Walnut St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $156,000
Buyer: Bonnie K. Shackleford
Seller: Nancy Minns-Piepho
Date: 12/07/18

PALMER

27 Glenn St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $163,287
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Angela E. Cross
Date: 12/10/18

SOUTHWICK

58 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $480,000
Buyer: David C. Brooker
Seller: Ann C. Gustafson
Date: 12/13/18

185 Feeding Hills Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $124,950
Buyer: Michael Chambers
Seller: Deutsche Bank
Date: 12/10/18

12 Kimberly Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Jessica L. Anderson
Seller: Sandra E. Jendza
Date: 12/14/18

2 Logie Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Marie R. Brown
Seller: Eugene J. Whitehead
Date: 12/07/18

9 Overlook Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Peter J. Pappas
Seller: Pinnacle Estates At Ranch
Date: 12/05/18

20 Sam West Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Nancy H. Steffens
Seller: Justin R. Eisenbeiser
Date: 12/13/18

Sawgrass Lane #12
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Hillside Development Corp.
Seller: Fiore Realty Holdings LLC
Date: 12/07/18

39 Sefton Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $148,155
Buyer: John A. Devine
Seller: Bank New York Mellon
Date: 12/06/18

24 Shore Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Phillip Milidantri
Seller: Sheri L. Gentile
Date: 12/14/18

SPRINGFIELD

986 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Vicenta Morales-Corsino
Seller: Karwoski, David J. (Estate)
Date: 12/07/18

37 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $169,000
Buyer: Maurice Chin
Seller: Huy Q. Troung
Date: 12/14/18

544-546 Armory St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Carol Maldonado
Seller: Keith R. Singleton
Date: 12/07/18

137 Avery St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Ramon E. Rodriguez
Seller: Carmen I. Toledo
Date: 12/07/18

164 Balboa Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $128,706
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Ogirri, Griselina (Estate)
Date: 12/05/18

1 Belmont Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Bar Belmont LLC
Seller: Peter R. Mutti
Date: 12/13/18

32 Beaumont Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Keino O. Henry
Seller: Stephen L. Flatley
Date: 12/06/18

37 Beauregard St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Rebecca Valentin-Brito
Seller: Marcel Nunes
Date: 12/05/18

240 Birchland Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: Jayrold Cruz-Davison
Seller: Kelly L. O’Brien
Date: 12/10/18

65 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Juan C. Morel
Seller: Tiffany Bosworth
Date: 12/04/18

306 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $142,000
Buyer: Luzdelis Roman
Seller: Luz E. Rivera
Date: 12/07/18

38 Brunswick St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Brandon Vega
Seller: Jo A. Gagliarducci
Date: 12/14/18

97 Calley St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $281,250
Buyer: Loren Rivera-Martinez
Seller: Larry M. Archey
Date: 12/14/18

288 Centre St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Osiris Collado
Seller: Edward A. Abraham
Date: 12/10/18

73 Chestnut St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Gleason Johndrow Rentals
Seller: JOR LLC
Date: 12/04/18

95 Clough St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Neff
Seller: Minh Lam
Date: 12/04/18

6 Cluster Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Christopher Maza
Seller: Jerry Y. Cruz
Date: 12/07/18

55 Colonial Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Chad Lynch
Seller: WN Management LLC
Date: 12/10/18

38 Colorado St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $178,151
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Edward Gauthier
Date: 12/11/18

569 Cooley St.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Deu Poudel
Seller: Matadormus LLC
Date: 12/05/18

31-33 Copley Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $185,550
Buyer: Joaquin Lorenzana
Seller: Francisco Ortiz
Date: 12/04/18

357 Cottage St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: GEG Realty LLC
Seller: Franklin Realty Partnership
Date: 12/07/18

31 Delaware Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $168,100
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Edgardo L. Fernandez
Date: 12/05/18

130 Draper St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Karla M. Nieves-Padilla
Seller: Gregory J. Vasquez
Date: 12/14/18

179 East St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Marissa Z. DosSantos
Seller: JJJ 17 LLC
Date: 12/07/18

86 East Silver St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Charlene M. Wilson
Seller: Cheryl L. McGraw
Date: 12/11/18

55 Earl St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $221,000
Buyer: Joseph Dumpson
Seller: JJS Capital Investment
Date: 12/10/18

91 Eckington St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Luis A. Torres
Seller: Michael A. Torcia
Date: 12/11/18

245 Edendale St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $153,000
Buyer: Sinely Vegerano
Seller: Kimberly L. Bull
Date: 12/14/18

17-19 Fairmount St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $298,008
Buyer: Bank Of America
Seller: Kuburat Ayinde
Date: 12/10/18

23 Fenway Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Michael J. Shea
Seller: Venerdi F. Grumoli
Date: 12/07/18

75 Fitzgerald Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Felix Perez
Seller: Paul E. Lemoine
Date: 12/10/18

45 Gail St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Jonathan J. Villalobos
Seller: Tracy M. Ryan
Date: 12/10/18

11 George St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $151,500
Buyer: Anthony Lawton
Seller: No Place Like Home Properties
Date: 12/04/18

54 Grandview St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Joseph Budnick
Seller: Carleigh E. Zebian
Date: 12/07/18

15 Gresham St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $208,000
Buyer: Lewen Cotte
Seller: Mint Realty Group LLC
Date: 12/03/18

50 Haskin St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $138,500
Buyer: Teslyn James
Seller: Viesturs Ansbergs
Date: 12/04/18

140 High St.
Springfield, MA 01199
Amount: $7,000,000
Buyer: South Campus BH Holdings
Seller: South Campus Group LLC
Date: 12/07/18

160 High St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $7,000,000
Buyer: South Campus BH Holdings
Seller: South Campus Group LLC
Date: 12/07/18

47-49 Horace St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $181,500
Buyer: Lokencia Charlot
Seller: John L. Moylan
Date: 12/13/18

77-79 Humbert St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $183,000
Buyer: Tia M. Burris
Seller: Garry M. Gaudette
Date: 12/05/18

87 Jardine St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Nilda Elias
Seller: Ivette Ramos
Date: 12/07/18

39 Kenwood Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Marianyelly Rivera-Cruz
Seller: BP LLC
Date: 12/07/18

51 Lamont St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Sean Phann
Seller: Zafar A. Kiani
Date: 12/07/18

192 Lancashire Road
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Debra M. Glover
Seller: James L. Hundley
Date: 12/13/18

3-7 Lexington St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dorian Nnaji
Seller: Elvira Delgado
Date: 12/04/18

133 Littleton St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $122,000
Buyer: Roseline Cancel-Pagan
Seller: Charlene M. Wilson
Date: 12/11/18

11-15 Lockwood Ave.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Branice Shigoli
Seller: Onota Realty LLC
Date: 12/14/18

146 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $127,800
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: George W. Cobleigh
Date: 12/11/18

60 Lumae St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Eric M. Farnham
Seller: Vionette Escudero
Date: 12/10/18

115-117 Malden St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Marsha Fearing
Seller: Admir M. Horta
Date: 12/06/18

47 Mayflower Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Maryanne Felix
Seller: Monique A. Paquette
Date: 12/14/18

55 Meadowbrook Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Reverse Mortgage Solutions
Seller: George S. Jourdan
Date: 12/10/18

45 Meredith St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Minh T. Chau
Seller: Cathy A. Hughes
Date: 12/13/18

7 Nathaniel St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Angel Suarez
Seller: Leontino J. Piecuch
Date: 12/07/18

18 Norfolk St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Naida Irizarry
Seller: Marie A. Campbell-Ward
Date: 12/03/18

174-176 Northampton Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $168,000
Buyer: Luis O. Tarraza
Seller: FNMA
Date: 12/04/18

68-70 Oak Grove Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Damon Jackson
Seller: Home Staging & Realty LLC
Date: 12/10/18

118 Oak Hollow Road
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Devere K. Glenn
Seller: M&G Property Group LLC
Date: 12/07/18

21 O’Connell St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $164,500
Buyer: Madaline M. Andre
Seller: Susana R. Marino
Date: 12/07/18

31 Osborne Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $139,900
Buyer: Ernold Faulknor
Seller: Ferris Enterprises Inc.
Date: 12/04/18

Paradise St.
Springfield, MA 01101
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Gay B. Thomas
Seller: Tok Chang
Date: 12/07/18

395 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $169,900
Buyer: Gay B. Thomas
Seller: Tok Chang
Date: 12/07/18

1286 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $134,971
Buyer: Retained Realty Inc.
Seller: A. Richard Bonnano
Date: 12/11/18

1292 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $146,598
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Justin Maldonado
Date: 12/12/18

262 Parkerview St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Jomaris Vazquez
Seller: Daniel A. Morais
Date: 12/12/18

77 Primrose St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $124,936
Buyer: Caliber Home Loans Inc.
Seller: Yolanda Carvalho
Date: 12/05/18

15 Quebec St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Manuel C. Rodrigues
Seller: Mister Mister LLC
Date: 12/07/18

38 Schley St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $127,700
Buyer: Agustin Rivera
Seller: Christopher Maza
Date: 12/10/18

13 Seymour Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $133,500
Buyer: Luis M. Williams
Seller: Dexter Edwards
Date: 12/07/18

57 Signal Hill Circle
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Vanessa Raster
Seller: Linda Frey
Date: 12/14/18

18-20 Somerset St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Jose A. Vazquez
Seller: Arch Properties LLC
Date: 12/14/18

104 Spikenard Circle
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $172,000
Buyer: Ricardo L. Santiago-Colon
Seller: Matthew E. Forni
Date: 12/13/18

40 Squirrel Road
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $189,522
Buyer: John M. Claffey
Seller: Dawn M. Newton
Date: 12/11/18

31 Strathmore St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Luis M. Rodriguez-Vega
Seller: Michael J. Tenerowicz
Date: 12/11/18

124 Sylvan St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $164,000
Buyer: Manuel I. Delhoyo
Seller: Thomas S. Campbell
Date: 12/07/18

27 Thorndyke St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Holmes
Seller: Renee C. Holmes
Date: 12/10/18

71 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Luis Moreno
Seller: Danny P. Rebelo
Date: 12/07/18

44 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Ian Ouillette
Seller: James Worrall-Turgeon
Date: 12/14/18

27 Wesson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,900
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Patrick Gonzalez
Date: 12/11/18

105 West Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $121,000
Buyer: CIG 4 LLC
Seller: Karen M. Blake
Date: 12/05/18

104 Wilber St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $146,400
Buyer: Carmen V. Dejesus
Seller: Nicole Torres
Date: 12/13/18

2230 Wilbraham Road
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $203,000
Buyer: Robert Moreau
Seller: Joshua C. Florence
Date: 12/05/18

879 Worthington St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $187,000
Buyer: Alberto Ortiz
Seller: 879 Worthington Street RT
Date: 12/05/18

115 Wrenwood St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Kellen M. Matthews
Seller: AJN Rentals LLC
Date: 12/06/18

TOLLAND

100 West Otter Dr.
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $274,500
Buyer: John F. Cutillo
Seller: Adelaide H. Marx
Date: 12/07/18

WALES

107 Stafford Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $155,890
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Joseph Murphy
Date: 12/11/18

WESTFIELD

15 City View Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Brian M. Torpey
Seller: Ibis Duo Holdings LLC
Date: 12/05/18

34 Coolidge Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Dorothy L. Theriault
Seller: Brian Grady
Date: 12/12/18

36 East Glen Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Matthew J. Rinaldi
Seller: Gregory A. Ross
Date: 12/07/18

124 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Leonid Tkachenko
Seller: Chhatra B. Basnet
Date: 12/14/18

94 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Artem Martynyuk
Seller: Hedge Hog Industries Corp.
Date: 12/11/18

39 Glenwood Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Michael Coffey
Seller: Richard J. Ferrari
Date: 12/10/18

919 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $117,782
Buyer: Jean Alamed
Seller: Susan Alamed
Date: 12/10/18

161 Highland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $193,061
Buyer: Deutsche Bank
Seller: Joyce F. Smith
Date: 12/12/18

22 Holland Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Patricia M. Lee
Seller: Christina Howard
Date: 12/11/18

48 Larchly Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $187,900
Buyer: Steven G. Pinette
Seller: Marjorie M. Strickland
Date: 12/11/18

11 Lewis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Tahnee R. Hildack
Seller: Patrick Cagan
Date: 12/11/18

265 Montgomery Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $322,000
Buyer: Gregory Mastroianni
Seller: Vladimir Carmona
Date: 12/03/18

375 Springdale Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $318,000
Buyer: Debbie M. Smith
Seller: Nathan R. Tacy
Date: 12/07/18

15 Stratfield Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Alexis K. Godden
Seller: Christopher A. Brown
Date: 12/07/18

115 Sunset Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Nicole Desmond
Seller: Ricky E. Wills
Date: 12/07/18

25 Toledo Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: FHB Realty LLP
Seller: Pamela J. Savioli
Date: 12/11/18

29 Vine St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $279,000
Buyer: Brian Grady
Seller: John S. Carlstrom
Date: 12/12/18

WILBRAHAM

10 Brookmont Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $332,500
Buyer: Wanda K. Cronin
Seller: Brett J. Vottero
Date: 12/04/18

2 Cliffside Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Jeffrey M. Green
Seller: Kaitlin S. Romaniak
Date: 12/03/18

5 Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $329,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Sampson
Seller: Louise M. Pelletier
Date: 12/07/18

5 East Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Brian P. Blakesley
Seller: Mahaffey FT
Date: 12/10/18

16 Eastwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Jordan P. Pitzer
Seller: Frank D. Wilson
Date: 12/07/18

23 Hunting Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Harold W. Murphy
Seller: Christopher T. Perrault
Date: 12/04/18

7 Jewell Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Timothy Spafford
Seller: Kathleen Sullivan
Date: 12/06/18

381 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $117,308
Buyer: US Bank
Seller: Robere E. Wood
Date: 12/11/18

509 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $268,000
Buyer: Daniel P. Sullivan
Seller: Brett F. Johnson
Date: 12/10/18

4 Parkwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $354,900
Buyer: Luis F. Santos
Seller: Kenneth J. Dorantes
Date: 12/04/18

5 Springfield St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: Edward R. Jensen
Seller: Stephen P. Wagner
Date: 12/06/18

WEST SPRINGFIELD

262 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $175,000
Buyer: Ram B. Bhattarai
Seller: John P. Bedore
Date: 12/11/18

61 Bayberry Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $420,000
Buyer: Paulo Naves
Seller: Nathan P. Somers
Date: 12/11/18

20 Benedict St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $292,000
Buyer: Karlyn Schnare
Seller: Christian L. Caruso
Date: 12/14/18

29 Bonair Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Jeffrey J. Beleski
Seller: William P. Garvey
Date: 12/06/18

7 Carriage Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Richard Senk
Seller: Jane M. Pasko
Date: 12/07/18

11-53 Craig Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $9,500,000
Buyer: Homelike Management LLC
Seller: Home-Like Apartments Inc.
Date: 12/05/18

360 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Amir Bhatti
Seller: Gary G. Breton
Date: 12/14/18

806 Dewey St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jessica Caruso
Seller: Catherine F. Goodman
Date: 12/14/18

43 Dorwin Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Heather C. Larsen
Seller: Robert E. McQueen
Date: 12/07/18

45 George St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $217,000
Buyer: Ali Hamdan
Seller: Ruby, Suzanne E. (Estate)
Date: 12/05/18

367 Gooseberry Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Carlos Rivera
Seller: Victoria A. Dellasperanza
Date: 12/14/18

27 Houston Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Keith Orr
Seller: Sarah Hall
Date: 12/07/18

48 Lower Beverly Hills
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Cynthia Rule
Seller: Kenneth P. Pandolfi
Date: 12/03/18

14 Lynne Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $302,000
Buyer: Freddy A. Dejesus
Seller: Moulaye A. Haidara
Date: 12/07/18

1436 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Andrew K. Howes
Seller: Thomas M. Cosenzi
Date: 12/14/18

925 Piper Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,400
Buyer: Keith J. Michaud
Seller: Kathleen H. Sweeney
Date: 12/03/18

41 Plymouth Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $214,000
Buyer: Kevin M. Waller
Seller: V&A Realty LLC
Date: 12/07/18

90 Queen Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $189,900
Buyer: Joseph R. Meagher
Seller: Tina D. Dunlop
Date: 12/14/18

314 Sibley Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Wayne H. Petlock
Seller: Richard Rozkuszka
Date: 12/07/18

45 Trinity Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,100
Buyer: Robert E. McQueen
Seller: Joseph W. Dahdah
Date: 12/07/18

494 Westfield St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $154,000
Buyer: Matthew T. Morin
Seller: Osama S. Jalal
Date: 12/13/18

187 Woodbrook Ter.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $359,000
Buyer: Glade D. Hall
Seller: Carol A. Parent
Date: 12/07/18

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

23 Canterbury Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Michael Slaff
Seller: Richard F. Yuretich
Date: 12/13/18

40 Elf Hill Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Manuel F. Diaz-Gonzalez
Seller: Ramin Soltani
Date: 12/14/18

591 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Tina Berins
Seller: Brandon E. Braxton
Date: 12/06/18

BELCHERTOWN

9 Dana Hill
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $347,000
Buyer: Amy Nedeau
Seller: Daniel P. Resca
Date: 12/14/18

536 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Maureen A. Desabrais
Seller: Alia P. Starkweather
Date: 12/11/18

685 Federal St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $153,273
Buyer: JP Morgan Chase Bank
Seller: Andrew B. Lackey
Date: 12/07/18

445 Michael Sears Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $294,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Richard G. Barry
Date: 12/06/18

114 Mountain View Dr.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $375,000
Buyer: Randy J. Milou
Seller: Dahlia Development Ltd.
Date: 12/05/18

61 Old Sawmill Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $407,000
Buyer: Jon Pyne
Seller: Joshue W. Mandeville
Date: 12/14/18

10 Pine St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $447,000
Buyer: Marcus L. Nutter
Seller: Seven Pines Realty LLC
Date: 12/13/18

CUMMINGTON

151 Bryant Road
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $139,000
Buyer: Wilmington Savings
Seller: James A. Parsons
Date: 12/10/18

EASTHAMPTON

37 Broad St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $327,500
Buyer: David J. Janulewicz
Seller: Dennis F. Renkowicz
Date: 12/07/18

50 Church St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $188,000
Buyer: Best4u RT
Seller: Wells Fargo Bank
Date: 12/04/18

254 East St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $183,500
Buyer: Samantha Beattie
Seller: Brett D. Lindabury
Date: 12/14/18

3 Lord St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $257,000
Buyer: Andrew P. Hasson
Seller: Keith R. Hamilton
Date: 12/11/18

30 Morin Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Sarah Cleveland
Seller: E&M LLC
Date: 12/03/18

16 Oliver St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $244,900
Buyer: Rebecca T. Bassett
Seller: Adam Zachariah-Stein
Date: 12/04/18

5 Pepin Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $142,500
Buyer: Kevin C. Netto Construction Inc.
Seller: William M. Sullivan
Date: 12/14/18

15 Pinebrook Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Lorri M. Mcclaflin
Seller: Pratt, Elaine R. (Estate)
Date: 12/14/18

29 Westview Ter.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Michael F. Sullivan
Seller: David J. Slattery
Date: 12/12/18

16-18 Winter St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Martin W. Fleming
Seller: James H. Campbell
Date: 12/10/18

GOSHEN

2 Maple Road
Goshen, MA 01096
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Courtney C. Maclachlan TR
Seller: Thomas T. Roman
Date: 12/14/18

GRANBY

Center St. #10
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Nathan A. Boutin
Seller: Taylor, Maudetta A. (Estate)
Date: 12/07/18

4 Deerbrook Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $340,000
Buyer: John J. Curley RET
Seller: Thomas F. Labak
Date: 12/03/18

48 Lyman St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: William P. Manewich
Seller: Ryan M. Sullivan
Date: 12/07/18

17 New Ludlow Road
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $501,103
Buyer: Eurovia Atlantic Coast
Seller: Lane Construction Corp.
Date: 12/13/18

145 South St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $317,000
Buyer: Joshua Gomez
Seller: Peter Giroux
Date: 12/14/18

218 Taylor St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $239,955
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Tammy Griswold
Date: 12/10/18

HADLEY

3 Frallo Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $352,000
Buyer: Roger L. Schmidt
Seller: William P. Wisnieski
Date: 12/11/18

134 Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Christian B. Rahn
Seller: Jay B. Bobzin
Date: 12/06/18

53 Russell St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: NSTAR Electric C.
Seller: Frank J. Drozdal
Date: 12/12/18

HATFIELD

3 Elm Court
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $284,000
Buyer: James R. Tunstall FT
Seller: Leonard F. VonFlatern
Date: 12/14/18

74 Prospect St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Allison R. Slysz
Seller: Eugene J. Pilis
Date: 12/14/18

83 School St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $314,000
Buyer: Amy E. Fleig
Seller: Melody S. Edwards
Date: 12/03/18

NORTHAMPTON

40 Chestnut Ave.
Northampton, MA 01053
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Marisol A. Quintana
Seller: Peter K. Tur
Date: 12/06/18

137 Clement St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $213,000
Buyer: Uri J. Maoz
Seller: Borfitz Baumer Mescon NT
Date: 12/07/18

240 Crescent St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $679,000
Buyer: Samantha Bakker-Norton
Seller: Thomas C. Wilson
Date: 12/10/18

770 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $339,000
Buyer: Merle S. Alev
Seller: Humphriss, Karen L. (Estate)
Date: 12/13/18

49 Ford Xing
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $570,000
Buyer: Sturbridge Development
Seller: William Knorr
Date: 12/04/18

127 Franklin St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $831,000
Buyer: Isabelle Sweezy Miller TR
Seller: Alison E. Macdonald
Date: 12/03/18

78 Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $509,250
Buyer: Marta Rudolph
Seller: Frank E. Abarno
Date: 12/13/18

498 Park Hill Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $565,000
Buyer: Daniel A. Ghitman
Seller: Kathrine I. Nowill TR
Date: 12/12/18

14 Pioneer Knolls
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $219,000
Buyer: Catherine L. Hannula
Seller: Matthew J. Dauer
Date: 12/10/18

661 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $302,500
Buyer: Ambrose Properties New England
Seller: Michael J. Obrien
Date: 12/14/18

PELHAM

194 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $223,000
Buyer: Jeffrey A. Pickering
Seller: Robin Jugan
Date: 12/06/18

22 Amherst Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Amethyst Brook Apartments
Seller: Robert R. Carkhuff
Date: 12/06/18

16 Jones Road
Pelham, MA 01002
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Lynn B. Byler
Seller: Tate, James V. Est
Date: 12/06/18

SOUTH HADLEY

101 Abbey St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Casey Bergeron
Seller: Herbert E. Uhlig
Date: 12/14/18

277 Brainerd St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $232,750
Buyer: Stephen M. Werenski
Seller: Edward I. Werenski
Date: 12/13/18

63 Brigham Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Robert W. Wuori
Seller: Gail M. Gladu
Date: 12/10/18

68 Chestnut Hill Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Tracy A. Eason
Seller: Boivin FT
Date: 12/14/18

35 East Red Bridge Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Robert N. Samet
Seller: Anjali S. Cadena
Date: 12/06/18

515 Granby Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Howie RT
Seller: Brett A. Remillard
Date: 12/04/18

35 Grandview St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Lindsey J. Pouliot
Seller: James E. Warzenski
Date: 12/04/18

6 Greenwood Lane
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Edwards IRT
Seller: Mary A. Czajkowski
Date: 12/07/18

48 Lincoln Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: William Jackson
Seller: Gaylord Blue LLC
Date: 12/14/18

20 Lyman Ter.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Revampit LLC
Seller: Theresa M. Marr
Date: 12/14/18

465 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $243,000
Buyer: Brett F. Johnson
Seller: Natalie A. Lecours
Date: 12/12/18

SOUTHAMPTON

102 College Hwy.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Richard Ferrari
Seller: David C. Gustavson
Date: 12/10/18

81 High St.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Moises Deliz
Seller: Andrew J. Watson
Date: 12/14/18

32 Russellville Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Christopher M. Ames
Seller: Mark Anthony
Date: 12/06/18

WARE

95 Babcock Tavern Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $184,000
Buyer: Ruby Realty LLC
Seller: Aaron S. Brown
Date: 12/13/18

712 Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Jarrett A. Brown
Seller: Guy P. Savoie
Date: 12/12/18

102 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Kaleb J. Lane
Seller: Ann M. Fluegge
Date: 12/06/18

23 Coffey Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $277,000
Buyer: Andrew Ghali
Seller: Stephen D. Luxon
Date: 12/04/18

56 Gould Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $209,000
Buyer: Holly L. Larzazs
Seller: Alan C. Kusek
Date: 12/07/18

3 Hillside Ter.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Jason Nance
Seller: Darlene D. Lefevre
Date: 12/07/18

154 Jim Ash Road
Ware, MA 01069
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Thanh K. Tran-Rovelli
Seller: Evelyn J. Blanchard
Date: 12/07/18

20 Mattson Blvd.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Siobhan O’Shaughnessy
Seller: Roy M. St.George
Date: 12/14/18

7 Wildflower Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Russell D. Carello
Seller: Belco Construction Co. Inc
Date: 12/14/18

WILLIAMSBURG

14 Kingsley Ave.
Williamsburg, MA 01060
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Button Shop LLC
Seller: JCK Properties LLC
Date: 12/07/18

WESTHAMPTON

Chesterfield Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Hilltown Land Trust Inc
Seller: Poverty Mountain LLP
Date: 12/03/18

200 Easthampton Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $858,000
Buyer: Cynthia N. Sprague
Seller: Brian Duggan
Date: 12/03/18

41 Montague Road
Westhampton, MA 01027
Amount: $672,500
Buyer: Dennis F. Renkowicz
Seller: David L. Fradkin
Date: 12/07/18

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

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

AMHERST

Amherst Shopping Center Associates, LLC
165 University Dr.
$34,020 — Install ductless HVAC system in existing CVS stockroom

D’Angelo Inc.
48 North Pleasant St.
$65,300 — Tenant fit-out for food-service establishments

Granodonico Properties, LLC
25 North Pleasant St.
$37,000 — Remove ceiling and insulation, reinstall blue boards and plaster

Jewish Community of Amherst
742 Main St.
$120,000 — Straighten and re-roof steeple

Mathews Properties
37 South Pleasant St.
$5,000 — Demolish wall between two offices

One East Pleasant St.
1 East Pleasant St.
$5,000 — Limited demolition

Town of Amherst
4 Boltwood Ave.
$10,000 — Town room alteration

Udrive, LLC
40 University Dr.
$551,250 — Core/shell for future restaurant

CHICOPEE

Chicopee Marketplace Owners, LLC
591F Memorial Dr.
$42,900 — Fit-out existing space for nail salon

G6 Hospitality Property, LLC
36 Johnny Cake Hollow
$30,000 — Remove drywall, repair existing drywall, mold remediation

Dorothy Krawiec
2 Valier Ave.
$25,000 — Add three antennas and replace remote radio heads with new ancillary equipment and cables

Yee Family
705 Memorial Dr.
$110,000 — Complete demolition of former Hu Ke Lau restaurant

EASTHAMPTON

Keystone Enterprises
122 Pleasant St.
$352,800 — HVAC work for Insa Easthampton expansion

Keystone Enterprises
122 Pleasant St.
$62,000 — Extend elevator hoistway above roof line, reconstruct level deck landing and exterior elevator lobby

Seachange Endeavors, LLC
117 Pleasant St.
$224,000 — Construct two-story manufactured addition to side of building

EAST LONGMEADOW

Cartamundi
443 Shaker Road
$275,000 — Roofing

LG Industries, LLC
194 Pleasant St.
$25,000 — Kitchen and bathroom

Stacy’s Cleaners
55 White St.
$1,200 — Rebuild interior stairs

Ventry Properties, LLC
124 Shaker Road
$165,500 — New commercial building

GREENFIELD

American Tower Corp.
180 Country Club Road
$13,500 — Install small backup generator for cell tower

Behavioral Health Network
298 Federal St.
$65,000 — Install fire-protection system

Joyce Drake
427 Davis St.
$6,000 — Cut out concrete wall for door, frame two walls to make office, finish and frame for bathroom

Joyce Drake
427 Davis St.
Attach sign to building for Kenney Automotive

First United Methodist Church
25 Church St.
$12,800 — Roofing

Syfeld Greenfield Associates
259 Mohawk Trail
$40,000 — Retrofit sprinkler heads to new ceiling height

LONGMEADOW

The Longmeadow Mall, LP
827 Williams St.
$8,500 — Install ceiling to bring space up to code

NORTHAMPTON

LHIC Inc.
34 North Maple St.
$125,000 — Construct cidery

Smith College
44 College Lane
$2,365,000 — Upgrade existing air-handling units and exhaust fan in Sabin-Reed Hall

Smith College
44 Green St.
$16,000 — New transom, built-in bookshelves, minor electric work

SPRINGFIELD

125 Paridon Street, LLC
125 Paridon St.
$25,000 — Install three panel antennas, remove three remote radio heads and install six, modify equipment, smokestack installation for AT&T

Springfield College
29 Sheffield St.
$225,000 — Alter space in facilities building for use as a dance classroom

YWCA of Western Massachusetts
1 Clough St.
$5,000 — Convert two existing office rooms into sleeping rooms

WEST SPRINGFIELD

73 State St., LLC
59 Interstate Dr.
$32,560 — Replace carpet, ceiling, sink, cabinet, and front door; remove two walls; add additional electrical outlets

Jim Byrne
24 Parkside Ave.
$4,200 — Repair front entry foyer, install new security door, install new siding, install new roof

Dante Club
1198 Memorial Ave.
$38,975 — Roofing

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave.
$25,000 — Install wireless telecommunications equipment for AT&T

Turkmen Kenan
707 Main St.
$4,500 — Roofing

Red’s Towing
1528 Riverdale St.
$32,000 — Roofing

Town of West Springfield
1 Toccoa Lane
$7,500 — Install generator to existing wireless facility

Van Deene Medical Building Partnership
75 Van Deene Ave.
$80,000 — Expand office into adjacent vacant space, add handicap-accessible restroom

WILLIAMSBURG

Equinox Partners, LLC
183 Main St.
$87,000 — Roofing on clubhouse, remove and rebuild entrance, new pine ceiling in clubhouse, install washable surface in kitchen

Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield
173 Main St.
$14,285 — Roofing

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